JL
John Lithgow
Actor, Producer, WriterBorn October 19, 1945 (80 years)
John Arthur Lithgow (born October 19, 1945) is an American actor. He studied at Harvard University and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art before becoming known for his diverse work on stage and screen. He has received numerous accolades, including six Primetime Emmy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, and two Tony Awards, as well as nominations for two Academy Awards, a British Academy Film Award, four Grammy Awards, four Screen Actors Guild Awards, and a Laurence Olivier Award.
Lithgow won two Tony Awards, his first for Best Featured Actor in a Play for his Broadway debut in The Changing Room (1972) and his second for Best Actor in a Musical for the musical Sweet Smell of Success (2002). He was Tony-nominated for Requiem for a Heavyweight (1985), M. Butterfly (1988), and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (2005). He has acted in the plays The Columnist (2012), A Delicate Balance (2014), and Hillary and Clinton (2019). He portrayed Roald Dahl in the play Giant on the West End, for which he was nominated for the Olivier Award for Best Actor.
He starred as Dick Solomon in the television sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun (1996–2001), winning three Primetime Emmy Awards for Best Actor in a Comedy Series. He received further Primetime Emmy Awards for his performances as Arthur Mitchell in the drama Dexter (2009) and as Winston Churchill in the Netflix drama The Crown (2016–2019). He also starred in HBO's Perry Mason (2020) and FX's The Old Man (2022).
On film, he has received two Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor nominations for his roles as a transsexual ex-football player in The World According to Garp (1982) and a lonely banker in Terms of Endearment (1983). He also acted in All That Jazz (1979), Blow Out (1981), Footloose (1984), Harry and the Hendersons (1987), A Civil Action (1998), Shrek (2001), Kinsey (2004), Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011), Love Is Strange (2014), Interstellar (2014), Late Night (2019), Bombshell (2019), Killers of the Flower Moon (2023), and Conclave (2024).
Lithgow won two Tony Awards, his first for Best Featured Actor in a Play for his Broadway debut in The Changing Room (1972) and his second for Best Actor in a Musical for the musical Sweet Smell of Success (2002). He was Tony-nominated for Requiem for a Heavyweight (1985), M. Butterfly (1988), and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (2005). He has acted in the plays The Columnist (2012), A Delicate Balance (2014), and Hillary and Clinton (2019). He portrayed Roald Dahl in the play Giant on the West End, for which he was nominated for the Olivier Award for Best Actor.
He starred as Dick Solomon in the television sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun (1996–2001), winning three Primetime Emmy Awards for Best Actor in a Comedy Series. He received further Primetime Emmy Awards for his performances as Arthur Mitchell in the drama Dexter (2009) and as Winston Churchill in the Netflix drama The Crown (2016–2019). He also starred in HBO's Perry Mason (2020) and FX's The Old Man (2022).
On film, he has received two Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor nominations for his roles as a transsexual ex-football player in The World According to Garp (1982) and a lonely banker in Terms of Endearment (1983). He also acted in All That Jazz (1979), Blow Out (1981), Footloose (1984), Harry and the Hendersons (1987), A Civil Action (1998), Shrek (2001), Kinsey (2004), Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011), Love Is Strange (2014), Interstellar (2014), Late Night (2019), Bombshell (2019), Killers of the Flower Moon (2023), and Conclave (2024).
