CineScope
John Lithgow picture

John Lithgow

Acting
Known For

80 Years Old

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).

Born

Rochester, New York, USA on 19th October 1945

All Credits

The Simpsons Image
The Simpsons
John Lithgow (voice)
The Simpsons Image
The Simpsons
Gus (voice)
Dexter Image
Dexter
Arthur Mitchell
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen Image
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
Self - Guest
The Daily Show Image
The Daily Show
Self
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Image
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Self
Late Night with Seth Meyers Image
Late Night with Seth Meyers
Self
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert Image
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Self
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert Image
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert Image
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Self - Guest
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson Image
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self
How I Met Your Mother Image
How I Met Your Mother
Jerry Whittaker
Conan Image
Conan
Self
The Graham Norton Show Image
The Graham Norton Show
Self
The Kelly Clarkson Show Image
The Kelly Clarkson Show
Self
Saturday Night Live Image
Saturday Night Live
Self - Host
Golden Globe Awards Image
Golden Globe Awards
Self - Winner
Golden Globe Awards Image
Golden Globe Awards
Self - Presenter
Golden Globe Awards Image
Golden Globe Awards
Self - Nominee
Interstellar Image
Interstellar
Donald
Frasier Image
Frasier
Madman Martinez (voice)
The Crown Image
The Crown
Winston Churchill
30 Rock Image
30 Rock
John Lithgow
The View Image
The View
Self - Guest
The View Image
The View
Self
Great Performances Image
Great Performances
Capt. Thorne
The Late Late Show with James Corden Image
The Late Late Show with James Corden
Self - Guest
Late Night with Conan O'Brien Image
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Self - Guest
Tony Awards Image
Tony Awards
Self - Nominee/Performer
Tony Awards Image
Tony Awards
Self - Nominee
Tony Awards Image
Tony Awards
Self - Winner
Tony Awards Image
Tony Awards
Self - Nominee / Performer
Tony Awards Image
Tony Awards
Self - Presenter
Sherri Image
Sherri
Self - Guest
The Colbert Report Image
The Colbert Report
NOVA Image
NOVA
Narrator
The One Show Image
The One Show
Self
Shrek Image
Shrek
Lord Farquaad (voice)
Amazing Stories Image
Amazing Stories
John Walters
3rd Rock from the Sun Image
3rd Rock from the Sun
Dick Solomon
Dexter: New Blood Image
Dexter: New Blood
Arthur Mitchell
Dexter: Resurrection Image
Dexter: Resurrection
Arthur Mitchell
Variety Studio: Actors on Actors Image
Variety Studio: Actors on Actors
Self
Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter Image
Close Up with The Hollywood Reporter
Self
Tales from the Crypt Image
Tales from the Crypt
Dr. Oscar Charles
The Oscars Image
The Oscars
Self - Presenter
No Image
The Tony Danza Show
Self
Finding Your Roots Image
Finding Your Roots
Self
Perry Mason Image
Perry Mason
Elias Birchard 'E.B.' Jonathan
Faerie Tale Theatre Image
Faerie Tale Theatre
Goldilocks' Father
Stars in the House Image
Stars in the House
Self - Special Guest
The Old Man Image
The Old Man
Harold Harper
The Accountant Image
The Accountant
Lamar Blackburn
Killers of the Flower Moon Image
Killers of the Flower Moon
Prosecutor Peter Leaward
Conclave Image
Conclave
Tremblay
