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Darren McGavin
ACTOR

Darren McGavin

Known for The X-Files · Murder, She Wrote · Magnum, P.I.

Darren McGavin (born William Lyle Richardson; May 7, 1922 – February 25, 2006) was an American actor best known for playing the title role in the television horror series Kolchak: The Night Stalker and his portrayal of the grumpy father given to bursts of profanity in the film A Christmas Story. He appeared as the tough-talking, funny detective in the 1950s television series Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer. From 1959-1961, McGavin…

Snapshot 2026-10-13

Born
May 7, 1922
Died
Feb 25, 2006
Birthplace
Spokane, Washington, U.S.
Known For
Acting

Biography

Darren McGavin (born William Lyle Richardson; May 7, 1922 – February 25, 2006) was an American actor best known for playing the title role in the television horror series Kolchak: The Night Stalker and his portrayal of the grumpy father given to bursts of profanity in the film A Christmas Story. He appeared as the tough-talking, funny detective in the 1950s television series Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer. From 1959-1961, McGavin starred in the NBC western series Riverboat, first with Burt Reynolds and then with Noah Beery, Jr.

Description above from the Wikipedia article Darren McGavin, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Known For

TVThe X-Files
The X-FilesAgent Arthur Dales · 1993
★ 8.4
TVMurder, She Wrote
Murder, She WroteMartin Tremaine · 1984
★ 7.5
TVMagnum, P.I.
Magnum, P.I.Buck Gibson · 1980
★ 7.3
TVMission: Impossible
Mission: ImpossibleJ. Richard Taggart · 1966
★ 7.6
TVThe Love Boat
The Love BoatLawrence Evans · 1977
★ 6.2
TVTouched by an Angel
Touched by an AngelGeorge Zarko · 1994
★ 7.2
TVThe Alfred Hitchcock Hour
The Alfred Hitchcock HourSheridan Westcott · 1962
★ 7.9
TVMannix
MannixMark · 1967
★ 6.9

Filmography

Movies

A Song to RememberStudent (uncredited)
1945
She Wouldn't Say YesThe Kid - Soldier in Hospital (uncredited)
1945
YN
Your Next JobBalancing hobbyist
1945
Queen for a DayDan
1951
A Word to the Wives...George Peters
1955
SummertimeEddie Yaeger
1955
The Court-Martial of Billy MitchellCapt. Russ Peters
1955
The Man with the Golden ArmLouie
1955
TI
Triggers In LeashRed Hillman
1955
Beau JamesCharley Hand
1957
The Delicate DelinquentMike Damon
1957
The Case Against BrooklynPete Harris
1958
Disneyland '59Self
1959
Witchcraft: The Doll in BramblesFred
1961
Bullet for a BadmanSam Ward
1964
African GoldMike Gregory
1965
The Great Sioux MassacreCaptain Frederick William Benton
1965
The OutsiderDavid Ross
1967
Boomerang, Dog of Many TalentsBarney B. Duncan
1968
Mission MarsCol. Mike Blaiswick
1968
Anatomy of a CrimeDavid Ross
1969
Berlin AffairPaul Killian
1970
The 48-Hour MileDavid Ross
1970
The ChallengeJacob Gallery
1970
The ChallengersJim McCabe
1970
TribesDrake
1970
BanyonLieutenant Pete Cordova
1971
Mooch Goes to HollywoodDarren McGavin (uncredited)
1971
Mrs. Pollifax — SpyFarrell
1971
The Death of Me YetJoe Chalk
1971
43: The Richard Petty StoryLee Petty
1972
HC
Here Comes the JudgeJudge
1972
Sam Cade
1972
Say Goodbye, Maggie ColeDr. Lou Grazzo
1972
Something EvilPaul Worden
1972
The Night StalkerCarl Kolchak
1972
The RookiesSgt. Eddie Ryker
1972
Happy Mother's Day, Love GeorgeDirector
1973
The Night StranglerCarl Kolchak
1973
The Six Million Dollar ManOliver Spencer
1973
B. Must DiePal Kovak
1975
Brinks: The Great RobberyJames McNally
1976
Crackle of DeathCarl Kolchak
1976
Demon and the MummyCarl Kolchak
1976
Law and OrderDeputy Chief Brian O'Malley
1976
No Deposit, No ReturnDuke
1976
Airport '77Stan Buchek
1977
Hot Lead & Cold FeetMayor Ragsdale
1978
The UsersHenry Waller
1978
Zero to SixtyMichael Nolan
1978
Zero to SixtyScreenplay
1978
Donovan's KidTimothy Donovan
1979
IkeGen. George S. Patton
1979
Love for RentCoach John Martin
1979
Hangar 18Harry Forbes
1980
WaikikiCapt. McGuire
1980
Firebird 2015 A.D.Red
1981
A Christmas StoryThe Old Man
1983
The Baron and the KidJack Beamer
1984
The NaturalGus Sands (uncredited)
1984
The Return of Marcus Welby, M.D.Dr. David Jennings
1984
My Wicked, Wicked Ways: The Legend of Errol FlynnDr. Gerrit Koets
1985
Turk 182!Det. Kowalski
1985
Raw DealHarry Shannon
1986
From the HipCraig Duncan
1987
Tales from the Hollywood Hills: Natica JacksonA. Z. Nathan
1987
Dead HeatDr. Ernest McNab
1988
Inherit the WindE.K. Hornbeck
1988
The Diamond TrapChief Walter Vadney
1988
By Dawn's Early LightCondor
1990
Captain AmericaGeneral Fleming
1990
Child in the NightOs Winfield
1990
Kojak: It's Always SomethingWainwright
1990
UF
Unclaimed Fortunes IIHost
1990
Blood and ConcreteHank Dick
1991
C
ClaraAlbert Kroll
1991
Happy Hell NightHenry Collins
1991
Perfect HarmonyMr. Hobbs
1991
Preminger: Anatomy of a Filmmakeractor (archive footage) (uncredited)
1991
MastergateFolsom Bunting
1992
The American ClockOlder Arthur Huntington
1993
A Perfect StrangerJohn Henry Phillips
1994
Mysteries of the Ancient WorldNarrator
1994
Billy MadisonBrian Madison
1995
DerbyLester Corbett
1995
Small TimeSam
1996
Christmas Unwrapped: The History of ChristmasMr. Parker (archive footage)
1997
Pros & ConsMr. Stanford
1999

