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 celebrated American filmmaker, visual artist, musician, and actor known for his surrealist and experimental films. His distinctive style has earned him widespread recognition as a visionary in cinema. Over a career spanning five decades, Lynch has garnered numerous awards, including the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement and an Academy Honorary Award, solidifying his legacy as one of the greatest filmmakers of all time.
1965: Frank Herbert's science fiction novel Dune
In 1965, Dino de Laurentiis asked David Lynch to create a film adaptation of Frank Herbert's science fiction novel Dune. Lynch agreed to direct and was contractually obliged to produce two other works for the company.
1967: First Short Film: Six Men Getting Sick
In 1967, David Lynch made his first short film, "Six Men Getting Sick (Six Times)", at the Pennsylvania Academy.
1968: Production of The Alphabet
In 1968, David Lynch produced the four-minute short film "The Alphabet", starring his wife Peggy Lynch. Inspired by Peggy's niece's tormented recitation of the alphabet in her sleep, the film depicts a character known as The Girl singing the alphabet to a series of images before hemorrhaging blood all over her bed sheets.
May 29, 1972: Filming Begins for Eraserhead
On May 29, 1972, filming began for David Lynch's film "Eraserhead" at night in some abandoned stables, with a team including Sissy Spacek, Jack Fisk, Frederick Elmes, and Alan Splet.
1973: Inspiration for Blue Velvet
In 1973, David Lynch started developing ideas that would eventually become the film Blue Velvet. Lynch had been working on a script. The initial inspiration came from his thoughts and dreams related to lawns and neighborhoods, as well as the song "Blue Velvet."
1974: Creation of The Amputee
In 1974, during a break in the filming of "Eraserhead", David Lynch made "The Amputee", a two-minute, one-shot film to test different types of film stock for AFI.
1976: Eraserhead Completed
In 1976, David Lynch completed his film "Eraserhead", a black and white film about Henry, who cares for a deformed baby in a dystopian industrial wasteland.
1977: Distribution of Eraserhead
In 1977, Ben Barenholtz of the Elgin Theater helped distribute David Lynch's film "Eraserhead" around the United States, leading to its popularity on the midnight movie circuit.
1980: Critical Acclaim for The Elephant Man
In 1980, Lynch received critical acclaim and a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Director for his biographical drama, "The Elephant Man".
1983: The Angriest Dog in the World Comic Strip
In 1983, David Lynch began writing and drawing a comic strip, The Angriest Dog in the World, featuring unchanging graphics of a tethered dog alongside cryptic philosophical references.
1984: Release of Dune
In 1984, David Lynch directed the space opera film "Dune".
1986: Release of Blue Velvet
In 1986, David Lynch released the mystery thriller "Blue Velvet", which earned him critical acclaim and a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Director.
1988: Directing The Cowboy and the Frenchman
In 1988, David Lynch directed the short film The Cowboy and the Frenchman as part of The French as Seen by..., a series sponsored by the French newspaper Le Figaro.
1989: Creation of Industrial Symphony No. 1
In 1989, David Lynch and Badalamenti created a theatrical piece, Industrial Symphony No. 1: The Dream of the Broken Hearted, which was performed twice as part of the New Music America Festival.
1989: Release of Floating into the Night
In 1989, David Lynch produced and wrote lyrics for Julee Cruise's album Floating into the Night, in collaboration with Angelo Badalamenti.
1989: Lynch's Art Exhibitions
In 1989, David Lynch started a series of one-man exhibitions that would continue until 1991, which emphasized his roots in fine art and painting.
1990: David Lynch's Annus Mirabilis
1990 was David Lynch's 'year of miracles' (annus mirabilis): Wild at Heart won the Palme d'Or at Cannes, and the television series Twin Peaks was a smash hit.
1990: Creation of Twin Peaks
In 1990, David Lynch and Mark Frost created the ABC surrealist horror-mystery series "Twin Peaks".
1990: Video of Industrial Symphony No. 1
In 1990, David Lynch produced a 50-minute video of the performance of Industrial Symphony No. 1: The Dream of the Broken Hearted.
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".
1990: Wild at Heart wins Palme d'Or
In 1990, David Lynch's film Wild at Heart won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. Despite winning the prize, audience members booed Lynch and the film.
1990: Twin Peaks Premiere
In 1990, Twin Peaks premiered on ABC and became a smash hit, mixing a police investigation with the ordinary lives of the characters. The pilot was directed by David Lynch and was well received by critics.
