Biography
Trained on the stages of the revered Guthrie Theater and proven on Broadway, the actor's screen debut came with a starring role in the fondly remembered fantasy film "Dragonslayer" (1981). However, he truly came to the attention of both audiences and critics as the odd-man-out in the doomed triangle of the heart-wrenching drama "Sophie's Choice" (1982), opposite Kevin Kline and Oscar-winner Meryl Streep. MacNicol later gave his comic instincts …
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Career Milestones
| Performed at the New York Shakespeare Festival, playing the title role in "Richard II"; also appeared in "Romeo and Juliet" and "Twelfth Night" | ||
| Raised in Dallas, TX | ||
| Worked in regional theater including "Another Country" at the Long Wharf, "Tartuffe" at Alaska Rep, and "All the King's Men" at the Dallas Theater Center | ||
| Worked two seasons at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, MN | ||
1963 | Acted for the first time at age nine; played a statue of St. Peter in a play (date approximate) | |
1980 | Made NYC stage debut in the off-Broadway production of Beth Henley's "Crimes of the Heart"; recreated role on Broadway | |
1980 | Moved to New York City | |
1981 | Feature film debut as the star of the fantasy adventure "Dragonslayer" | |
1982 | Landed breakthrough movie role as Stingo, a playwright enamored of the title character (Meryl Streep) in "Sophie's Choice" | |
1986 | TV-movie debut, "Johnny Bull" (ABC), starring Jason Robards and Colleen Dewhurst, and directed by Claudia Weill; developed at the National Playwrights Conference of the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center | |
1989 | Played a major supporting role as an art restorer with an impenetrable accent in the popular genre sequel "Ghostbusters II" | |
1992 | Made TV series debut as a regular, playing a U.S. Senator's press aide on the Norman Lear-produced sitcom "The Powers That Be" (NBC) | |
1993 | Guest starred on "Cheers" (NBC) | |
1993 | Offered an hilarious turn as a peppy camp counselor (teamed on screen with Christine Baranski) in "Addams Family Values" | |
1994 | Returned to regular series work as hospital attorney Alan Birch on the David E. Kelley-produced medical drama "Chicago Hope" (CBS); asked to leave show after only one season; Kelley had character murdered in a surprise twist | |
1995 | Played Renfield to Leslie Nielsen's Transylvanian bloodsucker in Mel Brooks' spoof "Dracula: Dead and Loving It" | |
1997 | Co-starred as a harried museum curator who mistakens a bumbling security guard (Rowan Atkinson) for an art expert in the boisterous comedy "Bean" | |
1997 | Joined cast of the hit Fox series "Ally McBeal" as law firm head John 'Biscuit' Cage; earned Emmy nominations in 1999, 2000 and 2001 | |
1998 | Made TV directorial debut with an episode of "Ally McBeal" (Fox) | |
1999 | Voiced the title snowman in "Snowden's Christmas" (CBS) and Fido in "Olive the Other Reindeer" (Fox) | |
2001 | Appeared in the PBS production "The Ponder Heart" | |
2003 | Voiced X, the Eliminator on the animated series "Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law" | |
2005 | Cast as Dr. Larry Fleinhardt on "Numb3rs" (CBS) | |
2007 | Joined the cast of Fox's "24" as a high-ranking government official | |
2010 | Landed recurring role on ABC medical drama "Grey's Anatomy" | |
2012 | Cast in featured role in the sci-fi action feature "Battleship" | |
2012 | Portrayed John McCain's campaign manager Rick Davis in HBO's "Game Change" | |
Awards
1995 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in Chicago Hope |
1996 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in Chicago Hope |
1998 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series in Ally McBeal |
1999 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in Ally McBeal |
1999 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series in Ally McBeal |
1999 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series in Ally McBeal |
2000 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in Ally McBeal |
2000 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series in Ally McBeal |
2000 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series in Ally McBeal |
2001 | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in Ally McBeal |
2001 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series in Ally McBeal |
2001 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series in Ally McBeal |