John Lithgow, the acclaimed actor known for his roles in “Third Rock from the Sun” and “The Crown,” has gained a new viewpoint on mortality following the passing of his close freind and colleague, Doug McGrath.
Lithgow,79,who has battled and overcome three bouts of cancer,shared his reflections on death during a recent appearance on Rachel Martin’s podcast “Wild Card.” He revealed that mcgrath’s sudden death at the age of 64 from a heart attack served as a poignant reminder of life’s fragility.
“I directed that wonderful New Yorker, Doug McGrath, in his one-man show that he’d written for himself. And he didn’t show up at the theatre one night as, in his office by himself at about four in the afternoon, he’d lain down, had a heart attack and died,” Lithgow recounted.
“It was such a traumatic thing to experience. He died painlessly and almost courteously. He didn’t make anybody else suffer over his death except over the fact that it had happened like that,” the Emmy-winning actor added.
when asked by Martin if McGrath’s passing had altered his perspective on his own mortality, Lithgow responded with surprising candor. “I was startled at how soon I was able to absorb it. It’s just having happened and the new reality. This lovely man, who was quite a dear friend having worked together so closely, he was simply gone, and I knew that he was gone.”
He continued, “More,” Lithgow replied when asked if McGrath’s death made him more or less comfortable with his own demise. “I just no it’s coming. It’s coming, and I think the best thing is to have a gracious ending.”
Lithgow, known for his thoughtful approach to his craft, even compared his desired exit from life to his meticulous planning of stage exits. “I calculate my exit from any film or television or stage play,and I always wanna have a good ending. Well, I wanna have a good ending to my life, too — that no one grieves over, and is appropriate,” he said.
Martin, speaking for Lithgow’s many fans, gently reminded him, “Well, people will grieve.”
Emmy Award-winning actor John Lithgow recently opened up about his personal battles with cancer, revealing he has faced the disease three times in his life.The 77-year-old star, known for his roles in “The Crown” and “The Old Man,” shared his experiences during a presentation for his upcoming PBS series, “Art happens Here with John Lithgow,” at the 2024 TCA Winter Press Tour.
Lithgow, known for his humor and affability, admitted, “I can’t believe I’m talking about these things,” with a laugh. He detailed his encounters with the disease, stating, “I’ve had three cancers in my life.First in 1988, 2004, and then only a couple of years ago. In every case, dealt with immediately and put an end to — you know, melanomas that could be removed, detected early and removed. A prostatectomy that eliminated prostate cancer from my life.”
reflecting on these experiences, Lithgow confessed, “But I’m almost glad that I had the shocking experience of being told you have a malignancy.”
He elaborated, “Those near-death experiences also made Lithgow contemplate, “Oh my God, this might really — I might die of this.”
“I think it was a useful experience to have,” he explained,“in terms of just putting your whole life into perspective.”
## Navigating Mortality: A Conversation with John Lithgow
**By [Your Name], Senior Editor, world-today-news.com**
The passing of a friend is never easy. For acclaimed actor John Lithgow, the sudden loss of his colleague and close friend, Doug McGrath, at the age of 64, served as a poignant reminder of life’s fragility.
Lithgow, who is no stranger to facing his own mortality – having battled and overcome three bouts of cancer – recently reflected on McGrath’s death during an appearance on Rachel martin’s podcast, “Wild Card.”
“I directed that splendid New Yorker, Doug McGrath, in his one-man show that he’d written for himself. And he didn’t show up at the theater one night as,in his office,by himself at about four in the afternoon,he’d lain down,had a heart attack and died,” Lithgow recounted.
The loss, though devastating, struck Lithgow in a way he hadn’t anticipated. **“It was such a traumatic thing to experience. He died painlessly and almost courteously. He didn’t make anybody else suffer over his death except over the fact that it had happened like that,” the Emmy-winning actor added.**
When asked if McGrath’s passing had altered his outlook on his own mortality, lithgow’s response was surprisingly candid.
**“I was startled at how soon I was able to absorb it.It’s just having happened and the new reality. This lovely man, who was quite a dear friend having worked together so closely, he was simply gone, and I knew that he was gone,” he admitted.**
Lithgow went on to say that McGrath’s death made him more,not less,comfortable with the inevitability of his own demise.
**”I just know it’s coming. It’s coming,and I think the best thing is to have a gracious ending,” he confided to Martin.**
Lithgow’s openness about grappling with mortality offers a unique insight into the human experience. It echoes a truth that transcends fame and accolades: everyone faces the same ultimate fate.
**[Include a concluding paragraph summarizing the main takeaways of the interview and its relevance to readers. You can also add a call to action, inviting readers to share their thoughts on the subject or learn more about John Lithgow’s work.]**
