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William Hall Macy, Jr.
(born March 13, 1950) is an American actor and writer. He was nominated
for an Academy Award for his role as Jerry Lundegaard in Fargo. He is
also a teacher and director in theater, film and television. His film
career has been built mostly on his appearances in small, independent
films, though he has appeared in summer action films as well.[2] Macy
has described himself as "sort of a Middle American, WASPy, Lutheran
kind of guy... Everyman".[3] He has won two Emmy Awards and a Screen
Actors Guild Award, being nominated for nine Emmy Awards and seven
Screen Actors Guild Awards in total. He is also a three-time Golden
Globe Award nominee.
****
Background Information
Born William Hall Macy, Jr.
March 13, 1950 (1950-03-13) (age
61)
Miami, Florida, U.S.
Residence Los Angeles, California
Vermont[1]
Education Allegany High School
Alma mater Goddard College
Occupation Actor, writer
Years active 1971present
Spouse Felicity Huffman
(1997present)
****
Early
life
Macy was born in Miami, Florida,
and grew up in Georgia and Maryland.[4] His father, William Hall Macy, Sr., was
awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and an Air Medal for flying a B-17 Flying
Fortress bomber in World War II; he later ran a construction company in Atlanta
and worked for Dun & Bradstreet, before taking over a Cumberland, Maryland-based
insurance agency, when Macy was nine years old. His mother, Lois (n้e
Overstreet), was a war widow who met Macy's father after her first husband died
in 1943; Macy has described her as a "Southern belle".[5][6][7]
After graduating in 1968[2] from
Allegany High School in Cumberland, Maryland, Macy studied veterinary
medicine[2] at Bethany College in West Virginia. By his own admission a
"wretched student," he transferred to Goddard College and became involved in
theatre,[4] where he performed in ensemble productions of The Three Penny Opera,
A Midsummer Night's Dream and a wide variety of contemporary and improvisational
pieces. At Goddard, he first met playwright David Mamet.[4] After graduating in
1971, he moved to Chicago, Illinois, and got a job as a bartender to pay the
rent. Within a year, he and David Mamet, among others, founded the successful
St. Nicholas Theater Company,[4] where Macy originated roles in a number of
Mamet's plays, such as American Buffalo and The Water Engine.[8]
Career
After spending time in Los Angeles,
California, Macy moved to New York City in 1980. While living there, he had
roles in over fifty Off Broadway and Broadway plays. One of his early on-screen
roles was as a turtle named Socrates in the direct-to-video film The Boy Who
Loved Trolls (1984), under the name W. H. Macy. He has appeared in numerous
films that Mamet wrote and/or directed, including House of Games, Things Change,
Homicide, Oleanna (reprising the role he originated in the play of the same
name), Wag the Dog, State and Main, and Spartan.
Macy may be best known for his lead
role in Fargo, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award.[4] The role
helped boost his career and recognizability, though at the expense of nearly
confining him to a narrow typecast of a worried man down on his luck.[9] Other
Macy roles of the 1990s and 2000s included Benny & Joon, Above Suspicion, Mr.
Holland's Opus, Ghosts of Mississippi, Air Force One, Boogie Nights,
Pleasantville, Gus Van Sant's remake of Psycho, Happy, Texas, Mystery Men,
Magnolia, Jurassic Park III, Focus, Panic, Welcome to Collinwood, Seabiscuit,
The Cooler, and Sahara.
Macy has also had a number of roles
on television, including a guest appearance on The Unit, as the President of the
United States. In 2003, he won two Emmy Awards, one for starring in the lead
role, and one as co-writer, of the made-for-TNT film Door to Door.[4] Door to
Door is a drama based on the true story of Bill Porter, a door-to-door salesman
in Portland, Oregon, born with cerebral palsy.[4] The film is composed of
several stories, each taking up a whole period between commercials.
His work on ER and Sports Night has
also been recognized with Emmy nominations. His character in ER, David
Morgenstern, is responsible for a sage piece of advice that has been handed down
throughout the series. In the pilot episode, when Juliana Margulies' character,
nurse Carol Hathaway, is brought to the hospital with a drug overdose,
Morgenstern tells Dr. Greene (Anthony Edwards) that he needs to "set the tone"
to get the unit through the difficulty of treating one of its own. "You set the
tone" is repeated several times in the series.
