Poster of The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels

The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels

Plot: A one-hour documentary on the making of Frank Zappa's bizarre 1971 comic musical. Vintage private footage from Frank's personal archives plus behind-the-scenes of the actual shooting and recording
Release Date: Friday, January 1 1987
37 years ago
Genres: Documentary, Comedy, Music
External Links
IMDb logo
Scroll to Crew

Cast

Portrait of Frank ZappaFrank Zappa. Frank Zappa was 47 in The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels as 'Self'.
Birthday: Sat, Dec 21 1940 –
Died: Sat, Dec 04 1993
Portrait of Tony PalmerTony Palmer. Tony Palmer was 46 in The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels as 'Self'.
Birthday: Fri, Aug 29 1941
Portrait of Phyllis Smith AltenhausPhyllis Smith Altenhaus. Phyllis Smith Altenhaus was >> in The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels as 'Self (archive footage)'.
Birthday: Unknown Birthday
Portrait of Dick BarberDick Barber. Dick Barber was >> in The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels as 'Self (archive footage)'.
Birthday: Unknown Birthday
Portrait of Theodore BikelTheodore Bikel. Theodore Bikel was 63 in The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels as 'Self'.
Birthday: Fri, May 02 1924 –
Died: Tue, Jul 21 2015
Portrait of Jimmy Carl BlackJimmy Carl Black. Jimmy Carl Black was 49 in The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels as 'Self'.
Birthday: Tue, Feb 01 1938 –
Died: Sat, Nov 01 2008
Portrait of Peter BosPeter Bos. Peter Bos was >> in The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels as 'Self'.
Birthday: Unknown Birthday
Portrait of Napoleon Murphy BrockNapoleon Murphy Brock. Napoleon Murphy Brock was 42 in The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels as 'Self (archive footage)'.
Birthday: Thu, Jun 07 1945
Portrait of Phyllis Bryn-JulsonPhyllis Bryn-Julson. Phyllis Bryn-Julson was >> in The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels as 'Self'.
Birthday: Unknown Birthday
Portrait of Warren CuccurulloWarren Cuccurullo. Warren Cuccurullo was 31 in The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels as 'Self'.
Birthday: Sat, Dec 08 1956
Portrait of Pamela Des BarresPamela Des Barres. Pamela Des Barres was 39 in The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels as 'Self (archive footage)'.
Birthday: Thu, Sep 09 1948
Portrait of George DukeGeorge Duke. George Duke was 41 in The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels as 'Self'.
Birthday: Sat, Jan 12 1946 –
Died: Mon, Aug 05 2013
Portrait of Aynsley DunbarAynsley Dunbar. Aynsley Dunbar was >> in The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels as 'Self'.
Birthday: Unknown Birthday
Portrait of Roy EstradaRoy Estrada. Roy Estrada was >> in The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels as 'Self (archive footage)'.
Birthday: Unknown Birthday
Portrait of Bruce FowlerBruce Fowler. Bruce Fowler was 40 in The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels as 'Self (archive footage)'.
Birthday: Thu, Jul 10 1947
Portrait of Bunk GardnerBunk Gardner. Bunk Gardner was 54 in The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels as 'Self (archive footage)'.
Birthday: Tue, May 02 1933
Portrait of Jerry D. GoodJerry D. Good. Jerry D. Good was >> in The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels as 'Self (archive footage)'.
Birthday: Unknown Birthday
Portrait of Elgar HowarthElgar Howarth. Elgar Howarth was >> in The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels as 'Self'.
Birthday: Unknown Birthday
Portrait of Howard KaylanHoward Kaylan. Howard Kaylan was >> in The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels as 'Self'.
Birthday: Unknown Birthday
Portrait of Roelof KiersRoelof Kiers. Roelof Kiers was >> in The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels as 'Self'.
Birthday: Unknown Birthday
Portrait of Martin LickertMartin Lickert. Martin Lickert was >> in The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels as 'Self'.
Birthday: Unknown Birthday
Portrait of London Symphony OrchestraLondon Symphony Orchestra. London Symphony Orchestra was >> in The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels as 'Itself (archive footage)'.
Birthday: Unknown Birthday
