Michael Murphy (actor)


Michael George Murphy is a multi-award-winning American film, television and stage actor. He often plays unethical or morally ambiguous characters in positions of authority, including politicians, executives, administrators, clerics, academics, doctors, law enforcement agents, judges and lawyers. He is also known for his frequent collaborations with director Robert Altman, having appeared in twelve productions directed by Altman in a period spanning from 1963 to 2004, including his leading titular role in the acclaimed, Emmy Award-winning HBO cable miniseries Tanner '88. He had roles in the films M*A*S*H, Brewster McCloud, McCabe and Mrs. Miller, What's Up, Doc?, Phase IV, Nashville, The Front, An Unmarried Woman, The Class of Miss MacMichael, Manhattan, Strange Behavior, The Year of Living Dangerously, Cloak & Dagger, Salvador, Shocker, Batman Returns, Magnolia, X-Men: The Last Stand, Away from Her, and Fall, among others. Murphy's performance in Fall earned him a nomination for a Canadian Screen Award for Best Lead Performance in a Drama Film.

Early life

Murphy was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of Georgia Arlyn, a teacher, and Bearl Branton Murphy, a salesman. After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps, Murphy attended the University of Arizona and the University of California at Los Angeles.
He taught English and drama at University High School (Los Angeles) before pursuing an acting career.

Career

Murphy is best known for his performances as Jill Clayburgh's adulterous husband Martin in Paul Mazursky's An Unmarried Woman, as Woody Allen's morally ambiguous best friend Yale in Manhattan, as The Mayor of Gotham City in Batman Returns, as ethically enigmatic lawyer Alan Kligman, Esq. in Magnolia, as the "mutant" Angel's human father Warren Worthington II in X-Men: The Last Stand, and as the star of Garry Trudeau and Robert Altman's groundbreaking 1988 miniseries Tanner '88.
Murphy worked frequently with Altman, including as Captain Ezekiel Bradbury "Me Lay" Marston V, in M*A*S*H, as Det. Lt. Frank Shaft in Brewster McCloud, as John Triplette in Nashville, and as the eponymous, fictitious former U.S. Congressman and presidential aspirant, Jack Tanner, in Tanner '88, a role he later reprised in the 2004 Sundance Channel follow-up miniseries Tanner on Tanner. Other Altman films and television series in which Murphy appeared include the World War II TV series Combat!, Countdown, That Cold Day in the Park, McCabe & Mrs. Miller, The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial and Kansas City.
Other notable film roles include Count Yorga, Vampire, What's Up, Doc?, The Thief Who Came to Dinner, The Front, The Great Bank Hoax, The Class of Miss MacMichael, The Year of Living Dangerously, Cloak & Dagger, My Letter to George, Salvador, Private Parts, Silver City, According to Greta, White House Down and They Came Together.
Though usually cast in supporting roles and character parts, Murphy has not been relegated solely to such work. He has also had leading turns in a variety of theatrical films including Phase IV, Strange Behavior, Hot Money, Shocker, The Island and the 2014 film Fall—in an acclaimed performance that garnered him a nomination for a Canadian Screen Award for Best Lead Performance in a Drama Film in 2015—as well as his having had starring turns in television films like Bell, Book and Candle, 3 by Cheever: O Youth and Beauty!, Countdown to Looking Glass, Tailspin: Behind the Korean Airliner Tragedy, The Ultimate Lie, Breaking the Surface: The Greg Louganis Story and In the Dark, in addition to various other works.
In addition to his starring turns in the HBO Films original productions Tanner '88, Tailspin: Behind the Korean Airliner Tragedy, and Countdown to Looking Glass, Murphy has also frequently appeared in other films for the cable giant, including the historical biopics Dead Ahead: The Exxon Valdez Disaster, Truman and Live from Baghdad.
Murphy has been cast in leading roles in network television series, such as Dr. Art Armstrong on the ABC family drama Two Marriages, and as jaded veteran reporter Andy Omart on the short-lived CBS newspaper drama Hard Copy.
He has also been a regular supporting cast member on a number of other television series. He has appeared extensively in Canadian film and television, including the legal dramady series This Is Wonderland, co-starring as longtime judicial veteran Judge Maxwell Fraser. For his work on the show, Murphy would go on to be nominated for three Gemini Awards, winning twice, successively, in 2004 and 2005, and nominated for a third in 2006. He was cast as monolithic casino executive Jimmy Malloy on the American ESPN competitive poker drama Tilt, as veteran law enforcement superior, Chief Ed Wycoff, on the Canadian CTV police drama The Bridge, and as George Kelly, the father of ex-soldier-turned-thief Ethan Kelly in the third season of the Canadian-British-American DirecTV police drama Rogue in 2015.
His guest-starring turns on television span more than half of a century, including guest appearances on such series as Bonanza, Ben Casey, Hogan's Heroes, The Sixth Sense, Premiere, Baretta, Law & Order, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Judging Amy, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Family Law, 12 O'Clock High, Lifestories, Here Comes the Brides, LAX, Person of Interest and L.A. Law.
He has appeared in numerous Canadian television films and miniseries, such as Sleeping Dogs Lie, The Life and Crimes of William Palmer, H2O, Hunt for Justice, Playing House and The Quality of Life, as well as a number of theatrically released features including Folks!, Tart, Childstar, Away from Her, The Trotsky and Indian Horse. Murphy's guest-starring turns on Canadian television series include E.N.G., Living in Your Car, Bury the Lead, Michael: Every Day and Street Legal.
Murphy has also enjoyed a hugely prolific career as a narrator of documentary films, including several dozen episodes of the popular, landmark PBS historical documentary series The American Experience, as well as the public television travel series Weekends with Yankee, and a variety of Canadian-produced documentary films.
All told, and to date, Murphy has acted in as many as 84 films, has narrated 42 documentaries, has 27 television series credits, and has appeared, both credited and uncredited, in a near-countless sum of documentaries, be it on-screen appearances as an interviewee, or incidentally, in archival film footage.

