David Bowie filmography

Bowie attending the Tribeca Film Festival in 2009

David Bowie (1947–2016) held leading roles in several feature films, including The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976) (for which he won a Saturn Award for Best Actor), Just a Gigolo (1978), Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (1983), The Hunger (1983), Labyrinth (1986), The Linguini Incident (1991), and Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992). Films in which he appeared in a supporting role or cameo include The Last Temptation of Christ (1988) and Zoolander (2001).

Bowie also appeared on several television series including Extras, Dream On, and the horror anthology series The Hunger. He won a Daytime Emmy Award in the category of Outstanding Special Class Special in 2003 for Hollywood Rocks the Movies: The 1970s with David Bowie (AMC).

Bowie was featured in a number of documentaries, films, and videos focusing on his career. He also appeared frequently in documentaries about other musicians.

Film

As actor

^[1]

Title	Year	Role	Medium	Notes
Theatre 625	1968	Unidentified	Television series	Episode: "The Pistol Shot"[2][3]
The Image	1969	The Boy	Short film
The Virgin Soldiers		Soldier	Feature film	Uncredited
Pierrot in Turquoise or The Looking Glass Murders	1970	Cloud	Television film	[4]
The Man Who Fell to Earth	1976	Thomas Jerome Newton	Feature film	Saturn Award for Best Actor
Just a Gigolo	1978	Paul Ambrosius von Przygodski	Feature film
Christiane F.	1981	Himself	Feature film	Cameo[5]
The Snowman	1982	Older James	Television film	Alternative opening
Baal		Baal	Television film
The Hunger	1983	John Blaylock	Feature film
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence		Maj. Jack 'Strafer' Celliers	Feature film
Yellowbeard		The Shark	Feature film	Uncredited
Jazzin' for Blue Jean	1984	Screamin' Lord Byron / Vic	Short film
Into the Night	1985	Colin Morris	Feature film
Absolute Beginners	1986	Vendice Partners	Feature film
Labyrinth		Jareth the Goblin King	Feature film
The Last Temptation of Christ	1988	Pontius Pilate	Feature film
Dream On	1991	Sir Roland Moorecock	Television series	Episode: "The Second Greatest Story Ever Told"
The Linguini Incident		Monte	Feature film
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me	1992	Phillip Jeffries	Feature film
Full Stretch	1993	Himself	Television series	Episode: "Ivory Tower"
Basquiat	1996	Andy Warhol	Feature film
Gunslinger's Revenge	1998	Jack Sikora	Feature film
Everybody Loves Sunshine	1999	Bernie	Feature film	Also released as "B.U.S.T.E.D"
Omikron: The Nomad Soul		Boz / The Dreamers	Video game	Voice
The Hunger	1999–2000	The Host / Julian Priest	Television series	20 episodes
Empty	2000	Man	Short film	Short film[6]
Mr. Rice's Secret		William Rice	Feature film
Zoolander	2001	Himself	Feature film	Cameo Nominated—MTV Movie Award for Best Cameo
The Rutles 2: Can't Buy Me Lunch	2003	Himself	Television film
Extras	2006	Himself	Television series	Episode: "David Bowie"
The Prestige		Nikola Tesla	Feature film
Arthur and the Invisibles	2007	Emperor Maltazard	Feature film	Voice
SpongeBob SquarePants		Lord Royal Highness (L.R.H)	Television series	Voice Episode: "SpongeBob's Atlantis SquarePantis"
August	2008	Cyrus Ogilvie	Feature film
Bandslam	2009	Himself	Feature film	Cameo
Twin Peaks: The Return	2017	Phillip Jeffries	Television series	Archived footage Released posthumously

As subject of documentary or video

This list contains documentaries and videos that have been officially released as films, television broadcasts and/or home video, ordered by date filmed. Bootlegs and privately distributed videos are not included. The list is selective, particularly with respect to television performances and interviews. A more complete list can be found in Nicholas Pegg's The Complete David Bowie (Titan, 2004, revised and updated 2011).

