Ringo Starr
Born: 1940-07-07 in Liverpool, England, UK
Known For: Acting
Biography
Richard Starkey MBE (born 7 July 1940), better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician, singer-songwriter, and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in August 1962, taking the place of Pete Best. In addition to his contribution as drummer, Starr featured as lead vocals on a number of successful Beatles songs (in particular, "With a Little Help from My Friends", "Yellow Submarine", and The Beatles version of "Act Naturally"), as co-writer with the song "What Goes On" and primary writer with "Don't Pass Me By" and "Octopus's Garden". As drummer for The Beatles, Starr was musically creative, and his contribution to the band's music has received high praise from notable drummers in more recent times. Starr described himself as "your basic offbeat drummer with funny fills", technically limited by being a left-handed person playing a right-handed kit. Drummer Steve Smith said that Starr's popularity "brought forth a new paradigm" where "we started to see the drummer as an equal participant in the compositional aspect" and that Starr "composed unique, stylistic drum parts for The Beatles songs". In 2011, Starr was picked as the fifth-best drummer of all-time by Rolling Stone readers, behind drummers such as John Bonham, Keith Moon and Neil Peart. Starr is the most documented and critically acclaimed actor-Beatle, playing a central role in several Beatles films, and appearing in numerous other movies, both during and after his career with The Beatles. After The Beatles' break-up in 1970, Starr achieved solo musical success with several singles and albums, and recorded with each of his fellow ex-Beatles as they too developed their post-Beatle musical careers. He has also been featured in a number of TV documentaries, hosted TV shows, and narrated the first two series of the children's television series Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends. He currently tours with the All-Starr Band.
Filmography
2027
- High in the Clouds as Roy (voice)
2026
- Man on the Run as Self (archive footage)
- Evolver 62 as Self (archive footage)
- Billy Preston: That's the Way God Planned It as Self
2025
- Saturday Night Live: 50th Anniversary Special as Self (archive footage)
- The Beatles - Free As A Bird: A Song Reborn as Self
- Ringo & Friends at the Ryman as Self
- TWST / Things We Said Today as Self (archive footage)
- The Beatles as Self (archive footage)
- A Love Letter to the Beatles as Self (archive footage)
- The Beatles: The Sound of a Revolution as Self
2024
- Return of the King: The Fall and Rise of Elvis Presley as Self (archive footage)
- Beatles '64 as Self
- Larger than Life: Reign of the Boybands as Self (archive footage)
- The Beach Boys as Self (archive footage)
- The Bannfoot Ferry as Self (archive footage)
- The Beatles LOVE ... (Music)
- La Historia del Fan Project Paul McCartney MX 2024
2023
- Reinventing Elvis: The 68' Comeback as Self (archive footage)
- Now and Then - The Last Beatles Song as Self
- The Lost Weekend: A Love Story as Self (archive footage)
- Sunday Best: The Untold Story of Ed Sullivan as Self (archive footage)
- AngelHeaded Hipster: The Songs of Marc Bolan & T. Rex as Self
- The Beatles and the BBC as Self (archive footage)
- Sounds of Liverpool at the BBC as Self (archive footage)
- Louder Than Rock as Self (archive footage)
- Little Richard: King and Queen of Rock 'n' Roll as Self
2022
- Rat Pack as Self (archive footage)
- Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues as Self (archive footage)
- The Beatles: Get Back - The Rooftop Concert as Self (archive footage)
- If These Walls Could Sing as Self
- Let There Be Drums! as Self
- The Beatles: 1964 US Tour Reconstruction as Self
- How much LSD did The Beatles do in the 1960s? as Self (archive footage)
- Behind the Lyrics: The Beatles as Self
- Ringo Starr: One of Them as Self (archive footage)
- Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band: Live at the Greek Theater 2019 as Himself
2021
- The Beatles: Get Back as Self (archive footage)
- This Is Pop as Self (archive footage)
- McCartney 3, 2, 1 as Self (archive footage)
- 2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony as Self
- The Beatles and India as Self (archive footage)
- What Drives Us as Self
2020
- Zappa as Self (archive footage)
- Meeting the Beatles in India as Self
- Ringo Starr’s Big Birthday Show as Self - Host
- Mae West: Dirty Blonde as Self
- Understanding McCartney as Self
- Jealous Guy: The Assassination of John Lennon as Self (archive footage)
- The Shadows At Sixty as Self (Archive Footage)
- Lennon & McCartney: Hello From Liverpool as Self
2019
- Yesterday ... (Songs)
- Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice as Self (archive footage)
- Echo in the Canyon as Self
- Deconstructing the Beatles' Abbey Road: Side 2 as Self (archive footage)
- Deconstructing the Beatles' Abbey Road: Side 1 as Self (archive footage)
- Paul McCartney: Wings of a Beatle as Self (archive footage)
- Manson: Music from an Unsound Mind as Self (archive footage)
2018
- Elvis Presley: The Searcher as Self (archive footage)
- Eric Clapton: Life in 12 Bars as Self (archive footage)
- Take Your Pills as Self (archive footage)
- George Harrison - All Things Pass as Self (archive footage)
- Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame: In Concert 2014-2017 as Self
- Understanding Lennon/McCartney as Self (archive footage)
- The Beatles – Ready Steady Go! as Self
2017
- How the Beatles Changed the World as Self (archive footage)
- Dark Glamour: The Blood and Guts of Hammer Productions as Self - Musician (archive footage)
- It Was Fifty Years Ago Today! The Beatles: Sgt. Pepper & Beyond as Self
- Sgt Pepper's Musical Revolution as Self (archive footage)
- The Summer of Love
- Free to Rock as Self - The Beatles (archive footage)
- Året var 1967 as Self (archive footage)
2016
- Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping as Ringo Starr
- Soundbreaking as Self
- The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years as Self
- Deconstructing the Beatles' White Album as Self (archive footage)
- Eat That Question: Frank Zappa in His Own Words as Larry the Dwarf (archive footage)
- Beatles chronology (1962-1970) as Self (archive footage)
- Jim Carter: Lonnie Donegan and Me as Self
- Stupor Mundi: Livre 1, Rituel de décapitation du pape as Self (archive footage)
2015
- The Late Show with Stephen Colbert as Self - Guest
- In Their Own Words as Self (archive footage)
- The Beatles 1+ as Self (archive footage)
- The Nation's Favourite Beatles Number One as Self (archive footage)
- The Beatles 1 as Self (archive footage)
- Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony as Self
- Our Cilla
2014
- The Powerpuff Girls: Dance Pantsed as Fibonacci Sequins (voice)
- The Night That Changed America: A Grammy Salute to the Beatles as Self
- Beatles på Sverigeturné as Self (archive footage)
- Ringo Starr: A Lifetime of Peace and Love as Self
2013
- Living Is Easy with Eyes Closed as (Archive footage)
- Året var 1963 as Self (archive footage)
- Good Ol' Freda as Self
- Ringo at the Ryman as himself
2012
- Palme as Self (archive footage)
- Mr. Blue Sky: The Story of Jeff Lynne & ELO as Self
- The Beatles: Their Golden Age as Self
- Magical Mystery Tour Revisited as Self
- Produced by George Martin as Self
- Becoming the Beatles as Self
- The Beatles: In Chicago 1964-1966 as Self
- Genius as Self (archive footage)
- The Winged Beetle as Self
2011
- George Harrison: Living in the Material World as Self
- I Was There: When the Beatles Played the Cavern as Self (archive footage)
- Beatles Stories as Self (archive footage)
- The Beatles: Recovered Archives Vol. 1 as Self (archive footage)
- The Beatles - Unsurpassed Promos as Self (archive footage)
