Biografia

20 de abril de 1943 · Galesburg, Illinois, EUA

14 de setembro de 2002 · Riverside, Califórnia, EUA (câncer de pulmão)

James R. Maley

He spoke very proudly of his role in The Gay Deceivers (1969). He said he played his character "like Eve Arden on acid". He was particularly proud that his character was one of the first gay characters in mainstream cinema who was neither killed nor disgraced nor committed suicide, but instead had a hand in helping the protagonist. He also said that the costume department had turned the costume party scene into something very unflattering, and that he spent a good bit of time early that day bringing the costumes down to a more believable level.

Once, while appearing at The Hayloft in Studio City, CA, he asked that all the lights be turned out and launched into an impression of Billie Holiday (I) singing "My Man" that was eerily accurate. He wanted the lights out, he said, because he thought it would be too distracting to hear the voice of a small black woman coming out of the body of a very tall white man.

Michael's Mona Lisa, aka "Mona the Mouth", evolved over time. Mona started out as a solo character surrounded by a large gilded frame. In the next incarnation, she was flanked by similar-sized reproductions of Lawrence's "Pinkie" and Gainsborough's "The Blue Boy". In the final version, he said Mona had moved to Marin, CA, and Michael had replaced the gilded frame with a redwood hot tub.