Net Worth Ranker
What Is John Lithgow’s Net Worth?
John Lithgow, a multifaceted American talent recognized as an actor, author, and musician, has accumulated a substantial net worth of $50 million. This financial standing reflects his prolific career spanning film, television, and stage productions. His success is underpinned by award-winning performances, including his roles in the sitcom “3rd Rock from the Sun” and the historical drama “The Crown.”
Early Life and Education
Born in Rochester, New York, in 1945, to Arthur and Sarah Lithgow, John’s upbringing was steeped in the arts. His father, a theatrical producer and director, shaped his early exposure to the performing arts. Lithgow’s ancestry includes descendants of eight Mayflower passengers, underscoring his deep American roots. The family’s frequent relocations due to Arthur’s career included a period in Yellow Springs, Ohio, where Coretta Scott King occasionally babysat John and his siblings. His teenage years were spent in Akron and Lakewood, Ohio, before the family settled in Princeton, New Jersey. He completed his secondary education at Princeton High School and then attended Harvard College, where he excelled academically, graduating magna cum laude in 1967 with a degree in history and literature. Lithgow was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship, which enabled him to study at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, furthering his training and broadening his artistic horizons.
Theatrical Career
Lithgow’s Broadway debut in 1973 marked the beginning of his esteemed acting career. His performance in David Storey’s “The Changing Room” was immediately lauded, earning him a Tony Award. The following year, he starred in the comedy play “My Fat Friend” alongside Lynn Redgrave, demonstrating his versatility. In 1976, he appeared in Arthur Miller’s “A Memory of Two Mondays” with Meryl Streep and Tom Hulce, further solidifying his reputation. Throughout the late 1970s, Lithgow’s stage credits expanded to include roles in “Secret Service,” “Comedians,” “Anna Christie,” and “Once in a Lifetime.” In the early 1980s, Lithgow showcased his talents in “Salt Lake City Skyline” and “Division Street,” followed by performances in “Kaufman at Large,” “Beyond Therapy,” and Rod Serling’s “Requiem for a Heavyweight.” By the late 1980s, he starred in “The Front Page” and David Henry Hwang’s “M. Butterfly,” demonstrating his adaptability and commitment to diverse roles.
After a 12-year hiatus from the stage, Lithgow made a triumphant return in the 2002 musical adaptation of “Sweet Smell of Success,” where he portrayed J. J. Hunsecker, earning him his second Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical. In 2005, he received another Tony nomination for his performance in “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,” though he lost to his co-star Norbert Leo Butz. Lithgow debuted with the Royal Shakespeare Company in a production of “Twelfth Night” a few years later. More recently, he has continued his presence on Broadway, starring in critically acclaimed plays such as “A Delicate Balance” and “Hillary and Clinton.”
Film Career
Lithgow’s foray into film began in 1972 with “Dealing: Or the Berkeley-to-Boston Forty-Brick Lost-Bag Blues.” Later in the decade, he secured notable roles in Brian De Palma’s psychological thriller “Obsession,” the political comedy “The Big Fix,” and Bob Fosse’s musical “All That Jazz,” showcasing his range across genres. Lithgow continued his successful run in the 1980s. Following appearances in “Blow Out” and “I’m Dancing as Fast as I Can,” he garnered critical acclaim for his portrayal of Roberta Muldoon, a transgender ex-football player, in “The World According to Garp.” This performance earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He received another nomination in the same category the following year for his role in “Terms of Endearment,” solidifying his status as a versatile and respected actor.
Throughout the 1980s, Lithgow’s film credits also included roles in “The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension,” “Santa Claus: The Movie,” “The Manhattan Project,” “Harry and the Hendersons,” and “Out Cold.” In the early 1990s, Lithgow starred opposite Denzel Washington in the action crime thriller “Ricochet.” He also played missionary Leslie Huben in the adaptation of “At Play in the Fields of the Lord” and portrayed a man with multiple-personality disorder in Brian De Palma’s “Raising Cain.” His filmography in the 1990s expanded with roles in “The Wrong Man,” “The Pelican Brief,” “Love, Cheat & Steal,” “Cliffhanger,” “Hollow Point,” “Homegrown,” and “A Civil Action.”
In the 2000s, Lithgow’s notable film credits include roles in “Kinsey,” “Dreamgirls,” and “Shrek,” where he voiced the character of Lord Farquaad. In the 2010s, Lithgow earned recognition for his performances in the LGBTQ romantic drama “Love is Strange,” the science-fiction drama “Interstellar,” the political thriller “Miss Sloane,” the dramedy “Beatriz at Dinner,” and “Bombshell,” in which he portrayed Roger Ailes.
Television Career
Lithgow’s television career began with an Emmy Award nomination for the 1983 television film “The Day After.” He went on to earn additional nominations for his performances in “Amazing Stories” and the television film “Resting Place.” In the 1990s, Lithgow landed his most significant and widely recognized television role in the NBC sitcom “3rd Rock from the Sun,” where he played the alien High Commander Dick Solomon. This role earned him six consecutive Emmy Award nominations, resulting in three wins. Later in his career, Lithgow garnered acclaim for recurring roles in shows such as “Dexter,” “How I Met Your Mother,” and “Once Upon a Time in Wonderland.” His portrayal of Winston Churchill in the Netflix historical drama “The Crown” earned him another Emmy Award.
Other Projects
Beyond acting, Lithgow has written numerous children’s books, including “Marsupial Sue,” “Carnival of the Animals,” and “I Got Two Dogs.” He has also released albums for children such as “Singin’ in the Bathtub” and “Farkle and Friends.” As a satirical author, Lithgow published the poetry collection “Dumpty: The Age of Trump in Verse” in 2019. A follow-up book, “Trumpty Dumpty Wanted a Crown,” was released the following year.
Personal Life
In 1966, Lithgow married his first wife, teacher Jean Taynton. They had a son named Ian and divorced in 1980 following Lithgow’s affair with actress Liv Ullmann. Subsequently, Lithgow married UCLA history professor Mary Yeager, with whom he has two children: Nathan and Phoebe. This blend of personal experiences and professional milestones has contributed to John Lithgow’s impressive net worth and enduring legacy in the entertainment industry.
