Michael Paré Explained

Michael Paré
Birth Name:Michael Kevin Paré[1]
Birth Date:9 October 1958
Birth Place:New York City, U.S.
Education:The Culinary Institute of America
Occupation:Actor, chef
Years Active:1981–present
Spouse:
    Children:1

    Michael Kevin Paré (born October 9, 1958) is an American actor. He is best known for his roles in the films Eddie and the Cruisers (1983), Streets of Fire (1984), and The Philadelphia Experiment (1984), and on the series Starhunter (2000–2004).

    Early life

    Paré was born in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Joan and Francis Paré, who owned print shops.[2] He has six sisters and three brothers. Paré's father was of French-Canadian ancestry.[3] His father died from leukemia when Paré was five, leaving his mother to raise the large family of children.

    Growing up, Paré was a fan of James Dean, Marlon Brando, Montgomery Clift, Paul Newman, and Robert Mitchum, and felt he was "a kindred spirit" to them.[4] He was working as a chef in New York City when he met talent agent Yvette Bikoff, who convinced him to try acting.[5] In the early 1980s, he studied acting under Uta Hagen.[6] He shot a series of television commercials in Japan.[6]

    He also worked as a model.[7] In August 1987, he appeared on the cover of the first issue of Men's Fitness.[7] In 2017, it was ranked among Men's Journals thirty best magazine covers.[7]

    Career

    His first starring role was as Tony Villicana on the television series The Greatest American Hero. His best-known film roles were as Eddie Wilson in Eddie and the Cruisers (1983) and its sequel (1989),[8] as well as Streets of Fire (1984)[9] and The Philadelphia Experiment (1984).[10] Paré also appeared in the 2012 remake of The Philadelphia Experiment. He starred as a tortured soldier named Brad Cartowski in the 1993 action film Deadly Heroes, directed by Menahem Golan.[11] [12] Other films included Moon 44 (1990), Village of the Damned (1995),[13] Bad Moon (1996),[14] Hope Floats (1998),[15] and The Virgin Suicides (1999).[16]

    Paré is best known for his deep, raspy voice,[17] [12] muscular physique,[7] [17] [18] rugged screen presence,[19] and classic action hero demeanour. In his 2017 interview for Men's Journal he revealed that as a young actor he wasn't sure if he wanted to make a career as “the muscular leading guy", and instead tried to follow in the footsteps of his idols — Marlon Brando and James Dean.[7]

    Paré won the Best Actor award at PollyGrind Film Festival for the film Road to Hell, playing again the role of Tom Cody.[20]

    On television, Paré starred with Michael Beck in the drama Houston Knights in 1987–1988 as well as the 2001 television series Starhunter.[21] The actor frequently appears in Uwe Boll's works.[22] [23]

    In 2022, it was announced that Paré will be starring in the horror film Camp Pleasant Lake with Jonathan Lipnicki.[24]

    Personal life

    He has married three times. His first wife (1980–1984) was film producer Lisa Katselas; his second wife, Marisa Roebuck (1986–1988); his present wife (since 1992) is Marjolein Booy, a former fashion model, with whom he has one child. Paré stated that he lives "a good, clean life", and trains frequently.[7] He lives in California.[7]

