---
name: "Stephen Sondheim"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/stephen-sondheim"
roles: ["Writer"]
born: "22 March 1930"
died: "26 November 2021"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 3
average_fi1m_score: 80
average_as: "writer"
average_over: 2
updated: "2026-09-20T08:19:55.274246+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."
---

# Stephen Sondheim

Writer. Born 22 March 1930 in New York City, New York, USA. Died 26 November 2021.

## Details

- **Work:** Writer
- **Born:** 22 March 1930, New York City, New York, USA
- **Died:** 26 November 2021
- **Active:** 1961–2021
- **Also known as:** Stephen Joshua Sondheim
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 3: 2 writing, 1 crew
- **Academy Awards:** 1 Oscar (1 won)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 80, as writer, over 2 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1960s 80 (1), 1980s 77 (1), 2020s 79 (1)
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Sondheim, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q153579, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0814227/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/52154

## Coming up

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

## Streaming the US now

- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Reds*](https://film.one/film/reds.md) (77)

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

## Biography

Stephen Sondheim was an American composer and lyricist. He was born on 22 March 1930 in New York City and died on 26 November 2021.

He began his career writing lyrics for the stage musicals *West Side Story* (1957) and *Gypsy* (1959). He later wrote both music and lyrics for numerous Broadway 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 composed music for the film *Reds* (1981). Film adaptations of his stage works include *West Side Story* (1961), *Gypsy* (1962), *A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum* (1966), *A Little Night Music* (1977), *Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street* (2007), *Into the Woods* (2014) and *West Side Story* (2021).

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, loc.gov, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (3)

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

- *West Side Story* (2021), Fi1m 79, Lyricist, Theatre Play — [page](https://film.one/film/west-side-story-2021.md)
- *West Side Story* (1961), Fi1m 80, Lyricist — [page](https://film.one/film/west-side-story.md)

### Crew (1)

- *Reds* (1981), Fi1m 77, Music, Original Music Composer — [page](https://film.one/film/reds.md)

