Sondheim was born into a Jewish family on March 22, 1930, in New York City. His parents were Herbert Sondheim and Etta Janet (“Foxy”; née Fox; 1897-1992).
His maternal grandparents, Joseph and Bessie, were Lithuanian Jews from Vilnius, while his paternal grandparents, Isaac and Rosa, were German Jews. His mother’s outfit designs were made by his father.
Keep reading to discover more.
Stephen Sondheim top movies and TV shows
Oscar Hammerstein II served as a mentor to Sondheim and sparked his early interest in musical theatre. He started off by penning the lyrics for Gypsy (1957) and West Side Story (1959). His best-known works include 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. He transitioned to writing both music and lyrics for the theatre (1987).
Stephen Sondheim awards and nominations
Eight Tony Awards (including a Lifetime Achievement Tony in 2008), an Academy Award, eight Grammy Awards, an Olivier Award, a Pulitzer Prize, a Kennedy Center Honor, and a Presidential Medal of Freedom are just a few of Sondheim’s countless honours and nominations.
Both on Broadway and in London’s West End, a theatre bears his name. West Side Story (1961), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966), Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007), Into the Woods (2014), and West Side Story are a few examples of his writings that have been adapted for the big screen (2021).
