X

Join or Sign In

Sign in to customize your TV listings

Continue with Facebook Continue with email

By joining TV Guide, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy.

John Williams Biography

Birth Place:
Flushing, New York, United States
Profession
composer

Fast Facts

  • Is the son of a movie studio musician
  • Drafted into the Air Force, he conducted music as part of his service
  • Best known for composing the scores of blockbuster movies, he began his compositional career on television series such as Wagon Train, Gilligan's Island, and Lost in Space
  • Began his career in film score composing with the 1958 movie Daddy-O
  • Followed in Arthur Fiedler's footsteps as conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra
  • Collaborated with director Steven Spielberg on more than 20 of the director's films, including Jaws (1975), Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), E
  • T
  • (1982), Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) and Jurassic Park (1993)
  • It was Spielberg who recommended to George Lucas that Williams write the score for the Star Wars film franchise
  • In 2005, his score for Star Wars IV: A New Hope (1977) earned the top place on the American Film Institute's 100 Years of Film Scores
  • In 2009, wrote the classical tune "Air and Simple Gifts" for the presidential inauguration of Barack Obama
  • Received the National Medal of Arts in 2009

Awards

  • 2022Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Original Score): nominated
  • 2020BAFTA Film Awards-Best Original Music: nominated
  • 2019Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Original Score): nominated
  • 2018Golden Globe-Best Original Score - Motion Picture: nominated
  • 2017Critics' Choice Awards-Best Score: nominated
  • 2017Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Original Score): nominated
  • 2016BAFTA Film Awards-Best Original Music: nominated
  • 2016BAFTA Film Awards-Best Original Music: nominated
  • 2016Grammy-Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media: winner
  • 2016Grammy-Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media: winner
  • 2015Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Original Score): nominated
  • 2015Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Original Score): nominated
  • 2014Golden Globe-Best Original Score - Motion Picture: nominated
  • 2014BAFTA Film Awards-Best Original Film Music: nominated
  • 2013Golden Globe-Best Original Score - Motion Picture: nominated
  • 2013BAFTA Film Awards-Best Music: nominated
  • 2013Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Original Score): nominated
  • 2013Critics' Choice Movie Awards-Best Score: winner
  • 2012Golden Globe-Best Original Score - Motion Picture: nominated
  • 2012BAFTA Film Awards-Best Music: nominated
  • 2012Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Original Score): nominated
  • 2012Critics' Choice Movie Awards-Best Score: nominated
  • 2011Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Original Score): nominated
  • 2009Emmy-Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music: winner
  • 2006Grammy-Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media: winner
  • 2006Golden Globe-Best Original Score - Motion Picture: winner
  • 2006BAFTA Film Awards-The Anthony Asquith Award for Achievement in Film Music: winner
  • 2006Critics' Choice Awards-Best Composer: winner
  • 2005Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Original Score): nominated
  • 2005Online Film Critics Association-Best Score: nominated
  • 2005Chicago Film Critics Association-Best Original Score: nominated
  • 2004Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Original Score): nominated
  • 2003BAFTA Film Awards-The Anthony Asquith Award for Achievement in Film Music: nominated
  • 2003Critics' Choice Awards-Best Composer: winner
  • 2003Critics' Choice Awards-Best Composer: winner
  • 2002Emmy-Outstanding Music Direction: nominated
  • 2002Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Original Score): nominated
  • 2002Golden Globe-Best Original Score - Motion Picture: nominated
  • 2002Critics' Choice Awards-Best Composer: winner
  • 2002Critics' Choice Awards-Best Composer: winner
  • 2001Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Original Score): nominated
  • 2000Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Original Score): nominated
  • 2000Golden Globe-Best Original Score - Motion Picture: nominated
  • 1999BAFTA Film Awards-The Anthony Asquith Award for Achievement in Film Music: nominated
  • 1999Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Original Score): nominated
  • 1999Golden Globe-Best Original Score - Motion Picture: nominated
  • 1999Critics' Choice Awards-Best Score: winner
  • 1998Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Original Dramatic Score): nominated
  • 1998Golden Globe-Best Original Score - Motion Picture: nominated
  • 1997Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Original Dramatic Score): nominated
  • 1996Golden Globe-Best Original Song - Motion Picture: nominated
  • 1996Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Original Dramatic Score): nominated
  • 1995Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Original Song): nominated
  • 1995Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Original Dramatic Score): nominated
