Michael Murphy (actor)

Michael Murphy (actor)
Michael George Murphy (born May 5, 1938) is an American film, television and stage actor. He often plays unethical or morally ambiguous characters in positions of authority, including politicians, executives, and lawyers. He is also known for his frequent collaborations with director Robert Altman, having appeared in twelve films, TV series and miniseries directed by Altman from 1963 to 2004, including the title role in the miniseries Tanner '88. He had roles in the films Manhattan, An Unmarried Woman, Nashville, The Year of Living Dangerously, Phase IV, The Front, Shocker, Magnolia, M*A*S*H and Batman Returns, among others.
Early life
Murphy was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of Georgia Arlyn (née Money), a teacher, and Bearl Branton Murphy, a salesman. After serving in the United States Marine Corps, Murphy attended the University of Arizona and the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA).
He taught English and drama at University High School (Los Angeles) before pursuing an acting career.
Career
Murphy is best known for his performances as Jill Clayburgh's adulterous husband Martin in Paul Mazursky's An Unmarried Woman (1978), as Woody Allen's morally ambiguous best friend Yale in Manhattan (1979), as ethically enigmatic lawyer Alan Kligman in Magnolia (1999), and as the star of Garry Trudeau and Robert Altman's HBO miniseries Tanner '88.
Murphy worked frequently with Altman, including as Captain Ezekiel Bradbury "Me Lay" Marston, IV, in M*A*S*H (1970), as Frank Shaft in Brewster McCloud (1970), as John Triplette in Nashville (1975), and as the title character in Tanner '88 (a role he reprised in the 2004 miniseries Tanner on Tanner). Other Altman films and television series in which Murphy appeared include the World War II TV series Combat! (in which Murphy appeared in 1963, on the show's second of its five seasons), Countdown (1968), That Cold Day in the Park (1969), McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971), The Caine Mutiny Court Martial (1988) and Kansas City (1996).
Other notable film roles include The Year of Living Dangerously (1982), Salvador (1986), Silver City (2004), and According to Greta (2009). His television roles include guest appearances on Law & Order, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, L.A. Law and Judging Amy.
Murphy has also narrated many episodes of the PBS historical documentary series The American Experience and the public television travel series Weekends with Yankee. He appeared in Canadian film and television, including This Is Wonderland, for which he won two Gemini Awards, in 2004 and 2005, and was nominated for a third, in 2006. He also appeared in the 2004 Canadian film Childstar.
Personal life
Murphy was married to Canadian actress Wendy Crewson from 1988 until their divorce in January 2009. They have two children, Maggie (born 1989) and John (born 1992).
Murphy currently resides in Cape Elizabeth, Maine.
Selected filmography
Double Trouble (1967) as Morley
Countdown (1968) as Rick
The Legend of Lylah Clare (1968) as Mark Peter Sheehan
That Cold Day in the Park (1969) as The Rounder
The Arrangement (1969) as Father Draddy
The Lawyer (1970) as Intern in Legal Office (uncredited)
Count Yorga, Vampire (1970) as Paul
M*A*S*H (1970) as Capt. Ezekiel Bradbury "Me Lay" Marston V
Brewster McCloud (1970) as Det. Lt. Frank Shaft
McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971) as Sears
The Crooked Hearts (1972) as Officer Frank Adamic
What's Up, Doc? (1972) as Mr. Smith
The Thief Who Came to Dinner (1973) as Ted
The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman as Quentin Lerner
I Love You...Good-bye (1974) as Alec Shield
Phase IV (1974) as James R. Lesko
Nashville (1975) as John Triplette
The Making of "The Front" (1976) as Self
The Front (1976) as Alfred Miller
Bell, Book and Candle (1976) as Alex Brandt
The Great Bank Hoax (1977) as Reverend Manigma
An Unmarried Woman (1978) as Martin Benton
3 by Cheever: O Youth and Beauty! (1979) as Cash Bentley
Manhattan (1979) as Yale
Strange Behavior (1981) as John Brady
The Rules of Marriage (1982) as Alan Murray
The Year of Living Dangerously (1982) as Pete Curtis
Hot Money (1983) as Burt / Tom
Talk to Me (1984) as Ross
Countdown to Looking Glass (1984) as Bob Calhoun
Cloak & Dagger (1984) as Rice
My Letter to George (1985) as Reverend Wilson
Salvador (1986) as U.S. Ambassador Thomas Kelly
Tanner '88 (1988) as Fmr. U.S. Congressman Jack Tanner
The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial (1988) as Captain Blakely
Shocker (1989) as Det. Lt. Don Parker
The Making of "Shocker" (1989) as Self
Tailspin: Behind the Korean Airliner Tragedy (1989) as Richard Burt
Folks! (1992) as Ed
Batman Returns (1992) as The Mayor
Dead Ahead: The Exxon Valdez Disaster (1992) as U.S. EPA Administrator William Reilly
Clean Slate (1994) as Dr. Doover
Bad Company (1995) as William V. 'Smitty' Smithfield (uncredited)
Truman (1995) as Dinner Speaker (uncredited)
Breaking the Surface: The Greg Louganis Story (1996) as Pete Louganis
Kansas City (1996) as Henry Stilton
Special Report: Journey to Mars (1996) as Dean Rumplemeyer
The Ultimate Lie (1996) as Malcolm McGrath
Private Parts (1997) as Roger Erlick
The Irish in America: Long Journey Home (1998) as Narrator
The Island (1998) as President John F. Kennedy
The Life and Crimes of William Palmer (1998) as Smith
Indiscretion of an American Wife (1998) as Russell Burton
Sleeping Dogs Lie (1998) as Edgar Tratt
Magnolia (1999) as Alan Kligman, Esq.
