Michael Woods, a theatre-trained actor, was born in Detroit, Michigan to Dr. Joseph and Dorothy Woods. He earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in drama from the University of Detroit/Marygrove College, where he won the prestigious ACTF Kennedy Center honor for his performance in "The Brig" in 1977.
Woods' early career was marked by regional theatre appearances in notable plays such as the Mark Medoff premiere of "The Halloween Bandit" and Tennessee Williams' "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof". He received rave reviews for his performance opposite Ed Harris in "Scar" at The Met Theatre.
In 1981, Woods landed his big break with a contract role on the daytime drama "All My Children", a show that had been on the air since 1970. He went on to star in five prime time television series, including "NightMan" in 1997, "Bare Essence" in 1983, co-starring Ian McShane, and "Our Family Honor" in 1985, alongside legendary actor Eli Wallach.
The series also marked the television debuts of notable actors Ray Liotta and Michael Madsen. Woods starred in his own critically acclaimed series for NBC, "Private Eye" in 1987, which co-starred Josh Brolin.
In addition to his television work, Woods has appeared in numerous made-for-television movies and miniseries, including Herman Wouk's epic "War and Remembrance" in 1988, where he played the son of Robert Mitchum and husband to Sharon Stone, and "Shadow of the Cobra" in 1989, alongside Rachel Ward.
Woods' feature film credits include "Lady Beware" in 1987, opposite Diane Lane. More recently, he has appeared in several movies for Lifetime Television and can be seen in "The Closer" in 2005, alongside Kyra Sedgwick.