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 Awa…
Movies & TV Shows
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The Simpsons (1989) — Stephen Sondheim (voice)
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Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022) — Stephen Sondheim
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tick, tick... BOOM! (2021) — Stephen Sondheim (voice on phone) (uncredited)
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The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (2015) — Self - Guest
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The Colbert Report (2005) — Self
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Camp (2003) — Self
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Inside the Actors Studio (1994) — Self
- Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street - Burton + Carter + Depp = Todd (2008) — Self
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Six by Sondheim (2013) — Self / Joe
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Great Performances (1971) — Maxie Schwartz
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Original Cast Album: Company (1970) — Self
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Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street in Concert (2001) — Self
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Best Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened... (2016) — Self
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Something's Coming: West Side Story (2021) — Self
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The Stories of West Side Story (2022) — Self
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The Merv Griffin Show (1962) — Self
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The Kennedy Center Honors (1978) — Self
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Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There (2003) — Self
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Broadway: The American Musical (2004) — Self
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Live from Lincoln Center (1976) — Self
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Sondheim: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall (1992) — Self
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Sondheim! The Birthday Concert (2010) — Self - Honoree
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Company (1996) — Self
- Pebble Mill (1991) — Self
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On Broadway (2019) — Self (archive footage)
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Hey, Mr. Producer! The Musical World of Cameron Mackintosh (1998) — Self
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West Side Stories: The Making of a Classic (2016) — Self
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Previn and the Pittsburgh (1977) — Self
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Putting It Together: The Making of the Broadway Album (1986) — Self
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Keeping Company with Sondheim (2022) — Self
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The Making of Sweeney Todd at the San Francisco Symphony (2002) — Self
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West Side Memories (2003) — Self
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June Moon (1974) — Maxie Schwartz
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Follies: In Concert (1986) — Self- Composer
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Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street – Scenes from the Making of a Musical (1980) — Self
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Witness to 'Reds' (2006) — Self
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Some Enchanted Evening: Celebrating Oscar Hammerstein II (1995) — Self
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Assassins: A Conversationpiece (1991) — Self
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Into the Woods: A Conversationpiece (1990) — Self
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Cameron Mackintosh - The First 50 Years (2021) — Self