ACTOR
William H. Macy
Known for The Simpsons · Law & Order · Shameless
William H. Macy (born March 13, 1950) is an American actor and writer. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role as Jerry Lundegaard in Fargo. He is also a teacher and director in theater, film and television. His film career has been built mostly on his appearances in small, independent films, though he has…
Snapshot 2026-10-12
- Born
- Mar 13, 1950
- Birthplace
- Miami, Florida, USA
- Known For
- Acting
Biography
William H. Macy (born March 13, 1950) is an American actor and writer. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role as Jerry Lundegaard in Fargo. He is also a teacher and director in theater, film and television. His film career has been built mostly on his appearances in small, independent films, though he has appeared in summer action films as well. Macy gained widespread popularity for portraying Frank Gallagher in Showtime's comedy-drama series Shameless (2011–2021). Macy has described his screen persona as "sort of a Middle American, WASPy, Lutheran kind of guy... Everyman". He has won two Emmy Awards and a Screen Actors Guild Award, being nominated for nine Emmy Awards and seven Screen Actors Guild Awards in total. He is also a three-time Golden Globe Award nominee.
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Known For
Filmography
Movies
Somewhere in TimeCritic [1972]
1980
Foolin' AroundBronski
1980
Without a TraceReporter
1983
The Cradle Will FallBen Duffy
1983
WarGamesNORAD Officer (uncredited)
1983
The Dining RoomVarious
1984
The Boy Who Loved TrollsSocrates
1984
The Last DragonJ.J.
1985
Radio DaysRadio Voice (voice)
1987
House of GamesSgt. John Moran
1987
Lip ServiceFarmer
1988
Things ChangeBilly Drake
1988
All That GlittersStore Clerk
1990
HomicideTim Sullivan
1991
Barton FinkNavy Sailor (uncredited)
1991
Shadows and FogCop
1991
In the Line of Duty: Siege at MarionRay Daniels
1992
A Private MatterPsychiatrist
1992
The Water EngineCharles Lang
1992
A Murderous Affair: The Carolyn Warmus StorySean Hammel
1992
The Heart of JusticeBooth
1992
Benny & JoonRandy Burch
1993
Searching for Bobby FischerTunafish Father
1993
Twenty BucksProperty Clerk
1993
Being HumanBoris
1994
The ClientDr. Greenway
1994
Dead on SightSteven Meeker
1994
OleannaJohn
1994
Murder in the FirstBill McNeill
1995
In the Shadow of EvilDr. Frank Teague
1995
EvolverEvolver (voice)
1995
RoommatesDoctor (uncredited)
1995
Tall Tale: The Unbelievable AdventureRailroad Magnate
1995
Above SuspicionPros. Atty. Schultz
1995
Mr. Holland's OpusVice Principal Gene Wolters
1995
Down PeriscopeCaptain Knox
1996
AndersonvilleCol. Chandler
1996
FargoJerry Lundegaard
1996
The Writing on the WallPetrocelli
1996
Hit MePoliceman
1996
Ghosts of MississippiCharlie Crisco
1996
Colin FitzMr. O'Day
1997
Air Force OneMajor Caldwell
1997
Boogie NightsLittle Bill
1997
Wag the DogCIA Agent Charles Young
1997
MO
Macy On Mamet
1998
The ConBobby
1998
PleasantvilleGeorge Parker
1998
PsychoMilton Arbogast
1998
Jerry and TomKarl
1998
A Civil ActionJames Gordon
1998
The Secret of NIMH 2: Timmy to the RescueJustin (voice)
1999
Batman Beyond: Tech Wars and Disappearing InqueAaron Herbst
1999
Psycho PathSelf - Actor / Milton Arbogast
1999
Mystery MenShoveler / Eddie
1999
A Slight Case of MurderTerry Thorpe
1999
The Night of the Headless HorsemanIchabod Crane
1999
Happy, TexasSheriff Chappy Dent
1999
MagnoliaQuiz Kid Donnie Smith
1999
That Moment: Magnolia DiarySelf
2000
State and MainWalt Price
2000
The Coen BrothersSelf
2000
PanicAlex
2000
Jurassic Park IIIPaul Kirby
2001
FocusLawrence 'Larry' Newman
2001
The Making Of Jurassic Park IIISelf
2001
Door to DoorBill Porter
2002
Welcome to CollinwoodRiley
2002
It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas MovieGlenn
2002
Stealing SinatraJohn Irwin
2003
Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex 'n' Drugs 'n' Rock 'n' Roll Generation Saved HollywoodSelf - Narrator (voice)
2003
Minnesota NiceSelf
2003
'T
'Seabiscuit': The Making of a LegendSelf
2003
