Crispin Glover is one strange dude, but that’s what we love about him. First bursting onto the scene playing Marty McFly’s nerdy father, George, in Back to the Future, Glover could have gone on to a perfectly serviceable career as an inoffensive character actor, but to say he had other ideas is putting things mildly. The very next year, 1986, featured Glover in two memorably eccentric supporting roles: opposite Sean Penn in At Close Range and the other opposite Keanu Reeves in the cult classic River’s Edge. In 1989, Glover did the impossible; he crossed Steven Spielberg when he refused to return for the Back to the Future sequels and even sued when they reused footage of him from the first film.
Around the same time, Glover, in a move that was either brilliant or spectacularly ill-advised, went on Late Night with David Letterman and kicked the host in the head. It might have been performance art - or it might have been something else - but that, coupled with the lawsuit, made people think Glover was nuts. Yet, rather than hurt his career, it turned him into a cult icon, with him stealing scenes in Wild at Heart, The Doors, Dead Man, and many others. In 2000, he had his most prominent role since Back to the Future in Charlie’s Angels and its sequel. He even got to be a leading man in the horror remake of Willard.
Since then, Glover’s somewhat retreated from the spotlight, directing his bizarre cult movies, making music, and typically only showing up in lower-key projects. In this episode of WTF Happened to this Celebrity, which is written (with Mathew Plale), edited, narrated and produced by Taylor James Johnson, we dig into the life of a true Hollywood original
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It's ironic that George McFly had a hard time standing up for himself, whereas offscreen, Glover was the exact opposite, and wouldn't stop being demanding.
He’s a convincing actor, that’s why 😂
Always thought he should have been the joker after heath ledger
@@petes7271 Good call, petes.
Damn, great observation!
@@NoviceElite wow, you went out of your way to miss the point. The colombine shooters had a reason , they were bullied, shit was not just random. I don't condone what they did, but I can comprehend their reasoning.
We need to talk about how Letterman didn't even flinch when that platform shoe cut the air at an inch from his nose. Tough mother.
What's strange to me, is that Crispin Glover got banned from returning to Late Night after that incident, even though Dave Letterman didn't seem visibly afraid of Crispin kicking him. Maybe it was the network's decision not to allow Crispin back on the show, and not Dave's.
@@magazineretriever9036 I think the network was afraid of another incident like when Andy Kaufman was smacked hard live on air. They didn't want the show to unravel into a Jerry Springer-type format.
Have you never watched professional wrestling? There was a literal 0% chance he was actually going to connect with a kick on Dave.
Pretty sure he knew it was coming. They always know and they know the questions
@@magazineretriever9036 Banned? He appeared on letterman 2 more times in the following years.
"River's Edge" was an intense movie, and Glover was just out of his mind. I can almost see why everyone in Hollywood just kept him at arm's length. You have to go a long way to be too weird for Hollywood, but he pulled it off quite admirably.
I don't think you can be too weird for Hollywood but your only allowed to direct it at "unimportant people" he was an equal rights weirdo which is not acceptable
Always loved this movie. He was great at his role
Yeah, Crispin Glover seemed legitimately insane in River's Edge. That movie damn near traumatized me when I watched it as a little kid. Glover's bit role in Wild At Heart also seemed to be tailor-made for him.
He was good in the River's Edge
I recently asked my (20 and 23 yo) sons, "wanna see how my friends and I looked and acted in the late 80s?". We watched Rivers Edge. It still holds up.
I understand what Crispin was saying about money being the reward at the end of BTTF, but it wasn't JUST money. It was realized potential, and self confidence, doing something he had passion for as a way to help raise his family, instead of being stuck in a job he hated.
I agree. To me, it was the older son and daughter being more successful and George and his wife being more confident that were positive changes, the money was just a side effect of that.
Yeah, supposedly, Eric Stoltz (first actor picked for Marty McFly), ended up leaving the film, because he honestly felt that anyone who 'disrupts the time/space continuum' deserves to be punished by fate. Some actors take shit a little TOO seriously, sometimes...
Oh, the director realized Michael J. Fox (the first choice for M. McFly) was the only choice. That too. Oops.
Yeah a rich kid mentality. Someone who never lived paycheck to paycheck.
