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164-538: Laurent Bouzereau is a French-American documentary filmmaker, producer, and author. Laurent Bouzereau is the director of the upcoming event documentary on composer John Williams , produced by Lucasfilm , Amblin Documentaries , Imagine Documentaries & Nedland Media. Recent films include Timeless Heroes: Indiana Jones & Harrison Ford for Lucasfilm / Disney+ and the HBO feature length documentary Mama's Boy, based on
328-756: A lithograph company. After establishing Warner Bros. Music, Harry appointed his son, Lewis, to manage the company. By 1931, the studio began to feel the effects of the Great Depression, reportedly losing $ 8 million, and an additional $ 14 million the following year. In 1931, Warner Bros. Music head Lewis Warner died from an infected wisdom tooth . Around that time, Zanuck hired screenwriter Wilson Mizner , who had little respect for authority and found it difficult to work with Jack, but became an asset. As time passed, Warner became more tolerant of Mizner and helped invest in Mizner's Brown Derby restaurant. Mizner died of
492-421: A "gangster studio". The studio's first gangster film, Little Caesar , was a great box office success and Edward G. Robinson starred in many of the subsequent Warner gangster films. The studio's next effort, The Public Enemy , made James Cagney arguably the studio's new top star, and Warner Bros. made more gangster films. "Movie for movie, Warners was the most reliable source of entertainment through
656-536: A 2016 interview with the U.S. Air Force Band, he recounted having attended basic training at Lackland Air Force Base , after which he served as a pianist and brass player, with secondary duties of making arrangements for three years. In March 1952, he was assigned to the Northeast Air Command 596th Air Force Band, stationed at Pepperrell Air Force Base in St. John's, Newfoundland . He also attended music courses at
820-485: A Bosko clone. By the end of World War II, a new Schlesinger production team, including directors Friz Freleng (started in 1934), Tex Avery (started in 1935), Frank Tashlin (started in 1936), Bob Clampett (started in 1937), Chuck Jones (started in 1938), and Robert McKimson (started in 1946), was formed. Schlesinger's staff developed a fast-paced, irreverent style that made their cartoons globally popular. In 1935, Avery directed Porky Pig cartoons that established
984-541: A European orchestra, for an all-Williams concert featuring Mutter as soloist. The concert included many pieces from Across the Stars . The resulting concert album, John Williams in Vienna , became the bestselling orchestral album of 2020, reaching the top 10 in many countries and topping the U.S. and UK classical charts. The orchestra also commissioned a new procedural from Williams for their annual Philharmonikerball , replacing
1148-497: A Geisha (2005). Williams scored the 2013 film The Book Thief , his first collaboration with a director other than Spielberg since 2005. The score earned him an Academy Award, Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations and a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition. It was his 44th nomination for Best Original Score (and 49th overall), setting a new record for the most nominations in that category (he tied Alfred Newman 's record of 43 nominations in 2013). In 2017, Williams scored
1312-429: A String, and The John Towner Touch . Williams also served as music arranger and bandleader for a series of popular music albums with the singers Ray Vasquez and Frankie Laine . While fluent in many 20th-century musical languages, Williams's most familiar style is neoromanticism . Williams's score for Star Wars is often described as Wagnerian as it makes use of the leitmotif , a musical phrase associated with
1476-422: A cash settlement. Nevertheless, Cagney left the studio to establish an independent film company with his brother Bill. The Cagneys released their films though Grand National Films ; however, they were not able to get good financing and ran out of money after their third film. Cagney then agreed to return to Warner Bros., after Jack agreed to a contract guaranteeing Cagney would be treated to his own terms. After
1640-546: A character created for the Looney Tunes series, is the company's official mascot. The company's name originated from the founding Warner brothers (born Wonsal, Woron, and Wonskolaser before Anglicization): Harry , Albert , Sam , and Jack Warner. Harry, Albert and Sam emigrated as young children with their Polish-Jewish mother to the United States from Krasnosielc , Poland (then part of Congress Poland within
1804-529: A dog brought from France after World War I by an American soldier, established their reputation. Rin Tin Tin's third film was the feature Where the North Begins , which was so successful that Jack signed the dog to star in more films for $ 1,000 per week. Rin Tin Tin became the studio's top star. Jack nicknamed him "The Mortgage Lifter" and the success boosted Darryl F. Zanuck 's career. Zanuck eventually became
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#17330849345671968-684: A few films each year under the First National name until 1938. For thirty years, certain Warner productions were identified (mainly for tax purposes) as 'A Warner Bros.–First National Picture.' In the latter part of 1929, Jack Warner hired George Arliss to star in Disraeli , which was a success. Arliss won an Academy Award for Best Actor and went on to star in nine more movies for the studio. In 1930, Harry acquired more theaters in Atlantic City , despite
2132-460: A heart attack on April 3, 1933. By 1932, musicals were declining in popularity, and the studio was forced to cut musical numbers from many productions and advertise them as straight comedies. The public had begun to associate musicals with color, and thus studios began to abandon its use. Warner Bros. had a contract with Technicolor to produce two more pictures in that process. As a result, the first horror films in color were produced and released by
2296-564: A major loan. With this new money, the Warners bought the pioneer Vitagraph Company which had a nationwide distribution system. In 1925, Warners' also experimented in radio, establishing a successful radio station, KFWB , in Los Angeles. Warner Bros. was a pioneer of films with synchronized sound (then known as "talking pictures" or "talkies"). In 1925, at Sam's urging, Warner's agreed to add this feature to their productions. By February 1926,
2460-540: A mascot to Warner Bros., its various divisions, and Six Flags (which Time Warner once owned). The success of the compilation film The Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Movie in 1979, featuring the archived film of these characters, prompted Warner Bros. to organize Warner Bros. Animation as a new production division to restart production of original material. According to Warner's autobiography, prior to US entry in World War II , Philip Kauffman, Warner Bros. German sales head,
2624-415: A meeting in a fancy Beverly Hills restaurant, arranged by executives. It was very cute—you had the feeling Steven had never been in a restaurant like that before. It was like having lunch with a teen-age kid, but a brilliant one." They reunited a year later for Jaws . Spielberg used Williams's theme for Images as a temp track while editing Jaws . When Williams played his main theme for Jaws , based on
2788-413: A month-long strike. In retaliation, Warner—during his 1947 testimony before Congress about Mission to Moscow —accused multiple employees of ties to Communists. By the end of 1947, the studio reached a record net profit of $ 22 million (equivalent to $ 300 million in 2023). Warner acquired Pathé News from RKO in 1947. On January 5, 1948, Warner offered the first color newsreel , covering
2952-428: A net profit of $ 674,158.00. By 1936, contracts of musical and silent stars were not renewed, instead being replaced by tough-talking, working-class types who better fit these pictures. As a result, Dorothy Mackaill , Dolores del Río , Bebe Daniels , Frank Fay , Winnie Lightner , Bernice Claire , Alexander Gray, Alice White , and Jack Mulhall that had characterized the urban, modern, and sophisticated attitude of
3116-555: A perceived lack of discipline in, and respect from, the Pops' ranks, culminating in this latest instance. After entreaties by the management and personal apologies from the musicians, Williams withdrew his resignation and continued as principal conductor for nine more years. In 1995, he was succeeded by Keith Lockhart , the former associate conductor of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Cincinnati Pops Orchestra . Williams
3280-579: A photographer. Williams is regarded as one of the most influential film composers. His work has influenced other composers of film, popular, and contemporary classical music. Norwegian composer Marcus Paus argues that Williams' "satisfying way of embodying dissonance and avant-garde techniques within a larger tonal framework" makes him "one of the great composers of any century". Similarly, his film music has clear influences from other classical and film composers, including Holst , Stravinsky , Korngold , and others. But while many have specifically referenced
