Michael Brandon (born Michael Feldman; April 20, 1945) is an American actor. He is known for his role as James Dempsey on the British drama series Dempsey and Makepeace (1985–86) and narrating the American dub of the children's television series Thomas & Friends (2004–12). His theatre credits include the original Broadway production of Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie? (1969), and Jerry Springer in the West End production of Jerry Springer: The Opera (2003–2004).
Brandon has starred in films including Lovers and Other Strangers (1970), Jennifer on My Mind (1971), Four Flies on Grey Velvet (1971), FM (1978), Promises in the Dark (1979), A Change of Seasons (1980), Rich and Famous (1981) and Captain America: The First Avenger (2011). He also acted in the TV movies The Third Girl from the Left (1973), Queen of the Stardust Ballroom (1975), James Dean (1976), Deadly Messages (1985), The Lost Battalion (2001) and Hawking (2004).
Early life Brandon was born Michael Feldman in Brooklyn, New York on April 20, 1945, to Jewish parents Miriam (née Tumen) and Sol Feldman. At age nine, he and his family moved to Valley Stream, New York, where he attended Memorial Junior High and graduated from Valley Stream Central High School. Brandon then attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and made his debut on Broadway before turning to cinema. He is of Jewish heritage.Leslie Bunder (3 August 2007), "Meet Michael Brandon",SomethingJewish. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
Career Brandon starred in the TV series Dempsey and Makepeace and Dinotopia, the movies Lovers and Other Strangers (1970), Four Flies on Grey Velvet (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 television shows such as The Bill, Trial & 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. Brandon starred in Singin' in the Rain in the summer of 2012.
In 2004, he became the fourth American narrator and Alec Baldwin's replacement from the seventh through the sixteenth seasons of the children's television series Thomas & Friends and has also narrated four of the CGI film specials, including Hero of the Rails, Misty Island Rescue, Day of the Diesels, and Blue Mountain Mystery, until departing from the role in 2012. In February 2008, he began his talk radio show on City Talk (now Greatest Hits Radio Liverpool & The North West), 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 Roger Frampton, an American millionaire.
In 2011, Brandon guest-starred in an episode of the BBC1 con drama Hustle as Marcus Wendell (series 7, episode 3). Also in 2011, he was seen in a supporting role in the film Captain America: The First Avenger as a politician who befriends the titular character. In September 2013 he appeared in the ITV dancing show Stepping Out with wife Glynis Barber. In 2017, he premiered his autobiographical stand-up comedy, Off Ramps at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. In 2022, he appeared in an episode of Casualty on BBC1.
Personal life Brandon lived with actress Kim Novak for 18 months in 1973–74."Biography" Official website Brandon was married to actress Lindsay Wagner from 1976 to 1979. He has been married to actress Glynis Barber, with whom he co-starred in Dempsey & Makepeace, since 18 November 1989. The couple have a son, and live in London.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1969 Goodbye, Columbus Dartmouth 1970 Lovers and Other Strangers Mike Jennifer on My Mind Marcus Rottner 1971 Four Flies on Grey Velvet Robert Tobias 1972 Strangers in 7A Billy 1973 Heavy Traffic Street Cat (voice) The Third Girl From the Left David 1974 Hitchhike! Keith Miles The Red Badge of Courage Jim Conklin 1975 Queen of the Stardust Ballroom David Asher Cage Without a Key Ben Holian 1976 James Dean Bill Blast 1978 FM Jeff Dugan 1979 A Vacation in Hell Alan Promises in the Dark Dr. Jim Sanderson 1980 A Change of Seasons Pete Lachapelle 1981 Rich and Famous Max 1983 Venice Medical Dr. Pete Marcus 1985 Deadly Messages Michael Krasnick 1989 Divided We Stand Bryan Gibbs 1990 Have a Nice Night Tom Lepski Want to Stay Alive? Présumé dangereux Try This One for Size The Care of Time Robert Halliday 1996 The Disappearance of Kevin Johnson Jeff Littman 1997 The Apocalypse Watch Ambassador Courtland Deja Vu Alex 2001 Contaminated Man Wyles Scooby-Doo and the Cyber Chase Skeleton Gladiator (voice) The Lost Battalion General Robert Alexander 2004 Hawking Arno Penzias 2005 Calling All Engines! US Narrator 2006 The Detonator Commander Flint Are You Ready For Love? Randy Bush 2008 Me and Orson Welles Les Tremayne 2009 Toscanini in His Own Words Wilfrid Pelletier Hero of the Rails US Narrator (voice) The Last Days of Lehman Brothers Jamie Dimon 2010 Misty Island Rescue US Narrator, Diesel (voices) 2011 Captain America: The First Avenger Senator Brandt 2011 Day of the DieselsUS Narrator, Diesel (voices) 2012 Blue Mountain Mystery 2014 Born of War Harm Helder 2017 The Time of Their Lives Harry Scheider 2019 Passport to Oblivion Parkington (voice) 2022 Renegades Palmer 2024 Canary Black President of the United States
