Michael was born and raised in the vibrant city of St. Petersburg, Florida, where he spent the majority of his youth immersed in the rich culture of jazz music. His passion for this genre led him to attend North Texas State University on a scholarship, where he honed his skills as a lead trumpet player. In 1979, he had the esteemed opportunity to play alongside the legendary Stan Kenton, and later appeared with the iconic Woody Herman and his Thundering Heard. However, a life-altering car accident left Michael unable to continue his career as a musician, prompting him to redirect his creative energy towards acting.
On the small screen, Michael made a name for himself by starring in the popular series "Something So Right," landing the lead roles in two television movies, "The Princess And The Marine" and "A Loss Of Innocence," and recurred as the high school gym coach on the hit show "3rd Rock From The Sun." He has also made numerous guest appearances on a wide range of television series, including "That 70's Show," "X-Files," "Arli$$," "The Drew Carey Show," "Home Improvement," "Seinfeld," "Murphy Brown," "Two Guys And A Girl," and "7th Heaven," where he portrayed the father of a child with Tourette's Syndrome.
When he's not working, Michael is an avid golfer, and his love for the sport is evident. In fact, he is most recognizable for his role as Boone in the film "Tin Cup" alongside Kevin Costner. His impressive filmography also includes "Pearl Harbor," "Collateral Damage," "Anywhere But Here," "Crimson Tide," "Executive Decision," "Phenomenon," "Dreamweaver" as James Spader's lawyer, and "Field Of Dreams" where he played the role of Buck Weaver, the Chicago White Sox third baseman.
Despite his busy schedule, Michael always makes time for his favorite pastime, golf. He is determined to achieve one of his long-held goals, which is to play on the PGA Senior tour.