Photograph of Crispin Glover.
Crispin Glover

Overview

Crispin Hellion Glover (born April 20, 1964) is an American primarily known as a film actor, but is also a painter, filmmaker, author, musician, and collector and archivist of esoterica. Glover is known for portraying eccentric people on screen, such as George McFly in Back to the Future, the "Creepy Thin Man" in the big screen adaptation of Charlie's Angels and Willard Stiles in Willard. In the early 2000s, Glover started his own production company, Volcanic Eruptions.

Biography

Early life
Born in New York City, Glover moved to Los Angeles at the age of five. His mother, Mary Elizabeth Lillian Betty Krachey Bloom (née Koerber), was an actress and dancer who retired upon his birth. His father, Bruce Glover, is a character actor remembered for playing Mr. Wint in Diamonds Are Forever. As a child, Glover attended the Mirman School for the academically gifted. He then attended Beverly Hills High School and graduated in 1982.
Career
Glover appeared in several sitcoms as a teenager, including Happy Days and Family Ties. His first film role was in 1983's My Tutor. That led to roles in Teachers (1984) and Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984). The role in Friday the 13th (and his particularly grisly death scene) has given rise to his pseudonym: "The Godfather of Shocktober". He then worked with quirky director Trent Harris on the third chapter of the Beaver Trilogy, entitled The Orkly Kid. In this short film, he portrayed a small town man who organizes a local talent show to showcase his obsession with Olivia Newton-John, much to the embarrassment of the local community. At the climax of the film, Glover does his rendition, in full drag (clothing), of Olivia Newton-John's "Please Don't Keep Me Waiting" from her 1979 album Totally Hot. This would not be the last time Harris and Glover worked together.

His breakout role was as George McFly in Robert Zemeckis's Back to the Future. Glover refused to participate in the film's two sequels, reportedly because he wanted more money and his salary demands were not met. Nevertheless, Zemeckis used previously filmed footage and body prosthetics on another actor, Jeffrey Weissman, to simulate Glover on screen. Glover then sued the producers (including Steven Spielberg) and won a landmark victory, setting a precedent for how actors' images may be used in films. At the same time, the lawsuit put something of a dark mark on Glover's reputation as an actor. Back to the Future was an international box office success following its release in 1985.

He played Andy Warhol in Oliver Stone's The Doors in (1991).

On July 28, 1987, Glover appeared on Late Night with David Letterman to promote his new movie River's Edge and his album. Dressed as his character from the film Rubin and Ed, he wore a long wig and platform shoes. His bizarre appearance was exceeded only by his strange behavior. After a failed attempt to challenge Letterman to an arm-wrestling match, Glover delivered an impromptu karate kick just inches from Letterman's face while shouting, "I'm strong... I can kick!". A noticeably irked Dave abruptly ended the segment and cut to commercial. Glover has later commented, on The Adam Carolla Show and Tom Green Live among others, that he neither denies nor admits any of the rumors surrounding the incident.

He has continued to play exceedingly eccentric types, e.g. the title characters in Bartleby (2001) and Willard (2003). He has received some considerable mainstream attention recently as the "Creepy Thin Man" in the Charlie's Angels films.

Glover mediates the special feature commentary on the DVD of Werner Herzog's Even Dwarfs Started Small and Fata Morgana (film)

When Christopher Nolan rebooted the Batman franchise, Glover was an early fan-based choice for the Joker. An October 16, 2006 article in The New Yorker magazine (The Anxieties of YouTube Fame, by Ben McGrath) depicts Glover as a predatory Hollywood actor who corrupts the YouTube starlet Little Loca (played by Stevie Ryan) into turning one of her signature videos into an advertisement for Glover's latest film project, What Is It.

Glover will portray the villain Grendel in Robert Zemeckis's motion capture film adaptation of the epic poem Beowulf, which will be released in U.S. theaters by Paramount Pictures on November 21st, 2007.
Music
In 1989, during a hiatus from films, Glover released an album called The Big Problem Does Not Equal the Solution, The Solution Equals Let It Be through Restless Records, produced by Barnes & Barnes (of "Fish Heads" fame). The album features original songs like "Clowny Clown Clown" , warped covers of Lee Hazlewood's "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" and Charles Manson's "I'll Never Say Never to Always" (sung in falsetto), and readings from his art books Rat Catching and Oak Mot (Glover modified old books with expired copyrights by adding or deleting pictures, text, and drawings). Sample pages from these books are featured in the album's liner notes. The music itself is similar to outsider music, with seemingly absurd, dream-like lyrics.

The back cover of the album is a collage of figures relating to each track on the album, with a puzzle: "All words and lyrics point to THE BIG PROBLEM. The solution lay within the title; LET IT BE. Crispin Hellion Glover wants to know what you think these nine things all have in common." He included his home phone number with copies of the album, encouraging listeners to phone when they had "solved" his puzzle. Glover later commented that he was surprised how many people figured it out.