3444-601: A pianist in many of the city's jazz clubs. After his studies at Juilliard and the Eastman School of Music , Williams went to Los Angeles where he began working as an orchestrator at film studios. Williams worked with such composers as Franz Waxman , Bernard Herrmann and Alfred Newman , and with fellow orchestrators Conrad Salinger and Bob Franklyn. Williams was also a studio pianist and session musician, performing on scores by such composers as Jerry Goldsmith , Elmer Bernstein and Henry Mancini . One of his first jobs
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#17330849345673608-541: A place, character or idea. Williams downplays the influence of Wagner: "People say they hear Wagner in Star Wars , and I can only think, It's not because I put it there. Now, of course, I know that Wagner had a great influence on Korngold and all the early Hollywood composers. Wagner lives with us here—you can't escape it. I have been in the big river swimming with all of them." Williams wrote his first film composition in 1952 while stationed at Pepperrell Air Force Base for
3772-486: A popular book by former ambassador James W. Gerard , was released. On April 4, 1923, with help from money loaned to Harry by his banker Motley Flint, they formally incorporated as Warner Bros. Pictures, Incorporated . (As late as the 1960s, Warner Bros. claimed 1905 as its founding date.) The first important deal was the acquisition of the rights to Avery Hopwood 's 1919 Broadway play, The Gold Diggers , from theatrical impresario David Belasco . However, Rin Tin Tin ,
3936-663: A promotional film titled You Are Welcome , created for the Newfoundland tourist information office. Williams's first feature film composition was for Daddy-O (1958), and his first screen credit came two years later in Because They're Young . Williams also composed music for television, Bachelor Father (1957–59), the Kraft Suspense Theatre (1963–65), Lost in Space (1965–68), The Time Tunnel (1966–67) and Land of
4100-431: A result of losses from the Great Depression, and Harry refused to restore it as the company recovered. Zanuck established his own company. Harry thereafter raised salaries for studio employees. In 1933, Warner was able to link up with newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst 's Cosmopolitan Films. Hearst had previously worked with MGM, but ended the association after a dispute with head producer Irving Thalberg over
4264-425: A result of their financial problems, Warner Bros. took the next step and released The Jazz Singer starring Al Jolson . This movie, which includes little sound dialogue, but did feature sound segments of Jolson singing, was a sensation. It signaled the beginning of the era of "talking pictures" and the twilight of the silent era. However, Sam died the night before the opening, preventing the brothers from attending
4428-453: A result, Harry Warner—while speaking at a convention of 1,500 independent exhibitors in Milwaukee, Wisconsin—was able to convince the filmmakers to spend $ 500,000 in newspaper advertising, and Harry saw this as an opportunity to establish theaters in places such as New York City and Los Angeles. As the studio prospered, it gained backing from Wall Street , and in 1924 Goldman Sachs arranged
4592-508: A rough cut of the film sooner than was possible. In 2013, Williams expressed interest in working on the Star Wars sequel trilogy , saying: "Now we're hearing of a new set of movies coming in 2015, 2016 ... so I need to make sure I'm still ready to go in a few years for what I hope would be continued work with George." In 2015, Williams scored Star Wars: The Force Awakens , earning him his 50th Academy Award nomination. In 2017, he wrote
4756-456: A shorthand for approaching danger. Williams's score is more complex than the two-note theme; it contains echoes of Debussy 's La Mer and Stravinsky 's The Rite of Spring . Shortly thereafter, Spielberg and Williams began a two-year collaboration on Close Encounters of the Third Kind . They crafted the distinctive five-note motif that functions both in the score and in the story as
4920-612: A symphony; a sinfonietta for wind ensemble; a concerto for horn written for Dale Clevenger, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra 's principal horn; a concerto for clarinet written for Michele Zukovsky , the Los Angeles Philharmonic 's principal clarinetist, in 1991; a cello concerto premiered by Yo-Yo Ma and the Boston Symphony Orchestra at Tanglewood in 1994; concertos for the flute and violin recorded by
5084-509: A top producer and between 1928 and 1933 served as Jack's right-hand man and executive producer , with responsibilities including day-to-day film production. More success came after Ernst Lubitsch was hired as head director; Harry Rapf left the studio to join Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer . Lubitsch's film The Marriage Circle was the studio's most successful film of 1924, and was on The New York Times best list for that year. Despite
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5248-511: A top star and signed him to a new contract, tripling his salary. In 1936, Harry's daughter Doris read a copy of Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind and was interested in making a film adaptation. Doris offered Mitchell $ 50,000 for screen rights. Jack vetoed the deal, realizing it would be an expensive production. Major Paramount star George Raft also eventually proved to be a problem for Jack. Warner had signed him in 1939, finally bringing
5412-672: A top star. Following High Sierra and after Raft had once again turned the part down, Bogart was given the leading role in John Huston 's successful 1941 remake of the studio's 1931 pre-Code film, The Maltese Falcon , based upon the Dashiell Hammett novel. Warner's cartoon unit had its roots in the independent Harman and Ising studio. From 1930 to 1933, Walt Disney Studios alumni Hugh Harman and Rudolf Ising produced musical cartoons for Leon Schlesinger , who sold them to Warner. Harman and Ising introduced their character Bosko in
5576-540: A top studio in Hollywood , but this changed after 1935 as other studios, notably MGM, quickly overshadowed the prestige and glamor that previously characterized Warner Bros. However, in the late 1930s, Bette Davis became the studio's top draw and was even dubbed as "The Fifth Warner Brother". In 1935, Cagney sued Jack Warner for breach of contract. Cagney claimed Warner had forced him to star in more films than his contract required. Cagney eventually dropped his lawsuit after
5740-659: A tribute to the musicals of Stanley Donen and served as the New York Philharmonic season's opening event. After a three-season absence, Williams conducted the Philharmonic once again in October 2011. After over a ten year break, Williams returned to New York in 2022 to conduct the Philadelphia Orchestra for a benefit concert at Carnegie Hall , with special guest violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter . The next year, he
5904-460: A very successful musical under the direction of Lloyd Bacon. Warner assigned Bacon to "more expensive productions including Footlight Parade , Wonder Bar , Broadway Gondolier " (which he also starred in), and Gold Diggers that saved the company from bankruptcy. In the wake of 42nd Street 's success, the studio produced profitable musicals. These starred Ruby Keeler and Dick Powell and were mostly directed by Busby Berkeley . In 1935,
6068-601: Is a seven-piece song cycle based on the texts of former U.S. poet laureate Rita Dove . It had its world premiere by the Boston Symphony under Williams with soprano Cynthia Haymon . Williams makes annual appearances with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl , and took part as conductor and composer in the orchestra's opening gala concerts for the Walt Disney Concert Hall in 2003, which included
6232-559: Is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California , and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD). Founded in 1923 by four brothers, Harry , Albert , Sam , and Jack Warner , the company established itself as a leader in the American film industry before diversifying into animation , television , and video games , and
6396-603: 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 scores in 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
6560-501: 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); the television series Lost in Space , Land of the Giants and Amazing Stories . Williams announced but then rescinded his intention to retire from film score composing after
6724-572: Is now the Pops' laureate conductor, thus maintaining his affiliation with its parent Boston Symphony Orchestra . Williams leads the Pops on several occasions each year, particularly during their Holiday Pops season and typically for a week of concerts in May. He conducts an annual Film Night at both Boston Symphony Hall and Tanglewood , where he frequently enlists the Tanglewood Festival Chorus . Williams has written many concert pieces, including
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6888-474: Is one of the "Big Five" major American film studios , as well as a member of the Motion Picture Association (MPA). The company is known for its film studio division, the Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group , which includes Warner Bros. Pictures , New Line Cinema , Warner Bros. Pictures Animation , Castle Rock Entertainment , DC Studios , and the Warner Bros. Television Group . Bugs Bunny ,
