Michael Brandon
Encyclopedia
Michael Brandon is an American actor who resides in the United Kingdom and United States.
where he attended Memorial Junior High and then Valley Stream Central High School
.
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 TV on such shows as The Bill
, Trial and 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
. In 2004, he portrayed Nobel Prize winner Arno Penzias in the BBC
TV movie Hawking about physicist Stephen Hawking
's early career at the University of Cambridge and began narrating the American version of Thomas and Friends and Abe and the Amazing Promise
of Veggie Tales. In February 2008 he began his talk radio show on City Talk, 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 Clive Frampton, an American millionaire.
Brandon was offered the role as the narrator of the US version of Thomas and Friends after his performance in Jerry Springer the Opera. HiT Entertainment had approached him and they talked for hours and Brandon had stayed on till 2007.
From 1976 to 1979, Brandon was married to actress Lindsay Wagner
(who portrayed Jaime Sommers in the Bionic Woman
series). He is currently married to actress Glynis Barber
, with whom he co-starred in Dempsey & Makepeace, and the couple remain in the United Kingdom
. Brandon and Barber have a son called Alexander Max Brandon, (born November 1992)
In 2011, Brandon guest-starred in an episode of the BBC1 con drama Hustle
as Marcus Wendell (series 7, episode 3).
Most recently he was seen in a supporting role in the film Captain America: The First Avenger
as a politician who befriends the titular character.
Life and career
Brandon was born Michael Feldman in Brooklyn, New York to Miriam (née Tumen) and Sol Feldman. At age nine, he and his family (brother Elliot and sister Debra) moved to Valley Stream, New YorkValley Stream, New York
Valley Stream is a village in Nassau County, New York in the United States. The population in the village of Valley Stream was 37,511 at the 2010 census...
where he attended Memorial Junior High and then Valley Stream Central High School
Valley Stream Central High School
Valley Stream Central High School is a public senior high school in the village of Valley Stream, New York in southwest Nassau County. It is part of the Valley Stream Central High School District.-Principals:A list of school principals:...
.
Brandon starred in the TV series Dempsey and Makepeace and Dinotopia
Dinotopia
Dinotopia is a fictional utopia created by author and illustrator James Gurney. It is the setting for the book series with which it shares its name. Dinotopia is an isolated island inhabited by shipwrecked humans and sentient dinosaurs who have learned to coexist peacefully as a single symbiotic...
, the movies Quattro mosche di velluto grigio (1971), F.M.
FM (film)
FM is a 1978 directed by John A. Alonzo, and starring Michael Brandon, Eileen Brennan, Alex Karras and Cleavon Little. The screenplay was written by Ezra Sacks.This film was produced by Universal Pictures, and originally released to movie theaters in 1978....
(1978), A Vacation In Hell
A Vacation in Hell
A Vacation in Hell is a 1979 made-for-television film starring Priscilla Barnes and Maureen McCormick as part of a group of lost vacationers being stalked through the Hawaiian jungle...
(1979) and A Change of Seasons
A Change of Seasons (film)
A Change of Seasons is a 1980 American dramedy film directed by Stephen Frears. It stars Anthony Hopkins, Shirley MacLaine and Bo Derek.-Plot:...
(1980), and the plays Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie?
Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie?
Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie? is a play written in 1969 by Don Petersen. It has three acts, and helped to launch the careers of actors Al Pacino and Ron Thompson.-Title:...
and Jerry Springer - The Opera.
Since moving to the UK, Brandon has worked in TV on such shows as The Bill
The Bill
The Bill is a police procedural television series that ran from October 1984 to August 2010. It focused on the lives and work of one shift of police officers, rather than on any particular aspect of police work...
, Trial and Retribution, and Dead Man Weds
Dead Man Weds
Dead Man Weds is a 6-part comedy series shown on ITV on British TV in January and early February 2005 .The series was written by Dave Spikey who played the part of Jerry St Clair in Phoenix Nights...
