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- "Once again, John Williams has exceeded my expectations and produced a lavish, rich, moving and thrilling score. Every fan of Star Wars—and of great music—is in his debt."
- ―George Lucas
John Towner Williams is the composer of nearly all of the music heard in the Star Wars films. He has also composed scores for many other well known movies and older television shows.
Biography
John Towner Williams was born on February 8, 1932, in Floral Park, New York, USA. His father was a jazz drummer and percussionist in the CBS Radio Orchestra and the Raymond Scott Quintette. After moving to Los Angeles in 1948, he attended the University of California, Los Angeles, and the Los Angeles City College, where he studied orchestration under MGM musical associate Robert van Eps and was privately tutored by composer Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco.
In 1952, he was drafted into the United States Air Force, spending the next two years conducting and arranging music for Air Force bands. Afterwards, he went to the famous music school Juilliard in New York, where he was able to improve his piano performance skills under the tutelage of the renowned Madame Rosina Levinne. Later, he returned to Los Angeles and worked as a piano player for film studios. In 1956, he became a staff arranger at Columbia Pictures, and then at 20th Century Fox. His combined dream of music and film were merged.
As "Johnny" Williams, he composed music to such classical TV series like Wagon Train, Gilligan's Island, and Bachelor Father. These works paved the way for him to Irwin Allen's Lost in Space.
Williams conducting the London Symphony Orchestra.
He achieved success with None But the Brave (1965), followed by an Oscar nomination for Valley of the Dolls in 1968. Four years later, he won the Oscars for Best Music, Scoring Adaptation, and Original Song Score for Fiddler on the Roof. Much of what he worked on won him awards and nominations. He became one of the most popular composers and was mentioned with talent equal to Jerry Goldsmith, John Barry, and Elmer Bernstein. He had six nominations within five years, among them two double-nominations in 1969 and 1972 for the films Goodbye Mr. Chips, The Rievers, Images, The Poseidon Adventure, Cinderella Liberty, and Hell Tower.
In 1974, he met Steven Spielberg, then just a novice director, who asked him to write music for The Sugarland Express. For their next film, Jaws, Williams created frightening compositions that convincingly expressed the approach of the shark and set a basic feeling for the film. John Williams was pivotal to the huge success of the movie, which earned him his first Academy Award for Best Original Score.
In 1977, he composed the music for Star Wars, which turned out to be a huge success. Star Wars became the best selling score-only soundtrack of all time and won him yet another Oscar. The lush sound of the London Symphony Orchestra made the music and the space-war story memorable.
Throughout the years, Williams' long-time collaboration with Spielberg had earned him two more Oscars for his scores to E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial and Schindler's List.
He was also contracted to write the music for the Olympic Games.
With 46 Academy Award nominations to date, Williams holds the record for the most Oscar nominations for a living person.
Williams's son, Joseph Williams, chose a musical career like his father. The two worked together on Return of the Jedi and Attack of the Clones.
Rick McCallum stated at Star Wars Reunion II that he hopes to have John Williams on the musical score for the Star Wars live-action TV series (though it is currently too early to tell) and added that each episode will have its own original score.
Some of his most notable work include many of the works of Steven Spielberg.
