Original version

BBC Radio 2 is a radio channel that started transmitting on the 30th September 1967. It replaced Light Programme.

BBC Radio 2

Radio 2

He's Only Just Begun - Paul Williams: Episode 1: Part 1 - Bugsy Malone, Alan Parker, Evergreen, Barbra Streisand

Documentaries

Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media

Music

He's Only Just Begun - Paul Williams

Episode 1

Episode 1: Part 1 - Bugsy Malone, Alan Parker, Evergreen, Barbra Streisand

Part 1 - Bugsy Malone, Alan Parker, Evergreen, Barbra Streisand

BBC Radio 2 - He's Only Just Begun - Paul Williams, Part 1 - Bugsy Malone, Alan Parker, Evergreen, Barbra Streisand

He's Only Just Begun - Part 1 of a Paul Williams Special presented by Gary Osborne.

He's Only Just Begun - Part 1 of a Paul Williams Special presented by Gary Osborne who looks at the remarkable career of the man behind Bugsy Malone and The Muppets Christmas Carol.

"He's Only Just Begun" - In an intimate chat with his old friend Paul Williams, fellow songwriter Gary Osborne charts the remarkable career of the man behind the timeless classics "We've Only Just Begun", "Rainy Days And Mondays", "You And Me Against The World". He won an Oscar with Barbra Streisand for "Evergreen" worked with The Muppets writing "Rainbow Connection" and the seasonal favourite "The Muppet Christmas Carol", plus every school's favourite musical "Bugsy Malone".

In part 1 we go back to the beginning with Paul Williams' huge desire to act rather than write music but he achieved both in "Phantom of the Paradise" he was nominated for an Oscar for the score and starred as the villainous Swan in the Brian De Palma's cult classic and he then won huge acclaim as Little Enos in the action-comedy "Smokey And The Bandit" in which he starred alongside Burt Reynolds. In the meantime he was writing for a number of 70s acts including Three Dog Night's "An Old Fashioned Love Song", the timeless classics "We've Only Just Begun" and "Rainy Days And Mondays" for The Carpenters  and "You And Me Against The World" by Helen Reddy. He was asked by Barbra Streisand to work on "A Star Is Born" and that collaboration earned him an Oscar for "Evergreen"; in his acceptance speech he said:  "I was going to thank all the little people, then I remembered I am the little people".  It's with that humour and childlike quality, which he freely admits, that helped him write "Bugsy Malone" directed by Alan Parker and "Rainbow Connection" for The Muppets.

Amazing music. Played by an amazing line up.

Radio 2: Amazing music. Played by an amazing line-up. The home of great music, entertainment and documentaries

Looking at the career of composer, singer, songwriter and actor Paul Williams.

Two-part documentary looking at the career of composer, singer, songwriter and actor Paul Williams.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

He's Only Just Begun - Paul Williams

Episode 1: Part 1 - Bugsy Malone, Alan Parker, Evergreen, Barbra Streisand

Genres

Formats

Series

BBC Radio 2

About BBC Radio 2