Christopher Guest

Biography

Christopher Guest is an American-British actor, writer, and director known for mockumentary-style comedies. He began in theater in the early 1970s with Moonchildren at Arena Stage and on Broadway, then wrote and performed for National Lampoon. He was a cast member on Saturday Night Live for the 1984 to 1985 season. Guest co-wrote and played Nigel Tufnel in This Is Spinal Tap (1984), then wrote, directed, and starred in improvised satires, among them Best in Show (2000) and Waiting for Guffman (1996), plus A Mighty Wind (2003) and For Your Consideration (2006). He also directed Mascots (2016). His acting work includes The Princess Bride (1987), Death Wish (1974), A Few Good Men (1992), Little Shop of Horrors (1986), Mrs Henderson Presents (2005), and The Invention of Lying (2009). He co-wrote and produced the HBO series Family Tree and returned as Nigel Tufnel in Spinal Tap II: The End Continues (2025).

78years old

Turns 79 on February 5in 116 days

Born February 5, 1948New York City
Star sign: AquariusThe sign runs January 20 to February 18
Also credited as Christopher Haden-Guest, 5th Baron Haden-Guest

Movie Career

Films: 24
Career span: 53 years1972 to 2025

Genres

Comedy83%, 20 films
Music25%, 6 films
Drama17%, 4 films
Action13%, 3 films
Adventure13%, 3 films

First and latest

Photos

Did you know?!

First role
Guest started his theater career in the early 1970s. One of his first professional parts was Norman in Michael Weller's Moonchildren, which had its American premiere at Arena Stage in Washington, DC, in November 1971, and he stayed with it when it reached Broadway in 1972.
Behind the camera
For his mockumentaries, Guest and writing partner Eugene Levy wrote character backgrounds and scene notecards, then let actors improvise the dialogue, and everyone in the cast received the same fee and profit share.

Christopher Guest movies on Netflix

Spinal Tap II: The End Continues2025IMDb rating 6.4as Nigel Tufnel
Misery Loves Comedy2015IMDb rating 6.3as Himself
Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian2009IMDb rating 6.0as Ivan the Terrible
The Invention of Lying2009IMDb rating 6.4as Nathan Goldfrappe
For Your Consideration2006IMDb rating 6.3as Jay Berman
Mrs Henderson Presents2005IMDb rating 7.0as Lord Cromer
A Mighty Wind2003IMDb rating 7.2as Alan Barrows
Best in Show2000IMDb rating 7.5as Harlan Pepper
Waiting for Guffman1996IMDb rating 7.4as Corky St. Clair
A Few Good Men1992IMDb rating 7.8as Dr. Stone
A Spinal Tap Reunion: The 25th Anniversary London Sell-Out1992IMDb rating 6.4as Nigel Tufnel (Spinal Tap) / Alan Barrows (The Folksmen)
A Year and a Half in the Life of Metallica1992IMDb rating 8.1as Nigel Tufnel
Sticky Fingers1988IMDb rating 4.7as Sam
Beyond Therapy1987IMDb rating 4.7as Bob
The Princess Bride1987IMDb rating 8.0as Count Tyrone Rugen
Little Shop of Horrors1986IMDb rating 7.1as The First Customer
This Is Spinal Tap1984IMDb rating 7.9as Nigel Tufnel
Heartbeeps1981IMDb rating 4.3as Calvin
The Long Riders1980IMDb rating 6.9as Charlie Ford
Girlfriends1978IMDb rating 7.2as Eric
Shame of the Jungle1975IMDb rating 5.0as Chief M'Bulu / Short / Nurse (voice)
The Fortune1975IMDb rating 5.7as Boy Lover
Death Wish1974IMDb rating 6.9as Patrolman Reilly
The Hot Rock1972IMDb rating 6.8as Policeman

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

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This Is Spinal Tap1984 Comedy, Musicas Nigel Tufnel
IMDb rating 7.9162K votes
The Princess Bride1987 Adventure, Comedy, Familyas Count Tyrone Rugen
IMDb rating 8.0491K votes
Best in Show2000as Harlan Pepper
IMDb rating 7.577K votes
Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian2009as Ivan the Terrible
IMDb rating 6.0232K votes
Waiting for Guffman1996as Corky St. Clair
IMDb rating 7.434K votes
A Mighty Wind2003as Alan Barrows
IMDb rating 7.232K votes
A Few Good Men1992as Dr. Stone
IMDb rating 7.8322K votes
For Your Consideration2006as Jay Berman
IMDb rating 6.318K votes

Most often with

Rob Reiner directed four of these films. Michael McKean appears in seven of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

