Alan Cumming
BirthDay:27 Jan 1965 |
BirthPlace:Aberfeldy, Perthshire, Scotland, UK |
Bio:Alan Cumming was born on January 27, 1965, in Aberfeldy, Scotland, to Mary (Darling), an insurance company secretary, and Alex Cumming. His family lived nearby in Dunkeld, where his father was a forester for Atholl Estate. The family (including his brother, Tom) moved to Fassfern near Fort William, before moving to the east coast of Scotland in 1969, where Alan's father took up the position of Head Forester of Panmure Estate; it was there that Alan grew up. He went to Monikie Primary School and Carnoustie High School, where he began appearing in plays, and soon after that began working with with the Carnoustie Theatre Club and Carnoustie Musical Society. In 1981 he left high school with 8 'O' Grades and 4 Highers, but because he was too young to enter any university or drama school he worked for just over a year as a sub-editor at D.C. Thomson Publishers in Dundee. There he worked on the launch of a new magazine, "Tops", and was also the "Young Alan" who answered readers' letters. In September 1982 he began a three-year course at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow. He graduated in 1985 with a B.A. (Dramatic Studies) and awards for verse speaking and direction. He also had formed a cabaret double act with fellow student Forbes Masson called Victor and Barry, which went on to become hugely successful with tours (including two Perrier Pick of the Fringe seasons in London and a month-long engagement at the Sydney Opera House as part of an Australian tour), records ("Hear Victor and Barry and Faint", "Are We Too Loud?") and many TV appearances throughout the UK. Before graduating Alan made his professional theater and film debuts in "Macbeth" at the Tron Theatre in Glasgow and in Gillies MacKinnon's "Passing Glory". After graduating, Alan worked extensively in Scottish theater and television, including a stint on the soap opera High Road (1980) before moving to London when "Conquest of the South Pole", a play by German playwright Manfred Karge, transferred from the Traverse Theatre in, Edinburgh to the the Royal Court in London, earning him his first Olivier award nomination for Most Promising Newcomer of 1988. Alan performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company and then the Royal National Theatre, where he starred in "Accidental Death of an Anarchist", which he also adapted with director Tim Supple. The production was nominated for Best revival at the 1991 Olivier awards and Alan won for Comedy Performance of the Year. Then his film career began with Ian Sellar's Prague (1992), in which he starred with Sandrine Bonnaire and Bruno Ganz. The film premiered at the 1992 Cannes film festival and went on to win him Best Actor award at the Atlantic Film Festival and a Scottish BAFTA Best Actor nomination. In the same year he made two films for the BBC - Screen Two: The Last Romantics (1992) and Bernard and the Genie (1991), the latter winning him the Top Television Newcomer award at 1992 British Comedy Awards. In the 1992 Olivier awards he was also nominated for Comedy Performance of the Year for "La Bete". In 1993 he played Hamlet for the English Touring Theare to great critical acclaim ("An actor knocking on the door of greatness" - Daily Mail; ranked first and second--with his performance in "Cabaret"--in the Daily Telegraph's performances of the year) and then immediately went on to play the Emcee in Sam