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David Lynch

David Lynch

Director · 1946–2025 · Missoula, Montana, USA

IMDb

Highest rated as cast or director

Biography

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.

Directed 73

2010s

  1. 2018

    Waiting for Mr. Lynch

    Director

  2. Ant Head

    Director

  3. 2017

    WHAT DID JACK DO?

    Director

    71
  4. 2015

    Fire (Pożar)

    Director

  5. 2014

    Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces

    Director

  6. Duran Duran: Unstaged

    Director

  7. 2013

    Idem Paris

    Director

  8. 2012

    Memory Film

    Director

  9. 20 Little Films

    Director

  10. 2011

    Blue Velvet: The Lost Footage

    Director

  11. Interpol: I Touch a Red Button

    Director

  12. 2010

    42 One Dream Rush

    Director

2000s

  1. 2008

    Early Experiments

    Director

  2. Hollyshorts Greeting

    Director

  3. Twin Peaks Festival Greeting 2008

    Director

  4. 2007

    Ballerina

    Director

  5. To Each His Own Cinema

    Director

    75

  6. Out Yonder — Chicken

    Director

  7. More Things That Happened

    Director

  8. Dynamic:01: The Best of DavidLynch.com

    Director

  9. 2006

    Inland Empire

    Director

    70
  10. 2004

    Bug Crawls

    Director

  11. Intervalometer Experiments

    Director

  12. 2003

    Boat

    Director

  13. Lamp

    Director

  14. Out Yonder — Teeth

    Director

  15. 2002

    The Disc of Sorrow Is Installed

    Director

  16. Industrial Soundscape

    Director

  17. Rabbits

    Director

  18. Rabbits

    Director

  19. The Pig Walks

    Director

  20. The Short Films of David Lynch

    Director

  21. Darkened Room

    Director

  22. BlueBob Egg

    Director

  23. Out Yonder — Neighbor Boy

    Director

  24. Pierre and Sonny Jim

    Director

  25. Dead Mouse with Ants

    Director

  26. Steps

    Director

  27. Coyote #1

    Director

  28. 2001

    Factory Mask

    Director

  29. DumbLand

    Director

  30. Head with Hammer

    Director

  31. Sunset #1

    Director

  32. Eraserhead Stories

    Director

  33. Mulholland Drive

    Director

    81

1990s

  1. 1999

    The Straight Story

    Director

    84
  2. 1997

    Lost Highway

    Director

    70
  3. 1995

    Lumière & Company

    Director

  4. Premonitions Following an Evil Deed

    Director

  5. 1993

    Michael Jackson: Dangerous - The Short Films

    Director

  6. Twin Peaks: Log Lady Introductions

    Director

  7. Hotel Room

    Director

  8. 1992

    On the Air

    Director

    69

  9. Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me

    Director

    66
  10. 1991

    The King of Ads

    Director

  11. 1990

    Industrial Symphony No. 1: The Dream of the Brokenhearted

    Director

  12. Wild at Heart

    Director

    66

  13. Twin Peaks

    Director

    86

1980s

  1. 1989

    Twin Peaks

    Director

  2. 1988

    The Cowboy and the Frenchman

    Director

  3. The French as Seen by…

    Director

  4. 1986

    Blue Velvet

    Director

    78
  5. 1984

    Dune

    Director

    52
  6. 1980

    The Elephant Man

    Director

    83

1970s

  1. 1977

    Eraserhead

    Director

    78
  2. 1974

    The Amputee

    Director

  3. 1970

    The Grandmother

    Director

1960s

  1. 1969

    The Alphabet

    Director

  2. 1967

    Absurd Encounter with Fear

    Director

  3. Six Men Getting Sick

    Director

  4. Sailing with Bushnell Keeler

    Director

No release date

  1. I Have a Radio

    Director

  2. Mulholland Dr.

    Director

Wrote 46

2010s

  1. 2018

    Waiting for Mr. Lynch

    Writer

  2. Ant Head

    Writer

  3. 2017

    WHAT DID JACK DO?

