For other people of the same name, see John Goodman (disambiguation).
Jonathan Stephen "John" Goodman[1] (born June 20, 1952)[2] is an American film, television, and stage actor. He is best known for his role as Dan Conner on the television series Roseanne (1988–1997), for which he won a Best Actor Golden Globe Award in 1993, and for providing the voice of Sulley in Monsters, Inc. He is also known as the voice of Larry in Father of the Pride. Other prominent roles Goodman has portrayed include his leading voice role in Frosty Returns, his recent supporting roles in Argo, Flight, and The Artist, and a cameo in C.H.U.D. As a film actor, he has frequently collaborated with the Coen Brothers, including in Raising Arizona, Barton Fink, The Big Lebowski, and O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Early life[]
Goodman was born Jonathan Stephen Goodman in St. Louis, Missouri. His mother, Virginia Roos (née Loosmore), was a store clerk and waitress who worked at Jack and Phil's Bar-B-Que, while his father, Leslie F. Goodman, was a postal worker who died of a heart attack in 1954.[1][2][3] He has a sister, Elisabeth Horvath, and a brother, Leslie.[4] He is of English, Welsh, and German ancestry.[3]
Goodman went to Affton High School, where he played football and dabbled in theater. He won a football scholarship to Southwest Missouri State University, now Missouri State University.[5] He pledged to Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, but was not formally initiated until several years later. He discovered Southwest Missouri's drama program and studied there with actors Kathleen Turner and Tess Harper.[6] After a college injury ended his football career, he decided to become a professional actor and left Missouri for New York in 1975.[5]
With a small bankroll from his brother, Goodman found an apartment on Ninth Avenue and 51st Street, near Manhattan's Theater District, and attempted unsuccessfully to earn money as a bartender and waiter. He was soon to find modest success on stage, though, in commercials and in voiceover performances. He was the person who slapped himself in the commercial for Skin Bracer by Mennen, saying the famous line "Thanks ... I needed that!"[6] He performed off-Broadway and in dinner theatres before landing character roles in movies during the early 1980s.[5]
Career[]
In 1985, Goodman originated the role of Pap Finn in the Broadway musical Big River. For his role, he received a Drama Desk nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Musical; he also is featured on the Original Broadway Cast Recording. He had a long history of appearances on late night comedy shows, and was the first guest on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, which won him the show's "First Guest Medal" (Goodman joked that he would pawn the medal for a bottle of cheap Scotch).[citation needed] He has hosted NBC's Saturday Night Live 12 times, while also making sevencameo appearances as Linda Tripp during the Monica Lewinsky scandal.[5] Goodman auditioned to be a cast member for Jean Doumanian's tumultuous 1980–1981 SNL season, but was rejected.[citation needed]
In 1982, Goodman started landing movie roles, beginning with a small role in Eddie Macon's Run. During this period he continued to work on the stage, starring in the Tony-winning Broadway musical Big River from 1985 to 1987. He landed his big break into movies in 1986, when he had a significant comedic role in the David Byrne absurdist comedy/musical True Stories.[7] In that film, his character Louis Fyne memorably utters the line: "I'm 6' 3" and maintain a consistent panda bear shape", establishing his trademark size as an important part of many characters he would later play on film and stage. He is also known for his role as the head football coach for Adams College in the movie Revenge of the Nerds. In 1997, John Goodman was added to the St. Louis Walk of Fame.[8]
He first worked with the Coen Brothers on Raising Arizona (1987). He would go on to appear in their films Barton Fink (1991), The Big Lebowski (1998), and O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000). In 2011, it was announced he would return to working with them on Inside Llewyn Davis—his fifth film with them and his first for a decade.[9] Only Steve Buscemi has appeared in more Coen works (six films), though Frances McDormand and Jon Polito have also appeared in five of their films.
