James McGowan

James Robert McGowan lahir pada tanggal 30 Mei 1960, di Montreal, Quebec, Kanada. James adalah anak bungsu dari tiga bersaudara dari Johnny McGowan, mantan petinju kelas berat ringan dari Inggris Utara. James dibesarkan di Pulau Barat di Montreal. Dia lulus dari Universitas Concordia dengan gelar B.A. di bidang Komunikasi. Setelah lulus dia mengambil pekerjaan sebagai copy writer di sebuah biro iklan daripada mengejar karir akting karena dia tidak percaya dia bisa mencari nafkah dengan akting. Dia kemudian mengambil departemen audio visual di Universitas McGill. Saat berada di sana, dia menghubungi seorang teman yang mengarahkan drama di universitas Montreal dan berharap untuk menekuni akting sebagai hobi. Dia mulai perlahan-lahan melakukan drama siswa di Gedung William Shatner. Dia sangat menyukainya sehingga dia memutuskan untuk menekuninya sebagai sebuah profesi. Tidak mudah untuk masuk ke televisi di Toronto mengingat usianya (36) saat ia berhadapan dengan aktor lain dengan resume yang lebih panjang. Awalnya sulit untuk mendapatkan audisi. Dia memulai dengan menjadi bintang tamu di acara televisi seperti La Femme Nikita, Mutant-X, Falcon Beach, dan Rent-a-Goalie. James juga memiliki peran kecil dalam film seperti The Perfect Man dengan Heather Locklear, The Prince and Me dengan Julie Stiles, dan Silent Night dengan Linda Hamilton. Dia telah sukses dengan dua iklan televisi yang sukses. Iklan pertama bertajuk Janji Dokter dan membahas masalah serius disfungsi ereksi. Iklan tersebut ditayangkan terus menerus sepanjang Final NHL 2001. Iklan kedua berjudul The Deal dan ditujukan untuk Verizon Wireless. Salah satu peran besar pertamanya adalah peran dalam film TV 10,000 Black Men Named George. Film tahun 2002 membantu James mendapatkan lebih banyak pekerjaan tetapi dia tidak menemukan pekerjaan yang berarti sampai dia mengikuti audisi untuk drama CBC The Border. Dia telah mengirimkan rekaman audisi tetapi belum mendapat kabar. Dia pergi ke Winnipeg untuk memfilmkan peran tamu di serial TV Falcon Beach. Saat dia berada di Winnipeg, agennya menghubunginya dan memberi tahu dia bahwa direktur casting acara tersebut ingin bertemu dengannya. Panggilan balik hari kedua telah ditambahkan dan dia dapat kembali ke Toronto tepat waktu. Tidak ada yang pernah mendengar tentang James tetapi menurut Peter Raymont, salah satu pencipta acara tersebut, James membawa tingkat kecerdasan, kasih sayang, dan otoritas yang tepat ke dalam karakter tersebut. Meskipun produser yakin bahwa James cocok untuk peran tersebut, jaringan tersebut tidak begitu yakin. Salah satu penghargaan terbesarnya saat itu adalah berperan sebagai orang jahat dalam iklan Verizon Wireless. Rekan-rekannya jelas menyetujui penggambaran tersebut. James menerima nominasi Gemini sebagai aktor luar biasa dalam sebuah drama. - Biografi Mini IMDb

James Robert McGowan was born on May 30, 1960, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. James is the youngest of three sons of Johnny McGowan a former light heavyweight boxer from Northern England. James grew up on the West Island in Montreal. He graduated from Concordia University with a B.A. in Communications. After graduation he took a job as a copy writer at an advertising agency rather than pursue an acting career as he did not believe he could make a living acting. He then took in the audio-visual department of McGill University. While there he got in touch with a friend who was directing plays at the Montreal university expecting to pursue acting as a hobby. He started out slowly doing student plays at the William Shatner Building. He loved it so much he decided to pursue it as a profession. It wasn't easy breaking into television in Toronto given his age (36) at the time as he was going up against other actors with lengthier resumes. It was hard at first to get auditions. He started out with guest spots in television shows such as the La Femme Nikita, Mutant-X, Falcon Beach, and Rent-a-Goalie. James also had minor roles in movies such as The Perfect Man with Heather Locklear, The Prince and Me with Julie Stiles, and Silent Night with Linda Hamilton. He has had success with two successful television ads. The first ad was entitled Doctor's Appointment and addressed the serious problem of erectile dysfunction. The ad was run continuously throughout the 2001 NHL Finals. The second ad was entitled The Deal and was for Verizon Wireless. One of his first big parts was a role in the TV movie 10,000 Black Men Named George. The 2002 film helped James find more work but he did not find substantial work until he auditioned for the CBC drama The Border. He had sent in an audition tape but had not heard back. He went to Winnipeg to film a guest part on the TV series Falcon Beach. While he was in Winnipeg, his agent contacted him and told him the show's casting directors wanted to meet with him. A second day of callbacks was added and he was able to return to Toronto in time. No one had heard of James but according to Peter Raymont, the co-creator of the show, James brought just the right degree of intelligence, compassion and authority to the character. While the producers were sure that James was right for the part, the network wasn't so sure. One of his biggest credits to that point was playing the goon in the Verizon Wireless commercial. His peers obviously approve of the portrayal. James received a Gemini nomination as outstanding actor in a drama. - IMDb Mini Biography