John Mahoney | |
|---|---|
 Mahoney in 1994 | |
| Born | Charles John Mahoney (1940-06-20)June 20, 1940 Blackpool,Lancashire, England |
| Died | February 4, 2018(2018-02-04) (aged 77) |
| Citizenship |
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| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1977–2017 |
Charles John Mahoney (June 20, 1940 – February 4, 2018) was an English-American actor. He played retired police officerMartin Crane on theNBC sitcomFrasier from 1993 to 2004, receiving nominations for twoGolden Globe Awards and twoPrimetime Emmy Awards.
After moving from England to the United States, Mahoney began his career inChicago as a member of theSteppenwolf Theatre Company. He earned theTony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play for his performance in the 1986Broadway revival ofJohn Guare'sThe House of Blue Leaves, and went on to achieve wider recognition for his roles in the filmsSuspect andMoonstruck (both 1987). Other credits includedTin Men (1987),Frantic,Eight Men Out (both 1988),Say Anything... (1989),Barton Fink (1991),Striking Distance,In the Line of Fire (both 1993),Reality Bites (1994),The American President (1995),Primal Fear (1996), andThe Broken Hearts Club (2000). He also voiced roles in animated films such asAntz (1998),The Iron Giant (1999), andAtlantis: The Lost Empire (2001).
Charles John Mahoney was born inBlackpool,England, on June 20, 1940,[1] the seventh of eight children. His father, Reg, was a baker[2] who played classical piano, and his mother, Margaret (née Watson), was a housewife who loved reading. His paternal grandfather was Irish.[3][4][5] The family had been evacuated to Blackpool from their home city ofManchester when it washeavily bombed duringWorld War II. Mahoney started school atSt Joseph's College.
After the war, the family moved back to Manchester, where Mahoney grew up in the suburb ofWithington and discovered acting at theStretford Children's Theatre. His parents' marriage was not happy. They would not speak to each other for long periods of time—and when they did, it often led to heated arguments. The family situation, combined with the war, fueled Mahoney's interest in acting and he vowed to leave Manchester.[6][7]
Mahoney moved to the United States aged 18 in 1959 when his older sister Vera (awar bride living in ruralIllinois, where he had visited in 1951) agreed to sponsor him. He studied atQuincy University before joining theUnited States Army. After graduating from Quincy, he lived inMacomb, Illinois, and earned hismaster's degree in English[8] fromWestern Illinois University, where he went on to teach English in the late 1960s[9] before settling inForest Park, Illinois, and later inOak Park, Illinois. He became a U.S. citizen in 1971[10] and served as an associate editor of theQuality Review Bulletinmedical journal through much of the late 1970s.[9][11]
Mahoney made a concerted effort to lose his English accent after joining the U.S. Army, not wanting to "stand out" in his new adopted country. He spoke with an American accent for the rest of his life.[12][13]
Dissatisfied with his career, Mahoney took acting classes at St. Nicholas Theatre, which inspired him to resign from his day job and pursue acting full-time. After a stage production in Chicago in 1977,John Malkovich encouraged him to join theSteppenwolf Theatre.[14][15] He did so and went on to win theClarence Derwent Award as Most Promising Male Newcomer in 1986. Steppenwolf founderGary Sinise said in an interview forBomb Magazine thatLyle Kessler's playOrphans in 1985 "kicked John Mahoney,Kevin Anderson andTerry Kinney off into the movie business"[16] after their Steppenwolf performance of the play for which he won the Derwent Award and the Theatre World Award.[17] Mahoney wonBroadway'sTony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play in 1986 for his performance inJohn Guare'sThe House of Blue Leaves.[18]
