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Am Yerima was born on July 20, 1992 in Kaduna State, Nigeria, and he grew up in Kaduna city in the northwest. From a young age he showed discipline and a quiet determination that later guided his life in uniform.
He was admitted to Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria in 2011 to study Mass Communication in the Faculty of Social Sciences, a path he later redirected when he moved to military training at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in Kaduna. Am Yerima is 33 years old as of 2025.
>Lieutenant Yerima serves in the Nigerian Navy and holds the rank of Lieutenant. He has been attached to elite units and is known to operate with the Special Boat Service, the Navy’s special operations wing. He served aboard the Nigerian Navy Ship NNS Kada and took part in international exercises that built his operational experience, including Exercise Flintlock in 2018 held in Agadez, Niger.
Over the years he earned recognition inside service circles for professional conduct, discipline, and a visible commitment to following lawful orders. His career path — switching from a civilian university program into full military training and then special operations service — highlights a clear focus on service and tactical skill.
Lt Am Yerima Controversies With Wike
On November 11, 2025, Lieutenant AM Yerima became widely known across Nigeria after a tense confrontation in the Gaduwa District of Abuja. The incident happened at Plot 1946, a parcel of land that the FCT administration said was under dispute and linked to a retired Chief of Naval Staff. Officials from the Federal Capital Territory, led by Minister Nyesom Wike, arrived to enforce a stop-work or control order. Naval officers led by Lt. Yerima had deployed to guard the site amid claims the land was being protected by military personnel.
Video footage from that day shows Minister Wike attempting to enter the site and being stopped by military personnel who formed a human barrier. The minister and the officer exchanged heated words, with Wike angrily telling the officer to “shut up” and the officer replying he would not be silenced and that he was acting on orders. The short, sharp exchange and the dramatic visuals of a uniformed officer standing his ground against a sitting minister made the clip go viral and sparked wide debate around the country.
Lt Am Yerima Biography
Public reaction was immediate and mixed. Many people praised Lieutenant Yerima for his calm stance and for appearing to act within the chain of command. Others questioned the appropriateness of military personnel guarding private land, and legal voices urged caution about turning the moment into a symbol without full facts.
The debate moved quickly from social media to mainstream news and commentary, with some commentators defending the officer and others urging that civilian authorities and military channels resolve such disputes privately to avoid undermining public trust. The clip became a focal point in larger conversations about land governance, rule of law, and the proper lines between civil authority and military duty.
Beyond social media debate, a formal veterans’ group publicly condemned the way the minister spoke to a uniformed officer. The Coalition of Military Veterans described the confrontation as “disgraceful and unbecoming of a public office holder,” and urged that grievances should have been taken up through the Chief of Naval Staff rather than in public.
The veterans’ group warned that any punitive action against the officer for following orders would meet strong opposition from ex-service members. This reaction from veterans highlighted how the incident tapped into deeper concerns about respect for service members and the need for clear procedures when civil officials have disputes with military personnel.
Why This Moment Matters
The faceoff involving Lt. Yerima matters because it shows how a single moment can spark national discussion on several urgent issues. It raised questions about how land disputes are handled in Abuja, how civilian authorities should interact with the military, and how respect for institutions is preserved in public conduct.
The episode also emphasized the human side of duty: a young officer in uniform, following orders and trying to fulfill his role, while a high-ranking civilian official tried to assert administrative control. For many Nigerians the image of calm professionalism on the one hand and sharp political temper on the other became a clear and troubling symbol of how friction between institutions can quickly become public drama.
Conclusion
The events of November 11, 2025 pushed him into the national spotlight and prompted a broad debate about military-civil relations, land governance, and public respect for uniformed officers. Whether one sees him as simply following orders or as a figure of quiet courage, the episode underlines the need for clear rules, better communication between civilian and military leaders, and respect for lawful processes to prevent similar clashes in future.
FAQs
Who is Lt A.M. Yerima and where is he from?
Lt A.M. Yerima is a naval officer from Kaduna State, Nigeria, who grew up in Kaduna city and later trained at the Nigerian Defence Academy before serving in the Nigerian Navy.
What happened between Lt Yerima and FCT Minister Wike?
On November 11, 2025, at Plot 1946 in Gaduwa, Abuja, Minister Wike and his team clashed with military personnel led by Lt Yerima over a disputed land, an encounter that was captured on video and widely shared.
Why did the incident draw the attention of military veterans?
A veterans’ coalition condemned the minister’s public language toward a uniformed officer and argued that grievances should be handled through military leadership, not public confrontation.
What broader issues did the confrontation raise?
The clash raised questions about land governance in Abuja, the boundaries between civilian authority and military roles, and how public officials should address disputes involving uniformed personnel.
Yami Gautam and Emraan Hashmi-led courtroom drama, directed by Suparn Varma, is heading towards an unfortunate end at the box office. Details Inside.
HAQ is looking to collect around Rs. 30 to 35 lakh on its second Monday. The movie witnessed a drastic drop today, which is roughly 50 per cent over the second Friday, which was itself a low figure. The movie has now sealed its fate, which is not favourable. The running total of HAQ has reached Rs. 16.75 crore net at the Indian box office.
