Composer of Star Wars

Background:

American composer, conductor and pianist John Williams made a name for himself as the most popular film composer of the modern era thanks to his musical creations to such successful motion pictures as “Star Wars” (1977), “E.T. the Extra Terrestrial” (1982) and “Jurassic Park” (1993). So far, he has received a total of five Academy Awards, four Golden Globe Awards, two Emmy Awards and numerous other honors. With 45 Oscar nominations under his belt, Williams now holds the record for the most Oscar nominations for a living person and became the second most nominated person in the history of the Academy Awards. He won all of his five Oscars in the category of Best Original Music Score for the films “Fiddler on the Roof” (1971), “Jaws” (1975), “Star Wars” (1977), “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” (1982) and “Schindler's List” (1993). Williams has also been inducted into the American Classical Music Hall of Fame and the Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame.

In the entertainment business since the 1950s, Williams is probably best recognized for his productive partnership with directors Steven Spielberg and George Lucas. In addition to “Jaws,” “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,” “Jurassic Park” and “Schindler's List,” he has scored many other Spielberg's films such as “Amistad” (1997), “Saving Private Ryan” (1998), “Artificial Intelligence: AI” (2001), “Catch Me If You Can” (2002), “Munich” (2005), “War of the Worlds” (2005) and the Indiana Jones series, “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” (1984) and “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” (1989). With Lucas, he is widely known as the composer of the Star Wars movies. Other movies he has scored include “Home Alone” (1990), “Home Alone 2” (1992), “The Patriot” (2000), “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone” (2001), “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” (2002), “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” (2004) and “Memoirs of a Geisha” (2005).

As for his private life, Williams is the father of 3 from his marriage to Barbara Ruick (together from 1956 until her death in 1974). Among them are Joseph Williams, a former member of the band Toto. He is currently married to Samantha Winslow.

Father of 3

Childhood and Family:

John Towner Williams was born in Floral Park, Long Island, New York, on February 8, 1932, to John Williams, a jazz musician, and Esther. Along with his parents and three younger siblings, Donald, Jerry and Joan, he relocated to Los Angeles where he was enrolled at North Hollywood High School. John later attended the University of California in Los Angeles and Los Angeles City College and was a private student of composer Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco. He conducted and arranged music for the Air Force Band while serving in the U.S. Air Force (from 1952-1954) and after completing his military service, returned to New York and entered the luminary Juilliard School, in which he studied piano under the guidance of Rosina Lhévinne.

Having been married twice, John shared his life outside the limelight with first wife Barbara Ruick from 1956 until her death on March 3, 1974. Together, they had three children, Joseph, Mark and Jennifer. John remarried on June 9, 1980, to present wife Samantha Winslow, an interior designer. He is a member of Kappa Kappa Psi, the national honorary fraternity for college band members.

Memoirs of a Geisha

Career:

John Williams worked as a jazz pianist at various local studios and clubs while still studying at NYC's Juilliard School of Music. Upon graduating, he returned to Los Angeles and started working as an arranger in film studios and worked with many composers such as Franz Waxman, Bernard Herrmann and Alfred Newman. Also a studio pianist, he performed scores by composers like Elmer Bernstein and Gerry Goldsmith. Eventually in the late 1950s, Williams cracked into the small screen by composing music for programs like “The Today Show,” “Bachelor Father” and “M Squad.” He later also supplied the theme music for “Gilligan's Island” and “Lost in Space” and received his first of four Emmy nominations for his work in “Flashing Spikes,” a 1961 episode of “Alcoa Premiere,” in the category of Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composed for Television.

Williams’ first major film composition was for the B-movie “Daddy-O” in 1958 and two years later, he scored his first feature credit in “Because They're Young.” Thanks to his versatility in composing jazz, piano and symphonic music, Williams quickly attracted Hollywood attention and by 1968 had nabbed an Oscar nomination for his score in 1967's “Valley of the Dolls.” He was nominated again for “Goodbye, Mr. Chips” and “The Reivers (both 1969) and finally won one for adapting 1971's “Fiddler on the Roof,” directed by Norman Jewison. He doubled his victory on the small screen by taking home two Emmys in 1969 and in 1972 for composing 1968's “Heidi” and 1970's “Jane Eyre,” respectively.

