John Lithgow
Birth Place: Rochester, NY
Lilli Cooper, Mandy Gonzalez, Nikki M. James and Betsy Wolfe Join New 42 Artist Council (Mar 3, 2026)
Photos: John Targalia, June Squibb, & More at 2026 Children’s & Family Emmys (Mar 3, 2026)
Natalie Venetia Belcon and Corbin Bleu to Announce the 2026 Drama League Awards Nominations (Mar 3, 2026)
BIO
JOHN LITHGOW has long been regarded as one of America's most distinguished performers. He has made an indelible impression on audiences with his work in film, television and the theater, receiving two Tonys, six Emmys, two Golden Globes, four SAG Awards and two Oscar nominations. Lithgow has appeared in a long list of critically acclaimed films, as far back as The World According to Garp and as recent as Conclave. He most recently starred in The Rule of Jenny Pen with Geoffrey Rush, and in the title role of JIMPA with Olivia Colman, which debuted at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. Lithgow has starred in the hit TV shows “3rd Rock from the Sun,” “Dexter,” “The Crown,” and the recent “The Old Man” on FX. On stage, he has appeared on Broadway twenty-five times, including award-winning appearances in “The Changing Room,” “M. Butterfly,” “Requiem for a Heavyweight,” and the musicals “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” and “The Sweet Smell of Success.” Upcoming, Lithgow will be seen as ‘Dumbledore’ in the “Harry Potter” series for HBO. In November, Lithgow concluded a sold-out run of “Giant” at London’s Royal Court Theatre, where he starred as Roald Dahl. The production then transferred to the Harold Pinter Theatre on the West End for a limited run in Spring 2025. Lithgow won an Olivier Award for Best Actor for his performance, with “Giant” also earning the award for Best New Play. For children, Lithgow has written several best-selling children’s picture books for Simon & Schuster. His recordings for kids have landed him four Grammy nominations , and he has appeared with a dozen major American orchestras in children’s concerts that feature many of his own songs. He wrote the narration for the New York City Ballet’s “Carnival of the Animals” in 2003 and danced the role of The Elephant. In 2011, a warm reception greeted Lithgow’s memoir “Drama: An Actor’s Education,” published by Harper Collins. Since 2019, he has written and illustrated the “Dumpty Trilogy,” three books of political satire from Chronicle Prism which achieved the remarkable feat of landing Lithgow on the New York Times non-fiction bestseller list for three consecutive years. Mr. Lithgow recently completed his term as co-chair of the Commission on the Arts of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, producing authoritative reports on America’s creative workforce and arts in education. The Commission’s deliberations also spawned Art Happens Here, a PBS documentary which highlights the importance of all the arts in the lives of young people.
Photos
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STAGE CREDITS
Productions
Writing
Awards and Nominations
John Lithgow, John Lithgow: Stories by Heart
John Lithgow, The Columnist
John Lithgow, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
winner
John LithgowMrs. Farnsworth
winner
John Lithgow, Sweet Smell of Success
winner
John Lithgow , Sweet Smell of Success
winner
John Lithgow, Sweet Smell of Success
John LithgowM. Butterfly
John Lithgow, M Butterfly
winner
John Lithgow, M. Butterfly
John Lithgow, M. Butterfly
winner
John Lithgow, Requiem for a Heavyweight
John Lithgow, Requiem for a Heavyweight
winner
John Lithgow, The Changing Room
winner
John Lithgow, The Changing Room
Videos
Video: Phillip Johnson Richardson Sings Acoustic 'Gramercy Park' from HELL'S KITCHEN
by Michael Major - 2025-06-20 11:12:50
Video: Kevin Bacon Visits FOOTLOOSE High School Prior to Demolition
by Blair Ingenthron - 2024-04-21 09:54:48
VIDEO: Katie Holmes & Alan Cumming Star in RARE OBEJCTS Film Trailer
by Michael Major - 2023-02-23 13:16:21
VIDEO: Stephen Colbert Pays Tribute to Frank Galati on THE LATE SHOW
by Stephi Wild - 2023-01-06 08:12:03
VIDEO: TODAY Goes Behind the Scenes of MURDER IN STUDIO ONE Off-Broadway
by Michael Major - 2022-05-18 14:27:37
VIDEO: Krysta Rodriguez Sings and Signs from SPRING AWAKENING
by Taylor Brethauer-Hamling - 2021-11-07 15:51:06
VIDEO: Krysta Rodriguez Visits Backstage with Richard Ridge- Watch Now!
