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Bruce McGill

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Bruce McGill
McGill in 2014
Born
Bruce Travis McGill

(1950-07-11) July 11, 1950 (age 74)
San Antonio, Texas, U.S.
Alma materUniversity of Texas at Austin (B.A., Drama)
OccupationActor
Years active1977–present
Spouse
Gloria Lee
​
(m. 1994)​

Bruce Travis McGill (born July 11, 1950) is an American actor. He worked with director Michael Mann in the films The Insider (1999), Ali (2001), and Collateral (2004). McGill's other notable film roles include Daniel Simpson "D-Day" Day in John Landis's Animal House, Sheriff Dean Farley in My Cousin Vinny, and Lt. Brooks in Ride Along and its sequel Ride Along 2.

Bruce McGill's television roles include Jack Dalton on MacGyver (1985–1992) and Det. Vince Korsak on Rizzoli & Isles (2010–2016). He also portrayed an older Captain Braxton in one episode of Star Trek: Voyager (1999) and voiced Lloyd Waterman, the owner of Waterman Cable, on The Cleveland Show (2009–2013). He played Ralph Houk in Billy Crystal's made-for-television film 61* (2001). In 2021, he had a recurring role in the NASCAR comedy series The Crew on Netflix.

Early life

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McGill was born in San Antonio, Texas, the son of Adriel "Squeaky" Rose (née Jacobs), an artist from San Antonio,[1] and Woodrow Wilson McGill, a real estate and insurance agent. His mother was Jewish.[2] He graduated from Douglas MacArthur High School in the northeastern part of San Antonio and from The University of Texas at Austin with a degree in drama. He is related to former Texas State Senator A. R. Schwartz.

Career

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Film work

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McGill has starred in many films, perhaps his most well-known role being "D-Day" in the 1978 comedy classic National Lampoon's Animal House,[3] a role McGill was desperate to take at the time, recalling his days as a young unemployed actor sitting in a New York City casting office. In Animal House, he played the William Tell Overture by drumming his fingers on his windpipe. He duplicated this talent in MacGyver, playing "Rock-The-Cradle" to lull a child in his care to sleep.

McGill is a favorite of director Michael Mann, having worked with him on three of his films: 1999's The Insider, 2001's Ali and 2004's Collateral. He has also appeared in four HBO TV films, first playing Yankees manager Ralph Houk in Billy Crystal's film 61* in 2001, then diplomat George Ball in the 2002 film Path to War; journalist Peter Arnett in Live from Baghdad later that year; and most recently Mac Stipanovich in the 2008 film Recount about the 2000 Presidential election in Florida. He portrayed CIA Director George Tenet in Oliver Stone's film W. and, most recently, in 2012, Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton in Steven Spielberg's Lincoln.

Television roles

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McGill with Sasha Alexander, Janet Tamaro, and Angie Harmon

McGill reprised his role as D-Day from National Lampoon's Animal House in the short-lived 1979 ABC TV Spinoff Delta House. His other television guest appearances range from Quantum Leap (in both the pilot and final episodes), Walker, Texas Ranger, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Crime Story, and Miami Vice in a 1985 episode as the featured character widely considered by critics to be the best Miami Vice episode of the series' run.(again, a Michael Mann production), to Star Trek: Voyager as Captain Braxton in the episode "Relativity". He also appeared multiple times as a regular guest star in MacGyver as the title character's comical best friend, soldier of fortune/bush pilot Jack Dalton. Echoing that role, McGill often plays friends of the lead character in film and television. In 1994 he made a guest appearance along with Jay Leno in the Emmy nominated TV series, Home Improvement.[4] He played Willard Cates in the short-lived series Wolf Lake. He was scheduled to join the cast of Bionic Woman in the fall of 2007.[5] He also voiced Agent Buford in the video game Mercenaries. In 2009, McGill appeared on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as Gordon Garrison, a zealously bigoted anti-immigration talk-show host who, after sparking a mini-riot in court, sets up the acquittal of the killer. McGill also appeared on ABC's 2010 TV show, No Ordinary Family.[6]

McGill also played Major Ed Ryan in the third season Babylon 5 episode "Severed Dreams" (which won the 1997 Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation). Babylon 5 producer J. Michael Straczynski originally intended for Everett McGill to play the role. However he did not know McGill's first name, so when he asked to have McGill contacted, Straczynski was asked if he meant Bruce McGill, to which he replied yes. Even though it became apparent to Straczynski when Bruce McGill met him to discuss the role that he was not the McGill Straczynski had in mind, Straczynski decided to use him instead.[7]

McGill also had a small role in a season 3 episode of Numb3rs as well as a season 3 episode of Psych.