Goodman is most famous for his role as Dan Conner on the American sitcom Roseanne, which aired on ABC from 1988 to 1997.[5]
Goodman had guest roles on the Aaron Sorkin television dramas The West Wing and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. In the former he appeared in four episodes, playing Speaker of the House and eventual President Glen Allen Walken. In the latter, he appeared as Pahrump, Nevada Judge Robert Bebe, earning a 2007 Emmy[10] for Outstanding Guest Actor – Drama Series for his performance.[11] In addition, Goodman starred as Fred Flintstone in the film adaptation of The Flintstones.[8]
He voiced Robot Santa in the character's first appearance on Futurama. Beginning in 2007, Goodman has been the voiceover in Dunkin' Donutscommercials.[12] In 2000, Goodman provided the voice of Pacha in the Disney film The Emperor's New Groove and, a year later, the voice of Sulley in the Disney/Pixar film Monsters, Inc. In 2009, Goodman voice "Big Daddy" La Bouff in Disney's The Princess and the Frog. Goodman's voice can also be heard on an automated message system at Lambert St. Louis International airport.[13]
In theater, Goodman played the Ghost of Christmas Present in the 2008 Kodak Theatre production of A Christmas Carol, starring Christopher Lloyd asEbenezer Scrooge. He played the role of Pozzo in a Studio 54 revival of the play Waiting for Godot, opposite Bill Irwin and Nathan Lane.
In 2011, Goodman was a guest star on the third season of NBC's Community. He also voiced a character in id Software's game RAGE voicing Dan Hagar, and played movie studio chief Al Zimmer in the Academy Award–winning live action film The Artist. In February 2012, it was reported that Goodman would reunite with Roseanne Barr for a new NBC pilot titled Downwardly Mobile. The show will be set in a trailer park and use a multiple-camera setup. Goodman will play one of the residents of the community.[14]
New Orleans residency[]
Goodman has long resided in New Orleans, Louisiana.[5] Since Hurricane Katrina, Goodman has appeared on several recovery commercials aired in Louisiana.
Goodman was cast in In the Electric Mist (2009) as Julie "Baby Feet" Balboni, which is set in post–Hurricane Katrina Louisiana. Goodman was at one time slated to play the role of Ignatius Reilly, the main character of A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole. The story takes place almost entirely in New Orleans. However, the movie was never put into production. The movie The Princess and the Frog where he lent his voice as Eli "Big Daddy" La Bouff also takes place in New Orleans. Goodman was featured in the HBO series Treme. Treme focuses on a group of interconnected people trying to rebuild their lives in post–Hurricane Katrina New Orleans. Goodman played Creighton Bernette, a Tulane English professor.
In 2010, Goodman appeared in a commercial to raise awareness for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Also starring in the commercial were Sandra Bullock, Peyton Manning, Eli Manning, Jack Del Rio, Drew Brees, Emeril Lagasse, James Carville, and Blake Lively.[citation needed]
Personal life[]
Goodman and his wife, Anna Beth, live in New Orleans. As of October 2012, their daughter, Molly, was 22 and in film school.[15]
In a 2009 interview, Goodman was open about his alcoholism, saying, "I don't know how much the old Jackie Daniel's franchise ruined my memory, which is going anyway, because of my advancing decrepitude. I had a 30-year run, and at the end I didn't care about anything. I was just fed up with myself. I didn't even want to be an actor anymore."[16] In October 2012, he told Vulture's Jada Yuan: “If I’d picture in my mind a drink—usually straight out of the bottle—I couldn’t not do it.” Acting in plays, “I’d have the shakes so bad I’d have to have a drink to get through the show. I’m lucky I never got fired.” Then one night, he says, “I bottomed out." He has been sober since 2007 and tries to attend an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting every morning.,[15] and toward the end of 2009–2010, Goodman lost 100 pounds. He has stated that exercising and keeping a journal of food he consumed are what helped him keep the weight off.[17]
