John Waters: movies and TV shows
John Waters has 276 credits in the archive: 221 films and 55 TV series, from 1956 to 2026. Highest rated: Forever Hollywood (8.3/10).
Career timeline
1956 – 2026 · busiest year: 2006 (19 credits)
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Full filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Type | Rating | Age then |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Kevin | Armando (voice) | TV | 5.4 | 80 |
| 2026 | Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World | Self | Film | — | 80 |
| 2026 | Return to Mortville | Self | Film | — | 80 |
| 2026 | Gays Against Guns | Film | — | 80 | |
| 2025 | Everybody's Live with John Mulaney | Self - Writer and Film Director | TV | 6.7 | 79 |
| 2025 | Sarah Squirm: Live + in the Flesh | Stage Manager | Film | 5.1 | 79 |
| 2025 | Room Temperature | Film | 6.7 | 79 | |
| 2025 | TURA! | Self | Film | 7.0 | 79 |
| 2025 | It's Dorothy! | Self | Film | 4.0 | 79 |
| 2025 | Velvet Vision: The Story of James Bidgood and the Making of Pink Narcissus | Self | Film | — | 79 |
| 2025 | Marisa y Gomoso | Film | 7.8 | 79 | |
| 2025 | A Summer with Joe, Liz and Richard | Self | Film | 6.0 | 79 |
| 2024 | As Time Goes By | Film | — | 78 | |
| 2024 | Doc of Chucky | Self | Film | 7.8 | 78 |
| 2024 | Scala!!! | Self | Film | 7.8 | 78 |
| 2023 | Digman! | Magnus (voice) | TV | 6.2 | 77 |
| 2023 | Little Richard: I Am Everything | Self | Film | 6.6 | 77 |
| 2023 | Lynch/Oz | Host (Chapter 3: 'Kindred') (voice) | Film | 6.8 | 77 |
| 2022 | The Andy Warhol Diaries | Self | TV | 6.7 | 76 |
| 2022 | Charles Band’s Full Moon Freakshow | TV | 7.0 | 76 | |
| 2022 | Living with Chucky | Self | Film | 6.6 | 76 |
| 2022 | The Book of Harth | Self | Film | 8.5 | 76 |
| 2022 | Don't Fall in Love with Yourself | Self (Archival) | Film | 5.0 | 76 |
| 2022 | Fragments of Paradise | Self | Film | 6.5 | 76 |
| 2022 | Tell Me Iggy | Self | Film | 6.0 | 76 |
| 2021 | Chucky | Wendell Wilkins | TV | 7.8 | 75 |
| 2021 | The Velvet Underground | Self | Film | 6.8 | 75 |
| 2021 | Pride | Self | TV | 6.7 | 75 |
| 2021 | Blood, Guts and Sunshine: The History of Horror Made in Florida | Self [archival] | Film | 7.0 | 75 |
| 2021 | My Life with the Waters | Self | Film | — | 75 |
| 2020 | Helluva Boss | Rolando (voice) | TV | 7.6 | 74 |
| 2020 | Time Warp: The Greatest Cult Films of All Time | Self - Host | TV | 7.2 | 74 |
| 2020 | Time Warp Vol. 1: Midnight Madness | Host | Film | 6.8 | 74 |
| 2020 | Time Warp Vol. 3: Comedy and Camp | Host | Film | 6.8 | 74 |
| 2020 | Time Warp Vol. 2: Horror and Sci-Fi | Host | Film | 6.4 | 74 |
| 2020 | Joel Calls Indie Film Type Dudes | Film | — | 74 | |
| 2020 | The Mystery of the Pink Flamingo | Himself | Film | 5.6 | 74 |