It seemed to me, like the McFlys in 1985-B were "well-off", but not wealthy per se. In fact, George McFly's first novel had only recently been published. It also seemed to me like the two grown McFly kids, Dave and Linda were still living at home, because Dave apparently answers his parents' house phone, when someone named "Greg or Craig" called Linda. I was always under the impression that the Marty McFly from 1985-B, who the original Marty sees fleeing in the DeLoreon at "Lone Pine Mall" was a completely different person -- perhaps someone who "wasn't a slacker", and therefore worked hard to pay for half of the shiny, new, Toyota SR5 in his parents' garage -- while his parents paid for the other half.
He is instantly identifiable and always plays his roles with the pedal to the floor. I knew he was a strange peacock but I never new about the Letterman interviews and his “What is it?”duology, and music videos. He seems like Art trapped inside the body of a man.
His performance in American Gods was amazing. He makes a fantastic villain.
i really liked him in that series & was sad the rest got delayed into oblivion. also gillian was great alongside
I liked Crispin Glover's bit part in Wild At Heart.
Agreed, he was awesome in American Gods!
@@magazineretriever9036 I am making my lunch!!!!
I would have liked to see him as Hannibal Lecter like in the TV show ( not replacing Anthony Hopkins )
"Willard" from 2003 is an underrated flick and interesting underrated performance by him. I think its one of his best roles
The scene in Willard (2003) where the cat gets eaten alive by all of those rats is gruesome. I can't watch that again.
I completely agree with you on Willard. A greatly underrated movie
One of my favorites of all-time. 🖤
@donutpunch1it's in print now?
@donutpunch1 nice. Great find. Uuugh just checked it's out of stock. 😔
I always thought he'd make a great Joker 🃏
I dont know if any one can top Aurthor Fleck
Yes , He could be the ultimate Joker ❤❤
@@bleedcubieblue Fleck ? No that was not comicaccurat, it was genius by Phoenix , but a very different alternate Joker ....even Ledger had is own Interpretation of the Joker .
@@robertfourhell2746 the best by far was jack nicolson
Riddler
I got to see Glover present "What Is It?" in person. He can be a commanding presence in a room! His movie was as "art house" as you could imagine, and Glover himself was wonderfully unpretentious in the Q&A, revealing frank bits of trivia about both his movie and himself. I'm glad he's in the world and expressing himself.
Same! Watched it when it was presented in NYC about a decade ago.
Met him after the film. He was quite kind and friendly and we had a nice chat about "Bartleby," a movie of his I love.
The letter makes 100% sense
I saw him in Buffalo presenting the film "What Is It?" a couple weeks before I had back surgery back in 2013. I bought a copy of Ratcatching at that event! Yes, it's weird but still oddly fascinating. He did have to kick some douchebag out for violating the rule of not taking videos with cellphones...I could understand that given the content of the film and how it could be taken out of context if only clips were shown. Anyway, after seeing him in person I can totally see how his Letterman appearances were performance art.
He is extremelety engaging with his fans. He came to Toronto in 2004 to present Crispin Hellion Glovers Big Slide Show at the Bloor Cinema. Before the show I was lucky enough to be in the audience for an interview he did on a talk show called PopCultured with Elvira Kurt. During a short commercial break he offered to take questions from the audience. My hand was the first to go up so I got to ask him a question and I'll never forget the experience of getting to speak with my favorite actor of all time.
He definitely wasn't in Canada in 2004
@@ThisIsNotYourFriendHow come?
Crispin Glover is fucking awesome. In Back To The Future, he was absolutely perfect. He completely nailed the role. I cannot help but think how great it would have been if he were in all three Back To The Future movies. Maybe in part 3, Seamus would have been played by Glover, and he’d have killed it then too.
I remember being disappointed that he was barely in part 2, and it wasn’t even actually him.
He really contributes to the believability of BTTF. Opposite Fox, he’s just amazing. Its almost like Michael J Fox is the straight man to Glover’s George McFly lol
Agreed 100%
@@bradynorris1653 True, they used old footage to fool you.
BTTF2 is a mess because of Glover's absence. It's the one chapter that no one who saw it on release ever watched again
Huge Crispin Hellion Glover fan. You did his career justice. I've said it once and I'll say it again: you're the best voice-over guy on KZhead!
