Here is the rewritten biography of Stephen McNally:
Stephen McNally, a rugged and dark-haired actor, made a drastic career change in the late 1930s, leaving behind a thriving law career to pursue his passion for acting. This impulsive decision ultimately led to a successful four-decade-long career, characterized by his portrayal of hard-edged, noirish characters and cold-hearted villains.
Born Horace Vincent McNally on July 29, 1911, in New York City to Irish parents, he attended Fordham University Law School. McNally's distinct Irish accent, which carried a hint of a working-class/transatlantic Irish tone, was reminiscent of fellow Irish-American performers J. Farrell MacDonald, Pat O'Brien, and Dennis Day.
McNally began his acting career on the stage, making his Broadway debut in a minor role as a waiter in "The Man Who Killed Lincoln" (1940). He quickly gained prominence with roles in "Johnny Belinda" (1940) and "The Wookey" (1941).
MGM took notice of the rising star during the war-era years, and he appeared in a series of film shorts, gradually moving up the credits ranks with featured roles in full-length films such as "Grand Central Murder" (1942),"The War Against Mrs. Hadley" (1942),"Eyes in the Night" (1942),"For Me and My Gal" (1942),and "Keeper of the Flame" (1942).
By 1948, McNally was freelancing and made a strong impression in the Warner Bros. movie version of "Johnny Belinda," playing the menacing role of Locky McCormick, a fisherman who sexually assaults deaf mute Belinda. This marked a significant departure from his earlier role as a doctor on Broadway.
As his career progressed, McNally became known for his versatility, alternating between anti-heroes and villains. He played a Nazi war criminal pursued by Dick Powell in "Rogues' Regiment" (1948),a casino owner who prods Barbara Stanwyck's gambling habit in "The Lady Gambles" (1949),and a foreign terrorist in the historical action pic "Sword in the Desert" (1949).
In the 1950s, McNally continued to thrive, starring in a range of films, including "Winchester '73" (1950),"Iron Man" (1951),"The Black Castle" (1952),"Split Second" (1953),"Make Haste to Live" (1954),"Violent Saturday" (1955),and "Tribute to a Bad Man" (1956).
McNally also made a successful transition to television, appearing in a number of popular series, including "Lux Video Theatre," "Goodyear Playhouse," "Schlitz Playhouse," "Ford Theatre Playhouse," "Zane Grey Theatre," and "Climax!" In the 1960s, he became a frequent guest on rugged westerns and suspense series, including "Wagon Train," "The Texan," "Laramie," "Rawhide," "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour," "The Outer Limits," "Burke's Law," "Ben Casey," "The Big Valley," "Gunsmoke," "Branded," and "Iron Horse."
McNally's personal life was marked by a long marriage to Rita Wintrich, with whom he had eight children. He was a one-time president of the Catholic Actors Guild and passed away on June 4, 1994, at the age of 82, due to heart failure at his Beverly Hills home.
