| Melissa Michaelsen | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 26, 1968 Manhattan, New York |
Melissa Michaelsen (born March 26, 1968) was an American child actress probably best known for her role as the title character in the James Komack television show Me and Maxx.[1]
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Michaelsen's father, Alwin Michaelsen, is a financial consultant who graduated from Princeton in 1954,[2][3] and her mother, Gail Billingsley was once Alwin's secretary. Gail is the niece of Stork Club owner Sherman Billingsley. Gail's cousin, Glenn Billingsley, was briefly married to actress Barbara Billingsley who continued to use his last name for her stage name.[4] Gail was the one who initially took the children around to auditions. Michaelsen's four siblings all acted as children, most notably Peter Billingsley[5][6] and, to a lesser extent, Neil Billingsley who began playing Danny Walton on the daytime soap opera Search for Tomorrow in 1975.[7]
For a while, Melissa's resume was nearly as extensive as Peter's having appeared in many television commercials and guest starring in quite a number of television shows including Code Red,[8] Here's Boomer, The Young Riders,[9] and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.[10] Michaelsen also starred in several made-for-TV movies such as Orphan Train,[11] Broken Promise,[12] and the Goldie and the Boxer films.[13][14]
Michaelsen's major role was as the title character, Maxx Davis, in the NBC sitcom Me and Maxx in 1980. Melissa was picked for the role when a commercial starring Joe Santos aired during one of Melissa's early projects. NBC president Fred Silverman saw the commercial while watching Melissa's TV-movie and reportedly said "I want that guy with that girl."[15] Another source gives credit for the role to the daughter of the producer, James Komack. Maxx Komack, whom the main character was named after, walked in on the screen tests and saw Melissa playing the role. She supposedly blurted out, "That's her. The little blonde girl. That's Maxx!"[16] This was Melissa's second attempt at a network series. In an interview about Goldie and the Boxer, her co-star and producer, O. J. Simpson, mentioned that he first saw Michaelsen in an unaired ABC pilot a few days before the film was to begin shooting.[17]
Michaelsen received favorable reviews from both critics and her costars. The New York Times singled her out in their review of Memories Never Die in which she co-starred opposite Lindsay Wagner: "The entire supporting cast is uncommonly good, but special notice might be taken of young Miss Michaelsen. Her pouting, sulking, resentful Kathy is in startling contrast to the sunny Shirley Temple type she has played in such television movies as Goldie and the Boxer. Like Miss Wagner, she, too, is proceeding nicely with her career."[18] Television writer Jerry Buck quoted Melissa's co-star Joe Santos as saying that "She's a terrific actress and a wonderful human being," as he went on to praise her work ethic.[15]
Michaelsen made two more attempts at series television. In 1981, she filmed a pilot for CBS. The show was an attempt to bring the film Little Darlings to television.[19] It never aired. In 1984, Melissa made another pilot with a role as Stella Stevens' youngest daughter in the western No Man's Land. Stella's two older daughters were played by Terri Garber and Donna Dixon. The show was not picked up, but the pilot was broadcast as a two hour TV-movie.[20]
Besides acting, Michaelsen also did some public speaking during her youth. For example, in 1983 she was one of the keynote speakers at a conference on Indian unity.[21]
Following her acting career, Michaelsen spent some time as a representative of the Morgans Hotel Group in New York.[22]