Audition & Foundation Class

Born and raised in Manhattan, a graduate of Brown University, Michael is best known for his eight seasons as A.D.A. Leo Cohen on NYPD Blue. He's also recurred on E.R., The X-Files, Once and Again, For The People, Skin, CSI: Miami and ABC Family's Beautiful People (premiering in August). Additional TV credits include: CSI, Cold Case, Monk, CSI: NY, Law & Order, Judging Amy, Providence, Felicity, The District and many more. On the Big Screen, his credits include Seabiscuit, In the Weeds (just released on DVD by Miramax), The Big Time, I Am Sam, Legally Blonde, Virtuosity, An Eye For An Eye, Playing By Heart, Higher Learning, as well as the independents Submerged, Seven Girlfriends and Unbeatable Harold (opening in November). In addition to his impressive list of acting credits, Michael is also a freelance writer for television and has shot three original shorts. He will, hopefully, be making plans to make his feature directorial debut later this year with his original screenplay titled Sweetwater, starring Freddy Prinze Jr. and Scott Glenn. Michael comes from a long line of filmmakers; his grandfather, Oscar winner Sidney Buchman, ran Columbia under Harry Cohen throughout the 30s and 40s. Before he was blacklisted, and wrote and produced such films as Mr. Smith Goes To Washington, Here Comes Mr. Jordan, Talk of the Town, The Awful Truth, Sahara, A Song to Remember, Holiday, Lost Horizon, The Jolson Story, Cleopatra, Theodora Goes Wild and twenty others. Michael's sister, Amanda Silver, wrote The Hand That Rocks The Cradle and continues to write and produce with her husband Rick Jaffa. Michaels writing, acting, and now teaching partnership with Stuart dates back thirty years.