John Lithgow

John Arthur Lithgow (
 
; born , 1945) is an American character actor, musician, comedian, poet, author, and singer. He has received two Tony Awards, six Emmy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, four Drama Desk Awards, and has been nominated for two Academy Awards and four Grammy Awards.Alvin Powell, "Lithgow to speak at Afternoon Exercises: Actor, writer, humanitarian to grace Tercentenary Theatre", Harvard Gazette, 2005-04-07.HFPA Nominations and Winners HFPA Nominations and Winners Lithgow has received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and has been inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame.
Lithgow is best known for his television roles as Dick Solomon in the sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun (1996–2001), Arthur Mitchell in the drama Dexter (2009), and Sir Winston Churchill in the drama The Crown (2016), for each of which he won Emmy Awards. In film, he is also well known for his film roles in Blow Out (1981), Footloose (1984), Harry and the Hendersons (1987), Shrek (2001) and Love is Strange (2014). His performances in the films The World According to Garp (1982) and Terms of Endearment (1983) each earned him Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor. On the stage, he has appeared in many Broadway productions including the musical adaptations of Sweet Smell of Success and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. In 2007, he made his Royal Shakespeare Company debut as Malvolio in Neil Bartlett's production of Twelfth Night.
==Early life==
Lithgow was born in Rochester, New York. His mother, Sarah Jane (née Price), was a retired actress. His father, Arthur Washington Lithgow III, was a theatrical producer and director who ran the McCarter Theatre in Princeton, New Jersey. His father was born in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, to an American-Dominican family of Scottish, English and French descent. Lithgow is descended from Mayflower passenger and colonial governor William Bradford. Because of his father's job, the family moved frequently during Lithgow's childhood; he spent his childhood years in Yellow Springs, Ohio, where activist Coretta Scott King babysat him and his siblings; he spent his teenage years in Akron (living at Stan Hywet Hall) and Lakewood, Ohio.
Lithgow graduated from Princeton High School in Princeton.LaGorce, Tammy. "John Lithgow Sings of the Sewer, and Other Funny Stuff", The New York Times, November 11, 2007. Accessed December 10, 2018. "The visit will allow Mr. Lithgow, a Princeton High School graduate, to catch up with a few school friends still in the area, he said, and to relive 'loads of fond memories' of the 1960s, when his father, Arthur Lithgow, ran the McCarter Theater downtown." He attended Harvard College, and graduated with an A.B. magna cum laude in 1967, in history and literature. Lithgow lived in Adams House as an undergraduate, and later served on Harvard's Board of Overseers. He credits a performance at Harvard of Gilbert and Sullivan's Utopia Limited with helping him decide to become an actor. After graduation, Lithgow won a Fulbright Scholarship to study at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. Also, after graduation, he served as the Director of the Arts and Literature Department at WBAI, the Pacifica radio station in New York City.
== Stage career ==
===1970s===
In 1973, Lithgow debuted on Broadway in David Storey's The Changing Room at the Morosco Theatre. Lithgow received his first Tony and win for his performance for Featured Actor in a Play. He also won a Drama Desk Award. The following year he starred again on Broadway in the comedy play My Fat Friend opposite Lynn Redgrave at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre.http://www.playbill.com/production/my-fat-friend-brooks-atkinson-theatre-vault-0000008035 In 1976 he starred on Broadway in Arthur Miller's A Memory of Two Mondays opposite Meryl Streep and Tom Hulce at the Playhouse Theatre.https://www.newsmax.com/fastfeatures/meryl-streep-broadway/2015/05/05/id/642799/
===1980s===
In 1985 he starred in Requiem for a Heavyweight written by Rod Serling at the Martin Beck Theatre.https://www.apnews.com/bbc9ed60f2956e1debdcb364fbfee480 He was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play losing to Derek Jacobi in Much Ado About Nothing. In 1988 he starred in John Dexter's M. Butterfly alongside B.D. Wong (in his Broadway debut) at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre.https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/m-butterfly-4497
===2000s===
In 2002, Lithgow starred as J.J. Hunsecker in the Broadway adaptation of the 1957 film Sweet Smell of Success alongside Brian D'Arcy James. Lithgow won the Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical for his performance. In 2005, He was starred on Broadway in the musical-comedy Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. alongside Norbert Leo Butz at the Imperial Theatre. While both were nominated for the Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical, Butz won over Lithgow. That same year Lithgow was elected into the American Theater Hall of Fame for his work on Broadway.
