History Creator / HughLaurie

James Hugh Calum Laurie, [[UsefulNotes/KnightFever CBE]] (born 11 June 1959 in Blackbird Leys, England) is an English actor, comedian, writer and musician.

Laurie first reached fame as a cast member of ''Series/{{Blackadder}}'' (particularly in season three and four, also known as ''Blackadder the Third''[[note]]where it takes place during Regency-era Britain[[/note]] and ''Blackadder Goes Fourth''[[note]]where it takes place during World War I[[/note]]) and then as one half of [[Creator/StephenFry Fry and Laurie]] in ''Series/ABitOfFryAndLaurie''. He also played Bertie Wooster in ''Series/{{Jeeves and Wooster}}''. Between 2004 and 2012, he starred as [[Characters/HouseGregoryHouse Dr. Gregory House]] in ''Series/{{House}}''. He has since starred in a number of other American movies, including ''Film/StreetKings'' and made a return to television with the Creator/{{Hulu}} series ''Chance'', the Creator/{{HBO}} series ''Series/Avenue5'', and the British series ''Series/{{Roadkill}}''.

James Hugh Calum Laurie (born 11 June 1959 in Blackbird Leys, England), [[UsefulNotes/KnightFever CBE]] is an English actor, comedian, writer and musician.

He first reached fame as a cast member of ''Series/{{Blackadder}}'' (particularly in season three and four, also known as ''Blackadder the Third''[[note]]where it takes place during Regency-era Britain[[/note]] and ''Blackadder Goes Fourth''[[note]]where it takes place during World War I[[/note]]) and then as one half of [[Creator/StephenFry Fry and Laurie]] in ''Series/ABitOfFryAndLaurie''. He also played Bertie Wooster in ''Series/{{Jeeves and Wooster}}''. Between 2004 and 2012, he starred as [[Characters/HouseGregoryHouse Dr. Gregory House]] in [[Series/{{House}} the show of the same name]]. He has since starred in a number of other American movies, including ''Film/StreetKings'' and recently made a return to television with the Creator/{{Hulu}} series ''Chance'' and the Creator/{{HBO}} series ''Series/Avenue5'', and the British series ''Series/{{Roadkill}}''.

He's also an accomplished author, his book ''The Gun Seller'' being praised by critics. And on top of that, he's a multitalented musician, having released two well-received blues albums (and performing numbers as TheCastShowoff on many of his series) featuring his skills on vocals, piano, guitar, drums, harmonica, and saxophone. And before he started his entertainment career, he was a high-level rower at the [[UsefulNotes/{{Oxbridge}} University of Cambridge]], rowing on the Cambridge boat that lost The Boat Race against rival Oxford in 1980.

He has also done voice-acting, as Dr. Cockroach in ''WesternAnimation/MonstersVsAliens'' and some of its spinoff shorts, Steve in ''WesternAnimation/ArthurChristmas'', E.B.'s Dad in ''Film/{{Hop}}'', Owl in ''WesternAnimation/BrownBearsWedding'', Squire Trelawney in ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendsOfTreasureIsland'', Johnny Town-Mouse in ''WesternAnimation/TheWorldOfPeterRabbitAndFriends'', Newton in ''VideoGame/LittleBigPlanet 3'', Archie in ''[[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0311773/ Second Star To The Left]]'', and Maurice in ''WesternAnimation/TheAmazingMaurice''.

This leads to a strange dichotomy in his perception. To British audiences he is the comedic master of ThePratfall, the over-done and over-silly counterbalance to the more reserved Creator/StephenFry or Creator/RowanAtkinson... but, to Americans, he is best known as the stern and cynical Dr. [[Series/HouseMD House]]. In fact--perhaps due to his uncannily [[FakeAmerican flawless American accent]]--some Americans are surprised to learn that he's British. Including the casting director that hired him for the role, who was in fact hoping to ''avoid'' casting a Brit doing an accent.

To some, he is a mixture of both, a man of legend perceived to be able to switch from [[{{Jerkass}} cold and merciless]] to [[TheAce the most lovable man on earth]] in a single sentence.

-->-- '''Hugh Laurie'''

He has also done voice-acting, as Dr. Cockroach in ''WesternAnimation/MonstersVsAliens'' and some of its spinoff shorts, Steve in ''WesternAnimation/ArthurChristmas'', E.B.'s Dad in ''Film/{{Hop}}'', Owl in ''WesternAnimation/BrownBearsWedding'', Squire Trelawney in ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendsOfTreasureIsland'', Johnny Town-Mouse in ''WesternAnimation/TheWorldOfPeterRabbitAndFriends'', Newton in ''VideoGame/LittleBigPlanet 3'' and Archie in ''[[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0311773/ Second Star To The Left]]''.

* StarMakingRole: His acting in ''Blackadder the Third'' made him a household name in the UK, and is considered his breakout role that paved the way for shows like "Jeeves and Wooster". However, ''House'' catapulted him to superstardom on a global level.

* StarMakingRole: His breakout role in ''Blackadder the Third'' made him a household name in the UK, and is considered his breakout role. However, ''House'' catapulted him to superstardom on a global level.

* StarMakingRole: He was already reasonably famous among British audiences but ''House'' catapulted him to superstardom worldwide.

He first reached fame as a cast member of ''Series/{{Blackadder}}'' (particularly in season three and four, also known as ''Blackadder the Third''[[note]]where it takes place during Regency-era Britain[[/note]] and ''Blackadder Goes Fourth''[[note]]where it takes place during World War I[[/note]]) and then as one half of [[Creator/StephenFry Fry and Laurie]] in ''Series/ABitOfFryAndLaurie''. He also played Bertie Wooster in ''Series/{{Jeeves and Wooster}}''. Between 2004 and 2012, he starred as Dr. Gregory House in [[Series/{{House}} the show of the same name]]. He has since starred in a number of other American movies, including ''Film/StreetKings'' and recently made a return to television with the Creator/{{Hulu}} series ''Chance'' and the Creator/{{HBO}} series ''Series/Avenue5'', and the British series ''Series/{{Roadkill}}''.

->"''I would cling to unhappiness because it was a known, familiar state. When I was happier, it was because I knew I was on my way back to misery. I've never been convinced that happiness is the object of the game. I'm wary of happiness.''"

!!Provides examples of

->"''I've always thought of Hugh as a panda, probably because he's not naturally aggressive. Either a panda or an Opel Kadett.''"
-->-- '''Creator/StephenFry'''

* StarMakingRole: He was already reasonably famous among British audiences but ''House'' catapulted him to superstardom worldwide.