Editing Christopher Guest

{{short description|British-American screenwriter, comedian, musician, director, and actor}}
{{For|the Law Lord|Christopher Guest, Baron Guest}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix = [[The Right Honourable]]
| name             = The Lord Haden-Guest
| image            = Christopher Guest 2016.jpg
| caption          = Guest in 2016
| office           = Member of the [[House of Lords]]
| status           = Lord Temporal
| term_label       = as a [[hereditary peer]]
| term_start       = 8 April 1996
| predecessor      = [[Peter Haden-Guest, 4th Baron Haden-Guest|The 4th Baron Haden-Guest]]
| term_end         = 11 November 1999
| successor        = ''Seat abolished''{{thin space|{{efn|Under the [[House of Lords Act 1999]].}}}}
| birth_name       = Christopher Haden-Guest
| birth_date       = {{birth date and age|1948|2|5|df=y}}
| birth_place      = [[New York City]], U.S.
| death_date       = 
| death_place      = 
| education        = [[Bard College]]<br>[[New York University]] ([[Master of Fine Arts|MFA]])
| spouse           = {{marriage|[[Jamie Lee Curtis]]|December 18, 1984}}
| children         = 2
| parents          = [[Peter Haden-Guest, 4th Baron Haden-Guest]] (father)<br/>[[Jean Haden-Guest, Lady Haden-Guest|Jean Pauline Hindes]] (mother)
| relatives        = [[Elissa Haden Guest]] (sister) <br />[[Nicholas Guest]] (brother) <br />[[Anthony Haden-Guest]] (half-brother)
}}
'''Christopher Haden-Guest, 5th Baron Haden-Guest''' (born 5 February 1948),{{Citation needed|date=April 2025}} known professionally as '''Christopher Guest''', is a British-American actor, comedian, screenwriter and director. Guest has written, directed, and starred in his series of comedy films shot in [[mockumentary]] style. He co-wrote and acted in the rock satire ''[[This Is Spinal Tap]]'' (1984), and later directed a string of satirical mockumentary films such as ''[[Waiting for Guffman]]'' (1996), ''[[Best in Show (film)|Best in Show]]'' (2000), ''[[A Mighty Wind]]'' (2003), ''[[For Your Consideration (film)|For Your Consideration]]'' (2006), and ''[[Mascots (2016 film)|Mascots]]'' (2016). His acting credits include roles in ''[[Death Wish (1974 film)|Death Wish]]'' (1974), ''[[Little Shop of Horrors (1986 film)|Little Shop of Horrors]]'' (1986), ''[[The Princess Bride (film)|The Princess Bride]]'' (1987), and ''[[A Few Good Men]]'' (1992). For [[Saturday Night Live (Season 10)|one season]] (1984–85), he was a regular cast member on the long running [[NBC]] sketch comedy series ''[[Saturday Night Live]]''.

Guest holds a [[Hereditary peer|hereditary]] [[Peerages in the United Kingdom|British peerage]] as the 5th [[Baron Haden-Guest]], but has publicly expressed a desire to see the [[House of Lords]] reformed as a democratically elected chamber.<ref name="auto">{{cite news|newspaper=[[The Guardian Weekend]]|title=Nowt so queer as folk|author=Richard Grant|date=January 9, 2004|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2004/jan/10/features.weekend|access-date=December 11, 2016| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161219172254/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2004/jan/10/features.weekend|archive-date=December 19, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> Though he was initially active in the Lords, his career there was cut short by the [[House of Lords Act 1999]], which removed the right of most hereditary peers to a seat in the parliament. When using his title, he is normally [[Style (manner of address)|styled]] as '''Lord Haden-Guest'''. Guest is married to the actress [[Jamie Lee Curtis]].