## Complete filmography (88)

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

- *National Theatre Live: West Side Story* (2028), Lyricist
- *Merrily We Roll Along* (2025), Music, Lyricist, Musical, Original Music Composer, Writer
- *West Side Story* (2025), Lyricist
- *Into The Woods (AUS Productions)* (2024), Writer
- *Jonas Kaufmann: Arena di Verona 2023* (2023), Music
- *Candide* (2023), Lyricist
- *Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery* (2022), as Stephen Sondheim · In Memory Of
- *Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends* (2022), as Songs
- *Becoming Benanti: The Role of a Lifetime* (2022), Music, Lyricist
- *West Side Story* (2021), Thanks, Lyricist, Theatre Play — Fi1m 79, [page](https://film.one/film/west-side-story-2021.md)
- *tick, tick... BOOM!* (2021), as Stephen Sondheim (voice on phone) (uncredited)
- *Simply Sondheim* (2021), Writer
- *Marry Me a Little* (2020), as Songs
- *Kings of Broadway 2020: A Celebration of the Music of Jule Styne, Jerry Herman, and Stephen Sondheim* (2020), as Songs
- *Chita: A Legendary Celebration* (2020), Lyricist
- *Harold Prince: The Director's Life* (2018), Actor
- *National Theatre Live: Follies* (2017), Musical, Songs, Lyricist, Writer
- *Best Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened...* (2016), as Songs · Lyricist
- *Judy Collins: A Love Letter to Stephen Sondheim* (2016), Music
- *West Side Story* (2016), as Songs
- *Gypsy* (2015), Musical, Lyricist, Writer
- *Into the Woods* (2014), Musical, Songs, Original Music Composer, Lyricist
- *Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street – In Concert with the New York Philharmonic* (2014), Musical, Music, Songs, Lyricist, Original Music Composer, Writer
- *Follies* (2013), Lyricist, Songs, Writer, Musical
- *Six by Sondheim* (2013), as Songs · Writer
- *Merrily We Roll Along* (2013), Lyricist, Music, Songs, Writer, Musical
- *Sunday In the Park with George* (2013), Musical, Songs, Lyricist
- *Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street* (2012), Writer, Original Music Composer
- *Company* (2011), as Songs · Lyricist, Writer, Original Music Composer, Musical
- *Into the Woods* (2011), Musical, Writer
- *Sondheim! The Birthday Concert* (2010), as Songs
- *Sweeney Todd: the Demon Barber of Fleet Street* (2009), Writer, Music
- *Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street* (2008), Writer, Songs
- *Company: A Musical Comedy* (2008), Lyricist, Songs, Original Music Composer, Writer, Musical
- *Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street* (2007), Musical, Music, Songs, Lyricist, Original Music Composer
- *Candide* (2007), Writer
- *Passion* (2005), as Songs · Original Music Composer, Writer
- *Candide* (2005), Lyricist
- *Assassins* (2004), Music, Lyricist, Songs
- *Leonard Bernstein: Candide* (2003), Writer
- *Mostly Sondheim* (2003), as Songs
- *A Little Night Music: Ravinia Festival Concert* (2002), Music, Lyricist
- *A Little Night Music: Live from the Kennedy Center* (2002), as Songs
- *Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street in Concert* (2001), Music, Writer, Songs, Lyricist, Original Music Composer
- *Putting It Together* (2001), Musical, Songs, Lyricist, Writer, Original Music Composer
- *A Conversation With Composer Stephen Sondheim* (1997), as Stephen Sondheim
- *Company* (1996), Musical, Lyricist, Songs, Writer, Original Music Composer
- *Passion* (1996), Musical, Songs, Lyricist, Writer, Original Music Composer
- *Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street* (1995), Music, Lyricist
- *Anyone Can Whistle: Live at Carnegie Hall* (1995), Original Music Composer, Lyricist
- *A Tribute to Stephen Sondheim* (1995), Lyricist, Music
- *Gypsy* (1994), Lyricist, Theatre Play
- *Gypsy: Live from the Southern Arizona Light Opera Company* (1992), as Songs · Writer, Theatre Play
- *Sondheim: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall* (1992), as Songs · Lyricist, Original Music Composer
- *Candide* (1991), Lyricist
- *Performance* (1991), series, Original Music Composer
- *Into the Woods* (1991), Musical, Songs, Writer, Original Music Composer
- *Assassins* (1990), Music, Songs
- *New York City Opera: A Little Night Music* (1990), Music, Lyricist, Songs
- *Dick Tracy* (1990), Original Music Composer, Songs
- *Into the Woods: A Conversationpiece* (1990), Writer
- *Sunday in the Park with... Stephen* (1990), as Original Music Composer
- *The Simpsons* (1989), series, as Stephen Sondheim (voice) — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-simpsons.md)
- *Leonard Bernstein - Bernstein - Candide* (1989), Lyricist
- *Candide* (1986), Writer, Lyricist
- *Sunday in the Park with George* (1986), Musical, Songs, Lyricist, Original Music Composer, Writer
- *Follies: In Concert* (1986), as Songs · Original Music Composer, Lyricist
- *Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street* (1982), Musical, Songs, Lyricist, Original Music Composer, Writer
- *American Playhouse* (1982), series, Writer, Songs, Theatre Play, Music
- *Reds* (1981), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/film/reds.md)
- *Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street – Scenes from the Making of a Musical* (1980), Lyricist, Music
- *A Little Night Music* (1977), as Songs · Lyricist, Original Music Composer, Musical
- *All You Need Is Love: The Story of Popular Music* (1977), series, Writer
- *Pacific Overtures* (1976), Musical, Lyricist, Songs, Music, Writer, Original Music Composer
- *Anatomy of a Song* (1976), Actor
- *Live from Lincoln Center* (1976), series, Original Music Composer, Writer
- *Stavisky...* (1974), Original Music Composer
- *June Moon* (1974), as Maxie Schwartz
- *The Last of Sheila* (1973), Writer
- *Sondheim: A Musical Tribute* (1973), as Thanks
- *Great Performances* (1971), series, as Maxie Schwartz
- *Original Cast Album: Company* (1970), Music, Lyricist, Songs
- *Evening Primrose* (1966), Writer, Songs, Lyricist, Original Music Composer
- *A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum* (1966), as Songs · Original Music Composer, Music
- *Gypsy* (1962), Lyricist, Theatre Play
- *West Side Story* (1961), Lyricist — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/west-side-story.md)
- *Merrily We Roll Along*, Music, Songs, Musical
- *Follies*, as Songs · Lyricist

