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John Williams

Date of Death: May 05, 1983 (80)

Birth Place: Chalfont, Buckinghamshire, ENGLAND

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BIO

John Towner Williams (born February 8, 1932) is an American composer and conductor. In a career that has spanned seven decades, he has composed some of the most popular, recognizable and critically acclaimed film scores in cinema history. He has a very distinct sound that mixes romanticism, impressionism and atonal music with complex orchestration. He is most known for his collaborations with Steven Spielberg and George Lucas and has received numerous accolades including 26 Grammy Awards, five Academy Awards, seven BAFTA Awards, three Emmy Awards and four Golden Globe Awards. With 54 Academy Award nominations, he is the second-most nominated person, after Walt Disney, and is the oldest Oscar nominee in any category, at 91 years old.



Williams's early work as a film composer include Valley of the Dolls (1967), Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1969), Images (1972) and The Long Goodbye (1973). He has collaborated with Spielberg since his 1974 film The Sugarland Express, composing music for all but five of his feature films. He received five Academy Awards for Best Original Score for Fiddler on the Roof (1971), Jaws (1975), Star Wars (1977), E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial (1982), and Schindler's List (1993). Other memorable collaborations with Spielberg include Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), the Indiana Jones franchise (1981–2023), Jurassic Park (1993), Saving Private Ryan (1998), Catch Me If You Can (2002), War Horse (2011), Lincoln (2012), and The Fabelmans (2022). He also scored Superman (1978), the first two Home Alone films (1990–1992), and the first three Harry Potter films (2001–2004).

Williams has also composed numerous classical concertos and other works for orchestral ensembles and solo instruments. He served as the Boston Pops' principal conductor from 1980 to 1993 and is its laureate conductor. Other works by Williams include theme music for the 1984 Summer Olympic Games, NBC Sunday Night Football, "The Mission" theme used by NBC News and Seven News in Australia, the television series Lost in Space and Land of the Giants, and the incidental music for the first season of Gilligan's Island. Williams announced but then rescinded his intention to retire from film score composing after the release of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny in 2023.

In 2022, Williams was appointed an Honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) by Queen Elizabeth II, "for services to film music". He has received numerous honors including the Kennedy Center Honor in 2004, the National Medal of the Arts in 2009, and the AFI Life Achievement Award in 2016.[a] He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1998, the Hollywood Bowl's Hall of Fame in 2000, and the American Classical Music Hall of Fame in 2004. He has composed the score for nine of the top 25 highest-grossing films at the U.S. box office. In 2005, the American Film Institute selected Williams's score to Star Wars as the greatest film score of all time. The Library of Congress entered the Star Wars soundtrack into the National Recording Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

Photos

STAGE CREDITS

[Broadway]
1970
David Bliss

[Broadway]
1964
Sir Gregory

[Broadway]
1961
General Allenby

[Broadway]
1955
Belmann

[Broadway]
1952
Inspector Hubbard

[Broadway]
1952
Herbert Reedbeck

[Broadway]
1949
Bishop Gregor

[Broadway]
Original Broadway Production, 1948
Duke of Norfolk

[Broadway]
1948
Mark Kennicott

[Broadway]
1946
Walter Wallace

[Broadway]
1941
Jerry Seymoure

[Broadway]
1939
Philo Smith

[Broadway]
1939
Cunningham

[Broadway]
1938
Eric Lindon

[Broadway]
1937
Mr. Slope

[Broadway]
1934
Clyde Lockert

[Broadway]
1934
Clyde Lockert

[Broadway]
1933
Sergeant Brace

[Broadway]
1933
John

[Broadway]
1931
Felix

[Broadway]
1930
Richard Chalfont

[Broadway]
1928
Lord of Teylesmore

[Broadway]
1928
Burglar

[Broadway]
1927
Douglas Helder

[Broadway]
1927
James Depew

[Broadway]
1927
Howell Jamess

[Broadway]
1926
Charles Murdock

[Broadway]
1925
Lucien

[Broadway]
1925
Gerald Shannon

[Broadway]
1924
Clifford Hope


Awards and Nominations


winner
Tony Awards - 1953 - Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play

John Williams, Dial "M" for Murder

Videos

News


Western Piedmont Symphony Announces November Double Concert Weekend

Western Piedmont Symphony kicks off its 60th anniversary season with BEETHOVEN'S FIFTH SYMPHONY on November 9, followed by a DISCOVERY FAMILY CONCERT on November 10 in Hickory, NC.
The El Capitan Theatre to Present MUSIC BY JOHN WILLIAMS In A Limited Engagement

Experience the West Coast exclusive of MUSIC BY JOHN WILLIAMS at The El Capitan Theatre. This limited engagement celebrates the iconic film scores of the legendary composer. Learn how to purchase tickets.
HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS IN CONCERT is Coming to Wharton Center

The Harry Potter Film Concert Series will return to Wharton Center with Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in Concert, the second film in the Harry Potter series. Learn how to purchase tickets.
Previews: WAR HORSE North American Premier at ICT Rep At The Century II Concert Hall

