David Lynch

David Lynch

Birthdate
January 20, 1946 (78 years old)
Place of Birth
Missoula, Montana, USA
Known For
Directing

Details

Birthdate
January 20, 1946 (78 years old)
Place of Birth
Missoula, Montana, USA
Known For
Directing

Biography

David Keith Lynch (born January 20, 1946) is an American filmmaker, painter, visual artist, musician, actor, and writer. Known for his surrealist films, he has developed his own unique cinematic style, which has been dubbed "Lynchian", and which is characterized by its dream imagery and meticulous sound design. Indeed, the surreal and in many cases violent elements to his films have earned them the reputation that they "disturb, offend or mystify" their audiences.

Moving around various parts of the United States as a child within his middle class family, Lynch went on to study painting in Philadelphia, where he first made the transition to producing short films. Deciding to devote himself more fully to this medium, he moved to Los Angeles, where he produced his first motion picture, the surrealist horror Eraserhead (1977). After Eraserhead became a cult classic on the midnight movie circuit, Lynch was employed to direct The Elephant Man (1980), from which he gained mainstream success. Then being employed by the De Laurentiis Entertainment Group, he proceeded to make two films. First, the science-fiction epic Dune (1984), which proved to be a critical and commercial failure, and then a neo-noir crime film, Blue Velvet (1986), which was highly critically acclaimed.

Proceeding to create his own television series with Mark Frost, the highly popular murder mystery Twin Peaks (1990–1992), he also created a cinematic prequel, Fire Walk With Me (1992), a road movie, Wild at Heart (1990), and a family film, The Straight Story (1999) in the same period. Turning further towards surrealist filmmaking, three of his following films worked on "dream logic" non-linear narrative structures, Lost Highway (1997), Mulholland Drive (2001) and Inland Empire (2006).

Lynch has received three Academy Award nominations for Best Director, for his films The Elephant Man, Blue Velvet and Mulholland Drive, and also received a screenplay Academy Award nomination for The Elephant Man. Lynch has twice won France's César Award for Best Foreign Film, as well as the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and a Golden Lion award for lifetime achievement at the Venice Film Festival. The French government awarded him the Legion of Honor, the country's top civilian honor, as a Chevalier in 2002 and then an Officier in 2007, while that same year, The Guardian described Lynch as "the most important director of this era". Allmovie called him "the Renaissance man of modern American filmmaking", whilst the success of his films have led to him being labelled "the first popular Surrealist".

David Lynch's LGBTQ+ Titles

Mulholland Drive
Mulholland Drive
Director

Acting (133)