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Directed by Suparn Varma, the Yami Gautam and Emraan Hashmi starrer opened with Rs. 1.80 crore and wrapped its opening week at Rs. 13.45 crore, followed by an underwhelming second weekend of Rs. 3 crore. The movie is likely to wrap its theatrical run around the Rs. 20 crore mark, which means it is heading towards a flop verdict. The movie suffered majorly due to its low opening and then a poor box office trend, despite receiving positive feedback from the audience and the critics.
Hope the movie finds love and the much-needed appreciation on its OTT release.
Box office collection of HAQ in India:
Day
Net India Box Office
1
Rs. 1.80 crore
2
Rs. 3.25 crore
3
Rs. 3.75 crore
4
Rs. 1.10 crore
5
Rs. 1.50 crore
6
Rs. 1.05 crore
7
Rs. 1.00 crore
8
Rs. 0.60 crore
9
Rs. 1.10 crore
10
Rs. 1.30 crore
11
Rs. 0.30 - 0.35 crore (est.)
Total
Rs. 16.75 crore
For the unversed, Haq is inspired by the landmark Shah Bano vs Ahmad Khan case, which shook the country in 1985. It marks the second film in Suparn Varma's legal drama trilogy, with Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai being the first.
Stay tuned to Pinkvilla for more updates.
Disclaimer: The box office figures are compiled from various sources and our research. The figures can be approximate, and Pinkvilla does not make any claims about the authenticity of the data. However, they are adequately indicative of the box-office performance of the films in question.
HAQ Box Office: Emraan Hashmi and Yami Gautam-led film hits new low,
HAQ has hit a new low by collecting Rs. 60 lakh on its second Friday, registering a drop of 40 percent over Thursday. The movie, starring Emraan Hashmi and Yami Gautam in the lead roles, is struggling to gain traction at the box office, despite receiving a positive reception from the critics and the audience. The drop is concerning; however, it has the potential to record a spike on Saturday and Sunday.
Directed by Suparn Varma of Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai and The Family Man Season 2 fame, the courtroom drama opened with Rs. 1.80 crore and wrapped its opening week at Rs. 13.65 crore. The running total cumulative of HAQ has now reached Rs. 14.05 crore net at the Indian box office. Depending on how the movie holds further against Ajay Devgn's De De Pyaar De 2, it will determine how far it can go in the long run.
The movie has performed better than Emraan Hashmi's last solo release, Ground Zero, but remained miles away from Yami Gautam's last solo release, Article 370. So far, the fate of HAQ is heading toward an unfavourable outcome. Let's see if it can gain good traction in the long run.
Box office collection of HAQ in India:
Day
Net India Box Office
1
Rs. 1.80 crore
2
Rs. 3.25 crore
3
Rs. 3.75 crore
4
Rs. 1.10 crore
5
Rs. 1.50 crore
6
Rs. 1.05 crore
7
Rs. 1.00 crore
8
Rs. 0.60 crore (est.)
Total
Rs. 14.05 crore
Stay tuned to Pinkvilla for more updates.
Disclaimer: The box office figures are compiled from various sources and our research. The figures can be approximate, and Pinkvilla does not make any claims about the authenticity of the data. However, they are adequately indicative of the box-office performance of the films in question.
Ennio Morricone was born in Rome on 10 November 1928. His long artistic career includes a wide range of composition genres, from absolute concert music to applied music, working as orchestrator, conductor and composer for theatre, radio and cinema.
In 1946, Ennio received his trumpet diploma and in 1954 he received his diploma in Composition at the Conservatorio di Santa Cecilia under the guidance of Goffredo Petrassi.
He wrote his first concert works at the end of the 1950s, then worked as arranger for RAI (the Italian broadcasting company) and RCA-Italy. He started his career as a film music composer in 1961 with the film Il Federale directed by Luciano Salce. World fame followed through the Sergio Leone westerns:
A Fistful of Dollars (1964), For a Few Dollars More (1965), The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (1966), Once Upon a Time in The West (1968) and A Fistful of Dynamite (1971).
Ennio Morricone biography chronicles the legendary composer’s 500+ film scores, Academy Awards, and revolutionary work in Spaghetti Westerns.
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Who is Ennio Morricone?
Ennio Morricone was an Italian composer, orchestrator, conductor, and trumpeter who revolutionised film music and became one of the most prolific and influential composers in cinema history.
Born on 10 November 1928 in Rome, Italy, the Ennio Morricone biography traces an extraordinary seven-decade career spanning from his early days as a trumpet student to becoming the maestro behind over 500 film and television scores. His innovative approach to film composition—incorporating unconventional instruments like electric guitars, harmonicas, bells, and the distinctive twang of the Jew’s harp—fundamentally transformed how music functions in cinema.
Morricone gained worldwide fame through his legendary collaboration with director Sergio Leone on the “Dollars Trilogy” starring Clint Eastwood. His haunting, atmospheric scores for “A Fistful of Dollars” (1964), “For a Few Dollars More” (1965), and “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” (1966) redefined the Spaghetti Western genre and influenced generations of composers.
