John Goodman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Goodman
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Goodman in 2016
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| Born |
John Stephen Goodman
June 20, 1952 Affton, Missouri, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Southwest Missouri State University |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1975–present |
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Works
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Full list |
| Spouse(s) |
Anna Beth Hartzog
(m. 1989) |
| Children | 1 |
John Stephen Goodman (born June 20, 1952) is a famous American actor. He became well-known on TV before becoming a popular movie star. John Goodman has won many awards, like an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award. Many people think he is one of the best actors around.
Goodman is famous for working with the Coen brothers, who are film directors. He has been in their movies like Raising Arizona (1987) and The Big Lebowski (1998). He also played main characters in films such as King Ralph (1991) and The Flintstones (1994).
He has also lent his voice to many animated characters. You might recognize his voice as Sulley from the Monsters, Inc. movies. He also voiced characters in The Emperor's New Groove and Bee Movie.
On television, Goodman is widely recognized for playing Dan Conner in the TV show Roseanne (1988–1997; 2018). He continued this role in the spin-off show The Conners (2018–present). He has also been a frequent host of Saturday Night Live.
Contents
Early Life and Education
John Goodman was born in Affton, Missouri. His father passed away when John was very young. His mother worked hard as a waitress and in retail to support the family. John has an older brother and a younger sister. He grew up with English, German, and Welsh family roots.
As a child, Goodman felt a bit alone. He was also sometimes bullied at school. He found comfort and structure in the Boy Scouts. He also loved listening to the radio and reading comic books, especially Marvel Comics.
Goodman went to Affton High School. There, he played football and started acting in school plays. After high school, he received a football scholarship to Missouri State University. However, an injury stopped him from playing football. This led him to focus more on the school's theater program. He graduated with a degree in Fine Arts in 1975.
Acting Career
Starting Out in the 1980s
After his college football career ended, John Goodman decided to become a professional actor. He moved to New York City in 1975. He started by doing voice-overs, commercials, and plays. He also performed in off-Broadway shows.
In 1982, Goodman made his first movie appearance in Eddie Macon's Run. He also acted on stage, playing Pap Finn in the musical Big River from 1985 to 1987. He earned an award nomination for this role. His big break in movies came in 1986 with a role in True Stories. In this film, his character mentioned his "panda bear shape," which became a fun part of many characters he played later.
Goodman became very famous for playing Dan Conner on the TV show Roseanne from 1988 to 1997. He returned to this role in 2018 and continued in the spin-off show The Conners. He has also been a frequent guest and host on Saturday Night Live, a popular comedy show.
Movies and TV in the 1990s
Goodman started working with the famous Coen brothers directors in 1987. He appeared in many of their films, including Barton Fink (1991) and The Big Lebowski (1998). He also worked with director Steven Spielberg on movies like Always (1989) and The Flintstones (1994), where he played Fred Flintstone.
He also had guest roles on TV shows like The West Wing and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. For his role in Studio 60, he won an Emmy Award in 2007.
Voice Acting and More in the 2000s
In the 2000s, John Goodman became well-known for his voice acting. He voiced Pacha in Disney's The Emperor's New Groove (2000). A year later, he voiced Sulley in Pixar's Monsters, Inc. (2001). He returned to voice Sulley in the prequel Monsters University (2013) and the TV series Monsters at Work (2021). He also voiced "Big Daddy" La Bouff in The Princess and the Frog (2009).
On stage, Goodman played the Ghost of Christmas Present in a 2008 production of A Christmas Carol. He also acted in a play called Waiting for Godot in 2009, where his performance was highly praised.
Busy Years in the 2010s
In 2011, Goodman was a guest star on the TV show Community. He also appeared in two movies that won the Academy Award for Best Picture: The Artist (2011) and Argo (2012). This is a special achievement for an actor.
In 2013, John Goodman was honored as a Disney Legend for his work with Disney and Pixar. He also received good reviews for his role in the political comedy series Alpha House. In 2015, he performed on stage in London for the first time in a play called American Buffalo.
On March 10, 2017, John Goodman received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. This is a special honor for actors and other entertainers. In 2019, he starred in the HBO comedy series The Righteous Gemstones, playing a church leader.
Recent Work in the 2020s
In 2020, Goodman was the narrator for a virtual train ride video at the St. Louis Aquarium. In 2023, he appeared in the TV show Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, playing an older version of a character he played in the movie Kong: Skull Island (2017).
Personal Life
John Goodman married Annabeth Hartzog in 1989. They met in New Orleans while he was filming a movie. They live in New Orleans and have a daughter named Molly Evangeline Goodman, who was born in 1990. Their daughter has worked in the film industry.
Goodman is a big fan of the St. Louis Cardinals, a baseball team. He even narrated a documentary about the team in 2020. He has also supported political campaigns in his home state of Missouri.
Goodman has worked to improve his health over the years. He has lost a lot of weight through exercise and healthy eating.
Philanthropy
After Hurricane Katrina caused a lot of damage in Louisiana, John Goodman appeared in several commercials to help with recovery efforts.
In 2010, he also appeared in a commercial to raise awareness about the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Many other famous people, like Sandra Bullock and Peyton Manning, were also in the commercial.
