< Awesome Music

Awesome Music/The Newmans

If we mention “filmmaking” and “Newman” in the same sentence, the first thing that comes to mind is the iconic film actor Paul Newman. Not to take anything away from Mr. Newman, but there’s another entire family of Newmans which has significantly shaped the Hollywood film industry for three generations. The Newman family have been composing music for films (film scoring) since 1931. And in the world of film music, the Newmans cemented themselves as Crowning Music of Awesome royalty (the only family dynasty of its kind in Hollywood.) The name Newman has been an important one since the medium of film music first began, and it will continue to be for many years to come.

Family trivia:

  • David Newman received an Academy Award nomination for the score to the animated film Anastasia, following his father, Alfred, who scored the 1956 live-action version.
  • In WALL-E, the soundtrack features excerpts from "Put On Your Sunday Clothes" and "It Only Takes a Moment" (both sung by Michael Crawford) from the film Hello, Dolly! (1969). Coincidentally, Thomas Newman's uncle Lionel worked on Hello, Dolly!
  • Joey Newman, grandson of Lionel Newman, began a fruitful collaboration with his cousin Randy, providing orchestrations for Universal’s Seabiscuit and later Disney/Pixar's Cars.
  • Altogether, the members of this musical clan have been nominated for 70 Oscars, with Alfred winning nine, Lionel winning one, and Randy winning two Oscars.

See also Pixar/Awesome Music for Pixar films Thomas and Randy composed for, as well as Awesome Music (Disney film) for Randy's work on The Princess and the Frog and Anastasia (Animation)/Awesome Music for David's work on Don Bluth's Anastasia.

Alfred Newman

The patriarch and the most influential composer to ever wield a baton in Hollywood. Also has two brothers who were also composers and conductors of their own right: Lionel Newman (who took over the position of head of music after he left in 1960 and was instrumental in the careers of John Williams and Jerry Goldsmith and also won an Oscar for his work on Hello, Dolly! )and Emil Newman (who was nominated for an Oscar for musical direction on the classic Sun Valley Serenade.) Nominated for 45 Oscars and took home nine!!!


David Newman

Son of Alfred, brother to Thomas, and cousin to Randy. He is an accomplished violinist, and successful concert conductor.

For Anastasia, see here.


Thomas Newman

Another son of Alfred. He has received a total of ten Academy Award nominations, although as of 2011, he has yet to win the award (he does, however, have an Emmy for Six Feet Under). For WALL-E, see Pixar/Awesome Music.

Randy Newman

Alfred's nephew, known more as a songwriter but is still famous for his film scores (and songs). He has received twenty Oscar nominations and won twice for Monsters, Inc. and |Toy Story 3; he also won three Emmys, one for Cop Rock and two for Monk. See Awesome Music (Disney film) and Pixar/Awesome Music for more.

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