Michael Rosenbaum
Michael Rosenbaum | |
|---|---|
 Rosenbaum in September 2010 | |
| Born | Michael Owen Rosenbaum July 11, 1972 |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, director, producer, writer |
| Years active | 1997–present |
Michael Owen Rosenbaum (born July 11, 1972) is an American film and TV actor, director, producer, writer and comedian. He is best known for his performance in Sorority Boys and for portraying Lex Luthor on the Superman television series Smallville, a role that TV Guide included in their 2013 list of The 60 Nastiest Villains of All Time.[1]
Rosenbaum is also known for portraying Dutch Nilbog on FOX's Breaking In, and voiceover work in animation, such as his role of Wally West/the Flash in the DC animated universe. Since 2015, he is playing the lead role in the TV Land comedy series Impastor.
Early life
Rosenbaum was born in Oceanside, New York, and raised in Newburgh, Indiana.[2] His mother, Julie (née Eckstein), is a writer who published the book "Journey of a Lifetime," and has acted in many plays. His father, Mark Rosenbaum, works in pharmaceuticals.[3][4] He is one of six children with two brothers, Eric and Adam, and a sister, Laurie. After his parents' divorce, his mother remarried sports reporter Gordon Engelhardt, and his father remarried Alexis Peregrino, a starting performer, with whom he had two daughters, Rosenbaum's half-sisters Ava and Lia. His uncle is pet behaviorist Warren Eckstein.[5] Rosenbaum is Jewish, and was "closer to religion" in New York than in Indiana.[6] Rosenbaum graduated from Castle High School in Indiana and from Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Kentucky, where he was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, with a degree in theatre arts. Immediately after, he moved to New York City to pursue an acting career.
Career
Once in New York, Vincent Letizia, an MTV Networks intern spotted his 8 x 10 black-and-white photo in a batch of other casting submissions for a pilot called "Talk Girl". The pilot was never green-lighted, but Rosenbaum stood out as a newly discovered talent. A new MTV pilot was conceived specifically for Rosenbaum with the working title of "The Michael Rosenbaum Project." The project later became known as "The Temp" and covered Rosenbaum in a reality television setting as a temp, who would walk into a different job each day. The pilot featured Rosenbaum as a Cat filling in on Broadway's "Cats" musical, and as a zoo keeper filling in at the zoo, sweeping animal manure and the like. The pilot never took off with MTV Executives.
In 2001, Rosenbaum received a Saturn Award for his portrayal of Lex Luthor on Smallville. Continuing in the superhero genre, he played Wally West (a.k.a. The Flash) in the DC Comics animated series Justice League, Static Shock, and Justice League Unlimited as well as portraying a younger Wally West as Kid Flash in Teen Titans. In the third season Justice League Unlimited episode "Great Brain Robbery", Rosenbaum reprised his role as Lex Luthor when his character was trapped in Clancy Brown's Lex Luthor's body. In February 2008, Rosenbaum confirmed that he would be leaving Smallville after the seventh season of the show, but in 2011, he returned for the series finale.
