Michael Murphy

Biography

Michael Murphy is an American actor of film, television, stage and voiceover work who is often cast as unethical or morally ambiguous figures in authority, among them executives, politicians, lawyers, judges and military commanders. He is known for his many collaborations with director Robert Altman, more than any other performer, across twelve film and television productions between 1963 and 2004, among them Brewster McCloud (1970), McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971), Nashville (1975) and Kansas City (1996). He also took the title role of a fictional congressman in the HBO miniseries Tanner '88 and returned to it in Tanner on Tanner. Other credits include An Unmarried Woman (1978), Manhattan (1979), Batman Returns (1992), Magnolia (1999), X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) and Away from Her (2006). He won two Gemini Awards for This Is Wonderland and was nominated for a Canadian Screen Award for Fall.

88years old

Turns 89 on May 5in 204 days

Born May 5, 1938Los Angeles
Star sign: TaurusThe sign runs April 20 to May 20
Also credited as Michael George Murphy

Movie Career

Films: 44
Career span: 57 years1967 to 2024

Genres

Drama68%, 30 films
Comedy34%, 15 films
Romance23%, 10 films
Crime14%, 6 films
Thriller14%, 6 films

First and latest

Did you know?!

A first
Murphy worked with director Robert Altman more often than any other performer, appearing in twelve of his film and television productions between 1963 and 2004, among them the HBO miniseries Tanner '88.
A change of course
Before he became an actor, Murphy worked as a teacher at University High School, where he gave lessons in English and drama.

Michael Murphy movies on Netflix

Cruel, Usual, Necessary: The Passion of Silvio Narizzano2024IMDb rating 7.0as Himself
Indian Horse2017IMDb rating 7.3as Father Quinney
The Battle Of Chosin2016IMDb rating 7.8as Self - Narrator
White House Down2013IMDb rating 6.3as Vice President Hammond
According to Greta2009IMDb rating 6.1as Joseph
Away from Her2006IMDb rating 7.5as Aubrey
X-Men: The Last Stand2006IMDb rating 6.6as Warren Worthington II
Heights2005IMDb rating 6.8as Jesse
Childstar2004IMDb rating 5.9as Reed Harrison
Silver City2004IMDb rating 6.0as Senator Judson Pilager
Live from Baghdad2002IMDb rating 7.2as Tom Johnson
Tart2001IMDb rating 4.7as Mike Storm
The Day Reagan Was Shot2001IMDb rating 6.3as Michael Deaver
The Art of War2000IMDb rating 5.7as Politician
Breaking the Surface: The Greg Louganis Story1997IMDb rating 6.2as Pete Louganis
Private Parts1997IMDb rating 6.9as Roger Erlick
Kansas City1996IMDb rating 6.3as Henry Stilton
Clean Slate1994IMDb rating 5.7as Dr. Doover
Batman Returns1992IMDb rating 7.1as The Mayor
Dead Ahead: The Exxon Valdez Disaster1992IMDb rating 6.5as Bill Reilly
Folks!1992IMDb rating 5.7as Ed
Shocker1989IMDb rating 5.5as Lt. Don Parker
Salvador1986IMDb rating 7.3as Ambassador Thomas Kelly
Mesmerized1985IMDb rating 4.7as Wilson
Cloak & Dagger1984IMDb rating 6.6as Rice
The Year of Living Dangerously1982IMDb rating 7.1as Pete Curtis
Strange Behavior1981IMDb rating 5.6as John Brady
Manhattan1979IMDb rating 7.8as Yale
An Unmarried Woman1978IMDb rating 7.2as Martin
The Front1976IMDb rating 7.3as Alfred Miller
Nashville1975IMDb rating 7.6as John Triplette
Phase IV1974IMDb rating 6.4as James R. Lesko
The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman1974IMDb rating 7.8as Quentin Lerner
The Thief Who Came to Dinner1973IMDb rating 6.1as Ted
What's Up, Doc?1972IMDb rating 7.6as Mr. Smith
McCabe & Mrs. Miller1971IMDb rating 7.6as Sears
Brewster McCloud1970IMDb rating 6.8as Shaft
Count Yorga, Vampire1970IMDb rating 5.7as Paul
M*A*S*H1970IMDb rating 7.3as 'Me Lai' Marston
That Cold Day in the Park1969IMDb rating 7.0as The Rounder
The Arrangement1969IMDb rating 6.3as Father Draddy
The Legend of Lylah Clare1968IMDb rating 5.7as Mark Peter Sheean
Countdown1967IMDb rating 5.9as Rick
Double Trouble1967IMDb rating 5.1as Morley

