Frank Zappa
Born
December 21, 1940
Died
December 4, 1993 (52 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
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
Frank Zappa: Cheaper Than Cheep
Self (guitar, vocals)
2025
Ladies & Gentlemen... 50 Years of SNL Music
Self (archive footage)
2025
Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention: Live at Whisky a Go Go 1968
2024
Cover Your Ears
Self - Musician (archive footage)
2023
Steve Vai - His First 30 Years: The Documentary
Self (archive footage)
2022
Rock this Town
Self (archive footage)
2022
Kalvøyafestivalen - 50 år siden første riff
Self (archive footage)
2021
The Velvet Underground
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
2021
Classic Albums: Frank Zappa & The Mothers Of Invention - Freak Out!
Self
2021
The Art of Dissent
Self - Subject (archive footage)
2021
Larry Flynt for President
Self (archive footage)
2021
Zappa
Self (archive footage)
2020
Laurel Canyon
Self (archive footage) · (2 episodes)
2020
Stupor Mundi: Book 3, The Most Dangerous Encounter
Self (archive footage)
2019
Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice
Self (archive footage)
2019
Manson: Music From an Unsound Mind
Self (archive footage)
2019
Echo in the Canyon
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
2019
Marian Briozzo
Himself (archive footage)
2018
Take Your Pills
Self (archive footage)
2018
Uncle Howard
Self (archive footage)
2017
Eat That Question: Frank Zappa in His Own Words
Self (archive footage)
2016
Stupor Mundi: Livre 1, Rituel de décapitation du pape
Self (archive footage)
2016
Stupor Mundi: Livre 2, Les Hommes qui mangèrent la montagne
Self (archive footage)
2016
Zapped: Frank Zappa par Frank Zappa
Self - Subject (archive footage)
2016
Frank Zappa & the Mothers of Invention - The Lost Broadcast: The Beat Club '68
Self
2016
Frank Zappa & The Mothers: Roxy: The Movie
Himself
2015
Feats First: The Life and Music of Lowell George
Self (archive footage)
2015
Led Zeppelin Played Here
Self (archive footage)
2014
Frank Zappa - Summer '82: When Zappa Came to Sicily
Himself (archive Footage)
2014
Made in Japan: The Rise of Deep Purple Mk II
Himself (archive footage)
2014
Cheepnis
Himself
2014
Super Duper Alice Cooper
Self (archive footage)
2014
Frank Zappa: A Token Of His Extreme
Himself
2013
From Straight to Bizarre
Self
2012
Frank Zappa: The Freak Out List
Himself
2010
Hart & Soul - The Hart Family Anthology
Self (archive footage)
2010
Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention: In the 1960's
Himself
2009
Frank Zappa - Live in Paris 1980
Self
2008
Frank Zappa: The Torture Never Stops
Self
2008
Frank Zappa: The Broadcast Archives
Self
2008
The Wrecking Crew
Self (archive footage)
2008
Frank Zappa: Music In Review
Self (archive footage)
2008
Classic Albums: Frank Zappa - Apostrophe (') Over-Nite Sensation
Self (archive footage)
2007
Frank Zappa: A Pioneer of the Future of Music
2007
Frank Zappa: Roxy, 1973
2007
Fuck
Self (archive footage)
2006
EAV Rarities
Self (archive footage)
2006
Girls and Boys - Sex and British Pop
Self (archive footage) · (4 episodes)
2005
Frank Zappa: A Token of His Extreme
Himself
2005
Derailroaded
Self (archive footage)
2005
Frank Zappa - John, Dan And Me
Himself
2004
Hollywood Rocks the Movies: The 1970s
Self (archive footage)
2002
Frank Zappa: Phase II - The Big Note
Self (archive footage)
2002
Frank Zappa: The Present-Day Composer Refuses To Die
Self (archive footage)
2000
The Artist Formerly Known As Captain Beefheart
Himself (archive footage)
1997
Classic Albums
Self (archive footage) · (2 episodes)
1997
Porridge and kerosene
Self (archive footage)
1997
Hey, Hey, We're The Monkees
Mike Nesmith (archive footage)
1997
An American Dissident: un tributo a Frank Zappa
Self (archive footage)
1994
A Life of Extravaganza - The Genius Frank Zappa
Self
1993
The Revenge of the Dead Indians
Himself
1993
The Yellow Shark
Self
1992
The Ren & Stimpy Show
The Pope (voice) · (1 episode)
1991
Tom Arnold: The Naked Truth
Self
1991
Pražákům, těm je hej
Frank Zappa
1991
Frank Zappa: Peefeeyatko
Self
1991
Your vote
Self
1991
Decade
Self
1989
Služební cesta podporučíka Svěráka
Self (archive footage)
1989
Funny
Self
1988
The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels
Self
1988
Frank Zappa: Live in Barcelona
1988
Video From Hell
Self
1987
The Amazing Mr. Bickford
Self
1987
Uncle Meat
Self / The Imaginary Director
1987
Night Flight with Frank Zappa, Porn Wars
Self
1985
Frank Zappa: Does Humor Belong in Music?
Self
1985
The Boy Who Left Home to Find Out About the Shivers
Attila
1984
Miami Vice
Mario Fuente · (1 episode)
1984
Cocaine Blues
Himself
1983
Faerie Tale Theatre
Attilla · (1 episode)
1982
Frank Zappa: The Dub Room Special!
Self
1982
The Rolling Stones - The First 20 Years
Self
1982
Frank Zappa: New York and Elsewhere
Self
1980
Frank Zappa: Baby Snakes
Self
1979
Frank Zappa: We Don't Mess Around
Self
1978
Saturday Night Live
Self - Musical Guest · (1 episode)
1975
Saturday Night Live
Self - Host & Musical Guest · (1 episode)
1975
Frank Zappa: Opopoppa Stockholm, Sweden
1973
Frank Zappa - Over-Nite Sensation
1973
Yoko Ono: This Is Not Here
Self
1972
Deep Purple: Made In Japan
Self (archive footage)
1972
Frank Zappa filmt 200 Motels
Self
1971
200 Motels
Member of Mothers of Invention (uncredited)
1971
Frank Zappa, John Lennon & Yoko Ono: At Fillmore East
1971
Frank Zappa
Self
1971
Amougies (Music Power - European Music Revolution)
Self
1970
Pink Floyd: Amougies Pop Festival
1970
Burnt Weeny Sandwich
Self
1969
Head
The Critic
1968
All My Loving
Self
1968
The Male Swagger
Guitarist (archive footage)
You Are What You Eat
1968
Omnibus
Self · (1 episode)
1967
Good Evening — I'm Jonathan King
Himself · (1 episode)
1967
Mondo Hollywood
1967
Inside Pop: The Rock Revolution
Self
1967
Inside Pop: The Rock Revolution
Self · (1 episode)
1967
Sex in Today's World
Self
1967
The Monkees
(1 episode)
1966
The Big T.N.T. Show
Self (uncredited)
1965
Beat-Club
Self · (1 episode)
1965
Late Night Line-Up
Himself · (1 episode)