Mahoney's first major film roles both came in 1987, inBarry Levinson'sTin Men and inPeter Yates'Suspect, a courtroom drama/mystery starringCher,Dennis Quaid, andLiam Neeson. In the next decade, he had prominent roles in many acclaimed films including theJohn Patrick Shanley romantic comedy filmMoonstruck (1987) starringNicolas Cage and Cher. In 1988, Mahoney portrayedKid Gleason in the sports dramaEight Men Out, and the following year portrayed the protective father in theCameron Crowe teen coming of age filmSay Anything... (1989). He portrayed Secret Service Director Sam Campagna in theWolfgang Petersen directed dramaIn the Line of Fire (1993), Grant Gubler inBen Stiller's romance filmReality Bites (1994), environmental lobbyist Leo Solomon inRob Reiner's political romance filmThe American President (1995) and John Shaughnessy in the legal mystery thrillerPrimal Fear (1996).[18][19][9] He also is known for his collaboration with theCoen brothers in films such as the period black comedyBarton Fink[20] and the screwball comedyThe Hudsucker Proxy.[21] Mahoney also played a pivotal gay role in Greg Berlanti's 2000GLAAD Media Award-winning filmThe Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy.[citation needed]
Mahoney appeared inFrasier from its debut in 1993 until the final episode in 2004. He received twoEmmy nominations and twoGolden Globe nominations for the role ofMartin Crane, the father ofFrasier Crane andNiles Crane. NBC executives held Mahoney in such high esteem thatWarren Littlefield declared he was pre-approved when theFrasier creative team suggested casting him as the father.[22] Before appearing on the series, Mahoney had appeared in the episode "Do Not Forsake Me, O' My Postman" ofCheers – from whichFrasier was a spinoff – as Sy Flembeck, an inept jingle writer who has a brief conversation with Frasier. Mahoney also appeared as a priest inBecker, which starredCheers starTed Danson.[citation needed]
Mahoney's first voice job was inW. B. Yeats's "The Words upon the Window-Pane" for the award-winningNational Radio Theater ofChicago.[citation needed] He provided the voices for several characters inAntz (1998), Preston Whitmore inAtlantis: The Lost Empire andAtlantis: Milo's Return, General Rogard inThe Iron Giant (1999), and Papi inKronk's New Groove (but was succeeded byJeff Bennett inThe Emperor's New School for an unknown reason).[citation needed] In 2007, Mahoney provided the voice of Dr. Robert Terwilliger, Sr. (Sideshow Bob's father) inThe Simpsons episode "Funeral for a Fiend". This reunited him with hisFrasier co-starsKelsey Grammer (Sideshow Bob) andDavid Hyde Pierce (Cecil, Sideshow Bob's brother).[citation needed]
Mahoney co-starred as the Old Man in the Broadway revival ofPrelude to a Kiss at the American Airlines Theater in a limited-run engagement running from previews on February 17, 2007, through to April 29, 2007.[23][24] He appeared as an elderlydrag queen in theER season 13 episode "Somebody to Love," and co-starred withSteve Carell (himself a veteran ofChicago theater) as the father of Carell's character inDan in Real Life. In March 2008, he opened in the world premiere ofBetter Late at theNorthlight Theatre.[25] He was also the narrator for Midwest Airlines commercials. Mahoney also made two appearances onUSA Network'sBurn Notice in thesecond (2009) andthird (2010) season finales. His character, referred to only as "Management," is a senior intelligence agency official who is the apparent main mover of the conspiracy whichblacklistedMichael Westen.[26][27]
