- Known For
- Writing
- Born
- March 22, 1930
- Place of Birth
- New York City, New York, USA
- Died
- November 26, 2021
Stephen Sondheim
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…
Filmography
movieMerrily We Roll Along
2025 · Music, Lyricist, Musical, Original Music Composer, Writer
movieWest Side Story
2025 · Lyricist
movieInto The Woods (AUS Productions)
2024 · Writer
movieJonas Kaufmann: Arena di Verona 2023
2023 · Music
movieCandide
2023 · Lyricist
movieGlass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
2022 · Stephen Sondheim, In Memory Of
movieKeeping Company with Sondheim
2022 · Self
movieStephen Sondheim's Old Friends
2022 · Songs
movieBecoming Benanti: The Role of a Lifetime
2022 · Music, Lyricist
movieThe Stories of West Side Story
2022 · Self
movieCameron Mackintosh - The First 50 Years
2021 · Self
movieWest Side Story
2021 · Thanks, Lyricist, Theatre Play
movieSomething's Coming: West Side Story
2021 · Self
movietick, tick... BOOM!
2021 · Stephen Sondheim (voice on phone) (uncredited)
movieSimply Sondheim
2021 · Writer
movieMarry Me a Little
2020 · Songs
movieKings of Broadway 2020: A Celebration of the Music of Jule Styne, Jerry Herman, and Stephen Sondheim
2020 · Songs
movieChita: A Legendary Celebration
2020 · Lyricist
movieOn Broadway
2019 · Self (archive footage)
movieHarold Prince: The Director's Life
2018
movieNational Theatre Live: Follies
2017 · Musical, Songs, Lyricist, Writer
movieWest Side Stories: The Making of a Classic
2016 · Self
movieBest Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened...
2016 · Self, Songs, Lyricist
movieJudy Collins: A Love Letter to Stephen Sondheim
2016 · Music
movieWest Side Story
2016 · Songs
movieGypsy
2015 · Musical, Lyricist, Writer
tvThe Late Show with Stephen Colbert
2015 · Self - Guest
movieInto the Woods
2014 · Musical, Songs, Original Music Composer, Lyricist
movieSweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
2014 · Musical, Songs, Lyricist, Original Music Composer, Writer
movieFollies
2013 · Lyricist, Songs, Writer, Musical
movieSix by Sondheim
2013 · Self / Joe, Songs, Writer
movieMerrily We Roll Along
2013 · Lyricist, Music, Songs, Writer, Musical
movieSunday In the Park with George
2013 · Musical, Songs, Lyricist
movieSweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
2012 · Writer, Original Music Composer
movieA Place for Us: West Side Story's Legacy
2011 · Self
movieCompany
2011 · Songs, Lyricist, Writer, Original Music Composer, Musical
movieInto the Woods
2011 · Musical, Writer
movieSondheim! The Birthday Concert
2010 · Self - Honoree, Songs
movieSweeney Todd: the Demon Barber of Fleet Street
2009 · Writer, Music
movieSweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
2008 · Writer, Songs
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street - Burton + Carter + Depp = Todd
2008 · Self
movieCompany: A Musical Comedy
2008 · Lyricist, Songs, Original Music Composer, Writer, Musical
movieSweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
2007 · Musical, Songs, Lyricist, Original Music Composer
Candide
2007 · Writer
movieWitness to 'Reds'
2006 · Self
tvThe Colbert Report
2005 · Self
moviePassion
2005 · Songs, Original Music Composer, Writer
movieCandide
2005 · Lyricist
tvBroadway: The American Musical
2004 · Self
movieAssassins
2004 · Music, Lyricist, Songs
movieChildren Will Listen
2004 · self
Leonard Bernstein: Candide
2003 · Writer
movieCamp
2003 · Self
movieMostly Sondheim
2003 · Songs
movieBroadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There
2003 · Self
movieWest Side Memories
2003 · Self
movieA Little Night Music: Ravinia Festival Concert
2002 · Music, Lyricist
movieA Little Night Music: Live from the Kennedy Center
2002 · Songs