| 2019 | Permanent Green Light | Film | 6.4 | 73 | |
| 2019 | Sniffing Out ‘Polyester’ | Self | Film | — | 73 |
| 2019 | Sniffing Out ‘Polyester’ | Film | — | 73 | |
| 2019 | Bully. Coward. Victim. The Story of Roy Cohn | Self | Film | 6.1 | 73 |
| 2019 | At the Video Store | Self | Film | 10.0 | 73 |
| 2019 | 30/30 Vision: Three Decades of Strand Releasing | Self | Film | 5.3 | 73 |
| 2019 | 30/30 Vision: Three Decades of Strand Releasing | Film | 5.3 | 73 | |
| 2018 | Explained | Narrator (voice) | TV | 7.5 | 72 |
| 2018 | Liverspots and Astronots | O-Dor | TV | 6.0 | 72 |
| 2018 | Mugworth | Sir Butler | Film | — | 72 |
| 2018 | Sickies Making Films | Self | Film | 5.0 | 72 |
| 2018 | Female Trouble: On-Set Footage | Film | — | 72 | |
| 2018 | Crime and Beauty: Making ‘Female Trouble’ | Film | — | 72 | |
| 2017 | FEUD | William Castle | TV | 7.6 | 71 |
| 2017 | Mansfield 66/67 | Self | Film | 4.8 | 71 |
| 2017 | Queercore: How to Punk a Revolution | Self | Film | 7.0 | 71 |
| 2016 | Search Party | Sheffield | TV | 6.9 | 70 |
| 2016 | Wall Writers | Narrator (voice) | Film | 6.2 | 70 |
| 2016 | Hairspray Live! | Film | 7.3 | 70 | |
| 2016 | Hairspray Live! | Film | 7.3 | 70 | |
| 2016 | The New Yorker Presents | Self | TV | 6.8 | 70 |
| 2016 | In Conversation With Director John Waters, Actress Kathleen Turner and Actress Mink Stole | Self | Film | — | 70 |
| 2016 | Whatever Happened to Gelitin | Self | Film | 2.0 | 70 |
| 2015 | The Late Show with Stephen Colbert | Self - Guest | TV | 6.1 | 69 |
| 2015 | Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip | First Class Passenger | Film | 6.0 | 69 |
| 2015 | Tab Hunter Confidential | Self | Film | 7.3 | 69 |
| 2015 | Seed Money: The Chuck Holmes Story | Self | Film | 5.7 | 69 |
| 2015 | Kiddie Flamingos | Film | 8.0 | 69 | |
| 2015 | Kiddie Flamingos | Film | 8.0 | 69 | |
| 2015 | Sympathy for the Devil: The True Story of The Process Church of the Final Judgment | Self | Film | 5.7 | 69 |
| 2015 | The 1000 Eyes of Dr Maddin | Film | 6.0 | 69 | |
| 2014 | Late Night with Seth Meyers | Self - Guest | TV | 5.1 | 68 |
| 2014 | Clarence | Captain Tom (voice) | TV | 8.0 | 68 |
| 2014 | HitRECord on TV with Joseph Gordon-Levitt | Self | TV | 6.4 | 68 |
| 2014 | I Am Divine | Self | Film | 7.3 | 68 |
| 2014 | Suburban Gothic | Cornelius | Film | 5.5 | 68 |
| 2014 | The Last Impresario | Self | Film | 5.5 | 68 |
| 2013 | The Blacklist | John Waters | TV | 7.6 | 67 |
| 2013 | RuPaul Drives... | Self - Guest | TV | 5.0 | 67 |
| 2013 | Jingle Bell Rocks! | Self | Film | — | 67 |
| 2013 | The Sarnos: A Life in Dirty Movies | Self | Film | 5.9 | 67 |
| 2013 | Paul Bowles: The Cage Door Is Always Open | Self | Film | 5.0 | 67 |
| 2012 | Finding Your Roots | Self | TV | 6.5 | 66 |
| 2012 | Excision | William | Film | 6.2 | 66 |
