Michael Lembeck (born June 25, 1948) is an American actor and television and film director. He is best known as Max Horvath in One Day at a Time (1979–1984).
Life and career
Lembeck was born in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Caroline Dubs and Harvey Lembeck, an actor and comedian. His parents practiced the Jewish faith.Abramovitch, Ilana and Galvin, Seán (2002) Jews of Brooklyn Boston: Brandeis University Press. Accessed January 1, 2016. He graduated from Beverly Hills High School in 1966. He began acting in the late 1960s and directing in the 1970s.
His most notable acting role was as Julie Cooper (Mackenzie Phillips)'s husband, Max Horvath, on the sitcom One Day at a Time. He played newscaster Clete Meizenheimer on the series Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman.
In 1975, he appeared on Barney Miller in the episode "Hair" as Officer Guardeno. He also played Kaptain Kool of the fictional band Kaptain Kool and the Kongs on The Krofft Supershow from 1976 to 1978. He is also known for his role as Vinnie Fazio in The Boys in Company C in 1978. He was a member of the cast of the 1985–1986 situation comedy Foley Square. He appeared with his father, actor Harvey Lembeck, in an episode of The Partridge Family in 1971.
Lembeck has had collaborations with actor Peter Boyle (with whom he had previously appeared as an actor in Conspiracy: The Trial of the Chicago 8) in both The Santa Clause 2 and its sequel The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause. Lembeck also directed Boyle in a number of episodes of Everybody Loves Raymond.
Lembeck's first film appearance came in the 1968 film Hang 'Em High where he portrays “Marvin,” a store clerk with two spoken lines, in which he asks the proprietor where to store blankets. He later acted in The In-Laws. He directed The Santa Clause 2 and The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause, as well as the Nia Vardalos film Connie and Carla and Tooth Fairy.
Lembeck now works as a full-time film and TV director. He won an Emmy for his work on the Friends episode "The One After the Superbowl", which was also the most-viewed episode of the series. He also directed 20 other episodes of the series.
Personal life Lembeck is married to his second wife, retired actress Lorna Patterson. They raised two children.
Awards Lembeck's work has received recognition from the Directors Guild of America, and the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (also known as the ATAS).
1996 Won - Primetime Emmy award for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series ("The One After the Superbowl") (Friends) 1999 Nominated - Primetime Emmy award for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series ("The One Where Everybody Finds Out") (Friends) 2000 Nominated - Primetime Emmy award for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series ("The One That Could Have Been (Part 1 & 2)") (Friends) 2012 Nominated - Directors Guild award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Children's Programs (Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure) 2017 Nominated - Directors Guild award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Children's Programs (A Nutcracker Christmas)
Filmography Film The Santa Clause 2 (2002) Connie and Carla (2004) The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (2006) Tooth Fairy (2010) Queen Bees (2021) The J Team (2021)
Direct-to-video The Clique (2008) Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure (2011) (Also co-producer)
Acting roles Year Title Role Notes1968Hang 'Em HighStore Clerkuncredited1969Gidget Grows UpArnoldTV movie1972Haunts of the Very RichJohnny Delmonico1973A Summer Without BoysBurtBlood SportRueben1975It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's SupermanJoe1976Flannery and QuiltQuilt's GrandsonABC's Saturday Sneak PeekKaptain Kool1977Kaptain Kool and the Kongs Present ABC All-Star Saturday1978The Boys in Company CVinnie FazioHaving Babies IIIRuss BridgesTV movieThe Krofft Comedy HourKaptain KoolThe Bay City Rollers Meet the Saturday Superstars1979The In-LawsTommy Ricardo1980The Comeback KidTonyTV movieGorpKavellDan August: Once Is Never EnoughTV movie1981On the Right TrackFrank Biscardi1982Goodbye Doesn't Mean ForeverElliott GarfieldTV movie1987Conspiracy: The Trial of the Chicago 8Abbie HoffmanUltraman: The Adventure BeginsScott Masterson (voice role)1988Side by Side (1988 film)Tony MercerLady Mobsterunknown1989The Dream TeamEd1990Joseph and His BrothersVoice role,Short Film1993HeartbeatTedTV movie
