Eric McCormack

Eric McCormack

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Birth name: Eric James McCormack
Date of birth: 18 April 1963
Place of birth: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Nickname: E Mack
Height: 5′ 11″ (1.80 m)
Spouse: Janet Holden (3 August 1997 – present) 1 child

Famous Quote: “The best thing about being Canadian is George Bush doesn’t run our country. As a television actor, there’s a power you’re given to use your image to do something valuable. As a parent, these messages are particularly important to me. Will isn’t a screaming queen – that’s Jack’s part. They needed someone to play the part for America. It’s just not the same as Britain. To have a gay character as a lead is risky.”

Contact Address and Autograph: Addresses and fan mail information

Eric Mccormack
Hyler Management
20 Ocean Park Blvd. Suite 25
Santa Monica, CA 90405, USA 

Biography:  Eric James McCormack (born April 18, 1963) is an award-winning Canadian actor, television producer and writer. He is best known for his award-winning role as Will Truman in the American sitcom Will & Grace. A dark and brooding leading man with an acerbic comedic streak, Eric McCormack led an accomplished career on both stage and screen. Winning the hearts of television viewers as the witty and lovable Will Truman on the popular sitcom, “Will & Grace” (1998-2006), the Canadian-born actor began his career on the Shakespearean stage before finding a home in Hollywood.

McCormack was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, the son of Doris, a homemaker, and Keith McCormack, an oil company financial analyst. He has Cherokee and Scottish ancestry. McCormack attended Sir John A. Macdonald Collegiate Institute in Scarborough, Ontario. Eric was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario. He attended Stephen Leacock Collegiate Institute (the same school Mike Meyers attended) and Sir John A. Collegiate High school. With the support of his parents (his father was also an aspiring actor), Eric spent three years at the Ryerson Theater School in Toronto and the Banff Center for the Arts, and went on to spend five seasons with Canada’s Stratford Festival – he graduated ‘lead’ status in such stage classics as “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, “Henry V” and “The Three Sisters”. Eric then moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, where he also moved into television and movies and gained a devoted following of fans. Eric makes his home in both Vancouver and Los Angeles.

McCormack attended high school with David Furnish, Elton John’s husband. Educated and trained as an actor in Canada at the Ryerson University School of Theatre in Toronto, McCormack has been appearing in television productions since his debut in 1986. McCormack made his Canadian television debut in the 1986 movie, “The Boys from Syracuse” and his US TV debut in a 1991 episode of the CBS series “Top Cops” (1990-93). Landing a recurring role as a detective on the syndicated series “Street Justice” (1991-93), McCormack’s career began to pick up speed. He appeared in the 1992 remake of “The Lost World” opposite Jonathan Rhys-Davies and its sequel “The Return to the Lost World” (1992). In 1994, McCormack landed the role of Colonel Clay Mosby on the syndicated “Lonesome Dove” spin-off series, “Lonesome Dove: The Series” (1994-95). 

After playing the dashing colonel for two years, he went on to portray a selfish businessman who learns to love in “Borrowed Hearts: A Holiday Romance” (1997) and a cheating husband mixed-up in a blackmail plot in the HBO film “Exception to the Rule” (1997). Next, the versatile actor tapped his comedic side in episodes of “Townies” (1996), “Veronica’s Closet” (1997-2000) and “Ally McBeal” (1997-2002). In 1998, McCormack appeared in the stinker feature film “Holy Man” with Eddie Murphy and Jeff Goldblum, as well as starred in the independent feature and now cult classic, “Free Enterprise.” The film, about two filmmakers obsessed with William Shatner and “Star Trek,” struck a chord with Trekkie geeks around the world. The fact that the filmmakers were able to talk Shatner into appearing as himself in a not-so-positive, slightly egomaniacal light, was even more amazing.

McCormack played Colonel Francis Clay Mosby in the 1-hour Western television miniseries Lonesome Dove: The Series (1994), and Lonesome Dove: The Outlaw Years (1995). He starred as the immortal Matthew McCormick in the Highlander: The Series episode “Manhunt” (1996). In 1997, he appeared in The Outer Limits in the episode “Tempests”. In 1998, McCormack starred in the cult hit film Free Enterprise with William Shatner, playing a character based closely on the life of the film’s co-writer Mark A. Altman. A sequel is in pre-production, and it is expected that McCormack will reprise his role as Mark.

