John Thomas McCook (born June 20, 1944) is an American television actor. He first gained prominence for his portrayal of the character Lance Prentiss on the television soap opera The Young and the Restless (from 1975 - 1980). Since March 1987, he has played the role of Eric Forrester on The Bold and the Beautiful, winning the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 2022 after four nominations.
Career McCook was discovered by Jack Warner while performing in a production of West Side Story. He signed to Universal Studios before spending two years in the US Army.
McCook portrayed the character of Lance Prentiss on The Young and the Restless from October 1975 to February 1980, leaving when the show moved to the hour format. Since March 1987, he has played the role of Eric Forrester on The Bold and the Beautiful. Currently, McCook and Katherine Kelly Lang (Brooke Logan) are the show's two longest-serving actors, and both debuted in the first episode. McCook is only eight years older than Ronn Moss, who formerly played his son on the show.
He has performed in musical theatre, and has appeared as a guest on dozens of primetime series. B&B co-star Winsor Harmon once starred with McCook on an episode of Acapulco H.E.A.T. filmed in Mexico. Harmon told Soap Opera Digest about their guest stint on H.E.A.T.: "I hung out with John McCook the whole time and I kept watching all these people from other countries asking for his autograph. I'm thinking to myself, 'Who the hell is this guy?' So one night, we were drinking Coronas and I asked him why he had so many fans and he explained how B&B was so popular around the world. I had no idea. The more he talked about it, the more I was thinking, 'I want to be on that show.'... The first time I drove into the parking lot, there was John, just pointing at me and laughing. He asked what I was doing here and I told him that I was Thorne. That's when he told me that he was going to be playing my dad. That was just too wild."Soap Opera Digest Insider. September 6, 2007.
In 2001, 2012, and 2018, McCook received a Daytime Emmy nomination in the Outstanding Lead Actor category for his portrayal of Eric Forrester. In 2022, McCook won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for the same role.
Personal life John McCook has been married since 1980 to former actress Laurette Spang, with whom he has three children, Jake Thomas (born 1981), Rebecca Jeanne (born 1983), and Molly (born July 30, 1990) who is also an actress.
He was married twice previously, including to dancer/actress Juliet Prowse (1972–1979), by whom he had one son, Seth (born in August 1972).
John McCook lives with his family in the Greater Los Angeles Area.
Filmography Television YearTitleRole(s) Notes1964–1965No Time for SergeantsJim KInneyEpisode: "Have No Uniform Will Travel"AirmanEpisode: "A Hatful of Muscles"1965HankGerald EskowEpisode: "Dunsetter for President"Mr. RobertsSeaman StefanowskiEpisode: "Liberty"Episode: "Old Rustysides"Episode: "Happy Birthday, To Who?"Episode: "Love at 78 RPMEpisode: "Don't Look Now, But Isn't That the War?"1968Run for Your LifeBuckEpisode: "Carol"The Name of the GameYoung DetectiveEpisode: "The Taker"1968–1969DragnetOff. Nick JeffriesEpisode: "The Big Problem"Ed HillierEpisode: "Internal Affairs: DR-20"Off. KeeferEpisode: "The Joy Riders"1970Bracken's WorldWounded G.I.Episode: "Love It or Leave It, Change It or Lose It"1971O'Hara, U.S. TreasuryCaptain ShaferEpisode: "O'Hara, U.S. Treasury"1975–1980The Young and the RestlessLance PrentissSeries regular1976The Rear GuardDon CrawfordTelevision film1977Once Upon a Brothers GrimmPrince CharmingTelevision film1980CHiPsRay ConnerEpisode: "Thrill Show"The Love BoatMark BridgesEpisode: "No Girls for Doc"Trapper John, M.D.Scott NelsonEpisode: "Slim Chance"TouristPepi VirgilTelevision film1981Too Close for ComfortBuckEpisode: "Centerford"Harper Valley PTACalvin KendallEpisode: "Reunion Fever"1981–1982Three's CompanyDoug CooperEpisode: "And Baby Makes Four"AlanEpisode: "An Affair to Forget"1982Romance TheatreRossRecurring roleDiff'rent StrokesTom WallaceEpisode: "The