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John Lithgow Biography (1945-)

Full name, John Arthur Lithgow; born October 19 (some sources cite October 15), 1945, in Rochester, NY; son of Arthur W. (a theatrical producer and director) and Sarah Jane (an actress; maiden name, Price) Lithgow; married Jean Taynton (a teacher), September 10, 1966 (divorced, 1980); married Mary Yeager (aprofessor), 1981; children: (first marriage) Ian (an actor); (second marriage) Phoebe McCurtain, Nathan George. Addresses: Agent: Creative ArtistsAgency, 9830 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90212-1824.

Nationality

American

Gender

Male

Occupation

Actor, director, singer, songwriter, author

Birth Details

October 19, 1945

Rochester, New York, United States

Famous Works

• CREDITS
• Film Appearances
• John, Dealing; or, the Berkeley-to-Boston Forty-Brick Lost-Bag Blues, Warner Bros., 1972
• Robert LaSalle, Obsession, Columbia, 1976
• Sam Sebastian/Spitzler, The Big Fix, Universal, 1978
• Lucas Sergeant, All That Jazz, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1979
• Paul Philips, Rich Kids, United Artists, 1979
• Burke, Blow Out, Filmways, 1981
• George S. Kaufman, Kaufman at Large, 1981
• Mr. Brunner, I'm Dancing As Fast As I Can, Paramount, 1981
• Roberta Muldoon, The World According to Garp, Warner Bros., 1982
• John Valentine, "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet," Twilight Zone: The Movie, Warner Bros., 1983
• Sam Burns, Terms of Endearment, Paramount, 1983
• Dr. Emilio Lizardo and Lord John Whorfin, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai: Across the Eighth Dimension (also known as The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai and Buckaroo Banzai), Twentieth Century-Fox, 1984
• Reverend Shaw Moore, Footloose, Paramount, 1984
• Walter Curnow, 2010 (also known as 2010: The Year We Make Contact), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists, 1984
• (Uncredited) Himself, 2010: The Odyssey Continues, 1984
• B. Z., Santa Claus: The Movie (also known as Santa Claus),TriStar, 1985
• Dr. John Mathewson, The Manhattan Project (also known as DeadlyGame), Twentieth Century-Fox, 1986
• Oliver Thompson, Mesmerized (also known as Shocked), [Australia, New Zealand, and England], 1986
• George Henderson, Harry and the Hendersons (also known as Bigfoot and the Hendersons), Universal, 1987
• Mark Lambert, Distant Thunder, Paramount, 1988
• Dave Geary, Out Cold, Hemdale, 1989
• Lieutenant Colonel Bruce Derringer, Memphis Belle, Warner Bros., 1990
• Leslie Huben, At Play in the Fields of the Lord (also known as Brincando nos campos do Senhor), Universal, 1991
• Earl Talbot Blake, Ricochet, Warner Bros., 1991
• Dr. Nix, Carter Nix, Cain Nix, Josh, and Margo, Raising Cain, Universal, 1992
• Eric Qualen, Cliffhanger (also known as Cliffhanger--l'ultima sfida and Cliffhanger, traque au sommet), TriStar, 1993
• Smith Keen, The Pelican Brief, Warner Bros., 1993
• Professor Wilkinson, Princess Caraboo, TriStar, 1994
• British High Commissioner Arthur Fanshawe, A Good Man in Africa, Gramercy, 1994
• Dr. Harlinger, Silent Fall, Warner Bros., 1994
• Sangre, 1996
• Malcolm and Robert Stockman, Homegrown, TriStar, 1998
• Judge Walter J. Skinner, A Civil Action, Buena Vista, 1998
• Narrator, Officer Buckle and Gloria, O'Plenty Animation, 1998
• Portofino, Storm Entertainment, 1999
• Voice of Jean-Claude, Rugrats in Paris: The Movie (animated; alsoknown as Rugrats in Paris: The Movie--Rugrats II and Rugrats in Paris--Der Film), Paramount, 2000
• C-Scam, Landscape Films, 2000
• Voice of Lord Farquaad of Duloc, Shrek (animated), DreamWorks, 2001
• Bud Brumder, Orange County, Paramount, 2002
• Television Appearances
• Series
• Host, American Cinema, PBS, 1995
• Dick Solomon, 3rd Rock from the Sun (also known as Life As We Know It and 3rd Rock), NBC, 1996-2001
• Miniseries
• Franklin Delano Roosevelt, World War II: When Lions Roared (also known as Then There Were Giants and World War II ... Then There WereGiants), NBC, 1994
• Voice, The West, PBS, 1996
• Movies
• Wally, Mom, the Wolfman, and Me, syndicated, 1980
• Richard Carruthers, Not in Front of the Children, CBS, 1982
• Joe Huxley, The Day After, ABC, 1983
• Marty Welborn, The Glitter Dome, HBO, 1984
• Major Kendall Laird, Resting Place, CBS, 1986
• Neil Scott, Baby Girl Scott, CBS, 1987
• Ben Cluett, The Traveling Man, HBO, 1990
