| Al Strobel | |
| Birth Name: | Albert Michael Strobel |
| Birth Date: | January 28, 1940 |
| Birth Place: | Madison, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Death Place: | Eugene, Oregon, U.S. |
| Occupation: | Actor |
| Notable Works: | Twin Peaks |
Albert Michael Strobel (January 28, 1940[1] – December 2, 2022) was an American actor best known for his recurring role on David Lynch and Mark Frost's Twin Peaks as Phillip Michael Gerard, also known as Mike.
Strobel was born in Madison, Wisconsin. Strobel lost his left arm at the shoulder as a result of a car accident when he was 17 years old. While living in Oregon in the early 1970s he did theatrical work at the University of Oregon and co-founded the Church of the Creative. At the Grateful Dead's August 27, 1972, concert in Veneta he shot video which ended up in the film Sunshine Daydream.[2] [3]
Strobel starred in "scores" of local productions in Eugene, Oregon from the late 1960s right up to the early 80's.[4] He was the star, producer and overall "moving force" behind a television dramatization of Anton Chekhov's Swansong, which aired on OEPBS and was called "a first for Oregon educational television."[5]
Strobel was cast in Twin Peaks, the series which made him a star, without an audition or even meeting David Lynch.
Strobel appeared in the Twin Peaks series as well as , and had roles in the films Shadow Play, Megaville, and Ricochet River (starring Kate Hudson). He appeared in productions of Romeo and Juliet, Oklahoma! and Richard III. He also appeared in the television movie Child of Darkness, Child of Light. As early as 2005 he had retired and was living in Eugene, Oregon.[6] [7]
In 2015, Strobel appeared in a video supporting David Lynch following his departure from the Twin Peaks revival slated for 2016, along with numerous other Twin Peaks cast members. David Lynch later returned to the revival and Strobel came out of retirement to reprise his role as Philip Gerard. The new series aired on Showtime in 2017.[8]
Strobel died in Eugene, Oregon, on December 2, 2022, at age 82.[9] [10] [11]
| 1986 | Shadow Play | Byron | [12] [13] | |
| 1990 | Sitting Target | Man in Dreams | Direct-to-video[14] | |
| 1990 | Megaville | Speaker | [15] | |
| 1992 | Phillip Michael Gerard, aka Mike | |||
| 2001 | Ricochet River | One-Armed Man | ||
| 2014 | Phillip Michael Gerard | [16] [17] |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989–1991 | Twin Peaks | Phillip Michael Gerard, aka Mike / One-Armed Man | 10 episodes | |
| 1991 | Child of Darkness, Child of Light | Dr. Seville | Television film | |
| 2017 | Twin Peaks | Phillip Gerard/Mike | 9 episodes[18] [19] [20] |