John C. McGinley
John C. McGinley
John Christopher McGinleyis an American actor, author and former comedian. He is most notable for his roles as Perry Cox in Scrubs, Bob Slydell in Office Space, Captain Hendrix in The Rock, Sergeant Red O'Neill in Oliver Stone's Platoon and Marv in Stone's Wall Street. He has also written and produced for television and film. Apart from acting, McGinley is also an author, a board member and international spokesperson for the Global Down Syndrome Foundation, and a spokesperson for the...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionActor
Date of Birth3 August 1959
CountryUnited States of America
If you watch 'E.T.' and say that there are holes in the story because this alien lands, then don't go to the movie! It drives me insane.
Turns out, Down syndrome is the most common genetic disorder, occurring once in every 800 births, and no one really knows why it happens. It just does.
A lot of things went incredibly well for 'Scrubs': from a ridiculous number of downloads on the iPods, to whenever they issue a new season on DVD it kinda sells out, and we got nominated for an Emmy. To be picked up for six years is all gravy, man.
You go see 'Timothy Green,' and tell me if it doesn't rock your world. I loved it. I loved every frame of it.
With Shakespeare, if you're not going to do the iambic pentameter, do some other play.
The idea for actors is to make a living telling stories, so if you can do that, then you're way ahead of the game.
My son, Max, was born the day Princess Di died.
Learn your lines.' I want that on my gravestone.
I got my Equity card from an audition out of Backstage. We did 'Guys and Dolls' and 'Kismet.'
I am a father. My son's name is Max and my daughter's name is Billie Grace. Twelve years ago Max was born with Down Syndrome. His journey has been complicated by infantile seizures, sleep apnea, dietary challenges and now, puberty!
I did an episode of 'Frasier' with my friend Kelsey Grammer once.
Dr. Cox mentors the rookie doctors with a spoonful of dirt and then a cup of sugar. I see him as an archetypal descendent of two of my favorite curmudgeonly characters: Lou Grant and Louie De Palma.
I did feel Dr. Cox, the character that I was auditioning for, was too similar to the head of the hospital. He was too arrogant and mean. I approached him kind of like I had a miniature Max sitting on my shoulder. I pictured Max saying, "This guy has got to give love every once in a while. He has to!" I knew there had to be tiny little windows of redemption.
You go to the hospital your wife's in labor and you're doing the thing, and then it's very disorienting and scary and you beat yourself up and you go through a whole period of 'woe is me' and then you realize that this a gift, this child is the light, and if you can nourish that light and just let it shine, you have an opportunity to get closer to what I think is God.