John Philip Sousa for Monty Python's Flying Circus), "The Thunderer" and "The Washington Post". Sousa began his career playing violin and studying music theory and composition under John Esputa and George Felix Benkert. His father enlisted him in the United States Marine Band as an apprentice in 1868. After departing the band in 1875, Sousa learned to conduct. From 1880 until his death, he focused exclusively on conducting and the writing of music. He eventually rejoined the Marine Band and served there for 12 years as director. On leaving the Marine Band, Sousa organized his own band. Sousa aided in the development of
John Philip Sousa Sousa" was named after him. The ship's bell is still used by the Marine Band in concert. In 1952, 20th Century Fox honored Sousa in their Technicolor feature film "Stars and Stripes Forever" with Clifton Webb portraying the composer. Fox music director Alfred Newman arranged the music and conducted the studio orchestra for the soundtrack. It was loosely based on Sousa's memoirs, "Marching Along". There is a John Philip Sousa Bridge in Washington, DC. It carries Pennsylvania Avenue SE across the Anacostia River. In 1976, Sousa was inducted into the Hall of Fame for Great Americans. In 1998, he was