Probably best known for his role as Dr. Gregory House on the Fox medical drama series House, Hugh Laurie is an unmistakable face. The English actor got his start in comedy as part of the duo Fry and Laurie with Stephen Fry. Since then, he has undoubtedly moved on to bigger things and has the filmography to prove it.
Even more, he was one of the highest-paid performers in a television drama. At some point, he racked in a whopping $409,000 per episode of House. Now, that’s one interesting fact about him, read on to learn more about him.
1. He Worked On Numerous Projects With Stephen Fry In The 1980s And 1990s
It’s safe to say that Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry were a bit of a package deal back in the day. The pair started out as a double comedy act and became quite a hit. How did they meet? Well, they were introduced by a common friend, Emma Thompson, while attending Cambridge University. Together, they appeared on Saturday Night Live and the sketch comedy series A Bit of Fry & Laurie, which aired on the BBC. They were also well-known for the comedy series Jeeves and Wooster. The list of projects they worked on kept going on, but their collaboration came to an end after the conclusion of A Bit of Fry and Laurie.
2. Hugh Laurie Rowed In School and College
Like his father before him, Laurie was part of a rowing team back in college. More specifically, he competed for Britain’s Youth Team in the 1977 Junior World Rowing Championships. The comedian cum actor also competed in the 1980 Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race and was awarded a Blue for his efforts. Altogether, Laurie was working toward her goal of becoming a rower of Olympic caliber. To that effect, he even put in up to eight hours of practice every single day.
However, that dream was cut short by glandular disease and he was forced to stop rowing. Thankfully, that did not kill his ambition and he chaneled his passion toward the Cambridge Footlights, a university dramatic society. The rest, they say, is history.
3. He Got Married To Jo Green, A Theater Administrator
Staying within the entertainment realm, Hugh Laurie got married to Jo Green who was a theater administrator at the time. The pair hit it off and tied the knot on a warm summer day in 1989 — June 16, 1989 to be precise. Laurie’s close friend and comedic partner at the time, Stephen Fry stood in as his best man. Together, they have three children, with their eldest child, Charlie, being born in 1988. Next, they had a son named Bill in 1991 and their daughter Rebecca came along in 1992.
4. He Has Been Honored With A Star On The Hollywood Walk Of Fame
Having a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is an honor in more ways than one. Altogether, Laurie has proved his mettle in the industry and has the star to prove it. Sometime in October 2016, the House star was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. More specifically, his is number 2,593 and is surrounded by the names of talented artists from all over the continent. His star is appropriately located near a British Pub called the Pig N’ Whistle. Closeby are stars allocated to other British legends like Ridley Scott, Colin Firth and Emma Thompson.
5. Hugh Laurie Is Quite Skilled On The Piano
Laurie is as multitalented as they come and isn’t just a skilled actor and comedian. He’s equally a great musician too and is a Blues musician in his own right. The star himself has been strumming those keys since he was six years old. Besides that, he’s a skilled singer with a knack for other instruments like the guitar, drums, harmonica, and saxophone.
He hasn’t shied away from displaying his skills onscreen from time to time. He’s leaned towards his musical side in shows like A Bit of Fry and Laurie, Jeeves and Wooster, and House. The star has gone on tour with his blues band, the Copper Bottom Band. He has also toured as part of the charity cover band, Band from TV and has admitted that he enjoys creating music than he does acting.
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