---
name: "Leonard Bernstein"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/leonard-bernstein"
fi1m_id: "leonard-bernstein"
imdb_id: "nm0077086"
tmdb_id: 9851
wikidata_id: "Q152505"
roles: ["Writer"]
born: "25 August 1918"
died: "14 October 1990"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 5
average_fi1m_score: 82
average_as: "writer"
average_over: 2
updated: "2026-09-25T04:40:25.736996+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."
---

# Leonard Bernstein

## Identity

Leonard Bernstein

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/leonard-bernstein
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** leonard-bernstein
- **IMDb ID:** nm0077086
- **TMDB ID:** 9851
- **Wikidata ID:** Q152505
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonard_Bernstein, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q152505, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0077086/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/9851

Writer. Born 25 August 1918 in Lawrence, Massachusetts, USA. Died 14 October 1990.

## Details

- **Work:** Writer
- **Born:** 25 August 1918, Lawrence, Massachusetts, USA
- **Died:** 14 October 1990
- **Active:** 1949–2023
- **Also known as:** Louis Bernstein
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 5: 2 writing, 3 crew
- **Academy Awards:** 1 Oscar nomination
- **Average Fi1m score:** 82, as writer, over 2 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1940s 84 (1), 1950s 89 (1), 1960s 80 (1), 2020s 76 (2)
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonard_Bernstein, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q152505, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0077086/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/9851

## Coming up

- *National Theatre Live: West Side Story* (2028-01-01), Music

## Streaming the US now

- **Tubi:** [*On the Town*](https://film.one/film/on-the-town.md) (84), [*West Side Story*](https://film.one/film/west-side-story.md) (80)
- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*On the Waterfront*](https://film.one/film/on-the-waterfront.md) (89)
- **Disney+:** [*West Side Story*](https://film.one/film/west-side-story-2021.md) (79)
- **Netflix:** [*Maestro*](https://film.one/film/maestro.md) (72)

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

## Biography

Leonard Bernstein was an American composer, conductor and pianist. He was born Louis Bernstein on 25 August 1918 in Lawrence, Massachusetts, and later changed his name to Leonard. He studied at Harvard University and the Curtis Institute of Music.

Bernstein composed the score for the film *On the Waterfront* (1954). His music was featured in the film *Maestro* (2023). He is also known for the scores to *On the Town* (1949) and *West Side Story* (1961), among other works.

*Sources: imdb.com, hollywoodbowl.com, classicfm.com, interlude.hk.*

## On Fi1m (5)

### Wrote (2) — the average rests on these

- *West Side Story* (2021), Fi1m 79, Music, Musical, Original Music Composer, Songs — [page](https://film.one/film/west-side-story-2021.md)
- *On the Town* (1949), Fi1m 84, Music, Songs, Musical — [page](https://film.one/film/on-the-town.md)

### Crew (3)

- *Maestro* (2023), Fi1m 72, Music — [page](https://film.one/film/maestro.md)
- *West Side Story* (1961), Fi1m 80, Music, Original Music Composer — [page](https://film.one/film/west-side-story.md)
- *On the Waterfront* (1954), Fi1m 89, Music, Original Music Composer — [page](https://film.one/film/on-the-waterfront.md)

