Award-winning American actor Peter MacNicol was born on April 10, 1954 in Dallas, Texas. He began acting when he was still a student at the University of Dallas, and later, at the University of Minnesota, during which he performed in productions staged at the nearby Guthrie Theater. After being discovered by a talent agent, he moved to Manhattan, where he starred in the off-Broadway production of Crimes of the Heart. The play later moved to Broadway, and he won the Theater World Award in 1981.
MacNicol’s first acting accolades were mostly centered on the stage, with his performances in productions such as All the King’s Men, Black Comedy/White Lies, Twelfth Night, Richard II, Found a Peanut and Rum and Coke being acclaimed by critics. At around the same time, though, he began acting for film, first appearing in the 1981 fantasy release Dragonslayer. The following year, he starred in the breakout film role, as young writer Stingo in the Oscar-winning drama Sophie’s Choice. He has since appeared in other films such as Ghostbusters II, Heat and Addams Family Values.
MacNicol was also playing small roles on television, culminating in regular roles on the short-lived sitcom The Powers That Be and the popular medical drama Chicago Hope. However, he became more popular with audiences when he took on a role in the successful series Ally McBeal. His portrayal of eccentric lawyer John Cage earned him an Emmy for Best Supporting Actor in 2001.
Despite appearing in other films, such as Breaking All The Rules and Behind the Curtain, MacNicol is now more recognizable for his television roles. After providing the voices for characters in Danny Phantom, Justice League and Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law, he signed on to play physics professor Larry Fleinhardt in the procedural drama Numb3rs. He has also taken a role in the action series 24, playing White House Chief of Staff Tom Lennox, who convinced Wayne Palmer (D.B. Woodside) to run for president.
-Peter was nominated at the Screen Actors Guild Awards for 'Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series', for Ally McBeal in 1999, 2000 and 2001. He won 'Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series', with the cast of Ally McBeal in 1999. The cast was also nominated for that award in 2000 and 2001.
-Peter was nominated to receive a Golden Satellite Award for 'Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Comedy or Musical' for Ally McBeal in 2003.
-Peter won an Emmy Award for 'Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series', for Ally McBeal in 2001. He was nominated for the same award in 1999 and 2000.
On his character on 'Numb3rs')
-This character is very mysterious. He's a little bit Yoda, a little bit [physicist] Richard Feynman, a little bit Dr. Watson. It was probably the third in a series of people [I've portrayed] who I would call a wise fool. It's appealing in that I don't know what is going on with this character. I don't understand his precise function in the story.
(about his role in the film, "Bean")
-I play the person who exists to have his life destroyed by Mr. Bean. My character happens to be the curator of a heavily endowed art museum. But he's actually just the picnic to which Mr. Bean brings the ptomaine and salmonella.
-Acting is about covering up traces of who you are and just being the character. I think it's easier to accept people in roles if you don't know a lot about them.