Career Timeline of John Lithgow: Major Achievements and Milestones
Discover the career path of John Lithgow, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.
John Lithgow is a highly acclaimed American actor recognized for his versatility across stage and screen. He studied at Harvard and LAMDA before embarking on a distinguished career. Lithgow's accolades include multiple Emmy Awards, Golden Globe Awards, a Laurence Olivier Award, and Tony Awards. He has also received nominations for prestigious awards such as the Academy Awards and Grammy Awards, showcasing his broad talent and significant contributions to the entertainment industry.
3 hours ago : John Lithgow embodies Roald Dahl in 'Giant'; Broadway opening attended by cast.
John Lithgow's portrayal of Roald Dahl in 'Giant' is reviewed as monstrous. The Broadway opening of 'Giant' was attended by Isa Briones and Patrick Ball. Suzy Weiss discusses Roald Dahl's controversy.
1999: Released Singin' in the Bathtub album
In 1999, John Lithgow launched into a career as a recording artist with Singin' in the Bathtub, an album of music for children.
June 2002: Release of Farkle and Friends album
In June 2002, John Lithgow released his second album for children Farkle and Friends, dedicated to the memory of Waylon Jennings.
August 2006: Release of The Sunny Side of the Street album
In August 2006, John Lithgow released a Franz Schubert tribute album, The Sunny Side of the Street, his third album for children and first with Razor & Tie, featuring songs from the Great American Songbook.
2007: Twelfth Night
In 2007, John Lithgow played Malvolio in the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of Twelfth Night at The Courtyard Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, in the United Kingdom.
2008: Broadway Revival of All My Sons
From 2008 through 2009, John Lithgow played Joe Keller in a Broadway revival of Arthur Miller's All My Sons directed by Simon McBurney, starring alongside Dianne Wiest, Patrick Wilson, and Katie Holmes.
March 5, 2009: Cameo on 30 Rock
On March 5, 2009, John Lithgow made a cameo on NBC's 30 Rock in the episode "Goodbye, My Friend," with references to his role in Harry and the Hendersons.
September 2009: Joined the Cast of Dexter
In September 2009, John Lithgow joined the cast of Dexter as Arthur Mitchell, a serial killer and Dexter Morgan's nemesis, winning a Golden Globe Award and an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor In A Drama Series for this role.
2009: Performances of Mozart's Requiem with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
From December 4–6, 2009, John Lithgow was featured at Heinz Hall in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for performances of Mozart's Requiem with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, narrating letters by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, poems, and sections from the Book of Revelation.
February 22, 2010: Off-Broadway production of Mr. & Mrs. Fitch
On February 22, 2010, John Lithgow starred in the off-Broadway production of Douglas Carter Beane's comedy, Mr. & Mrs. Fitch, alongside Jennifer Ehle at the Second Stage Theater.
April 4, 2010: End of run of Mr. & Mrs. Fitch
On April 4, 2010, the off-Broadway production of Douglas Carter Beane's comedy, Mr. & Mrs. Fitch, starring John Lithgow alongside Jennifer Ehle at the Second Stage Theater, ended its run.
September 2011: Featured in a one-night-only production of 8
In September 2011, John Lithgow was featured in a one-night-only production of Dustin Lance Black's play 8, a staged reenactment of the federal trial that overturned California's Proposition 8 ban on same-sex marriage as Attorney Theodore Olson.
2011: Starred in Rise of the Planet of the Apes
During the 2010s, John Lithgow appeared in Rise of the Planet of the Apes in 2011.
2012: Starred in two films
In 2012, John Lithgow appeared in Jay Roach's The Campaign and Judd Apatow's This Is 40.
2012: Broadway in The Columnist
In 2012, John Lithgow returned to Broadway in David Auburn's play The Columnist, which played at the Manhattan Theatre Club, earning him a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play.
2014: King Lear at Shakespeare in the Park
In 2014, John Lithgow returned to Manhattan and Central Park at the Delacorte Theater and Shakespeare in the Park for the summer season in the title role of Shakespeare's King Lear, directed by Daniel Sullivan.
2015: Voiceover work for Gore Vidal
In 2015, John Lithgow did the voiceover work for Gore Vidal in the documentary film Best of Enemies, with Kelsey Grammer.
2016: Acted in Miss Sloane
During this time from 2008 to May 2019, John Lithgow acted in John Madden's Miss Sloane (2016).