The maestro received numerous accolades throughout his illustrious career, including two Academy Awards, three Grammy Awards, three Golden Globes, six BAFTAs, and the prestigious Polar Music Prize. At 88 years old, he became the oldest person to win a competitive Oscar for “The Hateful Eight”‘s score.
Ennio Morricone passed away on 6 July 2020 in Rome at age 91, leaving behind an unparalleled musical legacy that continues to inspire composers, filmmakers, and music lovers worldwide.
Ennio Morricone was born on 10 November 1928 in Trastevere, the 13th rione (district) of Rome, Italy. He was the eldest of five children born to Mario Morricone and Libera Ridolfi.
Family Background
Ennio’s father, Mario Morricone, was a professional jazz trumpet player who performed in nightclubs and various musical ensembles. This musical environment profoundly influenced young Ennio’s development. His mother, Libera Ridolfi, was a housewife and entrepreneur who supported the family.
Ennio grew up alongside four siblings: brothers Aldo (who tragically died at age three) and Franco, and sisters Adriana and Maria. His sister Adriana would later play an unwitting role in his romantic life, as she introduced him to his future wife.
Childhood Prodigy
Morricone’s musical talent manifested extraordinarily early. His father began teaching him to read music and play various instruments from a young age. By age six, Ennio had written his first composition—a remarkable achievement that foreshadowed his prodigious career.
The family’s musical activities served as Ennio’s introduction to performance. His father gave him his first trumpet lessons, and the instrument became Ennio’s primary means of musical expression during his formative years.
World War II Experiences
During the Second World War, which Morricone later described as “terrible years”, the family would gather to pray the Rosary together, seeking comfort amidst the bombing of Rome. Morricone recalled falling asleep to the sound of his mother’s prayers whilst bombs fell outside—a memory that stayed with him throughout his life.
“We were all very affected,” he remembered years later. “I recall myself sleepily responding to the Hail Marys of my mother. We were always religious.”
The death of his younger brother Aldo at just three years old deeply affected Morricone. He later stated that this loss influenced his desire to “make life more beautiful in order to help decipher the mystery” of death.
Education and Musical Training
Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia
At age 12, Ennio Morricone enrolled at Rome’s prestigious Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia (Santa Cecilia Conservatory), one of the oldest musical institutions in the world.
His exceptional talent was immediately evident. The conservatory had a four-year harmony programme that Morricone completed in just six months—a testament to his extraordinary musical intelligence.
Comprehensive Musical Education
Morricone studied trumpet under Umberto Semproni, mastering the instrument that would remain close to his heart throughout his career. However, his education extended far beyond performance.
Between 1940 and 1952, Morricone obtained diplomas in:
Trumpet
Composition
Instrumentation for band
Choral composition
Choral direction
This comprehensive training provided him with the technical foundation for his future innovations in film scoring. Unlike many film composers who rely heavily on orchestrators, Morricone would write down every note himself, considering composition and orchestration as parts of a single, indivisible process.
Early Compositions
Morricone’s earliest professional composition, “Il Mattino” (The Morning), dates from 1946 when he was just 18 years old. This piece marked the beginning of his absolute music production, which would eventually include over 100 classical works.
During his student years, Morricone also participated in school performances and began developing the work ethic that would characterise his entire career—the discipline to compose daily, to experiment fearlessly, and to treat every project with utmost seriousness.
Career Beginnings: Arrangements and Ghost Writing
Work as Studio Arranger
Upon completing his formal education in 1952, Morricone began his professional career as an arranger and composer for radio productions. During the late 1950s, he worked briefly for RAI (Radiotelevisione Italiana), the Italian national public broadcasting company, creating arrangements for radio shows.
In the mid-1950s, Morricone secured a position as top studio arranger at RCA Victor, a role that would prove instrumental in developing his versatility. At RCA, he orchestrated over 500 songs and collaborated with prominent artists including:
Paul Anka: The Canadian-American singer with whom Morricone co-wrote “Ogni Volta”, a single that sold over three million copies worldwide
Chet Baker: The legendary American jazz trumpeter
Mina: One of Italy’s most beloved pop singers
Rita Pavone: Popular Italian singer
Mario Lanza: The American tenor and actor
This period taught Morricone how to work within commercial constraints whilst maintaining artistic integrity—skills that would serve him well in film composition.
Ghost Writing for Films
Morricone began composing music for film projects as a ghost writer in the late 1950s. His first film credit came in 1961, though he had been contributing uncredited work for several years before that.
In 1959, he worked as an uncredited co-composer on Mario Nascimbene’s score for “Morte di un Amico” (Death of a Friend). This apprenticeship period, though largely anonymous, allowed Morricone to learn the craft of film scoring whilst supporting himself financially.
Early Film Credits
Morricone’s official film debut came with “Il Federale” (The Fascist Leader) in 1961, directed by Luciano Salce. The score was relatively conventional but demonstrated his ability to compose atmospheric music that enhanced narrative.
Throughout the early 1960s, Morricone worked on various Italian films, slowly building a reputation as a reliable, talented composer. However, nothing in these early works predicted the revolution he would soon bring to film music.
