Michael York


Michael York, OBE is a British film, television, and stage actor. After performing on stage with the Royal National Theatre, he had a breakthrough in films by playing Tybalt in Franco Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet. His blond, blue-eyed boyish looks and English upper-class demeanour saw him play leading roles in several major British and Hollywood films of the 1970s.
His best known roles include Konrad Ludwig in Something for Everyone, Geoffrey Richter-Douglas in Zeppelin, Brian Roberts in Cabaret, George Conway in Lost Horizon, D'Artagnan in The Three Musketeers and its two sequels, Count Andrenyi in Murder on the Orient Express, and Logan 5 in Logan's Run. In his later career, York found success as Basil Exposition in the Austin Powers film series.
York is a two-time Emmy Award nominee, for the ABC Afterschool Special: Are You My Mother? and the AMC series The Lot. In 2002, York received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to motion pictures. He was awarded the Order of the British Empire at the 1996 Birthday Honours.

Early life

York was born in Fulmer, Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, son of Florence Edith May Chown, a musician, and Joseph Gwynne Johnson, a Llandovery-born Welsh ex-Royal Artillery British Army officer and businessman. York has an elder sister, Penelope Anne and younger twin sisters, Caroline and Bridget ; Bridget died a few hours after birth, according to York's autobiography. He was brought up in Burgess Hill, West Sussex.
During his teenage years, York was educated at Bromley Grammar School for Boys, Hurstpierpoint College and University College, Oxford. He did some early acting at the community theatre Bromley Little Theatre, and was its president in 2014. This then led to his joining the National Youth Theatre, also performing with the Oxford University Dramatic Society and the University College Players. He began his career in a 1956 production of The Yellow Jacket. In 1959, he made his West End début with a small part in a production of Hamlet.

Career

Prior to graduating with a degree in English from the University of Oxford in 1964, York had toured with the National Youth Theatre, After some time with the Dundee Repertory Theatre, where he played in Brendan Behan's The Hostage, York joined National Theatre under Laurence Olivier where he worked with Franco Zeffirelli during the 1965 staging of Much Ado About Nothing. Following his role on British TV as Jolyon in The Forsyte Saga, York made his film debut as Lucentio in Zeffirelli's The Taming of the Shrew. He then was cast as Tybalt in Zeffirelli's 1968 film adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. He starred in The Guru, then played an amoral bisexual drifter in Something for Everyone. In the 1971 film Zeppelin, he portrayed a World War I soldier with conflicted family loyalties who pretends to side with the Germans. He portrayed the bisexual Brian Roberts in Bob Fosse's film version of Cabaret. In 1975, he portrayed a British soldier in 19th century colonial India in Conduct Unbecoming, the first of three films he did with director Michael Anderson. In 1977, he reunited with Franco Zeffirelli as John the Baptist in Jesus of Nazareth.
York starred as D'Artagnan in the 1973 adaptation of The Three Musketeers and he made his Broadway début in the original production of Tennessee Williams's Out Cry. One year later the sequel to The Three Musketeers was released titled The Four Musketeers. Fifteen years later, most of the cast joined together in a third film titled The Return of the Musketeers based on the Dumas novel Twenty Years After. He played the title character in the film adaptation of Logan's Run, a fugitive who tries to escape a computer-controlled society. The following year, he starred in The Island of Dr. Moreau opposite Burt Lancaster.
Since his early work, York has enjoyed a busy and varied career in film, television and on the stage. He appeared in two episodes in the second season of the Road to Avonlea series as Ezekiel Crane, the lighthouse keeper of Avonlea and foster father of Gus Pike. His Broadway theatre credits include Bent, The Crucible, Someone Who'll Watch Over Me and the ill-fated musical The Little Prince and the Aviator, which closed during previews. He also has made many sound recordings as a reader, including Harper Audio's production of C. S. Lewis' The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
York appeared in the 1996 Babylon 5 episode "A Late Delivery from Avalon" as a delusional man who believed himself to be King Arthur. Two years later he would play King Arthur in A Knight in Camelot. He also appeared as Professor Asher Fleming, a 60-year-old Yale professor and boyfriend of Yale student Paris Geller during the fourth season of Gilmore Girls. Additionally, York voiced numerous characters in the DC Animated Universe: Count Vertigo and Montague Kane in Batman: The Animated Series, Kanto in Superman: The Animated Series, and Ares in Justice League Unlimited. York starred in both The Omega Code and its sequel, Megiddo: The Omega Code 2, as Stone Alexander, the Antichrist from Christian eschatology.
In 2002, York received a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to motion pictures. He played President Alexander Bourne of Macaronesia on seaQuest 2032. He played Basil Exposition in all three of the Austin Powers films. He has made an appearance on The Simpsons as Mason Fairbanks, Homer Simpson's possible father, in "Homer's Paternity Coot". In 2006, York played the character Bernard Fremont in the Law & Order: Criminal Intent episode "Slither". He also appeared as a fictionalised version of himself in several episodes of the third season of Curb Your Enthusiasm as an investor in Larry's new restaurant 'BoBo's. In 2009, he lent his voice to Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
York voiced Petrie's uncle Pterano in The Land Before Time VII: The Stone of Cold Fire. In 2009, he narrated the entire Bible for The Word of Promise Audio Bible, a performance of the New King James Version. York again played King Arthur in a revival of Lerner and Loewe's Camelot, which began its run at the La Mirada Theatre in Southern California, and toured nationally in 2006 and 2007.
York portrays Luke in The Truth & Life Dramatised Audio New Testament Bible, a 22-hour audio dramatisation of the New Testament, which uses the Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition translation. In 2008, York took part in the BBC Wales programme Coming Home about his Welsh family history. In September 2013, York played Albany in the Gala Performance of William Shakespeare's King Lear at the Old Vic in London.