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Michael McKean

Harry Shearer

Bob Balaban

Parker Posey

Eugene Levy

Catherine O'Hara

Rob ReinerDirector, 4 films

Films together

Michael McKean7 films together, 1984 to 2025
Michael McKean's page
- Spinal Tap II: The End Continues2025IMDb rating 6.4Guest as Nigel TufnelMcKean as David St. Hubbins
- For Your Consideration2006IMDb rating 6.3Guest as Jay BermanMcKean as Lane Iverson
- A Mighty Wind2003IMDb rating 7.2Guest as Alan BarrowsMcKean as Jerry Palter
- Best in Show2000IMDb rating 7.5Guest as Harlan PepperMcKean as Stefan Vanderhoof
- A Spinal Tap Reunion: The 25th Anniversary London Sell-Out1992IMDb rating 6.4Guest as Nigel Tufnel (Spinal Tap) / Alan Barrows (The Folksmen)McKean as David St. Hubbins (Spinal Tap) / Jerry Palter (The Folksmen)
- A Year and a Half in the Life of Metallica1992IMDb rating 8.1Guest as Nigel TufnelMcKean as David St. Hubbins
- This Is Spinal Tap1984IMDb rating 7.9Guest as Nigel TufnelMcKean as David St. Hubbins
Harry Shearer6 films together, 1984 to 2025
Harry Shearer's page
- Spinal Tap II: The End Continues2025IMDb rating 6.4Guest as Nigel TufnelShearer as Derek Smalls
- For Your Consideration2006IMDb rating 6.3Guest as Jay BermanShearer as Victor Allan Miller
- A Mighty Wind2003IMDb rating 7.2Guest as Alan BarrowsShearer as Mark Shubb
- A Spinal Tap Reunion: The 25th Anniversary London Sell-Out1992IMDb rating 6.4Guest as Nigel Tufnel (Spinal Tap) / Alan Barrows (The Folksmen)Shearer as Derek Smalls (Spinal Tap) / Mark Shubb (The Folksmen)
- A Year and a Half in the Life of Metallica1992IMDb rating 8.1Guest as Nigel TufnelShearer as Derek Smalls
- This Is Spinal Tap1984IMDb rating 7.9Guest as Nigel TufnelShearer as Derek Smalls
Bob Balaban5 films together, 1978 to 2006
Bob Balaban's page
- For Your Consideration2006IMDb rating 6.3Guest as Jay BermanBalaban as Philip Koontz
- A Mighty Wind2003IMDb rating 7.2Guest as Alan BarrowsBalaban as Jonathan Steinbloom
- Best in Show2000IMDb rating 7.5Guest as Harlan PepperBalaban as Dr. Theodore W. Millbank, III
- Waiting for Guffman1996IMDb rating 7.4Guest as Corky St. ClairBalaban as Lloyd Miller
- Girlfriends1978IMDb rating 7.2Guest as EricBalaban as Martin
Parker Posey4 films together, 1996 to 2006
Parker Posey's page
- For Your Consideration2006IMDb rating 6.3Guest as Jay BermanPosey as Callie Webb
- A Mighty Wind2003IMDb rating 7.2Guest as Alan BarrowsPosey as Sissy Knox
- Best in Show2000IMDb rating 7.5Guest as Harlan PepperPosey as Meg Swan
- Waiting for Guffman1996IMDb rating 7.4Guest as Corky St. ClairPosey as Libby Mae Brown
Eugene Levy4 films together, 1996 to 2006
Eugene Levy's page
- For Your Consideration2006IMDb rating 6.3Guest as Jay BermanLevy as Morley Orfkin
- A Mighty Wind2003IMDb rating 7.2Guest as Alan BarrowsLevy as Mitch Cohen
- Best in Show2000IMDb rating 7.5Guest as Harlan PepperLevy as Gerry Fleck
- Waiting for Guffman1996IMDb rating 7.4Guest as Corky St. ClairLevy as Dr. Allan Pearl
Catherine O'Hara4 films together, 1996 to 2006
Catherine O'Hara's page
- For Your Consideration2006IMDb rating 6.3Guest as Jay BermanO'Hara as Marilyn Hack
- A Mighty Wind2003IMDb rating 7.2Guest as Alan BarrowsO'Hara as Mickey Crabbe
- Best in Show2000IMDb rating 7.5Guest as Harlan PepperO'Hara as Cookie Fleck
- Waiting for Guffman1996IMDb rating 7.4Guest as Corky St. ClairO'Hara as Sheila Albertson
Rob ReinerDirector, 4 films, 1984 to 2025
All films by Rob Reiner
- Spinal Tap II: The End Continues2025IMDb rating 6.4Guest as Nigel Tufnel
- A Few Good Men1992IMDb rating 7.8Guest as Dr. Stone
- The Princess Bride1987IMDb rating 8.0Guest as Count Tyrone Rugen
- This Is Spinal Tap1984IMDb rating 7.9Guest as Nigel Tufnel
Also four films together1 more actor
- Fred WillardFor Your Consideration (2006), Best in Show (2000), Waiting for Guffman (1996) and A Spinal Tap Reunion: The 25th Anniversary London Sell-Out (1992)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Box office

What Christopher Guest's films earned in cinemas worldwide.

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Combined worldwide box office

$936 million

15 of the 24 films have a worldwide figure.

15Worldwide figure
4US gross only
1Never in cinemas
4Figure not found

Top grosser

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian2009Ivan the Terrible$413 million

Highest grossing

The eight biggest films earned 96% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.

1
Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian2009as Ivan the Terrible
$413M44.1% of the total
2
A Few Good Men1992as Dr. Stone
$243M26.0% of the total
3
Death Wish1974as Patrolman Reilly
$77M8.2% of the total
4
Little Shop of Horrors1986as The First Customer
$54M5.8% of the total
5
The Invention of Lying2009as Nathan Goldfrappe
$32M3.5% of the total
6
The Princess Bride1987as Count Tyrone Rugen
$31M3.3% of the total
7
Mrs Henderson Presents2005as Lord Cromer
$28M3.0% of the total
8
A Mighty Wind2003as Alan Barrows
$19M2.0% of the total