The Sergio Leone Collaboration: Redefining the Western
Childhood Friends Reunited
Ennio Morricone and Sergio Leone had been classmates during their school years in Rome. When Leone, now an aspiring film director, needed a composer for his first major western in 1964, he remembered his old friend’s musical talent.
Leone hired Morricone for “Per un Pugno di Dollari” (A Fistful of Dollars) based partly on the strength of some song arrangements Morricone had done. This decision would change both their lives and the course of film music history.
Revolutionising the Spaghetti Western
“A Fistful of Dollars” (1964) introduced Morricone’s revolutionary approach to western film music. Instead of the traditional orchestral scores that dominated Hollywood westerns, Morricone created a sparse, atmospheric soundscape using unconventional instrumentation:
Electric guitars creating twangy, reverberating sounds
Harmonicas providing haunting melodies
Bells adding ethereal qualities
The Jew’s harp producing its distinctive twang
Whistling as a melodic instrument
Gunshots and whipcracks as rhythmic elements
Anvils for percussion
This unorthodox orchestration, combined with memorable melodic themes, created an instantly recognizable sonic identity for Leone’s films.
The Dollars Trilogy
The success of “A Fistful of Dollars” led to two sequels:
“For a Few Dollars More” (1965): Morricone expanded his musical palette, creating more complex thematic material whilst maintaining the sparse, atmospheric quality of the first film.
“The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” (1966): This score became Morricone’s most famous work. The main theme, with its iconic whistling, gunshots, and crescendo, is instantly recognizable worldwide. “The Ecstasy of Gold”, played during the film’s climactic cemetery scene, became one of the most celebrated pieces of film music ever written.
The soundtrack from “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2009, cementing its status as a cultural landmark.
Creative Partnership
Leone and Morricone developed an unusually close creative partnership. Leone once described their collaboration as “a marriage like Catholics used to be married before the divorce laws”—permanent and inseparable.
Morricone returned the compliment, saying: “Leone wanted more from music than other directors—he always gave it more space.”
Leone often shot scenes to Morricone’s pre-recorded music, allowing the composer’s work to directly influence the visual rhythm and pacing of films. This was unusual for the era and demonstrated Leone’s extraordinary trust in Morricone’s musical vision.
Beyond the Trilogy
The Morricone-Leone partnership continued with:
“Once Upon a Time in the West” (1968): Featuring the haunting theme “Man with a Harmonica”, this score is considered by many to be Morricone’s masterpiece. The music was recorded before filming began, with Leone choreographing action sequences to match Morricone’s compositions.
“Duck, You Sucker!” (also known as “A Fistful of Dynamite”, 1971): Featured a more romantically inflected score, showing Morricone’s ability to adapt his style to different narrative tones.
“Once Upon a Time in America” (1984): Leone’s final film featured one of Morricone’s most lush, emotional scores, demonstrating how far both artists had evolved since their western collaborations.
Impact on Western Cinema
Morricone’s work with Leone fundamentally changed how westerns sounded. Every subsequent western score—from “The Wild Bunch” to “Django Unchained”—reflects Morricone’s influence. Directors like Sam Peckinpah, Clint Eastwood, and Quentin Tarantino have cited Morricone’s Leone scores as transformative inspirations.
Despite being synonymous with Spaghetti Westerns, Morricone was keen to point out that of his approximately 500 film scores, only about 35 were westerns—just over 8% of his total output.
“I’ve worked on 400 films, and only 30 of them were westerns,” he stated in an interview. “In other words, I’m not an expert [in westerns] because I’ve tried everything. I am an expert in music.”
This versatility became Morricone’s hallmark, as he composed successfully across every film genre imaginable.
Horror and Thriller Scores
Morricone composed memorable scores for numerous horror and thriller films:
Dario Argento’s Animal Trilogy: Including “The Bird with the Crystal Plumage” (1970), “The Cat o’ Nine Tails” (1971), and “Four Flies on Grey Velvet” (1971). These scores featured avant-garde techniques and unsettling atmospheres.
“The Thing” (1982): Directed by John Carpenter, this score created an atmosphere of isolation and dread using electronic and orchestral elements.
“Exorcist II: The Heretic” (1977): A controversial sequel for which Morricone created an otherworldly, religious-themed score.
Political and Historical Dramas
“The Battle of Algiers” (1966): Gillo Pontecorvo’s influential political film about the Algerian independence movement featured Morricone’s powerful, percussion-driven score.
“1900” (1976): Bernardo Bertolucci’s epic about Italian class struggle in the 20th century showcased Morricone’s ability to compose for sprawling historical narratives.
“Days of Heaven” (1978): Terrence Malick’s visually stunning film earned Morricone his first Oscar nomination for its pastoral, meditative score.
Comedies and Lighter Fare
Morricone even composed for comedies, including:
“La Cage aux Folles” (1978): Édouard Molinaro’s successful farce about a gay couple running a nightclub. Morricone’s score balanced humour with genuine emotion.
Various Italian comedies throughout the 1960s and 1970s demonstrated his ability to write light, entertaining music without sacrificing quality.
Hollywood Recognition and International Success
Transition to Hollywood
From the 1970s onwards, Morricone’s reputation attracted Hollywood directors eager to work with the maestro. His expansion into English-language cinema brought his music to even wider audiences.
