Michael J. Shannon

Michael J. Shannon (born January 24, 1943), also billed as Michael Shannon, is an American actor and playwright.

Career

Shannon has a cult following due to his appearances in cult classics such as Little Shop of Horrors, Red Dwarf, Future Cop and We'll Meet Again, the last two being his most substantial television roles, as Officer John Haven and Major James Kiley respectively.

Shannon was born in Chicago. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Theatre Arts from Northwestern University (whose School of Communication grants Bachelor of Science degrees in all of its programs of study, including theater). He subsequently received a Master of Arts in Oral Interpretation from Northwestern.[1][2]

In addition to his filmography, he has maintained substantial theatrical acting credits throughout his career, including the British premiere of Arthur Kopit’s The End of the World with Symposium to Follow in Southampton (Nuffield Theatre) and the London premiere of A. R. Gurney’s The Dining Room (Greenwich Theatre, 1983, directed by Alan Strachan).[3] In 2013 he gave 4 benefit performances in aid of Amnesty international of the monumental one-man play Clarence Darrow by David V. Rintels, based on the life of the lawyer and founding member of the American Civil Liberties Union, at the Teahouse Theatre in Vauxhall, London.[4]

The first play he authored, Deros On the Funny Farm, was first produced at the Long Wharf Theater in New Haven in 1981 with Kevin Bacon in the lead.[5]

Theme of the American President

A recurring feature of his career, in acting and writing, is the figure of the American president. He portrayed John F. Kennedy in the BBC television series Red Dwarf, starred in two episodes of the ABC television series Call to Glory named 'JFK' (parts 1 and 2, though not as the president) and has written and starred in a one-man play, JFK on JFK.[6] Hoyt Hilsman, in reviewing the play for Backstage West, wrote, “Shannon’s memorable performance captures the soul of the late president like none other in recent memory.”[7]

Shannon took the role of Harding in James Staley's play about the scandal-plagued American president Warren G. Harding, Everyone's Friend, which premiered in August 1999 at Whitefire Theatre.[8] Los Angeles Times critic Philip Brandes wrote that "Shannon makes a heartbreakingly believable case for Harding's ignorance of and outrage at the abuses of his Cabinet."[9]

Shannon portrayed Abraham Lincoln in a play he also authored, Watching with Lincoln, produced at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in 2014.[10]

His play Liberty Rising is set in the Revolutionary War featuring George Washington and John Adams alongside their wives Martha and Abigail.[11]

Filmography

Films

Film
Year Title Role Notes
1974 Shoot It Black, Shoot It Blue Purcell
1975 That Lucky Touch Lt. Davis Credited as Michael J. Shannon
1980 Never Never Land Peter
Superman II President's Aide Credited as Michael J. Shannon
1982 Making Love Marty
1984 Sheena Phillip Ames
1985 Death of an Angel Bishop Holmes
1986 Little Shop of Horrors Television Reporter Credited as Michael J. Shannon
1995 Paparazzo Denis Prince
Balto voice role uncredited
2001 Beginner's Luck Old luvvie
2005 American Gun Jerry Credited as Michael J. Shannon
2010 Invincible Scripture Robert
2012 The Strange Case of Wilhelm Reich Judge Clifford
Dark Shadows Board Member 2 Credited as Michael J. Shannon
The Raven Dr. Morgan
2013 Möbius Le père d'Alice Credited as Michael J. Shannon

