John Lithgow, born October 19, 1945, is an American actor known for his extraordinary versatility, whose career spans theater, film, and television. He received two consecutive Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor for *The World According to Garp* (1982) and *Terms of Endearment* (1983). His other celebrated film roles include Reverend Shaw Moore in *Footloose* (1984), the terrorist Eric Qualen in *Cliffhanger* (1993), and the voice of Lord Farquaad in *Shrek* (2001). On television, he achieved international fame with the sitcom *3rd Rock from the Sun* (1996-2001) and earned critical acclaim for his intense portrayals of the "Trinity Killer" in *Dexter* (2009) and Winston Churchill in *The Crown* (2016). His career is decorated with numerous accolades, including six Emmy Awards, two Golden Globes, and two Tony Awards, the latter won for his acclaimed work on the Broadway stage.