Ian David Lithgow (born February 3, 1972) is an American actor. He is best known for his work as Leon in the

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...

series ''

3rd Rock from the Sun ''3rd Rock from the Sun'' is an American television sitcom created by Bonnie and Terry Turner, which originally aired from January 9, 1996, to May 22, 2001, on NBC. The show is about four extraterrestrials who are on an expedition to Earth, ...

'' (1996–2001). He is the son of actor

John Lithgow John Arthur Lithgow ( ; born , 1945) is an American actor. Lithgow studied at Harvard University and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art before becoming known for his work on the stage and screen. He has been the recipient of numerous ...

Biography

Lithgow was born on February 3, 1972, in

Cambridge, Massachusetts Cambridge ( ) is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. As part of the Boston metropolitan area, the cities population of the 2020 U.S. census was 118,403, making it the fourth most populous city in the state, behind Boston, ...

, the son and only child from the marriage of actor

and his first wife, Jean Taynton. He has two half siblings, Phoebe (born 1982) and Nathan (born 1983). He received his undergraduate degree from

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of highe ...

and his M.A. in Clinical Psychology from

Antioch University Los Angeles Antioch University Los Angeles (AULA) is a campus of Antioch University in Culver City, California. Background Antioch College was founded in Yellow Springs, Ohio. Horace Mann, Antioch College’s first president's goal was to create an educat ...

. He currently runs a practice in Lower Manhattan specializing in marriage and family therapy. Lithgow is an actor who has performed in film, television, and in regional theatres across the country, including the

Goodman Theatre Goodman Theatre is a professional theater company located in Chicago's Loop. A major part of the Chicago theatre scene, it is the city's oldest currently active nonprofit theater organization. Part of its present theater complex occupies the la ...

, the

American Repertory Theatre The American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) is a professional not-for-profit theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1979 by Robert Brustein, the A.R.T. is known for its commitment to new American plays and music–theater explorations; to n ...

, the

Williamstown Theatre Festival The Williamstown Theatre Festival is a resident summer theater on the campus of Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1954 by Williams College news director Ralph Renzi and drama program chairman David C. Bryant. I ...

, the

Ahmanson Theatre The Ahmanson Theatre is one of the four main venues that compose the Los Angeles Music Center. History The theatre was built as a result of a donation from Howard F. Ahmanson Sr, the founder of H.F. Ahmanson & Co., an insurance and savings and ...

, and the

Pasadena Playhouse The Pasadena Playhouse is a historic performing arts venue located 39 S. El Molino Avenue in Pasadena, California, United States. The 686-seat auditorium produces a variety of cultural and artistic events, professional shows, and community engage ...

. He created the role of Tony in '' Boy Gets Girl'', which he performed at the

Manhattan Theatre Club Manhattan Theatre Club (MTC) is a theatre company located in New York City, affiliated with the League of Resident Theatres. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Lynne Meadow and Executive Producer Barry Grove, Manhattan Theatre Club has ...

. In the 1990s NBC sitcom ''

'', Lithgow portrayed the recurring role of Leon, a purportedly dim-witted student who attends the physics class of

Dick Solomon Dr. Dick Solomon is a character played by John Lithgow in the late-1990s NBC sitcom ''3rd Rock from the Sun''. Solomon is the High Commander of a highly trained alien unit, sent to Earth by their leader, The Big Giant Head. His crew is made up of ...

(portrayed by real-life father John Lithgow). He portrayed a son of his father's character in the 2020 HBO television series '' Perry Mason''.

Filmography

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Lithgow, Ian 1972 births Living people 20th-century American male actors 21st-century American male actors American male film actors American male television actors American people of Dominican Republic descent American people of English descent American people of French descent American people of Scottish descent 21st-century American psychologists Antioch University alumni Harvard University alumni