    Writer

    71
  4. 2015

    Fire (Pożar)

    Writer

  5. 2014

    Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces

    Writer, Characters

  6. 2012

    Meditation, Creativity, Peace

    Writer

  7. Change Begins Within

    Writer

  8. 2011

    Blue Velvet: The Lost Footage

    Writer

2000s

  1. 2008

    Twin Peaks Festival Greeting 2008

    Writer

  2. Early Experiments

    Writer

  3. 2007

    Ballerina

    Writer

  4. More Things That Happened

    Writer

  5. 2006

    Inland Empire

    Writer

    70
  6. 2003

    Boat

    Writer

  7. Does That Hurt You?

    Writer

  8. 2002

    The Disc of Sorrow Is Installed

    Writer

  9. Rabbits

    Screenplay

  10. Rabbits

    Writer

  11. The Pig Walks

    Writer

  12. The Short Films of David Lynch

    Writer

  13. Darkened Room

    Writer

  14. BlueBob Egg

    Writer

  15. Dead Mouse with Ants

    Writer

  16. Coyote #1

    Writer

  17. 2001

    Factory Mask

    Writer

  18. DumbLand

    Writer

  19. Head with Hammer

    Writer

  20. Mulholland Drive

    Writer

    81

1990s

  1. 1997

    Lost Highway

    Writer

    70
  2. 1993

    Twin Peaks: Log Lady Introductions

    Writer

  3. 1992

    Twin Peaks: Visual Soundtrack

    Lyricist

  4. On the Air

    Writer

    69

  5. Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me

    Writer, Original Series Creator, Characters

    66
  6. 1990

    Wild at Heart

    Screenplay

    66

  7. Twin Peaks

    Writer, Story

    86

1980s

  1. 1989

    Twin Peaks

    Writer

  2. 1988

    The Cowboy and the Frenchman

    Writer

  3. 1986

    Blue Velvet

    Writer, Lyricist

    78
  4. 1984

    Dune

    Screenplay

    52
  5. 1980

    The Elephant Man

    Screenplay

    83

1970s

  1. 1977

    Eraserhead

    Screenplay

    78
  2. 1974

    The Amputee

    Writer

  3. 1970

    The Grandmother

    Screenplay, Writer

1960s

  1. 1969

    The Alphabet

    Writer

No release date

  1. I Have a Radio

    Writer

  2. Mulholland Dr.

    Writer

Acted in 42

2020s

  1. 2026

    6/11/26

    Voiceover

  2. 2025

    The Hanging of Stuart Cornfeld

    Movie

  3. 2022

    The Fabelmans

    John Ford

    81
  4. 2021

    Morceaux de Cannes

    Movie

2010s

  1. 2019

    The Original Image - David Lynch

    Movie

  2. 2018

    Curtains Up

    Movie

  3. 2017

    WHAT DID JACK DO?

    Detective

    71

  4. Lucky

    Howard

    75

  5. The Black Ghiandola

    Man In Black

  6. 2016

    Shadows of Paradise

    Movie

  7. 2014

    Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces

    Gordon Cole

  8. 2012

    Memory Film

    Movie

  9. Change Begins Within

    Movie

  10. 2010

    Louie

    Jack Dall · 2 episodes

    83

2000s

  1. 2009

    The Cleveland Show

    Gus (voice) · 11 episodes

    57

  2. Red Fish

    O Sábio

  3. The Way of Samodelkin

    Stranger in a dream

  4. 2008

    Early Experiments

    Movie

  5. 2007

    The Sound of Lynch

    Movie

  6. Out Yonder — Chicken

    Movie

  7. 2006

    Inland Empire

    Bucky J, the gaffer (voice)

    70
  8. 2005

    Robot Chicken

    Mad Scientist (voice) · 2 episodes

    77
  9. 2004

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

    Movie

  10. 2003

    Boat

    The Man

  11. Out Yonder — Teeth

    Movie

  12. 2002

    The Disc of Sorrow Is Installed

    Movie

  13. BlueBob Egg

    Billy Groper

  14. Out Yonder — Neighbor Boy

    Movie

  15. 2001

    DumbLand

    Randy / Wife / Sparky (voice) · 8 episodes

1980s

  1. 1989

    Cinéma, de notre temps

    David Lynch · 1 episode

  2. 1988

    Zelly & Me

    Willie

  3. 1984

    Dune

    Spice Miner (uncredited)

    52
  4. 1980

    The Elephant Man

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

    83

  5. Heart Beat

    Painter (uncredited)

