Michael York, OBE (born Michael Hugh Johnson; 27 March 1942) is an English actor. After performing on stage with the Royal National Theatre, he had a breakthrough in films by playing Tybalt in Franco Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet (1968). He played leading roles in several major British and Hollywood films, especially in the 1970s.
His most notable roles include Konrad Ludwig in Something for Everyone (1970), Geoffrey Richter-Douglas in Zeppelin (1971), Brian Roberts in Cabaret (1972), George Conway in Lost Horizon (1973), D'Artagnan in The Three Musketeers (also 1973) and its two sequels, Count Andrenyi in Murder on the Orient Express (1974), Logan 5 in Logan's Run (1976), and John the Baptist in Jesus of Nazareth (1977). In his later career, York found success as Basil Exposition in the Austin Powers film series (1997–2002).
York received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and was also awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) at the 1996 Birthday Honours.
Early life and education Michael Hugh Johnson was born on 27 March 1942 in Fulmer, Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, son of Florence Edith May Chown, a musician, and Joseph Gwynne Johnson, a Llandovery-born Welsh ex-Royal Artillery officer and businessman. York has an elder sister, Penelope Anne (born 1940) and younger twin sisters, Caroline and Bridget (born 1947); Bridget died a few hours after birth, according to York's autobiography. He was brought up in Burgess Hill, West Sussex.
York was educated at Bromley Grammar School for Boys, Hurstpierpoint College and University College, Oxford. He did some early acting at the community theatre Bromley Little Theatre (and later in 2014 became its president). This then led to his joining the National Youth Theatre, also performing with the Oxford University Dramatic Society and the University College Players. He began his career in a 1956 production of The Yellow Jacket. In 1959, he made his West End début with a small part in a production of Hamlet.
Career Early work 1960s and 1970s Prior to graduating with a degree in English from the University of Oxford in 1964, York had toured with the National Youth Theatre, After some time with the Dundee Repertory Theatre, where he played in Brendan Behan's The Hostage, York joined National Theatre under Laurence Olivier where he worked with Franco Zeffirelli during the 1965 staging of Much Ado About Nothing.
Following his role as Jolyon (Jolly) in three episodes of the classic black-and-white British miniseries The Forsyte Saga (1967), York made his film debut as Lucentio in Zeffirelli's The Taming of the Shrew (1967). He then was cast as Tybalt in Zeffirelli's 1968 film adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. He starred in The Guru (1969), then played an amoral bisexual drifter in Something for Everyone (1970). In the 1971 film Zeppelin, he portrayed a World War I soldier with conflicted family loyalties who pretends to side with the Germans. He portrayed the bisexual Brian Roberts in Bob Fosse's film version of Cabaret (1972). In 1975, he portrayed a British soldier in 19th century colonial India in Conduct Unbecoming, the first of three films he did with director Michael Anderson. In 1977, he reunited with Franco Zeffirelli as John the Baptist in Jesus of Nazareth.
York starred as D'Artagnan in the 1973 adaptation of The Three Musketeers and he made his Broadway début in the original production of Tennessee Williams's Out Cry. One year later the sequel to The Three Musketeers was released (roughly covering events in the second half of the book) titled The Four Musketeers. Fifteen years later, most of the cast (and crew) joined together in a third film titled The Return of the Musketeers based on the Dumas novel Twenty Years After. He played the title character in the film adaptation of Logan's Run (1976), a fugitive who tries to escape a computer-controlled society. The following year, he starred in The Island of Dr. Moreau opposite Burt Lancaster.
1980 to present
Following his early work in the late 1960s and the 1970s, York has had a varied career in film and television and on the stage. He appeared in two episodes in the second season of the Road to Avonlea series as Ezekiel Crane, the lighthouse keeper of Avonlea and foster father of Gus Pike. His Broadway theatre credits include Bent (1980), The Crucible (1992), Someone Who'll Watch Over Me (1993) and the ill-fated musical The Little Prince and the Aviator (1982), which closed during previews. He also has made many sound recordings as a reader, including Harper Audio's production of C. S. Lewis' The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
York appeared in the 1996 Babylon 5 episode "A Late Delivery from Avalon" as a delusional man who believed himself to be King Arthur. Two years later he would play King Arthur in A Knight in Camelot. He also appeared as Professor Asher Fleming, a 60-year-old Yale professor and boyfriend of Yale student Paris Geller (Liza Weil) during the fourth season of Gilmore Girls. Additionally, York voiced numerous characters in the DC Animated Universe: Count Vertigo and Montague Kane in Batman: The Animated Series, Kanto in Superman: The Animated Series, and Ares in Justice League Unlimited. York starred in both The Omega Code and its sequel, Megiddo: The Omega Code 2, as Stone Alexander, the Antichrist from Christian eschatology.