| 2012 | Mansome | Self | Film | 4.9 | 66 |
| 2012 | Frankenstein: A Modern Myth | Self - Director | Film | 7.0 | 66 |
| 2011 | These Amazing Shadows | Self | Film | 7.4 | 65 |
| 2011 | Blank City | Self | Film | 6.8 | 65 |
| 2011 | The Advocate for Fagdom | Self | Film | 5.3 | 65 |
| 2011 | Mangus! | Jesus Christ | Film | 1.0 | 65 |
| 2010 | Fish Hooks | Ezekiel Freshwater / Hair Man (voice) | TV | 6.4 | 64 |
| 2010 | Fish Hooks | The Yeti Lobster (voice) | TV | 6.4 | 64 |
| 2010 | Offspring | TV | 6.9 | 64 | |
| 2010 | Beautiful Darling | Self | Film | 6.0 | 64 |
| 2010 | The Simpsons 20th Anniversary Special - In 3D! On Ice! | Self | Film | 6.9 | 64 |
| 2010 | Herschell Gordon Lewis: The Godfather of Gore | Film | 6.0 | 64 | |
| 2010 | Putty Hill | Film | 5.5 | 64 | |
| 2010 | William S. Burroughs: A Man Within | Self | Film | 6.5 | 64 |
| 2009 | Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen | Self - Guest | TV | 5.0 | 63 |
| 2009 | RuPaul's Drag Race | Self - Guest Judge | TV | 7.5 | 63 |
| 2009 | RuPaul's Drag Race | Self - Special Guest | TV | 7.5 | 63 |
| 2009 | It Came from Kuchar | Self | Film | 7.2 | 63 |
| 2009 | For the Love of Movies: The Story of American Film Criticism | Self | Film | 5.7 | 63 |
| 2008 | Starz Inside: In the Gutter | Self | Film | 4.5 | 62 |
| 2008 | New Line Cinema: The First Generation and the Next Generation | Self | Film | 10.0 | 62 |
| 2008 | Obscene: A Portrait of Barney Rosset and Grove Press | Self | Film | 4.4 | 62 |
| 2008 | The Wild World of Ted V. Mikels | Narrator | Film | 6.0 | 62 |
| 2008 | Coven of the Heathenites | Self | Film | — | 62 |
| 2007 | The Graham Norton Show | Self - Guest | TV | 7.2 | 61 |
| 2007 | Indie Sex | Self | TV | 5.1 | 61 |
| 2007 | Hairspray | Flasher | Film | 6.7 | 61 |
| 2007 | Hairspray | Film | 6.7 | 61 | |
| 2007 | An American Crime | Film | 7.3 | 61 | |
| 2007 | You Can’t Stop the Beat: The Long Journey of "Hairspray" | Self | Film | 6.0 | 61 |
| 2007 | The Junior Defenders | Narrator | Film | 5.0 | 61 |
| 2007 | The Roots of 'Hairspray' | Self | Film | — | 61 |
| 2007 | 'Til Death Do Us Part | TV | 7.7 | 61 | |
| 2007 | Spine Tingler! The William Castle Story | Self | Film | 7.8 | 61 |
| 2007 | Here’s Looking at You, Boy | Self | Film | 4.8 | 61 |
| 2007 | 365 Day Project | Self | Film | 10.0 | 61 |
| 2007 | Jack Smith and the Destruction of Atlantis | Self | Film | 6.6 | 61 |
| 2007 | Jessica the Hippo | Narrator (Voice) | Film | — | 61 |
| 2007 | Each Time I Kill | Movie Watcher | Film | 6.0 | 61 |
| 2006 | Jackass Number Two | Self | Film | 6.6 | 60 |
| 2006 | The Henry Rollins Show | TV | 6.0 | 60 | |
| 2006 | I Love the '70s: Volume 2 | Self | TV | — | 60 |
| 2006 | This Filthy World | Self | Film | 7.6 | 60 |
| 2006 | This Filthy World | Film | 7.6 | 60 | |
