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David Lynch
Director, Writer, Actor, Producer, Editor, Composer, Additional Credits
Born January 20, 1946Died January 16, 2025 (78 years)
David Keith Lynch (January 20, 1946 – January 16, 2025) was an American filmmaker, visual artist, musician, and actor. Lynch received critical acclaim for his films, which are often distinguished by their surrealist, dreamlike qualities. In his 58-year career, he was awarded numerous accolades, including the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement in 2006 and an Honorary Academy Award in 2019. In 2007, a panel of critics convened by The Guardian announced that "after all the discussion, no one could fault the conclusion that David Lynch is the most important filmmaker of the current era."
Lynch studied painting before he began making short films in the late 1960s. His first feature-length film was the independent surrealist film Eraserhead (1977), which saw success as a midnight movie. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director for the biographical drama The Elephant Man (1980) and the mystery films Blue Velvet (1986) and Mulholland Drive (2001). His romantic crime drama Wild at Heart (1990) won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. He also directed the space opera adaptation Dune (1984), the surrealist neo-noir Lost Highway (1997), the biographical drama The Straight Story (1999), and the experimental film Inland Empire (2006).
Lynch and Mark Frost created the ABC series Twin Peaks (1990–91), for which Lynch was nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series and Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series. Lynch co-wrote and directed its film prequel, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992), and its limited series revival (2017). He has also worked as an actor, including his portrayals of FBI agent Gordon Cole in Twin Peaks and director John Ford in Steven Spielberg's The Fabelmans (2022), as well as guest roles in TV series such as The Cleveland Show (2010–13), Louie (2012), and Robot Chicken (2020, 2022).
Lynch's other artistic endeavours included his work as a musician, encompassing the studio albums BlueBOB (2001), Crazy Clown Time (2011), and The Big Dream (2013), as well as painting and photography. He has written the books Images (1994), Catching the Big Fish (2006), and Room to Dream (2018). He has directed several music videos for artists such as Chris Isaak, X Japan, Moby, Interpol, Nine Inch Nails, and Donovan, and commercials for Calvin Klein, Dior, L'Oreal, Yves Saint Laurent, Gucci, and the New York City Department of Sanitation. A practitioner of Transcendental Meditation (TM), he founded the David Lynch Foundation, which seeks to fund the teaching of TM in schools and has since widened its scope to other at-risk populations, including the homeless, veterans, and refugees.
Lynch studied painting before he began making short films in the late 1960s. His first feature-length film was the independent surrealist film Eraserhead (1977), which saw success as a midnight movie. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director for the biographical drama The Elephant Man (1980) and the mystery films Blue Velvet (1986) and Mulholland Drive (2001). His romantic crime drama Wild at Heart (1990) won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. He also directed the space opera adaptation Dune (1984), the surrealist neo-noir Lost Highway (1997), the biographical drama The Straight Story (1999), and the experimental film Inland Empire (2006).
Lynch and Mark Frost created the ABC series Twin Peaks (1990–91), for which Lynch was nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series and Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series. Lynch co-wrote and directed its film prequel, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992), and its limited series revival (2017). He has also worked as an actor, including his portrayals of FBI agent Gordon Cole in Twin Peaks and director John Ford in Steven Spielberg's The Fabelmans (2022), as well as guest roles in TV series such as The Cleveland Show (2010–13), Louie (2012), and Robot Chicken (2020, 2022).
Lynch's other artistic endeavours included his work as a musician, encompassing the studio albums BlueBOB (2001), Crazy Clown Time (2011), and The Big Dream (2013), as well as painting and photography. He has written the books Images (1994), Catching the Big Fish (2006), and Room to Dream (2018). He has directed several music videos for artists such as Chris Isaak, X Japan, Moby, Interpol, Nine Inch Nails, and Donovan, and commercials for Calvin Klein, Dior, L'Oreal, Yves Saint Laurent, Gucci, and the New York City Department of Sanitation. A practitioner of Transcendental Meditation (TM), he founded the David Lynch Foundation, which seeks to fund the teaching of TM in schools and has since widened its scope to other at-risk populations, including the homeless, veterans, and refugees.