Mendes' revival of "Cabaret" at the same venue (London's Donmar Warehouse). He received a 1994 Olivier award nomination for Best Actor in a Musical for "Cabaret", and for Hamlet he received the 1994 TMA Best Actor award and a Shakespeare Globe award nomination. In 1994 he made his first Hollywood film, Circle of Friends (1995), and his performance as the oleaginous Sean Walsh along with those in two films released in quick succession (Emma (1996) and GoldenEye (1995)) brought him to the attention of American producers, and he appeared in several Hollywood films, such as Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997) and Buddy (1997). He returned to the UK in 1997 to work with Stanley Kubrick and the Spice Girls before returning stateside in 1998 to reprise his role in "Cabaret" on Broadway. The show and his portrayal were a sensation, and he received the Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics' Circle, Theatre World, FANY, New York Press and New York Public Advocate's awards for his performance. Since then he has alternated between theater and films, and also between smaller independent films and more mainstream fare. His theater work includes 2001's "Design for Living" on Broadway and the hugely successful off-Broadway "Elle" by Jean Genet, which he adapted and played the lead in 2002. His films have included Julie Taymor's Titus (1999), Urbania (2000), the "Spy Kids" trilogy, Josie and the Pussycats (2001), X-Men 2 (2003), Nicholas Nickleby (2002), Son of the Mask (2005) and the Showtime movie musical Reefer Madness: The Movie Musical (2005). He wrote, directed, produced and acted in The Anniversary Party (2001) with Jennifer Jason Leigh, which premiered at the Cannes Film festival in 2002 and went on to win a National Board of Review award and two Independent Spirit award nominations. More recently he has produced the documentary Show People (2004) and the films Sweet Land (2005) and Full Grown Men (2006) (and appears in both) and acted in Gray Matters (2006) opposite Heather Graham and Bam Bam and Celeste (2005) opposite Margaret Cho. In 2006, he returned to Broadway as Macheath in "The Threepenny Opera". He has also found the time to write a novel, "Tommy's Tale", in 2002. |
Filmography
Actor ( 200 credits ) |
|
| Battle of the Sexes (2017) | Ted Tinling |
| After Louie (2017) | |
| Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age (2017) | Herself |
| Hurricane Bianca (2016) | |
| Strange Magic (2015) | Bog King (voice) |
| The New Yorker Presents (2015) | God |
| What's Your Emergency (2015) | Man Stuck in an Inflatable Doll (1 episode, 2015) |
| Remember That Time (2015) | Himself - Host |
| Chu and Blossom (2014) | |
| The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (2014) | Himself / ... (2 episodes, 2014) |
| Late Night with Seth Meyers (2014) | Himself (1 episode, 2014) |
| The Meredith Vieira Show (2014) | Himself - Guest (1 episode, 2015) |
| Saving My Tomorrow (2014) | Himself - Narrator (1 episode, 2015) |
| The Smurfs 2 (2013) | Gutsy Smurf (voice) |
| The Being Experience (2013) | |
| Whatever This Is. (2013) | Oliver Powers (1 episode, 2013) |
| The Broadway.Com Show (2013) | Himself (3 episodes, 2013-2014) |
| The Cumming Attraction: Backstage at 'Macbeth' with Alan Cumming (2013) | Himself - Host (8 episodes, 2013) |
| Happy Tears (2013) | Traveler |
| Muse of Fire (2013) | Himself |
| Maladies (2012) | Alan |
| God Save the Queens (2012) | Himself |
