Michael York (actor)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Michael York OBE (born Michael Hugh Johnson, March 27, 1942) is a prolific British actor, more recently best known among mainstream audiences for his role of Basil Exposition in the Austin Powers series of films.
Born in Fulmer, Buckinghamshire to Joseph Gwynne Johnson, an army officer, and executive with Marks and Spencer department stores, and Florence Edith May Johnson, a musician. He began his career in a 1956 production of The Yellow Jacket. In 1959 he made his West End debut with a brief part in a production of Hamlet.
Prior to graduating with a degree in English from University College, Oxford in 1964, York had toured with the National Youth Theatre, also performing with the Oxford University Dramatic Society and the University College Players. After some time with the Dundee Repertory, York joined the National Theatre where he worked with Franco Zeffirelli during the 1965 staging of Much Ado About Nothing.
York made his film debut as Lucentio in Zeffirelli's The Taming of the Shrew (1967), then was cast as Tybalt in Zeffirelli's 1968 film adaptation of Romeo and Juliet with Leonard Whiting and Olivia Hussey. He also starred in an early Merchant Ivory Productions film, The Guru (1969).
In Cabaret (1972) York played Brian Roberts, and in 1979 reunited with Zeffirelli as a fiery John the Baptist in Jesus of Nazareth.
York starred as D'Artagnan in the 1973 adaptation of The Three Musketeers. One year later the sequel was released (roughly covering events in the second half of the book) titled The Four Musketeers. These two films are still popular and generally accepted as the best film version of the famous Dumas adventure story [1]. 15 years later, most of the cast (and crew) joined together in a third film titled The Return of the Musketeers based on the Dumas novel Twenty Years After.
York had already been on British TV as Jolyon (Jolly) in The Forsyte Saga (1967). He also played the title character in the film adaptation of Logan's Run (1976).
Since his auspicious early work, York has enjoyed a busy and varied career in film, television, and on the stage. He has also made many sound recordings as a reader, including Harper Audio's production of C.S. Lewis's The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.
He appeared in the Babylon 5 episode A Late Delivery From Avalon as the mentally disturbed and guilt-ridden David McIntyre, the Earthforce gunner who obeyed his Captain's orders to open fire on a Minbari vessel, which started the war between Minbar and Earth that would ultimately kill over 250,000 humans. He also appeared as Professor Asher Fleming, a 60 year-old Yale professor and boyfriend of Yale student Paris Geller (Liza Weil) in the fourth season of Gilmore Girls. He did the voice of the character Ares in the Justice League Unlimited episode "Hawk & Dove."
York also played President Alexander Bourne of Macronesia (formerly New Australia) on seaQuest 2032, a role that was quickly fleshed out and would have remained a major player in the series had it lasted past the thirteen episodes it was ordered for in its third season before ultimately being cancelled.
He has played Basil Exposition in all 3 of the Austin Powers movies.
He has made an appearance on The Simpsons as Mason Fairbanks, Homer's possible father in Homer's Paternity Coot. He was also in the third season finale of Sliders as a character reminiscent of Dr. Moreau. In 2006, York played the Charles Sobhraj-like character, Bernard Fremont, on Law & Order: Criminal Intent.
York now resids in California. His stepson is Star Wars producer Rick McCallum.
[edit] Autobiography
- Accidentally on Purpose (US), Pocket Books. ISBN 0-671-79591-0.
- Travelling Player (UK), Headline. ISBN 0-7472-3306-3.
- Also available in other editions
[edit] External links
- BFI Screenonline - biography and filmography
- Michael York at the Internet Movie Database
- Michael York at the TCM Movie Database
- Michael York at the Internet Broadway Database
- Michael York at the Notable Names Database
- Michael York web site
- Biography at Yahoo movies
Categories: 1942 births | Audio book narrators | English actors | English character actors | English film actors | English television actors | Former students of University College, Oxford | Knots Landing actors | Law & Order: Criminal Intent actors | Living people | Austin Powers actors | Sliders actors | Babylon 5 cast and crew | The Land Before Time voice actors | The Land Before Time singers | Curb Your Enthusiasm actors | Hollywood Walk of Fame