1991: Lynch's Art Exhibitions
In 1991, David Lynch continued a series of one-man exhibitions that had started in 1989, which emphasized his roots in fine art and painting.
1991: Directing Teaser for Michael Jackson's Dangerous
In 1991, David Lynch directed a 30-second teaser trailer for Michael Jackson's album Dangerous at Jackson's request.
1991: Twin Peaks Airs Until 1991
The ABC surrealist horror-mystery series Twin Peaks, created by David Lynch and Mark Frost, airs until 1991. David Lynch receives five Primetime Emmy Award nominations for his work on the show.
1992: Release of Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me
In 1992, David Lynch co-wrote and directed "Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me", which is the film prequel to the Twin Peaks series.
1992: Cancellation of On the Air
In 1992, the comedy series On the Air, created by David Lynch and Mark Frost, was canceled after only three episodes were aired.
1992: End of comic strip publication
The Angriest Dog in the World was published from 1983 to 1992 in The Village Voice, Creative Loafing, and other tabloid and alternative publications.
1993: Collaboration with Yoshiki on X Japan's music video
In 1993, David Lynch collaborated with Japanese musician Yoshiki on the video for X Japan's song "Longing ~Setsubou no Yoru~". The video was never officially released.
1993: Release of The Voice of Love
In 1993, David Lynch produced and wrote lyrics for Julee Cruise's album The Voice of Love, in collaboration with Angelo Badalamenti.
April 1997: Furniture Collection at Milan Furniture Fair
In April 1997, David Lynch presented a furniture collection at the prestigious Milan Furniture Fair.
1997: Release of Lost Highway
In 1997, David Lynch directed the neo-noir film "Lost Highway".
1998: Work on Lux Vivens
In 1998, David Lynch worked on the Jocelyn Montgomery album Lux Vivens (Living Light), The Music of Hildegard von Bingen.
1999: Mulholland Drive Pilot
In 1999, David Lynch approached ABC with ideas for a television drama which would later become Mulholland Drive. The network commissioned Lynch to shoot a two-hour pilot but disputes over content and running time led to the project being shelved indefinitely.
1999: Release of The Straight Story
In 1999, David Lynch directed the road movie "The Straight Story".
2000: CIBY-2000 financed Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me
The company CIBY-2000 financed Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, in 2000, and most of the TV series's cast reprised their roles, though some refused and many were unenthusiastic about the project.
December 10, 2001: DavidLynch.com Goes Online
On December 10, 2001, David Lynch launched his official website, davidlynch.com, as a distribution channel for new series he created.
2001: Nomination for Mulholland Drive
In 2001, David Lynch earned critical acclaim and a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Director for his neo-noir mystery thriller, "Mulholland Drive".
2001: Release of BlueBob
In 2001, David Lynch released BlueBob, a blues album performed by Lynch and John Neff.
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 for The Man Who Wasn't There.
2002: Release of DumbLand and Rabbits
In 2002, David Lynch released the online shorts series DumbLand and the surreal sitcom Rabbits. DumbLand, intentionally crude, was later released on DVD.
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 learning Transcendental Meditation and research its effects.
September 2005: College campus tour promoting Transcendental Meditation
In September 2005, David Lynch, along with John Hagelin and Fred Travis, began a tour promoting Transcendental Meditation on college campuses.
December 2005: Investment in meditation building 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 8,000 people to practice advanced meditation techniques.
December 2006: Continued pursuit of meditation building project
In December 2006, The New York Times reported that David Lynch continued to pursue his goal of establishing seven buildings for advanced meditation practices.
2006: Release of Inland Empire
In 2006, David Lynch directed the experimental thriller "Inland Empire".
2006: Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement
In 2006, David Lynch received the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the Venice Film Festival, acknowledging his significant contributions to the world of cinema.
2006: Publication of "Catching the Big Fish: Meditation, Consciousness, and Creativity"
In 2006, David Lynch wrote "Catching the Big Fish: Meditation, Consciousness, and Creativity", a book describing his creative processes, stories from his career, and the benefits of Transcendental Meditation. The book uses a metaphor from fishing to explain the creative process.
2008: Start of Record Label
In 2008, David Lynch started his own record label, David Lynch MC.
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 artists such as Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Donovan, Sheryl Crow, and Eddie Vedder.
2009: Work on Interview Project and My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done
In 2009, David Lynch produced a documentary Web series, Interview Project, directed by his son Austin Lynch. He also collaborated with Werner Herzog on the film My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done, which stars Grace Zabriskie and features a nonstandard narrative based on a true story.
