Biography

John McNamara is a writer, producer, show-runner and television creator. He wrote and co-produced the feature film "Trumbo," for which Bryan Cranston was nominated for an Oscar, as Dalton Trumbo, one of The Hollywood Ten blacklisted screenwriters. The film was nominated by the WGA for Best Adapted Screenplay and McNamara was awarded the WGAW's Paul Selvin Award which honors writers whose work "embodies the spirit of the constitutional and civil right liberties that are indispensable to the survival of free writers everywhere."

In addition, McNamara created the NBC series, "Aquarius," starring David Duchovny and is the co-creator of the Syfy series "The Magicians" based on Lev Grossman's bestselling book series.

McNamara is a principal founder, along with Alexandra Cunningham and Sera Gamble, of Fabrication, a TV production company behind the Apple TV+ series "Physical."

Born and raised in Michigan, McNamara attended the University of Michigan and New York University. While attending NYU, McNamara authored two children's books, both published by Delacorte Press as well as the original teleplay for the CBS Afternoon Playhouse. In 1982, his play, "Present Tense," won the first annual Young Playwrights' competition and was produced off-Broadway at the Circle Rep Theatre. With its companion piece, "Personal Effects," it was later produced at the Manhattan Punchline Theatre and has been performed internationally ever since.

He moved to Los Angeles in 1984 and began a career as a screenwriter, eventually working for Disney, Warner Bros. and Paramount. In 1992, he became a staff writer on the Fox TV series "The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr." and in 1993 joined ABC's "Lois and Clark" as a writer and producer for three years.

In 1996, he co-created and Executive Produced the critically-acclaimed thriller "Profit," followed by "Vengeance Unlimited," "The Fugitive," "Fastlane," "Eyes" and "In Plain Sight."

McNamara lives in Los Angeles, where his personal interests include reading slowly, running quickly and scuba diving deeply.
- IMDb mini biography by: Bumble Ward