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John McConnell

John McConnell

Actor · Born November 13, 1958 (67) · Baton Rouge, Louisiana

​From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia John McConnell (born November 13, 1958), aka John "Spud" McConnell, is an American actor and radio personality based in New Orleans, Louisiana. McConnell is a character actor who has appeared in more than 40 films, ranging from obscure independent films (mostly filmed locally in New Orleans, or elsewhere set in the Gulf Coast region) to major cinematic release movies (such as the Coen Brothers production O Brother, Where Art Thou?). McConnell has also appeared in numerous plays, including an off-Broadway run in the one-man show The Kingfish, wherein he portrays colorful Louisiana Governor Huey P. Long. He is perhaps best-known for having portrayed Ignatius J. Reilly from the Pulitzer Prize winning novel A Confederacy of Dunces, and in that role was the model for a life-sized bronze statue of the fictitious character on historic Canal Street in downtown New Orleans. On television, McConnell made appearances over three seasons of Roseanne, with good friend and colleague John Goodman. Most recently, McConnell is featured in a recurring role on the FX series The Riches, starring Eddie Izzard and Minnie Driver. McConnell is a conservative afternoon radio personality, hosting a daily call-in talk show, "The Spud Show", on WWL 870 AM and 105.3 FM. Description above from the Wikipedia article John McConnell (actor), licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
November 13, 1958 (67)
From
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Works as
Actor
Titles
47 on MovieCove · 58 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 63 days to Oct 26Up 20% in 30 days

What are John McConnell's films like?

Across their 14 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Drama5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 64th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Horror3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 12th percentile
: browse their Horror movies
Comedy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 36th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
36%
Bonds
20%
Power
11%
Self
11%
Society
10%
Survival
8%
Ideas
4%
Justice4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds5 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption3 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception3 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival2 titles, browse their movies with this themeGreed2 titles, browse their movies with this themePrejudice2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 14 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 5 · Serious 3 · Dark 6

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 6 · Stylized 7 · Heightened 1

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 1 · Charged 7 · Intense 6

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 4 · Shifting 8 · Whiplash 2

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 11 · Some laughs 1 · Funny 2

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 5 · Even-paced 9 · Relentless 0

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 5 · Engaged 9 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 9 · Open-ended 4 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

1 analyzed role
  • Threshold guardianas School officials in Miracle Run (2004)

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
11
Melancholic
6
Dread
4
Absurd
3
Hopeful
3
Other
10

How their films linger

Unsettling4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy4
  • Bittersweet7
  • Ambiguous3

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch John McConnell's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 34 of their 47 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (23).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for John McConnell's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

58 credits, 47 with a MovieCove page.

  • Darlin'(2019)

    as Dr. Grant

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Our Friend(2019)

    as Glenn Hattaway

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Instant Family(2018)

    as Mr. Muskie

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Bad Stepmother(2018)

    as Gary Sims

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • Sasq-Watch!(2016)

    as Chuck

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • Abattoir(2016)

    as Sheriff McDermott

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films

  • The Duel(2016)

    as Saul

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Return to Sender(2015)

    as Choking Man

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Black or White(2014)

    as Vertell

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Cat Run 2(2014)

    as Guy Mancini

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • 13 Sins(2014)

    as Detective

    Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all films

  • Elsa & Fred(2014)

    as Man in Window

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • 12 Years a Slave(2013)

    as Jonus Ray

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • 2 Guns(2013)

    as Officer Dave

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Django Unchained(2012)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Stolen(2012)

    as Drunk Businessman

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • The Baytown Outlaws(2012)

    as Representative Hawkins

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Killing Them Softly(2012)

    as Bartender #2

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • The Courier(2012)

    as Detective

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • Seeking Justice(2011)

    as Liquor Store Clerk

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Colombiana(2011)

    as Smith

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films

  • The Mechanic(2011)

    as Vaughn

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Jonah Hex(2010)

    as Stunk Crick Sheriff

    Midcredits score: 5th percentile of all films

  • Treme(2010)

