John Lithgow on screen and stage

American actor, musician, and singer From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

John Lithgow on screen and stage

John Lithgow is an American actor, musician, poet, author, comedian and singer. He made his film debut in the comedy-drama Dealing: Or the Berkeley-to-Boston Forty-Brick Lost-Bag Blues (1972).[1] He has since then appeared in over 50 films, countless television projects and on stage. Lithgow's first appearance on stage came in 1973, in a Broadway production of The Changing Room by David Storey, for which he won a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play and a Drama Desk Award.[2][3] Some of his other theater work he performed in were My Fat Friend (1974), Trelawny of the 'Wells' (1975) and the 1976 plays A Memory of Two Mondays / 27 Wagons Full of Cotton, Secret Service and Boy Meets Girl.[3] Lithgow subsequently acted in films such as Obsession (1976), The Big Fix (1978), the 1979 films All That Jazz with Roy Scheider and Rich Kids, Blow Out (1981) starring John Travolta, and I'm Dancing as Fast as I Can (1982).[1]

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Lithgow attending the red carpet prior to the 40th Primetime Emmy Awards in 1988

Lithgow's film breakthrough came after playing a transgender woman, Roberta Muldoon, who was a former football player, in a supporting role in the comedy-drama The World According to Garp (1982) with Robin Williams.[4][5][6] Lithgow was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role.[7] He then portrayed an airplane passenger who suffers from aviophobia in Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983).[8] Later the same year, Lithgow went on to play a science professor in the television disaster film The Day After, which won him an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Special.[9] As 1983 came to a close, he also featured in Terms of Endearment, where he played the role of a banker with Shirley MacLaine, Debra Winger and Jack Nicholson, thus earning Lithgow his second Academy Award nomination in the same category.[10] In addition, Lithgow had a string of main and supporting roles during the 1980s, notably in the 1984 films Footloose, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension, 2010, Santa Claus: The Movie (1985), The Manhattan Project (1986), and Harry and the Hendersons (1987).[1]

The 1990s saw Lithgow continue to appear in various Hollywood films, namely Ricochet (1991) opposite Denzel Washington, Raising Cain (1992), Cliffhanger (1993) starring Sylvester Stallone and The Pelican Brief (1993), where he was reunited with Washington.[1][11] He was cast in a main role in the 1996 television sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun, where he played a high-ranking commander of an alien unit of four who have been sent to Earth to retrieve information under the disguise as a university professor.[12] The show spanned over 100 episodes, during which Lithgow won one Golden Globe and three Emmy Awards for his role,[9][13] before ending in 2001.[14] That same year, he became the character of Lord Farquaad in the animated fantasy-comedy film Shrek (2001).[15][16]

Other roles Lithgow appeared in during the 2000s were The Life and Death of Peter Sellers (2004) with Geoffrey Rush, where he portrayed the famed director, screenwriter and producer Blake Edwards,[17] Kinsey (2004), and Dreamgirls (2006).[1] Lithgow also starred in the short-lived sitcom Twenty Good Years (2006).[18][19] In 2009, he joined the cast of crime show Dexter as Arthur Mitchell, a family man who lives a double life as a serial killer.[20] He appeared in a total of twelve episodes as the main antagonist on the fourth season, and for his performance, he won his second Golden Globe and fifth Emmy Award.[21][22][23] Lithgow's later roles during the 2010s includes the science fiction film Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011),[24] the political comedy The Campaign (2012), the comedy-drama This Is 40 (2012), the sitcom How I Met Your Mother (2005–14), where he performed as a guest star in four episodes in the role as the father of executive Barney Stinson, as the voice of Percy the White Rabbit in ABC's fantasy-drama and spin-off program Once Upon a Time in Wonderland (2013–14),[25] and the 2014 films Love Is Strange, alongside fellow co-star Alfred Molina,[26] The Homesman,[27] and Interstellar.[28] Other films include Daddy's Home 2 (2017), Pitch Perfect 3 (2017), a new adaptation of Stephen King's novel, Pet Sematary (2019), and Bombshell (2019). Lithgow can be seen as Winston Churchill in the television drama series The Crown (2016).[29] Lithgow will play Albus Dumbledore in HBO's upcoming Harry Potter series.[30][31]

