Early Life and Education of David Lynch: A Complete Timeline

How education and upbringing influenced the life of David Lynch. A timeline of key moments.

David Lynch is a highly influential American filmmaker, visual artist, musician, and actor known for his distinctive surrealist style, often described as "Lynchian." His career spanned over five decades, and he received numerous accolades, including a Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement, an Academy Honorary Award, and a Laurel Award for Screenwriting Achievement. Lynch's films are celebrated for their unique and often unsettling atmosphere and dreamlike narratives.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Legacy & Impact

1915: Birth of Donald Walton Lynch

In 1915, David Lynch's father, Donald Walton Lynch, was born.

1919: Birth of Edwina "Sunny" Lynch

In 1919, David Lynch's mother, Edwina "Sunny" Lynch (née Sundholm), was born.

January 20, 1946: David Keith Lynch was born

On January 20, 1946, David Keith Lynch was born in Missoula, Montana.

1963: Reaction to JFK Assassination

In 1963, David Lynch, then a student, was the first in his school to learn of President John F. Kennedy's assassination.

1964: Transfer to School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

In 1964, David Lynch transferred to the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, with roommate musician Peter Wolf but left after only a year.

1967: Marriage to Peggy Reavey

In 1967, David Lynch began a relationship with and married fellow student Peggy Reavey.

January 1968: Marriage to Peggy Reavey

In January 1968, David Lynch married Peggy Reavey. The couple later had a daughter, Jennifer Lynch, who became a film director.

1968: The Beatles' Practice of Transcendental Meditation

In 1968, The Beatles, particularly John Lennon, practiced Transcendental Meditation during their visit to India.

1970: Move to Los Angeles and enrollment at AFI Conservatory

In 1970, David Lynch, along with his wife and daughter, moved to Los Angeles and began studying filmmaking at the AFI Conservatory.

July 1973: Initiation into Transcendental Meditation

In July 1973, David Lynch was initiated into Transcendental Meditation, a practice he continued consistently throughout his life.

1973: Began Transcendental Meditation

In 1973, David Lynch's sister suggested he try Transcendental Meditation. It proved a revelation, and Lynch claimed to have never missed a session since.

1974: Divorce from Peggy Reavey

In 1974, David Lynch and Peggy Reavey finalized their divorce.

1975: Meeting Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

In 1975, David Lynch first met Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the founder of the Transcendental Meditation movement, at the Spiritual Regeneration Movement center in Los Angeles.

June 1977: Marriage to Mary Fisk

In June 1977, David Lynch married Mary Fisk, with whom he had a son, Austin Jack Lynch, in 1982.

1977: Marriage to Mary Fisk

In 1977, David Lynch married Jack Fisk's sister, Mary Fisk.

1977: Roman Polanski's 1977 arrest for alleged sexual abuse

In 1977, Roman Polanski was arrested for alleged sexual abuse.

1982: Birth of Austin Jack Lynch

In 1982, David Lynch and his then-wife, Mary Fisk, welcomed their son, Austin Jack Lynch.

1983: Creation of The Angriest Dog in the World

In 1983, David Lynch began writing and drawing a comic strip, The Angriest Dog in the World, featuring unchanging graphics and cryptic philosophical references.

1984: Vote for Ronald Reagan

In 1984, David Lynch voted for Ronald Reagan in the presidential election.

1985: Separation from Mary Fisk

In 1985, David Lynch and Mary Fisk separated.

1986: Relationship with Isabella Rossellini

In 1986, David Lynch began a relationship with actress Isabella Rossellini; they lived together until 1991.

1987: Divorce from Mary Fisk

In 1987, David Lynch and Mary Fisk officially divorced.

1991: End of relationship with Isabella Rossellini

In 1991, David Lynch's relationship with Isabella Rossellini ended.

1992: Birth of Riley Sweeney Lynch

In 1992, David Lynch and his editor Mary Sweeney had a son, Riley Sweeney Lynch.

1992: End of The Angriest Dog in the World

In 1992, David Lynch ended publication of The Angriest Dog in the World.

April 1997: Presentation at Milan Furniture Fair

In April 1997, David Lynch presented a furniture collection at the prestigious Milan Furniture Fair.

