Michael Paul Chan
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Use American English|date=September 2022}}
{{short description|American actor}}
{{BLP sources|date=January 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Michael Paul Chan
| image = Michael Paul Chan 2016.png
| caption = Chan in 2016
| imagesize =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1950|6|26}}
| birth_place = San Francisco, California, U.S.
| spouse = {{marriage|Christina Ann|1975}}
| children = 1
| alma_mater = {{ubl|
}}
| occupation = Actor
| yearsactive = 1975–present
}}
Michael Paul Chan (born June 26, 1950) is an American actor.{{cite web|title=Michael Paul Chan|url=https://www.nytimes.com/movies/person/12192/Michael-Paul-Chan/biography|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150216112909/http://www.nytimes.com/movies/person/12192/Michael-Paul-Chan/biography|url-status=dead|department=Movies & TV Dept.|work=The New York Times|date=2015|archive-date=February 16, 2015}} He is known for his role as Lieutenant Michael Tao on the TNT series The Closer and Major Crimes. Chan also acted in U.S. Marshals, playing an assassin.{{cite web|work=The New York Times|title=The New Boss, Not the Same as the Old Boss 'Major Crimes' Replaces 'The Closer' on TNT|first=Mike|last=Hale|date=August 12, 2012|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/13/arts/television/major-crimes-replaces-the-closer-on-tnt.html?_r=0}}
Early life and education
A third-generation Chinese American, Chan was born in San Francisco, California. His brother was the late Jeffery Paul Chan, an author and academic.
Chan is a graduate of San Francisco State University{{Cite web |title=Alum Michael Paul Chan, 'Major Crimes' Actor, Finds Reason to Celebrate {{!}} College of Liberal & Creative Arts |url=https://lca.sfsu.edu/archive/lcanews/2015/06/05/759291-alum-michael-paul-chan-major-crimes-actor-finds-reason-celebrate.html |access-date=2025-05-14 |website=lca.sfsu.edu}} and the American Conservatory Theater.{{Cite web |title=Cinequest 2024: Michael Paul Chan reflects on the evolution of AAPI representation onscreen |url=https://datebook.sfchronicle.com/movies-tv/michael-paul-chan-cinequest-ba-18694722 |access-date=2025-05-14 |website=Datebook {{!}} San Francisco Arts & Entertainment Guide |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Asian Connections - The Closer's Michael Paul Chan |url=https://asianconnections.com/arts-and-entertainment/item/the-closer-s-michael-paul-chan |access-date=2025-05-14 |website=asianconnections.com}} He is a founding member of the Asian American Theater Company.
Career
Chan's television work has included roles such as Judge Lionel Ping on Arrested Development, Detective Ron Lu on Robbery Homicide Division, the voice of Jimmy Ho on The PJ's, Mr. Chong on The Wonder Years, a Japanese investor in the 1990 Northern Exposure episode "Dreams, Schemes and Putting Greens", an agent of the Chinese Intelligence Agency on a 2011 episode of The Simpsons, and roles on Bones, Babylon 5, Nash Bridges, and The Young and the Restless.
One of Chan's more notable film roles was as the Korean convenience-store owner in the 1993 film Falling Down, where he refused to give a discount to Michael Douglas' character when he attempted to purchase a can of soda to get change for the pay telephone outside the store. Another was as Data's father in The Goonies. Chan appeared in both of Joel Schumacher's Batman movies, in two different roles - a Wayne Enterprises executive in Batman Forever, and Dr. Lee in Batman & Robin. Other films in his filmography include Americanese, Megiddo: The Omega Code 2, U.S. Marshals, Spy Game, The Protector, Quicksilver, The Joy Luck Club, The Insider, and Thief.
Filmography
= Film =
| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year !Title !Role !Notes |
| 1981
|Chinese Waiter | |
| 1984
|Security chief | |
| 1985
|Data's Father | |
| 1986
|Asian Gangster | |
| 1991
|Hong King | |
| 1992
|Carl Chang | |
| rowspan="3" |1993
|Harold | |
| Falling Down
|Mr. Lee | |
| Joshua Tree
|Jimmy Shoeshine | |
| 1994
|Riverboat Poker Player | |
| rowspan="2" |1995
|Wayne Enterprises Executive | |
| Galaxis
|Manny Hopkins |
| rowspan="2" |1997
|Observatory Scientist | |
| The Protector
|Anthony Mane | |
| 1998
|Xiang Chen | |
| 1999
|Norman | |
| rowspan="2" |2001
|Chinese Premier | |
| Spy Game
|Vincent Ngo | |
| 2006
|Jimmy Chan | |
| 2019
|Boy Genius |Sam | |
| rowspan="2" |2024
|Ba |Sonny |
| Between Borders
|The Judge | |
= Television =
| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year !Title !Role !Notes |
| 1985
|Smith |Episode: "What Are Friends For" |
| 1990
|Masuto |Episode: "Dreams, Schemes and Putting Greens" |
| 1992
|Mr. Chong, Chinese Chef |3 episodes |
| 1994
|Roberts |Episode: "The War Prayer" |
| 1995
|JAG |Ambassador Sonsiri |Episode: "Deja Vu" |
| 1996
|Tommy Luck |Episode: "Promised Land" |
| 1999–2001
|Jimmy Ho (voice) |Main cast |
| 2001
|Mr. Kim (voice) |
| 2002–03
|Ron Lu |Main cast |
| 2004–05
|Lionel Ping |6 episodes |
| 2005–12
|Mike Tao |Main cast |
| 2007
|Shi Jon Chen |Episode: "The Boneless Bride in the River" |
| 2011
|Chinese Agent |Episode: "Homer the Father"{{Cite web |title=Listings {{!}} TheFutonCritic.com - The Web's Best Television Resource |url=http://www.thefutoncritic.com/listings/20110107fox17/ |access-date=July 6, 2024 |website=www.thefutoncritic.com}} |
| 2012–18
|Mike Tao |Main cast |
| 2019–21
|Yee Austin |
| 2021
|Dahn Nguyen |Episode: "Banh Bao + Sterno + Drill + Burner + Mason" |
| 2023
|Walt |Recurring role |
| 2024
|The Lion (voice) |Episode: "Always Bring a Toothpick"{{Cite web|url=https://www.thewrap.com/gremlins-the-wild-batch-season-2-simu-liu-max/|title='Gremlins: The Wild Batch' Adds Simu Liu as Series Regular, Sets Season 2 Premiere Date|website=TheWrap|first=Drew|last=Taylor|date=July 26, 2024|access-date=July 27, 2024|archive-date=July 26, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240726230806/https://www.thewrap.com/gremlins-the-wild-batch-season-2-simu-liu-max/|url-status=live}} |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{commonscat}}
- {{IMDb name|0151033}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chan, Michael Paul}}
Category:Male actors from San Francisco
Category:American male film actors
Category:American male actors of Chinese descent
Category:20th-century American male actors
Category:21st-century American male actors
Category:San Francisco State University alumni
Category:American Conservatory Theater alumni