In a November 2003 interview with
USA Today, Macy stated that he wanted to star in a big-budget action movie "for
the money, for the security of a franchise like that". He serves as
director-in-residence at the Atlantic Theater Company in New York, where he
teaches a technique called Practical Aesthetics. A book describing the
technique, A Practical Handbook for the Actor (ISBN 0-394-74412-8), is dedicated
to Macy and Mamet.
In 2007, Macy starred in Wild Hogs,
a film about middle-aged men reliving their youthful days by taking to the open
road on their Harley-Davidson motorcycles from Cincinnati to the Pacific Coast.
Despite being critically panned with a 14% "rotten" rating from Rotten Tomatoes,
it was a financial success, grossing over $168 million.[10] In 2009, Macy
completed filming on The Maiden Heist, a comedy that co-stars Morgan Freeman and
Christopher Walken.
On June 23, 2008, the Hollywood
Chamber of Commerce announced Macy and his wife, Felicity Huffman, would each
receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the upcoming year. On January
13, 2009, Macy replaced Jeremy Piven in David Mamet's Speed-the-Plow on
Broadway. Piven suddenly and unexpectedly dropped out of the play in December
2008 after he experienced health problems related to high mercury levels in his
blood; Norbert Leo Butz covered the role from December 23, 2008, until Macy took
over the part.[11] Dirty Girl, which stars Macy along with Juno Temple, Milla
Jovovich, Mary Steenburgen and Tim McGraw, premiered September 12, 2010 at the
Toronto Film Festival.
Beginning in 2011, Macy starred as
Frank Gallagher, an irresponsible, alcoholic father of six on the Showtime
series Shameless. Of the role, he said, "My task in this thing is to remain as
irascible as I can be without losing the audience completely. It's a challenge,
but I was born to play this role."[12]
Personal life
Macy and actress Felicity Huffman
have been married since September 6, 1997. The couple has two daughters.
Macy and Huffman appeared at a
rally for John Kerry in 2004.[13][14] Macy also plays the ukulele and is an avid
woodturner, even appearing on the cover of the specialist magazine Fine
Woodworking. He is a national ambassador for the United Cerebral Palsy
Association.[15]
Filmography
List of film and television credits
1978 Awakening Land, The Awakening Land Will Beagle
1980 Foolin' Around Bronski (as
W.H. Macy)
1980 Somewhere in Time Critic (as
W.H. Macy)
1983 Without a Trace Reporter
1984 Boy Who Loved Trolls, The Boy
Who Loved Trolls Socrates the turtle
1985 Last Dragon, The Last Dragon
J.J. Cameo Appearance
1986 Kate & Allie Carl TV series
1987 House of Games Sgt. Morgan
1987 Radio Days Radio Actor
1988 Murder of Mary Phagan, The
Murder of Mary Phagan Randy TV miniseries
1988 Things Change Billy Drake
1991 Homicide Tim Sullivan
Nominated Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male
1992 Water Engine, The Water Engine
Charles Lang
1993 Being Human Boris
1993 Bakersfield P.D. Russell Karp
TV Series
1993 Benny & Joon Randy Burch
1993 Searching for Bobby Fischer
Petey's Father
1994 The Client Dr. Greenway
1994.5 !1994
1998 ER Dr. David Morgenstern TV,
cameos 2002, 2009
Nominated Emmy Award for
Outstanding Guest Actor Drama Series (1997)