Works by John Williams for Star Wars
Films
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977)
(Oscar, Golden Globe & BAFTA winner)
- Main Title/Rebel Blockade Runner
- Imperial Attack
- The Dune Sea of Tatooine/Jawa Sandcrawler
- The Hologram / Moisture Farm
- Binary Sunset
- Landspeeder Search/Attack of the Sand People
- Tales of a Jedi Knight/Learn About the Force
- Burning Homestead
- Mos Eisley Spaceport
- Cantina Band (Source Music)
- Binary Sunset (Alternate)
- Princess Leia's Theme
- The Millennium Falcon/Imperial Cruiser Pursuit
- Destruction of Alderaan
- The Death Star/The Stormtroopers
- Wookiee Prisoner/Detention Block Ambush
- Shootout in the Cell Bay/Dianoga
- The Trash Compactor
- The Tractor Beam / Chasm Crossfire
- Ben Kenobi's Death / TIE Fighter Attack
- The Battle of Yavin (Launch from the Fourth Moon/X-Wings Draw Fire/Use the Force)
- The Throne Room/End Title
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
(Oscar nominee, BAFTA and Grammy winner)
- Main Title/The Ice Planet Hoth
- The Wampa's Lair/Vision of Obi-Wan/Snowspeeders Take Flight
- The Imperial Probe/Aboard The Executor
- The Battle of Hoth (Ion Cannon/Imperial Walkers/Beneath the AT-AT/Escape in the Millennium Falcon)
- The Asteroid Field
- Arrival on Dagobah
- Luke's Nocturnal Visitor
- Han Solo and the Princess
- Jedi Master Revealed/Mynock Cave
- The Training of a Jedi Knight/The Magic Tree
- The Imperial March (Darth Vader's Theme)
- Yoda's Theme
- Attacking a Star Destroyer
- Yoda and the Force
- Imperial Starfleet Deployed/City in the Clouds
- Lando's Palace
- Betrayal at Bespin
- Deal With the Dark Lord
- Carbon Freeze / Darth Vader's Trap / Departure of Boba Fett
- The Clash of Lightsabers
Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983)
(Oscar, Saturn and Grammy nominee)
- Main Title/Approaching the Death Star/Tatooine Rendezvous
- The Droids are Captured
- Bounty for a Wookiee
- Han Solo Returns
- Luke Confronts Jabba/Den of the Rancor/Sarlacc Sentence
- The Pit of Carkoon/Sail Barge Assault
- The Emperor Arrives/The Death of Yoda/Obi-Wan's Revelation
- Alliance Assembly
- Shuttle Tydirium Approaches Endor
- Speeder Bike Chase/Land of the Ewoks
- Jabba's Baroque Recital (Source Music)
- Jedi Rocks (Source Music)
- Parade of the Ewoks
- Luke and Leia
- Brother and Sister/Father and Son/The Fleet Enters Hyperspace/Heroic Ewok
- The Emperor's Theme
- The Battle of Endor I (Into the Trap/Forest Ambush/Scout Walker Scramble/Prime Weapon Fires)
- The Lightsaber/The Ewok Battle
- The Battle of Endor II (Leia is Wounded/The Duel Begins/Overtaking the Bunker/The Dark Side Beckons/The Emperor's Death)
- The Battle of Endor III (Superstructure Chase/Darth Vader's Death/The Main Reactor)
- Leia's News/Light of the Force
- Victory Celebration/End Title
- Ewok Feast/Part of the Tribe (Source Music)
- The Forest Battle (Concert Suite)
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999)
(Grammy Nomination)
- Star Wars Main Title and the Arrival at Naboo
- Duel of the Fates
- Anakin's Theme
- Jar Jar's Introduction and the Swim to Otoh Gunga
- The Sith Spacecraft and the Droid Battle
- The Trip to the Naboo Temple and the Audience with Boss Nass
- The Arrival at Tatooine and the Flag Parade
- He is the Chosen One
- Anakin Defeats Sebulba
- Passage Through the Planet Core
- Watto's Deal and Kids at Play
- Panaka and the Queen's Protectors
- Queen Amidala and the Naboo Palace
- The Droid Invasion and the Appearance of Darth Maul
- Qui-Gon's Noble End
- The High Council Meeting and Qui-Gon's Funeral
- Augie's Great Municipal Band and End Credits
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002)
- Star Wars Main Title and Ambush on Coruscant
- Across the Stars (Love Theme from "Attack of the Clones")
- Zam the Assassin and the Chase Through Coruscant
- Yoda and the Younglings
- Departing Coruscant
- Anakin and Padmé
- Jango's Escape
- The Meadow Picnic
- Bounty Hunter's Pursuit
- Return to Tatooine
- The Tusken Camp and the Homestead
- Love Pledge and the Arena
- Confrontation with Count Dooku and Finale
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005)
(2 Grammy nominations)
- Star Wars Main Title and the Revenge of the Sith
- Anakin's Dream
- Battle of the Heroes
- Anakin's Betrayal
- General Grievous
- Palpatine's Teachings
- Grievous and the Droids
- Padmé's Ruminations
- Anakin vs. Obi-Wan
- Anakin's Dark Deeds
- Enter Lord Vader
- The Immolation Scene
- Grievous Speaks to Lord Sidious
- The Birth of the Twins and Padmé's Destiny
- A New Hope and End Credits
Star Wars Episode VII (2015)
Non-Star Wars Works
Films
- Daddy-O (1959)
