McGee was born in the
South Bronx, New York, the youngest of eight children. He attended
Cardinal Hayes High School in the
Bronx, where he was class president and also played on the Football team, and appeared as a member of the background harmony in
The Young Rascals. In 1977, he became a
firefighter for the
New York City Fire Department in order to pursue his acting career. As a firefighter, he served with FDNY Engine Company 38 and Ladder Company 51 in the Bronx. In the TV Series
Rescue Me, he portrayed FDNY 15th Battalion Chief Jerry Reilly. His first wife was Eileen. His first major role was in the
1985 firefighter film
Turk 182. McGee provided the voice for Mr. White in the 2006
Reservoir Dogs video game. He also is the voice of Big Ed in the game
Real Heroes: Firefighter, as well as Otis Schmidt, the driver and engineer in the movie
Backdraft. McGee is a
colon cancer survivor, and is committed to several cancer organizations, particularly the WeSpark Cancer Support Center, where his wife Stephanie serves as Guest Services Manager. McGee also supports
Autism Speaks, the
American Cancer Society,
Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the
Michael J. Fox Foundation and the
Leary Firefighters Foundation. == Filmography ==