Christopher McDonald

Christopher McDonald

McDonald at 2011 Tribeca Film Festival
Born (1955-02-15) February 15, 1955[1]
New York City, New York, U.S.
Occupation Actor
Years active 1978–present

Christopher McDonald (born February 15, 1955) is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Darryl Dickinson in Thelma & Louise (1991), Shooter McGavin in Happy Gilmore (1996), Ward Cleaver in the film adaptation of Leave It to Beaver (1997), Tappy Tibbons in Requiem for a Dream (2000), and Mel Allen in the HBO film 61* (2001).

Early life

McDonald was born in New York City, the son of Patricia, a nursing professor and real estate agent, and James R. McDonald, an educator and high school principal.[2][3][4] He is of Irish descent.[5][6] He was raised in Romulus, New York, and is a graduate of Hobart College in Geneva, New York. He played football and soccer for Hobart.

Career

McDonald has numerous film and television roles, often as a supporting actor and often portraying villains. In addition to the above, his credits also include Grease 2, Breakin', Where the Boys Are '84, The Boys Next Door, Thelma & Louise, Grumpy Old Men, Celtic Pride, Quiz Show, Flubber, The Faculty, The Perfect Storm, House Arrest, Dirty Work, American Pie 5: The Naked Mile, Broken Flowers, and Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams. He was featured as Ward Cleaver in the movie version of Leave It to Beaver and famous baseball broadcaster Mel Allen in 61*. In 1994, he starred in the film Terminal Velocity as an aggressive Russian mafia villain. He appeared on The Dating Game in 1978 as one of the three bachelors, but was one of the two who was not chosen for the date.

In television, along with recurring roles on the television series Family Law, North Shore, Veronica's Closet, Good Advice, and Harry's Law, McDonald has also made guest appearances on Cheers, Riptide, Knight Rider, The Sopranos, Psych, both the 1985 and the 2002 versions of The Twilight Zone, Home Improvement, Las Vegas, the Law & Order franchise, Stargate Universe, and Star Trek: The Next Generation as Lt. Richard Castillo in the season 3 episode "Yesterday's Enterprise".

McDonald's voice work includes the determined government agent Kent Mansley in the animated film The Iron Giant. He also voiced Jor-El in Superman: The Animated Series and subsequently an older version of Superman in Batman Beyond. He has recalled great affection for these roles, saying that he enjoyed them because he was (and continues to be) such a fan of Superman and because they were in such contrast to the less than sympathetic onscreen roles for which he is known. He subbed for Burt Reynolds as Boss Hogg in The Dukes of Hazzard: The Beginning. In 2009, McDonald also lent his voice talents in the Thomas Nelson audio Bible production known as The Word of Promise. In this dramatized audio, McDonald played the characters of Luke the Evangelist.[7][8]

McDonald played the eponymous lead in Peter Gabriel's music video for the song "The Barry Williams Show". He also replaced Robert De Niro in the Midnight Run movie franchise, playing Jack Walsh in three films: Another Midnight Run, Midnight Runaround, and Midnight Run for Your Life. He portrayed baseball player Joe DiMaggio in the ESPN original series The Bronx Is Burning. In October 2013, McDonald started filming for A Conspiracy on Jekyll Island.[9] The film is set to release in 2016.[10]

