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Ted McGinley

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Ted McGinley
McGinley in 2016
Born
Theodore Martin McGinley

(1958-05-30) May 30, 1958 (age 66)
Newport Beach, California, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1980–present
Known for
Spouse
​
(m. 1991)​
Children2

Theodore Martin McGinley[1] (born May 30, 1958)[2] is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Jefferson D'Arcy on the television sitcom Married... with Children and as Charley Shanowski on the ABC sitcom Hope & Faith. He was a late regular on Happy Days, Dynasty and The Love Boat and is known for playing the villainous role of Stan Gable in the film Revenge of the Nerds and several made-for-television sequels.

Early life

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McGinley was born and raised in Newport Beach, California.[1] His paternal grandfather was an Irish immigrant.[3] He played on the water polo team at Newport Harbor High School.[4] McGinley attended the University of Southern California, but after pursuing work as a model, dropped and moved to New York in 1979.[5]

Career

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After a casting director spotted a picture of him in GQ,[6] McGinley was cast on the comedy series Happy Days as Roger Phillips (nephew of the Cunninghams), a role he played from 1980 to 1984. During the run of Happy Days, he landed a role in the comedy film Young Doctors in Love (1982).[6]

After Happy Days ended in 1984, McGinley appeared in Revenge of the Nerds where he played Stanley Gable, the head of the jock-run Alpha Beta fraternity and the primary antagonist of the Lambda Lambda Lambda nerd fraternity; he reprised the role in the third and fourth films in the "Nerds" franchise, both produced for television. He went on to appear in regular roles on television series including The Love Boat and Dynasty.[7] He then played the role of Al Bundy's best friend Jefferson D'Arcy on Married... with Children from 1991 to 1997, describing it as a "great, great gig."[8] He had recurring roles on Aaron Sorkin's television series Sports Night as Dana's boyfriend Gordon, and The West Wing as a television news anchor. From 2003 to 2006, he played Charley Shanowski on Hope & Faith.[8]

Two years later, he was selected for a role in Charlie Lawrence, a situation comedy about a freshman congressman from New Mexico, played by Nathan Lane. McGinley played Graydon Ford, the neighbor of Lane's title character, who was a member of the opposing political party. McGinley was also in the pilot for the 2002 CBS show Life of the Party, playing a senator.

His guest star roles include series such as Fantasy Island (1982), Hotel (1985–87), Perfect Strangers (1988), B.L. Stryker (1989), Evening Shade (1990), Dream On (1991), The John Larroquette Show (1995–96; 1997–1998), The Practice (2001), and Justice League (2002).

During and shortly after the run of Married … With Children, McGinley was a part of many films and television films, playing different types of characters. In 1993, he played Mr. Scream in Wayne's World 2. That same year, McGinley affected a Southern accent in his role in the miniseries Wild Justice, which was poorly received by critics. Some of his television film roles were very dark. In 1996, he was the star of Deadly Web, a film that aired on NBC in 1996 and co–starred his wife, Gigi Rice. The film was about a woman who was stalked on the Internet. McGinley played one of his darkest roles in 1998 in the television film Every Mother's Worst Fear. He played Mitch Carson, a sexual predator who lures a teenage girl into his house, where he holds her captive and tortures her.

In 2008, McGinley became a contestant on the seventh season of Dancing with the Stars, and was paired with pro dancer Inna Brayer. He was the second contestant to be eliminated in the competition.

"Jumping the Shark"

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McGinley was called "the patron saint of shark-jumping" by jumptheshark.com founder Jon Hein. This is a reference to the several instances McGinley joined popular television programs in their final years, often to replace a departing regular cast member.[9] Hein explains he is not making any comment "on Ted's fine acting skills" and furthermore notes that that "[McGinley] has a great sense of humor about it, too."[10] In one episode of Married... with Children, McGinley himself spoofed this reputation by asking Al Bundy, "Another picture, Captain? I mean, Fonzie? ....Al?" In 2003, McGinley told Melanie McFarland of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, "I've had a lot of fun with it. To be honest with you, it's meant people are still talking about me. It's kind of doing me a favor. And people keep hiring me, so I know that I'm okay, jumping the shark."[7]

