Stephen Sondheim

Writing

Stephen Sondheim

Born New York City, New York, USA 27 credits available

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.

Stephen Sondheim is known for work in writing across film and television. New Release currently presents 27 verified screen credits connected to this profile. Selected work includes Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street – Scenes from the Making of a Musical (1980), Previn and the Pittsburgh (1977), Original Cast Album: Company (1970), The Simpsons (1989), The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (2015), The Colbert Report (2005), The Merv Griffin Show (1962), Great Performances (1971). The recorded credits span 1956 to 2025, including 13 movies and 14 TV shows. The filmography below lists available titles, release years and known roles. This profile is updated as additional verified information becomes available.

Profile details

Known forWriting
Movies13
TV shows14
Active years represented1956–2025
Place of birthNew York City, New York, USA
Died

Also known as

Stephen Joshua Sondheim

Known for

27 titles