Twenty-seven years before "Shameless", William H. Macy's initial major foray into television helped set the table for Frank Gallagher.

Beginning with the powerhouse medical drama's pilot, the actor appeared in 31 episodes as County General's chief of surgery, Dr. David Morgenstern. But it was "ER's" chief who stuck with Macy.




"John has a wonderful intolerance for bulls--- behavior," he says of John Wells, executive producer and showrunner of "ER" and "Shameless".

"He enforces that in such a lovely and genuine way. He never loses his temper — he’s like a Buddha. I lost my temper with him and I couldn’t get a rise out of the guy; he just sort of smiles. Every time he directs or writes or he’s on set, he looks like he’s having more fun than anybody else. He just loves every bit of it. He’s a got a rule: no sides. He doesn’t allow them on set. He said gently one day, 'Don’t you hate it when people walk around with those pieces of paper? Learn your lines! If you’re in trouble, carry the whole script.” [Laughs] Carrying the whole script is like a scarlet letter on your chest. From the second they get out of their car, the actors are ready."

https://ew.com/tv/william-h-macy-role-call/