He’s always been one of my favorites. It’s his quirks that make him so great. Doesn’t matter what he’s in, you remember him. Loved him in Charlie’s Angels.
I didn't even realize he was in a bunch of high profile movies. I consider it a treat to see him unexpectedly in anything.
I asked him about the ending to BTTF and in one script the McFly's had black servants. Crispin had a huge problem with this. They weren't just successful but were extremely wealthy. Eventually it was changed to Biff doing the chores. What is it is definitely out there. He was very nice when I met him definitely an interesting individual.
What I've never understood is, if the McFlys in 1985-B are "wealthy", then why do they live in the same modest home as the McFlys from 1985-A? I'd say that the 1985-B McFlys are well-off, but not wealthy. That isn't the kind of home where you're likely to find servants. So, that whole angle would have been odd to see in the original film. Instead of hiring black servants, the McFly's hire Biff Tannen, the man who nearly raped Lorraine 30 years earlier, to wax their vehicles. 😆
@@magazineretriever9036my only thought is maybe his book had just came out and they were just now starting to rake in the dough 🤷♂️
Crispin Glover and Cillian Murphy needs to have a long lost father- son movie.
My head would explode ❤
He’s aged well.
" I m George Mcfly your density..." most funniest pickup line ever...
That line would work on me. 😅
In german it was translated to "I'm your rickshaw"
He speaks to some of us thru Insta. He's restoring his family castle, loves his Peacocks, and was ticked off how the writers and producers of American Gods wrote him out of season 3 because they were cheap asses.
I love Crispin Glover's Corgi personality. He was fantastic in Back to the Future, Friday the 13th, the Charlie's Angels movies, and the Willard remake.
Also hot tub Time Machine
_Gilbert Grape_ too
yeah, he's that rare kind of smart/crazy that works on his own level. His WILLARD is underrated as remakes go. "Corgi" is a great way to describe him!"
I also Loved him as Willard. That’s a role that should have caught way more attention to his talent than it turned out to. He’s great.
willard was so good.
Saw him at my gym a few years ago. He wore all black, including black gloves and long sleeves, and worked out with his trainer while wearing headphones.
Oh HELL yes! One of my favorite performers of all time! Thank you for this! ❤
Crispin Glover is a God. 🖤
Crispin Glover was born for the " WTF happened to " segment of this channel . He's great in every movie he's been in , especially Rivers Edge.
There are no small parts, only small actors. Crispin Glover's bit part in Wild At Heart, demonstrates that he's no small actor.
He was perfect for Richard in Pickman's Model - Cabinet of Curiosities. His performance saved that episode from being in the bottom tier.
Yes!
it was still a very bad episode.
Letterman was incredible. Look at Dave throughout the clip. Cool as a cucumber. Doesn't even flinch when a platform shoe is flying towards his head. Nothing fazed him. Except Drew Barrymore.
Met Glover at the premiere of "Rubin and Ed" at the Tower Theatre in Salt Lake City. His Letterman appearance was obviously the Rubin character. He was awesome!
One of my favorite movies!!!!!! That’s so awesome you got to go to the premiere and meet him.
Seriously. The fact that so called experts and super fans have zero clue about that gem of a movie... come on!!!
Man the guy just doesn't seem to age!!
I don’t think there has ever been a more perfect subject for a “WTF…” I mean, that phrase was pretty much tailor made for Glover.
I think CG is a good-looking guy, which is interesting when we see him play off-beat, seemingly unpredictable, dorky, uncomfortable characters. I wonder if he could play it straight, and what that would look like.
Very good looking
From what I've heard from victims of Hollywood, he's unfortunately not wrong about Steven Spielberg.
Was absolutely great and fun seeing him in the Charlie Angels movie
I have always loved Crispin and I think he’s really handsome too. I guess i like the weird artsy type
I didn't notice that they'd replaced Glover with another actor for the sequels, including using archive footage of him from the first film, until I was much older.
Same, I didn't notice it as a kid. I figured it out as a teenager when I finally got the trilogy on DVD
same
I think most people thought it was him. There was even a lawsuit about it. Glover talks about it extensively in other KZhead interviews
He seems like a person who as a child, was allowed to say, think, believe anything he wanted including insanity
Willard is underrated af
River's Edge in which he played opposite Dennis Hopper was a fine and noble film, worthy of numerous and plentiful accolades which it unfortunately received not a whit of.