• Robert Carter, The Ivory Hunters (also known as The Last Elephant and White Gold), TNT, 1990
• Artie Margulies, The Boys (also known as The Guys), ABC, 1991
• Phillip Mills, The Wrong Man, Showtime, 1993
• Paul Harrington, Love, Cheat and Steal, Showtime, 1994
• Bob Bradley and Tom Bradley, My Brother's Keeper, CBS, 1995
• Senator Conyers, The Tuskegee Airmen, HBO, 1995
• Thomas Livingston, Hollow Point (also known as Rysk Roulette), HBO, 1996
• Sergeant Larry Skovik, Johnny Skidmarks, HBO, 1998
• Don Quixote de la Mancha/Alonso Quixano, Don Quixote, TNT, 2000
• Specials
• Paul Unger, "The Country Girl," Hallmark Hall of Fame, NBC, 1974
• Thorne, "Secret Service," Great Performances, PBS, 1977
• Clarence Sickenger, The Oldest Living Graduate, 1980
• "Big Blonde" (also known as "Dorothy Parker's Big Blond"), Great Performances, PBS, 1980
• An ABC Theatre Presentation, ABC, 1983
• Hallmark Hall of Fame, NBC, 1985
• Night of 100 Stars III (also known as Night of One Hundred Stars), NBC, 1990
• Happy Birthday, Bugs: 50 Looney Years (also known as HollywoodCelebrates Bugs Bunny's 50th Birthday), CBS, 1990
• Masters of Illusion: The Wizards of Special Effects, 1994
• Laird Riordan, "Redwood Curtain," Hallmark Hall of Fame, ABC, 1995
• Host, Christmas in Washington, NBC, 1996
• Christopher Reeve: A Celebration of Hope, ABC, 1998
• Narrator, National Geographic Millennium Special, NBC, 1999
• Himself and Lord Farquaad, Creating a Fairy Tale World: The Making of"Shrek," 2001
• Awards Presentations
• The 41st Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1987
• The 42nd Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1988
• The 43rd Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1989
• Presenter, The 11th Annual CableACE Awards (also known as The Golden ACE Awards), syndicated, 1990
• Presenter, The 64th Annual Academy Awards Presentation, ABC, 1992
• Presenter, The 46th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, 1994
• Presenter, The 47th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, 1995
• The 50th Annual Tony Awards, 1996
• Presenter, The 1996 Emmy Awards, 1996
• Presenter, The Second Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, 1996
• Presenter, The Screen Actors Guild Awards, 1997
• Presenter, The 52nd Annual Tony Awards, 1998
• Dick Soloman, The 51st Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, Fox, 1999
• Episodic
• Father, "Goldilocks and the Three Bears," Faerie Tale Theatre, Showtime, 1984
• Host, Saturday Night Live (also known as NBC's Saturday Night, Saturday Night, and SNL), NBC, 1985
• John Walters, "The Doll," Amazing Stories, NBC, 1986
• Host, Saturday Night Live (also known as NBC's Saturday Night, Saturday Night, and SNL), NBC, 1987, 1988
• Guest caller Madman Martinez, "Someone to Watch over Me," Frasier,NBC, 1995
• Dr. Oscar Charles, "You, Murderer," Tales from the Crypt, HBO, 1995
• Manny Rosenberg, 3rd Rock from the Sun (also known as Life As We Know It), NBC, 1996
• Narrator, "Special Effects: Anything Can Happen" (also known as "SpecialEffects"), Nova, PBS, 1996
• Himself, "UFOs," Dennis Miller Live, HBO, 1997
• "Superstar," Cosby, CBS, 1999
• The View, ABC, 2001 and 2002
• "Ronnie Corbett," Heroes of Comedy, 2002
• Other
• Alexander, The Country Mouse & the City Mouse: A Christmas Tale, 1993
• Television Work
• Movies
• Co-executive producer, Don Quixote, TNT, 2000
• Stage Appearances
• (Stage debut) Henry VI, Part III, c. 1951
• Mustardseed, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Antioch Shakespeare Festival, Antioch, OH, 1953
• Bunthorne, Patience, Highfield Theatre, Falmouth, MA, 1965
• Peachum, The Beggar's Opera, Highfield Theatre, 1965
• Don Andres, La Perichole, Highfield Theatre, 1965
• Lord Chancellor, Iolanthe, Highfield Theatre, 1965
• Henry Higgins, Pygmalion, McCarter Theatre, Princeton, NJ, 1969-1970
• Lennie, Of Mice and Men, McCarter Theatre, 1969-1970
• Achilles, Troilus and Cressida, McCarter Theatre, 1969-1970
• Sir, The Roar of the Greasepaint, the Smell of the Crowd, Bucks County Playhouse, New Hope, PA, 1970
• Dr. Talacryn, Hadrian VII, Bucks County Playhouse, 1970
• Captain Vale, The Magistrate, Bucks County Playhouse, 1970
• Kiper, What Price Glory?, Long Wharf Theatre, New Haven, CT, 1972
• Arthur, Trelawney of the Wells, Long Wharf Theatre, 1972
• Nicholas, The Lady's Not for Burning, Long Wharf Theatre, 1972
