Born on August 3, 1959 in New York City, New York, John C. McGinley is an actor best known for his role on the hit NBC medical comedy Scrubs. He has a special link with director Oliver Stone, having appeared in six of his films, most notable of which is Platoon. Growing up to a school teacher and a stockbroker, McGinley’s great-grandfather was from Ireland. He grew up in Millburn, New Jersey and subsequently attended Millburn High School, where he played for the school’s football team. This actor has certainly done his professors and mentors at Syracuse University and NYU’s Tisch School of Arts proud. When he was 20, he worked as a ball spotter at the 1980 U.S. Open.
As with most actors, John C. McGinley, fondly known as “Johnny C.” by his fellow actors, started out his career on theater by doing Off Broadway and Broadway productions. He was noticed by a casting scout during the production of Danny and the Deep Blue See in 1984 as John Turturro’s understudy.
McGinley first came into view when he starred in Oliver Stone’s Oscar-winning Platoon in 1986. He went on to appear in more feature films, such as Sweet Liberty in 1986, Wall Street in 1987, and Talk Radio in 1988. In the next twenty years, he would continue to appear in many more blockbusters, he had guest roles in movies like the rock playing one of the mercenaries on the prison often as part of the supporting cast. In 1997, he gained a starring role in the Fox miniseries Intensity. The role earned him critical acclaim. Four years later, McGinley snatched a starring role on NBC’s comedy series Scrubs, where he plays the role of Dr. Perry Cox, a resident doctor at Sacred Heart Hospital who spares no time in keeping the interns on their feet.
New York City, New York, USA
John Christopher McGinley
Spouse:
Nichole Kessler (7 April 2007 - present)
Lauren Lambert (February 1997 - December 2001) (divorced)
His son, Max, born in 1997 has Down's Syndrome. John took his TV role in "Scrubs" (2001) so he could stay close to home to be with him.
Co-owned a restaurant with fellow Platoon (1986) star, Willem Dafoe called "Match", in New York City.
He was on a celebrity version of "American Gladiators" (1989).
Had to audition five times for his role in "Scrubs" (2001).
Lives in a four-bedroom beachside home in Malibu, California.
He is a good friend of John Cusack.
Describes Dr. Cox, his character on "Scrubs" (2001), as "a hard-ass with a heart of gold" in the tradition of Danny DeVito's Louie DiPalma on "Taxi" (1978) and Edward Asner's Lou Grant on "Mary Tyler Moore" (1970). Many of his co-stars say the same of him, that while he may seem intimidating at first he is very talented and great to work with.
Became engaged to yoga teacher, Nichole Kessler, on August 19, 2006.
Daughter, Billie Grace McGinley, born 2 February 2008, weighing 8 lbs and 21 inches long.
1986. Platoon
1987. Wall Street
1988. Talk Radio
1988. Shakedown
1989. Prisoners of Inertia
1989. Born on the Fourth of July
1989. Fat Man and Little Boy
1990. Suffering !$#!#s
1991. Point Break
1991. Highlander II: The Quickening
1992. Article 99
1992. Cruel Doubt
1992. A Midnight Clear
1993. Hear No Evil
1993. Watch It (film)
1994. On Deadly Ground
1994. Surviving the Game
1994. Car 54, Where Are You?
1994. Wagons East!
1994. The Last Outlaw
1995. Se7en
1995. Nixon
1996. The Rock
1996. Set It Off
1997. Flypaper
1997. Intensity
1997. Nothing to Lose
1998. The Pentagon Wars
1998. Target Earth
1999. Office Space
1999. Any Given Sunday
1999. Three to Tango
1999. The Jack Bull
2000. Sole Survivor
2000. Get Carter
2001. Summer Catch
2001. The Animal
2002. Stealing Harvard
2002. Highway
2003. Identity
2006. Puff, Puff, Pass
2006. A.W.O.L.
2007. Wild Hogs
2007. Are We Done Yet?
[on how he memorizes his lines and prepares for his roles] I go downstairs and don't come up from there until I get that stuff hammered in my skull, until I can do it water skiing or jumping out of a plane. It's all about the text, flushing it out, to excavate, to really get in there and see what falls through your fingers.
[on why he feels he never landed a role as a TV series regular until "Scrubs" (2001)] With my dorky head, I guess I just wasn't handsome enough. I'd do the audition but never hear back. TV tends to look for the living equivalents of squeaky-clean Kens and Barbies, but with my dial I'm more like Ken's dirty old uncle.
[on talking to his Any Given Sunday (1999) costar, Al Pacino] When Johnny [John Cusack] and I were shooting The Jack Bull (1999) (TV) in Calgary, he told me just to go up and knock on Al's trailer door. That's the secret of talking to him. If no one knocks on his door, he stays closeted up by himself. It really worked. I spent a lot of time talking to Al.