Christopher McDonald

Christopher McDonald (born February 15, 1955) is an American actor. He is best known for his villainous role as professional golfer Shooter McGavin in the 1996 sports comedy Happy Gilmore, a role he reprised in its 2025 sequel. McDonald also acted in films such as Grease 2, Thelma & Louise (1991), , , , The Iron Giant (1999), Requiem for a Dream (2000), and The House Bunny (2008).

In 2022 and 2026, McDonald was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for his role as casino CEO Marty Ghilain on the HBO Max show Hacks (2021–2026). Other notable television credits include a lead role in Family Law (1999–2002) and recurring roles in Boardwalk Empire (2010–2012) and Impeachment: American Crime Story (2021).

Personal life McDonald was born in Waterloo, New York to Patricia, a nursing professor and real estate agent, and James R. McDonald, an educator and high school principal.

Of Irish descent and a practicing Catholic, he and his siblings were raised in Romulus, New York. He graduated from Romulus Central School in 1973 and later earned a degree from Hobart College in Geneva, New York where he played football and soccer. He was also a member of the Kappa Alpha Society. On his 52nd birthday, his younger brother, actor and singer Daniel McDonald, died of brain cancer. He is a prominent fan of the Buffalo Bills and a friend of former Bills quarterback Jim Kelly.

McDonald was engaged to future Thelma & Louise co-star Geena Davis for a period in the mid-80s until 1985, when she left him for Jeff Goldblum. He met actress Lupe Gidley in 1989 when they performed together in a theatre production in New Mexico. They married in 1992 and have four children.

Career In 1978, McDonald appeared as a contestant on The Dating Game. McDonald has numerous film and television roles, often as a supporting actor and often portraying villains. His credits include Grease 2 (1982), Breakin' (1984), Where the Boys Are '84 (1984), The Boys Next Door (1985), Outrageous Fortune (1987), Thelma & Louise (1991), Fatal Instinct (1993), Grumpy Old Men (1993), Quiz Show (1994), the HBO film The Tuskegee Airmen (1995), Happy Gilmore (1996), Celtic Pride (1996), House Arrest (1996), Flubber (1997), Dirty Work (1998), The Faculty (1998), The Skulls (2000), The Perfect Storm (2000), Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams (2002), Broken Flowers (2005), Rumor Has It (2005), American Pie Presents: The Naked Mile (2006), American Pie Presents: Beta House (2007), and Superhero Movie (2008). In 1994, he starred in the film Terminal Velocity as an aggressive Russian mafia villain. He was featured as Ward Cleaver in the film version of Leave It to Beaver (1997). He also played Tappy Tibbons in Requiem for a Dream (2000), and was in The House Bunny (2008) and About Last Night (2014).

In television, along with a starring role on the television series Walter & Emily (1991–1992), Family Law (1999–2002), Cracking Up (2004–2006), and recurring roles on North Shore (2004), Veronica's Closet (1997–1999), Good Advice (1993–1994), and Harry's Law (2011–2012), McDonald has also made guest appearances on Matlock, Cheers, Riptide, Knight Rider, The Sopranos, Psych, both the 1985 and the 2002 versions of The Twilight Zone, Home Improvement, Las Vegas, the Law & Order franchise, Stargate Universe, and Star Trek: The Next Generation. He also played the eponymous lead in Peter Gabriel's 2002 music video for the song "The Barry Williams Show".

McDonald has also done voice work, including Jor-El in Superman: The Animated Series and Justice League Unlimited, and an older version of Superman in Batman Beyond. He also voiced the determined government agent Kent Mansley in the animated film The Iron Giant (1999). He subbed for Burt Reynolds as Boss Hogg in The Dukes of Hazzard: The Beginning (2007). In 2009, McDonald lent his voice talents in the Thomas Nelson audio Bible production known as The Word of Promise. In this dramatized audio, McDonald played the role of Luke.

McDonald replaced Robert De Niro in the Midnight Run film franchise, playing Jack Walsh in three 1994 films: Another Midnight Run, Midnight Runaround, and Midnight Run for Your Life. He portrayed mountaineer Jon Krakauer in the ABC film Into Thin Air: Death on Everest (1997), famous baseball broadcaster Mel Allen in the HBO film 61* (2001), baseball player Joe DiMaggio in the ESPN original series The Bronx Is Burning (2007) and U.S. Attorney General Harry M. Daugherty on HBO's Boardwalk Empire (2010–2012). In October 2013, McDonald started filming for A Conspiracy on Jekyll Island. Under the title The Crash, it was released direct-to-video in 2017. McDonald also played Texas revolution soldier Henry Karnes in History Channel's Texas Rising (2015), and Clinton lawyer Robert S. Bennett on FX's Impeachment: American Crime Story (2021).

McDonald appeared as Murphy in the Broadway show The Front Page at the Broadhurst Theater, which opened in late 2016.