by Backstage With Richard Ridge - 2021-11-05 13:30:20
VIDEO: THE CROWN's Josh O'Connor and Emma Corrin Discuss How They Met, Other Roles They'd Like to Play, and More!
by Stephi Wild - 2020-11-22 19:14:23
VIDEO: The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp Holds Virtual Benefit Gala Featuring Jonathan Groff, Carole King, and More!
by Stephi Wild - 2020-09-19 09:33:33
VIDEO: Krysta Rodriguez Sings 'Good Kisser' By Lake Street Dive at Feinstein's/54 Below
by Stephi Wild - 2020-03-16 07:37:41
VIDEO: John Lithgow Talks Dissecting Roger Ailes' Personality on LATE NIGHT WITH SETH MEYERS
by Sarah Leiber - 2019-12-20 21:08:23
VIDEO: John Lithgow Talks About His BOMBSHELL Transformation on THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JIMMY FALLON
by Sarah Leiber - 2019-12-18 20:14:18
VIDEO: Krysta Rodriguez Performs 'Beyvita' Medley At Feinstein's/54 Below
by Linnae Medeiros - 2019-11-18 14:21:22
VIDEO: Louis Tomlinson Talks About Owning a Prop From FORREST GUMP on THE LATE LATE SHOW WITH JAMES CORDEN6
by Sarah Leiber - 2019-10-29 21:36:17
VIDEO: John Lithgow Shows His Resting Murderer Face on THE LATE LATE SHOW WITH JAMES CORDEN
by Sarah Leiber - 2019-10-29 21:29:20
News
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Mar 3, 2026
New 42, the performing arts nonprofit behind New 42 Studios and New Victory Theater, has added Lilli Cooper, Mandy Gonzalez, Nikki M. James and Betsy Wolfe to the New 42 Artist Council.
by Josh Sharpe - Mar 3, 2026
The Fourth Annual Children’s & Family Emmy Awards was held on Monday evening in New York, hosted by Broadway alum John Tartaglia. Notable attendees included Ana Gasteyer, Amber Riley, June Squibb, and more. Check out photos from the event here.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Mar 3, 2026
Tony Award Winner Natalie Venetia Belcon and film, television, and stage star Corbin Bleu will co-host the 2026 Drama League Awards Nominations. The announcement event will also be livestreamed by BroadwayWorld.
by Josh Sharpe - Mar 3, 2026
John Lithgow, Joe Locke, Ana Gasteyer, Andrew Garfield, and more were honored with Emmys at the Fourth Annual Children’s & Family Emmy Awards, held Monday evening at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall in New York.
by Stephi Wild - Mar 3, 2026
Red Bull Theater has announced that John Lithgow will be honored with the Matador Award for Achievement in Classical Theater and Joanna Cole will receive the George Mayer Award for Extraordinary Service to Classical Theater.
by Josh Sharpe - Feb 26, 2026
An Avenue Q reunion will take place next week at the 2026 Children’s & Family Emmy Awards in New York City. Host John Tartaglia will be joined onstage by fellow Avenue Q Broadway cast members Stephanie d’Abruzzo and Jennifer Barnhart to present an award at the ceremony.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Feb 18, 2026
The Drama League has revealed the 2026 Honorary Committee for the 92nd Annual Drama League Awards. The Awards Honorary Committee, still in formation, includes Bryan Cranston, Bebe Neuwirth, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Nathan Lane, and John Lithgow.
by - Feb 16, 2026
Rise and shine, BroadwayWorld! It is February 16, 2026 and it's time to catch up on all of the theatrical happenings you may have missed over the weekend.
by Stephi Wild - Feb 13, 2026
The full cast and design team have been announced, joining John Lithgow for the Broadway run of the Olivier Award-winning hit play GIANT. Learn more about the cast and team here!
by - Jan 26, 2026
Rise and shine, BroadwayWorld! It is January 26, 2026 and it's time to catch up on all of the theatrical happenings you may have missed over the weekend.
