Born on October 22, 1952 in West Homestead, Pennsylvania, Jeff Goldblum’s interest in show business stemmed form his parents’ similar interest. He moved to New York at age 17, and trained as an actor under renowned teacher Sanford Meisner. He made his acting debut on Broadway, in a production of The Two Gentlemen of Verona. He later made his film debut in 1974, playing a thug in the film Death Wish.
Goldblum’s distinctive appearance and, later, his staccato delivery of lines, gave him distinct performances in his films. He had a bit role, for instance, in Annie Hall, where he said, “I forgot my mantra.” He was the lead in the science fiction film The Fly, playing brilliant but eccentric scientist Seth Brundle, who invents a machine for teleportation. He also appeared as the lead in the romantic comedy The Tall Guy, where he acted out Dexter King, an American actor living in London. He is also known for his memorable supporting roles in films such as Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Big Chill, Earth Girls are Easy, Into the Night, the first two Jurassic Park films, and Independence Day.
He has also made guest appearances in television series such as Starsky and Hutch, Laverne & Shirley and Faerie Tale Theater. He also provided his voice to characters in animated series like Captain Planet and the Planeteers, The Simpsons and King of the Hill. He has also been the main voice behind television advertisements for Apple, including those for the iBook and iMac.
After recent appearances in films like Cats & Dogs and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, he took on the lead role in the crime drama Raines. He plays the title character Michael Raines, a “mentally-haunted” police detective who used his imaginary manifestations of crime victims to solve cases.