Jerry Goldsmith.

Jerrald Goldsmith Jerrald King Goldsmith

Born 10 Feb 1929 Los Angeles, United States

Died 21 Jul 2004 Beverly Hills, United States

Citizenship United States

Would Be 97 yr If Living

9 min read

Reading time

1,798

Words

Oct 1, 2026

Published

Awards

TL;DR

Jerry Goldsmith composed over 300 film and television scores. He won his only Oscar for The Omen 1976 in 1977. For Planet of the Apes 1968, he used horns without mouthpieces. He died of lung cancer at age 75 on July 21, 2004.

Identity & family.

KIN · 8

Names, aliases, and relatives of Jerry Goldsmith — birth name, kin, and personal ties.

Birth Name Jerrald King Goldsmith

Native Name Jerrald Goldsmith

Aliases Jerrald K. Goldsmith

Parents: Morris Goldsmith
Spouses: Carol Heather Goldsmith Sharon Hennagin
Children: Joel Goldsmith Aaron Goldsmith Carrie Goldsmith Jennifer Goldsmith Ellen Goldsmith Edson

At a glance.

STATS

Jerry Goldsmith by the numbers — life, work, and family.

75 Years lived

4 Awards

2 Marriages

5 Children

Who was Jerry Goldsmith?

BIOGRAPHY

Jerry Goldsmith — early life, career, personal life, and legacy.

Early life

Goldsmith studied piano with Jakob Gimpel and composition with Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, later taking film composition classes from Miklós Rózsa at the University of Southern California. His father was Morris Goldsmith. In 1950, he started as a clerk typist at CBS, where he composed weekly scores for radio shows like Romance and CBS Radio Workshop. He remained at CBS until 1960; by then he had scored The Twilight Zone 1959.

Career

In 1962, Alfred Newman hired Goldsmith to score Lonely Are the Brave, his first major feature film. He earned Oscar nominations for Freud 1962, A Patch of Blue 1965, The Sand Pebbles 1966, and Planet of the Apes 1968. For The Omen 1976, he won the Academy Award for Best Original Score in 1977, a result he himself doubted.

Goldsmith scored films like Patton 1970, Chinatown 1974, The Boys from Brazil 1978, Star Trek: The Motion Picture 1979, and Gremlins 1984. On Planet of the Apes, he used horns without mouthpieces. His frequent orchestrators were Alexander Courage and Arthur Morton.

Personal life

Goldsmith married twice. He and Sharon Hennagin were married from 1950 to 1970. He married Carol Heather Goldsmith in 1972 and remained with her until his death. He had five children: Joel, Aaron, Carrie, Jennifer, and Ellen. Joel also became a composer. Goldsmith is buried at Hillside Memorial Park in Los Angeles.

Legacy

AFI’s 100 Years of Film Scores ranks Goldsmith’s Chinatown 1974 at #9 and his Planet of the Apes 1968 at #18. He received a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6752 Hollywood Boulevard. He composed the Universal Pictures logo theme that has been in use since 1997. Henry Mancini said of Goldsmith, He scared the hell out of the rest of us. Goldsmith’s scores spanned orchestral and electronic styles.

Awards & honors.

AWARDS · 4

Every award, honor, and recognition received by Jerry Goldsmith — Grammys, hall-of-fame inductions, civic honors, lifetime achievements.

Emmy Award
Academy Award for Best Original Score
Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Original Song
star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

Notable quotes.

QUOTES · 4

A wall of memorable lines from Jerry Goldsmith — lyrics, interviews, and off-the-cuff remarks captured over a lifetime.

If Our Music Survives, Which I Have No Doubt It Will, Then It Will Be Because It Is Good.
A Good String Section and an Orchestra Are the First Things I Think of When I Start a Project. the Strings Are Particularly Important to Me. with Them I Can Do Any Kind of Picture. After the Human Voice, They Are the Most Expressive Instrument I Know.
I Would Have Burned Out a Long Time Ago If I Just Took a Job, the Money and Ran with It. There’s Still a Challenge for Me in Scoring Films. I’m Willing to Tackle an Interesting Project If It Offers Me a Chance to Do Something I Haven’t Done Before. When I’m Excited About Something, the Creativity Just Flows. I Like a Good Creative Fight. the Soundtrack Will Always Get Done. but I’m Not Happy Until It Gets Done Well.
When I Get a Fantasy Film Job, the First Thing I Look for Is the Non-fantasy Element to Build the Music Upon. the Human Side of the Film Is What’s Important, Not the Hardware. My Work on ‘Poltergeist’ Is a Perfect Example. Most People Saw It as a Ghost Story and a Horror Story. I Saw It as a Love Story and Wrote the Music with That Emotion in Mind. There Is No Formula to Finding What Musically Fits a Science Fiction Film. I Just Look for the Emotion. When I Don’t Find Those, It Makes Things More Difficult.

