Michael McGreevey

Michael McGreevey (born February 7, 1948) is an American actor and screenwriter. As a child and young adult, he appeared in numerous Disney productions, including the Dexter Riley comedies, and in films such as The Way West (1967). He later transitioned into television writing, contributing to series including The Waltons, Quincy, M.E., and Fame, where he also served as script editor and creative consultant. In 1984 he received a Daytime Emmy nomination for co-writing an ABC Afterschool Special, and in 2015 he co-wrote the documentary Earl Hamner Storyteller. He is the son of Emmy Award-winning screenwriter John McGreevey.

McGreevey's first major role was as cabin boy Chip Kessler in the 1959–61 TV series Riverboat.^[1] He later remarked that stars Darren McGavin and Burt Reynolds often clashed, saying "they were just two very different personalities," but added that McGavin became a father figure and Reynolds "like a big brother" who even gave him his first football.^[2]

During the 1960s and 1970s, McGreevey appeared frequently on Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color^[3] and in the Dexter Riley comedies—The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1969), Now You See Him, Now You Don't (1972), and The Strongest Man in the World (1975)—as Dexter's friend Richard Schuyler.^[4] He also appeared in Snowball Express (1972) and The Shaggy D.A. (1976), both starring Dean Jones.

Outside of Disney, McGreevey guest-starred on series including The Virginian, Bonanza, and Route 66. His feature film work included The Way West (1967), where he played Brownie Evans, a pioneer who marries Sally Field's character.^[5]

After studying film at UCLA, McGreevey co-wrote the 1978 made-for-TV movie Ruby and Oswald with his father. He described it as "a three-way depiction of those four days in Dallas," blending documentary footage of President Kennedy with dramatizations of Ruby and Oswald. The project was sold to CBS with director Mel Stuart attached.^[2]

McGreevey later wrote episodes of The Waltons, Quincy, M.E., and Fame, eventually becoming script editor and creative consultant on the latter.^[6] In 1984, he earned a Daytime Emmy nomination for co-writing the ABC Afterschool Special "The Celebrity and the Arcade Kid".^[7] He later co-wrote the 2015 documentary Earl Hamner Storyteller, focusing on the creator of The Waltons.^[2]

• Michael McGreevey at IMDb
• Michael McGreevey at Turner Classic Movies