Jump to content

Michael Brandon

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Michael Brandon
Brandon in Red Alert, 1977
Born
Michael Feldman

(1945-04-20) April 20, 1945 (age 79)[1]
EducationAmerican Academy of Dramatic Arts
OccupationActor
Years active1967–present
Spouses
  • (m. 1976; div. 1979)
  • (m. 1989)
Children1
Websitemichaelbrandon.net

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) and narrating the U.S. dub of the children's television series Thomas & Friends (2004–2012). His theatre credits include the original Broadway production of Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie? (1969), and Jerry Springer in the West End production of Jerry Springer: The Opera (2003–2004).

Early life

[edit]

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 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 heritage.[4]

Career

[edit]

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 television shows such as The Bill, Trial & 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 became the third U.S. narrator of the children's television series Thomas & Friends from 2004 to 2012, replacing Alec Baldwin.[5] In February 2008, he began his talk radio show on City Talk (now Greatest Hits Radio Liverpool & The North West), a new local radio station in Liverpool.[6] 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. In 2022, he appeared in an episode of Casualty on BBC1.

Personal life

[edit]

Brandon lived with actress Kim Novak for 18 months in 1973–74.[7] 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 18 November 1989.[2] They remain in the United Kingdom.[2] The couple have a son.[7]

Filmography

[edit]

Film

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1969 Goodbye, Columbus Dartmouth [8][9]
1970 Lovers and Other Strangers Mike
Jennifer on My Mind Marcus Rottner
1971 Four Flies on Grey Velvet Robert Tobias
1972 Strangers in 7A Billy
1973 Heavy Traffic Street Cat (voice)
The Third Girl From the Left David
1974 Hitchhike! Keith Miles
The Red Badge of Courage Jim Conklin
1975 Queen of the Stardust Ballroom David Asher
Cage Without a Key Ben Holian
1976 James Dean Bill Blast
1978 FM Jeff Dugan
1979 A Vacation in Hell Alan
Promises in the Dark Dr. Jim Sanderson
1980 A Change of Seasons Pete Lachapelle
1981 Rich and Famous Max
1983 Venice Medical Dr. Pete Marcus
1985 Deadly Messages Michael Krasnick
1989 Divided We Stand Bryan Gibbs
1990 Have a Nice Night Tom Lepski
Want to Stay Alive?
Présumé dangereux
Try This One for Size
The Care of Time Robert Halliday
1996 The Disappearance of Kevin Johnson Jeff Littman
1997 The Apocalypse Watch Ambassador Courtland
Deja Vu Alex
2001 Contaminated Man Wyles
Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase Skeleton Gladiator (voice) DVD movie
The Lost Battalion General Robert Alexander
2004 Hawking Arno Penzias
2005 Calling All Engines! US Narrator
2006 The Detonator Commander Flint
Are You Ready For Love? Randy Bush
2008 Me and Orson Welles Les Tremayne
2009 Toscanini in His Own Words Wilfrid Pelletier
Hero of the Rails US Narrator
The Last Days of Lehman Brothers Jamie Dimon
2010 Misty Island Rescue US Narrator, Diesel
2011 Captain America: The First Avenger Senator Brandt
2011 Day of the Diesels US Narrator, Diesel
2012 Blue Mountain Mystery
2014 Born of War Harm Helder
2017 The Time of Their Lives Harry Scheider
2019 Passport to Oblivion Parkington Voice
2022 Renegades Palmer
TBA Canary Black TBA In production

Television

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1969 Medical Center Andy Tobin Episode: "Thousands and Thousands of Miles" [10][9]
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town Unknown role 1 episode
1971 The Impatient Heart Frank Pescadero Television film
1972 Owen Marshall, Counsellor at Law Pete Giannetta Episode: "Journey Through Limbo"
Love American Style Leonard 1 episode
1973 Love Story Gary Stone Episode: "Love Came Laughing"
1974 Medical Center Dr. Lensko Episode: "Web of Intrigue"
1975 Police Surgeon Brian Lewis Episode: "Insight to Murder"
Police Story Mike Ripley Episode: "A Community of Victims"
1976 Scott Free Tony Scott Television film
1977 Red Alert Carl Wyche Television film
1978 The Comedy Company Paul Lester Television film
1980 A Perfect Match Steve Triandos Television film
1982 Between Two Brothers Lead Television film
1983 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
1985–86 Dempsey and Makepeace Lt. James Dempsey 30 episodes
1987 Screen Two 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"
1991 Dynasty: The Reunion Arlen Marshall 2 episodes
1992 Home Fires Ted Kramer 6 episodes[11]
1994 Shattering the Silence Ted Ricci Episode: "Not in My Family"
1994 Murder, She Wrote Alex Weaver Episode: "Proof in the Pudding"
1996 Gone in a Night David Protess Television film
1997 The Knock Greg Taylor Mini-series
1998 Dark Realm Bristol Episode: "Murder One"
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 Episode: "Skorpion"
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"
2002 Dinotopia Frank Scott 8 episodes
2003 Ed Stone Is Dead Dad 1 episode
2004–2012 Thomas & Friends Narrator (Series 6 (redub), 7–16),
Diesel (Series 13–16),
Mr. Bubbles (Series 13–15) (voices)
US dub; 239 episodes
2004 The Catherine Tate Show Various Episode: "Car Party"
2005 Dead Man Weds Chuck Newman 6 episodes
2006 Miss Marple Martin Zimmerman Episode: "The Sittaford Mystery"
The Catherine Tate Show Robert Episode: "Large Breasted Doctor"
Trial & Retribution Max Stanford Episode: "XI: Closure"
2006-2008 Jack and the Sodor Construction Company US Narrator 13 episodes; Spin off
2007 Casualty Mike Barnicott Episode: "Inheritance"
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 Rosamund Pilcher's Shades of Love Conrad 2 episodes
Hustle Marcus Wendell Episode: "Clearance from a Deal"
2012 Mr. Selfridge FW Woolworth Episode: #1.8
2012–2017 Episodes Elliot Salad 8 episodes
2013 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 I Live with Models Don Episode: "Tommy's Dad"
Tracey Breaks the News Rich 1 episode
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"
2022 Casualty Bill Phillipsen Episode: "On the Edge"
2023 The Power Robertson Laing Episode: "A Better Future Is in Your Hands"

Video games

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2017 Star Wars: Battlefront II Additional voices [9]
2021 King's Bounty II The Seer

Theatre

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1967 Under the Yum Yum Tree Lead Barn Dinner Theater [12]
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
2021 Straight White Men

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c "The Jerry Springer rollercoaster". The Telegraph. October 14, 2003. Retrieved March 11, 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d "Michael Brandon Biography (1945-)". www.filmreference.com.
  3. ^ Films and Filming. Hansom Books. 1973. p. 67.
  4. ^ Leslie Bunder (3 August 2007), "Meet Michael Brandon",SomethingJewish. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
  5. ^ Thur Starr (July 19, 2007). "'Thomas' has new friend in Brosnan". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 13, 2022.
  6. ^ "Radio City Talk - Rock, Sport & Talk". Radio City Talk.
  7. ^ a b "Biography" Official website
  8. ^ "Film Credits". michaelbrandon.net. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
  9. ^ a b c "Voice Credits". michaelbrandon.net. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
  10. ^ "Television Credits". michaelbrandon.net. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
  11. ^ Home Fires. USA: IMDb. 1992.
  12. ^ "Stage Credits". michaelbrandon.net. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
[edit]