- The Beatles: Recovered Archives Vol. 3 as Self (archive footage)
- The Beatles: Recovered Archives Vol. 4 as Self (archive footage)
- The Beatles: Recovered Archives Vol. 2 as Self (archive footage)
2010
- Conan as Self - Guest
- John Lennon: Love Is All You Need as Self (archive footage)
- Who Is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everybody Talkin' About Him?) as Self (archive footage)
- Thomas & Friends: The Greatest Stories as Narrator
- The Beatles: Fifty Fabulous Years as Self (archive footage)
- The Beatles: A Magical History Tour as Self (archive footage)
- Paul McCartney Really Is Dead: The Last Testament of George Harrison as Self (archive footage)
- Ringo Starr 70th Birthday Bash Radio City NYC 7-07-10
- The Beatles: The Complete Story as Self (Archive Footage)
- A Concert by the Lake as Self
- The 4 Complete Ed Sullivan Shows Starring The Beatles as Self (archive footage)
- David Wants to Fly as Self
- Ringo Starr and His All Starr Band Live at the Greek Theater as Self
- All You Need Is Klaus as Self
- Thomas & Friends - The Best of Thomas as Narrator
2009
- Live from the Artists Den as Self
- Oh My God as Self
- The Beatles: Here There and Everywhere as Self (archive footage)
- Peter Kay's Animated All Star Band: The Official BBC Children in Need Medley as Thomas the Tank Engine (voice)
- The Beatles: Parting Ways as Self
- The Beatles: The Mini Documentaries as Self
- The Beatles on Record as Self
2008
- The 60s: The Beatles Decade
- Composing the Beatles Songbook: Lennon and McCartney 1957 - 1965 as Self (Archive Footage)
- Rare and Unseen: The Beatles as Self (archive footage)
- All Together Now as Self
- The Beatles: Turn Left at Greenland as self
- Ringo Starr: Off the Record as Self
- Composing the Beatles Songbook: Lennon & McCartney 1966-1970 as Self (archive footage)
- Classic Albums: John Lennon - Plastic Ono Band as Self
- Rock Milestones: The Beatles: The Blue Album 1967 - 1970 as Self (archive footage)
- Rock Milestones: The Beatles: The Red Album 1962 - 1966 as Self (archive footage)
- The Best Of Sound Stage
- The Beatles: Up Close and Personal as Self (archive footage)
- Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band Live 2006 as Self
2007
- Across the Universe ... (Songs)
- THE BEATLES in HELP! as Self (archive footage)
- Amazing Journey: The Story of The Who as Self
- Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Runnin' Down a Dream as Self
- The Beatles In America as Self (archive footage)
- The Beatles Explosion as Self (archive footage)
- Rock Milestones: The Beatles: Magical Mystery Tour as Self (archive footage)
- The Beatles: Destination Hamburg as Self (archive footage)
- The Beatles Phenomenon as Self (archive footage)
2006
- Frankie Laine: An American Dreamer as Self
- To John With Love as Self
- Doctor Who: Origins as Self (archive footage)
- The Beatles: Love as Self
2005
- The Beatles: Love Me Do - A Documentary as Self (archive footage)
- The Beatles: Chronology Vol. 1 y 2 as Self - Drums, Backing Vocals
- The Beatles: Get Back...Winter of Discontent as Self (archive footage)
- George Harrison & Friends - The Concert for Bangladesh Revisited as Self
- Meet the Beatles as Self (Archival footage)
- Ringo Starr and the Roundheads - Live as himself
- Rock 'N' Roll Forever: Ed Sullivan's Greatest Hits as Self (archive)
2004
- 20th Century Greats as Self (archive footage)
- The Beatles: Watching Rainbows as Self (archive footage)
- Brian Epstein: Inside the Fifth Beatle as Self (archive footage)
- Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band: Tour 2003 as Self
- Beatles Biggest Secrets as Self (archive footage)
2003
- Jimmy Kimmel Live! as Self - Guest
- Radio as Stinger the Mascot (uncredited)
- Concert for George as Self
- Beatles: The Journey as Self (archive footage)
- The Beatles: A Long and Winding Road as Self (archive footage)
- Inside John Lennon - Unauthorized as Self (archive footage)
