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Veteran character actor Joseph Maher brings his considerable talents to the role of the urbane, stylish, and sophisticated Mr. John, Chelsea Stevens' sycophantic interior designer, in Touchstone Television's new half-hour comedy series Style & Substance.
"Mr. John is a sharp-witted interior designer who never stops going on about his gay lifestyle and his partner, Guy," said Maher. "What's interesting is that there are so many gay characters on television today, but there aren't any older ones. I feel a real responsibility to play him with some class."
Maher's career has taken him from regional theater to the stages of London and Broadway. His countless television and feature film performances have put him alongside such talents as Dustin Hoffman, Al Pacino, Dame Maggie Smith, Julie Harris, Jamie Lee Curtis, Barbra Streisand, and Whoopi Goldberg.
A native of County Mayo, Ireland, Maher was born December 29 and at age 22 immigrated to Canada. He soon landed a role on Canadian television, and, before he knew it, he was on a nine-month tour with the Canadian Players. He was cast in the off-Broadway production of "The Hostage" and ended up staying in New York.
After debuting on Broadway as an understudy in "The Chinese Prime Minister," Maher played Gordon, the shy music teacher and ultimately the lover of the title character in "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie." Later, while at night appearing in the Broadway production of "The Royal Family," based on the life of the Barrymores, he spent his days in front of the camera on the soap opera "Another World."
His performance in a London production of "What the Butler Saw" garnered him a 1991 Olivier Award nomination for Best Actor, and he was nominated for a Drama Desk Critics Award and a Tony Award for his role in a Manhattan Theater Club production of "Loot." He also received Tony nominations for his work in Broadway's "Spokesong" and "Night and Day."
His feature film work includes "Mars Attack," "Surviving Picasso," "Sister Act," and "For Pete's Sake." He also appeared in "OK Garage," "Just Tell Me What You Want," and "Heaven Can Wait."
On television, Maher was a series regular on "Anything But Love," "Goode Behavior," and "Laurie Hill," where he worked alongside a then virtually unknown Ellen DeGeneres. His other television appearances include "Seinfeld," "Chicago Hope," "thirtysomething," "Moonlighting, "The Martin Short Show," "Little Gloria: Happy at Last," and "Murder, She Wrote," among many others.
Maher spends his free time writing and admits to being an avid movie-goer. He lives in the Los Angeles area.
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