profile

John Lithgow

1945-10-19 (79 years old) in Rochester, New York, USA

John Arthur Lithgow (born October 19, 1945) is an American actor. Prolific in films, television and on stage, Lithgow is the recipient of numerous accolades, including two Golden Globe Awards, six Primetime Emmy Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, two Tony Awards and nominations for two Academy Awards and four Grammy Awards. He was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame and has received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Lithgow studied at Harvard University winning a Fulbright scholarship and getting a chance to attend the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. From there he focused his training on the New York stage beginning a distinguished career on Broadway. In 1973, Lithgow received his first Tony Award for his performance in The Changing Room. In 1976 Lithgow acted alongside Meryl Streep in three plays 27 Wagons Full of Cotton, A Memory of Two Mondays and Secret Service. In the 1980s he continued to receive Tony Awards nominations for his performances in Requiem for a Heavyweight (1985) and M. Butterfly (1988). In 2002, Lithgow received his second Tony Award, this time for a musical, The Sweet Smell of Success and another nomination for Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (2005). In 2007, he made his Royal Shakespeare Company debut as Malvolio in Neil Bartlett's production of Twelfth Night. He has also appeared on Broadway in the acclaimed plays The Columnist (2012) and A Delicate Balance (2014). He portrayed Bill Clinton in Hillary and Clinton (2019) alongside Laurie Metcalf as Hillary Clinton. Lithgow is also known for his television roles such as Dick Solomon in the sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun (1996–2001) winning three Primetime Emmy Awards for Best Actor in a Comedy Series for his performance. He also played Arthur Mitchell in the drama Dexter (2009) and he won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama. In 2004, Lithgow played Blake Edwards in the HBO television movie, The Life and Death of Peter Sellers. He has also appeared on 30 Rock, How I Met Your Mother, Louie and Drunk History. Lithgow won great acclaim for his portrayal of Winston Churchill in Peter Morgan's historical drama The Crown (2016–2019) on Netflix. For acting in The Crown he won a Primetime Emmy Award and Screen Actors Guild Award. In 2020, he had a recurring role on the HBO period series Perry Mason. He is also well known for his film roles. His early screen roles included Bob Fosse's All That Jazz (1979) and Brian De Palma's Blow Out (1981). He received his first Academy Award nomination for his breakout performance in The World According to Garp (1982) and received a second Academy Award nomination for Terms of Endearment (1983). He then starred in the films Footloose (1984), Harry and the Hendersons (1987), The Pelican Brief and Cliffhanger (1993), A Civil Action (1998), Rugrats in Paris: The Movie (2000), Shrek (2001), Kinsey (2004), Dreamgirls (2006), Love Is Strange (2014), Miss Sloane (2016) and Beatriz at Dinner (2017). In 2019 he appeared in Mindy Kaling's comedy Late Night and portrayed Roger Ailes in Bombshell.

