After graduating from Melbourne University and studying French at the Sorbonne, Michael went to Madrid to learn Spanish. He had his sights set on a career in the Diplomatic Service, but was turned down.
In 1972, Michael returned to Australia, where he had a succession of jobs, from language teacher to model. His modelling work for the Australian Wool Board took
him all over Europe, but eventually he once again returned home to Australia. This time, he took on small acting roles in shows such as Ben Hall, Kings Men and Bluey. Michael also sang in a number of Colleen Clifford's Old Time Music Hall Shows, and appeared on stage in plays such as A Man For All Seasons and She Stoops to Conquer.
But, it was in his role as hospital Superintendent Dr Brian Denham in The Young Doctors that Michael became a household name. He stayed with the show, on and off, for almost its entire run, bowing out not long before the final episodes. Throughout his years as Dr Denham, Michael also owned and ran a plant shop and garden nursery. After leaving the show, he had a number of stage roles, and appeared as a guest star in shows such as The Flying Doctors and E Street.
At the time of his untimely death, he had been rehearsing for a new play in Sydney.
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