Jump to content

Crispin Glover

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the song, seeCrispin Glover (song).

Crispin Glover
Glover in 2010
Born
Crispin Hellion Glover

(1964-04-20)April 20, 1964(age 60)
New York City,U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1978–present
FatherBruce Glover
Websitecrispinglover

Crispin Hellion Glover(born April 20, 1964)[1]is an American actor, filmmaker and artist. He is known for portrayingeccentriccharacter roleson screen. His breakout role was asGeorge McFlyinBack to the Future(1985), which he followed by playing Layne, one of the leading roles inRiver's Edge(1986). Through the 1990s, Glover garnered attention for portraying smaller but notable roles, including Cousin Del inWild at Heart(1990),Andy WarholinThe Doors(1991), Bobby McBurney inWhat's Eating Gilbert Grape(1993) and the Train Fireman inDead Man(1995).

Starting with his role as the Thin Man inCharlie's Angels(2000), he began to star in more mainstream films. The roles in these films include reprising his Thin Man role inCharlie's Angels: Full Throttle(2003), portraying the titular character inWillard(2003),GrendelinBeowulf(2007),The Knave of HeartsinAlice in Wonderland(2010) and Phil inHot Tub Time Machine(2010). From 2017 to 2021 he starred as Mr. World in theStarztelevision seriesAmerican Gods.

In the late 1980s, Glover started his company, Volcanic Eruptions, which publishes his books such asRat Catching(1988) and also serves as the production company for the films he has directed,What Is It?(2005) andIt Is Fine! Everything Is Fine.(2007). These films have never received a traditional theatrical release; instead, Glover tours with the films, holding screenings in theatres around the world.[2]

Early life

[edit]

Glover was born in New York City. He moved toLos Angeleswith his family at the age of five.[3]He is the son of actorBruce Gloverand actress and dancer Marion Elizabeth Lillian "Betty" Krachey,[4]who retired upon his birth. He was named after theSaint Crispin's Day speechfromWilliam Shakespeare's playHenry V,which his parents enjoyed.[5]"Hellion", his real middle name, had earlier been used as a false middle name by his father, who did not like his own real Germanic middle name,Herbert.[5]

Glover's father is of English, Czech,[6]and Swedish descent, while his mother has Czech[7]andGermanancestry.[8][9]As a child, Glover attended theMirman Schoolfrom first through ninth grades. He then attended bothVenice Highfor 10th and 11th grades, andBeverly Hills High Schoolfor 12th grade; he graduated in 1982.

Career

[edit]

Acting

[edit]
Glover at the 2012Tribeca Film Festival.

Glover began acting professionally at the age of 13, his first role being Friedrich von Trapp in a theatre production ofThe Sound of Musicat theDorothy Chandler PavilionwithFlorence Henderson.[10]He appeared in several sitcoms as a teenager, includingHappy DaysandFamily Ties.He appeared in a main role alongsideNicolas Cagein a television pilot titledThe Best Of Times(1981) which aired onABC,but was never picked up by the network. His first film role was inMy Tutor(1983), which he subsequently followed with roles inTeachersandFriday the 13th: The Final Chapter(both 1984).[11]He then worked with directorTrent Harrison the third chapter ofthe Beaver Trilogy,entitledThe Orkly Kid(1985).

Hisbreakout rolewas as George McFly inRobert Zemeckis'sBack to the Future(1985), an international box office success. His character was the father ofMarty McFly,despite being three years younger thanMichael J. Foxin real life. During filming, Glover vocalized his objections to the film's ending, believing it to be toocapitalisticandmaterialisticin intent. Zemeckis ignored his complaints.[12]Due to these initial disagreements and a salary dispute, Glover did not return for either of theBack to the Futuresequels and his role was taken over byJeffrey Weissman.

