David Lynch
Directing
Born: January 20, 1946 · Missoula, Montana, USA
Died: January 16, 2025 (aged 78)
Highest Rated
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.
Known for
Mulholland Drive
2001
Family Guy
1999
The Elephant Man
1980
Blue Velvet
1986
Dune
1984
Lost Highway
1997
The Fabelmans
2022
Eraserhead
1977
Twin Peaks
1990
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me
1992
Wild at Heart
1990
The Straight Story
1999
Photos (20)
Movies (32)
Dune
Spice Miner (uncredited)
The Fabelmans
John Ford
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me
Gordon Cole
The Elephant Man
Man in the Bowler Hat in the Mob Chasing Merrick (uncredited)
Inland Empire
Bucky J, the gaffer (voice)
Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces
Gordon Cole
Lucky
Howard
WHAT DID JACK DO?
Detective
The Hanging of Stuart Cornfeld
2025
Morceaux de Cannes
2021
Heart Beat
Painter (uncredited)
Nadja
Morgue Receptionist
Girlfriend's Day
Narrator (voice)
The Black Ghiandola
Man In Black
The Amputee
The Nurse
Love, Death, Elvis & Oz: The Making of Wild at Heart
2004
Zelly & Me
Willie
Out Yonder — Neighbor Boy
2002
Curtains Up
2018
Red Fish
O Sábio
The Sound of Lynch
2007
Out Yonder — Chicken
2007
BlueBob Egg
Billy Groper
The Way of Samodelkin
Stranger in a dream
Out Yonder — Teeth
2003
The Original Image - David Lynch
2019
Shadows of Paradise
2016
Sailing with Bushnell Keeler
1967
Boat
The Man
Early Experiments
2008
Memory Film
2012
The Disc of Sorrow Is Installed
2002
TV Shows (9)
Family Guy
Gus (voice) · 1 eps
Family Guy
David Lynch (voice) · 1 eps
Twin Peaks
Gordon Cole · 16 eps
Robot Chicken
Mad Scientist (voice) · 2 eps
The Cleveland Show
11 eps
The Cleveland Show
Gus (voice) · 1 eps
Louie
Jack Dall · 2 eps
DumbLand
Randy / Wife / Sparky (voice) · 8 eps
Cinéma, de notre temps
David Lynch · 1 eps
Self / Appearances (100)
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
Self · 1 eps
The Oscars
Self · 1 eps
Leçon de Cinéma
Self · 1 eps
Legends
Self · 1 eps
Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man!
Self - Filmmaker · 1 eps
The Nineties
Self (archive footage) · 1 eps
This Is Pop
Self (archive footage) · 1 eps
Scene by Scene
Self · 1 eps
Hollywood Mavericks
Self
Heart of the Festival
Self (archive footage)
Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound
Self
Un film et son époque
Self · 1 eps
Roy Orbison and Friends: A Black and White Night
Self - Audience Member
Side by Side
Self
Beatles '64
Self
David Lynch: The Art Life
Self
Lumière & Company
Self
I Know Catherine, the Log Lady
Self
Pretty as a Picture: The Art of David Lynch
Self
Lynch (one)
Self
Harry Dean Stanton: Partly Fiction
Self
Plankton Salesmen
Self (archive footage)
Why Are We Creative?
Self
Mysteries of Love
Self (archive footage)
La Traversée du désir
Self
Ringo Starr: A Lifetime of Peace and Love
Self
Lynch 2
Self
What Is Cinema?
Self
Lynch/Oz
Self (archival footage)
A Bloody Finger in Your Mouth
Self
Rammstein in Amerika
Self
Bad Binoculars
Self
Twin Peaks: The Phenomenon
Self
A Very Lovely Dream: One Week in Twin Peaks
Self
Midnight Movies: From the Margin to the Mainstream
Self
Brunes et Blondes
Self
Elvis | Viva Las Vegas
Self
Blue Velvet Revisited
Self
The Man with the Gray Elevated Hair
Self
Along for the Ride
Self
Great Directors
Self
Mel Brooks: Make a Noise
Self
The Sleeper Must Awaken: Making Dune
Self (voice) (archive footage)
The Short Films of David Lynch
Self
Tell It Martin
Self
A Slice of Lynch
Self
Destination Dune
Self
Critic
Self (voice)
In Dreams: The Roy Orbison Story
Self
The Reality of Truth
Self
The Fine Art of Separating People from Their Money
Self
The Polish Accountant
Self
Made in the USA
Self
Jonathan Ross Presents for One Week Only: David Lynch
Self
The Making of ‘Mulholland Drive’
Self
Night Flight: Born Again
Self
Brand: A Second Coming
Self
Moby Doc
Self
Meeting the Beatles in India
Self
I Don't Know Jack
Self
On Meditation
Self
The Number of Completion
Self
Behind the Red Curtain
Self
The Soul Detective
Himself
Between Two Worlds
Self
My Beautiful Broken Brain
Self
Dennis Hopper: The Decisive Moments
Self
2012: Time for Change
Self
Two Blue Balls
Self
David Lynch: 1985
Self
The Music of David Lynch
Self
Do Not Pick Up Hitchhikers
Self
Dynamic:01: The Best of DavidLynch.com
himself
The 8th Floor
Self
The A-Z of Separating People from their Money
Self
A Pot of Boiling Oil
Self
Don Van Vliet: Some YoYo Stuff
Himself
Dennis Hopper: Create (or Die)
Self
Eraserhead Stories
Self
David Wants to Fly
Self
No Frank in Lumberton
Self
This Is Sparklehorse
Self
Hollyshorts Greeting
Himself
I Had Bad Milk in Dehradun
Self
See You on the Other Side Dear Friend
Self
Welcome Home: Mary Reber and the Twin Peaks Palmer House
Self
David Lynch: The Virtual Life
himself
David Lynch: Don't Look at Me
Self
Professor Goudet's Lessons
Self
What Would David Lynch Do?