In 2004 and 2007, Lithgow debuted Carnival of the Animals' elephant character — nurse Mabel Buntz — with the New York City Ballet and Houston Ballet, respectively. In 2007, Lithgow played Malvolio in the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of Twelfth Night, at The Courtyard Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, United Kingdom.Billington, Michael. "Theatre review: 'Twelfth Night', The Courtyard, Stratford-upon-Avon", The Guardian,September 6, 2007
In 2008 through 2009, Lithgow played Joe Keller in a Broadway revival of Arthur Miller's All My Sons directed by Simon McBurney. Lithgow starred alongside Dianne Wiest, Patrick Wilson and Katie Holmes in her Broadway debut at the Schoenfeld Theare.Cohen, Patricia. "Two Fathers Are Learning Lessons of 'All My Sons' ", The New York Times, November 12, 2008
===2010s===
In 2010 Lithgow starred in the Off Broadway production of Douglas Carter Beane's comedy Mr & Mrs Fitch alongside Jennifer Ehle at the Second Stage Theatre from February 22, 2010 to April 4, 2010.Hernandez, Ernio. "Blurb vs. Blog: Lithgow and Ehle are Gossipers 'Mr. & Mrs. Fitch', Opening Off-Broadway Feb. 22" playbill.com, February 22, 2010 In 2012 Lithgow returned to Broadway in David Auburn's new play The Columnist which played at the Manhattan Theatre Club with previews starting on April 4, 2012. The performance earned him a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play.Jones, Kenneth. "John Lithgow Is David Auburn's 'The Columnist', Beginning Broadway Previews April 4" playbill.com, April 4, 2012
In the winter of 2012-2013 He appeared in the London revival of Arthur Wing Pinero's The Magistrate as Police Magistrate Aeneas Posket at the National Theatre.
It was announced in February 2014 that he would return to Central Park's Delacorte Theater and Shakespeare in the Park for the 2014 summer season in the title role of Shakespeare's King Lear directed by Tony Award Winner Daniel Sullivan. The production was the play's first there since 1973 and Lithgow's first time there since 1975, when he had played Laertes.
In Fall 2014, Lithgow returned to Broadway as Tobias in a revival of Edward Albee's A Delicate Balance. He starred opposite Glenn Close, Martha Plimpton, Lindsay Duncan, Bob Balaban and Clare Higgins. Pam MacKinnon directed the limited 18-week production at the John Golden Theatre.
Lithgow starred in the solo play John Lithgow: Stories by Heart, which opened on Broadway on January 11, 2018 at the American Airlines Theatre, written by Lithgow. Lithgow has performed this play around the US, starting at the Lincoln Center Theater in 2008,Clement, Olivia. "Check Out John Lithgow in 'Stories by Heart' on Broadway" Playbill, January 9, 2018" John Lithgow: Stories By Heart 2008" lct.org, retrieved January 10, 2018 with a return performance at Lincoln Center slated for April to May 2019." John Lithgow: Stories by Heart 2019 lct.org, retrieved January 11, 2018
Lithgow is set to star as Bill Clinton opposite Laurie Metcalf as Hillary Clinton, in the Broadway play Hillary and Clinton at the John Golden Theatre. Joe Mantello is set to direct Lucas Hnath's play. The play opens April 18, 2019 and will close July 21, 2019.
==Film career==
In 1976 he starred in a pivotal role in Brian De Palma's Obsession with Cliff Robertson and Genevieve Bujold as Cliff Robertson's long time business partner Robert Lasalle.
In 1979, Lithgow appeared in Bob Fosse's semi-autobiographical movie All That Jazz as Lucas Sergeant. The character was loosely based on the real-life Broadway director and choreographer Michael Bennett, known for his work on Follies, Company, Dreamgirls and A Chorus Line.
In 1982 and 1983, Lithgow was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performances as Roberta Muldoon in The World According to Garp and as Sam Burns in Terms of Endearment. Both films were screen adaptations of popular novels. In 1984, Lithgow also played a pastor who condemns dancing in Footloose.
