John Michael Higgins

John Michael Higgins (born February 12, 1963) is an American actor whose film credits include Christopher Guest's mockumentaries, the role of David Letterman in HBO's The Late Shift, and a starring role in the American version of Kath & Kim. He recently portrayed Peter Lovett in the TV Land original sitcom Happily Divorced.

Early life

Higgins was born in Boston, Massachusetts. Known as "Mike Higgins" as he was growing up,^{[citation needed]} he went to Walter Johnson High School in Bethesda, Maryland, and graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Summa Cum Laude from Amherst College in 1985, where he led the all-male a cappella group, The Zumbyes.

Career

In 1991, Higgins was featured in Broadway's La Bête and, in 2000, he was seen Off-Broadway at Second Stage Theatre in a production of Edward Albee's Tiny Alice. He also originated the title role in Paul Rudnick's Jeffrey Off-Broadway in 1994.

Higgins' numerous television credits include recurring characters on Ally McBeal, Brother's Keeper, Boston Legal and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show. In Season 8 of Seinfeld, he portrayed Elaine's boyfriend Kurt. He also played attorney Wayne Jarvis in five episodes of Arrested Development. Higgins arranged the dense vocal harmonies sung by the New Main Street Singers in 2003's A Mighty Wind. Recently, Higgins has gained more recognition by being featured in the films Fun with Dick and Jane and The Break-Up, for which he also wrote vocal arrangements. His work as a voice actor includes the role of Judge Mentok in Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law and 2401 Penitent Tangent in Halo 2 and Riddler in Batman: The Brave and the Bold. Higgins is also remembered for portraying David Letterman in the HBO TV film The Late Shift. Higgins could also be seen in the introductory video for the Epcot attraction Test Track. However, the ride was refurbished in 2012 and the introductory video room was removed.

Higgins directs and appears on the stage from time to time as well. In 2004, he played Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld in the American premiere of David Hare's Stuff Happens at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles. In 2003, he played the title role in A. R. Gurney's Big Bill at New York's Lincoln Center Theater.

Higgins has been featured in TV ads for DirecTV alongside fellow Christopher Guest co-star Ed Begley, Jr. and for Old Navy. He also stars in season 2 of TNT's Raising the Bar as an openly gay, rule-obsessed judge. Higgins took part in The Suite Life On Deck, taking the role as the obnoxious and secluded Mr. Tipton.

In 2011, Higgins was cast in Happily Divorced opposite Fran Drescher. He played Fran's gay ex-husband, Peter Lovett, a character based on Drescher's real-life gay ex-husband Peter Marc Jacobson.

In 2012, Higgins was cast in The Legend of Korra as the voice of corrupt businessman Varrick.

Filmography

External links

• John Michael Higgins at the Internet Movie Database
• 10 Questions: John Michael Higgins at Filmforce.ign.com
• The Amherst College Zumbyes
• John Michael Higgins in 'My Uncle Rafael'