David Robert Jones (8 January 1947 – 10 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie, was an English singer, songwriter and actor. He was a figure in popular music for over five decades, regarded by critics and musicians as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s. His career was marked by reinvention and visual presentation, his music and stagecraft significantly influencing popular music. During his lifetime, his record sales, estimated at 140 million worldwide, made him one of the world's best-selling music artists. In the UK, he was awarded nine platinum album certifications, eleven gold and eight silver, releasing eleven number-one albums. In the US, he received five platinum and seven gold certifications. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996. Born and raised in South London, Bowie developed an interest in music as a child, eventually studying art, music and design before embarking on a professional career as a musician in 1963. "Space Oddity" became his first top-five entry on the UK Singles Chart after its release in July 1969. After a period of experimentation, he re-emerged in 1972 during the glam rock era with his flamboyant and androgynous alter ego Ziggy Stardust. The character was spearheaded by the success of his single "Starman" and album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, which won him widespread popularity. In 1975, Bowie's style shifted radically towards a sound he characterised as "plastic soul", initially alienating many of his UK devotees but garnering him his first major US crossover success with the number-one single "Fame" and the album Young Americans. In 1976, Bowie starred in the cult film The Man Who Fell to Earth and released Station to Station. The following year, he further confounded musical expectations with the electronic-inflected album Low (1977), the first of three collaborations with Brian Eno that would come to be known as the "Berlin Trilogy". "Heroes" (1977) and Lodger (1979) followed; each album reached the UK top five and received lasting critical praise. After uneven commercial success in the late 1970s, Bowie had UK number ones with the 1980 single "Ashes to Ashes", its parent album Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps), and "Under Pressure", a 1981 collaboration with Queen. He then reached his commercial peak in 1983 with Let's Dance, with its title track topping both UK and US charts. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Bowie continued to experiment with musical styles, including industrial and jungle. Bowie also continued acting; his roles included Major Celliers in Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (1983), the Goblin King Jareth in Labyrinth (1986), Pontius Pilate in The Last Temptation of Christ (1988), and Nikola Tesla in The Prestige (2006), among other film and television appearances and cameos. He stopped concert touring after 2004 and his last live performance was at a charity event in 2006. In 2013, Bowie returned from a decade-long recording hiatus with the release of The Next Day. He remained musically active until he died of liver cancer two days after the release of his final album, Blackstar (2016).
Movie | David Bowie - Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars | 2026 | |
Movie | Twiggy | (archival footage) | 2025-03-07 |
Movie | Jim Henson Idea Man | Jareth (archive footage) | 2024-05-18 |
Movie | Nam June Paik: Moon Is the Oldest TV | Self (archive footage) | 2023-03-24 |
Movie | LOLA | Self - Singer (archive footage) | 2023-04-07 |
Movie | WHAM! | Self (archive footage) | 2023-06-27 |
Movie | Angelheaded Hipster: The Songs of Marc Bolan & T. Rex | Self (archive footage) | 2023-09-14 |
Movie | The Lost Weekend: A Love Story | Self (archive footage) | 2023-04-13 |
Movie | Mickey: The Story of a Mouse | Self (archive footage) | 2022-03-19 |
Movie | Moonage Daydream | Self (archive footage) | 2022-09-15 |
Movie | 2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony | Self | 2021-11-20 |
Movie | The Dancing Man of L.A. | Self (archive footage) | 2021-05-24 |
Movie | Moby Doc | Self | 2021-05-28 |
Movie | The Velvet Underground | Self (voice) | 2021-10-15 |
Movie | Zappa | Self (archive footage) | 2020-11-27 |
Movie | The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2020 Inductions | Self (archive footage) | 2020-11-07 |
