fiction.wikisort.org - Actor

Search / Calendar

John Spencer (born John Speshock Jr.; December 20, 1946 – December 16, 2005) was an American actor. He was best known for his role as Leo McGarry on the NBC political drama series The West Wing and for his role as attorney Tommy Mullaney in L.A. Law. His performance on The West Wing earned him a Primetime Emmy Award in 2002.

For other people named John Spencer, see John Spencer (disambiguation).
John Spencer
Born
John Speshock Jr.

(1946-12-20)December 20, 1946
New York City, U.S.
DiedDecember 16, 2005(2005-12-16) (aged 58)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Resting placeLaurel Grove Memorial Park, Totowa, New Jersey
OccupationActor
Years active1963–2005
Notable workLeo McGarry on The West Wing
Awards
  • Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
  • 2002 The West Wing

Early life


John Spencer was born John Speshock Jr., on December 20, 1946, in New York City, and was raised in Totowa, New Jersey.[1] He was the son of blue-collar parents Mildred (née Benzeroski), a waitress, and John Speshock Sr., a truck driver.[2] Spencer's father was of Irish and Czech descent,[3] while his mother was of Ukrainian and Rusyn ancestry.[4][5] Spencers parents were disappointed when he choose to become an actor.[6] With his enrollment at the Professional Children's School in Manhattan in 1963, Spencer found himself sharing classes with such fellow students as Liza Minnelli and violinist Pinchas Zukerman. He attended Fairleigh Dickinson University, but did not complete a degree.[1] Spencer often referred to himself as a "dyed-in-the-wool liberal" and described Franklin Delano Roosevelt as one of his heroes.[7]


Career


Spencer began his television career on The Patty Duke Show, and eventually began appearing in supporting roles in feature films commencing with 1983's WarGames. He won an Obie Award for the 1981 off Broadway production of Still Life, about a Vietnam War veteran, and received a Drama Desk nomination for The Day Room. In 1986 he appeared on Broadway as Dan White, the killer of Harvey Milk, in Execution of Justice, alongside Stanley Tucci and Wesley Snipes. Spencer became a full-fledged supporting actor with the hit 1990 courtroom thriller Presumed Innocent, portraying a tough veteran homicide detective, starring opposite Harrison Ford. Spencer's work also extended to video games, portraying the role of Captain Hugh Paulsen in the 1995 video game Wing Commander IV: The Price of Freedom. Spencer's subsequent film and television work primarily consisted of supporting roles such as a colleague and friend to Billy Crystal's basketball ref in Forget Paris and a prickly FBI official in Michael Bay's film The Rock.


L.A. Law


In 1990 Spencer joined the cast of the television series L.A. Law, playing street wise attorney Tommy Mullaney from 1990-1994.[8][9] Spencer originally wasn't going to take the role but after reading 5 pages of the script he was convinced and said "it was one of the best scripts I’d read". Spencer said his characters disheveled wardrobe was based on his own.[10] Spencer said he and co star Cecil Hoffman spent time in New york to prepare for the role.[11]


The West Wing


In 1999, Spencer was cast as Leo McGarry on the NBC political drama series The West Wing. Spencer's character was White House Chief of Staff to fictional U.S. President Josiah Bartlet. Like Spencer, McGarry was a recovering alcoholic and compulsive worker.[12] McGarry character was also a former US Air force pilot who served in the Vietnam War.[13]

Spencer's character would later be chosen as Jimmy Smits' character's running mate. Spencer's role on the show earned him the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 2002, for the show's third season episodes "Bartlet for America" and "We Killed Yamamoto."


Personal life


Spencer was married once and got divorced in the 1970s but had no children.[14]

Spencer quit drinking in 1989 after over 20 years of addiction to alcohol.[15]


Death


Spencer died of a heart attack in a Los Angeles hospital on December 16, 2005, four days before his 59th birthday.[4] At his private funeral, his West Wing castmate, Kristin Chenoweth, sang the musical number "For Good" from the Broadway musical Wicked. Spencer's remains were interred at Laurel Grove Memorial Park in his hometown of Totowa, New Jersey.

Several paid tribute to him including Martin Sheen, Dulé Hill, Joshua Malina, Janel Moloney, Richard Schiff, Alan Alda, Jimmy Smits, Aaron Sorkin, Allison Janney, James Mangold, David E. Kelley, Bradley Whitford.[16][17]

At the time of his death, Spencer had filmed two West Wing episodes that were in post-production – "Running Mates" and "The Cold"[18] – in which he and Jimmy Smits played candidates for vice president and president, respectively.


Filmography



Film


YearTitleRoleNotes
1982EchoesStephen
1983WarGamesJerry
1985The ProtectorKo's Pilot
1985Key ExchangeRecord Executive
1987The Verne Miller StoryGeorge Sally
1987Hiding OutBakey
1989Far From HomeTV Preacher
1989Sea of LoveLieutenant
1989Black RainCaptain Oliver
1989Simple JusticeDetective Phil Sullivan
1990Presumed InnocentDetective Lipranzer
1990Green CardHarry
1992In The Arms Of A KillerDetective CusackTV movie
1992When No One Would ListenWalter Wheeler
1995Forget ParisJack
1995Cafe SocietyRay Davioni
1996The RockFBI Director James Womack
1996Albino AlligatorJack
1997Cold Around the HeartUncle Mike
1997Cop LandDetective Leo Crasky
1998Lesser ProphetsEd
1998TwilightCaptain Phil Egan
1998OK GarageBill Gunter
1998The NegotiatorPolice Chief Al Travis
1999RavenousGeneral Slauson