== Early life ==
Guest was born 5 February 1948<ref>{{cite book|editor-last1=Rubinstein|editor-first1=William D.|editor-last2=Jolles|editor-first2=Michael|editor-last3=Rubinstein|editor-first3=Hilary L.|title=The Palgrave Dictionary of Anglo-Jewish History|location=Basingstoke, Hampshire, UK|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan|date=2011|isbn=9780230304666|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_T_HCg17ufIC|page=386}}</ref> in New York City, the son of [[Peter Haden-Guest, 4th Baron Haden-Guest|Peter Haden-Guest]], a British United Nations diplomat who later became the 4th [[Baron Haden-Guest]], and his second wife, the former [[Jean Haden-Guest, Lady Haden-Guest|Jean Pauline Hindes]], an American former vice president of casting at [[CBS]].<ref name="ny times" /> Guest's paternal grandfather, [[Leslie Haden-Guest, 1st Baron Haden-Guest|Leslie, Baron Haden-Guest]], was a [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] politician, who was a [[Conversion to Judaism|convert to Judaism]]. Guest's paternal grandmother, a descendant of the Dutch Jewish [[Goldsmid family]], was the daughter of [[Colonel (United Kingdom)|Colonel]] [[Albert Goldsmid]], a British officer who founded the [[Jewish Lads' and Girls' Brigade]] and the [[Maccabaeans]].<ref name=yar>{{cite book|last=Murray|first=William Henry|title=Adam and Cain: Symposium of Old Bible History, Sumerian Empire, Importance of Blood of Race, Juggling Juggernaut of the Leaders of the Jews, the Gothic Civilization of Adam and the Ten Commandments of His Church|publisher=Murray|year=1952}}</ref><ref name="guest1">{{cite journal|last=Rosen|first=Steven|title=Want to spoof Purim and the Oscars? Be our Guest!|journal=The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles|volume=21|issue=39|date=November 16, 2006|url=http://www.jewishjournal.com/home/preview.php?id=16799|access-date=November 16, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929122250/http://www.jewishjournal.com/home/preview.php?id=16799|archive-date=September 29, 2007|url-status=live}}</ref> Guest's maternal grandparents were Jewish emigrants from Russia.<ref name="ny times">{{cite news|last=Witchel|first=Alex|title=The Shape-Shifter|work=The New York Times|date=November 12, 2006|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/12/magazine/12guest.html|access-date=November 16, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111204003914/http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/12/magazine/12guest.html|archive-date=December 4, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> Both of Guest's parents had become [[atheist]]s, and Guest himself had no religious upbringing.<ref name="guest1" /> In 1938, his uncle, [[David Guest (communist)|David Guest]], a lecturer and [[Communist Party of Great Britain|Communist Party]] member, was killed in the [[Spanish Civil War]], fighting in the [[International Brigades]].

Guest spent parts of his childhood in his father's native United Kingdom. He attended the [[High School of Music & Art]] (New York City), studying classical music (clarinet) at the [[Stockbridge School]] in the village of [[Old Curtisville Historic District|Interlaken]] in [[Stockbridge, Massachusetts|Stockbridge]], [[Massachusetts]]. He later took up the [[mandolin]], became interested in [[country music]], and played guitar with [[Arlo Guthrie]], a fellow student at Stockbridge School.<ref>{{cite news|title=Nowt so queer as folk|author=Richard Grant|date=January 10, 2004|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2004/jan/10/features.weekend|magazine=[[The Guardian Weekend]]|access-date=December 11, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161219172254/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2004/jan/10/features.weekend|archive-date=December 19, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> Guest later began performing with [[Bluegrass music|bluegrass]] bands until he took up [[rock and roll]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Gross|first=Terry|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14081515|title=Christopher Guest Plays with Parody|work=[[Fresh Air]], [[WHYY-FM|WHYY]]|publisher=[[NPR]]|location=Philadelphia|date=September 14, 1989|access-date=August 6, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100424030014/http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14081515|archive-date=April 24, 2010|url-status=live}}</ref> Guest went to [[Bard College]] for a year<ref name="guest1" /> and then studied acting at [[New York University]]'s [[Tisch School of the Arts#Graduate Acting Program|Graduate Acting Program]] at the [[Tisch School of the Arts]], graduating in 1971.<ref>{{cite web|title=NYU Graduate Acting Alumni|url=http://gradacting.tisch.nyu.edu/object/ga_alumbios.html|year=2011|access-date=December 1, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120705121632/http://gradacting.tisch.nyu.edu/object/ga_alumbios.html|archive-date=July 5, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Career ==

=== 1970s ===
Guest began his career in theatre during the early 1970s with one of his earliest professional performances being the role of Norman in [[Michael Weller]]'s ''[[Moonchildren]]'' for the play's American premiere at the [[Arena Stage]] in Washington, DC, in November 1971. Guest continued with the production when it moved to [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] in 1972. The following year, he began making contributions to ''[[The National Lampoon Radio Hour]]'' for a variety of National Lampoon audio recordings. He both performed comic characters (Flash Bazbo—Space Explorer, Mr. Rogers, music critic Roger de Swans, and sleazy record company rep Ron Fields) and wrote, arranged, and performed numerous musical parodies (of Bob Dylan, James Taylor, and others). He was featured alongside [[Chevy Chase]] and [[John Belushi]] in the [[off-Broadway]] revue ''[[National Lampoon's Lemmings]]''. Two of his earliest film roles were small parts as uniformed police officers in the 1972 film ''[[The Hot Rock (film)|The Hot Rock]]'' and 1974's ''[[Death Wish (1974 film)|Death Wish]]''.

