 Barrowman was born in 1967 in Glasgow , the youngest of three siblings . He lived in Glasgow for the first eight years of his life . Barrowman 's mother was a singer and worked as a clerk in a record shop while his father was employed by the Caterpillar heavy machinery company in <unk> . In 1975 , his father 's company relocated the family to the United States , where his father managed the Caterpillar tractor factory in Aurora , Illinois . Barrowman recalls his family as loving , but strict and mindful of etiquette : always polite and respectful towards others . Comparing the two countries where he was raised , Barrowman concludes : " Scotland gave us , as a family , closeness ; America gave us the get @-@ up @-@ and @-@ go . " The family settled in Joliet , where Barrowman attended Joliet West High School in the heart of a " quintessentially middle @-@ class conservative town " . Barrowman 's high school music and English teachers changed the future course of his life , with his music tutor instilling in him the love of performing , and his English teacher encouraging Barrowman to rise to his true artistic potential . His English teacher moved him into a Gifted Programme and coached Barrowman for the school 's speech team . With the support of his teacher , Barrowman competed with other schools in statewide speech competitions , where he sharpened his skills reading scenes from plays . 
