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What makes John Lithgow the male Glenn Close? Actor gets theatrical on TODAY

John Lithgow's award-winning career has paired him in quirky roles alongside a generation of fellow talents, including Glenn Close. The pair met while making 1982's "The World According to Garp," became buds, and were recently reunited professionally on Broadway in a revival of Edward Albee's "A Delicate Balance."But to Lithgow, she isn't just a Close friend: He told the New York Times recently th
John Lithgow
TODAY

John Lithgow's award-winning career has paired him in quirky roles alongside a generation of fellow talents, including Glenn Close. The pair met while making 1982's "The World According to Garp," became buds, and were recently reunited professionally on Broadway in a revival of Edward Albee's "A Delicate Balance."

But to Lithgow, she isn't just a Close friend: He told the New York Times recently that he's the male Glenn Close, while she's a female John Lithgow. 

"I'm not sure she's complimented," he chuckled during his Friday visit to TODAY. "We both came out of the theater. We're both basically character actors who're ready, willing, able to do practically anything — and I just sort of identify with Glenn's career in many ways."

Yet despite all of his training and experience and Glenn Close-ness, Lithgow is not above making an error. He noted that during Thursday night's show, he missed a stage entrance for "Balance" and left Close and two other actors on stage improvising.

John Lithgow and Glenn Close on Broadway in \"A Delicate Balance.\"
Lithgow and Glenn Close on Broadway in \"A Delicate Balance.\"Today

"They made up the most extraordinary Edward Albee dialogue. As I was dashing down from upstairs I heard Glenn saying, 'They can't have that much luggage,'" he recalled.

So what do you do when that kind of thing happens? "You just wait for the ground to open up under you," he laughed.

"A Delicate Balance" plays at Broadway's Golden Theater through February 2015.

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