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Detective Lieutenant John McClane
First appearance	Die Hard
Last appearance	Live Free or Die Hard
Portrayed by	Bruce Willis
Information
Gender	Male
Age	50
Date of birth	August 11, 1957(1957-08-11) New York City, New York,  United States
Occupation	Police officer
Title	Detective Lieutenant
Spouse(s)	Holly Gennero McClane (divorced)
Children	John McClane, Jr. Lucy McClane
Relatives	Kevin D'Arcy (Cousin) (Sister)

John McClane is a fictional character in the Die Hard series of films. He is portrayed by Bruce Willis. Premiere ranked him as number 46 of the 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time list. Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... This article is about the 1988 action film. ... Live Free or Die Hard (released as Die Hard 4. ... Walter Bruce Willis (born March 19, 1955 in Idar-Oberstein, Germany) is an American actor and singer. ... is the 223rd day of the year (224th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar). ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... This article is about the state. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Police officers in South Australia A police officer (or policeman/policewoman) is a warranted worker of a police force. ... This article is about the 1988 action film. ... Walter Bruce Willis (born March 19, 1955 in Idar-Oberstein, Germany) is an American actor and singer. ... Premiere is an American and New York City-based film magazine published by Hachette Filipacchi Médias, beginning publication in 1987. ...

Development and description

McClane was originally based on the fictional character Detective Joe Leland from Roderick Thorp's novel, Nothing Lasts Forever, along with another character, Frank Malone from Walter H. Wager's novel 58 Minutes (later turned to Die Hard 2) and is somewhat based on and inspired by Dirty Harry. He is depicted as the "American Cowboy", a running gag throughout the films, which in addition to McClane's catch phrase "yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker," often has the villain comparing McClane to John Wayne, although McClane was always partial to Roy Rogers. Roderick Mayne Thorp, Jr. ... Nothing Lasts Forever is a 1979 novel by Roderick Thorp. ... Dirty Harry Francis Callahan is a fictional San Francisco Police Department inspector in the films Dirty Harry (1971), Magnum Force (1973), The Enforcer (1976), Sudden Impact (1983), and The Dead Pool (1988). ... For other uses, see Cowboy (disambiguation). ... The running gag is a popular hallmark of comic and serious forms of entertainment. ... A catch phrase is a phrase or expression that is popularized, usually through repeated use, by a real person or fictional character. ... For other persons named John Wayne, see John Wayne (disambiguation). ... Dale Evans and Roy Rogers at the 61st Academy Awards Leonard Franklin Slye (November 5, 1911 – July 6, 1998), who became famous as Roy Rogers, was a singer and cowboy actor. ...

McClane often has an African-American supportive person whether be it giving advice, or providing physical back-up. Starting with Al Powell (played by Reginald VelJohnson) during Die Hard and Die Hard 2; Argyle, the limo driver (played by De'voreaux White) in Die Hard; Leslie Barnes (Art Evans) and temporarily Major Grant (John Amos) during Die Hard 2; and lastly, Zeus Carver (Samuel L. Jackson) in Die Hard with a Vengeance. This pattern is broken in the fourth installment Live Free or Die Hard, with Caucasian hacker Matthew Farrell (Justin Long) as his ally. Languages Predominantly American English Religions Protestantism (chiefly Baptist and Methodist); Roman Catholicism; Islam Related ethnic groups Sub-Saharan Africans and other African groups, some with Native American groups. ... Reginald VelJohnson (born Reginald Vel Johnson August 16, 1952) is an American film, stage and television actor, who is perhaps best known for his role as Carl Winslow on the sitcom Family Matters and as LAPD Sgt. ... This article is about the 1988 action film. ... Die Hard 2, sometimes marketed under the title Die Hard 2: Die Harder, is a 1990 film, the second in the Die Hard series. ... For the song from the band: Brand New, see Limousine (MS Rebridge). ... Devoreaux White is an American actor who performed in many films, although he is probably best known for his role in Die Hard in which he plays a chauffeur named Argyle. ... This article is about the 1988 action film. ... Art Evans is without a doubt a hero of the film industry, with his new found acting techniques and ability to light up the screen, Art Evans is the actor everybody else in the industry wants to be. ... John Amos (born John Amos Jr. ... Die Hard 2, sometimes marketed under the title Die Hard 2: Die Harder, is a 1990 film, the second in the Die Hard series. ... Information Gender Male Age 57 Date of birth December, 1949 Relatives Unknown brother (brother) Jerome Carvar (nephew) Matthew Carvar (nephew) Portrayed by Samuel L. Jackson Zeus Carver is a fictional character and a protagonist in the film Die Hard with a Vengeance. ... “Samuel Jackson” redirects here. ... Die Hard with a Vengeance (also known as Die Hard 3), is the third film in the Die Hard series starring Bruce Willis as policeman John McClane, released in 1995. ... Live Free or Die Hard (released as Die Hard 4. ... Justin Jake Long (born June 2, 1978) is an American actor, known for his performances in the films Jeepers Creepers, Waiting. ...

