John Lithgow

John Lithgow
John Lithgow in 2007
Born	John Arthur Lithgow October 19, 1945 (1945-10-19) (age 64) Rochester, New York, USA
Spouse(s)	Mary Yeager (1981-present) Phoebe Jean Taynton (1966-1980)
Awards won Emmy Awards Outstanding Lead Actor - Comedy Series 19963rd Rock from the Sun 19973rd Rock from the Sun 1999 3rd Rock from the Sun Outstanding Guest Actor - Drama Series 1986 Amazing Stories Golden Globe Awards Best Actor - Television Comedy/Musical 1997 3rd Rock from the Sun Screen Actors Guild Awards Best Male Actor - Comedy Series 1996 3rd Rock from the Sun 1997 3rd Rock from the Sun Tony Awards Best Leading Actor - Musical 2002 Sweet Smell of Success Best Featured Actor - Play 1973 The Changing Room Other awards Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor (film) 1984 The Twilight Zone: The Movie NYFCC Award - Best Supporting Actor 1982 The World According to Garp

John Arthur Lithgow (pronounced /ˈlɪθɡoʊ̪/; born October 19, 1945) is an American actor perhaps best-known for his starring role as Dr. Dick Solomon in the NBC sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun. He has also achieved success on stage, film, and radio. He has earned multiple Emmy Awards and Tony Awards, as well as two Oscar nominations. He has also recorded music for children.

Biography

Early life

Lithgow was born in Rochester, New York. His mother, Sarah Jane (née Price), was a retired actress, and his Dominican-born father, Arthur Lithgow, was a theatrical producer and director who ran the McCarter Theatre in Princeton, New Jersey.^[1][2] Because of his father's job, the family moved frequently during Lithgow's childhood.

Lithgow went to Harvard University, where he graduated magna cum laude in 1967. He lived in Adams House as an undergraduate. He lived in the same freshman dorm as former Vice President Al Gore and actor Tommy Lee Jones. Lithgow later served on its Board of Overseers. Lithgow credits a performance at Harvard of Gilbert and Sullivan's Utopia Limited with helping him decide to become an actor.^[3] After graduation, Lithgow won a Fulbright Scholarship to study at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.

Stage career

In 1973, Lithgow debuted on Broadway in David Storey's The Changing Room, for which he received both the Tony and Drama Desk Award as Best Featured Actor in a Play. The following year he starred opposite Lynn Redgrave in My Fat Friend and in 1976 played opposite Meryl Streep in Arthur Miller's A Memory of Two Mondays. He was nominated for two Best Actor Tonys for Requiem for a Heavyweight (1985) and M. Butterfly (1988).

In 2002, Lithgow won a Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical for his portrayal of J.J. Hunsecker in the Broadway adaptation of the 1957 film Sweet Smell of Success. In 2005, Lithgow was elected into the American Theatre Hall of Fame for his work on Broadway. He was also nominated for a Best Leading Actor in a Musical Tony for Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.

In 2008, Lithgow played Joe Keller in a Broadway revival of Arther Miller's All My Sons.^[4]

Film career

In 1979, Lithgow portrayed the role of Lucas Sergeant in Bob Fosse's semi-autobiographical movie All That Jazz. The character was loosely based on the real-life director/choreographer Michael Bennett, best known for his work on Dreamgirls and A Chorus Line.^[5]

In 1983 and 1984, 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. Lithgow originated the character of Dr. Emilio Lizardo/Lord John Whorfin, a psychotic Italian physicist inhabited by an evil alien, which he played in the 1984 cult classic The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension. In 1984, Lithgow also played the moralistic anti-dancing, anti-rock pastor in Footloose and later the role of American space engineer Walter Curnow in 2010, the sequel to the science fiction classic 2001: A Space Odyssey.

In 1983, Lithgow played John Valentine in a remake of the classic Twilight Zone episode "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet" in Twilight Zone: The Movie as the paranoid passenger once made famous on the television show by William Shatner. (This was referenced in an episode of 3rd Rock from the Sun in which William Shatner portrayed the Big Giant Head, the overseer of the Solomons' expedition to Earth.) In 1992, he starred as the main role in Brian De Palma's film Raising Cain, and in 1993, starred as Eric Qualen in the Sylvester Stallone movie Cliffhanger.