Mahoney joined the cast ofIn Treatment for the series' second season (2009) as a frenetic CEO who is overwhelmed by his personal and professional responsibilities and experiences chronic physical anxiety attacks. In 2010, he made a guest appearance on$#*! My Dad Says ashomophobic retired naval officer Lt. Commander Wally Durham.[citation needed]
Beginning in April 2011, Mahoney began rehearsingThe Outgoing Tide, a new play by Bruce Graham at Northlight Theatre inSkokie, Illinois (suburban Chicago). The play also stars fellowChicago actorsRondi Reed andThom Cox. In 2011, he had two guest appearances onHot in Cleveland as Roy, a waiter and a love interest forBetty White's character Elka.[28] This reunited him with hisFrasier co-starJane Leeves, as well asWendie Malick whose character he eventually married inFrasier and his co-star in the movieThe American President. Mahoney was a featured ensemble cast member inThe Birthday Party, playing in Chicago'sSteppenwolf Theatre from January 24 to April 28, 2013.[29] His last role was in Steppenwolf's playThe Rembrandt, which ran from September to November 2017.[30][31][32]
Despite the numerous successes throughout his career, Mahoney maintained that his early work in the playOrphans has "affected people more than any other play I've ever done. I still get mail from it, I still get people stopping me on the street, and it's 20 years later."[33]
Mahoney lived inOak Park, Illinois,[7] and suffered fromcolon cancer in the mid-1980s.[34] After being successfully treated for cancer again in 2014, he credited his love of acting and desire to continue it for giving him enough determination to survive both bouts, saying in October 2017: "I refused to yield to it because I love what I'm doing so much."[35]
Mahoney rarely spoke publicly about his private life,[6] and died without marrying or having any children.[36] In 2002, he said, "I was never very mature in my relationships with women. First sign of conflict, I was gone. Wouldn't discuss it, because I was afraid it would lead to an argument." This stemmed from a fear of having an unhappy marriage like the one his parents had, though Mahoney did previously have "several long-term relationships".[7]
He was a Catholic who called Christianity "probably the most important facet of my life". Before each of his performances, Mahoney would pray "Most glorious blessed spirit, I thank you for all the gifts and talents that you've given me. Please help me to use all these gifts and talents to their fullest. And please accept this performance as a prayer of praise and thanks to you". He would also say prayers upon waking up and before going to sleep daily, and would repeatedly pray "Dear God, please help me to treat everybody – including myself – with love, respect, and dignity."[37]
Mahoney died in aChicago hospice on February 4, 2018,[15] due tocomplications fromthroat cancer, originally diagnosed in 2014. He was 77 years old.[38] According to his friendAnna D. Shapiro, "He was fragile and he was supposed to be having a routine procedure. But having just beat Stage 3 throat cancer, I think he was just too weak ... By the time he didThe Rembrandt he was clean of cancer ... But other health issues came up and he was just too fragile."[32]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Hudson Taylor | Unknown | |
| 1982 | Mission Hill | Michael Doyle | |
| 1985 | Code of Silence | Prowler Representative | |
| 1986 | The Manhattan Project | Lieutenant Colonel Conroy | |
| 1986 | Streets of Gold | Linnehan | |
| 1987 | Tin Men | Moe Adams | [18] |
| 1987 | Suspect | Judge Matthew Bishop Helms | |
| 1987 | Moonstruck | Perry | |
| 1988 | Frantic | Williams, U.S. Embassy Official | |
| 1988 | Betrayed | "Shorty" | |
| 1988 | Eight Men Out | William "Kid" Gleason | [18] |
| 1989 | Say Anything... | James Court | [19] |
| 1990 | Love Hurts | Boomer | |
| 1990 | The Russia House | Brady | |
| 1991 | Barton Fink | W.P. Mayhew | [20] |