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Known For
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John Lithgow Filmography
| 2027 | Shrek 5 · as Lord Farquaad (voice) |
| 2025 | Jimpa · as Jimpa |
| 2025 | Stella Stevens: The Last Starlet · as Cast |
| 2025 | Dexter: Resurrection (TV Series) · as Arthur Mitchell |
| 2024 | The Rule of Jenny Pen · as Dave Crealy |
| 2024 | Spellbound · as Bolinar (voice) |
| 2024 | Conclave · as Tremblay |
| 2024 | Cabrini · as Mayor Gould |
| 2023 | Killers of the Flower Moon · as Prosecutor Peter Leaward |
| 2023 | Sharper · as Richard Hobbes |
| 2022 | King on Screen · as Jud |
| 2022 | The Old Man (TV Series) · as Harold Harper |
| 2022 | The Bubble · as Tom The Studio Chairman |
| 2021 | Live in Front of a Studio Audience: 'The Facts of Life' and 'Diff'rent Strokes' · as Philip Drummond |
| 2021 | Dexter: New Blood (TV Series) · as Arthur Mitchell |
| 2021 | Wolfboy and the Everything Factory (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 2021 | Emily @ the Edge of Chaos · as Sir Isaac Newton (voice) |
| 2020 | Perry Mason (2020) (TV Series) · as Elias Birchard 'e.b.' Jonathan |
| 2019 | Bombshell · as Roger Ailes |
| 2019 | The Tomorrow Man · as Ed Hemsler |
| 2019 | The Investigation: A Search for the Truth in Ten Acts · as President Donald J. Trump |
| 2019 | Late Night · as Walter Lovell |
| 2019 | Live in Front of a Studio Audience (TV Series) · as Phillip Drummond |
| 2019 | Pet Sematary · as Jud Crandall |
| 2018 | Firing Line with Margaret Hoover (TV Series) |
| 2017 | Pitch Perfect 3 · as Fergus |
| 2017 | Daddy's Home 2 · as Don |
| 2017 | Beatriz at Dinner · as Doug Strutt |
| 2017 | Trial & Error (TV Series) · as Larry Henderson |
| 2017 | |
| 2016 | Miss Sloane · as Senator Ronald Sperling |
| 2016 | The Crown (TV Series) · as Winston Churchill |
| 2016 | The Accountant · as Lamar Blackburn |
| 2016 | Ode to Joy: Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 · as Narrator |
| 2015 | Best of Enemies · as Voice Of Gore Vidal |
| 2014 | 9 Kisses · as Man In Club |
| 2014 | Interstellar · as Donald |
| 2014 | Love Is Strange · as Ben |
| 2014 | The Roosevelts: An Intimate History (TV Series) · as James Roosevelt (voice) |
| 2014 | The Jungle Bunch 2: The Great Treasure Quest · as Maurice (voice) |
| 2014 | The Homesman · as Reverend Alfred Dowd |
| 2014 | Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (TV Series) · as The Stinkbug |
| 2013 | Once Upon a Time in Wonderland (TV Series) · as The White Rabbit (voice) |
| 2013 | Shrek Stories · as Lord Farquaad (voice) |
| 2013 | Drunk History (TV Series) · as George Washington |
| 2013 | National Theatre Live: The Magistrate · as Posket |
| 2012 | This Is 40 · as Oliver |
| 2012 | Shrek's Thrilling Tales · as Lord Farquad |
| 2012 | The Campaign · as Glen Motch |
| 2011 | The Jungle Bunch: Back to the Ice Floe · as Maurice |
| 2011 | New Year's Eve · as Jonathan Cox (uncredited) |
| 2011 | Prohibition (TV Series) · as Reader / H.l. Mencken (voice) |
| 2011 | Rise of the Planet of the Apes · as Charles Rodman |
| 2011 | Our Footloose Remake · as Rev. Shaw Moore |
| 2010 | Louie (2010) (TV Series) · as Funny Man |
| 2010 | Leap Year · as Jack Brady |
| 2009 | The National Parks: America's Best Idea (TV Series) · as Reader |
| 2009 | Confessions of a Shopaholic · as Edgar West |
| 2006 | Dreamgirls · as Jerry Harris |
| 2006 | Twenty Good Years (TV Series) |
| 2006 | Dexter (TV Series) · as Arthur Mitchell |
| 2005 | The Colbert Report (TV Series) |
| 2005 | The Apprentice - Martha Stewart (TV Series) |
| 2005 | How I Met Your Mother (TV Series) · as Jerry Whittaker |
| 2005 | Einstein's Big Idea · as Narrator (voice) U.s. Edition |
| 2005 | Saturday Night Live: The Best of Jon Lovitz · as Baudelaire |
| 2004 | Kinsey · as Alfred Seguine Kinsey |
| 2004 | The Life and Death of Peter Sellers · as Blake Edwards |
| 2004 | The Making of the Life and Death of Peter Sellers · as Blake Edwards |
| 2003 | Freedom: A History of Us (TV Series) · as Benjamin Rush |
| 2003 | Shrek 4-D · as Ghost Of Farquaad (voice) |
| 2003 | DreamWorks 6 Spooky Stories Collection (TV Series) · as Ghost Of Farquaad (voice) |
| 2003 | |
| 2003 | Bark, George · as Narrator |
| 2002 | Orange County · as Bud Brumder |
| 2001 | Shrek in the Swamp Karaoke Dance Party · as Lord Farquaad (singing Voice) |
| 2001 | Shrek · as Lord Farquaad (voice) |
| 2000 | Rugrats in Paris · as Jean-Claude (voice) |
| 2000 | Don Quixote · as Don Quixote De La Mancha / Alonso Quixano |