| Any Day Now (2012) | Rudy Donatello |
| Sir Billi (2012) | Gordon the Goat (voice) |
| Outback (2012) | Bog (voice) |
| The Outs (2012) | Himself - Alan (1 episode, 2013) |
| Urban Secrets (2012) | Himself - Presenter (8 episodes, 2012) |
| Larry King Now (2012) | Himself - Guest (1 episode, 2014) |
| Sir Billi (2012) | Gordon (voice) |
| Almost in Love (2011) | Hayden |
| Kingdom Come (2011) | Himself |
| The Smurfs (2011) | Gutsy (voice) |
| Web Therapy (2011) | Austen Clarke (9 episodes, 2011-2013) |
| Big Morning Buzz Live with Carrie Keagan (2011) | Himself (1 episode, 2012) |
| Piers Morgan Tonight (2011) | Himself (1 episode, 2011) |
| Rocco's Dinner Party (2011) | Himself (1 episode, 2011) |
| Would You Rather...? with Graham Norton (2011) | Himself (1 episode, 2011) |
| Fern (2011) | Himself (1 episode, 2011) |
| The Money Pet (2011) | The Narrator (voice) |
| Jackboots on Whitehall (2010) | Hitler / Braveheart (voice) |
| Burlesque (2010) | Alexis |
| The Tempest (2010) | Sebastian |
| Invitation to World Literature (2010) | Himself (1 episode, 2010) |
| Conan (2010) | Himself (1 episode, 2014) |
| The Talk (2010) | Himself - Guest (1 episode, 2014) |
| The Runaway (2010) | Desrae (5 episodes, 2011) |
| Show People with Paul Wontorek (2010) | Himself (1 episode, 2014) |
| The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell (2010) | Himself (1 episode, 2012) |
| The Naturalized (2010) | Himself |
| Boogie Woogie (2009) | Dewey Dalamanatousis |
| It's Complicated (2009) | TV Actor (uncredited) |
| Dare (2009) | Grant Matson |
| Ptown Diaries (2009) | Narrator |
| The Good Wife (2009) | Eli Gold (82 episodes, 2010-2014) |
| Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (2009) | Himself / ... (5 episodes, 2009-2013) |
| Watch What Happens: Live (2009) | Himself - Guest (1 episode, 2012) |
| Talk Stoop with Cat Greenleaf (2009) | Himself (1 episode, 2011) |
| PoliWood (2009) | Himself |
| The Mystery of Claywoman (2009) | Jon Lauting Phd. |
| Out in Manhattan (2008) | Himself |
| Web Therapy (2008) | Austen Clarke (4 episodes, 2009-2013) |
| The Wendy Williams Show (2008) | Himself / ... (2 episodes, 2012-2013) |
| 1st Look (2008) | Himself (1 episode, 2009) |
| Séries express (2008) | Himself (1 episode, 2009) |
| ShowBusiness: The Road to Broadway (2007) | Himself |
| Suffering Man's Charity (2007) | John Vandermark |
| Inspector Lewis (2007) | Himself / ... (unknown episodes) |
| Chelsea Lately (2007) | Himself - Guest (1 episode, 2007) |
| Xposé (2007) | Himself (1 episode, 2009) |
| ADHDtv: With Lew Marklin (2007) | Himself - Celebrity Guest (1 episode, 2008) |
| Rick & Steve the Happiest Gay Couple in All the World (2007) | Chuck / ... (13 episodes, 2007-2009) |
| The Comedy Map of Britain (2007) | Himself (1 episode, 2007) |
| Motherfucker: A Movie (2007) | |
| Gray Matters (2006) | Gordy |
| Full Grown Men (2006) | The Hitchhiker |
| Fabulous! The Story of Queer Cinema (2006) | Himself |
| The ONE Show (2006) | Himself - Guest / ... (3 episodes, 2008-2011) |
| Saturday Kitchen (2006) | Himself (1 episode, 2009) |
| The Charlotte Church Show (2006) | Himself (1 episode, 2006) |
| Russell Brand's Got Issues (2006) | Himself - Special Guest (1 episode, 2006) |
| The Electric Company (2006) | Himself (3 episodes, 2011) |
| Rachael Ray (2006) | Himself (1 episode, 2012) |
| Me, Eloise (2006) | (1 episode, 2007) |
| Neverwas (2005) | Jake |
| Ripley Under Ground (2005) | Jeff Constant |
| Sweet Land (2005) | Young Frandsen |
