Background
McCrane was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of Eileen C. (née Manyak), a nurse, and James J. McCrane, Junior., an actor and writer
McCrane was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of Eileen C. (née Manyak), a nurse, and James J. McCrane, Junior., an actor and writer
Student, Herbert Berghof Studios, New York City. Studied with Uta Hagen, B.H. Barry.
He is perhaps best known for his portrayal of Montgomery MacNeil in the 1980 film Fame, Emil Antonowsky in RoboCop and Robert "Rocket" Romano on the National Broadcasting Company medical drama television series Emergency. His family moved to Richboro, Pennsylvania, where he lived until he moved to New York City after graduating from Holy Ghost Preparatory School. An early role, when he was just 17 years of age, is in a short scene in Rocky II, playing a wheelchair bound, multi-fracture patient who asks for Rocky"s autograph on his head cast ("Hey Rockysign my head!").
With an abundance of red hair, McCrane portrayed the earnest Montgomery MacNeil in Fame. He was the lead vocalist on three songs in the feature film: "Dogs in the Yard", "Miles from Here" and "Is it Okay if I Call You Mine?" (which he also composed).
He also had a solo in "I Sing the Body Electric".
Later, he played murderous Emil Antonowsky in RoboCop, followed by astronaut Pete Conrad in From the Earth to the Moon, Guard Trout in The Shawshank Redemption, cancer-absorbing mutant Leonard Betts in The X-Files. After a recurring role as the snarky Doctor Robert "Rocket" Romano on Emergency, he became a regular cast member (1997-2003) and returned for one episode during its 15th and final season (2008).
McCrane guest-starred in 24 Seasons 5 and 6 as Graem Bauer. He has also appeared on Ugly Betty and Computer Society of India: Crime Scene Investigation.
In 2011, McCrane took on the recurring role of Assistant District Attorney Josh Peyton in the National Broadcasting Company television program Harry"s Law, a project of producer David East. Kelley.
Member Actors Equity Association, Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of television and Radio Artists, Amnesty International.