Career Timeline of David Lynch: Major Achievements and Milestones
Discover the career path of David Lynch, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.
David Lynch is a highly influential and acclaimed American filmmaker, visual artist, musician, and actor known for his surrealist and experimental style. His career, spanning over five decades, has earned him numerous awards, including a Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement and an Academy Honorary Award. Lynch is widely considered one of the greatest filmmakers in cinema history, distinguished by his unique artistic vision.
1967: Creation of Six Men Getting Sick (Six Times)
In 1967, David Lynch created his first short film, Six Men Getting Sick (Six Times) at the Pennsylvania Academy. He purchased the cheapest 16mm camera he could find for the project.
1968: Production of The Alphabet
In 1968, David Lynch produced the four-minute short film The Alphabet, featuring his wife Peggy. He used a broken Uher tape recorder to create a distorted sound effect for the film.
1970: Enrollment at AFI Conservatory
In 1970, David Lynch moved to Los Angeles and began studying filmmaking at the AFI Conservatory, marking a shift in his career focus.
May 29, 1972: Filming of Eraserhead Begins
On May 29, 1972, David Lynch began filming Eraserhead at night in some abandoned stables with a team including Sissy Spacek, Jack Fisk, Frederick Elmes, and Alan Splet.
1973: Ideas for Blue Velvet begin
In 1973, David Lynch began developing the ideas that would eventually become the film Blue Velvet. These early concepts laid the groundwork for the story set in Lumberton, North Carolina.
1974: Production of The Amputee
In 1974, during a break in the filming of Eraserhead, David Lynch made The Amputee, a two-minute, one-shot film. This was proposed to AFI to test two different film stocks.
1976: Completion of Eraserhead
In 1976, David Lynch finished his film Eraserhead, a story about Henry living in a dystopian industrial wasteland.
1977: Distribution of Eraserhead
In 1977, Ben Barenholtz helped distribute David Lynch's Eraserhead around the United States. It then became popular on the midnight movie underground circuit.
1980: Critical Acclaim for The Elephant Man
In 1980, David Lynch earned critical acclaim and an Academy Award nomination for Best Director for his biographical drama The Elephant Man, showcasing his growing recognition in the film industry.
1984: Direction of Dune
In 1984, David Lynch directed the space opera Dune, which showcased his versatility in tackling different genres.
1986: Release of Blue Velvet
In 1986, David Lynch released Blue Velvet, a neo-noir mystery art film that garnered critical acclaim and an Academy Award nomination for Best Director, further solidifying his reputation as a visionary filmmaker.
1989: Fine art exhibitions begin
In 1989 David Lynch emphasized his roots in fine art and painting.
1990: Lynch's annus mirabilis
1990 was a significant year for David Lynch. Wild at Heart won the Palme d'Or at Cannes, and Twin Peaks became a global hit. He had staged Industrial Symphony No. 1 which spawned the album Floating into the Night and launched singer Julee Cruise.
1990: Creation of Twin Peaks
In 1990, David Lynch and Mark Frost created the ABC surrealist horror-mystery series Twin Peaks, marking a significant venture into television.
1990: Palme d'Or for Wild at Heart
In 1990, David Lynch received the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival for his romantic crime drama Wild at Heart, a high point in his directorial career.
1990: Wild at Heart wins Palme d'Or at Cannes
In 1990, David Lynch's film Wild at Heart won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, despite a mixed reception from American critics and viewers. The film, starring Nicolas Cage and Laura Dern, is a crime and road movie.
1990: Twin Peaks Premieres
In 1990, Twin Peaks, created by David Lynch and Mark Frost, premiered. The show mixed a police investigation with the ordinary lives of the characters in a small Washington town, quickly hooking viewers with its unique style.
1991: Fine art exhibitions end
In 1991 David Lynch ended his fine art and painting exhibitions.
1992: On the Air series created
In 1992, David Lynch and Mark Frost created the comedy series On the Air, which was canceled after only three episodes were aired.
1992: Direction of Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me
In 1992, David Lynch co-wrote and directed the film prequel to Twin Peaks, titled Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, expanding the Twin Peaks universe.
1992: Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me released
In 1992, David Lynch released Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, a film that served as both a prequel and a sequel to the Twin Peaks TV series. The film focused on the last days of Laura Palmer's life and had a darker tone than the series.
1993: Collaboration on X Japan's song
In 1993, David Lynch collaborated with Japanese musician Yoshiki on the video for X Japan's song "Longing ~Setsubou no Yoru~".
1997: Release of Lost Highway
In 1997, David Lynch directed the neo-noir horror film Lost Highway, adding another unique work to his filmography.
1999: ABC approves Mulholland Drive pilot
In 1999, ABC approved David Lynch's Mulholland Drive pilot. Disputes over content led to the project being shelved, but later completed as a film.
