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John McNamara(II)

  • Producer
  • Writer
  • Additional Crew
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
John McNamara
John McNamara is a writer, producer, show-runner and television creator. He wrote and co-produced the feature film "Trumbo," for which Bryan Cranston was nominated for an Oscar, as Dalton Trumbo, one of The Hollywood Ten blacklisted screenwriters. The film was nominated by the WGA for Best Adapted Screenplay and McNamara was awarded the WGAW's Paul Selvin Award which honors writers whose work "embodies the spirit of the constitutional and civil right liberties that are indispensable to the survival of free writers everywhere."

In addition, McNamara created the NBC series, "Aquarius," starring David Duchovny and is the co-creator of the Syfy series "The Magicians" based on Lev Grossman's bestselling book series.

McNamara is a principal founder, along with Alexandra Cunningham and Sera Gamble, of Fabrication, a TV production company behind the Apple TV+ series "Physical."

Born and raised in Michigan, McNamara attended the University of Michigan and New York University. While attending NYU, McNamara authored two children's books, both published by Delacorte Press as well as the original teleplay for the CBS Afternoon Playhouse. In 1982, his play, "Present Tense," won the first annual Young Playwrights' competition and was produced off-Broadway at the Circle Rep Theatre. With its companion piece, "Personal Effects," it was later produced at the Manhattan Punchline Theatre and has been performed internationally ever since.

He moved to Los Angeles in 1984 and began a career as a screenwriter, eventually working for Disney, Warner Bros. and Paramount. In 1992, he became a staff writer on the Fox TV series "The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr." and in 1993 joined ABC's "Lois and Clark" as a writer and producer for three years.

In 1996, he co-created and Executive Produced the critically-acclaimed thriller "Profit," followed by "Vengeance Unlimited," "The Fugitive," "Fastlane," "Eyes" and "In Plain Sight."

McNamara lives in Los Angeles, where his personal interests include reading slowly, running quickly and scuba diving deeply.
  • More at IMDbProContact info & Agent info
  • IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
  • IMDbProContact info & Agent info
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 1 nomination

    Photos

    Dana Delany and John McNamara

    Known for:

    Dalton Trumbo (2015)
    Dalton Trumbo
    7.4
    • Producer
    • 2015
    Stella Maeve, Summer Bishil, Hale Appleman, Olivia Taylor Dudley, and Arjun Gupta in The Magicians (2015)
    The Magicians
    7.6
    TV Series
    • Producer(showrunner)
    Bruce Campbell in Brisco County (1993)
    Brisco County
    8.3
    TV Series
    • Producer
    • 1993
    Teri Hatcher and Dean Cain in Lois & Clark: Les nouvelles aventures de Superman (1993)
    Lois & Clark: Les nouvelles aventures de Superman
    6.7
    TV Series
    • Producer

    Credits

    Edit
    IMDbPro

    Producer

    • Rose Byrne in Physical (2021)
      Physical
      7.3
      TV Series
      • executive producer
      • 2021–2023
    • Stella Maeve, Summer Bishil, Hale Appleman, Olivia Taylor Dudley, and Arjun Gupta in The Magicians (2015)
      The Magicians
      7.6
      TV Series
      • executive producer
      • producer (showrunner)
      • 2015–2020
    • David Duchovny in Aquarius (2015)
      Aquarius
      7.0
      TV Series
      • executive producer
      • 2015–2016
    • Dalton Trumbo (2015)
      Dalton Trumbo
      7.4
      • producer
      • 2015
    • Wes et Travis (2012)
      Wes et Travis
      7.8
      TV Series
      • consulting producer
      • 2012
    • Maria Bello in Prime Suspect (2011)
      Prime Suspect
      7.3
      TV Series
      • executive producer
      • 2011–2012
    • Mary McCormack in US Marshals (2008)
      US Marshals
      7.4
      TV Series
      • executive producer
      • 2010
    • The Philanthropist (2009)
      The Philanthropist
      7.4
      TV Series
      • consulting producer
      • 2009
    • Skeet Ulrich in Jericho (2006)
      Jericho
      7.9
      TV Series
      • consulting producer
      • 2008
    • Them
      6.0
      TV Movie
      • executive producer
      • 2007
    • Garcelle Beauvais, Tim Daly, A.J. Langer, Laura Leighton, Eric Mabius, Rick Worthy, and Natalie Zea in Eyes (2005)
      Eyes
      7.6
      TV Series
      • executive producer
      • 2005–2007
    • Orpheus
      5.1
      TV Movie
      • executive producer
      • 2006
    • Bill Bellamy, Peter Facinelli, Tiffani Thiessen, and Mo McRae in Fastlane (2002)
      Fastlane
      7.4
      TV Series
      • executive producer
      • 2002–2003
    • Le fugitif (2000)
      Le fugitif
      6.9
      TV Series
      • executive producer
      • 2000–2001
    • Ultime recours (1998)
      Ultime recours
      8.7
      TV Series
      • executive producer
      • 1998–1999