7052-1432: Is the co-founder of Nedland Media, with his partner Markus Keith. Together, they are developing narrative films, television series and documentaries. Bouzereau directed and produced a documentary about actress Faye Dunaway . Faye premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and was released later on HBO and Max in 2024. Steven Spielberg Alfred Hitchcock David Lean Brian de Palma William Friedkin Martin Scorsese Robert Zemeckis Sidney Lumet Peter Bogdanovich François Truffaut Francis Ford Coppola Roman Polanski Walter Hill Warren Beatty Arthur Penn Cecil B. DeMille William Wyler John Boorman Lawrence Kasdan George Lucas Elia Kazan John Carpenter David Cronenberg Orson Welles John Millus Mel Brooks Robert Wise Jeannot Szwarc James Bridges Joe Dante Mel Gibson Gary Ross Terrence Malick Sean Penn Steve McQueen Lasse Hallström Sam Taylor Johnson Colin Trevorrow J.J. Abrams John Williams John Towner Williams (born February 8, 1932)
7216-595: Is the second-most nominated person, after Walt Disney , and is the oldest Oscar nominee in any category, at 92 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
7380-646: The Cascade , in New Castle, Pennsylvania , in 1903. When the original building was in danger of being demolished, the modern Warner Bros. called the current building owners and arranged to save it. The owners noted people across the country had asked them to protect it for its historical significance. In 1904, the Warners founded the Pittsburgh -based Duquesne Amusement & Supply Company, to distribute films. In 1912, Harry Warner hired an auditor named Paul Ashley Chase . By
7544-591: The Criterion Collection on the LaserDisc for Carrie in 1991. In 1995, he produced his first of many documentaries for Steven Spielberg when he was asked to work on the LaserDisc restoration of the film 1941 . That year he also produced The Making of Steven Spielberg's 'Jaws', a feature-length documentary that was included on the LaserDisc release of Jaws in 1995, and later on the DVD and Blu-ray releases of
7708-615: The Harry Potter films, " Hedwig's Theme ", was also used in the fourth through eighth films. Like the main themes from Jaws , Star Wars , Superman , and Indiana Jones , fans have come to identify the Harry Potter films with Williams's themes. Williams was asked to return to score the film franchise's final installment, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 , but director David Yates said that "their schedules simply did not align", as he would have had to provide Williams with
7872-748: The London Symphony Orchestra ; and a trumpet concerto, which was premiered by The Cleveland Orchestra and their principal trumpet Michael Sachs in September 1996. His bassoon concerto, The Five Sacred Trees , which was premiered by the New York Philharmonic and principal bassoon player Judith LeClair in 1995, was recorded for Sony Classical by Williams with LeClair and the London Symphony Orchestra. His " Violin Concerto No. 2 "
8036-605: The Oscar and Golden Globe nominated song "If We Were in Love" (with lyrics by Alan & Marilyn Bergman ) to Franklin J. Schaffner 's Yes, Giorgio (1982). For Family Plot , Hitchcock told Williams to remember one thing: "Murder can be fun." He tipped his hat to Hitchcock's frequent composer, Bernard Herrmann , and Hitchcock was pleased with the result. Williams would follow a similar approach when scoring Brian de Palma 's The Fury (1978). Kael called Williams "a major collaborator" on
8200-516: The Poverty Row section of Hollywood, and acquire a much larger studio lot in Burbank . They expanded by acquiring the Stanley Corporation, a major theater chain. This gave them a share in rival First National Pictures , of which Stanley owned one-third. In a bidding war with William Fox , Warner Bros. bought more First National shares on September 13, 1928; Jack also appointed Zanuck as
8364-519: The Russian Empire ), in October 1889, a year after their father emigrated to the U.S. and settled in Baltimore , Maryland . As in many other immigrant families, the elder Wonsal children gradually acquired anglicized versions of their Yiddish -sounding names: Szmuel Wonsal became Samuel Warner (nicknamed "Sam"), Hirsz Wonsal became Harry Warner, and Aaron Wonsal (although born with a given name common in
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#17330849345678528-580: The Star Wars films. It used vocal melodies instead of his usual compositions using brass instruments. Also of note was "Anakin's Theme", which begins as an innocent childlike melody and morphs insidiously into a quote of the sinister "Imperial March". For Attack of the Clones , Williams composed "Across the Stars", a love theme for Padmé Amidala and Anakin Skywalker (mirroring the love theme composed for The Empire Strikes Back ). The final installment Revenge of
8692-490: The Star Wars franchise: "We know J. J. Abrams is preparing one Star Wars movie now that I will hopefully do next year for him. I look forward to it. It will round out a series of nine, that will be quite enough for me." Williams also makes a cameo in the film as Oma Tres, a Kijimi bartender. In July 2018, Williams composed the main musical theme for Disneyland and Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park attraction Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge . William Ross , who conducted
8856-776: The Tournament of Roses Parade and the Rose Bowl Game . In 1948, Bette Davis, still their top actress and now hostile to Jack, was a big problem for Harry after she and others left the studio after completing the film Beyond the Forest . Warner was a party to the United States v. Paramount Pictures, Inc. antitrust case of the 1940s. This action, brought by the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission , claimed
9020-846: The Universal and Warners Bros. Alfred Hitchcock collections, Lawrence of Arabia and The Bridge on the River Kwai by David Lean , Taxi Driver , Raging Bull and Casino by Martin Scorsese , Scarface , Carrie , and Dressed to Kill by Brian De Palma , Cruising and The Exorcist by William Friedkin , Back to the Future by Robert Zemeckis , Reds by Warren Beatty , Chinatown and Tess by Roman Polanski , and The Last Picture Show by Peter Bogdanovich . As an author, Bouzereau's credits include Steven Spielberg: The First Ten Years (2023) , West Side Story: The Making of
9184-549: The University of Arizona as part of his service. In 1955, following his Air Force service, Williams moved to New York City and entered Juilliard , where he studied piano with Rosina Lhévinne . He was originally set on becoming a concert pianist, but after hearing contemporary pianists like John Browning and Van Cliburn perform, he switched his focus to composition. "It became clear," he recalled, "that I could write better than I could play." During this time Williams worked as
9348-470: The University of California, Los Angeles , and studied composition privately with the Italian composer Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco . Williams also attended Los Angeles City College for one semester, as the school had a Studio Jazz Band. In 1951, Williams joined the U.S. Air Force , where he played the piano and brass and conducted and arranged music for the U.S. Air Force Band as part of his assignments. In
9512-612: The University of Pennsylvania in 2021. Williams was made an honorary brother of Kappa Kappa Psi at Boston University in 1993, upon his impending retirement from the Boston Pops. Since 1988, Williams has been honored with 15 Sammy Film Music Awards, the longest-running awards for film music recordings. In 2000, Williams received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement . Williams has been inducted into
9676-471: The box office and the studio's net loss increased. During this time, Harry and six other movie studio figures were indicted for conspiracy to violate the Sherman Antitrust Act , through an attempt to gain a monopoly over St Louis movie theaters. In 1935, Harry was put on trial; after a mistrial, Harry sold the company's movie theaters and the case was never reopened. 1935 also saw the studio make
9840-414: The communications signal of the film's extraterrestrials . Darryn King writes that "One moment in that film captures some of Spielberg and Williams's alchemy: the musical dialogue between the humans and the otherworldly visitors, itself an artistic collaboration of sorts." Pauline Kael wrote of the scene: "the earthlings are ready with a console, and they greet the great craft with an oboe solo variation on
10004-492: The making-of some of the biggest films in the history of cinema, by some of the most acclaimed directors of all-time. He has produced most of the documentaries on the making of Steven Spielberg 's films. In total, he has documented over 150 films, including the Indiana Jones and Jurassic Park film franchises. Among the many titles include American Graffiti by George Lucas , Titanic and Avatar by James Cameron ,
