John Larroquette

Early life

Larroquette was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, on November 25, 1947, the son of Berthalla Oramous, a department store clerk, and John Edgar Larroquette Jr., who was in the United States Navy. His paternal grandfather, John Larroquette Sr., was born in France and emigrated to the United States in 1895.

Larroquette grew up in the Ninth Ward of New Orleans, near the French Quarter. He played clarinet and saxophone through childhood and into high school. He attended Holy Cross School through his sophomore year before involuntarily moving to Francis T. Nicholls High School to finish his secondary education. It was his senior year at Nicholls High School that he first discovered acting. He was offered a scholarship to Louisiana State University after winning a state high school speech title but decided not to attend the university.

Career

Early career

His first acting role in Hollywood was providing the opening voiceover narration for The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974). Larroquette did this as a favor for the film's director Tobe Hooper, and was paid in marijuana. His first series regular role was in the 1970s NBC program Baa Baa Black Sheep, where he portrayed a World War II United States Marine Corps fighter pilot, 2nd Lt. Bob Anderson.

In a 1975 appearance on Sanford and Son, Larroquette played Lamont's counterpart in a fictitious sitcom based on Fred and Lamont called "Steinberg and Son". During the filming of Stripes (1981), his nose was nearly cut off in an accident. He ran down a hall into a door that was supposed to open but did not, and his head went through the window in the door.

''Night Court'' (1984–1992)

Larroquette played Assistant District Attorney Dan Fielding on Night Court; the character was initially rather conservative, but changed after the sitcom's creator Reinhold Weege came to learn more about Larroquette's sense of humor. His four consecutive wins were, at the time, a record.

Night Court ran on NBC from 1984 until 1992. Larroquette, Harry Anderson (as Judge Harry Stone), and Richard Moll (as bailiff Bull Shannon) appeared in every episode of the series. There was talk a spin-off show revolving around Dan Fielding, but Larroquette rejected the idea.

''The John Larroquette Show''

Instead of a spinoff, Larroquette and Don Reo developed a show revolving around some of Larroquette's own personal demons, particularly alcoholism. The John Larroquette Show, named by the insistence of NBC, starred Larroquette as the character John Hemingway. The show was lauded by critics, but failed to attract the prime-time audience, ranking around number 97 for most of the first season.

NBC threatened cancellation; however, Larroquette and Reo were granted the chance to retool the series, which saw it carry on for just over two more seasons, ending during its fourth season after 84 episodes, the last six of which were not aired. The show has a loyal cult following, although the series has never received an official home video release from Warner Bros.

''Boston Legal'' and other television roles

In 1998, he guest-starred on three episodes of the legal drama The Practice. His portrayal of Joey Heric, a wealthy, wisecracking, narcissistic psychopath with a habit of stabbing his gay lovers to death, won him his fifth Emmy Award. He reprised the role for one episode in 2002, for which he was once again nominated for an Emmy Award. He also appeared in an episode of The West Wing as White House Counsel Lionel Tribbey.

In 2003, Larroquette reprised his narration for the remake of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. From 2004 to 2006, he played the title role in the McBride series of ten Hallmark Mysteries television films. In 2007, he joined the cast of Boston Legal playing Carl Sack, a serious, ethical lawyer. He also guest-starred in the drama House where he played a previously catatonic father awakened to try to save his son.

From 2014 to 2018, Larroquette was a regular on The Librarians as Jenkins (actually the long-lived Camelot knight Sir Galahad), who provides support to the Librarians as a researcher and caretaker.

Film

His starring roles include the 1989 film Second Sight with Bronson Pinchot, and the 1990 film Madhouse with Kirstie Alley. Other films in which Larroquette had significant roles include: Stripes (1981), Blind Date (1987), Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984), Choose Me (1984), Meatballs Part II (1984), Summer Rental (1985), JFK (1991), and Richie Rich (1994).

Theatre

In 1975 he portrayed the lead role in the comedic play Tarboosh! at the Studio Playhouse in Los Angeles.

Larroquette made his musical stage debut in the Los Angeles production of How the Grinch Stole Christmas! as Old Max in 2009. He made his Broadway debut in the 2011 revival of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying as J B. Biggley alongside Daniel Radcliffe.

He appeared on Broadway in a revival of Gore Vidal's The Best Man, starring James Earl Jones, Angela Lansbury, and Candice Bergen. In early 2019, he was back in New York City starring in the play Nantucket Sleigh Ride by John Guare, at the Lincoln Center Theatre. In this off-beat play, Larroquette portrayed the lead character, Edmund "Mundie" Gowery, for a three-month run.

Personal life

Larroquette met his wife Elizabeth Ann Cookson in 1974 while working in the play Enter Laughing. They married on July 4, 1975, as that was the only day they had off from rehearsals. Cookson had a daughter, Lisa, from a previous relationship, and she and Larroquette would have two sons together, Jonathan and Benjamin. Jonathan co-hosts a comedy podcast called Uhh Yeah Dude.

Larroquette battled alcoholism from the mid-1970s to the early 1980s. On The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on March 10, 2007, he joked, "I was known to have a cocktail or sixty." He stopped drinking on February 6, 1982.

Filmography

Film

Television

Theatre

Awards and nominations

References

References

1. "John Larroquette".
2. "John Larroquette".
3. Leszczak, Bob. (2014-08-23). "The Odd Couple on Stage and Screen: A History with Cast and Crew Profiles and an Episode Guide". McFarland.
4. (May 17, 2013). "John Larroquette arrives in his hometown to receive honorary UNO degree".
5. Wright, Tracy. (2023-01-16). "John Larroquette was paid in marijuana to narrate 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre,' talks 'Night Court' reboot".
6. "20 Questions", ''Playboy'', April 1990.
7. Rabin, Nathan. (June 5, 2008). "Random Roles: John Larroquette".
8. Ausiello, Michael. (2014-04-10). "TNT Orders Librarians Series Starring Rebecca Romijn, Leverage Fave; Noah Wyle to Recur".
9. "'Tarboosh!' at Studio Playhouse".
10. Henderson, Kathy. "John Larroquette on Succeeding on Broadway and Looking Down on Daniel Radcliffe". [[John Gore Organization.
11. (April 25, 2023). "Inside John Larroquette and Wife Elizabeth Larroquette's Decades-Long Marriage".
12. Ouzounian, Richard. (January 4, 2011). "John Larroquette: This is a Dark Ride". [[Toronto Star]].
13. "John Larroquette (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors.
14. Squires, John. (January 27, 2022). "Netflix's 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre' – John Larroquette Is Back to Narrate the New Sequel!". [[Bloody Disgusting]].