Carter Burwell

Photo of Carter Burwell

Biography

Though known primarily as the one-and-only composer to have worked with Joel and Ethan Coen, Carter Burwell amassed an impressive resume that included some of Hollywood's biggest films of the 1990s and 2000s. After launching his career with the haunting score for "Blood Simple" (1984) and the loopy banjo-laced compositions for "Raising Arizona" (1987), Burwell wrote music for a wide and varied slate of films that included everything from …
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Job Title

Actor, Music

Born

November 18, 1955

Career Milestones

2009

Composed the music for "Where the Wild Things Are"; earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Original Score

1998

Wrote the theme music for the UPN animated series "Dilbert"

1998

Scored "Gods and Monsters"

1996

Reteamed with the Coes brothers to score "Fargo"

1991

First minimalist score for "Barton Fink"; score melded with other sound elements; only about 20 bars of music in the film

1990

First TV score for "Framed"

1990

Composed first orchestral score, for the Coens' "Miller's Crossing"

1984

Provided computer graphics for Yoshiaki Kawajiri and Kazuyuki Hirokawa's "Lensman", an animated science fiction feature

1984

Wrote first film score, for the Coen Brothers' "Blood Simple"

Sat in as a keyboardist with various bands in his spare time

Worked for a few years after graduation in biology labs doing computer graphics, animation, and digital image processing

Awards

2010

Critics' Choice Award for Best Score in True Grit

2009

Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score - Motion Picture in Where the Wild Things Are

2009

Critics' Choice Award for Best Score in Where the Wild Things Are

2000

BAFTA Award for Anthony Asquith Award For Achievement In Film Music in O Brother, Where Art Thou?