zoom_in Click to enlarge

Jerry Goldsmith

▲ ▼

description Jerry Goldsmith Overview

Jerry Goldsmith was an American composer known primarily for his orchestral scores in both film and television. His work gained significant recognition through contributions to landmark projects such as *Star Trek* and *Alien*, establishing him as a pivotal figure in modern cinematic and broadcast music. He catered to the needs of filmmakers and network executives seeking distinctive, impactful musical arrangements for dramatic storytelling.

help Jerry Goldsmith FAQ

What Star Trek scores did Jerry Goldsmith compose?

Goldsmith composed the iconic main theme for Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979), which was later adapted as the theme for Star Trek: The Next Generation by Alexander Courage. He returned to score Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989), Star Trek: First Contact (1996), Star Trek: Insurrection (1998), and Star Trek: Nemesis (2002). His Star Trek main theme remains one of the most recognizable melodies in science fiction cinema.

How many Academy Awards did Jerry Goldsmith win?

Goldsmith won exactly one competitive Academy Award out of 18 nominations, for The Omen (1976). His nominations spanned an extraordinary range of genres, from Patton (1970) and Chinatown (1974) to Alien (1979) and Hoosiers (1986). He also received an Honorary Academy Award, but his single competitive Oscar win is often cited as disproportionately low given his enormous influence on film music.

Did Jerry Goldsmith compose the score for Alien (1979)?

Yes, Goldsmith composed the original score for Ridley Scott's Alien (1979), though the production was contentious. Director Ridley Scott and editor Terry Rawlings made significant changes to Goldsmith's score, reusing some of his cues from earlier placements and even substituting a piece from Goldsmith's Freud (1962) score for the main titles. Goldsmith was reportedly unhappy with the final result.

What was Jerry Goldsmith's last film score?

Goldsmith's final completed film score was for Richard Donner's Timeline (2003). He was originally attached to score The Sum of All Fears (2002) but had to withdraw due to health issues and was replaced by Paul Oakenfold. Goldsmith passed away on July 21, 2004, at the age of 75.