Sean McCann (actor)

Sean McCann (September 24, 1935 – June 13, 2019)[1][2] was a Canadian actor and was in the business for over 55 years. He was best known for his roles as Lt. Jim Hogan in the 1985 CBS television drama series Night Heat (1985–1989), Frank Rittenhauer in the comedy film Tommy Boy (1995)[3] and the Judge in Chicago (2002).[3]

Sean McCann
Born(1935-09-24)September 24, 1935
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
DiedJune 13, 2019(2019-06-13) (aged 83)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
OccupationActor
Years active1961–2019

A recipient of the Earle Grey Award for his lifetime achievement in television, Sean McCann appeared in over 150 movies, television programs and plays.

Early life

McCann was born in Windsor, Ontario, on September 24, 1935.[1]

Career

Notable roles and awards

McCann was in The Law of Enclosures, with Sarah Polley and Diane Ladd. He appeared with Meryl Streep (...First Do No Harm), Nick Nolte (Affliction) and Chris Farley (Tommy Boy). He shared screen time with Brenda Fricker and Miranda Richardson in Swann (for which McCann received a Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role Genie nomination), Nicolas Cage in Trapped in Paradise, Kevin Bacon in The Air Up There, Sam Waterston in A House Divided, Peter Weller and Judy Davis in Naked Lunch (which garnered a National Film Critics Society award), Brooke Shields and the late Al Waxman in What Makes a Family, and Kurt Russell in Miracle. He appeared in the movie Hank Williams: The Show He Never Gave (made for Canadian TV, December, 1980).

In 1980, he starred in the second season of the nationally syndicated American situation comedy, The Baxters.[4][5][6] On the series, McCann played Jim Baxter, a middle-class father of three children living in a suburb of St. Louis.[4][5][6] Originally produced by Norman Lear in its first season, the series was the first "interactive sitcom" of its kind, wherein the first half of each 30-minute episode presented a vignette dramatizing the events in the lives of the Baxter family, and the second half was an "instant analysis" talk show segment, giving a live studio audience and guests an opportunity to express their opinions about the topic being presented that week.[4][5][6]

In 1999, he won a Gemini Award for Best Guest Actor in a Series for Power Play. McCann was twice nominated for a Gemini Award for Best Performance in a Pre-School Series, for 1998's beloved Noddy as Grandpa Noah Tomten. McCann was singled out at the 1987 Gemini Awards with a Best Supporting Actor nomination for his recurring role in Night Heat. McCann also starred in Robert Lepage's Genie-award winning Possible Worlds, and appeared in the Golden Globe-nominated Small Sacrifices with Farrah Fawcett. In addition, McCann worked with such legendary directors as Sidney Lumet, Ken Russell, David Green, Paul Schrader and David Cronenberg.

In 1988, he took on a role he spoke of most fondly - Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King in The King Chronicle. Directed by the renowned Canadian documentarian Donald Brittain, the mini-series was a 6-hour CBC and NFB co-production that aired to great popular and critical acclaim. One year later, McCann joined the ranks of such celebrated performers as Lorne Greene, Kate Reid and Gordon Pinsent, when he won the Earle Grey Award.

He also appeared in the Toronto Fringe Festival production of Bad Skater, Good Hands.

Other interests

McCann studied at St. Peter's Seminary in London, Ontario to prepare himself for the priesthood.

A baseball fan since the days of his youth, McCann served as an amateur Associate Scout with the Toronto Blue Jays since their early years, spoke often about baseball to professional organizations, and was named to the Board of Directors of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame.

McCann ran, and subsequently lost, against Roy McMurtry, one of the most recognizable figures on the Canadian political landscape, in Ontario's 1977 provincial election.

Death

McCann died on June 13, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, at the age of 83 from heart failure brought about by a heart disease he had suffered through most of his life. [7]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1974 A Quiet Day in Belfast Peter O'Lurgan
1975 Sudden Fury Polanski
1976 The Far Shore Cluny
1977 The Uncanny Inspector Segment: "Hollywood 1936"
1977 Starship Invasions Carl
1978 Three Card Monte Car Salesman
1979 Title Shot Lieutenant Grace
1980 Nothing Personal Jake
1980 Hog Wild Colonel Warner
1980 Atlantic City Detective Credited as Sean McCaan
1980 Hank Williams: The Show He Never Gave Jack
1981 Death Hunt News Reporter
1981 Tulips Roger
1981 Silence of the North Man on Soup Line
1982 I Know a Secret Six-Toed Jimmy Short film
1985 One Step Away
1986 The High Price of Passion John Benedict
1986 Flying Jack Crew
1986 In This Corner Joe Dunne
1988 Criminal Law Jacob Fisher
1994 The Air Up There Ray Fox
1994 Trapped in Paradise Chief Bernie Burnell
1994 Heritage Minutes: Agnes Macphail The Warden
1995 Tommy Boy Frank Rittenhauer
1995 Iron Eagle IV Wilcox
1996 Swann Homer
1997 Affliction Evan Twombley
1998 Simon Birch Chief Al Cork
1999 Woman Wanted Kevin
2000 Possible Worlds Inspector Berkley
2000 The Law of Enclosures Hank
2002 Chicago Judge
2004 Miracle Walter Bush
2005 The River King Ernest Grey
2012 Let the Daylight Into the Swamp Donal St. Jules
2014 The Big Fat Stone Defense Lawyer Simon Trumble
2015 No Deposits Hostage Negotiator
2017 Born Dead Father McKenna
2018 Defending Moments Shopkeeper

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1982 Off Your Rocker Lou Carmen Television movie
1985-1989 Night Heat Lieutenant Jim Hogan 96 episodes
1989 Small Sacrifices Russell Wells Television movie
1994 Wild C.A.T.s: Covert Action Team Marlowe (voice) Episodes: "Pilot" and "Cry of the Coda"
1995-2003 Little Bear Grandfather Bear (voice) 14 episodes
1998 Dogboys Pappy Television movie
1998 Evidence of Blood Theodore Warfield Television movie
1998-2000 The Noddy Shop Noah Tomten 66 episodes
Nominated - Gemini Award for Best Performance in a Pre-School Program or Series (1999)
Nominated - Gemini Award for Best Performance in a Pre-School Program or Series (2000)
1998 Power Play Ray Malone 3 episodes
2000 A House Divided Rutherford Television movie
2000-2001 George Shrinks Russell Copeland (voice) 3 episodes
2001 The Day Reagan Was Shot Donald Regan Television movie
2003 The Pentagon Papers John Mitchell Television movie
2005-2006 Naturally, Sadie Dr. W.S. Finch 7 episodes
2011 Haven Dom Novelli Episode: "Roots"
2014 Best Christmas Party Ever Arthur Tyrell Television movie

References

  1. Lorinc, Jacob; Sandri, Emma (June 15, 2019). "Canadian actor Sean McCann dies at 83". The Toronto Star. Retrieved October 23, 2019.
  2. "MCCANN, William Leonard Sean McCann". CanadianObituaries.com. Retrieved October 23, 2019.
  3. Vlessing, Etan (June 20, 2019). "Sean McCann, Actor in 'Tommy Boy,' 'Chicago,' Dies at 83". www.hollywoodreporter.com. Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
  4. "The Baxters - TV Guide". TVGuide.com. Retrieved 2011-03-24.
  5. "The Baxters - Yahoo! TV". TV.Yahoo.com. Retrieved 2011-03-24.
  6. "The Baxters - Film.com". Film.com. Retrieved 2011-03-24.
  7. "Sean McCann, Actor in 'Tommy Boy,' 'Chicago,' Dies at 83". MSN. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
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