Biography
Who is Peter MacNicol?
Early life and education
Peter MacNicol was born in Dallas, Texas, on April 10, 1954. He was the youngest of five children. His mother, Barbara, was a homemaker, and his father, John, worked as a corporate executive before becoming an Episcopal priest. Peter attended MacArthur High School before pursuing his higher education.
He studied at the University of Dallas and the University of Minnesota. His early professional performing experiences included two seasons at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis from 1978 to 1979. During this time, he appeared in productions such as The Pretenders and Hamlet.
Stage career and film debut
Peter made his New York debut in 1980 with the off-Broadway play Crimes of the Heart. When the production moved to Broadway in 1981, he won a Theatre World Award. While appearing in this play, a casting agent noticed his work, which led to an audition for the film Sophie's Choice. In 1981, he also landed a starring role in the film Dragonslayer.
Throughout his career, Peter has maintained a strong presence in theater. He starred in the Trinity Repertory Company's production of All the King's Men in 1987. Other stage credits include the Broadway production of Black Comedy/White Lies. He also performed with the New York Shakespeare Festival, playing title roles in Romeo and Juliet and Richard II.
Television and film acting
Peter is perhaps most famous for his role as the eccentric attorney John Cage on the FOX drama Ally McBeal. He played this character from 1997 to 2002 and won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 2001. His television career also includes playing Alan Birch on Chicago Hope, Dr. Larry Fleinhardt on the drama Numbers, and Tom Lennox on the series 24.
His film roles are diverse. He appeared as Stingo in Sophie's Choice, Janosz Poha in Ghostbusters II, and Gary Granger in Addams Family Values. Also, he played David Langley in the 1997 film Bean. He has also provided voices for various animated characters, including Doctor Octopus in The Spectacular Spider-Man and the Mad Hatter in the Batman: Arkham video game series.
Personal life and other work
Peter MacNicol has been married to Martha Cumming since 1986. Beyond his primary acting roles, he has worked as a television director and screenwriter. He also played FBI Deputy Director Simon Sifter in the first season of CSI: Cyber.
He appeared as Jeff Kane on the political satire series Veep from 2016 to 2019. During his time on that show, he received an Emmy nomination for outstanding guest actor. However, the nomination was rescinded because he appeared in more episodes than the rules allowed for a guest actor category. He was later nominated again in the same category for the show's seventh season.
Birthday and age
Peter MacNicol was born on April 10, 1954, which makes Peter 72 years old today. That birthday falls under the Aries sign. Peter shares the date with 69 other famous people.
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