It was well received and made money at the box office. I just saw watched it in a double feature with Blue Velvet at New Beverly Cinema. It's well remembered and still has a following. It's just too dark of a film to have wide appeal.
Still all of these years later it's probably my favorite film, saw it at such an impressionable age , brilliant casting
When i was a young boy my step dad told me that Crispin Glover was insane. I was never sure why, and i hope to find answers here.
Lol. Glover is not insane. He's brilliant. A lot of people can't really differentiate between the two is all.
And we will always remember his mating dance from Friday the 13th
Which was improvised
and getting corkscrewed and cleaved to the face by Jason.
I have always had a strange crush on Crispin Glover. I have no idea why. I think he is a brilliant actor and quite handsome, but it is something more that just gives me schoolgirl giggles over him.
Dude is straight up unhinged and plays really good unhinged characters which is impressive for most actors except for the fact, he's not acting. 😳
Which is what makes him spectacular!🖤
I think Crispin Glover is definitely the weirdest crush I've ever had. It's also the longest lasting though, starting with BTTF's release. He just seems like a guy i could relate to. Plus, those cheekbones... . I would also like to point out just how freaking *ripped* he is there in the infamous Letterman clip! Seeing him again in American Gods was a real treat. I don't know how he looks completely unchanged. It's as if he doesn't age. ... mysterious. How perfectly Glover He's always defying... A beautiful, magnificent peacock indeed.
He's a very good actor, and I enjoy watching him in movies. He's child like in that he gives his all to the character he happens to be playing with total abandonment. When we "grow up', we lose that fascination with play.
Brilliant Nepo baby and Character actor. Similar to Amanda Plummer, he embraced his idiosyncrasies and made a career out of it. I think life imitates art and he was able to infuse himself into all of his roles. Underestimated & Underappreciated. Living Legend. #foreverWillard
'nepo baby ' is fairly insulting. I don't think he got roles and his eventual opportunity for success because of his father.
@tammyd.970 It isn't. He used his dad's connections to get started.
In the 90s, i got my friend a set of signed poetry books for my friend's birthday. I actually had a nice talk with his mother, as she took my order lol. I remember one book was called The art of rat catching...
I have always had a huge crush on Crispin. How he has never been the Romantic Lead with those great looks is beyond me. I would love to see him opposite Winona Ryder in a quirky Rom Com!
Definitely not a rom com, but absolutely as a romantic lead. 🖤
Last I remember seeing him do something was an interview in 2019 for Collider, and he mentioned he was writing a book
That's fantastic, I'm glad that he's managed to cultivate a bit of success outside of acting.
He was actually fantastic in Hot Tub Time Machine. And it is a criminally underrated movie.
I love watching these and getting a huge list of movies from the 80s to check out at the library! thank you so much
River's Edge is a must see
I love that you use your library. Public libraries are so important.
Glover should play Norman Bates in a remake of Psycho he would be perfect for the role
🖤🖤🖤
He was always my first choice to play the joker
Love Crispin! There is nobody quite like him!
I think the message at the end of BTTF was about taking chances and going for your dreams and finding that success is possible. I think it also shown that the Mcfly family was feeling more positive…and they had more money.
I watch every WTF Happened to *celebrity* video even if I don't care much about the celebrity simply because Taylor is an excellent narrator and producer. I always get a good laugh from his delivery.
6:26 look at Letterman's face. Is that the face of a guy who's actually getting kicked in the face by surprise? No. You can tell he knew it was coming, he looks WAY too calm. This was obviously a planned bit.
Yeah, he didn't even flinch
plus the camera angle was perfect for NOT showing how close Crispin's foot was to David's face
If it was completely planned, then he probably wouldn't have been banned from the show. I believe some of it was planned, like a "Let Crispin act like a maniac as a joke"-bit, but he went too far with it.
@@Sneikki he wasn't banned. they had him on the show again.
I think Crispin didn't get the message. It's more "If you make good decisions, you have a good life" than "if you're good, you get lots of money". George was happy with his life and was rich and sucessful because he had the right mindset. Mind was blown when I found out Mr. Wint was played by Crispin's dad. Both have an eccentric energy that can't be matched.