Along with [[Bill Murray]], [[Brian Doyle-Murray]], and others Guest was one of the "Prime Time Players" on ''[[Saturday Night Live with Howard Cosell]]''. This was the short-lived variety show that aired from September 20, 1975 to January 17, 1976, not to be confused with the long-running sketch show ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' that began airing a month later and lampooned the group by billing their own sketch comedy actors as "The Not Ready for Prime Time Players".

Guest played a small role in the 1977 ''[[All in the Family]]'' episode "[[List of All in the Family episodes#Season 8: 1977–1978|Mike and Gloria Meet]]", where in a [[flashback (narrative)|flashback]] sequence Mike and Gloria recall their first blind date, set up by Michael's college buddy Jim (Guest), who dated Gloria's girlfriend Debbie ([[Priscilla Lopez]]).

Guest also had a small but important role in ''[[It Happened One Christmas]]'', the 1977 gender-reversed TV remake of the Frank Capra classic ''[[It's a Wonderful Life]],'' starring [[Marlo Thomas]] as Mary Bailey (the Jimmy Stewart role), with [[Cloris Leachman]] as Mary's guardian angel and [[Orson Welles]] as the villainous Mr. Potter. Guest played Mary's brother Harry, who returned from the Army in the final scene, speaking one of the last lines of the film: "A toast! To my big sister Mary, the richest person in town!"

=== 1980s ===
Guest's biggest role of the first two decades of his career is likely that of [[Nigel Tufnel]] in the 1984 Rob Reiner film ''[[This Is Spinal Tap]]''. Guest made his first appearance as Tufnel on the 1978 sketch comedy program ''The TV Show''.

Along with [[Martin Short]], [[Billy Crystal]], and [[Harry Shearer]], Guest was hired as a one-year-only cast member for the [[Saturday Night Live season 10|1984–1985 season]] on [[NBC]]'s ''Saturday Night Live''.<ref name=nytimes2019-12-14/> Recurring characters on ''SNL'' played by Guest include Frankie, of Willie and Frankie (coworkers who recount in detail physically painful situations in which they have found themselves, remarking laconically "I hate when that happens"); Herb Minkman, a novelty toymaker with his brother Al (played by Crystal); Rajeev Vindaloo, an eccentric foreign man in the same vein as [[Andy Kaufman]]'s [[Latka Gravas|Latka]] character from ''[[Taxi (TV series)|Taxi]]''; and Señor Cosa, a Spanish ventriloquist often seen on the recurring spoof of ''[[The Joe Franklin Show]]''. He also experimented behind the camera with pre-filmed sketches, notably directing a documentary-style short starring Shearer and Short as synchronized swimmers. In another short film from ''SNL'', Guest and Crystal appear in blackface as retired [[Negro league baseball]] players, "The Rooster and the King".

He appeared as Count Rugen (the "six-fingered man") in ''[[The Princess Bride (film)|The Princess Bride]]''. He had a cameo role as the first customer, a pedestrian, in the 1986 musical [[Little Shop of Horrors (1986 film)|remake]] of ''[[The Little Shop of Horrors]]''. As a co-writer and director, Guest made the Hollywood satire ''[[The Big Picture (1989 film)|The Big Picture]]''.

Upon his father succeeding to the family [[peerage]] in 1987, he was known as "the Hon. Christopher Haden-Guest". This was his official [[Style (manner of address)|style]] and name until he inherited the barony in 1996.

=== 1990–present ===
The experience of making ''This is Spinal Tap'' directly informed the second phase of his career. Starting in 1996, Guest began writing, directing, and acting in his own series of substantially [[Improvisational comedy|improvised]] films. Many of them are considered definitive examples of what came to be known as "mockumentaries"—not a term Guest appreciates.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hogan |first=Michael |date=2023-03-05 |title=Eugene Levy: 'The eyebrows didn't hinder or help my career, I don't think' |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2023/mar/05/eugene-levy-reluctant-traveler-schitts-creek-interview |access-date=2024-06-10 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