    Show 1 episode · as DJ Jeffy Jeff

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows

  • Alabama Moon(2009)

    as Mr. Mitchell

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all films

  • Midnight Bayou(2009)

    as Oscar

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Beyond a Reasonable Doubt(2009)

    as Vernon Green

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Ruffian (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    as Tony Pappas

  • The Reaping(2007)

    as Mayor Brooks

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • The Year Without a Santa Claus(2006)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • Deja Vu(2006)

    as Sheriff Reed / Police Chief at Disaster

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all films

  • The Novice(2006)

    as Luther

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Because of Winn-Dixie(2005)

    as Store Manager

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • The Brooke Ellison Story(2004)

    as Mr. Jacobs

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Pop Rocks (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Cop

  • Miracle Run(2004)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films

  • The Ladykillers(2004)

    as Deputy Sheriff

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Love Liza(2002)

    as High School Principal #1

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all films

  • The Badge(2002)

    as Ornell

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films

  • Blood Feast 2: All U Can Eat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    as Detective Dave Loomis

  • Hometown Legend (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    as Rock Hill Coach

  • Monster's Ball(2001)

    as Harvey Shoonmaker

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Malpractice(2001)

    as Walter

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • O Brother, Where Art Thou?(2000)

    as Woolworths Manager

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Bayou Ghost (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as The Mayor

  • The Big Easy(1996)

    Show 1 episode · as Skank

    Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all shows

  • Body Count(1995)

    as Truck Driver

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all films

  • Kingfish: A Story of Huey P. Long(1995)

    as 'Battlin' Bozman

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Mutant Species (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Redneck

  • Jake Lassiter: Justice on the Bayou(1995)

    as Remmy

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Running Wild (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    as Sheriff

  • Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles(1994)

    as Gambler

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • King of the Hill(1993)

    as Patrolman Burns

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Delta Heat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as LaSalle

  • Firehead (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    as Computer Man

  • This Gun for Hire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    as Lt. Leoville

  • Miller's Crossing(1990)

    as Cop - Brian

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Bad Habit (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as The Coroner

Career shape

Star power in the 97th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 57 titles, 56 of them dated from 1990 to 2019; peak year 2012.

Biggest box office

Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994)

$224M worldwide

Highest rated

Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994)

Midcredits 92nd

Most popular right now

The Ladykillers (2004)

Film career

MilestoneBreakout
19902019

Peak 2012 · steadily prominent in film for years. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting57 of 57: 57 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score53rd

By decade

1990s13 · acting2000s20 · acting2010s23 · acting

Billing

usually 14th · top billed in 3% of 32 roles
90051015

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do John McConnell's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 50th percentile, the median of all 45; across their 14 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 45th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

45thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Approval · how many liked their films

35thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Reach · how many have seen their films

76thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 14

Midcredits score across 47 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up14
  • 50th to 74th11
  • 25th to 49th11
  • Below 25th11

Shape of the crowd

17 of their 47 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved6
  • Crowd Pleaser17
  • Broadly Agreed8
  • Mixed16

Most divisive · actor

The Year Without a Santa Claus (2006)

87th percentile spread · 61% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Django Unchained (2012)

Midcredits 99th · 94% liked

Reviewers score the acting 64/100 in their films, across 12 reviewed titles; fans 77, detractors 39. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is John McConnell's work okay for kids?

Across up to 5 MovieCove titles with content scores, 1 of the 5 categories sits near the median of all films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore3 titlesmedian 90 · severeMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity5 titles29–69 · median 33 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity3 titlesmedian 73 · intenseMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs3 titlesmedian 35 · mildMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense3 titlesmedian 68 · intenseMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does John McConnell work with?

People who share at least 2 of John McConnell's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Bryan Batt shares the most, 2.

Actors

Producers