Movies

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The Rule of Jenny Pen
0 %|Mar 20, 2025
Thriller, Horror, Drama
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Jimpa
0 %|Jan 23, 2025
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Spellbound
69 %|Nov 22, 2024
Animation, Fantasy, Family, Adventure, Comedy
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Art Happens Here with John Lithgow
0 %|Apr 26, 2024
Documentary
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Cabrini
78 %|Mar 7, 2024
History, Drama
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Dick Van Dyke: 98 Years of Magic
75 %|Dec 21, 2023
Music, Documentary, Family
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Sharper
69.64 %|Feb 10, 2023
Thriller, Crime, Drama
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Chez Bob
0 %|Dec 15, 2022
Animation
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The Bubble
46.21000000000001 %|Mar 25, 2022
Comedy
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Give My Regards to Broadway
0 %|Jul 16, 2020
Documentary
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Broadway: The Next Generation
100 %|Nov 16, 2017
TV Movie, Documentary
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Daddy's Home 2
62.95 %|Nov 9, 2017
Comedy
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The Pulitzer At 100
60 %|Jul 21, 2017
Documentary
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Beatriz at Dinner
57.61 %|Jun 9, 2017
Comedy, Drama
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Miss Sloane
74.37 %|Nov 25, 2016
Drama, Crime
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The Accountant
70.85 %|Oct 13, 2016
Crime, Thriller, Drama
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Shakespeare Live! From the RSC
75 %|Apr 23, 2016
Music, TV Movie, Documentary
actor
Ode to Joy: Beethoven's Symphony No. 9
0 %|Apr 5, 2016
Music, Documentary
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Best of Enemies
72 %|Jul 31, 2015
Documentary, History
actor
Lord John
0 %|Jul 20, 2015
Documentary
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9 Kisses
62 %|Dec 11, 2014
Romance
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The Jungle Bunch 2: The Great Treasure Quest
57 %|Aug 27, 2014
Family, Animation, Adventure
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The Homesman
65 %|May 18, 2014
Western, Drama
actor
Timms Valley
62 %|Dec 31, 2013
Comedy, Animation
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Shrek Stories
80 %|Oct 1, 2013
Family
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Miracle in a Box: A Piano Reborn
0 %|Oct 10, 2009
Documentary
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ShowBusiness: The Road to Broadway
70 %|Apr 19, 2007
Documentary
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Dreamgirls
67 %|Dec 25, 2006
Drama, Music
actor
Sangre
0 %|Jan 1, 2006
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Einstein's Big Idea
72 %|Oct 11, 2005
Documentary, Drama
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Buckaroo Banzai Declassified
84 %|Jan 4, 2002
Documentary
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Shrek in the Swamp Karaoke Dance Party
63.92 %|Nov 2, 2001
Animation, Comedy, Music, Family, Romance
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Johnny Skidmarks
57.86 %|Jan 18, 1998
Thriller, Crime, Drama, Mystery
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Memphis Belle
67.28 %|Sep 7, 1990
Drama, War, Action
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Ivory Hunters
42 %|Aug 20, 1990
Adventure, TV Movie
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Night of 100 Stars III
40 %|May 21, 1990
Comedy, Music, TV Movie, Documentary
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The Glitter Dome
45 %|Nov 18, 1984
Crime, Drama, TV Movie
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Goldilocks and the Three Bears
50 %|Jan 9, 1984
Fantasy, TV Movie
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I'm Dancing as Fast as I Can
60 %|Mar 5, 1982
Drama
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The Oldest Living Graduate
0 %|Apr 7, 1980
Drama, Comedy, TV Movie
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Amazing Stories: The Movie II
0 %|Invalid Date
Fantasy, Horror
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Conclave
70.71 %|Oct 25, 2024
Thriller, Drama
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Killers of the Flower Moon
74.48 %|Oct 18, 2023
Crime, History, Drama