    Filmography

    Film

    YearTitleRoleNotes
    1981Crazy Times HarryTV movie
    1983Eddie and the Cruisers Eddie Wilson
    UndercoverMax
    1984Streets of FireTom Cody
    The Philadelphia Experiment David Herdeg
    1985Space RageGrange
    1986Instant JusticeScott Youngblood
    1987The Women's ClubPatrick
    1988World Gone WildGeorge Landon
    1989Eddie Wilson / Joe West
    1990The Dark Sun Ruggero Brickman
    Moon 44Felix Stone
    The CloserLarry Freed
    Dragonfight Moorpark
    1991Concrete WarJeff
    Killing StreetsChris Brandt / Craig Brandt
    1992Into the SunCaptain Paul Watkins
    Sunset HeatEric Wright
    Blink of an EyeSam Browning
    Empire CityJoey AndreTV movie
    1993Point of ImpactJack Davis
    Deadly HeroesBrad Cartowski
    1994WarriorsColin
    1995The DangerousRandom
    LunarcopJoe Brody
    Village of the DamnedFrank McGowan
    TriplecrossTeddy "T.C." CooperTV movie
    Raging AngelsColin
    1996Coyote RunPershing
    The ColonyAlec HarkenTV movie
    Carver's GateCarverTV movie
    Bad MoonTed Harrison
    19972103: The Deadly WakeTarkis
    Falling FireDaryl Boden
    Strip SearchRobby Durrell
    Merchant of DeathJim Randell
    1998Hope FloatsBill Pruitt
    Back to EvenBoyle
    October 22Gary
    Men of MeansRico "Bullet" Burke
    1999The Virgin SuicidesAdult Trip Fontaine
    Space FuryKonradVideo
    2000PerilVincentVideo
    SanctimonyJim Renart
    2001A Month of SundaysTomas McCabe
    BlackwoodsSheriff Harding
    2002Heart of AmericaWill Prat
    2003FateDetective Cody Martin
    Red SerpentSteve Nichols
    2004Ty "Griff" GriffinVideo
    2005Crash LandingCaptain Williams
    Komodo vs. CobraMike A. StoddardTV movie
    BloodRayneIancu
    2006SaurianJace RandallTV movie
    2007SeedDetective Matt Bishop
    PolycarpDetective Barry Harper
    PostalPanhandler
    Pat GarrettVideo
    FurnaceDetective Michael Turner
    2008Ninja CheerleadersVictor Lazzaro
    Tunnel RatsSergeant Vic Hollowborn
    100 FeetMike Watson
    Alone in the Dark IIWillsonVideo
    Far CryPaul Summers
    Dark WorldHarry
    Road to HellTom Cody
    2009The Perfect SleepOfficer Pavlovich
    Direct ContactClive Connelly
    RampageSheriff Melvoy
    2010Tales of an Ancient EmpireOda
    Cool DogDean WarnerVideo
    AmphibiousJack Bowman
    2011The Lincoln LawyerDetective Kurlen
    Capt. Ekart Brand
    BlubberellaCommandant
    2012GoneLieutenant Ray Bozeman
    Maximum ConvictionChris Blake
    The Philadelphia ExperimentHaganTV movie
    The Come UpRon ZimmermannShort
    2013How Sweet It IsMike Cicero
    Real GangstersFrank 'Frankie' D'Cecco
    Assault on Wall StreetFrank
    SuddenlyConklin
    Jet SetRyan
    2014The Last OutlawSheriff AthertonVideo
    SnapshotPresident
    Wings of the DragonJackson Lee
    The Big Fat StoneDetective Farinelli
    201524 HoursCaptain Mike Ryan
    A Perfect VacationXander
    No Deposit Mickey Ryan
    CheckmateCaptain Raymond Mitchell Howard
    The Cask of AmontilladoFortunatoShort
    The Vatican TapesDetective Harris
    OperatorHoward
    The ShelterThomas Jacob
    Sicilian Vampire Sammy
    The Good, the Bad and the Dead Sheriff Olson
    Bone TomahawkMr. Wallington