| 2006 | 42nd Street: From Book to Screen to Stage | Self | Film | 6.0 | 60 |
| 2006 | This Film Is Not Yet Rated | Self - Director of 'A Dirty Shame' | Film | 7.1 | 60 |
| 2006 | That Man: Peter Berlin | Self | Film | 6.5 | 60 |
| 2006 | Fabulous! The Story of Queer Cinema | Self | Film | 5.4 | 60 |
| 2006 | Busby Berkeley's Kaleidoscopic Eyes | Film | — | 60 | |
| 2006 | Meet The Kuchar Brothers | Film | — | 60 | |
| 2006 | Footlight Parade: Music for the Decades | Film | — | 60 | |
| 2006 | The Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players: Off & On Broadway | Self | Film | — | 60 |
| 2006 | (buz'be bur'kle) n. A Study in Style | Self | Film | 7.5 | 60 |
| 2006 | Midnight Movies: From the Margin to the Mainstream | Self | Film | 6.3 | 60 |
| 2006 | Mommie Dearest: Joan Lives On | Film | 10.0 | 60 | |
| 2006 | Treasures Untold: The Making of Disney's 'The Little Mermaid' | Self | Film | — | 60 |
| 2006 | Plagues and Pleasures on the Salton Sea | Self - Narrator (voice) | Film | 6.8 | 60 |
| 2006 | I, of the Cyclops | Film | — | 60 | |
| 2005 | The Colbert Report | Self - Guest | TV | 6.9 | 59 |
| 2005 | My Name Is Earl | Walter Hamerick | TV | 7.6 | 59 |
| 2005 | Inside Deep Throat | Self | Film | 6.4 | 59 |
| 2005 | It Came from... Baltimore!! | Self | Film | 7.6 | 59 |
| 2005 | All the Dirt on 'A Dirty Shame' | Self | Film | 7.7 | 59 |
| 2004 | Seed of Chucky | Pete Peters | Film | 5.5 | 58 |
| 2004 | Thinking XXX | Self | Film | 5.5 | 58 |
| 2004 | A Dirty Shame | Film | 5.3 | 58 | |
| 2004 | A Dirty Shame | Film | 5.3 | 58 | |
| 2004 | Closer Than That: A Documentary on Low | Himself | Film | — | 58 |
| 2003 | Real Time with Bill Maher | Self - Guest | TV | 6.1 | 57 |
| 2003 | Abby Singer | John Waters (uncredited) | Film | 6.8 | 57 |
| 2003 | A History of Sex | Self | Film | 5.5 | 57 |
| 2002 | The Cockettes | Self | Film | 6.7 | 56 |
| 2002 | Sylvester: Mighty Real | Self | Film | 10.0 | 56 |
| 2002 | Blood Feast 2: All U Can Eat | The Reverend | Film | 4.8 | 56 |
| 2001 | Memories of Oz | Self | Film | 6.8 | 55 |
| 2000 | Welcome to Hollywood | John Waters | Film | 4.1 | 54 |
| 2000 | Cecil B. Demented | Reporter | Film | 6.4 | 54 |
| 2000 | Cecil B. Demented | Film | 6.4 | 54 | |
| 2000 | Cecil B. Demented | Film | 6.4 | 54 | |
| 2000 | Divine Trash | Self | Film | 7.2 | 54 |
| 2000 | Pie in the Sky: The Brigid Berlin Story | Self | Film | 6.6 | 54 |
| 1999 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Pornmonger Man | TV | 8.0 | 53 |
| 1999 | Forever Hollywood | Self | Film | 8.3 | 53 |
| 1999 | Sweet and Lowdown | Mr. Haynes | Film | 6.8 | 53 |
| 1999 | Yesterday's Tomorrows | Self | Film | 8.5 | 53 |
| 1999 | In Bad Taste | Self | Film | 8.0 | 53 |
| 1998 | So Graham Norton | Self - Guest | TV | 7.4 | 52 |
