Kevin McNally was born on April 27, 1956, in Bristol, England. He grew up in Birmingham where he attended Redhill and Mapledene Junior schools and Central Grammar School for Boys. At the age of 16, he got his first job at Birmingham Repertory Theatre. A year later he received a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. In 1975 he won the Best Actor Bancroft Gold Medal for his stage performance. McNally's most notable stage performances in London's West End include his appearance as Alan Bennett opposite Maggie Smith in 'The Lady in the Van' and opposite Juliette Binoche in 'Naked'. He also starred as Richard in Terry Johnson's 'Dead Funny' at the Savoy Theatre.
Since 1976 McNally has been involved in numerous TV productions beginning with his portrayal of the Roman ruler Castor, son of Tiberius, in the acclaimed BBC history series I, Claudius (1976) and his portrayal of Drake Carne in the popular series Poldark (1975). His career on television ascended after his work in Masada (1981) and in the cult TV series Doctor Who: The Twin Dilemma (1984). During the 1980s and 1990s McNally established himself as a reputable and versatile actor on both the British and American TV. He played a broad variety of leading and supporting characters ranging from the Soviet politician Kirov in Stalin (1992) to homicide detective Jack Taylor in Chiller (1995), and from an insecure son, Alan Hook, in TV series Dad (1997) to a convicted murderer James Hopkin in Bloodlines (2005). His portrayal of Frank Worsley in Shackleton (2002) as well as the role of Harry Woolf in Life on Mars (2006) are among his best known works for television. Between 2011 - 2012 he appeared in three episodes of Downton Abbey as Horrace Bryant.
In 1977 McNally made his big screen debut as HMS Ranger Crewman in the James Bond adventure The Spy Who Loved Me (1977). After having played bit parts in more than twenty feature films, McNally shot to international fame as pirate Joshamee Gibbs, his best known film role, in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) and the sequel Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006). He returned in the role Joshamee Gibbs in the third installment of the 'Pirates' franchise Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007).
Kevin McNally has been enjoying a happy family life with Scottish actress Phyllis Logan and his two children. He resides with his family in Chiswick, London, England.
2024
as Roman Castevet
2024
as Self
2023
as Bloody Fury (voice)
2023
as Self
2023
as Harold Wilson
2022
as Podo Helmer
2022
as Detective McHendry
2022
as Duncan
2021
as Colonel Pike
2021
as Older James
2020
as Max Grendel
2019
as Alexei Orlov
2019
as Captain Mainwaring
2019
as Old Sean
2018
as Inspector Japp
2018
as Jack Greenwood
2018
as Greenwood Senior
2018
as The Blacksmith
2017
as Lear
2017
as Joshamee Gibbs
2017
as Franz Mendelssohn
2016
as Bernard Ingham
2016
as Harris Cochrane
2016
as Older Man
2016
as Duncan
2016
as Spencer
2016
as Major MacMahon
2015
as James Hollis
2015
as Harold Wilson
2014
as Brian Cruft
2014
as Judge Richard Woodhull
2014
as Karl
2013
as Self
2013
as Daft Willy
2013
as Mr. Timperley
2013
as Ernest
2013
as Kenny / Superintendent Jolliphant
2013
as Lawrence Mulloy
2012
as Mr. Brown
2012
as Maddux
2012
as Harold Smith
2011
2011
as Joshamee Gibbs
2011
as Kyle Kilpatrick
2010
as Horace Bryant
2009
as Dad
2009
as Mr Earnshaw
2009
as Kenneth Clarke
2009
2008
as Carl-Friedrich Goerdeler
2008
as Jerry
2007
as Self
2007
as Charles Davis
2007
as James Vanek
2007
as Joshamee Gibbs
2006
as Self
2006
as Mike Tinsley
2006
as Joshamee Gibbs
2006
as Harry Woolf
2006
as Lord Hailstock
2005
as Frank Rosenheim (as Kevin R. McNally)
2005
as Frank Devereaux
2005
as Frank Devereaux (voice)
2005
as Professor Jericho
2005
as James Hopkin
2004
as Buquet
2004
as Gerald Murphy
2004
as Fred Blackledge
2003
as Bill Simmonds
2003
as Joshamee Gibbs
2003
as Prime Minister
2002
as Self
2002
as Robert Osborne
2002
as Walter Harris (archive footage)
2002
as Walter Harris
2002
as Frank Worsley
2001
as Simon
2001
as Mason
2001
as Martin Luther
2000
as Steven Watt
2000
as Tom Hamilton
2000
1999
as Prisoners
1999
as Haas
1998
as Paul
1997
as Policeman
1997
1997
as Alan Hook
1997
as Orville Tudway
1997
as Gerald Farquaharson
1996
as Billy McVea
1996
as Professor Peter Cherry
1995
as Jake Leach
1995
as Jack Taylor
1994
as Terry
1994
1994
as Tommy O'Neill
1993
as Nahor
1993
as Baz Levick
1992
as Kirov
1992
1992
as Andrew Gardner
1991
as Inspector Turner
1991
as Mr. Bogleby
1991
as Sex Shop Assistant
1990
as Regine's Boyfriend in the East
1990
as Adam Hartley
1990
as Sergeant Hornby
1989
as Slick
1989
1989
as Colin
1988
as Mark Gentian
1988
as Johnny Donoghue
1987
as Ken
1987
as Colonel Gromyko
1986
as Tom Bennod
1985
as Heinz von Hollendorf
1985
as Pete
1985
as Stuart Thorn
1985
as Tommy O'Neill
1984
as Hugo Lang
1984
as Jan (John) Leigh
1983
as Tony
1982
as Bruno
1982
as Hugh
1982
as Bernard
1981
as Norbanus
1980
as Irish Youth
1979
as Richards
1979
as Paul
1977
as HMS Ranger Crewman
1976
1976
as Castor
1976
1976
as Johnny
1975
as Jeff Kane
1965
1963
as Hugo Lang
1962
as Sid
as Angus