McGill portrayed the character of veteran Boston Police Homicide Detective Vince Korsak on the TNT television crime drama, Rizzoli & Isles. The character of Korsak is the mentor and friend of Detective Jane Rizzoli, portrayed by Angie Harmon. Korsak saved Rizzoli's life from serial killer, Charles Hoyt. Korsak shot Hoyt's partner just before Hoyt was about to kill Rizzoli with a knife. In the episode "She Works Hard for the Money" (season 1 episode 4) Korsak is asked where he went to college. He responds "Didn't. Watched Animal House a few times."

McGill also had a recurring voice role on The Cleveland Show as Lloyd Waterman, the homosexual owner of Waterman Cable, where Cleveland Brown is employed as a cable installer.[8]

It was reported in February 2017 that he would guest star as a decorated Vietnam War veteran in the television series NCIS.[9]

McGill narrated the 2018 season of the Fox News documentary series Scandalous.[10]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1977 Handle with Care 'Blood'
1978 F.I.S.T. Hitman Uncredited
National Lampoon's Animal House Daniel Simpson 'D-Day' Day
1981 The Hand Brian Ferguson
1982 The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez Reporter Blakely
1983 Silkwood Mason 'Mace' Hurley
1985 Into the Night Charlie
1986 Wildcats Dan Darwell
No Mercy Lieutenant Hall
Club Paradise Dave, Jack's fireman buddy
1987 Waiting for the Moon Ernest Hemingway
End of the Line Billy Haney
The Secret of My Success W. Shaw Uncredited
1989 Three Fugitives Charlie
Out Cold Ernie
1991 The Last Boy Scout Mike Matthews
1992 My Cousin Vinny Sheriff Dean Farley
1993 Cliffhanger Treasury Agent
A Perfect World Paul Saunders
1994 Timecop Director Eugene Matuzak
1996 Black Sheep Neuschwander
Courage Under Fire McQuillan
1997 Rosewood Duke Purdy
Lawn Dogs Nash
1998 Letters from a Killer Brinker
Ground Control T.C. Bryant
1999 The Insider Ron Motley
A Dog of Flanders William the Blacksmith
2000 Deep Core Sam Dalton
The Legend of Bagger Vance Walter Hagen
2001 Exit Wounds Frank Daniels
Shallow Hal Reverend Larson
Ali Bradley
2002 The Sum of All Fears Gene Revell
2003 Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde Stanford 'Stan' Marks
Matchstick Men Chuck Frechette
Runaway Jury Judge Frederick Harkin
2004 Collateral FBI agent Frank Pedrosa
2005 Cinderella Man James Johnston
Elizabethtown Bill Banyon
Valley of the Heart's Delight Horace Walsh
Slow Burn Godfrey
2006 Outlaw Trail: The Treasure of Butch Cassidy Garrison
Behind Enemy Lines II: Axis of Evil General Norman T. Vance
2007 The Good Life Frank Jones
The Lookout Robert Pratt
2008 Vantage Point Phil McCullough
W. George Tenet
2009 Obsessed Joe Gage
From Mexico with Love Billy
The Perfect Game Mr. Tanner
Law Abiding Citizen District Attorney Jonas Cantrell
2010 Fair Game Jim Pavitt
2011 Apart Dr. Thomas Abner
2012 Me Again Earl 'Big Earl'
Lincoln Edwin Stanton
For Greater Glory Mark
FDR: American Badass! Louis
Unconditional Detective Miller
2014 Ride Along Lieutenant Brooks
2015 Run All Night Pat Mullen
2016 Ride Along 2 Lieutenant Brooks
2019 Waiting Game Mel Won for Best Actor at the Pasadena International Film Festival
The Best of Enemies Carvie Oldham
Poms Chief Carl
2020 The Big Ugly Milt, Preston's right-hand man
2021 American Underdog Jim Foster