In 2011, McGinley again made fun of his "shark-jumping" abilities in "Mitefall!", the final episode of Batman: The Brave and the Bold. In the episode, Bat-Mite (voiced by Paul Reubens) wants the show to be cancelled to usher in a new TV show called Beware the Batman. To that end, he starts replacing aspects of the show, including switching Aquaman's regular voice actor, John DiMaggio, with McGinley. Ambush Bug (voiced by McGinley's Happy Days co-star Henry Winkler) helps to reverse the situation, in part by getting McGinley to break character and leave, forcing DiMaggio's voice back into Aquaman.

Personal life

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McGinley married actress Gigi Rice in 1991 and they have two sons, Beau (born 1994) and Quinn.[7] They reside in Los Angeles.[11]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Film Role Notes
1982 Young Doctors in Love Dr. Bucky DeVol
1984 Revenge of the Nerds Stanley Harvey "Stan" Gable
1989 Troop Beverly Hills Himself
1989 Physical Evidence Kyle DE Roache
1991 Blue Tornado Phillip
1992 Space Case Biff Alternative title: Alien Invasion
1993 Wayne's World 2 Mr. Scream
1998 Follow Your Heart James Allen Bailey
1998 Major League: Back to the Minors Leonard Huff Alternative title: Major League III
1999 Dick Roderick
1999 The Big Tease Johnny Darjerling
2000 Face the Music Marcus
2000 Daybreak Dillon Johansen Alternative title: Rapid Transit
2001 Cahoots Brad
2001 Pearl Harbor Army major
2007 The Storm Awaits Vale NewCastle
2008 Eavesdrop Grant
2000 Privileged Mr. Webber
2010 Christmas with a Capital C Dan Reed
2010 Scooby-Doo! Curse of the Lake Monster Thornton Blake V (Uncle Thorny) Voice
2013 Bad Behavior Bruce
2014 Reedemed Paul Tyson
2015 Do You Believe? Matthew
2015 Underdog Kids Barry Hershfeld
2016 Expendable Assets Carter
2017 Area of Conflict Carter
2017 The Outcasts Principal Whitmore
2018 A.X.L. George Fontaine
2018 God's Not Dead: A Light in Darkness Thomas Ellsworth