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#173308493456710168-664: The "Raiders March" from the Indiana Jones movies at the end of the show. Williams made a surprise appearance at the U.S. premiere of the Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023) on June 15, where he conducted themes with a live symphony orchestra. Also present were Spielberg, Lucas, Harrison Ford , and James Mangold . Later that year, he conducted the Saito Kinen Orchestra in Matsumoto and Tokyo , Japan, marking his return to
10332-739: The 100th Anniversary of the Hollywood Bowl . He is currently completing a piano concerto for Emanuel Ax . In February 2004, April 2006, and September 2007, Williams conducted the New York Philharmonic at Avery Fisher Hall in New York City. The initial program was intended to be a one-time special event, and featured Williams's medley of Oscar-winning film scores first performed at the previous year's Academy Awards . Its unprecedented popularity led to two concerts in 2006, fundraising gala events featuring personal recollections by Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg . Continued demand fueled three more concerts in 2007, which all sold out. These featured
10496-464: The 1920s gave way to James Cagney , Joan Blondell , Edward G. Robinson , Warren William and Barbara Stanwyck , who would be more acceptable to the common man. The studio was one of the most prolific producers of Pre-Code pictures and had a lot of trouble with the censors once they started clamping down on what they considered indecency (around 1934). As a result, Warner Bros. turned to historical pictures from around 1935 to avoid confrontations with
10660-560: The 1924 fanfare by Richard Strauss . Williams conducted the Berlin Philharmonic from October 14–16, 2021, marking his second engagement with a European orchestra and his first with the Berlin Philharmonic. In 2022, in celebration of his 90th birthday, Williams conducted the Vienna Philharmonic in March, and was honored on August 20 with a tribute at Tanglewood . The tribute at Tanglewood featured James Taylor , Yo-Yo Ma, and Branford Marsalis . The Boston Symphony Orchestra performed some of Williams' best-known music, with Williams conducting
10824-409: The 2007 World Series, Williams conducted a brass -and-drum ensemble in a new dissonant arrangement of "The Star Spangled Banner". He composed the quartet Air and Simple Gifts for the first inauguration of Barack Obama . The piece is based on the hymn " Simple Gifts ", made famous by Aaron Copland in Appalachian Spring . Williams chose the theme because he knew Obama admired Copland. It
10988-490: The American Classical Music Hall of Fame and the Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame . Williams was honored with the annual Richard Kirk award at the 1999 BMI Film and TV Awards, recognizing his contribution to film and television music. In 2004, he received a Kennedy Center Honor . He won a Classic Brit Award in 2005 for his soundtrack work of the previous year. Williams has won the Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition for his scores for Star Wars , Close Encounters of
11152-490: The Americas) became Albert Warner. Jack, the youngest brother, was born in London, Ontario , during the family's two-year residency in Canada. The three elder brothers began in the movie theater business, having acquired a movie projector with which they showed films in the mining towns of Pennsylvania and Ohio . In the beginning, Sam and Albert Warner invested $ 150 to present Life of an American Fireman and The Great Train Robbery . They opened their first theater,
11316-447: The B's". Foy was able to garnish arguably more profits than any other B-film producer at the time. During Foy's time at the studio, however, Warner fired him seven different times. During 1936, The Story of Louis Pasteur proved a box office success and star Paul Muni won the Oscar for Best Actor in March 1937. The studio's 1937 film The Life of Emile Zola gave the studio the first of its seven Best Picture Oscars . In 1937,
11480-411: The Breen office. In 1936, following the success of The Petrified Forest , Jack signed Humphrey Bogart to a studio contract. Warner, however, did not think Bogart was star material, and cast Bogart in infrequent roles as a villain opposite either James Cagney or Edward Robinson over the next five years. After Hal B. Wallis succeeded Zanuck in 1933, and the Hays Code began to be enforced in 1935,
11644-399: The Dial of Destiny , scheduled for a 2023 release, would likely be his last film score as he planned to retire from film and focus on solely composing concert music. However, he reversed this decision by January 2023, stating that he had at least "10 more years to go. I'll stick around for a while!". He compared the decision to Spielberg's father Arnold , who had worked in his field until he
11808-541: The Documentary Premiere selection. He directed and co-produced the acclaimed Netflix series Five Came Back , executive produced by Steven Spielberg and Amblin Television , based on the best-selling book by Mark Harris , with an Emmy-winning narration by Meryl Streep . The documentary features Francis Ford Coppola , Guillermo del Toro , Paul Greengrass , Lawrence Kasdan , and Steven Spielberg . Bouzereau
11972-479: The Dolls (1967) and was nominated again for Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1969). His first Oscar was for Scoring: Adaptation and Original Song Score , for Fiddler on the Roof (1971). He scored Robert Altman 's psychological thriller Images (1972) and his neo-noir The Long Goodbye (1973), based on the novel of the same name by Raymond Chandler . Pauline Kael wrote that "Altman does variations on Chandler's theme
12136-618: The Extra-Terrestrial , Schindler's List ) and one for Best Scoring: Adaptation and Original Song Score ( Fiddler on the Roof ) . Williams was the subject of an hour-long documentary for the BBC in 1980, and was featured in a report on 20/20 in 1983. He has received several academic honors, including an Honorary Doctorate of Music from Berklee College of Music in 1980, as well as Honorary Doctor of Music degrees from Boston College in 1993, from Harvard University in 2017, and from
12300-742: The Flame (1930), Song of the West (1930), The Life of the Party (1930), Sweet Kitty Bellairs (1930), Under a Texas Moon (1930), Bride of the Regiment (1930), Viennese Nights (1931), Woman Hungry (1931), Kiss Me Again (1931), 50 Million Frenchmen (1931) and Manhattan Parade (1932). In addition to these, scores of features were released with Technicolor sequences, as well as numerous Technicolor Specials short subjects . The majority of these color films were musicals. In 1929, Warner Bros. bought
12464-635: The Fourth of July (1989), JFK (1991) and Nixon (1995)), and Chris Columbus (the first two Home Alone films (1990–1992) and Stepmom (1998)). Additional films Williams scored during this period include Harry Winer 's SpaceCamp (1986), Alan J. Pakula 's Presumed Innocent (1990), Ron Howard 's Far and Away (1992), Sydney Pollack 's Sabrina (1995), Barry Levinson 's Sleepers (1996), John Singleton 's Rosewood (1997), Alan Parker 's Angela's Ashes (1999), Roland Emmerich 's The Patriot (2000) and Rob Marshall 's Memoirs of
12628-498: The Giants (1968-70), the last three created by the prolific producer Irwin Allen . He also worked on several episodes of M Squad (1957-1960) and Checkmate (1960–1962) and the pilot episode of Gilligan's Island (1964–67). Williams called William Wyler 's How to Steal a Million (1966) "the first film I ever did for a major, super-talent director". Williams received his first Oscar nomination for his score for Valley of
12792-555: The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023). Spielberg emphasized the importance of Williams's score to the Indiana Jones pictures: "Jones did not perish, but listened carefully to the Raiders score. Its sharp rhythms told him when to run. Its slicing strings told him when to duck. Its several integrated themes told adventurer Jones when to kiss
12956-482: The Pops' new leader in the spring of 1980 allowed him to devote part of the Pops' first PBS broadcast of the season to presenting his new compositions for The Empire Strikes Back . Williams almost ended his tenure with the Pops in 1984 when some players hissed while sight-reading a new Williams composition in rehearsal; Williams abruptly left the session and tendered his resignation. He initially cited mounting conflicts with his film composing schedule but later admitted
13120-731: The Press . In 1987, Williams scored George Miller 's The Witches of Eastwick . In his Oscar-nominated score for Lawrence Kasdan 's The Accidental Tourist (1988), Williams developed the two main theme sections in different ways, turning the mood lighter or darker through orchestration and an unexpected use of synthesizers. Other frequent collaborations with directors include Martin Ritt ( Pete 'n' Tillie (1972), Conrack (1974) and Stanley & Iris (1990)), Mark Rydell ( The Reivers (1969), The Cowboys (1972), Cinderella Liberty (1973) and The River (1984)), Oliver Stone ( Born on
13284-473: 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), 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),
