Celebrated actor and author John Lithgow was the 2011 Malloy Lecture in the Arts speaker.  As a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Lithgow serves on a commission to advance the cause of the humanities and social sciences, advocating for action by the government. He is also a staunch advocate for literacy and arts education for children.

Lithgow graduated from Harvard College in 1967 with an A.B. in history and literature. He remained connected with the institution and while on their Board of Overseers in the 90’s, created Arts First, an annual springtime festival of undergraduate arts and established the Harvard Arts Medal, presented yearly to alums who have gone into the creative arts. Past recipients include: Jack Lemmon, YoYo Ma, John Updike, Tommy Lee Jones, and Bonnie Raitt.

Lithgow has received two Tony Awards, six Emmy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, an American Comedy Award, four Drama Desk Awards, and has been nominated for two Academy Awards and four Grammy Awards. He has received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and has been inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame.