
John Lithgow
ActingAbout John Lithgow
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 transgender 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).
John Lithgow Movies & Career Overview
The filmography of John Lithgow reflects exceptional commercial consistency. Across 50 major appearances, the actor has built a reputation through performances in multiple genres and storytelling styles.
Dominant Genre
A large portion of John Lithgow's work falls within the Drama genre, where audiences tend to respond most strongly to their on-screen presence.
Success Ratio
Approximately 100% of John Lithgow's films maintain ratings above 6.5, indicating a consistent level of audience approval.
One of the most highly rated entries in their career remains Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, which stands out as a key performance.
Best John Lithgow Movies Ranked
Must-watch hits from John Lithgow's career based on audience ratings.
Full Filmography
Every movie John Lithgow has appeared in, with audience ratings and verdicts.
John Lithgow - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best movie of John Lithgow?
According to audience ratings, the best movie starring John Lithgow is "Sylvester and the Magic Pebble" with a rating of 10.0/10.
How many movies has John Lithgow acted in?
John Lithgow has been featured in at least 50 major films throughout their career.
What are some other popular movies by John Lithgow?
Other notable films include "Marvin Hamlisch: What He Did For Love", "Tales from the Crypt: The Robert Zemeckis Collection", and "On Broadway".