McClane's marriage is in a constant state of crisis, his vigilantism and disregard for authority have put him in danger of losing his job more than once, and he is a chain-smoker who is described as "two steps away from becoming a full blown alcoholic,"^[1] which McClane jokingly insists is only one step. For the aircraft, see A-5 Vigilante. ... Chain smoking is the practice of lighting a new cigarette for personal consumption immediately after one that is finished, sometimes using the finished cigarette to light the next one. ... King Alcohol and his Prime Minister circa 1820 Alcoholism is the consumption of or preoccupation with alcoholic beverages to the extent that this behavior interferes with the alcoholics normal personal, family, social, or work life. ...

As a combatant, McClane survives and thrives due to a number of factors – outside-the-box thinking, tenacity, a bizarre form of grace under pressure, and occasionally sheer luck. Paramount to his success, however, is his refusal to let a threat intimidate him into inaction. Whether bungee jumping with a firehose to escape a bomb, emptying a magazine full of blanks at an uncooperative airport security chief, or blowing apart handcuffs with binary explosives, he refuses to let his opponents control an encounter. Recently he's outdone himself - his battle with Thomas Gabriel forced him to engage martial-artists several orders of magnitude more skilled than the terrorists he fought in Nakatomi Tower and Dulles International Airport. Mai Lihn, a high-degree black belt, effortlessly disabled him in hand-to-hand combat. McClane decided against another beating and instead drove a Ford Expedition though the building and knocked her down an elevator shaft. Rand, a master traceur, however, proved resistant to even this approach. McClane instead dealt with him with the suicidal tactic of blasting him with liquid nitrogen. Gabriel himself had him at gunpoint – McClane then shot himself in through the shoulder to eliminate his own captor holding him from behind. Where most people would hesitate – and die – McClane simply acts, with spectacular results. Bungee Jump in Normandy, France (Souleuvre Viaduct) Bungee jumping (or bungy jumping) is the sport that originated from New Zealand and was created by maverick daredevil A J Hackett, and his original jump from a bridge in Greenhithe, Auckland. ... Aerial photo Washington Dulles International Airport (IATA airport code IAD, ICAO airport code KIAD) serves the greater Washington, DC metropolitan area. ... The Ford Expedition is a full-size SUV built by the Ford Motor Company. ... A traceur is someone who participates in parkour. ... A tank of liquid nitrogen, used to supply a cryogenic freezer (for storing laboratory samples at a temperature of about -150 Celsius). ...

However, despite his impressive abilities, McClane could be considered a reluctant hero. Citing the state of his life, he says he gets involved in dangerous situations, "because there is nobody else to do it". This philosophy is central to his character.^[2] The reluctant hero is a heroic archetype described by Joseph Campbell in The Hero With a Thousand Faces: reluctant hero requires supernatural forces to urge him on, while the willing adventurer The reluctant hero is typically portrayed either as an ordinary person thrust into extraordinary circumstances which require him to...

