Wisconsin originals one on one with Acting legend John Mahoney by lisa schmelz on a sunny weekday morning, his pen still in hand, acclaimed actor John Mahoney — best known for his role as Martin Crane on “fraiser” — is nearing the end of his daily cerebral crunches.
“i was just finishing up the New York Times crossword puzzle,” he says. “i always use a pen, but i go over it lightly.”
While he may tread lightly over The Times crossword with ink, he does not tread lightly when on stage, television or in feature films. A late comer to acting, perhaps he felt there was no time to waste. Mahoney, who holds a masters in english, was 37 when he left his job as an associate editor for a national medical journal. Two years later, he was a member of Chicago’s esteemed Steppenwolf Theatre. Three years later, he landed his first feature film. By 1986, he’d won a Tony for his lead role in House of the Blue Leaves. in 1993, he joined the cast of nBC’s “fraiser.” if you don’t see John Mahoney in wisconsin, you can catch him on stage at There he earned two emmy nominations steppenwolf theatre in Chicago, where he’s been an ensemble member since and found worldwide fame as the down-to- 1979. visit steppenwolf.org for more information. earth father of those pretentious Crane boys. for the record, he’s not asked about his fellow actors nearly as much sin, where he has to pick up his copies of The Times, and the other as he is about his former canine sidekick, eddie. two daily papers he reads religiously, from the local Piggly Wiggly? “Ad infinitum,” he says. “i love it up there. i go up as often as i can “it is amazing how fast that all happened,” he recalls. “it was just and most weekends that i’m not working.” ew incredible and it’s just extremely unusual.”
The British-born Mahoney also doesn’t tread lightly on his adopted Midwestern roots. He enjoys the four seasons from his primary resi- John MahonEY dence near Chicago and from a southern Wisconsin lakefront home he’s owned the past 12 years. on WiSconSin Award-winning actor John Mahoney could have a vacation home “i always thought it would be nice to have a place to get away on anywhere in the world, but he chooses America’s dairyland. the weekends,” he says of his motivation. “it’s a gorgeous place and it’s so easy to get to. i thought about indiana and Michigan, but this whY wisConsin? “i think i’d have to say it’s the people that keep is perfect.” me coming back. it’s that Midwestern tenor.”
What did his Wisconsin neighbors, in rural Walworth County, think loCal haunts: Chef’s Corner in Williams Bay. “i love that place. when a world-renowned actor moved in? i love to go there and talk.” Mars resort on lake Como in lake Gene- va. “i’ve never tasted ribs anywhere as good.” delavan’s Brick Cheese “i’ve always had such great neighbors, who’ve made me want to Market. “it’s a great, great cheese store in downtown delavan, which stay there,” he says. “Then they move and somebody else moves in i spend a lot of money at.” and they’re great, too.” his FavoritE wisConsin sustEnanCE: “i love bratwurst. i’m How long does he think he’ll make the year-round treks to Wiscon- thrilled to death with it.” 50 | experiencewisconsinmag.com | spring/summer 2013