Christopher McDonald Biography

From an early age, Christopher McDonald showed an interest in performing arts and played the trumpet in his father’s high school musicals. Then, he became a pre-medical student at Hobart and William Smith College in Geneva, New York, but soon switched majors to drama. After graduation in 1977, he studied at London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. He made his film debut in 1980 with a small part in ‘The Hearse’ and his television debut with ‘Cheers’ in 1982. But when hopes of landing plum roles in movies failed, he moved to Manhattan and persuaded the renowned acting coach, Stella Adler of ‘Stella Adler Acting Conservatory’ to take him under her wings in exchange for doing domestic chores for her. His talent developed under Adler’s tutelage and he gained recognition as part of the Obie-award winning theatre group ‘The Nightclub Cantata’. Later, he played a noticeable role on the Bette Midler comedy ‘Outrageous Fortune’ in 1987. In 1991 came the breakthrough role of his career, that of Geena Davis’ hotheaded husband Darryl Dickinson in the film ‘Thelma & Louise’.

Thereafter, he began to get steady work in the form of supporting actor and arrogant villain roles, both in films and television. From the early to mid 1990s, he did remarkable work in three ‘Midnight Run’ movies and other films like ‘Quiz Show’, ‘Terminal Velocity’, ‘Fatal Instinct’ and television shows like ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’, ‘Good Advice’, etc. He had a remarkably successful year in 1996, when he landed the next big role of his career, that of the abusive golfer ‘Shooter McGavin’ in the film ‘Happy Gilmore’ and also lent his voice to Superman’s father ‘Jor-El’ in ‘Superman: the Animated Series’. In 1997, he continued to play annoying character roles in films like ‘Leave It to Beaver’, ‘Flubber’ and ‘Lawn Dogs’.

From 1999-2001, he voiced ‘Superman’ in the TV series ‘Batman Beyond’, landed a starring role in the TV series ‘Family Law’ and played a memorable part in the movies ‘Requiem for a Dream’, ‘The Perfect Storm’ and ‘61’. Throughout the 2000s, he continued to play character roles in films like ‘Broken Flowers’, ‘American Pie Presents: The Naked Mile’, ‘The Dukes of Hazzard: The Beginning’, etc. and recurring roles in TV shows like ‘Harry’s Law’, ‘Boardwalk Empire’, ‘The Bronx is Burning’, and so on.

From 2011 onwards, he had recurring appearances in super hit TV shows like ‘The Good Wife’ and ‘Ballers’ along with movies and Broadway roles in productions like ‘Lucky Guy’ and ‘The Front Page’. Since 2017, he has been seen in TV shows like ‘Living Biblically’, ‘The Real Bros of Simi Valley’, and movies like ‘The Crash’, ‘Wetlands’, etc. In 2019, he will be seen in movies like ‘Abruptio’ and ‘Brooklyn All American’, and future movies include ‘Joyful’ and ‘Walking with Herb’.

Christopher McDonald has been arrested twice on charges of drunk driving, in 2013 in Wilmington, North Carolina and in Lake Arrowhead, California in 2017. In the 2017 incident, his Porsche reportedly swerved off the freeway landing into a gas meter. He was released soon after posting bail. In 2013, he reportedly got intoxicated after spending an evening drinking with fans, and was found passed out in his damaged Mercedes.

Christopher McDonald was born on February 15, 1955, in New York City, USA, to James McDonald and Patricia McDonald. His father was a high school principal and his mother was a professor. Christopher was the middle of seven children. He was raised in Romulus, New York.

Christopher McDonald married actress, Lupe McDonald, in 1992 and they have four children together. His brother, Daniel, who was an actor too, died of brain cancer in 2007. Since losing two siblings and a parent to cancer, McDonald became a supporter of various cancer research charities. Nowadays, divides his time between his work assignments in New York and Los Angeles. He is a racecar enthusiast, an avid pilot, and enjoys fishing and skiing too.