ACTOR · BORN 1947 · DIED 2016
David Bowie
- Born
- 8 January 1947, London, England, UK
- Died
- 10 January 2016
- Known for
- The Prestige (2006), Zoolander (2001), SpongeBob SquarePants (1999), Arthur and the Invisibles (2006)
91 archived facts 5 topics 1 source Last reviewed Sep 2026
14 Facts About David Bowie's Life and Family
- #007
David Bowie's son Duncan Jones, born in 1971 to Bowie's then-wife Angie Bowie, was originally known as Zowie but later changed his name to Joe. Duncan was best man at Bowie's 1992 wedding to Iman. Educated at a film school in London, Duncan became a successful writer and director, carrying on his father's artistic legacy in cinema.
- #009
In 1972 David Bowie declared himself gay, becoming the first British pop star to be open about his sexual identity; this came before contemporaries such as Freddie Mercury and Elton John announced they were bisexual, and only five years after male homosexuality was decriminalised in the United Kingdom. In a magazine interview he said he had met his first wife while they were both involved with the same man, and whether the remark was true or a joke was debated for a long time. His unforgettable 1972 performance of 'Starman' on Top of the Pops made him stand out for his sexual ambiguity and stage persona.
- #010
David Bowie suffered a heart attack in July 2004 and underwent emergency triple bypass surgery. The health problem seriously affected his intense touring schedule and lifestyle. That same year he gave up a habit of smoking 50 cigarettes a day and began to look after his health, a major turning point in his life.
- #019
On 25 June 2004, David Bowie underwent an emergency angioplasty in Germany while on tour, and the rest of the tour was cancelled because of the health problem. The event revealed the seriousness of his heart condition and worried his fans. After the health crisis Bowie had to take a break from his music career, though he later returned to the stage.
- #020
David Bowie was born and raised in London; his father, Haywood Stenton Jones, was originally from Yorkshire and of Welsh descent, while his mother, Margaret Mary Jones, was from Kent and of Irish descent. His father's family was a wealthy one, partners in the Public Benefit Boot Co. From 1992 until his death, Bowie lived in New York City, which became the center of his final years.
- #021
David Bowie and his wife Iman's daughter, Alexandria Zahra Jones, was born on 15 August 2000. The birth marked the beginning of a new period in Bowie's life; he experienced the joy of becoming a father. Alexandria became part of the family as one of the children carrying Bowie's legacy.
- #023
In 1968, while still a struggling artist, David Bowie wrote English lyrics for the French song 'Comme d'Habitude', but this version was never recorded. The French melody later caught the attention of Paul Anka, who rewrote the lyrics and turned the song into 'My Way'. With Frank Sinatra performing 'My Way', the song became a huge success; Bowie's early work thus indirectly contributed to the birth of one of the most iconic songs in music history.
- #044
David Bowie's paternal grandfather was killed at the end of the First World War. This family loss left a significant mark on the history of Bowie's family. Although Bowie did not often speak of it, his family's past was part of his identity.
- #050
In 2003, David Bowie contributed his song 'Everyone Says Hi' to the War Child compilation album 'Hope', released to help child victims of the Iraq war. The song showed the importance he placed on humanitarian work and his willingness to use his art for social benefit. By taking part in such projects, Bowie proved that he was not only a musician but also an activist.
- #052
British singer-songwriter Paul Weller named one of his children after David Bowie. Weller cited Bowie's 'Low' album as 'one of his favourite records'. This choice of name shows Bowie's profound influence on musicians and how highly he was respected as a source of inspiration.
- #053
Music producer Nile Rodgers, BBC arts editor Will Gompertz and Prof. Michael Spitzer, head of the Music Department at the University of Liverpool, compared David Bowie to the Spanish artist Pablo Picasso. Picasso's wide-ranging and lasting impact on the 20th-century art world was compared to Bowie's influence on popular music, earning him an alliterative nickname such as 'Pop's Picasso'. Gompertz stated that Bowie, like Picasso, was 'innovative, visionary'.
- #063
David Bowie was an avid reader and never travelled without books. To ensure his collection was always at hand, he had portable bookshelves built into large custom-made suitcases. This detail shows Bowie's intellectual curiosity and his passion for books; reading played an important role in nourishing his artistic vision.
- #079
David Bowie was a member of a baseball team called the Bluejays, which played in Beckenham Place Park along with George Underwood. This team was an environment where Bowie took an interest in sports and spent time with his friends during his youth. This shared interest with Underwood strengthened the pair's friendship and laid the groundwork for them to make music together later.
- #080
David Bowie was strongly influenced by his older half-brother Terry Burns, his mother's son from her first marriage. Born on 5 November 1937 and ten years older than Bowie, Burns introduced him to William S. Burroughs's Beat poetry, Buddhism, jazz and the occult. These influences left a deep mark on the shaping of Bowie's artistic vision and personal worldview; the literature of the Beat generation and Eastern philosophy in particular often echoed in his lyrics and stage persona.
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