IndustryCentral - Actor Profiles Michael Monks

EDITOR'S INTRO

This is the thirty eighth in a continuing feature at IndustryCentral profiling "The Working Actor". (See Archives below)
William Shakespeare said "There are no small parts--.". William Shatner may have said it too, but the longhair with the tights was first, or so the reports go. In this feature we will explore what it really means to be an actor working in Motion Pictures and Television.
Broad public acknowledgment may have eluded some who find their way to these pages, or perhaps they may have brushed against what is referred to as stardom by virtue of one or more remarkable performances. However for many, the rewards of plying their craft in a field which has allowed them to earn a living may exceed the burdens of public acclaim. Given the chance, some in this clan might prefer the longevity offered by anonymity over the potential for short lived fame.
These individuals, either by design or fate, have managed to sustain a career by crafting performances which rendered them a good casting choice. They are usually thought of as a face you recognize, but you just can't get the name past the tip of your tongue.
Most of these folks have spent countless hours on stage in theaters ranging from 20 seats to 2000, building characters from the works of Ibsen, to Eliot, to Williams, to yes even Shakespeare, and so many of the modern Playwrights. They have rounded their skills doing drama, comedy, & musicals. Their work is a serious venture.
These people have given us screen performances which quite often were the catalyst that brought an Oscar or Emmy to another and yet they continue to work as "Characters" or "Co-Stars" without the trophies and plaques adorning their mantle.

Michael Monks

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Michael Monks is a native of Indiana who grew up in Colorado, he graduated from Colorado State University with a degree in Industrial Construction Management. Then it was off to New York City to study acting at The Neighborhood Playhouse with Sanford Meisner.

After that it was back to Colorado to save some money, so he worked as a Project Engineer and built a 32 story High-rise in Downtown Denver and the Walker Field Airport Terminal in Grand Junction Colorado. With his bank account replenished it was back to NYC to act. Doing mostly commercials and bad theater for several years Michael headed to Los Angeles in 1989. It was a perfect fit.

He started working immediately in film and television, starting with comedy roles in his first films, "Rock and Roll High School Forever" and "Out on a Limb". Other films include "Air Force One", "Clean Slate", "Little Giants", "Hard Rain", "Angie", "What's Love got to do With It", "Winchell", "Scorpio One", "Last Lives", "Illicit Behavior" and the soon to be released "100 Mile Rule" and "The Legacy".

He has Guest Starred on many TV shows, including "ER", "NYPD Blue", "Friends", "Family Law", "Arliss", "The Division", "Profiler", "Any Day Now", "Home Improvement" and many more. He can be seen in the upcoming HBO period Drama Series "Carnivale".

But Michael is probably most recognizable for his long run on "The Practice" as George Vogelman, the cross-dressing, head chopping, homicidal podiatrist who had trouble getting dates. HMMMMM, wonder why!!! Michael is also a writer who has written pilots for television and feature films.

Representation:
Theatrical Agency:
Progressive Artists Agency; Corp.
400 So. Beverly Drive; Suite 216
Beverly Hills, CA. 90212-4483
310-553-8561 * Fax 310-553-4726

Commercial Agency
AKA Talent Agency
323-965-5600

Michael Monks' advice to the aspiring actor:

"Someone once said that when it comes to choosing a life as an actor, 'If you can do anything else and be happy, do it.' If there isn't and this is what you want to do I would urge you to think of yourself as in it for the long haul, as a career. It takes a lot of time and a great deal of energy. It's not about 'making it' tomorrow, it's about working as an actor and building a career. Don't think it all has to happen right now. This will help you with the ups and downs of the business, and there will be both. But if this is what you love to do, then believe in yourself, go for it, and don't look back"

Michael Monks's Credits (partial)

