Michael Brandon
Michael Brandon | |
|---|---|
 Brandon in Red Alert, 1977 | |
| Born | Michael Feldman 20 April 1945[1] |
| Education | American Academy of Dramatic Arts |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1967–present |
| Spouse(s) |
|
| Children | 1 |
| Website | michaelbrandon |
Michael Brandon (born Michael Feldman; April 20, 1945)[1] is an American actor. He is known for his role as James Dempsey in the British drama series Dempsey and Makepeace (1985–1986). His theatre credits include the original Broadway production of Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie? (1969), and playing Jerry Springer in the West End production of Jerry Springer: The Opera (2003–2004).
Early life
Brandon was born Michael Feldman in Brooklyn, New York, to Miriam (née Tumen) and Sol Feldman.[1][2] At age nine, he and his family (brother Elliot and sister Debra Lynne) moved to Valley Stream, New York where he attended Memorial Junior High and graduated from Valley Stream Central High School. Brandon then attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and made his debut on Broadway before turning to cinema.[3] He is of Jewish extraction.[4]
Career
Brandon starred in the TV series Dempsey and Makepeace and Dinotopia, the movies Quattro mosche di velluto grigio (1971), F.M. (1978), A Vacation In Hell (1979) and A Change of Seasons (1980), and the plays Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie? and Jerry Springer - The Opera. Since moving to the UK, Brandon has worked in TV on such shows as The Bill, Trial and Retribution, and Dead Man Weds. He also played the title role in the musical Jerry Springer: The Opera for over a year in the National Theatre and after its transfer into the West End. Brandon starred in Singin' in the Rain in the summer of 2012.
In 2004, he portrayed Nobel Prize winner Arno Penzias in the BBC TV movie Hawking about physicist Stephen Hawking's early career at the University of Cambridge and was the US narrator of Thomas & Friends from 2004 to 2012. In February 2008 he began his talk radio show on City Talk, a new local radio station in Liverpool.[5] In 2008 he appeared in the Series 4 finale of the BBC's Doctor Who, as General Sanchez, a UNIT officer. Also in 2008 he appeared in the television series Bones, as Roger Frampton, an American millionaire.
In 2011, Brandon guest-starred in an episode of the BBC1 con drama Hustle as Marcus Wendell (series 7, episode 3). Also in 2011 he was seen in a supporting role in the film Captain America: The First Avenger as a politician who befriends the titular character. In September 2013 he appeared in the ITV dancing show Stepping Out with wife Glynis Barber. In 2017, he collaborated with producer/director Guy Masterson to create his autobiographical stand-up comedy, Off Ramps which hit at the 2017 Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Personal life
In the early 1970s Brandon was in a relationship with the actress Kim Novak. Brandon was married to actress Lindsay Wagner from 1976 to 1979.[2] He has been married to actress Glynis Barber, with whom he co-starred in Dempsey & Makepeace, since 18th November 1989.[2] They remain in the United Kingdom.[2] Together they have a son, Alex.[6]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | The Unicorn | ||
| 1969 | Goodbye Columbus | Dartmouth | |
| 1970 | Lovers and Other Strangers | Mike | |
| Jennifer on My Mind | Marcus Rottner | ||
| 1971 | Four Flies on Grey Velvet | Robert Tobias | |
| 1973 | Heavy Traffic | Street Cat (voice) | |
| 1978 | FM | Jeff Dugan | |
| 1979 | Promises in the Dark | Dr. Jim Sanderson | |
| 1980 | A Change of Seasons | Pete Lachapelle | |
| 1981 | Rich and Famous | Max (infamous mile-high scene) | |
| 1990 | Have a Nice Night | Tom Lepski | |
| Want to Stay Alive? | |||
| Présumé dangereux | |||
| Try This One for Size | |||
| 1997 | The Disappearance of Kevin Johnson | Jeff Littman | |
| Deja Vu | Alex | ||
| 2001 | Contaminated Man | Wyles | |
| Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase | Skeleton Gladiator (voice) | DVD movie | |