Acting credits

Film

More information Year, Title ...
Year Title Role(s) Notes Ref(s)
1972 Dealing: Or the Berkeley-to-Boston Forty-Brick Lost-Bag Blues John [32]
1976 Obsession Robert LaSalle [33]
1978 The Big Fix Sam Sebastian [34]
1979 Rich Kids Paul Philips [35]
All That Jazz Lucas Sergeant [36]
1981 Blow Out Burke [37]
1982 I'm Dancing as Fast as I Can Mr. Brunner [38]
The World According to Garp Roberta Muldoon [4]
1983 Terms of Endearment Sam Burns [4]
Twilight Zone: The Movie John Valentine Segment: "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet" [8]
1984 Footloose Reverend Shaw Moore [39]
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension Dr. Emilio Lizardo / Lord John Whorfin [40]
2010: The Year We Make Contact Dr. Walter Curnow [41]
1985 Santa Claus: The Movie B.Z. [42]
1986 Mesmerized Oliver Thompson [43]
The Manhattan Project John Mathewson [44]
1987 Harry and the Hendersons George Henderson [45]
1988 Distant Thunder Mark Lambert [46]
1989 Out Cold Dave Geary [47][48]
1990 Memphis Belle Lt. Col. Bruce Derringer [49][50]
1991 L.A. Story Harry Zell Scenes deleted [51][52]
At Play in the Fields of the Lord Leslie Huben [53]
Ricochet Earl Talbot Blake [54]
1992 Raising Cain Carter / Cain / Dr. Nix / Josh / Margo [55]
1993 The Wrong Man Phillip Mills [56]
The Pelican Brief Smith Keen [57]
Love, Cheat & Steal Paul Harrington [58]
Cliffhanger Eric Qualen [59]
1994 Silent Fall Dr. Rene Harlinger [60]
Princess Caraboo Professor Wilkinson [61]
A Good Man in Africa Arthur Fanshawe [62]
1996 Hollow Point Thomas Livingston [63]
1998 Homegrown Malcolm / Robert Stockman [64]
Johnny Skidmarks Sergeant Larry Skovik [65]
A Civil Action Judge Walter J. Skinner [66]
2000 Rugrats in Paris: The Movie Jean-Claude Voice role [67]
2001 Shrek Lord Maximus Farquaad [68]
2002 Orange County Bud Brumder [69]
2004 The Life and Death of Peter Sellers Blake Edwards [17]
Kinsey Alfred Seguine Kinsey [70]
2006 Dreamgirls Jerry Harris [71][72]
2009 Confessions of a Shopaholic Edgar West [73]
2010 Leap Year Jack Brady [74][75]
2011 Rise of the Planet of the Apes Charles Rodman [76][77]
New Year's Eve Jonathan Cox [78][79]
The Jungle Bunch: The Movie Maurice Voice role
English dub; direct-to-video
[80][81][82]
2012 The Campaign Glenn Motch [83]
This Is 40 Oliver [84]
Casting By Himself Documentary
2014 Love Is Strange Benjamin Arthur Hull [85][86]
The Homesman Reverend Alfred Dowd [27]
Interstellar Donald [28]
2015 Best of Enemies Gore Vidal Voice role; documentary [87]
2016 The Accountant Lamar Blackburn [88]
Miss Sloane Senator Ron M. Sperling [89]
2017 Beatriz at Dinner Doug Strutt [90]
Daddy's Home 2 Don Whitaker [91]
Pitch Perfect 3 Fergus Hobart [92]
2019 Late Night Walter Newbury [93]
The Tomorrow Man Ed Hemsler [94]
Pet Sematary Jud Crandall [95]
Bombshell Roger Ailes [96]
2022 The Bubble Tom the Studio Chairman Cameo [97]
2023 Sharper Richard Hobbes [98]
Killers of the Flower Moon Prosecutor Peter Leaward [99]
2024 Cabrini Mayor Gould [100]
Conclave Cardinal Tremblay [101]
The Rule of Jenny Pen Dave Crealy [102]
Spellbound Minister Bolinar Voice role [103]
2025 Jimpa Jimpa [104]
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Television

