Biography
Growing up the third of nine children in a Memphis suburb, actor Michael Beck planned on a career in economics or athletics. He earned a football scholarship to Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi, but after being one of only 30 applicants chosen to attend the prestigious Central School of Speech and Drama in London, England, Beck hopped on a plane and his career plans took a turn. His first big-screen appearance was as a Highway Thug in the 1971 film "The Hard Ride," for which he was not given a credit. His big break was still to come, when in 1979 he played Swan in the cult-favorite New York gang film "The Warriors." The very next year, Beck starred as Sonny Malone in the much-maligned roller skating fantasy-musical "Xanadu." His work on the film earned him a Razzie nomination for worst actor. Beck's post-"Xanadu" film work included roles in 1982's "Megaforce" and 1983's "The Golden Seal," but the bulk of his career has taken place on the small-screen, where he starred in numerous TV movies like "Deadly Game," "Stranger At My Door" and "Wes Craven's Chiller." Beck has also been featured on a number of popular TV series, including "JAG," "Walker, Texas Range" and "Nash Bridges." Of his short-lived film career, Beck has been quoted as saying: "The Warriors opened a lot of doors in film for me; which Xanadu then closed."
