Thelonious Monk

Biography

Thelonious Monk was born on October 10, 1917 in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, USA as Thelonious Sphere Monk. He was married to Nellie Monk. He died on February 17, 1982 in Englewood, New Jersey, USA.

64years old at death

Born October 10, 1917Rocky Mount
Died February 17, 1982Englewood
Star sign: LibraThe sign runs September 23 to October 22
Thelious Monk Jr. (birth name)Also credited as Thelonious S. Monk and Thelonious Sphere Monk

Movie Career

Films: 5
Career span: 51 years1959 to 2010

Every film, newest first

2010Public SpeakingIMDb rating 7.6
1988Thelonious Monk: Straight, No ChaserIMDb rating 7.5
1968MonkIMDb rating 7.4
1968Monk in EuropeIMDb rating 6.9
1959Jazz on a Summer's DayIMDb rating 7.9

Genres

Did you know?!

First role
Monk's first commercial recordings were made in 1944 with the Coleman Hawkins Quartet, and Hawkins was among the first established jazz musicians to promote him.
A first
Recorded in late 1956, Brilliant Corners was largely seen as Monk's first commercial success. Its difficult title track, featuring Rollins, was pieced together from several takes for the final version.
A first
Monk's Dream came out in 1963 as his first album for Columbia, and it sold better than any other LP he made during his lifetime. On February 28, 1964, Time magazine put him on its cover.
Early training
Monk studied classical piano for two years under Simon Wolf, learning pieces by Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, and Liszt, but his favorite composers were Chopin and Rachmaninoff.

Thelonious Monk movies on Netflix

Public Speaking2010IMDb rating 7.6
Thelonious Monk: Straight, No Chaser1988IMDb rating 7.5as Himself
Monk1968IMDb rating 7.4as Himself
Monk in Europe1968IMDb rating 6.9as Himself
Jazz on a Summer's Day1959IMDb rating 7.9as Himself

Most often with

Michael Blackwood directed two of these films. Larry Gales appears in three of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Larry GalesBen RileyCharlie RouseJimmy ClevelandJohnny GriffinNica De KoenigswarterMichael BlackwoodDirector, 2 films

Films together

Larry Gales3 films together, 1968 to 1988
Larry Gales's page
- Thelonious Monk: Straight, No Chaser1988IMDb rating 7.5Monk as HimselfGales as Himself (Thelonius Monk Quartet / Thelonious Monk Octet, bass player)
- Monk1968IMDb rating 7.4Monk as HimselfGales as Himself
- Monk in Europe1968IMDb rating 6.9Monk as HimselfGales as Himself
Ben Riley2 films together, 1968
Ben Riley's page
- Monk1968IMDb rating 7.4Monk as HimselfRiley as Himself
- Monk in Europe1968IMDb rating 6.9Monk as HimselfRiley as Himself
Charlie Rouse2 films together, 1968
Charlie Rouse's page
- Monk1968IMDb rating 7.4Monk as HimselfRouse as Himself
- Monk in Europe1968IMDb rating 6.9Monk as HimselfRouse as Himself
Jimmy Cleveland2 films together, 1968 to 1988
Jimmy Cleveland's page
- Thelonious Monk: Straight, No Chaser1988IMDb rating 7.5Monk as HimselfCleveland as Himself (trombonist, Thelonious Monk Octet)
- Monk in Europe1968IMDb rating 6.9Monk as HimselfCleveland as Himself
Johnny Griffin2 films together, 1968 to 1988
Johnny Griffin's page
- Thelonious Monk: Straight, No Chaser1988IMDb rating 7.5Monk as HimselfGriffin as Himself (Thelonious Monk Octet, tenor sax)
- Monk in Europe1968IMDb rating 6.9Monk as HimselfGriffin as Himself
Nica De Koenigswarter2 films together, 1968 to 1988
Nica De Koenigswarter's page
- Thelonious Monk: Straight, No Chaser1988IMDb rating 7.5Monk as HimselfKoenigswarter as Herself
- Monk1968IMDb rating 7.4Monk as HimselfKoenigswarter as Himself
Michael BlackwoodDirector, 2 films, 1968
All films by Michael Blackwood
- Monk1968IMDb rating 7.4Monk as Himself
- Monk in Europe1968IMDb rating 6.9Monk as Himself

Awards

Nine awards and honors from 1992 to 2006, six of them major.

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Thelonious Monk's awards and nominations, grouped by award
Year	Award	Film	Result
Grammy Awards
2006	Grammy Hall of Fame (posthumous)		Won
2002	Grammy Hall of Fame (posthumous)	Genius of Modern Music: Volume 1	Won
2000	Grammy Hall of Fame (posthumous)	Monk's Music	Won
1998	Grammy Hall of Fame (posthumous)	Brilliant Corners	Won
1993	Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (posthumous)		Won
1992	Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (posthumous)		Won
Other honors
2006	Pulitzer Prize Special Citations and Awards (posthumous)		Won
	Guggenheim Fellowship		Won
	Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame		Honored

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

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