Filmography[]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Jailbait Babysitter[citation needed] | ||
| 1983 | Eddie Macon's Run | Herbert | |
| 1983 | The Survivors | Commando | |
| 1984 | Revenge of the Nerds | Coach Harris | |
| 1984 | C.H.U.D. | Cop in Diner | |
| 1984 | Maria's Lovers | Frank | |
| 1985 | Sweet Dreams | Otis | |
| 1986 | True Stories | Louis Fyne | |
| 1987 | The Big Easy | Det. Andre DeSoto | |
| 1987 | Raising Arizona | Gale Snoats | |
| 1987 | Burglar | Det. Nyswander | |
| 1988 | The Wrong Guys | Duke Earle | |
| 1988 | Punchline | John Krytsick | |
| 1988 | Everybody's All-American | Lawrence | |
| 1989 | Sea of Love | Det. Sherman | |
| 1989 | Always | Al Yackey | |
| 1990 | Stella | Ed Munn | |
| 1990 | Arachnophobia | Delbert McClintock | |
| 1991 | King Ralph | Ralph Hampton Gainesworth Jones | |
| 1991 | Barton Fink | Charlie Meadows | |
| 1992 | The Babe | George Herman 'Babe' Ruth | |
| 1992 | Frosty Returns | Frosty the Snowman | Voice |
| 1993 | Matinee | Lawrence Woolsey | |
| 1993 | Born Yesterday | Harry Brock | |
| 1993 | We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story | Rex the Dinosaur | Narrator
Voice |
| 1994 | The Hudsucker Proxy | Newsreel Announcer | Credited as Karl Mundt[18] |
| 1994 | The Flintstones | Fred Flintstone | |
| 1996 | Pie in the Sky | Alan Davenport | |
| 1996 | Mother Night | Major Frank Wirtanen | |
| 1997 | The Borrowers | Ocious P. Potter | |
| 1998 | Fallen | Jonesy | |
| 1998 | Blues Brothers 2000 | Mighty Mack McTeer | |
| 1998 | The Big Lebowski | Walter Sobchak | |
| 1998 | Dirty Work | Mayor Adrian Riggins | Uncredited[citation needed] |
| 1998 | The Real Macaw | Mac the Parrot | Voice |
| 1998 | Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Movie | Santa Claus | Voice |
| 1999 | The Runner | Deepthroat | |
| 1999 | Bringing Out the Dead | Larry | |
| 1999 | The Jack Bull | Judge Joe B. Tolliver | |
| 2000 | What Planet Are You From? | Roland Jones | |
| 2000 | O Brother, Where Art Thou? | Daniel 'Big Dan' Teague | |
| 2000 | The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle | Oklahoma Cop | |
| 2000 | Coyote Ugly | Billene Sanford | |
| 2000 | The Emperor's New Groove | Pacha | Voice |
| 2001 | My First Mister | Benjamin | |
| 2001 | One Night at McCool's | Det. Dehling | |
| 2001 | Storytelling | Marty Livingston | Segment: "Non-Fiction" |
| 2001 | Monsters, Inc. | James P. "Sulley" Sullivan | Voice |
| 2001 | Happy Birthday[citation needed] | The Dean | |
| 2002 | Mike's New Car | James P. "Sulley" Sullivan | Voice |
| 2002 | Dirty Deeds | Tony | |
| 2003 | Masked and Anonymous | Uncle Sweetheart | |
| 2003 | The Jungle Book 2 | Baloo | Voice |
| 2004 | Home of Phobia[citation needed] | Rodney | Released under the title Freshman Orientation |
| 2004 | Clifford's Really Big Movie | George Wolfsbottom | Voice |
| 2004 | Beyond the Sea | Steve 'Boom Boom' Blauner | |
| 2005 | Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing and Charm School | Steve Mills | |
| 2005 | Kronk's New Groove | Pacha | Voice |
| 2006 | Cars | Sullivan Truck | Voice
Cameo appearance Car version of James P. "Sulley" Sullivan;[citation needed] Sulley made an appearance in one of the Cars Toons series.[citation needed] |
| 2006 | The Year Without a Santa Claus | Santa Claus | |
| 2006 | Tales of the Rat Fink | Ed "Big Daddy" Roth | Narrator
Voice |
| 2007 | Death Sentence | Bones Darley | |
| 2007 | Evan Almighty | Congressman Long | |
| 2007 | Bee Movie | Layton T. Montgomery | Voice |
| 2008 | Speed Racer | Pops Racer | |
| 2009 | Gigantic | Al Lolly | |
| 2009 | Confessions of a Shopaholic | Graham Bloomwood | |
