Darren McGavin Biography

William Lyle Richardson, known professionally as Darren McGavin, was a popular American actor whose career spanned from the 1940s to the 1990s. He started his movie career with Columbia Pictures, playing uncredited roles, and then went on to work in stage productions. From 1989 to 1992, he played the title character's father in the sitcom ‘Murphy Brown’ and earned an Emmy nomination for his performance. Born in Washington, McGavin spent his early days on a farm with a family after his father boarded him there following his divorce from his mother. He eventually ran away and stayed along the Nisqually River with another family until his father found him and enrolled him in a boarding school. Following his schooling, McGavin briefly lived in San Francisco before reuniting with his mother in southern California. In the ensuing years, he successfully pursued an acting career. He married three times in his life. The actor’s third marriage was to Kathie Browne, a film and television actress. McGavin fathered four children. He lived a long and productive life, dying in 2006 of cardiovascular disease. He was 83.