Ian Donald Calvin Euclid Zappa was born on 5 September 1969, in Los Angeles, California, USA, of Sicilian, Arab, Greek, French, Danish, and Irish ancestry. He later learned how he had a different birth name from his nickname Dweezil, and resolved to change his name, which his parents obliged. Dweezil is a guitarist and actor best known for his proficiency in playing the guitar, and being the son of performer Frank Zappa. He’s also appeared in various films and done some voice acting work. All of his endeavors have helped raise his net worth to where it is today.
How rich is Dweezil Zappa? As of early-2016, sources estimate that his net worth is at $3 million, mostly earned through a successful career in the music industry. His occasional acting stints have also helped in raising his wealth somewhat. He’s said to own several valuable guitars, most of which are custom made.
Dweezil Zappa Net Worth $3 Million
At a young age, Zappa showed an affinity for playing guitar and producing music. He was taught how to play the guitar by famous guitarists such as Eddie Van Halen and Steve Vai. Dweezil started his career y being noticed as a VJ for MTV – he was subsequently fired after badmouthing the network on “The Howard Stern Show”. Around this time he was working on solo albums and playing for other artists as well, some of whom include the Fat Boys, Winger and Don Johnson. He also had a few small acting roles, including in “The Running Man” which starred Arnold Schwarzenegger and “Pretty in Pink”. During the 1990s, Zappa started working on a project called “What the Hell Was I Thinking?” and it features guitar solos from several popular guitarists – the project is still under work today.
In the mid-1990s Dweezil was given the chance to voice the character Ajax Duckman in the series “Duckman”. He continued to take various television opportunities presented to him like the sitcom “Normal Life”, and “The Ben Stiller Show”. Dweezil was also part of a popular show entitled “Happy Hour” which however only lasted for one season due to copyright disputes.
In 2003, Zappa helped record for Weird Al Yankovic’s album “Poodie Hat”. Three years later he formed a band of young musicians for the “Zappa Plays Zappa” tour, which hoped to bring his father’s music to the younger generation. It began its tour in Europe during 2006 and then continued on to the United States, taking breaks but eventually continuing with each year. The tour has had various guests like Steve Vai, Terry Bozzio and Ray White.
For his personal life, it is known that Dweezil dated Lisa Loeb for around six years and Zappa even toured with Loeb’s band. They also had a Food Network show called “Dweezil & Lisa” which aired in 2004. However, he married fashion stylist Lauren Knudsen in 2005 and they have two children, but divorce was filed for in 2010, with his wife citing irreconcilable differences. Dweezil subsequently married again in 2012, to Megan Marsicano.
Fat Boys, Winger , Don Johnson, “Zappa Plays Zappa” (2006), LOEBS
Nominations
Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance
Movies
“Duckman” (1997), “The Running Man” (1987), “Pretty in Pink” (1986)
TV Shows
“The Howard Stern Show”, “Normal Life”, “The Ben Stiller Show”, "Happy Hour"
#
Quote
1
I didn't really hear any music other than what my dad was working on until I was twelve. My recollection of hearing other music was that I liked some things that I heard but I always thought,'Where's the rest of it?'. It didn't have the same amount of detail or instrumentation in the arrangements. I liked a lot of the things other people liked - Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, Van Halen, AC/DC - but if I compared it to my dad's music, there just seemed to be elements missing.
2
[on 'St. Alonzo's Pancake Breakfast'] As a kid, his song about pancakes was the best thing ever. There's a crazy interlude at the end. It's a very short song - under two minutes - but it has this one interlude that's the most difficult thing he ever wrote. I learned it on the guitar.
3
[on the 'Zappa Plays Zappa' project] We've been doing this since 2006 and we started with the simple goal to give people an opportunity to see and hear the music played live, a chance to hear a selection of songs that, in my estimation, is the best representation of my dad's work. Part of the struggle is that his music is relegated to a novelty section - a combination of novelty and nostalgia at this point. My feelings are very different. To me his music is still very contemporary, if not still from the future. There's stuff he's done that nobody else ever came close to.
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Fact
1
Just finished the "Zappa plays Zappa" tour [October 2007]
Was always called Dweezil by his family, but wasn't registered as such on his birth certificate; the hospital where he'd been born refused to record the unusual name, so father Frank gave him the names of his bandmates. When Dweezil found out about this as a boy, he wanted to make the name official - so his parents took him to legally change it.