Known For
David Lynch Filmography
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| 2005 | Weather Report (TV Series) |
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| 2002 | DumbLand (TV Series) |
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| 1993 | Hotel Room (TV Series) |
| 1992 | On the Air (TV Series) |
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| 1990 | Twin Peaks (TV Series) |
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| 2002 | Rabbits · as Screenplay |
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| 2002 | DumbLand (TV Series) |
| 2001 | |
| 1999 | |
| 1997 | |
| 1992 | On the Air (TV Series) |
| 1992 | |
| 1990 | Wild at Heart · as Screenplay |
| 1990 | Twin Peaks (TV Series) |
| 1989 | |
| 1988 | |
| 1986 | |
| 1984 | Dune · as Screenplay |
| 1980 | The Elephant Man · as Screenplay |
| 1977 | Eraserhead · as Screenplay |
| 1974 | |
| 1970 | The Grandmother · as Screenplay |
| 1969 | |
| 1967 |
| 2022 | The Fabelmans · as John Ford |
| 2019 | |
| 2017 | What Did Jack Do? · as Detective |
| 2017 | Lucky · as Howard |
| 2017 | The Black Ghiandola · as Man In Black |
| 2017 | Girlfriend's Day · as Narrator (voice) |
| 2016 | |
| 2014 | Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces · as Gordon Cole |
| 2014 | MasterClass (TV Series) |
| 2010 | Louie (2010) (TV Series) · as Jack Dall |
| 2010 | |
| 2009 | The Cleveland Show (TV Series) |
| 2009 | Peixe Vermelho · as O Sábio |
| 2007 | |
| 2006 | Inland Empire · as Bucky J |
| 2005 | Robot Chicken (TV Series) · as Mad Scientist (voice) |
| 2003 | Boat · as The Man |
| 2002 | DumbLand (TV Series) · as Randy / Wife / Sparky (voice) |
| 1999 | Family Guy (TV Series) · as Gus (voice) |
| 1997 | Lost Highway · as Morgue Attendant |
| 1994 | Nadja · as Morgue Receptionist |
| 1992 | Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me · as Gordon Cole |
| 1990 | Twin Peaks (TV Series) · as Gordon Cole |
| 1988 | Zelly and Me · as Willie |
| 1984 | Dune · as Spice Miner (uncredited) |
| 1980 | The Elephant Man · as Man In The Bowler Hat In The Mob Chasing Merrick (uncredited) |
| 1980 | Heart Beat · as Painter (uncredited) |
| 1975 | Arena (1975) (TV Series) · as Narrator |
| 1974 | The Amputee · as The Nurse |
| 1967 |
| 2022 | The Other Me · as Executive Producer |
| 2020 | Meeting the Beatles in India · as Executive Producer |
| 2018 | |
| 2014 | My Beautiful Broken Brain · as Executive Producer |
| 2009 | My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done · as Executive Producer |
| 2009 | Interview Project (TV Series) |
| 2008 | Surveillance · as Executive Producer |
| 2007 | |
| 2007 | |
| 2007 | Dynamic:01: The Best of DavidLynch.com · as Executive Producer |
| 2006 | |
| 2005 | Weather Report (TV Series) |
| 2002 | |
| 2002 | |
| 2002 | |
| 2002 | DumbLand (TV Series) |
| 2001 | |
| 1999 | Mulholland Dr. · as Executive Producer |
| 1995 | Premonitions Following an Evil Deed · as Executive Producer |
| 1994 | Nadja · as Executive Producer |
| 1993 | Hotel Room (TV Series) · as Executive Producer |
| 1992 | On the Air (TV Series) · as Executive Producer |
| 1992 | Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me · as Executive Producer |
| 1991 | The Cabinet of Dr. Ramirez · as Executive Producer |
| 1990 | |
| 1990 | Twin Peaks (TV Series) · as Executive Producer |
| 1989 | Twin Peaks · as Executive Producer |
| 1977 | |
| 1974 | |
| 1970 | |
| 1967 |
| 2018 | |
| 2017 | |
| 2014 | |
| 2011 | |
| 2010 | |
| 2007 | |
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| 2006 | |
| 2004 | |
| 2003 | |
| 2002 | |
| 2002 | DumbLand (TV Series) |
| 2001 | |
| 1977 | |
| 1969 | |
| 1967 |
| 2025 | David Lynch: A Hollywood Enigma · as Self |
| 2024 | Beatles '64 · as Self |
| 2023 | Kim's Video · as Self - Filmmaker |
| 2022 | Gli ultimi giorni dell'umanità · as Self |
