Andrew Thomas McCarthy (born November 29, 1962) is an American actor, travel writer and television director. He is most known as a member of the Brat Pack, with roles in 1980s films such as St. Elmo's Fire, Pretty in Pink, and Less Than Zero. He is ranked #40 on VH1's 100 Greatest Teen Stars of all-time list. As a director he is known for his work on the Emmy Award-winning series Orange Is the New Black.
McCarthy was born in Westfield, New Jersey, the third of four boys. His mother worked for a newspaper and his father was involved in investments and stocks. McCarthy moved to Bernardsville, New Jersey, as a teenager and attended Bernards High School and the Pingry School, a preparatory academy. At Pingry, he played the Artful Dodger in Oliver, his first acting role. After graduation, he enrolled at NYU, but was expelled after two years.
McCarthy's first major role was in the 1983 comedy Class opposite Jacqueline Bisset. He involuntarily became a member of the 1980s Hollywood group of young actors known as the "Brat Pack". They starred in a few films, among them St. Elmo's Fire and Pretty in Pink. He appeared in the 1987 films, Mannequin and Less Than Zero, a theatrical adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis' novel. In 1985, McCarthy starred with Donald Sutherland and Kevin Dillon in Heaven Help Us (also known as Catholic Boys) as Michael Dunn. McCarthy made his Broadway debut in The Boys of Winter. He quickly returned to Hollywood in 1988 to star in several films, such as Fresh Horses and Kansas. He had another hit with the 1989 comedy film Weekend at Bernie's.