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

Top

Manhattan1979 Comedy, Drama, Romanceas Yale
IMDb rating 7.8154K votes
Batman Returns1992 Actionas The Mayor
IMDb rating 7.1353K votes
Shocker1989as Lt. Don Parker
IMDb rating 5.520K votes
White House Down2013as Vice President Hammond
IMDb rating 6.3251K votes
Salvador1986as Ambassador Thomas Kelly
IMDb rating 7.326K votes
Away from Her2006as Aubrey
IMDb rating 7.524K votes
The Year of Living Dangerously1982as Pete Curtis
IMDb rating 7.125K votes
Phase IV1974as James R. Lesko
IMDb rating 6.411K votes

Most often with

Robert Altman directed seven of these films, Mick Jackson two and Michael Laughlin two. Three actors appear in three of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

Top

Rene Auberjonois

Shelley Duvall

John Schuck

Donald Sutherland

Robert Duvall

Richard Dreyfuss

Robert AltmanDirector, 7 films Mick JacksonDirector, 2 films Michael LaughlinDirector, 2 films

Films together

Rene Auberjonois3 films together, 1970 to 1971
Rene Auberjonois's page
- McCabe & Mrs. Miller1971IMDb rating 7.6Murphy as SearsAuberjonois as Sheehan
- Brewster McCloud1970IMDb rating 6.8Murphy as ShaftAuberjonois as The Lecturer
- M*A*S*H1970IMDb rating 7.3Murphy as 'Me Lai' MarstonAuberjonois as Father John Mulcahy
Shelley Duvall3 films together, 1970 to 1975
Shelley Duvall's page
- Nashville1975IMDb rating 7.6Murphy as John TripletteDuvall as L. A. Joan
- McCabe & Mrs. Miller1971IMDb rating 7.6Murphy as SearsDuvall as Ida Coyle
- Brewster McCloud1970IMDb rating 6.8Murphy as ShaftDuvall as Suzanne
John Schuck3 films together, 1970 to 1971
John Schuck's page
- McCabe & Mrs. Miller1971IMDb rating 7.6Murphy as SearsSchuck as Smalley
- Brewster McCloud1970IMDb rating 6.8Murphy as ShaftSchuck as Johnson
- M*A*S*H1970IMDb rating 7.3Murphy as 'Me Lai' MarstonSchuck as Capt. 'Painless' Waldowski
Donald Sutherland2 films together, 1970 to 2000
Donald Sutherland's page
- The Art of War2000IMDb rating 5.7Murphy as PoliticianSutherland as Douglas Thomas
- M*A*S*H1970IMDb rating 7.3Murphy as 'Me Lai' MarstonSutherland as Hawkeye Pierce
Robert Duvall2 films together, 1967 to 1970
Robert Duvall's page
- M*A*S*H1970IMDb rating 7.3Murphy as 'Me Lai' MarstonDuvall as Maj. Frank Burns
- Countdown1967IMDb rating 5.9Murphy as RickDuvall as Chiz
Richard Dreyfuss2 films together, 2001 to 2004
Richard Dreyfuss's page
- Silver City2004IMDb rating 6.0Murphy as Senator Judson PilagerDreyfuss as Chuck Raven
- The Day Reagan Was Shot2001IMDb rating 6.3Murphy as Michael DeaverDreyfuss as Alexander Haig
Robert AltmanDirector, 7 films, 1967 to 1996
All films by Robert Altman
- Kansas City1996IMDb rating 6.3Murphy as Henry Stilton
- Nashville1975IMDb rating 7.6Murphy as John Triplette
- McCabe & Mrs. Miller1971IMDb rating 7.6Murphy as Sears
- Brewster McCloud1970IMDb rating 6.8Murphy as Shaft
- M*A*S*H1970IMDb rating 7.3Murphy as 'Me Lai' Marston
