Oh, That's Who That Is: Tom McGowan

You probably know him as Pat, the pleasantly plump camp counselor from Heavy Weights who inspires his chubby charges-- and himself-- to fight evil diet empires and get healthy the right way! However, he pops up again and again...in the strangest of places. 

He has had minor supporting roles (usually as a co-worker, or the husband of a co-worker, or a store clerk) in Sleepless in Seattle, Searching for Bobby Fischer, The Birdcage, and Bad Santa. 

His small but more memorable appearances are quite notable. In the incredible indie film 12 and Holding, he plays the passive patriarch of a family with the worst health habits, ever (more on this film and this family in future posts). In Ghost World, he plays the passive friend of Seymour (Steve Buscemi) who helps facilitate his romance with Enid (Thora Birch). 

He took more active roles (not larger, just...less stereotypical) in the late 1990's. You may remember him from As Good As It Gets as the Maitre' D who insists that Melvin (Jack Nicholson) must wear a blazer to enter the restaurant for his fancy date with Carol (Helen Hunt). In True Crime, he was the only fellow reporter willing to help Steve Everett (Clint Eastwood) chase a life-or-death story about a possibly innocent man sentenced to be executed for murder. 

What I find fascinating about McGowan is that he maintains a professional integrity and dedication to every part I've seen him in. He has never been the star of a "serious" film, and probably never will be. But his characters are all distinct, and he adds subtleties to each role that make him one of those extremely memorable supporting players. 

Plus, he's probably made a very good living from acting, despite his lack of prestige. In addition to the films mentioned above, he has had roles on TV shows ranging from "Down the Shore" (1992) and "Coach" (1994) to "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" (1996), "Frasier" (1998), "Curb Your Enthusiasm" (2001), "Everybody Loves Raymond (2003), "The War At Home" (2005), "Hannah Montana" (2007) and "CSI" (2008). 

This is, I think, the most realistic profile a successful actor that you could find. After earning an MFA from the Yale School of Drama (just like Meryl Streep!), he was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for his performance in "La Bete." It was after this blaze of glory that he fell into a steady stream of minor but memorable roles in film and television. He might not have won an Oscar or made headlines, but Tom McGowan has contributed much to the past two decades of television and film with his comedic timing, guileless face and professional commitment. 

So the next time you catch a re-run of "Frasier" or make the wise, wise choice to rent 12 and Holding, you can say, "oh, that's that guy from...shit...what was it..." without drawing a blank and making yourself look like a pretentious ass.