You Light Up My Life (film)

You Light Up My Life
Theatrical poster
Directed by	Joseph Brooks
Written by	Joseph Brooks
Produced by	Joseph Brooks
Starring	Didi Conn Joe Silver Michael Zaslow Stephen Nathan Melanie Mayron
Cinematography	Eric Saarinen
Edited by	Lynzee Klingman
Music by	Joseph Brooks
Production company	Mondial International
Distributed by	Columbia Pictures
Release date	August 31, 1977 (1977-08-31)
Running time	90 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$1.2 million[1]
Box office	$8.5 million[2]

You Light Up My Life is a 1977 American romantic drama film written, produced, scored, and directed by Joseph Brooks. It stars Didi Conn, Joe Silver, and Michael Zaslow.^[3][4] The film follows a young singer and songwriter, feels obligated to follow her father's borscht belt comedian career. She struggles to get small time acting work in advertising and children's shows with her fellow acting friends in Hollywood and shows marginal talent in standup comedy (mostly set up using her father's connections). Her happenstance meeting with a young director will set the stage for a series of conflicts with her fiancé, father and career decisions.

On initial release, the film received widespread negative reviews from critics, though it was a commercial success. However, the film’s soundtrack proved a hit and the title song (written by Brooks and sung for the film by Kasey Cisyk) won multiple accolades including the Academy Award for Best Original Song. A cover version by Debby Boone became a major hit, winning the 1978 Grammy Award for Song of the Year and becoming the single biggest hit of the decade.^[5]