John C. McGinley

John C. McGinley
source
Name	John C. McGinley
Caption	McGinley in 2013
Birth date	3 August 1959
Birth place	New York City, New York, U.S.
Alma mater	New York University (BFA), Syracuse University (MFA)
Occupation	Actor, producer
Years active	1984–present
Spouse	Lauren Lambert (m. 1997; div. 2012), Nicolle Wallace (m. 2019)

John C. McGinley is an American actor and producer renowned for his intense character portrayals across film and television. He gained widespread recognition for his role as the acerbic Dr. Perry Cox on the long-running NBC medical comedy-drama Scrubs. With a career spanning four decades, McGinley has delivered memorable performances in major films such as Platoon, Wall Street, and Office Space, often collaborating with director Oliver Stone.

Early life and education

John Christopher McGinley was born in New York City and raised in Millburn, New Jersey. He developed an interest in acting during his time at Millburn High School. McGinley pursued his undergraduate studies at New York University, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. He subsequently refined his craft at Syracuse University, where he received a Master of Fine Arts from the prestigious College of Visual and Performing Arts.

Career

McGinley's professional career began on the New York stage, performing in Off-Broadway productions. His film debut came with a small role in Oliver Stone's Platoon in 1986, beginning a fruitful collaboration with the director. He subsequently appeared in Stone's Wall Street, Born on the Fourth of July, Nixon, and Any Given Sunday. Throughout the late 1980s and 1990s, McGinley built a reputation as a versatile character actor in films like Point Break, Highlander II: The Quickening, The Rock, and Office Space. His television work includes guest roles on series such as The X-Files and a recurring part on NYPD Blue. His career-defining role came in 2001 when he was cast as Dr. Perry Cox on the ABC/NBC series Scrubs, a performance for which he received critical acclaim and multiple award nominations. Following the series' conclusion, he starred in the TNT drama Murder in the First and had a recurring role on the FX series Stan Against Evil. He has also provided voice work for animated projects like The Boondocks and video games including Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.

Personal life

McGinley married actress Lauren Lambert in 1997; they have two children together and divorced in 2012. In 2019, he married author and former White House Communications Director Nicolle Wallace. He is an active philanthropist, serving as a national spokesperson for the National Down Syndrome Society; his son was born with Down syndrome. McGinley is also an avid supporter of the USC Trojans football program and has been involved with the USC School of Cinematic Arts.

Filmography

A selected list of McGinley's film and television credits includes: * Platoon (1986) as Sergeant O'Neill * Wall Street (1987) as Marvin * Born on the Fourth of July (1989) as Official * Point Break (1991) as Ben Harp * The Rock (1996) as Captain Hendrix * Office Space (1999) as Bob Slydell * The Animal (2001) as Sisk * Scrubs (2001–2010) as Dr. Perry Cox * Identity (2003) as George York * Wild Hogs (2007) as Highway Patrol Officer * Get Smart (2008) as Analyst * The Boondocks (2008–2014) as Ed Wuncler Sr. (voice) * Burn Notice (2011) as Tom Card * Murder in the First (2014–2016) as Lieutenant Jim Koto * Stan Against Evil (2016–2018) as Sheriff Buck Fisher

Awards and nominations

For his role on Scrubs, McGinley received several accolades, including nominations for the Prism Award and the TV Land Award. He was also nominated for a Satellite Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries, or Television Film. His advocacy work with the National Down Syndrome Society has been recognized with humanitarian awards.

Category:American male film actors Category:American male television actors Category:People from Millburn, New Jersey Category:New York University alumni Category:Syracuse University alumni Category:1959 births Category:Living people