John Michael Higgins

John Michael Higgins (born February 12, 1963) is an American actor, voice actor and comedian[1] whose film credits include Christopher Guest's mockumentaries, the role of David Letterman in HBO's The Late Shift and a starring role in the American version of Kath & Kim. He portrayed Peter Lovett in the TV Land original sitcom Happily Divorced and provided the voice of Iknik Blackstone Varrick in The Legend of Korra and Mini-Max in Big Hero 6: The Series. He also starred in the NBC sitcom Great News as Chuck Pierce for 2 seasons. He currently hosts the game show America Says, which earned him a 2019 Daytime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Game Show Host.

John Michael Higgins
Higgins in 2018
Born (1963-02-12) February 12, 1963
Alma materAmherst College
OccupationActor, voice actor, comedian
Years active1985–present
Spouse(s)
Margaret Welsh
(m. after 2003)
Children2

Career

In 1991, Higgins was featured in Broadway's La Bête and, in 2000, he was seen Off-Broadway at Second Stage Theatre in a production of Edward Albee's Tiny Alice. He also originated the title role in Paul Rudnick's Jeffrey Off-Broadway in 1993.

Higgins' numerous television credits include recurring characters on Ally McBeal, Brother's Keeper, Boston Legal and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show. In Season 8 of Seinfeld, he portrayed Elaine's boyfriend Kurt. He also played attorney Wayne Jarvis in five episodes of Arrested Development. Higgins arranged the dense vocal harmonies sung by the nine-part ("neuftet") New Main Street Singers in 2003's A Mighty Wind, a change from the writers' original concept to have the group sing in unison, leveraged by Higgins' musical talent.

Higgins gained more recognition by being featured in the films Fun with Dick and Jane and The Break-Up, for which he also wrote vocal arrangements. His work as a voice actor includes the roles of Judge Mentok in Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law, 2401 Penitent Tangent in Halo 2, and Riddler in Batman: The Brave and the Bold. Higgins also portrayed David Letterman in the HBO TV film The Late Shift. Higgins was seen in the pre-show video for the Epcot attraction Test Track. However, the ride was refurbished in 2012 and the pre-show room was removed.

Higgins directs and appears on the stage from time to time as well. In 2004, he played Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld in the American premiere of David Hare's Stuff Happens at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles. In 2003, he played the title role in A. R. Gurney's Big Bill at New York's Lincoln Center Theater.

Higgins has been featured in TV ads for DirecTV alongside fellow co-stars Christopher Guest and Ed Begley Jr. and for Old Navy. He also stars in season 2 of TNT's Raising the Bar as an openly gay, rule-obsessed judge. Higgins took part in The Suite Life on Deck, taking the role of the obnoxious and secluded Mr. Tipton.

In 2011, Higgins was cast in Happily Divorced opposite Fran Drescher. He played Fran's gay ex-husband, Peter Lovett, a character based on Drescher's real-life gay ex-husband Peter Marc Jacobson.

In 2012, Higgins was cast as the voice of vain and eccentric businessman Iknik Blackstone Varrick in The Legend of Korra.

From 2017 to 2018, Higgins starred as Chuck Pierce on the NBC comedy series Great News.

On the syndicated game show 25 Words or Less in late 2019, Higgins told host Meredith Vieira he also goes by just "Michael Higgins" which his friends and others use a lot, and since that episode Vieira has used only that name when he's on. Contestants on America Says tend to address him as Michael when conversing with him.

In 2020, Higgins began appearing in a series of adverts for 123.ie, an Irish insurance company.