Squatter"Fantasy IslandCaptain Fitzhugh RossEpisode: "The Ghost's Story"1983Trapper John, M.D.Brian OppenheimEpisode: "May Divorce Be with You"AliceHarry ParkerEpisode: "Alice Faces the Music"Customer #1Episode: "Vera's Secret Lover"Hart to HartDr. PorterEpisode: "As the Hart Turns"DynastyFredEpisode: "The Downstairs Bride"Family TiesTuxedo ManEpisode: "This Year's Model"1983–1984Magnum, P.I.Roland MartineEpisode: "The Big Blow"Nolan AthertonEpisode: "The Case of Red Faced Thespian"1984Fantasy IslandSteven CurryEpisode: "Games People Play/The Sweet Life"MasqueradeTed CarsonEpisode: "Caribbean Holiday"AliceHarry ParkerEpisode: "Jolene Is Stuck on Me"HotelDr. ChapmanEpisode: "Reflections"Domestic LifeLanceEpisode: "Cooking with Candy"Hill Street BluesGameshow HostEpisode: "Lucky Ducks"1985Matt HoustonFrank DentonEpisode: "The Nightmare Man"Robert Kennedy and His TimesInterrogatorTelevision miniseries (3 episodes)1986Remington SteeleNorman AustinEpisode: "Steele on the Air"Murder, She WroteHarrison Fraser IIIEpisode: "Keep the Home Fries Burning"Highway to HeavenTodd JeffriesEpisode: "Change to Life"Blacke's MagicKen KillardEpisode: "Address Unknown"L.A. LawBarryEpisode: "Pilot"Our HouseMr. CathcartEpisode: "Home Again"Episode: "That Lonesome Old Caboose"Simon & SimonChandler McKayEpisode: "For the People"Zachary TuckerEpisode: "Just Because I'm Paranoid"1986–1987Amazing StoriesM.C.Episode: "Hell Toupee"Jerry LaneEpisode: "Gershwin's Truck"1987SidekicksBob SmallEpisode: "Kicked Upstairs"MoonlightingRobertEpisode: "Blonde on Blonde"Still the BeaverCaptain JamesEpisode: "Material Girl"1987–presentThe Bold and the BeautifulEric ForresterSeries regular1989NewhartBrad PettiboneEpisode: "Attack of the Killer Aunt"1991The New WKRP in CincinnatiGeorgeEpisode: "Where Are We Going?"1996–2021The Young and the RestlessEric ForresterRecurring role1998Acapulco H.E.A.T.Lyle DeckerEpisode: "Code Name: Spear of Destiny"2001EpochThe PresidentTelevision film2005Arrested Development"Scandal Makers" narratorEpisode: "Spring Breakout"2017Jeopardy!Eric - Clue giverEpisode: "33.88" (dated January 11, 2017)2021Candy Coated ChristmasFred GallantTelevision film
Film YearTitleRole(s) Notes1965My Blood Runs ColdOwen1967First to FightFordUncredited1970There Was a Crooked Man...Deputy1985Beverly Hills Cowgirl BluesDr. Kenner1997Scorned 2Dr. Greenfield2006Body of WorkDavid HoffmanShort film2007The Invincible Iron ManHoward Stark (voice)Direct-to-videoPlot 7Dean Routsong2012Christmas with YouJohn2013Cathedral CanyonSenator Johnson2017David's DinosaurProfessor Henry Longbottom
Awards and nominations + List of awards and nominations for John McCook Year Award Category Work Result Soapy Awards Most Exciting New Actor The Young and the Restless Soap Opera Update MVP Award Best Actor The Bold and the Beautiful Soap Opera Digest Award Outstanding Story Line - “Brooke’s Affair with Eric” - (shared with Katherine Kelly Lang) The Bold and the Beautiful Soap Opera Digest Award Best Wedding — “Eric and Brooke” (shared with Katherine Kelly Lang) The Bold and the Beautiful Soap Opera Digest Award Outstanding Supporting Actor The Bold and the Beautiful Telvis Award Most Popular Television Stars in Finland (shared with Hunter Tylo) The Bold and the Beautiful Daytime Emmy Award Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series The Bold and the Beautiful Daytime Emmy Award Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series The Bold and the Beautiful Daytime Emmy Award Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series The Bold and the Beautiful Soap Awards France Best Couple of the Year — "Quinn and Eric" (shared with Rena Sofer) The Bold and the Beautiful Soap Hub Awards The Bold and the Beautiful Favorite Actor The Bold and the Beautiful Soap Hub Awards The Bold and the Beautiful Favorite Actor The Bold and the Beautiful Daytime Emmy Award Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series The Bold and the Beautiful Daytime Emmy Award Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series The Bold and the Beautiful
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