Depiction

John McClane is an Irish-American, however the Scottish-Irish spelling of McClane is incorrect, and in fact you will find that “McClane” isn’t really a last name. The correct spelling for the McClane name is McClain, McLain, McLane, MacLean or McLean, which are all pronounced the same; however McClain, McLain, or McLane are interpreted much more easily than MacLean or McLean. In Die Hard, he is a detective lieutenant with the New York City Police Department and has been an officer for 11 years. At the beginning of the first film, he is separated from his wife, Holly Gennero McClane (Bonnie Bedelia), who is using her maiden name. Holly moved to Los Angeles several months earlier to pursue a career that John ultimately thought would fail, leading to their separation. They have two children, Lucy and John, Jr. Gumshoe redirects here. ... Lieutenant is a military, naval, paramilitary, fire service or police officer rank. ... NYPD redirects here. ... This article is about the 1988 action film. ... Legal separation is a possible step towards divorce under United States law. ... Holly Gennero McClane is a fictional character from the Die Hard films. ... Bonnie Bedelia Culkin (born March 25, 1948 in New York, New York, USA) is an American actress. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards and appeal to a wider international audience, this article may require cleanup. ... Flag Seal Nickname: City of Angels Location Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates , Government State County California Los Angeles County Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 1,290. ...

On Christmas Eve, 1988, John visits his wife at her workplace at the Nakatomi Plaza. Simultaneously, Hans Gruber initiates his plan to steal $640 million in bearer bonds and takes the Nakatomi employees, including Holly, hostage. McClane escapes and eventually defeats the criminals. Year 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar). ... Fox Plaza (which was used as Nakatomi Plaza) Fox Plaza is a tall skyscraper (492 ft, 34 floors) in Century City, Los Angeles, California, a local landmark. ... Hans Gruber, portrayed by Alan Rickman, is a fictional character and the main antagonist in the film Die Hard. ... A bearer bond or bearer security is a certificate that represents a bond obligation of, or stock in, a corporation or other intangible property. ...

With husband and wife reconciled in that trying night, John moves to Los Angeles with a transfer to the Los Angeles Police Department. However, two years later on Christmas Eve, 1990, in Die Hard 2, McClane discovers that mercenaries have seized control of Dulles Airport in Washington, D.C.. The terrorist group takes control of the airport's communications and threatens to cause deadly plane crashes, including the plane that is carrying his wife, unless their demands are met. McClane foils the scheme. LAPD and L.A.P.D. redirect here. ... Year 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar). ... Die Hard 2, sometimes marketed under the title Die Hard 2: Die Harder, is a 1990 film, the second in the Die Hard series. ... For other uses, see Washington, D.C. (disambiguation). ...

However, by the time of their depiction in the third film Die Hard with a Vengeance, set in the fall of 1995, the McClanes have separated and John has moved back to New York City. McClane mentions this strife as he and Zeus Carver foil the explosive revenge plot of Hans Gruber's brother and his scheme to steal the Federal Reserve's gold bullion. Die Hard with a Vengeance (also known as Die Hard 3), is the third film in the Die Hard series starring Bruce Willis as policeman John McClane, released in 1995. ... The Federal Reserve System is headquartered in the Eccles Building on Constitution Avenue in Washington, DC. The Federal Reserve System (also the Federal Reserve; informally The Fed) is the central banking system of the United States. ... General Name, Symbol, Number Gold, Au, 79 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 11 (IB), 6 , d Density, Hardness 19300 kg/m3, 2. ...

In Live Free or Die Hard, McClane, with the aid of hacker Matt Farrell, takes on a network-based terrorist organization that is conducting acts of cyber-terrorism on the United States by systematically attacking financial institutions, public safety targets, and the nation's power grid. By this time John and Holly are divorced and their daughter, Lucy (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), is not speaking to her father. During the course of this film Lucy is captured by the terrorists as leverage against McClane. Live Free or Die Hard (released as Die Hard 4. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Family

Holly Gennero

Holly Gennero (formerly Holly Gennero McClane) is the wife of John McClane. Over the course of the series their relationship becomes more and more strained and by the fourth film, they are divorced. They have two children together, John Jr. and Lucy. Holly is portrayed in the first two films by actress Bonnie Bedelia. Bonnie Bedelia Culkin (born March 25, 1948 in New York, New York, USA) is an American actress. ...