| 2022 | Lynch/Oz · as Self (archival Footage) |
| 2021 | The Sleeper Must Awaken: Making Dune · as Self (voice) (archive Footage) |
| 2021 | Morceaux de Cannes · as Self |
| 2021 | Moby Doc · as Self |
| 2021 | This Is Pop (TV Series) · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2020 | Meeting the Beatles in India · as Self |
| 2019 | Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound · as Self |
| 2019 | |
| 2019 | Shangri-La (2019) (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2018 | |
| 2018 | The 70th Primetime Emmy Awards · as Self - Nominee |
| 2018 | Black Baby · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2017 | The Nineties (TV Series) · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2017 | Rocksteppy · as Himself |
| 2017 | Behind the Scenes · as Self |
| 2016 | David Lynch: The Art Life · as Self |
| 2016 | Along for the Ride · as Self |
| 2016 | Blue Velvet Revisited · as Self |
| 2016 | Rooted in Peace · as Self - Director |
| 2016 | On Meditation · as Self |
| 2016 | The Reality of Truth · as Self |
| 2015 | Brand: A Second Coming · as Self |
| 2015 | Rammstein in Amerika · as Self |
| 2014 | My Beautiful Broken Brain · as Self |
| 2014 | Showrunners: The Art of Running a TV Show · as Self - Twin Peaks, Co-Creator |
| 2014 | Between Two Worlds · as Self |
| 2014 | It's a Beautiful World · as Self |
| 2013 | How I Rock It (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2013 | What Is Cinema? · as Self |
| 2013 | Mel Brooks: Make a Noise · as Self |
| 2012 | Meditation, Creativity, Peace · as Self |
| 2012 | Harry Dean Stanton: Partly Fiction · as Self |
| 2012 | Side by Side · as Self |
| 2011 | America in Primetime (TV Series) · as Self - Co-Creator, Twin Peaks |
| 2011 | Pearl Jam Twenty · as Self |
| 2011 | 9/11 Truth: Hollywood Speaks Out · as Self |
| 2011 | Duran Duran: Unstaged · as Self |
| 2010 | 2012: Time for Change · as Self |
| 2010 | |
| 2009 | Great Directors · as Self |
| 2009 | The Soul Detective · as Himself |
| 2008 | Night Flight: Born Again · as Self |
| 2008 | Crítico · as Self (voice) |
| 2008 | School of Thought · as Self |
| 2008 | Lynch (One) · as Self |
| 2007 | Lynch · as Self |
| 2007 | Elvis: Viva Las Vegas · as Self |
| 2007 | David Lynch Cooks Quinoa · as Self |
| 2007 | Lynch2 · as Self |
| 2007 | The Donovan Concert: Live in L.A. · as Himself |
| 2007 | Up Close with Carrie Keagan (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2007 | The 11th Hour (TV Series) · as Self - Director |
| 2007 | Dynamic:01: The Best of DavidLynch.com · as Himself |
| 2006 | Legends (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2006 | Edge of Outside · as Self |
| 2005 | |
| 2005 | Weather Report (TV Series) · as Self - Host |
| 2005 | The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2004 | The Culture Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2004 | Words in Progress · as Self |
| 2003 | imagine... (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2003 | Il était une fois... (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2003 | Dennis Hopper: Create (or Die) · as Self |
| 2002 | Mysteries of Love · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2002 | The Short Films of David Lynch · as Self |
| 2002 | I Don't Know Jack · as Self |
| 2002 | The 74th Annual Academy Awards · as Self - Nominee |
| 2002 | Last Call with Carson Daly (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2002 | Celluloid Dreams · as Self |
| 2001 | Eraserhead Stories · as Self |
| 2001 | Dino De Laurentiis: The Last Movie Mogul · as Self |
| 1999 | In Dreams: The Roy Orbison Story · as Self |
| 1998 | The Screen Savers (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1997 | The Directors (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1997 | |