In 1983, Lithgow appeared in a remake of the classic Twilight Zone episode "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet" in Twilight Zone: The Movie as the paranoid passenger made famous on the television show by William Shatner. In an interview with Bill Moyers, Lithgow reveals this role as his favorite of his film career. In 1987, Lithgow starred in the Bigfoot-themed family comedy Harry and the Hendersons.
In 1991, he starred in the movie Ricochet opposite Denzel Washington as Earl Talbot Blake, a criminal seeking revenge against the policeman who sent him to prison. Also in 1991, he played missionary Leslie Huben in the film adaptation of Peter Matthiessen's novel At Play in the Fields of the Lord. In 1992, he starred as a man with multiple personality disorder in Brian De Palma's film Raising Cain.
In 2000, Lithgow gained iconic recognition for voicing the evil Lord Farquaad in the Academy Award winning Dreamworks Animated film Shrek alongside Mike Meyers, Eddie Murphy and Cameron Diaz. In 2002, he narrated Life's Greatest Miracle, a documentary about human embryonic development.
In 2004, he portrayed the moralistic, rigid father of Alfred Kinsey in that year's biopic Kinsey alongside Liam Neeson. In 2006, Lithgow had a small role in the Academy Award-winning film Dreamgirls, as Jerry Harris, a film producer offering Deena Jones (Beyoncé Knowles) a film role. In 2010, he briefly appeared in the romantic comedy Leap Year playing Amy Adams' dad.
Lithgow during the 2010's appeared in Rise of the Planet of the Apes., Christopher Nolan's Interstellar (2014), Tommy Lee Jones' The Homesman (2014), and John Madden's Miss Sloane (2016)
Lithgow gained critical attention for starring in Ira Sachs' independent romance film Love is Strange (2014) alongside Alfred Molina. The film received a 94% on Rotten Tomatoes with the consensus reading, "Held aloft by remarkable performances from John Lithgow and Alfred Molina, Love Is Strange serves as a graceful tribute to the beauty of commitment in the face of adversity."https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/love_is_strange_2014 The film also received 4 Independent Spirit Award nominations including for both Lithgow and Molina.https://m.imdb.com/title/tt2639344/awards?ref_=m_tt_awd
Lithgow then starred in the independent film Beatriz at Dinner (2017) alongside Salma Hayek, Connie Britton, Jay Duplass, and Chloe Sevigny. The film is certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with the consensus reading, "Beatriz at Dinner offers timely social commentary enlivened by powerful, layered performances from Salma Hayek and John Lithgow."https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/beatriz_at_dinner
Lithgow's latest film is Mindy Kaling's comedy Late Night (2019) starring Emma Thompson. The film premiered at the Sundance film festival where it received glowing reviews.https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/late_night_2019 The film is set to be released June 7, 2019.
Lithgow is also set to play Roger Ailes, in the Jay Roach film Fair and Balanced alongside Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman, Margot Robbie, Allison Janney, Connie Britton, and Malcolm McDowell. The film is set to be released December 20, 2019.
==Television career==
In television, Lithgow is probably most widely known for his starring role as Dick Solomon in the 1996–2001 NBC sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun. He received six consecutive nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series and won three times (1996, 1997, 1999). His son Ian regularly appeared alongside him as Leon, one of his physics students.
In 1986, Lithgow received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for his appearance in the episode The Doll of the Amazing Stories anthology series.
Additionally, Lithgow has been nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Special for The Day After (1983), and two Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Special for Resting Place (1986) and My Brother's Keeper (1995). Lithgow was approached about playing Dr. Frasier Crane on Cheers, but turned it down. Lithgow starred with Jeffrey Tambor in the NBC sitcom Twenty Good Years.
Since 2006 he has starred in Campbell Soup Company's commercials advertising their Campbell's Select premium soup brand.
On March 5, 2009, Lithgow made a cameo on NBC's 30 Rock, in the episode "Goodbye, My Friend," with several references to his role in Harry and the Hendersons.