5
Attended Walter Reed Jr. High in North Hollywood, CA.
performer: "Diamond Dallas Page King Of Ba-Da-Bing Theme", "... Baby One More Time" / producer: "Diamond Dallas Page King Of Ba-Da-Bing Theme", "... Baby One More Time" / writer: "Diamond Dallas Page King Of Ba-Da-Bing Theme"
The Ben Stiller Show
1992
TV Series performer: "Groove Holmes"
Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure
1989
writer: "Two Heads Are Better Than One"
Back to the Beach
1987
performer: "Wipe Out"
Composer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Summer '82: When Zappa Came to Sicily
2014
Documentary
1982. L'estate di Frank
2012
Documentary short
On the Spot
2003
TV Series
Normal Life
1990
TV Series
Pee-wee's Playhouse
1988
TV Series 1 episode
Thanks
Title
Year
Status
Character
Eat That Question: Frank Zappa in His Own Words
2016
Documentary special thanks - as Dweezil
Roxy the Movie
2015
Documentary special thanks
Zappa's Universe
1993
Video special thanks
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
Hearing Is Believing
2017
Documentary completed
Himself
Chopped
2015
TV Series
Himself - Contestant
Celebrity Wife Swap
2014
TV Series
Himself
Skavlan
2013
TV Series
Himself - Guest
American Masters
2013
TV Series documentary
Himself
Morgan Agren's Conundrum: A Percussive Misadventure
2013
Documentary
Himself
1982. L'estate di Frank
2012
Documentary short
Himself
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
1999-2011
TV Series
Himself - Musical Guest / Himself
Cry Baby: The Pedal that Rocks the World
2011
Video documentary
Himself
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
2008
TV Series
Himself
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
1994-2007
TV Series
Himself / Himself - Guest
Zappa Plays Zappa
2007
Video
Himself
Classic Albums: Frank Zappa - Apostrophe (')/Over-Nite Sensation
2007
Video documentary
Himself
Cinderella: Rocked, Wired & Bluesed - The Greatest Video Hits
2005
Video
Himself (Segment: "Shelter Me")
Spinal Tap Goes to 20
2004
TV Movie documentary
Himself
Dweezil & Lisa
2004
TV Series
Himself
Life with Lisa Loeb
2002
TV Series
Himself
Hollywood Rocks the Movies: The 1970s
2002
TV Movie documentary
Himself (uncredited)
Frank Zappa: Phase II - The Big Note
2002
Documentary
Himself
The Chris Isaak Show
2001
TV Series
Himself
Grosse Pointe
2001
TV Series
Himself
Dancing Outlaw II: Jesco Goes to Hollywood
1999
Documentary short
Hollywood Squares
1999
TV Series
Himself
Happy Hour
1999
TV Series
Himself - Host
Celebrity Profile
1998
TV Series documentary
Himself
The Weird Al Show
1997
TV Series
Himself
In a Metal Mood
1996
Documentary
Himself
Grill Me
1996
TV Movie
Himself - Contestant
1995 MTV Movie Awards
1995
TV Special
Himself
Roseanne
1994
TV Series
Himself - Guitarist
Zappa's Universe
1993
Video
Himself - Guitar
MTV Video Music Awards 1993
1993
TV Special
Himself
Newton's Apple
1993
TV Series
Himself
Ein Leben als Extravaganza - Das Genie Frank Zappa
1993
TV Movie documentary
Himself
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1990
TV Series
Himself - Guest
Negligee and Underpants Party
1988
TV Movie
Himself
Square One Television
1987
TV Series
Himself
The 4th Annual American Cinema Awards
1987
TV Special
Himself
MTV Video Music Awards 1986
1986
TV Special
Himself - Host
Ozzy Osbourne: The Ultimate Ozzy
1986
TV Special
Himself
Frank Zappa
1971
TV Movie documentary
Himself
Archive Footage
Title
Year
Status
Character
X-Large
1989
TV Series documentary
Himself
The True Story of Frank Zappa's 200 Motels
1988
Video documentary
Himself
Known for movies
Duckman: Private Dick/Family Man (1994-1997) as Ajax