Crispin Glover Biography: In His Own Words – Video Exclusive, News, Photos, Age

Crispin Hellion Glover is an American actor, director and producer. He is most noted for his roles in Back to the Future (1985) and the live-action version of Alice in Wonderland (2010). In this biography, Glover tells his story in his own words.

Crispin Glover Bio: Age, Early Life, Family, Education

Glover was born on April 20, 1964 (Crispin Glover age: 55) in New York City. His parents, actors Bruce Glover and Betty Glover, moved the family to Los Angeles after Glover turned five. He attended the first grade through the ninth at the Mirman School, then moved on to Venice and Beverly Hills High Schools.

Glover started acting as a child, landing his first professional role in 1981. He appeared in the TV movie Best of Times and went on to guest-star on the shows Happy Days and Family Ties. In 1983, Glover portrayed a space cadet in the series Hill Street Blues and Jack in the film My Tutor. He also acted in the TV movies High School U.S.A. and The Kid with the 200 I.Q.

Crispin Glover Bio: Movies, TV Shows, ‘Back to the Future,’ Music

By the time Glover reached adulthood, he had already established himself as an actor. He expanded his portfolio in 1984 with three more movies: Teachers, Racing with the Moon and Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter. In 1985, Glover starred in The Orkly Kid, the third installment in The Beaver Trilogy, in which he performed the song “Please Don’t Keep Me Waiting.”

Also in 1985 came Back to the Future. Glover played George McFly, father of protagonist Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox). The film became a smashing success worldwide and was nominated for a Saturn Award. It also earned Glover the Jury Award for Best Supporting Actor at the Ann Arbor Film Festival. 

Breakthrough role or not, Back to the Future was far from Glover’s only product of the 1980s. He guest-starred in two episodes of the hit series Family Ties in 1984 and 1986. Later in 1986, Glover appeared in the films River’s Edge and At Close Range. Three years later, he played Howdy in the dramedy Twister.

The Back to the Future sequel – Back to the Future Part II – also premiered in 1989. Since Glover and the producers could not agree on contract terms, he refused the repeat role, which was shrunken and passed on to another actor. However, unreleased footage from Back to the Future appeared in its sequel, leading audiences to believe Glover had signed on for the role. Producers combined the old tapings with new ones of actor Jeffrey Weissman, obscured by face makeup and prosthetics, to bring back George McFly. Glover sued them for using his likeness without permission. This resulted in a Screen Actors Guild clause barring producers from emulating removed actors through contrived likenesses.

Glover’s next consensual roles came in 1990 with the films Wild at Heart and Where the Heart Is. The following year, he appeared in four movies: 30 Door Key, Rubin and Ed, The Doors and Little Noises. Glover appeared in no productions the following year but returned to the big screen in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape (1993). Also in 1993, Glover acted in Even Cowgirls Get the Blues, as well as the TV mini-series Hotel Room.

Glover continued to make film appearances throughout the late 90s and early 2000s. He played Howard Finster in Chasers (1994), a train fireman in Dead Man (1995) and Ario in The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996). In 2000, Glover starred in Charlie’s Angels and also played Roy Ostery in Nurse Betty. The following year brought films Fast Sofa and Bartleby, and 2002 was equally packed. Glover appeared in Like Mike as Stan Bittleman and Crime and Punishment as Rodion Raskolnikov.

A year later, Glover returned to the Charlie’s Angels franchise in the film Full Throttle. He also appeared as Willard in a film by the same name, which was nominated for two 2004 Saturn and Chainsaw Awards. Glover sang and produced a cover of Michael Jackson’s song “Ben” to be released alongside Willard. Later in 2004, Glover graced the screen as a party guest in the film Incident at Loch Ness.

2005 heralded a new era for Glover. He acted per usual in Drop Dead Sexy and Simon Says but branched out with an original film called What Is It? Not only did Glover write, edit, direct and produce the project; he also served as its music supervisor and director of photography. His efforts were rewarded at the Sitges International Film Festival, where he won the 2006 Carnet Jove Jury Award.

Glover’s career exploded following his directorial debut. He starred in the 2007 films Beowulf, The Wizard of Gore and Epic Movie. Glover then returned to editing, directing, producing and supervising the music of his movie It Is Fine! Everything Is Fine. He won a second award at the Sitges Film Festival for his contributions.

Glover remained in the limelight throughout the 2000s. In 2008, he played Viergacht in Freezer Burn: The Invasion of Laxdale and voiced the character Fifi in Open Season 2. The following year, he portrayed William Foster in The Donner Party and voiced another character in 9, also performing the song “Dies Irae” for the film.

