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