In 2003, he recorded a cover version of the Michael Jackson classic song "Ben" to coincide with the release of the film Willard. In the eccentric music video for the song, which is included on the Willard DVD, he sings to a rat named Ben. In the commentary for the film, he remarks that he has recorded a second album.

A handful of songs using Glover's name as the title have been recorded by various artists, including New Jersey-based band Children In Adult Jails, rapper P.O.S., band Scarling., as well as Wesley Willis. Rapcore band Warlock Pinchers released a song entitled "Where the Hell is Crispin Glover?" featured as a B-side to "Morrissey Rides a Cockhorse." Alternative rock band Smile released the song "Crispin Glover vs. Tom Snyder" on their 1996 Masterlocks EP. In addition, some members of the pop punk rock band Reggie and the Full Effect were once in a local Kansas City band known as Onward Crispin Glover.
Books
Crispin has penned between 15-20 books , many of which are featured during his Big Slide Show presentation. Thus far, only four of his books have been published through his publishing company, Volcanic Eruptions. Other known titles include: The Backward Swing and Round My House.

•Out of Print

†The publishing years listed above many not represent first edition publication dates, but may include subsuquent available editions.

‡Not published.

*Re-issued
Directorial work
Glover made his directorial debut with 2005's What is It?, a strange and surreal art film similar in style to the work of Alejandro Jodorowsky and has been described as "The adventures of a young man whose principal interests are snails, salt, a pipe, and how to get home, and is tormented by a hubristic, racist inner psyche." The movie had a budget of only $125,000 and took almost a decade to complete, originally intended to be a short film with shooting beginning in Los Angeles. Most of the primary footage was shot in 12 days, stretched over a two-and-a-half year period. From the late-1990s into the early 2000s, he toured with prints of the film, showing parts of it before it was completed, along with various slides and read excerpts from his works. Production was mostly funded by the actor's roles in Willard and the Charlie's Angels films. Glover's second film, It is Fine. Everything is Fine! was written by Utah writer-actor Steven C. Stewart. It premiered at the 2007 Sundance film festival. Glover is planning a third film called It is Mine. It is an original screenplay written by Ryan Page, Mike Pallagi and Glover and is the third part of the What is It? Trilogy.

Filmography

References

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That biography says:

Nardwuar has also been known to be a "guerrilla journalist," often sneaking in to press conferences under the guise of a more normal reporter, to confront political leaders or other non-musical celebrities with surreal questions. He has asked Mikhail Gorbachev which world leader had the biggest pants, and Crispin Glover whether he sleeps in a coffin full of tar. On another occasion, faith healer Ernest Angley told Nardwuar that "God will strike you down" for persistently asking if there was a cure for the summertime blues...

That biography says:

...Andy's PR sees this and says "Oh, not tonight Edie, thank you" (she is played by Jennifer Rubin) Also, when Jim is talking with Andy (Crispin Glover) he (Andy) proceeds to give him a gold telephone and says "Somebody gave me this telephone.....

This biography says:

...A handful of songs using Glover's name as the title have been recorded by various artists, including New Jersey-based band Children In Adult Jails, rapper P.O.S., band Scarling., as well as Wesley Willis. Rapcore band Warlock Pinchers released a song entitled "Where the Hell is Crispin Glover?" featured as a B-side to "Morrissey Rides a Cockhorse." Alternative rock band Smile released the song "Crispin Glover vs...

This biography says:

Glover made his directorial debut with 2005's What is It?, a strange and surreal art film similar in style to the work of Alejandro Jodorowsky and has been described as "The adventures of a young man whose principal interests are snails, salt, a pipe, and how to get home, and is tormented by a hubristic, racist inner psyche." The movie had a budget of only $125,000 and took almost a decade to complete, originally intended to be a short film with shooting beginning in Los Angeles...

This biography says:

...Glover mediates the special feature commentary on the DVD of Werner Herzog's Even Dwarfs Started Small and Fata Morgana (film)...

This biography says:

...He played Andy Warhol in Oliver Stone's The Doors in (1991)....

That biography says:

Andy Warhol is portrayed by Crispin Glover in Oliver Stone's film The Doors (1991). He is also played by David Bowie in Basquiat, a film by Julian Schnabel...

That biography says:

...*Mickey Rourke *Ricki Lake *Sean Penn *Tony Bennett *Tracy Morgan (On Adam Carolla Radio Show, 9/20/2007) *Crispin Glover

This biography says:

...A handful of songs using Glover's name as the title have been recorded by various artists, including New Jersey-based band Children In Adult Jails, rapper P.O.S., band Scarling., as well as Wesley Willis. Rapcore band Warlock Pinchers released a song entitled "Where the Hell is Crispin Glover?" featured as a B-side to "Morrissey Rides a Cockhorse." Alternative rock band Smile released the song "Crispin Glover vs...

This biography says:

...A handful of songs using Glover's name as the title have been recorded by various artists, including New Jersey-based band Children In Adult Jails, rapper P.O.S., band Scarling., as well as Wesley Willis. Rapcore band Warlock Pinchers released a song entitled "Where the Hell is Crispin Glover?" featured as a B-side to "Morrissey Rides a Cockhorse." Alternative rock band Smile released the song "Crispin Glover vs...

