John Carroll Lynch
Biography
John Carroll Lynch (born August 1, 1963) is an American actor, known for his role as Drew Carey's cross-dressing brother on The Drew Carey Show, and for his role as Norm, the unassuming husband of Margie Gunderson (Frances McDormand) in Fargo. In the fall of 2003, he starred in the CBS show The Brotherhood of Poland, New Hampshire, with Randy Quaid, Chris Penn, Mare Winningham, Elizabeth McGovern, and Ann Cusack. The show was cancelled after only a few episodes. He also had a recurring role in the HBO show Carnivàle, playing escaped convict Varlyn Stroud. Lynch appeared as a district attorney in the CBS series Close to Home and as NASA official Bob Gilruth in the HBO mini-series From the Earth to the Moon. Lynch appeared in the 2003 thriller Gothika and the 2007 biopic Zodiac.
Known For
American Dad!
2005
American Horror Story
2011
American Horror Story
2011
American Horror Story
2011
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
2000
The Walking Dead
2010
Frasier
1993
The West Wing
1999
Star Trek: Voyager
1995
Monk
2002
The Practice
1997
Billions
2016
Filmography
American Dad!
as Acl-Lou / Mr. Simms / Monkey (voice) · 2005
American Horror Story
as Twisty the Clown · 2011
American Horror Story
as John Wayne Gacy · 2011
American Horror Story
as Benjamin Richter · 2011
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
as Buddy Arnold · 2000
The Walking Dead
as Eastman · 2010
Frasier
as Franklin · 1993
The West Wing
as Jack Reese · 1999
Star Trek: Voyager
as Gerald Moss · 1995
Monk
as Kurt Pressman · 2002
The Practice
as Dr. Robert Larson · 1997
Billions
as Mr. Gilbert · 2016
The Drew Carey Show
as Steve Carey · 1995
The Americans
as Fred · 2013
Elsbeth
as Edwin Dousant · 2024
Lie to Me
as Mr. Reed · 2009
Evil
as Henry Stick · 2019
Veep
as Lloyd Hennick · 2012
Big Love
as Officer Chuck Tuttle · 2006
Shutter Island
as Deputy Warden McPherson · 2010
Body of Proof
as Bud Morris · 2011
Close to Home
as Steve Sharpe · 2005
Big Sky
as Rick Legarski · 2020
Big Sky
as Wolf Legarski · 2020
Family Law
· 1999
The Glades
· 2010
The Glades
as Mike Ogletree · 2010
Ted 2
as Tom Jessup · 2015
Murder One
as Officer Carl Bickley · 1995
American Horror Stories
as Larry Bitterman · 2021
Talking Dead
as Self · 2011
House of Lies
as Gil Selby · 2012
Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord
as Nico Deemis (voice) · 2026
From the Earth to the Moon
as Bob Gilruth · 1998
Carnivàle
as Varlyn Stroud · 2003
Ballard
as Thomas Laffont · 2025
The Beauty
as Meyer Williams · 2026
Crazy, Stupid, Love.
as Bernie · 2011
Face/Off
as Prison Guard Walton · 1997
Zodiac
as Arthur Leigh Allen · 2007
L.A. Doctors
as Gus (uncredited) · 1998
Manhattan
as Daniel Ellis · 2014
Fargo
as Norm Gunderson · 1996
The Founder
as Mac McDonald · 2016
Gone in Sixty Seconds
as Impound Manager · 2000
Channel Zero
as John Sleator · 2016
Mercury Rising
as Martin Lynch · 1998
Gran Torino
as Barber Martin · 2008
White House Plumbers
as John Mitchell · 2023
Miracles from Heaven
as Pastor Scott · 2016
She Rides Shotgun
as Houser · 2025
Sorry, Baby
as Pete · 2025
The Client
as Frank · 1995
Gaslit
as L. Patrick Gray · 2022
The Visitor
as Joe York · 1997
Paul
as Moses Buggs · 2011
Hot Pursuit
as Captain Emmett · 2015
The Good Cop
as Sherman Smalls · 2018
Volcano
as Stan Olber · 1997
The Highwaymen
as Lee Simmons · 2019
The Trial of the Chicago 7
as David Dellinger · 2020
Grumpy Old Men
as Moving Man · 1993
Beautiful Girls
as Frank Womack · 1996
Life's Work
· 1996
Perfect Harmony
as Pastor Magnus · 2019
Camp X-Ray
as Col. Drummond · 2014
Gothika
as Sheriff Ryan · 2003
The Good Girl
as Jack Field, Your Store Manager · 2002
Full of It
as Mr. Leonard · 2007
The Invitation
as Pruitt · 2016
Babes
as Dr. Morris · 2024
K-Ville
as Captain James Embry · 2007
The Next Best Thing
as Abbie's Lawyer · 2000
Bubble Boy
as Mr. Livingston · 2001
Hesher
as Larry · 2010
Love Happens
as Walter · 2009
Jackie
as Lyndon B. Johnson · 2016
The Fan
as Shopkeeper · 1996
The Brotherhood of Poland, New Hampshire
as Garrett Shaw · 2003
One Dollar
as Bud Carl · 2018
The Cure
as Skipper #1 · 1995
Anywhere but Here
as Jack Irwin · 1999
Pushing Tin
as Doctor Freeze (uncredited) · 1999
Lay the Favorite
as Dave Greenberg · 2012
Do No Harm
as Will Hayes · 2013
Catch That Kid
as Mr. Hartman · 2004
Confidence
as Grant Ashby · 2003
A Thousand Acres
as Ken LaSalle · 1997
Private Life
as Charlie Grimes · 2018
Feeling Minnesota
as Cop · 1996
Live from Baghdad
as Josh Holliman · 2002
The Pretty One
as Frank · 2014
Things We Lost in the Fire
as Howard Glassman · 2007
Mozart and the Whale
as Gregory · 2005
Waking the Dead
as Father Mileski · 2000
The Minus Man
as Bartender (uncredited) · 1999
Crawford
as Owen · 2018
Shangri-La Suite
as Colonel Tom Parker · 2016
The White Orchid
as Sheriff Mann · 2018
On the Set of 'Gothika'
as Self · 2004
The Naked Man
as Driver · 1998
Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World
as Stewart · 2006
Family Movie
as Bill · 2027
Outlaw Posse
as Carson · 2024
Dead Men Can't Dance
as Plonder · 1997
Kiss Me Kosher!
as Ron Shalev · 2020
A Friend's Betrayal
as Mr. Franks · 1996
Tuesdays with Morrie
as Walter · 1999
In the Line of Duty: Hunt for Justice
as The Major · 1995
Sympathy for Delicious
as Evangelist Carroll · 2010
Freak Weather
as Ed · 2005
Shaughnessy: The Iron Marshal
· 1996
Anything
as Early Landry · 2018
Voice from the Grave
as Prosecutor O'Gane · 1996
Cattywampus
as Barry · 2025
Late Last Night
as Sgt. Van Wyck · 1999
The Prince of Motor City
as Paul Riley · 2008
Highland Park
as Rory · 2013
The Architect
as Conway · 2016
Be Absolute for Death
· 2020
Triumph of the Will
Restaurant
as John English · 1999
The Grand Strand
as Pop · 2025
Par 6
as Dour O'Dowell · 2002
Bug
as Wallace · 2002
Fade to Black
as Wayne
Hoke
as Bill Henderson · 2014
Painting with Fire
as Self · 2004