Together, Guest, his frequent writing partner [[Eugene Levy]], and a small band of actors have formed a loose [[repertory]] group, which appears in several films. These include [[Catherine O'Hara]], [[Michael McKean]], [[Parker Posey]], [[Bob Balaban]], [[Jane Lynch]], [[John Michael Higgins]], [[Harry Shearer]], [[Jennifer Coolidge]], [[Ed Begley Jr.]], [[Jim Piddock]] and [[Fred Willard]]. Guest and Levy write backgrounds for each of the characters and notecards for each specific scene, outlining the plot, and then leave it up to the actors to improvise the dialogue, which is supposed to result in a much more natural conversation than scripted dialogue would. Typically, everyone who appears in these movies receives the same fee and the same portion of profits.<ref name="crose03">{{cite web|url=http://www.charlierose.com/shows/2003/05/12/1/a-conversation-with-director-christopher-guest|last=Rose|first=Charlie|title=A conversation with director Christopher Guest|publisher=Charlie Rose LLC|date=May 12, 2003|access-date=August 6, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081201094915/http://www.charlierose.com/shows/2003/05/12/1/a-conversation-with-director-christopher-guest|archive-date=December 1, 2008}}</ref> Among the films performed in this manner, which have been written and directed by Guest, include ''[[Waiting for Guffman]]'' (1996), about a [[community theatre]] group, ''[[Best in Show (film)|Best in Show]]'' (2000), about the [[dog show]] circuit, ''[[A Mighty Wind]]'' (2003), about [[folk music|folk singers]], ''[[For Your Consideration (film)|For Your Consideration]]'' (2006), about the hype surrounding [[Oscar season]], and ''[[Mascots (2016 film)|Mascots]]'' (2016), about a sports team [[mascot]] competition.

Guest had a guest voice-over role in the animated comedy series ''[[SpongeBob SquarePants]]'' as SpongeBob's cousin, Stanley.

Guest again collaborated with Reiner in ''[[A Few Good Men]]'' (1992), appearing as Dr. Stone. In the 2000s, Guest appeared in the 2005 biographical musical ''[[Mrs Henderson Presents]]'' and in the 2009 comedy ''[[The Invention of Lying]]''.

He is also currently a member of the musical group [[The Beyman Bros]], which he formed with childhood friend [[David Nichtern]] and Spinal Tap's current keyboardist [[C. J. Vanston]]. Their debut album ''Memories of Summer as a Child'' was released on January 20, 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=100007776|title=Beyman Bros: The Thinking Person's Americana|last=Moon|first=Tom|date=February 2, 2009|publisher=[[NPR]]|work=All Things Considered|access-date=August 6, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100423113404/http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=100007776|archive-date=April 23, 2010|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2010, the [[United States Census Bureau]] paid $2.5&nbsp;million to have a television commercial<ref>{{Cite web |date=2010-02-07 |title=U.S. Census Bureau - Preproduction Location Video from Ad Age |url=https://adage.com/videos/us-census-bureau-preproduction-location/436 |access-date=2023-03-01 |website=Ad Age |language=en}}</ref> directed by Guest shown during television coverage of [[Super Bowl XLIV]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/taxpayers-to-fork-out-2-5-million-for-single-census-ad-during-super-bowl|title=Taxpayers to Fork Out $2.5 Million for Single Census Ad During Super Bowl|date=February 3, 2010|publisher=Fox News|access-date=August 6, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101005153828/http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/02/03/taxpayers-fork-million-single-census-ad-super-bowl/|archive-date=October 5, 2010|url-status=live}}</ref>

Guest holds an honorary doctorate from and is a member of the board of trustees for [[Berklee College of Music]] in Boston.<ref>{{cite news|last=Shanahan|first=Mark|title=Christopher Guest parties for Berklee|url=http://archive.boston.com/ae/celebrity/articles/2011/10/18/christopher_guest_parties_for_berklee/|access-date=March 6, 2012|newspaper=The Boston Globe|date=October 18, 2011|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120728120346/http://articles.boston.com/2011-10-18/ae/30293257_1_christopher-guest-honorary-doctorate-big-talents|archive-date=July 28, 2012}}</ref>

In 2013, Guest was the co-writer and producer of the [[HBO]] series ''[[Family Tree (TV series)|Family Tree]],'' in collaboration with [[Jim Piddock]], a lighthearted story in the style he made famous in ''This is Spinal Tap'', in which the main character, Tom Chadwick, inherits a box of curios from his great-aunt, spurring interest in his ancestry.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/features/christopher-guest-from-spinal-tap-to-family-tree-8695950.html|title=Christopher Guest: From Spinal Tap to Family Tree|date=July 9, 2013|last=Rampton|first=James|newspaper=The Independent|access-date=September 18, 2019}}</ref>