Television

Studio OneWill Sorrell · 1 eps
1948
Studio OneJohnny Quigg · 1 eps
1948
Studio OneTom Kendall · 1 eps
1948
The Philco Television PlayhouseBill Starbuck · 1 eps
1948
SuspenseTed Larson · 1 eps
1949
Suspense1 eps
1949
Robert Montgomery PresentsJoe Gillis · 1 eps
1950
What's My Line?Self · 1 eps
1950
CC
Casey, Crime PhotographerJack Casey · 54 eps
1951
Tales of Tomorrow1 eps
1951
Death Valley DaysZacharias Gurney · 1 eps
1952
Omnibus1 eps
1952
Climax!Walter · 1 eps
1954
The Wonderful World of DisneyJohn Jay Forrest · 2 eps
1954
The Wonderful World of DisneyTimothy Donovan · 2 eps
1954
Alfred Hitchcock PresentsRed Hillman · 1 eps
1955
Alfred Hitchcock PresentsLyle Endicott · 1 eps
1955
GunsmokeWill Helmick · 1 eps
1955
GunsmokeLon Gorman · 1 eps
1955
GunsmokeJoe Bascome · 1 eps
1955
The Alcoa Hour2 eps
1955
B
BuckskinDirector
1958
Mickey Spillane's Mike HammerMike Hammer · 79 eps
1958
RawhideJed Hadley · 1 eps
1959
RiverboatCaptain Grey Holden · 44 eps
1959
RiverboatDirector
1959
Route 661 eps
1960
Special for WomenThe Social Worker · 1 eps
1960
Stagecoach West1 eps
1960
The IslandersPhil · 1 eps
1960
Ben Casey1 eps
1961
Dr. KildareProf. Felix Holman · 4 eps
1961
The DefendersHoward Potter · 1 eps
1961
The DefendersMarty Wisnovsky · 1 eps
1961
The Mike Douglas ShowSelf · 1 eps
1961
The Alfred Hitchcock HourSheridan Westcott · 1 eps
1962
The Match GameSelf · 5 eps
1962
The VirginianMark Troxel · 1 eps
1962
The VirginianSam Evans · 1 eps
1962
BH
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre1 eps
1963
BH
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler TheatreFranklin Carson · 1 eps
1963
The Man from U.N.C.L.E.Viktor Karmak · 1 eps
1964
The RoguesAmos Champion · 1 eps
1964
Felony Squad1 eps
1966
Mission: ImpossibleJ. Richard Taggart · 1 eps
1966
Cimarron Strip1 eps
1967
Custer1 eps
1967
MannixMark · 1 eps
1967
The Name of the GameJesse Gil McCray · 1 eps
1968
The Name of the GameSam Hardy · 1 eps
1968
The Name of the GameEddie Gannon · 1 eps
1968
The OutsiderDavid Ross · 26 eps
1968
Bracken's World1 eps
1969
Love, American StyleCorbett · 1 eps
1969
The Bold Ones: The Lawyers1 eps
1969
Owen Marshall: Counselor at LawMcClain · 1 eps
1971
VS
V.I.P. SchaukelSelf · 1 eps
1971
Police StoryMatt Hallett · 1 eps
1973
The Dean Martin Celebrity RoastsSelf · 1 eps
1973
The Evil Touch2 eps
1973
The Evil TouchAlvin Hazeltine · 1 eps
1973
The Evil TouchDirector
1973
Kolchak: The Night StalkerCarl Kolchak · 20 eps
1974
Kolchak: The Night StalkerProducer
1974
The Love BoatLawrence Evans · 2 eps
1977
IkeGen. George S. Patton · 3 eps
1979
Tales of the UnexpectedSheriff Milt Singleton · 1 eps
1979
Magnum, P.I.Buck Gibson · 1 eps
1980
The Martian ChroniclesSam Parkhill · 3 eps
1980
Small & Frye6 eps
1983
The HitchhikerOld Man · 1 eps
1983
Highway to Heaven1 eps
1984
Murder, She WroteMartin Tremaine · 1 eps
1984
Tales from the DarksideVan Conway · 1 eps
1984
Worlds BeyondHarry Hewart · 1 eps
1986
MonstersHubert · 1 eps
1988
Murphy BrownBill Brown · 4 eps
1988
Around the World in 80 DaysBenjamin Mudge · 3 eps
1989
Civil Wars1 eps
1991
Sisters1 eps
1991
The Commish2 eps
1991
TG
The General Motors Playwrights TheaterAlbert Kroll · 1 eps
1991
Fallen AngelsOld Man · 1 eps
1993
Grace Under FireGrace's Dad · 1 eps
1993
The X-FilesAgent Arthur Dales · 2 eps
1993
Burke's LawConrad Hill · 1 eps
1994
GargoylesG.F. Benton/Dominic Dracon (voice) · 1 eps
1994
Touched by an AngelGeorge Zarko · 1 eps
1994
MillenniumHenry Black · 1 eps
1996
Night Stalker1 eps
2005

Photos

Darren McGavin photo
Darren McGavin photo
Darren McGavin photo
Darren McGavin photo
Darren McGavin photo
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