Donal McCann

Last updated

Donal McCann
Born7 May 1943
Dublin, Ireland
Died17 July 1999(1999-07-17) (aged 56)
Dublin, Ireland
OccupationActor

Donal McCann (7 May 1943 – 17 July 1999) was an Irish stage, film, and television actor best known for his roles in the works of Brian Friel [1] and for his lead role in John Huston's last film, The Dead (1987). In 2020, McCann was listed as number 45 on The Irish Times list of Ireland's greatest film actors. [2]

Contents

Biography

Early life

McCann was born in Terenure in Dublin. His father was John J. McCann, a playwright and politician who served twice as Dublin's Lord Mayor. Although Donal had acted in a production of his father's Give Me a Bed of Roses at Terenure College in 1962, he briefly studied architecture before taking a job as a trainee sub-editor at the Evening Press which allowed him to pursue part-time acting classes at the Abbey School of Actors at the same time. He joined the Abbey Players in the late 1960s.

Career

Among his most important early roles were Cuchulainn in W. B. Yeats's On Baile Strand (1966), and as Estragon in a seminal production of Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot , partnering with Peter O'Toole as Vladimir (1969).

His career included parts in many plays from the Irish literary canon, including Tarry Flynn, The Shaughran, and the Gate Theatre's highly acclaimed production of Seán O'Casey's classic Juno and the Paycock in the 1980s (McCann played the "Paycock" (Captain Boyle) opposite Geraldine Plunkett as Juno and John Kavanagh as Joxer Daly) as well as a subsequent production of O'Casey's The Plough and the Stars .

McCann developed a particularly fruitful relationship with the playwright Brian Friel. He played the role of Gar O'Donnell, the public figure, in a film adaptation of Philadelphia, Here I Come! in 1970 and, despite popular belief, he never played either public or private Gar on stage. He gave a landmark performance as Frank Hardy, the title character, in Faith Healer in 1980 (a role he reprised in 1994), continuing his relationship with Friel through productions of Translations (1988) and Wonderful Tennessee (1993).

Friel has said that McCann's work "contains extraordinary characteristics that go beyond acting ... it is deeply spiritual". Perhaps McCann's most renowned role was as Thomas Dunne in Sebastian Barry's The Steward of Christendom . He won the London Critics Circle Theatre Award (Drama Theatre) as best actor for this role in 1995. He reprised this role in a 1996 production at The Gate Theatre, Dublin and, following a twelve-week run at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in 1997, his "performance of unarguable greatness" ( The New York Observer ) had Newsweek hailing him as "a world-class star", and The New York Times referring to this "astonishing Irish actor...widely regarded as the finest of them all".

On the London stage, McCann played in Prayer for My Daughter opposite Antony Sher (1978), and was Jean to Dame Helen Mirren's Julie in Miss Julie (1971). This was filmed for the BBC, and McCann would much later play Judge Brack with Fiona Shaw in the title role of Ibsen's Hedda Gabler , a production filmed for the BBC in 1993.

McCann began his film career early, in 1966, in Disney's The Fighting Prince of Donegal (this later became a TV series). More significant roles included the title character's father Shamie in Cal and one of the feuding brothers in Thaddeus O'Sullivan's December Bride (1990–1994). He worked a number of times with Neil Jordan (in Angel , The Miracle and High Spirits ).

His best-known film role was as Gabriel Conroy in The Dead (1987), starring opposite Anjelica Huston and directed by her father, John Huston. Significant late roles included Bernardo Bertolucci's Stealing Beauty (1996) and in John Turturro's Illuminata (released in 1999, after McCann's death).

McCann's television work included the featured role of Phineas Finn in the BBC's serialised adaptation of Anthony Trollope's The Pallisers , Willie Burke in RTÉ's Prix Italia drama entry The Burke Enigma (1979) and Barney Mulhall in RTÉ's Strumpet City (1980), as well as many one-off parts.

McCann played in Bob Quinn's Irish-language film Poitín (1979) and in Quinn's somewhat experimental The Bishop's Story (1995). After hearing that McCann was ill, Tom Collins asked Bob Quinn to make a TV documentary about McCann for RTÉ (in 1998) called It Must Be Done Right (after a remark by McCann on his craft). The film aired on RTÉ a week before McCann's death.

Personal life

In his private life, McCann was a quiet and unassuming man, but he battled both depression and alcoholism all his life. [3] He had many friends in Irish theatre and artistic circles but also across all strata of life. His hobbies included sketching and he was passionate about horse racing.

He died at the age of 56 from pancreatic cancer.

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1966 The Fighting Prince of Donegal Sean O'Toole
1969 Sinful Davey Sir James Campbell
1973 The Mackintosh Man 1st Fireman
1977Philadelphia, Here I ComeGar (Public)
1978 Poitín Labhrás
1980 The Hard Way Ryan
1982 Angel Bonner
1984 Reflections Edward Lawless
1984 Cal Shamie
1984Summer LightningDr Lestrange
1985 Out of Africa Doctor
1986 Mr. Love Leo
1986 Rawhead Rex Tom Garron
1987BudawannyPriest
1987 The Dead Gabriel
1988 High Spirits Eamon
1991 December Bride Hamilton Echlin
1991 The Miracle Sam
1992The Bargain ShopNarratorVoice
1994The Bishop's StoryPriest
1995 Innocent Lies Joe GreenUncredited
1996 Stealing Beauty Ian
1997 The Serpent's Kiss Physician
1998 The Nephew Tony Egan
1998 Illuminata Pallenchio(final film role)

Books

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barry Fitzgerald</span> Irish actor (1888–1961)

William Joseph Shields, known professionally as Barry Fitzgerald, was an Irish stage, film and television actor. In a career spanning almost forty years, he appeared in such notable films as Bringing Up Baby (1938), The Long Voyage Home (1940), How Green Was My Valley (1941), The Sea Wolf (1941), Going My Way (1944), None but the Lonely Heart (1944) and The Quiet Man (1952). For Going My Way, he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor and was simultaneously nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for the same performance. He was the older brother of Irish actor Arthur Shields. In 2020, he was listed at number 11 on The Irish Times list of Ireland's greatest film actors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seán O'Casey</span> Irish dramatist and memoirist

Seán O'Casey was an Irish dramatist and memoirist. A committed socialist, he was the first Irish playwright of note to write about the Dublin working classes.