McDonald appears in the Broadway show The Front Page at the Broadhurst Theater.[11]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1980 The Hearse Pete
1982 Grease 2 Goose McKenzie
1984 Where the Boys Are '84 Tony
Breakin' James
The Black Room Terry
Chattanooga Choo Choo Alex O'Donnell
1985 The Boys Next Door Detective Mark Woods
1987 Outrageous Fortune George
1988 Cool Blue Peter Sin
Paramedics Mad Mike
1989 Chances Are Louie Jeffries
1990 Playroom Chris
1991 Thelma & Louise Darryl Dickinson
Dutch Reed Standish
Wild Orchid II: Two Shades of Blue Senator Dixon
1993 Cover Story Sam Sparks
Benefit of the Doubt Dan
Conflict of Interest Mickey Flannery
Fatal Instinct Frank Kelbo
Bums Sgt. Andrew Holloman
Grumpy Old Men Mike
1994 Roadflower Glen Lerolland
Monkey Trouble Tom
Terminal Velocity Kerr
Quiz Show Jack Barry
1995 My Teacher's Wife Roy Mueller
Best of the Best 3: No Turning Back Jack Banning
Fair Game Lieutenant Meyerson
1996 Jaded Jack Carlson
Unforgettable Stewart Gleick
Celtic Pride Coach Kimball
House Arrest Donald Krupp
The Rich Man's Wife Tony Potenza
Happy Gilmore Shooter McGavin
1997 Leave It to Beaver Ward Cleaver
A Smile Like Yours Richard Halstrom
Flubber Wilson Croft
Lawn Dogs Morton Stockard
Into Thin Air: Death on Everest Jon Krakauer
1998 Divorce: A Contemporary Western Tony
The Eighteenth Angel Hugh Stanto
SLC Punk! Mr. Levy
Dirty Work Travis Cole
The Faculty Mr. Connor
1999 Five Aces Ash Gray
The Iron Giant Kent Mansley Voice role
Gideon Alan Longhurst
2000 Magicians Jake
Takedown Mitch Gibson
The Skulls Martin Lombard
Isn't She Great Brad Bradburn
Requiem for a Dream Tappy Tibbons
The Perfect Storm Todd Gross
2001 The Theory of the Leisure Class Buddy Barnett
The Man Who Wasn't There Macadam Salesman
61* Mel Allen
2002 Speakeasy Dr. Addams
Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams President of the United States
Children on Their Birthdays Speedy Thorne
2003 Grind Mr. Rivers
Without a Trace Bob Carroll
2005 The L.A. Riot Spectacular Officer Koon
Rumor Has It... Roger McManus
Broken Flowers Ron Anderson
2006 Funny Money Vic Johnson
American Pie Presents: The Naked Mile Harry Stifler
2007 The Dukes of Hazzard: The Beginning Jefferson Davis 'Boss' Hogg
Kickin' It Old Skool Marty Schumacher
My Sexiest Year Adult Jake
Awake Dr. Larry Lupin
American Pie Presents: Beta House Harry Stifler
2008 Mad Money Bryce Arbogast
Superhero Movie Lou Landers / Hourglass
Summerhood Assistant Director
Player 5150 Tony
The House Bunny Dean Simmons
An American Carol Lab Supervisor
2009
Law & Order John Jay McIntyre
Fanboys Big Chuck
Spooner Dennis Spooner
Reunion Eamon
Deep in the Valley Diamond Jim
Splinterheads Sargeant Bruce Mancuso
Middle Men George Harris
2010 Black Widow Steve
Barry Munday Dr. Preston Edwards
Ben 10: Ultimate Alien Captain Nemesis
The Best and the Brightest The Player
2011 Adventures of Serial Buddies Father Christopher
Lemonade Mouth Stanley Brenigan
Cat Run Bill Kreb
2012 The Collection Mr. Peters
Not Fade Away Jack Dietz
2013 Body of Proof Gerry Roberts
2014 About Last Night Casey McNeil
Believe Me Ken
2015 Exposed Lt. Galway
Don't Worry Baby Harry Lang
The Squeeze Riverboat
Zipper Peter Kirkland
2016 Jekyll Island Del Banco In post-production

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1982 Cheers Rick Walker Episode: "Endless Slumper"
1990 Star Trek: The Next Generation Lt. Richard Castillo Episode: "Yesterday's Enterprise"
1991–92 Walter & Emily Matt Collins 13 episodes
1993–94 Good Advice Joey DeRuzza
1994 Another Midnight Run Jack Walsh Movie
1994 Midnight Runaround Jack Walsh Movie
1994 Midnight Run for Your Life Jack Walsh Movie
1995 The Tuskegee Airmen Major Sherman Joy Movie
1996 Superman: The Animated Series Jor-El 3 episodes
1999–2002 Family Law Rex Weller 68 episodes
2000 Batman Beyond Superman 2 episodes
2001 61* Mel Allen Movie
2006–11 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Evan Corman 2 episodes
2007 The Sopranos Eddie Dunne Episode: "Stage 5"
2007 The Bronx Is Burning Joe DiMaggio Miniseries
2009–10 Stargate Universe Sen. Alan Armstrong 3 episodes
2010–12 Boardwalk Empire Harry M. Daugherty 7 episodes
2011–12 Harry's Law Thomas "Tommy" Jefferson 32 episodes
2012–13 Happy Endings Mr. Kerkovich 2 episodes
2013–14 Kirstie Mr. Sheppard 3 episodes
2014 Beware the Batman Harvey Dent 8 episodes; voice role
2014 Regular Show Carl Putter Episode: "Daddy Issues"; voice role
2015–16 The Good Wife Judge Don Schakowsky 7 episodes in season 7
2016 Ballers Dallas Cowboys Owner 2 episodes in season 2

References

External links

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