Born in, raised in and eventually paroled from Patchogue, New York, Michael graduated from Marist College where he studied TV and Film Production. While in school, Michael was a member of the sketch/improv comedy troupe, a weekly columnist for the newspaper, a writer and actor for the college TV station and the host of a weekly radio show.
Soon after graduating, Michael wrote Subway, his first screenplay, an amusing lump of shit that is literally fifty percent VoiceOver. Seriously. He followed that with a prolific five-year period during which he wrote seven slightly better screenplays, four short stories, two novellas and his memoir The Burnout Chronicles.
During this same period, he studied acting with William Esper and John Dapolito. As Michael polished his craft as an actor, he continued writing. His screenplay Inspiration Therapy was optioned by World Film Services and several other scripts were finalists in national screenplay competitions like Project Greenlight and Final Draft Big Break.
A member of the Writers Guild of America since 2005, Michael’s teleplay Brainstorm was developed by World Film Services and unsuccessfully shopped to various networks. Shortly after, he was hired to write a biographical novel which would become his second book, Broken.
As an actor, Michael is a proud member of the Screen Actors Guild and has appeared in numerous independent films and on HBO's The Deuce. As a member of the Actors Equity Association, he has also appeared in countless performances on New York's many Off-off-off-Broadway stages.
In 2011, Michael wrote Maybe Tomorrow. He would also produce, direct and star in the film which would go on to acquire distribution with Entertainment One who released it across the country on VOD, Amazon and iTunes.
Following Maybe Tomorrow, Michael wrote the screenplay for the rom-com Rich Boy, Rich Girl, which was distributed by Vertical Entertainment. He then wrote, directed and produced several short films, including Two Brothers in November. His latest short film
A Bellevue Love Story, that he also wrote, directed and produced,
is currently making its rounds on the film festival circuit.