| Eighteen (2005) | Father Chris |
| Bad Blood (2005) | Davie |
| Son of the Mask (2005) | Loki |
| Bam Bam and Celeste (2005) | Eugene |
| The Colbert Report (2005) | Himself / ... (2 episodes, 2013) |
| 8 Out of 10 Cats (2005) | Himself (2 episodes, 2007-2009) |
| Made in Hollywood (2005) | Himself (1 episode, 2011) |
| The Hour (2005) | Himself (uncredited) (1 episode, 2013) |
| Robot Chicken (2005) | Interperator / ... (3 episodes, 2006-2008) |
| Queer Edge with Jack E. Jett (2005) | Himself (1 episode, 2005) |
| Playing It Straight (2005) | Narrator (voice) |
| The Bigger Picture (2005) | Himself (2 episodes, 2006) |
| The Last Laugh (2005) | Himself (1 episode, 2006) |
| The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (2005) | Himself (1 episode, 2015) |
| Garfield (2004) | Persnikitty (voice) |
| The L Word (2004) | Billie Blaikie (6 episodes, 2006) |
| Who Do You Think You Are? (2004) | Himself (1 episode, 2010) |
| Shoebox Zoo (2004) | Bruno the Bear (13 episodes, 2004) |
| The Graham Norton Effect (2004) | Himself (1 episode, 2004) |
| Artworks Scotland (2004) | Himself (1 episode, 2010) |
| NY Graham Norton (2004) | Himself (1 episode, 2004) |
| Fashion News Live (2004) | Himself (2 episodes, 2009-2010) |
| The Tony Danza Show (2004) | Himself (3 episodes, 2005-2006) |
| Omg! Insider (2004) | Himself (1 episode, 2015) |
| Pits (2003) | Mr. Williams |
| Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over (2003) | Fegan Floop |
| X-Men 2 (2003) | Kurt Wagner / Nightcrawler |
| Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2003) | Himself - Shots Tequila at The Emmy's (1 episode, 2008 |
| Real Time with Bill Maher (2003) | Himself (1 episode, 2009) |
| Sundance Film Festival Dailies (2003) | Co-Host |
| CinéMagique (2002) | Magician |
| Nicholas Nickleby (2002) | Mr. Folair |
| Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams (2002) | Fegan Floop |
| Searching for Debra Winger (2002) | Himself (uncredited) |
| V Graham Norton (2002) | Himself (4 episodes, 2002-2003) |
| Frids film (2002) | Himself (1 episode, 2003) |
| Into the Night with... (2002) | Himself (1 episode, 2009) |
| The Anniversary Party (2001) | Joe Therrian |
| Intimate Affairs (2001) | Sevy |
| Josie and the Pussycats (2001) | Wyatt Frame |
| Spy Kids (2001) | Fegan Floop |
| Dinner for Five (2001) | Himself (2 episodes, 2004-2005) |
| Weakest Link (2001) | Himself (1 episode, 2001) |
| Friday Night with Jonathan Ross (2001) | Himself (1 episode, 2003) |
| Richard & Judy (2001) | Himself (3 episodes, 2003-2006) |
| Anatomy of a Scene (2001) | Himself - Director+Writer+Producer (1 episode, 2001) |
| The Saturday Show (2001) | Himself (1 episode, 2003) |
| Company Man (2000) | Gen. Batista |
| Get Carter (2000) | Jeremy Kinnear |
| Loser (2000) | Himself / Emcee (uncredited) |
| The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas (2000) | Gazoo / Mick Jagged |
| Urbania (2000) | Brett |
| Dora the Explorer (2000) | White Rabbit (1 episode, 2014) |
| God, the Devil and Bob (2000) | The Devil (13 episodes, 2000-2001) |
| The Wright Stuff (2000) | Himself - Guest Panelist (1 episode, 2009) |
| Rove Live (2000) | Himself (2 episodes, 2004-2009) |
| Under the Pink Carpet (2000) | Himself (1 episode, 2007) |
| I Love 1970's (2000) | Himself (unknown episodes) |
| Breakfast (2000) | Himself - Guest (1 episode, 2009) |
| Titus (1999) | Saturninus |
| Plunkett & Macleane (1999) | Lord Rochester |
| Eyes Wide Shut (1999) | Desk Clerk |