“The Untouchables” (1987): Brian De Palma’s gangster epic about Eliot Ness and Al Capone showcased Morricone’s ability to create period-appropriate jazz-inflected scores. This earned him another Oscar nomination.
“Casualties of War” (1989): Another De Palma collaboration, addressing Vietnam War atrocities with a haunting, tragic score.
“Bugsy” (1991): Barry Levinson’s biography of mobster Bugsy Siegel earned Morricone yet another Oscar nomination for his lush, romantic score.
“In the Line of Fire” (1993): Wolfgang Petersen’s thriller starring Clint Eastwood reunited the composer with the star who had made him famous in the Leone westerns.
“Disclosure” (1994): Barry Levinson’s corporate thriller demonstrated Morricone’s skill with contemporary, suspenseful scoring.
Working with American Directors
Morricone collaborated with numerous celebrated American filmmakers:
Don Siegel: “Two Mules for Sister Sara” (1970)
Mike Nichols: “Wolf” (1994)
Oliver Stone: “U Turn” (1997)
Warren Beatty: “Bulworth” (1998)
John Carpenter: “The Thing” (1982)
Each collaboration demonstrated Morricone’s adaptability to different directorial visions whilst maintaining his distinctive musical voice.
The Giuseppe Tornatore Partnership
A New Leone
After Sergio Leone’s death in 1989, Morricone found another long-term collaborator in Sicilian director Giuseppe Tornatore. Their partnership, spanning from 1988 until Morricone’s death, produced some of the composer’s most celebrated work.
“Cinema Paradiso” (1988)
This nostalgic film about cinema’s power earned Morricone widespread acclaim. The score’s main theme became one of his most performed concert pieces. The film won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, with much credit given to Morricone’s evocative music.
Continued Collaboration
Morricone scored all of Tornatore’s subsequent films, including:
“Everybody’s Fine” (1990)
“The Legend of 1900” (1998): Won Morricone a Golden Globe for Best Original Score
“Malèna” (2000): Earned Morricone his fifth Academy Award nomination
“The Unknown Woman” (2006)
“Baaria” (2009)
“The Best Offer” (2013)
“The Correspondence” (2016)
Documentary Tribute
In 2021, Tornatore released “Ennio”, a comprehensive documentary about Morricone’s life and work, featuring interviews with the composer, his collaborators, and admirers from around the world. The film premiered at the Venice International Film Festival, celebrating the maestro’s enduring influence.
Quentin Tarantino and Late Career Renaissance
Full Circle: Return to Westerns
In the 2000s and 2010s, director Quentin Tarantino—a lifelong admirer of Spaghetti Westerns and Morricone’s music—used the composer’s existing recordings in several films:
“Kill Bill Vol. 1 & 2” (2003-2004)
“Death Proof” (2007)
“Inglourious Basterds” (2009)
“Django Unchained” (2012)
Original Score for “The Hateful Eight” (2015)
When Tarantino began work on “The Hateful Eight”, he approached Morricone about composing an original score—the composer’s first western in over 40 years.
Morricone agreed, and the collaboration resulted in one of his final masterworks. The score’s cold, claustrophobic atmosphere perfectly matched Tarantino’s snowbound mystery-thriller.
Historic Oscar Win
At the 88th Academy Awards in 2016, Morricone won the Oscar for Best Original Score for “The Hateful Eight”. At age 87 (turning 88 later that year), he became the oldest person ever to win a competitive Oscar.
During his acceptance speech, delivered in Italian with English subtitles, Morricone dedicated the award to his wife Maria: “I dedicate this Oscar to my wife, Maria Travia, my mentor.”
This victory was particularly meaningful as it represented recognition for active, contemporary work rather than just lifetime achievement.
Awards, Honours and Recognition
Academy Awards
2007: Honorary Academy Award “for his magnificent and multifaceted contributions to the art of film music” (presented by Clint Eastwood)
2016: Academy Award for Best Original Score for “The Hateful Eight”
Additional Oscar Nominations (6 total):
“Days of Heaven” (1978)
“The Mission” (1986)
“The Untouchables” (1987)
“Bugsy” (1991)
“Malèna” (2000)
Grammy Awards (3 wins)
Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
Including recognition for “The Hateful Eight”
The soundtrack from “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2009
Golden Globe Awards (3 wins, 6 nominations)
Best Original Score for “The Legend of 1900” (1999)
Best Original Score for “The Hateful Eight” (2016)
BAFTA Awards (6 wins)
Multiple wins throughout his career for film composition
Italian Awards
10 David di Donatello Awards: Italy’s equivalent to the Oscars
11 Nastro d’Argento Awards: Italian film critics’ awards
2 European Film Awards
Other Major Honours
Polar Music Prize (2010): Sweden’s equivalent to the Nobel Prize for music
Golden Lion Honorary Award: Venice Film Festival
Knight of the Order of the Legion of Honour (2009): Appointed by French President Nicolas Sarkozy
Grammy Hall of Fame Induction (2009): For “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” soundtrack
Career Achievement Award from Italian Senate (January 2020): One of his final honours
Recording Industry Recognition
Throughout his career, Morricone received:
27 gold discs
7 platinum discs
3 Golden Plates
His music has generated billions of streams and continues to sell worldwide, making him one of the most commercially successful film composers in history.