    Writer

    • Stella Maeve, Summer Bishil, Hale Appleman, Olivia Taylor Dudley, and Arjun Gupta in The Magicians (2015)
      The Magicians
      7.6
      TV Series
      • created for television by
      • written for television by
      • teleplay by
      • 2015–2020
    • David Duchovny in Aquarius (2015)
      Aquarius
      7.0
      TV Series
      • created by
      • written by
      • story by (creator)
      • 2015–2016
    • Dalton Trumbo (2015)
      Dalton Trumbo
      7.4
      • written by
      • 2015
    • Wes et Travis (2012)
      Wes et Travis
      7.8
      TV Series
      • written by
      • 2012
    • Maria Bello in Prime Suspect (2011)
      Prime Suspect
      7.3
      TV Series
      • written by
      • 2011
    • Mary McCormack in US Marshals (2008)
      US Marshals
      7.4
      TV Series
      • written by
      • 2010
    • The Philanthropist (2009)
      The Philanthropist
      7.4
      TV Series
      • written by
      • 2009
    • Them
      6.0
      TV Movie
      • written by
      • 2007
    • Garcelle Beauvais, Tim Daly, A.J. Langer, Laura Leighton, Eric Mabius, Rick Worthy, and Natalie Zea in Eyes (2005)
      Eyes
      7.6
      TV Series
      • creator
      • written by
      • writer
      • 2005–2007
    • Bill Bellamy, Peter Facinelli, Tiffani Thiessen, and Mo McRae in Fastlane (2002)
      Fastlane
      7.4
      TV Series
      • creator
      • written by
      • story ...
      • 2002–2003
    • Le fugitif (2000)
      Le fugitif
      6.9
      TV Series
      • written by
      • 2000–2001
    • Ultime recours (1998)
      Ultime recours
      8.7
      TV Series
      • co-creator
      • written by
      • created by ...
      • 1998–1999
    • Linden Ashby and Allison Smith in Jeux d'espions (1997)
      Jeux d'espions
      7.7
      TV Series
      • creator
      • written by
      • 1997–1998
    • Adrian Pasdar in Profit (1996)
      Profit
      8.6
      TV Series
      • created by
      • writer (creator)
      • 1996–1997
    • Teri Hatcher and Dean Cain in Lois & Clark: Les nouvelles aventures de Superman (1993)
      Lois & Clark: Les nouvelles aventures de Superman
      6.7
      TV Series
      • written by
      • teleplay by
      • 1994–1997

    Additional Crew

    • Script to Screen: Get Out (2018)
      Script to Screen
      TV Series
      • self
      • 2015
    • Bruce Campbell in Brisco County (1993)
      Brisco County
      8.3
      TV Series
      • story editor
      • 1993–1994

    Personal details

    Edit
    • Height
      • 1.78 m
    • Spouse
      • Julie McNamara2002 - present (1 child)

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      In 1984, while attending NYU Film School, he audited an NYU graduate screenwriting class taught by Waldo Salt, Ian McLellan Hunter and Ring Lardner Jr.

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