If John Larroquette wasn’t an actor, he might have become an English teacher. The New Orleans native fell in love with reading at Holy Cross School after receiving a copy of Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot. He developed a passion for literature and soon found himself representing his high school in a state speech title competition. He won the contest with his interpretative reading of T.S. Eliot’s The Hollow Men and was offered a full scholarship to Louisiana State University.
For reasons that are now obscure to him, the Night Court actor rejected the scholarship, opting to pursue a radio career. He worked as a DJ for a local FM radio station and later moved to San Diego, where he worked for a record label. John Larroquette didn’t realize he wanted to become an actor until he wandered into the San Gabriel Mission Playhouse in the early 70s. He moved to Los Angeles shortly after and landed a voice role that kicked off his illustrious acting career. This was in 1973.
John Larroquette’s First Role Was As A Narrator In The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
John Larroquette’s decades-long career began with a voice role in Tobe Hooper’s 1974 horror film The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. He is the off-camera narrator of the film, which has achieved cult status over time. Larroquette landed the role in 1973, after moving to Los Angeles. In a January 2023 appearance on Late Night with Seth Meyers, he traced the role to when he worked as a bartender in Colorado.
The actor told Meyers he was bartending when he met The Texas Chainsaw Massacre director. “Living in a little town in Colorado, being a bartender, a fellow came in, we started talking — a fellow named Tobe Hooper, and he said: Hey I’m gonna be a movie director!’ I went ‘Yeah, sure, have another Coors.'” Hooper eventually moved to L.A. to pursue his dream. When he learned that John Larroquette was in L.A. as well, he invited him to voice the opening narration for the movie.
Breakthrough With Stripes And Rise To Television Stardom
After The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, John Larroquette made his television and proper acting debut in 1975 as Murray Steinberg in an episode of Sanford and Son. The following years saw him appear in several television productions, including Doctor’s Hospital and Baa Baa Black Sheep, where he was a series regular. Nonetheless, he struggled to establish himself in the industry until the early 80s, when he played Capt Stillman in Ivan Reitman’s Stripes.
John Larroquette’s performance in the 1981 action comedy marked a turning point in his career. “[It] helped me win better roles like Night Court,” he told The World Street Journal. The NBC sitcom remains the most significant achievement of his acting career. As Dan Fielding in Night Court, Larroquette garnered widespread popularity, establishing himself as a television icon. During its original run, the role won him four consecutive Primetime Emmys for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, among other coveted recognition.
How John Larroquette Cemented His TV Legacy After Night Court
Capitalizing on the popularity of his character on Night Court, NBC greenlit The John Larroquette Show which premiered in September 1993, 16 months after Night Court concluded in May 1992. Running for four seasons, the Don Reo sitcom was nominated for at least ten Primetime Emmys and a Golden Globe. Larroquette’s performance received two Viewers for Quality Television nominations under Best Actor in a Quality Comedy Series. He also received a nod for Primetime Emmy’s Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series.
The Night Court actor continued to solidify his television legacy with subsequent roles in The Practice (1997 – 2002), Happy Family (2003 – 2004), the McBride telefilms (2005 – 2007), Boston Legal (2007 – 2008), and The Librarians (2014 – 2018). As Joey Heric in The Practice, John Larroquette bagged another Primetime Emmy Award in 1998 for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series. Likewise, his performances in The Librarians and Boston Legal were nominated for Saturn and the Screen Actors Guild Awards, respectively.
Big Screen And Theatre Accomplishment
Since his time on The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, John Larroquette has portrayed diverse characters in at least 30 movies. His film credits include some high-rated productions like Altered States (1980), Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983), Choose Me (1984), Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984), and JFK (1991). While his movies aren’t as acclaimed as his television portfolio, the actor has a solid stage reputation.
The five-time Emmy Award winner has a robust stage resume that dates back to his early career. “I moved to Los Angeles to become an actor and started in the theater and on TV sort of simultaneously,” he told Broadway Buzz in March 2011. “When I wasn’t working on TV, I’d do six or seven plays a year…,” added the actor who made his Broadway debut as J.B. Biggley in Rob Ashford’s revival of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.
The role remains the major highlight of John Larroquette’s stage career. It won him the 2011 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical, alongside Drama Desk’s Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical. He’s also performed in theatrical productions like Broadway’s The Best Man (2012) and New York City Center’s revival of 1776 (2016). Check out Denise Richards’ top 8 iconic movie roles.
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