Joseph Brooks, born Joseph Kaplan (March 11, 1938 – May 22, 2011), and also known as Joe Brooks or Joey Brooks, was an American composer, director, producer, and screenwriter. He was born in Manhattan, New York.
He was a known writer of advertising jingles and wrote the hit songs "My Ship Is Comin' In", "If Ever I See You Again", and "You Light Up My Life", he later composed the hit movie of the same name which he also wrote, directed, and produced. He won a Grammy Award, Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award for it.
In his later years he became the subject of an investigation after being accused of a series of casting-couch rapes. He was indicted in 2009. On May 22, 2011, before he could be brought to trial, Brooks committed suicide in his Upper East Side, Manhattan home by placing a bag over his head with a hose from a helium tank connected to it. He was 73 years old. On May 23, 2011, the medical examiner ruled that Brooks had committed suicide, citing asphyxia by helium.