    2016DecommissionedDetective Tom Weston
    SwapCaptain Doug Rice
    Abattoir Richard Renshaw
    TradedClay Travis
    The InfiltratorBarry Seal
    Nessie & MeDad
    The Red Maple LeafAmbassador Patrick Adams Jr.
    2017PovratakMichael Shreder
    A Doggone HollywoodSheriff Evans
    American Violence Martin Bigg
    Global MeltdownAmos Cade TV movie
    The NeighborhoodJohnny 3
    Gangster LandO'Connor
    The Wrong ManGary MooreTV movie
    Jason's LetterBrad Macaulay
    2018Battle DroneKarl Kess
    Detective Brown
    The Debt Collector Mad Alex
    AstroAllen Smith
    The Wrong FriendLt. ForniTV movie
    Talk to the AnimalsTedShort
    RebornDetective Marc Fox
    City of LiesDetective Varney
    A Christmas in Royal FashionDan CarsonTV movie
    2019The Last Big SaveDerek
    Making a Deal with the DevilPierre
    Hollow Point Damian Wakefield
    MaydayAdam Anderson
    Once Upon a Time in DeadwoodSwearengen
    ManipulatedRoger 'Duke' Brown
    Big KillCol. Granger
    2020Emerald RunMatteo Trino
    The InsurrectionSergeant Major
    Invincible Trevor Morgan
    CaptorsCharles Dusker
    Middleton ChristmasJohnny
    2021The Wrong FiancéPolice Chief SawyerTV movie
    Triassic HuntJordan Freedman
    The Resonator: Miskatonic U Professor Wallace
    The Penthouse Charles[25]
    Mummy DearestDr. Jason
    PainkillerDr. Alan Rhodes
    Deceived by My Mother-In-LawRossTV movie
    Mommy's Deadly Con ArtistRossTV movie
    Raunch and RollCarl Weinstein
    Mind Games Colonel Reeder
    Righteous BloodJericho
    Bed BugThe KillerShort
    The Wild Man: Skunk ApeCaptain Stryker
    South of HeavenJoey
    Christmas CollisionJaggar Huntley
    2022Beyond the ResonatorProfessor Wallace
    Curse of the Re-AnimatorProfessor Wallace
    Lockdown Roger Kinkaid
    Top Gunner: Danger Zone Air Marshall Tony Wilkes
    Shooting StarSheriff Wiley
    As Long As I'm FamousOlder Sid
    DawnOfficer Barry
    Pig KillerDetective Oppal
    The Red Tide MassacreSheriff Tom Fuller
    They Crawl Beneath Bill Moritz
    NixIdres
    Attack on TitanCitizen Prime Ortiz
    RenegadesDonovan
    Headless HorsemanDevil
    Sacred Grounds: ForbiddenSpecial Agent Jack Wilson
    Bridge of the DoomedColonel Charon
    Vampire Penance: The Atonement of John WolfJohn Wolf
    Space Wars: Quest for the Deepstar Kip
    2025 ArmageddonThomas Ramsey
    3.3 MilesRay
    Twisted VinesBranson Wright
    Alabama RoseEthan
    2023End of LoyaltyPops
    If I Can't Have YouMr. SklarTV movie
    Kings of L.A. Artie
    Buckle Up Joseph McClory
    The Beast Comes at MidnightNight
    Wrongful DeathDr. David Moore
    The PuppetmanDetective Al
    Family OrnamentsGrandpa Pat
    In the ShadowsSam Hammonds
    The Stairwell HollisterShort
    A Christmas InternWilliamTV movie
    2024ScarsTom
    The Wrong Life CoachDetective CloverTV movie
    Wanted ManTinelli
    PlanetquakeGeneral West
    MundijeCIA Chief
    Tall, Dark, and DangerousBillTV movie
    Camp Pleasant LakeRick Rutherford
    SentinelPresident
    War of the Worlds: ExtinctionGeneral Andres Alfaro
    Kill CraftThomas Delon
    SteadyRudyShort
    Shark IslandCharlieVideo
    9 WindowsAgent Larry Thurgood

