Alice Cooper, born in 1948 as Vincent Damon Furnier in Detroit, Michigan, is an American singer, songwriter, actor, and radio personality. At age 16 in 1964, Furnier started what would become a music career by recruiting four sports teammates to create a band for their local school talent show, calling themselves the Earwigs. The group used costumes and wigs to resemble the Beatles and won the talent show. Throughout the next four years, the band overcame lineup changes, band name changes, and even added to their stage presence—snakes, guillotines, electric chairs, fake blood, and various other horror imagery and props.
In 1968, the group chose Alice Cooper as a new band name. Furnier adopted the name for himself in 1975 to avoid legal complications of the band name ownership. The band realized it wasn't fully utilizing the stage show potential to garner publicity. Therefore, upon watching films to gain new inspiration, Cooper decided to don makeup and black eyeliner for events.
As the band fine tuned its stage presence, Alice Cooper gained attention from television and film producers. In 1970, Alice Cooper made a cameo appearance in Diary of a Mad Housewife with the original Alice Cooper band. Alice Cooper also appeared in Sextette alongside Mae West in 1978, Prince of Darkness as a street schizo in 1987, Wayne's World (1992), Dark Shadows (2012), Super Duper Alice Cooper (2014), and the Freddy Krueger franchise as Edward Underwood, Freddy's foster father. In the midst of films, Cooper made television appearances around the world. For example, he appeared on Alice Cooper a Paris, a French television special, in 1982. Cooper has appeared on several music documentaries, talk shows, game shows, sitcoms, music award ceremonies, and celebrity sports tournaments, just to name a few media categories.
Credited with helping to shape the look and sound of heavy metal, Alice Cooper is regarded as "The Godfather of Shock Rock." Over the years, Alice Cooper has been honored with numerous award nominations, many of which he has won. He was awarded a Hollywood Walk of Fame star in 2003. Alice Cooper, Michael Owen Bruce, Glen Buxton, Dennis Dunaway, and Neal Smith of the original Alice Cooper band were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by Rob Zombie on March 14, 2011.
Filmography
Note: This is an incomplete filmography of appearances by Alice Cooper (as a person and as a band) in movies, television, and other visual media. Music videos, archived videos, commercials, and other "video shorts" are not included.
Film Year Title Role Notes 1970 Diary of a Mad Housewife Himself Cameo with the original Alice Cooper band 1971 We Have Come for Your Daughters Himself Later renamed Medicine Ball Caravan 1974 Good to See You Again, Alice Cooper Himself Concert film 1976 Welcome to My Nightmare Steven/Himself Concert film 1978 Sextette Waiter Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band Father Sun 1979 Himself Concert video 1980 Roadie Himself 1986 Monster Dog Vincent Raven Spanish horror film 1987 Himself Concert video Prince of Darkness Street schizo 1988 Himself Himself 1990 Alice Cooper Trashes the World Himself Concert video 1991 Alice Cooper: Prime Cuts Himself Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare Edward Underwood(Freddy's foster father) Uncredited 1992 Wayne's World Himself 1996 Fairway to Heaven Himself 1999 Sofia Eriksson moter Alice Cooper Himself Swedish film British Rock Symphony Himself Concert film 2000 Alice Cooper: Brutally Live Himself Concert film Dario Argento: An Eye for Horror Himself 2001 Samuel Leventhal 25 Years of Punk Himself Narrated by Lou Reed 2002 Adventures in Rock Himself Canadian documentary 2003 Mayor of the Sunset Strip Himself 2004 John Carpenter: Fear Is Just the Beginning... The Man and His Movies Himself Spooks & Creeps Himself A collection of horror short films 2005 Metal: A Headbanger's Journey Himself Unauthorized and Proud of It: The Story of Todd Loren's Rock 'N' Roll Comics Himself 2006 