Michael Cumpsty is an English actor. He is known for his work in Broadway plays such as Artist Descending a Staircase (1989), Racing Demon (1995), Copenhagen (2000), Democracy (2004), and Machinal (2014).
Cumpsty's film work includes State of Grace (1990), The Ice Storm (1997), Flags of Our Fathers (2006), and The Visitor (2007). He has also appeared in television series such as Nurse Jackie, L.A. Law, Boardwalk Empire, The Knick, Tommy, Severance, and Barry.
Cumpsty has also appeared in musicals such as 1776 (1997), 42nd Street (2001), Sunday in the Park with George (2008), and End of the Rainbow (2012). He received a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play nomination for his role in the latter.
Early life and education Cumpsty was born and raised in Wakefield, and moved to South Africa with his family at the age of nine. He later returned to England and attended Haileybury College in Hertford Heath, before relocating to the U.S. and receiving a BA in English from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1982.Rickwald, Bethany."The Colleges and Universities Attended by Tony Award Nominees" Theatermania.com, 31 May 2012
Career Cumpsty made his Broadway debut in Artist Descending a Staircase (1989). He has appeared in Broadway dramas such as La Bête (1991), Timon of Athens (1993),"Michael Cumpsty Broadway" playbillvault.com, accessed 19 August 2015 The Heiress (1995), Copenhagen (2000), and The Constant Wife (2005). He appeared on Broadway in the play End of the Rainbow in 2012 and received a Tony Award nomination for Featured Actor for his performance.Blank, Matthew. "PLAYBILL.COM'S CUE & A: End of the Rainbow Tony Nominee Michael Cumpsty" Playbill.com, 2012 He appeared in the Los Angeles production of the play, which ran in March and April 2013 at the Ahmanson Theatre. He appeared in the Roundabout Theatre production of Machinal as the "husband" from December 2013 to 2 March 2014.
In Broadway stage musicals, he played John Dickinson in the revival of 1776 (1997), and Julian Marsh in the revival of 42nd Street (2001). He played the role of Jules in the revival of Sunday in the Park With George in 2008. In off-Broadway work, he co-directed a Classic Stage Company production of Richard III in 2007, as well as played the title role. Other Shakespeare roles include the title role in Timon of Athens in 1996, Parolles in All's Well That Ends Well in 1993, Laertes in Hamlet in 1990, Time/Lord in The Winter's Tale in 1989, and Escalus in Romeo and Juliet in 1988, all at the Public Theater."Michael Cumpsty Listing, Internet Off-Broadway Database" Internet Off-Broadway Database, accessed 31 March 2011 He played the title role in the Classic Stage Company production of Hamlet in 2005, winning the Obie Award.
Cumpsty's television credits include daytime soap operas such as One Life to Live and All My Children, recurring roles on the primetime dramas L.A. Law in 1991 as "killer litigator" Frank Kittridge, Severance as Security Chief Doug Graner, and Star Trek: Voyager as the holographic Lord Burleigh, and guest appearances on Matlock," Matlock Episode. The Scam" tv.com, accessed 19 August 2015 The OA, and Law & Order. Cumpsty's feature films include State of Grace (1990),State of Grace rottentomatoes.com, accessed 1 April 2011 Fatal Instinct (1993),"Cast, Fatal Instinct" allmovie.com, accessed 1 April 2011 The Ice Storm (1997),"Cast, The Ice Storm" allmovie.com, accessed 1 April 2011 Starting Out in the Evening (2007),"Starting Out in the Evening Cast", The New York Times, accessed 19 August 2015 The Visitor (2007)'The Visitor' Internet Movie Database, accessed 1 April 2011 and Eat Pray Love (2010)"Cast, Eat Pray Love" rottentomatoes.com, accessed 1 April 2011
Cumpsty appeared at the Two River Theater in Much Ado About Nothing in October 2011, in Present Laughter in 2013, and directed the Wendy Wasserstein play Third in 2014. He appeared in Absurd Person Singular as "Ronald" in January and on 1 February 2015. He said of the Two River Theater: "It's similar to off-Broadway, but at a much nicer theater. And it's different from Broadway because it's not commercial so there's less pressure. It's exhilarating, too. The run is short (three or four weeks) then it's gone. It's kind of special..." He further said that he likes "language oriented work" and mentioned as examples Copenhagen and the plays of Tom Stoppard.
In 2023 he acted in the HBO drama series Barry playing the Movie Gene Cousineau in the episode "wow" alongside Jim Cummings as Movie Barry Berkman; Henry Winkler and Bill Hader originated the roles respectively.
Personal life Cumpsty has lived in New Jersey with his boyfriend John Dias, artistic director of the Two River Theater Company in Red Bank, since 2010.