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1980–1984 Happy Days Roger Phillips 61 episodes
1982 Fantasy Island Errol Brookfield III Episode: "The Kleptomaniac/Thank God, I'm a Country Girl"
1983 Making of a Male Model Gary Angelo Television film
1983–1987 The Love Boat Photographer Ashley "Ace" Covington Evans 60 episodes
1985–1987 Hotel Kyle Stanton 3 episodes
1986–1987 Dynasty Clay Fallmont 34 episodes
1988 Perfect Strangers Billy Appleton Episode: "My Brother, Myself"
1989 B.L. Stryker Mitch Slade 2 episodes
1989–1997 Married... with Children Jefferson D'Arcy, Norman Jablonsky, Prince Paco 167 episodes
1990 Evening Shade Kyle Hampton Episode: "The Moustache Show"
1991 Baby Talk Craig Palmer Episode: "Baby Love"
1992 Revenge of the Nerds III: The Next Generation Dean Stanley Harvey "Stan" Gable Television film
1993 Wild Justice Aubrey Billings Television film
1993 Linda Brandon "Jeff" Jeffries Television film
1994 Revenge of the Nerds IV: Nerds in Love Stanley Harvey "Stan" Gable Television film
1995 Dream On Chad Spencer Episode: "Long Distance Runaround"
1995 Tails You Live, Heads You're Dead Jeffrey Quint Television film
1995–1996 The John Larroquette Show Karl Reese 4 episodes
1996 Deadly Web Peter Lawrence Television film
1998 Every Mother's Worst Fear Scanman Television film
1998–1999 Sports Night Gordon 8 episodes
1999 Work with Me Murray Epstein Episode: "Pilot"
1999 Hard Time: Hostage Hotel FBI Agent Hopkins Television film
2000–2001 The West Wing Mark Gottfried 3 episodes
2001 The Practice Michael Hale Episode: "Awakenings"
2002 Wednesday 9:30 (8:30 Central) Ted Wayne Giblen 1 episode
2002–2003 Justice League Tom Turbine, Burns Voice, 3 episodes[12]
2003 Frozen Impact Dan Blanchard Television film
2003 Charlie Lawrence Graydon Ford 7 episodes
2003 The Proud Family Lance McDougal Voice, episode: "Smackmania 6: Mongo vs. Mama's Boy"
2003–2006 Hope & Faith Dr. Charley Shanowski 73 episodes
2004 NTSB: The Crash of Flight 323 Reese Faulkner Television film
2007 Family Guy Helicopter Rental Agent Voice, episode: "Road to Rupert"
2007 'Til Death Webby Episode: "Webby's Not Happy"
2007 The Note Kingston "King" Danville Television film
2008 Dancing with the Stars Himself (contestant) 2 episodes
2009 Psych Randy Labayda Episode: "Six Feet Under the Sea"
2009 The Note II: Taking a Chance on Love Kingston "King" Danville Television film
2010 Wizards of Waverly Place Superintendent Clanton Episode: "Western Show"
2010 Melissa & Joey Mayor Episode: "In Lennox We Trust"
2011 Breaking In Larry Episode: "White on White on White"
2011 Batman: The Brave and the Bold Himself as Aquaman Voice, episode: "Mitefall!"[12]
2012 Notes from the Heart Healer Kingston "King" Danville Television film
2012 The Mentalist Ed Hunt Episode: "If It Bleeds, It Leads"
2013 A Mother's Rage Stan Television film
2013 Mad Men Mel Episode: “To Have and to Hold"
2014 Castle Brock Harmon Episode: "Last Action Hero"
2015–2017 Transformers: Robots in Disguise Denny Clay, Ship Captain Voice, 54 episodes[12]
2015 The Bridge Charlie Bartons Television film
2016 The Bridge Part 2
2016 No Tomorrow Greg Covington Recurring role
2017 Fatherly Obsession Robert J. Farnsworth Television film
2018 The Baxters John Baxter Lead role
2019 No Good Nick Sam Recurring role
2019 Christmas Reservations Duffy Johnson Television film
2021 Keeping Up with the Joneses[13] Webb Recurring role
2023 Shrinking Derek Recurring role
2023 Platonic Johnny Rev Episode: “San Diego”
2024 The Baxters John Baxter Lead role

References

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  1. ^ a b "Ted McGinley". TV Guide. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
  2. ^ "Birthdays". The Modesto Bee. The Associated Press. May 30, 2020. p. 2A. Actor Ted McGinley is 62.
  3. ^ Rothstein, Michael (June 8, 2009). "Why I Love College Sports (Fame and ND): Actor Ted McGinley". The Journal Gazette.
  4. ^ Chan, Alex (June 2, 2016). "15 join Newport Harbor High Hall of Fame". LA Times. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  5. ^ Somers, Marcia (September 1986). "Ted McGinley Remains a Hometown Hero". Orange Coast Magazine: 111, 112.
  6. ^ a b "Ted McGinley Biography". TV Guide. Retrieved April 30, 2014.
  7. ^ a b c Adams, Jason (October 17, 2003). "Ted McGinley Is Not A Killer". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  8. ^ a b Harris, Will (May 15, 2012). "Ted McGinley talks Happy Days, The West Wing, and being the "patron saint" of jumping the shark". The A.V. Club. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  9. ^ Pierce, Scott D. (December 5, 2003). "'Saint' McGinley can only laugh". Deseret Morning News. Retrieved September 24, 2008.
  10. ^ "Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Help". TV Guide. Archived from the original on June 8, 2008. Q. Does Ted McGinley know he's the patron saint?
  11. ^ "Biography". Gigi Rice. Retrieved June 21, 2017.
  12. ^ a b c "Ted McGinley (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved August 6, 2023. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
  13. ^ Keeping Up with the Joneses at IMDb
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