# Michael Brandon

Michael Brandon (born Michael Feldman; April 20, 1945) 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 American 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

Brandon was born Michael Feldman in Brooklyn, New York on April 20, 1945, to Miriam (née Tumen) and Sol Feldman. 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. He is of Jewish heritage.

## Career

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 fourth American narrator and Alec Baldwin's replacement from the seventh through the sixteenth seasons of the children's television series Thomas & Friends and has also narrated four of the CGI film specials, including Hero of the Rails, Misty Island Rescue, Day of the Diesels, and Blue Mountain Mystery, until departing from the role in 2012. 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. 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

Brandon lived with actress Kim Novak for 18 months in 1973–74. Brandon was married to actress Lindsay Wagner from 1976 to 1979. He has been married to actress Glynis Barber, with whom he co-starred in Dempsey & Makepeace, since 18 November 1989. They remain in the United Kingdom. The couple have a son.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1969 | Goodbye, Columbus | Dartmouth | |
| 1970 | Lovers and Other Strangers | Mike | |
| 1970 | 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) | |
| 1973 | The Third Girl From the Left | David | |
| 1974 | Hitchhike! | Keith Miles | |
| 1974 | The Red Badge of Courage | Jim Conklin | |
| 1975 | Queen of the Stardust Ballroom | David Asher | |
| 1975 | Cage Without a Key | Ben Holian | |
| 1976 | James Dean | Bill Blast | |
| 1978 | FM | Jeff Dugan | |
| 1979 | A Vacation in Hell | Alan | |
| 1979 | 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 | |
| 1990 | Want to Stay Alive? | Tom Lepski | |
| 1990 | Présumé dangereux | Tom Lepski | |
| 1990 | Try This One for Size | Tom Lepski | |
| 1990 | The Care of Time | Robert Halliday | |
| 1996 | The Disappearance of Kevin Johnson | Jeff Littman | |
| 1997 | The Apocalypse Watch | Ambassador Courtland | |
| 1997 | Deja Vu | Alex | |
| 2001 | Contaminated Man | Wyles | |
| 2001 | Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase | Skeleton Gladiator (voice) | DVD movie |
| 2001 | The Lost Battalion | General Robert Alexander | |
| 2004 | Hawking | Arno Penzias | |
| 2005 | Calling All Engines! | US Narrator | |
| 2006 | The Detonator | Commander Flint | |
| 2006 | Are You Ready For Love? | Randy Bush | |
| 2008 | Me and Orson Welles | Les Tremayne | |
| 2009 | Toscanini in His Own Words | Wilfrid Pelletier | |
| 2009 | Hero of the Rails | US Narrator | |
| 2009 | 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 | US Narrator, Diesel | |
| 2014 | Born of War | Harm Helder | |
| 2017 | The Time of Their Lives | Harry Scheider | |
| 2019 | Passport to Oblivion | Parkington | Voice |
| 2022 | Renegades | Palmer | |
| 2024 | Canary Black | the President of the United States | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1969 | Medical Center | Andy Tobin | Episode: "Thousands and Thousands of Miles" |
| 1969 | 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" |
| 1972 | 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" |
| 1975 | 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" |
| 1988 | 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 |
| 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" |
| 1998 | J.A.G. | D.A. Nardoni, Col.Hegstetter | 2 episodes |
| 1998 | The Nanny | Stan | Episode: "The Nanny & the Hunk Producer" |
| 1998 | Ally McBeal | D.A. Dawson | Episode: "The Inmates" |
| 1999 | CI5: The New Professionals | Dr. Woods | Episode: "Skorpion" |
| 1999 | Jonathan Creek | Capt. Frank Candy | Episode: "The Omega Man" |
| 1999 | 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" |
| 2006 | The Catherine Tate Show | Robert | Episode: "Large Breasted Doctor" |
| 2006 | 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" |
| 2007 | The Bill | Louis Dreyfuss | 4 episodes |
| 2008 | Bewitched | Rex | 1 episode |
| 2008 | Doctor Who | General Sanchez | Episode: "The Stolen Earth" |
| 2009 | After You've Gone | Bill Tucker | Episode: "There Will Be Pud" |
| 2009 | Bones | Roger Frampton | Episode: "The Yanks in the U.K.: Parts 1 and 2" |
| 2009 | New Tricks | Colonel Norton | Episode: "The Truth Is Out There" |
| 2010 | Rosamund Pilcher's Shades of Love | Conrad | 2 episodes |
| 2010 | 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" |
| 2017 | Tracey Breaks the News | Rich | 1 episode |
| 2017 | 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

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

## Theatre

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1967 | Under the Yum Yum Tree | Lead | Barn Dinner Theater |
| 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 | — | |