Michael Murphy

Michael Murphy (May 5, 1938 (Los Angeles, California) is an American character actor. Best known for his performance as the self-tortured adulterer Yale in Woody Allen's film masterpiece, Manhattan, Murphy is also known for appearing in several Robert Altman directed productions, starting with the television series, Combat!, including his protrayals as presidential candidate Jack Tanner in HBO's acclaimed miniseries, Tanner '88 and as political operative John Triplette in the movie, Nashville. Murphy has won two Gemini Awards as Best Actor in a Supporting Role for a Dramatic Series for his role in the Canadian television series, This Is Wonderland and was nominated for a third (2004 &mdash; 2006). He has also appeared in an episode of the 1960s sitcom, Hogan's Heroes.

Biography
Murphy was born in Los Angeles, California to Bearl Branton Murphy, a salesman, and Georgia Arlyn Murphy, a teacher. He served a stint, starting in 1956, in the United States Marine Corps. After leaving the Marines, he attented the University of Arizona, before going to UCLA to get his teaching credentials. From 1962 to 1964, Murphy would teach high school English and drama in Los Angeles.

In 1962, he would make his television debut on the NBC series, Saint and Sinners. The following year he would appear in an Altman-directed episode of Combat!, beginning their long association. In 1964, Murphy would give up his teaching career to become a full time actor, which would include an appearance in Altman's television movie, Nightmare in Chicago. Two years later, he would make his stage debut in the Los Angeles production of Take Her, She's Mine, followed in 1967 by his film debut in ''Double Trouble.

Between his appearances in Double Trouble and Manhattan, Murphy would appear in such films as Countdown, MASH, What's Up, Doc?, McCabe & Mrs. Miller, Nashville, The Front, where he would act with later friend Woody Allen, and The Great Bank Hoax, as well as several television movies, including The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, I Love You, Goodbye and The Crooked Hearts. He would also appear in Paul Mazursky's An Unmarried Woman, where he played Martin, a philandering husband. Murphy's next major role would be playing sleazy journalist Pete Curtis in Peter Weir's The Year of Living Dangerously, followed by roles as the American Ambassador in Salvador and Mayor Hamilton Hill of Gotham City in Batman Returns. His first starring television role would be as Dr. Art Armstrong in the short-lived series, Two Marriages. In 1988, along with appearing in Altman's Tanner '88, as a Democratic presidential candidate, Murphy would appear in Altman's TV-adaptation of Herman Wouk's play, The Caine Mutiny Court-Matial.

Murphy next major roles would be in the film adaptation of Howard Stern's auto-biographical book, Private Parts and his protrayal of Greg Louganis' father in the television film based on Louganis' autobiography, Breaking the Surface: The Greg Louganis Story, both appearing in 1997. He would appear two years later in Paul Thomas Anderson's film, Magnolia. In 2002, he would appear in the HBO television film, Live from Baghdad. Starting in 2004, he would appear in the Canadian series, This Is Wonderland, while also appearing in the movie, Childstar. He would also make appearances on the television shows, Law & Order and one of its spin-off, Criminal Intent. Also in 2004, he appeared in the HBO miniseries, Tanner on Tanner, where he reprived his earlier role as Jack Tenner, and in Silver City as a US Senator whose son is running for governor. His most recent major role was as Warren Worthington II, the father of Angel, in X-Men: The Last Stand.

Murphy is currently married to Canadian actress Wendy Crewson. The couple have two children.

