Michael Beck

Beck was born in Memphis, Tennessee, the third of nine children. He attended Memphis University School and then Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi with a football scholarship.{{cite web |url=https://popentertainmentblog.com/2015/05/11/michael-beck-reflects-on-the-warriors-xanadu-and-the-premiere-of-his-new-film-the-grace-of-jake/ |title=Michael Beck Reflects on "The Warriors," "Xanadu" and the Premiere of His New Film The Grace of Jake. |last=Weiss |first=Arlene R. |date=May 11, 2015 |website=PopEntertainment.com |access-date=March 1, 2019}} While in college, he was a member of the Kappa Alpha Order fraternity. After graduating with a degree in economics, he was one of 30 (out of 2,500) applicants chosen for London's Central School of Speech and Drama.{{cite news |last=Connor |first=Jackson |date=September 8, 2015 |title=Remember the Warriors: Behind the Chaotic, Drug-Fueled, and Often Terrifying Making of a Cult Classic |url=https://www.villagevoice.com/2015/09/08/remember-the-warriors-behind-the-chaotic-drug-fueled-and-often-terrifying-making-of-a-cult-classic/ |work=The Village Voice |access-date=March 1, 2019}} Beck's stage credits, beginning with college, include Camelot (as King Arthur), Of Mice and Men (as George Milton), Romeo and Juliet (as Tybalt), and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.

Beck is known predominantly for his roles as Swan for the action movie The Warriors (1979),{{cite news |last=Maslin |first=Janet |author-link=Janet Maslin |date=February 10, 1979 |title=Movie: 'Warriors' Creates Visual Style That Is Stark:The Cast |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1979/02/10/archives/movie-warriors-creates-visual-style-that-is-starkthe-cast.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=February 3, 2014}} Sonny Malone for Xanadu (1980),{{cite news |last=Maslin |first=Janet |date=August 9, 1980 |title=MISS NEWTON-JOHN IN 'XANADU' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1980/08/09/arts/miss-newtonjohn-in-xanadu.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=February 3, 2014}} Lieutenant Commander Dallas in Megaforce (1982),{{cite news |last=Maslin |first=Janet |date=June 27, 1982 |title='MEGAFORCE' IS A MIX OF JOVIALITY AND STUNTS |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1982/06/27/movies/megaforce-is-a-mix-of-joviality-and-stunts.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=March 1, 2019}} and Koda for Triumphs of a Man Called Horse (1983). Both the Xanadu and Megaforce roles garnered him Razzie nominations, for Worst Actor and Worst Supporting Actor, respectively.{{cite web |url=https://www.bustle.com/p/13-razzie-nominated-movies-that-are-way-better-than-you-remember-15931405 |title=13 Razzie-Nominated Movies That Are Way Better Than You Remember |last=Tenreyro |first=Tatiana |date=February 8, 2019 |website=Bustle |access-date=March 1, 2019}} Beck has appeared in other movies such as Warlords of the 21st Century (1982), Wes Craven's Chiller (1985), Gone to Texas (1986) as James Bowie, and Forest Warrior (1996).

Beck appeared as Hans Helms in the 1978 television miniseries Holocaust, and featured with Michael Paré in the CBS police drama Houston Knights (1987–1988).{{cite news |last1=Bobbin |first1=Jay |last2=Lawler |first2=Sylvia |date=August 16, 1987 |title=HOUSTON KNIGHTS' TRIES AGAIN AT 8 P.M. TUESDAYS |url=https://www.mcall.com/news/mc-xpm-1987-08-16-2589617-story.html |work=The Morning Call |access-date=March 1, 2019}} He appeared in television shows such as JAG, Walker, Texas Ranger, In the Heat of the Night, as the Mars-born terrorist-turned-cyborg assassin Abel Horn in Babylon 5 (episode "Spider in the Web"), and as Mr. Jones in the spin-off television series Crusade.

Beck has narrated numerous audiobooks of John Grisham's novels.{{cite web |url=https://www.booksontape.com/narrator-qa-longtime-grisham-narrator-michael-beck-returns-in-the-reckoning/ |title=Narrator Q&A: Longtime Grisham narrator Michael Beck returns in THE RECKONING |last=Rubins |first=Jennifer |date=October 18, 2018 |publisher=Books on Tape |access-date=March 1, 2019}} He also narrated Confederates in the Attic by Tony Horwitz,{{cite news |last=Bauers |first=Sandy |date=June 3, 1999 |title=AUTHOR EXPLORES MANY DIFFERENT SHADES OF GRAY |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1999-06-03-9906030318-story.html |work=Chicago Tribune |access-date=March 1, 2019}} A Darkness More Than Light by Michael Connelly,{{cite news |last=Kingston |first=Peter |date=March 2, 2001 |title=A Darkness More than Night by Michael Connelly, read by Michael Beck |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2001/mar/03/peterkingston |work=The Guardian |access-date=March 1, 2019}} State of the Union by David Callahan,{{cite news |title=ATOP THE STAIRMASTERSTATE OF THE UNIONBy David... |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1997-08-24-9708240268-story.html |work=Chicago Tribune |date=August 24, 1997 |access-date=March 1, 2019}} the unabridged version of Bill Clinton's My Life.,{{cite news |last=Newman |first=Andrew Adam |date=June 6, 2005 |title=The Winner Is Bill Clinton, in His Own Voice (Abridged) |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/06/business/media/the-winner-is-bill-clinton-in-his-own-voice-abridged.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=March 1, 2019}} and numerous religious books including the Bible. He also reprised his role as Swan in 2005, lending his voice to the popular video game adaptation of The Warriors.{{cite news |last=Schiesel |first=Seth |date=October 16, 2005 |title=Gangs of New York |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/16/arts/gangs-of-new-york.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=February 3, 2014}}

Beck is a born-again Christian.

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Category:1949 births

Category:20th-century American male actors

Category:21st-century American male actors

Category:Alumni of the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama

Category:American male film actors

Category:American male television actors

Category:American male voice actors

Category:Living people

Category:Male actors from Memphis, Tennessee