Personal details
- Birth Date: 1932-02-08
- Height: 5′ 11½″ (1.82 m)
- Birth Location: Floral Park, Long Island, New York City, USA
- Children: (her death, 3 children) Jenny Williams
- Parents: Johnny Williams
- Professions: Music Department, Composer, Actor
John Williams—yeah, that guy—pretty much rules the American film music scene. Seriously, his name’s up there with Bernstein and Copland, except he’s probably got way more Oscars crowding his mantle. Fifty-plus nominations, five wins, 25 Grammys, and more shiny trophies than most people have shoes. He even ran the Boston Pops for over a decade, waving his baton like a wizard, and now he’s their Conductor Laureate (which is just a fancy way of saying “legend who still drops by sometimes”). But get this, he didn’t just stick to movies—he’s written concert pieces for Yo-Yo Ma and Itzhak Perlman, jazz stuff, Olympic fanfares that give people chills, and even a song for the Special Olympics. Wild, right? Born in New York in 1932, Williams grew up in a house full of music, thanks to his dad, a pro percussionist. He moved to LA as a teen, started jamming in jazz clubs, and by 19 he was already composing. College gigs at UCLA and Julliard (yeah, he’s got the credentials), plus a stint arranging for TV and movies in the ‘50s and ‘60s put him right in the thick of Hollywood’s golden era. He worked with everyone—Bernard Herrmann, Alfred Newman, you name it. Oh, and he rubbed elbows with stars like Vic Damone and Doris Day too. Family-wise, he and his wife Barbara raised three kids, two of whom are rockers. Not bad for a guy whose first love was pounding out jazz on the piano.
Honestly, you can't talk about movie scores without bringing up this legend. By 2014, he'd already stacked up 43 Oscar nominations for Best Musical Score. Forty-three! That’s wild. The guy basically had a reserved seat at the ceremony every year. If you’ve ever found yourself humming a film tune long after leaving the theater, there’s a good chance it was his work echoing in your head. The sheer range of movies he touched? Just insane. People in Hollywood basically grew up hearing his music in the background of their lives. And no, it’s not just quantity—the quality is next level. Some composers get lucky with one memorable soundtrack. This guy? He’s a hit machine, churning out classics like it’s nothing. Even if you don’t know his name off the top of your head, trust me, you’ve heard his stuff. He’s basically the MVP of film music, with the Oscar nods to prove it.
Jerry Goldsmith, man—he was like a musical shapeshifter. Seriously, the dude could jump from one style to the next without even breaking a sweat. You’d hear one of his scores, and then a totally different one, and you’d think two separate composers did it. That’s probably why he stuck around Hollywood for so long—he just fit in everywhere, but still stood out, you know? We all called him Gorgeous, and not just ‘cause he looked good (though, yeah, he did), but there was something magnetic about him. Like, you’d walk into a room and he’d just light it up without even trying. His music had that same vibe: always fresh, never recycled or tired. He was the golden boy, but not in an annoying way—he made everyone around him want to step up their game. There’s just something about a guy who can reinvent himself constantly and still feel totally authentic every time.
February 8, 1932
5′ 11½″ (1.82 m)
Konidela Ram Charan
Floral Park, Long Island, New York City, USA
Yes, Jenny Williams
Johnny Williams and Surekha
93 years old