Did you know?

FACTS · 24

Little-known facts about Jerry Goldsmith — origins, oddities, and behind-the-scenes details from a public life.

Goldsmith believed Star Trek: First Contact from 1996 was the best Star Trek film he ever scored.
In a tribute speech, Henry Mancini noted Goldsmith’s versatility and musical genius, stating he scared the hell out of the rest of us.
After eight Oscar losses, Goldsmith was so sure he would lose for The Omen 1976 that he nearly skipped the ceremony; producer Harvey Bernhard convinced him to attend, and he won.
His scores for Chinatown 1974 and Planet of the Apes 1968 are ranked #9 and #18 respectively on AFI’s 100 Years of Film Scores.
When the first score for Chinatown by Phillip Lambro was rejected, Goldsmith composed and recorded a replacement score in just three weeks.
He called his score for Basic Instinct 1992 the most complex film score he ever composed.
While conducting the score for Planet of the Apes 1968, he wore an ape mask.
He wrote the current Universal Pictures logo theme that has been used since 1997.
He studied under Miklós Rózsa.
Goldsmith considered Total Recall 1990 one of his best scores.
He frequently chose Alexander Courage as his orchestrator.
The Secret of NIMH 1982 was his first animated film score; he volunteered extra weeks to refine it and helped introduce the film to Steven Spielberg.
He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame posthumously at 6752 Hollywood Boulevard, in front of the Music Institute.
He was offered the score for Superman 1978 but it went to John Williams; he later scored Supergirl 1984.
His opening theme for The Mummy 1999 was used in the trailer for The Road to El Dorado 2000.
He was the first choice to compose Predator 1987 but was unavailable.
Goldsmith repeatedly stated that his favorite score was for Islands in the Stream 1977.
He was the first choice for The Thing 1982 but passed, leading to Ennio Morricone being hired.
For most of his career, he chose Arthur Morton as his primary orchestrator, later adding Alexander Courage, then Mark McKenzie.
He composed the 1976 Paramount TV jingle used from fall 1976 to fall 1978.
He is buried at Hillside Memorial Park in Los Angeles.
He regularly conducted concerts of his music with the London Symphony Orchestra.
His son Aaron is with his second wife Carol Heather Goldsmith.
With first wife Sharon Hennagin, he had children Ellen, Carrie, Jennifer, and composer Joel.

You wanted to know.

FAQ · 34

Quick answers to the questions readers ask most about Jerry Goldsmith.

When was Jerry Goldsmith born?

Jerry Goldsmith was born on February 10, 1929. His full birth name was Jerrald King Goldsmith.
Where was Jerry Goldsmith born?

He was born in Los Angeles, California, USA. The city is known for its film industry, which later became his career.
When did Jerry Goldsmith die?

Jerry Goldsmith died on July 21, 2004. He was 75 years old at the time of his death.
How old was Jerry Goldsmith when he died?

He was 75 years old. He passed away in 2004 after a long battle with lung cancer.
Where did Jerry Goldsmith die?

He died in Beverly Hills, California, USA. This is a city near his birthplace of Los Angeles.
How did Jerry Goldsmith die?

He died from lung cancer. He had been battling the disease for some time before his death in July 2004.
What was Jerry Goldsmith's real name?

His real name was Jerrald King Goldsmith. He was often credited as Jerry Goldsmith professionally.
What did Jerry Goldsmith do for a living?

He was a composer and music crew member, primarily known for composing film and television scores. He worked for decades in Hollywood.
What nationality was Jerry Goldsmith?

He was American. He held citizenship in the United States and lived most of his life in California.
Who were Jerry Goldsmith's parents?

His father was Morris Goldsmith. Information about his mother is not widely available.
Who was Jerry Goldsmith married to?

