Danny Elfman: Difference between revisions

'''Daniel Robert Elfman''' (born May 29, 1953) is an American film composer, singer, songwriter, and musician. He came to prominence as the lead vocalist and primary songwriter for the [[New wave music|new wave]] band [[Oingo Boingo]] in the early 1980s.<ref name="AV Club">{{cite web|url=https://www.avclub.com/article/danny-elfman-oingo-boingo-film-scores-and-beatles--210856|title=Danny Elfman on Oingo Boingo, film scores, and the Beatles almost ruining ''Batman''|date=October 27, 2014|first=Sean|last=O'Neal|publisher=AV Music|access-date=March 4, 2018}}</ref> Since scoring his first studio film in 1985, Elfman has garnered international recognition for composing over 100 feature [[film score]]s,<ref name="Kraft-Engle">{{cite web |url=http://kraft-engel.com/clients/danny-elfman/ |title=Danny Elfman |last=Kraft |first=Richard|website=Kraft-Engel.com |publisher=Kraft-Engel Management|access-date=October 8, 2019 |quote=Beginning with his first score on Tim Burton's Pee-wee's Big Adventure, Elfman has scored over 100 films...}}</ref> as well as compositions for television, stage productions, and the concert hall.

Elfman has frequently worked with directors [[Tim Burton]], [[Sam Raimi]], and [[Gus Van Sant]], contributing music to nearly 20 Burton projects, including ''[[Pee-wee's Big Adventure|Pee-Wee's Big Adventure]]'', ''[[Beetlejuice]]'', ''[[Batman (1989 film)|Batman]]'', ''[[Edward Scissorhands]]'', ''[[Batman Returns]]'', ''[[Mars Attacks!]]'', ''[[Sleepy Hollow (film)|Sleepy Hollow]]'', ''[[Big Fish]]'' and ''[[Alice in Wonderland (2010 film)|Alice in Wonderland]]'',<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/dumbo-composer-danny-elfman-on-his-iconic-partnership-with-tim-burton|title=''Dumbo'' composer Danny Elfman on his iconic partnership with Tim Burton|last=Gilchrist|first=Todd|date=March 25, 2019|website=SYFY WIRE|access-date=October 22, 2019}}</ref> as well as scoring Raimi's ''[[Darkman]]'', ''[[A Simple Plan (film)|A Simple Plan]]'', ''[[Spider-Man (2002 film)|Spider-Man]]'', ''[[Spider-Man 2]]'', ''[[Oz the Great and Powerful]]'', and ''[[Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness]]'',<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/danny-elfman-doctor-strange-2-multiverse-of-madness-score-music|title=Exclusive: Danny Elfman confirms he's scoring ''Doctor Strange 2''|last=Francisco|first=Eric|date=February 18, 2021|website=Inverse|access-date=June 1, 2021}}</ref> and Van Sant's [[Academy Awards|Academy Award]]-winning films ''[[Good Will Hunting]]'' and ''[[Milk (2008 American film)|Milk]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.parkrecord.com/entertainment/filmmaker-gus-van-sant-and-composer-danny-elfman-talk-of-their-collaborations/|title=Filmmaker Gus Van Sant and composer Danny Elfman talk of their collaborations|last=Iwasaki|first=Scott|date=January 24, 2018|website=[[Park Record]]|location=Park City, Utah|access-date=October 22, 2019}}</ref> He wrote music for all of the ''[[Men in Black (franchise)#Film series|Men in Black]]'' and ''[[Fifty Shades (film series)|Fifty Shades of Grey]]'' franchise films, the songs and score for [[Henry Selick]]'s animated [[Musical film|musical]] ''[[The Nightmare Before Christmas]]'', and the [[Theme music|themes]] for the popular television series ''[[Desperate Housewives]]'' and ''[[The Simpsons Theme|The Simpsons]]''.<ref name=vulture2015>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vulture.com/2015/07/danny-elfman-on-8-of-his-iconic-scores.html|title=Danny Elfman Tells the Stories Behind 8 of His Classic Scores|last=Collette|first=Olivia|date=July 6, 2015|website=[[New York (magazine)|Vulture]]|access-date=October 22, 2019}}</ref>

