Frank Zappa
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- Dec 21, 1940
- Died
- Dec 4, 1993 (aged 52)
- Place of birth
- Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
- Credits
- 111
Frank Vincent Zappa (December 21, 1940 – December 4, 1993) was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, electronic, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed album covers. Zappa produced almost all of the more than 60 albums he released with the band The Mothers of Invention and as a solo artist.
While in his teens, he acquired a taste for percussion-based avant-garde composers such as Edgard Varèse and 1950s rhythm and blues music. He began writing classical music in high school, while at the same time playing drums in rhythm and blues bands; he later switched to electric guitar. He was a self-taught composer and performer, and his diverse musical influences led him to create music that was often impossible to categorize. His 1966 debut album with The Mothers of Invention, Freak Out!, combined songs in conventional rock and roll format with collective improvisations and studio-generated sound collages. His later albums shared this eclectic and experimental approach, irrespective of whether the fundamental format was one of rock, jazz or classical. He wrote the lyrics to all his songs, which—often humorously—reflected his iconoclastic view of established social and political processes, structures and movements. He was a strident critic of mainstream education and organized religion, and a forthright and passionate advocate for freedom of speech, self-education, political participation and the abolition of censorship.
Zappa was a highly productive and prolific artist and gained widespread critical acclaim. Many of his albums are considered essential in rock and jazz history. He is regarded as one of the most original guitarists and composers of his time. He also remains a major influence on musicians and composers. He had some commercial success, particularly in Europe, and for most of his career was able to work as an independent artist. Zappa was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995 and received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1997.
Zappa was married to Kathryn J. "Kay" Sherman from 1960 to 1964. In 1967, he married Adelaide Gail Sloatman, with whom he remained until his death from prostate cancer in 1993. They had four children: Moon Unit, Dweezil, Ahmet Emuukha Rodan and Diva Thin Muffin Pigeen. Gail Zappa manages the businesses of her late husband under the name the Zappa Family Trust.
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Known for
Miami Vice
1984TV
Mario Fuente
The Ren & Stimpy Show
1991TV
The Pope (voice)
Saturday Night Live
1975TV
Self - Musical Guest, Self - Host & Musical Guest
Take Your Pills
2018Movie
Self (archive footage)
The Velvet Underground
2021Movie
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Head
1968Movie
The Critic
Filmography
Nova '78
2026Movie
Self (archive footage)
Frank Zappa: Cheaper Than Cheep
2025Movie
Self (guitar, vocals)
Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music
2025Movie
Self (archive footage)
Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention: Live at Whisky a Go Go 1968
2024Movie
Cover Your Ears
2023Movie
Self - Musician (archive footage)
Steve Vai - His First 30 Years: The Documentary
2022Movie
Self (archive footage)
Rock this Town
2022Movie
Self (archive footage)
Kalvøyafestivalen - 50 år siden første riff
2021Movie
Self (archive footage)
The Velvet Underground
2021Movie
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Classic Albums: Frank Zappa & The Mothers Of Invention - Freak Out!
2021Movie
Self
The Art of Dissent
2021Movie
Self - Subject (archive footage)
Larry Flynt for President
2021Movie
Self (archive footage)
Zappa
2020Movie
Self (archive footage)
Laurel Canyon
2020TV
Self (archive footage)
Stupor Mundi: Book 3, The Most Dangerous Encounter
2019Movie
Self (archive footage)
Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice
2019Movie
Self (archive footage)
Manson: Music from an Unsound Mind
2019Movie
Self (archive footage)
Echo in the Canyon
2019Movie
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Cosmic Debris
2018Movie
Himself (archive footage)
Take Your Pills
2018Movie
Self (archive footage)
Eat That Question: Frank Zappa in His Own Words
2016Movie
Self (archive footage)
Stupor Mundi: Livre 1, Rituel de décapitation du pape
2016Movie
Self (archive footage)
Stupor Mundi: Livre 2, Les Hommes qui mangèrent la montagne
2016Movie
Self (archive footage)
