Brian Wilson

Actor · 1942–2025 · Inglewood, California, USA

Biography

Brian Douglas Wilson (June 20, 1942 — June 11, 2025) was an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer who co-founded the Beach Boys. After signing with Capitol Records in 1962, Wilson wrote or co-wrote more than two dozen Top 40 hits for the group. He originally functioned as the band's songwriter, producer, co-lead vocalist, bassist, keyboardist, and de facto leader. Wilson was considered a major innovator in the field of music production, the principal originator of the California Sound, one of the first music producer auteurs, and the first rock producer to use the studio as its own instrument. The unusual creative control Capitol gave him over his own records effectively set a precedent that allowed other bands and artists to act as their own producers or co-producers. He was a major influence on the retrospectively-termed "sunshine pop" and Flower Power music that proceeded.

Acted in 8

2020s

2024
Mount Vernon and Fairway
Pied Piper (voice)

2000s

2006
Tales of the Rat Fink
The Surfite (voice)
2003
Duck Dodgers
Brian Wilson (voice) · 1 episode
76
2002
Hack
Raymond Henley · 1 episode
74

1990s

1997
The Rhythm of Life
TV
1992
Later... with Jools Holland
TV · 69 Seasons · Talk

1980s

1987
Full House
Brian Wilson · 1 episode
70
The Return of Bruno
Brian Wilson

Sound 5

2020s

2026
La llegenda del Canyut
Songs
2024
Mount Vernon and Fairway
Music

2010s

2015
Love & Mercy
Songs
78

2000s

2004
Beautiful Dreamer: Brian Wilson and the Story of Smile
Music

1970s

1976
The Beach Boys: It's OK
Music

Wrote 1

2020s

2024
Mount Vernon and Fairway
Writer

Appearances81

2020s

2026
Conversations with a Killer: The Charles Manson Tapes
Self - Former Member 'The Beach Boys' (archive footage) · 1 episode
68
2024
The Beach Boys
Self
75
2023
Reinventing Elvis: The 68' Comeback
Self (archive footage)
80
A Grammy Salute to The Beach Boys
Self
2022
The Day the Music Died: The Story of Don McLean's "American Pie"
Self (archive footage)
2021
Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road
Self
2020
Streetlight Harmonies
Self

2010s

2019
My Music: A Classic Christmas
Self - The Beach Boys (archive footage)
2017
The Beach Boys: Making Pet Sounds
Self
2016
Brian Wilson - Live at Baloise Session
Self
The Beach Boys: A Long Promised Road - Volume 1 & 2 - 1962-1971
Self
2015
I Hope You Dance: The Power and Spirit of Song
Self
Brian Wilson and Friends - A Soundstage Special Event
Self
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Self · 1 episode
69
Love & Mercy
Self (Archive Footage)
78
2014
Brian Wilson: Songwriter 1969-1982
Self (archive footage)
2012
The Beach Boys - Live in Concert 50th Anniversary
Self
The Beach Boys: Doin' It Again
Self
…Sings Musicals
Self (archive footage)
Endless Syncopation: The Rising Fall of The Beach Boys and The California Myth
Himself
2010
Classic Albums: The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds
Self - The Beach Boys
Brian Wilson: Songwriter 1962-1969
Self (archive footage)