| 2000 | 95 Worlds and Counting · as Narrator |
| 1999 | Saturday Night Live 25 · as Baudelaire |
| 1998 | A Civil Action · as Judge Walter J. Skinner |
| 1998 | Johnny Skidmarks · as Sergeant Larry Skovik |
| 1998 | |
| 1997 | Officer Buckle and Gloria · as Narrator (voice) |
| 1996 | Hollow Point · as Thomas Livingston |
| 1996 | 3rd Rock from the Sun (TV Series) · as Dick Solomon |
| 1995 | The Tuskegee Airmen · as Senator Conyers |
| 1995 | Redwood Curtain · as Laird Riordan |
| 1995 | My Brother's Keeper · as Tom Bradley / Bob Bradley |
| 1994 | Silent Fall · as Dr. Rene Harlinger |
| 1994 | Princess Caraboo · as Professor Wilkinson |
| 1994 | A Good Man in Africa · as Arthur Fanshawe, British High Commissioner |
| 1994 | World War II: When Lions Roared (TV Series) · as Franklin Delano Roosevelt |
| 1993 | The Country Mouse & the City Mouse: A Christmas Tale · as Alexander (voice) |
| 1993 | Love, Cheat & Steal · as Paul Harrington |
| 1993 | The Pelican Brief · as Smith Keen |
| 1993 | Frasier (TV Series) · as Madman Martinez (voice) |
| 1993 | The Wrong Man · as Phillip Mills |
| 1993 | Cliffhanger · as Eric Qualen |
| 1993 | Sylvester and the Magic Pebble · as Narrator |
| 1992 | Tales from the Crypt - Uncut (TV Series) |
| 1992 | Raising Cain · as Carter Nix / Cain / Dr. Nix / Josh / Margo |
| 1991 | At Play in the Fields of the Lord · as Leslie Huben |
| 1991 | Ricochet · as Earl Talbott Blake |
| 1991 | The Boys · as Artie Margulies |
| 1990 | Memphis Belle · as Bruce Derringer |
| 1990 | Ivory Hunters · as Robert Carter |
| 1989 | The Simpsons (TV Series) · as John Lithgow (voice) |
| 1989 | Traveling Man · as Ben Cluett |
| 1989 | Tales from the Crypt (TV Series) · as Dr. Oscar Charles |
| 1989 | Out Cold · as Dave |
| 1988 | Distant Thunder · as Mark Lambert |
| 1987 | Harry and the Hendersons · as George Henderson |
| 1987 | Baby Girl Scott · as Neil Scott |
| 1986 | The Manhattan Project · as John Mathewson |
| 1986 | Resting Place · as Maj. Kendall Laird |
| 1985 | Santa Claus · as B.z. |
| 1985 | Mesmerized · as Oliver Thompson |
| 1985 | Amazing Stories (1985) (TV Series) · as John Walters |
| 1985 | The Amazing Bone · as Narrator |
| 1984 | 2010: The Year We Make Contact · as Dr. Walter Curnow |
| 1984 | The Glitter Dome · as Sgt. Marty Wellborn |
| 1984 | The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension · as Lord John Whorfin |
| 1984 | Footloose · as Rev. Shaw Moore |
| 1983 | Terms of Endearment · as Sam Burns |
| 1983 | The Day After · as Joe Huxley |
| 1983 | Twilight Zone: The Movie · as Valentine |
| 1982 | Not in Front of the Children · as Richard Carruthers |
| 1982 | Faerie Tale Theatre (TV Series) · as Goldilocks' Father |
| 1982 | The World According to Garp · as Roberta Muldoon |
| 1982 | I'm Dancing as Fast as I Can · as Mr. Brunner |
| 1981 | |
| 1980 | Mom, the Wolfman and Me · as Wally |
| 1980 | The Oldest Living Graduate · as Clarence |
| 1979 | All That Jazz · as Lucas Sergeant |
| 1979 | Rich Kids · as Paul Philips |
| 1978 | The Big Fix · as Sam Sebastian |
| 1976 | Obsession · as Robert Lasalle |
| 1974 | NOVA (TV Series) · as Narrator |
| 1972 | |
| 1971 | Great Performances (TV Series) · as Capt. Thorne |
| 1951 | Hallmark Hall Of Fame (TV Series) · as Major Kendall Laird |
| 2025 | The Oscars · as Self - Presenter |
| 2025 | The 31st Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards · as Self - Presenter & Winner |
| 2025 | SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2025 | 82nd Golden Globe Awards · as Self - Audience Member |
| 2024 | The 30th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards · as Self - Audience Member |
| 2023 | Dick Van Dyke 98 Years of Magic · as Self |
| 2023 | Liv Ullmann: A Road Less Travelled (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2022 | Sherri (2022) (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2021 | Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age · as Self |
| 2021 | History of the Sitcom (TV Series) · as Self - Actor |
| 2021 | The 43rd Annual Kennedy Center Honors · as Self - Presenter |
| 2020 | Giving Voice · as Self |
| 2020 | Disclosure · as Self |
| 2020 | GMA3: What You Need to Know (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2020 | Josh Gates Tonight (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2020 | Stars In The House (TV Series) · as Self - Special Guest |
| 2020 | The 26th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards · as Self - Nominee |
| 2020 | The 25th Annual Critics' Choice Awards · as Self - Presenter |