On August 11, 2015, [[Netflix]] announced that ''[[Mascots (2016 film)|Mascots]]'', a film directed by Guest and co-written with Jim Piddock, about the competition for the World Mascot Association championship's Gold Fluffy Award, would debut in 2016.<ref>{{cite web|last1=McNary|first1=Dave|title=Netflix Acquires Christopher Guest's ''Mascots'' Mockumentary|url=https://variety.com/2015/digital/news/christopher-guest-netflix-movie-mascots-1201567417/|website=Variety|date=August 11, 2015|access-date=September 5, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906022120/http://variety.com/2015/digital/news/christopher-guest-netflix-movie-mascots-1201567417/|archive-date=September 6, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

Guest reprised his role as Count Tyrone Rugen in the [[Princess Bride Reunion|''Princess Bride'' Reunion]] on September 13, 2020.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Ehrlich |first=Brenna |date=2020-09-14 |title='The Princess Bride' Cast Reunite for Hilarious Table Read |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-news/princess-bride-reunion-table-read-1058955/ |access-date=2022-03-01 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Family ==

[[File:Coat of Arms - Baron Haden-Guest, of Saling in the County of Essex.png|thumb|Coat of arms – Baron Haden-Guest, of Saling in the County of Essex]]

Guest became the 5th [[Baron Haden-Guest]], of [[Great Saling]], in the [[Essex|County of Essex]], when his father died in 1996. He succeeded upon the ineligibility of his older half-brother, [[Anthony Haden-Guest]], who was [[illegitimacy|born before his parents married]]. According to a 2004 article in ''[[The Guardian]]'', Guest attended the [[House of Lords]] regularly until the [[House of Lords Act 1999]] barred most hereditary peers from their seats. In the article Guest remarked:<ref name="auto" />
{{blockquote|There's no question that the old system was unfair. I mean, why should you be born to this? But now it's all just sheer cronyism. The [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|prime minister]] can put in whoever he wants and bus them in to vote. The [[House of Lords|Upper House]] should be an elected body, it's that simple.}}

Guest married actress [[Jamie Lee Curtis]] in 1984 at the home of their mutual friend [[Rob Reiner]]. They have two daughters, through [[adoption]]. Guest was played by [[Seth Green]] in the film ''[[A Futile and Stupid Gesture (film)|A Futile and Stupid Gesture]].''{{Citation needed|date=April 2025}}

== Filmography ==
=== Film ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"

! Year !! Title !! Actor !! Screenwriter !! Director !! Producer !! Role !! Notes
|-

| 1971
| ''[[The Hospital]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| Resident
| Uncredited
|-
| 1972
| ''[[The Hot Rock (film)|The Hot Rock]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| Policeman
|
|-
| 1973
| ''[[National Lampoon Lemmings]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
|
| Musical arranger
|-
| 1974
| ''[[Death Wish (1974 film)|Death Wish]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| Patrolman Jackson Reilly
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1975
| ''[[The Fortune]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| Boy Lover
|
|-
| ''[[Tarzoon: Shame of the Jungle]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| Chief M'Bulu / Short /<br /> Nurse
| Voice only
|-
| 1978
| ''[[Girlfriends (1978 film)|Girlfriends]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| Eric
|
|-
| 1979
| ''[[The Last Word (1979 film)|The Last Word]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| Roger
|
|-
| rowspan="2"|1980
| ''[[The Long Riders]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| Charley Ford
|
|-
| ''[[The Missing Link (1980 film)|The Missing Link]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| No Lobes
| English version; voice
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1981
| ''[[Heartbeeps]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| Calvin
|
|-
| ''[[Likely Stories|Likely Stories, Vol. 1]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| All roles (segment "Dead Ringer")
|
|-
| 1983
| ''[[Likely Stories|Likely Stories, Vol. 3]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| Frankie (segment "Split Decision")
|
|-
| 1984
| ''[[This Is Spinal Tap]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| [[Nigel Tufnel]]
| Composer, musician
|-
| 1985
| ''Martin Short: Concert for the<br />North Americas''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| Rajiv Vindaloo
|
|-
| 1986
| ''[[Little Shop of Horrors (1986 film)|Little Shop of Horrors]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| The First Customer
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1987
| ''[[Beyond Therapy (film)|Beyond Therapy]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| Bob
|
|-
| ''[[The Princess Bride (film)|The Princess Bride]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| Count Tyrone Rugen
|
|-
| 1988
| ''[[Sticky Fingers (1988 film)|Sticky Fingers]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| Sam
|
|-
| 1989
| ''[[The Big Picture (1989 film)|The Big Picture]]''
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
|
|
|-
| 1992
| ''[[A Few Good Men]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| Dr. Stone
|
|-
| 1994
| ''[[The Return of Spinal Tap]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| Nigel Tufnel
|
|-
| 1996
| ''[[Waiting for Guffman]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| Corky St. Clair
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1998
| ''[[Almost Heroes]]''
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
|
|
|-
| ''[[Small Soldiers]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| Slamfist/Scratch-It
| Voices
|-
| 2000
| ''[[Best in Show (film)|Best in Show]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| Harlan Pepper
|
|-
| 2003
| ''[[A Mighty Wind]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| Alan Barrows
|
|-
| 2005
| ''[[Mrs Henderson Presents]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| [[Rowland Baring, 2nd Earl of Cromer|Lord Cromer]]
|
|-
| 2006
| ''[[For Your Consideration (film)|For Your Consideration]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| Jay Berman
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| 2009
| ''[[Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| [[Ivan the Terrible]]
|
|-
| ''[[The Invention of Lying]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| Nathan Goldfrappe
|
|-
| 2012
| ''Her Master's Voice''
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
|
|
|-
| 2016
| ''[[Mascots (2016 film)|Mascots]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| Corky St. Clair
|
|-
| 2025
| ''[[Spinal Tap II: The End Continues]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| Nigel Tufnel
| Post-production
|}