2009: Filming of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi biographical documentary
In 2009, David Lynch traveled to India to film interviews with people who knew Maharishi Mahesh Yogi as part of a biographical documentary.
2009: Release of Dark Night of the Soul
In 2009, David Lynch's book-CD set Dark Night of the Soul was released.
May 2010: Lady Blue Shanghai release
In May 2010, David Lynch released Lady Blue Shanghai, a 16-minute promotional film he wrote, directed, and edited for Dior, on the Internet.
November 2010: Release of Music Singles
In November 2010, David Lynch released two electropop music singles, "Good Day Today" and "I Know", on the independent British label Sunday Best Recordings.
2010: Role on The Cleveland Show
From 2010 to 2013, David Lynch's acting career included roles on The Cleveland Show.
March 23, 2011: Directing Duran Duran Concert
On March 23, 2011, David Lynch directed a Duran Duran concert, streamed live on YouTube from the Mayan Theater in Los Angeles as the kickoff to the second season of Unstaged: An Original Series from American Express.
April 2011: I Touch a Red Button Man Short Film at Coachella
In April 2011, the animated short film I Touch a Red Button Man, a collaboration between David Lynch and the band Interpol, played in the background during Interpol's concert at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. The short features Interpol's song "Lights".
September 29, 2011: Release of This Train
On September 29, 2011, David Lynch released This Train with vocalist Chrystabell on the La Rose Noire label.
October 2011: Opening of Silencio Nightclub in Paris
In October 2011, the Silencio nightclub, conceived and designed by David Lynch in collaboration with Raphael Navot, Enia, and Thierry Dreyfus, opened in Paris. Inspired by Mulholland Drive, it offers access to concerts, films, and performances and is open to the public after midnight.
November 2011: Release of Crazy Clown Time
In November 2011, David Lynch released his album Crazy Clown Time, described as an "electronic blues album".
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, including the Marbella Film Festival.
2011: Exhibiting with Kayne Griffin Corcoran
In 2011, David Lynch began exhibiting his paintings, drawings, and photography with the Kayne Griffin Corcoran gallery in Los Angeles.
June 2012: Lynch Discusses Future Film Projects
In a June 2012 interview, David Lynch stated that he lacked inspiration for a new movie project, but would be willing to work if he fell in love with an idea.
September 2012: Appearance in Louie on FX
In September 2012, David Lynch appeared in the three-part "Late Show" arc on FX's Louie as Jack Dahl.
November 2012: Hints at New Film
In November 2012, David Lynch hinted at plans for a new film while attending Plus Camerimage in Bydgoszcz, Poland.
2012: Role on Louie
In 2012, David Lynch's acting career included roles on "Louie".
January 2013: New Project with Laura Dern Confirmed
In a January 2013 interview, Laura Dern confirmed that she and David Lynch were planning a new project, with The New York Times reporting that Lynch was working on the script.
February 2013: Release of Idem Paris
In February 2013, Idem Paris, a short documentary film about the lithographic process directed by David Lynch, was released online.
June 28, 2013: Video for Nine Inch Nails Released
On June 28, 2013, a video David Lynch directed for the Nine Inch Nails song "Came Back Haunted" was released.
August 2013: Photography for Dumb Numbers's Album
In August 2013, David Lynch contributed photography for the Dumb Numbers's self-titled album.
2013: Promotion of Transcendental Meditation
In 2013, David Lynch wrote about Transcendental Meditation, emphasizing its capacity to create a peaceful revolution and a life free of problems.
2013: End of Role on The Cleveland Show
In 2013, David Lynch's acting career on The Cleveland Show ends.
2013: Release of The Big Dream
In 2013, David Lynch's third studio album, The Big Dream, was released and included the single "I'm Waiting Here", with Swedish singer-songwriter Lykke Li.
October 6, 2014: Twin Peaks Revival Confirmed
On October 6, 2014, David Lynch confirmed via Twitter that he and Mark Frost would start shooting a new, nine-episode season of Twin Peaks in 2015, expected to air in 2016 on Showtime.
2014: Release of The Big Dream Remix EP
For Record Store Day 2014, David Lynch released The Big Dream Remix EP, which featured four songs from his album remixed by various artists.
April 2016: Filming Completed for Twin Peaks Revival
By April 2016, filming was completed for the Twin Peaks revival season directed by David Lynch.
May 21, 2017: Twin Peaks Revival Premiere
The two-episode premiere of the Twin Peaks revival, directed by David Lynch, aired on May 21, 2017.