1970s

  1. 1974

    The Amputee

    The Nurse

1960s

  1. 1967

    Sailing with Bushnell Keeler

    Movie

No release date

  1. I Have a Radio

    Singing Voice

Produced 37

2020s

  1. 2025

    The Legend of the Happy Worker

    Executive Producer

  2. 2022

    The Other Me

    Executive Producer

    46

2010s

  1. 2019

    A Talk with Kyle MacLachlan and Sheryl Lee

    Executive Producer

  2. 2018

    Waiting for Mr. Lynch

    Producer

  3. Ant Head

    Producer

  4. 2014

    My Beautiful Broken Brain

    Executive Producer

    70
  5. 2010

    My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done

    Executive Producer

    59

2000s

  1. 2008

    Twin Peaks Festival Greeting 2008

    Producer

  2. Early Experiments

    Producer

  3. Surveillance

    Executive Producer

    54
  4. 2007

    Ballerina

    Producer

  5. Dynamic:01: The Best of DavidLynch.com

    Executive Producer

  6. 2006

    Inland Empire

    Producer

    70
  7. 2003

    Lamp

    Producer

  8. 2002

    The Disc of Sorrow Is Installed

    Producer

  9. The Pig Walks

    Producer

  10. The Short Films of David Lynch

    Producer

  11. Darkened Room

    Producer

  12. BlueBob Egg

    Producer

  13. Dead Mouse with Ants

    Producer

  14. Coyote #1

    Producer

  15. 2001

    Factory Mask

    Producer

  16. DumbLand

    Producer

  17. Head with Hammer

    Producer

1990s

  1. 1995

    Nadja

    Executive Producer

    61
  2. 1993

    Hotel Room

    Executive Producer

  3. 1992

    On the Air

    Executive Producer

    69

  4. Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me

    Executive Producer

    66
  5. 1991

    The Cabinet of Dr. Ramirez

    Executive Producer

  6. 1990

    Industrial Symphony No. 1: The Dream of the Brokenhearted

    Producer

  7. Twin Peaks

    Executive Producer

    86

1980s

  1. 1989

    Twin Peaks

    Executive Producer

1970s

  1. 1977

    Eraserhead

    Producer

    78
  2. 1974

    The Amputee

    Producer

  3. 1970

    The Grandmother

    Producer

1960s

  1. 1967

    Six Men Getting Sick

    Producer

No release date

  1. A Fall from Grace

    Executive Producer

Sound 21

2020s

  1. 2025

    Jack Paints It Red

    Music

2010s

  1. 2018

    Ant Head

    Music, Sound

  2. 2017

    WHAT DID JACK DO?

    Music, Sound Designer, Sound Mixer

    71

  3. Night Ride

    Music

  4. 2014

    Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces

    Sound Mixer

2000s

  1. 2006

    Inland Empire

    Sound Designer, Sound Re-Recording Mixer

    70
  2. 2003

    Does That Hurt You?

    Sound

  3. 2002

    The Short Films of David Lynch

    Sound Director

  4. 2001

    Mulholland Drive

    Sound Designer, Sound Re-Recording Mixer

    81

1990s

  1. 1999

    The Straight Story

    Sound Designer

    84
  2. 1997

    Pretty as a Picture: The Art of David Lynch

    Music

  3. Lost Highway

    Sound Designer, Sound Re-Recording Mixer

    70
  4. 1993

    Hotel Room

    Sound Designer

  5. 1992

    Twin Peaks: Visual Soundtrack

    Music Producer

  6. Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me

    Sound Designer, Sound Re-Recording Mixer

    66
  7. 1990

    Industrial Symphony No. 1: The Dream of the Brokenhearted

    Music

  8. Twin Peaks

    Sound Designer

    86

1980s

  1. 1988

    No Frank in Lumberton

    Music

  2. 1980

    The Elephant Man

    Sound Designer

    83

1960s

  1. 1969

    The Alphabet

    Sound

Other crew 16

2020s

  1. 2026

    Aprender a Caer

    In Memory Of

2010s

  1. 2018

    Ant Head

    Cinematography

  2. 2016

    Psychogenic Fugue

    Creative Consultant

2000s

  1. 2007

    Ballerina

    Cinematography

  2. 2002

    The Pig Walks

    Cinematography

  3. Darkened Room

    Cinematography

  4. I Don't Know Jack

    Presenter

  5. BlueBob Egg

    Cinematography

  6. Coyote #1

    Cinematography

  7. Dead Mouse with Ants

    Cinematography

  8. 2001

    Factory Mask

    Cinematography

1990s

  1. 1992

    Twin Peaks: Visual Soundtrack

    Creator

1970s

  1. 1977

    Eraserhead

    Special Effects

    78
  2. 1970

    The Grandmother

    Script

1960s

  1. 1967

    Six Men Getting Sick

    Cinematography

No release date

  1. The Sea Behind Her Head

    In Memory Of

Edited 15

2010s

  1. 2018

    Ant Head

    Editor

  2. 2017

    WHAT DID JACK DO?

