Los Angeles, 1953
Danny Elfman
The sound of Tim Burton: Beetlejuice, Batman, Edward Scissorhands. And The Simpsons theme.
He never studied composition. He fronted the band Oingo Boingo and taught himself to orchestrate by ear, listening to Nino Rota and Bernard Herrmann. Tim Burton hired him in 1985 for Pee-wee's Big Adventure and they have made almost everything together since. In The Nightmare Before Christmas he is the singing voice of Jack Skellington.
- Style
- Wordless choirs, celesta, crooked waltzes and fairground brass. Gothic, with a sense of humour.
- Awards
- 4 Oscar nominations (Good Will Hunting, Men in Black, Big Fish, Milk), no win.
Essential films
- Beetlejuice (1988)
- Batman (1989)
- Edward Scissorhands (1990)
- The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
- Men in Black (1997)
- Spider-Man (2002)
- Big Fish (2003)
Listen
- Ice Dance · Edward ScissorhandsSpotifyYouTube
- The Batman Theme · BatmanSpotifyYouTube
- This Is Halloween · The Nightmare Before ChristmasSpotifyYouTube
Everything on Spotify Everything on YouTube Full biography on Wikipedia
Awards counted up to the 2026 Academy Awards. Facts reviewed in October 2026.