Anna Maria Manahan was an Irish stage, film and television actress.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Donal Donnelly</span> Irish actor (1931–2010)

Donal Donnelly was an Irish theatre and film actor. Perhaps best known for his work in the plays of Brian Friel, he had a long and varied career in film, on television and in the theatre. He lived in Ireland, the UK and the US at various times, and his travels led him to describe himself as "an itinerant Irish actor".

<i>Philadelphia, Here I Come!</i> Play written by Brian Friel

Philadelphia, Here I Come! is a 1964 play by Irish dramatist Brian Friel. Set in the fictional town of Ballybeg, County Donegal, the play launched Friel onto the international stage. The play was first staged at the Gaiety Theatre, Dublin on September 28, 1964.

Sorcha Cusack is an Irish television and stage actress. Her numerous television credits include playing the title role in Jane Eyre (1973), Casualty (1994–1997), Coronation Street (2008) and Father Brown (2013–2022).

Risteard Cooper is an Irish actor, comedian, singer and writer and is one third of comedy trio Après Match.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Terenure College</span> Secondary school for boys, Dublin, Ireland

Terenure College is a Carmelite-run secondary school located in the suburb of Terenure, Dublin, Ireland. The school was founded in 1860 and had an associated primary school until 2017. It is one of the "big six" Leinster Schools Rugby-playing institutions, winning the Leinster Schools Senior Cup 10 times. 80% of the students who sat the Leaving Certificate in 2007 accepted a place in an Irish university.

<i>Juno and the Paycock</i> (film) 1929 film by Alfred Hitchcock

Juno and the Paycock is an all-talking sound 1930 British tragicomedy film co-written and directed by Alfred Hitchcock, and starring Barry Fitzgerald, Maire O'Neill, Edward Chapman and Sara Allgood.

Nick Lee is an Irish actor. His work on screen includes Reign ; The Fall (BBC); Jack Taylor (TV3/RTL); Raw (RTÉ); Single-Handed: The Stolen Child (RTÉ); as Michael Collins in Frongoch - University of Revolution (TG4/S4C); The Clinic (RTÉ); Battlefield Britain (BBC); and the final series of Bachelors Walk (RTÉ). His stage work includes: The Changeling ; Dubliners ; Juno and the Paycock directed by Howard Davies ; Pineapple by Philip McMahon (Calipo); Malachy in The Dead School by Pat McCabe ; The Passing written and directed by Paul Mercier and Three Sisters directed by David Leveaux ; Dmitry Karamazov in Delirium by Enda Walsh; Shawn Keogh in The Playboy of the Western World directed by Tony award winning director Garry Hynes ; DruidSynge- The Complete Plays of JM Synge directed by Garry Hynes ; The Year of the Hiker directed by Garry Hynes ; as Michael Hegarty in The Freedom of the City by Brian Friel ; as Patrick Kavanagh in The Green Fool

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Irish Repertory Theatre</span> Off-Broadway theatre company

The Irish Repertory Theatre is an Off-Broadway theatre company founded in 1988.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marie Kean</span> Irish actress (1918–1993)

Marie Kean was an Irish stage and screen actress, with a career spanning over 40 years, The Stage called her one of Ireland's most impressive actresses, and "an artist of considerable emotional depth and theatrical command."

Enda Oates, occasionally credited as Enda Oats, is an Irish stage, film, and television actor. He has received attention for his stagework, but is best known to Irish television audiences as the Reverend George Black in the long-running series Glenroe for RTÉ, and as Barreller Casey in the sitcom Upwardly Mobile.

Victor Burke is an Irish-born actor, voiceover artist, and entrepreneur from Inchicore, Dublin. He is a fluent Irish language speaker having attended a Gaelscoil as a child.

Anita Reeves was an Irish stage and film actress.

Fred O'Donovan was an Irish theatre producer and businessman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harry Brogan</span> Irish actor

Harry Brogan was an Irish actor often in comic roles. He was part of the Abbey Theatre from 1939 - 1976.

Geraldine Plunkett is an Irish actress famously known for her part as Mary McDermott-Moran in the Irish television series Glenroe. Geraldine Plunkett also appeared in Fair City as Rose O’Brien. She played a recurring character for the first 3 seasons on The Clinic.

Philip O'Sullivan is an Irish actor with contributions to Irish arts and culture through his roles and performances in theatre, film, and television. O'Sullivan has been involved with the Abbey Theatre Ireland since the 1970s. In 1975, he appeared in an Abbey Theatre production of a play by Irish playwright Teresa Deevy called Katie Roche where he played the part of Michael Maguire. This production ran for 21 performances.

Martin Rea is an actor from Belfast, Northern Ireland.

References

  1. ↑ Murdoch, Alan (20 July 1999). "Obituary: Donal McCann". The Independent . Retrieved 14 December 2014.
  2. ↑ Clarke, Donald; Tara Brady (13 June 2020). "The 50 greatest Irish film actors of all time – in order". The Irish Times.
  3. ↑ Dixon, Stephen (20 July 1999). "Donal McCann: The finest Irish actor of his generation, with the bravery to expose his inner self on stage". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 December 2014.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.