---
name: "John Cale"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/john-cale"
fi1m_id: "john-cale"
imdb_id: "nm0129816"
tmdb_id: 7491
wikidata_id: "Q45909"
roles: ["Composer"]
born: "9 March 1942"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 2
average_fi1m_score: 81
average_over: 2
updated: "2026-10-02T21:46:55.975027+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# John Cale

## Identity

John Cale

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/john-cale
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** john-cale
- **IMDb ID:** nm0129816
- **TMDB ID:** 7491
- **Wikidata ID:** Q45909
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Cale, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q45909, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0129816/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/7491

Composer. Born 9 March 1942 in Garnant, Carmarthenshire, Wales, UK.

## Details

- **Work:** Composer
- **Born:** 9 March 1942, Garnant, Carmarthenshire, Wales, UK
- **Active:** 1986–present
- **Also known as:** John Davies Cale
- **Frequently works with:** [Mary Harron](https://film.one/person/mary-harron.md)
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1980s 82 (1), 2000s 80 (1)
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Cale, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q45909, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0129816/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/7491

## Streaming the US now

- **Apple TV:** [*Something Wild*](https://film.one/film/something-wild.md) (82)
- **Hulu:** [*American Psycho*](https://film.one/film/american-psycho.md) (80)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

John Cale (born John Davies Cale) is a Welsh musician, composer, singer, songwriter and record producer. He studied music at Goldsmiths College, University of London, and moved to New York in 1963. In 1965 he co-founded the rock band the Velvet Underground.

Cale has worked across rock, avant-garde, classical and electronic music, and has produced albums for artists including Nico, the Stooges and Patti Smith. He composed the original score for the film *American Psycho* (2000). He has also appeared as an actor, including as the Aryan Leader in an episode of the television series *The Equalizer* (1985).

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (2)

- *American Psycho* (2000), Fi1m 80, Original Music Composer, Music — [page](https://film.one/film/american-psycho.md)
- *Something Wild* (1986), Fi1m 82, Original Music Composer, Music — [page](https://film.one/film/something-wild.md)

## Complete filmography (76)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Ready or Not* (2026), Music
- *“Wuthering Heights”* (2026), as Songs — coming soon, [page](https://film.one/film/wuthering-heights-2026.md)
- *Andy Warhol's America* (2022), Actor
- *Andy Warhol's America* (2022), series, Actor
- *Paul Sanchez Is Back!* (2018), Music
- *Barbara Rubin and the Exploding NY Underground* (2018), Actor
- *Les Unwanted de Europa* (2018), Original Music Composer
- *John Cale & Guest - perform The Velvet Underground & Nico* (2017), as Performer
- *Andy Warhol, Fluorescent* (2016), as (archive footage)
- *Gimme Danger* (2016), Actor
- *Love Twice* (2016), as Lester
- *The Communist Revolution Was Caused By The Sun* (2015), Music
- *This Is Cosmos* (2014), Music
- *Lou Reed - Remembered* (2013), Actor
- *The Bridge* (2013), series, Actor
- *Of Women and Horses* (2012), Music
- *A Burning Hot Summer* (2011), Original Music Composer
- *A Beautiful Mistake* (2010), Music
- *Fluxfilm Anthology 1962-1970* (2010), Director
- *American Widow* (2009), Original Music Composer
- *New York Rock at the BBC* (2008), Actor
- *Salamander* (2008), as Dick Winter
- *Velvet Underground: Under Review* (2006), Actor
- *Vies et morts d'Andy Warhol* (2005), Actor
- *Rhinoceros Eyes* (2004), Music
- *Process* (2004), Music
- *Otherworld* (2003), Original Music Composer
- *Paris* (2003), Music
- *New Scenes from America* (2003), Music
- *n[eon]* (2002), as Narrator
- *Beautiful Mistake* (2000), as Music
- *The Virgin* (2000), Music
- *The King's Daughters* (2000), Original Music Composer
- *The Farewell* (2000), Original Music Composer
- *American Psycho* (2000), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/american-psycho.md)
- *Love Me* (2000), Music
- *Wisconsin Death Trip* (1999), Music
- *The Wind of the Night* (1999), Original Music Composer
- *Somewhere in the City* (1998), Original Music Composer
- *Lou Reed: Rock and Roll Heart* (1998), Actor
- *Rhinoceros Hunting in Budapest* (1997), as Manager · Music
- *Basquiat* (1996), Original Music Composer
- *I Shot Andy Warhol* (1996), Music
- *Don't Forget You're Going to Die* (1996), Original Music Composer
- *Antártida* (1995), as Cale · Music
- *Ah Pook Is Here.* (1994), Music
- *The Long Voyage* (1994), Music
- *The Velvet Underground - Velvet Redux Live MCMXCIII* (1993), as bass, viola, keyboards, vocals
- *The Birth of Love* (1993), Original Music Composer
- *John Cale: Fragments of a Rainy Season* (1992), as Producer
- *Primary Motive* (1992), Music
- *Paris Awakens* (1991), Original Music Composer
- *Healing Hurts* (1991), Music
- *Superstar: The Life and Times of Andy Warhol* (1990), Actor
- *Lou Reed and John Cale: Songs for Drella* (1990), Original Music Composer
- *The Houseguest* (1989), as Hubbley · Original Music Composer
- *Wonderland USA* (1989), as Lonely writer
- *Something Wild* (1986), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/something-wild.md)
- *The Equalizer* (1985), series, as Aryan Leader
- *Who Am I This Time?* (1982), Original Music Composer
- *Nico Live in Marseille* (1975), Director, Recording Supervision
- *Caged Heat* (1974), Original Music Composer
- *Heat* (1972), Music
- *The Velvet Underground at Bataclan '72* (1972), Actor
- *Women in Revolt* (1971), Original Music Composer
- *Straight and Narrow* (1970), Music
- *Four Stars* (1967), as Man (uncredited)
- *The Velvet Underground in Boston* (1967), Actor
- *Moe Gets Tied Up* (1966), Actor
- *Satisfaction* (1966), Actor
- *Andy Warhol + Roy Lichtenstein* (1966), Actor
- *The Velvet Underground: Psychiatrist's Convention, NYC, 1966* (1966), Actor
- *Police Car* (1966), Director, Director of Photography
- *Dirt* (1965), Actor
- *Kiss* (1963), Music
- *Kevin Ayers - Musical Express 1981*, Actor