    Television

    YearTitleRoleNotes
    1981-83The Greatest American Hero Tony VillicanaMain Cast: Season 1-2, Guest: Season 3
    1987-88Houston Knights Sergeant Joey La FiammaMain Cast
    2000-03StarhunterDante MontanaMain Cast: Season 1, Recurring Cast: Season 2
    2004Cold CaseRandy PriceEpisode: "Greed"
    2006South BeachCharlie EvansRecurring Cast
    2007Whatever Happened To?HimselfEpisode: "Rebels"
    2011Memphis BeatDave HargroveEpisode: "Things We Carry"
    HouseWarden DelaireEpisode: "Twenty Vicodin"
    2012LeverageFBI Special Agent Dennis PowellEpisode: "The Radio Job"
    2017Starhunter TransformationDante MontanaMain Cast
    2017-18Starhunter ReduXDante MontanaMain Cast
    2019Seven DaysO'DonnellEpisode: "Episode #1.1"
    2021-22Keeping Up with the Joneses SheldonMain Cast

    Music Video

    Awards and nominations

    Awards

    PollyGrind Film Festival

    Notes and References

    1. Web site: Michael Pare Biography (1959-) . Film Reference . October 28, 2008.
    2. News: Bobbin . Jay . Lawler . Sylvia . August 16, 1987 . HOUSTON KNIGHTS' TRIES AGAIN AT 8 P.M. TUESDAYS . . March 1, 2019.
    3. News: MICHAEL PARE: COOKING ON SCREEN, NOT IN THE KITCHEN. September 28, 1983. The Philadelphia Inquirer. D01. Rick. Lyman.
    4. Web site: Tom Cody, Pleased To Meet Ya! INTERVIEW: Michael Paré talks with TV STORE ONLINE about the cult classic STREETS OF FIRE. TV Store Online. October 30, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20140323104901/http://blog.tvstoreonline.com/2013/10/tom-cody-pleased-to-meet-ya-interview.html. August 28, 2021. 2014-03-23.
    5. Web site: BACK IN THE SADDLE: Michael Paré On His Career, Longevity and Role In 'Traded' . Price . Jason . May 25, 2016 . Icon Vs. Icon . March 1, 2019.
    6. Book: Science Fiction Television Series, 1990-2004: Histories, Casts and Credits for 58 Shows . Frank Garcia . Mark Phillips . 2013 . . 978-0-7864-2483-2 . 321–322.
    7. Web site: Our 30 Favorite 'Men's Fitness' Magazine Covers of All Time: Michael Paré. https://archive.today/20210828151724/https://www.mensjournal.com/health-fitness/our-30-favorite-mens-fitness-magazine-covers-all-time/1-michael-para/. dead. 2021-08-28. Men's Journal. Shawn. Perine. August 28, 2021.
    8. News: James . Caryn . Caryn James . August 18, 1989 . REVIEW/FILM; EDDIE DIDN'T DIE: HE JUST WENT FOR A SWIM . . March 1, 2019.
    9. News: Maslin . Janet . Janet Maslin . June 1, 1984 . SCREEN: 'STREETS OF FIRE' . The New York Times . May 17, 2007.
    10. News: Maslin . Janet . August 17, 1984 . SCREEN: 'EXPERIMENT,' ON PHILADELPHIA PROJECT . The New York Times . March 1, 2019.
    11. Web site: Dead Heroes – Full Cast & Crew – TV Guide. TV Guide. https://web.archive.org/web/20210828143229/https://www.tvguide.com/movies/deadly-heroes/cast/2000118459/. August 28, 2021. 2021-08-28.
    12. Web site: Zabili go i uciekł ('Komandosi śmierci', 1993). https://archive.today/20210828143304/https://yippeekiyaymoviegoer.wordpress.com/2019/07/05/zabili-go-i-uciekl-komandosi-smierci-1993/. dead. 2021-08-28. Yippee-ki-yay, Moviegoer. July 5, 2019. August 28, 2021.
    13. News: Maslin . Janet . April 28, 1995 . FILM REVIEW; Demons' Eye Problems Compound Creepiness . The New York Times . March 1, 2019.
    14. News: Thomas . Kevin . November 2, 1996 . 'Bad Moon' a Straight-Ahead Werewolf Film . . March 1, 2019.
    15. News: Thomas . Kevin . May 29, 1998 . Buoyant 'Hope' . Los Angeles Times . March 1, 2019.
    16. News: Thomas . Kevin . April 21, 2000 . 'The Virgin Suicides' an Affecting, Somber Tale of Repressed Lives . Los Angeles Times . March 1, 2019.
    17. Web site: MOVIE REVIEW : Michael Pare Takes 'Eddie II' for a Pleasure Cruise. Los Angeles Times. Kevin. Thomas. August 18, 1989. August 28, 2021.
    18. Book: Classic Movie Fight Scenes: 75 Years of Bare Knuckle Brawls, 1914–1989 . Gene Freese . 2017 . . 978-1-4766-6943-4 . 289.
    19. News: Elusive 'Eddie' – The Washington Post. The Washington Post. Nash Holdings. September 30, 1983. August 28, 2021.
    20. Web site: Road to Hell Wins Nine Awards at PollyGrind Film Festival 2012 . Moore . Debi . October 22, 2012 . . March 1, 2019.
    21. News: Vlessing . Etan . September 16, 2013 . Canadian Sci-Fi Series 'Starhunter' to Relaunch as Web Series . . March 1, 2019.
    22. News: Child . Ben . October 28, 2016 . The 'world's worst director': are Uwe Boll's movies really that bad? . . March 1, 2019.
    23. Web site: And the Award for Worst Director Ever Goes to… . Martin . Brett . May 14, 2008 . . March 1, 2019.
    24. Web site: Whittock . Jesse . 2022-08-25 . 'Camp Pleasant Lake' Adds Jonathan Lipnicki (Exclusive); Prime Video 'How To Date Billy Walsh'; Pinewood Sean Connery — Global Briefs . 2022-10-13 . Deadline . en-US.
    25. Web site: Schaefer . Stephen . Stephen Schaefer's Hollywood & Mine . Boston Herald . April 17, 2021 . April 17, 2021.