John Williams began his film composing career in 1958, working on Lou Place's J.D. film "Daddy-o." He was credited as "Johnny Williams," and he was only 26. From there, Williams -- a Juilliard graduate -- began a prolific, decades-long life of music that included writing hundreds of film scores and TV themes, as well as conducting concerts and making some of the most memorable music in the history of filmed media. He has worked for Don Siegel, Frank Sinatra, Irwin Allen, Gene Kelly, Clint Eastwood, Steven Spielberg, John Frankenheimer, Richard Donner, George Miller, Barry Levinson, Oliver Stone, John Singleton ... and dozens of other notable filmmakers besides. Indeed, introducing Williams at all seems a churlish exercise, as some his scores and themes have become hummable, eternally recognizable elements of the pop consciousness.
Williams is responsible for the main theme for George Lucas' 1977 film "Star Wars," handily one of the most popular films of all time.
Williams is responsible for the main theme for George Lucas' 1977 film "Star Wars," handily one of the most popular films of all time.
- 3/10/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
With the Academy Awards just a month away, it’s the perfect time to look at fun facts, trivia and tidbits for both this year and historically.
John Williams, who just turned 91, reaped his 53rd Oscar nomination for scoring Steven Spielberg’s movie memoir “The Fabelmans.” Three of his five Oscar wins are for Spielberg films. His first Oscar nomination was for Best Music for 1967’s “Valley of the Dolls” and his first win was for Best Music (scoring adaptation and original song score) for 1971’s “Fiddler on the Roof.” And what was the first film he scored? The long-forgotten 1958 Aip release 1958 “Daddy-o.”
In terms of nominations, Williams is second only to Walt Disney. During his 40-plus year film career, he received 26 Oscar — 22 of those were competitive — and a staggering 59 bids. At the 5th Oscars, he won an honorary Oscar for creating Mickey Mouse, while winning the Academy Award for...
John Williams, who just turned 91, reaped his 53rd Oscar nomination for scoring Steven Spielberg’s movie memoir “The Fabelmans.” Three of his five Oscar wins are for Spielberg films. His first Oscar nomination was for Best Music for 1967’s “Valley of the Dolls” and his first win was for Best Music (scoring adaptation and original song score) for 1971’s “Fiddler on the Roof.” And what was the first film he scored? The long-forgotten 1958 Aip release 1958 “Daddy-o.”
In terms of nominations, Williams is second only to Walt Disney. During his 40-plus year film career, he received 26 Oscar — 22 of those were competitive — and a staggering 59 bids. At the 5th Oscars, he won an honorary Oscar for creating Mickey Mouse, while winning the Academy Award for...
- 2/15/2023
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
Dick Contino, a hip-swiveling accordionist who was a regular on The Ed Sullivan Show and starred in the 1958 rock 'n' roll film Daddy-o, has died. He was 87.
Contino died Wednesday in his hometown of Fresno, Calif., the Las Vegas Review Journal reported.
Popular with the kids back in the day, Contino lost a drag race to Sandra Giles and portrayed a singer and truck driver in Daddy-o — which was scored by John Williams in his feature debut — and then appeared in The Beat Generation (1959), Girls Town (1959) and The Big Night (1960).
By some...
Contino died Wednesday in his hometown of Fresno, Calif., the Las Vegas Review Journal reported.
Popular with the kids back in the day, Contino lost a drag race to Sandra Giles and portrayed a singer and truck driver in Daddy-o — which was scored by John Williams in his feature debut — and then appeared in The Beat Generation (1959), Girls Town (1959) and The Big Night (1960).
By some...
- 4/25/2017
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Sandra Giles, an actress and Hollywood pinup queen who appeared in such films as Daddy-o and Elvis Presley's It Happened at the World's Fair, has died. She was 84.
Giles died in Los Angeles on Christmas Day after a battle with bullous pemphigoid, an autoimmune skin disease, her daughter, singer Sandra Piller, told The Hollywood Reporter.
In her big-screen debut, Giles bested singer-accordionist Dick Contino in a drag race and danced to some rock 'n' roll in Daddy-o (1958), which was scored by John Williams in his feature debut. The starlet also appeared in The Matchmaker, A Lust to Kill and...
Giles died in Los Angeles on Christmas Day after a battle with bullous pemphigoid, an autoimmune skin disease, her daughter, singer Sandra Piller, told The Hollywood Reporter.
In her big-screen debut, Giles bested singer-accordionist Dick Contino in a drag race and danced to some rock 'n' roll in Daddy-o (1958), which was scored by John Williams in his feature debut. The starlet also appeared in The Matchmaker, A Lust to Kill and...
- 12/30/2016
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Reactions from the talent behind films eviscerated on MST3k have varied (it could be a joke, but the crew claims Joe Don Baker of Mitchell fame wants to take a swing at them), though not as much as fans of the films proper. A famous, though unverified, story has Dennis Miller flying the cast to a filming of his HBO show only to scream at them for having their way with Marooned! In light of the recent announcement that creator Joel Hodgson wants to reboot the cult favourite, here’s a look at a few episodes that may not have been playing fair.
5. Revenge of The Creature (Season 8, Episode 1)
There is a delicate chemistry to enjoying trash on its own merit. Too bad or too good, it can easily throw things off-balance into the oblivion of the unwatchable. Creature upped the stakes of the classic original by bringing it to local beaches and,...
5. Revenge of The Creature (Season 8, Episode 1)
There is a delicate chemistry to enjoying trash on its own merit. Too bad or too good, it can easily throw things off-balance into the oblivion of the unwatchable. Creature upped the stakes of the classic original by bringing it to local beaches and,...
- 5/8/2014
- by Kenny Hedges
- SoundOnSight
John Williams, the cinema's most widely and wildly celebrated composer, is a nominee again this year for The Book Thief (you can download some sheet music from the score here). He is 82 years old but in a delightfully senior twist, he is only the third oldest nominee (after June Squibb and Patricia Norris). IMDb's database for composers is very confusing so I can't share "number of original scores" but his feature film career, starting with Daddy-o (1958) and continuing on through the The Book Thief (2013), is prolific and highly regarded with more presumably to come since the Indiana Jones and Star Wars franchises are still alive and so is he.
John Williams conducting "The Book of Thief" score in a recording session
His Oscar record is the closest anyone's ever come to total Academy infallibility (if you discount the people who only made one or two pictures). In the past 46 years,...
John Williams conducting "The Book of Thief" score in a recording session
His Oscar record is the closest anyone's ever come to total Academy infallibility (if you discount the people who only made one or two pictures). In the past 46 years,...
- 2/25/2014
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
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