In 2021, McDonald joined the cast of Hacks on HBO Max as Las Vegas casino owner Marty Ghilain, receiving two Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series nominations for his role. In May 2021, he was cast in the Disney+ series Secret Invasion as Chris Stearns, a Skrull council member, set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which premiered in 2023. In 2023, McDonald appeared in the music video for country music duo The Reklaws' song "Honky Tonkin' About" with Drake Milligan.

In 2025, McDonald reprised his role as Shooter McGavin in Happy Gilmore 2.

Filmography Film Year Title RoleNotes 1980 The Hearse Pete 1982 Grease 2 Bradley "Goose" McKenzie The Black Room Terry 1984 Where the Boys Are '84 Tony Breakin' James Chattanooga Choo Choo Alex O'Donnell 1985 The Boys Next Door Detective Mark Woods 1987 Outrageous Fortune George 1988 Paramedics Mike "Mad Mike" 1989 Cool Blue Peter Sin Chances Are Louie Jeffries 1990 Playroom Chris 1991 Thelma & Louise Darryl Dickinson Dutch Reed Standish Wild Orchid II: Two Shades of Blue Senator Dixon 1993 Cover Story Sam Sparks Benefit of the Doubt Dan Conflict of Interest Mickey Flannery Fatal Instinct Frank Kelbo Bums Sergeant Andrew Holloman Grumpy Old Men Mike 1994 Roadflower Glen Lerolland Monkey Trouble Tom Terminal Velocity Kerr Quiz Show Jack Barry 1995 My Teacher's Wife Roy Mueller Forget Paris Zeus Voice Best of the Best 3: No Turning Back Sheriff Jack Banning Fair Game Lieutenant Meyerson 1996 Happy Gilmore Shooter McGavin Unforgettable Stewart Gleick Celtic Pride Coach Kimball House Arrest Donald Krupp The Rich Man's Wife Tony Potenza 1997 Leave It to Beaver Ward Cleaver A Smile Like Yours Richard Halstrom Flubber Wilson Croft The Eighteenth Angel Hugh Stanton Lawn Dogs Morton Stockard 1998 Dirty Work Travis Cole Jaded Jack Carlson SLC Punk! Mr. Levy Gideon Alan Longhurst The Faculty Mr. Connor Divorce: A Contemporary Western Tony 1999 Five Aces Ash Gray The Iron Giant Kent Mansley Voice 2000 Magicians Jake Takedown Mitch Gibson The Skulls Martin Lombard Isn't She Great Brad Bradburn Requiem for a Dream "Tappy" Tibbons The Perfect Storm Todd Gross 2001 The Theory of the Leisure Class Buddy Barnett The Man Who Wasn't There Macadam Salesman 61* Mel Allen 2002 Speakeasy Dr. Addams Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams President of The United States Children on Their Birthdays "Speedy" Thorne 2003 Grind Mr. Rivers 2005 The L.A. Riot Spectacular Officer Koon Broken Flowers Ron Anderson Rumor Has It... Roger McManus 2006 Funny Money Vic Johnson American Pie Presents: The Naked Mile Harry Stifler Direct-to-video 2007 Kickin' It Old Skool Marty Schumacher My Sexiest Year Adult Jake Stein Awake Dr. Larry Lupin American Pie Presents: Beta House Harry Stifler Direct-to-video 2008 Mad Money Bryce Arbogast Superhero Movie Lou Landers / Hourglass Summerhood Assistant Director Player 5150 Tony The House Bunny Dean Simmons An American Carol Lab Supervisor 2009 Fanboys Chuck "Big Chuck" Spooner Dennis Spooner Reunion Eamon Deep in the Valley Jim "Diamond Jim" Splinterheads Sergeant Bruce Mancuso Middle Men George Harris 2010 Black Widow Steve Barry Munday Dr. Preston Edwards The Best and the Brightest The Player Ultraman Zero: The Revenge of Belial Mirrior Knight Voice (2012 English dub) 2011 Adventures of Serial Buddies Father Christopher Cat Run Bill Kreb 2012 The Collection Mr. Peters Not Fade Away Jack Dietz Grassroots Jim Tripp 2014 About Last Night Casey McNeil Believe Me Ken 2015 Don't Worry Baby Harry Lang The Squeeze "Riverboat" Zipper Peter Kirkland 2016 Exposed Lieutenant Galway 2017 The Crash Del Banco Once Upon a Time in Venice Mr. Carter Wetlands Detective Paddy "Red" Sheehan 2018 Deep Murder Richard Dangler Backtrace Franks Direct-to-video 2020 The Stand at Paxton County Sheriff Roger Bostwick We Can Be Heroes President Neil Anami 2021 Land of Dreams Blair Walking with Herb Wiley Saunders 2022 Rosaline Lord Capulet 2023 Abruptio Police Chief Richter 2024 Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F Golfer2025The Last RodeoJimmy Mack Happy Gilmore 2 Shooter McGavin Swiped Robert 2026 Jimmy Lionel Barrymore

Television

Video games

Music videos Year Title Artist 2002 "The Barry Williams Show" Peter Gabriel 2023 "Honky Tonkin' About" The Reklaws

Awards and nominations