Among his honors are four [[Academy Awards|Oscar]] nominations,<ref name="Kraft-Engle"/> three [[Emmy Award]]s,<ref>{{cite web|access-date=September 11, 2019|url=https://www.emmys.com/bios/danny-elfman|title=Danny Elfman: Awards & Nominations|date=September 18, 2016|publisher=Academy of Television Arts & Sciences}}</ref> a [[Grammy Awards|Grammy]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.grammy.com/grammys/artists/danny-elfman|title=Artist: Danny Elfman|publisher=National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences|access-date=November 11, 2019}}</ref> seven [[Saturn Awards]] for [[Saturn Award for Best Music|Best Music]], the 2002 Richard Kirk Award,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bmi.com/news/entry/233117|title=Top Film, TV, Cable Composers Honored at BMI's Annual Film/TV Awards|publisher=Broadcast Music, Inc.|date=May 14, 2002|access-date=October 28, 2010}}</ref> the 2015 [[Disney Legends|Disney Legend Award]],<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Lincoln|first=Ross|title=George Lucas, Danny Elfman, Others to Be Honored at D23 2015|url=https://deadline.com/2015/07/george-lucas-others-to-be-named-disney-legend-at-d23-2015-1201475685/|magazine=Deadline|date=July 14, 2015|access-date=August 4, 2015}}</ref> the [[Max Steiner Film Music Achievement Award]] in 2017,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bmi.com/news/entry/bmi-composer-danny-elfman-receives-max-steiner-award-at-hollywood-in-vienna|title=BMI Composer Danny Elfman Receives Max Steiner Award at Hollywood in Vienna|date=October 7, 2017|website=BMI.com|access-date=March 2, 2020}}</ref> and the [[Society of Composers & Lyricists]] Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Grein |first=Paul |date=November 23, 2022 |title=Danny Elfman & Nicholas Britell to Be Honored at Society of Composers & Lyricists' Holiday Celebrations |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/awards/danny-elfman-nicholas-britell-society-of-composers-and-lyricists-honor-1235176001/ |access-date=November 26, 2022}}</ref>

Elfman was born on May 29, 1953, in [[Los Angeles, California]]<ref name="monger" /> to a [[Jewish]] family of [[History of the Jews in Russia|Russian]] descent.<ref name="AV Club"/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thejc.com/node/28977 |title=Interview: Danny Elfman |work=The Jewish Chronicle |date=March 4, 2010 |access-date=August 26, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100310025305/http://www.thejc.com/node/28977|archive-date=March 10, 2010}}</ref> He is a son of [[Blossom Elfman]] (née Bernstein), a writer and teacher, and Milton Elfman, a teacher. He is the brother of actor, musician, and journalist [[Richard Elfman]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/34/Danny-Elfman.html|title=Danny Elfman profile|publisher=Film Reference|access-date=January 2, 2011}}</ref> Elfman was raised in an affluent, racially-mixed community in [[Baldwin Hills, Los Angeles|Baldwin Hills, California]], where he spent much of his time at the local movie theater discovering classic [[Science fiction film|sci-fi]], fantasy and horror films and first noticed the music of such film composers as [[Bernard Herrmann]] and [[Franz Waxman]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=M. Glionna|first1=John|title=Danny Elfman Pinged from Oingo Boingo Front Man to Prolific Movie Score Writer. Now This Oddball May Pong into Directing His Own Scripts.|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-apr-18-tm-28420-story.html|access-date=December 26, 2016|work=Los Angeles Times|date=April 18, 1999}}</ref> Elfman has admitted to fabricating stories about his past out of boredom, including a false birthplace of [[Amarillo, Texas]], and parents in the [[United States Air Force]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://kcscfm.com/programming/interviews/interview_details.asp |title=Interview with Danny Elfman |date=July 20, 2001 |last=Hendrickson |first=Barbara |website=[[KUCO (FM)|KCSC FM]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030401035304/https://kcscfm.com/programming/interviews/interview_details.asp |archive-date=April 1, 2003 |access-date=April 18, 2022}}</ref>