Personal Life and Enduring Marriage
Meeting Maria Travia
Morricone met his future wife, Maria Travia, in 1950 through his sister Adriana, who was friends with Maria. The Sicilian-born Maria initially didn’t share Ennio’s immediate attraction.
“I immediately liked her very much,” Morricone recalled. “But she liked me less.”
Love Born from Tragedy
Their relationship deepened following a traumatic event. Maria and her father were involved in a serious car accident that left her hospitalised in a cast from neck to waist, suffering significant pain.
Ennio stayed by her side throughout her recovery. “She was in great pain. I stayed close to her. And so, day by day, drop by drop, I made her fall in love,” he told SkyTg24.
This patience and devotion characterised their entire relationship. “Drop by drop, a score written one note at a time,” he described their courtship, using musical metaphor.
Marriage and Family
Morricone and Maria Travia married on 13 October 1956, when Ennio was 27 years old. Their marriage would last 64 years—until Morricone’s death in 2020.
The couple had four children:
Giovanni Morricone (born 1957): Their firstborn son
Marco Morricone (born 1959): Also became a film composer
Alessandra Morricone: Their daughter
Andrea Morricone (born 1964): Also became a film composer who collaborated with his father
Maria as Muse and Collaborator
Maria was more than Morricone’s wife—she was his muse and creative partner. In a famous anecdote confirmed by Morricone, the melody for “Se telefonando” (1966), which became a huge hit, came to him whilst waiting in line with Maria to pay the gas bill.
When Morricone received his 2007 Honorary Oscar, his thoughts went to her: “I dedicate this Oscar to my wife Maria who loves me very much, and I love her in the same way, and this award is also for her.”
Nine years later, winning for “The Hateful Eight”, he again thanked her: “I dedicate it to my wife, Maria Travia, my mentor.”
Philosophy on Marriage
When asked how he remained married for 70 years, Morricone smiled: “The question must be asked of my wife; she has been very good at putting up with me.”
He elaborated on his philosophy: “In love, as in art, constancy is everything. I don’t know if there is love at first sight, or supernatural intuition. I do know that tenacity, consistency, seriousness, duration exist. And, of course, loyalty.”
Private Life
Despite his fame, the Morricones maintained remarkable privacy. They rarely discussed their personal life in public and focused on family and work rather than celebrity culture.
Maria took care of their household, allowing Ennio to dedicate himself to composition whilst maintaining a stable family environment. She also provided creative input on his work, earning his description of her as his “mentor”.
Faith and Philosophy
Deep Catholicism
Morricone was a devout Roman Catholic throughout his life. Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, president of the Pontifical Council for Culture, described him as someone who “declared himself Catholic without hesitation” and had a “very deep and convinced faith, with some innocent questions”.
His faith, formed during childhood prayers with his mother during World War II, remained central to his life. “We were always religious,” he stated.
Social Catholicism
In adulthood, Morricone’s faith emphasised the Church’s social doctrine. He believed a faithful person reveals himself as an “honest, selfless person, respectful of God and neighbour.”
“This is about loving others,” he explained. “Even if the word loving may seem strong, but it is so. This is important.”
He spoke frequently about the importance of sacrifice, generosity, and loving “others as you love yourself”—principles reflected in his charitable work and mentorship of younger composers.
Composing for the Church
Morricone composed several sacred works, including:
“Missa Papae Francisci” (Mass for Pope Francis): Conducted on 12 June 2015 at the Jesuit Church in Rome, commemorating the 200th anniversary of the recongregation of the Jesuit Order
“Voices from the Silence”: A cantata composed in response to the September 11 attacks, performed by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under Riccardo Muti in 2014
Meeting Pope Francis
In a 2019 interview on his 90th birthday, Morricone said he had cried only twice in his life: when watching “The Mission” for the first time, and when meeting Pope Francis.
When Morricone died, Pope Francis made a personal phone call to widow Maria, offering comfort and assuring her of his prayers.
Net Worth and Financial Success
Estimated Wealth
At the time of his death in 2020, Ennio Morricone’s net worth was estimated between $5 million and $10 million. Whilst substantial, this figure was relatively modest given his enormous cultural impact and productivity.
Income Sources
Morricone’s wealth derived from:
Film Composition Fees: Payment for original scores
Recording Royalties: From soundtrack albums and classical recordings
Performance Royalties: From public performances and broadcasts of his music
Concert Performances: Conducting his own works in concert
Publishing Rights: As composer and sometimes publisher of his works
Commercial Success
Despite his artistic integrity and refusal to compromise, Morricone achieved significant commercial success:
27 gold discs
7 platinum discs
Soundtrack albums that topped charts worldwide
“The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” soundtrack alone sold millions of copies
Modest Lifestyle
Despite his success, Morricone lived modestly. He and Maria resided in Rome for their entire married life, maintaining privacy and avoiding the trappings of celebrity.
