Jeffrey Lynn Goldblum was born to Jewish parents in West Homestead, Pennsylvania, located just outside of Pittsburgh.[3][4] His mother, Shirley Jane Goldblum (née Temeles; October 30, 1926 – January 9, 2012),[5] was a radio broadcaster who later ran a kitchen equipment and appliances sales firm; his father, Harold Leonard Goldblum (April 25, 1920 – February 23, 1983), was a physician and major in the U.S. Army during World War II.[6][7] His family was from the Russian and Austro-Hungarian empires, with roots in Starobin (now Belarus) and Zolochiv (now Ukraine).[8] He has a sister, Pamela, and an elder brother, Lee. His other brother, Rick, whom Goldblum has described as a "kind of hero of mine", died in 1971 at age 23 while travelling in Morocco, having contracted dysentery which led to kidney failure. Goldblum, an accomplished jazz pianist,[9] credits his interest in jazz music to Rick's influence while they were growing up. He has stated that his brother's early death made him "more focused" and gave him a determination to "save myself and survive".[10][11]
During his childhood, his parents were interested in show business.[12] His father nearly studied acting before deciding to pursue medical studies, going on to become chief of medicine at a Pittsburgh hospital.[10][13] Goldblum moved to New York City at 17 to become an actor. He worked on the stage and studied acting at the renowned Neighborhood Playhouse under the guidance of acting coach Sanford Meisner. He made his Broadway debut in the Tony Award-winning musical Two Gentlemen of Verona.
Career
Goldblum in 1985
Goldblum made his film debut as a home-invading thug in the 1974 Charles Bronson film Death Wish. He briefly appeared as a protester in the TV movie Columbo: A Case of Immunity (1975). He had a brief part as a party guest in Annie Hall (1977); Goldblum is seen speaking into a telephone at a Hollywood party, "This is Mr. Davis. I forgot my mantra."[14]
Goldblum starred as comedian Ernie Kovacs in the 1984 TV movie, "Ernie Kovacs: Between the Laughter". The movie dealt with the real-life kidnapping of Kovacs' two daughters by his former first wife. Actress Edie Adams, Kovacs' second wife and his widow, made a cameo appearance in the well-received movie.
For several years in the 1990s, Goldblum was the voice for most U.S. Apple commercials, including advertisements for the iMac and iBook.[15] He also voices some U.S. Toyota commercials as well as Procter & Gamble's facial cream line. He has appeared on Irish TV in a commercial for the National Lottery filmed in 2003.[16][17]
Goldblum taught acting at Playhouse West in North Hollywood with Robert Carnegie. It was with several actors from this acting company that he improvised and directed the live action short film Little Surprises, which was nominated for an Academy Award in 1996.
In September 2006, it was announced that Goldblum was one of the founding members of a new theater company in New York called The Fire Dept.
Goldblum replaced Chris Noth as a senior detective on Law & Order: Criminal Intent.[18] In the series, Goldblum plays Detective Zack Nichols. In August 2010, media outlets reported that Goldblum had decided not to return to Criminal Intent due to persistent concerns about the program's future.[19][20]
On May 29, 2018, Billboard reported that he had been signed by Decca Records to record a studio album for release later in the year.[10][27]The Capitol Studios Sessions, the debut with the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra, duly appeared on November 9, 2018.[28] This was followed a year later by I Shouldn't Be Telling You This, with the band having played Glastonbury that summer.[29] The band's third album, Plays Well with Others, was released on March 24, 2023.[30]
In July 2018, a 25 ft (7.6m) statue of Goldblum was erected next to London's Tower Bridge as a temporary installation in order to mark 25 years since the release of Jurassic Park.[31] At Disney'sD23 Expo in 2019, Disney announced the show The World According to Jeff Goldblum would feature Goldblum and be available at the launch of the Disney+ streaming service on November 12, 2019.[32]
Goldblum was the subject of the 2021 biography Because He's Jeff Goldblum (Penguin Random House), written by Washington Post features writer Travis M. Andrews.[33] In October 2022, it was reported that Goldblum was in final talks to play the Wizard in the two-part film adaptation of the musical Wicked.[34] His role in the film was confirmed on December 8, 2022.[35][36]
Personal life
From 1980 to 1985, Goldblum was married to Patricia Gaul, with whom he appeared in Silverado (1985).[37] From 1987 to 1991, he was married to Geena Davis, his co-star in Transylvania 6-5000 (1985), The Fly (1986), and Earth Girls Are Easy (1988). Geena Davis filed for divorce in October 1990,[38] and it was finalized the following year.[39]
In mid-2014, Goldblum became engaged to Emilie Livingston, a Canadian Olympic rhythmic gymnast 30 years his junior; the couple married on November 8, 2014.[40][41] Their first child, a son, was born on July 4, 2015.[42][43] Their second son was born on April 7, 2017.[44]
^ abcAyres, Chris (November 6, 2019). "'I didn't think fatherhood was for me... so I talked to my therapist'". Radio Times. London: Immediate Media. pp. 22–25. (November 9–15 issue).
