Les Blank

Biography

Les Blank was an American documentary filmmaker best known for his portraits of American traditional musicians.

Career Overview

Les Blank has 109 screen credits in a career dating back to 1960. Signature works include Lagniappe, Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe, Gap-Toothed Women. Explore the interactive character relationship maps on each title page to trace how their roles connect across franchises.

Personal Facts

Known For: Directing
Gender: male
Known Credits: 109
Birth Date: 1935-11-27 00:00:00
Birth Place: Tampa, Florida, USA

Known For

Frequent Collaborators

Werner Herzog (2 collaborations)
Michael Goodwin (2 collaborations)
Professor Longhair (1 collaborations)
Errol Morris (1 collaborations)
Tom Luddy (1 collaborations)
Chris Strachwitz (1 collaborations)
Phil Harberts (1 collaborations)
Alice Waters (1 collaborations)
Lauren Hutton (1 collaborations)
Candace Laughlin (1 collaborations)

Credits

directing (48 credits)
- You Can't Squeeze Blood Out Of A Turnip
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  2026
- Motorcycle Moment
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  2025
- Thailand Moment
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  2015
- How To Smell A Rose: A Visit with Ricky Leacock at his Farm in Normandy
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  2014
- All In This Tea
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  2007
- Lagniappe
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  2006
- The Maestro Rides Again!
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  2005
- The Maestro: King of the Cowboy Artists
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  1995
- Sworn to the Drum: A Tribute to Francisco Aguabella
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  1995
- My Old Fiddle: A Visit with Tommy Jarrell in the Blue Ridge
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  1994
- Marc and Ann
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  1991
- Puamana
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  1991
- Innocents Abroad
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  1991
- Julie: Old Time Tales of the Blue Ridge
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  1991
- Yum, Yum, Yum! A Taste of the Cajun and Creole Cooking of Louisiana
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  1990
- I Went to the Dance
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  1989
- Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  1988
- Ry Cooder & The Moula Banda Rhythm Aces: Let's Have a Ball
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  1988
- POV
  
  - Marc and Ann (1991) ... director directing
  
  1988
- Huey Lewis and the News: Before!
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  1987
- Živeli! Medicine for the Heart
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  1987
- Gap-Toothed Women
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  1987
- Cigarette Blues
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  1985
- Six Short Films of Les Blank (1960-1985)
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  1985
- In Heaven There Is No Beer?
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  1984
- Sprout Wings and Fly
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  1983
- Burden of Dreams
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  1982
- Garlic Is as Good as Ten Mothers
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  1980
- Del mero corazón
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  1979
- Always for Pleasure
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  1978
- Chulas Fronteras
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  1976
- A Poem Is a Naked Person
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  1974
- Hot Pepper
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  1973
- Dry Wood
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  1973
- Spend It All
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  1972
- A Well Spent Life
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  1971
- The Ways of Water
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  1971
- Chicken Real
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  1970
- The Sun's Gonna Shine
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  1969
- Mr. Charlie, Your Rollin’ Mill Is Burnin’ Down
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  1969
- The Blues Accordin' to Lightnin' Hopkins
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  1968
- God Respects Us When We Work, But Loves Us When We Dance
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  1968
- Lightnin' Les
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  1968
- Dizzy Gillespie
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  1964
- Softball Umpire
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  1962
- And Freedom Came?!
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  1962
- Strike!
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  1961
- Running Around Like a Chicken With Its Head Cut Off
  
  director
  
  directing
  
  1960
camera (23 credits)
- Tattoo Uprising
  
  director of photography
  
  camera
  
  2019
- Lagniappe
  
  director of photography
  
  camera
  
  2006
- The Maestro: King of the Cowboy Artists
  
  director of photography
  
  camera
  
  1995
- Hole in the Soul
  
  camera operator
  
  camera
  
  1994
- Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse
  
  camera operator
  
  camera
  
  1991
- I Went to the Dance
  
  director of photography
  
  camera
  
  1989
- Ry Cooder & The Moula Banda Rhythm Aces: Let's Have a Ball
  
  director of photography
  
  camera
  
  1988
- Gap-Toothed Women
  
  director of photography
  
  camera
  
  1987
- Cigarette Blues
  
  camera operator
  
  camera
  
  1985
- In Heaven There Is No Beer?
  
