Crispin Glover

Crispin Hellion Glover (born April 20, 1964) is a multifaceted American artist. He is primarily known as an film actor, but is also a painter, filmmaker, author, and collector and archivist of esoterica.

Early Screen Work

Crispin Glover was born in New York City, but moved to Los Angeles at the age of four. His father, Bruce Glover, was a character actor best remembered for playing the offbeat S.P.E.C.T.R.E. assassin Mr. Wint in the James Bond movie Diamonds Are Forever. Glover appeared on several sitcoms as a teenager, including Happy Days, and Family Ties. His first film role was in 1983's My Tutor. That led to Teachers (1984) and Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1985). He followed these minor performances with his breakout role as George McFly in Robert Zemeckis's Back to the Future.

Glover contra Spielberg

Glover refused to participate in the film's sequel, but Spielberg used previously filmed footage and body prosthetics to simulate Glover on screen. Glover sued Spielberg and won a landmark victory that has influenced the way that actor's images are used on screen. [1] (http://www.usatoday.com/life/columnist/popcandy/2002-08-07-candy.htm)

The first of many odd characters

Back to the Future was an international box office smash. Glover followed it with The Orkly Kid, in which he portrayed a young man who's obsession with Olivia Newton-John raises the ire of his small-town neighbors. From that point, Glover pursued a defiantly individualistic path. His characters were notable for the peculiar personality tics and unconventional thought processes.

Art, Music, and Deconstruction

In 1989, during a hiatus from films, Glover released an album called The Big Problem Does Not Equal the Solution. The Solution = Let It Be (1989) through Restless Records. The album features Clowny Clown Clown (which has its own music video), a cover of Nancy Sinatra's These Boots Are Made for Walkin', and readings of his poetry, including: Rat Catching (Glover modified an old book by adding or deleting pictures, text, and drawings), Oak-Mot, What It Is & How It Is Done (a man's life told in first, second and third person). He included his home phone number with copies of the album, encouraging listeners to phone when they'd "solved" his puzzle. Glover later commented that he was rather surprised how many people figured it out.

Later films

He played Andy Warhol in Oliver Stone's The Doors in (1991). He has continued to play exceedingly eccentric types, e.g. the title characters in Bartleby, (2001) and Willard (2003). He has received some considerable mainstream attention recently as the reticent fetishist, the 'Thin Man' in the Charlie's Angels films.

What is It?

Glover made his directorial debut with What Is It? (2005). In the late-1990's, he toured with prints of the film and showed various slides and read excerpts from his works. The principal actors in the film have Down syndrome. What is It? has yet to be shown commercially in theatres, although Glover has said he plans on releasing it as part of a trilogy at some point in the future.

Final notes

Glover does not celebrate his birthday twice a year (April and September 20th), as previously noted here and elsewhere. His birthday is April 20, 1964.