| 1997 | Scene by Scene (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1997 | Tracks (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1996 | |
| 1995 | Lumière and Company · as Self |
| 1995 | Harald Schmidt Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1995 | The Late Late Show with Tom Snyder (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1992 | Gomorron (TV Series) · as Self - Om Meditation |
| 1992 | The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1991 | Movie Days (TV Series) · as Self - Interviewee |
| 1991 | Charlie Rose (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1990 | |
| 1990 | The 42nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards · as Self - Nominee |
| 1990 | Hollywood Mavericks · as Self |
| 1990 | Intimate Portrait (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1989 | Cinéma, de notre temps (TV Series) · as David Lynch |
| 1988 | Roy Orbison and Friends: A Black and White Night · as Self - Audience Member |
| 1988 | No Frank in Lumberton · as Self |
| 1987 | Biography (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1987 | The 59th Annual Academy Awards · as Self - Nominee |
| 1987 | The 44th Annual Golden Globe Awards · as Self |
| 1986 | At The Movies (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1985 | American Masters (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1982 | Late Night With David Letterman (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1981 | Entertainment Tonight (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1975 | Good Morning America (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1973 | AFI Life Achievement Award (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1971 | Film (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1962 | The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1953 | The Academy Awards (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2018 | Ant Head · as Cinematographer |
| 2017 | What Did Jack Do? · as Set Decoration |
| 2017 | What Did Jack Do? · as Sound Designer |
| 2014 | Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces · as Sound Mixer |
| 2011 | The 3 Rs · as Cinematographer |
| 2010 | Lady Blue Shanghai · as Composer |
| 2010 | Lady Blue Shanghai · as Written By |
| 2007 | More Things That Happened · as Director Of Photography |
| 2007 | Absurda · as Cinematographer |
| 2007 | Absurda · as Composer |
| 2006 | Inland Empire · as Director Of Photography |
| 2006 | Inland Empire · as Sound Designer |
| 2005 | Weather Report (TV Series) · as Creator |
| 2004 | Bug Crawls · as Cinematographer |
| 2004 | Bug Crawls · as Composer |
| 2002 | The Short Films of David Lynch · as Sound Director |
| 2002 | Darkened Room · as Cinematographer |
| 2002 | DumbLand (TV Series) · as Director Of Photography |
| 2002 | DumbLand (TV Series) · as Composer |
| 2002 | DumbLand (TV Series) · as Animation |
| 2001 | Mulholland Drive · as Sound Designer |
| 2001 | Eraserhead Stories · as Cinematographer |
| 1999 | The Straight Story · as Sound Designer |
| 1997 | Lost Highway · as Sound Designer |
| 1993 | Hotel Room (TV Series) · as Sound Designer |
| 1993 | Hotel Room (TV Series) · as Creator |
| 1992 | Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me · as Sound Designer |
| 1990 | Industrial Symphony No. 1: The Dream of the Brokenhearted · as Written By |
| 1990 | Twin Peaks (TV Series) · as Additional Editor |
| 1990 | Twin Peaks (TV Series) · as Sound Designer |
| 1980 | The Elephant Man · as Sound Designer |
| 1977 | Eraserhead · as Production Design |
| 1977 | Eraserhead · as Original Music Composer |
| 1970 | The Grandmother · as Cinematographer |
| 1970 | The Grandmother · as Animation |
| 1969 | The Alphabet · as Director Of Photography |
| 1969 | The Alphabet · as Sound |
| 1969 | The Alphabet · as Animation |