Tom Waits
Biography
Thomas Alan Waits, born December 7 1949 in Pomona, California, is an American musician, composer, songwriter and actor. He is also credited as Thomas Alan Waits (汤姆·威兹). Raised in a middle‑class family in Whittier, California, he began singing on the San Diego folk circuit as a young boy, inspired by Bob Dylan and the Beat Generation. In 1972 he relocated to Los Angeles, worked as a songwriter and subsequently signed a recording contract with Asylum Records. His early musical output was primarily jazz during the 1970s, while his later work incorporates blues, rock, vaudeville and experimental influences. Known for a deep, gravelly voice and lyrics that explore society’s underbelly, he has accumulated more than one hundred acting credits, primarily in film and television.
Career overview
Thomas Alan Waits, born on December 7 1949 in Pomona, California, is an American musician, composer, songwriter and actor. While his career began in music, where he worked primarily in jazz during the 1970s and later incorporated blues, rock, vaudeville and experimental influences, he is also recognized for his work in front of the camera. TMDB lists him under the “Known For” category for acting, indicating that his performances have become a notable aspect of his public profile.
According to the Movie Database, Waits has accumulated 102 acting credits that span both film and television productions. This sizable number of entries reflects a substantial body of work in visual media, complementing his musical achievements. He is identified in the database as a male performer and is also credited under the alternative name Thomas Alan Waits. The breadth of his credited roles demonstrates a long‑standing involvement in acting alongside his established musical career.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full filmography
- Wildwood (2026) as (voice)
- Wild Horse Nine (2026)
- Ray Gunn (2026) as Eyera (voice)
- Roofman (2025) Thanks
- Father Mother Sister Brother (2025) as Father
- Human Nature in Eleven Parts (2025) as Narrator "Laughing Heart" (archive footage)
- The Last Ride (2025) as Self
- The Absence of Eden (2024) as Hunley
- Star.Wav (2024) as The Caller
- Tom Waits: Glitter and Doom Concert Experience (2024) as Self
- This Is Sparklehorse (2022) as Self
- Robert Wilson: The Beauty of the Mysterious (2022) as Self
- Licorice Pizza (2021) as Rex Blau
- Ultra City Smiths (2021) as The Narrator (voice)
- The Dead Don't Die (2019) as Hermit Bob
- Motherless Brooklyn (2019) as News Stand Owner (uncredited)
- The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018) as Prospector (segment "All Gold Canyon")
- The Old Man & the Gun (2018) as Waller
- The Moon’s Milk (2018) as Captain Millipede (voice)
- Tom Waits: Tales from a Cracked Jukebox (2017) as Self
- Roy Orbison: Black and White Night 30 (2017) as Self
- Keith Richards: Under the Influence (2015) as Self
- The Laughing Heart (2013) as Narrator
- Seven Psychopaths (2012) as Zachariah Rigby
- Final Cut: Ladies and Gentlemen (2012) as (archive footage)
- A Brief History of John Baldessari (2012) as Narrator
- Twixt (2011) as Narrator (voice)
- The Monster of Nix (2011) as Virgil (Voice)
- The Book of Eli (2010) as Engineer
- Miral (2010) Songs
- The Fallen (2010) Music
- The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009) as Devil
- Tom Waits: Romeo Bleeding - Live from Austin (2009) as Self
- Tom Waits: Under Review (2008) as Self
- One Fast Move or I'm Gone: Kerouac's Big Sur (2008) as Self
- Wristcutters: A Love Story (2007) as Kneller
- To Live and to Die in Samarkand (2007) Sound
- Tom Waits - Burma Shave [Live Concert] (2006) as Self
- Domino (2005) as Wanderer
- The Tiger and the Snow (2005) as Self / Sè stesso
- Coffee and Cigarettes (2004) as Tom (segment "Somewhere in California")
- Bukowski: Born Into This (2003) as Self
- Stille Nacht V: Dog Door (2001) Lyricist
- Mystery Men (1999) as Doc Heller
- Tom Waits: VH1 Storytellers (1999) as Self
- Tom Waits - Bridge School Benefit (1999) as Self
- Bunny (1998) Music
- Bunny (1998) Music Producer
- Bunny (1998) Songs
- Tom Waits - Dead Man Walking, Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, CA, USA. (1998) as Self
- Coffee and Cigarettes III (1997) as Tom
- Guy Maddin: Waiting for Twilight (1997) as Narrator (voice)
- The Daily Show (1996) as Self
- Late Night with Conan O'Brien (1993) as Self - Musical Guest
- Short Cuts (1993) as Earl Piggot
- Luck, Trust & Ketchup: Robert Altman in Carver Country (1993) as Self
- Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992) as R.M. Renfield
- The Fisher King (1991) as Disabled Vet (uncredited)
- Until the End of the World (1991) as Singer in Bar
- Night on Earth (1991) Original Music Composer
- Night on Earth (1991) Songs
- Fishing with John (1991) as Self
- Queens Logic (1991) as Monte
- At Play in the Fields of the Lord (1991) as Wolf
- The Black Rider (1990) Original Music Composer
- The Two Jakes (1990) as Plainclothes Policeman (uncredited)
- Red Hot + Blue: A Tribute to Cole Porter (1990) as Self
- The Black Rider (1990) as Himself
- John Lurie: A Lounge Lizard Alone (1990) as Zack (Archive footage)
- The Simpsons (1989) as Lloyd (voice)
- Mystery Train (1989) as Radio DJ (voice)
- Őrült és angyal (1989) Music
- Cold Feet (1989) as Kenny
- Bearskin: An Urban Fairytale (1989) as Silva
- La fine della notte (1989) Songs
- Candy Mountain (1988) as Al Silk
- Roy Orbison and Friends: A Black and White Night (1988) as Self - Organ/Guitar
- Tom Waits: Big Time (1988) as Self
- Tom Waits: Big Time (1988) Writer
- Tom Waits: Big Time (1988) Original Music Composer
- Tom Waits: Big Time (1988) Lighting Design
- Greasy Lake (1988) as Narrator
- Ironweed (1987) as Rudy
- Down by Law (1986) as Zack
- Down by Law (1986) Songs
- Tom Waits - Live at Premio Tenco in Sanremo Italy (1986) as Himself
- Tom Waits - Live On The Tube (1985) as Self
- The Cotton Club (1984) as Irving Stark
- Rita Ritter (1984) Original Music Composer
- Streetwise (1984) Music
- The Stone Boy (1984) as Petrified man at carnival (uncredited)
- La première journée de Nicolas (1984) Music
- The Outsiders (1983) as Buck Merrill
- Rumble Fish (1983) as Benny
- One from the Heart (1982) as Trumpet player (uncredited)
- One from the Heart (1982) Original Music Composer
- One from the Heart (1982) Songs
- The Making of 'One from the Heart' (1982) as Self
- Poetry in Motion (1982) as Self
- Wolfen (1981) as Drunken Bar Owner (uncredited)
- Tom Waits at Theatre le Palace (1980) as Self
- Tom Waits for No One (1979) as Self
- Tom Waits for No One (1979) Music
- Tom Waits: No Visitors After Midnight (1979) as Self
- Paradise Alley (1978) as Mumbles
- Tom Waits: A Day in Vienna (1978) as Self
- Tom Waits: Elephant Beer Blues - Songs After Closing Time (1976) as Self
- Saturday Night Live (1975) as Self - Musical Guest
- Austin City Limits (1975) as Self
- Rockpalast (1974)
- The Mike Douglas Show (1961) as Self
- Tom Waits - One Star Shining : The First Decade as Self