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John Williams' storied career as the composer behind many of the greatest American films and television series of all time boasts hundreds of credits across seven decades. His early work in Hollywood included working as an orchestrator and studio pianist under such movie composer maestros as Bernard Herrmann, Alfred Newman, Henry Mancini, Elmer Bernstein and Franz Waxman. He went on to write music for more than 200 television programs, including the groundbreaking anthology series ALCOA THEATRE and KRAFT TELEVISION THEATRE. Perhaps best known for his enduring collaboration with director Steven Spielberg, his scores are among the most iconic and recognizable in film history, from the edge-of-your-seat JAWS (1975) motif to the emotional swell of E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL (1982) and the haunting elegies of SCHINDLER'S LIST (1993). Always epic in scale, his music has helped define over half a century of the motion picture medium. Three of Williams' scores landed on AFI's 100 Years Of Film Scores — a list of the 25 greatest American film scores of all time — including the unforgettable STAR WARS (1977) soundtrack, at number one. With five Academy Award® wins and 50 nominations in total, Williams holds the record for the most Oscar® nominations of any living person.
The television broadcast of the AFI Life Achievement Award honoring John Williams airs on TCM on September 12 during a night of programming dedicated to Williams. Before watching the program, enjoy this carefully selected retrospective of films featuring Williams' many memorable and moving scores.
AFI Member passes accepted.