13448-647: The Sith combined many of the themes created for the series' previous films, including "The Emperor's Theme", "The Imperial March", "Across the Stars", "Duel of the Fates", "The Force Theme", "Rebel Fanfare", "Luke's Theme", and "Princess Leia's Theme", as well as new themes for General Grievous and the film's climax, titled "Battle of the Heroes". Williams scored the first three film adaptations of J. K. Rowling 's Harry Potter series. The most important theme from Williams's scores for
13612-654: The St. Louis-based theater chain Skouras Brothers Enterprises . Following this takeover, Spyros Skouras , the driving force of the chain, became general manager of the Warner Brothers Theater Circuit in America. He worked successfully in that post for two years and turned its losses into profits. Harry produced an adaptation of a Cole Porter musical titled Fifty Million Frenchmen . Through First National,
13776-577: The Steven Spielberg Film , Hitchcock: Piece by Piece, The Art of Bond, The New York Times Best-Seller The Making of Star Wars, Episode I – The Phantom Menace , Star Wars: The Annotated Screenplays, The Cutting Room Floor: Movie Scenes Which Never Made It To The Screen, Ultra Violent Movies: From Sam Peckinpah to Quentin Tarantino and The De Palma Cut: The Films of America's Most Controversial Director . Bouzereau wrote, directed and produced
13940-500: The Superman fanfare and the love theme, "Can You Read My Mind?", appeared in the subsequent Salkind/Cannon film sequels as well as Superman Returns (2006). In 1985, NBC commissioned Williams to compose a television news music package for various network news spots. The package, which Williams named " The Mission ", consists of four movements, two of which are still used heavily by NBC today for Today , NBC Nightly News and Meet
14104-521: The Third Kind , Superman , The Empire Strikes Back , E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial , Angela's Ashes , Munich , Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull , and The Book Thief . The competition includes not only composers of film scores, but also composers of instrumental music of any genre, including composers of classical fare such as symphonies and chamber music . Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. , or abbreviated as WB , or WBEI )
14268-488: The Worlds allowed him to tip his hat to the scores for classic monster movies. That same year, he scored Spielberg's epic historical drama film Munich . In 2011, after a three-year hiatus from film scoring, Williams composed the scores for Spielberg's The Adventures of Tintin and War Horse . The former was his first score for an animated film, and he employed various styles, including "1920s, 1930s European jazz" for
14432-456: The alteration of two notes, Spielberg initially thought it was a joke. Williams explained that "the sophisticated approach you would like me to take isn't the approach you took with the film I just experienced." After hearing variations on the theme, Spielberg agreed: "sometimes the best ideas are the most simple ones." The score earned Williams his second Academy Award, his first for Best Original Score . Its ominous two-note ostinato has become
14596-538: The animated short film Dear Basketball , directed by Glen Keane and based on a poem by Kobe Bryant . In 2023, he was commissioned by ESPN to write an original composition titled "Of Grit and Glory" for the 2023 College Football Playoff National Championship . From 1980 to 1993, Williams served as the Boston Pops Orchestra 's principal conductor, succeeding Arthur Fiedler . Williams never met Fiedler in person but spoke to him by telephone. His arrival as
14760-665: The anthem's 200th anniversary. The performance was held at A Capitol Fourth , an Independence Day celebration concert in Washington, D.C., on July 4, 2014. On April 13, 2017, at Star Wars Celebration Orlando, Williams performed a surprise concert with the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra featuring "Princess Leia's Theme" (a tribute to the recently deceased Carrie Fisher ), "The Imperial March" and "Main Title", followed by George Lucas saying, "The secret sauce of Star Wars,
14924-521: The beginning of every showing of Don Juan across the country) in 1926. Many film production companies questioned the necessity. Don Juan did not recoup its production cost and Lubitsch left for MGM. By April 1927, the Big Five studios (First National, Paramount, MGM, Universal Pictures , and Producers Distributing) had ruined Warners, and Western Electric renewed Warner's Vitaphone contract with terms that allowed other film companies to test sound. As
15088-420: The beginning of the Great Depression. In July 1930, the studio's banker, Motley Flint, was murdered by a disgruntled investor in another company. Harry acquired a string of music publishers (including M. Witmark & Sons , Remick Music Corp. , and T.B. Harms, Inc. ) to form Warner Bros. Music. In April 1930, Warner Bros. acquired Brunswick Records . Harry obtained radio companies, foreign sound patents and
15252-457: The best-selling memoir by Dustin Lance Black . The film was produced by LD Entertainment , Amblin Television , Playtone and Nedland Media and opened the 2022 NewFest - LGBTQ+ Film and Media festival. Bouzereau is also the director / co-producer of Natalie Wood: What Remains Behind , for HBO and Amblin Television . The film was selected at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival and presented in
15416-401: The brothers acquired the studio in 1928. Thanks to the success of The Jazz Singer , the studio was cash-rich. Jolson's next film for the company, The Singing Fool was also a success. With the success of these first talkies ( The Jazz Singer , Lights of New York , The Singing Fool and The Terror ), Warner Bros. became a top studio and the brothers were now able to move out from
15580-598: The character as the studio's first animated star. In addition to Porky, Daffy Duck (who debuted in 1937's Porky's Duck Hunt ), Elmer Fudd ( Elmer's Candid Camera , 1940), Bugs Bunny ( A Wild Hare , 1940), and Tweety ( A Tale of Two Kitties , 1942) would achieve star power. By 1942, the Schlesinger studio had surpassed Walt Disney Studios as the most successful producer of animated shorts. Warner Bros. bought Schlesinger's cartoon unit in 1944 and renamed it Warner Bros. Cartoons . However, senior management treated
15744-515: The company's remaining one-third share from Fox. The Justice Department agreed to allow the purchase if First National was maintained as a separate company. When the Great Depression hit, Warner asked for and got permission to merge the two studios. Soon afterward Warner Bros. moved to the First National lot in Burbank. Though the companies merged, the Justice Department required Warner to release
15908-419: The country for the first time in over thirty years. In 1956, Williams married Barbara Ruick , an American actress and singer, and they remained married until her death in 1974. The couple had three children: Jennifer (Jenny) Williams Gruska (b. 1956), Mark Towner Williams (b. 1958), and Joseph Williams (b. 1960); the last is best known as the lead singer of Toto . In 1980, Williams married Samantha Winslow,
16072-725: The documentary on legendary film producer Richard D. Zanuck entitled Don't Say No Until I Finish Talking , executive produced by Steven Spielberg . Zanuck watched the film three days before he died. He also wrote, directed and produced the TCM / Amblin Television series A Night at the Movies . Episodes include George Lucas and the World of Fantasy Cinema , The Horrors of Stephen King , Hollywood Goes to Washington , The Gigantic World of Epics , The Suspenseful World of Thrillers , Merry Christmas! , and Cops & Robbers and Crime Writers . Laurent Bouzereau
16236-685: The early 1970s thanks to his work for Irwin Allen's disaster films ; he scored The Poseidon Adventure (1972), The Towering Inferno and Earthquake (both 1974). Williams named his Images score as a favorite; he recalls "the score used all kinds of effects for piano, percussion, and strings. It had a debt to Varèse , whose music enormously interested me. If I had never written film scores, if I had proceeded writing concert music, it might have been in this vein. I think I would have enjoyed it. I might even have been fairly good at it. But my path didn't go that way." As it happened, Williams's scores for The Reivers (1969) and The Cowboys (1972) shaped
16400-688: The feature Don Juan starring John Barrymore . The film was silent, but it featured a large number of Vitaphone shorts at the beginning. To hype Don Juan ' s release, Harry acquired the large Piccadilly Theater in Manhattan , New York City , and renamed it Warners' Theatre. Don Juan premiered at the Warners' Theatre in New York on August 6, 1926. Throughout the early history of film distribution, theater owners hired orchestras to attend film showings, where they provided soundtracks . Through Vitaphone, Warner Bros. produced eight shorts (which were played at
16564-424: The film, writing that he had "composed what may be as apt and delicately varied a score as any horror movie has ever had. He scares us without banshee melodramatics. He sets the mood under the opening titles: otherworldly, seductively frightening. The music cues us in." That same year, Williams scored Richard Donner 's Superman . Donner reportedly interrupted the demo premiere of the opening title by running onto