I Know Catherine, The Log Lady as Self
The Soul Detective as Himself
2023
Lynch/Oz as Self (archive footage)
2022
The Fabelmans as John Ford
2021
Moby Doc as Self
2021
Welcome Home: Mary Reber and the Twin Peaks Palmer House
2021
This Is Pop as Self (archive footage) (1 episode)
2020
Meeting the Beatles in India as Self
2020
A Fall from Grace as William Tabb
2019
Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound as Self
2019
L'Image Originelle - David Lynch
2018
Curtains Up
2017
A Very Lovely Dream: One Week in Twin Peaks as Self
2017
A Pot of Boiling Oil as Self
2017
A Bloody Finger in Your Mouth as Self
2017
The Man with the Gray Elevated Hair as Self
2017
Behind the Red Curtain as Self
2017
Bad Binoculars as Self
2017
Two Blue Balls as Self
2017
I Had Bad Milk in Dehradun as Self
2017
Tell It Martin as Self
2017
The Number of Completion as Self
2017
See You on the Other Side Dear Friend as Self
2017
Do Not Pick Up Hitchhikers as Self
2017
The Polish Accountant as Self
2017
Twin Peaks: The Phenomenon as Self
2017
WHAT DID JACK DO? as Detective
2017
Plankton Salesmen as Self (archive footage)
2017
Lucky as Howard
2017
The Nineties as Self (archive footage) (1 episode)
2017
The Black Ghiandola as Man In Black
2017
David Lynch: The Art Life as Self
2017
Girlfriend's Day as Narrator (voice)
2017
Rocksteppy as Himself
2016
Along for the Ride as Self
2016
Shadows of Paradise
2016
Blue Velvet Revisited as Self
2016
On Meditation as Self
2016
The Reality of Truth as Self
2016
Night Flight: Born Again as Self
2016
The Music of David Lynch as Self
2016
This Is Sparklehorse as Self
2015
Rammstein in Amerika as Self
2015
Brand: A Second Coming as Self
2014
My Beautiful Broken Brain as Self
2014
Between Two Worlds as Self
2014
Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces as Gordon Cole
2014
The 8th Floor as Self
2014
It's a Beautiful World as Self
2014
Ringo Starr: A Lifetime of Peace and Love as Self
2013
Harry Dean Stanton: Partly Fiction as Self
2013
What Is Cinema? as Self
2013
Mel Brooks: Make a Noise as Self
2013
Professor Goudet's Lessons as Self
2012
Memory Film
2012
Meditation Creativity Peace as Self
2012
Side by Side as Self
2011
Ångesthunden och Malmö under vatten as Himself
2010
2012: Time for Change as Self
2010
Brunes et Blondes as Self
2010
Louie as Jack Dall (2 episodes)
2010
David Wants to Fly
2010
When Lynch Met Lucas
2009
The Cleveland Show (11 episodes)
2009
Peixe Vermelho as O Sábio
2009
The Way of Samodelkin as Stranger in a dream
2009
Great Directors as Self
2009
La Traversée du désir as Self
2008
Early Experiments
2008
Hollyshorts Greeting as Himself
2008
Twin Peaks Festival Greeting 2008 as Self
2008
Elvis | Viva Las Vegas as Self
2008
Crítico as Self (voice)
2007
A Slice of Lynch as Self
2007
Lynch (one) as Self
2007
Out Yonder — Neighbor Boy
2007
Lynch 2 as Self
2007
Boat
2007
Dynamic:01: The Best of DavidLynch.com as himself
2007
Donovan: The Donovan Concert - Live in L.A. as Himself
2007
Le son de Lynch
2007
Out Yonder — Chicken
2007
Out Yonder — Teeth
2006
Inland Empire as Bucky J
2006
Legends as Self (1 episode)
2006
Midnight Movies: From the Margin to the Mainstream as Himself
2006
Edge of Outside as Self (archive footage)
2005
Robot Chicken as Mad scientist (2 episodes)
2005
David Lynch: 1985 as Self
2004
BlueBob Egg as Billy Groper
2004
Dennis Hopper: The Decisive Moments as Self
2004
The Making of ‘Mulholland Drive’ as Self
2004
Leçon de Cinéma as Self (1 episode)
2003
Does That Hurt You? as Self
2003
Lamp as Self
2003
Un film et son époque as Self (1 episode)
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
DumbLand as Randy / Wife / Sparky (voice) (8 episodes)
2002
The Disc of Sorrow Is Installed
2001
Eraserhead Stories as Self
2001
Dino De Laurentiis: The Last Movie Mogul as Self
1999
In Dreams: The Roy Orbison Story as Self
1999
Family Guy as David Lynch (voice) (1 episode)
1999
Family Guy as Gus (voice) (1 episode)
1998
The A-Z of Separating People from their Money as Self
1998
Independent Focus as Self (1 episode)
1997
Pretty as a Picture: The Art of David Lynch as Self
1997
Scene by Scene as Self (1 episode)
1996
The Fine Art of Separating People from Their Money as Self
1994
Nadja as Morgue Receptionist
1994
Don Van Vliet: Some YoYo Stuff as Himself
1993
Made in the USA as Self
1992
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me as Chief Gordon Cole
1992
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno as Self (1 episode)
1991
Crazy About the Movies: Dennis Hopper as Self
1990
Jonathan Ross Presents for One Week Only: David Lynch as Self
1990
Hollywood Mavericks as Self
1990
Twin Peaks as Gordon Cole (17 episodes)
1989
David Lynch: Don't Look at Me as Self
1988
Zelly & Me as Willie
1988
No Frank in Lumberton as Self
1988
Roy Orbison and Friends: A Black and White Night as Self - Audience Member
1987
Ruth, Roses, and Revolver as Himself
1984
Dune as Spice Miner (uncredited)
1984
Destination Dune as Self
1980
The Elephant Man as Man in the Bowler Hat in the Mob Chasing Merrick (uncredited)
1980
Heart Beat as Painter
1974
The Amputee as Nurse
1967
Sailing with Bushnell Keeler
1953
The Oscars as Self (1 episode)