| 1992 | Article 99 | Dr. Henry Dreyfoos | |
| 1993 | In the Line of Fire | Secret Service Director Sam Campagna | [19] |
| 1993 | Striking Distance | Captain Vince Hardy | |
| 1994 | The Hudsucker Proxy | Chief | [21] |
| 1994 | Reality Bites | Grant Gubler | [19] |
| 1995 | An Affectionate Look at Fatherhood | Bob | |
| 1995 | The American President | Leo Solomon | [18] |
| 1996 | Primal Fear | John Shaughnessy | [19] |
| 1996 | She's the One | Mr. Fitzpatrick | |
| 1996 | Mariette in Ecstasy | Dr. Claude Baptiste | Unreleased |
| 1998 | Antz | Grebs, The Drunken Scout | Voice[39] |
| 1999 | The Iron Giant | General Shannon Rogard | Voice[39] |
| 2000 | The Broken Hearts Club | Jack | |
| 2001 | Almost Salinas | Max Harris | |
| 2001 | Atlantis: The Lost Empire | Preston B. Whitmore | Voice[39] |
| 2003 | Atlantis: Milo's Return | Preston B. Whitmore | Voice[39] |
| 2005 | Kronk's New Groove | Papi | Voice, direct-to-video[39] |
| 2007 | Dan in Real Life | Poppy | [18] |
| 2010 | Flipped | Chet Duncan |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Chicago Story | Lieutenant Roselli | Main role |
| 1984 | The Killing Floor | Factory Representative | Television film |
| 1985 | Lady Blue | Captain Flynn | Television film |
| 1986 | Trapped in Silence | Dr. Winslow | Television film |
| 1986 | The Christmas Gift | Town Mayor | Television film |
| 1987 | Saturday Night Live | Eddie "Fast Eddie" Felson /Paul Newman | Episode: "Charlton Heston/Wynton Marsalis" |
| 1987 | The House of Blue Leaves | Artie Shaughnessy | Television film |
| 1988 | Favorite Son | Lou Brenner | Episode: "Part One" |
| 1989 | Dinner at Eight | Oliver Jordan | Television film |
| 1990 | The Image | Irving "Irv" Mickelson | Television film |
| 1990 | H.E.L.P. | Chief Patrick Meacham | Main role |
| 1991 | The 10 Million Dollar Getaway | Jimmy Burke | Television film |
| 1992 | The Human Factor | Dr. Alec McMurtry | Main role |
| 1992 | The Water Engine | Mason Gross | Television film |
| 1992 | Screenplay | Walter Partin | Episode: "Buying a Landslide" |
| 1992 | Cheers | Sy Flembeck | Episode: "Do Not Forsake Me, O' My Postman" |
| 1992 | Unnatural Pursuits | Paddy Quinn | Episode: "I Don't Do Cuddles" |
| 1993–2004 | Frasier | Martin Crane | Main role |
| 1995 | Biography | The Narrator | Voice, episode: "Al Capone: Scarface" |
| 1996 | 3rd Rock from the Sun | Dr. Leonard Hanlin | Episode: "Body & Soul & Dick" |
| 1997 | Tracey Takes On... | Geoffrey Ayliss | Episode: "Childhood" |
| 1998 | Nothing Sacred | Vince Reyneaux | Episode: "The Coldest Night of the Year" |
| 2000 | Becker | Father Joe D'Andrea | Episode: "Crosstalk" |
| 2000 | Teacher's Pet | The Narrator / Tim Tim Tim | Voice, episode: "A Dog for All Seasons" |
| 2000 | Nature | The Narrator | Episode: "Intimate Enemies: Lions and Buffalo" |
| 2003 | Gary the Rat | Steele | Voice, episode: "Strange Bedfellows" |
| 2005 | Fathers and Sons | Gene | Television film |
| 2006 | ER | Bennett Cray | Episode: "Somebody to Love" |
| 2007 | Mobsters | The Narrator | Episode: "Al Capone" |
| 2007 | The Simpsons | Dr. Robert Terwilliger Sr. | Voice, episode: "Funeral for a Fiend" |
| 2009 | In Treatment | Walter Barnett | Recurring role (season 2), 7 episodes |
| 2009–2010 | Burn Notice | Management | 2 episodes |
| 2010 | $#*! My Dad Says | Lieutenant Colonel Wally Durham | Episode: "The Manly Thing to Do" |
| 2011–2014 | Hot in Cleveland | Roy | Recurring role (seasons 2–3, 5), 6 episodes |
| 2015 | Foyle's War | Andrew Del Mar | Episode: "High Castle" |
| Year | Title | Role | Playwright | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | The House of Blue Leaves | Artie Shaughnessy | John Guare | Vivian Beaumont Theatre, Broadway |
| 2007 | Prelude to a Kiss | Old Man | Craig Lucas | American Airlines Theatre, Broadway |
