The Sting and A Chorus Line, has died in Los Angeles aged 68.

Family spokesman Jason Lee said Hamlisch died on Monday after a brief illness.

Hamlisch wrote more than 40 film scores including his Oscar-winning score and title song for The Way We Were.

In total he won three Academy Awards, four Emmys, a Tony and three Golden Globes.

A news release from his publicist said he had been scheduled to fly to Nashville, Tennessee, this week to see a production of his hit musical, The Nutty Professor.

Hamlisch's scores for Broadway included A Chorus Line, which received the Pulitzer Prize, as well as They're Playing Our Song, The Goodbye Girl and Sweet Smell of Success.

His prolific output for films included original compositions and musical adaptations for Sophie's Choice, Ordinary People, The Swimmer and Three Men and a Baby.

He scored early Woody Allen films Take the Money and Run and Bananas.

Most recently, he worked on 2009's The Informant!, starring Matt Damon and directed by Steven Soderbergh.