So, invited me to come and create this guy. “I played Ed Burns’ and Tyler Perry’s boss in the police force … It’s not in the book. While both of the leading men’s characters come straight from the texts of James Patterson, McGinley got the opportunity to create the character himself with the film’s writer and director Rob Cohen. In 1947, to bring a black guy into the big leagues? As you’ll see in the story, it was an uphill climb the whole way.”Īnother highly anticipated film in McGinley’s future is the newest Alex Cross adaptation, featuring Tyler Perry and Ed Burns. Branch Rickey, who Harrison Ford plays in this, was the guy who ran the Dodgers. McGinley appreciates just how grand a story this film has in store - “As much of a sports story it is,” the actor said, “this is a civil rights story.” He continued: “This is a story about empowerment and courage.
However, this story reaches far beyond the confines of professional baseball. So, this is a guy who, along with Mel Allen, invented baseball on the radio. “I don’t say that in any way disparaging Vince Gully, because Vince Gully was an intern of his for five years. “He’s one of the top-of-the-food-chain, iconic radio voices of all time,” McGinley divulged. McGinley enthusiastically celebrates his chance to play radio sportscaster Red Barber in the film. You’ve got to do that with a book … This is one year in a man’s life that, in a lot of ways, changed our country.” It’s not Jackie Robinson from cradle to the grave. First on the list is 42, the developing Jackie Robinson biopic written and directed by Brian Helgeland. There are several big screen projects that McGinley has in the works - each of which commanded his interest thanks to the quality of its script. So, to be able to straddle that tight of a tightrope is the stuff that actors dream of.” You don’t know if he’s the man in black or the man in white, the bad guy or the good guy. He’s not wearing a particular color in the story. “You don’t know if he’s coming or going as far as how he supports or subverts the protagonist for four of the five episodes. McGinley could tell from reading Tom Card that he was a character worth sinking his teeth into. If those words stink, then the is going to stink.” It’s the single truest thing in the history of the planet. I’ll come down to Miami.’ Why not? … There’s that silly rule of thumb that you hear every actor talk about in every stinkin’ interview: if it’s not on the page, it’s a recipe for disaster. “I read it, and I thought it was really delicious. I thought that was a good formula - and so it yielded huge dividends.”Īs we quickly learned about McGinley, the quality of writing is his top priority when choosing a project. So, I just thought it was a bunch of good actors. “I’d been a fan of Jeffrey for a long time,” McGinley explained, discussing his decision to take on a role on Burn Notice. Cox, and some of his own cinematic passions. We got a chance to talk to the actor about his stint on Burn Notice, as well as a few other exciting projects he has on the horizon (including a Broadway appearance), his lasting appreciation for the gift that was Dr. Thursday night will mark the broadcast of the USA series’ mid-season finale (McGinley will appear on more in the fall!) - and perhaps reveal a little more about his character’s true intentions? Throughout Burn Notice’s sixth season, McGinley has recurred as Tom Card, the nebulous former mentor to the show’s hero, Michael Westen ( Jeffrey Donovan). McGinley, the decorated film and television actor famous for playing Dr.
Those well-versed in the films of Oliver Stone or perhaps a certain quirky hospital series that helped launched the age of the single-camera comedy might have noticed a familiar face popping up throughout this season of Burn Notice: that of John C.