He worked from a home studio for the final 40 years of his career, a space that also hosted visits from prominent musicians but remained fundamentally a working composer’s environment rather than a showpiece.
Working Methods and Musical Philosophy
Disciplined Routine
Morricone maintained a rigorous daily routine throughout his career. He composed every day, treating composition like any other profession requiring consistent effort.
Complete Control
Unlike many film composers, Morricone wrote down every note himself. He viewed composition and orchestration as inseparable parts of a single creative process.
“I see orchestration as part of composition,” he explained. “They’re not separate activities.”
This hands-on approach meant he maintained complete artistic control over his work—no ghost writers, no orchestrators adding their own touches.
Versatility Through Experimentation
Morricone’s versatility stemmed from his willingness to experiment with any musical technique or instrument that served the film’s needs.
Between 1964 and 1980, he was a main member of Il Gruppo (Gruppo di Improvvisazione Nuova Consonanza, or G.I.N.C.), an avant-garde ensemble dedicated to free improvisation and exploring new musical techniques. This experimental work directly influenced his film scoring, particularly his use of unconventional sounds.
Use of Pseudonyms
Early in his career, particularly for Spaghetti Westerns, Morricone often used pseudonyms to appear more “American”:
Dan Savio: Used for “A Fistful of Dollars” and other early Leone films
Leo Nichols: Another anglicised pseudonym
This practice reflected the Italian film industry’s attempt to market Spaghetti Westerns as American productions to Italian audiences tired of domestic westerns.
Hobbies and Interests
Outside music, Morricone was an avid chess player. His playing partners included legendary Russian chess grandmasters Garry Kasparov and Anatoly Karpov.
He was also a passionate AS Roma football (soccer) fan, following the team throughout his life.
Final Years and Death
Continued Productivity
Morricone remained musically active into his 90s. His final major film score was for Giuseppe Tornatore’s “The Correspondence” (2016), though he continued composing classical works and attending concerts.
World Tours
In November 2013, Morricone began a world tour commemorating the 50th anniversary of his film music career. He performed in Moscow, Santiago, Berlin, Budapest, Vienna, and other major cities.
His 2014-2015 “My Life in Music European Arena Tour” included 20 concerts in 12 countries, playing to 150,000 spectators in venues like London’s O2 Arena and Amsterdam’s Ziggo Dome. Most shows sold out, demonstrating his enduring popularity.
The Fall
On 6 July 2020, shortly before midnight, Ennio Morricone died at a clinic in Rome. He had fallen at home several days earlier, fracturing his femur. Complications from the fall and subsequent hospitalization led to his death.
Lucid Until the End
According to his family’s statement, Morricone “preserved full lucidity and great dignity” until his final moments. He was able to speak with his beloved wife Maria, who was at his side.
“He said goodbye to his beloved wife Maria, who accompanied him with dedication in every moment of his human and professional life and was close to him until his final breath,” the family’s statement read.
Self-Written Obituary
Morricone’s lawyer Giorgio Assumma delivered an obituary the composer had written himself. It began simply: “I, Ennio Morricone, am dead.”
In the poignant one-page text, Morricone thanked close friends and family, naming his children and grandchildren and expressing hope they understood “how much I loved them.”
He dedicated “the most painful goodbye” to Maria, saying “to her I renew the extraordinary love that bound us together and that I am sorry to abandon.”
Private Funeral
Following Morricone’s wishes, the funeral was a private affair held the same day he died, attended only by family and closest friends.
At the service, his 1986 score for “The Mission”—a composition to which he was particularly attached—was played as the priest blessed the body. His lawyer stated that Morricone “died with the comfort of faith”.
Legacy and Influence
Impact on Film Music
Ennio Morricone fundamentally transformed film composition. His innovations included:
Elevation of the Composer’s Role: Proving that film music could be as important as dialogue and visuals in storytelling
Genre Redefinition: Showing that established genres like westerns could be completely reimagined through music
Unconventional Instrumentation: Demonstrating that any sound—whistling, gunshots, electric guitars in westerns—could serve musical purposes
Independence of Film Music: Creating scores that worked as standalone concert pieces whilst serving their films
Influence on Other Composers
Morricone influenced multiple generations of film composers, including:
Hans Zimmer: Frequently cites Morricone as a primary influence
John Williams: Admired Morricone’s thematic development
Howard Shore: Inspired by Morricone’s use of unconventional instruments
Alexandre Desplat: Has conducted Morricone tribute concerts
Randy Newman: Cited Morricone’s economy of means as influential
Cross-Genre Impact
Morricone’s influence extended far beyond film composition:
Rock and Metal: Metallica has used “The Ecstasy of Gold” to open concerts since 1983. The band recorded a metal cover for the 2007 tribute album “We All Love Ennio Morricone”, which was nominated for a Grammy.