Zapped: Frank Zappa par Frank Zappa
2016Movie
Self - Subject (archive footage)
Frank Zappa & the Mothers of Invention - The Lost Broadcast: The Beat Club '68
2016Movie
Self
Frank Zappa & The Mothers: Roxy: The Movie
2015Movie
Himself
Feats First: The Life and Music of Lowell George
2015Movie
Self (archive footage)
Led Zeppelin Played Here
2014Movie
Self (archive footage)
Frank Zappa – Summer '82: When Zappa Came to Sicily
2014Movie
Himself (archive Footage)
Made in Japan: The Rise of Deep Purple Mk II
2014Movie
Self (archive footage)
Cheepnis
2014Movie
Himself
Super Duper Alice Cooper
2014Movie
Self (archive footage)
Frank Zappa: A Token Of His Extreme
2013Movie
Himself
From Straight to Bizarre
2012Movie
Self
Frank Zappa: The Freak Out List
2010Movie
Himself
Hart & Soul - The Hart Family Anthology
2010Movie
Self (archive footage)
Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention: In the 1960's
2009Movie
Himself
Frank Zappa - Live in Paris 1980
2008Movie
Self
An Evening with Frank Zappa During Which... The Torture Never Stops
2008Movie
Self
Frank Zappa: The Broadcast Archives
2008Movie
Self
The Wrecking Crew
2008Movie
Self (archive footage)
Frank Zappa: Music In Review
2008Movie
Self (archive footage)
Classic Albums: Frank Zappa - Apostrophe (') Over-Nite Sensation
2007Movie
Self (archive footage)
Frank Zappa: A Pioneer of the Future of Music
2007Movie
Frank Zappa: Roxy, 1973
2007Movie
Fuck
2006Movie
Self (archive footage)
EAV Rarities
2006Movie
Self (archive footage)
Girls and Boys - Sex and British Pop
2005TV
Self (archive footage)
Frank Zappa: A Token of His Extreme
2005Movie
Himself
Derailroaded
2005Movie
Self (archive footage)
Frank Zappa - John, Dan And Me
2004Movie
Himself
Hollywood Rocks the Movies: The 1970s
2002Movie
Self (archive footage)
Frank Zappa: Phase II - The Big Note
2002Movie
Self (archive footage)
Frank Zappa: The Present-Day Composer Refuses To Die
2000Movie
Self (archive footage)
The Artist Formerly Known As Captain Beefheart
1997Movie
Himself (archive footage)
Classic Albums
1997TV
Self (archive footage)
Porridge and kerosene
1997Movie
Self (archive footage)
Hey, Hey, We're The Monkees
1997Movie
Mike Nesmith (archive footage)
An American Dissident: un tributo a Frank Zappa
1994Movie
Self (archive footage)
A Life of Extravaganza - The Genius Frank Zappa
1993Movie
Self
The Revenge of the Dead Indians
1993Movie
Himself
The Yellow Shark
1992Movie
Self
The Ren & Stimpy Show
1991TV
The Pope (voice)
Tom Arnold: The Naked Truth
1991Movie
Self
Pražákům, těm je hej
1991Movie
Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa: Peefeeyatko
1991Movie
Self
Your vote
1991Movie
Self
Decade
1989Movie
Self
Služební cesta podporučíka Svěráka
1989Movie
Self (archive footage)
Funny
1988Movie
Self
The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels
1988Movie
Self
Frank Zappa: Live in Barcelona
1988Movie
Video from Hell
1987Movie
Self
The Amazing Mr. Bickford
1987Movie
Self
Uncle Meat
1987Movie
Self / The Imaginary Director
Night Flight with Frank Zappa, Porn Wars
1985Movie
Self
Frank Zappa: Does Humor Belong in Music?
1985Movie
Self
The Boy Who Left Home to Find Out About the Shivers
1984Movie
Attila
Miami Vice
1984TV
Mario Fuente
Cocaine Blues
1983Movie
Himself
Faerie Tale Theatre
1982TV
Attilla
Frank Zappa: The Dub Room Special!
1982Movie
Self
The Rolling Stones - The First 20 Years
1982Movie
Self
Frank Zappa: New York and Elsewhere
1980Movie
Self
Baby Snakes
1979Movie
Self
Frank Zappa: We Don't Mess Around
1978Movie
Self
Saturday Night Live
1975TV
Self - Musical Guest, Self - Host & Musical Guest
Frank Zappa: Opopoppa Stockholm, Sweden
1973Movie
Yoko Ono: This Is Not Here
1972Movie
Self
Deep Purple: Made In Japan
1972Movie
Self (archive footage)
The Making of 200 Motels
1971Movie
Self
200 Motels
1971Movie
Member of Mothers of Invention (uncredited)
Frank Zappa, John Lennon & Yoko Ono: At Fillmore East
1971Movie
Frank Zappa
1971Movie
Self
Amougies (Music Power - European Music Revolution)
1970Movie
Self
Pink Floyd: Amougies Pop Festival
1970Movie
Self
Burnt Weeny Sandwich
1969Movie
Self
Head
1968Movie
The Critic
All My Loving
1968Movie
Self
You Are What You Eat
1968Movie
Omnibus
1967TV
Self
Good Evening — I'm Jonathan King
1967TV
Himself
Mondo Hollywood
1967Movie
Inside Pop: The Rock Revolution
1967Movie
Self
Inside Pop: The Rock Revolution
1967TV
Self
Sex in Today's World
1967Movie
Self
The Monkees
1966TV
Self (uncredited)
The Big T.N.T. Show
1965Movie
Self (uncredited)
Beat-Club
1965TV
Self
Late Night Line-Up
1964TV
Himself
The Male Swagger
Movie
Guitarist (archive footage)