Directing (71)

2018
Ant Head • Director
• Director
2017
WHAT DID JACK DO? • Director
• Director
2014
Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces • Director
• Director
2014
Duran Duran: Unstaged • Director
• Director
2013
Idem Paris • Director
• Director
2012
Memory Film • Director
• Director
2012
Meditation Creativity Peace • Director
• Director
2012
20 Little Films • Director
• Director
2011
Blue Velvet: The Lost Footage • Director
• Director
2010
42 One Dream Rush • Director
• Director
2008
Early Experiments • Director
• Director
2008
Hollyshorts Greeting • Director
• Director
2008
Twin Peaks Festival Greeting 2008 • Director
• Director
2007
Ballerina • Director
• Director
2007
To Each His Own Cinema • Director
• Director
2007
Out Yonder — Neighbor Boy • Director
• Director
2007
Blue Green • Director
• Director
2007
More Things That Happened • Director
• Director
2007
Boat • Director
• Director
2007
Dynamic:01: The Best of DavidLynch.com • Director
• Director
2007
Bug Crawls • Director
• Director
2007
Industrial Soundscape • Director
• Director
2007
Out Yonder — Chicken • Director
• Director
2007
Out Yonder — Teeth • Director
• Director
2007
Steps • Director
• Director
2006
Inland Empire • Director
• Director
2004
BlueBob Egg • Director
• Director
2004
Intervalometer Experiments • Director
• Director
2003
Lamp • Director
• Director
2002
Rabbits • Director
• Director
2002
The Short Films of David Lynch • Director
• Director
2002
The Pig Walks • Director
• Director
2002
Darkened Room • Director
• Director
2002
DumbLand • Director (1 episode)
• Director (1 episode)
2002
Dead Mouse with Ants • Director
• Director
2002
The Disc of Sorrow Is Installed • Director
• Director
2002
Coyote • Director
• Director
2002
Factory Mask • Director
• Director
2001
Head with Hammer • Director
• Director
2001
Eraserhead Stories • Director
• Director
2001
Pierre and Sonny Jim • Director
• Director
2001
Mulholland Drive • Director
• Director
2000
One Morning All Over the World • Director
• Director
1999
The Straight Story • Director
• Director
1999
Mulholland Dr. • Director
• Director
1999
Mulholland Dr. • Director
• Director
1998
Sunset • Director
• Director
1997
Lost Highway • Director
• Director
1995
Lumière & Company • Director
• Director
1995
Premonitions Following an Evil Deed • Director
• Director
1993
Dangerous: The Short Films • Director
• Director
1993
Hotel Room • Director (3 episodes)
• Director (3 episodes)
1992
On the Air • Director (1 episode)
• Director (1 episode)
1992
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me • Director
• Director
1991
The King of Ads • Director
• Director
1990
Industrial Symphony No. 1: The Dream of the Brokenhearted • Director
• Director
1990
Wild at Heart • Director
• Director
1990
Twin Peaks • Director (28 episodes)
• Director (28 episodes)
1989
Twin Peaks • Director
• Director
1988
The Cowboy and the Frenchman • Director
• Director
1988
The French as Seen by… • Director
• Director
1986
Blue Velvet • Director
• Director
1984
Dune • Director
• Director
1980
The Elephant Man • Director
• Director
1977
Eraserhead • Director
• Director
1974
The Amputee • Director
• Director
1970
The Grandmother • Director
• Director
1969
The Alphabet • Director
• Director
1967
Absurd Encounter with Fear • Director
• Director
1967
Six Men Getting Sick • Director
• Director
1967
Sailing with Bushnell Keeler • Director
• Director

Production (40)