| 2005 | Are You Ready For Love? | Randy Bush | |
| Calling All Engines! | US Narrator (voice) | DVD movie | |
| 2006 | The Detonator | Commander Flint | |
| 2009 | Me and Orson Welles | Les Tremayne | |
| Hero of the Rails | US Narrator (voice) | DVD movie | |
| Toscanini in His Own Words | Wilfrid Pelletier | ||
| The Last Days of Lehman Brothers | Jamie Dimon | ||
| 2010 | Misty Island Rescue | Diesel, Narrator (voices) | DVD movie |
| 2011 | Captain America: The First Avenger | Senator Brandt | |
| Day of the Diesels | Diesel, Narrator (voices) | DVD movie | |
| 2012 | Blue Mountain Mystery | ||
| 2014 | Born of War | Harm Helder | |
| 2017 | The Time of Their Lives | Harry Scheider |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Medical Center | Guest | 2 episodes |
| Mr. Deeds Goes to Town | |||
| 1971 | The Impatient Heart by Alvin Sargeant | Frank Pescadero | Television film |
| 1972 | Owen Marshall, Counsellor at Law | Pete Giannetta | Episode: "Journey Through Limbo" |
| Love American Style | Leonard | 1 episode | |
| Strangers in 7A | Billy | Television film | |
| 1973 | Love Story | Gary Stone | Episode: "Love Came Laughing" |
| The Third Girl From the Left | David | Television film | |
| 1974 | Hitchhike! | Keith Miles | Television film |
| The Red Badge of Courage | Jim Conklin | Television film | |
| Medical Center | Dr. Lensko, Andy Tobin | Episodes: "Thousands and Thousands of Miles", "Web of Intrigue" | |
| 1975 | Police Surgeon | Brian Lewis | Episode: "Insight to Murder" |
| Queen of the Stardust Ballroom | David Asher | Television film | |
| Cage Without a Key | Ben Holian | Television film | |
| Police Story | Mike Ripley | Episode: "A Community of Victims" | |
| 1976 | James Dean | Bill Blast | Television film |
| Scott Free | Tony Scott | Television film | |
| 1977 | Red Alert | Carl Wyche | Television film |
| 1978 | The Comedy Company | Paul Lester | Television film |
| 1979 | A Vacation in Hell | Alan | Television film |
| 1980 | A Perfect Match | Steve Triandos | Television film |
| 1982 | Between Two Brothers | Lead | Television film |
| 1983 | Venice Medical | Dr. Pete Marcus | Television film |
| St. Elsewhere | Tony Gifford | Episode: "AIDS & Comfort" | |
| 1983–84 | Emerald Point N.A.S. | David Marquette | 11 episodes |
| 1984 | The Seduction of Gina | Keith Sindell | Television film |
| 1984–86 | Dempsey and Makepeace | Lt. James Dempsey | 30 episodes |
| 1985 | Deadly Messages | Michael Krasnick | Television film |
| 1987 | Dennis Potter’s Visitors | Eddie | Episode: "Visitors" |
| 1988 | Tales of the Unexpected | Stephen Baker | Episode: "The Finger of Suspicion" |
| The Magical World of Disney | Jeff Robins | Episode "Rock and Roll Mom" | |
| 1989 | Divided We Stand | Bryan Gibbs | Television film |
| 1990 | The Care of Time | Robert Halliday | Television film |
| 1991 | Dynasty: The Reunion | Arlen Marshall | 2 episodes |
| 1992 | Home Fires | Ted Kramer | 6 episodes[7] |
| 1994 | Shattering the Silence | Ted Ricci | Episode: "Not in My Family" |
| 1995 | Murder, She Wrote | Alex Weaver | Episode: "Proof in the Pudding" |
| 1996 | Gone in a Night | David Protess | Television film |
| 1997 | Apocalypse Watch By Robert Ludlam | Ambassador Courtland | Television film |
| The Knock | Principal | Mini-series | |
| 1998 | Dark Realm | Guest Lead | |
| J.A.G. | D.A. Nardoni, Col.Hegstetter | 2 episodes | |
| The Nanny | Stan | Episode: "The Nanny & the Hunk Producer" | |
| Ally McBeal | D.A. Dawson | Episode: "The Inmates" | |
| 1999 | CI5: The New Professionals | Dr. Woods | |
| Jonathan Creek | Capt. Frank Candy | Episode: "The Omega Man" | |
| The Practice | D.A. Dawson | 2 episodes | |
| 2001 | The Division | Judge Stone | Episode: "Deal with the Devil" |
| The Lost Battalion | General Alexander | Television film | |
| 2002 | Dinotopia | Frank Scott | 8 episodes |
| 2003 | Ed Stone is Dead | Dad | 1 episode |
| 2003–2012 | Thomas & Friends | Narrator (Series 7-16), Diesel (Series 13-16), Mr. Bubbles (Series 13-16) (voices) | US dub; 239 episodes |