Filmography

 * Greta (2008)
 * The Wind in the Willows (2006) (TV)
 * Away from Her (2006)
 * The Path to 9/11 (2006) (TV)
 * X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)
 * Playing House (2006) (TV)
 * Mayday (2005) (TV)
 * Hunt for Justice (2005) (TV)
 * Heights (2005)
 * H2O (2004) (TV)
 * Tanner on Tanner (2004) (TV)
 * Behind the Scenes: Tanner on Tanner (2004) (V)
 * Childstar (2004)
 * Silver City (2004)
 * Tricks (2004)
 * In the Dark (2003) (TV)
 * Footsteps (2003) (TV)
 * Live from Baghdad (2002) (TV)
 * The Day Reagan Was Shot (2001) (TV)
 * Tart (2001)
 * The Art of War (2000) (uncredited)
 * Twentieth Century Fox: The Blockbuster Years (2000) (TV)
 * Enlisted: The Story of M*A*S*H (2000) (V)
 * Magnolia (1999)
 * Indiscretion of an American Wife (1998) (TV)
 * The Island (1998)
 * Sleeping Dogs Lie (1998)
 * The Irish in America: Long Journey Home (1998) (TV)
 * Breaking the Surface: The Greg Louganis Story (1997) (TV)
 * Private Parts (1997)
 * Kansas City (1996)
 * Special Report: Journey to Mars (1996) (TV)
 * The Ultimate Lie (1996) (TV)
 * Truman (1995) (TV) (uncredited)
 * The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies (1995) (TV)
 * Bad Company (1995) (uncredited)
 * Clean Slate (1994)
 * Dead Ahead: The Exxon Valdez Disaster (1992) (TV)
 * Batman Returns (1992)
 * Folks! (1992)
 * Shocker (1989)
 * Tailspin: Behind the Korean Airline Tragedy (1989) (TV)
 * The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial (1988) (TV)
 * Tanner '88 (1988) (mini) (TV series)
 * Hard Copy (1987) (TV Series)
 * Salvador (1986)
 * Mesmerized (1986)
 * Countdown to Looking Glass (1984) (TV)
 * Cloak & Dagger (1984)
 * Talk to Me (1984)
 * Two Marriages (1983) (TV Series)
 * Hot Money (1983)
 * The Year of Living Dangerously (1982)
 * The Rules of Marriage (1982) (TV)
 * Strange Behavior (1981)
 * 3 by Cheever: O Youth and Beauty! (1979) (TV)
 * Manhattan (1979)
 * The Great Bank Hoax (1978)
 * An Unmarried Woman (1978)
 * The Class of Miss MacMichael (1978)
 * The Front (1976)
 * The Making of 'The Front' (1976) (TV)
 * Bell, Book and Candle (1976) (TV)
 * Nashville (1975)
 * Phase IV (1974)
 * I Love You, Goodbye (1974) (TV)
 * The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (1974) (TV)
 * The Thief Who Came to Dinner (1973)
 * The Crooked Hearts (1972) (TV)
 * What's Up, Doc? (1972)
 * McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971)
 * Brewster McCloud (1970)
 * Count Yorga, Vampire (1970)
 * MASH (1970)
 * The Arrangement (1969)
 * That Cold Day in the Park (1969)
 * The Legend of Lylah Clare (1968)
 * Countdown (1968)
 * Double Trouble (1967)
 * Nightmare in Chicago (1964)

Notable TV Guest Appearances

 * This Is Wonderland playing "Judge Maxwell Field" in episode: "Episode #3.10" (episode # 3.10) 8 February 2006
 * The American Experience playing "Narrator" (voice) in episode: "Jesse James" (episode # 18.7) 6 February 2006
 * The American Experience playing "Narrator" (voice) in episode: "Las Vegas: An Unconventional History: Part 2" (episode # 18.4) 15 November 2005
 * The American Experience playing "Narrator" (voice) in episode: "Las Vegas: An Unconventional History: Part 1" (episode # 18.3) 14 November 2005
 * Tilt playing "Jimmy Molly" in episode: "The Last Hand" (episode # 1.9) 13 March 2005
 * Tilt playing "Jimmy Molly" in episode: "Nobody Ever Listens" (episode # 1.8) 10 March 2005
 * Tilt playing "Jimmy Molly" in episode: "Shuffle Up and Deal" (episode # 1.7) 3 March 2005
 * Tilt playing "Jimmy Molly" in episode: "Gentleman Jim" (episode # 1.6) 24 February 2005
 * Tilt playing "Jimmy Molly" in episode: "Rivered" (episode # 1.5) 17 February 2005
 * Tilt playing "Jimmy Molly" in episode: "The Aftermath" (episode # 1.4) 10 February 2005
 * Tilt playing "Jimmy Molly" in episode: "The Whale" (episode # 1.3) 27 January 2005
 * Tilt playing "Jimmy - Colorado's Casino Owner" in episode: "Risk Tolerance" (episode # 1.2) 20 January 2005
 * Tilt playing "Colorado's Casino Owner" in episode: "The Game" (episode # 1.1) 13 January 2005
 * LAX playing "Emmet" in "Pilot" (episode # 1.1) 13 September 2004
 * American Masters playing "Narrator" (voice) in episode: "Julia Child! America's Favorite Chef" (episode # 18.1) 18 August 2004
 * This Is Wonderland playing "Judge Maxwell Fraser" in episode: "Episode #1.11" (episode # 1.11) 22 March 2004
 * This Is Wonderland playing "Judge Maxwell Fraser" in episode: "Episode #1.4" (episode # 1.4) 2 February 2004
 * The Eleventh Hour playing "Actor" in episode: "Hall of Mirrors" (episode # 1.13) 9 May 2003
 * Criminal Intent playing "Judge Peter Blakemore" in episode: "Semi-Professional" (episode # 1.15) 10 March 2002
 * The American Experience playing "Narrator" (voice) in episode: "Mount Rushmore" (episode # 14.4) 20 January 2002
 * Law & Order playing "Nolan Tinsdale" in episode: "Armed Forces" (episode # 12.2) 3 October 2001
 * Family Law playing "Ian Lumberg" in episode: "Telling Lies" (episode # 2.5) 30 October 2000
 * Judging Amy playing "Judge McNeil" in episode: "Culture Clash" (episode # 1.15) 15 February 2000
 * L.A. Law playing "Bobby Lewis" in episode: "Bare Witness" (episode # 7.11) 21 January 1993
 * Lifestories playing "Frank Brody" in episode: "Frank Brody" (episode # 1.3) 7 October 1990
 * Baretta playing "Mike Parsons" in episode: "This Ain't My Bag" (episode # 1.12) 30 April 1975
 * The Sixth Sense playing "David Ford" in episode: "The Heart That Wouldn't Stay Buried" (episode # 1.2) 22 January 1972
 * Here Come the Brides playing "Ethan Weems" in episode: "Letter of the Law" (episode # 1.6) 30 October 1968
 * Premiere playing "William Smith" in episode: "Walk in the Sky" (episode # 1.3) 15 July 1968
 * Bonanza playing "Will Holt" in episode: "The Burning Sky" (episode # 9.18) 28 January 1968
 * Hogan's Heroes playing "Corporal Walter Comminsky" (uncredited) in episode: "Reservations Are Required" (episode # 1.15) 24 December 1965
 * Ben Casey playing "Actor" in episode: "You Wanna Know What Really Goes on in a Hospital?" (episode # 5.14) 20 December 1965
 * Ben Casey playing "Dr. Paul Galloway" (as Mike Murphy) in episode: "A Horse Named Stravinsky" (episode # 4.31) 17 May 1965
 * The Man from U.N.C.L.E. playing "Interne" in episode: "The Love Affair" (episode # 1.26) 29 March 1965
 * Ben Casey playing "Andy Andrews" (as Mike Murphy) in episode: "A Disease of the Heart Called Love" (episode # 4.10) 23 November 1964
 * Kraft Suspense Theatre playing "William Smith" in episode: "Once Upon a Savage Knight" (episode # 1.21) 2 April 1964
 * Combat! playing "1st Tanker" (as Mike Murphy) in episode: "Survival" (episode # 1.23) 12 March 1963
 * Combat! playing "Soldier in Hospital" (uncredited) in episode: "Off Limits" (episode # 1.20) 19 February 1963