Title	Year filmed	Year first released	Medium	Releases				Notes
				Film	Television	VHS	DVD
Love You Till Tuesday[7]	1969	1984	Promotional film	—	—	1984	2005 (UK)	The film was unreleased until its 1984 video release. The 2005 DVD release contains the television film Pierrot in Turquoise (also known as The Looking Glass Murders) as an extra.
No official title shown in film; known as "David Bowie Special" or "Nationwide Report - David Bowie"[8]	1973 (May)	1973	Documentary film	—	1973 (BBC1, Nationwide)	—	—	This short 12-minute documentary was made for the BBC News TV programme Nationwide and narrated by Bernard Falk. No official home video release.
Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars[9][10]	1973 (July)	1974	Concert film	1979 (world premiere); 1983 (general cinema release); 2002 (re-release)	1974 (ABC, In Concert; short 60 min version)	1984	1998; 2003 (enhanced version)	The film screened a few times in 16 mm format before its 1979 world premiere. Video and DVD releases were under the title Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars: The Motion Picture. Jeff Beck appeared in the TV version, but not in other releases.
The 1980 Floor Show[11][12][13]	1973 (October)	1973	Promotional film / concert film	—	1973 (NBC, The Midnight Special)	—	—	The film has been broadcast more than once on NBC since the first showing. Clips from the film were also shown on the UK television show Top of the Pops. Marianne Faithfull, The Troggs and Carmen also appeared. No official home video release.
Cracked Actor[14][15]	1974	1975	Documentary / concert film	—	1975 (BBC Two), rebroadcast 2013 (BBC Imagine)[16]	—	—	The film was made for the BBC's Omnibus documentary series. No official home video release.
Live at the Beat Club[17][18]	1978	1978	Concert film	—	4 August 1978 (Radio Bremen, Musikladen)	—	—	Filmed on 30 May 1978. Following its original broadcast, the film was shown in reruns on German TV and on VH1 in 2003. No official home video release.
Serious Moonlight[19]	1983	1984	Concert video	—	—	1984	1999 (unofficial release); 2006 (official release)	The 2006 release also includes an extended version of the film Ricochet as an extra.
Ricochet[20][21][22]	1984	1985	Documentary / concert film	—	1986 (USA, Night Flight)	1985	2006 (extended version included as an extra on the Serious Moonlight DVD)	The film version originally aired on U.S. television and released on VHS was approximately 58 minutes long. The version released as an extra on the 2006 Serious Moonlight DVD is an extended version running approximately 78 minutes. The film has occasionally been screened since its TV and home video release.
Glass Spider[23]	1987	1988	Concert film	—	1988 (ABC special, David Bowie: Glass Spider Tour; short 50 min version)	1988	2001 (as Glass Spider Tour); re-released 2007	Peter Frampton and Charlie Sexton also appeared.
Tin Machine Live: Oy Vey, Baby[24]	1991	1992	Documentary / concert film	—	—	1992	—	Alternate title is Tin Machine: Live at the Docks. The film shows a 1991 Tin Machine concert in Hamburg, a different performance from those used on the Tin Machine Live: Oy Vey, Baby album release. No official DVD release.
Bowie – The Video Collection[25]	1993 or earlier	1993	Music video compilation	—	Prior to the home video release, individual music videos had been broadcast on various TV programs and channels.	1993	—	Compilation of music videos from Bowie's career up to 1993. These videos were later included, along with new additional material, on the Best of Bowie DVD.
David Bowie: Black Tie White Noise[26]	1993	1993	Documentary (interview) / mimed performances / music video compilation (3 videos included at end)	—	—	1993	2005	Both the VHS release and the later DVD release contain interviews interspersed with mimed performances and followed by three music videos. The DVD contains additional chapter stops marking the start of the interviews.
David Bowie and Friends: A Very Special Birthday Concert[27]	1997	1997	Concert film	—	Broadcast as a pay-per-view television special in the U.S. in March 1997	—	—	Bowie's 50th birthday concert, filmed at Madison Square Garden. Frank Black, Foo Fighters, Sonic Youth, Robert Smith, Lou Reed and Billy Corgan also perform. No official home video release.
VH1 Storytellers: David Bowie[28]	1999	1999	Concert film	—	1999 (VH1; VH1 Storytellers) (8 songs)	—	2009 (extended version, 12 songs)	The original VH1 broadcast contained performances of 8 songs. The 2009 DVD and iTunes release contains the original 8 songs, plus performances of 4 additional songs.
Best of Bowie[29]	2002 or earlier	2002	Concert film / music video / documentary (interview) compilation	Includes a clip from previously released film Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars.	Includes live clips that were broadcast on 1970s television shows The Old Grey Whistle Test, The Dick Cavett Show, TopPop, and Russell Harty Plus. Some individual music videos had also been broadcast on MTV, VH1 and other TV programs and channels.	Includes material from earlier VHS releases, including all the music videos from Bowie – The Video Collection (1993), and clips from Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars: The Motion Picture (1984) and Serious Moonlight (1984).	2002	DVD compilation of live concert clips and music videos, most of which were previously released in some form. Includes the videos from Bowie – The Video Collection (1993) along with additional videos, live performance clips, an interview and an advertisement. Also contains the promotional film Jazzin' for Blue Jean. Some material is accessible only via Easter eggs.
Reality album bonus DVD[29]	2003	2003	Concert film	—	—	—	2003	Contains live in-studio performances of all Reality album tracks. DVD was released as a bonus with special tour edition of Reality album.
A Reality Tour[29]	2003	2004	Concert film	—	—	—	2004	Film of a live concert from the 2003–2004 Reality Tour.
Moonage Daydream	2022	2022	Documentary film	—	—	—	—	First film to be officially authorized by Bowie's estate, exploring his creative, musical and spiritual journey through never-before-seen footage, performances and music.

