Art sadly imitated life for John in the end. His The West Wing (1999) TV character, Chief of Staff Leo McGarry, had a history of alcoholism and suffered a heart attack of which he recovered. John, who was himself a recovered alcoholic (since 1989), died of a heart attack four days before his 59th birthday in December of 2005. After his death, his character in The West Wing also died of a heart attack.

January 2000 - John lived with his long-time girl friend, actress-choreographer Patricia Mariano.

As a child, he won several 4H awards for the tomatoes he grew. He was an avid gardener. He also collected art & antiques, and was involved in both the New York and L.A. AIDSWalk, which benefits local clinics and AIDS patients.

A self described Liberal, one of his heroes was President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

Before he was known to television audiences, John was well-known in New York for his brilliant stage performances throughout the 70s and 80s.

An only child of a working-class family (his father was a truck driver who never finished grammar school and his mother was an occasional waitress), both of his grandfathers were alcoholics.

Toured with the legendary Gloria Swanson playing her blind son in a stage production of "Butterflies Are Free" in 1970.

Received excellent stage reviews and a Drama League Award for his vivid reincarnation of the late Dan White, the assassin of San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and Councilman Harvey Milk, in "Execution of Justice" in 1986. Earlier, he won an Obie Award for his portrayal of a returning Vietnam vet in the off-Broadway play "Still Life" in 1981.

John's paternal grandparents, John Speshock and Anna Yetsko, were Czech immigrants. John's maternal grandparents, Michael Benzeroski and Mary Motsko, were of Ukrainian-Rusyn descent.

Friend of The West Wing (1999) co-star, Kristin Chenoweth.

Attended the Professional Children's School in New York City as a teen. Among the other students at the time was Liza Minnelli.

Born on exactly the same date as producer Dick Wolf.

Cousin of Michael Kearney.