Peter MacNicol
3.2Acting

Peter MacNicol

Apr 10, 1954 - Dallas, Texas, USA

Peter MacNicol is an American actor. He received a Theatre World Award for his 1981 Broadway debut in the play Crimes of the Heart. His film roles include Galen in Dragonslayer (1981), Stingo in Sophie's Choice (1982), Janosz Poha in Ghostbusters II (1989), camp counselor Gary Granger in Addams Family Values (1993), and David Langley in Bean (1997).

MacNicol was born in Dallas, Texas, on April 10, 1954. He attended the University of Dallas and the University of Minnesota, where he studied theater. After graduating, he moved to New York City to pursue an acting career.

MacNicol made his Broadway debut in 1981 in the play Crimes of the Heart. He won a Theatre World Award for his performance. He went on to appear in a number of other Broadway productions, including The Real Thing (1984), The Crucible (1996), and The Pillowman (2005).

MacNicol has also had a successful career in film and television. He has appeared in a number of films, including Sophie's Choice (1982), Ghostbusters II (1989), Addams Family Values (1993), and Bean (1997). He is best known for his role as the eccentric lawyer John Cage in the FOX comedy-drama Ally McBeal (1997–2002), for which he won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 2001.

MacNicol has also appeared in a number of other television shows, including 24 (2001), Numbers (2005), and Veep (2012-2019). He is a versatile actor who has shown his range in a variety of roles.

MacNicol is married to Martha Cumming, and they have two children. He is a member of the Actors' Equity Association and the Screen Actors Guild.

Credits

Cast

Media
Movie1997BeanDavid Langley
Movie1981DragonslayerGalen
Movie1992HousesitterMarty
Movie1989Ghostbusters IIDr. Janosz Poha
Movie1990By Dawn's Early LightSedgwick
Movie1998The Secret of NIMH 2: Timmy to the RescueNarrator (voice)
Movie1999Baby GeniusesDan
Movie1996Mojave MoonTire Repairman
Movie1995Dracula: Dead and Loving ItThomas Renfield
Movie2002Balto: Wolf QuestMuru (voice)
Movie1999Olive, The Other ReindeerFido (voice)
Movie1996Abducted: A Father's LoveRoy Dowd
Movie1986HeatCyrus Kinnick
Movie1982Sophie's ChoiceStingo
Movie2004Breakin' All the RulesPhilip Gascon
Movie2012Game ChangeRick Davis
Movie1998Silencing MaryLawrence Dixon
MovieN/AFlossDr. Rivus
Movie2024The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes MovieThe Invader (voice)
Movie1989American Blue NoteJack Solow
Movie1999Snowden's Christmas(voice)
Movie2023Our Almost Completely True StoryPsycho Date
Movie1993Addams Family ValuesGary Granger
Movie2024Home DeliveryHoward Evans
Movie1994RoswellLewis Rickett
Movie1992Hard PromisesStuart
Movie1984The Boy Who Left Home to Find Out About the ShiversMartin
Movie2000The Pooch and the PauperLiberty (voice)
Movie2001Recess: School's OutFenwick (voice)
Movie2005Stuart Little 3: Call of the WildTroopmaster (voice)
Movie1994Radioland MurdersSon Writer
Movie2013Scooby-Doo! Stage FrightDewey Ottman (voices)
Movie1986Johnny BullJoe Kovacs
Movie2008The Spectacular Spider-Man: Attack of the LizardOtto Octavius/Doctor Octopus (voice)
Movie2012BattleshipSecretary of Defense
Movie1988Voices & Visions: Walt WhitmanNarrator
Movie2018Secret of the SundropNigel the Advisor
Movie2025ShellDr. Thaddeus Brand
TV Show2005Numb3rsLarry Fleinhardt99
TV Show2000Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law8
TV Show1997Ally McBealJohn Cage112
TV Show1998CatDog1
TV Show2004Danny PhantomSidney Poindexter (voice)2
TV Show1989Tales from the CryptAustin Haggard (segment "Let the Punishment Fit the Crime")1
TV Show200124Tom Lennox24
TV Show2010Young JusticeProfessor Ivo / M.O.N.Q.I. (voice)1
TV Show1982Faerie Tale TheatreMartin1
TV Show2003The Lyon's Den1
TV Show1994Chicago Hope1
TV Show2004Boston LegalDr. Sydney Field1
TV Show1992The Powers That BeBradley Grist15
TV Show2010G.I. Joe: RenegadesFirefly (voice)1
TV Show2010Young JusticeProfessor Ivo / Amazo / M.O.N.Q.I. (voice)1
TV Show1998The Wild ThornberrysRaju / Monkey (voice)1
TV Show2004Justice League UnlimitedDavid Clinton (voice)2
TV Show2015CSI: CyberSimon Sifter13
TV Show2010Ben 10: Ultimate AlienOliver / Forever Knight #1 (voice)2
TV Show2013Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.Professor Elliott Randolph2
TV Show2005American Dad!Old Man Hanson (voice)1
TV Show2005American Dad!Santa's Elf (voice)1
TV Show2005Grey's AnatomyRobert Stark7
TV Show2012The Mindy ProjectRabbi Adler1
TV Show2010Young JusticeProfessor Ivo (voice)1
TV Show2000Harvey Birdman, Attorney at LawX the Eliminator (voice)9
TV Show2012Doc McStuffinsEgghead (voice)1
TV Show2011Fairly LegalJudge Smollet1
TV Show2004The BatmanLangstrom (voice)3
TV Show2012VeepJeff Kane9
TV Show2008The Spectacular Spider-ManOtto Octavius (voice)4
TV Show2008The Spectacular Spider-ManOtto Octavius / Doctor Octopus (voice)1
TV Show2008The Spectacular Spider-ManDoctor Octopus (voice)3
TV Show2008The Spectacular Spider-ManMaster Planner / Otto Octavius (voice)1
TV Show2008The Spectacular Spider-ManMaster Planner (voice)2
TV Show2008The Spectacular Spider-ManMaster Planner / Doctor Octopus (voice)1
TV Show2000Buzz Lightyear of Star CommandMajor (voice)2
TV Show2014Star Wars RebelsTseebo (voice)3
TV Show1997The Angry Beavers1
TV Show1987The Days and Nights of Molly DoddSteve Cooper1
TV Show2019All RiseAlbert Campbell9
TV Show2005American Dad!Angel (voice)1
TV Show2017A Series of Unfortunate EventsIshmael1
TV Show2007The Big Bang TheoryRobert Wolcott1
TV Show1982CheersMario1
TV Show2012Honest TrailersElliot Randolph (archive footage)1

Crew

Media
TV Show2000Boston PublicDirectorDirecting
TV Show1997Ally McBealDirectorDirecting
TV Show2005Numb3rsWriterWriting