John's path to stardom is a story that reads like a classic Hollywood script. While an understudy in New York in the Circle-In-The-Square production of John Patrick Shanley's "Danny and the Deep Blue Sea," he was spotted by director Oliver Stone and soon after was cast in Platoon (1986), the first of a long list of collaborations between Stone and McGinley which includes Wall Street (1987), Conversations nocturnes (1988), Né un quatre juillet (1989), Nixon (1995) and L'enfer du dimanche (1999).
He has received rave reviews for his work in NBC's Emmy-nominated medical comedy series, Scrubs (2001) - now in production on its seventh and final season. TV Guide proclaimed, "The young cast is appealing, but McGinley steals the show as the mercurial doctor who deep down actually gives a damn. So will you." And the San Francisco Chronicle glowed, "If [McGinley] doesn't win the Emmy for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy, I'm going to bring the smack-down to the Emmy voters."
John C. relishes the chance to portray the gruff, worldly 'Dr. Perry Cox' on Scrubs (2001). "As an actor, it's great to play a strong leader with a heart of gold," he offers. "Dr. Cox mentors the rookie doctors with a spoonful of dirt and then a cup of sugar. I see him as an archetypal descendant of two of my favourite curmudgeonly characters: Lou Grant and Louie De Palma."
Most recently, John C. starred opposite Ice Cube in Sony/Revolution Studios' feature, Are We Done Yet? (2007), the sequel to the hit comedy On arrive quand? (2005), Are We Done Yet? (2007) picks up as the family moves from the big city to the suburbs for an idyllic life. A house renovation leads to chaos, particularly when the enthusiastic and larger-than-life real estate agent/neighbour/contractor 'Chuck Mitchell, Jr.' (John C.) who is hired to work on the home, clashes with Ice Cube's character but bonds with his wife and kids. Of John C.'s performance, The New York Times proclaimed, "....a marvellous John C. McGinley, playing a dodgy jack-of-all-trades with the kind of energy that forces other actors to step up their game. He is so good. He redeems his character through acting skill alone."
John C. voiced the main character in Dead Head Fred (2007), an original PSP (PlayStation) game featuring dark humour and a violent portrayal of revenge and redemption. John C. will bring to life 'Fred Neuman,' a private detective savagely murdered and then resurrected in a bizarre scientific experiment without his memory or his head.
John C.'s impressive career in film spans a diverse range of characters in over sixty features to date. He has also appeared in such features as Bande de sauvages (2007), Identity (2003), Animal! L'animal... (2001), Rock (1996), Rien à perdre (1997), Le prix à payer (1996), Seven (1995), 35 heures, c'est déjà trop (1999), _Mother_, Pionniers malgré eux (1994), Que la chasse commence! (1994), Terrain miné (1994), Point Break - Extrême limite (1991), Highlander - Le retour (1991), Section 44 (1992) and Les maîtres de l'ombre (1989).
John C. has a solid commitment to the independent film community as well as the studio system. He appeared in director Eriq La Salle's Crazy as Hell (2002) and director Scott Silver's Johns (1996). He also worked on La dernière cavale (1997), Kiefer Sutherland's feature directorial debut; and on _Colin Fitz Lives (1997)_ qv), a film John C. co-produced which premiered in competition at the 1997 Sundance Film Festival. He recently starred in director D.B. Sweeney's independent feature, Two Tickets to Paradise (2006), which is currently receiving raves on the festival circuit. For his performance in the later film, John C. was awarded Method Fest's Festival Director's Award, which is awarded for special recognition/excellence in film.
He is a partner at McGinley Entertainment Inc., an independent film production company with several projects currently in development. John C. first worked both sides of the camera, serving double duty as actor and producer for the romantic comedy Watch It (1993) (with Peter Gallagher and Lili Taylor).
For television, he received stunning reviews for his starring role in Dean R. Koontz's gripping and highly rated 1997 suspense drama, Intensity (1997), a four-hour original film for FOX-TV. Of his performance, the New York Times stated, "John C. McGinley plays 'Vess' with effective cold-blooded menace. It is McGinley, in a strong, low-key performance, who emerges as the film's secret weapon. His face is familiar from many movie roles where his guy-next-door looks have made him a natural sidekick. As the murderer with the unlikely name 'Edgler Vess,' he uses that regular-guy demeanour to make the character especially chilling."