Self (Archived Footage)
David Lynch: A Remembrance Both Wonderful and Strange
Self (archive footage)
Return to Mulholland Drive
Self
David Lynch Teaches Creativity and Film
Himself
Meditation, Creativity, Peace
Self
Ruth, Roses, and Revolver
Himself
Rocksteppy
Himself
Ångesthunden och Malmö under vatten
Himself
Twin Peaks Festival Greeting 2008
Self
Does That Hurt You?
Self
Lamp
Self
Upcoming (5)
Directing (70)
Twin Peaks
Director
Mulholland Drive
Director
Dune
Director
Lost Highway
Director
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me
Director
Blue Velvet
Director
The Elephant Man
Director
Eraserhead
Director
Wild at Heart
Director
Inland Empire
Director
The Straight Story
Director
Twin Peaks
Director
To Each His Own Cinema
Director
DumbLand
Director
Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces
Director
On the Air
Director
Hotel Room
Director
WHAT DID JACK DO?
Director
Michael Jackson: Dangerous - The Short Films
Director
The Grandmother
Director
42 One Dream Rush
Director
Lumière & Company
Director
The King of Ads
Director
Rabbits
Director
Rabbits
Director
The French as Seen by…
Director
More Things That Happened
Director
The Alphabet
Director
Darkened Room
Director
Industrial Symphony No. 1: The Dream of the Brokenhearted
Director
The Amputee
Director
20 Little Films
Director
The Cowboy and the Frenchman
Director
The Short Films of David Lynch
Director
Blue Velvet: The Lost Footage
Director
Premonitions Following an Evil Deed
Director
Pierre and Sonny Jim
Director
Duran Duran: Unstaged
Director
Six Men Getting Sick
Director
Dynamic:01: The Best of DavidLynch.com
Director
Out Yonder — Neighbor Boy
Director
Eraserhead Stories
Director
Hollyshorts Greeting
Director
Industrial Soundscape
Director
Out Yonder — Chicken
Director
BlueBob Egg
Director
The Pig Walks
Director
Dead Mouse with Ants
Director
Absurd Encounter with Fear
Director
Out Yonder — Teeth
Director
Idem Paris
Director
Factory Mask
Director
Bug Crawls
Director
Waiting for Mr. Lynch
Director
Sailing with Bushnell Keeler
Director
Sunset #1
Director
Ant Head
Director
Fire (Pożar)
Director
Steps
Director
Boat
Director
Coyote #1
Director
Early Experiments
Director
Intervalometer Experiments
Director
Memory Film
Director
Head with Hammer
Director
Ballerina
Director
Twin Peaks Festival Greeting 2008
Director
The Disc of Sorrow Is Installed
Director
Lamp
Director
Interpol: I Touch a Red Button
Director
Writing (46)
Twin Peaks
Writer
Twin Peaks
Story
Mulholland Drive
Writer
Dune
Screenplay
Lost Highway
Writer
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me
Writer
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me
Original Series Creator
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me
Characters
Blue Velvet
Writer
The Elephant Man
Screenplay
Eraserhead
Screenplay
Wild at Heart
Screenplay
Inland Empire
Writer
Twin Peaks
Writer
DumbLand
Writer
Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces
Writer
Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces
Characters
On the Air
Writer
WHAT DID JACK DO?
Writer
The Grandmother
Screenplay
The Grandmother
Writer
Rabbits
Screenplay
Rabbits
Writer
More Things That Happened
Writer
The Alphabet
Writer
Darkened Room
Writer
The Amputee
Writer
The Cowboy and the Frenchman
Writer
The Short Films of David Lynch
Writer
Blue Velvet: The Lost Footage
Writer
Twin Peaks: Visual Soundtrack
Lyricist
BlueBob Egg
Writer
The Pig Walks
Writer
Dead Mouse with Ants
Writer
Factory Mask
Writer
Waiting for Mr. Lynch
Writer
Ant Head
Writer
Boat
Writer
Coyote #1
Writer
Early Experiments
Writer
Meditation, Creativity, Peace
Writer
Head with Hammer
Writer
Ballerina
Writer
Twin Peaks Festival Greeting 2008
Writer
The Disc of Sorrow Is Installed
Writer
Does That Hurt You?
