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John Spencer
Actor John Spencer (December 20, 1946 – December 16, 2005) is best known for his role as Leo McGarry, the White House Chief of Staff, on the television drama "The West Wing". He is a winner of Obie Award in 1981 and Emmy Award in 2002.
Spencer was born in Paterson, New Jersey to an Irish American father and a Ukrainian-American mother and raised in nearby Totowa. He studied at the Professional Children's School in Manhattan and attended Fairleigh Dickinson University. But he did not complete a degree. When he was studying in Professional Children's School, he got a catalog modeling job, leading to his first role in television as Henry Anderson on "The Patty Duke Show." Later as per his parents' wishes, he enrolled at Fairleigh Dickenson University.
Soon after his study, Spencer got chance to act in theatre. From 1974-81, Spencer performed in David Mamet's "Lakeboat", John Hopkins' "This Story of Yours", Michael Weller's "Fishing and Loose Ends", the gentleman caller in Tennessee Williams' "The Glass Menagerie", and "Still Life". The off-Broadway production of "Still Life," about a Vietnam veteran, gave Spencer and the play Obie Awards in 1981. He was nominated for A Drama Desk for his performance in "The Day Room". Spencer also played the role of Dan White in "Execution of Justice".
Spencer began his television career on "The Patty Duke Show". In 1990, he played Harrison Ford's courtroom thriller "Presumed Innocent". In early 1990s, he played the role of the rumpled, pugnacious associate attorney, Tommy Mullaney on on "L.A. Law". In the romantic comedy "Forget Paris" (1995), he performed as a wisecracking co-worker to Billy Crystal's basketball referee. The same year, Spencer played the role of Captain Hugh Paulsen in FMV game "Wing Commander IV". In the 1996 "The Rock", he acted the role of the weasely FBI official Womack. He also performed in The West Wing (1999-2006).
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Artist Biography - John Spencer
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 Spencer won his first Emmy Award in 2002 for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his role as Leo McGarry on "The West Wing". Before this, he was nominated twice for Emmy Award. Spencer had submitted to the voters of Emmy Award the episodes from "Bartlet for America", in which Leo has give testimony to a Congressional committee about the President's health and flashes back to his medical lapse, and "We Killed Yamamoto".
Spencer died after a heart attack in a Los Angeles hospital on December 16, 2005. At the time of his death, He had appeared in two of the five episodes in "West Wing" then in post-production. The episodes were "Running Mates" and "The Cold". Spencer's death was subsequently made into the show as his character, vice presidential candidate McGarry, died following a heart attack on the election night. The fictional character McGarry had a disconcerting history of heart problems.
Filmography:
The West Wing (1999-2006)
Ravenous (1999)
The Negotiator (1998)
Cop Land (1997)
The Rock (1996)
Forget Paris (1995)
Wing Commander IV (1994)
L.A. Law (1990-1994)
Presumed Innocent (1990)
Hiding Out (1987)
The Protector (1985)
WarGames (1983)
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