| 1998 | Pecker | Pervert on Phone (voice) (uncredited) | Film | 6.1 | 52 |
| 1998 | Pecker | Film | 6.1 | 52 | |
| 1998 | Pecker | Film | 6.1 | 52 | |
| 1998 | Anarchy TV | Film | 5.0 | 52 | |
| 1998 | The Roseanne Show | Self - Guest | TV | 6.0 | 52 |
| 1998 | Whipped | Film | 7.0 | 52 | |
| 1997 | The View | Self | TV | 4.3 | 51 |
| 1997 | Anthem | Self | Film | 5.4 | 51 |
| 1996 | The Daily Show | Self - Guest | TV | 6.4 | 50 |
| 1996 | The Daily Show | Self | TV | 6.4 | 50 |
| 1996 | E! True Hollywood Story | TV | 8.2 | 50 | |
| 1996 | Ballyhoo: The Hollywood Sideshow! | Film | — | 50 | |
| 1995 | God Save the Queens | Film | — | 49 | |
| 1994 | Serial Mom | Ted Bundy (voice) (uncredited) | Film | 6.7 | 48 |
| 1994 | Serial Mom | Film | 6.7 | 48 | |
| 1994 | Serial Mom | Film | 6.7 | 48 | |
| 1994 | Family Album | Vincent | TV | 4.4 | 48 |
| 1993 | Late Show with David Letterman | Self - Guest | TV | 6.4 | 47 |
| 1993 | Frasier | Roger (voice) | TV | 7.7 | 47 |
| 1993 | Homicide: Life on the Street | R. Vincent Smith | TV | 8.1 | 47 |
| 1993 | Eurotrash | TV | 6.5 | 47 | |
| 1993 | The Big Wet | Narrator | Film | — | 47 |
| 1993 | Growing Up with John Waters | Self | Film | — | 47 |
| 1992 | HBO First Look | TV | 5.6 | 46 | |
| 1991 | Poison | Film | 5.9 | 45 | |
| 1991 | Gastronomic Getaway | Film | 8.5 | 45 | |
| 1990 | The Word | TV | 6.0 | 44 | |
| 1990 | Cry-Baby | Film | 6.5 | 44 | |
| 1990 | Cry-Baby | Film | 6.5 | 44 | |
| 1989 | The Simpsons | John (voice) | TV | 8.0 | 43 |
| 1989 | Homer and Eddie | Robber #1 | Film | 5.6 | 43 |
| 1988 | Hairspray | Dr. Fredrickson | Film | 6.8 | 42 |
| 1988 | Hairspray | Film | 6.8 | 42 | |
| 1988 | Hairspray | Film | 6.8 | 42 | |
| 1988 | Hairspray | Film | 6.8 | 42 | |
| 1988 | The Incredibly Strange Film Show | Self | TV | 9.0 | 42 |
| 1988 | Way USA! | Film | — | 42 | |
| 1987 | 21 Jump Street | Mr. Bean | TV | 7.3 | 41 |
| 1986 | Something Wild | Used Car Guy | Film | 6.6 | 40 |
| 1985 | Divine Waters | Self | Film | 7.6 | 39 |
| 1985 | The Ballad of Sexual Dependency | Film | — | 39 | |
| 1982 | Late Night with David Letterman | Self - Guest | TV | 6.1 | 36 |
| 1982 | Nuart Theatre No Smoking PSA | Self | Film | — | 36 |
| 1982 | Nuart Theatre No Smoking PSA | Film | — | 36 | |
| 1981 | Polyester | Film | 7.0 | 35 | |
| 1981 | Polyester | Film | 7.0 | 35 | |
| 1981 | Polyester | Film | 7.0 | 35 | |
| 1977 | Desperate Living | Film | 6.4 | 31 | |
| 1977 | Desperate Living | Film | 6.4 | 31 | |
| 1977 | Desperate Living | Film | 6.4 | 31 | |
| 1977 | Desperate Living | Film | 6.4 | 31 | |
| 1976 | Edith's Shopping Bag | Self | Film | 6.8 | 30 |
| 1976 | Female Trouble | Film | 6.9 | 30 | |
| 1976 | Female Trouble | Film | 6.9 | 30 | |
| 1976 | Female Trouble | Film | 6.9 | 30 | |
