Danny Elfman
FameRank: 6

"Daniel Robert "Danny" Elfman" is an American composer, record producer, and actor. He is known as the lead singer and songwriter for the rock band Oingo Boingo, from 1976 to 1995 and later for scoring music for television and film and creating The Simpsons Theme/The Simpsons main title theme as well as the Batman (1989 film)/1989 Batman movie theme. He has scored the majority of his long-time friend Tim Burton's movies.

Elfman re-entered the film industry in 1976, initially as an actor. He made his film scoring debut in 1980 for the film Forbidden Zone directed by his older brother Richard Elfman. He has since been nominated for four Academy Awards and won a Grammy Awards/Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media for Tim Burton's Batman (1989 film)/Batman and an Emmy Award for his Desperate Housewives theme. Elfman was honored with the Richard Kirk Award at the 2002 Broadcast Music Incorporated/BMI Film and TV Awards. The award is given annually to a composer who has made significant contributions to film and television music.

If you enjoy these quotes, be sure to check out other famous musicians! More Danny Elfman on Wikipedia.

It's convenient in a way, because you don't have to answer many questions: People say, 'Man, how are you feeling?' And I say, 'How do I look?' And they go, 'Oh, okay.' I've got the coffin maker calling every now and then about measurements, wanting to give me a proper fit.

249

He looks like Sammy Davis Jr. -- but he's a skeleton.

209

My education in film music came from watching tons of films.

193

That little demo I wrote became the main title of the motion picture, and that started everything.

190

And the alcoholic bastard waved his finger at me, His voice was filled with evangelical glee, Sipping down his gin and tonics, While preaching about the evils of narcotics, And the evils of sex, and the wages of sin, While he mentally fondles his nex.

179

I really didn't intend to sing it, ... It happened like it did with the songs from 'Charlie' and 'Nightmare.' I always cut the songs myself doing all the voices. In 'Charlie,' I didn't count on doing all of them but it just worked out that way.

158

I coached her through her singing debut, and she did great, ... And, she sings with a spider and worm.

152

[Like the recent Burton blockbuster] Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, ... Corpse Bride.

137

At the end of the day, Tim said, 'Look, can you just do this vocal?' I did not write it for myself, but did in the end, do it because Tim wanted me to, ... It was a fun part.

133