PERSONAL
Full name, James Roy Horner; born August 14, 1953, in Los Angeles, CA; married; wife's name, Sarah; children: two daughters. Education: University of Southern California, B.A.; University of California, Los Angeles, M.A. and Ph.D.; also attended Royal College of Music, London, England; some sources also cite attendance at University of the Pacific.
Addresses: Agent—Gorfaine–Schwartz Agency, 13245 Riverside Dr., Suite 450, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423.
Career: Composer, arranger, musician, music director, and music producer. American Film Institute, scorer of student films, late 1970s; New World Pictures, scorer, beginning c. 1978; composer of music for Captain EO, a short film shown at Disney theme parks, beginning c. 1986; composer of promotional music for film studio tags and production company tags; toured as a performer with symphony orchestras. University of California, Los Angeles, instructor of music theory.
Member: American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers.
Awards, Honors: Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award, best music, 1982, for 48 Hrs.; Saturn Award, Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, best music, for Brainstorm; two Saturn Award nominations, best music, 1984, for Krull and Something Wicked This Way Comes; Grammy Award nomination, National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, best instrumental composition, 1986, Film and Television Music Award, American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers, top box office film, and Academy Award nomination, best original score, both 1987, all for Aliens; Academy Award nomination, best original song, and Golden Globe Award nomination, best original song for a motion picture, both 1987, Film and Television Music Award, one of the most performed songs from motion pictures, and Grammy awards, song of the year and best song written specifically for a motion picture or for television, all 1988, all with Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, for "Somewhere Out There," An American Tail; Grammy Award nomination, best album of original instrumental background score for a motion picture or television, 1988, for An American Tail; Academy Award nomination, best original score, and Grammy Award nomination, best album of original instrumental background score written for a motion picture or television, both 1990, for Field of Dreams; Film and Television Music Award, top box office film, 1990, for Honey, I Shrunk the Kids; Golden Globe Award nomination, best original score for a motion picture, 1990, and Grammy Award, best album or instrumental composition written for a motion picture or for television, 1991, both for Glory; Golden Globe Award nomination (with Will Jennings), best original song for a motion picture, 1992, for "Dreams to Dream," An American Tail: Fievel Goes West; Film and Television Music Award, top box office film, 1993, for Patriot Games; Film and Television Music Award, top box office film, 1994, for The Pelican Brief; Golden Globe Award nomination, best original score for a motion picture, 1995, for Legends of the Fall; Film and Television Music Award, top box office film, 1995, for Clear and Present Danger; Academy Award nomination, best original dramatic score, Golden Globe Award nomination, best original score for a motion picture, and nomination for Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music, British Academy of Film and Television Arts, all 1996, for Braveheart; Film and Television Music Award, top box office film, and Academy Award nomination, best original dramatic score, both 1996, for Apollo 13; Film and Television Music Award, top box office film, 1996, for Casper; Grammy Award nomination (with Mann and Weil), best song written specifically for a motion picture or for television, 1996, for "Whatever You Imagine," The Pagemaster; two Film and Television Music awards, top box office film, 1997, for Courage under Fire and Ransom; Academy Award, best original dramatic score, Golden Globe Award, best original score for a motion picture, Golden Satellite Award, International Press Academy, outstanding original score, Chicago Film Critics Association Award, best original score, Film and Television Music Award, top box office film, and nomination for Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music, all 1998, and American Music Award, outstanding movie soundtrack, 1999, all for Titanic; Academy Award, best original song, Golden Globe Award, best original song for a motion picture, Golden Satellite Award, outstanding original song, and Sierra Award, Las Vegas Film Critics Society, best original song, all 1998, Film and Television Music Award, one of the most performed songs from motion picture, and Grammy awards, record of the year and best song written specifically for a motion picture or for television, all 1999, all with Jennings, all for "My Heart Will Go On," Titanic; two Film and Television Music awards, top box office film, 1999, for Deep Impact and The Mask of Zorro; Saturn Award, best music, and Film and Television Music Award, top box office film, both 2001, for How the Grinch Stole Christmas; Film and Television Music Award, top box office film, 2001, The Perfect Storm; Golden Satellite Award (with Jennings), best original song, 2002, for "All Love Can Be," A Beautiful Mind; Academy Award nomination and Chicago Film Critics Association Award nomination, both best original score, Golden Globe Award nomination, best original score for a motion picture, Golden Satellite Award nomination, best original score, and World Soundtrack Award nomination, soundtrack composer of the year, all 2002, Film and Television Music Award, top box office film, and Grammy Award nomination, best score soundtrack album for a motion picture, television, or other visual media, both 2003, all for A Beautiful Mind; Academy Award nomination, best original score, 2004, for House of Sand and Fog; Golden Satellite Award nomination, best original score, 2004, for The Missing.