After the success ofBack to the Future,Glover sought to star in films that "questioned" the status quo and contained themes that aligned with his own interests. This pursuit led him to star as Layne inRiver's Edge(1986). Struggling to find any other films that reflected his own interests, Glover sought to work with film directors he admired. These includeDavid LynchonWild at Heart(1990) andHotel Room(1993),John BoormanonWhere the Heart Is(1990),Dennis HopperonChasers(1994), andMiloš FormanonThe People vs. Larry Flynt(1996). He also became the first actor to portrayAndy Warholin a widely released film,Oliver Stone'sThe Doors(1991).

Beginning in the 2000s, Glover chose the funding of his own films as a filmmaker to be the primary factor in deciding what films he would act in. After this decision, Glover would feature more prominently in more mainstream films, starting withCharlie's Angels(2000), playing the role of The Thin Man, a role he would reprise in the2003 sequel.[13]The character had initially been written as a speaking role, but Glover, noting that the lines as written wereexposition,convinced the producers to eliminate the lines to create a precise image for the character. He would go on to portray the titular character inWillard(2003), his first time portraying the protagonist in a studio-funded film. Glover appeared inBeowulf(2007), as the creatureGrendel,playing the part throughperformance capturetechnology. The film was his first collaboration with director Robert Zemeckis since the originalBack to the Future.In 2010, Glover playedIlosovic Stayne/the Knave of HeartsinTim Burton'sAlice in Wonderlandand the one-armed bellhop Phil inHot Tub Time Machine.

Glover portrayed his first series regular role on television as Mr. World inAmerican Gods(2017–2021), while continuing to still act in films likeWe Have Always Lived in the Castle(2018) andRoger Avery'sLucky Day(2019). He reunited withRiver's EdgedirectorTim Hunteron theBret Easton Ellis-scriptedslasher filmSmiley Face Killers(2020), as the main antagonist. In 2022, he appeared in the Netflix horror anthology seriesGuillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiositiesin the episodePickman's Model(based on theH. P. Lovecraftwork of the same name), as the title character.

Filmmaking

[edit]
Glover in 2008

Glover made his directorial debut with 2005'sWhat Is It?,asurrealfilm featuring a cast of actors withDown syndrome.He considers it to be part of a trilogy he has dubbed the "It?" trilogy. It premiered at the 2005Sundance Film Festival.With a budget of only $150,000, it took almost a decade to complete, and was originally intended to be a short film. Most of the primary footage was shot in 12 days, stretched over a two-and-a-half-year period.[14]

Glover's second film and second part of the "It?" trilogy,It Is Fine! Everything Is Fine.,was written by Utah writer and actor Steven C. Stewart. Stewart was born with severecerebral palsyand had been confined to a nursing home for about 10 years. The film is a fantastical psychosexual retelling of life from Stewart's point of view. Production was mostly funded by Glover's salary earned fromCharlie's Angelsand other films. It premiered at the 2007Sundance Film Festival.[15]

Aside from select film festivals, Glover has not screened either film outside the confines of his live performances, which have taken place at theatres and venues around the world. The films have received accolades from associations such as theAnn Arbor Film FestivalandSitges Film Festival.In 2013, Glover was recognized for his directorial work when theMuseum of Arts and Designin New York City staged the seriesIt Is Crispin Hellion Glover.The program consisted of screenings of all of his directorial work, live performances, and speaking engagements.[16][17][18]

Glover has completed shooting his third feature film as a director, which he developed as a vehicle for his fatherBruce Gloverand himself to act together. He shot the film on his property in theCzech Republic.This film is not part three of theIt?trilogy.

He listsLuis Buñuel,Rainer Werner Fassbinder,Stanley KubrickandWerner Herzogas influences on his filmmaking.[19]Glover was a co-interlocutor withNorm Hilland Werner Herzog for the special feature commentary for the DVD of Herzog'sEven Dwarfs Started Small[20]andFata Morgana,in which he spoke of their influence onWhat Is It?.[21]

Books

[edit]

Glover, himself, reports to have published between 15 and 20 books.[22]Oak-Mot,Rat Catchingand other titles he has created are featured prominently during his live show presentation entitledBig Slide Show,where he reads aloud and performs sections of the books while visual art from the books are projected behind him.

