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David Lynch

David Lynch

Directing

Born: January 20, 1946Missoula, Montana, USA

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.

Known For
Filmography
I Know Catherine, the Log Lady

I Know Catherine, the Log Lady

Self

2026
What Would David Lynch Do?

What Would David Lynch Do?

Self (Archived Footage)

2026
The Hanging of Stuart Cornfeld

The Hanging of Stuart Cornfeld

2025
The Making Of A Mockumentary

The Making Of A Mockumentary

Himself (archive footage)

2025
David Lynch: A Remembrance Both Wonderful and Strange

David Lynch: A Remembrance Both Wonderful and Strange

Self (archive footage)

2025
Beatles '64

Beatles '64

Self

2024
Lynch/Oz

Lynch/Oz

self (archival footage)

2023
The Fabelmans

The Fabelmans

John Ford

2022
This Is Sparklehorse

This Is Sparklehorse

Self

2022
The Sleeper Must Awaken: Making Dune

The Sleeper Must Awaken: Making Dune

Self (voice) (archive footage)

2021
Morceaux de Cannes

Morceaux de Cannes

2021
Moby Doc

Moby Doc

Self

2021
Welcome Home: Mary Reber and the Twin Peaks Palmer House

Welcome Home: Mary Reber and the Twin Peaks Palmer House

Self

2021
David Lynch: The Idea Dictates Everything

David Lynch: The Idea Dictates Everything

David Lynch

2021
David Lynch: The Virtual Life

David Lynch: The Virtual Life

himself

2020
Meeting the Beatles in India

Meeting the Beatles in India

Self

2020
Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound

Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound

Self

2019
The Original Image - David Lynch

The Original Image - David Lynch

2019
David Lynch Teaches Creativity and Film

David Lynch Teaches Creativity and Film

Himself

2019
Curtains Up

Curtains Up

2018
Why Are We Creative?

Why Are We Creative?

Self

2018
A Very Lovely Dream: One Week in Twin Peaks

A Very Lovely Dream: One Week in Twin Peaks

Self

2017
The Man with the Gray Elevated Hair

The Man with the Gray Elevated Hair

Self

2017
A Bloody Finger in Your Mouth

A Bloody Finger in Your Mouth

Self

2017
A Pot of Boiling Oil

A Pot of Boiling Oil

Self

2017
Behind the Red Curtain

Behind the Red Curtain

Self

2017
I Had Bad Milk in Dehradun

I Had Bad Milk in Dehradun

Self

2017
Two Blue Balls

Two Blue Balls

Self

2017
Bad Binoculars

Bad Binoculars

Self

2017
See You on the Other Side Dear Friend

See You on the Other Side Dear Friend

Self

2017
The Number of Completion

The Number of Completion

Self

2017
The Polish Accountant

The Polish Accountant

Self

2017
Tell It Martin

Tell It Martin

Self

2017
Do Not Pick Up Hitchhikers

Do Not Pick Up Hitchhikers

Self

2017
Twin Peaks: The Phenomenon

Twin Peaks: The Phenomenon

Self

2017
WHAT DID JACK DO?

WHAT DID JACK DO?

Detective

2017
Plankton Salesmen

Plankton Salesmen

Self (archive footage)

2017
Lucky

Lucky

Howard

2017
The Black Ghiandola

The Black Ghiandola

Man In Black

2017
David Lynch: The Art Life

David Lynch: The Art Life

Self

2017
Girlfriend's Day

Girlfriend's Day

Narrator (voice)

2017
Rocksteppy

Rocksteppy

Himself

2017
Along for the Ride

Along for the Ride

Self

2016
Shadows of Paradise

Shadows of Paradise

2016
Blue Velvet Revisited

Blue Velvet Revisited

Self

2016
On Meditation

On Meditation

Self

2016
The Reality of Truth

The Reality of Truth

Self

2016
The Music of David Lynch

The Music of David Lynch

Self

2016
Night Flight: Born Again

Night Flight: Born Again

Self

2016
Rammstein in Amerika

Rammstein in Amerika

Self

2015
Brand: A Second Coming

Brand: A Second Coming

Self

2015
My Beautiful Broken Brain

My Beautiful Broken Brain

Self

2014
Between Two Worlds

Between Two Worlds

Self

2014
Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces

Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces

Gordon Cole

2014
The 8th Floor

The 8th Floor

Self

2014

It's a Beautiful World

Self

2014
Ringo Starr: A Lifetime of Peace and Love

Ringo Starr: A Lifetime of Peace and Love

Self

2014
Harry Dean Stanton: Partly Fiction

Harry Dean Stanton: Partly Fiction

Self

2013
What Is Cinema?

What Is Cinema?

