# Marc McClure
**Marc McClure** (Marc A. McClure, born 1957) is an American actor best known for playing photographer [Jimmy Olsen](https://www.edgepedia.org/jimmy-olsen) in the Superman films of 1978 to 1987 and Dave McFly in the *Back to the Future* films. Born in [San Mateo, California](https://www.edgepedia.org/san-mateo-california), he has worked steadily in film and television since the mid-1970s, with more than 80 acting credits listed on IMDb.
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1957, San Mateo, California, USA[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0566013) |
| Signature role | Jimmy Olsen, the Daily Planet photographer, in *Superman* (1978), *Superman II* (1980), *Superman III* (1983), and *Superman IV: The Quest for Peace* (1987), plus the spin-off *Supergirl* (1984)[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0566013/bio/) |
| Donner-era distinction | The only actor from the original Superman franchise to appear in all five films of that era[3](https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/Marc_McClure) |
| Second franchise | Dave McFly, brother of Michael J. Fox's character, in *Back to the Future* (1985) and *Back to the Future Part III* (1990); he also filmed *Part II* (1989) but his scenes were cut[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0566013/bio/) • [4](https://www.metacritic.com/person/marc-mcclure/) |
| Other notable film roles | Larry Dubois in *I Wanna Hold Your Hand* (1978), Boris Harris in *Freaky Friday* (1976), Glynn Lunney in *Apollo 13* (1995)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0566013) • [4](https://www.metacritic.com/person/marc-mcclure/) |
| Director collaborations | Appeared in four films written or directed by Robert Zemeckis: *I Wanna Hold Your Hand*, *Used Cars* (1980), and two *Back to the Future* films[5](https://easeofbiz.com/%40marcmcclure) |
| Later DC appearances | Cameos in *Superman Returns* (2006), the TV series *Smallville* (as Dax-Ur, 2008), *Justice League* (2017, as Officer Ben Sadowsky), and *Zack Snyder's Justice League* (2021, as Jerry)[6](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/marc_mcclure) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0566013) |
| Personal | Married Carol Courson Cowley since August 16, 1985; one child[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0566013) |
## Jimmy Olsen and the Superman films
McClure's defining role came with *Superman: The Movie* (1978), directed by [Richard Donner](https://www.edgepedia.org/richard-donner), in which he played Jimmy Olsen, the young photographer of the [Daily Planet](https://www.edgepedia.org/daily-planet) alongside [Christopher Reeve](https://www.edgepedia.org/christopher-reeve), Margot Kidder, and Jackie Cooper[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0566013/bio/). He returned to the character in each sequel, *Superman II* (1980), *Superman III* (1983), and *Superman IV: The Quest for Peace* (1987), and also carried the role into the 1984 spin-off *Supergirl*, making him the only actor from the original franchise to appear in all five films[3](https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/Marc_McClure). IMDb notes that along with Reeve, Kidder, and Jackie Cooper, he is one of only four actors to appear in the first four Superman films[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0566013/bio/).
The series also followed him into archive projects: he appeared as Jimmy Olsen in *Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut* (2006) and hosted Warner Bros. Home Video documentaries on the making of the films, including *Making "Superman": Filming the Legend* and *Taking Flight: The Development of "Superman"* (both 2001)[7](https://www.fandango.com/people/marc-mcclure-438538/film-credits) • [8](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/mcclure-marc-1957).
In interviews he has described the character's appeal in plain terms: Jimmy is "a person who's learning," and the audience learns along with him[9](https://www.grouchoreviews.com/interviews/162).
## Robert Zemeckis and the McFly family
McClure joined director [Robert Zemeckis](https://www.edgepedia.org/robert-zemeckis)'s stock company early. He appeared in Zemeckis's directorial feature debut, *I Wanna Hold Your Hand* (1978), a comedy about New Jersey teenagers swept up in [Beatlemania](https://www.edgepedia.org/beatlemania), playing Larry Dubois among an ensemble that included Nancy Allen, Wendie Jo Sperber, and [Eddie Deezen](https://www.edgepedia.org/eddie-deezen)[10](https://amblin.com/movie/i-wanna-hold-your-hand/). He worked with Zemeckis and co-writer Bob Gale again on the used-car-salesman comedy *Used Cars* (1980), playing Heavy Duty Dubois[5](https://easeofbiz.com/%40marcmcclure) • [4](https://www.metacritic.com/person/marc-mcclure/).