| 2009 | In the Electric Mist | Julie 'Baby Feet' Balboni | |
| 2009 | Alabama Moon | Mr. Wellington | |
| 2009 | Beyond All Boundaries | Capt. Edwin Simmons | Voice
Short film |
| 2009 | The Princess and the Frog | Eli "Big Daddy" La Bouff | Voice |
| 2009 | A Sewer Runs Through It | Narrator | Voice |
| 2009 | Pope Joan | Pope Sergius II | |
| 2009 | Drunkboat | Mr. Fletcher | |
| 2011 | The Artist | Al Zimmer | Silent film |
| 2011 | Red State | Joseph Kennan | |
| 2011 | Spring Break '83 | Dick Bender | |
| 2011 | Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close | Stan the Doorman | |
| 2012 | Bunyan and Babe | Paul Bunyan | Voice |
| 2012 | ParaNorman | Mr. Prendergast | Voice |
| 2012 | The Campaign | Scott Talley | Cameo appearance |
| 2012 | Trouble with the Curve | Pete Klein | |
| 2012 | Argo | John Chambers | |
| 2012 | Flight | Harling Mays | |
| 2013 | Monsters University | James P. "Sulley" Sullivan | Voice
Post-Production |
| 2013 | Monuments Men | Filming | |
| 2013 | Inside Llewyn Davis[citation needed] | Actor | |
| 2013 | The Hangover Part III[citation needed] | Actor |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | The Face of Rage | Fred | Television film |
| 1983 | Chiefs | Newt 'Tub' Murray | Miniseries |
| 1983 | Heart of Steel | Raymond Bohupinsky | Television film |
| 1987 | Murder Ordained | Hugh Rayburn | Television film |
| 1987 | The Equalizer | Harold Winter | Episode: "Re-Entry" |
| 1987 | Moonlighting | Donald Chase | Episode: "Come Back Little Shiksa" |
| 1988–1997 | Roseanne | Dan Conner | 221 episodes |
| 1995 | Kingfish | Huey P. Long | Television film |
| 1995 | A Streetcar Named Desire | Harold 'Mitch' Mitchell | Television film |
| 1996 | Muppets Tonight | Himself | Season 1, Episode 4 |
| 1999 | Now and Again | Michael Wiseman | Episode: "Origins" |
| 1999 | The Simpsons | Meathook | Voice
Episode: "Take My Wife, Sleaze" |
| 1999 | Futurama | Robot Santa | Voice
Episode: "Xmas Story" |
| 2000 | Normal, Ohio | William "Butch" Gamble | 13 Episodes |
| 2001 | When Dinosaurs Roamed America | Narrator | Voice |
| 2003–2004 | The West Wing | Glen Allen Walken | Four Episodes |
| 2004 | Father of the Pride | Larry | Voice only
15 episodes |
| 2004–2005 | Center of the Universe | John Barnett | 10 episodes |
| 2006 | Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip | Judge Bobby Bebe | Episodes: "Nevada Day: Part I & II" |
| 2007 | King of the Hill | Tommy | Episode: "SerPUNt" |
| 2010 | You Don't Know Jack | Neal Nicol | |
| 2010–2011 | Treme | Creighton Bernette | 11 episodes |
| 2011 | Damages | Howard T. Erickson | Season 4 |
| 2011–2012 | Community | Vice Dean Robert Laybourne[19] | 6 episodes |
| 2012 | Dancing on the Edge | Masterson | 5 episodes |
| 2012 | SpongeBob SquarePants | Santa Claus | Voice
Episode: "It's a SpongeBob Christmas!" |
| 2013 | Alpha House[citation needed] |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Pyst | King Mattruss | Voice |
| 2002 | Monsters Inc. Scream Arena | James P. "Sulley" Sullivan | Voice |
| 2007 | Cars Mater-National Championship | James P. "Sulley" Sullivan Truck | Voice |
| 2009 | Cars Race-O-Rama | James P. "Sulley" Sullivan Truck | Voice |
| 2011 | Rage | Dan Hagar[20] | Voice |
Discography[]
Guest Appearance
- "Candy" (1999) -Chimes
Awards and nominations[]
| Year | Award | Category | Title | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Chicago Film Critics Association Awards | "Best Supporting Actor" | Sea of Love | Nominated |
| 1989 | People's Choice Awards | "Favorite Male Performer in a New TV Program" | Roseanne | Nominated |
| 1989 | American Comedy Awards | "Funniest Male Performer in a TV Series (Leading Role) Network, Cable or Syndication" | Roseanne | Won |
| 1989 | Emmy Awards | "Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series" | Roseanne | Nominated |
| 1989 | Golden Globe Awards | "Best Performance by an Actor in a TV-Series – Comedy/Musical" | Roseanne | Nominated |