CREDITS
Film Work:
Music adaptor, The Lady in Red (also known as Guns, Sin and Bathtub Gin), New World, 1979.
Music conductor, The Dresser, Columbia, 1983.
Music conductor, Krull (also known as Dragons of Krull, Dungeons and Dragons, The Dungeons of Krull, and Krull: Invaders of the Black Fortress), Columbia, 1983.
Music director, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, Paramount, 1984.
Music producer, Commando, Twentieth Century–Fox, 1985.
Music conductor and arranger, Aliens, Twentieth Century–Fox, 1986.
Instrumental soloist, Field of Dreams, Universal, 1989.
Musician, Class Action, Twentieth Century–Fox, 1991.
Musician, Sneakers, Universal, 1992.
Music conductor, Swing Kids, Buena Vista, 1993.
Music conductor, We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story (animated), Universal, 1993.
Musician, Bopha!, Paramount, 1993.
Orchestra conductor, The Pelican Brief, Warner Bros., 1993.
Music producer and conductor, Jumanji, TriStar, 1995.
Orchestrator, Casper, Universal, 1995.
Orchestrator and keyboard soloist, Braveheart, Paramount, 1995.
(Uncredited) Orchestrator, music producer, and conductor, Apollo 13, Universal, 1995, released as Apollo 13: The IMAX Experience, 2002.
Music conductor, Ransom, Buena Vista, 1996.
Orchestrator, Courage under Fire, Twentieth Century–Fox, 1996.
Orchestrator, The Spitfire Grill (also known as Care of the Spitfire Grill), Columbia, 1996.
Song producer, score orchestrator, and instrumental soloist, Titanic, Paramount, 1997.
Orchestrator, The Mask of Zorro, TriStar/Sony Pictures Entertainment, 1998.
Orchestrator and music conductor, Mighty Joe Young (also known as Mighty Joe), Buena Vista, 1998.
Orchestrator, music producer, and conductor, Deep Impact, Paramount, 1998.
Orchestrator, song producer, and conductor, Bicentennial Man (also known as Der 200 Jahre Mann), Buena Vista, 1999.
Music conductor, How the Grinch Stole Christmas (also known as The Grinch and Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas), MCA/Universal, 2000.
Orchestrator, The Perfect Storm (also known as Der Sturm), Warner Bros., 2000.
Orchestrator, A Beautiful Mind, Universal, 2001.
Orchestrator, Enemy at the Gates (also known as Duell—Enemy at the Gates), Paramount, 2001.
Orchestrator and music conductor, The Four Feathers, Miramax/Paramount, 2002.
Orchestrator and music conductor, Windtalkers, Metro–Goldwyn–Mayer, 2002.
Orchestrator, House of Sand and Fog, DreamWorks SKG, 2003.
Orchestrator, Radio, Columbia, 2003.
Orchestrator, Troy, Warner Bros., 2004.
Film Appearances:
(Uncredited) Enterprise crew member, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (also known as Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan), Paramount, 1982, released as Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan—The Director's Edition, 2002.
Television Work; Movies:
Music performer, Freedom Song, TNT, 2000.