Rise of the Planet of the Apes Image
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Charles Rodman
Live from E! Image
Live from E!
Self
The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer Image
The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer
Self - Guest
Tales from the Crypt: The Robert Zemeckis Collection Image
Tales from the Crypt: The Robert Zemeckis Collection
Dr. Oscar Charles
Best of Enemies Image
Best of Enemies
Voice of Gore Vidal
Liv Ullmann: A Road Less Travelled Image
Liv Ullmann: A Road Less Travelled
Self
Trial & Error Image
Trial & Error
Larry Henderson
Santa Claus: The Movie Image
Santa Claus: The Movie
B.Z.
The Big Fix Image
The Big Fix
Sam Sebastian
Orange County Image
Orange County
Bud Brumder
James Cameron's Story of Science Fiction Image
James Cameron's Story of Science Fiction
Self
Johnny Skidmarks Image
Johnny Skidmarks
Sergeant Larry Skovik
Firing Line with Margaret Hoover Image
Firing Line with Margaret Hoover
Dreamgirls Image
Dreamgirls
Jerry Harris
Obsession Image
Obsession
Robert Lasalle
Kinsey Image
Kinsey
Alfred Seguine Kinsey
Cliffhanger Image
Cliffhanger
Eric Qualen
The Glitter Dome Image
The Glitter Dome
Sgt. Marty Wellborn
SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night Image
SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night
Self
Cosby Image
Cosby
John Lithgow
Spellbound Image
Spellbound
Bolinar (voice)
Einstein's Big Idea Image
Einstein's Big Idea
Narrator (voice) U.S. edition
Once Upon a Time in Wonderland Image
Once Upon a Time in Wonderland
The White Rabbit (voice)
Ricochet Image
Ricochet
Earl Talbott Blake
Redwood Curtain Image
Redwood Curtain
Laird Riordan
Daddy's Home 2 Image
Daddy's Home 2
Don
Twilight Zone: The Movie Image
Twilight Zone: The Movie
Valentine
Bombshell Image
Bombshell
Roger Ailes
Cabrini Image
Cabrini
Mayor Gould
Distant Thunder Image
Distant Thunder
Mark Lambert
Prohibition Image
Prohibition
Reader / H.L. Mencken (voice)
Resting Place Image
Resting Place
Maj. Kendall Laird
Late Night Image
Late Night
Walter Lovell
Footloose Image
Footloose
Rev. Shaw Moore
The West Image
The West
Self / Uriah Oblinger (voice)
The West Image
The West
Self
Secret Service Image
Secret Service
Capt. Thorne
Pitch Perfect 3 Image
Pitch Perfect 3
Fergus
The Rosie O'Donnell Show Image
The Rosie O'Donnell Show
Self - Guest
This Is 40 Image
This Is 40
Oliver
Princess Caraboo Image
Princess Caraboo
Professor Wilkinson
Confessions of a Shopaholic Image
Confessions of a Shopaholic
Edgar West
The Pelican Brief Image
The Pelican Brief
Smith Keen
Beatriz at Dinner Image
Beatriz at Dinner
Doug Strutt
Today Image
Today
Self
Terms of Endearment Image
Terms of Endearment
Sam Burns
Homegrown Image
Homegrown
Malcolm / Robert Stockman
New Year's Eve Image
New Year's Eve
Jonathan Cox (uncredited)
Blow Out Image
Blow Out
Burke
Jimpa Image
Jimpa
Jimpa
The Roosevelts: An Intimate History Image
The Roosevelts: An Intimate History
James Roosevelt (voice)
Leap Year Image
Leap Year
Jack Brady
Pet Sematary Image
Pet Sematary
Jud Crandall
The Boys Image
The Boys
Artie Margulies
A Civil Action Image
A Civil Action
Judge Walter J. Skinner
The Campaign Image
The Campaign
Glen Motch
2010 Image
2010
Dr. Walter Curnow
Sharper Image
Sharper
Richard Hobbes
Miss Sloane Image
Miss Sloane
Senator Ronald Sperling
Casting By Image
Casting By
Self
Hollow Point Image
Hollow Point
Thomas Livingston
The Early Show Image
The Early Show
Self
DreamWorks 6 Spooky Stories Collection Image
DreamWorks 6 Spooky Stories Collection