Personal life

Murphy was married to Canadian actress Wendy Crewson from 1988 until their divorce in January 2009. They have two children, Maggie and John.
Murphy currently resides in Cape Elizabeth, Maine.

Filmography

Double Trouble as MorleyCountdown as RickThe Legend of Lylah Clare as Mark Peter SheehanThat Cold Day in the Park as The RounderThe Arrangement as Father DraddyThe Lawyer as Intern in Legal Office Count Yorga, Vampire as Paul M*A*S*H as Capt. Ezekiel Bradbury "Me Lay" Marston VBrewster McCloud as Det. Lt. Frank ShaftMcCabe & Mrs. Miller as Eugene SearsThe Crooked Hearts as Officer Frank AdamicScrewball Comedies... Remember Them? as SelfWhat's Up, Doc? as Mr. SmithThe Thief Who Came to Dinner as TedThe Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman as Quentin LernerI Love You...Good-bye as Alec ShieldPhase IV as Dr. James R. LeskoNashville as John TripletteThe Making of "The Front" as SelfThe Front as Alfred MillerBell, Book and Candle as Alex BrandtThe Great Bank Hoax as Reverend ManigmaAn Unmarried Woman as Martin BentonThe Class of Miss MacMichael as Martin Best3 by Cheever: O Youth and Beauty! as Cash BentleyManhattan as YaleStrange Behavior as John BradyThe Rules of Marriage as Alan MurrayThe Year of Living Dangerously as Pete CurtisHot Money as Burt / TomTalk to Me as RossCountdown to Looking Glass as Bob CalhounCloak & Dagger as RiceMy Letter to George as Reverend WilsonSalvador as U.S. Ambassador Thomas KellyThe Caine Mutiny Court-Martial as Captain BlakelyTanner '88 as Fmr. U.S. Congressman Jack TannerShocker as Det. Lt. Don ParkerThe Making of "Shocker" as SelfTailspin: Behind the Korean Airliner Tragedy as Assistant U.S. Secretary of State Richard BurtFolks! as EdBatman Returns as The MayorDead Ahead: The Exxon Valdez Disaster as U.S. EPA Administrator William K. ReillyClean Slate as Dr. Anthony DooverBad Company as William V. 'Smitty' Smithfield The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies as John Triplette / Yale Truman as Dinner Speaker Kansas City as Henry StiltonSpecial Report: Journey to Mars as Dean RumplemeyerThe Ultimate Lie as Malcolm McGrathRobert Altman: Giggle and Give In as SelfPrivate Parts as Roger ErlickBreaking the Surface: The Greg Louganis Story as Pete LouganisThe Irish in America: Long Journey Home as NarratorThe Island as President John F. KennedyThe Life and Crimes of William Palmer as SmithIndiscretion of an American Wife as Russell BurtonSleeping Dogs Lie as Edgar TrattMagnolia as Alan Kligman, Esq.The Art of War as Politician The Only Living Boy in New York as RudyAltman on His Own Terms as SelfEnlisted: The Story of "M*A*S*H" as SelfTwentieth Century Fox: The Blockbuster Years as Martin Benton Tart as Mike StormThe Day Reagan Was Shot as White House Deputy Chief of Staff Michael DeaverAmerican Experience – Mount Rushmore as NarratorWoody Allen: A Life in Film as Yale Live from Baghdad as Tom JohnsonAmerican Experience – Transcontinental Railroad as NarratorFootsteps as Robbie Lowendahl In the Dark as George SpellerA Decade Under the Influence as Martin Benton Tricks as ArthurChildstar as Reed HarrisonAmerican Masters – Julia! America's Favorite Chef as NarratorSilver City as U.S. Senator Judson PilagerBehind the Scenes: Tanner on Tanner as