Hip-Hop: Coolio sampled Morricone’s theme for his 2009 song “Change”
Pop Music: Artists from Paul Anka to Muse have cited or sampled Morricone’s work
Classical Music: His concert works are performed by major orchestras worldwide
Cultural Touchstones
Several Morricone compositions have transcended their original films to become cultural icons:
“The Ecstasy of Gold”
Main theme from “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly”
“Gabriel’s Oboe” from “The Mission”
Main theme from “Cinema Paradiso”
“Chi Mai” (from “Maddalena”, later used in other contexts)
Tributes from Filmmakers
Upon Morricone’s death, tributes poured in from around the world:
Edgar Wright: “Where to even begin with iconic composer Ennio Morricone? He could make an average movie into a must see, a good movie into art, and a great movie into legend.”
John Carpenter: “Brilliant composer Ennio Morricone has passed away. A friend and collaborator, his talent was inestimable. I will miss him.”
Quentin Tarantino: Expressed profound gratitude for their collaboration
Clint Eastwood: Who had presented Morricone with his Honorary Oscar, mourned the loss of the man whose music had helped define his career.
Concert Celebrations
“Ennio Morricone – The Official Concert Celebration” tours continue worldwide, with orchestras performing his music to sold-out audiences.
Giuseppe Tornatore’s documentary “Ennio” (2021) ensures his story reaches new generations.
Conclusion
The Ennio Morricone biography reveals a composer who revolutionised not just film music but our understanding of how sound and image interact in cinema.
From his childhood in war-torn Rome to his final days surrounded by family, Morricone remained devoted to three things: his music, his Catholic faith, and his wife Maria. These pillars supported a career of extraordinary breadth and depth—over 500 film scores, over 100 classical works, and collaborations with some of cinema’s greatest directors.
Morricone’s genius lay not just in his prodigious output but in his boundless creativity. He approached each project as a unique challenge requiring a fresh solution. Whether scoring a Spaghetti Western with electric guitars and whistling, composing a sacred mass for Pope Francis, or creating the chilly suspense of “The Hateful Eight” in his late 80s, Morricone brought complete commitment and artistic integrity.
His influence on film music is immeasurable. Every composer working today owes something to Morricone’s innovations—his demonstration that film music could be art rather than mere accompaniment, his willingness to use any sound that served the story, his insistence on writing every note himself.
At 88, becoming the oldest competitive Oscar winner demonstrated that creativity doesn’t decline with age—it can deepen and mature. His final major score proved worthy of his legendary earlier work.
Beyond awards and accolades, Morricone’s true legacy lives in the music itself. “The Ecstasy of Gold” still sends shivers down spines. The main theme from “Cinema Paradiso” still brings tears. The haunting oboe of “Gabriel’s Oboe” still transports listeners to another realm.
And perhaps most importantly, his life demonstrated that artistic greatness and personal humility can coexist. Despite fame and recognition, Morricone remained the devoted husband who fell in love with Maria “drop by drop”, the practising Catholic who prayed the Rosary, the workman who came to his studio every day to write down every note.
Ennio Morricone died on 6 July 2020, but his music—timeless, powerful, moving—ensures he will never truly be gone. As long as films are watched and music is heard, Morricone’s voice will continue speaking to humanity’s heart.
FAQs About Ennio Morricone Biography
Q1: When and where was Ennio Morricone born? Ennio Morricone was born on 10 November 1928 in Trastevere, Rome, Italy. He died on 6 July 2020 in Rome at age 91.
Q2: How many film scores did Ennio Morricone compose? Morricone composed music for over 500 films and television productions, plus more than 100 classical works during his 74-year career from 1946 to 2020.
Q3: What was Ennio Morricone’s most famous composition? His most iconic work is arguably “The Ecstasy of Gold” from “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” (1966). The main theme from that film and “Gabriel’s Oboe” from “The Mission” (1986) are also extremely famous.
Q4: Did Ennio Morricone win an Oscar? Yes, Morricone won two Academy Awards: an Honorary Oscar in 2007 “for his magnificent and multifaceted contributions to the art of film music” and a competitive Oscar in 2016 for “The Hateful Eight”. At 87-88 years old, he became the oldest competitive Oscar winner.
Q5: Who was Ennio Morricone’s wife? Morricone married Maria Travia on 13 October 1956. They remained married for 64 years until his death in 2020. Maria was from Sicily, and Morricone credited her as his muse and mentor.
Q6: Did Ennio Morricone have children? Yes, Morricone and Maria had four children: Giovanni, Marco, Alessandra, and Andrea. Two of his sons, Marco and Andrea, also became film composers.
Q7: What was Ennio Morricone’s net worth? At his death in 2020, Morricone’s net worth was estimated between $5-10 million, derived from composition fees, royalties, concert performances, and publishing rights.
Q8: Why is Metallica associated with Ennio Morricone? Metallica has used Morricone’s “The Ecstasy of Gold” as their concert introduction music since 1983. In 2007, they recorded a metal cover version for the tribute album “We All Love Ennio Morricone”, which earned a Grammy nomination.
Q9: Did Ennio Morricone only compose western film scores? No. Although famous for Spaghetti Westerns, only about 35 of his 500+ scores were westerns (about 8%). He composed across all genres including drama, horror, comedy, thriller, and historical epics.
Q10: How did Ennio Morricone die? Morricone died on 6 July 2020 from complications following a fall at his home that fractured his femur. He remained lucid until the end, surrounded by family, and died “with the comfort of faith” according to his lawyer.
