Born in Pittsburgh, PA. Cinematographer, special effects and film director who entered American film behind the camera for HEARTS OF MEN at Hiram Abrams Productions in 1919. He racked up several other cinematography credits during the silent era: MAN'S DESIRE and WHEN THE CLOUDS ROLL BY (both also 1919), THE MOLLYCODDLE and THE MARK OF ZORRO (both 1920), THE NUT (1921), HURRICANE'S GAL (1922), and VENGEANCE OF THE DEEP and Buster Keaton's THREE AGES (both 1923) for Metro. McGann then became an assistant director at Warner Bros. A.D. credits at the studio include HIS MAJESTY, BUNKER BEAN, THE GOLDEN COCOON and PLEASURE BUYERS (all 1925), THE NIGHT CRY, HELL-BENT FOR HEAVEN and FOOTLOOSE WOMEN (all 1926), and GOLDEN DAWN (1930). Also in 1930, Warners gave McGann some of its Spanish-language features to direct. These led to 'B'movie directing assignments by 1931, and he helmed almost 50 of them for the studio until 1944. But it was in the Special Effects department that McGann would make his greatest contributions at Warners. He began directing the special effects with THE DOUGHGIRLS and THE CONSPIRATORS (both 1944). Other notable credits include THE HORN BLOWS AT MIDNIGHT (1945), A STOLEN LIFE, THE BIG SLEEP and THE BEAST WITH FIVE FINGERS (all 1946), CHEYENNE, POSSESSED and LIFE WITH FATHER (all 1947), THE TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE, KEY LARGO, JOHNNY BELINDA and ADVENTURES OF DON JUAN (all 1948), JOHN LOVES MARY, THE FOUNTAINHEAD, IT'S A GREAT FEELING and BEYOND THE FOREST (all 1949), CHAIN LIGHTNING (1950), and FORT WORTH and ON MOONLIGHT BAY (1951).  Nominated for Special Effects 1946: A STOLEN LIFE - Visual 1 nomination