More information Year, Title ...
Year Title Role(s) Notes Ref(s)
1974 The Country Girl Paul Unger Television film [105]
1977 Great Performances Captain Thorne Episode: "Secret Service" [106][107]
1980 The Oldest Living Graduate Clarence Sickenger Television film [108][109]
Mom, the Wolfman and Me Wally [110][111]
Big Blonde Herbie Morse [112]
1982 Not In Front of the Children Richard Carruthers [113][114]
1983 The Day After Professor Joe Huxley [115][116][117]
1984 Faerie Tale Theatre Goldilocks' father Episode: "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" [118][119][120]
The Glitter Dome Sergeant Marty Wellborn Television film [121][122]
1985–1988 Saturday Night Live Himself Host; 3 episodes [123]
1986 Amazing Stories John Walters Episode: "The Doll" [124][125]
Resting Place Major Kendall Laird Television film [126]
1987 Baby Girl Scott Neil Scott [127]
1989 Traveling Man Ben Cluett [128]
1990 Ivory Hunters Robert Carter [129][130]
1991 The Boys Artie Margulies [131][132]
1993 The Country Mouse and the City Mouse: A Christmas Tale Alexander Voice role; animated television special [133]
1994 World War II: When Lions Roared Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt Television film [134]
1995 Tales from the Crypt Dr. Oscar Charles Episode: "You, Murderer" [135][136]
My Brother's Keeper Tom Bradley / Bob Bradley Television film [137]
Frasier Madman Martinez Voice role; episode: "Someone to Watch Over Me" [138][139]
Redwood Curtain Laird Riordan Television film [140]
The Tuskegee Airmen Senator Conyers [141]
1996–2001 3rd Rock from the Sun Dick Solomon 139 episodes [12][142]
1999 Cosby Himself Episode: "Superstar" [143]
2000 Don Quixote Don Quixote de la Mancha
Alonso Quijano
Television film [144][145]
2003 Freedom: A History of Us Benjamin Rush / Roger Williams
Henry Billings Brown / Ward Hunt
Voice role; 4 episodes [146]
2006 Twenty Good Years John Mason 13 episodes[a] [18]
2009 Dexter Arthur Mitchell 12 episodes [20][21]
30 Rock Himself Episode: "Goodbye, My Friend" [149][150]
2011 Prohibition H. L. Mencken Voice role; 3 episodes [151][152]
2011–2014 How I Met Your Mother Jerome "Jerry" Whitaker 4 episodes [153][154][155]
2013 Timms Valley Ol' Gregory Timms Voice role; pilot [156][157]
2013–2014 Once Upon a Time in Wonderland Percy the White Rabbit Voice role; 13 episodes [25][158]
2014 Drunk History William Randolph Hearst
George Washington
2 episodes [159][160]
2015 Louie Funny Man Episode: "Sleepover" [161][162]
2016–2019 The Crown Winston Churchill Main role (Season 1); supporting role (Seasons 23)
11 episodes
[29]
2017 Trial & Error Professor Larry Henderson 13 episodes [163]
2019, 2022 The Simpsons Himself (voice)
Augustus "Gus" Redfield
Episodes: "I'm Just a Girl Who Can't Say D'oh"
"Meat Is Murder"
[164][165]
2019–2022 The Late Show with Stephen Colbert Rudy Giuliani 4 episodes
2020 Perry Mason Elias Birchard "E.B." Jonathan 5 episodes [166]
2021 Wolfboy and the Everything Factory Professor Chronopher (voice) Episode: "Losing Track Of Time / Chaos Comes To Class" [167]
Live in Front of a Studio Audience Phillip Drummond Episode: "Diff'rent Strokes" and "The Facts of Life" [168]
Dexter: New Blood Arthur Mitchell Episode: "Skin of Her Teeth" [169]
2022–2024 The Old Man Harold Harper Main cast [170]
2026 Harry Potter Professor Albus Dumbledore Main cast[171]
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Theater

