William S. Burroughs

ActorWriterCrew Feb 5 (died age 83) St. Louis, Missouri, USA 1963–2026 (63 year career)

6.2 avg rating

Biography

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 collab…

Known For

Film

Good Will Hunting

In Memory Of

Film

Naked Lunch

Novel

Film

Drugstore Cowboy

Tom the Priest

Film

Queer

Novel

Film

The Wild Boys

Original Story

Film

Take Your Pills

Self (archive footage)

Film

The Book of Life

Preacher on Radio (voice)

Film

Burroughs: The Movie

Self

Filmography

Acting (71)

Movies (70)

This Is Buzz

2026 Upcoming

as Himself

Jun 11

Nova '78

2025

as Self (archive footage)

Robert Wilson: The Beauty of the Mysterious

2022

as Self (archive footage)

Take Your Pills

2018

as Self (archive footage)

6.5

Uncle Howard

2017

as Self

6.5

Don't Blink - Robert Frank

2015

as Self (archive footage)

7.0

Robert E. Fulton III Edit of Burroughs: The Movie

2015

William S. Burroughs in the Dreamachine

2015

as Self

William S. Burroughs: The Possessed

2015

Coda II

2013

as Self (voice) (archive sound)

Coda I + Coda II

2013

as Self (voice) (archive sound)

Coda I

2013

as Self (voice) (archive sound)

The Beat Hotel

2012

as Self (archive footage)

4.5

For No Good Reason

2012

as Self (archive footage)

6.8

The Ballad of Genesis and Lady Jaye

2012

6.9

Fix: The Ministry Movie

2011

as Self

7.3

William S. Burroughs: A Man Within

as Self

Nova Express

as Narrator (voice)

FLicKeR

as Self

Obscene: A Portrait of Barney Rosset and Grove Press

2008

as Self (archive footage)

4.4

Words of Advice: William S. Burroughs On the Road

2007

Wanderlust

2006

as Tom the Priest

5.0

The Battle for 'I Am Curious-Yellow'

2003

as Self (archive footage)

Condo Painting

2000

as Self (archive footage)

The Source

1999

as Self (archive footage)

5.2

The Making of Drugstore Cowboy

1999

Let It Come Down: The Life of Paul Bowles

1999

as Self (archive footage)

1.0

Destroy All Rational Thought

1998

as Self

6.3

The Book of Life

1998

as Preacher on Radio (voice)

6.3

Glitterbug

1994

as Self

5.9

Relics: Einstein's Brain

1994

as Self

6.7

Even Cowgirls Get the Blues

1994

as Self

4.4

September Songs: The Music of Kurt Weill

1994

as Self

Ah Pook Is Here.

1994

as Narrator

5.9

The Junky's Christmas

as Narrator

Naked Making Lunch

as Self

Wax, or The Discovery of Television Among the Bees

1991

as James "Hive" Maker

6.5

William S. Burroughs: Commissioner of Sewers

as Self

Thanksgiving Prayer

as A Speaker

Drugstore Cowboy

as Tom the Priest

Twister

as Man in Barn

Bloodhounds of Broadway

as Butler

Heavy Petting

as Self

Gang of Souls: A Generation of Beat Poets

1989

as Self

5.0

Home of the Brave: A Film by Laurie Anderson

1986

as Self

8.2

Ornette: Made in America

1986

as Self

6.3

It Don't Pay to Be an Honest Citizen

1985

as Mafioso

7.5

The Final Academy Documents

Decoder

as Old Man

Burroughs: The Movie

as Self

This Song for Jack

as Self

Pirate Tape

Ghost at No. 9

Poetry in Motion

as Self

Energy and How to Get It

1981

5.8

Shamans of the Blind Country

as Narrator (voice)

Chelsea Hotel

Fried Shoes Cooked Diamonds

as Self

Thot-Fal'N

as Self

Underground and Emigrants

1976

as Self

Une semaine dans la vie de camarades

Bill and Tony

as Self

Cain's Film

as Self

Chicago

1968

as Self

Witchcraft Through the Ages

1968

as Narrator

7.2

Poem Posters

1967

as Self

The Cut-Ups

Chappaqua

as Opium Jones

Towers Open Fire

William Buys a Parrot

1963

as Self

6.1

Television (1)

Saturday Night Live

1975

as Self

7.0

Crew (22)

Movies (22)

Queer

Novel

The Wild Boys

Original Story

William S. Burroughs Birthday Bash

2014

Writer

Nova Express

2009

Writer

2.0

Ma bande magnétique arrière

2009

Writer

The Japanese Sandman

2008

Writer

5.0

The Last Words of Dutch Schultz

2001

Writer

Good Will Hunting

In Memory Of

Ah Pook Is Here.

Novel

The Junky's Christmas

Novel

Naked Lunch

Novel

Thanksgiving Prayer

Writer

The Black Rider

Writer

Ghost at No. 9

Writer

Taking Tiger Mountain

1982

Writer

4.2

The Discipline of D.E.

Story

Bill and Tony

Writer

Ice Cream

Writer

Witchcraft Through the Ages

Writer

The Cut-Ups

Story

Towers Open Fire

Writer

William Buys a Parrot

1963

Writer

6.1