. He also played the title role in the musical Jerry Springer: The Opera
Jerry Springer: The Opera
Jerry Springer: The Opera is a British musical written by Richard Thomas and Stewart Lee, based on the television show The Jerry Springer Show. The musical is notable for its profanity, its irreverent treatment of Judeo-Christian themes, and surreal images such as a troupe of tap-dancing Ku Klux...
for over a year in the National Theatre
Royal National Theatre
The Royal National Theatre in London is one of the United Kingdom's two most prominent publicly funded theatre companies, alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company...
and after its transfer into the West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
. In 2004, he portrayed Nobel Prize winner Arno Penzias in the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
TV movie Hawking about physicist Stephen Hawking
Stephen Hawking
Stephen William Hawking, CH, CBE, FRS, FRSA is an English theoretical physicist and cosmologist, whose scientific books and public appearances have made him an academic celebrity...
's early career at the University of Cambridge and began narrating the American version of Thomas and Friends and Abe and the Amazing Promise
Abe and the Amazing Promise
Abe and the Amazing Promise is the 37th episode in the VeggieTales series, and it was released on winter of 2009. It is written by Phil Vischer. It is narrated by Michael Angelis in the UK version, and Michael Brandon in the US version. It is the first VeggieTales episode released in 2009. It is...
of Veggie Tales. In February 2008 he began his talk radio show on City Talk, a new local radio station in Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
. In 2008 he appeared in the Series 4
Doctor Who (series 4)
The fourth series of British science fiction television series Doctor Who began on 25 December 2007 with the Christmas special "Voyage of the Damned". Following the special, a regular series of thirteen episodes aired, starting with "Partners in Crime" on 5 April 2008 and ending with "Journey's End"...
finale of the BBC's Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
, as General Sanchez, a UNIT
UNIT
UNIT is a fictional military organisation from the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures...
officer. Also in 2008 he appeared in the television series Bones
Bones (TV series)
Bones is an American crime drama television series that premiered on the Fox Network on September 13, 2005. The show is based on forensic anthropology and forensic archaeology, with each episode focusing on an FBI case file concerning the mystery behind human remains brought by FBI Special Agent...
, as Clive Frampton, an American millionaire.
Brandon was offered the role as the narrator of the US version of Thomas and Friends after his performance in Jerry Springer the Opera. HiT Entertainment had approached him and they talked for hours and Brandon had stayed on till 2007.
From 1976 to 1979, Brandon was married to actress Lindsay Wagner
Lindsay Wagner
Lindsay Jean Wagner is an American actress. She is probably best known for her portrayal of Jaime Sommers in the 1970s television series The Bionic Woman , though she has maintained a lengthy career in a variety of other film and television productions since.-Early life:Wagner was born in Los...
(who portrayed Jaime Sommers in the Bionic Woman
The Bionic Woman
The Bionic Woman is an American television series starring Lindsay Wagner that aired for three seasons between 1976 and 1978 as a spin off from The Six Million Dollar Man. Wagner stars as tennis pro Jaime Sommers who is nearly killed in a skydiving accident. Sommers' life is saved by Oscar Goldman ...
series). He is currently married to actress Glynis Barber
Glynis Barber
Glynis Barber is a South African actress of Afrikaner descent, born and brought up in South Africa. She was born Glynis van der Riet. When she was five years old, her parents divorced, and she and her mother moved to Johannesburg. She is best known for her portrayal as Sgt...
, with whom he co-starred in Dempsey & Makepeace, and the couple remain in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Brandon and Barber have a son called Alexander Max Brandon, (born November 1992)
In 2011, Brandon guest-starred in an episode of the BBC1 con drama Hustle
Hustle (TV series)
Hustle is a British television drama series made by Kudos Film and Television for BBC One in the United Kingdom. Created by Tony Jordan and first broadcast in 2004, the series follows a group of con artists who specialise in "long cons" – extended deceptions which require greater commitment, but...
as Marcus Wendell (series 7, episode 3).
Most recently he was seen in a supporting role in the film Captain America: The First Avenger
Captain America: The First Avenger
Captain America: The First Avenger is a 2011 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Captain America. It is the fifth installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe...
as a politician who befriends the titular character.