Among his franchise work, Elfman composed the scores for four ''[[Men in Black (franchise)#Film series|Men in Black]]'' films (1997–2019)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://collider.com/men-in-black-international-walter-f-parkes-laurie-macdonald-interview/ |title=''Men in Black: International'' Producers on the Genesis of the Project and Casting Chris and Tessa |last=Weintraub |first=Steve |date=June 17, 2019 |website=Collider |access-date=October 8, 2019 |quote=The only people from the original franchise that are involved in this movie are me and Laurie, Emma and Danny Elfman, who did the music for all of them.}}</ref> and three ''[[Fifty Shades (film series)|Fifty Shades]]'' films (2015–2018).<ref>{{cite news |last=Kis |first=Eva |date=February 8, 2019 |title=Wait, Danny Elfman wrote the music for ''50 Shades of Grey''? |url=https://www.metro.us/entertainment/movies/danny-elfman-composer-fifty-shades-of-grey |work=[[Metro (U.S. newspaper)|Metro]] |access-date=October 11, 2019 |quote=We ask Danny Elfman, better known as Tim Burton's collaborator on spooky fairy tales, about composing the music for all three Fifty Shades of Grey movies. }}</ref> In 1996, he scored the first film in the [[Mission: Impossible (film series)|''Mission: Impossible'' series]], adapting themes for the original television series by [[Lalo Schifrin]] as well as composing his own.<ref name="Bond 2019 5-6">{{Cite AV media notes |title=''Mission: Impossible – Limited Edition'' |others=Danny Elfman |year=2019 |first=Jeff|last=Bond |pages=5–6 |type=booklet |publisher=La-La Land Records, Inc. |id=LLLCD1411 |location=Los Angeles, CA}}</ref> Elfman scored Raimi's ''[[Spider-Man (2002 film)|Spider-Man]]'' in 2002 and ''[[Spider-Man 2]]'' in 2004, themes and selections from which were used for Raimi's ''[[Spider-Man 3]]'', scored by [[Christopher Young]]. Elfman's ''Spider-Man'' theme was incorporated into the MCU film ''[[Spider-Man: No Way Home]]'' composed by [[Michael Giacchino]].

Elfman's first piece of original concert music, ''[[Serenada Schizophrana]]'', was commissioned by the [[American Composers Orchestra]], who premiered the piece on February 23, 2005, at [[Carnegie Hall]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.americancomposers.org/rel20050223.htm |title=All World Premiere Concert Features Legendary Rock Guitarist Andy Summers & Orchestral Debut of Hollywood Composer Danny Elfman |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=February 23, 2005 |website=AmericanComposers.org |access-date=September 18, 2019 |archive-date=October 28, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191028070054/http://www.americancomposers.org/rel20050223.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> Subsequent concert works include his first ''[[Violin Concerto (Elfman)|Violin Concerto "Eleven Eleven"]]'', co-commissioned by the [[Czech National Symphony Orchestra]], Stanford Live at [[Stanford University]], and the [[Royal Scottish National Orchestra]], which premiered at [[Municipal House|Smetana Hall]] in Prague on June 21, 2017, with [[Sandy Cameron]] on violin and [[John Mauceri]] conducting the Czech National Symphony Orchestra;<ref name="Columbia Artists" >{{cite web |url=https://columbia-artists.com/artists/concerto-for-violin-and-orchestra-%22eleven-eleven%22-composed-by-danny-elfman/ |title=Concerto for Violin and Orchestra ''Eleven Eleven'' composed by Danny Elfman Composer|website=Columbia-Artists.com |publisher=Columbia Artists Management Inc. |access-date=October 7, 2019 }}</ref> the ''Piano Quartet'', co-commissioned by the [[Lied Center for Performing Arts]], [[University of Nebraska–Lincoln]], and the [[Berlin Philharmonic]] Piano Quartet, which premiered February 6, 2018, in [[Lincoln, Nebraska]];<ref>{{cite news |last=Kruse |first=Kyle |date=February 22, 2018 |title=Berlin Philharmonic Piano Quartet premieres Danny Elfman piece at Lied Center |url=http://www.dailynebraskan.com/culture/berlin-philharmonic-piano-quartet-premieres-danny-elfman-piece-at-lied/article_a52dfc1c-181c-11e8-8fb2-2fba4b9684f6.html |work=[[The Daily Nebraskan]] |location=[[Lincoln, Nebraska]] |access-date=October 8, 2019 }}</ref> and the ''Percussion Quartet'', commissioned by [[Third Coast Percussion]] and premiered at the [[Philip Glass]] Days And Nights Festival in [[Big Sur]] on October 10, 2019.<ref>{{cite news |last=Malkin |first=John |date=October 9, 2019 |title=Out of the comfort zone: Danny Elfman has world premiere at Philip Glass Festival |url=https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/2019/10/09/out-of-the-comfort-zone-danny-elfman-has-world-premiere-at-philip-glass-festival/ |work=[[Santa Cruz Sentinel]] |access-date=October 13, 2019 |quote=The Elfman Percussion Quartet will have its world premiere at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Henry Miller Library in Big Sur, as part of the Days and Nights Festival.}}</ref>

