Cast & creator
John Carroll Lynch
Best known for CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, American Dad!, American Horror Story
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.
Also known as: John Caroll Lynch, John Lynch
82
film credits
50
television credits
128
1993–2027 · acting roles
6.7
average across scored titles
Signature credits
Known for
Across film & television
Filmography (132)
Showing 132 of 132 credits
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Buddy Arnold
2000
American Dad!
Acl-Lou / Mr. Simms / Monkey (voice)
2005
American Horror Story
Twisty the Clown
2011American Horror Story
John Wayne Gacy
2011American Horror Story
Benjamin Richter
2011
The Walking Dead
Eastman
2010
The West Wing
Jack Reese
1999
Frasier
Franklin
1993
Monk
Kurt Pressman
2002
Star Trek: Voyager
Gerald Moss
1995
The Practice
Dr. Robert Larson
1997
Billions
Mr. Gilbert
2016
The Drew Carey Show
Steve Carey
1995
The Americans
Fred
2013
Lie to Me
Mr. Reed
2009
Elsbeth
Edwin Dousant
2024
Evil
Henry Stick
2019
Big Love
Officer Chuck Tuttle
2006
Veep
Lloyd Hennick
2012
Body of Proof
Bud Morris
2011
The Whisper Man
Thanks
2026
Close to Home
Steve Sharpe
2005
Shutter Island
Deputy Warden McPherson
2010
Family Law
1999
Big Sky
Rick Legarski
2020Big Sky
Wolf Legarski
2020
Murder One
Officer Carl Bickley
1995
The Glades
2010The Glades
Mike Ogletree
2010
House of Lies
Gil Selby
2012
Talking Dead
Self
2011
Ted 2
Tom Jessup
2015
American Horror Stories
Larry Bitterman
2021
Star Wars: Maul - Shadow Lord
Nico Deemis (voice)
2026
From the Earth to the Moon
Bob Gilruth
1998
Carnivàle
Varlyn Stroud
2003
The Beauty
Meyer Williams
2026
Crazy, Stupid, Love.
Bernie
2011
Ballard
Thomas Laffont
2025
Face/Off
Prison Guard Walton
1997
L.A. Doctors
Gus (uncredited)
1998
Manhattan
Daniel Ellis
2014
The Founder
Mac McDonald
2016
Fargo
Norm Gunderson
1996
Gone in Sixty Seconds
Impound Manager
2000
Channel Zero
John Sleator
2016
She Rides Shotgun
Houser
2025
Mercury Rising
Martin Lynch
1998
Gran Torino
Barber Martin
2008
Sorry, Baby
Pete
2025
White House Plumbers
John Mitchell
2023
Zodiac
Arthur Leigh Allen
2007
Gaslit
L. Patrick Gray
2022
Miracles from Heaven
Pastor Scott
2016
The Visitor
Joe York
1997
The Client
Frank
1995
Paul
Moses Buggs
2011
Hot Pursuit
Captain Emmett
2015
The Good Cop
Sherman Smalls
2018
Volcano
Stan Olber
1997
Life's Work
1996
The Highwaymen
Lee Simmons
2019
Perfect Harmony
Pastor Magnus
2019
The Trial of the Chicago 7
David Dellinger
2020
Beautiful Girls
Frank Womack
1996
Full of It
Mr. Leonard
2007
Grumpy Old Men
Moving Man
1993
The Good Girl
Jack Field, Your Store Manager
2002
Gothika
Sheriff Ryan
2003
The Invitation
Pruitt
2016
K-Ville
Captain James Embry
2007
Camp X-Ray
Col. Drummond
2014
The Brotherhood of Poland, New Hampshire
Garrett Shaw
2003
Babes
Dr. Morris
2024
Love Happens
Walter
2009
Hesher
Larry
2010
The Fan
Shopkeeper
1996
Jackie
Lyndon B. Johnson
2016
The Next Best Thing
Abbie's Lawyer
2000
Do No Harm
Will Hayes
2013
Catch That Kid
Mr. Hartman
2004
Anywhere but Here
Jack Irwin
1999
One Dollar
Bud Carl
2018
Pushing Tin
Doctor Freeze (uncredited)
1999
Lay the Favorite
Dave Greenberg
2012
The Cure
Skipper #1
1995
Bubble Boy
Mr. Livingston
2001
Confidence
Grant Ashby
2003
Live from Baghdad
Josh Holliman
2002
A Thousand Acres
Ken LaSalle
1997
The Pretty One
Frank
2014
Things We Lost in the Fire
Howard Glassman
2007
Feeling Minnesota
Cop
1996
Private Life
Charlie Grimes
2018
The Minus Man
Bartender (uncredited)
1999
Waking the Dead
Father Mileski
2000
Mozart and the Whale
Gregory
2005
Lucky
Director
2017
Shangri-La Suite
Colonel Tom Parker
2016
The White Orchid
Sheriff Mann
2018
Outlaw Posse
Carson
2024
The Naked Man
Driver
1998
Crawford
Owen
2018
Kiss Me Kosher!
Ron Shalev
2020
Family Movie
Bill
2027
Anything
Early Landry
2018
Dead Men Can't Dance
Plonder
1997
Sympathy for Delicious
Evangelist Carroll
2010
Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World
Stewart
2006
Cattywampus
Barry
2025
A Friend's Betrayal
Mr. Franks
1996
On the Set of 'Gothika'
Self
2004
In the Line of Duty: Hunt for Justice
The Major
1995
Shaughnessy: The Iron Marshal
1996
Freak Weather
Ed
2005
Voice from the Grave
Prosecutor O'Gane
1996
Late Last Night
Sgt. Van Wyck
1999Happy
Director
Tuesdays with Morrie
Walter
1999The Prince of Motor City
Paul Riley
2008
The Architect
Conway
2016Triumph of the Will
Highland Park
Rory
2013
Bug
Wallace
2002
Restaurant
John English
1999
Be Absolute for Death
2020Be Absolute for Death
Director
2020
Fade to Black
Wayne
Par 6
Dour O'Dowell
2002
The Grand Strand
Pop
2025Hoke
Bill Henderson
2014Painting with Fire
Self
2004