| 1976 | Female Trouble | Film | 6.9 | 30 | |
| 1976 | Female Trouble | Film | 6.9 | 30 | |
| 1975 | Saturday Night Live | Self - Cameo (uncredited) | TV | 6.9 | 29 |
| 1975 | Love Letter to Edie | Self | Film | 6.5 | 29 |
| 1972 | Pink Flamingos | Mr. J (narration) (uncredited) | Film | 6.1 | 26 |
| 1972 | Pink Flamingos | Film | 6.1 | 26 | |
| 1972 | Pink Flamingos | Film | 6.1 | 26 | |
| 1972 | Pink Flamingos | Film | 6.1 | 26 | |
| 1972 | Pink Flamingos | Film | 6.1 | 26 | |
| 1972 | Pink Flamingos | Film | 6.1 | 26 | |
| 1970 | Multiple Maniacs | Film | 6.2 | 24 | |
| 1970 | Multiple Maniacs | Film | 6.2 | 24 | |
| 1970 | Multiple Maniacs | Film | 6.2 | 24 | |
| 1970 | Multiple Maniacs | Film | 6.2 | 24 | |
| 1970 | Multiple Maniacs | Film | 6.2 | 24 | |
| 1970 | Multiple Maniacs | Film | 6.2 | 24 | |
| 1970 | The Diane Linkletter Story | Film | 5.0 | 24 | |
| 1970 | The Diane Linkletter Story | Film | 5.0 | 24 | |
| 1970 | The Diane Linkletter Story | Film | 5.0 | 24 | |
| 1970 | The Diane Linkletter Story | Film | 5.0 | 24 | |
| 1970 | The Diane Linkletter Story | Film | 5.0 | 24 | |
| 1969 | Mondo Trasho | Reporter (voice) (uncredited) | Film | 5.2 | 23 |
| 1969 | Mondo Trasho | Film | 5.2 | 23 | |
| 1969 | Mondo Trasho | Film | 5.2 | 23 | |
| 1969 | Mondo Trasho | Film | 5.2 | 23 | |
| 1969 | Mondo Trasho | Film | 5.2 | 23 | |
| 1969 | Mondo Trasho | Film | 5.2 | 23 | |
| 1969 | Mondo Trasho | Film | 5.2 | 23 | |
| 1968 | Eat Your Makeup | Film | 7.4 | 22 | |
| 1968 | Eat Your Makeup | Film | 7.4 | 22 | |
| 1968 | Eat Your Makeup | Film | 7.4 | 22 | |
| 1968 | Eat Your Makeup | Film | 7.4 | 22 | |
| 1968 | Eat Your Makeup | Film | 7.4 | 22 | |
| 1968 | Dorothy, the Kansas City Pot Head | Film | 4.0 | 22 | |
| 1968 | Dorothy, the Kansas City Pot Head | Film | 4.0 | 22 | |
| 1967 | Roman Candles | Film | 6.8 | 21 | |
| 1967 | Roman Candles | Film | 6.8 | 21 | |
| 1967 | Roman Candles | Film | 6.8 | 21 | |
| 1967 | Roman Candles | Film | 6.8 | 21 | |
| 1967 | Roman Candles | Film | 6.8 | 21 | |
| 1964 | Hag in a Black Leather Jacket | Film | 6.9 | 18 | |
| 1964 | Hag in a Black Leather Jacket | Film | 6.9 | 18 | |
| 1964 | Hag in a Black Leather Jacket | Film | 6.9 | 18 | |
| 1964 | Hag in a Black Leather Jacket | Film | 6.9 | 18 | |
| 1964 | Hag in a Black Leather Jacket | Film | 6.9 | 18 | |
| 1956 | Tony Awards | Self - Presenter | TV | — | 10 |
| New Line: Independent Legacies | Self | Film | — | — | |
| Baltigore | The Broker | Film | — | — | |
| Mamie Exposed! The Life and Loves of the Last Blonde Bombshell | Film | — | — | ||
| Liarmouth: A Feel-Bad Romance | Film | — | — | ||
| Serial Mom: Surreal Moments | Self | Film | — | — | |
| Mary Woronov: Cult Queen | Self | Film | — | — | |
| The Brandon Novak Story | Self | Film | — | — |