- The Beatles: Around the World as Self (archive footage)
- The Beatles - Trilogy as Self
- Ed Sullivan Presents: Rock 'N' Roll Revolution: The British Invade America, America Fights Back as Self (archive footage)
- Ringo Rama as Himself
2002
- Pet Star as Self - Judge
- Naqoyqatsi as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
- Paul McCartney: Back in the U.S. as Self (archive footage)
- Things They Said Today as Self (archive footage)
- Elvis: King of Entertainment as Self (archive footage)
2001
- Friday Night with Jonathan Ross as Self
- Wingspan as Self (archive footage)
- The Paranormal Peter Sellers as Self (Archive footage)
- Beatles: Big Beat Box as Self (archive footage)
- The Best of Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band So Far... as Himself
- Thomas & Friends: Best of Percy as Narrator
1999
- The Early Show as Self
- Television: The First Fifty Years as Self – The Beatles (archive footage)
- Goodnight Moon & Other Sleepytime Tales as Self - The Beatles (archive footage) (uncredited)
- The Beatles: A Celebration as Self (archive footage)
1998
1997
- Classic Albums as Self
- Paul McCartney: In the World Tonight as Self
- Happy Birthday to John as Self
1996
- The Daily Show as Self - Guest
- Alf Bicknell's Beatles Diary as Self (archive footage)
- The Beatles Story as Self (archive footage)
- The Beatles Unauthorized as Self (archive footage)
1995
1994
- TOTP2 as Self
- The Beatles In Australia: 30th Anniversary as Self (archive footage)
1993
- Late Show with David Letterman as Self - Musical Guest
- Late Night with Conan O'Brien as Self - Guest
- Ringo Starr Going Home as Self - Host
- A Life of Extravaganza - The Genius Frank Zappa as Self (archive footage)
- Ready Steady Go! The Beatles Live as Self
1992
- The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
- Shelley Duvall's Bedtime Stories as Narrator (voice)
- Holiday Greetings from 'The Ed Sullivan Show' as Self (archive footage)
- The Beatles: The Making of Sgt. Pepper as Self
- Murderers, Mobsters, & Madmen: Volume 2: Assassination in the 20th Century
- George Harrison: Live at The Royal Albert Hall
1991
- The Beatles: The First U.S. Visit as Self (archive footage)
- Thomas & Friends: Better Late Than Never as Narrator
1990
- Shining Time Station: 'Tis a Gift as Mr. Conductor
- Thomas & Friends: Thomas Gets Tricked as Narrator
- Thomas & Friends: James Learns a Lesson as Narrator (voice)
- Thomas & Friends: Thomas Breaks the Rules as Narrator
- Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band as Self
- Thomas & Friends: Tenders & Turntables as Narrator
1989
- The Simpsons as Ringo Starr (voice)
- Shining Time Station as Mr. Conductor
1988
- LIVE with Kelly and Mark
- Imagine: John Lennon as Self (archive footage)
- Walking After Midnight as Self
- The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels as Self
- One More Audience with Dame Edna Everage as Self (uncredited)
1987
- Jimi Plays Monterey as Self (archive footage)
- The Return of Bruno as Ringo Starr
- Prince's Trust Rock Gala - Volume 2 as Self
- Video from Hell as Self
1986
- American Masters as Self
- Rock 'N' Roll Goldmine: The Sixties as Self
- Fun with the Fab Four as Self (archive footage)
1985
- Alice in Wonderland as Mock Turtle
- Water as Himself - The Singing Rebels' Band
- An Audience with Billy Connolly as Self - Audience Member (uncredited)
- The Making of Sun City as Self
- British Rock: The First Wave as Self (archive footage)
- Carl Perkins & Friends: Blue Suede Shoes - A Rockabilly Session as Self
- Willie and The Poor Boys - The Movie as The Janitor
1984
- Thomas & Friends as Narrator (Voice)
- Give My Regards to Broad Street as Ringo
1983
- Princess Daisy as Robin Valerian
- James Bond: The First 21 Years as Self
- Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars as Self (uncredited)
- Down The Mine: The Pilot Episode as Narrator (voice)
1982
- Late Night with David Letterman as Self - Guest
