Leo Thomas McGarry is a fictional character played by American actor John Spencer on the television serial drama The West Wing. This role earned Spencer the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 2002. The character of McGarry, a former Secretary of Labor, begins the series as the White House Chief of Staff. He is President Josiah Bartlet's best friend and a father figure to the senior staff, particularly White House Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman. Creation and development In crafting the character of Leo McGarry, series creator Aaron Sorkin said he envisioned John Spencer in the part but did not think he would be available. Although Spencer had recently decided he did not want to do another TV drama series due to the long hours, he was so impressed by the pilot script that he took the part. Like the character, Spencer was a recovering alcoholic, and said he found he could relate to McGarry because "Leo's in recovery, too." In an earlier draft of the pilot script, dated February 6, 1998, McGarry is called "Leo Jacobi" and is described as being aged 55 and "professorial". Character biography Early life Leo McGarry is from Chicago, Illinois, although Josh Lyman refers to a family connection of Leo's to Boston, Massachusetts to discuss Leo's alcoholism with him. He is of Irish and Scottish ancestry, and has at least two sisters, Elizabeth and Josephine, the latter serving as a school district superintendent in Atlanta. He divorces from his wife of several decades, Jenny, in the first season as his workaholic attitude is shown to take a toll on his personal life, with McGarry admitting that he considers his job in the White House more important than his marriage. He and his ex-wife have one daughter, Mallory O'Brien, who teaches fourth grade. McGarry is a recovering alcoholic and Valium addict. Both his father and grandfather were also alcoholics, the former having committed suicide. McGarry is a U.S. Air Force veteran who achieved the rank of colonel and served in the Vietnam War. During the war, he flew an F-105 Thunderchief, was shot down, and wounded. His friend and fellow pilot Ken O'Neill carried him on his back in the jungle for three days. Prior to working in the White House, McGarry had been Secretary of Labor during a presidency prior to the beginning of the show. He