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Emily @ the Edge of Chaos
0 %|May 7, 2021
Documentary
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Myths and Hymns
0 %|Jan 13, 2021
Music
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Bombshell
67.99000000000001 %|Dec 13, 2019
Drama
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On Broadway
87 %|Oct 12, 2019
Documentary
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The Tomorrow Man
58 %|May 22, 2019
Drama, Romance
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Pet Sematary
57 %|Apr 4, 2019
Horror, Thriller
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Late Night
64.09 %|Jan 25, 2019
Comedy, Drama
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Mister Rogers: It's You I Like
79 %|Mar 6, 2018
Documentary
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Pitch Perfect 3
65.25 %|Dec 20, 2017
Comedy, Music
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Hickory Dickory Doc
0 %|Jan 30, 2017
Documentary
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They All Saw a Cat
0 %|Jan 1, 2017
Animation
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Inside 'Interstellar'
69 %|Mar 31, 2015
Documentary
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Projections of America
50 %|Feb 10, 2015
Documentary
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Interstellar
84.45 %|Nov 5, 2014
Adventure, Drama, Science Fiction
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Love Is Strange
64.02 %|Aug 22, 2014
Drama
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Marvin Hamlisch: What He Did For Love
90 %|Oct 12, 2013
Documentary, Music
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This Is 40
58.879999999999995 %|Dec 20, 2012
Comedy
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Casting By
71 %|Nov 1, 2012
Documentary
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The Campaign
58.269999999999996 %|Aug 9, 2012
Comedy
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Shrek: Once Upon a Time
75 %|Dec 30, 2011
Documentary
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New Year's Eve
58.760000000000005 %|Dec 8, 2011
Comedy, Romance
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Rise of the Planet of the Apes
73.28999999999999 %|Aug 3, 2011
Thriller, Action, Drama, Science Fiction
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Leap Year
69 %|Jan 8, 2010
Romance, Comedy
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Confessions of a Shopaholic
64.83 %|Feb 5, 2009
Comedy, Romance
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Car of the Future
60 %|Apr 22, 2008
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The Best of The Tony Awards: The Plays
0 %|May 2, 2006
Documentary
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The Life and Death of Peter Sellers
65.75999999999999 %|Oct 1, 2004
Drama, Comedy, Romance
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Kinsey
66.18 %|Sep 4, 2004
Drama
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The Ghost of Lord Farquaad
60 %|Apr 3, 2004
Fantasy, Animation, Comedy, Family, Adventure
actor
Dogs and More Dogs
52 %|Feb 3, 2004
Documentary
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Bark, George
0 %|Jan 1, 2003
Family, Animation
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Orange County
60.26 %|Jan 11, 2002
Comedy, Drama
poster
Shrek
77.44 %|May 18, 2001
Animation, Comedy, Fantasy, Adventure, Family
poster
Rugrats in Paris: The Movie
66 %|Nov 17, 2000
Family, Animation, Adventure, Comedy
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Don Quixote
61 %|Apr 9, 2000
Adventure, Comedy, TV Movie
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95 Worlds and Counting
0 %|Jan 1, 2000
Documentary
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A Civil Action
64.53 %|Dec 25, 1998
Drama
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Homegrown
55.93 %|Apr 17, 1998
Drama, Action, Comedy, Thriller, Crime
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Officer Buckle and Gloria
0 %|Jan 1, 1997
Animation
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Hollow Point
51 %|Oct 21, 1996
Action, Comedy, Thriller
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Special Effects: Anything Can Happen
0 %|Jul 4, 1996
Documentary
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The Tuskegee Airmen
70 %|Aug 25, 1995
War, History, Drama, TV Movie
actor
My Brother's Keeper
10 %|Mar 14, 1995
Drama, TV Movie
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American Cinema
0 %|Jan 23, 1995
