John Williams
Sound
Born: February 8, 1932 (age 94) · Queens, New York City, New York, USA
Highest Rated
Biography
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 scoresin cinema history. He has a distinct sound that mixes romanticism, impressionism and atonal music with complex orchestration. He is best 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 includes Valley of the Dolls (1967), Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1969), Images and The Cowboys (both 1972), The Long Goodbye (1973) and The Towering Inferno (1974). He has collaborated with Spielberg since The Sugarland Express (1974), composing music for all but five of his feature films. He received five Academy Awards for Best 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), Hook (1991), 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); and the television series Lost in Space, Land of the Giants and Amazing Stories. Among other accolades, he has received the Kennedy Center Honor in 2004, the National Medal of the Arts in 2009 and the AFI Life Achievement Award in 2016. 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 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". In 2005, the American Film Institute placed Williams's score to Star Wars first on its list AFI's 100 Years of Film Scores; his scores for Jaws and E.T. also made the list. The Library of Congress entered the Star Wars soundtrack into the National Recording Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". Description above from the Wikipedia article John Williams, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Known for
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
2001
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
2002
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
2004
Star Wars
1977
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
2015
The Empire Strikes Back
1980
Jurassic Park
1993
Schindler's List
1993
Saving Private Ryan
1998
Catch Me If You Can
2002
Return of the Jedi
1983
Star Wars: The Last Jedi
2017
Photos (2)
Movies (5)
TV Shows (2)
Self / Appearances (73)
60 Minutes
Self · 1 eps
The Oscars
Self · 3 eps
The Kennedy Center Honors
Self · 1 eps
Playhouse 90
Self (Pianist) · 1 eps
Disney Gallery / Star Wars: The Mandalorian
Self - Composer (archive footage) · 1 eps
Ennio
Self
Music by John Williams
Self - Composer
The American Film Institute Salute to ...
Self · 1 eps
Timeless Heroes: Indiana Jones and Harrison Ford
Self
Disney Legends Award Ceremony
Self - Honoree · 1 eps
Jaws @ 50: The Definitive Inside Story
Self
Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound
Self (archive footage)
If These Walls Could Sing
Self
Spielberg
Self
Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy
Self
The Boys: The Sherman Brothers' Story
Self
Within a Minute: The Making of Star Wars Episode III
Self
Score: A Film Music Documentary
Self
John Williams in Tokyo
Self
The Beginning: The Making of Star Wars Episode I
Self
The Skywalker Legacy
Self
The Shark Is Still Working
Self
Return to Jurassic Park
Self
You Will Believe: The Cinematic Saga of Superman
Self
The Making of 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind'
Self
The Making of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
Self
From Star Wars to Jedi: The Making of a Saga
Self
Previn and the Pittsburgh
Self · 2 eps
Catch Me If You Can: Behind the Camera
Self
John Williams: The Berlin Concert
Self
Johnny Mercer: The Dream's on Me
Self / Performer
In the Teeth of Jaws
Self
SP FX: The Empire Strikes Back
Self
Music
Self
The 'E.T.' Journals
Self
Lincoln: An American Journey
Self
The Making of '1941'
Self
Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge - Adventure Awaits
Self
The Making of 'Jaws'
Self
The Music of 'Indiana Jones'
Self
Fiddler's Journey to the Big Screen
self
Henry Mancini: 100 at the Hollywood Bowl
Self
The Music of E.T.: A Discussion with John Williams
Self
When Star Wars Ruled the World
Self
Star Wars: The Magic & the Mystery
Self
The Making of 'The Lost World'
Self
Remember the Secret Policeman's Ball?
Self (archive footage)
A John Williams Celebration
Self
No Subtitles Necessary: Laszlo & Vilmos
Self
Leonard Bernstein Centennial Celebration at Tanglewood
Self - Conductor
The Making of The Empire Strikes Back
Self
The Fabelmans: A Family in Film
Self
The Making of 'E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial'
Self
Plotting 'Family Plot'
Self
Tanglewood 75th Anniversary Celebration
Himself
Star Wars: Music by John Williams
Self
Jaws: The Inside Story
Self
The Stories of West Side Story
Self
Taking Flight: The Development of 'Superman'
Self
John Williams: A Legacy In Sound
Self
Frankie Laine: An American Dreamer
Self
John Williams: The Seventh Symphony
Self (archive footage)
Anne-Sophie Mutter - Vivace
Self
The Revamping of Dracula
Self
John Williams at the BBC
self
A World Without Beethoven?