The Wichita Symphony Orchestra (WSO), in collaboration with Wichita Repertory Theater (ICTRep), is honored to present the North American premiere of War Horse in Concert.
South Bend Symphony to Present HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS in Concert

Experience the magic of HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS as the South Bend Symphony Orchestra performs John Williams' iconic score live to picture. Learn how to purchase tickets.
Spotlight: FROM MEXICO TO HOLLYWOOD at Walt Disney Concert Hall

An Evening of Film & Music: From Mexico to Hollywood
The Music of Joe Hisaishi Comes to Melbourne

From Studio Ghibli classics My Neighbour Totoro, Kiki’s Delivery Service and Spirited Away to more than 100 works for the screen and concert hall, Joe Hisaishi is one of the most prolific and beloved composers worldwide.
Composer Rick Sowash To Debut A PIRATE'S CHRISTMAS For Flute, Cello, and Piano on Digital EP Next Month

For holiday listening, Cincinnati's Rick Sowash, a prolific, self-described 'outsider composer' with some 500 published scores to his credit, will release the world-premiere recording of the whimsical 'A Pirate's Christmas,' his newest trio for flute, cello, and piano, as part of a digital-only seasonal EP available November 8, 2024.
Anchorage Symphony Performs HOLLYWOOD HEROES This Month

 In a world where heroes rise, and legends are born, the Anchorage Symphony embarks on a spectacular journey of epic film scores and heroic adventures with Hollywood Heroes on Saturday, October 19th, at 7:30 pm in the Atwood Concert Hall.
LA Philharmonic & Gustavo Dudamel, with Lang Lang, Launch 2024/25 Season at Walt Disney Concert Hall

The Los Angeles Philharmonic and Music & Artistic Director Gustavo Dudamel returned to the Walt Disney Concert Hall stage for the LA Phil Gala Concert: Dudamel & Lang Lang on Tuesday, October 1, 2024.
Video: Disney Unveils Trailer and Premiere Date for MUSIC BY JOHN WILLIAMS Documentary

Disney has released the trailer and announced the release date for Music by John Williams. The new documentary, which centers on the life and career of the legendary composer, will have a limited theatrical release and begin streaming November 1 on Disney+.
Wheeling Symphony Kicks Off 95th Season with the 'Legacy of the WSO'

Help the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra (WSO) celebrate 95 years of music! On September 27 at 7:30 pm at the Capitol Theatre, the WSO will perform the Legacy of the WSO, the first concert in their 95th anniversary season.
The 6th Act Presents BUYER & CELLAR Starring Emerson Collins

Emerson Collins brings his acclaimed performance in Jonathan Tolins' BUYER & CELLAR to The Whitefire Theatre in Los Angeles, directed by Larry Raben. Opening October 20, 2024, with previews starting October 18.
Sarasota Orchestra Kicks New Season Off with A Diverse Selection of Concerts

Sarasota Orchestra has announced its September and October 2024 concerts, featuring a range of performances that highlight classical and contemporary works.
Boston Pops and Keith Lockhart Reveal 2024 Holiday Pops Season

Holiday Pops will return  to Symphony Hall this December with Keith Lockhart leading the Boston Pops in festive and family-friendly concerts, December 5–29.  
Daisy Ridley Will Narrate New World Symphony's Performance of FROM THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK

The New World Symphony (NWS), America’s Orchestral Academy, announced that actress Daisy Ridley will narrate the season-opening performance of From the Diary of Anne Frank, composed by NWS Co-Founder and Artistic Director Laureate Michael Tilson Thomas, and led by Artistic Director Stéphane Denève at New World Center.
Western Piedmont Symphony Celebrates 60th Anniversary With John Williams' Iconic Film Scores

Western Piedmont Symphony has announced its 2024-2025 season, opening with Foothills Pops: The Music of John Williams on September 13. The season celebrates 60 years with over seventeen concerts featuring music from Bach to Ellington.
Boston Pops And Keith Lockhart Announce 2024 HOLIDAY POPS SEASON

The Boston Pops and Keith Lockhart have announced the 2024 Holiday Pops season, running from December 5 to 29.
Cherry Street Music at The Allen Center Reveals First Five Concerts of 2024-25 Season

Cherry Street Music, the resident music program at Newton’s Allen Center, has announced the first five concerts of their 2024-25 season.  
Interview: Scarlett Strallen Talks A GRAND SUITE FROM HARRY POTTER with Boston Pops

Stage performer and concert artist Scarlett Strallen – a favorite in London’s West End for her leading roles in “Mary Poppins,” “A Chorus Line,” and “HMS Pinafore,” and on Broadway in “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder” and “Travesties” – made such an impression in her debut appearance with conductor Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops in “Broadway Today! Broadway’s Modern Masters” earlier this year that she’s already been asked back.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How many Broadway shows has John Williams been in?

John Williams has appeared on Broadway in 30 shows.

How many West End shows has John Williams been in?

John Williams has not appeared in the West End

What awards has John Williams been nominated for?

John Williams has been nominated for the Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play for his role in "Dial M for Murder".

What awards has John Williams won?

John Williams has won the Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play for his role in "Dial M for Murder."

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