Television Appearances; Awards Presentations:
The 70th Annual Academy Awards, ABC, 1998.
The 41st Annual Grammy Awards, CBS, 1999.
RECORDINGS
Albums; Soundtrack Recordings:
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Crescendo, 1982.
Cocoon, Polydor, 1985.
An American Tail, MCA, 1986.
Aliens, Varese Sarabande, 1987.
Field of Dreams, BMG Novus, 1989.
Glory, Virgin, 1989.
Legends of the Fall, Epic Soundtrax, 1994.
Apollo 13, MCA, 1995.
Braveheart, Polygram, 1995.
Titanic, Sony, 1997.
Deep Impact, Sony, 1998.
The Mask of Zorro, Sony, 1998.
Back to Titanic, Sony, 1999.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Interscope, 2000.
The Perfect Storm, Sony, 2000.
Battle beyond the Stars/Humanoids from the Deep, 2001.
A Beautiful Mind, Decca, 2001.
Enemy at the Gates, Sony, 2001.
Iris, Sony, 2001.
The Four Feathers, 2002.
Windtalkers, c. 2002.
Music from the Motion Picture Troy, 2004.
Videos:
Himself, Superior Firepower: The Making of "Aliens," Twentieth Century–Fox Home Entertainment, 2003.
WRITINGS
Film Scores:
The Watcher, 1978.
The Lady in Red (also known as Guns, Sin and Bathtub Gin), New World, 1979.
Up from the Depths, 1979.
Battle beyond the Stars, New World, 1980.
Humanoids from the Deep (also known as Humanoids of the Deep, Monster, and Monsters), New World, 1980.
Deadly Blessing, United Artists, 1981.
The Hand, Warner Bros., 1981.
The Pursuit of D. B. Cooper, Universal, 1981.
Wolfen, Warner Bros., 1981.
48 Hrs., Paramount, 1982.
P. K. & the Kid, Castle Hill, 1982.
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (also known as Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan), Paramount, 1982, released as Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan—The Director's Edition, 2002.
Brainstorm, United Artists, 1983.
The Dresser, Columbia, 1983.
Gorky Park, Orion, 1983.
Krull (also known as Dragons of Krull, Dungeons and Dragons, The Dungeons of Krull, and Krull: Invaders of the Black Fortress), Columbia, 1983.
Something Wicked This Way Comes, Buena Vista, 1983.
Space Raiders (also known as Star Child), New World, 1983.
Testament, Paramount, 1983.
Uncommon Valor, Paramount, 1983.
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, Paramount, 1984.
The Stone Boy, Twentieth Century–Fox, 1984.
Black Fire, 1985.
Cocoon, Twentieth Century–Fox, 1985.
Commando, Twentieth Century–Fox, 1985.
Heaven Help Us (also known as Catholic Boys), TriStar, 1985.
In Her Own Time, Direct Cinema, 1985.
The Journey of Natty Gann, Buena Vista, 1985.
Let's Go, 1985.
Volunteers, TriStar, 1985.
Wizards of the Lost Kingdom (also known as El mago del reino perdido), New Horizons/Concorde, 1985.
Aliens, Twentieth Century–Fox, 1986.
(And song "Somewhere Out There" with Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil) An American Tail (animated), Universal, 1986.
The Name of the Rose (also known as Der Name der Rose, and Il nome della rosa, Le nom de la rose), Twentieth Century–Fox, 1986.
Off Beat, Buena Vista, 1986.
Where the River Runs Black, Metro–Goldwyn–Mayer/United Artists, 1986.
*batteries not included, Universal, 1987.
Project X, Twentieth Century–Fox, 1987.
Cocoon: The Return, Twentieth Century–Fox, 1988.
(And song "If We Hold on Together" with Will Jennings) The Land before Time (animated), Universal, 1988.
Red Heat, TriStar, 1988.
Vibes, Columbia, 1988.
Willow, Metro–Goldwyn–Mayer/United Artists, 1988.