The Happy Worker • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
Snootworld • Producer
• Producer
2022
The Other Me • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2020
A Fall from Grace • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2019
A Talk with Kyle MacLachlan and Sheryl Lee • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2018
Ant Head • Producer
• Producer
2015
Land of Nothing • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2014
My Beautiful Broken Brain • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2010
My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2009
The Peaceline Project • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2008
Early Experiments • Producer
• Producer
2008
Twin Peaks Festival Greeting 2008 • Producer
• Producer
2008
Surveillance • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2007
Ballerina • Producer
• Producer
2007
Dynamic:01: The Best of DavidLynch.com • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2006
Inland Empire • Producer
• Producer
2004
BlueBob Egg • Producer
• Producer
2003
Lamp • Producer
• Producer
2002
The Pig Walks • Producer
• Producer
2002
Darkened Room • Producer
• Producer
2002
DumbLand • Producer (8 episodes)
• Producer (8 episodes)
2002
Dead Mouse with Ants • Producer
• Producer
2002
The Disc of Sorrow Is Installed • Producer
• Producer
2002
Coyote • Producer
• Producer
2002
Factory Mask • Producer
• Producer
2001
Head with Hammer • Producer
• Producer
1999
Mulholland Dr. • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
1994
Nadja • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
1994
Crumb • Producer
• Producer
1993
Hotel Room • Executive Producer (3 episodes)
• Executive Producer (3 episodes)
1992
On the Air • Executive Producer (3 episodes)
• Executive Producer (3 episodes)
1992
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
1991
The Cabinet of Dr. Ramirez • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
1990
Industrial Symphony No. 1: The Dream of the Brokenhearted • Producer
• Producer
1990
Twin Peaks • Executive Producer (48 episodes)
• Executive Producer (48 episodes)
1989
Twin Peaks • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
1977
Eraserhead • Producer
• Producer
1974
The Amputee • Producer
• Producer
1970
The Grandmother • Producer
• Producer
1967
Six Men Getting Sick • Producer
• Producer

Editing (11)

2018
Ant Head • Editor
• Editor
2017
WHAT DID JACK DO? • Editor
• Editor
2014
Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces • Editor
• Editor
2008
Early Experiments • Editor
• Editor
2007
More Things That Happened • Editor
• Editor
2006
Inland Empire • Editor
• Editor
2002
The Pig Walks • Editor
• Editor
2002
Coyote • Editor
• Editor
2001
Head with Hammer • Editor
• Editor
1990
Twin Peaks • Additional Editor (18 episodes)
• Additional Editor (18 episodes)
1977
Eraserhead • Editor
• Editor

Creator (6)

American Chronicles • Creator
• Creator
2009
Interview Project • Creator
• Creator
2002
DumbLand • Creator
• Creator
1993
Hotel Room • Creator
• Creator
1992
On the Air • Creator
• Creator
1990
Twin Peaks • Creator
• Creator

Writing (46)

Snootworld • Writer
• Writer
2018
Ant Head • Writer
• Writer
2017
WHAT DID JACK DO? • Writer
• Writer
2014
Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces
• Characters
• Writer
2012
Meditation Creativity Peace • Writer
• Writer
2011
Blue Velvet: The Lost Footage • Writer
• Writer
2008
Early Experiments • Writer
• Writer
2008
Twin Peaks Festival Greeting 2008 • Writer
• Writer
2007
Ballerina • Writer
• Writer
2007
More Things That Happened • Writer
• Writer
2007
Boat • Writer
• Writer
2006
Inland Empire • Screenplay
• Screenplay
2004
BlueBob Egg • Writer
• Writer
2003
Does That Hurt You? • Writer
• Writer
2002
Rabbits • Screenplay
• Screenplay
2002
The Short Films of David Lynch
• Screenplay
• Writer
2002
The Pig Walks • Writer
• Writer
2002
Darkened Room • Writer
• Writer
2002
DumbLand • Writer (8 episodes)
• Writer (8 episodes)
2002
Dead Mouse with Ants • Writer
• Writer
2002
The Disc of Sorrow Is Installed • Writer
• Writer
2002
Coyote • Writer
• Writer
2002
Factory Mask • Writer
• Writer
2001
Head with Hammer • Writer
• Writer
2001
Mulholland Drive • Writer
• Writer
1999
Mulholland Dr. • Writer
• Writer
1997
Lost Highway • Writer
• Writer
1992
On the Air • Writer (2 episodes)
• Writer (2 episodes)
1992
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me
• Characters
• Original Series Creator
• Writer
1990
Wild at Heart • Screenplay
• Screenplay
1990
Twin Peaks
• Story (1 episode)
• Writer (25 episodes)
1989
Twin Peaks • Writer
• Writer
1988
The Cowboy and the Frenchman • Writer
• Writer
1986
Blue Velvet • Screenplay
• Screenplay
1984
Dune • Screenplay
• Screenplay
1980
The Elephant Man • Screenplay
• Screenplay
1977
Eraserhead • Screenplay
• Screenplay
1974
The Amputee • Writer
• Writer
1970
The Grandmother
• Screenplay
• Writer
1969
The Alphabet • Writer
• Writer