Alice Cooper: Live at Montreux 2005 Himself Concert film and album package I Did Not Know That Himself 2009 Suck Vampire bartender 2010 Lemmy Himself Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy Himself Documentary film Mother of Rock: The Life and Times of Lillian Roxon Himself Horrorween Himself Cameo 2011 Rock 'N' Roll Exposed: The Photography of Bob Gruen Himself 2012 Sunset Strip Himself Louder Than Love: The Grande Ballroom Story Himself Dark Shadows Himself Himself Interviewee Bigfoot Himself 2013 Who Shot Rock & Roll: The Film Himself Drew: The Man Behind the Poster Himself Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon Himself Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday the 13th Himself/Rock Legend Documentary film Skum Rocks! Narrator Rockumentary 2014 Super Duper Alice Cooper Himself(Vincent Furnier) Canadian biographical documentary Himself (Rock star) Wacken 3D Himself 2015 Danny Says Himself Documentary film Smoke and Mirrors: The Story of Tom Savini Himself To Be Frank: Sinatra at 100 Himself 2016 Hired Gun Himself 2017 Here's to Life: The Story of The Refreshments Himself Cum on Feel the Noize: The Story of How Rock Became Metal Himself 2018 Detroit: Comeback City Himself Musician Hellfest Himself Concert film Udo Lindenberg - MTV Unplugged - Live vom Atlantik Himself German film Chuck Berry Himself Documentary film 2019 Boy Howdy: The Story of Creem Magazine Himself Documentary film Live from the Astroturf, Alice Cooper Himself Documentary/Concert film Suzi Q Himself Australian documentary House of Cardin Himself U.S. documentary film on Pierre Cardin You Wanted the Best... You Got the Best: The Official KISS Movie Himself Pre-production 2021 Rock Camp: The Movie Himself Documentary film
Television Year Title Role Notes 1970 Midsummer Rock Himself Concert 1971 Whistle Test Himself 1 Episode 1971–1980 Beat-Club Himself German music program 1972–1975 In Concert Himself 2 Episodes 1972–1994 Top of the Pops Himself Himself and Presenter; 13 Episodes 1973 NME Awards Himself Won World Stage Band award Himself Panelist; 1 Episode Rock-a-bye Himself 1974 NME Awards Himself Won World Stage Band award 16th Annual Grammy Awards Himself Prince 1 Episode: "The Divil Made Me Do It!" 1975 Himself 1 Episode Alice Cooper: The Nightmare Steven Conceptual television special Dinah! Himself 1 Episode 1975–1976 Himself 2 Episodes 1975–1977 Himself 2 Episodes 1976 Second Annual Rock Music Awards Himself Host and Presenter Tony Orlando and Dawn Himself 1 Episode: "Alice Cooper/George Carlin" Himself 1977 All You Need Is Love: The Story of Popular Music Himself 1 Episode: "Whatever Gets You Through the Night: Glitter Rock" Rock Music Awards Himself Alice Cooper and Friends Himself Concert TV special 1978 Grease Day USA Himself Himself 1 Episode: "Alice Cooper" Hollywood's Diamond Jubilee Himself Cameo 1978–1990 Good Morning America Himself 2 Episodes 1980 Pink Lady Himself Guest; 1 Episode: "Episode 5" Cosas Himself 1 Episode 1982 Alice Cooper a Paris Himself/Vincent Furnier French TV special (France release only) Rock 'n' Roll: The First 25 Years Himself Host Riverside Himself 1 Episode 1984 26th Annual Grammy Awards Himself Nominated for Best Video Album: "The Nightmare" (video) 1984–2019 Today Himself 3 Episodes 1986 Himself 1 Episode 1987 WrestleMania III Himself MusiCalifornia Himself 1 Episode: "Crazy Hollywood" 1989 31st Annual Grammy Awards Himself 1989 MTV Video Music Awards Himself Co-Presenter for Best Group Video 1990 17th Annual American Music Awards Himself Co-host and Music Performer 32nd Annual Grammy Awards Himself Hard 'N Heavy Volume 7 Himself Video magazine 1991 18th Annual American Music Awards Himself Ozzy Osbourne - Don't Blame Me: The Tales of Ozzy Osbourne Himself Slash & Burn: The Freddy Krueger Story Himself 1992 Aspel & Company Himself 1 Episode Himself 1994 Parallel 9 Himself 1 Episode Himself 1 Episode Noisy Mothers Himself 1 Episode Lista Top 40 Himself 1 Episode Clive Anderson Talks Back Himself 1 