2016: Portrayal of Winston Churchill in The Crown
In 2016, John Lithgow appeared in the first season of The Crown portraying Winston Churchill, winning the Primetime Emmy Award and the Screen Actors Guild Award for his performance.
October 18, 2017: Coauthored the New York Times daily crossword puzzle
On October 18, 2017, John Lithgow coauthored the New York Times daily crossword puzzle.
2017: Starred in Trial & Error
In 2017, John Lithgow starred in the first season of Trial & Error as a professor who becomes implicated in the murder of his wife.
January 11, 2018: John Lithgow: Stories by Heart on Broadway
John Lithgow's solo play John Lithgow: Stories by Heart opened on Broadway on January 11, 2018, at the American Airlines Theatre.
2018: Voiced the audiobook of A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo
In 2018, John Lithgow was one of the actors who voiced the audiobook of A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo.
2018: Voiceover work for A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo
In 2018, Lithgow contributed voiceover work for the audio book version of A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo, a children's book written by Jill Twiss.
April 18, 2019: Broadway opening of Hillary and Clinton
On April 18, 2019, John Lithgow starred as Bill Clinton opposite Laurie Metcalf as Hillary Clinton in the Lucas Hnath play Hillary and Clinton, which opened on Broadway at the John Golden Theatre.
May 2019: Return Performance at Lincoln Center
From April to May 2019, John Lithgow had a return performance of his play around the U.S., starting at the Lincoln Center Theater with Willie Nelson in 2008, at Lincoln Center.
June 7, 2019: Late Night film release
On June 7, 2019, John Lithgow co-starred in Mindy Kaling's comedy Late Night, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and was released.
June 2019: Portrayal of Donald Trump in The Investigation
In June 2019, John Lithgow portrayed Donald Trump in The Investigation: A Search for the Truth in Ten Acts, a live reading of special counsel Robert Mueller's report on Trump's 2016 presidential campaign.
June 23, 2019: Broadway closing of Hillary and Clinton
On June 23, 2019, John Lithgow play Hillary and Clinton, on Broadway at the John Golden Theatre closed.
October 2019: Published Dumpty: The Age of Trump in Verse
In October 2019, John Lithgow published Dumpty: The Age of Trump in Verse, a book of poems and illustrations, which charted at number three on The New York Times hardcover nonfiction bestsellers in its first week.
2020: Release of If You Win audio play
In 2019, John Lithgow performed in Emily Chadwick Weiss's audio play If You Win, released by Playing on Air in spring 2020.
2020: Portrayed E.B. Jonathan in Perry Mason
In 2020, John Lithgow portrayed the attorney Elias Birchard "E.B." Jonathan in season one of the HBO reboot of Perry Mason.
June 28, 2021: Confirmed to reprise Arthur Mitchell in Dexter limited series
On June 28, 2021, Showtime confirmed that John Lithgow would reprise his role of Arthur Mitchell in the ten-episode Dexter limited series.
November 7, 2021: Dexter limited series premiere
On November 7, 2021, the Dexter limited series premiered with John Lithgow reprising his role of Arthur Mitchell.
2022: Starred in The Old Man
In 2022, John Lithgow portrayed former FBI Assistant Director Harold Harper in the Hulu series The Old Man, opposite Jeff Bridges, and was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor.
2022: Presented Liv Ullmann with the Academy Honorary Award
In 2022, John Lithgow presented Liv Ullmann with the Academy Honorary Award at the Governors Awards.
2023: Acted in Killers of the Flower Moon
In 2023, John Lithgow played Peter Leaward in Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon, which received ten Academy Award nominations.
September 2024: Portrayed Roald Dahl in Giant
In September 2024, John Lithgow portrayed Roald Dahl in the West End production of the Mark Rosenblatt play Giant at the Royal Court Theatre, receiving the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor for his performance.
2024: Acted in the movie Conclave
In 2024 John Lithgow starred in the conspiracy thriller Conclave, directed by Edward Berger.
January 23, 2025: Jimpa premiered at Sundance
On January 23, 2025, John Lithgow's film Jimpa premiered at Sundance.
February 25, 2025: Confirmed as Dumbledore in HBO Harry Potter series
On February 25, 2025, John Lithgow confirmed reports that he would play Dumbledore in the HBO Harry Potter series.
2026: Release of Jimpa in US and Australian cinemas
In early 2026, John Lithgow's film Jimpa, directed by Sophie Hyde, was released in US and Australian cinemas.
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