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The 19th Hole
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 When playing in charity events, Bruce McGill remains true to the spirit of the game (COURTESY: Bob Hope Classic). The native of San Antonio, Tex., earned his big break as crazy college slacker D-Day in “National Lampoon’s Animal House” back in 1978 and parlayed that stint into a bevy of roles in prominent productions — “MacGyver,” “My Cousin Vinny,” “The Insider” and “Cinderella Man,” to name a few. An Ojai resident for the last six years, the 60-year-old McGill has been a golfer for 30 years and sports an 8.2 handicap. He played Walter Hagen in “The Legend of Bagger Vance,” a part he landed thanks to an authentic audition. McGill often participates in charity golf events, and he teed it up at the PGA Tour’s Bob Hope Classic in the Coachella Valley earlier this year. How did you get started playing golf? I wanted to get to know my dad, really. When I was a kid I was always rehearsing, and he was either at work or on the golf course. When I lived in New York City, I would go down and see my folks in Texas during the winter, and I would rather go see him on the golf course than in his office. When you play golf with somebody all of the time, you really get to know them, and the relationship I had with him was a wonderful thing golf gave me. Do you get to play a lot in Ojai? I’ve been working a lot, but when I’m not working, if I can clear it with the wife, I try to play. You’ve been described as an ideal celebrity participant for charity golf events. Would you agree with that assessment? I try. I concentrate on what’s important to me — who benefits from the charity — and that no matter how badly it’s going you keep your head up and remain a gentleman. Besides Walter Hagen in “The Legend of Bagger Vance,” have any of your other characters been golfers? I played a golf pro in a little movie called “Little Vegas” way back. But there’s never been anything like [playing] Walter Hagen. That was a gift. Did you do a lot of research for that part? Yes, I did. But I already knew quite a bit about him. I had some hickory clubs, so when I went in to audition I put on 1920s clothes I had from an old musical I did on Broadway. I slicked my hair back, shaved my face, and put a hickory-shafted club in my hand. And I went in and just sold myself for that part — which is what Hagen was very good at. |
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RSS SubscribeReaders Feedback:
No relations to me but he is one of my favorite actors.....I used to live in San Antonio & had the same relationship with my Dad via Golf....nice article.
| Comment at 8/19/2010 |