Higgins played the role of Principal Toddman in the 2020 Peacock comedy series Saved by the Bell which was created by Tracey Wigfield.[2]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1986National Lampoon's Class of '86Various characters
1988Vampire's KissEd
1997G.I. JaneChief of Staff
1997Wag the DogJohn Levy
1999Bicentennial ManBill Feingold
2000Seven Days to LiveSocial Worker
2000Best in ShowScott Donlan
2001The Man Who Wasn't ThereEmergency Room PhysicianUncredited
2002Teddy Bears' PicnicWhit Summers
2003A Mighty WindTerry Bohner
2004Jiminy Glick in LalawoodAndre Devine
2004After the SunsetHotel ManagerUncredited
2004Killer DillerDeermont
2004Blade: TrinityDr. Edgar Vance
2005English as a Second LanguageNorman Benjamin
2005Fun with Dick and JaneGarth
2006The Break-UpRichard Meyers
2006For Your ConsiderationCorey Taft
2007Evan AlmightyMarty Stringer
2007Fred ClausWillie
2007Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox StoryRecord producerUncredited
2008Yes ManNick
2009Still Waiting...Dennis
2009The Ugly TruthLarry
2009Fired UpCoach Keith
2009Couples RetreatTherapist
2010The Burying BeetlePhilipShort film
2011Bad TeacherPrincipal Wally Snur
20116 Month RulePaul
2011We Bought a ZooWalter Ferris
2012My Uncle RafaelDamon
2012Big MiracleWes Handrick
2012Tom and Jerry: Robin Hood and His Merry MousePrince John (voice)
2012Pitch PerfectJohn Smith
2013Rapture-PaloozaMr. Lewis
2013Super BuddiesDrex (voice)
2013The Best Man HolidayStan
2014A Million Ways to Die in the WestDandy #1
2014Planes: Fire & RescueCad (voice)
2014TellHuffman
2014Breaking the BankRichard Grinding
2015Pitch Perfect 2John Smith
2016Is That a Gun in Your Pocket?Mayor Wally
2016SundownDad
2016Internet FamousDave Larson
2016MascotsUpton French
2016Almost ChristmasBrooks
2017Shimmer LakeBrad Dawkins
2017Pitch Perfect 3John Smith
2017Reality HighPrincipal Dixon
2018Scooby-Doo! & Batman: The Brave and the BoldThe Riddler (voice)
2018Status UpdateMr. Moody