• Kendall, The Changing Room, Long Wharf Theatre, 1972, then MoroscoTheatre, New York City, 1973
• James, My Fat Friend, Brooks Atkinson Theatre, New York City, 1973
• Michael, The Prodigal Daughter, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, DC, 1973
• Gadd, Trelawney of the Wells, Lincoln Center, New York City, 1975
• Hamlet, off-Broadway production, 1975
• Ged Murray, Comedians, Music Box Theatre, New York City, 1976-1977
• Secret Service, Phoenix Theatre, New York City, 1976
• Boy Meets Girl, Phoenix Theatre, 1976
• Mat Burke, Anna Christie, Imperial Theatre, New York City, 1977
• George Lewis, Once in a Lifetime, Circle in the Square Theatre, New York City, 1978
• Frank, Spokesong, Circle in the Square Theatre, 1979
• Trevor, Bedroom Farce, Brooks Atkinson Theatre, 1979
• Joe Hill, Salt Lake City Skyline, New York Shakespeare Festival, Public Theatre, New York City, 1980
• Chris, Division Street, Ambassador Theatre, New York City, then Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles, 1980
• George S. Kaufman, Kaufman at Large (solo show), Phoenix Theatre,1981
• Bruce, Beyond Therapy, Brooks Atkinson Theatre, 1982
• Harlan "Mountain" McClintock, Requiem for a Heavyweight, Long Wharf Theatre, 1984, then Martin Beck Theatre, New York City, 1985
• Walter Burns, The Front Page, Vivian Beaumont Theatre, Lincoln Center, New York City, 1986
• Rene Gallimard, M. Butterfly, Eugene O'Neill Theatre, New York City, 1988-1990
• George, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, James A. Doolittle Theatre, Los Angeles, 1989
• Night of 100 Stars III (also known as Night of One Hundred Stars), Radio City Music Hall, New York City, 1990
• J. J. Hunsecker, Sweet Smell of Success, Chicago, IL, 2001, then Martin Beck Theatre, 2002
• Appeared in Shakespearean roles at the Great Lakes Shakespeare Festival,Cleveland, OH, 1963-64; also appeared in A Memory of Two Mondays, Phoenix Theatre.
• Major Tours
• Perfectly Ridiculous Tour, U.S. cities, 2001
• Stage Work
• Director
• As You Like It, McCarter Theatre, Princeton, NJ, 1968
• Much Ado about Nothing, McCarter Theatre, 1969
• The Way of the World, McCarter Theatre, 1970
• The Magistrate, Bucks County Playhouse, New Hope, PA, 1970
• Barefoot in the Park, Bucks County Playhouse, 1970
• Abduction from the Seraglio, New Jersey Opera Theatre, Princeton,1970
• The Beaux Stratagem, Center Stage, Baltimore, MD, 1972
• A Pagan Place, Long Wharf Theatre, New Haven, CT, 1973
• Boy Meets Girl, Phoenix Theatre, New York City, 1976
• Kaufman at Large, Phoenix Theatre, 1981
• Radio Appearances
• Under the Gun (series), WBAI-FM (New York City), 1972-1973
• Voice of Yoda for The Empire Strikes Back, National Public Radio.
• Radio Producer
• Series
• Under the Gun, WBAI-FM (New York City), 1972-1973
• RECORDINGS
• Videos
• Expectations, Labor Institute of Public Affairs, 1986
• Babysongs Presents John Lithgow's Kid-Size Concert, Backyard Productions/Propaganda Films/Pancake Productions, 1990
• Singing voice of Lord Farquaad, Shrek: Swamp Karaoke Dance Party,2001
• Albums
• (With Anthony Daniels and Ed Asner) Star Wars: Return of the Jedi; TheOriginal Radio Drama, HighBridge, 1996
• Singin' in the Bathtub, Sony, 1999
• Also recorded the children's album Farkle and Friends.
• Audio Books
• The Bonfire of the Vanities by Tom Wolfe, 1988
• Saint Maybe by Anne Taylor, Random House, 1991
• Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories by Dr. Seuss, Random House, 1992
• Disclosure by Michael Crichton, Random House, 1994
• (With Peggy Rathman) Officer Buckle and Gloria, Weston Woods, 1997
• (With B. D. Wong) M. Butterfly by David Henry Hwang, L.A. TheatreWorks, 2001
• WRITINGS
• Stage
• Kaufman at Large (solo show; based on letters of George S. Kaufman), produced at Phoenix Theatre, New York City, 1981
• Radio Series
• Under the Gun, WBAI-FM (New York City), 1972-1973
• Children's Books
• The Remarkable Farkle McBride, illustrated by C. F. Payne, Simon & Schuster (New York City), 2000
• Marsupial Sue, with compact disc, illustrated by Jack E. Davis, Simon & Schuster, 2001
• Micawber, illustrated by Payne, Simon & Schuster, 2002

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Periodicals

• Entertainment Weekly, February 2, 1996, p. 47; December 27, 1996,pp. 32-33
• New York Times, May 10, 2002, pp. AR13, AR15
• Parade, September 29, 1996, pp. 4-6; March 12, 2000, p. 18
• Starlog, March, 1996