John Williams (Composer) - On This Day
Full Name: John Towner Williams
Profession: Composer
Biography: John Williams is an American composer, conductor, and pianist, widely regarded as one of the greatest film composers of all time. His career spans over six decades, during which he has composed some of the most popular, recognizable, and critically acclaimed film scores in cinematic history.
Williams was born in New York City and moved to Los Angeles with his family in 1948. He attended UCLA and studied privately with Italian composer Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco. Early in his career, Williams worked as a jazz pianist and studio musician.
He gained prominence in the film industry for his work on various movies in the 1970s. His collaborations with director Steven Spielberg have been particularly notable, beginning with Jaws (1975), which earned him an Academy Award for Best Original Score. His music for Star Wars (1977) is among the most iconic in film history, earning him another Oscar and launching a long-lasting collaboration with George Lucas.
Williams's style is known for its grand orchestral arrangements and memorable melodies. He has composed scores for some of the most successful films, including the Indiana Jones series, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), Jurassic Park (1993), Schindler's List (1993), and the first three Harry Potter films. He has also written concertos, chamber music, and symphonic works.
For this work, Williams has won five Academy Awards, twenty-five Grammy Awards, four Golden Globes, and seven British Academy Film Awards. Beyond his film work, Williams served as the principal conductor of the Boston Pops Orchestra from 1980 to 1993 and is now its conductor laureate.
Born: February 8, 1932
Birthplace: New York City, New York, USA
Age: 92 years old
Generation: Silent Generation
Chinese Zodiac: Monkey
Star Sign: Aquarius
Career Highlights
- 1977-05-25 Original "Star Wars" movie (Episode IV – A New Hope), directed by George Lucas and starring Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford, premieres
- 1980-05-21 "Star Wars Episode V - Empire Strikes Back", produced by George Lucas opens in cinemas in UK and North America
- 1983-05-25 "Return of the Jedi" (Star Wars Episode VI), produced by George Lucas first released
- 1999-05-19 "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace", directed by George Lucas, starring Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman and Liam Neeson, is released in cinemas
- 2002-05-16 "Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones" directed by George Lucas, starring Ewan McGregor, Hayden Christensen and Natalie Portman, opens in cinemas
- 2005-05-15 "Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith", directed by George Lucas, starring Ewan McGregor, Hayden Christensen and Natalie Portman, premieres at the Cannes Film Festival
- 2015-12-14 "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" directed by J.J. Abrams and starring Daisy Ridley, John Boyega and Harrison Ford has its world premiere at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles
- 2017-12-09 "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" directed by Rian Johnson, starring Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega and Adam Driver premieres in Los Angeles
References
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