Writing · St. Louis, Missouri, USA · Born February 5, 1914
William Seward Burroughs II (February 5, 1914 – August 2, 1997) was an American writer and visual artist, widely considered a primary figure of the Beat Generation and a major postmodern author who influenced popular culture and literature. Burroughs wrote eighteen novels and novellas, six collections of short stories and four collections of essays, and five books have been published of his interviews and correspondences; he was initially briefly known by the pen name William Lee. He also collaborated on projects and recordings with numerous performers and musicians, made many appearances in films, and created and exhibited thousands of visual artworks, including his celebrated "Shotgun Art". Description above from the Wikipedia article William S. Burroughs, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
MovieThis Is Buzz
2026
as Self (archive footage)
MovieNova '78
2025
as Self (archive footage)
MovieRobert Wilson: The Beauty of the Mysterious
2022
as Self (archive footage)
MovieTake Your Pills
2018
as Self (archive footage)
MovieUncle Howard
2017
as Self
MovieRobert E. Fulton III Edit of Burroughs: The Movie
2015
MovieDon't Blink - Robert Frank
2015
as Self (archive footage)
MovieWilliam S. Burroughs in the Dreamachine
2015
as Self
MovieWilliam S. Burroughs: The Possessed
2015
Coda I + Coda II
2013
as Self (voice) (archive sound)
MovieCoda I
2013
as Self (voice) (archive sound)
MovieCoda II
2013
as Self (voice) (archive sound)
MovieFor No Good Reason
2012
as Self (archive footage)
MovieThe Beat Hotel
2012
as Self (archive footage)
MovieThe Ballad of Genesis and Lady Jaye
2012
MovieFix: The Ministry Movie
2011
as Self
MovieWilliam S. Burroughs: A Man Within
2010
as Self
Nova Express
2009
as Narrator (voice)
MovieFLicKeR
2009
as Self
MovieJoy Division
2009
MovieObscene: A Portrait of Barney Rosset and Grove Press
2008
as Self (archive footage)
MovieWords of Advice: William S. Burroughs On the Road
2007
MoviePantelia
2006
as Self
MovieWanderlust
2006
as Tom the Priest
The Battle for 'I Am Curious-Yellow'
2003
as Self (archive footage)
MovieCondo Painting
2000
as Self (archive footage)
MovieThe Making of Drugstore Cowboy
1999
MovieLet It Come Down: The Life of Paul Bowles
1999
as Self (archive footage)
MovieThe Source
1999
as Self (archive footage)
MovieThe Book of Life
1998
as Preacher on Radio (voice)
MovieDestroy All Rational Thought
1998
as Self
MovieAh Pook Is Here.
1994
as Narrator
MovieEven Cowgirls Get the Blues
1994
as Self
MovieGlitterbug
1994
as Self
MovieThe Life and Times of Allen Ginsberg
1994
as Self
MovieSeptember Songs: The Music of Kurt Weill
1994
as Self
MovieRelics: Einstein's Brain
1994
as Self
MovieThe Junky's Christmas
1993
as Narrator
MovieNaked Making Lunch
1992
as Self
MovieWax, or The Discovery of Television Among the Bees
1991
as James "Hive" Maker
William S. Burroughs: Commissioner of Sewers
1991
as Self
MovieThanksgiving Prayer
1991
as A Speaker
MovieThe Black Rider
1990
as Himself
MovieBloodhounds of Broadway
1989
as Butler
MovieDrugstore Cowboy
1989
as Tom the Priest
MovieHeavy Petting
1989
as Self
MovieTwister
1989
as Man in Barn
MovieGang of Souls: A Generation of Beat Poets
1989
as Self
MovieHome of the Brave: A Film by Laurie Anderson
1986
as Self
MovieOrnette: Made in America
1986
as Self
MovieIt Don't Pay to Be an Honest Citizen
1985
as Mafioso
MovieThe Final Academy Documents
1984
MovieDecoder
1984
as Old Man
MovieBurroughs: The Movie
1984
as Self
MovieThis Song for Jack
1983
as Self
Pirate Tape
1983
MoviePoetry in Motion
1982
as Self
TVAmerican Playhouse
1982
as Butler
MovieGhost at No. 9
1982
Pirates: William Burroughs in London
1982
Energy and How to Get It
1981
MovieShamans of the Blind Country
1981
as Narrator (voice)
Chelsea Hotel
1981
as Self (uncredited)
Fried Shoes Cooked Diamonds
1979
as Self
MovieThot-Fal'N
1978
as Self
MovieUnderground and Emigrants
1976
as Self
MovieUne semaine dans la vie de camarades
1976
TVSaturday Night Live
1975
as Self
Bill and Tony
1972
as Self
MovieCain's Film
1969
as Self
MovieWitchcraft Through the Ages
1968
as Narrator
Chicago
1968
as Self
MoviePoem Posters
1967
as Self
MovieChappaqua
1966
as Opium Jones
MovieThe Cut-Ups
1966
Towers Open Fire
1963
MovieWilliam Buys a Parrot
1963
as Self