He was married twice: to Sharon Hennagin from 1950 to 1970, and to Carol Heather Goldsmith from 1972 until his death in 2004.
Did Jerry Goldsmith have children?

Yes, he had five children: Joel Goldsmith, Aaron Goldsmith, Carrie Goldsmith, Jennifer Goldsmith, and Ellen Goldsmith Edson. His son Joel also became a composer.
Where did Jerry Goldsmith go to school?

He attended the University of Southern California and studied at the USC Thornton School of Music. He also studied privately with notable teachers.
What awards did Jerry Goldsmith win?

He won an Emmy Award, the Academy Award for Best Original Score for The Omen 1976, a Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Original Song, and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
How many Academy Awards did Jerry Goldsmith win?

He won one Academy Award, for Best Original Score for The Omen in 1977. He received a total of 17 Oscar nominations.
What is Jerry Goldsmith best known for?

He is best known for composing scores for films such as The Omen, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Planet of the Apes, Chinatown, and Gremlins.
What was Jerry Goldsmith's first major film score?

His first major feature film score was Lonely Are the Brave 1962, hired by Alfred Newman.
How many Oscar nominations did Jerry Goldsmith receive?

He received 17 Academy Award nominations throughout his career, winning only once for The Omen.
Did Jerry Goldsmith win an Emmy?

Yes, he won an Emmy Award, though the specific project is not listed in the source. He also received many other honors.
What was Jerry Goldsmith's only Oscar win for?

He won the Oscar for Best Original Score for the 1976 horror film The Omen, directed by Richard Donner.
Was Jerry Goldsmith married to Carol Heather Goldsmith?

Yes, they were married in 1972 and remained together until his death in 2004. Carol was his second wife.
What was the cause of Jerry Goldsmith's death?

He died from lung cancer at the age of 75 in Beverly Hills, California.
Where is Jerry Goldsmith buried?

He is buried at Hillside Memorial Park in Los Angeles, California, located at 6001 Centinela Avenue.
Did Jerry Goldsmith compose for animated films?

Yes, his first animated film score was The Secret of NIMH 1982, which he said was among his personal favorites.
What was Jerry Goldsmith's favorite score?

He repeatedly stated that his score for Islands in the Stream 1977 was his favorite of all his work.
Did Jerry Goldsmith compose the Universal logo theme?

Yes, he wrote the current Universal Pictures logo theme that has been used since 1997.
What was Jerry Goldsmith's nickname or alias?

He was sometimes credited as Jerrald K. Goldsmith. His native name was Jerrald Goldsmith.
Who taught Jerry Goldsmith?

He studied under Miklós Rózsa at USC and also learned from Jakob Gimpel and Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco.
What was Jerry Goldsmith's approach to film scoring?

He was an experimentalist. For Planet of the Apes 1968, he used horns without mouthpieces and other unconventional techniques.
Did Jerry Goldsmith act in any films?

He had uncredited cameo appearances in Gremlins 1984 as a pay-phone patron and in Gremlins 2: The New Batch as a yogurt customer.
What is Jerry Goldsmith's connection to Star Trek?

He composed the score for Star Trek: The Motion Picture 1979 and several other Star Trek films, including First Contact 1996, which he considered the best.
Did Jerry Goldsmith work with Alfred Newman?

Yes, Alfred Newman hired him to score his first major feature film, Lonely Are the Brave 1962.
What is the significance of Chinatown to Goldsmith?

He composed the score in just three weeks after the original score by Phillip Lambro was rejected. The score is now ranked #9 on AFI’s list.
Did Jerry Goldsmith perform his music in concert?

Yes, he regularly conducted concerts of his music, especially with the London Symphony Orchestra.

View all 34 questions View fewer questions

Audited & updated by

If something's wrong in a profile, Daniel will find it. With 7 years of research experience, he's developed an almost unreasonable eye for inaccurate career timelines, misattributed credits, and dates that don't quite add up. He doesn't publish anything he can't verify. The profiles on Famousy are as accurate as they are largely because of work you'll never see his name on.

Published on October 1, 2026

Report an issue

If something on this page looks off, we genuinely want to know about it. Send us a quick email with the celebrity's name, the detail that seems incorrect, and any sources you're referencing. We review every report and update the page as soon as we can.

Report an issue