McCormack’s role as gay lawyer Will Truman in the NBC sitcom Will & Grace from 1998 until 2006 has brought him widespread recognition. Nominated for Emmy Awards on three occasions for this role, he won the award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy in 2001. During the 2001 Broadway season, McCormack briefly portrayed Prof. Harold Hill (replacing Craig Bierko) in the Susan Stroman revival of The Music Man while on hiatus from Will & Grace. In August 2002, as part of the Hollywood Bowl’s Summer Concert Series, he reprised the role for a one-night only appearance in which he and other artists re-created the songs from the show. McCormack also starred in the off-Broadway play Some Girl(s) with Fran Drescher in 2006 and is the executive producer of the new Lifetime comedy, Lovespring International.

He has set up his own production company called Big Cattle Productions to develop ideas for TV. The naming of the company came out of wordplay as by shortening the word “production”, you get “Big Cattle Prod”. McCormack recorded a song, “The Greatest Discovery”, which was written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin in 1970, for the album Unexpected Dreams: Songs from the Stars. He also wrote and sang a song called “Living with Grace” for the 2004 soundtrack to Will & Grace with piano music provided by Barry Manilow.

McCormack has been married to Janet Leigh Holden since 1997; they have a son, Finnigan Holden McCormack, born on July 1, 2002 in Los Angeles. He maintains residences in Los Angeles and Vancouver. McCormack became a US citizen in 1999 and now holds dual Canadian and US citizenship.

McCormack is involved in many Los Angeles- and Canadian-based charitable organizations including Project Angel Food and others. The Wellness Community West Los Angeles Tribute to the Human Spirit Awards dinner presented an award to McCormack for his breast cancer awareness advocacy. McCormack shared with the audience how his comedy helped his mother, Doris McCormack, age 73 as of 2006, endure her breast cancer treatments. Doris was honored at the Lifetime’s Breast Cancer Heroes Luncheon in 2004.

McCormack sang both the American and Canadian national anthems at the 2004 NHL All Star game in Minnesota. He is an avid fan of Elton John, particularly his classic album Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy. He wrote a tribute to the album that was featured on John’s official website. He became a US citizen, and now holds dual citizenship with the US and Canada. A graduate for Ryerson University’s School of Theatre (Toronto). Son, Finnigan Holden McCormack, born 1 July 2002 in Los Angeles. Sang both the American and Canadian national anthems at the 2004 NHL All Stars game in Minnesota. With all of his success, McCormack was offered many other roles while on the series. McCormack made his Broadway debut in 2001 starring as Harold Hill in “The Music Man.” 

He appeared in “The Audrey Hepburn Story” (2000) opposite Jennifer Love Hewitt, hosted “Saturday Night Live” (NBC, 1975- ) in 2002, and appeared in a recurring role as Ray Summers on Showtime’s “Dead Like Me” (2003-04). In 2004, he teamed up with Michael Forman to form the production company Big Cattle Productions. With projects in development at NBC, UPN and USA, 2006 marked McCormack’s first executive producing credit with the Lifetime improv comedy series “Lovespring International” (2006- ) on which he also guest-starred. Also in 2006, McCormack landed a starring role in the American premiere of the Neil Labute off-Broadway comedy “Some Girls” with Fran Drescher and Maura Tierney. 

Attended Stephen Leacock Collegiate Institute high school in Scarborough, Canada; the same high school that Mike Myers went to. Set up his own production company called “Big Cattle Productions” to develop ideas for TV. The name of his company came about, as usually the case for Eric, out of humor. By shortening the word “production” you get “Big Cattle Prod.” Named his son Finnigan after the puppet in “Mr. Dressup” (1967). He refers to his acting repertoire as his “tickle trunk” also from that show.

The producers of the ‘Highlander’ television series liked Eric’s performance in Lonesome Dove: The Series (1994) to much that they created a character specially for him. In the Highlander episode “Manhunt” McCormack played “Matthew McCormick,” an immortal working as a federal who tracks serial killers. The producers were so happy with this episode they even considered giving Eric his own Highlander spin-off series.

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