---
name: "Donald Markowitz"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/donald-markowitz"
fi1m_id: "donald-markowitz"
imdb_id: "nm0548726"
tmdb_id: 51667
wikidata_id: "Q22108502"
roles: ["Composer"]
reviewed_on_fi1m: 1
average_over: 1
updated: "2026-09-24T03:24:14.049429+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Donald Markowitz

## Identity

Donald Markowitz

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/donald-markowitz
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** donald-markowitz
- **IMDb ID:** nm0548726
- **TMDB ID:** 51667
- **Wikidata ID:** Q22108502
- **Same entity:** https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q22108502, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0548726/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/51667

Composer. Born in New York City.

## Details

- **Work:** Composer
- **Academy Awards:** 1 Oscar (1 won)
- **Elsewhere:** https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q22108502, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0548726/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/51667

## Streaming the US now

- **Pluto TV:** [*Dirty Dancing*](https://film.one/film/dirty-dancing.md) (79)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Donald Markowitz is an American composer, songwriter and producer. Born and raised in New York City, he began his career as a bass player performing at venues including the Apollo Theatre and Radio City Music Hall. He later composed for theatre productions including at the WPA Theatre and the Old Globe in San Diego.

He is best known for co-writing the song “(I've Had) The Time of My Life” for the film *Dirty Dancing* (1987), which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song and the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song. After the success of the song, Markowitz worked in Los Angeles on songs and scores for film and television, including projects with producer Steven Bochco. He has received a Grammy nomination for his production work on Bobby Rush’s album *Decisions* (2014). Since 2011 he has been based in New Orleans.

*Sources: imdb.com, donaldmarkowitz.com, wikidata.org.*

## On Fi1m (1)

- *Dirty Dancing* (1987), Fi1m 79, Music — [page](https://film.one/film/dirty-dancing.md)

## Complete filmography (5)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Jesus, Mary and Joey* (2006), Original Music Composer
- *White Lies* (1997), Original Music Composer
- *On Seventh Avenue* (1996), Music
- *Tales from the Crypt* (1989), series, Music
- *Dirty Dancing* (1987), Music — Fi1m 79, [page](https://film.one/film/dirty-dancing.md)

## Awards

### Academy Awards — 1 won

- 1988: Best Original Song (won), for *(I've Had) The Time of My Life*

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/donald-markowitz