Glover returned as Fifi in Open Season 3 (2010) and garnered more fame in the comedy Hot Tub Time Machine, starring John Cusack and Sebastian Stan. Glover also acted in the 2010 movies Mr. Nice and Alice in Wonderland. He voiced his Alice in Wonderland character, Stayne, in the video game adaptation later that year and guest-starred on an episode of Drunk History.

After a brief acting hiatus in 2011, Glover reappeared on the scene as Woody Ricks in Freaky Deaky (2012). He took another break in 2013 before playing Ned in The Bag Man (2014). 2015 was a notable year for Glover, who appeared in the movies Influence and Aimy in a Cafe and five episodes of the mini-series Texas Rising.

Though 2016 was a relatively quiet year for Glover, he came back with a vengeance in a matter of months. Between 2017 and 2019, he played Mr. World in 16 episodes of the hit series American Gods. The show has been nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards and a score of other accolades and is set to renew for a third season in 2020.

While filming American Gods, Glover has kept busy with other projects. He appeared in the 2018 TV movies Saat des Torros and The Con is On and went on to play Uncle Julian in the thriller We Have Always Lived in the Castle (2019).

Crispin Glover Bio: Exclusive Interview on ‘We Have Always Lived in the Castle’

Glover assumed the role of Uncle Julian in We Have Always Lived in the Castle, the film adaptation of Shirley Jackson’s novel starring Alexandra Daddario and Taissa Farmiga.

In June 2019, Glover sat down with uInterview to discuss the film. He told uInterview it revolves around two sisters, Constance and Merricat, whose family history lands them in a manor far removed from society. Glover plays their uncle Julian Blackwood, also a resident of the castle, and a mysterious one at that.

Glover revealed very little about his character. “I’m in a wheelchair and we don’t exactly know why,” he said. “But it does become apparent that there’s been deaths in the family, specifically my brother and his wife and my wife.”

In another exclusive uInterview from May 2019, castmate Farmiga gave Glover glowing reviews. “Crispin Glover is obviously a legend and an incredible, incredible actor,” she said, “but he had such a distinct vision for Uncle Julian.” She reported that when Glover was cast, she thought, “‘Oh, this is gonna be an interesting mind with an interesting take on the character, something I’m never gonna see before.’” Farmiga explained how she tried to implement Glover’s originality into her own acting, citing him as a terrific professional role model.

Crispin Glover Bio: Personal Life, Girlfriend, Wife, Caste, David Letterman Appearance

Though Glover resides primarily in Los Angeles, he also owns a 20-acre estate in the Czech Republic. Zámek Konárovice, a bit of a castle itself, was built in the 17th century and is easily accessible via train from Prague.

Glover dated Penthouse model Alexa Lauren from 2002 to 2003 but has kept any other romances under wraps. He currently has no known girlfriend, wife or children.

Glover has made waves on TV outside of his acting roles. In 1987, he appeared on the famed talk show Late Night with David Letterman to promote River’s Edge. He appeared in character as Rubin from the unreleased film Rubin and Ed, complete with a wig and platform shoes. Glover pranked Letterman by speaking bizarrely, challenging him to an arm-wrestling match and performing karate kicks. Letterman, unsure of how to respond, cut to a commercial break. Glover has kept quiet regarding his motives behind this performance. He is glad to know it hasn’t been forgotten after more than 30 years and relishes in the mystery.

Glover’s net worth is approximately $3.5 million. He can be found on Instagram at @crispinhellionglover and Twitter at @crispinglover.

Crispin Glover Bio: Quotes

“The Hero’s Journey is the most basic story form. All stories and myths are, on some level, a Hero’s Journey. It is almost impossible to relay any kind of story without utilizing some pattern from the structure of a Hero’s Journey. One could simply say, ‘He went across the street.’ And this would be the hero leaving his normal world to set out upon his quest. It can come forth from the psyche in many different patterns, still work within a greater pattern, and still be good structure as long as it is reflective of an inner psychic truth.”

“There’s a tradition in the American media to ask actors what the movies are about, but it always seems wrong. It seems like the directors and the writers only often see an actor quoted in what a movie is about.”

“At a certain point in an actor’s career it is good to say to oneself ‘What am I?’ and then figure something out. You could call this entity an archetype as opposed to a stereotype. I believe this conclusion of self is a good thing to stick with, and explore the entire universe from this point of view. This does not limit one, but expand. It is only good if one can get some kind of truth from within this point of view. If it is a false ideal, then it will become a ‘stereotype’ as opposed to an archetype.”

“I’m not somebody who believes that darkness is something that should necessarily be hidden from children or anything like that. I think children like a lot of the same things that they like as adults’ or rather, the other way around, adults like a lot of the same things that they liked when they were children.”