Christopher McDonald (born 15 February 1955; age 69) is the actor who played Richard Castillo in the Star Trek: The Next Generation third season episode "Yesterday's Enterprise". McDonald had previously auditioned for the role of William T. Riker during the casting of The Next Generation. (Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion, 2nd ed., p. 117)
Personal life[]
Born in New York City, McDonald was raised in Romulus, New York and graduated from Hobart College in Geneva, New York. He has also studied at at the Stella Adler Acting Conservatory in New York as well as the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art in London. He has been married to Lupe Gidley since 1992; they are the parents of four children.
Film career[]
McDonald is perhaps best recognized for his role as arrogant golf pro Shooter McGavin in Happy Gilmore (1996). He is also known for his mostly-improvised role as television pitchman Tippy Tibbons in Requiem for a Dream (2000). The latter also featured an appearance by McDonald's fellow Next Generation guest actor, Mark Margolis.
McDonald's early film credits include Grease 2 (1982, with Pamela Segall, Michael DiMente, Tom Villard, Freddie Hice, and Bill Baker), Breakin' (1984), and The Boys Next Door (1985). In 1988, he starred in Paramedics, with Robert DoQui, Sally Kellerman, and Ray Walston. He later starred in Playroom (1990, directed by Manny Coto (1990, co-starring Aron Eisenberg and Vincent Schiavelli), and Dutch (1991).
In Thelma & Louise, McDonald portrayed Thelma's controlling husband, Darryl. This film also featured performances by Timothy Carhart and Shelly Desai. McDonald then played the main protagonist in Conflict of Interest (1993, co-starring Dey Young). That same year, McDonald played Mike in Grumpy Old Men, featuring John Carroll Lynch.
In 1994, McDonald was seen in such films as Roadflower (co-starring Michelle Forbes and John Pyper-Ferguson), Terminal Velocity (with Tim Kelleher), and Quiz Show. The following year, McDonald co-starred in Fair Game, along with Steven Berkoff and Jenette Goldstein. In 1996, he starred in Happy Gilmore as villainous golf pro Shooter McGavin.
McDonald later appeared in Flubber (1997, starring Robin Williams, with Next Generation's Wil Wheaton, Clancy Brown and Ted Levine). In 1998, he appeared with another of his Next Generation co-stars, Denise Crosby, in a small drama called Divorce: A Contemporary Western. McDonald also played Beaver's father from Leave it to Beaver (1997). That same year, McDonald had supporting roles in the drama SLC Punk, which co-starred Star Trek: Voyager's Jennifer Lien, and The Faculty, with fellow Next Generation guest stars Famke Janssen and Bebe Neuwirth. McDonald also did the voice of Kent Mansley, a paranoid federal government agent and the main antagonist of The Iron Giant (1999).
McDonald portrayed meteorologist Todd Gross in The Perfect Storm (2000). It was his character in the latter film who coined the term after which the title is based. Fellow Next Generation guest actor Bob Gunton also had a role in The Perfect Storm. McDonald's other film credits in 2000 included Isn't She Great and The Skulls.
His subsequent film credits included Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams (2002, with Ricardo Montalban), Grind (with Jennifer Morrison and Stephen Root), Rumor Has It (with Googy Gress and Clyde Kusatsu), and Kickin' It Old Skool (2007, co-starring Alan Ruck and produced by Phillip Glasser). He also played Mr. Stifler in American Pie Presents: The Naked Mile (2006) and American Pie Presents: Beta House (2007).
In 2008, McDonald worked with his Next Generation co-star Brent Spiner on Superhero Movie. He also co-starred with Kelsey Grammer in An American Carol and Middle Men. In addition, he appeared in Fanboys, which featuring William Shatner. His other film credits include Mad Money (2008, with Roger R. Cross and Stephen Root), The House Bunny (2008), and Splinterheads (2009), Barry Munday (2010, with Malcolm McDowell and Matt Winston) and The Best and the Brightest (2010, with Kate Mulgrew).
Television career[]
Besides The Next Generation, other television shows on which McDonald has appeared include Cheers (with Anne Haney), Knight Rider (1985, starring William Daniels and Patricia McPherson, with James Cromwell), and two episodes of Matlock (one with Nicholas Cascone, another with Casey Biggs). He was also seen on episodes of Without a Trace (starring Enrique Murciano, with Anton Yelchin), Las Vegas (starring Nikki Cox), and The Sopranos (starring Steven R. Schirripa).
He has also appeared in several episodes ofVeronica's Closet, starring Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan actress Kirstie Alley). In addition, he had a role in 61* (2001, with Charles Esten, Bruce McGill, Bob Gunton, Seymour Cassel, Robert Costanzo, J.D. Cullum, Robert Joy, Michael Nouri, Dell Yount, and Star Trek: Enterprise star Connor Trinneer). He was also a regular on Family Law along with Julie Warner, Salli Elise Richardson, Michelle Horn and Gregg Henry.
McDonald was the voice of Superman's father Jor-El in Superman: The Animated Series (appearing alongside Tony Jay and Clancy Brown) and Justice League Unlimited. He also did the voice of an older Superman in the Batman Beyond (which also had voice work done by Corey Burton, Kevin Michael Richardson, Clyde Kusatsu, Paul Winfield, Marc Worden, Frank Welker, Sherman Howard and George Takei) two-part episode, "The Call".
In 2009, McDonald appeared in Stargate Universe as Senator Armstrong, and reprised his role the following year. [1]
McDonald had a leading role in NBC's Harry's Law. He was a recurring character in season 1 (2011) and a regular character in season 2 (2012).
Other Trek connections[]
Film[]
- Where the Boys Are '84 (1984) with Wendy Schaal and Louise Sorel
- Chattanooga Choo Choo (1984) with Parley Baer, James Horan, and Davis Roberts
- Outrageous Fortune (1987) with John Schuck
- Wild Orchid II: Two Shades of Blue (1992, starring Wendy Hughes)
- Cover Story (1993) with Leland Orser
- Benefit of the Doubt (1993, with Theodore Bikel and Patricia Tallman)
- Best of the Best 3: No Turning Back (1995, with Mark Rolston and Michael Bailey Smith)
- Unforgettable (1996) with Kim Cattrall, David Sobolov, David Paymer and Azalea Davila
- Celtic Pride (1996) with Scott Lawrence
- House Arrest (1996) with Daniel Roebuck, Wallace Shawn, and Ray Walston
- A Smile Like Yours (1997) with France Nuyen
- Lawn Dogs (1997, with Bruce McGill)
- Speakeasy (2002) with Hal Landon, Jr.
- The L.A. Riot Spectacular (2005) with Ian Abercrombie, Erick Avari, Jude Ciccolella, and Ronny Cox
- Reunion (2009) with Brett Cullen, Zoe McLellan, and Josh Pais