| 2019 | On Broadway · as Self |
| 2019 | The Kelly Clarkson Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2019 | Beyond the Deadfall · as Self |
| 2018 | Strahan, Sara & Keke (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2018 | The Issue Is (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2018 | James Cameron's Story of Science Fiction (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2018 | Mister Rogers: It's You I Like · as Self |
| 2018 | The Great Celebrity Bake Off for SU2C (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2017 | The 69th Primetime Emmy Awards · as Self - Winner |
| 2017 | The 71st Annual Tony Awards · as Self - Presenter |
| 2017 | The 23rd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards · as Self - Winner |
| 2017 | The 74th Annual Golden Globe Awards 2017 · as Self - Nominee |
| 2016 | The Pulitzer at 100 · as Self |
| 2016 | Harry (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2016 | Shakespeare Live! From the RSC · as Self - Performer |
| 2016 | Sunday Today with Willie Geist (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2015 | The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2015 | Close Up With The Hollywood Reporter (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2015 | Inside 'Interstellar' · as Self |
| 2015 | The Late Late Show with James Corden (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2014 | Variety: Actors on Actors (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2014 | Projections of America · as Self - Narrator (voice) |
| 2014 | Late Night with Seth Meyers (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2014 | The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2013 | Marvin Hamlisch: What He Did for Love · as Self |
| 2013 | New Day (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2013 | The Broadway.Com Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2012 | Casting By · as Self |
| 2012 | The 66th Annual Tony Awards · as Self - Nominee |
| 2012 | Finding Your Roots (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2012 | CBS Mornings (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2012 | CBS Mornings (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2011 | Shrek: Once Upon a Time · as Self |
| 2011 | The Kennedy Center Honors: A Celebration of the Performing Arts · as Self - Presenter |
| 2011 | The Chew (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2011 | The Marilyn Denis Show (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2010 | Conan (2010) (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2010 | The 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards · as Self - Presenter |
| 2010 | The 67th Annual Golden Globe Awards · as Self - Winner |
| 2009 | Talk Stoop (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2009 | Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2009 | Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2008 | The 62nd Annual Tony Awards · as Self - Presenter |
| 2008 | |
| 2008 | Shine: Geoffrey Rush - Golden Globe Acceptance Speech · as Self - Audience Member |
| 2007 | ShowBusiness: The Road to Broadway · as Self |
| 2007 | Morning Joe (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2007 | The Graham Norton Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2006 | 30 Rock (TV Series) · as John Lithgow |
| 2006 | The 58th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards · as Self - Presenter |
| 2006 | The ONE Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2005 | Made In Hollywood (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2005 | The 59th Annual Tony Awards · as Self - Nominee & Performer |
| 2005 | The Kinsey Report: Sex on Film · as Self |
| 2004 | George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2004 | The Insider (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2004 | The Tony Danza Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2004 | The 58th Annual Tony Awards · as Self - Presenter |
| 2004 | Tavis Smiley (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2003 | The 57th Annual Tony Awards · as Self - Presenter |
| 2003 | Jimmy Kimmel Live! (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 2002 | Storyline Online (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2002 | The 56th Annual Tony Awards · as Self - Performer & Winner |
| 2001 | |
| 1999 | The 51st Annual Primetime Emmy Awards · as Self - Winner |
| 1999 | Independent Lens (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1999 | The 56th Annual Golden Globe Awards · as Self - Nominee |