By the early 1970s, Williams had created a reputation for himself as “King of Disaster Scores” with work in “The Poseidon Adventure” (1972), “Earthquake (1974)” and “The Towering Inferno” (1974). In addition, he also created a psychological score for “Images” (1972), which is one of the most innovative works in soundtrack history. However, he did not begin collaboration with Steven Spielberg until 1974's “The Sugarland Express,” Spielberg's feature directorial debut. The young director was formerly impressed with Williams' score for “The Reivers.” When the two rejoined a year later for “Jaws” (1975), they launched themselves as a blockbuster team. Widely regarded a classic suspense piece, Jaws won Williams a second Oscar, his first for an original composition, as well as a Golden Globe for Best Original Score, the BAFTA Anthony Asquith for Film Music and a Grammy for Album of Best Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or Television Special. They resurfaced in 1977 with “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” which again earned Williams a Grammy for Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or Television Special.

The fruitful affiliation led to Williams being introduced to Spielberg's friend and fellow director George Lucas, who was looking for a composer to score his ambitious space epic “Star Wars” (1977). Williams re-popularized the epic film sound of Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Franz Waxman and other composers from the Hollywood Golden Age and his hard work paid off. “Star Wars” became a massive hit and so did its soundtrack, selling more than four million copies. Williams won his third Academy Award in addition to picking up a Golden Globe, a Saturn, a Los Angeles Film Critics Association, a BAFTA and a Grammy for his music.

Williams went on to gain praise for his work in movies like Richard Donner's “Superman” (1978), from which he netted a Saturn for Best Music and a Grammy Award, before returning to score “The Empire Strikes Back” (1980). For his effort in the sequel, he was handed a BAFTA and Grammy Award, as well as his next Oscar nomination. He won another Saturn and Grammy Award for his music in the 1981 film “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” Other work included “The Fury” (1978), “1941” (1979) and the flop “Heartbeeps” (1981).

1982 saw Williams reunite with Spielberg for the fantasy film “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,” in which his emotional and sensitive score brought him his forth Academy Award. Other awards received were a Golden Globe, a Saturn, a BAFTA and a Grammy. He was kept in the spotlight with a series of Oscar nominated work in “Return of the Jedi” (1983), “The River” (1984), “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” (1984), “The Witches of Eastwick” (1987), “Empire of the Sun” (1987), “The Accidental Tourist” (1988), “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” (1989) and “Born on the Fourth of July” (1989). He also scored both Spielberg's segment of “Twilight Zone: The Movie” (1983) and “The Color Purple” (1985) and revisited TV with work on “Amazing Stories” (1985).

During the 1990s, Williams' production became sporadic since he intended to retire. On the other hand, he maintained high-profile work in films like “Presumed Innocent” (1990), “Home Alone” (1990), “Hook” (1990), “JFK” (1991), “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York” (1992), “Jurassic Park” (1993), “Nixon” (1995) and “Sabrina” (1995). For his fine score in “Schindler's List” (1993), again directed by Spielberg, he was awarded a fifth Oscar. Among subsequent notable outputs were “Sleepers” (1996), Spielberg's “Amistad” (1997) and “Saving Private Ryan” (1998), the latter of which brought him a Grammy, Broadcast Film Critics Association and BMI Film Music Award. He also made a return to familiar territory with “Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace” (1999).

The new millennium saw the composer remain busy. He collected Oscar nominations for scoring the Mel Gibson vehicle “The Patriot” (2000), Spielberg's box office disappointment “Artificial Intelligence: AI” (2001) and “Catch Me If You Can” (2002), also helmed by Spielberg. He also shared some degree of prominence by creating the score for the Harry Potter films, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone” (2001), “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” (2002) and “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” (2004), and rejoined George Lucas for “Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones” (2002) and “Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith” (2005). More recently, in 2005, he was nominated for Oscars for Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score for Spielberg's “Munich” (2005) and Rob Marshall's “Memoirs of a Geisha” (2005). The latter film also won Williams a Grammy, a Golden Globe, a Broadcast Film Critics Association and a BAFTA. He also scored “War of the Worlds” (2005).

As for his upcoming projects, Williams is set to do the score of “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” (2008) and Spielberg's “Lincoln” and “Interstellar” (both 2009). It has been recently verified that he will likely return to composing the score for the seventh and final film in the Harry Potter Film Series, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” (2010).

Aside from scoring films, Williams was Principal Conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra from 1980 to 1993. He also conducted the New York Philharmonic at Avery Fisher Hall in New York City in April 2004, February 2006 and September 2007. Williams is now the Laureate Conductor of the Pops and has written a number of concert pieces.

