| Journalist | |
| 1951 - 54 | Reporter and entertainment columnist, Sunday Express, Johannesburg. |
| 1954 - 59 | Feature writer and columnist, Daily Sketch, London |
| 1959 - 61 | Columnist, Sunday Despatch, London |
| 1962 - 78 | Feature writer and theatre critic, Daily Express, London |
| 1979 - 87 | TV critic, Daily Mail, London |
| Lyricist | |
| 1960 | As lyric writer, contributed weekly songs to: That Was The Week That Was, Not So Much A Programme.., BBC3, That's Life. Wrote Lyrics of Goodness Gracious Me, (Ivor Novello Award) |
| 1963 | The Summer of Our Years (tribute to JF Kennedy) Goodness Gracious Me, Bangers and Mash from the film the Millionairess (music by Dave Lee) |
| 1964 | Our Man Crichton, Shaftesbury Theatre (Book and lyrics.) |
| 1967 | The Four Musketeers, Drury Lane Theatre (Lyrics) |
| 1969 | Film:
Can Heironymus Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humppe And Find True Happiness? (Lyrics) Yesterday When I was Young (lyrics) Charles Aznavour |
| 1974 | She (lyrics) Charles Aznavour. Written for the BBC TV series Seven Faces of a Woman. |
| 1985 | Les Miserables (lyrics). The Barbican, London |
| 2008 | Marguerite (lyrics), Theatre Royal, Haymarket, composer Michel Le Grand |
| 2009 | Kristina, Carnegie Hall, New York. Co-lyricist with Bjorn Ulvaeus |
| 2010 | Kristina, Royal Albert Hall, London |
| 2012 | London. World Premiere of the film Les Miserables (Working Title/Universal) , directed by Tom Hooper. One new song Suddenly (lyrics) |
| Publications | |
| 1965 | Our Man Crichton (music by Dave Lee) |
| 1970 | (jointly) Every Home Should Have One |
| 2002 | Irma La Goose. Children's verse, privately printed |
| 2014 | Snapshots: Conversations with Twentieth Century Legends. An Anthology of Herbert Kretzmer’s showbusiness journalism |
| Awards and nominations | |
| 1969 | Yesterday When I was Young (ASCAP award). (Lyrics) |
| 1974 | Gold Record for She (Lyrics) |
| 1980 | TV Critic of the Year, Philips Industries Award |
| 1981 | Commended in the British Press Awards |
| 1985 | Les Misérables, RSC (Lyrics, Tony Award, 1987, Grammy Award 1988) |
| 1988 | Appointed Chevalier De L'Ordre Des Arts Et Des Lettres |
| 1989 |
Jimmy Kennedy Award, British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors |
| 1996 | Hon. Dr of Letter, Richmond College, American International University in London |
| 2008 | Marguerite. Lyrics. Shortlisted Evening Standard Drama Awards Best Musical. |
| 2011 | Awarded OBE (Order of the British Empire) for Services to Music |
| 2011 | PRS for Music Award for Extraordinary Achievement |
| 2011 | Honorary Doctorate, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa |
| 2012 | Satellite Awards Winner Best Original Song Suddenly |
| 2012 | Phoenix Film Critics Society Nominated Best original Song Suddenly and Best Screenplay Adapted from another medium |
| 2013 | BAFTA Awards. Nominated Best Outstanding British Film |
| 2013 | Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards. Nominated Best Song Suddenly |
| 2013 | Golden Globes Nominated for Best Original Song Suddenly |
| 2013 | Academy Award nomination for Original Song Suddenly |
| 2013 | The New York Chapter Recording Academy Honors Award |