## Gallery

- ![56 Ludlow Street, Manhattan, New York, former home of John Cale and others associated with The Velvet Underground (2017)](https://film.one/media/person/97101/gallery-69432f317199.jpg) 56 Ludlow Street, Manhattan, New York, former home of John Cale and others associated with The Velvet Underground (2017) — Marek Koudelka, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bf/56_Ludlow_Street%2C_Lower_East_Side%2C_Manhattan.jpg/1280px-56_Ludlow_Street%2C_Lower_East_Side%2C_Manhattan.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![A newspaper collage of John Cale, Nico, Kevin Ayers, and Brian Eno performing at London's Rainbow Theatre on June 1, 1974..](https://film.one/media/person/97101/gallery-c21ef2c9f6f6.png) A newspaper collage of John Cale, Nico, Kevin Ayers, and Brian Eno performing at London's Rainbow Theatre on June 1, 1974.. — Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f9/CaleNicoAyersEno.png/1280px-CaleNicoAyersEno.png?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Tribute to Pussy Riot at Trutnov Open Air Festival 2012, l-r: John Cale, Eva Pilarová, Tomáš Hanák, Jiří Lábus, Břetislav Rychlík, Dáda Fajtlová, Dáša Vokatá, V](https://film.one/media/person/97101/gallery-eceaf350c205.jpg) Tribute to Pussy Riot at Trutnov Open Air Festival 2012, l-r: John Cale, Eva Pilarová, Tomáš Hanák, Jiří Lábus, Břetislav Rychlík, Dáda Fajtlová, Dáša Vokatá, V — Vilém Fischl, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b0/Freedom_for_Pussy_Riot_%28Trutnov_Open_Air_Festival%29.JPG/1280px-Freedom_for_Pussy_Riot_%28Trutnov_Open_Air_Festival%29.JPG?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Birthhouse of Welsh musician and composer John Cale (237 Cwmaman Road, Garnant, Carmarthenshire) (2015)](https://film.one/media/person/97101/gallery-22b8c40258d3.jpg) Birthhouse of Welsh musician and composer John Cale (237 Cwmaman Road, Garnant, Carmarthenshire) (2015) — Marek Koudelka, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4a/Garnant%2C_John_Cale_birthhouse.jpg/1280px-Garnant%2C_John_Cale_birthhouse.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![John Cale](https://film.one/media/person/97101/gallery-11b8132ee4f4.jpg) John Cale — Image via TMDB
- ![John Cale](https://film.one/media/person/97101/gallery-d48f34cbf71f.jpg) John Cale — Image via TMDB
- ![Iwan Bala and John Cale @ The Miner's Theatre, Ammanford. (2009)](https://film.one/media/person/97101/gallery-17282827c1ee.jpg) Iwan Bala and John Cale @ The Miner's Theatre, Ammanford. (2009) — chesswithdeath, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/27/Iwan_Bala_and_John_Cale.jpg/1280px-Iwan_Bala_and_John_Cale.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Photo of John Cale playing the viola at a concert in De Warande (club), Turnhout, Belgium (3 February 2006).](https://film.one/media/person/97101/gallery-4a857237acc2.jpg) Photo of John Cale playing the viola at a concert in De Warande (club), Turnhout, Belgium (3 February 2006). — Bart Cabanier, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8a/John_Cale_%282006%29.jpg/1280px-John_Cale_%282006%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)

## Awards

### Other awards — 6 won, 1 nominated

- Człowiek ze Złotym Uchem 2014: Człowiek ze Złotym Uchem (won)
- Officer of the Order of the British Empire 2010: Officer of the Order of the British Empire (won)
- César Award for Best Music Written for a Film 2001: César Award for Best Music Written for a Film (nominated), for *The King's Daughters*
- honorary degree 2000: honorary degree (won)
- honorary doctor of the University of Antwerp 2000: honorary doctor of the University of Antwerp (won)
- honorary degree 1997: honorary degree (won)
- Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 1996: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (won)

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/john-cale