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1979 Delta House Daniel Simpson 'D-Day' Day Spin-off of National Lampoon's Animal House
1981 A Whale for the Killing Glenn Television film
1985 Miami Vice Hank Weldon Episode: "Out Where the Buses Don't Run"
1985–1992 MacGyver Jack Dalton Recurring, 18 episodes
1986 As Summers Die V.D. Skinner Television film
1987 The Last Innocent Man Burt Matson Television film
The Man Who Fell to Earth Vernon Gage Television film
Crime Story Nathan Hill Episode: "Love Hurts"
1989 The Easter Story (Video short) (voice)
Hardball Dutch Episode: "Time Bomb"
Let's Get Mom Bruce Television film
Quantum Leap Ernie 'Weird Ernie' Episode: "Genesis" (Pilot)
1990 Goodnight Sweet Wife: A Murder in Boston O'Meara Television film
The Flockens Philip Flocken Television film
1991 Davis Rules Mike 2 episodes
Shoot First: A Cop's Vengeance Shifton Television film
The Perfect Tribute Lamon Television film
Tales from the Crypt Lou Paloma Episode: "The Trap"
1992 A Thousand Heroes Flight Engineer Dudley Dvorak Television film
1993 Quantum Leap Al the bartender Episode: "Mirror Image" (series finale)
Black Widow Murders: The Blanche Taylor Moore Story Morgan Television film
Walker, Texas Ranger Boone Waxwell 2 episodes
1995 Home Improvement Doug O'Brien Episode: "Brother, Can You Spare a Hot Rod?"
1996 Tracey Takes On... Michael Morris Daveen Episode: "Law"
Babylon 5 Major Ed Ryan Episode: "Severed Dreams"
1998 Everything That Rises Alan Jamison Television film[11]
1999 Tracey Takes On... Mr. Devine Episode: "Scandal"
Star Trek: Voyager Captain Braxton Episode: "Relativity"
2000 Running Mates Senator Mitchell Morris Television film
2001 Inside the Osmonds George Osmond
61* Ralph Houk
2001 The Ballad of Lucy Whipple Jonas Scatter
2002 Path to War George Ball
Live from Baghdad Peter Arnett
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Jimmy Tadero Episode "Felonious Monk" (S2E17)
2003 Justice League General McCormick Voice, episode: "Eclipsed"
2007 Numb3rs Austin Episode: "Contenders"
2008 Recount Mac Stipanovich Television film
2009 Psych Fire chief Dan Trombly Episode: "Earth, Wind and... Wait for It"
2009 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Gordon Garrison Episode: "Anchor"
2009–2013 The Cleveland Show Lloyd Waterman Voice, recurring role
2010–2016 Rizzoli & Isles Detective Vince Korsak Main cast
2010 No Ordinary Family Allan Crane Episode: "No Ordinary Visitors"
2010–2011 Family Guy Santa Claus, John Williams Voice, 2 episodes
2012 The Good Wife Jeremy Breslow Episode: "A Defense of Marriage"
2013 The Ultimate Guide to the Presidents Narrator Miniseries
2016 Blue Bloods Rick 'Big Rick' Wolf Episode: "Unbearable Loss"
2017 NCIS Henry Rogers Episode: "The Wall"
MacGyver Detective Greer Episode: "Bullet & Pen"
2018 Suits Stanley Gordon Recurring role; Season 7
Scandalous Narrator
Shades of Blue Jordan Ramsey Recurring role; 9 episodes
2019 High & Tight Jerry McMillan Television film
The I-Land Warden Wells Miniseries
2021 The Crew Bobby Spencer Recurring role; 4 episodes
2022 Reacher Mayor Grover Teale Recurring; Season 1
2022 Buried in Barstow Von Television film
2023 Love & Death Judge Tom Ryan

Awards and nominations

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Year Nominated work Award Category Result
2013 Lincoln Gold Derby Awards Ensemble Cast Nominated
2019 Waiting Game Pasadena International Film Festival Best Actor Won

References

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  1. ^ "Meet the 'Animal House' Actor From Donald Trump's First Major Commercial". The Forward. August 19, 2016. Retrieved March 8, 2022.
  2. ^ "Bruce McGill Biography (1950–)". Archived from the original on October 7, 2008.
  3. ^ "Biography for Bruce McGill". Turner Classic Movies. Archived from the original on April 2, 2018. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
  4. ^ ""Home Improvement" The Complete Fourth Season DVD Review". Archived from the original on August 17, 2009.
  5. ^ "New Cast Members For 'Bionic,' 'Club' | Linda Park and Bruce McGill will do time on freshman dramas". Zap2it. August 2, 2007. Archived from the original on October 13, 2007.
  6. ^ Keck, William (September 10, 2010). "No Ordinary Family Books Cybill Shepherd... and Bruce!". TV Guide. Archived from the original on September 3, 2010. Retrieved March 8, 2022.
  7. ^ J. Michael Straczynski, commentary on DVD for episode Severed Dreams.
  8. ^ List of The Cleveland Show characters
  9. ^ Mitovich, Matt Webb (February 24, 2017). "NCIS: Bruce McGill to Guest-Star as Decorated Vietnam War Veteran". TVLine. Archived from the original on March 31, 2017. Retrieved March 31, 2017.
  10. ^ "Scandalous". Fox News. Archived from the original on November 15, 2018. Retrieved December 4, 2018.
  11. ^ Richmond, Ray (July 9, 1998). "Everything That Rises". variety.com. Archived from the original on May 14, 2018. Retrieved May 13, 2018.
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