16728-466: The film. Following the success of this documentary, Bouzereau continued to produce retrospective documentaries for Laserdisc, including the making of Scarface and E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial in 1996, the making of Psycho in 1997 and the making of Close Encounters of the Third Kind in 1998. In 2002, for the production of A.I. Artificial Intelligence , he began documenting the filmmaking process on-set. Bouzereau has produced documentaries on
16892-662: The film—sued the studio for displaying "vicious, untrue and false attacks" against him in the film. After appearing in the Warner's film The Man Who Played God , Bette Davis became a top star. In 1933, relief for the studio came after Franklin D. Roosevelt became president and began the New Deal . This economic rebound allowed Warner Bros. to again become profitable. The same year, Zanuck quit. Harry Warner's relationship with Zanuck had become strained after Harry strongly opposed allowing Zanuck's film Baby Face to step outside Hays Code boundaries. The studio reduced his salary as
17056-471: The first Looney Tunes cartoon, Sinkin' in the Bathtub , and created a sister series, Merrie Melodies , in 1931. Harman and Ising broke away from Schlesinger in 1933 due to a contractual dispute, taking Bosko with them to MGM. As a result, Schlesinger started his own studio, Leon Schlesinger Productions , which continued with Merrie Melodies while starting production on Looney Tunes starring Buddy ,
17220-488: The first two Home Alone films (1990–1992) and the first three Harry Potter films (2001–2004). Among other directors, he has worked with Alfred Hitchcock , Brian De Palma , Robert Altman , Clint Eastwood and Richard Donner . 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
17384-453: The five integrated studio-theater chain combinations restrained competition. The Supreme Court heard the case in 1948, and ruled for the government. As a result, Warner and four other major studios were forced to separate production from the exhibition. In 1949, the studio's net profit was only $ 10 million (equivalent to $ 128.06 million in 2023). Warner Bros. had two semi-independent production companies that released films through
17548-463: The five-note theme; the craft answers in deep, tuba tones. The dialogue becomes blissfully garrulous ... there is a conversational duet: the music of the spheres." Williams says the first three notes of the theme are resolved, making the next two surprising, adding "I realized that 20 years after the fact." Spielberg chose Williams to score 1941 (1979) and Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981). For
17712-451: The governments of England and the United States. By the middle of 1943, however, audiences had tired of war films, but Warner continued to produce them, losing money. In honor of the studio's contributions to the cause, the Navy named a Liberty ship after the brothers' father, Benjamin Warner. Harry christened the ship. By the time the war ended, $ 20 million in war bonds were purchased through
17876-560: The greatest composer-conductor in the universe, John Williams". Anne-Sophie Mutter , introduced to Williams by their mutual friend André Previn , collaborated with Williams on an album, Across the Stars , on which Mutter played themes and pieces from Williams's film scores in his new arrangements for violin. It was released in August 2019. The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra invited Williams to lead concerts in January 2020, his first engagement with
18040-644: The heroine or smash the enemy. All things considered, Jones listened ... and lived." Williams's soaring score for Spielberg's E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) won him a fourth Oscar. Spielberg liked Williams's music for the climactic chase so much that he edited the film to match it. The Spielberg-Williams collaboration resumed in 1987 with Empire of the Sun and continued with Always (1989), Hook (1991), Jurassic Park (1993) and its sequel The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997), Amistad (1997) and Saving Private Ryan (1998). Williams also contributed
18204-617: The latter, Williams wrote the rousing "The Raiders March" for the film's hero, Indiana Jones , as well as separate themes to represent the eponymous Ark of the Covenant , Jones's love interest Marion Ravenwood and the Nazi villains. Additional themes were written and featured in his scores for Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984), Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), Indiana Jones and
18368-701: The list. The Library of Congress entered the Star Wars soundtrack into the National Recording Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". John Towner Williams was born in Flushing, Queens , New York City, to Esther (née Towner) and Johnny Williams , a jazz drummer and percussionist who played with the Raymond Scott Quintet. He has an older sister, Joan, and two younger brothers, Jerry and Don, who play on his film scores. Williams said of his lineage: "My father
18532-687: The main theme for the film. Williams garnered his fourth Oscar for Best Original Score, his fifth overall. Williams scored Spielberg's A.I. Artificial Intelligence , based on an unfinished project Stanley Kubrick asked Spielberg to direct. A. O. Scott argued that the movie represented new directions for director and composer, writing that Spielberg created "a mood as layered, dissonant and strange as John Williams's unusually restrained, modernist score". Williams wrote scores inspired by jazz for Spielberg's Catch Me If You Can (2002), which allowed him to tip his hat to Henry Mancini , as well as The Terminal (2004). His 2005 score for Spielberg's War of
18696-429: The manager of First National Pictures. In 1928, Warner Bros. released Lights of New York , the first all-talking feature. Due to its success, the movie industry converted entirely to sound almost overnight. By the end of 1929, all the major studios were exclusively making sound films. In 1929, First National Pictures released their first film with Warner Bros., Noah's Ark . Despite its expensive budget, Noah's Ark
18860-415: The most widely recognized in film history, and the " Force Theme " and " Princess Leia's Theme " are well-known examples of leitmotif. The score was immensely successful—it remains the highest grossing non- popular music recording of all time—and won Williams a second Academy Award for Best Original Score . In 1980, Williams returned to score The Empire Strikes Back , introducing " The Imperial March " as
19024-442: The music for Star Wars: The Last Jedi , the eighth episode of the saga. Williams contributed "The Adventures of Han" and several additional demos for the 2018 standalone Star Wars film Solo: A Star Wars Story , while John Powell wrote the film's original score and adapted Williams's music. In March 2018, Williams announced that following Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019), he would retire from composing music for
19188-460: The opening credits and "pirate music" for the maritime battles. Both scores received overwhelmingly positive reviews and earned Academy Award nominations, the latter also being nominated for a Golden Globe. The Oscar nominations were Williams's 46th and 47th, making him the most nominated musician in Academy Award history (having previously been tied with Alfred Newman 's 45 nominations) and
19352-441: The path his career went. Williams's scores for The Reivers and The Cowboys impressed a young Steven Spielberg , who was getting ready to direct his feature debut, The Sugarland Express (1974) and requested the composer for The Reivers . Williams recalled, "I met what looked to be this seventeen-year-old kid, this very sweet boy, who knew more about film music than I did—every Max Steiner and Dimitri Tiomkin score. We had
19516-651: The premiere of his piece Soundings . In 2004, he served as the Grand Marshal for the Rose Parade and conducted " The Star Spangled Banner " at the Rose Bowl Game . In April 2005, Williams and the Boston Pops performed the "Throne Room Finale" from Star Wars at opening day in Fenway Park as the Boston Red Sox , having won their first World Series championship since 1918, received their championship rings. For Game 1 of
19680-426: The premiere. Jack became sole head of production. Sam's death also had a great effect on Jack's emotional state, as Sam was arguably Jack's inspiration and favorite brother. In the years to come, Jack kept the studio under tight control. Firing employees was common. Among those whom Jack fired were Rin Tin Tin (in 1929) and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. (in 1933), the latter having served as First National's top star since
19844-633: The record for the most Oscar nominations for a living person and is the second most nominated person in Academy Awards history behind Walt Disney 's 59. Williams is the only person to be nominated for an Academy Award in seven different decades (the 1960s, 70s, 80s, 90s, 2000s, 2010s, and 2020s). He is also the oldest person, at age 91, ever to be nominated for an Academy Award. Forty-eight of Williams's Oscar nominations are for Best Original Score and five are for Best Original Song . He won four Oscars for Best Original Score ( Jaws , Star Wars , E.T.
