James "Mac" McCammond, Chicago Equity Actor Who Joined IATSE, Dies at 50

By Kenneth Jones
24 Dec 2009

James "Mac" McCammond, a Chicago-area actor who shifted to backstage crew work, died Dec. 22 in Chicago after an 18-month battle with non-Hodgkins lymphoma, according to friends and colleagues. He was 50.

Mr. McCammond, a Nebraska native, got his Equity card in 1986 at the Marriott Lincolnshire Theater and worked in the Chicagoland area at various theatres including Drury Lane South, New American Theater in Rockford, IL, Little Theater on the Square in Sullivan, IL, as well as the Walnut Street Theater in Philadelphia and Maine State Music Theater in Brunswick, ME. He also appeared on the TV series "Lady Blue," season two of "The Untouchables" and season one of "Prison Break."

He joined IATSE, the stage crew union, in 1990, working most recently as the house carpenter at the Oriental Theater in Chicago on The Addams Family. He previously served there as house carpenter during Wicked's four-year Windy City run.

Mr. McCammond also served as head carpenter at Skyline Stage at Navy Pier, as well as working at most of Chicago's other major venues.

Known as "Mac" to his friends and loved ones, he was an avid athlete, having competed in the Lake Geneva Half Iron Man & HyVee triathlons. Friends say he was a gifted furniture designer and carpenter and indulged in home renovation.

Previous marriages to Susan Mathias and Ann Arvia ended in divorce.

Survivors include his wife Kate Thayer (KT) McCammond, son John, parents Dr. John & Shirley McCammond (Kearney, NE), sisters Jean Walker (brother-in-law Kim Walker, niece and nephews John, Kate & Michael of Des Moines, IA), Janet Jennings (brother-in-law Bob Jennings and nephews Tom and Dan of West Des Moines, IA) and Joan Tritsch (brother-in-law Dr. Tom Tritsch, niece and nephews Megan, Matthew and Michael of Colorado Springs, CO).