Hugh Laurie Net Worth

Hugh Laurie's Quotes

• [on Cambridge] I went there to row. I'll be blunt with it. It's been ten years, and I think the admissions tutor can take it now... but that's really what I went for, and anthropology was the most convenient subject to read while spending eight hours a day on the river.
• [on the Oxford-vs.-Cambridge Boat Race] The year was 1980, I was #4 in this particular encounter, and the result was a loss by Cambridge by a distance of five feet, which is something which I will carry to my grave... in fact, I shouldn't really say this, because I still to this day wouldn't want to give any pleasure or satisfaction to the opposing crew. But yes, it's true, it was a very bitter defeat.
• [on picking up his new hobby] Boxing is fascinating. It's good for the soul to be made to feel clumsy. I swank around during the week thinking I'm a big cheese, but you don't feel like that when you're in the ring with a chap who knows what he's doing. It's ritual humiliation. I'm going to be slugged about and probably killed, but I love it and have to do something to keep fit.
• I picked a reverence for medicine because I rather hero-worshiped my father [a former doctor], and because I admire doctors, I admire study, empiricism and rational thought. I don't admire crystals and chewing willow bark and herbal remedies.
• [on his late father's reaction to his character Dr. Gregory House] He would be absolutely appalled. He was an endlessly polite, generous and soft-spoken man. He was no pushover, but he would never hurt, shock or outrage people just for the hell of it. At the same time, I hope he would be entertained and see that science and logic are like a religion to House. He'd approve of that.

Interesting Facts about Hugh Laurie

1. Received his Third-Class Honours degree in anthropology and archaeology at Selwyn College, Cambridge University.
2. Bought an all-black Triumph Bonneville motorcycle, a replica of the 1960s British model, in Los Angeles, upon getting the role on House M.D. (2004), but he was always an avid motorcyclist, even in England. He enjoys the anonymity the motorcycle helmet gives him.
3. Attended the Dragon School, a renowned British "public" college preparatory school located in Oxford, England. Also attended by actress Emma Watson and tennis player Tim Henman.
4. Douglas Adams, author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005), originally wanted him to play Arthur Dent for the film adaptation. A deal was almost in place to have Hugh play Dent, along with Jim Carrey as Zaphod and Jay Roach directing, before Adams' untimely death.
5. Won the National Junior Championship for rowing (coxed pair) (1977). In the same year, he and his rowing partner represented England in the World Junior Championship for rowing where they finished fourth place.
6. He lives in a West Hollywood apartment rental while working on House M.D. (2004), but flies home to London to be with his family whenever he has a break in filming. He has said that he will move his whole family to America to be with him if the second season looks to be equally successful as the first.
7. Has played the husband opposite Imelda Staunton's characters in two films: Peter's Friends (1992) and Sense and Sensibility (1995).
8. His father, William George Ranald Mundell Laurie, and his mother, Patricia (Laidlaw), were both of Scottish descent.
9. Is the youngest of four children, by six years. He has a brother and two sisters, Charles (who works as a lawyer/shepherd in Scotland), Susan Lassen (who helped found the Save the Children Long Island, NY Volunteer Chapter, and was a member of Save the Children's Board of Trustees), and Janet.
10. His father won an Olympic gold medal for coxless pairs in the 1948 Games in London. Hugh also had a promising career as an oarsman, but he was forced to give it up while at Cambridge when he contracted glandular fever (mononucleosis). His brother was also an oarsman.
11. He sings and plays piano, guitar, drums, harmonica and saxophone.
12. Entered the 1980 Silver Goblets and Nicklass Cup with his Eton rowing partner J.S. Palmer at the Henley Royal Regatta, becoming the only British crew to reach the final that year. They finished in second place behind the favored American crew.
13. He was first cast in the role of Perry White in Superman Returns (2006). However, the popularity of his television series House M.D. (2004) caused schedule conflicts. Frank Langella was then cast.
14. Auditioned for the role of Arnold Rimmer in Red Dwarf (1988). Others to audition for the role were Norman Lovett, Lee Cornes, Alfred Molina, Alan Rickman and Craig Ferguson. The role went to Chris Barrie.
15. He was a house captain (senior prefect) in his last year at Eton College. He also played percussion for the school's orchestra and was a "wet bob" - a member of Eton's prestigious rowing team.
16. He received his first motorcycle when he was 16 as a present from his father. The same year he owned his first guitar, a Yamaha.
17. Although his first name is James, he has never been called that. His third name, Calum, is the short form of 'Mael Calum', which translates from Gaidhlig (Scots Gaelic) to Scottish and English as 'Malcolm'. (The Gaeilge or Irish Gaelic form is 'Maol Colm', or 'Colm' in short form). His brother's full name is Charles Alexander Lyon Mundell Laurie.
18. He took up diving.
19. Is a huge fan of Clint Eastwood and Steve McQueen.
20. He was a member of Cambridge Footlights throughout his university years, serving as a writer and cast member for two years (1978-1980) and president during his last year (1980-1981). Emma Thompson was the vice president.