American singer-songwriter and music producer Richard Carpenter was BOTD in 1946. Born in New Haven, Connecticut, he developed an early interest in music, performing professionally when he was in his teens. In 1963, his family relocated to Downey, California, where he studied music at California State College at Long Beach, forming the pop band The Richard Carpenter Trio with his younger sister Karen playing drums. After discovering Karen’s talents as a singer, they rebranded as The Carpenters, and were signed to a record label in 1969. They rose to stardom with their 1970 cover of Burt Bacharach’s ballad Close to You, showcasing Richard’s skilful harmonic arrangements and Karen’s velvety contralto. Pushing against the prevailing trend for rock ‘n roll, it became a No 1 hit. The siblings quickly won over middle America with their wholesome image and accomplished easy-listening sound, scoring further hits with We’ve Only Just Begun, Top of the World, Superstar and Yesterday Once More, releasing ten albums and appearing in popular television specials. The pressures of fame and extensive touring took its toll, with Richard developing an addiction to sedatives and Karen suffering from bulimia nervosa, resulting in their 1975 tour being cancelled. After collapsing backstage in 1979, Richard entered a rehab clinic to address his addiction. The siblings reunited in 1980 for a TV special, and released their final album, Made in America, in 1981. Karen died unexpectedly of heart failure in 1983, aged 32, shattering public illusions about the band’s wholesome image and drawing international attention to her struggle with eating disorders. Richard’s subsequent career has focused almost entirely on his work with Karen, producing re-releases of their music, and a solo album of unreleased songs in 1986. The nostalgia fest was interrupted in 1987 with Todd Haynes’ experimental film Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story, an unflattering portrait of Karen’s struggles with bulimia nervosa, using Barbie dolls as actors, in which Richard is portrayed as a closeted bully and closeted homosexual. Richard successfully sued Haynes for unauthorised use of The Carpenters’ music, preventing the film from being screened in cinemas. Richard subsequently produced the 1989 TV biopic The Karen Carpenter Story, starring Mitchell Anderson as a sensitively heterosexual Richard. In 1984, Richard married Mary Rudolph, with whom he had five children, vigorously swatting away gay rumours in various interviews and biographies. Now retired from performing, Richard continues to produce tribute albums and documentaries about The Carpenters. With more than 100 million records sold worldwide, they remain among the best-selling musical artists of all time. Superstar is now considered a classic of underground filmmaking, enjoying a new lease of life on the Internet.