Andrew Lloyd Webber
Birth Name:
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Birth Place:
London, United Kingdom
Profession
Soundtrack, Music department, Producer, Writer, Actor
Fast Facts
- Donated a personal Picasso painting to his non-profit organization, The Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation, to be auctioned off
- Founded the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation in 1992 to promote arts and culture through musical theatre scholarships and heritage projects
- Named a Kennedy Center honoree in 2006 alongside Smokey Robinson, Dolly Parton, Steven Spielberg and Zubin Mehta
- Received a knighthood for his services to theatre in 1992 and was named an honorary life peer in 1997
- Won a Golden Satellite Award for Outstanding Original Song for "Evita" in 1997
- Won a Richard Rodgers Award for Excellence in Musical Theatre in 1996
- Studied History at Oxford University's Magdalen College and Music at the Royal College of Music
- Began writing music as early as six and already had a suite of six pieces ready to perform at the age of nine
- Published his first composition in The Music Teacher magazine when he was only 11 years old and later had his first song recorded by Decca Records in 1963
- Quote: "In the last few years, everything seems to have gone slightly away from music and more towards the comedy musicals, the Hairsprays and the Book of Mormons․ I just don't know if there's a public for something now which is much more serious and is old fashioned in the sense that it is melodic․"
- Quote: "The difference between success and failure in musical theater is a horrifyingly fine line, I believe that if you choose a subject purely because it appears commercial, catastrophe looms․"
- After working with Tim Rice on several occasions that included Evita and Jesus Christ Superstar, he would eventually go on to find great success with his next solo projects, Cats and later The Phantom of the Opera
- Began his career after meeting Tim Rice, frequent Disney film lyricist, in the early 1960s after which the two began writing pieces for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
- Best known as the musical theatre writer and composer who created the music for "The Phantom of the Opera," "Jesus Christ Superstar," "Evita," and "Cats․"
- Has served as a producer for "Lend Me a Tenor," "Bombay Dreams," and "Daisy Pulls It Off," as well as for the London Palladium productions of "The Sound of Music" and "The Wizard of Oz․"
- Owns six theatres in London, including the Theatre Royal and the London Palladium
- Is the first person to have three musicals running in London and New York at the same time
Awards
- 1974Oscar - Best Music, Scoring Original Song Score and/or Adaptation:Nominated
- 1997Oscar - Best Music, Original Song:Winner
- 1997Anthony Asquith Award for Film MusicNominated
- 1997Golden Globe - Best Original Song - Motion Picture:Winner
- 1997OFTA Film Award - Best Score:Winner
- 1997OFTA Film Award - Best Original Song:Winner
- 1997OFTA Film Award - Best Adapted Song:Winner
- 1997Golden Satellite Award - Best Original Song:Winner
- 2001Video Premiere Award - Best Live-Action Video Premiere:Nominated
- 2005Oscar - Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song:Nominated
- 2005Gold Derby Film Award - Original Song:Nominated
- 2005Golden Globe - Best Original Song - Motion Picture:Nominated
- 2005INOCA - Best Original Song:Nominated
- 2005OFTA Film Award - Best Music, Adapted Song:Nominated
- 2005Golden Satellite Award - Best Screenplay, Adapted:Nominated
- 2005Golden Satellite Award - Best Original Song:Nominated
- 2005World Soundtrack Award - Best Original Song Written for Film:Nominated
- 2017Felix - Best Score Comedy or Musical:Nominated
- 2018Primetime Emmy - Outstanding Variety Special (Live):Winner
- 2020Golden Globe - Best Original Song - Motion Picture:Nominated