| 1990 | American Comedy Awards | "Funniest Male Performer in a TV Series (Leading Role) Network, Cable or Syndication" | Roseanne | Won |
| 1990 | Emmy Awards | "Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series" | Roseanne | Nominated |
| 1990 | Golden Globe Awards | "Best Performance by an Actor in a TV-Series – Comedy/Musical" | Roseanne | Nominated |
| 1991 | Saturn Awards | "Best Supporting Actor" | Arachnophobia | Nominated |
| 1991 | Emmy Awards | "Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series" | Roseanne | Nominated |
| 1991 | Golden Globe Awards | "Best Performance by an Actor in a TV-Series – Comedy/Musical" | Roseanne | Nominated |
| 1991 | Chicago Film Critics Association Awards | "Best Supporting Actor" | Barton Fink | Nominated |
| 1991 | New York Film Critics Circle Awards | "Best Supporting Actor" | Barton Fink | 3rd |
| 1992 | Emmy Awards | "Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series" | Roseanne | Nominated |
| 1992 | Golden Globe Awards | "Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture" | Barton Fink | Nominated |
| 1992 | Viewers For Quality Television Awards | "Best Actor in a Quality Comedy Series" | Roseanne | Won |
| 1993 | Emmy Awards | "Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series" | Roseanne | Nominated |
| 1993 | Golden Globe Awards | "Best Performance by an Actor in a TV-Series – Comedy/Musical" | Roseanne | Won |
| 1994 | Emmy Awards | "Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series" | Roseanne | Nominated |
| 1995 | Screen Actors Guild Awards | "Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series" | Roseanne | Nominated |
| 1995 | Emmy Awards | "Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series" | Roseanne | Nominated |
| 1995 | Emmy Awards | "Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Special" | Kingfish: A Story of Huey P. Long | Nominated |
| 1996 | Emmy Awards | "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Special" | A Streetcar Named Desire | Nominated |
| 1999 | Satellite Awards | "Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical" | The Big Lebowski | Nominated |
| 2001 | People's Choice Awards | "Favorite Male Performer in a New Television Series" | Normal, Ohio | Nominated |
| 2002 | World Soundtrack Awards | "Best Original Song Written for a Film" | Monsters, Inc. | Won |
| 2004 | Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards | "Favorite Voice from an Animated Movie" | The Jungle Book 2 | Nominated |
| 2007 | Emmy Awards | "Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series" | Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip | Won |
| 2007 | TV Land Awards | "Favorite Elvis Impersonation" | Roseanne | Nominated |
| 2008 | TV Land Awards | "Innovator" | Roseanne | Won |
| 2010 | Black Reel Awards | "Best Ensemble" | The Princess and the Frog | Nominated |
| 2010 | Emmy Awards | "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseies or TV Movie" | You Don't Know Jack | Nominated |
| 2011 | Screen Actors Guild Awards | "Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries" | You Don't Know Jack | Nominated |
| 2011 | Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards | "Best Cast" | The Artist | Nominated |
| 2011 | St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Awards | "Best Supporting Actor" | The Artist | Nominated |
| 2012 | Screen Actors Guild Awards | "Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture" | The Artist | Nominated |
| 2012 | 20/20 Awards | "Best Supporting Actor" | Barton Fink | Won |
| 2012 | St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Awards | "Best Supporting Actor" | Argo | Nominated |
| 2012 | Satellite Awards | "Best Supporting Actor" | Flight | Nominated |
| 2013 | Screen Actors Guild Awards | "Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture" | Argo | Won |