Michael Beck was born on February 4, 1949 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA as John Michael Beck Taylor. He is an actor, known for The Warriors (1979), Xanadu (1980) and Houston Knights (1987). He has been married to Cari since September 1980. They have two children.
The Warriors, Xanadu, Megaforce, Battletruck, The Grace of Jake, The Golden Seal, Forest Warrior, Wes Craven's Chiller, Gone to Texas, Triumphs of a Man Called Horse, Deadly Game, Mayflower: The Pilgrims' Adventure, Stranger at My Door, The Jungle Book: Search for the Lost Treasure, Blackout, The Ba...
TV Shows
Houston Knights, Robin's Hoods, Celebrity
Star Sign
Aquarius
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Quote
1
[on his show "Houston Knights"] Look, we've had cop shows since the inception of television, and when there's two guys they're usually buddies. The switch here is Michael and I don't get along - he's from Chicago, and we're not crazy about each other, we're more likely to slug each other - but we're accessible enough to get into America's living rooms every week.
2
The Warriors (1979) opened a lot of doors in film, for me, which Xanadu (1980) then closed.
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Fact
1
Read (provided the voice for) the Books-On-Tape version of John Grisham's "Runaway Jury". [2004]
2
Tried out for, but did not get, the role of "Sir Lancelot of the Lake" in John Boorman's movie Excalibur (1981).
3
Not to be confused with another actor named Michael Beck, a New York-based stage actor who is a founding member of two theatre companies: 16 Tons Theater Company, a Brooklyn based ensemble which is devoted to creating original and multidisciplinary works, and the Ontik Ensemble, a Manhattan based theater company.
4
Starred as Chance Wayne opposite Lauren Bacall in a production of "Sweet Bird of Youth" in London in 1985.
5
Went to Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi, on a football scholarship. Graduated with a degree in Economics.
6
Was one of 30 (out of 2,500) applicants chosen for London's Central School of Speech and Drama, following his college graduation.
7
The third of nine children, he has four brothers and four sisters.
8
His wife Cari is a songwriter. They have two children: son, Jesse; daughter, Ashley (died in 1989).
9
His stage credits, beginning with college, include: "Romeo & Juliet" (he was Tybalt); "Camelot" (he was King Arthur); and "Cat On a Hot Tin Roof.".
10
His hobbies include reading, music and cooking.
11
Was nominated for two Razzie Awards, Worst Actor in 1981 for Xanadu (1980). And Worst Supporting Actor in 1983 for Megaforce (1982).
12
Is originally from a tiny Delta city in eastern Arkansas surrounded by cotton fields - a small school powerhouse in football and basketball.
13
Played quarterback for his college football team.
Actor
Title
Year
Status
Character
Walker, Texas Ranger
1996-1998
TV Series
Adam McGuire
Born Free
1998
TV Series
Luke
Diagnosis Murder
1997
TV Series
Frank Waldeck
Forest Warrior
1996
Arlen Slaighter
McKenna
1995
TV Series
Jon Doe / Alex
Babylon 5
1994
TV Series
Abel Horn
Robin's Hoods
1994
TV Series
Detective Stephen DeCosta
Murder, She Wrote
1989-1993
TV Series
Brian Bentall / Justin Fields / Danny Schubert
In the Heat of the Night
1993
TV Series
Sonny Roper
Fade to Black
1993
TV Movie
Braith
Final Judgment
1991
TV Movie
Delaney
Stranger at My Door
1991
TV Movie
Jimmy Lee Dancey
Deadly Game
1991
TV Movie
Peterson
Only One Survived
1990
TV Movie
Paul Haskel
Houston Knights
1987-1988
TV Series
Sgt. Levon Lundy
Houston: The Legend of Texas
1986
TV Movie
Jim Bowie
Blackout
1985
TV Movie
Mike Patterson
Chiller
1985
TV Movie
Miles Creighton
Rearview Mirror
1984
TV Movie
Jerry Sam Hopps
The Streets
1984
TV Movie
Sgt. Danny Wreade
Celebrity
1984
TV Mini-Series
T.J. Luther
The Golden Seal
1983
Crawford
The Last Ninja
1983
TV Movie
Kenjiro Sakura
Triumphs of a Man Called Horse
1983
Koda
Megaforce
1982
Dallas
Battletruck
1982
Hunter
Fly Away Home
1981
TV Movie
Mark
Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story
1980
TV Movie
Clarence Carnes
Xanadu
1980
Sonny Malone
Mayflower: The Pilgrims' Adventure
1979
TV Movie
John Alden
The Warriors
1979
Swan
Madman
1978
Holocaust
1978
TV Mini-Series
Hans Helms
Ryan's Hope
1977
TV Series
The Hard Ride
1971
Highway thug (uncredited)
An Evening with Walter Hill & Lawrence Gordon. A Tribute to Andrew Laszlo
$1.6 Million