Documentary
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Redwood Curtain
60 %|Jan 1, 1995
Drama, TV Movie
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Silent Fall
52 %|Oct 28, 1994
Drama, Thriller, Mystery
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Princess Caraboo
54 %|Sep 16, 1994
Comedy, Drama, History, Mystery
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A Good Man in Africa
52 %|Jul 14, 1994
Comedy, Drama
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Masters of Illusion: The Wizards of Special Effects
0 %|May 22, 1994
Documentary, TV Movie
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The Country Mouse & the City Mouse: A Christmas Tale
0 %|Dec 8, 1993
Animation, Drama, Family
poster
Love, Cheat & Steal
47 %|Dec 5, 1993
Thriller, TV Movie, Drama
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The Pelican Brief
66 %|Sep 17, 1993
Thriller
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The Wrong Man
48 %|Sep 5, 1993
Romance, Thriller
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Cliffhanger
65 %|May 28, 1993
Action, Adventure, Thriller
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Sylvester and the Magic Pebble
100 %|Jan 1, 1993
Animation, Family
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Raising Cain
61 %|Aug 7, 1992
Thriller, Crime, Horror
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At Play in the Fields of the Lord
63 %|Dec 6, 1991
Drama, Romance
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Ricochet
61 %|Oct 4, 1991
Crime, Thriller, Action, Drama
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The Boys
0 %|Apr 15, 1991
Comedy, Drama
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John Lithgow's Kid-Sized Concert
50 %|Jun 1, 1990
Family, Music
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Traveling Man
33 %|Jun 25, 1989
Comedy, TV Movie
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Out Cold
59 %|Mar 3, 1989
Comedy, Drama, Thriller
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Distant Thunder
56 %|Nov 11, 1988
Drama
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Harry and the Hendersons
61 %|Jun 5, 1987
Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Drama
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The Amazing Bone
0 %|Jun 1, 1987
Animation, Family, Fantasy
actor
Baby Girl Scott
60 %|Jan 1, 1987
Drama
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The Manhattan Project
62 %|Jun 13, 1986
Science Fiction, Thriller
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Resting Place
62 %|Apr 27, 1986
Drama
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Santa Claus: The Making of the Movie
50 %|Dec 1, 1985
Documentary
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Mesmerized
50 %|Nov 18, 1985
Drama
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Santa Claus: The Movie
63 %|Oct 29, 1985
Family, Fantasy, Adventure
poster
2010
67 %|Dec 6, 1984
Thriller, Science Fiction
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The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension
60 %|Aug 10, 1984
Science Fiction, Comedy, Adventure, Romance
poster
Footloose
67 %|Feb 17, 1984
Drama, Romance
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Terms of Endearment
70.99000000000001 %|Nov 20, 1983
Drama, Comedy
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The Day After
67 %|Nov 20, 1983
Science Fiction, Drama, TV Movie
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Twilight Zone: The Movie
65 %|Jun 24, 1983
Horror, Fantasy, Science Fiction
actor
Not in Front of the Children
60 %|Oct 26, 1982
Drama, TV Movie
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The World According to Garp
67 %|Aug 13, 1982
Drama, Comedy
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Blow Out
73.71000000000001 %|Jul 24, 1981
Thriller, Mystery, Crime
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Big Blonde
50 %|Dec 1, 1980
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Mom, the Wolfman and Me
0 %|Oct 20, 1980
Comedy, TV Movie
poster
All That Jazz
74.49 %|Dec 16, 1979
Drama
poster
Rich Kids
50 %|Aug 17, 1979
Comedy, Drama
poster
The Big Fix
56 %|Oct 6, 1978
Comedy, Thriller, Mystery
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Secret Service
0 %|Jan 12, 1977
Drama, TV Movie
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Obsession
66 %|Aug 1, 1976
Thriller, Mystery, Drama
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The Country Girl
0 %|Feb 5, 1974
Drama, TV Movie
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The Fall of 2008