## Complete filmography (91)

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

- *National Theatre Live: West Side Story* (2028), Music
- *West Side Story* (2025), Musical
- *The New York Philharmonic Orchestra in Pyongyang Great moments in music* (2025), Original Music Composer
- *OSN: Musiche dall'America con Gianna Fratta e Alessandro Taverna* (2025), Original Music Composer
- *The Three Tenors - Birth of a Legend* (2024), Original Music Composer
- *Jonas Kaufmann: The Sound of Movies* (2024), as Compositor
- *Bernstein & Gershwin - Two Americans in Paris* (2024), as Compositor, Songs
- *P-FACTOR Piano Musical Duels* (2024), Original Music Composer
- *New Year Concert with the Orchestre National de France Conducted by Stéphane Denève* (2023), Original Music Composer
- *Maestro* (2023), Music — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/film/maestro.md)
- *Jonas Kaufmann: Arena di Verona 2023* (2023), Music
- *Candide* (2023), Music, Lyricist
- *Gustavo Dudamel at the Paris Opera With artists from the Académie* (2023), Original Music Composer
- *OSN: Il ballo al Cinema con John Axelrod* (2022), Original Music Composer
- *West Side Story* (2021), as Songs · Original Music Composer, Musical — Fi1m 79, [page](https://film.one/film/west-side-story-2021.md)
- *Chita: A Legendary Celebration* (2020), as Songs
- *Leonard Bernstein Mass* (2020), Music
- *Paris Opera Ballet: Tribute to Jerome Robbins 2* (2018), Original Music Composer
- *BBC Proms: Bernstein's On the Town* (2018), Original Music Composer
- *Trouble in Tahiti* (2018), Music
- *New York Philharmonic New Year's Eve: Bernstein on Broadway* (2018), Music
- *Wonderful Town* (2018), Original Music Composer
- *The Swingles con l'Orchestra Rai* (2017), Original Music Composer
- *Copland, Bernstein* (2014), Original Music Composer
- *Leonard Bernstein Conducts Beethoven String Quartet No. 16 & Haydn Missa in Tempore Belli* (2012), as Conductor
- *Bernstein's Mahler* (2010), Actor
- *Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 1, 2, 5 & 7 - Leonard Bernstein & Wiener Philharmoniker* (2010), as Conductor
- *Haydn: The Creation (Bernstein)* (2009), as Conductor
- *Bernstein conducts Bernstein* (2008), as Conductor
- *Bernstein | Beethoven Symphonies 3,4,5* (2008), as Conductor
- *Bernstein | Beethoven Symphonies 2,6,7* (2008), as Conductor
- *Schumann: The Symphonies - Leonard Bernstein* (2008), as Conductor
- *Bernstein | Beethoven Symphonies 1,8,9* (2008), Actor
- *Bernstein in Rehearsal & Performance: Shostakovich Symphony No. 1* (2008), as Conductor
- *Leonard Bernstein - Schubert: Symphony No. 9 / Schumann: Manfred Overture* (2008), as Conductor
- *Beethoven: The Piano Concertos* (2007), Music Director
- *Candide* (2007), Music, Writer
- *Mozart Great Mass in C Minor; Ave Verum Corpus; Exsultate Jubilate* (2006), as Conductor
- *Bernstein in Paris: Berlioz Requiem* (2006), as Conductor
- *Bernstein in London: Verdi Requiem* (2006), as Conductor
- *Bernstein in Paris: The Ravel Concerts* (2006), Actor
- *Mahler - Symphonies Nos. 9 & 10 / Das Lied von der Erde* (2005), as Conductor
- *Candide* (2005), as Songs · Lyricist
- *Leonard Bernstein: Mass At The Vatican City* (2004), Writer
- *Leonard Bernstein: Candide* (2003), Music
- *Wonderful Town* (2002), Original Music Composer
- *Contender: Mastering the Method* (2001), Music
- *Trouble in Tahiti* (2001), Writer, Music
- *Leonard Bernstein: Reaching for the Note* (1998), as (archival footage)
- *Leonard Bernstein: The Gift of Music* (1993), Actor
- *On the Town* (1993), Music
- *Bernstein in Australia: Tchaikovsky* (1992), Actor
- *Candide* (1991), as Commentator · Music, Lyricist, Writer
- *Debussy, Images pour orchestre* (1991), as dirigent
- *Leonard Bernstein - Bernstein - Candide* (1989), Lyricist, Conductor
- *Candide* (1988), Music
- *Leonard Bernstein: The Rite of Spring in Rehearsal* (1988), Actor
- *Candide* (1986), Writer, Music
- *A Quiet Place* (1986), Conductor, Music
- *Beyond Picasso* (1986), Music
- *The Making Of West Side Story* (1985), Music
- *Brahms The Piano Concertos* (1984), as Conductor
- *Joseph Haydn Mass: In Tempore belli* (1984), as dirigent
- *Leonard Bernstein's Mass* (1981), Writer, Music
- *Wagner - Tristan Und Isolde* (1981), Conductor
- *Bernstein Beethoven Overtures* (1978), as Conductor
- *Beethoven Fidelio* (1978), as Conductor
- *Leonard Bernstein: Reflections* (1978), Original Music Composer
- *Leonard Bernstein conducts Stravinsky & Bach* (1977), as dirigent
- *Mahler - Symphonies Nos. 4, 5 & 6* (1976), as Conductor
- *The Unanswered Question - Six Talks at Harvard by Leonard Bernstein* (1976), series, Presenter, Writer, Creator
- *The Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan and Isolde by Richard Wagner* (1975), Conductor
- *Trouble in Tahiti* (1973), Writer, Conductor
- *Symphony No. 2 in C Minor, “Resurrection” – Leonard Bernstein – Ely Cathedral* (1973), Actor
- *Beethoven's Birthday: A Celebration in Vienna with Leonard Bernstein* (1970), Conductor, Musician, Writer
- *Čas slunce a růží* (1968), Music
- *Inside Pop: The Rock Revolution* (1967), Writer
- *West Side Story* (1961), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/west-side-story.md)
- *The Creative Performer* (1960), Writer
- *Startime* (1959), series, Writer
- *Wonderful Town* (1958), Music, Songs
- *New York Philharmonic Young People's Concerts* (1958), series, as Presenter · Creator
- *Satchmo the Great* (1957), Actor
- *The Lark* (1957), Original Music Composer
- *On the Waterfront* (1954), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 89, [page](https://film.one/film/on-the-waterfront.md)
- *On the Town* (1949), as Songs · Music, Musical — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/on-the-town.md)
- *What Makes Music Symphonic? (Young People's Concert No. 4)*, series, Writer
- *Joseph Haydn : Die Schopfung - Leonard Bernstein*, Actor
- *Mahler Symphony no. 3: Bernstein*, as Director
- *Bernstein | Mahler Lieder*, Actor
- *Concerto Bernstein-Gershwin*, Original Music Composer