Television TV movies Acting Sheriff (1991) Boys & Girls (1996) Carly (1998) True Love (1999) The Peter Principle (2000) From Where I Sit (2000) Loomis (2001) Untitled Oakley & Weinstein Project (2005) So Here's What Happened (2006) The Bling Ring (2011) Homeboys (2013) A Nutcracker Christmas (2016) Snow Day (2022)
TV series
Director Year Title Notes1989Doctor Doctor2 episodesMy Two DadsEpisode "I'm Dreaming of a Holiday Episode"Coming of Age3 episodes1989–1990Coach7 episodes1990Sugar and SpiceEpisode "Breaking in Is Hard to Do"The Marshall Chronicles2 episodes1992Flying Blind5 episodes1990–1993Major Dad67 episodes1993–1994Love & War16 episodes1994Good Advice4 episodes1994–1999Mad About You23 episodes1995Pride & JoeEpisode "Terror at 30,000 Feet"High SocietyEpisode "Family Val's"NewsRadio3 episodesDouble Rush13 episodes1995–2000Friends24 episodes1995–1996Hope & Gloria8 episodes1996The Naked TruthEpisode "Man Loses Load While Woman Can't Dump!"Party GirlCaroline in the CityEpisode "Caroline and the Cat Dancer"EllenEpisode "Harold and Ellen"1996–1997Everybody Loves Raymond5 episodes1997Men Behaving BadlyEpisode "It's Good to Be Dead"Chicago Sons2 episodesOver the Top10 episodes1997–1999Veronica's Closet4 episodes1998House RulesEpisode "Pilot"That's LifeEpisode "The First One"Encore! Encore!Episode "The French Connection"1998–2001Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place22 episodes1999Jesse2 episodes1999-2000Stark Raving Mad2 episodes2000The Weber Show2 episodes2001What About Joan4 episodesInside SchwartzEpisode "Event Night"Off CentreEpisode "A Stroke of Genius"According to JimEpisode "Cheryl's Old Flame"2003The 5 Coolest ThingsDocumentary miniseries 2007GreekEpisode "Liquid Courage"CalifornicationEpisode "Fear and Loathing at the Fundraiser"2010Hot in ClevelandEpisode "Pilot"2012–2013Guys with Kids5 episodes2012–2017Baby Daddy97 episodes (director); 35 episodes (executive producer)2014Mystery Girls4 episodes2015Mr. RobinsonEpisode "Ain't Nothin' But a Hound Dog"2017One Day at a TimeEpisode "Sex Talk"
Acting roles Year Title Role Notes1970The Young LoversStudentEpisode "A Simple Thing Called Justice"1970–1974Room 222Mickey Kaufman3 episodes1971Dan AugustRonEpisode "Death Chain"The Partridge FamilyMarcEpisode "To Play or Not to Play?"Make Room for GranddaddyPeterEpisode "The Greatest Ear in the Business"The Funny SideTeenage Husband6 episodes1973Love, American StyleBobSegment "Love and the Mind Reader"1975Happy DaysDooleyEpisode "Crusin' "BarettaPhilEpisode "The Coppelli Oath"Barney MillerDetective Paul GardenoEpisode "Hair"The RookiesGene/Maury2 episodes1976The Krofft SupershowKaptain Kool32 episodes1976–1977Mary Hartman, Mary HartmanClete Meizenheimer39 episodes1977The Brady Bunch Variety HourKaptain KoolEpisode "#1.1"1978What Really Happened to the Class of '65?Nick RomanskyEpisode "Class Clown"The Bay City Roller ShowKaptain KoolEpisode "#1.1"1979–1983The Love BoatJoey/ Bill Burgess5 episodes/S6 E7 "Too Many Dads" (1982)1979–1984One Day at a TimeMax Horvath49 episodes1981Aloha ParadiseJoshEpisode "Best of Friends/Success/Nine Karats"1982DarkroomBarryEpisode "Who's There?"InsightJ. WalterEpisode "For Love or Money"1983–1984Fantasy IslandJoe Manning/Dr. Russ Nicholas2 episodes1985The Greatest Adventure: Stories from the BibleEpisode "Joseph and His Brothers"Crazy Like a FoxAndy FarrEpisode "Is There a Fox in the House?"1985–1986Foley SquarePeter Newman14 episodes1987Murder, She WroteArnie WakemanEpisode "When Thieves Fall Out"Pound PuppiesVarious Characters (voice role)4 episodes1987–1988The SmurfsAdditional Voices 2 episodes1988–1989Fantastic MaxAdditional Voices3 episodes1989The Famous Teddy ZLandon TarmacEpisode "Bobby the Chimp"1992Fish PoliceEpisode "The Two Gils"1993L.A. LawMitchell ScheinEpisode "Come Rain or Schein"1994–1999Mad About YouMr. Shapiro Episode "Two Tickets to Paradise" 1995Double RushAngus Black"Episode "Snowings and Goings"2012–2017Baby DaddyDirectorEpisode "Over My Dead Bonnie"
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