movieThe Making of Sweeney Todd at the San Francisco Symphony
2002 · Self
movieSweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street in Concert
2001 · Self, Music, Writer, Songs, Lyricist, Original Music Composer
moviePutting It Together
2001 · Musical, Songs, Lyricist, Writer, Original Music Composer
movieNed Rorem Interviews Stephen Sondheim
2000 · Self
movieHey, Mr. Producer! The Musical World of Cameron Mackintosh
1998 · Self
movieA Conversation With Composer Stephen Sondheim
1997 · Stephen Sondheim
movieCompany
1996 · Self, Musical, Lyricist, Songs, Writer, Original Music Composer
moviePassion
1996 · Musical, Songs, Lyricist, Writer, Original Music Composer
movieSweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
1995 · Music, Lyricist
movieAnyone Can Whistle: Live at Carnegie Hall
1995 · Original Music Composer, Lyricist
movieSome Enchanted Evening: Celebrating Oscar Hammerstein II
1995 · Self
movieA Tribute to Stephen Sondheim
1995 · , Lyricist, Music
movieGypsy
1994 · Lyricist, Theatre Play
tvInside the Actors Studio
1994 · Self
movieGypsy: Live from the Southern Arizona Light Opera Company
1992 · Songs, Writer, Theatre Play
movieSondheim: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall
1992 · Self, Songs, Lyricist, Original Music Composer
movieCandide
1991 · Lyricist
Pebble Mill
1991 · Self
tvPerformance
1991 · Original Music Composer
movieAssassins: A Conversationpiece
1991 · Self
movieInto the Woods
1991 · Musical, Songs, Writer, Original Music Composer
movieAssassins
1990 · Music, Songs
movieNew York City Opera: A Little Night Music
1990 · Music, Lyricist, Songs
movieDick Tracy
1990 · Original Music Composer, Songs
movieInto the Woods: A Conversationpiece
1990 · Self, Writer
movieSunday in the Park with... Stephen
1990 · , Original Music Composer
tvThe Simpsons
1989 · Stephen Sondheim (voice)
movieLeonard Bernstein - Bernstein - Candide
1989 · Lyricist
movieCandide
1986 · Writer, Lyricist
movieSunday in the Park with George
1986 · Musical, Songs, Lyricist, Original Music Composer, Writer
movieFollies: In Concert
1986 · Self- Composer, Songs, Original Music Composer, Lyricist
movieSondheim on Broadway: Follies - Four Days in New York
1986 · Self
moviePutting It Together: The Making of the Broadway Album
1986 · Self
movieSweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
1982 · Musical, Songs, Lyricist, Original Music Composer, Writer
tvAmerican Playhouse
1982 · Writer, Songs, Theatre Play, Music
movieReds
1981 · Original Music Composer
movieSweeney Todd: Scenes from the Making of a Musical
1980 · Self, Lyricist, Music
tvThe Kennedy Center Honors
1978 · Self
movieA Little Night Music
1977 · Songs, Lyricist, Original Music Composer, Musical
tvPrevin and the Pittsburgh
1977 · Self
tvAll You Need Is Love: The Story of Popular Music
1977 · Writer
moviePacific Overtures
1976 · Musical, Lyricist, Songs, Writer, Original Music Composer
movieAnatomy of a Song
1976
tvLive from Lincoln Center
1976 · Self, Writer, Original Music Composer
movieStavisky...
1974 · Original Music Composer
movieJune Moon
1974 · Maxie Schwartz
movieThe Last of Sheila
1973 · Writer
movieSondheim: A Musical Tribute
1973 · , Thanks
The Last of Sheila Featurette
1973 · Self
tvGreat Performances
1971 · Maxie Schwartz, Self
movieOriginal Cast Album: Company
1970 · Self, Music, Lyricist, Songs
movieEvening Primrose
1966 · Writer, Songs, Lyricist, Original Music Composer
movieA Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
1966 · Lyricist, Songs, Original Music Composer, Musical
movieGypsy
1962 · Lyricist, Theatre Play
tvThe Merv Griffin Show
1962 · Self
movieWest Side Story
1961 · Lyricist
tvTony Awards
1956 · Self - Nominee
Merrily We Roll Along
— · Music, Songs, Musical
movieFollies
— · Songs, Lyricist