- Timewatch as Self (archive footage)
- Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers! as Self (archive footage)
- The Compleat Beatles as Self (archive footage)
- Paul McCartney - Take It Away as Self
- The Cooler as Prisoner / Cowboy
1981
- Wetten, dass..? as Self
- Caveman as Atouk
- This Is Elvis as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
1979
1978
- An Audience with... as Self
- The Last Waltz as Self
- Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band ... (Songs)
- I Wanna Hold Your Hand as Self (archive footage)
- Sextette as Laslo Karolny
- Ringo as Ringo Starr / Ognir Rrats
1977
- Please Turn the Page as Self
- The Day the Music Died as Self
- Mighty Good: The Beatles as Self
- The Beatles at Shea Stadium as Self
1975
- Saturday Night Live as Self - Host
- Lisztomania as The Pope
1974
- The Society of the Spectacle as Self (archive footage)
- Son of Dracula as Merlin, the Magician
- Braverman's Condensed Cream of the Beatles as Self (archive footage)
- Muhammad Ali, the Greatest as Self
1973
- That'll Be The Day as Mike
- Marc Bolan & T. Rex - Born to Boogie as Self
1972
- The Concert for Bangladesh as Self
- Weekend of a Champion as Self (uncredited)
- Yoko Ono: This Is Not Here as Self
- Did Somebody Drop His Mouse? as Himself
1971
- V.I.P. Schaukel as Self
- The Point as Narrator / Father (home video release) (voice)
- Blindman as Candy
- 200 Motels as Larry the Dwarf / Frank Zappa
- The Making of 200 Motels as Self
- Cilla in Scandinavia as Self
1970
- Treffpunkte as Self
- Let It Be as Self - The Beatles (uncredited)
1969
- Monty Python's Flying Circus
- The Magic Christian as Youngman Grand, Esq.
- The Beatles - The Get Back Chronicles 1969 Volume One as Self (archive footage)
- Beatles Electroniques as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
- The Beatles - The Get Back Chronicles 1969 Volume Three as Self (archive footage)
- 24 Hours: The World of John and Yoko as Self (archive footage)
- The Beatles: Abbey Road as Self - Drums
- Will the Real Mr Sellers.....? as Self
- The Beatles - The Get Back Chronicles 1969 Volume Two as Self (archive footage)
- The Beatles: Something as Self
1968
- Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In as Self
- Candy as Emmanuel
- Yellow Submarine as Ringo (uncredited)
- The Movie Orgy as Self (archive footage)
- Frost on Sunday as Self (as The Beatles)
- Revolution ... (Songs)
- The Beatles: Revolution as Self
- The Beatles Mod Odyssey as Self
1967
- Omnibus as Self
- Magical Mystery Tour as Self / Talkative Magician
- Our World as Self
- Monument as Self (archive footage)
- All You Need Is Love as Self
- Penny Lane/Strawberry Fields Forever as Self
1966
- The Beatles: Live at Circus-Krone-Bau, Munich, Germany as Self - The Beatles
- The Beatles: In Japan (7/1/1966) as Self - Drums, Backing Vocals
- The Beatles - In Germany 24-26 June, 1966 as Self
- El Rey en Londres as Self (archive footage)
- The Beatles: In Japan (6/30/1966) as Self
- Reflections on Love as Self (archive footage)
1965
- The Beatles as Self (vocals musical segments) (uncredited)
- Help! as Ringo
- Doctor Who: The Chase as Self (archive footage)
- The Music of Lennon & McCartney as Self (archive footage)
- Pop Gear as Self
- The Beatles: Live in Paris as Self
1964
- Top of the Pops
- A Hard Day's Night as Ringo
- The Beatles Sing for Shell as Self
- What's Happening! The Beatles in the USA as Self - The Beatles Member
- Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! The Beatles in New York as Self (archive footage)
- The Beatles in Australia as Self
- Around the Beatles as Self
- The Beatles: Live at the Washington Coliseum as Self
- The Beatles: Live in The Netherlands as Self
1963
- The Beatles Come to Town as Self
- The Beatles - Live at The Empire Theatre Liverpool as Self
- The Mersey Sound as Self
1961
- The Mike Douglas Show as Self
- Morecambe & Wise as Self
1948
- The Ed Sullivan Show as Self