    Editor

    71
  3. 2014

    Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces

    Editor

2000s

  1. 2008

    Early Experiments

    Editor

  2. 2007

    More Things That Happened

    Editor

  3. 2006

    Inland Empire

    Editor

    70
  4. 2002

    The Pig Walks

    Editor

  5. Darkened Room

    Editor

  6. Coyote #1

    Editor

  7. 2001

    DumbLand

    Editor

  8. Head with Hammer

    Editor

1970s

  1. 1977

    Eraserhead

    Editor

    78

1960s

  1. 1969

    The Alphabet

    Editor

  2. 1967

    Six Men Getting Sick

    Editor

Camera 9

2000s

  1. 2008

    Early Experiments

    Director of Photography

  2. 2007

    More Things That Happened

    Director of Photography

  3. 2006

    Inland Empire

    Director of Photography, Camera Operator

    70
  4. 2003

    Lamp

    Director of Photography

  5. 2001

    DumbLand

    Director of Photography

1990s

  1. 1997

    Pretty as a Picture: The Art of David Lynch

    Still Photographer

1970s

  1. 1970

    The Grandmother

    Camera Operator

1960s

  1. 1969

    The Alphabet

    Director of Photography

  2. 1967

    Sailing with Bushnell Keeler

    Camera Operator

Created 7

2000s

  1. 2009

    Interview Project

    Creator

  2. 2002

    Rabbits

    Creator

  3. 2001

    DumbLand

    Creator

1990s

  1. 1993

    Hotel Room

    Creator

  2. 1992

    On the Air

    Creator

    69
  3. 1990

    Twin Peaks

    Creator

    86

No release date

  1. Mulholland Dr.

    Creator

Visual effects 4

2000s

  1. 2001

    DumbLand

    Animation

1970s

  1. 1970

    The Grandmother

    Animation

1960s

  1. 1969

    The Alphabet

    Animation

  2. 1967

    Six Men Getting Sick

    Animation

Art department 3

1970s

  1. 1977

    Eraserhead

    Production Design, Art Direction

    78
  2. 1972

    In Pursuit of Treasure

    Set Painter

Appearances101

2020s

  1. 2026

    I Know Catherine, the Log Lady

    Self

  2. Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man!

    Self - Filmmaker · 1 episode

  3. What Would David Lynch Do?

    Self (Archived Footage)

  4. 2025

    David Lynch: A Remembrance Both Wonderful and Strange

    Self (archive footage)

  5. 2024

    Beatles '64

    Self

    72

  6. The Straight Story: On Set With David Lynch

    Self

  7. Straight Talking: A Making Of

    Self

  8. 2023

    Lynch/Oz

    Self (archival footage)

  9. 2022

    This Is Sparklehorse

    Self

  10. 2021

    The Sleeper Must Awaken: Making Dune

    Self (voice) (archive footage)

  11. Moby Doc

    Self

  12. Welcome Home: Mary Reber and the Twin Peaks Palmer House

    Self

  13. This Is Pop

    Self (archive footage) · 1 episode

    66
  14. 2020

    David Lynch: The Virtual Life

    himself

  15. Meeting the Beatles in India

    Self

2010s

  1. 2019

    Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound

    Self

    80

  2. David Lynch Teaches Creativity and Film

    Himself

  3. 2018

    Why Are We Creative?