2017: Twin Peaks Third Season
In 2017, David Lynch co-wrote and directed a third season of the television series "Twin Peaks".
2017: Emily Stofle appears in Twin Peaks revival
In 2017, David Lynch's wife Emily Stofle appeared in his Twin Peaks revival
June 2018: Publication of "Room to Dream"
In June 2018, David Lynch published "Room to Dream," a biography-memoir hybrid written with Kristine McKenna.
November 2018: Release of Thought Gang
In November 2018, a collaborative album by David Lynch and Angelo Badalamenti, Thought Gang, was released on vinyl and compact disc. The album was recorded around 1993 but not released at the time.
2018: Lynch Reflects on Music Video Frames
In 2018, David Lynch wrote in his memoir Room to Dream that some of the frames from the X Japan music video he collaborated on in 1993, for the song "Longing ~Setsubou no Yoru~", were incredibly beautiful despite the video's never being officially released.
April 17, 2019: Release of "Fire is Coming" Video
On April 17, 2019, a video accompanying the song "Fire is Coming" by Flying Lotus, featuring guest vocals by David Lynch, was released.
May 2019: Guest Vocals on "Fire is Coming"
In May 2019, David Lynch provided guest vocals on the track "Fire is Coming" by Flying Lotus. He also co-wrote the track that appears on Flying Lotus's album Flamagra.
2019: Academy Honorary Award
In 2019, David Lynch received an Academy Honorary Award, celebrating his extensive and influential career in filmmaking.
June 2020: Rabbits Rereleased on YouTube
In June 2020, David Lynch rereleased his 2002 web series Rabbits on YouTube.
2020: Return to Weather Reports and New Series
In 2020, David Lynch returned to doing weather reports from his apartment in Los Angeles, along with two new series, What is David Lynch Working on Today?, and Today's Number Is....
May 2021: Production of "I Am the Shaman"
In May 2021, David Lynch produced a track, "I Am the Shaman", by Scottish artist Donovan. The song was released on May 10, Donovan's 75th birthday. Lynch also directed the accompanying video.
February 2022: Cast in The Fabelmans
In February 2022, it was announced that David Lynch had been cast in Steven Spielberg's semi-autobiographical film The Fabelmans.
April 2022: Announcement of a $500 million transcendental meditation world peace initiative
In April 2022, David Lynch announced a $500 million transcendental meditation world peace initiative, which aimed to fund transcendental meditation for 30,000 college students.
December 16, 2022: Final Weather Report
David Lynch delivered his final weather report on December 16, 2022.
2022: Role in The Fabelmans
In 2022, David Lynch had a role in the film "The Fabelmans".
April 2023: Series to End
In an April 2023 interview, David Lynch said that the weather reports, What is David Lynch Working on Today?, and Today's Number Is... would not return.
August 2024: Release of Cellophane Memories
In August 2024, David Lynch released his final album, Cellophane Memories, a collaboration between him and Chrystabell. He also directed videos for two tracks on the album, "Sublime Eternal Love" and "The Answers to the Questions".
2024: Value of Commission
In 1967 H. Barton Wasserman, commissioned David Lynch for $1,000 (equivalent to $9,000 in 2024) to create a film installation in his home
Mentioned in this timeline
Home Box Office HBO is a flagship American pay television...
Donald John Trump is an American politician media personality and...
Steven Spielberg is a highly successful American filmmaker who played...
The lion Panthera leo is a large cat species native...
Bernard Bernie Sanders is a prominent American politician currently serving...
India officially the Republic of India is a South Asian...
Trending
58 minutes ago Pegula and Gauff advance to Stuttgart quarterfinals at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix.
58 minutes ago Elon Musk's procreation tactics spotlighted amid Amber Heard relationship rumors and birth rate mission.
59 minutes ago John Rocker Criticizes Brittany Mahomes, Sparks Controversy After Canceled Fight With Mahomes Sr.
2 hours ago Severe Weather Threatens Plains, Midwest, and South with Flooding Rain over Easter Weekend
2 hours ago Severe Thunderstorms Threaten Michigan: Timing and Potential Impacts This Week, Especially Friday.
2 hours ago Football pause for importance, Nico Iamaleava's transfer, and top college players.
Popular
The Real ID Act of is a US federal law...
Bernard Bernie Sanders is a prominent American politician currently serving...
Michael Jordan also known as MJ is a celebrated American...
Cristiano Ronaldo nicknamed CR is a Portuguese professional footballer widely...
Donald John Trump is an American politician media personality and...
Marco Rubio is an American politician who served as a...