Television


YearTitleRoleNotes
1963–1964The Patty Duke ShowHenry7 episodes
1976Ryan's HopeOrderly2 episodes
1986Miami ViceLieutenant Lee AtkinsEpisode: "The Good Collar"
1986Spenser: For HireJoe MoranEpisode: "Home Is the Hero"
1987–1988Another WorldFrank JulianUnknown episodes
1988As the World TurnsDon WestUnknown episodes
1990Law & OrderHoward MortonEpisode: "Prescription for Death"
1990–1994L.A. LawTommy Mullaney71 episodes
1994Duckman: Private Dick/Family ManAgent DennehyEpisode: "Not So Easy Riders"
1995Touched by an AngelLeoEpisode: "The Driver"
1996F/X: The SeriesCarl ScofieldEpisode: "High Risk"
1997Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of SupermanHank Landry / Mr. GadgetEpisode: "Lethal Weapon"
1997Tracey Takes On...Ray WeggerlyEpisode: "Crime"
1997Early EditionHoward BannerEpisode: "Jenny Sloane"
1998TrinitySimon McAllister3 episodes
1999–2006The West WingLeo McGarry135 episodes
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (2002)
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series (2000, 2001)
Viewers for Quality Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Quality Drama Series
Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film
Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (2000–01, 2003–04)
Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series (2002–05)
(final appearance)
1999The Outer LimitsColonel Wallis ThurmanEpisode: "Summit"
1999L.A. DoctorsDr. Edmund ChurchEpisode: "The Life Lost in Living"

Video Games


YearTitleRoleNotes
1996Wing Commander IV: The Price of FreedomCaptain Hugh Paulsen

Awards


Year Nominee / work Award Result
1981 Still Life Obie Award[19] Won
2000 The West Wing Viewers for Quality Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Quality Drama Series Won
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Won
2001 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Won
2002 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Won
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Nominated
Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film Nominated
2003 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Nominated
2004 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Nominated
2005 Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Nominated

References


  1. Lee, Jennifer 8. "Obituary: John Spencer, 'West Wing' actor". The New York Times. December 17, 2005.
  2. "John Spencer Biography (1946-)". Film Reference. Retrieved October 1, 2015.
  3. "West Wing Actor John Spencer Dies". People. December 16, 2015.
  4. "Obituary: John Spencer, 58, actor on The West Wing" (PDF). The Ukrainian Weekly. January 1, 2006. p. 4.
  5. Custer, Richard D. "A Family Historian’s Guide to Discovering Carpatho-Rusyn Ancestry" Archived 2015-10-06 at the Wayback Machine. FEEFHS Journal. Volume 14, 2006. p. 9.
  6. "Obituary: John Spencer". the Guardian. 2005-12-19. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
  7. PBS. "Transcript of October 16, 2004 interview with John Spencer". The Tavis Smiley Show. Retrieved October 1, 2015.
  8. Ryon, Ruth (2002-08-04). "Closing His Bel-Air Wing". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
  9. "West Wing Actor John Spencer Dies". Peoplemag. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
  10. "John Spencer, 58; Actor Best Known for Emmy-Winning Role on TV's 'The West Wing'". Los Angeles Times. 2005-12-17. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
  11. "'L.A. LAW' DUO RESEARCHED OWN PAST". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
  12. "Obituary: John Spencer". the Guardian. 2005-12-19. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
  13. "An Khe - The West Wing Episode Guide". www.westwingepguide.com. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
  14. "Obituary: John Spencer". the Guardian. 2005-12-19. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
  15. "West Wing Actor John Spencer Dies". Peoplemag. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
  16. "Actor John Spencer has died". TODAY.com. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
  17. "John Spencer, 58; Actor Best Known for Emmy-Winning Role on TV's 'The West Wing'". Los Angeles Times. 2005-12-17. Retrieved 2022-09-24.
  18. Rebecca Williams (29 January 2015). Post-Object Fandom: Television, Identity and Self-narrative. Bloomsbury Publishing. pp. 60–. ISBN 978-1-62356-210-6.
  19. "Obie Awards 1980s". Obie Awards. The Village Voice. Archived from the original on October 3, 2015. Retrieved January 20, 2018.



На других языках

[de] John Spencer (Schauspieler)

John Spencer (* 20. Dezember 1946 in New York (nach manchen Quellen New Jersey); † 16. Dezember 2005 in Los Angeles; eigentlich John Speshock) war ein US-amerikanischer Schauspieler.
- [en] John Spencer (actor)

[ru] Спенсер, Джон (актёр)

Джон Спенсер (англ. John Spencer, 20 декабря 1946 — 16 декабря 2005) — американский актёр, наиболее известный благодаря роли главы президентской администрации Лео Макгерри в телесериале «Западное крыло» (1999—2005), которая принесла ему премию «Эмми» в 2002 году.


Текст в блоке "Читать" взят с сайта "Википедия" и доступен по лицензии Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike; в отдельных случаях могут действовать дополнительные условия.

Другой контент может иметь иную лицензию. Перед использованием материалов сайта WikiSort.org внимательно изучите правила лицензирования конкретных элементов наполнения сайта.

2019-2024
WikiSort.org - проект по пересортировке и дополнению контента Википедии