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American composer best known for his frequent collaborations with director Tim Burton and his distinctive, often darkly whimsical film scores. Born in Los Angeles, Elfman initially pursued music without formal training. He co-founded the eclectic rock band Oingo Boingo in 1979, serving as its lead singer and songwriter until its dissolution in 1995. His film scoring career began with Tim Burton's "Pee-wee's Big Adventure" (1985), launching a prolific partnership. Elfman has composed iconic scores for numerous major films, including "Batman" (1989), "Edward Scissorhands" (1990), "The Nightmare Before Christmas" (1993), "Men in Black" (1997), and "Spider-Man" (2002), among many others. He has received multiple Academy Award nominations and is renowned for his unique blend of orchestral, choral, and electronic elements.

• Despite becoming one of Hollywood's most sought-after composers, Elfman had no formal music education and was largely self-taught in orchestration, learning by studying scores and collaborating.
• His collaboration with Tim Burton is one of the most iconic director-composer partnerships in film history, spanning over 15 films including "Beetlejuice," "Batman Returns," "Big Fish," and "Alice in Wonderland."
• Elfman was almost rejected for scoring "Batman" (1989) by Warner Bros. executives who deemed him unqualified; Tim Burton fought fiercely for him, leading to the film's iconic score.
• A serious back injury in the early 1990s forced him to stop performing live with Oingo Boingo, accelerating his shift towards full-time film composition.
• He composed the iconic theme music for the long-running television series "The Simpsons."
• Sources like Elfman's own interviews and documentaries (e.g., "Danny Elfman's Music from the Films of Tim Burton") detail his unconventional path and creative process.