He has written books on a variety of subjects including notable film directors, screenwriting, the JFK assassination, and a memoir of his youth.

[2] In the book, McBride uses his adaptation of Jack London’s short story "To Build a Fire" to break down the steps necessary for a screenplay, such as research, treatments, and outlines.

[3] In 2013, he published Into the Nightmare: My Search for the Killers of President John F. Kennedy and Officer J. D. Tippit, which was the result of McBride's 31-year investigation of the case.

McBride's screenwriting credits include Blood and Guts (film) (1978) and Rock 'n' Roll High School (1979) and five American Film Institute Life Achievement Award specials on CBS-TV about Fred Astaire, Frank Capra, Lillian Gish, John Huston, and James Stewart.

He plays a film critic, Mr. Pister, in the Orson Welles feature The Other Side of the Wind (1970–76) and served as a consultant on its completion in 2018.