Composer Vangelis, of ‘Chariots Of Fire’ soundtrack, dead at 79

Vangelis, best known for the “Chariots of Fire’” and “Blade Runner” soundtracks, is dead. He was 79.

A rep for the composer told the Guardian that he died at a hospital in France. It is unknown what he was being treated for.

Born in Greece, Evángelos Odysséas Papathanassíou became more well known to the world as Vangelis. He went on to create the scores for “Antarctica,” “The Bounty” and “Alexander.”

But the “Chariots” theme song, which reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart, became his most famous work and won him an Oscar in 1982.

The artist combined orchestral music, electronic synth sounds, jazz and ambient music that mimicked the sound of ocean waves as Olympic runners featured in the film pranced down the beach.