In 1987, Lithgow starred in the Bigfoot-themed family comedy, Harry and the Hendersons. In 2001, Lithgow provided the voice acting for the villainous Lord Farquaad in the hit animated movie Shrek. In 2002, he narrated Life's Greatest Miracle, a sex education film, while in 2004, he portrayed the moralistic, rigid father of Alfred Kinsey in that year's biopic Kinsey. 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.

Television career

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 was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in the category "Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series" in each of the program's six seasons and won three times, in 1996, 1997, and 1999. In 1986, Lithgow received a Primetime Emmy Award in the category "Outstanding Guest Performer in a Drama Series" for his appearance in an episode of the Amazing Stories anthology show.

Additionally, Lithgow has been nominated for an "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Special" Emmy for The Day After (1983), two "Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Special" Emmys 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.

Children's entertainment

Lithgow reading a book to children

Lithgow is also dedicated to his work for children, including several books and albums geared towards kids. 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, and Mahalia Mouse Goes to College.

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,” with decidedly animated performances geared towards children. Produced by JC Hopkins (Victoria Williams, JC Hopkins Biggish Band featuring Norah Jones), the album features guest appearances by Madeleine Peyroux, Wayne Knight (Seinfeld's Newman), Broadway's Sherie Rene Scott (Aida, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) and cabaret star Maude Maggart. Lithgow also makes occasional appearances on stage and television singing children's songs and accompanying himself on guitar.

Other appearances

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. 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 childrens computer game, and guides them through the steps to finish a pre-designed book[1].

Personal life

Lithgow currently resides in Los Angeles although he has recently bought a house in Ilkley, Yorkshire and is believed to be retiring to the area. He has been married twice, to Jean Taynton from 1966 to 1980, and Mary Yeager since 1981. He is the father of three children: Ian (born in 1972) from his marriage to Taynton; and Phoebe McCurtain (born in 1982) and Nathan George (born in 1983) from his marriage to Yeager. Ian made regular appearances on Third Rock from the Sun as Leon, a particularly slow student in Prof. Solomon's class.

Lithgow is a registered pastor of Rose Ministries,^[6] and has officiated the wedding of his goddaughter.

He is a descendant of the poet Anne Bradstreet.

Work

Filmography

Stage

• 1973 The Changing Room (Tony Award - Best Featured Actor in a Play)
• 1974 My Fat Friend
• 1975 Trelawny of the \"Wells\" (revival)
• 1976 A Memory of Two Mondays
• 1976 Boy Meets Girl (revival)(Director) and Secret Service (revival)
• 1976 Comedians
• 1977 Anna Christie (revival)
• 1978 Once in a Lifetime (revival)
• 1979 Spokesong
• 1980 Division Street
• 1982 Beyond Therapy
• 1985 Requiem for a Heavyweight (Tony Nomination - Best Actor in a Play)
• 1986 The Front Page (revival)
• 1988 M. Butterfly (Tony Nomination - Best Actor in a Play)
• 2002 Sweet Smell of Success (Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical)
• 2003 The Retreat From Moscow
• 2005 Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Tony Nomination - Best Actor in a Musical)
• 2008 All My Sons(planned)

Discography

• Singin' in the Bathtub (1999, Sony Wonder)
• 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)
• Marsupial Sue Presents "The Runaway Pancake", (2005,Simon & Schuster)
• Mahalia Mouse Goes to College, (2007,Simon & Schuster)

References

External links

• John Lithgow official website
• John Lithgow at the Internet Broadway Database
• John Lithgow at the Internet Movie Database
• John Lithgow at the TCM Movie Database
• John Lithgow at TV.com

• Profile of John Lithgow - Downstage Center
• American Theatre Wing - 2005 interview
• 2006 bio article on Lithgow
• Razor and Tie Artist Page
• Razor and Tie Media Page
• TonyAwards.com Interview with John Lithgow
• John Lithgow speaks at the Oxonian Society November 15, 2007
• Books By You