Ghost of Farquaad (voice)
Timms Valley Image
Timms Valley
Ol' Gregory Timms
The Rule of Jenny Pen Image
The Rule of Jenny Pen
Dave Crealy
Harry Potter Image
Harry Potter
Albus Dumbledore
Harry and the Hendersons Image
Harry and the Hendersons
George Henderson
Buckaroo Banzai Declassified Image
Buckaroo Banzai Declassified
Self
No Image
VH1 Goes Inside
All That Jazz Image
All That Jazz
Lucas Sergeant
The Homesman Image
The Homesman
Reverend Alfred Dowd
Mesmerized Image
Mesmerized
Oliver Thompson
Shrek: Once Upon a Time Image
Shrek: Once Upon a Time
Self
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension Image
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension
Lord John Whorfin
Emily @ the Edge of Chaos Image
Emily @ the Edge of Chaos
Sir Isaac Newton (voice)
Hallmark Hall of Fame Image
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Laird Riordan
Hallmark Hall of Fame Image
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Major Kendall Laird
Hallmark Hall of Fame Image
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Paul Unger
Memphis Belle Image
Memphis Belle
Bruce Derringer
Tales from the Crypt - Uncut Image
Tales from the Crypt - Uncut
The Day After Image
The Day After
Joe Huxley
Rugrats in Paris: The Movie Image
Rugrats in Paris: The Movie
Jean-Claude (voice)
Raising Cain Image
Raising Cain
Carter Nix / Cain / Dr. Nix / Josh / Margo
Bark, George Image
Bark, George
Show of Titles Image
Show of Titles
"There's No Business Like Show Business" Performer
The Bubble Image
The Bubble
Tom the Studio Chairman
Shrek in the Swamp Karaoke Dance Party Image
Shrek in the Swamp Karaoke Dance Party
Lord Farquaad (singing voice)
No Image
My Brother's Keeper
Tom Bradley / Bob Bradley
American Cinema Image
American Cinema
Self - Host
World War II: When Lions Roared Image
World War II: When Lions Roared
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
No Image
The Apprentice: Martha Stewart
The Ghost of Lord Farquaad Image
The Ghost of Lord Farquaad
Ghost of Farquaad (voice)
The World According to Garp Image
The World According to Garp
Roberta Muldoon
The Tuskegee Airmen Image
The Tuskegee Airmen
Senator Conyers
Love Is Strange Image
Love Is Strange
Ben
The Tomorrow Man Image
The Tomorrow Man
Ed Hemsler
The Pulitzer At 100 Image
The Pulitzer At 100
Self
Twenty Good Years Image
Twenty Good Years
John Mason
The Life and Death of Peter Sellers Image
The Life and Death of Peter Sellers
Blake Edwards
Car of the Future Image
Car of the Future
Narrator
Inside 'Interstellar' Image
Inside 'Interstellar'
Self
The Manhattan Project Image
The Manhattan Project
John Mathewson
Masters of Illusion: The Wizards of Special Effects Image
Masters of Illusion: The Wizards of Special Effects
Self
The Investigation: A Search for the Truth in Ten Acts Image
The Investigation: A Search for the Truth in Ten Acts
President Donald J. Trump
Silent Fall Image
Silent Fall
Dr. Rene Harlinger
Night of 100 Stars III Image
Night of 100 Stars III
Self
Broadway: The Next Generation Image
Broadway: The Next Generation
Self
The Country Girl Image
The Country Girl
Paul Unger
Shrek Stories Image
Shrek Stories
Lord Farquaad (voice)
Don Quixote Image
Don Quixote
Don Quixote de La Mancha / Alonso Quixano
At Play in the Fields of the Lord Image
At Play in the Fields of the Lord
Leslie Huben
A Good Man in Africa Image
A Good Man in Africa
Arthur Fanshawe, British High Commissioner
The Amazing Bone Image
The Amazing Bone
Narrator
The Jungle Bunch 2: The Great Treasure Quest Image
