Andrew Lloyd Webber

British composer, playwright and impresario noted for some of the greatest hit shows of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. With Tim Rice as his collaborator, Lloyd-Webber's first three hits were "Joseph and the Amazing Tehnicolour Dreamcoat," 1968, "Jesus Christ superstar," 1970 and "Evita," 1978. His greatest success was "Cats," 1981.

He was knighted in 1992 to become a Lord.

Webber is known for his ability to blend disparate genres into musical spectacles with hugely popular appeal. His musicals are credited with revitalizing British and American theatre during the late 20th century, and he is considered the most successful musical composer of his generation.

Born in London, Andrew is the son of the director of the London College of Music. His younger brother Julian was born three years later. His musical training began when he was a child and he composed his first musical, "The Toy Theatre" at the age of seven. By age 17, he had written eight more. From the time his Aunt Vi introduced him to theatre, he was intent on writing music.

In 1956, while at Westminster, he began composing the music for school plays. He was awarded a scholarship, granting him reduced tuition costs, and in 1964, he won another scholarship, and transferred to the University of Oxford. He read history at Oxford but dropped out after one term, finding musical theater much more appealing.

In 1967, he co-wrote, with Timothy Rice, "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" for a school performance. "Joseph" was finally produced on Broadway in 1981. Although Lloyd-Webber and Rice collaborated on several musicals, their last major effort together was "Evita." The maestro gradually gained quite a reputation for his publicized break-ups with various performers.

"Cats," based on T.S. Eliot's verses, was hugely successful, becoming both the longest-running musical in British theatrical history and the longest-running show on Broadway where it played for more than 7,000 performances.