McGavin appeared in 1984's "The Natural" as a shady gambler, and appeared on a Christmas episode ("Midnight of the Century") of "Millennium", playing the long-estranged father of Frank Black (Lance Henriksen). In 1986 he took a part in John Irvin's "Raw Deal", alongside then rising star Arnold Schwarzenegger; McGavin plays a long time FBI officer who enlists a former colleague to help him unmask a mole within the Bureau working for a Chicago mob family. He won a CableACE Award (for the 1991 TV movie "Clara") and received a 1990 Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Guest Star in a Comedy Series on "Murphy Brown", in which he played Murphy's father, Bill. From 1993 to 1994, he appeared in an off-Broadway production of Tom Dudzick's holiday comedy "Greetings!", performed in numerous popular productions in regional and community theaters nationwide.