As himself in other documentaries

This list is selective. For a more complete list, see Nicholas Pegg's The Complete David Bowie.

• Group Madness: The Making of Yellowbeard (1983)
• Cool Cats: Twenty-Five Years of Rock 'N' Roll Style (1983)
• Queen: The Magic Years (1987)
• Imagine: John Lennon (1988)
• Superstar: The Life and Times of Andy Warhol (1990)
• Travelling Light (1992)
• The Time Life History Of Rock N' Roll (1995)
• Inspirations (1997)
• Lou Reed: Rock and Roll Heart (1998)
• Mayor of the Sunset Strip (2003)
• Scott Walker: 30 Century Man (2006)

As producer

• Büvös vadász (1994) (aka Magic Hunter)
• Passaggio per il paradiso (1998) (aka Gentle Into the Night or Passage to Paradise)
• Scott Walker: 30 Century Man (2006)

Stage

As actor

• Pierrot in Turquoise (1967–1968) - UK national tour ^[30]
• The Elephant Man (1980–1981) as John Merrick - US national tour and Booth Theatre, Broadway ^[31][32][33]

As writer/composer

• Pierrot in Turquoise (1967) - songs by David Bowie ^[30]
• Lazarus (2015) - music and lyrics by David Bowie ^[34]

As producer

• Hedwig and the Angry Inch (1999 Los Angeles production) - associate producer ^[35]

Additional stage works featuring David Bowie compositions

• Rock 'N Roll! The First 5,000 Years (1982) - "Space Oddity" ^[36][37]
• We Will Rock You (2002) - "Under Pressure" ^[38][39]
• SpongeBob SquarePants (2016) - "No Control" ^[40][41]
• Tina (2018) - "Tonight" ^[42][43]

See also

• David Bowie videography - Bowie's appearances in music-related film.