## Gallery

- ![Stephen Sondheim](https://film.one/media/person/1240602/gallery-d7cba0aa3aee.jpg) Stephen Sondheim — Unknown photographer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/42/Stephen_Sondheim_-_smoking.JPG?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Title: Stephen Sondheim [New York] Creator(s): Gotfryd, Bernard, photographer Date Created/Published: 1972. Medium: 1 photograph : color transparency ; 35mm (sl](https://film.one/media/person/1240602/gallery-b988a1296494.jpg) Title: Stephen Sondheim [New York] Creator(s): Gotfryd, Bernard, photographer Date Created/Published: 1972. Medium: 1 photograph : color transparency ; 35mm (sl — Gotfryd, Bernard, photographer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b3/Stephen_Sondheim%2C_New_York.jpg/1280px-Stephen_Sondheim%2C_New_York.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Stephen Sondheim and Caroline O'Connor, BBC Proms reception post concert at Royal Albert Hall (2010)](https://film.one/media/person/1240602/gallery-ac1f13b385c5.jpg) Stephen Sondheim and Caroline O'Connor, BBC Proms reception post concert at Royal Albert Hall (2010) — Derek Williams, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9f/Caroline%2BStephen_RAH_BBC_Proms_reception_1AUG2010.jpg/1280px-Caroline%2BStephen_RAH_BBC_Proms_reception_1AUG2010.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Jeremy Secomb with Stephen Sondheim and Rachel Edwards at opening night for the Off-Broadway Sweeney Todd in 2017](https://film.one/media/person/1240602/gallery-37f2e272de61.jpg) Jeremy Secomb with Stephen Sondheim and Rachel Edwards at opening night for the Off-Broadway Sweeney Todd in 2017 — Emilio Madrid, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/87/Jeremy_with_Sondheim.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Stephen Sondheim](https://film.one/media/person/1240602/gallery-b4e8d8e92d17.jpg) Stephen Sondheim — Image via TMDB
- ![Stephen Sondheim](https://film.one/media/person/1240602/gallery-b9edbbd284a8.jpg) Stephen Sondheim — Image via TMDB
- ![Mark Warman & Julia McKenzie together at the Stephen Sondheim Competition (2016)](https://film.one/media/person/1240602/gallery-2d181e695f8e.jpg) Mark Warman & Julia McKenzie together at the Stephen Sondheim Competition (2016) — Bradchanner, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/62/Mark_Warman_%26_Julia_McKenzie.jpg/1280px-Mark_Warman_%26_Julia_McKenzie.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Danya Polykov and Stephen Sondheim, 04.2014, NYC](https://film.one/media/person/1240602/gallery-0dc0e827af96.jpg) Danya Polykov and Stephen Sondheim, 04.2014, NYC — Poemsstories, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7a/Danya_Polykov_and_Stephen_Sondheim%2C_04.2014%2C_NYC.jpg/1280px-Danya_Polykov_and_Stephen_Sondheim%2C_04.2014%2C_NYC.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)

## Awards

### Academy Awards — 1 won

- 1991: Best Original Song (won), for *Sooner or Later (I Always Get My Man)*

### Other awards — 16 won, 6 nominated

- Carl Sandburg Literary Award 2016: Carl Sandburg Literary Award (won)
- Presidential Medal of Freedom 2015: Presidential Medal of Freedom (won)
- Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature 2012: Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature (won)
- Grammy Trustees Award 2007: Grammy Trustees Award (won)
- Library of Congress Living Legend 2000: Library of Congress Living Legend (won)
- Praemium Imperiale 2000: Praemium Imperiale (won)
- Johnny Mercer Award 1999: Johnny Mercer Award (won)
- Tony Award for Best Original Score 1994: Tony Award for Best Original Score (won), for *Passion*
- Tony Award for Best Original Score 1988: Tony Award for Best Original Score (won), for *Into the Woods*
- Pulitzer Prize for Drama 1985: Pulitzer Prize for Drama (won), for *Sunday in the Park with George*
- Tony Award for Best Original Score 1984: Tony Award for Best Original Score (nominated), for *Sunday in the Park with George*
- Tony Award for Best Original Score 1982: Tony Award for Best Original Score (nominated), for *Merrily We Roll Along*
- Tony Award for Best Original Score 1979: Tony Award for Best Original Score (won), for *Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street*
- Tony Award for Best Original Score 1976: Tony Award for Best Original Score (nominated), for *Pacific Overtures*
- Edgar Awards 1974: Edgar Awards (won)
- Tony Award for Best Original Score 1973: Tony Award for Best Original Score (won), for *A Little Night Music*
- Tony Award for Best Original Score 1972: Tony Award for Best Original Score (won), for *Follies*
- Tony Award for Best Original Score 1971: Tony Award for Best Original Score (won), for *Company*
- Tony Award for Best Original Score 1965: Tony Award for Best Original Score (nominated), for *Do I Hear a Waltz?*
- Tony Award for Best Musical 1963: Tony Award for Best Musical (won), for *A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum*
- Tony Award for Best Musical 1960: Tony Award for Best Musical (nominated), for *Gypsy: A Musical Fable*
- Tony Award for Best Musical 1958: Tony Award for Best Musical (nominated), for *West Side Story*

*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/stephen-sondheim