He constructs the books by reusing old novels and other publications that have fallen into the public domain due to their age (for example,Rat Catchingwas constructed from an 1896 bookStudies in the Art of Rat Catching,andOak-Motwas constructed from an 1868 novel of the same title). He rearranges text, blacks out certain standing passages, and adds his own prose (and sometimes images) into the margins and elsewhere, thus creating an entirely new story. Six of his books have been published to be bought publicly so far, through his publishing company, Volcanic Eruptions. Other known titles includeThe Backward SwingandA New World.

  • Billow and the Rock(1983)[22]
  • Rat Catching(1988)
  • Oak-Mot(1989)
  • Concrete Inspection(1990)
  • What it is, and How it is Done(1992)
  • Round My House(2016)

* The publishing years listed above may not represent first-edition publication dates, but subsequent available editions.

He also wrote a short essay forAdam Parfrey's bookApocalypse Culture IIin 2000. Sharing a title with his directional debut, "What Is It?", the essay is an overtly provocative questioning of the cooperate restraints on American contemporary media and society.[23]

Music

[edit]

In 1989, during a hiatus from films, Glover released an album titledThe Big Problem Does Not Equal the Solution, The Solution Equals Let It BethroughRestless Records,produced byBarnes & Barnes.The album features original songs such as "Clowny Clown Clown", odd versions ofLee Hazlewood's "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'",andCharles Manson's "I'll Never Say Never to Always" (sung infalsetto), and readings from his art booksRat CatchingandOak Mot.Sample pages from these books are featured in the album's liner notes. He also directed a music video for "Clowny Clown Clown".

Glover recorded a version of theMichael Jacksonsong "Ben"to coincide with the release of his 2003 filmWillard;the song had been written for thesequelto the original1971 versionof the film. In the music video for the song directed by Glover, he sings to a rat named Ben in front of a crowd of aroused women.

Several songs using Glover's name as the title have been recorded by various artists, includingshoegaze/gothic rock bandScarling.,ChicagooutsidermusicianWesley Willis,and a New Jersey-based band called Children in Adult Jails.

Personal life

[edit]

Glover has residences inLos Angeles,New York City,and theCzech Republic.His residence ZámekKonárovice,45 minutes east ofPragueby train, is a 17th-century 20-acre (8.1 ha)chateauthat is recognized as historically significant by theCzech government.The property requires constant upkeep and restoration; according to Glover, "[The property] is a lifetime project that will be in continuous flux and repair for hundreds of years from now, as it has been the hundreds of years before I 'owned' it."[24]

Glover is single, and has no children, citing his busy career as one of the reasons for which he feels unfit to be a father, as he feels that a father should be there for his children.[25]From 2001 to 2003, Glover dated Alexa Lauren, aPenthousemagazine 'Pet of the Month' for September 1999.[26][27]

Late Nightappearance

[edit]

Glover appeared onLate Night with David Lettermanon July 28, 1987, to promoteRiver's Edge.[28]To the surprise ofLettermanand the audience, Glover appeared wearing platform shoes and a wig. During the interview, Glover behaved erratically and nearly kicked Letterman in the face, causing Letterman to walk off the set, to get the "Top-10 List" ready.[28][29]Four years later, the filmRubin & Edpremiered, in which Glover had a starring role as titular character Rubin Farr. After the release ofRubin & Ed,some speculated that Glover was acting in-character as Rubin Farr during his appearance onLate Night.[28][29][30][31]Glover has refused to go into detail about the reasons for his behavior on the show, other than to mention that he was flattered that fans are still speculating on the performance decades later.[32]The character Rubin Farr also appears in Glover's music entitled "Clowny Clown Clown" and in the song's videoclip.

