Christopher Haden-Guest, 5th Baron Haden-Guest (born February 5, 1948), known professionally as Christopher Guest, is an American and British 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 (2000), A Mighty Wind (2003), For Your Consideration (2006), and Mascots (2016). He also acted in the films Death Wish (1974), Little Shop of Horrors (1986), The Princess Bride (1987), and A Few Good Men (1992); and was a regular cast member on the 10th season of Saturday Night Live. Guest holds a hereditary British peerage as the 5th Baron Haden-Guest. He was active in the House of Lords until the 1999 reform abolished his seat. When using his title, he is normally styled as Lord Haden-Guest. Guest is married to the actress Jamie Lee Curtis. Description above from the Wikipedia article Christopher Guest, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
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Biography from TMDB.
- February 5, 1948 (78)
- New York City, New York, USA
- Actor, writer and director, also producer and composer
- 51 on MovieCove · 82 credits in all
Known for
What are Christopher Guest's films like?
Across their 41 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.
Genres
Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.
Themes
What they feel like to watch
Ironic 9 · Wry 6 · Earnest 24
Light 33 · Serious 5 · Dark 2
A split, not a type: Grounded 26 · Stylized 9 · Heightened 5
A split, not a type: Gentle 22 · Charged 14 · Intense 4
Steady 22 · Shifting 15 · Whiplash 3
Straight-faced 6 · Some laughs 12 · Funny 22
A split, not a type: Slow burn 24 · Even-paced 15 · Relentless 1
Casual 34 · Engaged 3 · Full focus 3
Easy watch 32 · Affecting 5 · Heavy 3
Resolved 39 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0
Roles they play
Usually the Trickster: 4 of 13 analyzed roles.
Show the 13 rolesHide the roles
- Tricksteras Eric in Girlfriends (1978)
- Tricksteras Nigel Tufnel in Spinal Tap: The Final Tour (1981)
- Allyas Bucky Frische in Million Dollar Infield (1982)
- Tricksteras Nigel Tufnel in This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
- Tricksteras Bob in Beyond Therapy (1987)
- Shadowas Count Rugen in The Princess Bride (1987)
- Allyas Nigel Tufnel in A Spinal Tap Reunion (1992)
- Heroas Nigel Tufnel in A Year and a Half in the Life of Metallica (1992)
- Shapeshifteras Corky St. Clair in Waiting for Guffman (1996)
- Heroas Corky St. Clair in Waiting for Guffman (1996)
- Mentoras Harlan Pepper in Best in Show (2000)
- Threshold guardianas Lord Cromer in Mrs. Henderson Presents (2005)
- Allyas Jay Berman in For Your Consideration (2006)
Moods and endings
- Happy13
- Bittersweet20
- Tragic1
- Ambiguous6
- Cyclical1
AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.
Where can I watch Christopher Guest's films?
As of October 24, 2026, 25 of their 51 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (7).
Subscription and free streaming for Christopher Guest's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.
Filmography
82 credits, 51 with a MovieCove page; 13 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.
Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films
Sunlight(2024)
Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films
Alok: Biology! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)
An SNL Thanksgiving (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)
A Virtual Princess Bride Reunion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)
Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films
Mascots(2016)
Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films
Family Tree(2013)
Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all shows
Her Master's Voice(2012)
Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films
The Invention of Lying(2009)
Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all filmsStonehenge: 'Tis a Magic Place (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)
Spinal Tap: Back from the Dead (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)
Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films
The Thick of It(2007)
Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
For Your Consideration(2006)
Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films
Ricky Gervais Meets... (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)
Mrs. Henderson Presents(2005)
Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films
A Mighty Wind(2003)
Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films
Jimmy Kimmel Live!(2003)
Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all shows
Ohh Nooo!!! Mr. Bill's Classics! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)
Best in Show(2000)
Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films
Catching Up with Marty DiBergi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)
The Early Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)
SpongeBob SquarePants(1999)
Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows
Dilbert(1999)
Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all shows
Small Soldiers(1998)
Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films
Almost Heroes(1998)
Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films
Waiting for Guffman(1996)
Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films
E! True Hollywood Story (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)
Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all films
Animaniacs(1993)
Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all shows
A Spinal Tap Reunion(1992)
Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films
A Few Good Men(1992)
Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Morton & Hayes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)
Partners in Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)
The Simpsons(1989)
Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows
The Big Picture(1989)
Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films
I, Martin Short, Goes Hollywood (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)
Sticky Fingers(1988)
Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films
The Princess Bride(1987)
Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films
Beyond Therapy(1987)
Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films
Little Shop of Horrors(1986)
Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films
Johnny Appleseed (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)
Billy Crystal: Don't Get Me Started (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)
Tall Tales & Legends (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)
Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
This Is Spinal Tap(1984)
Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all filmsClose Ties (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)
St. Elsewhere (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)
A Piano for Mrs. Cimino(1982)
Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films
Million Dollar Infield(1982)
Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Heartbeeps(1981)
Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films
Likely Stories Vol. 1 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)
Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films
B.C. Rock(1980)
Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films
The Long Riders(1980)
Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films
Haywire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)
The Last Word (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)
The T.V. Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)
Blind Ambition (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)
The Chevy Chase National Humor Test (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)
Girlfriends(1978)
Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all filmsHow to Survive the '70s and Maybe Even Bump Into Happiness (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)
Peeping Times (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)
Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films
The Andros Targets (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)
Laverne & Shirley (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)
Super Bowl(1976)
Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Saturday Night Live(1975)
Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all shows
Saturday Night Live with Howard Cosell (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)
The Fortune(1975)
Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films
Death Wish(1974)
Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films
Lemmings (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)
The Hot Rock(1972)
Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films
The Hospital(1971)
Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films
All in the Family(1971)
Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all shows
Spinal Tap at Stonehenge: The Final Finale (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
Career shape
Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 79 titles, 78 of them dated from 1971 to 2025; peak year 1986.
Biggest box office
Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009)
Highest rated
The Freddie Mercury Tribute: Concert for AIDS Awareness (1992)
Most popular right now
The Princess Bride (1987)
Film career
Peak 1986 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 6 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.
- 1972Screen debut· The Hot Rock
- 1984First top-billed film· This Is Spinal Tap
- 1984Breakout· This Is Spinal Tap
- 1984Career best· This Is Spinal Tap
- 2003Grammy Award win· A Mighty Wind
Billing
Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.
Awards
a Primetime Emmy and 2 other major awards from 9 major nominations, 1976–2010.
- Grammy Award, nominated · Best Comedy Album
- Grammy Award, won · Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
- Critics Choice Award, won · Best Song
- Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Screenplay
- Writers Guild Award, nominated · Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen
- Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Director
- Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Male Lead
- Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Screenplay
- Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Writing in a Comedy-Variety or Music Special
Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.
How do Christopher Guest's films land?
Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 71st percentile, the median of all 43; across their 40 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 76th percentile for acclaim.
- 75th and up25
- 50th to 74th13
- 25th to 49th6
- Below 25th7
Shape of the crowd
19 of their 51 titles are Crowd Pleasers.
- Universally Loved11
- Universally Panned1
- Divisive1
- Cult Classic3
- Crowd Pleaser19
- Broadly Agreed3
- Mixed13
Reviewers score the acting 72/100 in their films, across 30 reviewed titles; fans 82, detractors 44. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.
Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.
Is Christopher Guest's work okay for kids?
Across up to 16 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore and frightening / intense run lighter than most films.
Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.
Who does Christopher Guest work with?
People who share at least 2 of Christopher Guest's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Michael McKean shares the most, 14.