Movie | David Bowie: Finding Fame | Self (archive footage) | 2019-02-09 |
Movie | My Music: A Classic Christmas | Self (archive footage) | 2019-11-16 |
Movie | Glastonbury 2000 | Self - Vocals | 2018-11-30 |
Movie | Freddie Mercury: The King of Queen | Singer | 2018-06-05 |
Movie | David Bowie: The Last Five Years | Self (archive footage) | 2017-01-07 |
Movie | Der Reichstag | Self (archive footage) | 2017-12-19 |
Movie | Julian Schnabel: A Private Portrait | Self (archive footage) | 2017-05-05 |
Movie | Beside Bowie: The Mick Ronson Story | Self - Narrator (voice) | 2017-05-09 |
Movie | Ryuichi Sakamoto: Coda | Jack Celliers (archive footage) | 2017-11-04 |
Movie | Shot! The Psycho-Spiritual Mantra of Rock | Self - Musician (archive footage) | 2017-07-21 |
Movie | Princess Diana: Her Life, Her Death, the Truth | Self (archive footage) | 2017-05-22 |
Movie | David Bowie: Starman | Self | 2016-01-11 |
Movie | David Bowie: Sound and Vision | Self | 2016-01-12 |
Movie | Burden | Self (archive footage) | 2016-04-16 |
Movie | Das Prinzip Dada | Self | 2016-02-06 |
Movie | Gaga for Dada: The Original Art Rebels | Self | 2016-09-21 |
Movie | Wilde Jahre West-Berlin | Self | 2015-01-01 |
Movie | B-Movie: Lust & Sound in West-Berlin 1979-1989 | Self | 2015-02-05 |
Movie | Let's Dance: Bowie Down Under | Self | 2015-02-10 |
Movie | Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces | Phillip Jeffries | 2014-07-16 |
Movie | Soul Boys of the Western World | Self (archive footage) | 2014-09-30 |
Movie | Bing Crosby: Rediscovered | Self (archive footage) | 2014-12-02 |
Movie | David Bowie: Five Years | Self (archive footage) | 2013-05-25 |
Movie | David Bowie Is Happening Now | Self (archive footage) | 2013-08-13 |
Movie | David Bowie & The Story of Ziggy Stardust | Self / Ziggy Stardust (archive footage) | 2012-06-22 |
Movie | Clockwork Orange County | Self | 2012-07-04 |
Movie | Acoustic at the BBC | Self | 2011-09-02 |
Movie | The Love We Make | Self | 2011-09-10 |
Movie | David Bowie: Rare and Unseen | Self | 2010-01-01 |
Movie | Bowie, Iggy & Lou 1971-1973: The Sacred Triangle | Self (archive footage) | 2010-10-18 |
Movie | Bing Crosby: The Television Specials Volume 2 – The Christmas Specials | Self | 2010-11-09 |
Movie | David Bowie: VH1 Storytellers | Self | 2009-07-14 |
Movie | Bandslam | David Bowie | 2009-08-06 |
Movie | Krautrock: The Rebirth of Germany | Self (archive footage) | 2009-10-22 |
Movie | August | Cyrus Ogilvie | 2008-05-16 |
Movie | Kings of Glam | Self (archive footage) | 2008-11-22 |
Series | Fringe | Unknown | 2008-09-09 |
Movie | Scott Walker: 30 Century Man | Self | 2007-04-27 |
Series | Seven Ages of Rock | Self | 2007-05-19 |
Movie | SpongeBob's Atlantis SquarePantis | Lord Royal Highness | 2007-11-12 |
Movie | David Gilmour: Remember That Night - Live at the Royal Albert Hall | Self - Guest Artist | 2007-09-06 |
Movie | David Bowie: Under Review 1976-79 | Self | 2006-01-11 |
Movie | David Bowie - Total Rock Review | Self | 2006-09-26 |
Movie | Arthur and the Invisibles | Maltazard (voice) | 2006-12-13 |
Movie | The Prestige | Tesla | 2006-10-17 |
Series | Extras | Unknown | 2005-07-21 |
Movie | Live Aid: 20 Years Ago Today | Self | 2005-07-13 |
Movie | TV Party | Self | 2005-08-03 |
Movie | The Work of Director Mark Romanek | Self (archive footage) | 2005-09-13 |
Movie | Superstar in a Housedress: The Life and Legend of Jackie Curtis | Self (archive footage) | 2004-05-05 |
Movie | Pixies: Gouge | Self | 2004-04-27 |
Movie | Rockthology 2 | 2004-08-26 | |
Movie | Live Aid | Self | 2004-11-16 |
Movie | The Nomi Song | Self (archive footage) | 2004-10-14 |
Movie | Bowie: A Reality Tour | Self | 2004-10-13 |
Movie | Mayor of the Sunset Strip | Self | 2003-06-17 |
Movie | The Rutles 2: Can't Buy Me Lunch | Self - Interviewee | 2003-08-16 |
Movie | Late Night with Conan O'Brien: 10th Anniversary Special | Self | 2003-09-14 |
Movie | Queen: Greatest Video Hits 2 | Self | 2003-11-03 |
Movie | David Bowie - Sound and Vision | Self | 2003-11-12 |
Movie | David Bowie: Best of Bowie | Self (archive footage) | 2002-06-30 |
Movie | Queen - The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert 10th Anniversary Documentary | Self | 2002-05-13 |
Movie | Zoolander | David Bowie | 2001-09-28 |
Movie | Classic Albums: Lou Reed - Transformer | Self | 2001-12-03 |