The Jungle Bunch 2: The Great Treasure Quest
Maurice (voice)
Shakespeare Live! From the RSC Image
Shakespeare Live! From the RSC
Self - Performer
Love, Cheat & Steal Image
Love, Cheat & Steal
Paul Harrington
Out Cold Image
Out Cold
Dave
Dick Van Dyke: 98 Years of Magic Image
Dick Van Dyke: 98 Years of Magic
Self
Officer Buckle and Gloria Image
Officer Buckle and Gloria
Narrator (voice)
They All Saw a Cat Image
They All Saw a Cat
No Image
Sangre
Cafe chef and owner
Live in Front of a Studio Audience: The Facts of Life and Diff'rent Strokes Image
Live in Front of a Studio Audience: The Facts of Life and Diff'rent Strokes
Philip Drummond
No Image
Dogs and More Dogs
Narrator
ShowBusiness: The Road to Broadway Image
ShowBusiness: The Road to Broadway
Self
No Image
Baby Girl Scott
Neil Scott
Special Effects: Anything Can Happen Image
Special Effects: Anything Can Happen
Narrator
Dealing: Or the Berkeley-to-Boston Forty-Brick Lost-Bag Blues Image
Dealing: Or the Berkeley-to-Boston Forty-Brick Lost-Bag Blues
John
The Best of The Tony Awards: The Plays Image
The Best of The Tony Awards: The Plays
René Gallimard (segment "M. Butterfly")
Rich Kids Image
Rich Kids
Paul Philips
The Country Mouse & the City Mouse: A Christmas Tale Image
The Country Mouse & the City Mouse: A Christmas Tale
Alexander (voice)
Traveling Man Image
Traveling Man
Ben Cluett
No Image
Lord John
Big Blonde Image
Big Blonde
Herbie Morse
On Broadway Image
On Broadway
Self
Chez Bob Image
Chez Bob
Projections of America Image
Projections of America
Self - Narrator (voice)
Miracle in a Box: A Piano Reborn Image
Miracle in a Box: A Piano Reborn
Narrator
Pet Sematary: The Tale of Timmy Baterman Image
Pet Sematary: The Tale of Timmy Baterman
Jud Crandall
Mister Rogers: It's You I Like Image
Mister Rogers: It's You I Like
Self
The Oldest Living Graduate Image
The Oldest Living Graduate
Clarence
Sequestered - Inside Conclave Image
Sequestered - Inside Conclave
Self
Santa Claus: The Making of the Movie Image
Santa Claus: The Making of the Movie
Self
I'm Dancing as Fast as I Can Image
I'm Dancing as Fast as I Can
Mr. Brunner
Marvin Hamlisch: What He Did For Love Image
Marvin Hamlisch: What He Did For Love
Self
The Wrong Man Image
The Wrong Man
Phillip Mills
Myths and Hymns Image
Myths and Hymns
Mom, the Wolfman and Me Image
Mom, the Wolfman and Me
Wally
Art Happens Here with John Lithgow Image
Art Happens Here with John Lithgow
Self
Ivory Hunters Image
Ivory Hunters
Robert Carter
Amazing Stories: The Movie II Image
Amazing Stories: The Movie II
John Walters (archive footage)
No Image
Ode to Joy: Beethoven's Symphony No. 9
Narrator
John Lithgow's Kid-Sized Concert Image
John Lithgow's Kid-Sized Concert
Hickory Dickory Doc Image
Hickory Dickory Doc
Himself
No Image
Not in Front of the Children
Richard Carruthers
National Theatre Live: The Magistrate Image
National Theatre Live: The Magistrate
Posket
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble Image
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble
Narrator
2010 : The Odyssey Continues Image
2010 : The Odyssey Continues
Himself
The Macabre World of Lavender Williams Image
The Macabre World of Lavender Williams
God
Goldilocks and the Three Bears Image
Goldilocks and the Three Bears
Goldilocks' Father
The Great Robot Race: The DARPA Grand Challenge Image
The Great Robot Race: The DARPA Grand Challenge
Narrator
95 Worlds and Counting Image
95 Worlds and Counting
Narrator
Give My Regards to Broadway Image
Give My Regards to Broadway
Self