0 %|Invalid Date
Documentary, Comedy, Crime, History

Series

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Liv Ullmann: A Road Less Travelled
80 %|May 21, 2023
Documentary
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Sherri
42 %|Sep 12, 2022
Talk
poster
The Old Man
72 %|Jun 16, 2022
Action & Adventure, Drama
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Dexter: New Blood
79.73 %|Nov 7, 2021
Drama, Crime
poster
Ultra City Smiths
64 %|Sep 13, 2021
Comedy, Animation, Drama
poster
Perry Mason
73 %|Jun 21, 2020
Drama, Mystery, Crime
poster
Stars in the House
0 %|Mar 16, 2020
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The Kelly Clarkson Show
62 %|Sep 9, 2019
Talk
poster
Firing Line with Margaret Hoover
75 %|Jun 22, 2018
Talk, War & Politics
poster
James Cameron's Story of Science Fiction
68 %|Apr 29, 2018
Documentary, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
poster
Trial & Error
73 %|Mar 14, 2017
Comedy
poster
The Crown
82.13 %|Nov 4, 2016
Drama
poster
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
66 %|Sep 8, 2015
Comedy, Talk
poster
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
66 %|Sep 8, 2015
Comedy, Talk
poster
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
66 %|Sep 8, 2015
Comedy, Talk
poster
The Roosevelts: An Intimate History
83 %|Sep 14, 2014
Documentary,
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Late Night with Seth Meyers
55 %|Feb 25, 2014
Talk, Comedy
poster
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
58 %|Feb 17, 2014
Comedy, Talk
poster
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
58 %|Feb 17, 2014
Comedy, Talk
poster
Once Upon a Time in Wonderland
69.06 %|Oct 10, 2013
Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Drama
poster
Finding Your Roots
62 %|Mar 24, 2012
Documentary
poster
Prohibition
79 %|Oct 2, 2011
Documentary
poster
Conan
70.36 %|Nov 8, 2010
Talk, Comedy, News
poster
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
50 %|Jul 16, 2009
Talk, Comedy
poster
The Graham Norton Show
72 %|Feb 22, 2007
Comedy, Talk
poster
Twenty Good Years
85 %|Oct 11, 2006
Comedy
poster
30 Rock
74 %|Oct 11, 2006
Comedy
poster
Dexter
82 %|Oct 1, 2006
Crime, Drama, Mystery
poster
The Colbert Report
68.22 %|Oct 17, 2005
News, Comedy
actor
The Apprentice: Martha Stewart
0 %|Sep 21, 2005
Reality
poster
How I Met Your Mother
82 %|Sep 19, 2005
Comedy
actor
The Tony Danza Show
61 %|Sep 13, 2004
Talk
actor
VH1 Goes Inside
100 %|Jun 20, 2003
News
poster
E! Live from the Red Carpet
32 %|Jan 13, 2002
Talk, Reality
poster
The Early Show
57 %|Nov 1, 1999
News
poster
The View
44.21 %|Aug 11, 1997
Talk
poster
The View
44.21 %|Aug 11, 1997
Talk
poster
Cosby
59 %|Sep 16, 1996
Comedy, Family
poster
The West
84 %|Sep 15, 1996
Documentary
poster
The West
84 %|Sep 15, 1996
Documentary
poster
The Daily Show
64 %|Jul 22, 1996
News, Comedy
poster
The Rosie O'Donnell Show
35 %|Jun 10, 1996
Talk, Family, Comedy
poster
3rd Rock from the Sun
75 %|Jan 9, 1996
Family, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Comedy, Drama
poster
American Cinema
80 %|Jan 1, 1994
Documentary
poster
World War II: When Lions Roared
68 %|Jan 1, 1994
War & Politics, Drama, Reality
poster
Frasier
77 %|Sep 16, 1993
Comedy, Family
poster
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
71.22 %|Sep 13, 1993
Comedy, Talk
poster
The Simpsons
80.16999999999999 %|Dec 17, 1989
Family, Animation, Comedy
poster
The Simpsons
80.16999999999999 %|Dec 17, 1989
Family, Animation, Comedy
poster
Tales from the Crypt
80 %|Jun 10, 1989
Comedy, Mystery, Crime, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
poster
Amazing Stories
74.53999999999999 %|Sep 29, 1985
Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Drama, Comedy, Family, Mystery, Crime
poster
Faerie Tale Theatre
82 %|Sep 11, 1982
Drama, Family, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Comedy
poster
Saturday Night Live
69.36 %|Oct 11, 1975
Comedy, News
poster
NOVA
69 %|Mar 3, 1974
Documentary
poster
Great Performances
52 %|Jan 28, 1971
Comedy, Documentary, Drama
poster
Tony Awards
50 %|Apr 1, 1956
poster
Tony Awards
50 %|Apr 1, 1956
poster
Tony Awards
50 %|Apr 1, 1956
poster
Tony Awards
50 %|Apr 1, 1956
poster
Tony Awards
50 %|Apr 1, 1956
poster
Today
55 %|Jan 14, 1952
News, Talk
poster
Hallmark Hall of Fame
86.67 %|Dec 24, 1951
Drama
poster
Hallmark Hall of Fame
86.67 %|Dec 24, 1951
Drama
poster
Hallmark Hall of Fame
86.67 %|Dec 24, 1951
Drama
poster
Golden Globe Awards
68 %|Jan 20, 1944
Talk
poster
Golden Globe Awards
68 %|Jan 20, 1944
Talk