Performed in a lot of theater in the Chicago area before getting into film. He loved to play challenging characters. He has played a Latino and a Russian so well that the audience had no idea he was Caucasian.
In "Blazing Guns at Roaring Gulch", Michael played his own twin brother. The director and stage hands would help him change in less than 30 seconds into each characters wardrobe when he would exit and re enter as the other twin.