John Goodman is one of the famous names in the comedy industry. His work in stand-up comedy, voice-over acting and Coen brother films have made him a diverse and well-reputable actor. However, his career started much earlier than that on the level in high school
Goodman continues to prove that he’s willing and capable of tackling many types of roles and shows no signs of slowing down. As of 2022, John Goodman’s net worth is roughly $65 million USD.
Early Life
John Goodman was born on the 20th of June 1952, in Affton, Missouri. His father died from a heart attack while he was years old, and his mother worked numerous jobs to help him and his siblings. During his high school years, he played football and also participated in theater. His high school football career help him led to a scholarship to Southwest Missouri State University, but he suffered an injury in his first year. Following the injury, he changed his mind about drama and graduated with a theatre degree.
After college, he moved to New York to pursue an acting degree and worked as a bartender and waiter. For the first years, he finished voice-over roles, stared in commercials, and did on and off-Broadway plays.
Career
Goodman’s small screen career took off in the mid-80s with appearances in Eddie Malcolm’s Run and Face of Rage. During this time, he was also regarded in the Broadway musical Big River as Pap Finn and then obtained his first big role in 1986 with True Stories. The theater roles continued after the films and in 1987 he was in a stage production of Antony and Cleopatra when a scout spotted him. This led to his most recognizable position as Dan Connor on Roseanne, which ran from 1988 to 1997.
During this period, Goodman continued to act on stage and the big screen. In 1993 Goodman started out doing voiceover work, starting with We’re Back! A Dinosaur’s Story. Stand-up comedy also appealed to Goodman, and he was the first guest on Late Night with Conan O’Brien. He has also hosted NBC’s Saturday Night Live numerous instances and appeared in several cameos in sketches.
Some outstanding roles of Goodman’s include Argo, Trouble with the Curve, Flight, Monster’s Inc, Emperor’s New Groove, and 10 Cloverfield Lane. Goodman continues to prove that he can adapt to any type of role and suggests no signs of slowing down. He continues to be doing theatre work at several theatres, which includes Studio 54 and Roundabout Theatre Company. Most recently he starred in American Buffalo at the Wyndham’s Theatre.
Favorite Quotes from John Goodman
“When I was young, we couldn’t afford much. But, my library card was my key to the sector.” – John Goodman. “Read, read, read, read, read. Read everything. You can’t work until you realize the world, and outside of living in the world the best way to learn about the world is to read about it.” – John Goodman
“I’m only a lazy boy. I’d rather sit in my recliner and act.” – John Goodman. “This occurs to be that the strength of laughter and love would beat out the power of fear every time. You know, I hate to sound corny about it but it’s true, and I assume that’s what this film is about.” – John Goodman