Michael Tucker's biography:
Michael Tucker, born in Baltimore, developed an interest in performing as a teenager when he appeared as a "Lost Boy" in an amateur theater production of "Peter Pan". He later studied drama at Carnegie Tech and worked in stock shows and repertory companies, including the Long Wharf Theater and Washington's Arena Stage.
On the side, Tucker earned a college acting coach income while married, with his wife giving birth to their daughter Alison in 1969. Alison would later become an actress herself. Michael met and worked with Jill Eikenberry at the Arena Stage, appearing in the play "The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail" (1970). They married in 1973 and had a son, Max.
Undeterred by his short stature and unique features, Tucker found work in character parts, making significant strides on stage in productions such as "Moonchildren" (1972) with Jill, and classics like "The Merry Wives of Windsor", "The Comedy of Errors", and "Measure for Measure". He debuted on Broadway in a 1976 revival of "Trelawny of the Wells" alongside Meryl Streep and John Lithgow.
Tucker entered film and TV in 1978, with minor roles in "Final Chapter: Walking Tall" and "Eyes of Laura Mars", before landing a breakthrough featured role in the critically-acclaimed movie "Diner" (1982). He went on to work with Woody Allen in "The Purple Rose of Cairo" (1985) and "Radio Days" (1987).
In 1986, Tucker and Jill were cast as "Stuart Markowitz" and "Ann Kelsey" in the long-running law series "L.A. Law", which ran for eight seasons. They were both nominated for Emmy awards, with neither winning. Their characters also married on the show.
Tucker and Jill maintained a strong working relationship and capitalized on their success by creating mini-movie vehicles together, including "Assault and Matrimony" (1987),"The Secret Life of Archie's Wife" (1990),"A Town Torn Apart" (1992),and "Gone in a Heartbeat" (1996). They also appeared together in readings of "Love Letters".
In recent years, Tucker has received praise for roles in TV projects like "Vampire" (1979) and "Day One" (1989),as well as films like "The Happiest Day of His Life" (2007) alongside Jill, "Cold Souls" (2009),"25 Hill" (2011),and "Humor Me" (2017).
