Michael Gross (actor)

Michael Edward Gross (born June 21, 1947) is an American television, movie and stage actor and comedian. He is notable for playing Steven Keaton on the sitcom Family Ties (1982–89) and the survivalist Burt Gummer in the Tremors film franchise.

Michael Gross
Gross in 2015
Born
Michael Edward Gross

(1947-06-21) June 21, 1947
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
EducationUniversity of Illinois, Chicago (BA)
Yale University (MFA)
OccupationActor/comedian
Years active1975–present
Spouse(s)
Elza Bergeron
​
(m. 1984)​
Children2 stepdaughters
RelativesMary Gross (sister)

Early life

Gross was born in Chicago, the son of Virginia Ruth (née Cahill), a telephone operator, and William Oscar Gross, a tool designer.[1] Gross and his younger sister, Mary, were raised Catholic. He attended St. Francis Xavier [2] and St. Genevieve[3] schools in Chicago in his early years, graduating from the latter in 1961.

He attended Kelvyn Park High School on the north side of Chicago, graduating in 1965. He received his drama degree at the University of Illinois at Chicago before attending Yale University for his Master of Fine Arts degree. His sister, Mary, a former Saturday Night Live cast member, is an actress. The siblings are first cousins to actor Ron Masak.

Career

Gross was first seen by a broad audience in his role as Steven Keaton in the 1980s sitcom Family Ties; he and his co-star Meredith Baxter, who played his wife Elyse Keaton, were born on the same day, June 21, 1947.[4] However, his longest-running and highest-profile role has been that of Burt Gummer in the Tremors movies and subsequent TV series,[5] having played the role for thirty years from the release of the original Tremors in 1990 to Tremors: Shrieker Island in 2020. His performance in Tremors 3: Back to Perfection earned him a Best Actor award from the DVD Exclusive Awards, formerly known as the Video Premiere Awards.[6][7]

Gross guest-starred in an episode of the sitcom Night Court, in which he played a sexual predator of Markie Post's character, Christine Sullivan. In 1988, he portrayed a murderous bank robber in the true life movie In the Line of Duty: The F.B.I. Murders. His other television credits include Boston Legal, How I Met Your Mother, Batman Beyond, ER, Parks and Recreation (Episode: "Summer Catalog"), Law & Order, and two of its spin-offs: SVU and Criminal Intent. From August 2008 to January 2009, Gross appeared on the CBS soap The Young and the Restless as River Baldwin. Gross appeared in 2000 on Spin City as a therapist to Michael J. Fox's character on Fox's final show as a regular on that program. In November 1979, Gross originated the role of Greta in the Broadway production of Martin Sherman's Bent.[8]

Personal life

Gross has been married to casting director Elza Bergeron since June 2, 1984, and he is the stepfather to her two children.[9]

Gross remains close friends with his Family Ties co-star Meredith Baxter.[10]

Gross is a passionate railfan with an extensive collection of railroad antiques. He is an amateur railroad historian, photographer, modeler, and part-owner in a working railroad, the Santa Fe Southern Railway, a former branch line of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway which operates between Lamy and Santa Fe, New Mexico.[11] He is also the spokesman for the World's Greatest Hobby campaign sponsored by the Model Railroad Industry Association that promotes the hobby of model railroading. He has also been a spokesperson for Operation Lifesaver, a campaign promoting safety at railroad grade crossings.[12]

Since 2009, Gross has been the "celebrity spokesman" for the B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore, Maryland.[13] He is the host of the B&O Railroad Museum Television Network on YouTube. He is also a member of the Santa Fe Railway Historical Society.

