Known For
Acting
Born
Mar 13, 1939
Died
Feb 27, 2026
Place of Birth
Brooklyn, New York, USA
Credits
49 titles
Neil Sedaka
Biography
Neil Sedaka (March 13, 1939 — February 27, 2026) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Beginning his music career in 1957, he sold millions of records worldwide and wrote or co-wrote over 500 songs for himself and other artists, collaborating mostly with lyricists Howard Greenfield and Phil Cody. After a short-lived tenure as a founding member of the doo-wop group the Tokens, Sedaka achieved a string of hit singles over the late 1950s and early 1960s, including "Oh! Carol" (1959), "Calendar Girl" (1960), "Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen" (1961), and "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" (1962). His popularity declined by the mid-1960s, but revived in the mid-1970s, solidified by the 1975 US Billboard Hot 100 number ones "Laughter in the Rain" and "Bad Blood". Sedaka maintained a successful career as a songwriter, penning hits for other artists, including "Stupid Cupid" (Connie Francis), "(Is This the Way to) Amarillo" (Tony Christie), and "Love Will Keep Us Together" (Captain & Tennille). As a performer, he had ten No. 1 hits and four as a songwriter. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1983 and continued to perform, mounting mini-concerts on social media during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sedaka was hospitalized in Los Angeles after experiencing an undisclosed medical emergency and later died on February 27, 2026, aged 86.
Known For
Filmography
ABBA Silver, ABBA Gold
Himself - singer-songwriter
Kylie Minogue V The Bee Gees
Self (archive footage)
This Is Pop
Self
ABBA: In Their Own Words
Self
ABBA Forever: A Celebration
Self
Neil Sedaka - Legends in Concert
Self
Good Morning Britain
Self
Neil Sedaka: King of Song
Self
Neil Sedaka: That's When the Music Takes Me
The Alan Titchmarsh Show
Self
Legends
Self
Neil Sedaka: The Show Goes On
The Tony Danza Show
Self
American Idol
Self - Guest Judge
The King of Queens
Neil Sedaka
The Heaven and Earth Show
The Garden Party
The View
Self
The Music Biz
Self
Food Rocks
Neil Moussaka (uncredited)
Later... with Jools Holland
Pebble Mill
Self
Surprise, Surprise
Self - Performer
Neil Sedaka Says: All You Need Is the Music
Na sowas!
Self
Neil Sedaka: Live in Concert at the Jubilee Hall
Himself
Breaking Up Is Hard to Do
Theme Song Performance
Bob Hope's Comedy Christmas Special
The Sonny and Cher Show
Donny & Marie
Self
Saturday Night Live
Self - Musical Guest
In Concert: Neil Sedaka
The Midnight Special Legendary Performances 1974
Self
Tony Orlando and Dawn
Self
Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest
Self
Musikladen
Self
Ein Kessel Buntes
Self
Look - Mike Yarwood!
The Carol Burnett Show
Self
Playgirl Killer
Bob
Sting of Death
Songs
Shindig!
Self - Singer / Pianist
Instant Love
Himself
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self
The Merv Griffin Show
Self
The Mike Douglas Show
Self - Guest Co-Host
Festival in Rhythm
Himself
The Dick Clark Show
Self
The Ed Sullivan Show
Self