Growing up the third of nine children in a Memphis suburb, actor Michael Beck planned on a career in economics or athletics. He earned a football scholarship to Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi, but after being one of only 30 applicants chosen to attend the prestigious Central School of Speech and Drama in London, England, Beck hopped on a plane and his career plans took a turn. His first big-screen appearance was as a Highway Thug in the 1971 film "The Hard Ride," for which he was not given a credit. His big break was still to come, when in 1979 he played Swan in the cult-favorite New York gang film "The Warriors." The very next year, Beck starred as Sonny Malone in the much-maligned roller skating fantasy-musical "Xanadu." His work on the film earned him a Razzie nomination for worst actor. Beck's post-"Xanadu" film work included roles in 1982's "Megaforce" and 1983's "The Golden Seal," but the bulk of his career has taken place on the small-screen, where he starred in numerous TV movies like "Deadly Game," "Stranger At My Door" and "Wes Craven's Chiller." Beck has also been featured on a number of popular TV series, including "JAG," "Walker, Texas Range" and "Nash Bridges." Of his short-lived film career, Beck has been quoted as saying: "The Warriors opened a lot of doors in film for me; which Xanadu then closed."
Highest rated movies
Photos
Michael Beck
Filmography
Movies
Credit | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
80% | | The Grace of Jake | Henry Haynes (Character) | $22.3K | 2015 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Madagascar | Skipper (Voice) | - | 2005 |
No Score Yet | | Occident | The Dutchman (Character) | - | 2002 |
No Score Yet | | The Jungle Book: Search for the Lost Treasure | Prof. Gershwin Donovan (Character) | - | 1998 |
No Score Yet | | Forest Warrior | Arlen Slaighter (Character) | - | 1996 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Fade to Black | Braith (Character) | - | 1993 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Stranger at My Door | Jimmy Lee Dancey (Character) | - | 1991 |
No Score Yet | | Deadly Game | Peterson (Character) | - | 1991 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Only One Survived | Paul Haskel (Character) | - | 1990 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Final Judgement | Delaney (Character) | - | 1989 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Houston Knights | Sgt. Levon Lundy (Character) | - | 1987 |
No Score Yet | | Houston: The Legend of Texas | Jim Bowie (Character) | - | 1986 |
No Score Yet | | Chiller | Miles Creighton (Character) | - | 1985 |
No Score Yet | | Blackout | Mike Patterson (Character) | - | 1985 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Celebrity | Unknown (Character) | - | 1985 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Rearview Mirror | Jerry Sam Hopps (Character) | - | 1984 |
No Score Yet | | The Golden Seal | Crawford (Character) | - | 1983 |
No Score Yet | | Triumphs of a Man Called Horse | Koda (Character) | - | 1983 |
No Score Yet | | The Last Ninja | Kenjiro Sakura (Character) | - | 1983 |
No Score Yet | | Warlords of the 21st Century | Hunter (Character) | - | 1982 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Fly Away Home | Mark (Character) | - | 1981 |
6% | | Megaforce | Dallas (Character) | - | 1981 |
31% | | Xanadu | Sonny Malone (Character) | - | 1980 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Alcatraz: The Whole Shocking Story | Clarence Carnes (Character) | - | 1980 |
No Score Yet | | Mayflower: The Pilgrims' Adventure | John Alden (Character) | - | 1979 |
88% | | The Warriors | Swan (Character) | - | 1979 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Madman | Unknown (Character) | - | 1979 |
TV
Credit | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
No Score Yet | 91% | Hollywood Houselift With Jeff Lewis | Executive Producer | 2023 |
No Score Yet | 53% | All Rise | Nathan (Guest Star) | 2020 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | JAG | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2004 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Nash Bridges | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2001 |
No Score Yet | 77% | Crusade | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1999 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Walker, Texas Ranger | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1996 1998 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Diagnosis Murder | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1997 |
No Score Yet | 92% | Babylon 5 | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1994 |
No Score Yet | 89% | Murder, She Wrote | Justin Fields (Guest Star) | 1989-1990 1993 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Houston Knights | Sgt. Levon Lundy (Character) | 1987-1988 |