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1988Miami ViceMurray PhillipsEpisode: "Hell Hath No Fury"
1991MathnetI. M. UppwarddEpisode: "The Case of the Poconos Paradise"
1994The George Carlin ShowDan GoodwinEpisode: "George Expresses Himself"
1996CybillChipEpisode: "Cybill Does Diary"
1996The Late ShiftDavid LettermanTelevision film
1997SeinfeldKurtEpisode: "The Little Jerry"
1997Weird ScienceTimidiusEpisode: "I, Chettus"
1997Party of FiveGlennEpisode: "S'Wunnerful Life"
1997–1998Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV ShowAr'nox3 episodes
1998From the Earth to the MoonMaster of CeremoniesEpisode: "The Original Wives Club"
1998Nothing SacredFather JesseEpisode: "HIV Priest! Film at Eleven"
1998Guys Like UsMr. LevinEpisode: "Maestro's First Crush"
1998–1999Brother's KeeperMark3 episodes
1998–1999Mad About YouPatrick2 episodes
2000Get RealGeorge ClarkEpisode: "Guilt"
2000Movie StarsKurt MasonEpisode: "Who's on First?"
2000–2002Ally McBealSteven Milter13 episodes
2001BetteAlex BerringerEpisode: "Big Business"
2001FrasierWilliamEpisode: "It Takes Two to Tangle"
2001Gideon's CrossingDr. PlummerEpisode: "The Mistake"
2002George LopezCharlesEpisode: "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, Honey"
2002–2007,
2018
Harvey Birdman, Attorney at LawMentok the Mindtaker, Zardo, Grape Ape, Various (voice)31 episodes
2003Monte WalshRobert SlocumTelevision film
2003–2006Arrested DevelopmentWayne Jarvis5 episodes
2004Game OverSully / Guidance Counselor / Proctor (voice)4 episodes
2004Higglytown HeroesTow Truck Driver HeroEpisode: "All Tire'd Out"
2004MonkRoddy LankmanEpisode: "Mr. Monk and the Game Show"
2004Boston LegalJerry Austin2 episodes
2005JoeyAlbert2 episodes
2006So NotoriousPhillip WalkerEpisode: "Whole"
2006CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationAnthony CapriceEpisode: "Time of Your Death"
2008–2009Kath & KimPhil Knight17 episodes
2009NumbersFloyd MayborneEpisode: "Dreamland"
2009Raising the BarJudge Albert Farnsworth9 episodes
2009–2010CommunityProfessor Whitman3 episodes
2010GleeRussellEpisode: "Dream On"
2010Glenn Martin, DDSVarious (voice)Episode: "Funshine, USA"
2010PsychClive PrescottEpisode: "Chivalry Is Not Dead... But Someone Is"
2010Batman: The Brave and the BoldRiddler (voice)2 episodes
2010Human TargetRichard ApplebaumEpisode: "The Other Side of the Mall"
2010–2011Glory DazeBrother Jerrod2 episodes
2011The Suite Life on DeckMr. TiptonEpisode: "Twister: Part 3"
2011Man Up!Mr. TiptonEpisode: "Camping"
2011–2013Happily DivorcedPeter Lovett34 episodes
2011–2013The Good WifeRodney Jesko2 episodes
2011–2014WilfredDr. Cahill4 episodes
2012Doc McStuffinsStar Blaster Zero (voice)Episode: "Tea Party Tantrum/Blast Off!"
2012Cars ToonsStanley (voice)Episode: "Time Travel Mater"
2012–2014Sullivan & SonGary Barton3 episodes
2014–2018Bob's BurgersDoug Wheeler, various voices6 episodes
2013Men at WorkLindsey TuckerEpisode: "The New Boss"
2013Good Morning TodayReverend Jeremiah Phelps (voice)Episode: "Episode Three"
2013–2014The Legend of KorraVarrick / Various (voice)22 episodes
2014Mike & MollyDr. Gayle RosenEpisode: "Mind Over Molly"
2014Terry the TomboyDoctor LarryTelevision film
2014Phineas and FerbAdditional characters (voice)Episode: "Phineas and Ferb: Star Wars"
2014Franklin & BashDominicEpisode: "Love Is the Drug"
2014JessieCarlisleEpisode: "Between the Swoon and New York City"
2014–2017Sofia the FirstFlambeau (voice)3 episodes
2014–2015Instant MomHoyt Ebnetter3 episodes
2015Turbo FASTPasadena Paul / Trash Fire Snail (voice)Episode: "Groundhog, Stay!/Gone Guys Gone"
2015Switched at BirthLarry ShimingoEpisode: "Borrowing Your Enemy's Arrows"
2015Jesse Stone: Lost in ParadiseEvanTelevision film
2015Adam Ruins EverythingSommelierEpisode: "Adam Ruins Restaurants"
2016–2017Angie TribecaRandy Zaius / Dr. Zaius2 episodes
2016The Tom and Jerry ShowUncle Harry (voice)Episode: "Say Uncle"
20162 Broke GirlsElliotEpisode: "And the Pity Party Bus"
2016–2017All Hail King JulienBarty (voice)7 episodes
2016Tween FestTodd Crawford8 episodes
2016AwkwardGarrett GibsonEpisode: "Happy Campers. Happier Trails"
2017–2018Great NewsChuck Pierce23 episodes
2017Dropping the SoapFlock DelugeEpisode: "Man Musk"
2017Niko and the Sword of LightKing Scampi (voice)3 episodes
2017Goldie and BearPops WeaselEpisode: "Pops Goes the Weasel/Fairy Godmother Gets Grounded"
2018–2020Big Hero 6: The SeriesMini-Max (voice)
Civilian (voice)
Rich-Looking Driver 1 (voice)
Guy In Shorts (voice)
Ticket Taker (voice)
Knit Hat Guy (voice)
17 episodes
2018–2020America SaysHimself (host)320 episodes Nominated -Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Game Show Host (2019)
2018Drunk HistoryWilhelm Von OstenEpisode: "Animals"
2018–2019Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja TurtlesWarren Stone (voice)5 episodes
2019Just Roll with ItGeneral Caleb BarnswallowEpisode: "General Nuisance"
2019SunnysideWallace FurleyEpisode: "The Ethiopian Executioner"
2020Single ParentsBud CooperEpisode: "The Angie-Man"
2020Saved by the BellPrincipal ToddmanMain role

Video games

YearTitleRoleNotes
2004Halo 22401 Penitent Tangent (voice)
2008Harvey Birdman: Attorney at LawMentok the Mindtaker (voice)

References

  1. Orndorf, Brian (February 9, 2009). "Still Waiting..." DVD Talk.
  2. Michael Ausiello (December 17, 2019). "Saved by the Bell Revival: Meet Bayside High's Beleaguered New Principal". TVLine. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.