That biography says:

*"Band Aid Covers the Bullet Hole" (7", Sympathy for the Record Industry, 2003): *:"Band Aid Covers the Bullet Hole" — "H/C" *"Band Aid Covers the Bullet Hole" (CD, Sympathy for the Record Industry, 2003): *:"Band Aid Covers the Bullet Hole" — "H/C" — "Creep" *"Crispin Glover" (7", Sympathy for the Record Industry, 2004): *:"Crispin Glover" — "Love Becomes a Ghost" *"Crispin Glover" (7", Sympathy for the Record Industry, 2004): *:"Crispin Glover" — "Art of Pretension" *Scarling...

This biography says:

...A noticeably irked Dave abruptly ended the segment and cut to commercial. Glover has later commented, on The Adam Carolla Show and Tom Green Live among others, that he neither denies nor admits any of the rumors surrounding the incident....

That biography says:

...Guests on the show have included stars such as Val Kilmer, Andrew Dice Clay, hip-hop artists Blackalicious and Xzibit, skateboarder Tony Hawk, stunt man Steve-O, former TRL host and talk show host Carson Daly, guitarist Dave Navarro, actor Crispin Glover, Digg.com founder Kevin Rose, comedic musician "Weird Al" Yankovic, as well as comedians Joe Rogan and Andy Dick...

This biography says:

...Rapcore band Warlock Pinchers released a song entitled "Where the Hell is Crispin Glover?" featured as a B-side to "Morrissey Rides a Cockhorse." Alternative rock band Smile released the song "Crispin Glover vs. Tom Snyder" on their 1996 Masterlocks EP...

This biography says:

...When Christopher Nolan rebooted the Batman franchise, Glover was an early fan-based choice for the Joker. An October 16, 2006 article in The New Yorker magazine (The Anxieties of YouTube Fame, by Ben McGrath) depicts Glover as a predatory Hollywood actor who corrupts the YouTube starlet Little Loca (played by Stevie Ryan) into turning one of her signature videos into an advertisement for Glover's latest film project, What Is It...

This biography says:

...Tom Snyder" on their 1996 Masterlocks EP. In addition, some members of the pop punk rock band Reggie and the Full Effect were once in a local Kansas City band known as Onward Crispin Glover.

That biography says:

...*He was born on the same day as fellow vegetarian actor Crispin Glover....

That biography says:

...Duff is also scheduled to shoot a horror film with Crispin Glover, The I Scream Man.

This biography says:

Crispin Hellion Glover (born April 20, 1964) is an American primarily known as a film actor, but is also a painter, filmmaker, author, musician, and collector and archivist of esoterica...

That biography says:

...Crispin Glover USA actor, director, writer, musician...

This biography says:

...Nevertheless, Zemeckis used previously filmed footage and body prosthetics on another actor, Jeffrey Weissman, to simulate Glover on screen. Glover then sued the producers (including Steven Spielberg) and won a landmark victory, setting a precedent for how actors' images may be used in films...

That biography says:

...Godard accused Spielberg of using his film to make a profit of tragedy while Schindler's wife lived in poverty in Argentina, although in reality Spielberg chose not to make a profit from the film. American artist and actor Crispin Glover also criticised Spielberg in his 2005 essay What Is It?. Among Glover’s accusations are that Spielberg purchased a sled used in Orson Welles' 1941 film Citizen Kane for $50,000 but refused to fund Welles' would-be final film, that he received money from the United States government to promote his personal religious and cultural beliefs and that he exploited tragedy for personal gain in the film Schindler's List...

This biography says:

...The album features original songs like "Clowny Clown Clown" , warped covers of Lee Hazlewood's "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" and Charles Manson's "I'll Never Say Never to Always" (sung in falsetto), and readings from his art books Rat Catching and Oak Mot (Glover modified old books with expired copyrights by adding or deleting pictures, text, and drawings)...

That biography says:

...Bettany was rumored to be in the running for the role of the Joker in the next Batman movie, contending for it against numerous other high-profile actors, such as Crispin Glover, Adrien Brody, Johnny Depp, Lachy Hulme, and others; however, it has been confirmed by studio sources that Heath Ledger has won the coveted role...

This biography says:

...An October 16, 2006 article in The New Yorker magazine (The Anxieties of YouTube Fame, by Ben McGrath) depicts Glover as a predatory Hollywood actor who corrupts the YouTube starlet Little Loca (played by Stevie Ryan) into turning one of her signature videos into an advertisement for Glover's latest film project, What Is It...

That biography says:

...Crispin Glover has appeared in several littleloca blogs, as well as other movie and TV actors, and artists.

This biography says:

...His breakout role was as George McFly in Robert Zemeckis's Back to the Future. Glover refused to participate in the film's two sequels, reportedly because he wanted more money and his salary demands were not met...
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