    Self

    70
  4. 2017

    Tell It Martin

    Self

  5. The Polish Accountant

    Self

  6. The Number of Completion

    Self

  7. See You on the Other Side Dear Friend

    Self

  8. Do Not Pick Up Hitchhikers

    Self

  9. Bad Binoculars

    Self

  10. Two Blue Balls

    Self

  11. A Very Lovely Dream: One Week in Twin Peaks

    Self

  12. Behind the Red Curtain

    Self

  13. A Bloody Finger in Your Mouth

    Self

  14. I Had Bad Milk in Dehradun

    Self

  15. A Pot of Boiling Oil

    Self

  16. The Man with the Gray Elevated Hair

    Self

  17. Plankton Salesmen

    Self (archive footage)

  18. The Nineties

    Self (archive footage) · 1 episode

    78

  19. David Lynch: The Art Life

    Self

    76

  20. Girlfriend's Day

    Narrator (voice)

    51

  21. Rocksteppy

    Himself

  22. 2016

    Along for the Ride

    Self

  23. Blue Velvet Revisited

    Self

  24. On Meditation

    Self

  25. The Reality of Truth

    Self

  26. Night Flight: Born Again

    Self

  27. The Music of David Lynch

    Self

  28. 2015

    Rammstein in Amerika

    Self

  29. Brand: A Second Coming

    Self

    63
  30. 2014

    My Beautiful Broken Brain

    Self

    70

  31. Between Two Worlds

    Self

  32. The 8th Floor

    Self

  33. Ringo Starr: A Lifetime of Peace and Love

    Self

  34. 2013

    Harry Dean Stanton: Partly Fiction

    Self

    76

  35. What Is Cinema?

    Self

  36. Mel Brooks: Make a Noise

    Self

  37. Professor Goudet's Lessons

    Self

  38. 2012

    Meditation, Creativity, Peace

    Self

  39. Side by Side

    Self

    80
  40. 2011

    Ångesthunden och Malmö under vatten

    Himself

  41. 2010

    2012: Time for Change

    Self

  42. Brunes et Blondes

    Self

  43. David Wants to Fly

    Self

    69

2000s

  1. 2009

    Great Directors

    Self

  2. La Traversée du désir

    Self

  3. The Soul Detective

    Himself

  4. 2008

    Twin Peaks Festival Greeting 2008

    Self

  5. Hollyshorts Greeting

    Himself

  6. Elvis | Viva Las Vegas

    Self

  7. Critic

    Self (voice)

  8. 2007

    A Slice of Lynch

    Self

  9. Lynch (one)

    Self

  10. Lynch 2

    Self

  11. Dynamic:01: The Best of DavidLynch.com

    himself

  12. 2006

    Legends

    Self · 1 episode

  13. Midnight Movies: From the Margin to the Mainstream

    Self

  14. 2005

    David Lynch: 1985

    Self

  15. 2004

    Dennis Hopper: The Decisive Moments

    Self

  16. The Making of ‘Mulholland Drive’

    Self

  17. Leçon de Cinéma

    Self · 1 episode

  18. 2003

    Does That Hurt You?

    Self

  19. Lamp

    Self

  20. Return to Mulholland Drive

    Self

  21. Un film et son époque

    Self · 1 episode

  22. Dennis Hopper: Create (or Die)

    Self

  23. 2002

    The Short Films of David Lynch

    Self

  24. Heart of the Festival

    Self (archive footage)

  25. I Don't Know Jack

    Self

  26. Mysteries of Love

    Self (archive footage)

  27. 2001

    Eraserhead Stories

    Self

1990s

  1. 1999

    In Dreams: The Roy Orbison Story

    Self

  2. 1997

    Pretty as a Picture: The Art of David Lynch

    Self

  3. Scene by Scene

    Self · 1 episode

  4. 1996

    The Fine Art of Separating People from Their Money

    Self

  5. 1995

    Lumière & Company

    Self

  6. 1994

    Don Van Vliet: Some YoYo Stuff

    Himself

  7. 1993

    Made in the USA

    Self

  8. 1992

    The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

    Self · 1 episode

    53
  9. 1990

    Jonathan Ross Presents for One Week Only: David Lynch

    Self

  10. Hollywood Mavericks

    Self

1980s

  1. 1989

    David Lynch: Don't Look at Me

    Self

  2. 1988

    No Frank in Lumberton

    Self

  3. Roy Orbison and Friends: A Black and White Night

    Self - Audience Member

  4. 1987

    Ruth, Roses, and Revolver

    Himself

  5. 1983

    Destination Dune

    Self

Thanked in the credits6

2020s

  1. 2025

    Tríptico

    Thanks

  2. Solitary

    Thanks

  3. 2021

    Faraway Eyes

    Thanks

    45

2010s

  1. 2016

    Kitsune

    Thanks

2000s

  1. 2005

    What Is It?

    Thanks

  2. 2003

    Cabin Fever

    Thanks

    57