David Lynch (January 20, 1946 – January 16, 2025) was an American filmmaker, visual artist, musician and actor. Known for his surrealist films, he developed his own cinematic style which has been dubbed "Lynchian" and is characterized by its dream imagery and meticulous sound design. The surreal and, in many cases, violent elements to his films have earned them the reputation that they "disturb, offend or mystify" their audiences.
Lynch's oeuvre includes short and feature-length films, music videos, documentaries and television episodes, while his involvement in these ranged from direction, production, and screenwriting to acting and sound design. Lynch's first project was the 1967 short Six Men Getting Sick (Six Times), an animated film which blended elements of sculpture and painting into its animation.
His first feature-length project, 1977's Eraserhead, became a cult film and launched his commercial career. It also marked his first collaboration with Jack Nance, who would appear in many more of Lynch's productions until the death of the actor in 1996. Lynch's other feature films include the commercial flop Dune, and the critically successful The Elephant Man (1980), Blue Velvet (1986), The Straight Story (1999) and Mulholland Drive (2001), all of which went on to earn Academy Award nominations.
Lynch also branched out into television, and later, internet-based series. His first foray into television was Twin Peaks, a joint venture with Mark Frost which became a cult success, leading to Lynch and Frost working together on a number of other projects, including On the Air and American Chronicles.
In 2002, Lynch began producing two series of short films released through his official website: the Flash-animated DumbLand and Rabbits. Having begun acting in his 1972 short The Amputee, Lynch went on to appear on screen in Twin Peaks, Zelly and Me, and Dune. From 2010 to 2013, Lynch appeared in a recurring voice role in the animated series The Cleveland Show. He was a supporting actor in the 2017 John Carroll Lynch film Lucky.
Feature film Year Title Director Writer Producer Sound Designer Notes Ref. 1977 Eraserhead Also editor, composer, art director, and special effects 1980 The Elephant Man Co-written with Christopher De Vore and Eric Bergren 1984 Dune 1986 Blue Velvet Also Additional music 1990 Wild at Heart 1992 Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me Co-written with Robert Engels 1997 Lost Highway Also Additional music; Co-written with Barry Gifford 1999 The Straight Story 2001 Mulholland Drive Also additional music 2006 Inland Empire Also editor, composer, cinematographer, camera operator, and construction team
Short film Year Title Director Writer Producer Actor Notes Ref(s) 1967 Six Men Getting Sick (Six Times) Also animator 1968 Absurd Encounter with Fear Fictitious Anacin Commercial Sailing with Bushnell Keeler Also editor, cinematographer, animator and sound Early Experiments 16mm, from Lime Green DVD Set 1970 Also cinematographer, animator and sound effects 1974 Role: Unable and scared nurse 1988 1995 Premonition Following an Evil Deed 2001Sunset #1Head with Hammer Where Are the Bananas?Combined with Darkened Room on the DVD release but originally a separate video.You're Not Supposed to Be HerePierre and Sonny Jim Steam Chain/Factory Mask Bees #1 Posted to YouTube in 2020 with alternate title, "Ball of Bees #1." Dead Mouse with Ants 2002Coyote #1 StepsLaura Palmer The Short Films of David Lynch Easter EggBlueBob Egg Lunch with Lynch Contest AnnouncementBees #2Coyote #2Kitchen WindowLunch with Lynch Contest DrawingDarkened Room Also animator Industrial Soundscape Bees #32003Water CircusBees #4Dining Room WindowInterior Dining Room Lamp Role: Himself Boat Also editor 2004AgavePainted Lady Bug Crawls 2005Scene from a David Lynch DV Project For Avid promotional film 2007 Intervalometer Experiments Collection of Sunset #1, Steps, and Interior Dining Room. Absurda More Things That Happened Also editor Ballerina David Lynch Cooks Quinoa 2008Twin Peaks festival greeting2010 Dream #7 Posted to YouTube in 2020 with the alternate title, The Mystery of the Seeing Hand. Lady Blue Shanghai Also editor and composer 2011 The 3 Rs Also editor and cinematographer 2012Memory Film For Serpentine Gallery Memory Marathon 2013 Idem Paris 2015Fire (Pożar) 2017 What Did Jack Do? Also editorRole: Detective2018 This Video of David Lynch Is Not What It Seems For Omaze Ant Head Waiting for Mr. LynchFor LEFFEST 2020 The Story of a Small Bug Role: Narrator at beginning Also editor The Adventures of Alan R. The Spider and the Bee How Was Your Day Honey? 2024We'll Deliver 'EmRole: Voice ActorThe Moon's GlowRole: Voice ActorWill There Be Anything Else?Role: Voice Actor
Television
Year Title Creator ExecutiveProducer Director Writer Notes Ref(s) 1990–1991 Twin Peaks Co-created with Mark Frost 1992 On the Air 1993 Hotel Room Also sound designer,Co-created with Monty Montgomery 2017 Twin Peaks: The Return Also sound designer and additional editor,Co-created with Mark Frost
Web series Year Title Director Writer Producer Creator Ref(s) 2002 DumbLand Rabbits Cannes Diary 2002–2007Out Yonder 2005–20092020–2022 Weather Reports 2020–2022What is David Working on Today?Today's Number Is...