Personal life

York met photographer Patricia McCallum in 1967 when she was assigned to photograph him, and they married on 27 March 1968, York's 26th birthday. His stepson is Star Wars and Young Indiana Jones producer Rick McCallum. York was named to the International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame in 1977.

Health problems

York announced he was suffering from the rare disease called amyloidosis in 2013. Doctors initially thought he had bone cancer. He underwent a stem cell transplant, which can alleviate symptoms, in 2012.
In 2022, in order to be closer to the Mayo Clinic for treatment, York and his wife moved to Rochester, Minnesota.

Filmography

Film

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1964Arrest and TrialPete BakalyanEpisode: "A Circle of Strangers"
1966The Wild Wild WestGuptaEpisode: “The Night of the Golden Cobra”
1967Death Valley DaysHaynieEpisode: "The Man Who Wouldn't Die"
1967The Forsyte SagaJolyon "Jolly" Forsyte
1968The Wednesday PlayRoger PorlockEpisode: "Rebel in the Grave"
1974Great ExpectationsPipTV film
1977Jesus of NazarethJohn the BaptistMiniseries
1977BBC2 Play of the Week: True PatriotDietrich BonhoefferTV film
1978Much Ado About NothingBenedickTV film
1979A Man Called IntrepidEvan MichaelianMiniseries
1981Vendredi ou la Vie SauvageRobinson CrusoeTV film
1982Twilight TheaterTV film
1983The Phantom of the OperaMichael HartnellTV film
1983The Weather in the StreetsRollo SpencerTV film
1984The Master of BallantraeJames DurieTV film
1985SpaceDieter KolffMiniseries
1986ABC Afterschool SpecialChet GordonEpisode: "Are You My Mother?"
1986The Storybook Series with Hayley MillsBeastVoice
1986Tall Tales & LegendsPonce de LeonEpisode: "Ponde de Leon"
1986Sword of GideonRobertTV film
1986Dark MansionsJason DrakeTV film
1986Nevil Shute's The Far CountryCarl ZlinterTV film
1987The Far CountryGeorge Miller2 episodes
1987–1988Knots LandingCharles Scott8 episodes
1988The Secret of the SaharaDesmond JordanMiniseries
1988The Four Minute MileFranz StampflMiniseries
1989The Lady and the HighwaymanKing Charles IITV film
1989Judith Krantz's Till We Meet AgainPaul de LancelMiniseries
1990The Heat of the DayRobert KelwayTV film
1990Night of the FoxField Marshal RommelTV film
1991Road to AvonleaEzekiel Crane2 episodes
1991Duel of HeartsGervaise WarlinghamTV film
1992The Legend of Prince ValiantOwenVoice, 3 episodes
1992RochadePaul GrumbachTV film
1992–1993Batman: The Animated SeriesCount Vertigo, Montague KaneVoice, 2 episodes
