Frederick Forsyth, Co-Writer of LOVE NEVER DIES, Passes Away at 86

BroadwayWorld is saddened to report the passing of novelist and journalist Frederick Forsyth, who served as a contributor for the book of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Love Never Dies. He was 86.

Primarily known for his work as a novelist, Forsyth wrote several best-selling thrillers, many of which went on to be adapted for film and television. His first novel, The Day of the Jackal, spawned a 1973 film and, more recently, a Peacock television series starring Tony winner Eddie Redmayne. Other notable works include The Odessa File, The Dogs of War, The Devil's Alternative, The Fourth Protocol, The Fist of God, Icon, The Veteran, Avenger, The Afghan, The Cobra, and The Kill List. 

In his career, Forsyth crossed paths with Broadway composer Andrew Lloyd Webber on multiple occasions. Webber wrote the musical score to the 1974 film adaptation of his novel, The Odessa File. In the 1990s, the duo worked hand in hand to develop ideas for a potential sequel to Webber's hit musical The Phantom of the Opera. Though these ideas were heavily reworked for the eventual stage musical, their collaboration resulted in Forsyth's 1999 novel The Phantom of Manhattan, which served as a continuation of the classic story.

For the musical Love Never Dies, which premiered on the West End in 2010, Lloyd, along with book writer Ben Elton and lyricist, revised the plot, though Forsyth remains a credited contributor on the script.