Bruce McGill Biography

Bruce McGill is an American actor best known for his 2004 Collateral, 2001 Ali, and 1999 The Insider roles. He also acted in Lincoln as Edwin Stanton, The Sum of All Fears as Gene Revell, My Cousin Vinny as Sheriff Dean Farley, and Animal House as Daniel Simpson.

Bruce McGill Education

Mcgill studied at Douglas MacArthur High School in San Antonio’s northeastern part. Afterwards, he joined The University of Texas at Austin where he graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in drama.

Bruce McGill Film Career

McGill has appeared in numerous films throughout his career, with one of his most famous roles being “D-Day” in the 1978 comedy classic National Lampoon’s Animal House. McGill remembers his longing to take this role, remembering his early days as an aspiring actor waiting in New York City casting offices. In Animal House, he showed his unique talent by drumming the William Tell Overture on his windpipe, a skill he later repeated in MacGyver to soothe a child to sleep with “Rock-The-Cradle.”

His other films include Vantage Point, Into the Night, Wildcats, Outlaw Trail: The Treasure of Butch Cassidy, The Last Boy Scout, My Cousin Vinny, Cinderella Man, Cliffhanger, Timecop, Black Sheep, Courage Under Fire, Rosewood, Three Fugitives, Club Paradise, The Sum of All Fears, Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde, Matchstick Men, Runaway Jury, and The Legend of Bagger Vance.

McGill holds a special place in the heart of director Michael Mann, having worked on three of Mann’s films: Ali (2001), The Insider (1999), and Collateral (2004). Additionally, McGill has featured in four HBO TV films, starting with his portrayal of Yankees manager Ralph Houk in Billy Crystal’s 61* (2001), followed by diplomat George Ball in Path to War (2002), journalist Peter Arnett in Live from Baghdad later the same year, and most recently as Mac Stipanovich in Recount (2008), a film recounting the 2000 Presidential election in Florida. He also portrayed CIA Director George Tenet in Oliver Stone’s W. and Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton in Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln 2012.

Bruce McGill TV Career

McGill came back to his famous role as D-Day from National Lampoon’s Animal House in the short-lived 1979 ABC TV Spinoff Delta House. His television appearances cover a wide range, from Quantum Leap (in both the pilot and final episodes), Walker, Texas Ranger, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Crime Story, and Miami Vice in a 1985 episode recognized by critics as one of the series’ best, to Star Trek: Voyager as Captain Braxton in the episode “Relativity”. He also made recurring appearances as the comical best friend, soldier of fortune/bush pilot Jack Dalton, in MacGyver. Reflecting on that role, McGill often portrays friends of the lead character in both film and television.

In 1994, he guest-starred alongside Jay Leno in the Emmy-nominated TV series, Home Improvement. McGill played Willard Cates in the short-lived series Wolf Lake and was set to join the cast of Bionic Woman in the fall of 2007. Additionally, he voiced Agent Buford in the video game Mercenaries. In 2009, McGill was featured on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as Gordon Garrison, an ardently bigoted anti-immigration talk show host whose actions led to the killer’s acquittal. He also appeared on ABC’s 2010 TV show, No Ordinary Family.

In the field of science fiction, McGill portrayed Major Ed Ryan in the third season of Babylon 5 episode “Severed Dreams”, a role initially intended for Everett McGill by Babylon 5 producer J. Michael Straczynski. McGill also made appearances in season 3 episodes of Numb3rs and Psych.

McGill portrayed veteran Boston Police Homicide Detective Vince Korsak on the TNT television crime drama, Rizzoli & Isles, where he serves as the mentor and friend of Detective Jane Rizzoli, portrayed by Angie Harmon. He also had a recurring voice role as Lloyd Waterman, the homosexual owner of Waterman Cable, on The Cleveland Show.

During the 2016 US presidential election, McGill lent his narration talents to several commercials for Donald Trump’s campaign. In February 2017, it was announced that he would guest star as a decorated Vietnam War veteran in the television series NCIS. Additionally, McGill narrated the 2018 season of the Fox News documentary series Scandalous.

Bruce McGill Age

Mcgill is 73 years old as of 2023. He was born on 11th July 1950 in San Antonio, Texas, U.S. He celebrates his birthday every year on the 11th of July.

Bruce McGill Height

McGill stands at an approximate height of 5 feet and 8 inches

Bruce McGill Family

McGill’s parents were Woodrow Wilson McGill, an insurance agent, and a real estate and Adriel Rose Jacobs, a Jewish who was a  San Antonio artist. He has two siblings, Pamela McGill and David McGill, a retired Irish footballer.

Bruce McGill A. R. Schwartz

McGill is related to A. R. Schwartz, an American lobbyist, politician, and lawyer. He served in the Texas Senate between 1960 and 1981 and from 1955 to 1959 in the Texas House of Representatives. He served Galveston, Texas his hometown, and was well known as a liberal “yellow-dog” Democrat.

Bruce McGill Wife

McGill has been happily married to Gloria Lee since 1994. He has not revealed any information about his children.

Bruce McGill Net Worth

McGill has an estimated net worth of around $4 Million which he has earned through being an Actor.

Bruce McGill TV and Films

• Delta House 1979 as Daniel Simpson ‘D-Day’ Day.
• MacGyver 1985–1992 Jack Dalton.
• Goodnight Sweet Wife: A Murder in Boston 1990 as O’Meara.
• Blue Bloods 2016 as Rick ‘Big Rick’ Wolf.
• The I-Land 2019 as Warden Wells.
• Love and Death 2023 as Judge Tom Ryan.
• American Underdog 2021 as Jim Foster.
• Ride Along 2 2016 as Lieutenant Brooks.
• Lincoln 2012 as Edwin Stanton.
• From Mexico with Love 2009 as Billy.
• Behind Enemy Lines II: Axis of Evil 2006 General Norman T. Vance.
• The Insider 1999 as Ron Motley.
• National Lampoon’s Animal House 1978 as Daniel Simpson ‘D-Day’ Day.

Bruce McGill The I-land

McGill portrays Warden Wells, a corrupt and authoritative cowboy-style prison warden aiming to ruin the I-Land program through Bonnie and Clyde. Following his exposure and dismissal as warden, he becomes a participant in the I-Land program to redeem himself.

Bruce McGill Shades of Blue

Bruce McGill takes on the role of Jordan Ramsey (season 3), the unethical captain leading the NYPD’s Intelligence Unit. As one of the most influential figures within the department, he readily shows his authority over anyone he sees as a challenge to his schemes. In the concluding episode, Harlee exposes Ramsey’s corrupt deeds, sacrificing everything to reveal the truth. As a result, Ramsey is arrested, his resources are taken, and he dies at the hands of an enraged Wozniak.

Bruce McGill MacGyver

Bruce McGill portrayed Jack Dalton, the comical best friend of MacGyver. He is a soldier of fortune/bush pilot who occasionally puts everyone in trouble with some get-rich-quick schemes. MacGyver happens to be the only person who can rescue them. His left eye twitches when he is lying. Dalton often tries to romance the women he is introduced to.