William S. Burroughs: movies and TV shows
William S. Burroughs has 99 credits in the archive: 97 films and 2 TV series, from 1963 to 2026. Highest rated: Condo Painting (10.0/10).
Career timeline
1963 – 2026 · busiest year: 1982 (7 credits)
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Full filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Type | Rating | Age then |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Nova '78 | Self (archive footage) | Film | — | 112 |
| 2026 | This Is Buzz | Self (archive footage) | Film | 1.0 | 112 |
| 2024 | Queer | Film | 6.5 | 110 | |
| 2022 | Robert Wilson: The Beauty of the Mysterious | Self (archive footage) | Film | 6.0 | 108 |
| 2018 | Take Your Pills | Self (archive footage) | Film | 6.5 | 104 |
| 2017 | Uncle Howard | Self | Film | 6.5 | 103 |
| 2017 | The Wild Boys | Film | 6.5 | 103 | |
| 2015 | Don't Blink - Robert Frank | Self (archive footage) | Film | 7.0 | 101 |
| 2015 | William S. Burroughs in the Dreamachine | Self | Film | — | 101 |
| 2015 | Robert E. Fulton III Edit of Burroughs: The Movie | Film | — | 101 | |
| 2015 | William S. Burroughs: The Possessed | Film | — | 101 | |
| 2014 | William S. Burroughs Birthday Bash | Film | — | 100 | |
| 2013 | Coda II | Self (voice) (archive sound) | Film | — | 99 |
| 2013 | Coda I | Self (voice) (archive sound) | Film | — | 99 |
| 2013 | Coda I + Coda II | Self (voice) (archive sound) | Film | — | 99 |
| 2012 | For No Good Reason | Self (archive footage) | Film | 6.8 | 98 |
| 2012 | The Beat Hotel | Self (archive footage) | Film | 4.5 | 98 |
| 2012 | The Ballad of Genesis and Lady Jaye | Film | 6.8 | 98 | |
| 2011 | Fix: The Ministry Movie | Self | Film | 7.2 | 97 |
| 2010 | William S. Burroughs: A Man Within | Self | Film | 6.5 | 96 |
| 2009 | Joy Division | Film | 7.6 | 95 | |
| 2009 | FLicKeR | Self | Film | 6.8 | 95 |
| 2009 | Nova Express | Narrator (voice) | Film | 2.0 | 95 |
| 2009 | Nova Express | Film | 2.0 | 95 | |
| 2009 | Ma bande magnétique arrière | Film | — | 95 | |
| 2008 | Obscene: A Portrait of Barney Rosset and Grove Press | Self (archive footage) | Film | 5.0 | 94 |
| 2008 | The Japanese Sandman | Film | 5.0 | 94 | |
| 2007 | Words of Advice: William S. Burroughs On the Road | Film | — | 93 | |
| 2006 | Wanderlust | Tom the Priest | Film | 5.9 | 92 |
| 2006 | Pantelia | Self | Film | — | 92 |
| 2003 | The Battle for 'I Am Curious-Yellow' | Self (archive footage) | Film | 8.0 | 89 |
| 2001 | The Last Words of Dutch Schultz | Film | 7.0 | 87 | |
| 2000 | Condo Painting | Self (archive footage) | Film | 10.0 | 86 |
| 1999 | The Source | Self (archive footage) | Film | 5.6 | 85 |
| 1999 | The Making of Drugstore Cowboy | Film | — | 85 | |
| 1999 | Let It Come Down: The Life of Paul Bowles | Self (archive footage) | Film | 3.6 | 85 |
| 1998 | The Book of Life | Preacher on Radio (voice) | Film | 6.4 | 84 |
| 1998 | Destroy All Rational Thought | Self | Film | 6.5 | 84 |
| 1997 | Good Will Hunting | Film | 8.2 | 83 | |
| 1994 | Even Cowgirls Get the Blues | Self | Film | 4.4 | 80 |
| 1994 | The Life and Times of Allen Ginsberg | Self | Film | 5.7 | 80 |
| 1994 | September Songs: The Music of Kurt Weill | Self | Film | 8.0 | 80 |