2000: Endorsement of the Natural Law Party

In the 2000 presidential election, David Lynch endorsed the Natural Law Party, known for advocating Transcendental Meditation.

2003: "Millionaire's Enlightenment Course"

In 2003, David Lynch attended a month-long "Millionaire's Enlightenment Course" held by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, which cost $1 million.

2004: Death of Edwina "Sunny" Lynch

In 2004, David Lynch's mother, Edwina "Sunny" Lynch (née Sundholm), passed away.

July 2005: Launch of the David Lynch Foundation

In July 2005, David Lynch launched the David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness-Based Education and Peace. It offers scholarships for students interested in Transcendental Meditation and supports research on its impact on learning.

September 2005: College Campus Tour to Promote Transcendental Meditation

Starting in September 2005, David Lynch, along with John Hagelin and Fred Travis, began a tour of college campuses to promote Transcendental Meditation.

December 2005: Progress on Transcendental Meditation buildings

As of December 2005, David Lynch had spent $400,000 of his money and raised $1 million in donations towards building seven facilities for 8,000 people to practice advanced meditation.

May 2006: Marriage to Mary Sweeney

In May 2006, David Lynch married Mary Sweeney.

December 2006: Goal of meditation buildings continues

In December 2006, The New York Times reported that David Lynch continued to aim to build meditation facilities.

2006: Describing political philosophy

In 2006, David Lynch described his political philosophy. He identified as a Democrat while expressing mixed feelings due to smoking regulations, also mentioning his past libertarian leanings.

2006: Publication of Catching the Big Fish

In 2006, David Lynch released his book, Catching the Big Fish: Meditation, Consciousness, and Creativity. The book details his creative methods, personal stories, and the positive impacts of Transcendental Meditation on his life and work.

Catching the Big Fish: Meditation, Consciousness, and Creativity: 10th Anniversary Edition

Check it on Amazon

2007: Death of Donald Walton Lynch

In 2007, David Lynch's father, Donald Walton Lynch, passed away.

2008: Attendance at Maharishi's Funeral

In 2008, David Lynch attended the funeral of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in India, praising his impact on millions of lives.

2008: Starting David Lynch MC Record Label

In 2008, David Lynch started his own record label, David Lynch MC, which first released Fox Bat Strategy: A Tribute to Dave Jaurequi in early 2009.

April 4, 2009: "Change Begins Within" Benefit 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 performances by Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Donovan, and others.

2009: Marriage to Emily Stofle

In 2009, David Lynch married actress Emily Stofle.

2009: Support for Roman Polanski

In 2009, David Lynch signed a petition in support of Roman Polanski, who was detained while traveling to a film festival due to his 1977 arrest for alleged sexual abuse.

2009: Filming a Biographical Documentary

In 2009, David Lynch traveled to India to film interviews with individuals who knew Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, as part of a biographical documentary project.

2010: Release of David Wants to Fly documentary

In 2010, David Sieveking released his documentary "David Wants to Fly" about his and David Lynch's involvement with Transcendental Meditation. Sieveking becomes disillusioned with the TM movement by the end of the film.

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 that opens to the public after midnight, offering concerts, films, and performances. Silencio was inspired by the club in Mulholland Drive, featuring themed rooms for various arts.

2011: Screening of Beyond The Noise

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.

June 2012: Lynch Discusses Movie Inspiration

In June 2012, David Lynch mentioned in an interview that he lacked the inspiration to start a new movie project but would be willing to work if he found an idea he loved.

November 2012: Hinting at a New Film

In November 2012, David Lynch hinted at plans for a new film while attending Plus Camerimage in Bydgoszcz, Poland, also receiving a lifetime achievement award and the Key to the City.

2012: Birth of Lula Boginia Lynch

In 2012, David Lynch and his wife, Emily Stofle, welcomed their daughter, Lula Boginia Lynch.

2012: Support for Barack Obama

In the 2012 presidential election, David Lynch stated he would vote for the Democratic incumbent, Barack Obama.

January 2013: New Project with Laura Dern

In January 2013, Laura Dern confirmed that she and David Lynch were planning a new project, and The New York Times reported Lynch was working on the script.

2013: Promotion of Transcendental Meditation Benefits

In 2013, David Lynch wrote about the beautiful, peaceful revolution that Transcendental Meditation leads to, changing suffering and negativity to happiness.