  director of photography
  
  camera
  
  1984
- Sprout Wings and Fly
  
  director of photography
  
  camera
  
  1983
- Burden of Dreams
  
  director of photography
  
  camera
  
  1982
- Garlic Is as Good as Ten Mothers
  
  director of photography
  
  camera
  
  1980
- Del mero corazón
  
  director of photography
  
  camera
  
  1979
- Always for Pleasure
  
  director of photography
  
  camera
  
  1978
- A Poem Is a Naked Person
  
  director of photography
  
  camera
  
  1974
- Mr. Charlie, Your Rollin’ Mill Is Burnin’ Down
  
  director of photography
  
  camera
  
  1969
- String Sounds
  
  "b" camera operator
  
  camera
  
  1969
- The Blues Accordin' to Lightnin' Hopkins
  
  director of photography
  
  camera
  
  1968
- New Sounds in Music
  
  camera operator
  
  camera
  
  1968
- Christopher Tree
  
  director of photography
  
  camera
  
  1967
- Seven Second Love Affair
  
  director of photography
  
  camera
  
  1965
- Pleasure Faire
  
  director of photography
  
  camera
  
  1964
actors (7 credits)
- Out in the Woods
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2016
- How To Smell A Rose: A Visit with Ricky Leacock at his Farm in Normandy
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2014
- Oh My God! It's Harrod Blank!
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2008
- Six Short Films of Les Blank (1960-1985)
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1985
- A Poem Is a Naked Person
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1974
- Running Around Like a Chicken With Its Head Cut Off
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1960
- Here Comes Everybody
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1960
editing (10 credits)
- Treasure of the Lisu
  
  editor
  
  editing
  
  2010
- Del mero corazón
  
  additional editor
  
  editing
  
  1979
- Always for Pleasure
  
  editor
  
  editing
  
  1978
- Chulas Fronteras
  
  editor
  
  editing
  
  1976
- A Poem Is a Naked Person
  
  editor
  
  editing
  
  1974
- Spend It All
  
  editor
  
  editing
  
  1972
- A Well Spent Life
  
  editor
  
  editing
  
  1971
- Delusion of the Fury: A Ritual of Dream and Delusion
  
  editor
  
  editing
  
  1971
- The Arch
  
  editor
  
  editing
  
  1969
- Christopher Tree
  
  editor
  
  editing
  
  1967
writing (3 credits)
- Treasure of the Lisu
  
  story consultant
  
  writing
  
  2010
- Gap-Toothed Women
  
  writer
  
  writing
  
  1987
- A Poem Is a Naked Person
  
  writer
  
  writing
  
  1974
production (11 credits)
- The Maestro: King of the Cowboy Artists
  
  producer
  
  production
  
  1995
- Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe
  
  producer
  
  production
  
  1988
- Huey Lewis and the News: Before!
  
  producer
  
  production
  
  1987
- In the Land of the Owl Turds
  
  producer
  
  production
  
  1987
- Gap-Toothed Women
  
  producer
  
  production
  
  1987
- In Heaven There Is No Beer?
  
  producer
  
  production
  
  1984
- Burden of Dreams
  
  producer
  
  production
  
  1982
- Garlic Is as Good as Ten Mothers
  
  producer
  
  production
  
  1980
- Always for Pleasure
  
  producer
  
  production
  
  1978
- Mr. Charlie, Your Rollin’ Mill Is Burnin’ Down
  
  producer
  
  production
  
  1969
- The Blues Accordin' to Lightnin' Hopkins
  
  producer
  
  production
  
  1968
crew (7 credits)
- Puamana
  
  cinematography
  
  crew
  
  1991
- Innocents Abroad
  
  cinematography
  
  crew
  
  1991
- Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe
  
  cinematography
  
  crew
  
  1988
- Fitzcarraldo
  
  thanks
  
  crew
  
  1982
- Spend It All
  
  cinematography
  
  crew
  
  1972
- A Well Spent Life
  
  cinematography
  
  crew
  
  1971
- The Ways of Water
  
  cinematography
  
  crew
  
  1971