More information Year, Title ...
Year Title Role Director(s) Venue Ref(s)
1973 The Changing Room Kenny Kendal Michael Rudman Morosco Theatre [172][173]
1974 My Fat Friend James Robert Moore Brooks Atkinson Theatre [174][175]
1975 Hamlet Laertes / Player King Michael Rudman Delacorte Theater [176][177]
Trelawny of the 'Wells' Mr. Ferdinand Gadd A. J. Antoon Vivian Beaumont Theatre [178]
1976 A Memory of Two Mondays
27 Wagons Full of Cotton
Kenneth Arvin Brown Playhouse Theatre [179][180]
Secret Service Captain Thorne Daniel Freudenberger Playhouse Theatre [181]
Boy Meets Girl Himself Playhouse Theatre [181]
1976–1977 Comedians Ged Murray Mike Nichols Music Box Theatre [182]
1977 Anna Christie Mat Burke José Quintero Imperial Theatre [183]
1978 Once in a Lifetime George Lewis Tom Moore Circle in the Square Theatre [184]
1979 Spokesong Frank Kenneth Frankel Circle in the Square Theatre [185]
1980 Salt Lake City Skyline Joe Hill Robert Allan Ackerman The Public Theater [186][187]
Division Street Chris Tom Moore Ambassador Theatre [188][189]
1981–1982 Kaufman at Large George S. Kaufman Himself
Steven Robman
Marymount Manhattan Theatre [190][191]
1982 Beyond Therapy Bruce John Madden Brooks Atkinson Theatre [192]
1985 Requiem for a Heavyweight Harlan "Mountain" McClintock Arvin Brown Martin Beck Theatre [193]
1986–1987 The Front Page Walter Burns Jerry Zaks Vivian Beaumont Theatre [194][195]
1988–1990 M. Butterfly Rene Gallimard John Dexter Eugene O'Neill Theatre [196][197]
2002 Sweet Smell of Success J. J. Hunsecker Nicholas Hytner Martin Beck Theatre [198]
2003–2004 The Retreat from Moscow Edward Daniel Sullivan Booth Theatre [199][200]
2005–2006 Dirty Rotten Scoundrels Lawrence Jameson Jack O'Brien Imperial Theatre [201][202]
2007 Twelfth Night Malvolio Neil Bartlett Courtyard Theatre [203]
2008–2009 All My Sons Joe Keller Simon McBurney Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre [204][205]
2010 Mr. & Mrs. Fitch Mr. Fitch Scott Ellis Second Stage Theatre [206]
2011 8 Theodore Olson Joe Mantello Eugene O'Neill Theatre [207]
2012 The Columnist Joseph Alsop Daniel Sullivan Samuel J. Friedman Theatre [208]
2012–2013 The Magistrate Aeneas Posket Timothy Sheader Royal National Theatre [209][210]
2014 King Lear Leir of Britain Daniel Sullivan Delacorte Theater [211]
2014–2015 A Delicate Balance Tobias Pam MacKinnon John Golden Theatre [212][213]
2018 John Lithgow: Stories by Heart Himself Daniel Sullivan American Airlines Theatre [214]
Candide Voltaire / Dr. Pangloss Gary Griffin Carnegie Hall [215]
2019 Hillary and Clinton Bill Clinton Joe Mantello John Golden Theatre [216]
2024 Giant Roald Dahl Nicholas Hytner Royal Court Theatre [217]
2025 Harold Pinter Theatre [218]
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Narrator

More information Year, Title ...
Year Title Notes Ref(s)
1985 The Amazing Bone Story
1992 Dr. Seuss Video Classics: Yertle the Turtle
1993 Sylvester and the Magic Pebble
1996 Special Effects: Anything Can Happen Documentary
1998 The Gold Rush [219][220]
1999 Adventures in Time: The National Geographic Millennium Special [221]
2000 Culture Shock Episode: "The Shock of the Nude: Manet's Olympia" [222][223]
2001 95 Worlds and Counting Documentary [224][225]
2001–2010 Nova 6 episodes [226][227][228]
[229][230][231]
2011 Truly California: Our State, Our Stories Episode: "Miracle in a Box" [232]
2014 Projections of America Documentary [233]
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Audio drama

More information Year, Title ...
Year Title Role Author Production company Notes Ref(s)
2021 The Sandman: Act II Joshua Norton Neil Gaiman, Dirk Maggs Audible [234]
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Radio

More information Year, Title ...
Year Title Role Notes Ref(s)
1981, 1983 Star Wars Yoda Radio drama [235]
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See also

Notes

  1. Although only four episodes were broadcast by NBC before the series was removed from the schedule, 13 were produced.[147][148]

References

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