Filmography Films Year Title Role Notes1990State of GraceFrankie's Man1993Fatal InstinctLaura's Husband1997The Ice StormPhilip Edwards1999The 24 Hour WomanSuzanne Pincus' Publicist2006The ExJack ConnorFlags of Our FathersSecretary Forrestal2007The VisitorCharlesStarting Out in the EveningVictor2010Eat Pray LoveSwami DhavalachandraWall Street: Money Never SleepsChurchill Schwartz Partner2011Downtown ExpressVadim2013Burning BlueAdmiral Stephensen2014Seduction TheoryThe Father(Short)2016Collateral BeautyChairman of the Board
Television Year Title Role Notes1989One Life to LiveSebastian 1 Episode1990The Kennedys of MassachusettsBilly Hartington 3 EpisodesGreat PerformancesLaertes Episode: "Hamlet"1991-1992L.A. LawFrank Kittredge 17 episodes1992-1993BobMr. Terhorst Voice; 7 episodes1993CrossroadsBailey Episode: "The Harvest"1995Star Trek: VoyagerLord Burleigh 2 episodes: "Cathexis" and "Persistence of Vision"MatlockCameron Ivers Episode: "The Scam"PointmanDet. Gordon Hagarty Episode: "Models"1996MistrialTerry Lynch Television movie1997Night SinsDr. Garrett Wright Television movie1999Law & OrderTom Willis Episode: "Hate"The Lady in QuestionKlaus Gruber Television movie2001The Lullaby of Broadway: Opening Night on 42nd StreetJulian Marsh Television movie2004All My ChildrenAlan Singer 5 episodes2007-2011Law & Order: Criminal IntentMark Schaeffer Bing Cullman aka Arnold Binder "Rocket Man" (2007) "Trophy Wine" (2011)2007-2010American ExperienceJames Callender Prosecutor Roger Robb John Randolph "Alexander Hamilton" (2007) "The Trials of J. Robert Oppenheimer" (2009) "Dolley Madison" (2010)2009MercyFather Gus Episode: "Hope You're Good, Smiley Face "2011Nurse JackieLou Babiak 2 episodes: "Mitten" and "Rat Falls"2011-2012Boardwalk EmpireFather Brennan6 episodes2012Made in JerseyBarry GilchristEpisode: "The Farm"2014The Good WifeEric NapierEpisode: "Shiny Objects"2015The KnickJudge Parkinson Bothamly2 episodesMadam SecretaryMax QuinnEpisode: "Spartan Figures"ElementaryArlen SchraderEpisode: "When Your Number's Up"2016The OADr. Leon CitroEpisode: "Forking Paths"Red OaksPriestEpisode: "Old Flames"2017The Blacklist: RedemptionRobert WilmontEpisode: "Kevin Jensen"2019The Enemy WithinDennis GordonEpisode: "The Ambassador's Wife"2020TommyLovell3 episodes2022SeveranceMr. Graner7 episodes2023BarryMovie Gene CousineauEpisode: "wow"2025The Gilded AgeLord Mildmay2 episodes
Theatre Year Title Role Playwright Venue1989 Artist Descending a Staircase Young Beauchamp Tom Stoppard Helen Hayes Theatre, Broadway debut1991 La Bête Elomire David Hirson Eugene O'Neill Theatre, Broadway1993 Timon of Athens Alcibiades William Shakespeare Lyceum Theatre, Broadway1995 The Heiress Morris Townsend Ruth and Augustus Goetz Cort Theatre, Broadway1995 Translations Lt. Yolland Brian Friel Plymouth Theatre, Broadway1995 Racing Demon Rev. Tony Ferris David Hare Vivian Beaumont Theatre, Broadway1997 1776 John Dickinson Sherman Edwards / Peter Stone Criterion Theatre, Broadway1998 Electra Orestes Frank McGuinness Ethel Barrymore Theatre, Broadway2000 Copenhagen Werner Heisenberg Michael Frayn Royale Theatre, Broadway2001 42nd Street Julian Marsh Harry Warren / Al Dubin Ford Center for the Performing Arts, Broadway2003 Enchanted April Mellersh Wilton Matthew Barber Belasco Theatre, Broadway2004 Democracy Arno Kretschmann Michael Frayn Brooks Atkinson Theatre, Broadway2005 The Constant Wife John Middleton W. Somerset Maugham American Airlines Theatre, Broadway2008 Sunday in the Park with George Bob Greenberg Stephen Sondheim Studio 54, Broadway2012 End of the Rainbow Anthony Peter Quilter Belasco Theatre, Broadway2013 The Winslow Boy Desmond Curry Terence Rattigan American Airlines Theatre, Broadway2014 Machinal Husband Sophie Treadwell
Accolades Year Association Category Project Result2001 Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Actor in a Musical 42nd Street 2003 Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play Enchanted April 2012 Tony Award Best Featured Actor in a Play End of the Rainbow 2023 Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama Series Severance
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