In October 2013, Elfman returned to the stage for the first time since his band [[Oingo Boingo]] disbanded to sing a handful of ''[[The Nightmare Before Christmas]]'' songs as part of the concert ''Danny Elfman's Music from the Films of Tim Burton'', featuring suites of music from 15 [[Tim Burton]] films newly arranged by Elfman.<ref>{{cite news|last=Ng|first=David|title=Danny Elfman concert of Tim Burton film music adds third performance|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/culture/la-et-cm-danny-elfman-tim-burton-third-concert-20130918-story.html|access-date=October 10, 2013|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=September 18, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Danny Elfman's Music from the Films of Tim Burton|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/orchestras/events/1392|publisher=BBC Concert Orchestra|access-date=October 10, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131230043548/http://www.bbc.co.uk/orchestras/events/1392|archive-date=December 30, 2013}}</ref><ref name=ryzik2015>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/03/arts/music/danny-elfman-brings-music-from-tim-burtons-films-to-lincoln-center.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150705183003/http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/03/arts/music/danny-elfman-brings-music-from-tim-burtons-films-to-lincoln-center.html |archive-date=July 5, 2015 |url-access=limited|title=Danny Elfman Brings Music from Tim Burton's Films to Lincoln Center|last=Ryzik|first=Melena|date=July 2, 2015|work=The New York Times|access-date=October 23, 2019|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> The concert has since toured internationally and has played in Japan, Australia, Mexico and throughout Europe and the United States. Since 2015, Elfman has appeared regularly in a [[Hollywood Bowl]] [[Halloween]] concert featuring full orchestra performing the ''Nightmare Before Christmas'' score live to the film projection.<ref>{{cite news |last=Ng |first=David |date=November 1, 2015 |title=Danny Elfman concert at Hollywood Bowl brings out Tim Burton fans |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/culture/la-et-cm-danny-elfman-concert-hollywood-bowl-20151101-story.html |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |access-date=October 13, 2019 |quote=Danny Elfman was the main attraction on Saturday night at the Hollywood Bowl during a live concert performance of Tim Burton's ''The Nightmare Before Christmas''...The screening of the 1993 stop-motion animated movie, with a live orchestra, felt almost like a decadent dessert to the main course... Elfman saved his entrance for last, sending the audience into a frenzy of cheering and fan worship.}}</ref>

On November 16, 2021, [[Disney Branded Television]] announced that Elfman would compose score and songs of the upcoming [[Disney Television Animation]] and [[20th Television Animation]] [[Stop motion|stop-motion]] animated comedy series ''Rhona Who Lives by the River'' created by [[Emily Kapnek]], Elfman also serves as executive producer for the series.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Petski |first1=Nellie Andreeva,Denise |last2=Andreeva |first2=Nellie |last3=Petski |first3=Denise |date=2021-11-16 |title=Karen Gillan to Star in Emily Kapnek's ''Rhona Who Lives by the River'' Animated Musical Series With Danny Elfman in Works at Disney+ |url=https://deadline.com/2021/11/karen-gillan-emily-kapnek-rhona-who-lives-by-the-river-animated-musical-disney-plus-danny-elfman-1234875074/ |access-date=2023-09-23 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}</ref>