The Art of War (2000) as Politician (uncredited)
The Only Living Boy in New York (2000) as Rudy
Enlisted: The Story of "M*A*S*H" (2000) as Self
Tart (2001) as Mike Storm
The Day Reagan Was Shot (2001) as White House Deputy Chief of Staff Michael Deaver
American Experience – Mount Rushmore (2002) as Narrator
Live from Baghdad (2002) as Tom Johnson
American Experience – Transcontinental Railroad (2003) as Narrator
Footsteps (2003) as Robbie
In the Dark (2003) as George Speller
Tricks (2004) as Arthur
Childstar (2004) as Reed Harrison
American Masters – Julia! America's Favorite Chef (2004) as Narrator
Silver City (2004) as U.S. Senator Judson Pilager
Tanner on Tanner (2004) as Fmr. U.S. Congressman Jack Tanner
H2O (2004) as U.S. Ambassador Conrad
Tilt (2005) as Jimmy Malloy
Heights (2005) as Jesse
Mayday (2005) as Captain Randall Williams
American Experience – Las Vegas: An Unconventional History, Part I (2005) as Narrator
American Experience – Las Vegas: An Unconventional History, Part II (2005) as Narrator
X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) as Warren Worthington II
Away From Her (2006) as Aubrey
The Path to 9/11 (2006) as U.S. Secretary of Defense William Cohen
Playing House (2006) as Hubbard
The Wind in the Willows (2006) as Judge
American Experience – Jesse James (2006) as Narrator
American Experience – The Gold Rush (2006) as Narrator
Caring for Your Parents (2008) as Narrator
Depression: Out of the Shadows (2008) as Narrator
The Quality of Life (2008) as Charles Greenborne
American Experience – Kit Carson (2008) as Narrator
The Trotsky (2009) as Frank McGovern
According to Greta (2009) as Joseph
American Experience – Wyatt Earp (2010) as Narrator
Angle of Attack: How Naval Aviation Changed the Face of War (2011) as Narrator
American Experience – Billy the Kid (2011) as Narrator
American Experience – Panama Canal (2011) as Narrator
American Experience – Dinosaur Wars (2011) as Narrator
American Experience – Triangle Fire (2011) as Narrator
American Experience – Custer's Last Stand (2012) as Narrator
American Experience – Grand Coulee Dam (2012) as Narrator
Great Scot Beer (2012) as Randy
White House Down (2013) as Vice President Alvin Hammond
The Making of "Nashville" (2013) as Self
American Experience – Silicon Valley (2014) as Narrator
American Experience – Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (2014) as Narrator
American Experience – The Rise and Fall of Penn Station (2014) as Narrator
Altman (2014) as Self
Fall (2014) as Father Sam Ryan
They Came Together (2014) as Roger
American Experience – Edison (2015) as Narrator
American Experience – The Forgotten Plague (2015) as Narrator
American Experience – Last Days in Vietnam (2015) as Narrator
American Experience – Bonnie & Clyde (2016) as Narrator
American Experience – Mine Wars (2016) as Narrator
American Experience – Murder of a President (2016) as Narrator
American Experience – Space Men (2016) as Narrator
American Experience – Tesla (2016) as Narrator
American Experience – The Battle of Chosin (2016) as Narrator
Close Encounters with Vilmos Zsigmond (2016) as Self
McCabe & Mrs. Miller: Way Out on a Limb (2016) as Self
American Experience – The Race Underground (2017) as Narrator
Indian Horse (2017) as Father Quinney
Two Plains & a Fancy (2018) as Rancher
American Experience – The Circus: Part 1 (2018) as Narrator
American Experience – The Circus: Part 2 (2018) as Narrator
American Experience – Sealab (2019) as Narrator
American Experience – The Feud (2019) as Narrator
Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese (2019) as The Politician, Fmr. U.S. Congressman Jack Tanner
American Experience – The Man Who Tried to Feed the World (2020) as Narrator
A Vampire in L.A. (2022) as Self
References
External links
1938 births
20th-century American male actors
21st-century American male actors
American male film actors
American male television actors
Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Canadian Screen Award winners
Living people
Male actors from Los Angeles
People from Cape Elizabeth, Maine
University of California, Los Angeles alumni
United States Marines
University of Arizona alumni