SelfTanner on Tanner as Fmr. U.S. Congressman Jack TannerWhat's Happened Since '88 as SelfThe Path to 9/11 as U.S. Secretary of Defense William CohenH2O as U.S. Ambassador ConradHeights as JesseMayday as Captain Randall WilliamsHunt for Justice as General SalinskiAmerican Experience – Las Vegas: An Unconventional History, Part I - Sin City as NarratorAmerican Experience – Las Vegas: An Unconventional History, Part II - American Mecca as NarratorX-Men: The Last Stand as Warren Worthington IIAway From Her as AubreyPlaying House as HubbardThe Wind in the Willows as JudgeAmerican Experience – Jesse James as NarratorAmerican Experience – The Gold Rush as NarratorCaring for Your Parents as NarratorDepression: Out of the Shadows as NarratorThe Quality of Life as Charles GreenborneAmerican Experience – Kit Carson as NarratorA War in Hollywood as Alfred Miller Not Quite Hollywood: Deleted Scenes as Self The Trotsky as Frank McGovernAccording to Greta as JosephChina Rises as NarratorAmerican Experience – Wyatt Earp as NarratorMulroney: The Opera as Col. Robert R. McCormickIndia Reborn as NarratorAngle of Attack: How Naval Aviation Changed the Face of War as NarratorAmerican Experience – Robert E. Lee as NarratorAmerican Experience – Dinosaur Wars as NarratorAmerican Experience – Panama Canal: Gateway to the New Century as NarratorAmerican Experience – The Greely Expedition as NarratorAmerican Experience – Triangle Fire as NarratorAmerican Experience – Billy the Kid as NarratorAmerican Experience – Custer's Last Stand as NarratorAmerican Experience – Grand Coulee Dam as NarratorGreat Scot Beer as RandyWhite House Down as Vice President Alvin HammondThe Making of "Nashville" as SelfAmerican Experience – Silicon Valley as NarratorAmerican Experience – Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid as NarratorAmerican Experience – The Rise and Fall of Penn Station as NarratorAltman as SelfFall as Father Sam RyanThey Came Together as RogerAmerican Experience – Edison as NarratorAmerican Experience – The Forgotten Plague as NarratorAmerican Experience – Last Days in Vietnam as NarratorAmerican Experience – Bonnie & Clyde as NarratorAmerican Experience – Mine Wars as NarratorAmerican Experience – Murder of a President as NarratorAmerican Experience – Space Men as NarratorAmerican Experience – Tesla as NarratorAmerican Experience – The Battle of Chosin as NarratorClose Encounters with Vilmos Zsigmond as SelfMcCabe & Mrs. Miller: Way Out on a Limb as SelfAmerican Experience – The Race Underground as NarratorAmerican Experience – Ruby Ridge as NarratorIndian Horse as Father QuinneyTwo Plains & a Fancy as RancherAmerican Experience – The Circus: Part 1 as NarratorAmerican Experience – The Circus: Part 2 as NarratorAmerican Experience – Sealab as NarratorAmerican Experience – The Feud as NarratorRolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese as The Politician, Fmr. U.S. Congressman Jack TannerAmerican Experience – The Man Who Tried to Feed the World as NarratorA Vampire in L.A. as Paul Film Essay - Robert Altman's "Brewster McCloud" as Det. Lt. Frank Shaft Evolutions: The Making of "Phase IV" as SelfRobert Altman: America's Rebel Director as John Triplette Cruel, Usual, Necessary: The Passion of Silvio Narizzano as Self