Back to the Future Part IIlawsuit

[edit]

InBack to the Future Part II,Zemeckis reused brief footage of Glover that had been filmed for the first film. Glover was billed as "George McFly in footage fromBack to the Future"in the closing credits. The older footage was combined with new footage of actorJeffrey Weissmanwearing a false chin, nose and cheekbones, and various obfuscating methods – in the background, wearing sunglasses, rear shot, upside down – to play George McFly. Because these methods suggested that Glover himself had performed for the film, he successfully sued the producers on the grounds that they had used his likeness without permission, as well as not having paid him for the reuse of the footage from the original film. The case was resolved outside of court and Glover was awarded a reported $760,000. As a result of the lawsuit, clauses in theScreen Actors Guildcollective bargaining agreements now state that producers and actors are not allowed to use such methods to reproduce the likeness of other actors, effectively putting to an end the decades-long use of theFake Shemptechnique among living actors. The lawsuit is often evoked in cases for actors involving the misuse of their likeness through digital recreation and other technological methods to replicate their appearance without their permission.[33][34]

Filmography

[edit]

Film

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
1983 My Tutor Jack
1984 Racing with the Moon Gatsby Boy
1984 Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter Jimmy Mortimer
1984 Teachers Danny Reese
1985 The Orkly Kid Groovin' Larry Hoff Short film
1985 Back to the Future George McFly Nominated—Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor
1986 At Close Range Lucas
1986 River's Edge Layne
1989 Twister Howard "Howdy" Cleveland
1990 Where the Heart Is Lionel
1990 Wild at Heart Cousin Dell
1991 Little Noises Joey Kremple
1991 The Doors Andy Warhol
1991 Rubin and Ed Rubin Farr
1991 30 Door Key Mientus
1993 Even Cowgirls Get the Blues Howard Barth
1993 What's Eating Gilbert Grape Bobby McBurney
1994 Chasers Howard Finster
1995 Dead Man Train Fireman
1996 The People vs. Larry Flynt Arlo
2000 Nurse Betty Roy Ostery
2000 Charlie's Angels Thin Man
2001 Bartleby Bartleby
2001 Fast Sofa Jules Langdon
2002 Crime and Punishment Rodion Raskolnikov
2002 Like Mike Stan Bittleman
2003 Willard Willard Stiles Nominated—Saturn Award for Best Actor
Nominated—Fangoria Chainsaw Award for Best Actor
2003 Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle Thin Man / Anthony [35]
2004 Incident at Loch Ness Party guest Cameo
2005 What Is It? Dueling Demi-God Auteur / The Young Man's Inner Psyche and Id Also director, writer, producer, editor, additional cinematography and music supervisor
Ann Arbor Film Festival Jury Award for Best Narrative Film
Sitges Film Festival Midnight X-Treme Award
Method Fest Film Festival Maverick Award
2005 Drop Dead Sexy Eddie
2006 Simon Says Simon / Stanley
2007 It Is Fine! Everything Is Fine. — Co-director with David Brothers, producer, co-editor and music supervisor
Sitges Film Festival Special Jury Mention New Visions Award
2007 Epic Movie Willy
2007 The Wizard of Gore Montag the Magnificent
2007 Beowulf Grendel Motion capture
2008 Open Season 2 Fifi Voice
2008 Freezer Burn: The Invasion of Laxdale Viergacht
2009 The Donner Party William Foster
2009 9 6 Voice
2010 Alice in Wonderland Ilosovic Stayne /The Knave of Hearts
2010 Hot Tub Time Machine Phil Wedmaier
2010 Mr. Nice Ernie Combs
2010 Open Season 3 Fifi Voice
2012 Freaky Deaky Woody Ricks
2014 The Bag Man Ned
2015 Hiszpanka Dr. Abuse
2015 Aimy in a Cage Claude Bohringer
2018 The Con is On Gabriel Anderson
2018 We Have Always Lived in the Castle Uncle Julian Blackwood
2019 Lucky Day Luc
2020 Smiley Face Killers Hooded Figure [36]
2024 Mr. K Mr. K Post-production[37]
TBA A Blind Bargain Dr. Gruder Post-production
TBA Untitled Crispin Hellion Glover Project Brutus Also director, writer, producer and editor; post-production