| Courage the Cowardly Dog (1999) | Rumpledkiltskin (2 episodes, 2002) |
| Loose Women (1999) | Himself / ... (4 episodes, 2006-2009) |
| The Martin Short Show (1999) | Himself (1 episode, 1999) |
| Sex and the City (1998) | Oscar (1 episode, 2001) |
| Bathtime (1997) | Wrigley |
| For My Baby (1997) | Daniel Orgelbrand |
| Spice World (1997) | Piers |
| Buddy (1997) | Dick Croner, Trudy's Assistant |
| Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997) | Sandy Frink |
| The View (1997) | Himself - Guest Co-Host (1 episode, 2013) |
| Oddville, MTV (1997) | (1 episode, 1997) |
| Light Lunch (1997) | Himself (1 episode, 1997) |
| Behind the Music (1997) | Himself (1 episode, 2001) |
| Ruby (1997) | Himself (1 episode, 1999) |
| Emma (1996) | Mr. Elton |
| 3rd Rock from the Sun (1996) | Angus 'The Hole' McDuff (1 episode, 2000) |
| Arthur (1996) | Sebastian (1 episode, 2013) |
| The Rosie O'Donnell Show (1996) | Himself (2 episodes, 1998-2001) |
| Gargoyles: The Goliath Chronicles (1996) | John Castaway (1 episode, 1996) |
| The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (1996) | Himself (1 episode, 2005) |
| GoldenEye (1995) | Boris Grishenko |
| Circle of Friends (1995) | Sean Walsh |
| Ghosts (1995) | Philip (1 episode, 1995) |
| Second Best (1994) | Bernard |
| Black Beauty (1994) | Black Beauty (voice) |
| The High Life (1994) | Sebastian Flight / ... (7 episodes, 1994-1995) |
| Frasier (1993) | Ahmrit (1 episode, 2003) |
| Late Show with David Letterman (1993) | Himself (1 episode, 1998) |
| Late Night with Conan O'Brien (1993) | Himself (12 episodes, 1999-2007) |
| Prague (1992) | Alexander Novak |
| HBO First Look (1992) | Himself (2 episodes, 2003-2005) |
| A Word in your Era (1992) | Lord Baden Powell / ... (2 episodes, 1992) |
| Charlie Rose (1991) | Himself - Guest / ... (3 episodes, 1998-2013) |
| Mr. Bean (1990) | Roddy (uncredited) (1 episode, 1993) |
| Have I Got News for You (1990) | Himself (1 episode, 1995) |
| Live with Kelly and Michael (1988) | Himself / ... (4 episodes, 2007-2014) |
| This Morning (1988) | Himself / ... (3 episodes, 1995-2013) |
| Shadow of the Stone (1987) | Tom Henderson (1 episode, 1987) |
| Screenplay (1986) | Shelley (1 episode, 1992) |
| Screen Two (1985) | Tulloch (1 episode, 1992) |
| Travelling Man (1984) | Jamie (1 episode, 1984) |
| Taggart (1983) | Jamie McCormack (1 episode, 1986) |
| Entertainment Tonight (1981) | Himself (1 episode, 2009) |
| Take the High Road (1980) | Jim Hunter (4 episodes, 1988) |
| Masterpiece Mystery (1980) | Himself - Host (20 episodes, 2010-2014) |
| CBS News Sunday Morning (1979) | Himself - Guest (1 episode, 2012) |
| Question Time (1979) | Himself (1 episode, 2012) |
| Hollywood Greats (1977) | Himself (1 episode, 2005) |
| Saturday Night Live (1975) | Host (1 episode, 2000) |
| Masterpiece Classic (1971) | Himself - Host (2008-) (unknown episodes) |
| Bremen Town Musicians (0) | (voice) |
| The Surrealist (0) | Dali |
Producer ( 6 credits ) |
|
| After Louie (2017) | producer |
| ShowBusiness: The Road to Broadway (2007) | co-producer |
| Suffering Man's Charity (2007) | executive producer |
| Full Grown Men (2006) | co-producer |
| Sweet Land (2005) | producer |
| The Anniversary Party (2001) | producer |
Writer ( 2 credits ) |
|
| The Anniversary Party (2001) | (written by) |
| The High Life (1994) | (6 episodes, 1995) |
Director ( 2 credits ) |
|
| Suffering Man's Charity (2007) | |
| The Anniversary Party (2001) | |