=== Television ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year !! Title !! Actor !! Screenwriter !! Director !! Producer !! Role !! Notes
|-

| rowspan="2" | 1975
| ''[[Saturday Night Live with Howard Cosell]]''
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
|
| Variety series
|-
| ''[[Lily Tomlin|The Lily Tomlin Special]]''
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
|
| TV special
|-
| rowspan="4" | 1976
| ''[[The Billion Dollar Bubble]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| Al Green
| TV film
|-
| ''TVTV Looks at the [[Academy Awards|Oscars]]''
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
|
| rowspan="3" | TV special
|-
| ''TVTV: [[Super Bowl]]''
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
|
|-
| ''The TVTV Show''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| Various
|-
| rowspan="3"| 1977
| ''[[It Happened One Christmas]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| Harry Bailey
| TV film
|-
| ''[[The Andros Targets]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| Gordon Hamilton
| Episode: "A Currency for Murder"
|-
| ''[[All in the Family]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| Jim
| Episode: "Mike and Gloria Meet"
|-
| rowspan="2"|1978
| ''[[Laverne & Shirley]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| Greg Harris
| Episode: "Bus Stop"
|-
| ''[[Peeping Times]]''
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
|
| Television special
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1979
| ''[[Blind Ambition (miniseries)|Blind Ambition]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| [[Jeb Stuart Magruder]]
| Miniseries
|-
| ''[[Chevy Chase|The Chevy Chase National Humor Test]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| Various
| Television special
|-
| 1980
| ''[[Haywire (book)#Movie|Haywire]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| The T.V. Director
| rowspan="3" | Television film
|-
| rowspan="3"| 1982
| ''[[Million Dollar Infield]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| Bucky Frische
|-
| ''[[A Piano for Mrs. Cimino]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| Philip Ryan
|-
| ''[[St. Elsewhere]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| H.J. Cummings
| 2 episodes
|-
| 1984–85
| ''[[Saturday Night Live]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| Various
| 19 episodes
|-
| 1986
| ''[[Tall Tales & Legends|Shelley Duvall's Tall Tales & Legends]]''
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
|
| Episode: "Johnny Appleseed"
|-
| rowspan="3" | 1989
| ''[[Trying Times]]''
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
|
| Episode: "The Sad Professor"
|-
| ''Billy Crystal: Midnight Train to<br />Moscow''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| The Voice
| Stand-up special
|-
| ''I, Martin Short, Goes Hollywood''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| Antoninus DiMentabella
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1991
| ''[[Morton & Hayes]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| El Supremo / Crooner /<br />Dr. Von Astor
| Directed 5 episodes; acted in 3 episodes<br />Composed theme music
|-
| ''[[The Secret Policeman's Ball#1991 – Barf Bites Back and The Big 3-0|Amnesty International's Big 3-0]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| Nigel Tufnel
| Television special
|-
| 1992
| ''[[The Simpsons]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| Nigel Tufnel
| Episode: "[[The Otto Show]]"<br />Voice
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1993
| ''[[Animaniacs]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| Umlatt
| Episode: "King Yakko"<br />Voice
|-
| ''[[Attack of the 50 Ft. Woman (1993 film)|Attack of the 50 Ft. Woman]]''
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
|
| Television film; also composer
|-
| 1999
| ''[[Dilbert (TV series)|Dilbert]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| The Dupey
| Episode: "The Dupey"<br />Voice
|-
| 2003
| ''[[MADtv]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| Alan Barrows
| Episode #8.21
|-
| 2007, 2021
| ''[[SpongeBob SquarePants]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| [[List of SpongeBob SquarePants characters#Stanley SquarePants|Stanley S. SquarePants]] / [[List of SpongeBob SquarePants characters#Clem Clam|Clem Clam]]
| 2 episodes: "[[Stanley S. SquarePants]]", "[[Goofy Scoopers]]"<br />Voice
|-
| 2009
| ''Stonehenge: 'Tis a Magic Place''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| {{no}}
| Nigel Tufnel
| 3 episodes
|-
| 2012
| ''[[84th Academy Awards]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| {{yes}}
| {{no}}
| Focus Group Member
| Directed focus group segment
|-
| 2013
| ''[[Family Tree (TV series)|Family Tree]]''
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| {{yes}}
| Dave Chadwick /<br />Phineas Chadwick
| 3 episodes; also co-creator<br />Composed credits theme
|-
|}

