Ralph Burns (1922-2001) composed and conducted the score for The Muppets Take Manhattan.
A composer, songwriter, bandleader, conductor, arranger and pianist, Ralph Burns was involved with many successful productions prior to his involvement with the Muppets. He arranged the scores for Broadway musicals like Little Me and Funny Girl, and won Tony Awards for his orchestrations of Fosse and Thoroughly Modern Millie. worked with Mel Brooks on four films (including orchestrating the Spanish Inquisition for History of the World, Part I) and conducted and arranged Little Orphan Annie.
Burns collaborated with musical greats like Woody Herman and Johnny Mercer and penned tunes including "Early Autumn" and "Bijou." He was one of a few individuals to have won an Oscar (for All That Jazz and Cabaret), Emmy, and Tony. Burns died in November of 2001, due to complications from a stroke.