October 6, 2014: Confirming New Twin Peaks Season

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, with them writing all the episodes.

Loading Video...

April 2016: Filming Completion of Twin Peaks Revival

By April 2016, filming was completed for the Twin Peaks revival season.

Loading Video...

2016: Endorsement and Voting in the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election

In 2016, David Lynch endorsed Bernie Sanders and voted for him in the Democratic primaries. In the general election, he voted for Libertarian nominee Gary Johnson.

2017: Emily Stofle in Twin Peaks revival

In 2017, David Lynch's then wife, Emily Stofle appeared in the Twin Peaks revival.

Loading Video...

June 2018: Publication of Room to Dream

In June 2018, David Lynch's biography-memoir hybrid, Room to Dream, co-written with Kristine McKenna, was published.

Room to Dream

Check it on Amazon

June 2018: Comments on Donald Trump and Political Climate

In a June 2018 interview with The Guardian, David Lynch commented on Donald Trump's presidency, suggesting he could be disruptive enough to be considered one of the greatest presidents. Lynch later clarified his statements on Facebook after Trump used the interview to claim his support.

2018: Memoir Publication

In 2018, David Lynch mentioned in his memoir Room to Dream that "some of the frames are so fuckin' beautiful, you can't believe it." regarding the video for X Japan's song "Longing ~Setsubou no Yoru~".

July 17, 2020: Release of Face Masks with Lynch's Art

On July 17, 2020, David Lynch's store released a set of face masks with his art on them for the COVID-19 pandemic.

2020: Return to Weather Reports

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....

2020: Support for Black Lives Matter

In 2020, David Lynch voiced his support for Black Lives Matter protests following the murder of George Floyd in one of his daily weather report videos.

2020: Diagnosis of Emphysema

In 2020, David Lynch was diagnosed with emphysema after a lifetime of smoking.

April 2022: $500 Million Transcendental Meditation World Peace Initiative

In April 2022, David Lynch announced a $500 million transcendental meditation world peace initiative, to fund transcendental meditation for 30,000 college students.

December 16, 2022: Final Weather Report

On December 16, 2022, David Lynch delivered his final weather report.

2022: Condemnation of Russian Invasion of Ukraine

In 2022, David Lynch condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine during a weather report, directly addressing Vladimir Putin and criticizing the act.

2022: Quitting Smoking

In 2022, David Lynch quit smoking, having started at the age of eight. By this point, he was reliant on supplemental oxygen.

April 2023: End of Weather Report Series

In an April 2023 interview, David Lynch announced that the weather report series, along with What is David Lynch Working on Today? and Today's Number Is..., would not return.

2023: Emily Stofle files for divorce

In 2023, Emily Stofle, David Lynch's then wife, filed for divorce.

August 2024: Interview on Health Risks and Future Projects

In August 2024, David Lynch mentioned in an interview that he had been diagnosed with emphysema in 2020 and had become housebound. He believed this condition would likely prevent him from directing any new projects.

September 2024: Last Published Broadcast Speech at Meditate America 2024

In September 2024, David Lynch made his last published broadcast speech at Meditate America 2024. He discussed The Beatles' Transcendental Meditation and played a cover of "Across the Universe".

Loading Video...

December 20, 2024: Divorce settlement agreement reached with Emily Stofle

On December 20, 2024, David Lynch and Emily Stofle reached a divorce settlement agreement, although the final divorce decree was not issued before Lynch's death.

January 15, 2025: David Lynch Died

On January 15, 2025, David Lynch passed away from complications of emphysema after being evacuated from his home due to the January 2025 Southern California wildfires.

January 2025: Death due to Emphysema

In January 2025, David Lynch died from complications of emphysema after being evacuated from his home due to the Southern California wildfires.

January 2025: Evacuation and Death

In January 2025, David Lynch was evacuated from his Los Angeles home due to Southern California wildfires. Shortly after, he died at his daughter's home in Los Angeles at the age of 78 on January 15.

February 2025: Release of Death Certificate

In February 2025, David Lynch's death certificate was made public, citing cardiac arrest as the immediate cause of death, with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and dehydration as contributing factors. He was cremated, and his ashes were buried at Hollywood Forever Cemetery.