| 1994 | Ah Pook Is Here. | Narrator | Film | 6.2 | 80 |
| 1994 | Ah Pook Is Here. | Film | 6.2 | 80 | |
| 1994 | Glitterbug | Self | Film | 6.0 | 80 |
| 1994 | Relics: Einstein's Brain | Self | Film | 6.8 | 80 |
| 1993 | The Junky's Christmas | Narrator | Film | 6.8 | 79 |
| 1993 | The Junky's Christmas | Film | 6.8 | 79 | |
| 1992 | Naked Making Lunch | Self | Film | 7.3 | 78 |
| 1991 | Naked Lunch | Film | 7.0 | 77 | |
| 1991 | Thanksgiving Prayer | A Speaker | Film | 6.1 | 77 |
| 1991 | Thanksgiving Prayer | Film | 6.1 | 77 | |
| 1991 | Wax, or The Discovery of Television Among the Bees | James "Hive" Maker | Film | 6.6 | 77 |
| 1991 | William S. Burroughs: Commissioner of Sewers | Self | Film | 7.3 | 77 |
| 1990 | The Black Rider | Film | 7.5 | 76 | |
| 1990 | The Black Rider | Himself | Film | — | 76 |
| 1989 | Drugstore Cowboy | Tom the Priest | Film | 7.1 | 75 |
| 1989 | Bloodhounds of Broadway | Butler | Film | 5.7 | 75 |
| 1989 | Twister | Man in Barn | Film | 5.6 | 75 |
| 1989 | Heavy Petting | Self | Film | 5.7 | 75 |
| 1989 | Gang of Souls: A Generation of Beat Poets | Self | Film | 5.0 | 75 |
| 1986 | Ornette: Made in America | Self | Film | 6.5 | 72 |
| 1986 | Home of the Brave: A Film by Laurie Anderson | Self | Film | 8.2 | 72 |
| 1985 | It Don't Pay to Be an Honest Citizen | Mafioso | Film | 7.3 | 71 |
| 1984 | Decoder | Old Man | Film | 6.2 | 70 |
| 1984 | Burroughs: The Movie | Self | Film | 7.0 | 70 |
| 1984 | The Final Academy Documents | Film | 8.0 | 70 | |
| 1983 | Pirate Tape | Film | 6.9 | 69 | |
| 1983 | This Song for Jack | Self | Film | 6.5 | 69 |
| 1982 | American Playhouse | Butler | TV | 6.6 | 68 |
| 1982 | Taking Tiger Mountain | Film | 4.9 | 68 | |
| 1982 | Poetry in Motion | Self | Film | 8.0 | 68 |
| 1982 | The Discipline of D.E. | Film | 6.0 | 68 | |
| 1982 | Pirates: William Burroughs in London | Film | — | 68 | |
| 1982 | Ghost at No. 9 | Film | 8.0 | 68 | |
| 1982 | Ghost at No. 9 | Film | 8.0 | 68 | |
| 1981 | Energy and How to Get It | Film | 6.0 | 67 | |
| 1981 | Chelsea Hotel | Self (uncredited) | Film | 8.0 | 67 |
| 1981 | Shamans of the Blind Country | Narrator (voice) | Film | 7.0 | 67 |
| 1979 | Fried Shoes Cooked Diamonds | Self | Film | 7.7 | 65 |
| 1978 | Thot-Fal'N | Self | Film | 5.7 | 64 |
| 1976 | Underground and Emigrants | Self | Film | 7.0 | 62 |
| 1976 | Une semaine dans la vie de camarades | Film | 9.0 | 62 | |
| 1975 | Saturday Night Live | Self | TV | 6.9 | 61 |
| 1972 | Bill and Tony | Self | Film | 6.4 | 58 |
| 1972 | Bill and Tony | Film | 6.4 | 58 | |
| 1970 | Ice Cream | Film | 6.4 | 56 | |
| 1969 | Cain's Film | Self | Film | 10.0 | 55 |
| 1968 | Chicago | Self | Film | — | 54 |
| 1968 | Witchcraft Through the Ages | Narrator | Film | 7.3 | 54 |
| 1968 | Witchcraft Through the Ages | Film | 7.3 | 54 | |
| 1967 | Poem Posters | Self | Film | — | 53 |
| 1966 | Chappaqua | Opium Jones | Film | 6.3 | 52 |
| 1966 | The Cut-Ups | Film | 6.6 | 52 | |
| 1966 | The Cut-Ups | Film | 6.6 | 52 | |
| 1963 | Towers Open Fire | Film | 6.5 | 49 | |
| 1963 | Towers Open Fire | Film | 6.5 | 49 | |
| 1963 | William Buys a Parrot | Self | Film | 5.9 | 49 |
| 1963 | William Buys a Parrot | Film | 5.9 | 49 |