SeabiscuitTick Tock McGlaughlin
2003
TT
The True Story of SeabiscuitNarrator (voice)
2003
The CoolerBernie Lootz
2003
WC
Winners' Circle: The Heroes Behind the LegendSelf
2003
Dialing Up "Cellular"Self
2004
In Enemy HandsNathan Travers
2004
SpartanStoddard
2004
Reversible ErrorsArthur Raven
2004
CellularSgt. Bob Mooney
2004
The Wool CapGigot
2004
SaharaAdmiral Jim Sandecker
2005
Thank You for SmokingSenator Ortolan Finistirre
2005
DoogalBrian (voice)
2006
EdmondEdmond
2006
Choose Your Own Adventure: The Abominable SnowmanRudyard North (voice)
2006
Everyone's HeroLefty Maginnis (voice)
2006
BobbyPaul Ebbers
2006
Unfiltered Comedy: The Making of 'Thank You For Smoking'Self
2006
Inland EmpireAnnouncer
2006
Wild HogsDudley Frank
2007
Curious George: Rocket Ride and Other Adventures
2007
Lynch 2Self
2007
He Was a Quiet ManGene Shelby
2007
Bart Got a RoomErnie Stein
2008
The DealCharlie Berns
2008
The Tale of DespereauxLester (voice)
2008
The Maiden HeistGeorge McLendon
2009
Heath Ledger: A TributeSelf
2009
ShortsDr. Noseworthy
2009
MarmadukeDon Twombly
2010
Dirty GirlRay
2010
Return to Jurassic ParkSelf
2011
The Lincoln LawyerFrank Levin
2011
Portraits in Dramatic Time
2011
Curious George: Saves the DayThe Narrator (voice)
2012
The SessionsFather Brendan
2012
Citizen HearstNarrator
2013
Trust MeGary
2013
A Single ShotPitt
2013
RudderlessTrill
2014
Two-Bit WaltzCarl
2014
CakeLeonard
2014
WalterDr. Corman
2015
Dial a PrayerBill
2015
RoomRobert
2015
Stealing CarsPhilip Wyatt
2016
Blood FatherKirby Curtis
2016
KrystalWyatt
2018
Lady Luck: The Making of The CoolerSelf
2018
Beyond the Headlines: The College Admissions Scandal with Gretchen CarlsonSelf
2019
Maybe I DoSam
2023
Ricky StanickySummerhayes
2024
Kingdom of the Planet of the ApesTrevathan
2024
Soul on FireJack Buck
2025
Train DreamsArn Peeples
2025
The Running ManMolie
2025
Frontier CrucibleMajor O'Rourke
2025
Brian
2026
Speed DemonFather Novak
2026
The DeputyChief Krueger
2026
ER
Exit RightJohn Randall
UE
Untitled Eternity Project
TS
The Swimming LessonLeonard
Television
The OscarsSelf · 1 eps
1953
60 MinutesSelf · 1 eps
1968
The Awakening LandWill Beagle · 3 eps
1978
Kate & Allie1 eps
1984
Alive from Off Centerunknown · 1 eps
1985
The EqualizerDr. Spaulding · 1 eps
1985
Spenser: For Hire2 eps
1985
L.A. LawBernard Ruskin · 1 eps
1986
The Murder of Mary PhaganRandy · 2 eps
1988
The SimpsonsWilliam H. Macy (voice) · 1 eps
1989
Law & OrderAssistant U.S. Attorney John McCormack · 1 eps
1990
The Tonight Show with Jay LenoSelf · 4 eps
1992
Bakersfield P.D.Russell Karp · 1 eps
1993
FrasierRalph (voice) · 1 eps
1993
Inside the Actors StudioSelf · 1 eps
1994
ERDavid Morgenstern · 35 eps
1994
MADtvSelf · 1 eps
1995
TFI Friday1 eps
1996
AndersonvilleCol. Chandler · 2 eps
1996
Superman: The Animated SeriesDirector (voice) · 1 eps
1996
King of the HillDr. Rubin (voice) · 1 eps
1997
The ViewSelf · 1 eps
1997
The Wild ThornberrysSkoot (voice) · 1 eps
1998
The LionheartsLeo (voice) · 13 eps
1998
Sports NightSam Donovan · 6 eps
1998
Batman BeyondAaron Herbst (voice) · 1 eps
1999
Good Day LiveSelf · 1 eps
2001
Jimmy Kimmel Live!Self · 1 eps
2003
Out of OrderSteven · 5 eps
2003
The Ellen DeGeneres ShowSelf · 1 eps
2003
The Late Late Show with Craig FergusonSelf · 1 eps
2005
The UnitPresident of the United States · 1 eps
2006
Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen KingClyde Umney / Sam Landry / George Demmick · 1 eps
2006
Curious GeorgeNarrator (voice) · 60 eps
2006
Watch What Happens Live with Andy CohenSelf - Guest · 1 eps
2009
The TalkSelf · 1 eps
2010
ConanSelf · 1 eps
2010
ShamelessFrank Gallagher · 134 eps
2011
Finding Your RootsSelf · 1 eps
2012
Off Camera with Sam JonesSelf · 1 eps
2014
Close Up with The Hollywood ReporterSelf · 1 eps
2015
Shameless Hall of ShameFrank Gallagher · 1 eps
2020
Last MealsSelf · 1 eps
2021
The DropoutRichard Fuisz · 5 eps
2022
AccusedRaymond · 1 eps
2023
In the Booth with BabishSelf - Guest · 1 eps
2026
TL
The LandHank Durkin · 1 eps
2027Photos
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