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, administrators, clerics, doctors, law enforcement agents, 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, Cloak & Dagger, Salvador, Away from Her, Strange Behavior, Fall, X-Men: The Last Stand, M*A*S*H and Batman Returns, among others.

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 U.S. Marine Corps near the end of the Korean War, 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.

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).

Murphy worked frequently with Altman, including as Captain Ezekiel Bradbury "Me Lay" Marston V, in M*A*S*H (1970), as Det. Lt. 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 follow-up miniseries Tanner on Tanner).

Other notable film roles include What's Up, Doc? (1972), The Front (1976), The Class of Miss MacMichael (1978), The Year of Living Dangerously (1982), My Letter to George (1986), Salvador (1986), Private Parts (1997), Silver City (2004), According to Greta (2009), White House Down (2013), They Came Together (2014).

His television roles include guest appearances on Bonanza, Baretta, The Sixth Sense, Law & Order, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Judging Amy, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Family Law, 12 O'Clock High, Life Stories, Salty, Here Comes the Brides and L.A. Law.

Though usually cast in supporting roles and character actor parts, Murphy has not been relegated solely to such work.

He has also had leading turns in a variety of theatrical films including Phase IV (1974), Strange Behavior (1981), Hot Money (1983), Shocker (1989), The Island (1998) and the 2014 film Fall--in an acclaimed performance that garnered him a 2015 Canadian Screen Award nomination for Best Actor--as well as starring turns in television films like Bell, Book and Candle (1976), 3 by Cheever: O Youth and Beauty! (1979), Countdown to Looking Glass (1984), Tailspin: Behind the Korean Airliner Tragedy (1989), The Ultimate Lie (1996), Breaking the Surface: The Greg Louganis Story (1996) and In the Dark (2003), in addition to others.

Murphy has narrated numerous documentaries, including many episodes of the PBS historical documentary series The American Experience, and the public television travel series Weekends with Yankee.

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 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.

He has also appeared in the television films Sleeping Dogs Lie (1998), The Life and Crimes of William Palmer (1998), H2O (2004), and theatrically-released features including Folks! (1992), Childstar (2004), Away from Her (2006) and The Trotsky (2008).

He has appeared in Canadian film and television, including the dramady series This Is Wonderland, for which he was nominated for three Gemini Awards, winning twice, successively, in 2004 and 2005, and nominated for a third in 2006.