Television

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
1981 The Best of Times Crispin Pilot
1982 The Facts of Life Cadet No. 1 Episode: "The Big Fight"
1983 The Kid with the 200 I.Q. New Student Television film
1983 High School U.S.A. Archie Feld Television film
1983 Happy Days Roach Episode: "Vocational Education"
1983 Hill Street Blues Space Cadet Episode: "Honk If You're a Goose"
1984 Family Ties Doug Episode: "Birthday Boy"
1984 High School U.S.A. Archie Feld Pilot
1993 Hotel Room Danny Episode: "Blackout"
2010 Funny or Die Presents Thomas Edison Segment: "Drunk HistoryVol. 6 "
2015 Texas Rising Moseley Baker 5 episodes
2017–2021 American Gods Mr. World 12 episodes
2018 Saat des Terrors James Logan Davis Television film
2020 Red Bird Lane Jonah Unaired pilot
2022 Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities Richard Upton Pickman Episode: "Pickman's Model"

Music video

[edit]
Year Song Artist Role Notes
1989 "Clowny Clown Clown" Crispin Glover Man / Rubin Farr Also director
2003 "Ben" Michael Jackson Willard Also director

References

[edit]
  1. ^"Famous birthdays list for today, April 20, 2024 includes celebrities Carmen Electra, Crispin Glover".April 20, 2024.
  2. ^"Masterclash Takes on Male Friendships With 'Old Friends' and Crispin Glover".Asylum.Archived fromthe originalon September 6, 2010.RetrievedSeptember 25,2010.
  3. ^"Crispin Glover Interview".Index Magazine.RetrievedJuly 14,2009.
  4. ^"Spin-Uncut".Angelfire.RetrievedJuly 14,2009.
  5. ^ab"Interview".Archived fromthe originalon May 30, 2008.
  6. ^Masek (1893)."Minnesota, County Marriages, 1860-1949".FamilySearch.
  7. ^"DigiArchiv of SRA Trebon - ver. 20.03.13".digi.ceskearchivy.cz.RetrievedMarch 20,2020.
  8. ^"What is it? Good question".Archived fromthe originalon November 5, 2012.
  9. ^My hols: Crispin GloverTimes Online
  10. ^"Actor/Filmmaker Crispin Glover".Reddit.January 6, 2016.
  11. ^"The History of Crispin Glover's Bizarre Debut Album | Nerdist".Nerdist.September 20, 2017. Archived fromthe originalon February 6, 2018.RetrievedFebruary 5,2018.
  12. ^Robinson, Tasha (January 13, 2012)."Crispin Glover".The A.V. Club.Archivedfrom the original on June 25, 2020.RetrievedSeptember 13,2020.
  13. ^Ate Isti (June 27, 2003)."Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle (2003)".Internet Movie Database.RetrievedMarch 10,2016.
  14. ^"Not a jaunt down the Yellow Brick Road".The Daily Utah Chronicle.February 28, 2005. Archived fromthe originalon June 2, 2014.RetrievedAugust 31,2006.
  15. ^"An Update on Crispin Hellion Glover's Eagerly Anticipated It Is Mine".MovieWeb.February 18, 2010. Archived fromthe originalon December 5, 2010.RetrievedDecember 11,2010.
  16. ^"It Is Crispin Hellion Glover".Museum of Arts and Design.RetrievedAugust 5,2015.
  17. ^Meier, Allison (June 12, 2013)."Crispin Glover hates the ending of" Back to the Future "".Salon.RetrievedAugust 5,2015.
  18. ^Meier, Allison (June 12, 2013)."Crispin Glover Tackles Hollywood Taboos".Hyperallergic.RetrievedAugust 5,2015.
