It’s been more than 37 years since the world was introduced to Harry, a Bigfoot who became part of the Henderson family in the iconic film.
Before John Lithgow took on the roles of Winston Churchill in The Crown and a psychopathic killer in Dexter, he was George, the loveable dad in Harry and the Hendersons who formed an unexpected bond with Bigfoot. The 1987 Academy Award-winning fantasy film has captured the hearts of both adults and children since it was the must-see movie of that summer.
Harry, the seven-foot, 500lb (226kg) sasquatch, wasn’t your typical monster. After being hit by George’s car, he didn’t seek revenge or go on a wild rampage. Instead, he was more friendly than fearsome and was warmly welcomed into the Henderson family.
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Fast forward 37 years and not all the stars of the film have gone on to become Oscar-nominated Hollywood legends.
The Daily Star takes a look at where the actors who played the Henderson family are now.
Ernie Henderson
(Image: Universal Pictures)
Joshua Rudoy, who you might remember as Ernie, the sasquatch-loving son of George Henderson, had a brief acting career that ended almost as quickly as it kicked off.
After a series of minor roles, including playing Eric in the 1987 TV series Beauty and the Beast and Billy Mahoney in the 1990 sci-fi film Flatliners, Joshua disappeared from the spotlight.
His career came to a standstill in 1991 after his last appearance which was in the comedy What a Dummy.
It appears that a 12-year-old Joshua made the decision to leave Hollywood in favour of focusing on his education. Fast forward 30 years, and Joshua is now thriving as a successful financial advisor at a firm based in California.
Sarah Henderson
(Image: Universal Pictures)
Margaret Langrick took on the role of Mr and Mrs Henderson’s rebellious 16-year-old daughter Sarah.
The sulky teenager went on to be nominated for Best Young Actress in a Motion Picture (comedy) at the 1988 Young Artist Awards.
Despite not securing the win, the young Canadian actress’ career lasted just over a decade before she chose to step away from the spotlight.
(Image: @maggielangrick/Instagram)
However, she didn’t completely abandon the arts. In 2009, Margaret took on the role of Arts and Life Editor at the Vancouver Sun, before launching her own publishing company, Life Tree Media.
She currently holds the position of CEO at Influencer to Author, and conducts a range of workshops about the process of writing and selling your own books.
George Henderson
(Image: Amblin/Universal/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock)
While others on this list have faded from the limelight and their fame waned, John Lithgow certainly doesn’t require an introduction.
Even prior to his role as father George, the Hollywood star had already been nominated for two Oscars for his supporting roles in 1983’s The World According to Garp and 1984’s Terms of Endearment.
With six Primetime Emmys and two Golden Globes under his belt, John’s career certainly didn’t slow down after Harry and the Hendersons was introduced to the world.
(Image: Getty Images)
The 78-year-old actor, who boasts an impressive 132 acting credits, has recently been nominated for another Emmy for his portrayal of Winston Churchill in the first three seasons of The Crown. Now, the New Yorker is gearing up to star in Martin Scorsese’s eagerly awaited crime film Killers of the Flower Moon where he will play Prosecutor Leaward.
Irene Moffat
(Image: Universal Pictures)
Before she was known as the Henderson’s prying neighbour, Brooklyn-born Lainie Kazan began her career on stage, starring in school musicals at Hofstra University. Before graduating in 1960, she performed in a play directed by none other than The Godfather director Francis Ford Coppola who was also her classmate.
In 1961, she made her Broadway debut in The Happiest Girl in the World and later replaced Barbara Streisand as Fanny Brice in 1964’s Funny Girl.
(Image: Startraks/REX/Shutterstock)
In 1970, Lainie took a risque detour from acting when she posed nude for Playboy’s October 1970 edition. She then managed two Playboy Jazz clubs alongside Hugh Heffner in 1974.
After her role as Irene, Lainie continued to land roles in several hit comedies, including Maria Portokalos in the My Big Fat Greek Wedding series. At 84, Lainie hasn’t completely stepped away from the spotlight, with her most recent credited role being in an episode of NBC drama Chicago Med.
Nancy Henderson
(Image: Universal Pictures)
Melinda Dillon, who played George’s wife Nancy, is another actress on this list who enjoyed a lengthy and successful career in the limelight.
Just like her co-star John Lithgow, Melinda also bagged two Oscar nominations for supporting roles before she took on the role of Mrs Henderson. She was nominated for 1978’s Close Encounter of a Third Kind and 1982’s Absence of Malice.
(Image: Getty Images)
Her most notable role in the 90s was as Rose Gator, the estranged wife of terminally ill TV game-show host Jimmy Gator, in Paul Thomas Anderson’s 1999 film Magnolia.
After a string of smaller TV roles in Hollywood in the mid-2000s, Melinda decided to hang up her acting boots for good.
Following 16 years of a peaceful retirement, the former actress sadly passed away on January 9, 2023, aged 83.
Jacques LaFleur
(Image: Amblin/Universal/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock)
Sir David Suchet portrayed the legendary hunter-turned-Bigfoot-tracker Jacques LaFleur, who was hell-bent on capturing sasquatch Harry.
The only Brit on the list, the robust, bald actor has long been hailed as one of England’s finest stage performers.
Post his performance in Harry and the Hendersons, David further cemented his international reputation with his portrayal of Agatha Christie’s suave Belgian super-sleuth Hercule Poirot between 1988 and 2013.
(Image: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
In addition to his TV and stage performances David also brought to life a number of popular culture’s most iconic figures on television, from Romeo to Dracula.
The cherry on top for David was his knighthood in the 2020 Birthday Honours for his contributions to drama and charity.
Most recently, he lent his voice to HBO’s His Dark Materials, playing Kaisa up until the third season of the show in 2022.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