References

1. Leigh, Wendy (2014). Bowie: The Biography. New York City: Gallery Books. pp. 303–306. ISBN 978-1-4767-6707-9.
2. "Lost UK TV Shows Search Engine: Missing or Incomplete Episodes for Programme Theatre 625". Lostshows.com. Kaleidoscope Research Guides. 2016. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 15 January 2016.
3. Buckley, David (1999). Strange Fascination: David Bowie: The Definitive Story. London: Virgin Books. p. 49. ISBN 978-0-7535-1002-5.
4. Pegg, Nicholas (2004). The Complete David Bowie (2011 ed.). London: Titan Books. p. PT1950 (Ebook). ISBN 978-0857682901.
5. "Christiane F." Rotten Tomatoes.
6. Ford, Chris (15 January 2016). "David Bowie, Actor: A Complete Look at His Film and TV Career". ultimateclassicrock.com. Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 15 January 2016.
7. Pegg, p. 521.
8. West, K. (31 October 2002). "BBC TV: David Bowie Special". 5years.com. The Ziggy Stardust Companion. Archived from the original on 3 February 2003. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
9. West, K. (18 January 2007). "Ziggy Stardust: The Motion Picture (Movie/Video/DVD)". 5years.com. The Ziggy Stardust Companion. Archived from the original on 4 February 2008. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
10. "Superstar David Bowie will perform...". The Sun Telegram. San Bernardino County, California. 20 October 1974. p. TV Week–16 – via Newspapers.com.
11. Metzger, Richard (15 May 2013). "Ziggy Stardust's Last Stand: David Bowie's '1980 Floor Show' Midnight Special". Dangerous Minds. Richard Metzger. Archived from the original on 8 June 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
12. West, K. (20 January 2007). "The 1980 Floor Show (18-20 October 1973)". 5years.com. The Ziggy Stardust Companion. p. 1. Archived from the original on 15 January 2008. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
13. West, K. (28 October 2002). "The 1980 Floor Show". 5years.com. The Ziggy Stardust Companion. p. 2. Archived from the original on 5 July 2008. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
14. Wright, Julie Lobalzo (27 March 2015). "Chapter 13: David Bowie: The Extraordinary Rock Star as Film Star". In Devereux, Eoin; Dillane, Aileen; Power, Martin J. (eds.). David Bowie: Critical Perspectives. London: Routledge. p. 238. ISBN 978-0415745727.
15. Stark, Tanja (27 March 2015). "Chapter 5: 'Crashing Out with Sylvian': David Bowie, Carl Jung, and the Unconscious". In Devereux, Eoin; Dillane, Aileen; Power, Martin J. (eds.). David Bowie: Critical Perspectives. London: Routledge. p. 108. ISBN 978-0415745727.
16. "Imagine: David Bowie - Cracked Actor". BBC.com. BBC Media Centre. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
17. Pegg, p. PT2171 (Ebook).
18. "The Bits Flew Far and Wide". bowiewonderworld.com. David Bowie Wonderworld (Paul Kinder). 3 September 2003. Archived from the original on 11 January 2016. Retrieved 2 February 2016. Upcoming David Bowie specials on VH1 in the UK on Thursday 18th September are...David Bowie at the Beat Club Special (Musikladen from 1978), VH1, UK, at 9:00 pm GMT
19. Pegg, p. PT1896 (Ebook).
20. Greco, Nicholas P. (2015). David Bowie in Darkness: A Study of '1. Outside' and the Late Career. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Co. pp. 12–17. ISBN 978-0-7864-9410-1.
21. "David Bowie — Ricochet". Discogs. Zink Media, Inc. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
22. "NUS Centre for the Arts, Events Calendar: [Malaya Black & White Film Screening] Ricochet (David Bowie, 1984)". nus.edu.sg. National University of Singapore. 15 April 2015. Archived from the original on 2 February 2016. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
23. Buckley, David (2015). David Bowie: The Music and the Changes. London: Omnibus Press. p. PT173 (Ebook). ISBN 9781783236176.
24. Pegg, p. 538.
25. Pegg, p. 528.
26. Buckley, The Music and the Changes, p. PT172 (Ebook)
27. "David Bowie's Acclaimed 50th Birthday Concert to Air as a Television Pay Per View Event Debuting Saturday, March 8" (Press release). DavidBowie.com. 26 February 1997. Archived from the original on 2 February 2016. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
28. Pegg, p. PT1781 (Ebook).
29. Buckley, David (1999). Strange Fascination: David Bowie: The Definitive Story (2005, revised & updated ed.). London: Virgin Book. p. 548. ISBN 9780753504574.
30. Wiegand, Chris (12 January 2016). "Lindsay Kemp: I tried to get David Bowie to do Puss in Boots". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
31. DeMain, Bill. "How David Bowie's role as the Elephant Man was almost his last". Classic Rock. Louder Sound. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
32. "The Elephant Man – Broadway Play – Original". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
33. "The Elephant Man – Broadway Play – 1979-1981 Tour". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
34. Brantley, Ben (7 December 2015). "Review: David Bowie Songs and a Familiar Alien in 'Lazarus'". New York Times. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
35. Simonson, Robert; Lefkowitz, David (16 December 1999). "Wicked Little Town: Hedwig, in the Red, Inches Out of L.A., Dec. 19". Playbill. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
36. Palmer, Robert (25 October 1982). "THEATER: 'ROCK 'N ROLL! THE FIRST 5,000 YEARS'". New York Times. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
37. "Rock 'N Roll! The First 5,000 Years – Broadway Musical – Original". Internet Broadway Databse. The Broadway League. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
38. Wolf, Matt (17 May 2002). "We Will Rock You". Variety. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
39. "We Will Rock You – Broadway Musical – Tour". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
40. Oxman, Steven (20 June 2016). "Pre-Broadway Review: 'The SpongeBob Musical'". Variety. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
41. Daw, Stephen (6 December 2017). "Inside the 'SpongeBob' Musical's All-Star Rock Soundtrack". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
42. Lukowski, Andrzej (2018). "Tina – The Tina Turner Musical". TimeOut. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
43. "Tina – Broadway Musical – Original". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League.

External links

• David Bowie filmography at IMDb