Television series

Combat! as 1st Tanker / Soldier in Hospital – 2 episodesBen Casey as Dr. J. Wells Savage / Dr. Paul Galloway / Andy Andrews – 3 episodesThe Man from U.N.C.L.E. as Intern – 1 episodeHogan's Heroes as Corporal Walter Comminsky – 1 episode12 O'Clock High as Sergeant Marven – 1 episodeBonanza as Will Holt – 1 episodePremiere as William Smith – 1 episodeHere Come the Brides as Ethan Weems – 1 episodeThe Sixth Sense as David Ford – 1 episodeSalty as Stock – 1 episodeBaretta as Mike Parsons – 1 episodeMidday with Bill Boggs as Self / Guest – 1 episodeTomorrow Coast to Coast as Self / Guest – 1 episodeTwo Marriages as Dr. Art Armstrong – 10 episodesHard Copy as Andy Omart – 6 episodesLifestories as Frank Brody – 1 episodeE.N.G. as Steve Kurtz – 1 episodeScreen One as Bill Rally – 1 episodeL.A. Law as Bobby Lewis – 1 episodeJudging Amy as Judge Alistair McNeil – 1 episodeFamily Law as Ian Lumberg – 1 episodeLaw and Order as Nolan Tinsdale – 1 episodeLaw and Order: Criminal Intent as Judge Peter Blakemore – 1 episodeThe American Experience as Narrator – 35 episodesBury the Lead as Arthur – 1 episodeLAX as Emmet – 1 episodeThis is Wonderland as Judge Maxwell Fraser – 39 episodesTilt as Jimmy Malloy – 9 episodes80th National Board of Review Awards as Self – television specialThe Bridge as Chief Ed Wycoff – 13 episodesLiving in Your Car as Frank – 1 episodeMichael: Every Day as Stanley Dyer – 1 episodePerson of Interest as U.S. Congressman Jim Hallen – 1 episodePop Culture Beast's Halloween Horror Picks as John Brady – 1 episode3rd Canadian Screen Awards as Self / Nominee / Presenter – television specialRogue as George Kelly – 10 episodesThe Projection Booth as Self / Guest – 1 episodeWeekends with Yankee as Narrator – 26 episodesStreet Legal as Henry Czernik – 2 episodes

Theatre

Take Her, She's Mine, playing "Alex Loomis", Valley Music Theatre, Los Angeles, CA – 1964 Our Town, playing "Sam Craig" and "Baseball Player", Huntington Hartford Theatre, Los Angeles, CA; ANTA Playhouse, New York City, NY; The Plumstead Playhouse, Coconut Grove, FL – 1969-1970Rat's Nest, director, Vandam Theatre, New York City, NY – 1978 The Hotel Play, playing "Psychiatrist", La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club, New York City, NY – 1981Playing in Local Bands, playing "Michael", Yale Repertory Theatre, New Haven, CT – 1983Curse of the Starving Class, director, Portland Stage Company, Portland, ME – 1985Goodbye Freddy, playing "Hank", Manhattan Punch Line Theatre, New York City, NY; INTAR Theatre, New York City, NY – 1985Near the End of the Century, playing "Richard", George Street Playhouse, New Brunswick, NJ – 1992

Accolades

Magnolia — Winner — National Board of Review Award for Best Acting by an Ensemble Magnolia — Winner — Awards Circuit Community Award for Best Cast Ensemble Magnolia — Winner — Florida Film Critics Circle Award for Best Ensemble Magnolia — Nominee — Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Ensemble Magnolia — Winner — Online Film & Television Association Award for Best Ensemble Magnolia — Winner — Satellite Award - Special Achievement Award - Outstanding Motion Picture Ensemble Magnolia — Nominee — Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Cast in a Motion Picture This is Wonderland — Winner — Gemini Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic Series This is Wonderland — Winner — Gemini Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic Series This is Wonderland — Nominee — Gemini Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic Series Fall — Nominee — Canadian Screen Award for Best Lead Performance in a Drama Film