John C. McGinley Biography: Wife, Age, Children, Net Worth, Height, Movies & TV Shows, Parents

John C. McGinley is an American actor, writer, and activist who gained widespread recognition for his blistering, sarcastic portrayal of Dr. Perry Cox on the medical comedy series Scrubs.

That role, for nearly a decade, endeared him to television audiences and made him synonymous with the tough-loving mentor figure. Before Scrubs, he had already built a strong résumé of supporting film roles—Platoon, Wall Street, Office Space—that lent him credibility and visibility.

Profile

• Full name: John Christopher McGinley
• Date of birth: August 3, 1959
• Age: 66 years old
• Gender: Male
• Place of birth: Greenwich Village, New York City, U.S.
• State of origin: New York
• Nationality: American
• Profession: Actor, voice actor, producer, author, activist, spokesman, writer
• Height: 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
• Parents: Patricia McGinley (mother), Gerald McGinley (father)
• Siblings: Four siblings (he is one of five children)
• Spouse: Lauren Lambert (m. 1997, divorced 2001), Nichole Kessler (m. 2007 — current)
• Children: Max McGinley (son), Two daughters (names: Kate Aleena McGinley and another daughter)
• Relationship status: Married
• Ethnicity: White
• Net worth: USD 10 million

Early Life and education

John C. McGinley is now 66 years old. He was born on August 3, 1959, in Greenwich Village, New York City, and grew up in Short Hills, New Jersey. He was raised in a family with a schoolteacher mother and a stockbroker father, and he was one of five children, giving him a dynamic household environment. In high school at Millburn High School, he played wide receiver on the football team, showing his athletic side.

After high school, he studied acting at Syracuse University, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, and then went on to earn a Master of Fine Arts from New York University’s Graduate Acting Program at the Tisch School of the Arts, graduating in 1984. After his formal education, he took part in theatrical work both on Broadway and off-Broadway, and landed a two-year run on the daytime soap Another World before fully transitioning into film and television roles.

Personal Life

In February 1997 McGinley married Lauren Lambert; later that year they had a son named Max, who was born with Down syndrome. The experience had a profound effect on McGinley, prompting him to become an outspoken advocate for people with Down syndrome. In December 2001 McGinley and Lambert divorced.

In April 2007, he married Nichole Kessler (a yoga instructor), with whom he has two daughters, one of whom is named Kate Aleena. He holds activist roles with organizations supporting people with disabilities and Down syndrome, and has used his public platform to advance awareness and funding for related causes.

Career

John C. McGinley’s career began with theater and soap operas. After theater work and off-Broadway performances, he secured a role on Another World, which gave him early television exposure. His major cinematic breakthrough came when Oliver Stone cast him as Sergeant Red O’Neill in Platoon (1986). After Platoon, he appeared in Wall Street, Talk Radio, and Born on the Fourth of July, working repeatedly with Stone.

Through the 1990s and beyond, he took on roles in films such as Point Break, Highlander II, Article 99, Seven, The Rock, Set It Off, and Office Space. His role as Bob Slydell in Office Space remains one of his more memorable supporting movie performances.

On television, McGinley’s defining role was Dr. Perry Cox on Scrubs, from 2001 until the original run’s end. The abrasive but vulnerable Dr. Cox became a signature character, with McGinley improvising many of his verbal barbs, as well as his whistle habit and his practice of addressing J.D. by women’s names.

He has also performed voice acting (e.g. Justice League Unlimited, The Boondocks, WordGirl, Spider-Man: The New Animated Series), recurring roles on shows like Burn Notice (as Tom Card), Ground Floor, Stan Against Evil, and guest appearances in Chicago P.D., Brooklyn Nine-Nine, among others. McGinley also made a return to Broadway, playing Dave Moss in Glengarry Glen Ross in 2013.

Awards and Nominations

• OFTA Television Award — Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (Scrubs)
• OFTA Television Award — Best Actor in a New Comedy Series (Scrubs)
• TCA Award — Individual Achievement in Comedy (nomination) for Scrubs (2002)
• Satellite Awards nomination — Best Actor in a Series, Comedy or Musical (for Scrubs)

Net worth

John C. McGinley’s net worth is generally reported to be about USD 10 million. His earnings stem from his extensive work in film, television salaries, residuals from syndication (especially Scrubs), voice acting, and possibly his writing, producing, and public engagements.

Filmography

• Sweet Liberty
• Platoon
• Wall Street
• Talk Radio
• Shakedown
• Lost Angels
• Born on the Fourth of July
• Fat Man and Little Boy
• Suffering Bastards
• Point Break
• Highlander II: The Quickening
• Article 99
• Cruel Doubt
• A Midnight Clear
• Hear No Evil
• Watch It
• On Deadly Ground
• Surviving the Game
• Car 54

Books

• Untalkative Bunny: How to Be Heard Without Saying a Word