Biography
The younger brother of famed writer Mary McCarthy, he served in the U.S. Air Force during WWII, toured in "Winged Victory," and reprised his stage role in the 1944 film. But McCarthy earned more attention for what was considered his feature acting debut - the role of the disillusioned son Biff in the 1951 screen adaptation of Arthur Miller's classic, "Death of a Salesman." Nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar, the actor seemed poised …
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Career Milestones
1938 | Made his Broadway debut in "Abe Lincoln in Illinois" |
1942 | Served in the US Air Force; achieved rank of sergeant |
1944 | Toured in "Winged Victory"; reprised role in the film version |
1949 | London stage debut, played Biff in Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman" |
1949 | Made TV debut playing Romeo in "Romeo & Juliet" on "Cameo Theatre" |
1951 | Earned a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination for playing Biff in the film version of "Death of a Salesman" |
1956 | Had perhaps best-known film role as Dr. Miles Bennel in "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" |
1959 | Replaced Henry Fonda as Jerry Ryan in "Two for the Seesaw" on Broadway; also toured with the show |
1960 | Played the title role in an episode of "The Twilight Zone" entitled "Long Live Walter Jameson" |
1960 | Starred on Broadway as Van Ackerman in "Advise and Consent" |
1969 | Debut as series regular on ABC's "The Survivors" |
1969 | TV-movie debut, "U.M.C." (CBS) |
1978 | Made cameo appearance in the remake of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" |
1980 | First playe Claude Weldon in the NBC movie "Flamingo Road" |
1980 | Reprised role of Claude Weldon in the NBC series version of "Flamingo Road" |
1983 | Cast as Beatrice Arthur's brother-in-law on the short-lived ABC sitcom "Amanda's" |
1984 | First screen collaboration with Joe Dante, "Twilight Zone - The Movie" |
1987 | First appeared as Harry Truman in the one-man show "Give 'Em Hell, Harry!" at the Pasadena Playhouse; later toured with the show |
1987 | Portrayed Barbara Hutton's father in the NBC miniseries "Poor Little Rich Girl" |
1992 | Co-starred in "The Distinguished Gentleman" |
1993 | Had uncredited role in the film-within-the-film in Joe Dante's "Matinee" |
1995 | Cast as Sol Siegel in the NBC miniseries "Liz: The Elizabeth Taylor Story"; in the same production McCarthy was portrayed by actor Patrick Robert Smith |
1996 | Was featured as a film director in the interactive CD-ROM "The Pandora Detective" |
1997 | Appeared in the HBO movie "The Second Civil War" |
2000 | Portrayed King Arthur in the stage play "Knights of the Round Table" |
2007 | Appeared as himself in the Anthony Hopkins film "Slipstream" |
Awards
1951 | Academy Award for Actor In a Supporting Role in Death of a Salesman |
1951 | Golden Globe Award for New Star Of The Year - Actor |