by Jennifer Broski - Jan 23, 2026
The Olivier Award-winning smash hit play GIANT, written by Mark Rosenblatt, is coming to Broadway. Starring two-time Tony Award and Olivier Award winner John Lithgow as Roald Dahl, directed by two-time Tony Award winner Nicholas Hytner. Check out photos of the new theatre marquee
by A.A. Cristi - Jan 21, 2026
Drama Desk Award nominee John Ortiz (Jesus Hopped the A Train), three-time Tony Award nominee Jessica Hecht (Eureka Day) and SAG Award nominee Spencer Garrett (Once Upon A Time in Hollywood) will join Emmy Award winner Jon Bernthal and two-time Emmy Award winner Ebon Moss-Bachrach in DOG DAY AFTERNOON.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Jan 20, 2026
New York Governor Kathy Hochul proposed allocating an additional $150 million to retroactively extend a New York State theater tax credit program.
by Josh Sharpe - Jan 15, 2026
Hans Zimmer and Bleeding Fingers will compose a new score for the HBO Original Harry Potter series, debuting in 2027 on HBO and HBO Max. As a group, they will be the fifth group of songwriters to score the Harry Potter stories onscreen.
by Josh Sharpe - Jan 1, 2026
2025 has ended its run to make room for a brand new year. Find out what to stream at the top of the new year, including FX's The Beauty, Wonder Man, a new Mel Brooks documentary, and highly anticipated new seasons of fan-favorite shows like Bridgerton, Shrinking, and The Traitors.
by Josh Sharpe - Dec 30, 2025
The Donald M. Ephraim Sun & Stars International Film Festival (SASIFF) will launch its fourth season in 2026 with screenings of 28 movies, including an assortment of comedies, dramas, and documentaries. Check out the full lineup here.
by Nicole Rosky - Dec 16, 2025
It wouldn't be a proper Broadway season without the presence of Danny Burstein, who this year is appearing in his 21st Broadway show- Marjorie Prime. On opening night he paused to tell us which movie is a Christmas staple in his house...
by Gregory Fletcher - Nov 24, 2025
If Encores can transfer many of its productions to Broadway, why not MasterVoices—starting with its current revival of Sweet Smell of Success? If you missed its brief run (November 21–22), keep an eye out for future MasterVoices offerings. The show proved to be an electric, full-throttle performance within the grand Frederick P. Rose Hall, part of Jazz at Lincoln Center.
by Stephi Wild - Nov 21, 2025
American Conservatory Theater announced that Tony Award–winning Artistic Director Pam MacKinnon will depart the Bay Area’s premier nonprofit theater organization at the close of the 2025/26 season.
by - Nov 20, 2025
Rise and shine, BroadwayWorld! It is November 20, 2025 and it's time to catch up on all of the theatrical happenings you may have missed in the last 24 hours.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
John Lithgow has appeared on Broadway in 25 shows.
John Lithgow has appeared on London's West End in 3 shows.
John Lithgow's first West End show was The Magistrate which opened in 2012
Outstanding Solo Performance (Outer Critics Circle Awards) for John Lithgow: Stories by Heart, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play (Tony Awards) for The Columnist, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical (Tony Awards) for Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Outstanding Featured Actor - Play (Drama Desk Awards) for Mrs. Farnsworth, Outstanding Actor - Musical (Drama Desk Awards) for Sweet Smell of Success, Outstanding Actor in a Musical (Outer Critics Circle Awards) for Sweet Smell of Success , Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical (Tony Awards) for Sweet Smell of Success, Outstanding Lead Actor, Non-Resident Production (Helen Hayes Awards) for M. Butterfly, Outstanding Actor - Play (Drama Desk Awards) for M Butterfly, Distinguished Performance Award (Drama League Awards) for M. Butterfly, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play (Tony Awards) for M. Butterfly, Outstanding Actor in a Play (Drama Desk Awards) for Requiem for a Heavyweight, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play (Tony Awards) for Requiem for a Heavyweight, Outstanding Performance (Drama Desk Awards) for The Changing Room and Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play (Tony Awards) for The Changing Room.
John Lithgow has won numerous prestigious awards throughout his career. He received the Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play award from the Drama Desk Awards for Mrs. Farnsworth. For Sweet Smell of Success, he earned the Outstanding Actor in a Musical award from the Drama Desk Awards, the Outstanding Actor in a Musical award from the Outer Critics Circle Awards, and the Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical from the Tony Awards. He was honored with the Distinguished Performance Award from the Drama League Awards for M. Butterfly. Lithgow also won the Outstanding Actor in a Play award from the Drama Desk Awards for Requiem for a Heavyweight, and the Outstanding Performance award from the Drama Desk Awards for The Changing Room, in addition to the Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play award from the Tony Awards for The Changing Room.
John Lithgow has written 1 shows including John Lithgow: Stories By Heart (Playwright).
Videos