Awards:

• Grammy: Best Score Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media, “Memoirs of a Geisha,” 2007

• Golden Globe: Best Original Score - Motion Picture, “Memoirs of a Geisha,” 2006

• Broadcast Film Critics Association: Best Composer, “Memoirs of a Geisha,” 2006

• BAFTA: Anthony Asquith, Film Music, “Memoirs of a Geisha,” 2006

• Saturn: Best Music, “Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith,” 2006

• BMI Film Music: “War of the Worlds,” 2006

• BMI Film Music: “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban,” 2005

• BMI Film Music: “The Terminal,” 2005

• World Soundtrack: Best Original Soundtrack of the Year, “War of the Worlds,” 2005

• World Soundtrack: Public Choice, “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban,” 2004

• Saturn: Lifetime Achievement, 2004

• BMI Film Music: “Catch Me If You Can,” 2003

• BMI Film Music: “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,” 2003

• BMI Film Music: “Minority Report,” 2003

• BMI Film Music: “Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones,” 2003

• Broadcast Film Critics Association: Best Composer, “Catch Me If You Can,” “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” and “Minority Report,” 2003

• Saturn: Best Music, “Artificial Intelligence: AI,” 2002

• BMI Film Music: “Artificial Intelligence: AI,” 2002

• BMI Film Music: “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone,” 2002

• BMI Film Music: “Jurassic Park III," 2002

• BMI: Special Recognition, For the 2002 Winter Olympics, 2002

• BMI Film Music: “The Patriot,” 2001

• National Board of Review: Career Achievement, For Excellence in Film Music Scoring, 2001

• World Soundtrack: Public Choice, “Artificial Intelligence: AI,” 2001

• World Soundtrack: Composer of the Year, “Artificial Intelligence: AI,” 2001

• ShoWest: Maestro of the Year, 2000

• Las Vegas Film Critics Society: Sierra, Best Score, “Angela's Ashes,” 2000

• BMI Film Music: “Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace,” 2000

• BMI Film Music: “Saving Private Ryan,” 1999

• BMI Film Music: “Stepmom,” 1999

• BMI: Richard Kirk Career Achievement, 1999

• Broadcast Film Critics Association: Best Score, “Saving Private Ryan,” 1999

• Grammy: Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture or for Television, “Saving Private Ryan,” 1999

• BMI: Special Recognition, The Olympic Tribute Award, 1997

• Grammy: Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture or for Television, “Schindler's List,” 1995

• BMI Film Music: “Jurassic Park,” 1994

• BMI Film Music: “Schindler's List,” 1994

• Oscar: Best Music, Original Score, “Schindler's List,” 1994

• BAFTA: Best Score, “Schindler's List, “ 1994

• BMI Film Music: “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York,” 1993

• BMI Film Music: “Hook,” 1992

• BMI Film Music: “Home Alone,” 1991

• BMI Film Music: “Presumed Innocent,” 1991

• BMI: News Special Tribute, “NBC Nightly News,” 1991

• BMI Film Music: “ Born on the Fourth of July,” 1990

• BMI Film Music: “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,” 1990

• BAFTA: Best Score, “Empire of the Sun,” 1989

• BMI Film Music: “The Witches of Eastwick,” 1988

• Oscar: Best Music, Original Score, “E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial,” 1983

• American Movie: Special Marquee, 1982

• BAFTA: Best Score, “E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial,” 1983

• Saturn: Best Music, “E.T.: The Extra-Terrestria,” 1983

• Golden Globe: Best Original Score - Moti n Picture, “E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial,” 1983

• Grammy: Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or Television Special, “E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial,” 1983

• Grammy: Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or Television Special, “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” 1982

• Saturn: Best Music, “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” 1982

• BAFTA: Anthony Asquith, Film Music, “Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back,” 1981

• Grammy: Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or Television Special, “Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back,” 1981

• Grammy: Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or Television Special, “Superman,” 1980

• Saturn: Best Music, “Superman,“ 1979

• Grammy: Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or Television Special, “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” 1979

• BAFTA: Anthony Asquith, Film Music, “Star Wars,” 1979

• Grammy: Best Album of Original Score written for a Motion Picture or Television Special, “Star Wars,” 1978

• Oscar: Best Music, Original Score, “Star Wars,” 1978

• Golden Globe: Best Original Score - Motion Picture, “Star Wars,” 1978

• Saturn: Best Music, “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” and “Star Wars,” 1978

• Los Angeles Film Critics Association: Best Music, “Star Wars,” 1977

• Oscar: Best Music, Original Score, “Jaws,” 1976

• Golden Globe: Best Original Score - Motion Picture, “Jaws,” 1976

• BAFTA: Anthony Asquith, Film Music, “Jaws” and “The Towering Inferno,” 1976

• Grammy: Album of Best Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or Television Special, “Jaws,” 1976

• Emmy: Outstanding Achievement in Music Composition - For a Special Program, “Jane Eyre,” 1972

• Oscar: Best Music, Scoring Adaptation and Original Song Score, “Fiddler on the Roof,” 1971

• Emmy: Outstanding Achievement in Musical Composition, “Heidi,” 1969