1995 Murder in the First D.A.
William McNeil
1995 Oleanna John Nominated
Independent Spirit Award for Best Lead Male
1995 Dead on Sight Steven Meeker
1995 Tall Tale Railroad Magnate
Uncredited
1995 Mr. Holland's Opus Vice
Principal Gene Wolters
1995 Evolver Evolver (voice)
1996 Fargo Jerry Lundegaard
Independent Spirit Award for Best Lead Male
Nominated Academy Award for Best
Supporting Actor
Nominated Chlotrudis Award for
Best Actor
Nominated Satellite Award for
Best Actor Motion Picture Drama
Nominated Screen Actors Guild
Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
1996 Andersonville Col. Chandler
1996 Down Periscope Commander Carl
Knox
1996 Ghosts of Mississippi Charlie
Crisco
1997 Colin Fitz Lives! Mr. O'Day
...aka "Colin Fitz"
1997 Air Force One Major Norman
Caldwell
1997 Boogie Nights Little Bill
Florida Film Critics Circle Award for Best Cast
Nominated Screen Actors Guild
Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
1997 Wag the Dog CIA Agent Charles
Young
1998 Pleasantville George Parker
Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actor (also for Psycho
and A Civil Action)
Nominated American Comedy Award
for Funniest Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
1998 Psycho Milton Arbogast Boston
Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actor (also for Pleasantville
and A Civil Action)
1998 Secret of NIMH 2: Timmy to the
Rescue, TheThe Secret of NIMH 2: Timmy to the Rescue Justin
1998 Civil Action, AA Civil Action
James Gordon Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actor
(also for Psycho and Pleasantville)
1998 Con, TheThe Con Bobby
Sommerdinger
1999 Happy, Texas Sheriff Chappy
Dent Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor Motion Picture
Nominated American Comedy Award
for Funniest Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
1999 Mystery Men The Shoveller
1999 Slight Case Of Murder, AA
Slight Case Of Murder Terry Thorpe Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Television
Feature or Miniseries
Nominated Emmy Award for
Outstanding Lead Actor Miniseries or a Movie
1999 Night of the Headless
Horseman, TheThe Night of the Headless Horseman Ichabod Crane Voice
1999 Magnolia Quiz Kid Donnie Smith
Florida Film Critics Circle Award for Best Cast
National Board of Review Award for
Best Cast
Nominated Screen Actors Guild
Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
1999.5 !19992000 Sports Night Sam
Donovan TV, Nominated Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor Comedy Series
2000 State and Main Walt Price
Florida Film Critics Circle Award for Best Cast
National Board of Review Award for
Best Cast
Online Film Critics Society Award
for Best Cast
2000 Panic Alex
2001 Jurassic Park III Paul Kirby
2001 Focus Lawrence 'Larry' Newman
2002 Door to Door Bill Porter Emmy
Award for Outstanding Lead Actor Miniseries or a Movie
Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing
for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special
Satellite Award for Best Actor
Miniseries or Television Film
Screen Actors Guild Award for
Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
Nominated Golden Globe Award for
Best Actor Miniseries or Television Film
Nominated Writers Guild of
America Award for Original Long Form Script
2002 It's A Very Merry Muppet
Christmas Movie Glenn
2002 Welcome to Collinwood Riley
2003 Cooler, TheThe Cooler Bernie
Lootz Nominated Satellite Award for Best Actor Motion Picture Drama
2003 Easy Riders, Raging Bulls
Narrator Documentary
2003 Stealing Sinatra John Irwin
Nominated Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor Miniseries or a Movie
Nominated Satellite Award for
Best Supporting Actor Series, Miniseries or Television Film
2003 Seabiscuit Tick Tock
McGlaughlin Nominated Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor Motion
Picture
Nominated Screen Actors Guild
Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
2004 Reversible Errors Arthur
Raven
2004 Cellular Mooney
2004 In Enemy Hands Chief of Boat
Nathan Travers
2004 Spartan Stoddard
2005 Wool Cap, TheThe Wool Cap
