John Lithgow
Biography
John Lithgow is an American actor known for his work on stage and screen. Born in Rochester, New York, he grew up around his father's theater work and studied at Harvard and LAMDA. He made his Broadway debut in The Changing Room (1972) and won a Tony Award, beginning a long run of theater roles that brought him further Tonys for Sweet Smell of Success and Giant. On television he starred as Dick Solomon in 3rd Rock from the Sun, winning three Emmy Awards, and later earned Emmys for Dexter and The Crown, where he played Winston Churchill. His film work includes Academy Award nominations for The World According to Garp and Terms of Endearment, plus roles in Shrek (2001), Interstellar (2014), Love Is Strange (2014), Killers of the Flower Moon (2023), and Conclave (2024).
80years old
Turns 81 on October 19in 1 day
- Born Rochester
- Star sign: LibraThe sign runs September 23 to October 22
- Also credited as John Arthur Lithgow
Movie Career
- Films
- 64
- Career span
- 48 years1976 to 2024
Genres
First and latest
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Did you know?!
A role that slipped away
John Lithgow was asked about taking the role of Dr. Frasier Crane on Cheers, but he said no to it.
First role
Lithgow's Broadway debut came in 1973, when he appeared at the Morosco Theatre in David Storey's The Changing Room as Kenny Kendal, an English rugby player. His work in the play earned him a Drama Desk Award and the Tony Award for Featured Actor in a Play.
A first
Lithgow was the first actor to give Harvard's commencement speech, and the university gave him an honorary Doctor of Arts.
Getting ready for a role
Lithgow prepared to play Winston Churchill by spending two days fitting a fatsuit and wearing a wig and mouth plumpers.
Behind the camera
In 2003, Lithgow appeared with the New York City Ballet as nurse Mabel Buntz, the elephant character, in Christopher Wheeldon's ballet Carnival of the Animals, for which he also wrote the narrations.
Early training
Lithgow earned a Fulbright Scholarship when he finished his studies at Harvard, and he used it to attend the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.
John Lithgow movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Brian De Palma directed three of these films, Vicky Jenson two and Jay Roach two. Stanley Tucci appears in three 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.
Films together
Stanley Tucci's page
Brian Cox's page
Richard Dreyfuss's page
Dan Aykroyd's page
John Travolta's page
Nicole Kidman's page
All films by Brian De Palma
All films by Vicky Jenson
Jay RoachDirector, 2 films, 2012 to 2019
All films by Jay Roach
Also two films together34 more actors
- Jack BlackOrange County (2002) and Johnny Skidmarks (1998)
- Will FerrellDaddy's Home 2 (2017) and The Campaign (2012)
- Charlize TheronBombshell (2019) and The Life and Death of Peter Sellers (2004)
- Denzel WashingtonThe Pelican Brief (1993) and Ricochet (1991)
- Kevin KlineThe Investigation: A Search for the Truth in Ten Acts (2019) and Princess Caraboo (1994)
- Dylan BakerMiss Sloane (2016) and Kinsey (2004)
- Dan HedayaA Civil Action (1998) and The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984)
- Eddie MurphyDreamgirls (2006) and Shrek (2001)
- Stephen FryThe Life and Death of Peter Sellers (2004) and A Civil Action (1998)
- Anna KendrickPitch Perfect 3 (2017) and The Accountant (2016)
- Matt ClarkHomegrown (1998) and The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984)
- Isabella RosselliniConclave (2024) and Don Quixote (2000)
- Jessica ChastainMiss Sloane (2016) and Interstellar (2014)
- Leslie MannThis Is 40 (2012) and Orange County (2002)
- David OyelowoInterstellar (2014) and Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)
- Kathleen QuinlanA Civil Action (1998) and Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)
- John KrasinskiDreamgirls (2006) and Kinsey (2004)
- Albert BrooksThis Is 40 (2012) and Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)
- Hume CronynThe Pelican Brief (1993) and The World According to Garp (1982)
- Cynthia NixonThe Pelican Brief (1993) and The Manhattan Project (1986)
- Jesse PlemonsKillers of the Flower Moon (2023) and The Homesman (2014)
- Connie BrittonBombshell (2019) and Beatriz at Dinner (2017)
- Amy LandeckerBombshell (2019) and Beatriz at Dinner (2017)
- John FinnCliffhanger (1993) and The Pelican Brief (1993)
- Hugh DancyLate Night (2019) and Confessions of a Shopaholic (2009)
- Hailee SteinfeldPitch Perfect 3 (2017) and The Homesman (2014)
- John CullumLove Is Strange (2014) and The Day After (1983)
- John McMartinKinsey (2004) and Blow Out (1981)
- J. Patrick McNamaraBlow Out (1981) and Obsession (1976)
- Peter EyreDon Quixote (2000) and Princess Caraboo (1994)
- Robert ItoHollow Point (1996) and The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984)
- John EarlyLate Night (2019) and Beatriz at Dinner (2017)
- Jorge Cervera Jr.The Wrong Man (1993) and The Big Fix (1978)
- Thomas ByrdOut Cold (1989) and Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What John Lithgow's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$4.4 billion
45 of the 64 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 64 films: 45 worldwide figure; 4 us gross only; 9 never in cinemas; 2 streaming, short cinema run; 4 figure not found.
- 45Worldwide figure
- 4US gross only
- 9Never in cinemas
- 2Streaming, short cinema run
- 4Figure not found
Top grosser
Highest grossing
The eight biggest films earned 61% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$747M17.0% of the total
- 2$490M11.1% of the total
- 3$482M10.9% of the total
- 4$255M5.8% of the total
- 5$195M4.4% of the total
- 6$185M4.2% of the total
- 7$181M4.1% of the total
- 8$159M3.6% of the total
$1.7 billionfrom the other 37 films with a worldwide figure, 39% of the total
Awards
Twelve awards and honors from 1973 to 2017, twelve of them major.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Globes | |||
| 1997 | Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy | 3rd Rock from the Sun | Won |
| Emmy Awards | |||
| 2017 | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series | The Crown | Won |
| 2010 | Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series | Dexter | Won |
| 1999 | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series | 3rd Rock from the Sun | Won |
| 1997 | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series | 3rd Rock from the Sun | Won |
| 1996 | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series | 3rd Rock from the Sun | Won |
| 1986 | Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series | Amazing Stories | Won |
| SAG Awards | |||
| Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture | Won | ||
| Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series | Won | ||
| Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series | Won | ||
| Tony Awards | |||
| 2002 | Best Actor in a Musical | Won | |
| 1973 | Best Featured Actor in a Play | Won | |
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.