Danny Elfman

Biography

Daniel Robert Elfman (born May 29, 1953) is an American film composer, singer, songwriter, and musician. He came to prominence as the lead vocalist and primary songwriter for the new wave band Oingo Boingo in the early 1980s. Since scoring his first studio film in 1985, Elfman has garnered international recognition for composing over 100 feature film scores, as well as compositions for television, stage productions, and the concert hall. Elfman has frequently worked with directors Tim Burton, Sam Raimi, and Gus Van Sant, contributing music to nearly 20 Burton projects, including Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, Beetlejuice, Batman, Edward Scissorhands, Batman Returns, Mars Attacks!, Sleepy Hollow, Big Fish, and Alice in Wonderland, as well as scoring Raimi's Darkman, A Simple Plan, Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2, Oz the Great and Powerful, and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and Van Sant's Academy Award-winning films Good Will Hunting and Milk. He wrote music for all of the Men in Black and Fifty Shades of Grey franchise films, the songs and score for Henry Selick's animated musical The Nightmare Before Christmas, and the themes for the popular television series Desperate Housewives and The Simpsons. Among his honours are four Oscar nominations, three Emmy Awards, a Grammy, seven Saturn Awards for Best Music, the 2002 Richard Kirk Award, the 2015 Disney Legend Award, the Max Steiner Film Music Achievement Award in 2017, and the Society of Composers & Lyricists Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022. Description above from the Wikipedia article Danny Elfman, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Known For

Saturday Night Live

Corpse Bride

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

The Nightmare Before Christmas

Prisoners of Gravity

Annie Hall

The Gift

Back to School

All Movies (41)

• A Danny Elfman Christmas Story2025 · as Narrator
• Tim Burton: Life in the Line2024 · as Self
• 78/522017 · as Self
• Hollywood in Vienna 2017 - Fairytales2017 · as Self
• Score: A Film Music Documentary2017 · as Self
• Live From Lincoln Center: Danny Elfman's Music from the Films of Tim Burton2015
• A Conversation with Danny Elfman & Tim Burton2011
• Oingo Boingo: 1983 US Festival2011
• DemiUrge Emesis2010 · as Narrator (voice)
• Shadows of the Bat: The Cinematic Saga of the Dark Knight2008 · as Self
• Proud Iza2008 · as Narrator
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: Sweet Sounds2005 · as Himself
• Corpse Bride2005 · as Bonejangles (voice)
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory2005 · as Oompa Loompa (voice) (uncredited)
• Spider-Man 2: Making the Amazing2004 · as Self
• Behind the Scenes of 'Spider-Man'2004 · as Self
• The Making of 'Hulk'2003 · as Self
• The Incredible Ang Lee2003 · as Self
• Cosmic Symphonies: Elfman in Space2002 · as Self
• The Gift2000 · as Tommy Lee Ballard
• Sleepy Hollow: Behind the Legend2000 · as Self
• Fantasporto – Carnaval no Porto2000
• Psycho Path1999 · as Self - Arranger
• The Making of 'The Frighteners'1998 · as Self
• Oingo Boingo: Farewell (Live from the Universal Amphitheatre)1996 · as Self
• The Hollywood Soundtrack Story1995 · as Self
• How the Grinch Stole Christmas! Special Edition1994 · as Self
• The Nightmare Before Christmas1993 · as Jack Skellington (singing) / Barrel / Clown with the Tear away Face (voice)
• The Making of Tim Burton's 'The Nightmare Before Christmas'1993 · as Self - Composer
• The Magical World of Chuck Jones1992 · as Self
• Oingo Boingo: October 25th, 19901990
• Oingo Boingo: Skeletons in the Closet1989 · as Himself, Waiter
• Oingo Boingo: Halloween '871987 · as Himself
• Back to School1986 · as Oingo Boingo Band Member
• Oingo Boingo: Live at the Ritz1985 · as Self - Lead Vocals, Guitar
• Good Morning, Mr. Orwell1984 · as Self
• Forbidden Zone1982 · as Satan
• Urgh! A Music War1981 · as Self
• Annie Hall1977 · as Lacey Party Guest (uncredited)
• Hot Tomorrows1977 · as Singer
• A Look Into 'The Forbidden Zone'— · as Himself

All TV Shows (5)

• Tim Burton: Life in the Line2025 · as Self
• The Holiday Movies That Made Us2020 · as Self
• Hollywood in Vienna2011 · as Self
• Prisoners of Gravity1989 · as Self
• Saturday Night Live1975 · as Self - Cameo (uncredited)