# Michael McGrath (actor)

Michael McGrath (September 25, 1957 – September 14, 2023) was an American actor. Best known for his work on the Broadway stage, he received a Tony Award in 2012 for his performance in the musical Nice Work If You Can Get It.

## Career

McGrath was an ensemble member and understudy for many shows, including My Favorite Year, Swinging on a Star, and Little Me. He appeared in the musicals Anything Goes (2002) as Moonface Martin and in Wonderful Town (2003) as Chick Clark. McGrath played the role of Patsy in the Broadway musical Spamalot (2005), for which he received a nomination for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical.
McGrath starred in the play Is He Dead? on Broadway in December 2007 to February 2008 as Agamemnon Buckner. McGrath originated the role of Mr. Simmons in Memphis (Broadway, 2009).
McGrath played the role of Cookie McGee in the Broadway musical Nice Work If You Can Get It (2012), for which he won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical. He also won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical for this performance.
In 2014, he was in the A.R.T. pre-Broadway production of Finding Neverland replacing Roger Bart in the dual role of Charles Frohman and Captain James Hook.
McGrath appeared in a new musical The Honeymooners, based on the television comedy The Honeymooners. The musical premiered at the Paper Mill Playhouse in Milburn, New Jersey on September 28, 2017, and starred McGrath as Ralph Kramden, Michael Mastro as Ed Norton, Leslie Kritzer as Alice Kramden, and Laura Bell Bundy as Trixie Norton. McGrath appeared in a workshop of the musical in 2014.
On television, McGrath was the announcer/sidekick on The Martin Short Show.
While working in the Boston production of Forbidden Broadway, McGrath met his future wife, Toni DiBuono.

## Personal life and death

McGrath hailed from Worcester, Massachusetts. He was married to actress Toni DiBuono.
Michael McGrath died at his home in Bloomfield, New Jersey, on September 14, 2023, at the age of 65, 11 days shy of his 66th birthday.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1996 | Boyfriends | James | |
| 2002 | Changing Lanes | Seavers | |
| 2003 | Cowboys & Angels | Mud Club Student | |
| 2005 | The Interpreter | Jonathan Ferris | |
| 2006 | Ira & Abby | Tony the Doorman | |
| 2011 | Escape of the Gingerbread Man | Stan | Voice; short film |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1990 | Mathnet | Barney Oldmeal | Episode: "The Case of the Meter Massacre" |
| 1999–2000 | The Martin Short Show | Himself (announcer) | Unknown episodes |
| 1997 | Remember WENN | Blair Foley | Episode: "Like a Brother" |
| 2001 | Between the Lions | Lester the Jester | Episode: "Quest, Quest, Quest!" |
| 2002 | Monday Night Mayhem | Jim McKay | Television movie |
| 2018 | Madam Secretary | Earl | Episode: "Sound and Fury" |

## Theatre

| Year | Title | Role | Venue |
| 1992 | My Favorite Year | Ensemble | Vivian Beaumont Theatre, Broadway |
| 1993 | The Goodbye Girl | Elliot (standby) | Marquis Theatre, Broadway |
| 1995 | Swinging on a Star | Various roles | Music Box Theatre, Broadway |
| 1998 | Little Me | Bruce / Bernie / Bert | Criterion Center Stage, Broadway |
| 2003 | Wonderful Town | Chick Clark | Al Hirschfeld Theatre, Broadway |
| 2005 | Spamalot | Patsy / Mayor / Guard 2 | Shubert Theatre, Broadway |
| 2007 | Is He Dead? | Agamemnon Buckner | Lyceum Theatre, Broadway |
| 2009 | Memphis | Mr. Simmons | Shubert Theatre, Broadway |
| 2011 | Born Yesterday | Eddie Brock | Cort Theatre, Broadway |
| 2012 | Nice Work If You Can Get It | Cookie McGee | Imperial Theatre, Broadway |
| 2015 | On the Twentieth Century | Owen O'Malley | American Airlines Theatre, Broadway |
| 2016 | She Loves Me | Ladislav Sipos | Studio 54, Broadway |
| 2016 | The Front Page | Walter Burns (standby) | Broadhurst Theatre, Broadway |
| 2019 | Tootsie | Stan Fields | Marquis Theatre, Broadway |
| 2022 | Plaza Suite | Sam / Jesse / Roy (standby) | Hudson Theatre, Broadway |
| 2023 | Little Shop of Horrors | Mr. Mushnik | The Muny |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
| 1996 | Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical | Swinging on a Star | Nominated |
| 1996 | Theatre World Award | Theatre World Award | Swinging on a Star | Honoree |
| 2005 | Tony Award | Best Featured Actor in a Musical | Spamalot | Nominated |
| 2005 | Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical | Spamalot | Nominated |
| 2012 | Tony Award | Best Featured Actor in a Musical | Nice Work if You Can Get It | Won |
| 2012 | Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical | Nice Work if You Can Get It | Won |
| 2012 | Outer Critics Circle Award | Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical | Nice Work if You Can Get It | Won |