'Chariots of Fire' Composer Vangelis Dead at 79

Music legend, Vangelis, the composer behind massive Hollywood hits like "Chariots of Fire" and "Blade Runner" has died.

A representative for Vangelis confirmed he died at a hospital in France, where he was being treated for an illness ... but it's unclear what he was fighting.

Vangelis was a self-taught musician that rose to fame after scoring the 1981 film, "Chariots of Fire." The soundtrack reached #1 on Billboard charts ... and remarkably, he ended up winning an Oscar for Best Original Score.

In addition to the Oscar, he scored Ridley Scott's 1982 film "Blade Runner" ... and wrote songs for films, including "The Bounty."

He was 79.