When Holly is first introduced in Die Hard, she works at Nakatomi Plaza, a skyscraper in Los Angeles, which is home to a Japanese corporation. Her marriage to John has been estranged ever since she took up her new job and he refused to relocate with her from New York. Holly lives in L.A. with their children, who Holly is keen for John to spend more time with. They quickly get into an argument over why Holly chooses to use her maiden name (Gennero) at work, and are separated for most of the film while John fights the terrorists. At the end of the film, as in Die Hard 2, they appear to reconcile, although this is more likely a temporary result of the ordeal they have been through rather than any long lasting understanding. Fox Plaza (which was used as Nakatomi Plaza) Fox Plaza is a tall skyscraper (492 ft, 34 floors) in Century City, Los Angeles, California, a local landmark. ... Flag Seal Nickname: City of Angels Location Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates , Government State County California Los Angeles County Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 1,290. ... This article is about the state. ... Die Hard 2, sometimes marketed under the title Die Hard 2: Die Harder, is a 1990 film, the second in the Die Hard series. ...

Holly is a strong willed woman, and a match for John's own domineering personality, as she doesn't back down from confrontation. However, she is also loyal and when necessary, can be violent, twice assaulting the opportunist news anchor, Richard Thornburg. Realising the gravity of the situation she asserts herself as spokesperson of the remaining hostages in the Nakatomi Plaza, while at the same time avoiding revealing herself as McClane's wife, aware that she may be used as a pawn.

Holly does not return for the third film in the series, Die Hard with a Vengeance, although she is mentioned in conversation and John makes an attempt to telephone her. Through this, we learn that she still resides in LA, and is still married to John, although it appears their marriage is in dire straits, partly due to John's drinking habits. In the latest installment of the story, she has divorced John. Die Hard with a Vengeance (also known as Die Hard 3), is the third film in the Die Hard series starring Bruce Willis as policeman John McClane, released in 1995. ...

While Holly does not physically appear in Live Free or Die Hard, cyber-terrorist Thomas Gabriel does pull up a picture of her driver's license in one scene.

Lucy McClane

Lucy McClane is John's daughter. She is played by Taylor Fry in Die Hard and Mary Elizabeth Winstead in Live Free or Die Hard. Her first appearance is in Die Hard talking to her mother on the phone. She plays a much greater role in the film Live Free or Die Hard - she is estranged from her father; she tells her boyfriend (fiancee in the original script) that he is dead, and goes by her mother's maiden name, styling herself as Lucy Gennero. Taylor Fry (b. ... This article is about the 1988 action film. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Live Free or Die Hard (released as Die Hard 4. ...

Villain Thomas Gabriel kidnaps her and uses her as leverage against John McClane as he closes in on Gabriel. During the climatic scene, she grabs a gun and shoots the person who is holding her and attempts to slide a gun to her father, but is foiled. At the end of Live Free or Die Hard she shows some feelings for Matt Farrell, McClane's sidekick in the film, and is getting along with John.

John McClane, Jr.

John McClane's son only appeared briefly in the first film so far as a young child. Willis stated in an interview that if John Jr. ever appeared in another Die Hard film, he wanted Justin Timberlake to be given the role. In Live Free or Die Hard Thomas Gabriel (Timothy Olyphant) calls John McClane's son Jack (It is unknown if this is a mistake or canon. however Jack is a common nickname for males named John. It's also possible that, like Lucy, John Jr. wants nothing to do with his father and prefers to be called 'Jack' to avoid further association with him.) Justin Randall Timberlake (born January 31, 1981[1]), sometimes known as JT, is an American pop and R&B singer, songwriter, record producer, dancer, and actor. ... Live Free or Die Hard (released as Die Hard 4. ... Timothy David Olyphant (born May 20, 1968) is an American actor. ...

References

External links

• John McClane at the Internet Movie Database

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