TV

Television
Year Title Role Notes
1972 All My Children Dr. Bill Hoffman (TV Series), 1 episode,
1975 The Hanged Man Milton Webber, credited as Michael J. Shannon (TV Mini-Series), 1 episode: "Grail and Platter",
1976 Arthur Hailey's the Moneychangers Lew Endicott (American TV Mini-Series), 4 episodes
Rock Follies Carl 'Tubes' Benson (TV Mini-Series), 5 episodes
Nouvelles d'Henry James James Sinclair, credited as Michael J. Shannon (TV Series), 1 episode: "L'auteur de Beltraffio"
1976-1977 Future Cop Officer Haven (American TV Series), 7 episodes
1977 The Feather and Father Gang Richard (American TV Series), 1 episode: "Here a Spy, There a Spy"
1978 Lillie Freddie Gebhard, credited as Michael J. Shannon (TV Series), 2 episodes: "America" and "Home on the Range"
Target Bradley (TV Series), 1 episode: "Rogue's Gallery"
Cops and Robin John Haven (American TV Pilot, follow-up of Future Cop)
1978-1979 Wonder Woman Lt. Stonehouse (1978) / Cameron (1979) (American TV Series), 3 episodes
1979 The Best Place to Be Patrick Callahan (American TV Movie)
Charlie's Angels Tim Stone (American TV Series), 1 episode: "Rosemary, for Remembrance"
Lou Grant Mac McIvor (American TV Series), 1 episode: "Gambling"
1981 Riker Brice Landis (American TV Series), 5 episodes
Eight Is Enough Ben Catron (American TV Series), 1 episode: "If the Glass Slipper Fits"
1982 We'll Meet Again Major James Kiley / Maj. Jim Kiley (TV Series), 13 episodes
1983 Shades of Darkness Edward Boyne, credited as Michael J. Shannon (TV Series), 1 episode: "Afterward"
The Paper Chase Morrison (TV Series), 1 episode: "Spreading It Thin"
Philip Marlowe, Private Eye Dr. Sutro, credited as Michael J. Shannon (TV Series), 1 episode: "Smart Aleck Kill"
Perfect Shadows Chuck Miller, credited as Michael J. Shannon (American TV Movie)
1984 Partners in Crime Hamilton Frye (American TV Series), 1 episode: "The Set-Up"
1985 Behind Enemy Lines Robert Harwell (American TV Movie)
Call to Glory Malcolm Sloane (American TV Series), 2 episodes: "JFK: Part 1" and "JFK: Part 2"
Simon & Simon Dr. Claude Dreyer (American TV Series), 1 episode: "Out-of-Town Brown"
Remington Steele Frank Bigelow (American TV Series), 1 episode: "Now You Steele It, Now You Don't"
1986 The A-Team Randy Anderson (American TV Series), 1 episode: "The Grey Team"
The Ted Kennedy Jr. Story Senator John Tunney (American TV Movie)[12]
Dempsey and Makepeace Conrad, credited as Michael J. Shannon (TV Series), 2 episodes: "The Burning" and "The Burning:Part 2"
Scarecrow and Mrs. King Dr. Scardelli (American TV Series), 1 episode: "The Eyes Have It"
1987 Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story Morley Kennerly, credited as Michael J. Shannon (American TV Movie)
The Ladies (TV Movie)
The Two Mrs. Grenvilles Jack Fisher, credited as Michael J. Shannon (American TV Mini-Series), 1 episode: "Episode #1.1" and "Episode #1.2"
1988 Out of the Shadows Frank Osbourne (American TV Movie)
A Very Peculiar Practice Vice-Chancellor Jack Daniels (TV Series), 7 episodes
1989 Pride and Extreme Prejudice Chapinski, credited as Michael J. Shannon (TV Movie)
Boon Peter Shelley, credited as Michael J. Shannon (TV Series), 1 episode: "Sickness and Health"
Anything More Would Be Greedy Toby Dehring (TV Mini-Series), 6 episodes
Tailspin: Behind the Korean Airliner Tragedy Grover (TV Movie)
Murder by Moonlight Ivanov (TV Movie)
1990 Poirot Mr Baker Wood, credited as Michael J. Shannon (TV Series), 1 episode: "Double Sin"
1991 Merlin of the Crystal Cave Blackbeard (TV Series), 2 episodes: "The Return" and "Reckoning"
Josie (TV Series), 1 episode: "Episode #1.6"
1992 The Big Battalions David (TV Mini-Series), 4 episodes
1993 Prime Suspect 3 (TV Mini-Series) Jake Hunter, credited as Michael J. Shannon (TV Series), 1 episode: "Part 1"
Maigret Oswald Clark, credited as Michael J. Shannon (French TV Series), 1 episode: "Maigret and the Hotel Majestic"
1994 Fatherland US Ambassador, credited as Michael J. Shannon (American TV Movie)
Scarlett Maxwell (TV Mini-Series), 1 episode: "Episode #1.1"
Royce Senator Scanlon, credited as Michael J. Shannon (TV Movie)
Under the Hammer Charles B. Whiteside, credited as Michael J. Shannon (TV Series), 1 episode: "After Titian"
1995 Goodnight Sweetheart Ed Murrow, credited as Michael J. Shannon (TV Series), 1 episode: "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea"
Screen Two Neil Turkle (TV Series), 1 episode: "Nervous Energy"
The Affair Capt. Ford (TV Movie)
Detonator II: Night Watch Martin Schraeder, credited as Michael J. Shannon (TV Movie)
The Boss (TV Series) Milton Macrae, credited as Michael J. Shannon (TV Series), 1 episode: "Pilot"
Space Precinct Dr. Henry Jansen, credited as Michael J. Shannon (TV Series), 1 episode: "Flash"
1996 In Suspicious Circumstances Philip Yale Drew, credited as Michael J. Shannon (TV Series), 1 episode: "The Monster of Reading"
1997 13th Rider Robert (TV Series), 1 episode
Screen One (TV Series) Admiral, credited as Michael J. Shannon (TV Series), 1 episode: "Hostile Waters"
Red Dwarf John F. Kennedy, credited as Michael J. Shannon (TV Series), 1 episode: "Tikka to Ride"
1998 30 Years to Life Graham, credited as Michael J. Shannon (TV Movie)
Only Love Dr. Duncan, credited as Michael J. Shannon (American TV Movie)
1999 CI5: The New Professionals Stryker, credited as Michael J. Shannon (TV Series), 1 episode: "Phoenix"
1999-2001 JAG Major General Richard Plesac (American TV Series), 2 episodes: "War Stories" and "Baby, It's Cold Outside"
2004 Crossing Jordan Philip Corday, credited as Michael J. Shannon (American TV Series), 1 episode: "Dead in the Water"
2007 Brothers & Sisters Tom Burgess, credited as Michael J. Shannon (American TV Series), 1 episode: "Domestic Issues"
You've Got a Friend Brayton Jennings (American TV Movie)
The Riches Ashley Tutt, credited as Michael J. Shannon (American TV Series), 1 episode: "Believe the Lie"
2008 Boston Legal Avery Wilson (American TV Series), 1 episode: "The Gods Must Be Crazy"
2014 Endeavour Nahum Gardiner, credited as Michael J. Shannon (TV Series), 1 episode: "Nocturne"