Filmography
Acting in film and television
Year Title Role Notes
1975 A Girl Named Sooner Jim Seevey TV movie
1980 Just Tell Me What You Want Lothar
1980 F.D.R.: The Last Year Dr. Howard Bruenn TV movie
1981 Dream House Julius "J.J." Jacobson TV movie
1982 The Neighborhood Jack Wolfe TV movie
1982 Little Gloria... Happy at Last Gilchrist miniseries
1982–89 Family Ties Steven Keaton TV series, main role, 171 episodes
1987 Dorothy Meets Ozma of Oz Himself/Host Voice
1988 In the Line of Duty: The F.B.I. Murders William Matix
1988 Big Business Dr. Jay Marshall
1989 A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court King Arthur TV movie
1989 Tremors Burt Gummer
1991 Cool as Ice Gordon Winslow/James Anthony Hackett
1992 Alan & Naomi
1992 With a Vengeance Frank Tanner TV movie
1993 Batman: The Animated Series Lloyd Ventrix / Mojo Voice
1993 The Story of Peanut Butter
1994 Snowbound: The Jim and Jennifer Stolpa Story Kevin Mulligan Television film
1994 Never Ask the Devil to Pack a Lunch
1995 Deceived by Trust Dr. Gordon Powell TV movie
1996 Hijacked: Flight 285 Ben Horn TV movie
1996 The Making of a Hollywood Madam Paul Fleiss TV movie
1996 Tremors 2: Aftershocks Burt Gummer Direct-to-video
1996 The Outer Limits Professor Stan Hurst Episode: "Inconstant Moon"
1996 Sometimes They Come Back... Again Jon Porter
1998 Ground Control Murray
1999 Batman Beyond Warren McGinnis Voice
2000 Spin City Dr. Peterson 1 episode (season 4.25)
2001 The Undesirable Television film
2001 Tremors 3: Back to Perfection Burt Gummer Direct-to-video
2002-04 ER John Carter Sr. TV series
2002 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Arthur Esterman/Vartan Dadian 1 episode (season 4.4)
2002 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Dr. Charles Webb 1 episode (season 1.12)
2003 The Power of Aluminum Foil TV series
2003 Super Chief: Speed-Style-Service Narrator
2004 Tremors 4: The Legend Begins Hiram Gummer Direct-to-video
2004 Combustion
2004 Drew Carey Show
2005 Daylight The Most Beautiful Train In The World Narrator
2006 Dome Car Magic: A History of Railroad Dome Cars Narrator
2006–11 How I Met Your Mother Alfred Mosby 3 episodes
2008 100 Million BC Dr. Frank Reno
2008–09 The Young and the Restless River Baldwin TV series
2010 Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! Robin Episode: "Crows"
2010 Psych Cody Blair Episode: "Dead Bear Walking"
2010 Parks and Recreation Michael Tansley Episode: "Summer Catalog"
2011 Dan Vs. Don Voice
2011 Curb Your Enthusiasm Dermatologist Dr. Rivkin 1 episode (season 8.4)
2012 Tim and Eric's Billion Dollar Movie Narrator
2012 The Dog Who Saved the Holidays Ned Direct-to-video
2012 NTSF:SD:SUV:: Huck Jingles Episode: "Family Dies"
2012 Meant to Be Mr. Trantham
2012 Naughty or Nice Walter Kringle
2012 Atlas Shrugged: Part II Ted 'Buzz' Killman
2013 Guest House Lou Wesley
2014 Last Man Standing Mr. Hardin Episode: "Hard-Ass Teacher"
2014 Suits Walter Gillis 4 episodes (season 4)
2014 Anger Management Dr. Randy Warren 4 episodes (season 2)
2015 Grace & Frankie Jeff 2 episodes (season 1)
2015 Tremors 5: Bloodlines Burt Gummer Direct-to-video
2015 Rosemont Dr. Molina TV movie
2016 Bilal Okba Voice
2016 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Jeffrey Prince 1 episode (season 17.20)
2016 Togetherness Mr. Pierson Episode: "Advanced Pretend"
2016 Last Call at Murray's[14] Murray
2017 Grace & Frankie Jeff Episode 11
2017 Camp Cool Kids Grandpa Norman Direct-to-video
2018 A.P. Bio Brandon Episode: "Rosemary's Boyfriend"
2018 Tremors: A Cold Day in Hell Burt Gummer Direct-to-video
2019 Noelle Elder Elf Abe [15]
2020 Tremors: Shrieker Island Burt Gummer Direct-to-video

References
  1. "Gross, Virginia Ruth". Chicago Tribune. March 22, 2005.
  2. David Niles. "Worcester Telegram & Gazette Archives". Nl.newsbank.com. Retrieved 2013-04-22.
  3. Schwartz, Karen (January 20, 1991). "Memories reinforce family ties to the hometown". Chicago Tribune. Chicago. p. 4.
  4. "Michael Gross Biography". Filmreference.com. Retrieved 2013-04-22.
  5. "Exclusive: Michael Gross Talks Tremors 5". Dread Central. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  6. https://stampede-entertainment.com/site/michael-gross-receiving-best-act-award
  7. https://news.amomama.com/188592-meet-family-ties-star-michael-gross-beau.html
  8. "'Bent' profile". IBDB. Retrieved December 25, 2015.
  9. "Michael Gross Has A 'Recurring Nightmare' About Doing A 'Family Ties' Reboot (EXCLUSIVE)". Closer Weekly. 2018-09-23. Retrieved 2019-08-04.
  10. Hill, Erin (20 May 2011). "Meredith Baxter and Michael Gross Maintain 'Ties'". Parade.
  11. Hall, Ken; Southeastern Antiquing and Collecting Magazine (2003), The Celebrity Collector - Michael Gross, his family tree and his collections are rooted in the railroad; retrieved October 7, 2005.
  12. Model Railroad Industry Association (2005), World's Greatest Hobby campaign keeps model railroading on the right track for the future; retrieved October 7, 2005.
  13. "What's Here– A message from Michael Gross". B&O Railroad Museum. 2009. Retrieved 2018-08-19.
  14. Palmer, Linda (2016-03-05), Last Call at Murray's (Comedy, Drama, Romance), Michael Gross, John Savage, Paula Jai Parker, Rachel Alig, Runaway Productions, Sea Sand Entertainment, Shut Up 'N' Rock Entertainment, retrieved 2020-12-20
  15. N'Duka, Amanda (15 November 2017). "Michael Gross Joins Disney's 'Noelle', Michael Hyatt Cast In 'Foster Boy'; Ray Wise In 'For Entertainment Purposes Only'". Deadline Hollywood.
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