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William Alan Finn was an American composer and lyricist, born on February 28, 1952, in Boston, Massachusetts. William Finn was most famous for writing the music and lyrics for musicals like Falsettos, A New Brain, and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. He passed away on April 7, 2025, in Bennington, Vermont, at the age of 73.
William Finn grew up in Natick, Massachusetts, in a Jewish family. He went to Temple Israel in Natick and wrote his first play in Hebrew while attending Hebrew school. William Finn later went to Natick High School, where he joined the speech and drama clubs. For his bar mitzvah, he got a guitar and taught himself how to play.
William Finn studied music at Williams College and first started as a guitar major but later switched to piano. While in college, he began writing his own songs and received the Hutchinson Fellowship for musical composition when he graduated.
William Finn musicals often told stories from his own life. He wrote about being gay, being Jewish, and topics like love, family, illness, and healing. One of his most well-known works is the Marvin Trilogy, which includes In Trousers, March of the Falsettos, and Falsettoland. These were later combined into Falsettos, which won two Tony Awards in 1992: Best Original Score and Best Book of a Musical.
In 1998, William Finn wrote A New Brain, a musical inspired by his real-life health scare. He had a serious brain condition called AVM and needed surgery in 1992. The musical talks about music, recovery, and life. William Finn also co-created The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, which became a big Broadway hit and won two Tony Awards in 2005.
William Finn worked with many theaters and helped young artists. He co-founded the Musical Theatre Lab at Barrington Stage Company, where new musicals were developed.
William Finn was openly gay and lived with his partner, Arthur Salvadore, in New York City and Massachusetts. He also taught musical theater writing at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.
William Finn died of pulmonary fibrosis in 2025. He left behind a strong legacy in musical theater, known for his emotional, personal, and meaningful stories.
Awards
- Tony Awards for Falsettos (1992)
- Drama Desk Awards for Falsettoland (1991)
- Outer Critics Circle Award for A New Brain (1999)
- Tony Nominations for Spelling Bee (2005)
Other Works: He also wrote songs for animated movies like The Brave Little Toaster series and The Adventures of Tom Thumb and Thumbelina, as well as TV specials like Ira Sleeps Over.
William Finn will be remembered as a heartfelt storyteller and a major voice in American musical theater.
Parents
William Finn parents raised him in Natick, Massachusetts. Their names were not mentioned in public records, but they were supportive of his creative talents.Height
William Finn height was never publicly recorded or confirmed.Siblings
William had two siblings – a brother named Michael and a sister named Nancy.Husband/Life Partner
William Finn was gay and had a longtime life partner named Arthur Salvadore. They lived together in New York City and Pittsfield, Massachusetts.Religion
William Finn was Jewish and was raised in Conservative Judaism. He went to Temple Israel in Natick and had Rabbi Harold Kushner as his teacher.Sexuality
William Finn was openly gay.Nationality
William Finn was American.Ethnicity
William Finn was of Jewish descent.Awards and Achievements
- Won two Tony Awards in 1992 for Falsettos – Best Original Score and Best Book of a Musical.
- Won Drama Desk Awards in 1991 for Outstanding Music and Lyrics for Falsettoland.
- Received multiple nominations for A New Brain and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.
- Created several successful musicals and co-founded the Musical Theatre Lab to support new musical theater talent.
Health
In 1992, William had serious health issues caused by an arteriovenous malformation (AVM) in his brainstem. He had Gamma Knife surgery to remove it. This experience inspired his musical A New Brain.Death
William Finn passed away from pulmonary fibrosis on April 7, 2025, at the age of 73, in a hospital in Bennington, Vermont.FAQs
1. What was William Finn real name?
- William Finn full name was William Alan Finn.
2. How old was William Finn when he died?
- William Finn was 73 years old, born on February 28, 1952, and died on April 7, 2025.
3. What was William Finn career?
- William Finn was a composer and lyricist, best known for writing musicals like Falsettos, A New Brain, and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.
4. Where did William Finn go to school?
- William Finn studied music at Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts.
5. Who were William Finn parents?
- William Finn parents names are not publicly known, but he was raised by them in Natick, Massachusetts.
6. How tall was William Finn?
- William Finn exact height was not publicly recorded.
7. Did William Finn have any siblings?
- Yes, William Finn had a brother named Michael and a sister named Nancy.
8. Was William Finn married?
- William Finn was not legally married but had a longtime life partner, Arthur Salvadore.
9. Did William Finn have children?
- There is no public record of William Finn having any children.
10. What was William Finn nationality?
- William Finn was American.
11. What movies and TV shows did William Finn work on?
- William Finn worked on:
>The Brave Little Toaster to the Rescue (1997)
>The Brave Little Toaster Goes to Mars (1998)
>The Adventures of Tom Thumb and Thumbelina (2002)
>Ira Sleeps Over (1991 – HBO special)
>Pokey Little Puppy's First Christmas (1992)
12. What was William Finn religion?
- William Finn was Jewish, raised in Conservative Judaism.
13. What was William Finn sexuality?
- William Finn was gay and openly identified as part of the LGBTQ+ community.
14. What was William Finn ethnicity?
- William Finn was of Jewish ethnicity.
15. What health problems did William Finn have, and how did he die?
- In 1992, William Finn suffered from a brain condition called AVM and had brain surgery. He later died from pulmonary fibrosis in 2025.
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