Dad, Universal, 1989.
Field of Dreams, Universal, 1989.
Glory, TriStar, 1989.
Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, Buena Vista, 1989.
In Country, Warner Bros., 1989.
Tummy Trouble (animated short film), Buena Vista, 1989.
(With Ernest Troost) Andy Colby's Incredibly Awesome Adventure (also known as Andy and the Airwave Rangers), Concorde, 1990.
Another 48 Hrs., Paramount, 1990.
I Love You to Death, TriStar, 1990.
(And songs "Dreams to Dream,""The Girl I Left Behind," and "Way Out West" with lyrics by Jennings) An American Tale: Fievel Goes West (animated), Universal, 1991.
Class Action, Twentieth Century–Fox, 1991.
My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys, Samuel Goldwyn, 1991.
Once Around, Universal, 1991.
The Rocketeer, Buena Vista, 1991.
Patriot Games, Paramount, 1992.
Sneakers, Universal, 1992.
Thunderheart, TriStar, 1992.
(And songwriter) Unlawful Entry, Twentieth Century–Fox, 1992.
Bopha!, Paramount, 1993.
A Far Off Place, Buena Vista, 1993.
House of Cards, Miramax, 1993.
Jack the Bear, Twentieth Century–Fox, 1993.
The Man without a Face, Warner Bros., 1993.
(And songs "He's Gone Back,""Once upon a Time with >Me," and "Please Wake Up" with lyrics by Jennings) Once upon a Forest (animated), Twentieth Century–Fox, 1993.
The Pelican Brief, Warner Bros., 1993.
Searching for Bobby Fischer (also known as Innocent Moves), Paramount, 1993.
Swing Kids (musical), Buena Vista, 1993.
(And song "Roll Back the Rock") We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story (animated), Universal, 1993.
Clear and Present Danger, Paramount, 1994.
The Land before Time II: The Great Valley Adventure (animated), 1994.
Legends of the Fall, TriStar, 1994.
(And song "Whatever You Imagine" with Mann and Weil) The Pagemaster, Twentieth Century–Fox, 1994.
(And song "Reach for the Light") Balto (animated), Universal, 1995.
Braveheart, Paramount, 1995.
Casper, Universal, 1995.
Jade, Paramount, 1995.
Jumanji, TriStar, 1995.
The Land before Time III: The Time of the Great Giving (animated), 1995 Apollo 13, Universal, 1995, released as Apollo 13: The IMAX Experience, 2002.
Courage under Fire, Twentieth Century–Fox, 1996.
(And songs "If We Hold on Together" and "Land before Time") The Land before Time IV: Journey through the Mists (animated), MCA/Universal Home Video, 1996.
Ransom, Buena Vista, 1996.
The Spitfire Grill (also known as Care of the Spitfire Grill), Columbia, 1996.
To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday, Triumph Releasing, 1996.
The Best of Roger Rabbit (animated; also known as Disney and Steven Spielberg Present The Best of Roger Rabbit), Walt Disney Home Video, 1997.
The Devil's Own, Columbia, 1997.
(And song "My Heart Will Go On") Titanic, Paramount, 1997.
Deep Impact, Paramount, 1998.
The Land before Time VI: The Secret of Saurus Rock (animated), Universal Studios Home Video, 1998.
(And song "I Want to Spend My Lifetime Loving You") The Mask of Zorro, TriStar/Sony Pictures Entertainment, 1998.
(And song "Windsong") Mighty Joe Young (also known as Mighty Joe), Buena Vista, 1998.
Bicentennial Man (also known as Der 200 Jahre Mann), Buena Vista, 1999.
Epic Journeys: The Great Migrations, Houston Museum of Natural History, 1999.
(And songwriter) How the Grinch Stole Christmas (also known as The Grinch and Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas), MCA/Universal, 2000.
(And song "Yours Forever") The Perfect Storm (also known as Der Sturm), Warner Bros., 2000.
