Darren McGavin
ActingAbout Darren McGavin
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.
Career Statistics & Market Influence
Analyzing the cinematic journey of Darren McGavin reveals a career defined by diverse artistic exploration. With a total of 50 major appearances, the actor has established a significant footprint in global cinema.
Genre Dominance: Drama
The majority of Darren McGavin's filmography leans towards the Drama genre. Audience data suggests that viewers respond most favorably to this persona, though their versatility has allowed for successful crossovers into other categories.
The "Box Office" Signature
With a 36% Success Ratio (movies rated above 6.5), Darren McGavin remains a reliable draw for studios. Their peak performance was recorded in Inherit the Wind, which continues to be the benchmark for their career rating-wise.
Best Darren McGavin Movies Ranked
Must-watch hits from Darren McGavin's career based on audience ratings.
Complete Filmography & Success Status
Tracking the career evolution and box office verdicts of Darren McGavin.
| Year | Movie | Character | Success | More |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Christmas Unwrapped: The History of Christmas | Mr. Parker (archive footage) | Flop | Similar → |
| 1996 | Small Time | Sam | Average | Similar → |
| 1995 | Derby | Lester Corbett | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1995 | Billy Madison | Brian Madison | Average | Similar → |
| 1991 | Preminger: Anatomy of a Filmmaker | actor (archive footage) (uncredited) | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1991 | Blood and Concrete | Hank Dick | Average | Similar → |
| 1991 | Perfect Harmony | Mr. Hobbs | Average | Similar → |
| 1990 | By Dawn's Early Light | Condor | Hit | Similar → |
| 1990 | Kojak: It's Always Something | Wainwright | Average | Similar → |
| 1988 | The Diamond Trap | Chief Walter Vadney | Average | Similar → |
| 1988 | Dead Heat | Dr. Ernest McNab | Average | Similar → |
| 1988 | Inherit the Wind | E.K. Hornbeck | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1987 | Tales from the Hollywood Hills: Natica Jackson | A. Z. Nathan | Hit | Similar → |
| 1987 | From the Hip | Craig Duncan | Average | Similar → |
| 1986 | Raw Deal | Chief Harry Shannon | Average | Similar → |
| 1985 | Turk 182! | Det. Kowalski | Average | Similar → |
| 1985 | My Wicked, Wicked Ways: The Legend of Errol Flynn | Dr. Gerrit Koets | Hit | Similar → |
| 1984 | The Natural | Gus Sands (uncredited) | Hit | Similar → |
| 1983 | A Christmas Story | The Old Man | Hit | Similar → |
| 1979 | Ike | Gen. George S. Patton | Average | Similar → |
| 1979 | Donovan's Kid | Timothy Donovan | Average | Similar → |
| 1978 | Hot Lead & Cold Feet | Mayor Ragsdale | Average | Similar → |
| 1977 | Airport '77 | Stan Buchek | Average | Similar → |
| 1976 | Crackle of Death | Carl Kolchak | Average | Similar → |
| 1976 | Demon and the Mummy | Carl Kolchak | Average | Similar → |
| 1976 | No Deposit, No Return | Duke | Average | Similar → |
| 1973 | The Six Million Dollar Man | Oliver Spencer | Hit | Similar → |
| 1973 | The Night Strangler | Carl Kolchak | Hit | Similar → |
| 1972 | 43: The Richard Petty Story | Lee Petty | Hit | Similar → |
| 1972 | Say Goodbye, Maggie Cole | Dr. Lou Grazzo | Hit | Similar → |
| 1972 | The Rookies | Sgt. Eddie Ryker | Average | Similar → |
| 1972 | Something Evil | Paul Worden | Average | Similar → |
| 1972 | The Night Stalker | Carl Kolchak | Hit | Similar → |
| 1971 | The Death of Me Yet | Joe Chalk | Hit | Similar → |
| 1971 | Mrs. Pollifax — Spy | Farrell | Average | Similar → |
| 1970 | Tribes | Drake | Average | Similar → |
| 1970 | The Challenge | Jacob Gallery | Average | Similar → |
| 1969 | Anatomy of a Crime | David Ross | Average | Similar → |
| 1967 | The Outsider | David Ross | Average | Similar → |
| 1964 | Bullet for a Badman | Sam Ward | Average | Similar → |
| 1961 | Witchcraft: The Doll in Brambles | Fred | Average | Similar → |
| 1959 | Disneyland '59 | Self | Hit | Similar → |
| 1958 | The Case Against Brooklyn | Pete Harris | Average | Similar → |
| 1957 | The Delicate Delinquent | Mike Damon | Average | Similar → |
| 1955 | The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell | Capt. Russ Peters | Hit | Similar → |
| 1955 | The Man with the Golden Arm | Louie | Hit | Similar → |
| 1955 | Summertime | Eddie Yaeger | Hit | Similar → |
| 1951 | Queen for a Day | Dan | Average | Similar → |
| 1945 | She Wouldn't Say Yes | The Kid - Soldier in Hospital (uncredited) | Average | Similar → |
| 1945 | A Song to Remember | Student (uncredited) | Average | Similar → |
Darren McGavin - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best movie of Darren McGavin?
According to audience ratings, the best movie starring Darren McGavin is "Inherit the Wind" with a rating of 7.8/10.
How many movies has Darren McGavin acted in?
Darren McGavin has been featured in at least 50 major films throughout their career.
What are some other popular movies by Darren McGavin?
Other notable films include "Preminger: Anatomy of a Filmmaker", "Derby", and "A Christmas Story".