Glover deserves serious accolade for adding true artistry to a "clay puppet doppelganger" industry... He broke mainstream expectation and is still standing. I am perplexed by the complexity he adds... Who else could add so much flavour and texture to characters without words even... C'mon... That is immeasurable and clearly under-appreciated
If George McFly had gotten so rich, why did they live in the same house at the end of the movie? Wouldn't he have moved the family into a nicer house? Sure, it was decorated nicer, but it looked more like George and Lorraine just cared enough to keep it nice. In the beginning, mom and dad just didn't care. I'm sure there was extra money coming in as an author, but it doesn't look like a huge jump in his net worth. Beyond that, as others have said, it wasn't the celebration of wealth. It was the celebration of George sanding up for himself, and in the end, doing what he loved (writing). The house at the end doesn't look like a rich person's house. It looks like a house lived in by someone who simply cared to clean it up and make it look nice.
I have always thought that Crispin should of played The Joker in one [or more] of the Batman movies. I guess he still can but. it just doesn't seem like the timing is there anymore!
Crispin Glover would be perfect as Sherlock Holmes..!!
Crispin Glover has always been my weird crush.
real
Absolute crush, without weirdness. 🖤
Give Glover 4 million dollars, let him to produce and star in his own box office movie and have Rob Zombie direct, would be the most insane, weird, wild and crazy movie that could exist. Great video BTW
Holy sheeet! That is the best idea/suggestion ever! I'd pay good money to see something like that. Please let an eccentric millionaire throw a few million at him & make it happen!!!
So I used to work at a very popular health food store in Tucson Arizona.. many actors of high renowned and sports players of high renowned and celebrities used to shop there all the time. There would always be worried that some new celebrity was in town because they were filming something in Tucson Arizona. Then came the word that Crispin Glover was in town because he was hosting some film project across the street at a very indie movie theater across the street. So there I was at the deli just ordering my food for break when I looked over at the salad bar and there was Crispin glover. He was building himself a salad but he wasn't just strolling the salad bar like a normal person he was getting down on his knees looking at the side of the table and stroking the side of the salad bar and then getting up and looking at each dish and just being incredibly dramatic. Keep in mind I had already seen a million celebrities at this store. I had already heard about Crispin Glover's performance art antics.. he did not disappoint...I believe the man just lives performance-art much the same as Graham Chapman did with Monty Python and much the same as Joaquin Phoenix did when for two years he pretended to be a rap star... Know the man was phenomenal to watch.. he was absolutely putting on performance... And I just said to myself this is really cool I got to see Crispin Glover being Crispin Glover at a salad bar at a grocery store... The man is an artist and he is a genius... That's all I have to say I just remember watching him. I've always appreciated when these artists engage in real life performance art and everybody thinks they're crazy but somehow to them they know they're just acting even though they're not enough film.. I got to see it live three feet away from me and it was beautiful If you didn't know it was Crispin Glover and his reputation for performance art you would have thought this man was insane because he literally got down on his hands and knees and started stroking the side of the salad bar... But apparently he was putting on a great film festival across the street.. all of us at the store we're so used to celebrities that it didn't really strike us as strange.. but I remember thinking I just got to see Crispin Glover being Crispin Glover.. and I love performance art.. so I just smiled and was like I'm thankful I got to see this.. it was an act. I cannot stress enough he was not trying to call attention to himself either... He was doing performance art. Something that most the viewing populous just don't understand.... He was entertaining himself by playing a character... And I sat there waiting for my deli sandwich to be made and just watched. It was like he was someone from the Middle ages just discovering an airplane... It was amazing to watch and I was literally three feet from him and I just sat there and I said there's Crispin Glover being Crispin Glover this is freaking awesome.. but it was pretty clear it was performance art
You forget his supporting role in "Twister" as one of the storm chasers with Bill Paxton.
Last time i read up on him, he does a lot of his own films (or was it plays) that he funds, produces, etc. Always liked him as george mcfly in the greatest trilogy of all time...and the one guy in friday the 13th. Also he helped usher in new guidelines with likeness being used because of the bttf 2 fiasco...so props on that.
I enjoyed his performance in, 'We Have Always Lived In The Castle '.
Thank you for reminding me of this fascinating actor! I have so many movies to look up now!