Self

2013
Mel Brooks: Make a Noise

Mel Brooks: Make a Noise

Self

2013
Professor Goudet's Lessons

Professor Goudet's Lessons

Self

2013
Memory Film

Memory Film

2012
Meditation, Creativity, Peace

Meditation, Creativity, Peace

Self

2012
Side by Side

Side by Side

Self

2012
Ångesthunden och Malmö under vatten

Ångesthunden och Malmö under vatten

Himself

2011
2012: Time for Change

2012: Time for Change

Self

2010
Brunes et Blondes

Brunes et Blondes

Self

2010
David Wants to Fly

David Wants to Fly

Self

2010

When Lynch Met Lucas

2010
Red Fish

Red Fish

O Sábio

2009
The Way of Samodelkin

The Way of Samodelkin

Stranger in a dream

2009
Great Directors

Great Directors

Self

2009
La Traversée du désir

La Traversée du désir

Self

2009
The Soul Detective

The Soul Detective

Himself

2009
Twin Peaks Festival Greeting 2008

Twin Peaks Festival Greeting 2008

Self

2008
Hollyshorts Greeting

Hollyshorts Greeting

Himself

2008
Early Experiments

Early Experiments

2008
Elvis | Viva Las Vegas

Elvis | Viva Las Vegas

Self

2008
Critic

Critic

Self (voice)

2008
The Sound of Lynch

The Sound of Lynch

2007
A Slice of Lynch

A Slice of Lynch

Self

2007
Lynch (one)

Lynch (one)

Self

2007
Out Yonder — Chicken

Out Yonder — Chicken

2007
Lynch 2

Lynch 2

Self

2007

Donovan: The Donovan Concert - Live in L.A.

Himself

2007
Dynamic:01: The Best of DavidLynch.com

Dynamic:01: The Best of DavidLynch.com

himself

2007
Inland Empire

Inland Empire

Bucky J

2006
Midnight Movies: From the Margin to the Mainstream

Midnight Movies: From the Margin to the Mainstream

Self

2006
David Lynch: 1985

David Lynch: 1985

Self

2005
Love, Death, Elvis & Oz: The Making of Wild at Heart

Love, Death, Elvis & Oz: The Making of Wild at Heart

2004
Dennis Hopper: The Decisive Moments

Dennis Hopper: The Decisive Moments

Self

2004
The Making of ‘Mulholland Drive’

The Making of ‘Mulholland Drive’

Self

2004
Boat

Boat

The Man

2003
Does That Hurt You?

Does That Hurt You?

Self

2003
Lamp

Lamp

Self

2003
Return to Mulholland Drive

Return to Mulholland Drive

Self

2003
Out Yonder — Teeth

Out Yonder — Teeth

2003
Dennis Hopper: Create (or Die)

Dennis Hopper: Create (or Die)

Self

2003
The Disc of Sorrow Is Installed

The Disc of Sorrow Is Installed

2002
The Short Films of David Lynch

The Short Films of David Lynch

Self

2002
Heart of the Festival

Heart of the Festival

Self (archive footage)

2002
I Don't Know Jack

I Don't Know Jack

Self

2002
BlueBob Egg

BlueBob Egg

Billy Groper

2002
Mysteries of Love

Mysteries of Love

Self (archive footage)

2002
Out Yonder — Neighbor Boy

Out Yonder — Neighbor Boy

2002
Eraserhead Stories

Eraserhead Stories

Self

2001

Dino De Laurentiis: The Last Movie Mogul

Self

2001
In Dreams: The Roy Orbison Story

In Dreams: The Roy Orbison Story

Self

1999
The A-Z of Separating People from their Money

The A-Z of Separating People from their Money

Self

1998
Pretty as a Picture: The Art of David Lynch

Pretty as a Picture: The Art of David Lynch

Self

1997
The Fine Art of Separating People from Their Money

The Fine Art of Separating People from Their Money

Self

1996
Lumière & Company

Lumière & Company

Self

1995
Nadja

Nadja

Morgue Receptionist

1995
Don Van Vliet: Some YoYo Stuff

Don Van Vliet: Some YoYo Stuff

Himself

1994
Made in the USA

Made in the USA

Self

1993
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me

Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me

Gordon Cole

1992

Crazy About the Movies: Dennis Hopper

Self

1991
Jonathan Ross Presents for One Week Only: David Lynch

Jonathan Ross Presents for One Week Only: David Lynch

Self

1990
Hollywood Mavericks

Hollywood Mavericks

Self

1990
David Lynch: Don't Look at Me

David Lynch: Don't Look at Me

Self

1989
Zelly & Me

Zelly & Me

Willie

1988
No Frank in Lumberton

No Frank in Lumberton

Self

1988
Roy Orbison and Friends: A Black and White Night

Roy Orbison and Friends: A Black and White Night

Self - Audience Member

1988
Ruth, Roses, and Revolver

Ruth, Roses, and Revolver

Himself

1987
Dune

Dune

Spice Miner (uncredited)

1984
Destination Dune

Destination Dune

Self

1983
The Elephant Man

The Elephant Man

Man in the Bowler Hat in the Mob Chasing Merrick (uncredited)

1980
Heart Beat

Heart Beat

Painter (uncredited)

1980
The Amputee

The Amputee

The Nurse

1974
Sailing with Bushnell Keeler

Sailing with Bushnell Keeler

1967