| 2004 | The Catherine Tate Show | The Botox Skit | 1 episode |
| Hawking | Arno Penzias | Television film | |
| 2005 | Dead Man Weds | Chuck Newman | 6 episodes |
| 2006 | Miss Marple The Sittaford Mystery | Martin Zimmerman | Episode: "The Sittaford Mystery" |
| The Catherine Tate Show | The Botox Breasts | Season 2 | |
| Trial and Retribution | Max Stanford/Profiler | Episode: "XI: Closure" | |
| 2007 | Casualty | Mike Barnicott | |
| The Bill | Louis Dreyfuss | 4 episodes | |
| 2008 | Bewitched | Rex | 1 episode |
| Doctor Who | General Sanchez | Episode: "The Stolen Earth" | |
| 2009 | After You've Gone | Bill Tucker | Episode: "There Will Be Pud" |
| Bones | Roger Frampton | Episode: "The Yanks in the U.K.: Parts 1 and 2" | |
| New Tricks | Colonel Norton | Episode: "The Truth Is Out There" | |
| 2010 | Shades of Love | Conrad | 2 episodes |
| Hustle | Marcus Wendell | Episode: "Clearance from a Deal" | |
| 2012 | American Invitation | Narrator and Presenter | |
| Mr. Selfridge | FW Woolworth | 1 episode | |
| 2012–17 | Episodes | Elliot Salad | 8 episodes |
| 2013 | Stepping Out | Self, with Glynis Barber | |
| Death in Paradise | Joel Maurice | Episode: "A Deadly Curse" | |
| 2014 | Blandings | Grumman | Episode: "Lord Emsworth Acts for the Best" |
| 2015 | Galavant | Sid's Dad | Episode: "Two Balls" |
| 2016–2018 | Tracey Ullman's Show | Hal | 4 episodes |
| 2017 | Tracey Breaks the News | Rich | 1 episode |
| 2017 | Loaded | Leslie 'The Emperor' | 3 episodes |
| 2018 | Trust | Walter Annenberg | Episode: "White Car in a Snowstorm" |
| 2019 | Urban Myths | Robert Calgary | Episode: "The Trial of Joan Collins" |
Video games
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Star Wars: Battlefront II | Additional voices |
Theatre
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | Under the Yum Yum Tree | Lead | Barn Dinner Theater |
| 1968 | The Rainmaker | Jim Curry | Barn Dinner Theater |
| 1969 | Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie? | Prince | Belasco Theater, Broadway |
| 1979 | Lady and the Clarinet | Jack | Long Wharf Theatre |
| 1992 | The Writing Game | Leo Rafkin | Manhattan Theater |
| 1999 | Speed the Plow | Cox | The Royal Lincoln |
| 2000 | The Adjustment | Matt | Guildford's YvonneArnaud Theatre, National tour |
| 2003–2004 | Jerry Springer: The Opera | Jerry Springer | National Theatre / Cambridge, West End |
| 2007 | On The Waterfront | Charlie | Hackney Empire Theatre |
| 2010 | Wet Weather Cover | Brad | Kings Head / Arts Theatre, West End |
| 2011–2012 | Singing in the Rain | R.F. Simpson | Palace Theatre, London |
| 2014 | The Long Road South | Jake Price | Hope Theatre, London |
| 2016 | Off The Kings Road | — | Jermyn Street Theatre, London |
| 2016 | Carry On Chilcot | — | Duke of Wales, London |
| 2017 | All My Sons | — | Lyric Theatre, Hong Kong |
| 2017 | Off Ramps - A Stand-Up Story | — | Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh Fringe |
| 2018 | Local Hero | Mark Knopfler | Workshop, Mark Knopfler |
| 2019 | Other People's Money | — | Southwark, Part of Jorgy Jorgensen |
| 2019 | Roman Holiday | — | Shanghai Theatre Festival |
| 2019 | White Christmas | — | Dominion Theatre, West End |
References
- ^ a b c "The Jerry Springer rollercoaster". The Telegraph. October 14, 2003. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
- ^ a b c d "Michael Brandon Biography (1945-)". www.filmreference.com.
- ^ Films and Filming. Hansom Books. 1973. p. 67.
- ^ Leslie Bunder (3 August 2007), "Meet Michael Brandon",SomethingJewish. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
- ^ "Radio City Talk - Rock, Sport & Talk". Radio City Talk.
- ^ "Biography" Official website
- ^ Home Fires. USA: IMDb. 1992.
External links
- American male film actors
- American male voice actors
- American male television actors
- American expatriates in the United Kingdom
- Male actors from New York City
- People from Brooklyn
- Valley Stream Central High School alumni
- 1945 births
- Living people
- American expatriate male actors in the United Kingdom
- Jewish American male actors