| 1998 | 4th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards · as Self - Winner |
| 1998 | Christopher Reeve: A Celebration of Hope · as Self |
| 1998 | Fox and Friends (USA) (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1998 | The 55th Annual Golden Globe Awards · as Self - Nominee |
| 1998 | The 50th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards · as Self - Host & Nominee |
| 1997 | The 49th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards · as Self - Winner |
| 1997 | The View (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1997 | 3rd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards · as Self - Winner |
| 1997 | 54th Golden Globe Awards · as Self - Winner |
| 1996 | Theater Talk (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1996 | Cosby (TV Series) · as John Lithgow |
| 1996 | The West (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1996 | The Daily Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1996 | The Rosie O'Donnell Show (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1996 | The 50th Annual Tony Awards · as Self - Presenter |
| 1996 | 2nd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards · as Self - Presenter |
| 1995 | The 47th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards · as Self - Nominee & Presenter |
| 1995 | American Cinema (TV Series) · as Self - Host |
| 1995 | E! Live from the Red Carpet (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1994 | The 46th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards · as Self - Presenter |
| 1994 | Extra (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1994 | |
| 1994 | Dennis Miller Live (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1993 | Late Night with Conan O'Brien (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1993 | The 50th Annual Golden Globe Awards · as Self - Presenter |
| 1992 | Late Show with David Letterman (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1992 | Heroes of Comedy (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1992 | HBO First Look (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1992 | The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1992 | Getaway (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1991 | Maury (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1990 | Night of 100 Stars III · as Self |
| 1990 | Happy Birthday, Bugs!: 50 Looney Years · as Self |
| 1989 | Not the Same Person You Used to Know (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1989 | Pat Sajak Show (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1988 | LIVE with Kelly and Mark (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1988 | The 42nd Annual Tony Awards · as Self - Nominee & Performer |
| 1987 | The 41st Annual Tony Awards · as Self - Presenter |
| 1984 | The 56th Annual Academy Awards · as Self - Nominee |
| 1984 | 2010: The Odyssey Continues · as Himself |
| 1983 | The 55th Annual Academy Awards · as Self - Nominee |
| 1982 | Channel 4 News (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1982 | Late Night With David Letterman (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1981 | Entertainment Tonight (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1979 | SAG Foundation Conversations (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1979 | CBS Sunday Morning With Jane Pauley (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1978 | 20/20 (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1976 | Working in the Theatre (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1975 | Saturday Night Live (TV Series) · as Self - Host |
| 1975 | Good Morning America (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1972 | Bill Moyers Journal (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1971 | Film (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1962 | The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1962 | The Late Late Show (IE) (TV Series) · as Self - Guest |
| 1956 | Tony Awards (TV Series) · as Self - Presenter |
| 1954 | The Early Show (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1953 | The Academy Awards (TV Series) · as Self - Presenter |
| 1952 | Today (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1944 | Golden Globe Awards (TV Series) · as Self - Nominee |
| 2024 | The Rule of Jenny Pen · as Executive Producer |
| 2000 | Don Quixote · as Executive Producer |
| 2002 | Storyline Online (TV Series) |