The partnership peaked with *Back to the Future* (1985), in which McClure played Dave McFly, the underachieving older brother of [Michael J. Fox](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-j-fox)'s [Marty McFly](https://www.edgepedia.org/marty-mcfly); his sister Linda was played by [Wendie Jo Sperber](https://www.edgepedia.org/wendie-jo-sperber), his *I Wanna Hold Your Hand* and *Used Cars* co-star[6](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/marc_mcclure) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0566013/bio/). He returned as Dave in *Back to the Future Part III* (1990). His *Back to the Future Part II* (1989) footage, a scene in the alternate 1985, was cut from the final release[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0566013/bio/).
## Other work and return appearances
McClure's first film role was Boris Harris, the boy across the street, in Disney's *Freaky Friday* (1976) starring Barbara Harris and a 14-year-old [Jodie Foster](https://www.edgepedia.org/jodie-foster); he played a character named Boris again in the 2003 remake with [Jamie Lee Curtis](https://www.edgepedia.org/jamie-lee-curtis) and [Lindsay Lohan](https://www.edgepedia.org/lindsay-lohan), and per IMDb he is the only actor to appear in both films[11](https://catalog.afi.com/Film/55865-FREAKY-FRIDAY) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0566013/bio/).
His television work has been extensive: recurring and guest roles include *California Fever* (1979), *Happy Days* (1976 and 1977 episodes), *Beverly Hills 90210*, *ER* (2002), *The Shield* (2002), and *Cold Case* (2004)[8](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/mcclure-marc-1957). His film credits outside the two franchises include *Coming Home* (1978), *Amazon Women on the Moon* (1987), *Chances Are* (1989), and a small role as Glynn Lunney, the real-life NASA flight director, in *Apollo 13* (1995)[4](https://www.metacritic.com/person/marc-mcclure/) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0566013).
He has returned to Superman material repeatedly in later years: cameos in [Bryan Singer](https://www.edgepedia.org/bryan-singer)'s *Superman Returns* (2006), an appearance on the TV-series prequel *Smallville* as the character Dax-Ur in 2008, and small parts in *Justice League* (2017) as Officer Ben Sadowsky and *Zack Snyder's Justice League* (2021) as Jerry[6](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/marc_mcclure) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0566013).
## By the numbers
Review aggregates bracket his two famous franchises unevenly. On Rotten Tomatoes, his highest-rated film is *Back to the Future* at 93 percent and his lowest is *Superman IV: The Quest for Peace* at 17 percent[6](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/marc_mcclure). On Metacritic, *Back to the Future* again leads at 87, while *Superman IV* sits at 24[4](https://www.metacritic.com/person/marc-mcclure/). The career-spanning picture across 57 rated titles on one aggregator gives a mean IMDb-style rating of 6.2, with *Back to the Future* his best-rated entry[12](https://auteurgraph.com/person/marc-mcclure/ratings).
## References
1. [Marc McClure, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0566013)
2. [Marc McClure, Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0566013/bio/)
3. [Marc McClure, DC Database (Fandom)](https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/Marc_McClure)
4. [Marc McClure, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/person/marc-mcclure/)
5. [Marc McClure, EaseOfBiz public record](https://easeofbiz.com/%40marcmcclure)
6. [Marc McClure Movies & TV Shows List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/marc_mcclure)
7. [Marc McClure filmography, Fandango](https://www.fandango.com/people/marc-mcclure-438538/film-credits)
8. [McClure, Marc 1957–, Encyclopedia.com (Contemporary Theatre, Film and Television)](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/mcclure-marc-1957)
9. [Marc McClure — Superman — 02/20/05, Groucho Reviews interview](https://www.grouchoreviews.com/interviews/162)
10. [I Wanna Hold Your Hand (1978), About the Movie, Amblin](https://amblin.com/movie/i-wanna-hold-your-hand/)
11. [Freaky Friday (1976), AFI Catalog](https://catalog.afi.com/Film/55865-FREAKY-FRIDAY)
12. [Marc McClure Ratings, AuteurGraph](https://auteurgraph.com/person/marc-mcclure/ratings)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 1970s to 1990s › Surnames Mc to Mi*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 20, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 20, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license