In 2002, York received a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to motion pictures. He played President Alexander Bourne of Macaronesia on seaQuest 2032. He played Basil Exposition in all three of the Austin Powers films. He has made an appearance on The Simpsons as Mason Fairbanks, Homer Simpson's possible father, in "Homer's Paternity Coot". In 2006, York played the character Bernard Fremont (inspired by real life serial killer Charles Sobhraj) in the Law & Order: Criminal Intent episode "Slither". He also appeared as a fictionalised version of himself in several episodes of the third season of Curb Your Enthusiasm as an investor in Larry's new restaurant 'BoBo's. In 2009, he lent his voice to Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
York voiced Petrie's uncle Pterano in The Land Before Time VII: The Stone of Cold Fire. In 2009, he narrated the entire Bible for The Word of Promise Audio Bible, a performance of the New King James Version.Groves, Martha (16 November 2009). "Stars lined up for elaborate audio Bible: Michael York, Jason Alexander and many others gave voice to a 79-CD reading of Old and New Testaments". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 16 July 2016. York again played King Arthur in a revival of Lerner and Loewe's Camelot, which began its run at the La Mirada Theatre in Southern California, and toured nationally in 2006 and 2007.
York portrays Luke in The Truth & Life Dramatised Audio New Testament Bible, a 22-hour audio dramatisation of the New Testament, which uses the Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition translation. In 2008, York took part in the BBC Wales programme Coming Home about his Welsh family history. In September 2013, York played Albany in the Gala Performance of William Shakespeare's King Lear at the Old Vic in London.King Lear. . The Old Vic. Accessed 4 November 2014. In 2018, York starred in A Shakespeare Jubilee! directed by Louis Fantasia at The Wallis in Beverly Hills.
Personal life York met photographer Patricia McCallum in 1967 when she was assigned to photograph him, and they married on 27 March 1968, York's 26th birthday. His stepson is Young Indiana Jones and the Star Wars Special Editions producer Rick McCallum.
York was named to the International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame in 1977.
Health problems In 2013, York announced he was suffering from amyloidosis. Doctors initially thought he had bone cancer. He underwent a stem cell transplant, which can alleviate symptoms, in 2012.
In 2022, in order to be closer to the Mayo Clinic for treatment, York and his wife moved to Rochester, Minnesota.
Acting credits Film Year Title Role Notes1967 The Taming of the Shrew Lucentio Confessions of Loving Couples Peter Accident William Red and Blue Acrobat Short film Smashing Time Tom Wabe 1968 Separation Himself Uncredited Romeo and Juliet Tybalt The Strange Affair Peter Strange 1969 The Guru Tom Pickle Alfred the Great Guthrum Justine Darley 1970 Something for Everyone Konrad Ludwig 1971 Zeppelin Geoffrey Richter-Douglas Basil 1972 Cabaret Brian Roberts 1973 Lost Horizon George Conway England Made Me Anthony Farrant The Three Musketeers D'Artagnan 1974 The Four Musketeers Great Expectations Pip Murder on the Orient Express Count Rudolf Andrenyi 1975 Conduct Unbecoming Lieutenant Arthur Drake 1976 Logan's Run Logan 5 Seven Nights in Japan Prince George 1977 Jesus of Nazareth John the Baptist The Island of Dr. Moreau Andrew Braddock The Last Remake of Beau Geste Beau Geste 1978 Fedora Himself 1979 The Riddle of the Sands Charles Carruthers 1980 Final Assignment Lyosha Petrov 1981 The White Lions Chris McBride 1983 For Those I Loved Martin Gray 1984 Success Is the Best Revenge Alex Rodak 1986 Dawn John Dawson 1987 Lethal Obsession Dr. Proper 1988 Phantom of Death Robert Dominici Midnight Cop Karstens 1989 The Return of the Musketeers D'Artagnan 1990 Come See the Paradise Dance Hall Band 1991 Eline Vere Lawrence St. Clare 1992 The Long Shadow Gabor Romandy 1993 Wide Sargasso Sea Paul Mason 1994 Discretion Assured Trevor McCabe 1995 Gospa Milan Vukovic A Young Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court Merlin Not of This Earth Paul Johnson 1997 Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery Basil Exposition Goodbye America Senator Bladon Dark Planet Capt. Winter The Long Way Home Narrator Voice, documentary A Christmas Carol Bob Cratchit Voice1998 Merchants of Venus Alex Jakoff Wrongfully Accused Hibbing Goodhue 54 Ambassador The Treat Simon Lovers & Liars Dick Bunche One Hell of a Guy Devil 1999 Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me Basil Exposition Puss in Boots Puss in Boots Voice A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information. The Omega Code Stone Alexander The Haunting of Hell House Professor Ambrose 2000 The Land Before Time VII: The Stone of Cold Fire Pterano Voice Borstal Boy Joyce A Monkey's Tale Lankoo King Voice2001 Megiddo: The Omega Code 2 Stone Alexander, Satan 2002 Austin Powers in Goldmember Basil Exposition A Very Merry Pooh Year Narrator Voice2004 Moscow Heat Roger Chambers 2007 Flatland: The Movie SpheriusVoice2008 Testimony: The Untold Story of Pope John Paul II Narrator Voice, documentary film2009 Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Prime #1Voice2010 Pravosudiye Volkov Mikhail Polyakov Quixote Don Quixote Voice, short film Tom and Jerry Meet Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes Voice The Justice of Wolves Mika Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey CoreVoice2011 The Mill and the Cross Nicolaes Jonghelinck Glad Christmas Tidings NarratorVoice2012 Flatland 2: Sphereland Spherius2014 Sleeping Beauty Narrator 2025DreamsPrivate Agent
Television