Ted McGinley

As a former model-turned-prominent character actor, Ted McGinley graced screens both large and small, often as empty-headed jocks or smarmy heartthrobs with unseemly ulterior motives. Most active throughout the 1980s and 1990s, McGinley broke through as a high school coach and teacher on "Happy Days" (CBS/ABC, 1973-1984), then hopped aboard "The Love Boat" (ABC, 1977-1986) as the new cruise director during the show's waning years, while in the feature world, he shined as the head of a jock fraternity in "Revenge of the Nerds" (1984). Despite occasional sojourns onto the silver screen, McGinley's bread-and-butter remained on television, where he delivered perhaps his most memorable role on "Married With Children" (Fox, 1986-1997) as the underhanded neighbor of the dysfunctional Bundy clan. But due to McGinley's late casting on series steadily in decline, he was unfortunately tagged for being the catalyst for each show "jumping the shark" - the moment when it reaches its peak and heads straight down toward creative mediocrity. Nonetheless, McGinley continued steady work through the new millennium on "The West Wing" (NBC, 1999-2006) and "Hope & Faith" (ABC, 2003-06), ensuring his status as a go-to character performer.