Movie | The Concert for New York City | Self | 2001-10-20 |
Series | Friday Night with Jonathan Ross | Unknown | 2001-11-02 |
Movie | The Ten Commandments of Creativity | Self | 2000-02-01 |
Movie | Mr. Rice's Secret | Mr. William Rice | 2000-12-22 |
Movie | The Filth and the Fury | Self (archive footage) | 2000-03-29 |
Movie | Saturday Night Live: 25th Anniversary Special | Self | 1999-09-25 |
Movie | Everybody Loves Sunshine | Bernie | 1999-03-20 |
Movie | A Bing Crosby Christmas | Self (archive footage) | 1998-01-01 |
Movie | Lou Reed: Rock and Roll Heart | Self | 1998-04-29 |
Movie | Gunslinger's Revenge | Jack Sikora | 1998-12-18 |
Movie | David Bowie Birthday Celebration Live in NYC | Self | 1997-02-03 |
Movie | David Bowie & Friends: A Very Special Birthday Celebration | Self | 1997-01-09 |
Movie | Nine Inch Nails: Closure | Self (uncredited) | 1997-11-25 |
Series | The Hunger | 1997-07-20 | |
Movie | David Bowie: Rockpalast | Self | 1996-06-11 |
Movie | Basquiat | Andy Warhol | 1996-08-09 |
Movie | The Fine Art of Separating People from Their Money | Self | 1996-11-17 |
Movie | Nine Inch Nails & David Bowie: Dissonance | Self | 1995-10-18 |
Movie | The History of Rock 'n' Roll | Self | 1995-03-06 |
Movie | The World of Jim Henson | Jareth (archive footage) | 1994-11-23 |
Series | Late Night with Conan O'Brien | Unknown | 1993-09-13 |
Movie | The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert | Self | 1992-04-22 |
Movie | Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me | Special Agent Phillip Jeffries | 1992-06-03 |
Movie | The Linguini Incident | Monte | 1991-05-01 |
Movie | Queen: Greatest Flix II | Self (archive footage) | 1991-05-24 |
Series | Dream On | Unknown | 1990-07-08 |
Movie | David Bowie: Live At The Tokyo Dome | Self | 1990-01-01 |
Movie | Tin Machine - Live at Paradiso | 1989-06-24 | |
Movie | Imagine: John Lennon | Self | 1988-09-30 |
Movie | David Bowie: Glass Spider | Self | 1988-01-01 |
Movie | The Last Temptation of Christ | Pontius Pilatus | 1988-05-28 |
Movie | Bugs Bunny/Looney Tunes All-Star 50th Anniversary | Self | 1986-01-14 |
Movie | Inside the Labyrinth | Self | 1986-12-13 |
Movie | Labyrinth | Jareth | 1986-06-27 |
Movie | Absolute Beginners | Vendice Partners | 1986-04-04 |
Movie | Into the Night | Colin Morris | 1985-02-22 |
Movie | Tokyo Melody: A Film About Ryuichi Sakamoto | Celliers (archive footage) | 1985-04-09 |
Movie | Live Aid | Self | 1985-07-13 |
Movie | David Bowie: Serious Moonlight | Self - Lead Vocals / Guitar | 1984-02-01 |
Movie | Ricochet | Self | 1984-03-27 |
Movie | David Bowie: The Serious Moonlight Tour | Self | 1984-02-12 |
Movie | David Bowie: Jazzin' for Blue Jean | Vic / Screaming Lord Byron | 1984-09-01 |
Movie | The Hunger | John Blaylock | 1983-04-29 |
Movie | Cool Cats: 25 Years of Rock 'n' Roll Style | Self (archive footage) | 1983-01-01 |
Movie | Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence | Celliers | 1983-05-28 |
Movie | The Oshima Gang | Self | 1983-12-31 |
Movie | Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars | Self / Ziggy Stardust | 1983-12-23 |
Movie | David Bowie: Serious Moonlight Montreal | Self | 1983-07-13 |
Movie | Yellowbeard | The Shark (uncredited) | 1983-06-24 |
Movie | Group Madness | Self | 1983-06-11 |
Movie | Baal | Baal | 1982-02-02 |
Movie | The Snowman | Older James (United States version) | 1982-12-26 |
Series | Wetten, dass..? | Unknown | 1981-02-14 |
Movie | Christiane F. | David Bowie | 1981-04-02 |
Movie | The Sensational Shocking Wonderful Wacky 70's | Self | 1980-01-04 |
Movie | David Bowie: Live at Beat Club Musikladen | Self - Keyboard, Vocals | 1978-05-30 |
Movie | Just a Gigolo | Paul Ambrosius von Przygodski | 1978-11-16 |
Movie | David Bowie On Stage: Live in Japan | Self | 1978-12-12 |
Movie | Bing Crosby's Merrie Olde Christmas | Self | 1977-11-30 |
Movie | The Man Who Fell to Earth | Thomas Jerome Newton | 1976-03-18 |
Series | Saturday Night Live | Unknown | 1975-10-11 |
Movie | Cracked Actor | Self | 1975-01-26 |
Movie | The Looking Glass Murders | Cloud | 1970-07-08 |
Movie | David Bowie: Love You Till Tuesday | Self | 1969-01-01 |
Movie | The Image | The Boy | 1969-01-01 |
Movie | The Virgin Soldiers | Soldier | 1969-10-14 |
Movie | NBC television special: The Pursuit of Pleasure | Self | 1967-05-08 |
Series | Ready Steady Go! | Unknown | 1963-08-09 |