Television Year Title Role Notes 1969 Medical Center Andy Tobin Episode: "Thousands and Thousands of Miles" Mr. Deeds Goes to Town Unknown role 1 episode1972 Owen Marshall, Counsellor at Law Pete Giannetta Episode: "Journey Through Limbo" Love American Style Leonard 1 episode 1973 Love Story Gary Stone Episode: "Love Came Laughing" 1974 Medical Center Dr. Lensko Episode: "Web of Intrigue" 1975 Police Surgeon Brian Lewis Episode: "Insight to Murder" Police Story Mike Ripley Episode: "A Community of Victims" 1983 St. Elsewhere Tony Gifford Episode: "AIDS & Comfort" 1983–84 Emerald Point N.A.S. David Marquette 11 episodes 1985–86 Dempsey and Makepeace Lt. James Dempsey 30 episodes 1987 Screen Two Eddie Episode: "Visitors"1988 Tales of the Unexpected Stephen Baker Episode: "The Finger of Suspicion" The Magical World of Disney Jeff Robins Episode "Rock and Roll Mom" 1991 Dynasty: The Reunion Arlen Marshall 2 episodes 1992 Home Fires Ted Kramer 6 episodes 1994 Shattering the Silence Ted Ricci Episode: "Not in My Family" 1994 Murder, She Wrote Alex Weaver Episode: "Proof in the Pudding" 1997 The Knock Greg Taylor Mini-series1998 Dark Realm Bristol Episode: "Murder One" J.A.G. D.A. Nardoni, Col.Hegstetter 2 episodes The Nanny Stan Episode: "The Nanny & the Hunk Producer" Ally McBeal D.A. Dawson Episode: "The Inmates"1999 CI5: The New Professionals Dr. Woods Episode: "Skorpion" Jonathan Creek Capt. Frank Candy Episode: "The Omega Man" The Practice D.A. Dawson 2 episodes 2001 The Division Judge Stone Episode: "Deal with the Devil" 2002 Dinotopia Frank Scott 8 episodes 2003 Ed Stone Is Dead Dad 1 episode 2004–12 Thomas & Friends Narrator [Series 6–16], Diesel [Series 13–16], Mr. Bubbles [Series 13–15] (voices) US dub; 239 episodes 2004 The Catherine Tate Show Various Episode: "Car Party" 2005 Dead Man Weds Chuck Newman 6 episodes2006 Miss Marple Martin Zimmerman Episode: "The Sittaford Mystery" The Catherine Tate Show Robert Episode: "Large Breasted Doctor" Trial & Retribution Max Stanford Episode: "XI: Closure" 2006–08 Jack and the Sodor Construction Company US Narrator (voice) 13 episodes 2007 Casualty Mike Barnicott Episode: "Inheritance" The Bill Louis Dreyfuss 4 episodes2008 Bewitched Rex 1 episode Doctor Who General Sanchez Episode: "The Stolen Earth"2009 After You've Gone Bill Tucker Episode: "There Will Be Pud" Bones Roger Frampton Episode: "The Yanks in the U.K.: Parts 1 and 2" New Tricks Colonel Norton Episode: "The Truth Is Out There"2010 Rosamund Pilcher's Shades of Love Conrad 2 episodes Hustle Marcus Wendell Episode: "Clearance from a Deal" 2012 Mr. Selfridge FW Woolworth Episode: #1.8 2012–17 Episodes Elliot Salad 8 episodes 2013 Death in Paradise Joel Maurice Episode: "A Deadly Curse" 2014 Blandings Grumman Episode: "Lord Emsworth Acts for the Best" 2015 Galavant Sid's Dad Episode: "Two Balls" 2016–18 Tracey Ullman's Show Hal 4 episodes2017 I Live with Models Don Episode: "Tommy's Dad"Tracey Breaks the News Rich 1 episode Loaded Leslie 'The Emperor' 3 episodes 2018 Trust Walter Annenberg Episode: "White Car in a Snowstorm" 2019 Urban Myths Robert Calgary Episode: "The Trial of Joan Collins" 2022 Casualty Bill Phillipsen Episode: "On the Edge" 2023 The Power Robertson Laing Episode: "A Better Future Is in Your Hands"
TV films and miniseries Year Title Role 1971 The Impatient Heart Frank Pescadero 1976 Scott Free Tony Scott 1977 Red Alert Carl Wyche 1978 The Comedy Company Paul Lester 1980 A Perfect Match Steve Triandos 1982 Between Two Brothers Lead 1984 The Seduction of Gina Keith Sindell 1996 Gone in a Night David Protess 1997 The Knock Greg Taylor
Video games Year Title Role Notes 2017 Star Wars: Battlefront II Additional voices 2021 King's Bounty II The Seer
Theatre credits Year Title Role Venue(s) Ref. 1967 Under the Yum Yum Tree Lead Barn Dinner Theater 1968 The Rainmaker Jim Curry Barn Dinner Theater 1969 Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie? Prince Belasco Theater, Broadway 1979 Lady and the Clarinet Jack Long Wharf Theatre 1992 The Writing Game Leo Rafkin Manhattan Theater 1999 Speed the Plow Cox The Royal Lincoln 2000 The Adjustment Matt Guildford's YvonneArnaud Theatre, National tour 2003–04 Jerry Springer: The Opera Jerry Springer National Theatre / Cambridge, West End 2007 On the Waterfront Charlie Hackney Empire Theatre 2010 Wet Weather Cover Brad Kings Head / Arts Theatre, West End 2011–12 Singing in the Rain R.F. Simpson Palace Theatre, London 2014 The Long Road South Jake Price Hope Theatre, London 2016 Off The Kings Road Jermyn Street Theatre, London Carry On Chilcot Duke of Wales, London 2017 All My Sons Lyric Theatre, Hong Kong Off Ramps - A Stand-Up Story Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh Fringe 2018 Local Hero Mark Knopfler Workshop, Mark Knopfler 2019 Other People's Money Southwark, Part of Jorgy Jorgensen Roman Holiday Shanghai Theatre Festival White Christmas Dominion Theatre, West End 2021 Straight White Men
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