Writer
Producing (36)
Twin Peaks
Executive Producer
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me
Executive Producer
Eraserhead
Producer
Inland Empire
Producer
Twin Peaks
Executive Producer
My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done
Executive Producer
DumbLand
Producer
Surveillance
Executive Producer
On the Air
Executive Producer
Hotel Room
Executive Producer
The Grandmother
Producer
The Other Me
Executive Producer
Nadja
Executive Producer
Darkened Room
Producer
Industrial Symphony No. 1: The Dream of the Brokenhearted
Producer
The Amputee
Producer
The Cabinet of Dr. Ramirez
Executive Producer
The Short Films of David Lynch
Producer
My Beautiful Broken Brain
Executive Producer
Six Men Getting Sick
Producer
Dynamic:01: The Best of DavidLynch.com
Executive Producer
A Talk with Kyle MacLachlan and Sheryl Lee
Executive Producer
The Legend of the Happy Worker
Executive Producer
BlueBob Egg
Producer
The Pig Walks
Producer
Dead Mouse with Ants
Producer
Factory Mask
Producer
Waiting for Mr. Lynch
Producer
Ant Head
Producer
Coyote #1
Producer
Early Experiments
Producer
Head with Hammer
Producer
Ballerina
Producer
Twin Peaks Festival Greeting 2008
Producer
The Disc of Sorrow Is Installed
Producer
Lamp
Producer
Other Crew (89)
Twin Peaks
Additional Editor
Twin Peaks
Sound Designer
Twin Peaks
Creator
Mulholland Drive
Sound Designer
Mulholland Drive
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Lost Highway
Sound Designer
Lost Highway
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me
Sound Designer
The Elephant Man
Sound Designer
Eraserhead
Original Music Composer
Eraserhead
Editor
Eraserhead
Production Design
Eraserhead
Art Direction
Eraserhead
Special Effects
Eraserhead
Sound Effects
Inland Empire
Director of Photography
Inland Empire
Editor
Inland Empire
Sound Designer
Inland Empire
Camera Operator
Inland Empire
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
The Straight Story
Sound Designer
Cabin Fever
Thanks
DumbLand
Editor
DumbLand
Director of Photography
DumbLand
Animation
DumbLand
Creator
Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces
Editor
Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces
Sound Mixer
On the Air
Creator
Hotel Room
Sound Designer
Hotel Room
Creator
Faraway Eyes
Thanks
WHAT DID JACK DO?
Editor
WHAT DID JACK DO?
Sound Designer
WHAT DID JACK DO?
Sound Mixer
WHAT DID JACK DO?
Music
WHAT DID JACK DO?
Set Designer
WHAT DID JACK DO?
Set Decoration
The Grandmother
Script
The Grandmother
Animation
The Grandmother
Camera Operator
Rabbits
Creator
More Things That Happened
Director of Photography
More Things That Happened
Editor
Pretty as a Picture: The Art of David Lynch
Music
Pretty as a Picture: The Art of David Lynch
Still Photographer
The Alphabet
Sound
The Alphabet
Director of Photography
The Alphabet
Animation
The Alphabet
Editor
Darkened Room
Cinematography
Darkened Room
Editor
Industrial Symphony No. 1: The Dream of the Brokenhearted
Music
What Is It?
Thanks
The Short Films of David Lynch
Sound Director
Interview Project
Creator
Kitsune
Thanks
In Pursuit of Treasure
Set Painter
I Don't Know Jack
Presenter
Twin Peaks: Visual Soundtrack
Music Producer
Twin Peaks: Visual Soundtrack
Creator
Six Men Getting Sick
Editor
Six Men Getting Sick
Cinematography
Six Men Getting Sick
Animation
Tríptico
Thanks
Night Ride
Music
No Frank in Lumberton
Music
Psychogenic Fugue
Creative Consultant
BlueBob Egg
Cinematography
The Pig Walks
Editor
The Pig Walks
Cinematography
Dead Mouse with Ants
Cinematography
Factory Mask
Cinematography
Aprender a Caer
In Memory Of
Sailing with Bushnell Keeler
Camera Operator
Ant Head
Music
Ant Head
Cinematography
Ant Head
Editor
Ant Head
Sound
Coyote #1
Cinematography
Coyote #1
Editor
Jack Paints It Red
Music
Early Experiments
Director of Photography
Early Experiments
Editor
Head with Hammer
Editor
Ballerina
Cinematography
Does That Hurt You?
Sound
Lamp
Director of Photography