- The Killers (1964)
- Valley of the Dolls (1967) Oscar nomination
- A Guide for the Married Man (1967)
- The Reivers (1969) Oscar nomination
- Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1969) Oscar nomination
- Fiddler on the Roof (1971) Oscar winner
- Images (1972) Oscar nomination
- The Poseidon Adventure (1972) Oscar nomination
- Cinderella Liberty (1973) Oscar nomination
- Tom Sawyer (1973) Oscar nomination
- The Towering Inferno (1974) Oscar nomination
- Jaws (1975) Golden Globe, BAFTA & Oscar winner
- Midway (1976)
- Black Sunday (1977)
- Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) Oscar nomination
- Jaws 2 (1978)
- Superman (1978) Oscar nomination & double Grammy nominations
- 1941 (1979)
- Dracula (1979)
- Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) Oscar & double Grammy nominations
- E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) Golden Globe, Oscar & BAFTA winner
- Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) Oscar nomination
- The River (1984) Oscar nomination
- Empire of the Sun (1987) Oscar nomination, BAFTA winner
- The Witches of Eastwick (1987) Oscar nomination
- The Accidental Tourist (1988) Oscar nomination
- Born on the Fourth of July (1989) Oscar nomination
- Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) Oscar nomination
- Stanley and Iris (1990)
- Presumed Innocent (1990)
- Home Alone (1990) double Oscar nominations
- Hook (1991) Grammy & Oscar nominations
- JFK (1991) Oscar nomination
- Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)
- Far and Away (1992)
- Jurassic Park (1993)
- Schindler's List (1993) Oscar, Grammy and BAFTA winner
- Nixon (1995) Oscar nomination
- Sabrina (1995) double Oscar nominations
- Sleepers (1996) Oscar nomination
- The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)
- Seven Years in Tibet (1997)
- Amistad (1997) Grammy & Oscar nominations
- Stepmom (1998)
- Saving Private Ryan (1998) Golden Globe, Grammy & Oscar nominations
- Angela's Ashes (1999) Grammy & Oscar nomination
- The Patriot (2000) Oscar nomination
- A.I.: Artificial Intelligence (2001) Grammy & Oscar nominations
- Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001) Oscar nomination & double Grammy nominations
- Catch Me if You Can (2002) Oscar nomination
- Minority Report (2002)
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) Grammy nomination
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) Grammy & Oscar nominations
- The Terminal (2004)
- War of the Worlds (2005) Grammy nomination
- Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) Golden Globe, BAFTA and Gramm winner, Oscar nomination
- Munich (2005) Oscar nomination, Grammy for Best Instrumental Composition
- Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) Grammy nomination for Best Score Soundtrack Album and for Best Instrumental Composition
- Lincoln (2012)
Television
- NBC Nightly News
- The Today Show
- Meet The Press
- NBC Sunday Night Football
- Amazing Stories
- Checkmate
- Land of the Giants
- Lost in Space
- The Time Tunnel
Awards
Academy Awards
Williams stands with another unidentified winner, holding his Oscar for Best Original Score
| Year | Project | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | Valley of the Dolls[1] | Best Score Adaptation | Nominated |
| 1969 | Goodbye, Mr Chips[1] | Best Score Adaptation | Nominated |
| The Reivers[1] | Best Original Score | Nominated | |
| 1971 | Fiddler on the Roof[1] | Best Scoring Adaptation and Original Song Score | Won |
| 1972 | Images[1] | Best Original Dramatic Score | Nominated |
| The Poseidon Adventure[1] | Best Original Dramatic Score | Nominated | |
| 1973 | Cinderella Liberty[1] | Best Original Dramatic Score | Nominated |
| "Nice to Be Around" (from Cinderella Liberty)[1] | Best Original Song | Nominated | |
| Tom Sawyer[1] | Best Score Adaptation | Nominated | |
| 1974 | The Towering Inferno[1] | Best Original Score | Nominated |
| 1975 | Jaws[1] | Best Original Dramatic Score | Won |
| 1977 | Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope[1] | Best Original Score | Won |
| Close Encounters of the Third Kind[1] | Best Original Score | Nominated | |
| 1978 | Superman[1] | Best Original Score | Nominated |
| 1980 | Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back[1] | Best Original Score | Nominated |
| 1981 | Raiders of the Lost Ark[1] | Best Original Score | Nominated |
| 1982 | E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial[1] | Best Original Score | Won |
| "If We Were in Love" (from Yes, Glorgio)[1] | Best Original Song | Nominated | |
