---
name: "Mark Knopfler"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/mark-knopfler"
fi1m_id: "mark-knopfler"
imdb_id: "nm0461360"
tmdb_id: 8271
wikidata_id: "Q185343"
roles: ["Composer"]
born: "12 August 1949"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 3
average_fi1m_score: 83
average_over: 3
updated: "2026-09-17T15:37:31.521206+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."
---

# Mark Knopfler

## Identity

Mark Knopfler

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/mark-knopfler
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** mark-knopfler
- **IMDb ID:** nm0461360
- **TMDB ID:** 8271
- **Wikidata ID:** Q185343
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Knopfler, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q185343, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0461360/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/8271

Composer. Born 12 August 1949 in Glasgow, Scotland, UK.

## Details

- **Work:** Composer
- **Born:** 12 August 1949, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
- **Active:** 1983–1997
- **Also known as:** Dire Straits
- **BAFTA Film Awards:** 1 BAFTA nomination
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1980s 86 (2), 1990s 77 (1)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 83 to 76 across 3 titles
- **Score spread:** 2 at 80+, 1 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Genres:** Comedy 2, Drama 2, Adventure 1, Family 1, Fantasy 1, Romance 1
- **Screen time:** 5 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $101m across 3 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Knopfler, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q185343, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0461360/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/8271

## Streaming the US now

- **Disney+:** [*The Princess Bride*](https://film.one/film/the-princess-bride.md) (86)
- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Local Hero*](https://film.one/film/local-hero.md) (86)

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

## Biography

Mark Knopfler is a British guitarist, songwriter and composer. Born on 12 August 1949 in Glasgow, Scotland, he co-founded the rock band Dire Straits in 1977 and served as its lead guitarist, singer and principal songwriter.

Knopfler began composing film scores in the early 1980s. His credits include the music for *Local Hero* (1983), *Comfort and Joy* (1984), *The Princess Bride* (1987), *Last Exit to Brooklyn* (1989), *Wag the Dog* (1997), *Metroland* (1998) and *A Shot at Glory* (2000).

He has also released solo albums and received an OBE.

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

## On Fi1m (3)

- *Wag the Dog* (1997), Fi1m 77, Music, Original Music Composer — [page](https://film.one/film/wag-the-dog.md)
- *The Princess Bride* (1987), Fi1m 86, Music, Original Music Composer — [page](https://film.one/film/the-princess-bride.md)
- *Local Hero* (1983), Fi1m 86, Original Music Composer, Music — [page](https://film.one/film/local-hero.md)

## Complete filmography (38)

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

- *Dire Straits: Brothers in Arms* (2025), Actor
- *Mark Knopfler - One Deep River* (2024), Actor
- *Mark Knopfler: Live at Madison Square Garden 2019* (2019), as lead vocals, guitar
- *Mark Knopfler - Milano 2019* (2019), Actor
- *Mark Knopfler - Live in Valencia 2019* (2019), as Singer, Lead Guitar
- *Dire Straits: The Best Of* (2016), as vocals, guitars
- *Finding Altamira* (2016), Original Music Composer
- *Mark Knopfler - Live for Prince's Trust* (2009), Actor
- *An Evening with Mark Knopfler and band* (2009), Actor
- *Mark Knopfler: Live at the Atrium* (2009), Actor
- *Mark Knopfler - AVO Session Basel* (2007), as Vocals, Guitar
- *Mark Knopfler - Hay On Wye Festival* (2006), Actor
- *Mark Knopfler - Live in Paris* (2006), Actor
- *Mark Knopfler - Shangri-La BDA* (2004), Actor
- *Soundstage* (2003), series, Actor
- *As You Wish: The Story of 'The Princess Bride'* (2001), Original Music Composer
- *A Shot at Glory* (2000), Original Music Composer
- *Robbie the Reindeer: Hooves of Fire* (1999), Music
- *Metroland* (1998), Original Music Composer
- *Dire Straits: Sultans of Swing, The Very Best of Dire Straits* (1998), Actor
- *Wag the Dog* (1997), Original Music Composer, Musician, Music Producer — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/film/wag-the-dog.md)
- *Tina Turner: The Girl from Nutbush* (1993), Actor
- *Dire Straits: On The Night* (1993), Director, Scenic Artist
- *Silence* (1991), Original Music Composer
- *Last Exit to Brooklyn* (1989), Original Music Composer
- *Eric Clapton: Philadelphia 1988* (1988), as vocals, guitar
- *Dire Straits with Eric Clapton - Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute* (1988), as vocals, guitar
- *The Princess Bride* (1987), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/film/the-princess-bride.md)
- *Chet Atkins and Friends* (1987), Actor
- *Dire Straits: Live at Wembley Arena* (1985), as Guitar, Vocals
- *Cal* (1984), Original Music Composer
- *Comfort and Joy* (1984), Original Music Composer
- *Dire Straits: Alchemy Live 1983* (1983), as Lead Vocals, Guitar
- *Local Hero* (1983), Original Music Composer — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/film/local-hero.md)
- *The Kenny Everett Video Show* (1978), series, Actor
- *Mark Knopfler: Fingerpicking Good*, Actor
- *Dire Straits  ‎– Autumn In Nimes*, Actor
- *Mark Knopfler Live In Rotterdam*, Actor

