There is no end to the amount of time and space that could be filled writing about the genius behind David Bowie's music, but he's also been a long time lover of the visual arts, too.
While everyone remembers him for his bigger roles - The Man Who Fell To Earth, Labyrinth, The Prestige - there's more to his cinematic career than what initially appears to be a limited but hugely memorable CV.
HE PROVIDED THE BABY NOISES IN LABYRINTH
When performing as Jareth The Goblin King, Bowie simultaneously scared and seduced audience members, but when it came to recording the Magic Dance song for the Labyrinth soundtrack, the baby wouldn’t provide the necessary coos and giggles so David Bowie performed them himself.
HE ALMOST PLAYED A BOND VILLIAN
Before the role of Max Zorin in A View To A Kill ultimately went to Christopher Walken, producers wanted Bowie for the part, who wasn't shy about telling the world why he didn't take them up on their offer: "It was simply a terrible script and I saw little reason for spending so long on something that bad, that workmanlike. And I told them so. I don't think anyone had turned down a major role in a Bond before. It really didn't go down too well at all. They were very tetchy about it.".
HE ALSO ALMOST PLAYED CAPTAIN HOOK FOR STEVEN SPIELBERG
Apparently Bowie was also contacted about starring as Captain Hook in the role that ended up being filled by Dustin Hoffman. There's no information on why he passed up on the part in Hook, but one can only assume that it was Bowie's natural sense of sniffing out a stinker, as the movie eventually went down as one of Spielberg's biggest flops.
BIG HOLLYWOOD DIRECTORS HAVE BEEN BEHIND SOME OF HIS MUSIC VIDEOS
While Bowie has occasionally travelled to Hollywood, sometimes Hollywood came knocking on Bowie's door, too. Big name directors such as Gus Van Sant (Good Will Hunting, Milk), Roger Michell (Notting Hill, Venus) and Mark Romanek (One Hour Photo, Never Let Me Go) have directed some of David Bowie's music videos over the years.
HE WAS IN AN EPISODE OF SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS
That's right, he voiced the character of the Lord Royal Highness in the episode Atlantis SquarePantis. Other random, stand-out appearances include the walk-off judge in Zoolander, playing Pontius Pilot in Martin Scorsese's The Last Temptation Of Christ, long-lost FBI agent Phillip Jeffries in Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, several music videos for Scarlett Johannson songs (who openly claimed that "I learned I was a sexual being through David Bowie's songs.") and playing himself making fun of Ricky Gervais in Extras.
