John Lithgow
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John Lithgow (pronounced "lith-go") was born on October 19 1945 in Rochester, New York. An accomplished actor, Lithgow is best known for his starring role as Dick Solomon in the 1996-2001 NBC sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun, for which he received six Primetime Emmy Award nominations (one for each of the program's six seasons) and three wins (in 1996, 1997 and 1999) in the category of "Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series."
Previously, Lithgow was the recipient of a 1986 Primetime Emmy Award in the category of "Outstanding Guest Performer in a Drama Series" for his appearance in an episode of the Amazing Stories anthology show. He received three additional Primetime Emmy Award nominations in 1984, 1986 and 1995.
Throughout his career, many of Lithgow's most successful and noteworthy projects have been adaptations of earlier works. In 1983 and 1984, he was nominated for Academy Awards in the category of "Best Actor in a Supporting Role" 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.
Off-screen, Lithgow is known by Star Wars fans for his 1983 and 1996 performances in National Public Radio adaptations of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, in which he portrayed Yoda (a voice role originated theatrically by Frank Oz).
In 2002, Lithgow won a Tony Award in the category of "Best Leading Actor in a Musical" for his portrayal of J.J. Hunsecker (a role originated theatrically by Burt Lancaster) in the Broadway stage adaptation of the 1957 film Sweet Smell of Success. Currently, Lithgow is starring as Lawrence Jameson (a role originated theatrically by David Niven and later assumed by Michael Caine) in a Broadway musical adaptation of the 1988 film Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (itself a remake of the 1964 film Bedtime Story). In 2005, this role earned Litgow a second Tony nomination in the category of "Best Leading Actor in a Musical," an award that went to his co-star, Norbert Leo Butz.
Lithgow resides in Yellow Springs, Ohio. He is a Harvard University graduate and a former member of its Board of Overseers.
Filmography
- 2004 Kinsey
- 2004 The Life and Death of Peter Sellers
- 2002 Orange County
- 2001 Shrek in the Swamp Karaoke Dance Party
- 2001 Shrek
- 2000 C-Scam
- 2000 Rugrats in Paris: The Movie - Rugrats II
- 2000 Don Quixote
- 1998 Officer Buckle and Gloria | A Civil Action
- 1998 Homegrown | Johnny Skidmarks
- 1995 Hollow Point | The Tuskegee Airmen
- 1995 Redwood Curtain | My Brother's Keeper
- 1994 Silent Fall | Princess Caraboo | A Good Man in Africa
- 1993 The Pelican Brief | Love, Cheat & Steal
- 1993 The Country Mouse & the City Mouse: A Christmas Tale
- 1993 The Wrong Man | Cliffhanger
- 1992 Raising Cain
- 1991 At Play in the Fields of the Lord | Ricochet
- 1991 The Boys | L.A. Story
- 1990 Memphis Belle | Ivory Hunters
- 1989 Traveling Man | Out Cold
- 1988 Distant Thunder
- 1987 Harry and the Hendersons | Baby Girl Scott
- 1986 Mesmerized | The Manhattan Project | Resting Place
- 1985 Santa Claus
- 1984 2010: Odyssey Two | The Glitter Dome
- 1984 The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension
- 1984 Footloose
- 1983 Terms of Endearment | The Day After | Twilight Zone: The Movie
- 1982 Not in Front of the Children | The World According to Garp
- 1982 I'm Dancing as Fast as I Can
- 1981 Blow Out
- 1980 Big Blonde | Mom, the Wolfman and Me | The Oldest Living Graduate
- 1979 All That Jazz | Rich Kids
- 1978 The Big Fix
- 1977 Secret Service
- 1976 Obsession
- 1972 Dealing: Or the Berkeley-to-Boston Forty-Brick Lost-Bag Blues