Personal life

Shannon was the second husband of the late British-born actress Vickery Turner. He and Turner met during the American season of Frith Banbury's production of the play The Day After The Fair by Frank Harvey,[13] which opened on September 4, 1973 at the Auditorium Theatre in Denver, Colorado and closed January 20, 1974 at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC.[14][15] Shannon played the role of Bradford and Turner the role of Anna.[16] Their daughter Caitlin is also an actress and writer.

References

  1. "Interview". reddwarf.co.uk.
  2. Out of the shadows. worldcat.org. OCLC 434734454.
  3. "ROB WILTON THEATRICALIA - Other Plays 1980-89". www.phyllis.demon.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2017-01-26. Retrieved 2018-01-21.
  4. "Clarence Darrow | Susannah Tresilian". www.susannahtresilian.com. Retrieved 2018-01-22.
  5. "Westport News Newspaper Archives, May 27, 1981, p. 54". NewspaperArchive.com. 1981-05-27. Retrieved 2018-01-22.
  6. Martinez, Julio (2000-09-11). "JFK on JFK". Variety. Retrieved 2018-01-21.
  7. "JFK ON JFK". Backstage.com. Retrieved 2018-01-21.
  8. "World Premiere of Everyone's Friend at L.A.'s Whitefire, Aug. 27 | Playbill". Playbill. Retrieved 2018-01-27.
  9. BRANDES, PHILIP (1999-09-02). "Stage Review : Presidential Tactics : Scandal masterfully reigns in Warren G. Harding's administration in 'Everyone's Friend.'". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 2018-01-27.
  10. "A play about Abraham Lincoln - The London Expat American Meetup Group (London, England)". www.meetup.com. Retrieved 2018-01-22.
  11. "Current News". michael j shannon. Retrieved 2018-01-27.
  12. O'Connor, John J. (24 November 1986). "'TED KENNEDY JR. STORY,' A FAMILY BIOGRAPHY (Published 1986)". The New York Times. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  13. Graham, David (2007). Casting About: A Memoir. Bloomington, IN: iUniverse Publishing. p. 123. ISBN 9780595177707.
  14. Bruguiere, Ron (2011). Collision: When Reality and Illusion Collide. Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse. p. 161. ISBN 978-1456725235.
  15. "Deborah Kerr "DAY AFTER THE FAIR" Brenda Forbes 1974 FLOP Washington Playbill at Amazon's Entertainment Collectibles Store". www.amazon.com. Retrieved 2018-01-22.
  16. "The Stanford Daily 18 October 1973 — The Stanford Daily". stanforddailyarchive.com. Retrieved 2018-01-22.
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