Stephen Sondheim
Biography
Stephen Joshua Sondheim (/ˈsɒndhaɪm/; March 22, 1930 – November 26, 2021) was an American composer and lyricist. Regarded as one of the most important figures in 20th-century musical theatre, he is credited with reinventing the American musical. With his frequent collaborators Harold Prince and James Lapine, Sondheim's Broadway musicals tackled unexpected themes beyond the genre's traditional subjects while addressing darker elements of the human experience. His music and lyrics are tinged with complexity, sophistication, and ambivalence about various aspects of life. Sondheim's interest in musical theatre began at a young age, and Oscar Hammerstein II mentored him. He started his career by writing the lyrics for West Side Story (1957) and Gypsy (1959). He transitioned to writing both music and lyrics for the theatre, with his best-known works including A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1962), Company (1970), Follies (1971), A Little Night Music (1973), Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (1979), Merrily We Roll Along (1981), Sunday in the Park with George (1984), and Into the Woods (1987). Sondheim's numerous awards and nominations include eight Tony Awards, an Academy Award, eight Grammy Awards, an Olivier Award, and the Pulitzer Prize. He also was awarded the Kennedy Center Honor in 1993 and a Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015. A theatre is named after him both on Broadway and in London's West End. Film adaptations of his works include West Side Story (1961), Gypsy (1962), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966), A Little Night Music (1977), Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street(2007), Into the Woods (2014), and West Side Story (2021). Description above from the Wikipedia article Stephen Sondheim, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Known For
The Simpsons
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
The Colbert Report
Tony Awards
Great Performances
Great Performances
The Merv Griffin Show
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
All Movies (40)
- Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery2022 · as Stephen Sondheim
- Keeping Company with Sondheim2022 · as Self
- The Stories of West Side Story2022 · as Self
- Cameron Mackintosh - The First 50 Years2021 · as Self
- Something's Coming: West Side Story2021 · as Self
- tick, tick... BOOM!2021 · as Stephen Sondheim (voice on phone) (uncredited)
- On Broadway2019 · as Self (archive footage)
- Harold Prince: The Director's Life2018
- West Side Stories: The Making of a Classic2016 · as Self
- Best Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened...2016 · as Self
- Six by Sondheim2013 · as Self / Joe
- A Place for Us: West Side Story's Legacy2011 · as Self
- Sondheim! The Birthday Concert2010 · as Self - Honoree
- Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street - Burton + Carter + Depp = Todd2008 · as Self
- Witness to 'Reds'2006 · as Self
- Children Will Listen2004 · as self
- Camp2003 · as Self
- Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There2003 · as Self
- West Side Memories2003 · as Self
- The Making of Sweeney Todd at the San Francisco Symphony2002 · as Self
- Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street in Concert2001 · as Self
- Ned Rorem Interviews Stephen Sondheim2000 · as Self
- Hey, Mr. Producer! The Musical World of Cameron Mackintosh1998 · as Self
- A Conversation With Composer Stephen Sondheim1997 · as Stephen Sondheim
- Company1996 · as Self
- Some Enchanted Evening: Celebrating Oscar Hammerstein II1995 · as Self
- A Tribute to Stephen Sondheim1995
- Sondheim: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall1992 · as Self
- Assassins: A Conversationpiece1991 · as Self
- Into the Woods: A Conversationpiece1990 · as Self
- Sunday in the Park with... Stephen1990
- Follies: In Concert1986 · as Self- Composer
- Sondheim on Broadway: Follies - Four Days in New York1986 · as Self
- Putting It Together: The Making of the Broadway Album1986 · as Self
- Sweeney Todd: Scenes from the Making of a Musical1980 · as Self
- Anatomy of a Song1976
- June Moon1974 · as Maxie Schwartz
- Sondheim: A Musical Tribute1973
- The Last of Sheila Featurette1973 · as Self
- Original Cast Album: Company1970 · as Self
All TV Shows (13)
- The Late Show with Stephen Colbert2015 · as Self - Guest
- The Colbert Report2005 · as Self
- Broadway: The American Musical2004 · as Self
- Inside the Actors Studio1994 · as Self
- Pebble Mill1991 · as Self
- The Simpsons1989 · as Stephen Sondheim (voice)
- The Kennedy Center Honors1978 · as Self
- Previn and the Pittsburgh1977 · as Self
- Live from Lincoln Center1976 · as Self
- Great Performances1971 · as Maxie Schwartz
- Great Performances1971 · as Self
- The Merv Griffin Show1962 · as Self
- Tony Awards1956 · as Self - Nominee