After many months of speculation and him first turning down the contract to return, it was announced on February 11, 2011 that Rosenbaum would return to Smallville for the two-hour series finale, which aired on May 13, 2011.[7] with Rosenbaum reprising his role as Lex Luthor.[8]
Rosenbaum has a few notable vocal impressions in his repertoire, including Christopher Walken, Keanu Reeves, and Kevin Spacey. The makers of the DCAU have used these impressions in their work, having Rosenbaum do his Walken voice for Ghoul in Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker and his Spacey voice for Deadshot; coincidentally, Spacey portrayed Lex Luthor in the film Superman Returns, and Walken played Max Shreck in Batman Returns. He filmed the original SyFy comedy series Saved By Zeroes; yet was never picked up.[9][10] He recurred in Fox's original sitcom Breaking In; getting cancelled initially, the show got a second chance, and Rosenbaum was promoted to series regular. Yet the series was cancelled again after a few episodes of the second season.[11][12]
In 2014, Rosenbaum made his feature film directorial and writing debut with the comedy Back in the Day, where Rosenbaum stars as an actor who returns to his hometown in Indiana for a class reunion. The movie was filmed in Newburgh and Evansville, Indiana.[13][14] Prior to the production of Back in the Day, Rosenbaum planned to direct another comedy film, titled Sorry is For Sissies. The film had a cast including Jon Heder and Colin Hanks, however, at least half of the film's budget was lost, therefore the film was scrapped.[citation needed]
On June 17, 2014, Rosenbaum was cast as the lead in the TV Land original sitcom Impastor. The plot has been summarised as a "low-life who hides out in a small town by conning the residents into thinking he is their newly hired gay pastor".[15]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | The Devil & the Angel | The Devil | |
| 1997 | The Day I Ran Into All My Ex-Boyfriends | Bart | |
| 1997 | Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil | George Tucker | |
| 1998 | 1999 | Brick | |
| 1998 | Urban Legend | Parker Riley | |
| 2000 | Eyeball Eddie | Skelley | Short film |
| 2000 | Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker | Ghoul | Voice |
| 2001 | Sweet November | Brandon/Brandy | |
| 2001 | Rave Macbeth | Marcus | |
| 2002 | Poolhall Junkies | Danny | |
| 2002 | Sorority Boys | Adam/Adina | |
| 2003 | Special | Fred Molinski | |
| 2003 | Bringing Down the House | Todd Gendler | |
| 2005 | Cursed | Kyle | Uncredited |
| 2005 | Racing Stripes | Ruffshodd | Voice |
| 2007 | Cutlass | Background Extra #2 | Short film |
| 2007 | Kickin' It Old Skool | Kip | |
| 2007 | Dragonlance: Dragons of Autumn Twilight | Tanis Half-Elven | Voice |
| 2008 | Shear Love[16] | Short film | |
| 2010 | Father of Invention | Eddie | |
| 2010 | Catch .44 | Brandon | |
| 2010 | Ghild | Brauly Gullivan | Short film |
| 2012 | Justice League: Doom | Barry Allen / The Flash | Voice |
| 2012 | Hit and Run | Gil | |
| 2014 | Back in the Day | Jim Owens | Also director, writer, & executive producer |
| 2015 | Justice League: Throne of Atlantis | Drift Leader | Voice[17] |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | The Tom Show | Jonathan Summers | Episode: "The Talk" |
| 1999 | Rocket Power | Sports Announcer | Voice Episode: "Super McVariel 900/Loss of Squid" |
| 1999–2000 | Zoe, Duncan, Jack and Jane | Jack Cooper | Main cast 24 episodes |
| 1999–2001 | Batman Beyond | Various | Voice 6 Episodes |
| 2000 | The Wild Thornberrys | Tom Ravenhearst | Voice Episode: "A Shaky Foundation" |
| 2000–2004 | Static Shock | Various | Voice 5 episodes |
| 2001–2008, 2011 | Smallville | Lex Luthor | 154 episodes Main cast (Seasons 1-7) Special guest (Season 10) Directed the 125th episode "Freak" Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor on Television (2002) SFX Award for Best Newcomer (2003) Nominated – Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor on Television (2003, 2004, 2005 & 2006) Nominated – Satellite Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series Drama (2003) Nominated – Teen Choice Awards for Choice TV Sidekick (2002, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2009) |
| 2001–2002 | The Zeta Project | Agent West | Voice 8 episodes |
| 2001–2006 | Justice League / Justice League Unlimited | Wally West/The Flash Deadshot Ghoul |
Voice 56 episodes |
| 2003 | Player$ | Himself | Episode: "Charlie's Angels" |
| 2004–2005 | Jackie Chan Adventures | Drago | Voice 11 episodes |
| 2005–2006 | Teen Titans | Kid Flash | Voice 2 episodes |
| 2005 | It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia | Colin | Episode: "Gun Fever" |
| 2008 | PG Porn | Charlie Brown | 2 episodes |
| 2009 | Untitled Family Pilot[18] | Derek | Failed Pilot |
| Batman: The Brave and the Bold | Deadman | Voice Episode: "Dawn of the Dead Man!" | |
| 2011–2012 | Breaking In | Dutch Nilbog | 8 episodes |
| 2015–present | Impastor[19] | Buddy Dobbs | Lead role |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Gladius | Valens | Voice |
| 2006 | Yakuza | Akira Nishiki | |
| 2008 | Dark Sector | Hayden Tenno | |
| 2012 | Lollipop Chainsaw | Nick Carlyle | |
| 2013 | Infinite Crisis | The Flash[20][21] | |
| 2015 | Batman: Arkham Knight | Johnny Charisma[22] |
References
- ^ Bretts, Bruce; Roush, Matt; (March 25, 2013). "Baddies to the Bone: The 60 nastiest villains of all time". TV Guide. pp. 14 - 15.
