Michael was born in Colorado Springs but grew up in Chicago, the oldest of three children. He first became involved in theater to meet girls at school, and later became a member of the speech team, participating in competitions. He studied theater at Western Illinois University, playing major roles in plays ranging from "Purlie Victorious" to "The Seagull" and "A Midsummer Night's Dream." He performed at the Kennedy Center in the Irene Ryan National Competition, for which he won the Best Supporting Actor Award. After graduation, he worked for a casting director for a month and was then cast as Motown in "Hamburger Hill," which was shot in the Philippines, and which, Michael notes, was the first film job for nearly every actor in the movie, including himself.

After that film, he moved to New York for a year and a half, where he performed off-Broadway and worked various jobs ("doing the struggling actor thing," he says); and then relocated to Los Angeles for ABC's dramatic series, "China Beach," where he created the unforgettable character, Sam Beckett. Boatman's television career took off, and his roles since then have included "Muscle," in which he co-starred with Alan Ruck, also of "Spin City"; as well as "The Jackie Thomas Show." Michael has guest-starred on "The Larry Sanders Show," "Living Single" and "Arli$$," and has been in numerous movies for television, including "Fourth Story" for cable, "Conspiracy of Terror," "Donor," "In the Line of Duty: Street War," and the PBS special, "The Trial of Bernard Goetz."

Michael's other films include the lead role of J.J. Johnson in "The Glass Shield," Sidney Lumet's "Running On Empty," and the independent film, "Unbecoming Age." His theater work includes "The Glass Menagerie" in San Francisco and "Tiny Mommy" at Playwright's Horizons, a modern retelling of the biblical story of Joseph.

Michael's hobbies include reading, especially the works of David J. Schow, and he has been an avid comic book collector since third grade. He and his wife live in Los Angeles, California and New York with their daughter, Jordan.

VITAL STATISTICS
BIRTHPLACE: Colorado Springs, CO
BIRTHDATE: Oct. 25
HEIGHT: 6'
HAIR: Shaven
EYES: Brown