In September 2009, Lithgow joined the cast of Dexter as Arthur Mitchell, a serial killer and Dexter Morgan's nemesis. He won a Golden Globe Award for this role,2009 Golden Globe Nominees HFPA Nominations and Winners and won an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor In A Drama Series.
He guest starred on How I Met Your Mother in the role of Barney Stinson's father, Jerry.
In 2015, Lithgow made a cameo on Louis C.K.'s Louie on FX, in the season five episode "Sleepover" alongside Glenn Close, Michael Cera, and Matthew Broderick.https://tv.avclub.com/louie-sleepover-1798183816
In 2017, Lithgow starred inTrial & Error as a professor who becomes implicated in the murder of his wife in the first season (spring 2017) of the NBC mockumentary series.
In his most recent television role Lithgow portrayed the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Winston Churchill in the first season of the prestigious and critically acclaimed Netflix Historical Drama series The Crown (2017) opposite Claire Foy. Lithgow won numerous awards for his performance including a Primetime Emmy Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award.
==Other Work==
Childrens Entertainment
Lithgow has done extensive work for children, including several books and albums. Some of his book titles are Marsupial Sue, Marsupial Sue Presents "The Runaway Pancake," Lithgow Party Paloozas!: 52 Unexpected Ways to Make a Birthday, Holiday, or Any Day a Celebration for Kids, Carnival of the Animals, A Lithgow Palooza: 101 Ways to Entertain and Inspire Your Kids, I'm a Manatee, Micawber, The Remarkable Farkle McBride, Mahalia Mouse Goes to College and I Got Two Dogs. He also appeared as a guest on the Canadian children's program, Ants in Your Pants.
Lithgow launched into a career as a recording artist with the 1999 album of children's music, Singin' in the Bathtub. In June 2002, Lithgow released his second children's album Farkle and Friends. It was the musical companion to his book The Remarkable Farkle McBride, which tells the story of a young musical genius. Farkle and Friends features the vocal talents of Lithgow and Bebe Neuwirth backed by the Bill Elliott Swing Orchestra. In August 2006, Lithgow released The Sunny Side of the Street, his third children's album and first with Razor & Tie. This album features versions of classic songs from The Great American Songbook including "Getting to Know You" and "Ya Gotta Have Pep". Produced by JC Hopkins, the album features guest appearances by Madeleine Peyroux, Wayne Knight, Sherie Rene Scott and Maude Maggart. Lithgow also makes occasional appearances on stage and television singing children's songs and accompanying himself on guitar.
Podcasts
On October 1, 2010, Lithgow appeared on Doug Benson's podcast Doug Loves Movies, along with fellow guests Paul F. Tompkins and Jimmy Pardo. He has also appeared on Chris Hardwick's show The Nerdist Podcast in 2012 and the WTF with Marc Maron podcast in 2019.
Voice Work
Between 1978-80, Lithgow appeared in ten episodes of the radio drama revival series CBS Radio Mystery Theater.
Lithgow voiced the character of Yoda in the National Public Radio adaptations of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. He provided narration for the IMAX film Special Effects: Anything Can Happen. He hosts Paloozaville, a children's Video on Demand program on Mag Rack based on his best-selling children's books. He appeared in the most recent Campbell's SelectSoups commercials, portraying a restaurant waiter serving "customers" in their own household. He often delivers commencement addresses at American universities. Lithgow also appears in Books By You, a children's computer game, and guides them through the steps to finish a pre-designed book. booksbyyou.com.au
In 2005, Lithgow became the first actor ever to deliver a commencement speech at Harvard UniversityBeth Potier, "Of mice and manatees: Lithgow charms all: Commencement address gives star treatment by actor, author", Harvard Gazette, 2008-06-16. and received an honorary Doctor of Arts from his alma mater. He was featured at Heinz Hall in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on December 4–6, 2009 for performances of Mozart's Requiem with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. He narrated some letters written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, some poems, and sections from the Book of Revelation in certain parts of the performance.
In September 2011, Lithgow was featured in a one-night only production of Dustin Lance Black's play, 8 — a staged reenactment of the federal trial that overturned California's Prop 8 ban on same-sex marriage — as Attorney Theodore Olson to raise money for the American Foundation for Equal Rights.
