Jack MacGowran
| Jack MacGowran | |
|---|---|
Jack MacGowran in trailer for How I Won the War (1967)
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| Born |
John Joseph MacGowran 13 October 1918 Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland |
| Died | 31 January 1973 (aged 54) New York City, New York, USA |
| Years active | 1951–1973 |
| Spouse(s) | Aileen Gloria Nugent (1963–1973) (his death) |
| Children | Tara MacGowran |
John Joseph "Jack" MacGowran (13 October 1918 – 31 January 1973) was an Irish character actor, probably best known for his work with Samuel Beckett. His last film role was as the alcoholic director Burke Dennings in The Exorcist.
MacGowran was born on 13 October 1918 in Dublin. He established his professional reputation as a member of the Abbey Players in Dublin, while he achieved stage renown for his knowing interpretations of the works of Samuel Beckett. He appeared as Lucky in Waiting For Godot at the Royal Court Theatre, and with the Royal Shakespeare Company in Endgame at the Aldwych Theatre. He released an LP record, MacGowran Speaking Beckett, to coincide with Samuel Beckett's 60th birthday in 1966, and won the 1970–71 Obie for Best Performance By an Actor in the off-Broadway play MacGowran in the works of Beckett.
He also specialised in the work of Seán O'Casey, creating the role of Joxer in the Broadway musical Juno in 1959, based with O'Casey's 1924 play about the Troubles, Juno and the Paycock. Fittingly, he played O'Casey's brother Archie in Young Cassidy (1965), one of John Ford's last films (which the director had to abandon due to ill health).
In 1954 he moved to London, where he became a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company. There he struck up a lasting friendship with Peter O'Toole, whom he later appeared alongside with in Richard Brooks' Lord Jim (1965).
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