20008-773: The release of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny in 2023. 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
20172-551: The revival was affected by Berkeley's arrest for killing three people while driving drunk. By the end of the year, people again tired of Warner Bros. musicals, and the studio — after the huge profits made by 1935 film Captain Blood — shifted its focus to Errol Flynn swashbucklers . With the collapse of the market for musicals, Warner Bros., under Zanuck, turned to more socially realistic storylines. Because of its many films about gangsters, Warner Bros. soon became known as
20336-586: 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
20500-468: The scores of Alexander Mackendrick 's Sweet Smell of Success (1957) and Robert Mulligan 's To Kill a Mockingbird (1962). Williams was also the pianist on the scores of Billy Wilder 's The Apartment (1960) Jerome Robbins and Robert Wise 's West Side Story (1961), and Blake Edwards The Great Race (1966). Known as Johnny Williams during this period, he released several jazz albums under this name, including Jazz Beginnings , World on
20664-500: The second most nominated overall, behind Walt Disney . Williams won an Annie Award for his score for Tintin . In 2012, he scored Spielberg's Lincoln , for which he received his 48th Academy Award nomination. He was also set to write the score for Bridge of Spies that year, which would have been his 27th collaboration with Spielberg, but in March 2015, it was announced that Thomas Newman would score it instead, as Williams's schedule
20828-499: The similarities, these are generally attributed to the natural influence of one composer on another. The Boston Globe named Williams as "the most successful composer of film music in the history of the medium". Williams has been nominated for 54 Academy Awards , winning five; six Emmy Awards , winning three; 25 Golden Globe Awards , winning four; 71 Grammy Awards , winning 26; and has received seven British Academy Film Awards . With 54 Oscar nominations, Williams currently holds
20992-409: The soundstage, exclaiming, "The music actually says 'Superman'!" King writes that "Donner had a theory that the three-note motif in the main theme—the one that makes you want to punch the air in triumph—is a musical evocation of 'SU-per-MAN! ' ". When asked if there was anything to that, Williams replied "There's everything to that." The score's heroic and romantic themes, particularly the main march,
21156-564: The studio hired Midwestern radio announcer Ronald Reagan , who would eventually become the President of the United States . Although Reagan was initially a B-film actor, Warner Bros. was impressed by his performance in the final scene of Knute Rockne, All American , and agreed to pair him with Flynn in Santa Fe Trail (1940). Reagan then returned to B-films. After his performance in the studio's 1942 Kings Row , Warner decided to make Reagan
21320-411: The studio reported a net loss of $ 333,413. After a long period denying Sam's request for sound, Harry agreed to change, as long as the studio's use of synchronized sound was for background music purposes only. The Warners signed a contract with the sound engineer company Western Electric and established Vitaphone . In 1926, Vitaphone began making films with music and effects tracks, most notably, in
21484-467: The studio since 1935. The court ruled in de Havilland's favor and she left the studio in favor of RKO Radio Pictures, and, eventually, Paramount. Through de Havilland's victory, many of the studio's longtime actors were now freed from their contracts, and Harry decided to terminate the studio's suspension policy. The same year, Jack signed newly released MGM actress Joan Crawford , a former top star who found her career fading. Crawford's first role with
21648-587: The studio was 1944's Hollywood Canteen . Her first starring role at the studio, in the title role as Mildred Pierce (1945), revived her career and earned her an Oscar for Best Actress. In the post-war years, Warner Bros. prospered greatly and continued to create new stars, including Lauren Bacall and Doris Day . By 1946, company payroll reached $ 600,000 a week and net profit topped $ 19.4 million (equivalent to $ 303.1 million in 2023). Jack Warner continued to refuse to meet Screen Actors Guild salary demands. In September 1946, employees engaged in
21812-399: The studio was forced to abandon this realistic approach in order to produce more moralistic, idealized pictures. The studio's historical dramas, melodramas (or "women's pictures"), swashbucklers, and adaptations of best-sellers, with stars like Bette Davis , Olivia de Havilland , Paul Muni , and Errol Flynn , avoided the censors. In 1936, Bette Davis, by now arguably the studio's top star,
21976-408: The studio's profit increased substantially. After the success of the studio's 1929 First National film Noah's Ark , Harry agreed to make Michael Curtiz a major director at the Burbank studio. Mort Blumenstock, a First National screenwriter, became a top writer at the brothers' New York headquarters. In the third quarter, Warner Bros. gained complete control of First National, when Harry purchased
22140-508: The studio's top gangster stars after appearing in the successful film, which convinced audiences to question the American legal system. By January 1933, the film's protagonist Robert Elliot Burns—still imprisoned in New Jersey—and other chain gang prisoners nationwide appealed and were released. In January 1933, Georgia chain gang warden J. Harold Hardy—who was also made into a character in
22304-1038: The studio, the Red Cross collected 5,200 pints of blood plasma from studio employees and 763 of the studio's employees served in the armed forces, including Harry Warner's son-in-law Milton Sperling and Jack's son Jack Warner Jr. Following a dispute over ownership of Casablanca 's Oscar for Best Picture, Wallis resigned. After Casablanca made Bogart a top star, Bogart's relationship with Jack deteriorated. In 1943, Olivia de Havilland (whom Warner frequently loaned to other studios) sued Warner for breach of contract. De Havilland had refused to portray famed abolitionist Elizabeth Blackwell in an upcoming film for Columbia Pictures . Warner responded by sending 150 telegrams to different film production companies, warning them not to hire her for any role. Afterwards, de Havilland discovered employment contracts in California could only last seven years ; de Havilland had been under contract with
22468-656: The studio: Doctor X (1932) and Mystery of the Wax Museum (1933). In the latter part of 1931, Harry Warner rented the Teddington Studios in London, England. The studio focused on making " quota quickies " for the domestic British market and Irving Asher was appointed as the studio's head producer. In 1934, Harry officially purchased the Teddington Studios. In February 1933, Warner Bros. produced 42nd Street ,
22632-410: The success of Yankee Doodle Dandy at the box office, Cagney again questioned if the studio would meet his salary demand and again quit to form his own film production and distribution company with Bill. Another employee with whom Warner had troubles was studio producer Bryan Foy . In 1936, Wallis hired Foy as a producer for the studio's low budget B movies leading to his nickname "the keeper of
22796-688: The success of Rin Tin Tin and Lubitsch, Warner's remained a lesser studio. Sam and Jack decided to offer Broadway actor John Barrymore the lead role in Beau Brummel . The film was so successful that Harry signed Barrymore to a long-term contract; like The Marriage Circle , Beau Brummel was named one of the ten best films of the year by the Times . By the end of 1924, Warner Bros. was arguably Hollywood's most successful independent studio, where it competed with "The Big Three" Studios ( First National , Paramount Pictures , and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)). As
22960-524: The symphonic recording of the theme with the London Symphony Orchestra on Williams's behalf, additionally arranged Williams's original composition in different musical contexts for use, recording nearly an hour of musical material at Abbey Road Studios in November 2018. Williams won the Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition for his Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge Symphonic Suite . In 2022, he contributed
23124-634: The theme for Darth Vader and the Galactic Empire , " Yoda's Theme ", and " Han Solo and the Princess ". The original Star Wars trilogy concluded with Return of the Jedi , for which Williams provided the " Emperor's Theme ", " Parade of the Ewoks ", and " Luke and Leia ". Both scores earned him Academy Award nominations. In 1999, Lucas launched the first of three prequels to the original Star Wars trilogy. Williams
23288-444: The theme music for the Star Wars miniseries Obi-Wan Kenobi , which was subsequently adapted further by William Ross. Williams scored Alfred Hitchcock 's final film, Family Plot (1976), as well as Clint Eastwood 's The Eiger Sanction (1975), John Frankenheimer 's Black Sunday (1977), John Badham 's Dracula (1979), Allan Arkush 's Heartbeeps (1981) and Frank Perry 's Monsignor (1982). He also contributed
23452-503: The theme music for, and scored several episodes of, Spielberg's anthology television series Amazing Stories (1985). Schindler's List (1993) proved to be a challenge for Williams; after viewing the rough cut with Spielberg, he was so overcome with emotion that he was hesitant to score the film. He told Spielberg, "I really think you need a better composer than I am for this film." Spielberg replied, "I know, but they're all dead." Williams asked classical violinist Itzhak Perlman to play