===Recurring cast members===
Guest has worked multiple times with certain actors, notably with frequent writing partner [[Eugene Levy]], who has appeared in five of his projects. Other repeat collaborators of Guest include [[Fred Willard]] (7 projects); [[Michael McKean]], [[Bob Balaban]], and [[Ed Begley Jr.]] (6 projects each); [[Paul Benedict]], [[Parker Posey]], [[Jim Piddock]], [[Michael Hitchcock]] and [[Harry Shearer]] (5 projects each); [[Catherine O'Hara]], [[Larry Miller (comedian)|Larry Miller]], [[John Michael Higgins]], [[Jane Lynch]], and [[Jennifer Coolidge]] (4 projects each); [[Fran Drescher]] and [[Rob Reiner]] (3 projects each)

{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;font-size:100%;vertical-align:bottom"
|-
! rowspan=2 {{diagonal split header|Actor|Work}}
|-
! ''[[This Is Spinal Tap]]''!! ''[[The Big Picture (1989 film)|The Big Picture]]''!! ''[[Morton & Hayes]]''!! ''[[Attack of the 50 Ft. Woman (1993 film)|Attack of the 50 Ft. Woman]]''!! ''[[Waiting for Guffman]]''!! ''[[Almost Heroes]]''!! ''[[Best in Show (film)|Best in Show]]''!! ''[[A Mighty Wind]]''!! ''[[For Your Consideration (film)|For Your Consideration]]''!! ''[[Family Tree (TV series)|Family Tree]]''!! ''[[Mascots (2016 film)|Mascots]]''!! ''[[Spinal Tap II: The End Continues]]''
|-
! [[Bob Balaban]]
| || || || || {{ya}} || || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || {{ya}} ||
|-
! [[Ed Begley Jr.]]
| {{ya}} || || || || || || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || {{ya}} ||
|-
! [[Paul Benedict]]
| {{ya}} || || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || || || {{ya}}  || || || ||
|-
! [[Jennifer Coolidge]]
| || || || || || || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || || {{ya}} ||
|-
! [[Fran Drescher]]
| {{ya}} || {{ya}} || || || || || || || || || || {{ya}}
|-
! Christopher Guest
| {{ya}} || || {{ya}} || || {{ya}} || || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || {{ya}}
|-
! [[John Michael Higgins]]
| || || || || || || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || || {{ya}} || {{ya}}
|-
! [[Michael Hitchcock]]
| || || || || {{ya}} || || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || || {{ya}} ||
|-
! [[Eugene Levy]]
| || || || || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || || ||
|-
! [[Jane Lynch]]
| || || || || || || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || || {{ya}} ||
|-
! [[Michael McKean]]
| {{ya}} || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || || || || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || || {{ya}}
|-
! [[Larry Miller (comedian)|Larry Miller]]
| || || || || {{ya}} || || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || || ||
|-
! [[Catherine O'Hara]]
| || || {{ya}} || || {{ya}} || || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || || ||
|-
! [[Jim Piddock]]
| || || || || || || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || {{ya}} ||
|-
! [[Parker Posey]]
| || || || || {{ya}} || || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || || {{ya}} ||
|-
! [[Rob Reiner]]
| {{ya}} || || {{ya}} || ||  || || || || || || || {{ya}}
|-
! [[Harry Shearer]]
| {{ya}} || || || || || {{ya}} || || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || || {{ya}} || {{ya}}
|-
! [[Fred Willard]]
| {{ya}} || || || || {{ya}} || || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || {{ya}} || {{ya}} ||
|}

