AFI Lifetime Achievement Award (2016)

John Williams received the AFI Life Achievement Award in June 2016. This marked the first time in AFI history that America’s highest honor for a career in film was bestowed upon a composer.

Kennedy Center Honors (2004)

John Williams was honored at Kennedy Center for his
lifelong contribution to American culture. (Dec 12, 2004)

John Williams received an Academy Award for STAR WARS (1977).

He has won 5 Oscars:

  1. Fiddler on the Roof (1971)
  2. Jaws (1975)
  3. Star Wars (1977)
  4. E.T. – The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
  5. Schindler’s List (1993)

He has received 54 Oscar nominations:

  • INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY (2023) — Nominee, Music (Original Score)
  • THE FABELMANS (2022) -– Nominee, Music (Original Score)
  • STAR WARS – THE RISE OF SKYWALKER (2019) -– Nominee, Music (Original Score)
  • STAR WARS – THE LAST JEDI (2017) -– Nominee, Music (Original Score)
  • STAR WARS – THE FORCE AWAKENS (2015) — Nominee, Music (Original Score)
  • THE BOOK THIEF (2013) — Nominee, Music (Original Score)
  • LINCOLN (2012) — Nominee, Music (Original Score)
  • WAR HORSE (2011) — Nominee, Music (Original Score)
  • THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN (2011) — Nominee, Music (Original Score)
  • MUNICH (2005) — Nominee, Music (Original Score)
  • MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA (2005) — Nominee, Music (Original Score)
  • HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN (2004) — Nominee, Music (Original Score)
  • CATCH ME IF YOU CAN (2002) — Nominee, Music (Original Score)
  • HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE (2001) — Nominee, Music (Original Score)
  • A.I. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (2001) — Nominee, Music (Original Score)
  • THE PATRIOT (2000) — Nominee, Music (Original Score)
  • ANGELA’S ASHES (1999) — Nominee, Music (Original Score)
  • SAVING PRIVATE RYAN (1998) — Nominee, Music (Original Dramatic Score)
  • AMISTAD (1997) — Nominee, Music (Original Dramatic Score)
  • SLEEPERS (1996) — Nominee, Music (Original Dramatic Score)
  • NIXON (1995) — Nominee, Music (Original Dramatic Score)
  • SABRINA (1995) — Nominee, Music (Original Musical or Comedy Score)
  • SABRINA (1995) — Nominee, Music (Original Song) [Song: Moonlight]
  • JFK (1991) — Nominee, Music (Original Score)
  • HOOK (1991) — Nominee, Music (Original Song) [Song: When You’re Alone]
  • HOME ALONE (1990) — Nominee, Music (Original Score)
  • HOME ALONE (1990) — Nominee, Music (Original Song) [Song: Somewhere in My Memory]
  • BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY (1989) — Nominee, Music (Original Score)
  • INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE (1989) — Nominee, Music (Original Score)
  • THE ACCIDENTAL TOURIST (1988) — Nominee, Music (Original Score)
  • EMPIRE OF THE SUN (1987) — Nominee, Music (Original Score)
  • THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK (1987) — Nominee, Music (Original Score)
  • INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM (1984) — Nominee, Music (Original Score)
  • THE RIVER (1984) — Nominee, Music (Original Score)
  • RETURN OF THE JEDI (1983) — Nominee, Music (Original Score)
  • YES, GIORGIO (1982) — Nominee, Music (Original Song) [Song: If We Were in Love]
  • RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (1981) — Nominee, Music (Original Score)
  • THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (1980) — Nominee, Music (Original Score)
  • SUPERMAN (1978) — Nominee, Music (Original Score)
  • CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND (1977) — Nominee, Music (Original Score)
  • THE TOWERING INFERNO (1974) — Nominee, Music (Original Dramatic Score)
  • CINDERELLA LIBERTY (1973) — Nominee, Music (Original Dramatic Score)
  • TOM SAWYER (1973) — Nominee, Music (Scoring: Original Song Score and Adaptation -or- Scoring: Adaptation)
  • CINDERELLA LIBERTY (1973) — Nominee, Music (Song) [Song: Nice to Be Around]
  • THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE (1972) — Nominee, Music (Original Dramatic Score)
  • IMAGES (1972) — Nominee, Music (Original Dramatic Score)
  • THE REIVERS (1969) — Nominee, Music (Original Score–for a motion picture [not a musical])
  • GOODBYE, MR. CHIPS (1969) — Nominee, Music (Score of a Musical Picture–original or adaptation)
  • VALLEY OF THE DOLLS (1967) — Nominee, Music (Scoring of Music–adaptation or treatment)

Record for the most Oscar nominations for a living person: 54

Second most nominated person in Academy Awards history
(Walt Disney had 59)

Only person in the history of the Academy Awards to have received nominations in seven consecutive decades.

48 nominations are for Best Original Score
5 nominations are for Best Original Song

Golden Globes

John Williams has received 4 Golden Globes:

  • Jaws (1975)
  • Star Wars (1977)
  • E.T. – The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
  • Memoirs of a Geisha (2005)

Honorary Degrees

John Williams holds honorary degrees from 14 American universities, among them:

  • Berklee College
  • Tufts University
  • University of South Carolina at Columbia
  • Boston University
  • New England Conservatory of Music
  • University of Massachusetts at Boston