- Michael Brandon
-
Not to be confused with Michael Brandon (pornographic actor).
Michael Brandon Born Michael Feldman
April 20, 1945
Brooklyn, New York, U.S.Occupation Actor Years active 1970–present Spouse Lindsay Wagner (1976–1979) (divorced)
Glynis Barber (1989–present)Michael Brandon (born April 20, 1945) is an American actor who resides in the United Kingdom and United States.
Life and career
Brandon was born Michael Feldman in Brooklyn, New York to Miriam (née Tumen) and Sol Feldman.[1] At age nine, he and his family (brother Elliot and sister Debra) moved to Valley Stream, New York 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.[2] In 2008 he appeared in the Series 4 finale of the BBC's Doctor Who, as General Sanchez, a UNIT officer.[3] 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.[4]
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.[1] 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.
References
- ^ a b FilmReference.com
- ^ City Talk 105.9 - The Voice of Liverpool
- ^ BBC - BBC ONE - Listings
- ^ "Interviews". Sodor Island Fan Site. http://sodor-island.net/interviews.html. Retrieved 2011-01-11.
External links
- Michael Brandon at the Internet Movie Database
- Michael Brandon at AllRovi
- Official website
The Railway Series and Thomas and Friends EnginesNarrow gauge enginesOther charactersRailwaysPlacesThe Railway Series books by the Rev. W. Awdry AuthorsRev. W. V. Awdry (creator) · Christopher Awdry
IllustratorsWilliam Middleton · Reginald Payne · C. Reginald Dalby · John T. Kenney · Peter and Gunvor Edwards · Clive Spong
CommercialMerchandise · The Railway Stories (audiobooks) · (Audiobook narrators: Johnny Morris · Willie Rushton · Ted Robbins · Michael Angelis)
Thomas and Friends, the television show CharactersTelevision seriesStraight-to-videoMovies and specialsThomas and the Magic Railroad (2000) · Calling All Engines (2005) · The Great Discovery (2008) · Hero of the Rails (2009) · Misty Island Rescue (2010) · Day of the Diesels (2011)
NarratorsRingo Starr (1984-1986 (US & UK)) · Michael Angelis (1991-onward (US Video 2004 & UK)) · George Carlin (1984-1995 (US)) · Alec Baldwin (1998-2002 (US)) · Michael Brandon (2003-onward (US)) · Pierce Brosnan (2008, guest narrator (US & UK)) · All narrators
ProductionBritt Allcroft (series creator) · David Mitton (original model director) · Gullane Entertainment · HiT Entertainment
CommercialDay out with Thomas · Merchandise · My Thomas Story Library
Thomas Land at Drayton Manor · Percy's Railway (roller coaster) · Troublesome Trucks (roller coaster)Video gamesThomas the Tank Engine & Friends (1993) · Pinball (1995) · The Great Festival Adventure (1999) · Trouble on the Tracks (2000) · Sodor-tou no Nakama-tachi (2001) · Building the New Line (2002)
Related seriesCategories:- American film actors
- American television actors
- American expatriates in the United Kingdom
- Actors from New York
- People from Brooklyn
- Valley Stream Central High School alumni
- 1945 births
- Living people
- American screen actor, 1940s birth stubs
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