== Awards and nominations ==
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year !! Award !! Category !! Film !! Result
|-
| 1976 || [[Primetime Emmy Award]] || [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special|Outstanding Writing in a Comedy-Variety or Music Special]]<br /><small>Shared with [[Ann Elder]], [[Earl Pomerantz]], [[Jim Rusk]], [[Lily Tomlin]], [[Rod Warren]], [[George Yanok]]</small>|| ''[[The Lily Tomlin Special]]'' || {{won}}
|-
| 1995 || [[Fantasporto|International Fantasy Film Award]] || Best Film || ''[[Attack of the 50 Ft. Woman (1993 film)|Attack of the 50 Ft. Woman]]'' || {{nom}}
|-
| rowspan=3|1998 || rowspan=2|[[Independent Spirit Award]] || [[Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead|Best Male Lead]]|| rowspan="3" |''[[Waiting for Guffman]]'' || {{nom}}
|-
| [[Independent Spirit Award for Best Screenplay|Best Screenplay]]<br /><small>Shared with [[Eugene Levy]]</small> || {{nom}}
|-
| Lone Star Film & Television Award || Best Director || {{won}}
|-
| rowspan=5|2001 || [[DVD Exclusive Award]] || Best DVD Audio Commentary || ''[[This Is Spinal Tap]]'' || {{won}}
|-
| [[American Comedy Award]] || Funniest Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture || rowspan=4|''[[Best in Show (film)|Best in Show]]'' || {{nom}}
|-
| [[Golden Satellite Award]] || Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical || {{nom}}
|-
| [[Independent Spirit Award]] || [[Independent Spirit Award for Best Director|Best Director]]|| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Writers Guild of America Award]] || [[Writers Guild of America Award for Best Original Screenplay|Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen]]<br /><small>Shared with [[Eugene Levy]]</small> || {{nom}}
|-
| 2003 || Seattle Film Critics Award || Best Music<br /><small>Shared with [[John Michael Higgins]], [[Eugene Levy]], [[Michael McKean]], [[Catherine O'Hara]], [[Annette O'Toole]], [[Harry Shearer]], Jeffrey C. J. Vanston</small> || rowspan=2|''[[A Mighty Wind]]'' || {{won}}
|-
| 2004 || [[Grammy Award]] || [[Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media|Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media]]<br /><small>Shared with [[Eugene Levy]], [[Michael McKean]]</small><ref>{{cite web|title=46th Annual GRAMMY Awards|url=https://www.grammy.com/grammys/awards/46th-annual-grammy-awards|website=GRAMMY.com|access-date=November 11, 2017|language=en|date=January 15, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170624023504/https://www.grammy.com/grammys/awards/46th-annual-grammy-awards|archive-date=June 24, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> || {{won}}
|}

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{reflist|35em|refs=
<ref name=nytimes2019-12-14>{{cite news |first=Gus |last=Wezerek |title=The 'S.N.L.' Stars Who Lasted, and the Ones Who Flamed Out |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=2019-12-14 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/12/14/arts/television/SNL-history.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=2019-12-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191214233933/https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/12/14/arts/television/SNL-history.html |archive-date=2019-12-14 |url-status=live
|quote=Some of the names here will be familiar only to die-hard fans; others, like Murphy, defined what was funny for generations of viewers.}}</ref>
}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
* {{IMDb name}}
* {{Tcmdb name}}
* {{IBDB name}}
* {{iobdb name}}
* [http://film.guardian.co.uk/interview/interviewpages/0,6737,1118875,00.html "Nowt so queer as folk"]. ''[[The Guardian]]'' (UK). January 10, 2004. Richard Grant. Interview for release of ''A Mighty Wind''.
*{{Charlie Rose guest|99}} 
<!-- rm two interviews already cited above-->

{{s-start}}
{{s-media}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Brad Hall]]}}
{{s-ttl|title="[[Weekend Update]]" anchor|years=1984–1985}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Dennis Miller]]}}
{{s-reg|uk}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Peter Haden-Guest, 4th Baron Haden-Guest|Peter Haden-Guest]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Baron Haden-Guest]]|years=1996–present|lords=1996–1999}}
{{s-inc|heir=[[Nicholas Guest|Hon. Nicholas Haden-Guest]]|heir-type=Heir presumptive}}
{{s-end}}

{{Christopher Guest}}
{{Navboxes
|title = Awards for Christopher Guest
|list =
{{Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Song}}
{{EmmyAward VarietySpecialWriting}}
{{Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media}}
}}
{{Spinal Tap}}
{{Current barons in the Peerage of the United Kingdom}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Guest, Christopher}}
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