Directors
- Rob ReinerShared titles: Spinal Tap II: The End Continues (2025), A Few Good Men (1992), A Spinal Tap Reunion (1992), The Princess Bride (1987), This Is Spinal Tap (1984), Million Dollar Infield (1982), Spinal Tap: The Final Tour (1981)See all 7 shared titles with Rob Reiner
- Nina ContiShared titles: Sunlight (2024), Family Tree (2013), Her Master's Voice (2012)See all 3 shared titles with Nina Conti
Writers
- Michael McKeanShared titles: Spinal Tap II: The End Continues (2025), Family Tree (2013), The Old, Weird America: Harry Smith's Anthology of American Folk Music (2007), The Thick of It (2007), A Mighty Wind (2003), Best in Show (2000), Waiting for Guffman (1996), A Spinal Tap Reunion (1992), A Year and a Half in the Life of Metallica (1992), The Freddie Mercury Tribute: Concert for AIDS Awareness (1992), Amnesty International's Big 30 (1991), The Big Picture (1989) and 2 moreSee newest 12 of 14 shared titles with Michael McKean
- Harry ShearerShared titles: Spinal Tap II: The End Continues (2025), The Old, Weird America: Harry Smith's Anthology of American Folk Music (2007), For Your Consideration (2006), Saturday Night Live in the '80s: Lost & Found (2005), A Mighty Wind (2003), Waiting for Guffman (1996), A Spinal Tap Reunion (1992), A Year and a Half in the Life of Metallica (1992), The Freddie Mercury Tribute: Concert for AIDS Awareness (1992), This Is Spinal Tap (1984), Spinal Tap: The Final Tour (1981)See all 11 shared titles with Harry Shearer
- Eugene LevyShared titles: For Your Consideration (2006), A Mighty Wind (2003), Best in Show (2000), Almost Heroes (1998), Waiting for Guffman (1996), Martin Short: Concert for the North Americas (1985)See all 6 shared titles with Eugene Levy
- Jim PiddockShared titles: Mascots (2016), Family Tree (2013)See all 2 shared titles with Jim Piddock
Actors
- John Michael HigginsShared titles: Mascots (2016), The Thick of It (2007), For Your Consideration (2006), A Mighty Wind (2003), Best in Show (2000)See all 5 shared titles with John Michael Higgins
- Parker PoseyShared titles: Mascots (2016), For Your Consideration (2006), A Mighty Wind (2003), Best in Show (2000), Waiting for Guffman (1996)See all 5 shared titles with Parker Posey
- Fred WillardShared titles: Mascots (2016), For Your Consideration (2006), A Mighty Wind (2003), Waiting for Guffman (1996)See all 4 shared titles with Fred Willard
- Catherine O'HaraShared titles: For Your Consideration (2006), A Mighty Wind (2003), Best in Show (2000), Waiting for Guffman (1996)See all 4 shared titles with Catherine O'Hara
Composers, cinematographers and editors
- Robert LeightonShared titles: Family Tree (2013), For Your Consideration (2006), A Mighty Wind (2003), Best in Show (2000), A Few Good Men (1992), The Princess Bride (1987), This Is Spinal Tap (1984)See all 7 shared titles with Robert Leighton
- Roberto SchaeferShared titles: Family Tree (2013), The Thick of It (2007), For Your Consideration (2006), Best in Show (2000), Waiting for Guffman (1996)See all 5 shared titles with Roberto Schaefer
- CJ VanstonShared titles: Spinal Tap II: The End Continues (2025), Mascots (2016), For Your Consideration (2006), Best in Show (2000), Almost Heroes (1998)See all 5 shared titles with CJ Vanston
- Andrew DicklerShared titles: Loudon Wainwright III: Surviving Twin (2018), Mascots (2016), Family Tree (2013)See all 3 shared titles with Andrew Dickler
Producers
- Karen MurphyShared titles: Mascots (2016), Family Tree (2013), For Your Consideration (2006), A Mighty Wind (2003), Best in Show (2000), Waiting for Guffman (1996), This Is Spinal Tap (1984), Spinal Tap: The Final Tour (1981)See all 8 shared titles with Karen Murphy
- Andrew ScheinmanShared titles: A Few Good Men (1992), The Princess Bride (1987)See all 2 shared titles with Andrew Scheinman
- Jeffrey StottShared titles: A Few Good Men (1992), The Princess Bride (1987)See all 2 shared titles with Jeffrey Stott
- Steve NicolaidesShared titles: A Few Good Men (1992), The Princess Bride (1987)See all 2 shared titles with Steve Nicolaides
Mixed roles
- Catlin AdamsShared titles: Sticky Fingers (1988), The Fortune (1975)See all 2 shared titles with Catlin Adams