1999: Direction of The Straight Story
In 1999, David Lynch directed The Straight Story, a road movie, demonstrating his ability to work across various film genres.
2000: Financing of Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me
In 2000, the company CIBY-2000 financed Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me. Most of the cast reprised their roles.
December 10, 2001: davidlynch.com goes online
On December 10, 2001, David Lynch launched his official website, davidlynch.com, to distribute his creations.
2001: Release of Mulholland Drive
In 2001, David Lynch released Mulholland Drive, a neo-noir mystery art film that earned him critical acclaim and an Academy Award nomination for Best Director, solidifying his signature style.
2001: Lynch wins Best Director at Cannes
In 2001, David Lynch won Best Director at the Cannes Film Festival for Mulholland Drive (shared with Joel Coen). He also won Best Director from the New York Film Critics Association.
2002: Release of DumbLand
In 2002, David Lynch released DumbLand, a series of intentionally crude online shorts, and Rabbits, a surreal sitcom about a family of humanoid rabbits.
July 2005: Launch of the David Lynch Foundation
In July 2005, David Lynch launched the David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness-Based Education and Peace to fund scholarships for students interested in Transcendental Meditation and research on its effects.
September 2005: College Campus Tour to Promote Transcendental Meditation
In September 2005, David Lynch began a tour with John Hagelin and Fred Travis on college campuses to promote Transcendental Meditation.
December 2005: Investment in Peace Project
As of December 2005, David Lynch had spent $400,000 of his own money and raised $1 million in donations towards building seven buildings for advanced meditation practices.
2006: Release of Inland Empire
In 2006, David Lynch directed the experimental psychological thriller Inland Empire, further exploring his unique cinematic style.
2006: Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement
In 2006, David Lynch received the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the Venice Film Festival, marking a significant recognition of his contributions to cinema.
2006: Publication of 'Catching the Big Fish'
In 2006, David Lynch wrote 'Catching the Big Fish: Meditation, Consciousness, and Creativity', a book about his creative process, career stories, and the benefits of Transcendental Meditation. He explains the metaphor behind the title in the introduction.
April 4, 2009: "Change Begins Within" Concert
On April 4, 2009, David Lynch organized the "Change Begins Within" benefit concert at Radio City Music Hall for the David Lynch Foundation, featuring Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Donovan, and others.
2009: Interview Project Web Series
In 2009, David Lynch produced a documentary Web series, Interview Project, directed by his son Austin Lynch and friend Jason S.
2009: Filming of Biographical Documentary
In 2009, David Lynch went to India to film interviews with people who knew the Maharishi as part of a biographical documentary.
2010: Release of 'David Wants to Fly' Documentary
In 2010, 'David Wants to Fly', a documentary about David Sieveking's journey into Transcendental Meditation inspired by David Lynch, was released.
October 2011: Opening of Silencio Nightclub in Paris
In October 2011, David Lynch's designed nightclub 'Silencio' opened in Paris. It is a private members' club accessible to the public after midnight, offering concerts, films, and performances.
2011: Showing of 'Beyond The Noise: My Transcendental Meditation Journey'
In 2011, 'Beyond The Noise: My Transcendental Meditation Journey', an independent project starring David Lynch and directed by Dana Farley, was shown at film festivals.
2012: Acting Role in Louie
In 2012, David Lynch appeared as an actor in the TV series Louie, demonstrating his range of talents.
2017: Twin Peaks Third Season
In 2017, David Lynch released a third season of Twin Peaks, reviving the series after a long hiatus.
2017: Emily Stofle Appears in Twin Peaks Revival
In 2017, David Lynch's wife, Emily Stofle, appeared in the revival of Twin Peaks.
2017: The Edward MacDowell Medal
In 2017, The MacDowell Colony awarded David Lynch The Edward MacDowell Medal for his outstanding contributions to American culture.
June 2018: Publication of 'Room to Dream'
In June 2018, David Lynch published 'Room to Dream', a biography-memoir hybrid written with Kristine McKenna.
2019: Academy Honorary Award
In 2019, David Lynch received an Academy Honorary Award, further solidifying his status as a major figure in the film industry.
2020: Support for Black Lives Matter Protests
In 2020, David Lynch expressed support for Black Lives Matter protests following the murder of George Floyd.
April 2022: $500 Million Transcendental Meditation Initiative
In April 2022, David Lynch announced a $500 million transcendental meditation world peace initiative.
2022: Acting Role in The Fabelmans
In 2022, David Lynch acted in the film The Fabelmans, adding to his acting credits.
2022: Condemnation of Russian Invasion of Ukraine
In 2022, David Lynch condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine and addressed Vladimir Putin directly.
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