Portrait of Al MalkinAl Malkin. Al Malkin was >> in The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels as 'Self (archive footage)'.
Birthday: Unknown Birthday
Portrait of Keith MoonKeith Moon. Keith Moon would have been no older than 32 in The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels as 'Self (archive footage)'.
Birthday: Fri, Aug 23 1946 –
Died: Thu, Sep 07 1978
Portrait of Janet Neville-FergusonJanet Neville-Ferguson. Janet Neville-Ferguson was >> in The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels as 'Self'.
Birthday: Unknown Birthday
Portrait of Lucy OfferallLucy Offerall. Lucy Offerall was >> in The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels as 'Self'.
Birthday: Unknown Birthday
Portrait of Don PrestonDon Preston. Don Preston was >> in The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels as 'Self'.
Birthday: Unknown Birthday
Portrait of Royal Philharmonic OrchestraRoyal Philharmonic Orchestra. Royal Philharmonic Orchestra was >> in The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels as 'Self (archive footage)'.
Birthday: Unknown Birthday
Portrait of Euclid James 'Motorhead' SherwoodEuclid James 'Motorhead' Sherwood. Euclid James 'Motorhead' Sherwood was >> in The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels as 'Self'.
Birthday: Unknown Birthday
Portrait of Jeff SimmonsJeff Simmons. Jeff Simmons was >> in The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels as 'Self'.
Birthday: Unknown Birthday
Portrait of Ringo StarrRingo Starr. Ringo Starr was 47 in The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels as 'Self'.
Birthday: Sun, Jul 07 1940
Portrait of Chester ThompsonChester Thompson. Chester Thompson was 39 in The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels as 'Self (archive footage)'.
Birthday: Sat, Dec 11 1948
Portrait of Arthur Dyer Tripp IIIArthur Dyer Tripp III. Arthur Dyer Tripp III was >> in The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels as 'Self (archive footage)'.
Birthday: Unknown Birthday
Portrait of Ruth UnderwoodRuth Underwood. Ruth Underwood was 41 in The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels as 'Self (archive footage)'.
Birthday: Thu, May 23 1946
Portrait of Dweezil ZappaDweezil Zappa. Dweezil Zappa was 18 in The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels as 'Self (archive footage)'.
Birthday: Fri, Sep 05 1969
Portrait of Moon Unit ZappaMoon Unit Zappa. Moon Unit Zappa was 20 in The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels as 'Self (archive footage)'.
Birthday: Thu, Sep 28 1967
Portrait of Gail ZappaGail Zappa. Gail Zappa was 43 in The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels as 'Self (archive footage)'.
Birthday: Mon, Jan 01 1945 –
Died: Wed, Oct 07 2015
Portrait of Ian UnderwoodIan Underwood. Ian Underwood was 48 in The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels as 'Self'.
Birthday: Mon, May 22 1939
Portrait of Mark VolmanMark Volman. Mark Volman was 40 in The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels as 'Self'.
Birthday: Sat, Apr 19 1947 –
Died: Fri, Sep 05 2025
Portrait of Sarina-Marie VolmanSarina-Marie Volman. Sarina-Marie Volman was >> in The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels as 'Self'.
Birthday: Unknown Birthday
Portrait of Ike WillisIke Willis. Ike Willis was >> in The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels as 'Self'.
Birthday: Unknown Birthday
Portrait of Tom FowlerTom Fowler. Tom Fowler was >> in The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels as 'Self (archive footage)'.
Birthday: Unknown Birthday

Crew

Portrait of Frank ZappaFrank Zappa. Frank Zappa was 47 in The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels as 'Director, Writer, Producer, Music'
Birthday: Sat, Dec 21 1940 –
Died: Sat, Dec 04 1993
Portrait of Jill SilverthorneJill Silverthorne. Jill Silverthorne was >> in The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels as 'Associate Producer'
Birthday: Unknown Birthday
Portrait of Raymond M. BushRaymond M. Bush. Raymond M. Bush was >> in The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels as 'Editor'
Birthday: Unknown Birthday
Portrait of Booey KoberBooey Kober. Booey Kober was >> in The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels as 'Editor'
Birthday: Unknown Birthday
Portrait of Kent NaganoKent Nagano. Kent Nagano was 36 in The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels as 'Conductor'
Birthday: Thu, Nov 22 1951