FILM
100 MILE RULE THE LEGACY NOBODY'S BABY AIR FORCE ONE HARD RAIN SPOON RIVER BELLYFRUTT DUTY DATING LITTLE GIANTS CLEAN SLATE OUT ON A LIMB ANGIE WHAT'S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT WINCHELL CRIME OF ME CENTURY INDICTMENT RUNNING MATES SCORPIO ONE LAST LIVES ILLICIT BEHAVIOR ROCK & ROLL H.S. FOREVER	Road Rules Prod. Independent Millenium Sony Paramount Malibu Pictures International Independent Independent Warner Bros. MGM Universal Caravan Pictures Touchstone HBO Original Movie HBO Original Movie HBO Original Movie HBO Original Movie Independent Independent Independent Live Entertainment	Dir: Brent Huff Dir: James Encinas Dir: David Seltzer Dir: Wolfgang Petersen Dir: Mikael Salomon Dir: Scott Meehan Dir: Kerri Green Dir: Cherry Norris Dir: Dwayne Dunham Dir: Mick Jackson Dir: Francis Veber Dir: Martha Coolidge Dir: Brian Gibson Dir: Paul Mazursky Dir: Mark Rydell Dir: Mick Jackson Dir: Michael Lindsay-Hogg Dir: Worth Keeter Dir: Worth Keeter Dir: Worth Keeter Dir: Deborah Brock

TELEVISION
CARNNALE (Pilot) ANY DAY NOW THE PRACTICE (Recurring) ARLISS THE DIVISION (Pilot) THE WEBER SHOW (Pilot) FAMILY LAW N.Y.P.D. BLUE FRIENDS PROFILER E.R. SEVENTH HEAVEN HOME IMPROVEMENT	HBO Lifetime ABC HBO Lifetime NBC CBS ABC NBC NBC NBC WBN/Spelling ABC	Dir: Rodrigo Garcia Dir: Roxanne Dawson Dir: Various Dir: Rodman Flander Dir: James Frawley Dir: James Burrows Dir: Fred Gerber Dir: Jake Paltrow Dir: Gary Halvorson Dir: Richard Compton Dir: Charles Haid Dir: Harry Harris Dir: Andy Cadiff

THEATER - LA
NOTHING SO SIMPLE AS LOVE ONE OF MOSE DAYS THE LOVE OF THE NIGHTINGALE	Theatre, Theatre Matrix/Don Amendolia LA Theatre Work

THEATER - OFF-OFF BROADWAY
PHOSPHOROUS RIDDLEY WALKER ROMEO AND JULIET THE DINING ROOM A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE	Primary Stages La Mama A.T.A. The Repertory Co. Old Castle Theatre

TRAINING
SANFORD MEISNER DEBORAH HEADWALL IMPROV	Neighborhood Playhouse Ensemble Studio Theatre The Groundlings East

For more info and credits see

-- End ---

WORKING ACTOR ARCHIVE
	Peter Jason July 2002
John Moskoff June 2002	James Reynolds May 2002	Mindy Sterling April 2002	Chelcie Ross March 2002
Barry Jenner February 2002	John Aylward January 2002	Denis Arndt December 2001	Bill Smitrovich November 2001
Alice Hirson Octobber 2001	Warren Stevens September 2001	Stephen Elliott August 2001	Eugene Roche July 2001
Jon Polito June 2001	Peter Riegert May 2001	Bonnie Bartlett April 2001	William Daniels March 2001
Dick Whittinghill February 2001	Chris Ellis January 2001	James Whitmore Jr. December 2000	Vince Grant November 2000
Judith Hoag October 2000	Madison Mason September 2000	Jay Acovone August 2000	Richard Riehle July 2000
Charlie Brill June 2000	Edie McClurg May 2000	Miguel Sandoval April 2000	Tom Bower March 2000
Amy Aquino February 2000	Danny Chambers January 2000	Eve Gordon December 1999	Barbara Niven November 1999
Bill Lucking October 1999	Richard Roundtree September 1999	Pat Harrington August 1999	Robert Donner July 1999

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