# David Bowie filmography

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

| Title | Year | Role | Medium | Notes |
| Theatre 625 | 1968 | Unidentified | Television series | Episode: "The Pistol Shot" |
| The Image | 1969 | The Boy | Short film | |
| The Virgin Soldiers | 1969 | Soldier | Feature film | Uncredited |
| Pierrot in Turquoise or The Looking Glass Murders | 1970 | Cloud | Television film | |
| 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 |
| The Snowman | 1982 | Older James | Television film | Alternative opening |
| Baal | 1982 | Baal | Television film | |
| The Hunger | 1983 | John Blaylock | Feature film | |
| Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence | 1983 | Maj. Jack 'Strafer' Celliers | Feature film | |
| Yellowbeard | 1983 | 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 | 1986 | 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 | 1991 | 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 | 1999 | 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 |
| Mr. Rice's Secret | 2000 | 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 | 2006 | Nikola Tesla | Feature film | |
| Arthur and the Invisibles | 2007 | Emperor Maltazard | Feature film | Voice |
| SpongeBob SquarePants | 2007 | 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 Missing Pieces | 2014 | Phillip Jeffries | Compilation film | Archived footage |
| Twin Peaks: The Return | 2017 | Phillip Jeffries | Television series | 2 episodes 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 | Releases | Releases | Releases | Notes |
| Title | Year filmed | Year first released | Medium | Film | Television | VHS | DVD | Notes |
| Love You Till Tuesday | 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" | 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 | 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 | 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 | 1974 | 1975 | Documentary / concert film | — | 1975 (BBC Two), rebroadcast 2013 (BBC Imagine) | — | — | The film was made for the BBC's Omnibus documentary series. No official home video release. |
| Live at the Beat Club | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 2003 | 2004 | Concert film | — | — | — | 2004 | Film of a live concert from the 2003–2004 Reality Tour. |
| David Bowie: Five Years | 2013 | 2013 | Documentary film | — | BBC Two | — | — | Produced and directed by Francis Whately |
| David Bowie: The Last Five Years | 2016 | 2017 | Documentary film | — | BBC Two | — | — | Produced and directed by Francis Whately |
| David Bowie: Finding Fame | 2019 | 2019 | Documentary film | — | BBC Two | — | — | Produced and directed by Francis Whately |
| 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

* Bűvös 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
* The Elephant Man (1980–1981) as John Merrick - US national tour and Booth Theatre, Broadway

### As writer/composer

* Pierrot in Turquoise (1967) - songs by David Bowie
* Lazarus (2015) - music and lyrics by David Bowie

### As producer

* Hedwig and the Angry Inch (1999 Los Angeles production) - associate producer

### Additional stage works featuring David Bowie compositions

* Rock 'N Roll! The First 5,000 Years (1982) - "Space Oddity"
* We Will Rock You (2002) - "Under Pressure"
* SpongeBob SquarePants (2016) - "No Control"
* Tina (2018) - "Tonight"