- That Cold Day in the Park1969IMDb rating 7.0Murphy as The Rounder
- Countdown1967IMDb rating 5.9Murphy as Rick
Mick JacksonDirector, 2 films, 1994 to 2002
All films by Mick Jackson
- Live from Baghdad2002IMDb rating 7.2Murphy as Tom Johnson
- Clean Slate1994IMDb rating 5.7Murphy as Dr. Doover
Michael LaughlinDirector, 2 films, 1981 to 1985
All films by Michael Laughlin
- Mesmerized1985IMDb rating 4.7Murphy as Wilson
- Strange Behavior1981IMDb rating 5.6Murphy as John Brady
Also two films together32 more actors
- Ned BeattyNashville (1975) and The Thief Who Came to Dinner (1973)
- James WoodsWhite House Down (2013) and Salvador (1986)
- Jennifer Jason LeighChildstar (2004) and Kansas City (1996)
- Kenneth WelshThe Day Reagan Was Shot (2001) and Dead Ahead: The Exxon Valdez Disaster (1992)
- Michael KeatonLive from Baghdad (2002) and Batman Returns (1992)
- James MarsdenX-Men: The Last Stand (2006) and Heights (2005)
- Austin PendletonThe Thief Who Came to Dinner (1973) and What's Up, Doc? (1972)
- Keith CarradineNashville (1975) and McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971)
- Woody AllenManhattan (1979) and The Front (1976)
- Paul GuilfoyleLive from Baghdad (2002) and Dead Ahead: The Exxon Valdez Disaster (1992)
- Wendy CrewsonAway from Her (2006) and Folks! (1992)
- Josef SommerX-Men: The Last Stand (2006) and The Front (1976)
- Julie ChristieAway from Her (2006) and McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971)
- Sally KellermanBrewster McCloud (1970) and M*A*S*H (1970)
- Bert RemsenMcCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971) and Brewster McCloud (1970)
- Ryan O'NealThe Thief Who Came to Dinner (1973) and What's Up, Doc? (1972)
- Robert WisdomLive from Baghdad (2002) and Clean Slate (1994)
- Jill ClayburghAn Unmarried Woman (1978) and The Thief Who Came to Dinner (1973)
- Alberta WatsonAway from Her (2006) and Tart (2001)
- John HillermanThe Thief Who Came to Dinner (1973) and What's Up, Doc? (1972)
- Dan ShorMesmerized (1985) and Strange Behavior (1981)
- Robert DoQuiCloak & Dagger (1984) and Nashville (1975)
- Barbara BaxleyNashville (1975) and Countdown (1967)
- George MorfogenThe Thief Who Came to Dinner (1973) and What's Up, Doc? (1972)
- Kelly BishopPrivate Parts (1997) and An Unmarried Woman (1978)
- Remak RamsayDead Ahead: The Exxon Valdez Disaster (1992) and The Front (1976)
- Linda SorensenMcCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971) and That Cold Day in the Park (1969)
- David ArkinNashville (1975) and M*A*S*H (1970)
- Timothy BrownNashville (1975) and M*A*S*H (1970)
- Corey FischerMcCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971) and Brewster McCloud (1970)
- Kevin O'NealThe Thief Who Came to Dinner (1973) and What's Up, Doc? (1972)
- Beryl Te WiataMesmerized (1985) and Strange Behavior (1981)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.