Music videos YearSongMusician Ref(s)1990"Wicked Game" Chris Isaak 1992"A Real Indication" Thought Gang 1995"Longing"X Japan 1999"Thank You, Judge"BlueBob 2009"Shot in the Back of the Head"Moby 2010"I Touch a Red Button Man"Interpol "Lion of Panjshir"Ariana Delwari 2012"Crazy Clown Time"David Lynch 2013"Came Back Haunted"Nine Inch Nails 2020"I Have a Radio"David Lynch2021"I Am the Shaman"Donovan"Gimme Some a That"2024"Sublime Eternal Love"Chrystabell & David Lynch "The Answers to the Questions"
Commercials YearCommercial TitleSubjectRef(s)1988"F. Scott Fitzgerald", "Ernest Hemingway", "D.H. Lawrence", "Flaubert"Obsession by Calvin Klein 1991"Mystery of G", "Cherry Pie", "Lost", "The Rescue"Georgia Coffee"We Care About New York"New York City Department of Sanitation Dangerous by Michael Jackson1992"Who Is Gio?"Gio by Armani"Opium"Opium by Yves Saint Laurent 1993Alka-Seltzer Plus"Tresor"Lancôme TresorBarilla Pasta"Revealed"American Cancer Society"The Instinct of Life"Background by Jil Sander"The Wall"Adidas1994"Sun Moon Stars"Sun Moon Stars by Lagerfield1997"Dead Leaves", "Aunt Droid", "Nuclear Winter", "Rocket"Sci-Fi ChannelClearblue Easy"Mountain Man"Honda1998"Parisienne People"Parisienne1999"Opium"Opium by Yves Saint Laurent2000"Welcome to the Third Place"PlayStation 2"Un matin partout dans le monde"JCDecaux2002"Do you speak Micra?"Nissan Micra"Bucking Bronco"Citroën2004"Fahrenheit"Dior"Preference"L'Oreal2007"Gucci"Gucci2008"Revital Granas"Shiseido2011"Doll Head"David Lynch Signature Cup Coffee2012"Oh Yeah"2014Louboutin Rouge
Concert film Year Title Director Producer Himself Notes Ref(s) 1990 Industrial Symphony No. 1 Also composer 2011 Duran Duran: Unstaged
Other works Acting roles Film Year Title Role Notes Ref(s)1980 Heart Beat Painter The Elephant Man Man in Bowler Hat in Mob Chasing Merrick Uncredited extra 1984 Dune Spice Worker Uncredited cameo 1988 Zelly and Me Willie 1992 Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me Gordon Cole 1994 Nadja Morgue Receptionist Cameo 1997 Lost Highway Morgue Attendant Deleted scene 2006 Inland Empire Bucky J Uncredited voice 2017 Girlfriend's Day Narrator Voice Lucky Howard 2022The Fabelmans John Ford
Short film Year Title Notes Ref(s) 2009 Soul Detective Detective 2009 The Knowledgeable One 2017 Man in Black
Television Year Title Role Notes Ref(s) 1990–1991 Twin Peaks Gordon Cole 6 episodes 2002 DumbLand All characters Voice; 8 episodes 2010–2013 Gus the Bartender Voice; 20 episodes 2010, 2016 Family Guy Gus the Bartender / Himself Voice; episodes: "The Splendid Source" and "How the Griffin Stole Christmas" 2012 Louie Jack Dall Episodes: "Late Show - Part 2 & 3" 2017 Twin Peaks: The Return Gordon Cole 11 episodes 2020, 2022 Robot Chicken Mad Scientist Voice; episodes: "Endgame" and “May Cause Season 11 to End”
Documentary films Year Title Director Producer Himself Ref(s) 1989 David Lynch: Don't Look at Me 1990 Hollywood Mavericks Jonathan Ross Presents for One Week Only 1994 Crumb 1997 Pretty as a Picture: The Art of David Lynch 2001 I Don't Know Jack Eraserhead Stories 2004 Dennis Hopper: The Decisive Moments 2005 Midnight Movies: From the Margin to the Mainstream 2007 Lynch 2008School of Thought Sunshine Superman: The Journey of Donovan 2009 Transcendendo Lynch Great Directors 2010 2012: Time for Change 2011 Meditation Creativity Peace 2012 Side by Side Harry Dean Stanton: Partly Fiction 2014 It's a Beautiful World 2016 My Beautiful Broken Brain David Lynch: The Art Life Shadows of Paradise 2021 Moby Doc 2024 Beatles '64 2025 I Know Catherine, the Log Lady 2026 Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man!
Executive producer Year Title Ref(s) 1991 The Cabinet of Dr. Ramirez 1994 Nadja 2008 Surveillance 2009 My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done 2022 The Other Me 2025 The Legend of the Happy Worker
See also David Lynch's unrealized projects List of accolades received by David Lynch
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