## Gallery

- ![Leonard Bernstein](https://film.one/media/person/15108/gallery-5c48357caa12.jpg) Leonard Bernstein — Jack Mitchell, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/11/Leonard_Bernstein_by_Jack_Mitchell_%28high_quality%29.jpg/1280px-Leonard_Bernstein_by_Jack_Mitchell_%28high_quality%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Name: Tel Aviv Culture CenterDescription: Sign at the entrance plaza to the Tel Aviv Cultural Center. Leonard Bernstein Plaza.](https://film.one/media/person/15108/gallery-21ebb13a5dbf.jpg) Name: Tel Aviv Culture CenterDescription: Sign at the entrance plaza to the Tel Aviv Cultural Center. Leonard Bernstein Plaza. — ישראל פרקר, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/14/125713_tel_aviv_culture_center_PikiWiki_Israel.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Jamie Bernstein and friends in the finale to Bernstein Remix! at The Village Trip 2025](https://film.one/media/person/15108/gallery-3af7881474e2.jpg) Jamie Bernstein and friends in the finale to Bernstein Remix! at The Village Trip 2025 — Liz of Muesli Hill, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ec/Bernstein_Remix%21_finale%2C_2025_%28Cliff_Pearson%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Legendarisk indspilning (1965)](https://film.one/media/person/15108/gallery-2871b0aba766.jpg) Legendarisk indspilning (1965) — Staunited, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9d/Carl_nielsens_5te_vinylcover.jpg/1280px-Carl_nielsens_5te_vinylcover.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Cover of Concerto no. 4, in G major, for piano and orchestra, op. 58 (Glenn Gould (right) and Leonard Bernstein) (1961)](https://film.one/media/person/15108/gallery-2daaa67497cf.jpg) Cover of Concerto no. 4, in G major, for piano and orchestra, op. 58 (Glenn Gould (right) and Leonard Bernstein) (1961) — Richard Avedon, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3e/Concerto_no._4%2C_in_G_major%2C_for_piano_and_orchestra%2C_op._58_%28Gould_and_Bernstein%29.jpg/1280px-Concerto_no._4%2C_in_G_major%2C_for_piano_and_orchestra%2C_op._58_%28Gould_and_Bernstein%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Picture taken at an outdoor wedding in Belmont, Massachusetts. (1973)](https://film.one/media/person/15108/gallery-c9ddce78f0be.jpg) Picture taken at an outdoor wedding in Belmont, Massachusetts. (1973) — ServiceAT, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/98/Cothran_Tom_1973_1_of_2.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)

## Awards

### Academy Awards — 0 won, 1 nominated

- 1955: Best Original Dramatic or Comedy Score (nominated), for *On the Waterfront*

### Other awards — 11 won, 2 nominated

- Praemium Imperiale 1990: Praemium Imperiale (won)
- Brahms-Preis 1988: Brahms-Preis (won)
- Ernst von Siemens Music Prize 1987: Ernst von Siemens Music Prize (won)
- Royal Philharmonic Society Gold Medal 1987: Royal Philharmonic Society Gold Medal (won)
- Commander of the Legion of Honour 1986: Commander of the Legion of Honour (won)
- Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award 1985: Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (won)
- Ring of Honour of the City of Vienna 1982: Ring of Honour of the City of Vienna (won)
- Kennedy Center Honors 1980: Kennedy Center Honors (won)
- Austrian Decoration for Science and Art 1976: Austrian Decoration for Science and Art (won)
- Léonie Sonning Music Prize 1965: Léonie Sonning Music Prize (won)
- Tony Award for Best Musical 1958: Tony Award for Best Musical (nominated), for *West Side Story*
- Tony Award for Best Musical 1957: Tony Award for Best Musical (nominated), for *Candide*
- Tony Award for Best Musical 1953: Tony Award for Best Musical (won), for *Wonderful Town*

*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/leonard-bernstein