Yea! Been waiting for this one and thank God it’s the right narrator instead the other dude!
I have a cast signed poster from American Gods from New York Comic Con and I have to say one of the coolest aspects of it was that Crispin Glover was in attendance and signed.
That is a true artist through and through.
The outfit and affect from Letterman was the character he played in ‘Reuben and Ed’.
seen your videos before. but for some reason he seems strangely genious. good stuff
My respect for him after hearing about that essay 📈
Outspoken, crazy, goofy , funny. Great entertainer 😅
Even before the mention of the Spielberg Essay I thought that his eccentric behavior, art, and writings may have been a coping mechanism, or even some bizarre exposé, to deal with the "seedy Hollywood underbelly"; and before you even stated the topic of it, I KNEW what it was about w/o any knowledge of its existence...What happened to Heather O'Rourke, Steven??!!... It made me think of Isaac Kappy...RIP.
💯
He was hilarious in Dave Lynch's "Wild at Heart!" (I'M MAKING MY LUNCH!) LOL!
Crispin as Andy Warhol was pure brilliance!!!
That tidbit of acting stayed with me for years. Amazing character actor - would love to see him work with Willem Dafoe - power team.
I'm a Glover lover - if you like his films and haven't seen RUBEN & ED you are missing out - "My cat can eat a whole watermelon!" Also starring Howard "Johnny Fever" Hesseman - RIP
Crispin Glover has that Andy Kaufman energy. Not really sure if he's sane playing crazy or crazy trying to he sane. He's the car accident you can't take your eyes off.
I don't know if its Kaufmann energy, but, there is defenately high energy, high ideas and a willingness to never compromise his take on his Work. Crazy? Probably. Truly interesting? For sure. Underrated actor? Yes!! I love that I never know what he is going to do next, his wildness. His Warhole was brilliant.
Always has been what I would say a fascinating actor to me
Great content, as always!
I'm disappointed glover was actually born on his birthday....he seemed way too eccentric for that
I have to confess: your statement incited a gigglefit.
Well, when he refused to say his dialogue maybe que was researching for his role as Bartleby. "Can you just say your lines!" "I would prefer not to".
Aw shucks chaos really describes his career
River's Edge is such a good movie that not enough people have seen
Totally! I still watch this movie..I lived in the areas it was filmed for years! Sunland, Tujunga, Sun Valley. When it came out, I started seeing all these streets, stores I drove past all the time. "Feck's" house, in Tujunga..The park, I lived a block away from the High School (Verdugo Hills)..it's a unique area of Los Angeles, northeast of Burbank. There's filming there regularly as it doesn't "look" like LA. ET was filmed up there as well. River's Edge..Crispin with Keanu and Denis Hopper..such a good movie! The soundtrack with Slayer, and other metal bands. 🔥
I love this man with the burning of a thousand fangirls. Listen to his album, its a lifechanger
I really liked him in everything I have seen him in. It would seem that that are a few I am missing though. I'll have to check those out.
Well, this piece explains a lot about a very good actor who didn't need Hollywood to make him crazy because he was already there, dig?
I thought he said "I neither conform or deny" which could also be true.
These kinds of people can never stop acting and learn how to live in reality.
The wig and shoes are from Rubin & Ed, he was on the show promoting the film.
*Great as always!*
I love Crispin ❤️
Interesting as always. 😊
The man who was BORN to play The Joker, and never actually got to play The Joker.
If LSD was to trip on itself it's trip would be a lifetime of Crispin Glover.
🖤🖤🖤
He’s on a different level of consciousness. Whether it’s a lower or a higher one, no one can tell.
I remember I watched his letterman appearance live, as a kid in 1987. Since I was a kid, I thought it was totally real, and I was so disappointed that an actor that I liked was actually so crazy in real life.😂
Seeing that performance in 1987 endeared him to me, as he was so unrelenting in breaking the boundaries of "what is expected." 🖤
Idk why he didn’t do more research… he was in character for the movie Reuben and ed
Incredible. George McFly in my favourite movie ended up being in every movie I didn't watch for like 20 years then Hot Tub Time Machine
If he'd been introduced as Ed from Rubin and Ed, we'd have maybe understood the joke better.
His character as Mr. World in American Gods is amazing!