Whatever Happened to ‘Mad About You’ Star John Pankow?
What To Know
- John Pankow began his acting career in theater, leaving college after being inspired by a David Mamet play and eventually performing on Broadway in roles such as Mozart in Amadeus.
- He gained widespread recognition as Ira Buchman on the sitcom Mad About You, earning four Screen Actors Guild Award nominations and reprising the role in the show’s revival.
- Pankow has maintained a steady career with supporting roles in film, recurring television appearances, and ongoing involvement in theater, while also working as a director and remaining active in family life.
John Pankow, who turns 72 on February 18, 2026, became a familiar face to TV comedy fans in the ’90s as Ira Buchman on Mad About You. Ira, the anxious cousin in Paul Buchman (Paul Reiser)’s family, became a fan favorite. However, long before sitcom fame, Pankow was a bright light in the world of theater.
How did John Pankow begin his career?
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Born in St. Louis and raised in the Chicago area, Pankow was the sixth of nine children in a large Catholic family. His older brother, James Pankow, went on to become a founding member of the band Chicago, but John gravitated toward acting early on. After attending Northeastern Illinois University, he left during his junior year following a pivotal experience seeing David Mamet‘s American Buffalo at the St. Nicholas Theater, which led to his decision to pursue acting full-time.
Michael Tighe/NBC/Everett Collection
By the early 1980s, Pankow was deeply embedded in the New York theater scene, working steadily in Off-Broadway productions before moving to Broadway. One of his most significant stage milestones came when he replaced Tim Curry as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in Amadeus, a role that showcased his range.
Film roles soon followed, particularly after his breakout performance as rookie Secret Service agent John Vukovich in William Friedkin‘s To Live and Die in L.A. The film introduced him to a wider audience and led to a run of notable supporting roles throughout the late ’80s and early ’90s. Among them were The Secret of My Success, Talk Radio, Monkey Shines and Mortal Thoughts.
Colin Hutton/Showtime Network/Everett Collection
Television eventually brought him his most recognizable role. After appearing in several early episodes of Mad About You, Pankow was signed on as a regular, remaining with the show for its entire original run and returning decades later for the revival. His work on the series earned him four Screen Actors Guild Award nominations for ensemble. After Mad About You, Pankow continued working consistently in smaller roles. He returned as a series regular on Episodes, playing American television executive Merc Lapidus, and took on a recurring role as NASA Administrator Glenn on Madam Secretary. Over the years, he also appeared on The Good Wife, Elementary, Blue Bloods, Lucifer and Chicago P.D., often playing authority figures.
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Alongside his screen work, Pankow never left the stage behind. He returned repeatedly to the theater, including Shakespeare in the Park and major regional productions, and has remained involved in developing projects as both an actor and director. He has been married to actress Kristine Sutherland (who you may know as Joyce Summers from Buffy) since the mid-1980s and they have one daughter together.
Remind 
February 2021
1990s Rom-Coms
Pop some popcorn and cozy up to feel-good movies and TV shows from a generation ago.
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