Born:
June 11, 1959
in
Oxford
Best Known For:
His double-act with Stephen Fry
Early-life:
Born James Hugh Calum Laurie on June 11, 1959, in Oxford, the youngest of a doctor's four children; his father was also a gold medal-winning rower at the 1948 Olympics. After attending Eton, Hugh followed him into the sport, competing for England and in the Boat Race while at Cambridge, where he studied archaeology and anthropology. While president of the university's Footlights entertainment group, he met Stephen Fry. After touring Australia with their revue The Cellar Tapes, they teamed up professionally.
Career:
Fry and Laurie's stage success led to the TV sketch show Alfresco, which also featured Emma Thompson, Ben Elton and Robbie Coltrane. In 1987, Elton cast him in sitcom Blackadder the Third as amiable idiot George. A Bit of Fry and Laurie, and Jeeves and Wooster cemented his reputation as one of the UK's brightest comedy talents. He appeared with several celebrity pals in the movies Peter's Friends, Maybe Baby, and Sense and Sensibility. Other projects include 101 Dalmatians, The Man in the Iron Mask, Stuart Little and its sequel, the Flight of the Phoenix remake and TV series Fortysomething. His novel, The Gun Seller, was also a hit. His award-winning role in House turned him into an international star. Since it ended in 2012, Laurie has largely concentrated on music.
Quote:
On his status as a sex symbol: "Even my wife doesn't think I'm sexy, it's a miracle we have children."
Trivia:
Laurie has three children, loves motorbikes, is an atheist and has battled depression.