Biography
Randy McDowell is an actor, comedian, and producer best known for his breakout role as Gene Smith in the Emmy-nominated and Golden Globe-winning miniseries Elvis. The series, part of CBS/Showtime's largest marketing campaign at the time, attracted over 30 million viewers.
His film portfolio includes key roles in the indie blockbuster I Can Only Imagine, ranked the #3 music biopic and the #6 faith-based film of all time, as well as the comedy Mom's Night Out. He also starred in Sam Raimi’s Ghosthouse Underground feature Dance of the Dead (Lionsgate), which received international acclaim and multiple awards.
On television, McDowell has appeared on shows such as The Tonight Show, Justified, and David Spade’s hidden camera prank show Fameless. He portrayed Sven Kruger for six seasons in the American sitcom parody Two Unvergleichliche Familien, a major German campaign for Check24 that reached hundreds of millions of Europeans.
As a brand ambassador, McDowell has featured in over 100 commercials, representing major national brands. Notably, he played Phil in the FedEx commercial Moon Office, recognized as one of the top Super Bowl ads ever, viewed by more than 95 million people worldwide.
Beyond acting, McDowell spent eight years touring with comedian Dale Williams as part of the comedy duo N2O, performing across the U.S., Europe, and on television with a mix of sketch comedy and short films in a multimedia format.
McDowell also made significant contributions as a festival founder and director. He led The DiXiE FiLM FeSTiVaL in Atlanta, Georgia, for ten years, elevating it to a globally recognized premier film festival that hosted Emmy-winning directors, Oscar-nominated films, and honored screen legends like Brian Dennehy, James Best, and Andy Griffith with its Lifetime Achievement Award. He later founded and served as executive director of the Prince Edward Island International Film Festival in Charlottetown, Canada, a Gemini-qualifying event at the time, further extending his impact on the festival scene.
In addition to his festival work, McDowell established 77 Entertainment, a production company dedicated to feature film development and production. His commitment to creativity has fostered a collaborative environment where emerging screenwriters can develop original film and TV projects, continuing his lasting influence on the entertainment industry.