## Gallery

- ![Mark Knopfler with Dire Straits at the Agora Ballroom in Dallas, Texas, 1980.](https://film.one/media/person/59750/gallery-4a20234090fb.jpg) Mark Knopfler with Dire Straits at the Agora Ballroom in Dallas, Texas, 1980. — Circacies, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/58/19801107-01-MarkKnopfler.jpg/1280px-19801107-01-MarkKnopfler.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Mark Knopfler with Dire Straits at the Agora Ballroom in Dallas, Texas, 1980.](https://film.one/media/person/59750/gallery-d65a4a4f6622.jpg) Mark Knopfler with Dire Straits at the Agora Ballroom in Dallas, Texas, 1980. — Circacies, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4e/19801107-02-h-MarkKnopfler.jpg/1280px-19801107-02-h-MarkKnopfler.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![State Street in Chicago, IL, USA. (2010)](https://film.one/media/person/59750/gallery-a496b8756155.jpg) State Street in Chicago, IL, USA. (2010) — Basil D Soufi, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ef/Chicago_%28marquee1%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![State Street in Chicago, IL, USA. (2010)](https://film.one/media/person/59750/gallery-3c043d823ce7.jpg) State Street in Chicago, IL, USA. (2010) — Basil D Soufi, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4a/Chicago_.jpg/1280px-Chicago_.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Mark Knopfler](https://film.one/media/person/59750/gallery-c4a49de6d9b0.jpg) Mark Knopfler — Image via TMDB
- ![Mark Knopfler](https://film.one/media/person/59750/gallery-656ed52929d4.jpg) Mark Knopfler — Image via TMDB
- ![Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris Performing in Chicago on June 25th 2006](https://film.one/media/person/59750/gallery-0faeae0d4b78.jpg) Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris Performing in Chicago on June 25th 2006 — Volkan Yuksel, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/29/DSC08946_Mark_Knopfler_Emmylou_Harris_by_Volkan_Yuksel.JPG/1280px-DSC08946_Mark_Knopfler_Emmylou_Harris_by_Volkan_Yuksel.JPG?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Dire Straits, 12th July 1983, Stadion Kranjčevićeva, Zagreb](https://film.one/media/person/59750/gallery-045493fec4a1.jpg) Dire Straits, 12th July 1983, Stadion Kranjčevićeva, Zagreb — Zoran Veselinović (http://www.photozoran.com/), CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Dire_Straits_1983_Zagreb_3.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)

## Awards

### BAFTA Film Awards — 0 won, 1 nominated

- 1984: Best Original Music (nominated), for *Local Hero*

### Other awards — 6 won, 1 nominated

- Steiger Award 2011: Steiger Award (won)
- Grammy Award for Best Immersive Audio Album 2005: Grammy Award for Best Immersive Audio Album (won), for *Brothers in Arms*
- Premios Ondas 1995: Premios Ondas (won)
- Grammy Award for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals 1990: Grammy Award for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals (won)
- Grammy Award for Best Country Instrumental Performance 1990: Grammy Award for Best Country Instrumental Performance (won)
- Grammy Award for Best Country Instrumental Performance 1985: Grammy Award for Best Country Instrumental Performance (won)
- Grammy Award for Song of the Year 1985: Grammy Award for Song of the Year (nominated), for *Money for Nothing*

*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/mark-knopfler