  • 1995Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Original Musical or Comedy Score): nominated
  • 1994BAFTA Film Awards-Best Score: winner
  • 1994Golden Globe-Best Original Score - Motion Picture: nominated
  • 1993Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Original Score): winner
  • 1991Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Original Song): nominated
  • 1991Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Original Score): nominated
  • 1990Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Original Song): nominated
  • 1990Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Original Score): nominated
  • 1990Golden Globe-Best Original Score - Motion Picture: nominated
  • 1989BAFTA Film Awards-Best Score for a Film: winner
  • 1989Golden Globe-Best Original Score - Motion Picture: nominated
  • 1989Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Original Score): nominated
  • 1988Golden Globe-Best Original Score - Motion Picture: nominated
  • 1988Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Original Score): nominated
  • 1987Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Original Score): nominated
  • 1985Golden Globe-Best Original Score - Motion Picture: nominated
  • 1984Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Original Score): nominated
  • 1983BAFTA Film Awards-Best Score: winner
  • 1983Golden Globe-Best Original Song - Motion Picture: nominated
  • 1983Golden Globe-Best Original Score - Motion Picture: winner
  • 1983Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Original Score): nominated
  • 1982BAFTA Film Awards-Best Original Film Music: nominated
  • 1982Grammy-Best Album Of Original Score Written For A Motion Picture Or A Television Special: winner
  • 1982Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Original Score): winner
  • 1982Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Original Song): nominated
  • 1981BAFTA Film Awards-Best Original Film Music: winner
  • 1981Grammy-Best Album Of Original Score Written For A Motion Picture Or A Television Special: winner
  • 1981Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Original Score): nominated
  • 1981Golden Globe-Best Original Score - Motion Picture: nominated
  • 1980Grammy-Best Album Of Original Score Written For A Motion Picture Or A Television Special: winner
  • 1980Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Original Score): nominated
  • 1979BAFTA Film Awards-The Anthony Asquith Award for Original Film Music: winner
  • 1979Grammy-Best Album Of Original Score Written For A Motion Picture Or A Television Special: winner
  • 1979Golden Globe-Best Original Score - Motion Picture: nominated
  • 1978Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Original Score): nominated
  • 1978Grammy-Best Album Of Original Score Written For A Motion Picture Or A Television Special: winner
  • 1978Golden Globe-Best Original Score - Motion Picture: winner
  • 1977Grammy-Best Original Score Written For A Motion Picture Or A Television Special: winner
  • 1977Grammy-Best Instrumental Composition: winner
  • 1977Grammy-Best Pop Instrumental Recording: winner
  • 1977Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Original Score): nominated
  • 1977Los Angeles Film Critics Association-Best Music Score: winner
  • 1976BAFTA Film Awards-The Anthony Asquith Award for Original Music for a Film: winner
  • 1976BAFTA Film Awards-The Anthony Asquith Award for Original Music for a Film: winner
  • 1976Golden Globe-Best Original Score - Motion Picture: winner
  • 1975Grammy-Best Album Of Original Score Written For A Motion Picture Or A Television Special: winner
  • 1975Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Original Score): winner
  • 1975Golden Globe-Best Original Score - Motion Picture: nominated
  • 1974Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Original Dramatic Score): nominated
  • 1974Golden Globe-Best Original Score - Motion Picture: nominated
  • 1973Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Original Dramatic Score): nominated
  • 1973Golden Globe-Best Original Score - Motion Picture: nominated
  • 1973Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Song): nominated
  • 1973Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Scoring: Original Song Score and Adaptation -or- Scoring: Adaptation): nominated
  • 1972Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Original Dramatic Score): nominated
  • 1972Emmy-Outstanding Achievement in Music Composition: winner
  • 1971Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Scoring: Adaptation and Original Song Score): winner
  • 1969Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Original Score--for a motion picture [not a musical]): nominated
  • 1969Emmy-Outstanding Achievement in Music Composition: winner
  • 1969Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Score of a Musical Picture--original or adaptation): nominated
  • 1967Oscar-Best Achievement in Music (Scoring of Music--adaptation or treatment): nominated
  • 1963Emmy-Outstanding Achievement in Composing Original Music: nominated
  • 1962Emmy-Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composed for Television: nominated

Relationships

  • Jennifer -- Daughter
  • John Willams, Sr. -- Father
  • Esther Williams -- Mother
  • Joseph S. Williams -- Son
  • Mark Williams -- Son
  • Samantha Winslow -- Wife