William Leonard Sean McCann (September 24, 1935 – June 13, 2019) was a Canadian actor and was in the business for over 55 years. He was best known for his roles as Lt. Jim Hogan in the 1985 CTV television drama series Night Heat (1985–1989), Frank Rittenhauer in the comedy film Tommy Boy (1995) and the Judge in Chicago (2002).
A recipient of the Earle Grey Award for his lifetime achievement in television, Sean McCann appeared in over 150 movies, television programs and plays.
Early life McCann was born in Windsor, Ontario, on September 24, 1935, to Alta ( Tobin) and Jack McCann.
Career Notable roles and awards McCann was in The Law of Enclosures, with Sarah Polley and Diane Ladd. He appeared with Meryl Streep (...First Do No Harm), Nick Nolte (Affliction) and Chris Farley (Tommy Boy). He shared screen time with Brenda Fricker and Miranda Richardson in Swann (for which McCann received a Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role Genie nomination), Nicolas Cage in Trapped in Paradise, Kevin Bacon in The Air Up There, Sam Waterston in A House Divided, Peter Weller and Judy Davis in Naked Lunch (which garnered a National Film Critics Society award), Brooke Shields and the late Al Waxman in What Makes a Family, and Kurt Russell in Miracle. He appeared in the movie Hank Williams: The Show He Never Gave (made for Canadian TV, December, 1980).
In 1980, he starred in the second season of the nationally syndicated American situation comedy, The Baxters. On the series, McCann played Jim Baxter, a middle-class father of three children living in a suburb of St. Louis. Originally produced by Norman Lear in its first season, the series was the first "interactive sitcom" of its kind, wherein the first half of each 30-minute episode presented a vignette dramatizing the events in the lives of the Baxter family, and the second half was an "instant analysis" talk show segment, giving a live studio audience and guests an opportunity to express their opinions about the topic being presented that week.
In 1999, he won a Gemini Award for Best Guest Actor in a Series for Power Play. McCann was twice nominated for a Gemini Award for Best Performance in a Pre-School Series, for 1998's beloved Noddy as Grandpa Noah Tomten. McCann was singled out at the 1987 Gemini Awards with a Best Supporting Actor nomination for his recurring role in Night Heat. McCann also starred in Robert Lepage's Genie-award winning Possible Worlds, and appeared in the Golden Globe-nominated Small Sacrifices with Farrah Fawcett. In addition, McCann worked with such legendary directors as Sidney Lumet, Ken Russell, David Green, Paul Schrader and David Cronenberg.
In 1988, he took on a role he spoke of most fondly - Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King in The King Chronicle. Directed by the renowned Canadian documentarian Donald Brittain, the mini-series was a 6-hour CBC and NFB co-production that aired to great popular and critical acclaim. One year later, McCann joined the ranks of such celebrated performers as Lorne Greene, Kate Reid and Gordon Pinsent, when he won the Earle Grey Award.
He also appeared in the Toronto Fringe Festival production of Bad Skater, Good Hands written by Gregor M. Robinson.
Other interests McCann studied at St. Peter's Seminary in London, Ontario to prepare himself for the priesthood.
A baseball fan since the days of his youth, McCann served as an amateur Associate Scout with the Toronto Blue Jays since their early years, spoke often about baseball to professional organizations, and was named to the Board of Directors of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame.
McCann ran as an Ontario Liberal Party candidate in the 1977 Ontario general election, against Roy McMurtry in the electoral district of Eglinton.Ted Shaw, "Actor brings sympathy to King role". Windsor Star, March 25, 1988.
Personal life From 1968 until his death in 2019, he was married to Andrée Paquet for 51 years, and he had five children.
Death McCann died on June 13, 2019, in Toronto, Ontario, at the age of 83 from heart failure brought about by a heart disease he had suffered through most of his life.
Filmography Film YearTitleRoleNotes 1974 A Quiet Day in Belfast Peter O'Lurgan 1975 Sudden Fury Polanski 1976 The Far Shore Cluny 1977 The Uncanny Inspector Segment: "Hollywood 1936" 1977 Starship Invasions Carl 1978 Three Card Monte Car Salesman1978The NewcomersMcConnellEpisode "1847" 1979 Title Shot Lieutenant Grace 1980 Nothing Personal Jake 1980 Hog Wild Colonel Warner 1980 Atlantic City Detective Credited as Sean McCaan 1980 Hank Williams: The Show He Never Gave Jack 1981 Death Hunt News Reporter 1981 Tulips Roger 1981 Silence of the North Man on Soup Line 1982 I Know a Secret Six-Toed Jimmy Short film 1984 Hockey Night Mr. Kozak 1985 One Step Away Building Manager Short film 1986 The High Price of Passion John Benedict 1986 Flying Jack Crew 1986 In This Corner Joe Dunne 1988 Criminal Law Jacob Fisher 1994 The Air Up There Ray Fox 1994 Trapped in Paradise Chief Bernie Burnell 1994 Heritage Minutes: Agnes Macphail The Warden 1995 Tommy Boy Frank Rittenhauer 1995 Iron Eagle IV Wilcox 1996 Swann Homer 1997 Affliction Evan Twombley 1998 Simon Birch Chief Al Cork 1999 Woman Wanted Kevin 2000 Possible Worlds Inspector Berkley 2000 The Law of Enclosures Hank 2002 Chicago Judge 2004 Miracle Walter Bush 2005 The River King Ernest Grey 2012 Let the Daylight Into the Swamp Donal St. Jules 2014 The Big Fat Stone Defense Lawyer Simon Trumble 2015 No Deposit Hostage Negotiator 2017 Born Dead Father McKenna 2019 Goalie Red Storey 2021 Defining Moments Shopkeeper Final role
Television YearTitleRoleNotes1975PerformanceMultipleEpisodes "The Middle Game", "The Captain of Köpenick" 1982 Off Your Rocker Lou Carmen Television movie 1985–89 Night Heat Lieutenant Jim Hogan 96 episodes 1988 The King Chronicle Mackenzie King Miniseries 1989 Small Sacrifices Russell Wells Television movie 1991 Counterstrike Captain Murphy Episode: "Fire in the Streets" 1991 Scales of Justice Malcolm Robb Episode "Regina v Stewart" 1993 I'll Never Get to Heaven John O'Doyle 1994 Wild C.A.T.s: Covert Action Team Marlowe (voice) Episodes: "Pilot" and "Cry of the Coda" 1995–2001 Little Bear Grandfather Bear (voice) Appears in 18 episodes (22 segments); referenced in an additional 2 episodes (2 segments) 1996 Gang in Blue Clute Mirkovich Television movie 1998 Dogboys Pappy Television movie 1998 Evidence of Blood Theodore Warfield Television movie 1998–2000 The Noddy Shop Noah Tomten 66 episodesNominated - Gemini Award for Best Performance in a Pre-School Program or Series (1999)Nominated - Gemini Award for Best Performance in a Pre-School Program or Series (2000) 1998 Power Play Ray Malone 3 episodes 2000 A House Divided Rutherford Television movie 2000–01 George Shrinks Russell Copeland (voice) 3 episodes 2001 The Day Reagan Was Shot Donald Regan Television movie 2003 The Pentagon Papers John Mitchell Television movie 2005–06 Naturally, Sadie Dr. W.S. Finch 7 episodes 2011 Haven Dom Novelli Episode: "Roots" 2014 Best Christmas Party Ever Arthur Tyrell Television movie
References
External links