10 Facts About Hal Shaper

Harold David Shaper, known as Hal Shaper, was a South African songwriter.

Hal Shaper was born on 18 July 1931 in Muizenberg near Cape Town as the third and youngest child of Jewish parents.

Hal Shaper's father was from Manchester and his mother from the ghetto of Lodz in Poland.

Hal Shaper was inspired to become a songwriter after seeing the Mickey Rooney film Words and Music, saying: he was "enchanted by the quality of the songs and the freshness of them" In 1949 Hal met young pianist and budding songwriter, Charles Segal who was holidaying in Muizenberg.

Charles encouraged Hal Shaper to write his first lyrics for one of Charles's songs - "I Never Loved Before", beginning a musical collaboration and friendship that spanned many decades.

In 1955, Hal Shaper was certified as a lawyer in Cape Town.

Hal Shaper was then persuaded to move to Robbins Music by Alan Holmes, leaving his job as a plugger in August 1958.

Hal Shaper further created and published approximately 60 movie soundtracks for films such as The Go-Between, Papillon, The Boys from Brazil, and First Blood.

Hal Shaper married twice, first to Susan from 1972 to 1989 with whom he had a daughter, Hollie; and later to Pippa in 1990 with whom he had four children: Jack, Pia, Harry and Lucy.

Hal Shaper died in Cape Town on 8 January 2004 at the age of 72.