| 1983 | Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi[1] | Best Original Score | Nominated |
| 1984 | Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom[1] | Best Original Score | Nominated |
| The River[1] | Best Original Score | Nominated | |
| 1987 | Empire of the Sun[1] | Best Original Score | Nominated |
| The Witches of Eastwick[1] | Best Original Score | Nominated | |
| 1988 | The Accidental Tourist[1] | Best Original Score | Nominated |
| 1989 | Born on the Fourth of July[1] | Best Original Score | Nominated |
| Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade[1] | Best Original Score | Nominated | |
| 1990 | Home Alone[1] | Best Original Score | Nominated |
| "Somewhere in My Memory" (from Home Alone)[1] | Best Original Song | Nominated | |
| 1991 | JFK[1] | Best Original Score | Nominated |
| "When You're Alone" (from Hook)[1] | Best Original Song | Nominated | |
| 1993 | Schindler's List[1] | Best Original Score | Won |
| 1995 | Nixon[1] | Best Original Dramatic Score | Nominated |
| Sabrina[1] | Best Original Musical or Comedy Score | Nominated | |
| "Moonlight" (from Sabrina)[1] | Best Original Song | Nominated | |
| 1996 | Sleepers[1] | Best Original Dramatic Score | Nominated |
| 1997 | Amistad[1] | Best Original Dramatic Score | Nominated |
| 1998 | Saving Private Ryan[1] | Best Original Dramatic Score | Nominated |
| 1999 | Angela's Ashes[1] | Best Original Score | Nominated |
| 2000 | The Patriot[1] | Best Original Score | Nominated |
| 2001 | A.I. Artificial Intelligence[1] | Best Original Score | Nominated |
| Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone[1] | Best Original Score | Nominated | |
| 2002 | Catch Me If You Can[1] | Best Original Score | Nominated |
| 2004 | Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban[1] | Best Original Score | Nominated |
| 2005 | Memoirs of a Geisha[1] | Best Original Score | Nominated |
| Munich[1] | Best Original Score | Nominated | |
| 2011 | The Adventures of Tintin[2] | Best Original Score | Nominated |
| War Horse[2] | Best Original Score | Nominated | |
| 2012 | Lincoln[3] | Best Original Score | Nominated |
BAFTA Awards
| Year | Project | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Jaws/The Towering Inferno[4] | Original Film Music | Won |
| 1978 | Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope[4] | Original Film Music | Won |
| Close Encounters of the Third Kind[4] | Original Film Music | Nominated | |
| 1980 | Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back[4] | Original Film Music | Won |
| 1981 | Raiders of the Lost Ark[4] | Original Film Music | Nominated |
| 1982 | E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial[4] | Score for a Film | Won |
| 1988 | Empire of the Sun[4] | Score for a Film | Won |
| 1993 | Schindler's List[4] | Score for a Film | Won |
| 1998 | Saving Private Ryan[4] | Original Film Music | Nominated |
| 2002 | Catch Me If You Can[4] | Original Film Music | Nominated |
| 2005 | Memoirs of a Geisha[4] | Original Film Music | Won |
| 2011 | War Horse[4] | Original Film Music | Nominated |
| 2012 | Lincoln[4] | Original Film Music | Nominated |
Bibliography
- The Secrets of Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire
- Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire Limited Collector's Edition
"Launch Pad" — Star Wars Insider 146- Star Wars Rebels: An Interview with Composer Kevin Kiner on StarWars.com (backup link)
- "Authors of the Expanded Universe: Matthew Woodring Stover" — Star Wars Insider 149
- Star Wars: Episode VII Adds Academy Award Winner Lupita Nyong'o and Game of Thrones' Gwendoline Christie on StarWars.com (backup link (star-wars-episode-vii-adds-academy-award-winner-lupita-nyongo-and-game-of-thrones-gwendoline-christie.html) not verified!)
- Introducing Star Wars Rebels: The Visual Guide on StarWars.com (backup link)
Notes and references
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 1.24 1.25 1.26 1.27 1.28 1.29 1.30 1.31 1.32 1.33 1.34 1.35 1.36 1.37 1.38 1.39 1.40 1.41 1.42 1.43 1.44 Awards on The John Williams Web Pages (June 5, 2006) (backup link not verified!)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Nominees and Winners for the 84th Academy Awards on The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (backup link not verified!)
- ↑ The 85th Academy Awards (2013) Nominees and Winners on The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (backup link not verified!)
- ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 BAFTA Awards Search (John Williams) on British Academy of Film and Television Arts (backup link not verified!)
See also
- Star Wars and Other Galactic Funk