On the occasion that there are compressed deadlines or in the event he is not available to rescore or adapt his music if there are major edits to the film after the score's completion, Elfman will hire additional composers to work on small cues or sections of cues, adapting his existing material or themes. Examples include [[Jonathan Sheffer]] on ''[[Darkman]]'', [[David Buckley]] on the ''[[Fifty Shades (film series)|Fifty Shades]]'' films, and [[Pinar Toprak]] on ''[[Justice League (film)|Justice League]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.filmscoremonthly.com/backissues/viewissue.cfm?issueID=168|title=Danny Elfman Part 2: Sound Effects Suck|last=Kendall|first=Lukas|date=December 1, 1995|website=[[Film Score Monthly]]|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191226094728/https://www.filmscoremonthly.com/backissues/viewissue.cfm?issueID=168|archive-date=December 26, 2019|access-date=November 1, 2019}} [http://www.boingo.org/articles/FSMarticle2.html Alt URL]</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.filmtracks.com/titles/fifty_shades3.html|title=Editorial Review: Fifty Shades Freed (Danny Elfman)|date=March 4, 2019|website=[[Filmtracks]]|access-date=November 1, 2019|quote=These projects have always been collaborations between Elfman and David Buckley, some of the concept's more memorable music actually the work of the ghostwriter.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/captain-marvel-composer-pinar-toprak-first-female-composer-of-marvel-movie-2019-3|title=Inside the inspiring journey of 'Captain Marvel' composer Pinar Toprak, from moving to America at 17 to becoming the first female composer of a Marvel movie|last=Guerrasio|first=Jason|date=March 13, 2019|website=[[Business Insider]]|access-date=November 1, 2019}}</ref> Since the 1990s, Elfman has occasionally co-composed music or shared music writing credit (e.g.''[[When We Rise]]'', ''[[Spy Kids (film)|Spy Kids]]'', ''[[Avengers: Age of Ultron]]'', ''[[Men in Black: International|Men in Black International]]''), or written themes that are then used or adapted by other composers, including [[Jonathan Sheffer]] (''[[Pure Luck]]''), [[Steve Bartek]] (''[[Novocaine (2001 film)|Novacaine]]''), [[John Debney]] (''[[Heartbreakers (2001 film)|Heartbreakers]]''), [[Deborah Lurie]] (''[[9 (2009 animated film)|9]]''), and [[the Newton Brothers]] (''[[Before I Wake (2016 film)|Before I Wake]]'').<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.soundtrack.net/album/pure-luck/|title=Pure Luck Soundtrack (1991)|website=[[Soundtrack.Net]]|access-date=November 1, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://onemoviefiveviews.blogspot.com/2009/09/music-of-9-interview-with-composer.html|title=The Music of 9 – An Interview With Composer Deborah Lurie|last=Corrado|first=E.|date=September 18, 2009|website=One Movie, Five Views|access-date=November 1, 2019|quote=it was decided that Danny [Elfman] would do the themes for the film, and then I would get to take them, elaborate and score the film around them.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://behindtheaudio.com/2015/09/the-newton-brothers/|title=Scoring as a team: The creative approach of The Newton Brothers|last=Ebbinghaus|first=Peter F.|date=September 23, 2019|website=Behind The Audio|access-date=November 1, 2019}}</ref>

Composer [[Nomi Abadi]] has alleged that Elfman had been involved in multiple instances of sexual harassment and misconduct with her that took place from 2015 to 2016. Elfman has denied these claims. The allegations reportedly resulted in Elfman and Abadi agreeing to a non-public settlement and nondisclosure agreement, wherein Elfman would have paid Abadi a total of $830,000 over time. In 2024, Abadi alleged that Elfman had missed payments and had defamed her in statements he made to ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' magazine in 2023 regarding this matter, suing Elfman for the full settlement of $830,000.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.the-independent.com/arts-entertainment/films/news/danny-elfman-defamation-nomi-abadi-sexual-harassment-b2577846.html |last=Yamin |first=Shahana |title=Danny Elfman sued for defamation after denying sexual harassment allegations |newspaper=[[The Independent]] |date=July 11, 2024 |access-date=February 12, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2023-07-20/danny-elfman-sued-failing-to-pay-830-000-alleged-sexual-misconduct-settlement |last=St. Martin |first=Emily |title=Suit against Danny Elfman raises previous sexual misconduct allegations, quiet settlement |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=July 20, 2023 |access-date=February 12, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Siegel |first=Tatiana |date=January 6, 2025 |title=Danny Elfman Loses Bid to Dismiss Defamation Lawsuit Over Statements Made About a Secret Sexual Harassment Settlement |url=https://variety.com/2025/film/news/danny-elfman-loses-bid-to-dismiss-defamation-lawsuit-over-secret-sexual-harassment-settlement-1236267291/ |access-date=February 12, 2025 |magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]}}</ref>

 

Abadi's ex-boyfriend from the time contacted ''Rolling Stone'' to express his concern, noting the relationship between her and Elfman was never sexual and also citing the false allegations she had levelled against him after their breakup, resulting in a judge ruling in his favor. The validity of Abadi's allegations was called into question when text messages and emails revealed the nature of their relationship was non-sexual and that Abadi had become enraged when her advances had been rejected. After the initial settlement, Abadi's attorneys emailed Elfman's attorneys informing them that she wanted to meet with him for "closure", though Elfman declined.<ref name="AirMail News Article">{{cite magazine |last=Bernstein |first=Jacob |date=March 29, 2025 |title=The Alien and the Fawn |magazine=[[Air Mail (magazine)|Air Mail]] |url=https://airmail.news/issues/2025-3-29/the-alien-and-the-fawn}}</ref>

{| class=wikitable style="width: 30em; text-align: left; font-size: 90%; vertical-align: left;"

|  style="background:#bfd; font-size:8pt; width:60px;"| Wins

|  style="background:#ecc; font-size:8pt; width:60px;"| Nominations