Sound (25)

2018
Ant Head
• Music
• Sound
2017
WHAT DID JACK DO?
• Music
• Sound Designer
• Sound Mixer
2017
Night Ride • Music
• Music
2006
Inland Empire
• Sound Designer
• Sound Re-Recording Mixer
2003
Does That Hurt You? • Sound
• Sound
• Sound Designer
• Sound Re-Recording Mixer
1999
The Straight Story • Sound Designer
• Sound Designer
1997
Pretty as a Picture: The Art of David Lynch • Music
• Music
1997
Lost Highway
• Sound Designer
• Sound Re-Recording Mixer
1993
Hotel Room • Sound Designer (3 episodes)
• Sound Designer (3 episodes)
1992
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me
• Sound Designer
• Sound Re-Recording Mixer
1990
Industrial Symphony No. 1: The Dream of the Brokenhearted • Music
• Music
1990
Twin Peaks • Sound Designer (18 episodes)
• Sound Designer (18 episodes)
1988
No Frank in Lumberton • Music
• Music
1980
The Elephant Man • Sound Designer
• Sound Designer
1977
Eraserhead
• Original Music Composer
• Sound Effects
1969
The Alphabet • Sound
• Sound

Visual Effects (3)

The Classroom • Animation
• Animation
1970
The Grandmother • Animation
• Animation
1969
The Alphabet • Animation
• Animation

Art (6)

2017
WHAT DID JACK DO?
• Set Decoration
• Set Designer
2010
Readymade, Emile Reynaud et la peinture s'anima • Set Designer
• Set Designer
1977
Eraserhead
• Art Direction
• Production Design
1972
In Pursuit of Treasure • Set Painter
• Set Painter

Camera (9)

2008
Early Experiments • Director of Photography
• Director of Photography
2007
More Things That Happened • Director of Photography
• Director of Photography
2006
Inland Empire
• Camera Operator
• Director of Photography
2003
Lamp • Director of Photography
• Director of Photography
1997
Pretty as a Picture: The Art of David Lynch • Still Photographer
• Still Photographer
1970
The Grandmother • Camera Operator
• Camera Operator
1969
The Alphabet • Director of Photography
• Director of Photography
1967
Sailing with Bushnell Keeler • Camera Operator
• Camera Operator

Crew (17)

2023
Tríptico • Thanks
• Thanks
2020
Faraway Eyes • Thanks
• Thanks
2018
Ant Head • Cinematography
• Cinematography
2016
Kitsune • Thanks
• Thanks
2016
Psychogenic Fugue • Creative Consultant
• Creative Consultant
2007
Ballerina • Cinematography
• Cinematography
2005
What Is It? • Thanks
• Thanks
2004
BlueBob Egg • Cinematography
• Cinematography
2003
Cabin Fever • Thanks
• Thanks
2002
The Pig Walks • Cinematography
• Cinematography
2002
Darkened Room • Cinematography
• Cinematography
2002
I Don't Know Jack • Presenter
• Presenter
2002
Dead Mouse with Ants • Cinematography
• Cinematography
2002
Coyote • Cinematography
• Cinematography
2002
Factory Mask • Cinematography
• Cinematography
1977
Eraserhead • Special Effects
• Special Effects
1970
The Grandmother • Script
• Script