Jack McCallister

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Jack McCallister is a fictional character played in his youth by Matt Long on the television drama Jack & Bobby.

Jack is the oldest son of Professor Grace McCallister and Juan Roberto De Alba, a Mexican national who left his family when Jack was 3 years old. His younger brother Robert "Bobby" McCallister will eventually become President of the United States from 2041-2049. Jack grew up in the fictional town of Hart, Missouri where he attended Truman High School. Early in high school, Jack was the star runner on the track team, but a knee injury ended his career. Afterward, he worked at the restaurant owned by the father of his best friend Marcus Ride and trained his brother to run track. Two of his important high school romances included Missy Belknap (who was killed in a car accident their sophomore year) and his next door neighbor Courtney Benedict, who would later marry his brother and become the First Lady.

When water shortages pressure the United States to enter the fictitious War of the Americas on the side of Mexico, which is invaded by several South American countries, Jack enlisted in the Marine Corps against the wishes of his family. During the failed invasion of Panama, his battalion was ambushed by Colombian forces, but Lance Corporal Jack McCallister heroically saves the lives of his men by charging through enemy fire even after his old knee injury cripples him. Jack returns a war hero and becomes a public defender, winning case after case. Later, Bobby convinced him to run for Congress where he could do more good. During his first term, Jack was killed in a convenience store robbery. Bobby was asked to serve out the remainer of Jack's term, which started the political career that would lead him to the White House. At the time of his death, Jack was married with two children. Bobby would remember his brother by saying, "He was the greatest man that no one ever knew" and "The wrong McCallister became President", but Jack's influence and example undoubtedly played a great role in shaping his brother's character for the trials that lay ahead.

Jack's exact birthday is unknown, but it is estimated he was born in 1988 because he was 16 at the beginning of the series, which took place September 2004. He was definitely killed before 2025, when Bobby married Courtney.

In real life, there are two towns in Missouri named "Hart": One in the central part of the state, near Columbia, and one in the southwestern corner of the state, near Joplin.