  19. ^"Sundance London: An Exclusive Q&A with Crispin Glover on River's Edge and Questioning the Status Quo".Sundance.org.RetrievedMarch 2,2021.
  20. ^Review of Even Dwarves Started Small..Retrieved September 23, 2007ArchivedMay 12, 2006, at theWayback Machine
  21. ^Reflection on Fata Morgana & Lessons of Darkness..Retrieved September 23, 2007ArchivedSeptember 18, 2007, at theWayback Machine
  22. ^ab"CrispinGloverInfo Bizarre Interview".Archived fromthe originalon October 11, 2007.
  23. ^"Apocalypse culture vulture".September 20, 2000.RetrievedMay 10,2023.
  24. ^La Carmina (February 15, 2011)."Crispin Glover Talks Prague, Castles, Absinthe And Film".The Huffington Post.RetrievedMarch 24,2016.
  25. ^Freeman, Hadley (July 30, 2015)."Crispin Glover:When you raise questions people say, 'You're crazy'".The Guardian.RetrievedNovember 7,2020.
  26. ^Campion, Chris (December 31, 2001)."Outside chancer".The Telegraph.RetrievedNovember 24,2019.
  27. ^Erik Hedegaard (2003). "Crispin Glover: Not Of This WorldArchivedOctober 24, 2017, at theWayback Machine".August 21, 2003. Accessed July 17, 2017.
  28. ^abc"Crispin Glover Goes Back to the Crazy – Top 10 Disastrous Letterman Interviews".Time.February 13, 2009.Archivedfrom the original on April 13, 2013.RetrievedMay 29,2021.
  29. ^abReed, Ryan (May 20, 2021)."David Letterman's Most Memorable Late-Night Moments".Ultimate Classic Rock.RetrievedMay 29,2021.
  30. ^Smith, Lory (1999).Party in a Box: The Story of the Sundance Film Festival.Gibbs Smith.p. 3.ISBN978-0879058616.The movie starred Crispin Glover as Rubin - he was actually in the Rubin character the infamous night he nearly karate-kicked off David Letterman's nose.
  31. ^Yamato, Jen (January 20, 2015)."Bill Hader To Narrate Cult Film Documentary 'Beaver Trilogy Part IV' – Sundance".Deadline Hollywood.RetrievedMay 29,2021.
  32. ^"Crispin Glover on David Letterman," interviewed by Frank Hyoguchi..Retrieved December 24, 2009.
  33. ^Gardner, Eriq (October 21, 2015)."'Back to the Future II "From a Legal Perspective: Unintentionally Visionary".The Hollywood Reporter.Archivedfrom the original on May 10, 2020.RetrievedMay 12,2020.
  34. ^Glover, Crispin(February 2011)."Crispin Glover on Back to the Future 2".Kermode & Mayo(Interview). Interviewed bySimon Mayo,Mark Kermode.London:BBC Radio 5 Live.Archivedfrom the original on November 7, 2021.RetrievedApril 11,2011– via YouTube.
  35. ^"Crispin Glover: Not Of This World".Rolling Stone.Archived fromthe originalon October 24, 2017.RetrievedFebruary 5,2018.
  36. ^McNary, Dave (October 7, 2017)."Film News Roundup: Crispin Glover, Ronen Rubinstein to Star in Horror Movie 'Smiley Face Killers'".Variety.RetrievedOctober 7,2017.
  37. ^Dalton2023-04-24T09:00:00+01:00, Ben."LevelK boards surrealistic drama 'Mr. K' as production wraps; unveils first look (exclusive)".Screen.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related toCrispin Glover.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Crispin_Glover&oldid=1241223980"