Michael Cumpsty is an English actor. He is known for his work inBroadway plays such asArtist Descending a Staircase (1989),Racing Demon (1995),Copenhagen (2000),Democracy (2004), andMachinal (2014).

Cumpsty's film work includesState of Grace (1990),The Ice Storm (1997),Flags of Our Fathers (2006), andThe Visitor (2007). He has also appeared in television series such asNurse Jackie,L.A. Law,Boardwalk Empire,The Knick,Tommy,Severance, andBarry.

Cumpsty has also appeared in musicals such as1776 (1997),42nd Street (2001),Sunday in the Park with George (2008), andEnd of the Rainbow (2012). He received aTony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play nomination for his role in the latter.

Cumpsty was born and raised inWakefield,^[1] and moved to South Africa with his family at the age of nine.^[2] He later returned to England and attendedHaileybury College inHertford Heath, before relocating to the U.S. and receiving aBA in English from theUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1982.^[3][4]

Cumpsty made hisBroadway debut inArtist Descending a Staircase (1989). He has appeared in Broadway dramas such asLa Bête (1991),^[5]Timon of Athens (1993),^[6]The Heiress (1995),^[7]Copenhagen (2000),^[8] andThe Constant Wife (2005).^[9] He appeared on Broadway in the playEnd of the Rainbow in 2012 and received aTony Award nomination for Featured Actor for his performance.^[6][1] He appeared in the Los Angeles production of the play, which ran in March and April 2013 at the Ahmanson Theatre.^[10] He appeared in theRoundabout Theatre production ofMachinal as the "husband" from December 2013 to 2 March 2014.^[11]

In Broadway stage musicals, he playedJohn Dickinson in the revival of1776 (1997),^[12] and Julian Marsh in the revival of42nd Street (2001).^[13][6] He played the role of Jules in the revival ofSunday in the Park With George in 2008.^[14] Inoff-Broadway work, he co-directed aClassic Stage Company production ofRichard III in 2007, as well as played thetitle role.^[15] Other Shakespeare roles include the title role inTimon of Athens in 1996, Parolles inAll's Well That Ends Well in 1993,Laertes inHamlet in 1990, Time/Lord inThe Winter's Tale in 1989, and Escalus inRomeo and Juliet in 1988, all at thePublic Theater.^[16] He played thetitle role in the Classic Stage Company production ofHamlet in 2005, winning theObie Award.^[16]

Cumpsty's television credits include daytime soap operas such asOne Life to Live andAll My Children, recurring roles on the primetime dramasL.A. Law in 1991 as "killer litigator" Frank Kittridge,^[17]Severance as Security Chief Doug Graner, andStar Trek: Voyager as the holographic Lord Burleigh, and guest appearances onMatlock,^[18]The OA, andLaw & Order. Cumpsty's feature films includeState of Grace (1990),^[19]Fatal Instinct (1993),^[20]The Ice Storm (1997),^[21]Starting Out in the Evening (2007),^[22]The Visitor (2007)^[23] andEat Pray Love (2010)^[24]

Cumpsty appeared at theTwo River Theater inMuch Ado About Nothing in October 2011,^[25] inPresent Laughter in 2013, and directed theWendy Wasserstein playThird in 2014.^[26][27] He appeared inAbsurd Person Singular as "Ronald" in January and on 1 February 2015.^[2] 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..."^[2] He further said that he likes "language oriented work" and mentioned as examplesCopenhagen and the plays ofTom Stoppard.^[2]

In 2023 he acted in theHBO drama seriesBarry playing the Movie Gene Cousineau in the episode "wow" alongsideJim Cummings as Movie Barry Berkman;Henry Winkler andBill Hader originated the roles respectively.

Cumpsty has lived inNew Jersey with his boyfriend John Dias, artistic director of the Two River Theater Company inRed Bank, since 2010.^[25]

• Michael Cumpsty at theInternet Broadway Database
• Michael Cumpsty atIMDb

• 1960 births
• English gay actors
• English male film actors
• English male stage actors
• English male television actors
• LGBTQ people from Yorkshire
• Living people
• Male actors from Wakefield
• People educated at Haileybury and Imperial Service College
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill alumni

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