23616-459: The third top 1930s gangster actor into the Warners fold, knowing that he could carry any gangster picture when either Robinson or Cagney were on suspension. Raft had difficulty working with Bogart and refused to co-star with him. Eventually, Warner agreed to release Raft from his contract in 1943. After Raft had turned the role down, the studio gave Bogart the role of "Mad Dog" Roy Earle in the 1941 film High Sierra , which helped establish him as
23780-472: The thirties and forties, even though it was clearly the most budget-conscious of them all." — Film historian Andrew Sarris in "You Ain't Heard Nothin' Yet.": The American Talking Film History & Memory, 1927–1949 . Another gangster film the studio produced was the critically acclaimed I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang , based on a true story and starring Paul Muni , joining Cagney and Robinson as one of
23944-519: The time of World War I , they had begun producing films; in the early 1920s they acquired their first studio facilities on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood. Sam and Jack produced the pictures, while Harry and Albert, along with their auditor and now-controller Chase, handled finance and distribution in New York City. During World War I their first nationally syndicated film, My Four Years in Germany , based on
24108-610: The treatment of Hearst's longstanding mistress, actress Marion Davies , who was struggling for box office success. Through his partnership with Hearst, Warner signed Davies to a studio contract. Hearst's company and Davies' films, however, did not increase the studio's profits. In 1934, the studio lost over $ 2.5 million, of which $ 500,000 was the result of a 1934 fire at the Burbank studio, destroying 20 years' worth of early Vitagraph, Warner Bros. and First National films. The following year, Hearst's film adaption of William Shakespeare 's A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935) failed at
24272-446: The unit with indifference, beginning with the installation as senior producer of Edward Selzer , whom the creative staff considered an interfering incompetent. Jack Warner had little regard for the company's short film product and reputedly was so ignorant about the studio's animation division that he was mistakenly convinced that the unit produced cartoons of Mickey Mouse , the flagship character of Walt Disney Productions . He sold off
24436-464: The unit's pre-August 1948 library for $ 3,000 each, which proved a shortsighted transaction in light of its eventual value. Warner Bros. Cartoons continued, with intermittent interruptions, until 1969 when it was dissolved as the parent company ceased its production of film shorts entirely. Characters such as Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Tweety , Sylvester , and Porky Pig became central to the company's image in subsequent decades. Bugs in particular remains
24600-516: The war, eliminating its B Pictures unit in 1941. Bryan Foy joined Twentieth Century Fox. During the war era, the studio made Casablanca ; Now, Voyager ; Yankee Doodle Dandy (all 1942); This Is the Army , and Mission to Moscow (both 1943). The last of these films became controversial a few years afterwards. At the premieres of Yankee Doodle Dandy (in Los Angeles, New York, and London), audiences purchased $ 15.6 million in war bonds for
24764-481: The way the John Williams score does variations the title song, which is tender in one scene, a funeral dirge in another. Williams' music is a parody of the movies' frequent overuse of a theme, and a demonstration of how adaptable a theme can be." Altman, known for giving actors free rein, had a similar approach to Williams, telling him "Do whatever you want. Do something you haven't done before." His prominence grew in
24928-407: Was 100. Spielberg recommended Williams to his friend George Lucas , who needed a composer for his space opera Star Wars (1977). Williams delivered a grand symphonic score influenced by Gustav Holst 's orchestral suite The Planets , as well as Richard Strauss , Antonín Dvořák , and Golden Age Hollywood composers Max Steiner and Erich Wolfgang Korngold . The Star Wars theme is among
25092-517: Was a Maine man—we were very close. My mother was from Boston . My father's parents ran a department store in Bangor, Maine , and my mother's father was a cabinetmaker." Johnny Williams collaborated with Bernard Herrmann , and his son sometimes joined him in rehearsals. In 1948, the Williams family moved to Los Angeles where John attended North Hollywood High School , graduating in 1950. He later attended
25256-405: Was asked to score all three, starting with The Phantom Menace . Along with themes from the previous films, Williams created new themes for 2002's Attack of the Clones and 2005's Revenge of the Sith . Most notable of these was " Duel of the Fates ", an aggressive choral composition in the style of Verdi's Requiem , using harsh Sanskrit lyrics that broadened the style of music used in
25420-468: Was born and raised in a suburb of Paris, France. He began his career in New York as a freelance journalist and author with The De Palma Cut while working in publicity and promotion for the independent distribution company Spectrafilm. Upon moving to Hollywood, he was story editor and graduated to director of development for Bette Midler 's production company, All Girl Productions. He got his start in home entertainment when he recorded audio commentary for
25584-740: Was feted at a gala at David Geffen Hall by Spielberg, celebrating their nearly fifty-year collaboration. In 2024, he returned to headline another gala at Carnegie Hall with the Philadelphia Orchestra, this time with Yo-Yo Ma as his special guest. Williams also conducted the National Symphony Orchestra , the U.S. Army Herald Trumpets , the Joint Armed Forces Chorus, and the Choral Arts Society of Washington in his new arrangement of "The Star-Spangled Banner" for
25748-449: Was interrupted by a minor health issue. This was the first Spielberg film since The Color Purple (1985) not scored by Williams. Williams composed the scores for Spielberg's fantasy The BFG and his drama The Post (2017). In 2019, Williams served as music consultant for Spielberg's West Side Story (2021) and scored his semi-autobiographical The Fabelmans (2022). In June 2022, Williams announced that Indiana Jones and
25912-413: Was made an honorary U.S. Marine at the conclusion of his fifth concert with the Marine Band at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC. In 2021, Williams conducted the world premiere of "Overture to the Oscars" at Tanglewood's 2021 "Film Night". This was followed in 2022 by a "Fanfare for Solo Trumpet", written for the reopening of David Geffen Hall , and "Centennial Overture", written in celebration of
26076-492: Was murdered by the Nazis in Berlin in 1936. Harry produced the successful anti-German film The Life of Emile Zola (1937). After that, Harry supervised the production of more anti-German films, including Confessions of a Nazi Spy (1939), The Sea Hawk (1940), which made King Philip II an equivalent of Hitler , Sergeant York , and You're In The Army Now (1941). Harry then decided to focus on producing war films. Warners' cut its film production in half during
26240-417: Was performed by Yo-Yo Ma, violinist Itzhak Perlman , pianist Gabriela Montero and clarinetist Anthony McGill . Williams has guest conducted " The President's Own " United States Marine Band on several occasions, who commissioned him in 2013 to write "Fanfare for The President's Own" (his first concert band work since his sinfonietta for wind ensemble) in honor of their 215th anniversary. In 2023, Williams
26404-447: Was profitable. In 1929, Warner Bros. released On with the Show! , the first all-color all-talking feature. This was followed by Gold Diggers of Broadway which would play in theaters until 1939. The success of these pictures caused a color revolution. Warner Bros. color films from 1929 to 1931 included The Show of Shows (1929), Sally (1929), Bright Lights (1930), Golden Dawn (1930), Hold Everything (1930), Song of
26568-447: Was unhappy with her roles. She traveled to England and tried to break her contract. Davis lost the lawsuit and returned to America. Although many of the studio's employees had problems with Jack Warner, they considered Albert and Harry fair. In the 1930s many actors and actresses who had characterized the realistic pre-Code era, but who were not suited to the new trend into moral and idealized pictures, disappeared. Warner Bros. remained
26732-479: Was working under mentor Alfred Newman with an uncredited role in the orchestra for the 1956 film Carousel , which also coincidently starred his soon-to-be wife Barbara Ruick . With Mancini, he recorded the scores of Peter Gunn (1959), Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961), Days of Wine and Roses (1962) and Charade (1963), and played the piano part of the guitar-piano ostinato in Mancini's Peter Gunn title theme . With Elmer Bernstein, he performed on
26896-463: Was written for and premiered by Anne-Sophie Mutter and the Boston Symphony Orchestra at Tanglewood in 2021, with Williams conducting. Williams composed the Liberty Fanfare for the Statue of Liberty 's rededication; "We're Lookin' Good!" for the Special Olympics in celebration of the 1987 International Summer Games; and themes for the 1984, 1988, 1996 and 2002 Olympic Games. One of his concert works, Seven for Luck , for soprano and orchestra,
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