1993Gardens of the World with Audrey HepburnNarratorVoice, TV documentary film
1993Tracey Ullman Takes on New YorkCentral Park AcquaintanceComedy Special
1994TekWarPrince Richard1 episode
1994ABC Weekend SpecialKing SarastroEpisode: "The Magic Flute"
1994Fall from GraceHans-Dieter StromelburgTV film
1995Shadow of a KissAlbertTV film
1995–1996seaQuest DSVPresident Alexander Bourne3 episodes
1995The Naked TruthLeland BanksEpisode: "Woman Jokes While Husband Cooks!"
1995The Magic School BusHarry HerpVoice, episode: "Cold Feet"
1996La Nouvelle tribuIlyaMiniseries
1996SeptemberEdmundTV film
1996The RingWalmar von GotthardTV film
1996Babylon 5David "King Arthur" McIntyreEpisode: "A Late Delivery from Avalon"
1996Adventures from the Book of VirtuesAndroclesVoice, episode: "Compassion"
1996Un coup de baguette magiqueIlyaTV film
1997Superman: The Animated SeriesKantoVoice, episode: "Tools of the Trade"
1997SlidersDr. VargasEpisode: "This Slide of Paradise"
1997True WomenLewis LawsheMiniseries
1997The RipperCharles WarrenTV film
1998Dead Man's GunHerr Friederich Von HuberEpisode: "The Collector"
1998Glory, GloryRev. HopewellPilot
1998A Knight in CamelotKing ArthurTV film
1998Perfect Little AngelsDr. Calvin LawrenceTV film
1998Search for Nazi GoldNarratorTV documentary
2000Founding FathersAlexander HamiltonTV documentary film
2001The LotColin Rhome2 episodes
2002Liberty's KidsAdmiral Lord HoweVoice, 2 episodes
2002Presidio MedGeorge SlingerlandEpisode: "Secrets"
2002Founding BrothersAlexander HamiltonTV documentary film
2002Curb Your EnthusiasmHimself4 episodes
2003La Femme MusketeerJacques D'ArtagnanTV film
2003–2004Gilmore GirlsProfessor Asher Fleming4 episodes
2004CrusaderMcGovernTV film
2004Justice League UnlimitedAresVoice, episode: "Hawk and Dove"
2004Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!Master ZanVoice, episode: "Antauri's Masters"
2005IconNigel IrvineTV film
2006, 2016–2020The SimpsonsMason Fairbanks, Dr. Lionel Budgie, Nigel, ClayVoice, 4 episodes
2006Law & Order: Criminal IntentBernard FremontEpisode: "Slither"
2007The ReplacementsAgent GVoice, episode: "London Calling"
2008Four SeasonsStephen CombeMiniseries
2008Ben 10: Alien ForcePatrickVoice, episode: "Be-Knighted"
2009Star Wars: The Clone WarsDr. Nuvo VindiVoice, 2 episodes
2010How I Met Your MotherJefferson Van SmootEpisode: "Robots Versus Wrestlers"
2010Family GuyDocumentary SpeakerVoice, episode: "Partial Terms of Endearment"