Self
Deconstructing Dad: The Music, Machines and Mystery of Raymond Scott
Self
The Secret Policeman’s Biggest Ball
Self
Making 'Superman': Filming the Legend
Self
Williams: Violin Concerto No. 2 & Selected Film Themes
Self - Conductor
John Williams: Live in Vienna
Self - Conductor
A Conversation with the Masters: The Empire Strikes Back 30 Years Later
Self
AFI's Master Class - The Art of Collaboration: Steven Spielberg and John Williams
Self
Upcoming (2)
Other Crew (191)
Disclosure Day
Original Music Composer
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Original Music Composer
Jurassic World Rebirth
Music
Superman
Music
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Original Music Composer
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Original Music Composer
Schindler's List
Original Music Composer
Star Wars
Original Music Composer
Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
Original Music Composer
Jurassic World Dominion
Main Title Theme Composer
Saving Private Ryan
Original Music Composer
Saving Private Ryan
Conductor
Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Original Music Composer
Jurassic World: Chaos Theory
Main Title Theme Composer
Today
Conductor
Lost in Space
Original Music Composer
Star Wars: The Bad Batch
Music
Jaws
Original Music Composer
Jaws
Conductor
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Original Music Composer
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Original Music Composer
Catch Me If You Can
Original Music Composer
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Original Music Composer
The Empire Strikes Back
Original Music Composer
A.I. Artificial Intelligence
Original Music Composer
Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord
Music
Amazing Stories
Main Title Theme Composer
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Original Music Composer
War of the Worlds
Original Music Composer
War of the Worlds
Conductor
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
Original Music Composer
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
Conductor
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
Orchestrator
The Book of Boba Fett
Music
The Adventures of Tintin
Original Music Composer
Superman
Original Music Composer
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
Original Music Composer
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Original Music Composer
Jurassic Park
Original Music Composer
Hook
Original Music Composer
Hook
Songs
The Terminal
Original Music Composer
LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy
Music
Obi-Wan Kenobi
Main Title Theme Composer
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Original Music Composer
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
Original Music Composer
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
Original Music Composer
Minority Report
Original Music Composer
Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones
Original Music Composer
Return of the Jedi
Original Music Composer
Sleepers
Original Music Composer
Born on the Fourth of July
Original Music Composer
The Patriot
Original Music Composer
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Original Music Composer
The BFG
Original Music Composer
The Fabelmans
Original Music Composer
Some Like It Hot
Musician
Bachelor Father
Original Music Composer
Alcoa Premiere
Music Score Producer
Lincoln
Original Music Composer
Jaws 2
Original Music Composer
Munich
Original Music Composer
War Horse
Original Music Composer
JFK
Original Music Composer
The Witches of Eastwick
Original Music Composer
Superman II
Music
The Witches of Eastwick
Conductor
Superman II
Theme Song Performance
Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi
Music
The Guns of Navarone
Music Arranger
Seven Years in Tibet
Original Music Composer
The Book Thief
Original Music Composer
Memoirs of a Geisha
Original Music Composer
The Post
Original Music Composer
Stepmom
Original Music Composer
For the Empire
Music
Presumed Innocent
Original Music Composer
The Towering Inferno
Original Music Composer
Far and Away
Original Music Composer
1941
Original Music Composer
The Poseidon Adventure
Original Music Composer
Empire of the Sun
Original Music Composer
Music by John Williams
Music
The Long Goodbye
Original Music Composer
Midway
Original Music Composer