Episode Himself 1 Episode Himself Concert 1995 22nd Annual American Music Awards Himself Something Wilder Himself 1 Episode: "Hanging with Mr. Cooper" Space Ghost Coast to Coast Himself 1 Episode: "Girlie Show" Himself 2 Episodes Rock & Roll Himself 2 Episodes 1996 Dancing in the Street: a Rock and Roll History Himself 1 Episode: "Hang on to Yourself" VH1 Presents the 70's Himself 1997 Halloween... The Happy Haunting of America! Himself 24th Annual American Music Awards Himself Pearl Himself 1 Episode: "The Write Stuff: Part 1" 39th Annual Grammy Awards Himself Nominated for Best Metal Performance: "Hands of Death (Burn Baby Burn)" (track) Himself TV special Himself 1 Episode: "Hawaii" Eyegore Awards Himself Won the Eyegore Award; First recipient of the award 1997–2011 Rage Himself 2 Episodes 1998 Masters of Fantasy Himself 1 Episode: "Vincent Price" Penn & Teller's Sin City Spectacular Himself 1 Episode: "Episode #1.4" 1999–2001 Behind the Music Himself 2 episodes 1999 Freakshow Pirate Jack Voice Late Show with David Letterman Himself Guest and Performer; 1 Episode Mark Lamarr Leaving the 20th Century Himself 1 Episode Spice Girls in America: A Tour Story Himself 2000 Trigger Happy TV Himself 1 Episode Top Ten Himself Presenter; 1 Episode: "Stadium Rock" Power Vision - Pop Galerie Himself 1 Episode: "KISS" VH1's Where Are They Now? Himself 1 Episode: "Bad Boys of Rock" Himself 1 Episode: "Alice Cooper" Himself VH1's 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock Himself 2000–2004 Himself 3 Episodes 2001 That '70s Show Himself Episode: "Radio Daze" 2001–09 Rove Live Himself 2 Episodes 2002 Sӧndagsӧppet Himself I Love Muppets Himself One-Hit Wonders Himself 6 Episodes Himself Hosted by William Shatner 2002–2003 V Graham Norton Himself 2 Episodes 2002–2011 Himself Guest and Performer; 3 Episodes 2003 Die 70er Show Himself 1 Episode Summer Music Mania 2003 Himself Performer Himself 1 Episode: "Alice in Mulletland" Himself Presented by Jimmy Carr British Comedy Awards Himself Today with Des and Mel Himself 1 Episode Player$ Himself 1 Episode: "Of Tombs and Pirates" 2004 Himself Himself Presenter X-Rated: The Pop Videos They Tried to Ban Himself 2004–2011 Never Mind the Buzzcocks Himself Himself and Host; 2 Episodes 2005 Himself Presenter Himself 1 Episode Himself 1 Episode Enough Rope with Andrew Denton Himself 1 Episode In Your Face: The Lost Episodes of the XWF Himself 1 Episode Himself Himself 1 Episode HARDtalk Extra Himself 1 Episode: "Alice Cooper" Sound Off with Matt Pinfield Himself Guest 2005–2007 Himself 2 Episodes 2005–2008 Himself 9 Episodes 2006 Graham Norton's Bigger Picture Himself 1 Episode Kings of Glam Himself TV documentary Best Ever Muppet Moments Himself Monk Himself 1 Episode: "Mr. Monk and the Garbage Strike" All*Star Cup Himself Team USA Hypaspace Himself 1 Episode Goolians: A Docu-Comedy Himself 2nd Classic Rock Roll of Honour Awards Himself Won Living Legend award 40 Years of Star Trek Himself (Vincent Furnier) Heavy: The Story of Metal Himself 2007 Himself 1 Episode E! True Hollywood Story Himself 1 Episode: "Rock Star Wives" Scream Awards 2007 Himself Performer; Won Scream Rock Immortal Award NRJ 12: Scream Awards Himself Final 24 Himself 1 Episode; "Keith Moon" 2007–2009 Last Call with Carson Daly Himself 2 Episodes 2008 Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations Himself 1 Episode: "U.S. Southwest" Tout le monde en parle Himself Himself One for the Fire: The Legacy of 'Night of the Living Dead''' | Himself | | style="text-align:center;" | |- | rowspan="2" | 2008–2011 | | Himself | 2 Episodes
| Loose Women| Himself | 2 Episodes
| 2008–2012 | | Himself | Guest; 4 Episodes
| 2009 | | Himself | Guest; 1 Episode
| 2009–10 | Breakfast| Himself | 2 Episodes
| rowspan="14" | 2010 | 52nd Annual Grammy Awards| Himself | Presenter
| 12th NRJ Music Awards| Himself
| I'm in a Rock 'n' Roll Band| Himself | 2 Episodes
| Golden Gods awards| Himself
| American Idol| Himself | Performer; 1 Episode
| Man v. Food| Himself