John Williams
This image appears in the gallery:
The best American composers

2. John Williams
Think of a major blockbuster from the past 40 years, and it's likely John Williams provided the music: Stars Wars, E.T., Jurassic Park and Schindler's List are just a tiny list of the films that Williams has soundtracked. Born in Long Island in 1932 Williams has won five Academy Awards and four Golden Globe Awards and was was inducted into the Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame in 2000.