Redcap
Original Music Composer
Sabrina
Original Music Composer
Sabrina
Songs
Fiddler on the Roof
Orchestrator
Fiddler on the Roof
Conductor
Fiddler on the Roof
Music Arranger
Fiddler on the Roof
Original Music Composer
Nixon
Original Music Composer
The Eiger Sanction
Original Music Composer
Earthquake
Original Music Composer
How to Steal a Million
Original Music Composer
The Cowboys
Original Music Composer
LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special
Music
Always
Original Music Composer
Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous: Hidden Adventure
Main Title Theme Composer
An Inconvenient Truth
Thanks
Angela's Ashes
Original Music Composer
The Sugarland Express
Original Music Composer
The Sugarland Express
Conductor
Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut
Original Music Composer
Eastwood Symphonic
Music
The Fury
Original Music Composer
Family Plot
Original Music Composer
The Accidental Tourist
Original Music Composer
Dracula
Original Music Composer
Valley of the Dolls
Original Music Composer
The Rare Breed
Original Music Composer
Stanley & Iris
Original Music Composer
Penelope
Original Music Composer
Penelope
Songs
The Killers
Original Music Composer
The River
Original Music Composer
SpaceCamp
Original Music Composer
Black Sunday
Original Music Composer
The Missouri Breaks
Original Music Composer
The Paper Chase
Original Music Composer
The Reivers
Original Music Composer
Battle at Big Rock
Main Title Theme Composer
None But the Brave
Original Music Composer
Images
Orchestrator
Images
Conductor
Images
Original Music Composer
A Guide for the Married Man
Original Music Composer
Goodbye, Mr. Chips
Original Music Composer
Goodbye, Mr. Chips
Conductor
Goodbye, Mr. Chips
Music Supervisor
Fitzwilly
Original Music Composer
Cinderella Liberty
Original Music Composer
Tom Sawyer
Original Music Composer
Heidi
Original Music Composer
Jane Eyre
Original Music Composer
The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing
Original Music Composer
Diamond Head
Original Music Composer
Amazing Stories
Original Music Composer
Star Wars: The Clone Wars - Darth Maul Returns
Theme Song Performance
LEGO Star Wars: The Padawan Menace
Original Music Composer
Daddy-O
Original Music Composer
The Secret Ways
Original Music Composer
The Plainsman
Original Music Composer
Not With My Wife, You Don't!
Original Music Composer
Home Alone
Original Music Composer
Monsignor
Original Music Composer
Rosewood
Original Music Composer
Sergeant Ryker
Original Music Composer
Yes, Giorgio
Songs
The Screaming Woman
Main Title Theme Composer
The Screaming Woman
Original Music Composer
The Man Who Saved the World
Music
The Unfinished Journey
Original Music Composer
John Goldfarb, Please Come Home!
Original Music Composer
John Goldfarb, Please Come Home!
Conductor
Conrack
Original Music Composer
Heartbeeps
Original Music Composer
Daddy's Gone A-Hunting
Original Music Composer
Amistad
Original Music Composer
Cinderella Revolution
Music
OSN: Il ballo al Cinema con John Axelrod
Original Music Composer
Bachelor Flat
Original Music Composer
Gidget Goes to Rome
Original Music Composer
Pete 'n' Tillie
Original Music Composer
Ghostbreakers
Original Music Composer
A Timeless Call
Music
Hoshino
Original Music Composer
Bloodthirsty Hawk
Music
Flashing Spikes
Original Music Composer
Return of the Ewok
Music
The Music of E.T.: A Discussion with John Williams
Thanks
I Passed for White
Original Music Composer
Stark Fear
Music
Story of a Woman
Original Music Composer
Nightmare in Chicago
Original Music Composer
Because They're Young
Original Music Composer
The Lost World: Jurassic Park
Original Music Composer
The Cinema of John Williams (Indiana Jones, E.T., Star Wars and more)
Original Music Composer
OSN: Musiche dall'America con Gianna Fratta e Alessandro Taverna
Original Music Composer
LEGO Star Wars: Bombad Bounty
Main Title Theme Composer
The Best Years
Music
The Kathryn Reed Story
Original Music Composer
Lego Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Brick
Music
Atlanta 1996: Games of the XXVI Olympiad - Opening Ceremony
Conductor
Dear Basketball
Music
John Williams Live - Music from the Movies
Original Music Composer
Piano Cinéma
Original Music Composer
John Williams: Live in Vienna
Music
Jonas Kaufmann: The Sound of Movies
Compositor
The Big Rescue
Songs