In 2015, Lithgow did the voice over work for Gore Vidal in the documentary film Best of Enemies alongside Kelsey Grammer who voiced William F. Buckley.
On October 18, 2017, Lithgow coauthored the New York Times daily Crossword Puzzle.
In 2018, Lithgow was one of the actors who voiced the audiobook A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo.
==Filmography==
=== Selected Work ===
==Awards and Nominations==
===Academy Awards===
The Academy Awards (Oscars) are presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS)
Year	Nominated work 	Category 	Result
1983	The World According to Garp	Best Supporting Actor	
1984	Terms of Endearment 	Best Supporting Actor	
===Tony Awards===
The Tony Award is presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League. Considered the highest honor in US theatre.
Year	Nominated work 	Category 	Result
1973	The Changing Room 	Best Featured Actor in a Play	
1985	Requiem for a Heavyweight	Best Actor in a Play 	
1988	M. Butterfly 	Best Actor in a Play 	
2002	Sweet Smell of Success 	Best Actor in a Musical 	
2005	Dirty Rotten Scoundrels 	Best Actor in a Musical 	
2012	The Columnist 	Best Actor in a Play 	
===Primetime Emmy Awards===
The Primetime Emmy Awards are presented by the American Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
Year	Nominated work 	Category 	Result
1984	The Day After 	Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie	
1986	Amazing Stories 	Guest Actor in a Drama Series 	
1986	Resting Place 	Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie 	
1995	My Brother's Keeper 	Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie 	
1996	3rd Rock from the Sun	Lead Actor in a Comedy Series 	
1997	3rd Rock from the Sun	Lead Actor in a Comedy Series 	
1998	3rd Rock from the Sun	Lead Actor in a Comedy Series 	
1999	3rd Rock from the Sun	Lead Actor in a Comedy Series 	
2000	3rd Rock from the Sun	Lead Actor in a Comedy Series 	
2001	3rd Rock from the Sun	Lead Actor in a Comedy Series 	
2010	Dexter 	Guest Actor in a Drama Series 	
2017	The Crown 	Supporting Actor in a Drama Series 	
===Grammy Awards===
The Grammy Awards are presented by the American National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.
Year	Nominated work 	Category 	Result
2003	Ogden Nash's the Christmas that Almost wasn't	Best Spoken Word Album for Children	
2005	The World According to Mr. Rogers 	Best Spoken Word Album 	
2005	Carnival of the Animals 	Best Spoken Word Album for Children	
2007	The Sunny Side of the Street 	Best Musical Album for Children 	
==Personal life==
Lithgow married Jean Taynton, a teacher, in 1966. The couple had one son together, actor and clinical psychologist Ian (born 1972). Lithgow and his wife separated after he had an affair with actress Liv Ullmann, with the marriage ending in divorce in 1980. Lithgow married UCLA history professor Mary Yeager in 1981, and they had son Nathan and daughter Phoebe together.
==Discography==
*Singin' in the Bathtub (1999, Sony Wonder)
*Farkle & Friends (2002, Kid Rhino)
*The Sunny Side of the Street (2006, Razor & Tie)
==Bibliography==
*Remarkable Farkle McBride (2000, Simon & Schuster)
*Marsupial Sue (2001, Simon & Schuster)
*Micawber (2002, Simon & Schuster)
*I'm a Manatee (2003, Simon & Schuster)
*A Lithgow Palooza (2004, Simon & Schuster)
*Carnival of the Animals (2004, Simon & Schuster)
*Lithgow Party Paloozas!: 52 Unexpected Ways to Make a Birthday, Holiday, or Any Day a Celebration for Kids (2005, Simon & Schuster)
*Lithgow Paloozas!: Boredom Blasters (2005, Running Press)
*Marsupial Sue Presents "The Runaway Pancake" (2005, Simon & Schuster)
*Mahalia Mouse Goes to College (2007, Simon & Schuster)
*I Got Two Dogs (2008, Simon & Schuster)
==References==
==External links==
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* John Lithgow at FEARnet
* Profile of John Lithgow – Downstage Center
* 2006 bio article on Lithgow
* Razor and Tie Artist Page
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* John Lithgow speaks at the Oxonian Society November 15, 2007
* NYPL gallery of selected stage production photographs, 1967-1988
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