(And song "All Love Can Be" with lyrics by Jennings) A Beautiful Mind, Universal, 2001.
Dramatic underscore, Enemy at the Gates (also known as Duell—Enemy at the Gates), Paramount, 2001.
Iris, Miramax/Paramount, 2001.
The Four Feathers, Miramax/Paramount, 2002.
Land before Time IX: Journey to the Big Water (also known as The Land before Time: Journey to the Big Water), Universal Studios Home Video, 2002.
Windtalkers, Metro–Goldwyn–Mayer, 2002.
Beyond Borders (also known as Jenseits aller Grenzen), Paramount, 2003.
House of Sand and Fog, DreamWorks SKG, 2003.
The Missing, Columbia, 2003.
(And song "Eyes of the Heart") Radio, Columbia, 2003.
Bobby Jones, Stroke of Genius, Film Foundry Releasing, 2004.
The Forgotten, Columbia, 2004.
(And song "Remember Me") Troy, Warner Bros., 2004.
Legend of Zorro, Sony Pictures Entertainment, 2005.
The Da Vinci Code, Columbia, 2006.
Horner's music and songs have been used in other films as well as in television programs and videos. Also composer of unused scores for films.
Television Music; Series:
Fish Police (animated), CBS, 1992.
Theme song, Crossroads, ABC, 1992–1993.
Television Scores; Movies:
Angel Dusted (also known as Angel Dust), NBC, 1981.
A Few Days in Weasel Creek, CBS, 1981.
A Piano for Mrs. Cimino, CBS, 1982.
Rascals and Robbers—The Secret Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn, CBS, 1982.
Between Friends (also known as Nobody Makes Me Cry), HBO, 1983.
Surviving (also known as Surviving: A Family in Crisis and Tragedy), ABC, 1985.
Extreme Close–Up (also known as Home Video), NBC, 1990.
Freedom Song, TNT, 2000.
Television Scores; Specials:
Michelle Kwan Skates to Disney's Greatest Hits, ABC, 1999.
Television Music; Episodic:
"Alamo Jobe," Amazing Stories (also known as Steven Spielberg's Amazing Stories), NBC, 1985.
"The Pied Piper of Hamelin" (also known as "Pied Piper"), Faerie Tale Theatre (also known as Shelley Duvall's Faerie Tale Theatre), Showtime, 1985.
"Cutting Cards" (also known as "Dead Right" and "The Switch"), Tales from the Crypt (also known as HBO's Tales from the Crypt), HBO, 1990.
Soundtrack Albums; With Others:
The Great Fantasy Adventure Album, Telarc, 1994.
Video Music:
Bringing Down the House, Columbia/TriStar Home Video, 1999.
Lions and Monkeys and Pods … Oh My! The Special Effects of "Jumanji," Columbia/TriStar Home Video, 1999.
Krull: Marvel Comics Video Adaptation, Columbia/TriStar Home Video, 2000.
From Morf to Morphing: The Dawn of Digital Filmmaking, Twentieth Century–Fox Home Entertainment, 2001.
Raptor, New Concorde, 2001.
East Meets West: "Red Heat" and the Kings of Carolco, Lions Gate Films, 2004.
I'm Not Russian, but I Play One on TV, Lions Gate Films, 2004.
A Stuntman for All Seasons: A Tribute to Bennie Dobbins, Lions Gate Films, 2004.
Video Game Music:
(Uncredited) Titanic Explorer (also known as James Cameron's Titanic Explorer), 1997.
Orchestral Compositions:
Spectral Shimmers, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Indianapolis, IN, 1978.
OTHER SOURCES
Books:
Contemporary Musicians, Volume 38, Gale, 2003.
Periodicals:
Entertainment Weekly, February 6, 1998, p. 60; July 14, 2000, p. 51.
Hollywood Reporter, January, 1998.
Los Angeles Times, February 13, 1995.
People Weekly, February 16, 1998, p. 26.
Sensible Sound, January, 1999, p. 103.