Charlie Gigot Nominated Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor Miniseries or
a Movie
Nominated Emmy Award for
Outstanding Made for Television Movie
Nominated Golden Globe Award for
Best Actor Miniseries or Television Film
Nominated Screen Actors Guild
Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Miniseries or Television
Movie
Nominated Writers Guild of
America Award for Adapted Long Form Script
2005 Sahara Admiral James
Sandecker
2005 Edmond Edmond Burke
2005 Thank You for Smoking Senator
Ortolan K. Finistirre
2006 The Simpsons: "Homer's
Paternity Coot" Himself
2006 Doogal Brian the snail
2006 Nightmares and Dreamscapes:
"Umney's Last Case" Sam Landry, Clyde Umney Nominated Emmy Award for
Outstanding Lead Actor Miniseries or a Movie
Nominated Screen Actors Guild
Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Miniseries or Television
Movie
2006 Bobby Paul Hollywood Film
Festival Award for Ensemble of the Year
Nominated Screen Actors Guild
Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
2006 Curious George Narrator TV,
season 1
2006 Everyone's Hero Lefty Maginnis
Voice
2006 Choose Your Own Adventure DVD
Series Rudyard North
2006 Inland Empire Announcer
2007 Wild Hogs Dudley Frank
2007 He Was a Quiet Man Gene
Shelby
2008 Deal, TheThe Deal Charlie
Berns
2008 Bart Got a Room Ernie Stein
2008 Tale of Despereaux, TheThe
Tale of Despereaux Lester Voice
2009 Maiden Heist, TheThe Maiden
Heist George
2009 Shorts Dr. Noseworthy
2010 Marmaduke Don Twombly
2010 Dirty Girl Ray
2011-present Shameless Frank
Gallagher TV series (January 9, 2011 present)
2011 Lincoln Lawyer, TheThe Lincoln
Lawyer Frank Levin
References
1.^ Macy, William H. (February 17,
2006). "My Little Piece of Vermont". The New York Times.
http://travel.nytimes.com/2006/02/17/travel/escapes/17macy.html. Retrieved
2011-11-14.
2.^ a b c Robert, Abele (July
2001). "Interview with William H. Macy". Maxim: 84.
3.^ Grady, Pam. "Making a Spectacle
of Himself: William H. Macy reveals how donning a pair of glasses changes
everything in his new drama, Focus". Reel.com. http://www.reel.com/reel.asp?node=features/interviews/whmacy.
4.^ a b c d e f g Stated on Inside
the Actors Studio, 2004
5.^ "William H. Macy Biography
Yahoo! Movies". Movies.yahoo.com. http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800019192/bio.
Retrieved 2010-07-07.
6.^ "William H. Macy Biography
(1950)". FilmReference.com. http://www.filmreference.com/film/63/William-H-Macy.html.
7.^ "MACY'S ROOTS RUN DEEP INTO
PASCAGOULA". Sun Herald. 2004-04-11. http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=BX&s_site=sunherald&p_multi=BX&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=101F89EE2659518D&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM.
Retrieved 2010-07-19.
8.^ Harris, Andrew B. (1994).
Broadway Theatre. Routledge. p. 98. ISBN 041510520X. http://books.google.com/?id=SqM46zulAGwC&pg=PT123&lpg=PT123&dq=%22st+nicholas+theater%22.
Retrieved 2008-04-16. "By 1975, David Mamet and the St Nicholas Theater had
settled in Chicago."
9.^ Gina McIntyre (2004-01-08).
"William H. Macy, actor". Hollywoodreporter.com. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=2072068.
Retrieved 2010-07-07. [dead link]
10.^ Wild Hogs Rotten Tomatoes,
Retrieved 07/28/10
11.^ Silverman, Stephen M.
(December 18, 2008). "Jeremy Piven Abruptly Abandons Broadway Play". People
Magazine. http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20247585,00.html.
12.^ Stransky, Tanner (December 10,
2010), "William H. Macy takes it off". Entertainment Weekly. (1132):22
13.^ "All Star Concert Benefit for
Presidential Candidate John Kerry". DailyCeleb.com. July 6, 2004. http://www.dailyceleb.com/production/index.php?view=event&eid=2272&cap=william+h.+macy.
14.^ "William H Macy's Federal
Campaign Contribution Report". Newsmeat. http://www.newsmeat.com/celebrity_political_donations/William_H_Macy.php.
15.^ UCP Announces William H. Macy
as UCP Ambassador. . National Ambassadors (United Cerebral Palsy). 2003-01-14.
http://www.ucp.org/ucp_generaldoc.cfm/1/3/12211/12211-12211/4258.
****
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