- ^ "Michael Rosenbaum Biography (1972-)". 2008. Retrieved 2009-02-04.
- ^ http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/523348%7C0/Michael-Rosenbaum/
- ^ http://evansville-courier.vlex.com/vid/matheny-fills-russa-big-shoes-cards-372911838
- ^ http://www.warreneckstein.com/b/Derek-now-lives-in-the-Hollywood-Hills/-50897426434694357.html
- ^ Kraus, Haggay (April 2002). "Smallville Interview". Retrieved 2009-02-04.
- ^ Lynette Rice and James Hibberd (February 11, 2011). "'Smallville' scoop: Michael Rosenbaum will return for series finale". ew.com. Retrieved March 10, 2011.
- ^ "Michael Rosenbaum Returning to Smallville For Series Finale". TVGuide.com. Retrieved February 16, 2011.
- ^ Kevin Coll. "TV News: Michael Rosenbaum and Syfy Team Up for Comedy Series Saved by Zeroes". FusedFilm.
- ^ Jon Lachonis. "Smallville's Michael Rosenbaum Returning to TV". TV Overmind.
- ^ "Breaking News: Fox Comedy Has Big Plans For Smallville Vet Michael Rosenbaum". TVLine.
- ^ http://www.tv.com/news/fox-pulls-breaking-in-from-its-schedule-cancellation-is-imminent-for-real-this-time-28374/
- ^ Yamato, Jen (October 3, 2013). "Screen Media Goes 'Back In The Day' With Michael Rosenbaum". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 10, 2016.
- ^ Genzlinger, Neil (January 16, 2014). "The 20th High School Reunion Rears Its Head". The New York Times. Retrieved July 10, 2016.
- ^ "Smallville's' Michael Rosenbaum to Star in TV Land Comedy 'Impastor". The Hollywood Reporter. June 17, 2014.
- ^ Shear Love the Movie
- ^ Justice League: Throne of Atlantis End Credits
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (April 27, 2009). "Missi Pyle joins NBC family pilot". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on April 30, 2009.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ http://www.deadline.com/tag/impastor/
- ^ Turbine, Inc. Infinite Crisis. Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. Scene: Credits, Voice Over Talent.
- ^ "Infinite Crisis Credits".
- ^ Rocksteady Studios. Batman: Arkham Knight. Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. Scene: Credits, 13:05 in, Voiceover & Mocap Talent.
External links
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
- 1972 births
- Male actors from Indiana
- American male film actors
- American male television actors
- American male video game actors
- American male voice actors
- Jewish American male actors
- Living people
- Actors from Evansville, Indiana
- People from Oceanside, New York
- Western Kentucky University alumni
- 20th-century American male actors
- 21st-century American male actors
- Male actors from New York
- People from Newburgh, Indiana
- Writers from Evansville, Indiana