John C. McGinley
John C. McGinley | |
|---|---|
| File:Johnmcginley4x18.jpg John C. McGinley as Dr. Perry Cox | |
| Spouse(s) | Lauren Lambert (1997 - 2001) (divorced) 1 child Nichole Kessler (2007 - present) |
John Christopher McGinley (born August 3, 1959) is an American actor, producer and screenwriter.
Biography
Early life
McGinley, one of five children, was born in the Greenwich Village section of New York City to Patricia, a schoolteacher, and Gerald McGinley, a stockbroker.[1] His paternal great-grandfather was from Donegal, Ireland.[2] McGinley was raised in Millburn, New Jersey, and attended Millburn High School. He studied acting at Syracuse University, and later at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. Upon completing his education, McGinley did a variety of different work, including Off Broadway and Broadway productions, and a two year stint on the soap opera Another World.
Career
McGinley, also known as Johnny C. and sometimes credited as John McGinley, has had a prolific career, primarily as a supporting character actor. While working as John Turturro's understudy in John Patrick Shanley's 1984 production of Danny and the Deep Blue Sea he was noticed by a casting scout, which led to an audition for the role of Sergeant Red O'Neill in the Oscar-winning Platoon, although his first movie role was Alan Alda's Sweet Liberty (1986). He also was featured in a 1980s Subaru commercial. In 1986, McGinley appeared in a promo video for Megadeth's album Peace Sells.
That was followed the next year with Wall Street (1987), and again the next with Talk Radio (1988). McGinley wrote the script for 1990's Suffering Bastards, in which he also co-starred. He worked continually throughout the 1990s, appearing in films such as Se7en (1995), The Rock (1996), Nothing to Lose (1997) and Office Space (1999). In the latter film, McGinley improvised several takes about his character's affinity for Michael Bolton. Most recently, he had a role as Chuck in the film "Are We Done Yet?". He has also had a small role as a highway patrolman in the Touchstone Pictures film Wild Hogs.
McGinley received critical acclaim for his performance as a serial killer in Dean Koontz's suspense drama, Intensity (1997). It became Fox's highest-rated miniseries. He joined forces with Koontz and Fox once more in Sole Survivor (2000). In 2001, McGinley began his acclaimed work as a regular on the NBC sitcom Scrubs as the acerbic Dr. Perry Cox. His characterisation of Cox has been largely complimented by critics. He originally took the role to be closer to his son Max, who was born in 1997 with Down syndrome. McGinley has said that there are three things over the course of the series that he improvises: his constant usage of girls' names for J.D., which he does with all his real friends; the whistle, which he describes as "a bad habit"; and his habit of touching his nose, a tribute to Robert Redford character in The Sting; he says the gesture means "It's gonna be OK."[3]
McGinley has done some voiceover work on animated television series, including the superhero The Atom on several episodes of Justice League Unlimited, a guest appearance as "The White Shadow," the secret government agent overseeing Huey Freeman on The Boondocks, as well as the lead character in the upcoming video game Dead Head Fred for the Sony PSP.
Personal life
In February 1997, McGinley married Lauren Lambert and they had a child named Max, who was born that year, and has Down Syndrome. In December 2001, Lambert and McGinley divorced. In August 2006, McGinley became engaged to yoga instructor Nicole Kessler in Malibu, whom he had dated for two years. The couple were married on April 7,in a private ceremony at their home. 2007 Mary Jean Valente of "A Ceremony of the Heart", performed the intimate personal ceremony.[4][5]
He owns a stake in one of Billy Gilroy's New York SoHo bistros along with fellow actor Willem Dafoe.
In 2006, McGinley served as the national spokesperson for the National Down Syndrome Society's annual Buddy Walk[6] and wears a "Buddy Walk" bracelet on Scrubs.
McGinley was chosen as "Dad of the Month" at iParenting.com in October 2002.[7]
Filmography
- Platoon (1986)
- Wall Street (1987)
- Talk Radio (1988)
- Shakedown (1988)
- Prisoners of Inertia (1989)
- Born on the Fourth of July (1989)
- Suffering Bastards (1990)
- Point Break (1991)
- Highlander II: The Quickening (1991)
- Article 99 (1992)
- A Midnight Clear (1992)
- Hear No Evil (1993)
- Watch It (1993)
- On Deadly Ground (1994)
- Surviving the Game (1994)
- Wagons East (1994)
- Se7en (1995)
- The Rock (1996)
- Set It Off (1996)
- Flypaper (1997)
- Nothing to Lose (1997)
- The Pentagon Wars (1998)
- Office Space (1999)
- Any Given Sunday (1999)
- Three to Tango (1999)
- The Jack Bull (1999)
- Summer Catch (2001)
- The Animal (2001)
- Stealing Harvard (2002)
- Highway (2002)
- Identity (2003)
- Puff, Puff, Pass (2006)
- A.W.O.L (2006)
- Wild Hogs (2007)
- Are We Done Yet? (2007)
Television work
- Clinton and Nadine (1988)
- Frasier (1994)
- The Practice (1997)
- Intensity (1997)
- Clone High (2002, Voice of Doug Prepcourse)
- Justice League Unlimited (2004, Voice)
- American Dragon: Jake Long (2005, Voice)
- The Boondocks (2005, Voice)
- Kim Possible (2003, Voice of White Stripe)
- Scrubs (2001-present)
References
- ^ http://www.filmreference.com/film/29/John-C-McGinley.html
- ^ http://www.irishabroad.com/irishworld/irishamericamag/aprilmay05/features/art&entertainment.asp
- ^ Scrubs DVD special features
- ^ Scrubs Star John C. McGinley Gets Married retrieved April 9, 2007
- ^ http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20034051,00.html
- ^ "A Message from the Buddy Walk Spokesman" Retrieved March 21, 2007.
- ^ iParenting.com's Dedicated Dads: John C. McGinley. Retrieved March 21, 2007.
