Michael Sharrett

Born Michael Stuart Sharrett
July 18, 1965 (1965-07-18) (age 46)
Ventura, California, US
Occupation Actor
Years active 1977 ─ present
Awards Young Artist Award nominee
1986 Deadly Friend – Tom 'Slime' Toomey

Michael Stuart Sharrett (born July 18, 1965) is an American actor who received a Young Artist Award nomination as the "Best Young Actor in a Horror Motion Picture" for his role as Tom in the 1986 witty sci-fi/horror movie Deadly Friend. Best known for his role in the 1978 classic family movie The Magic of Lassie with James Stewart, Sharrett additionally co-starred in the 1985 action film Savage Dawn and in the 1986 Wes Craven horror film Deadly Friend.

Contents

Biography and career

Michael Sharrett was born in Ventura, California, a city located in Southern California approximately 30 miles from Los Angeles. Sharrett began his career at the age of 12 in the Emmy Award-winning Our Town, a 1977 television adaptation of the classic play Our Town. After some additional television roles and a part in the 1978 Walt Disney comedy western film Hot Lead and Cold Feet, Sharrett landed the role of Chris, the grandson of Clovis, played by Academy Award winner Jimmy Stewart in the 1978 musical film The Magic of Lassie.[1] In The Magic of Lassie, Lassie is a dog owned by Sharrett's freckled-faced character Chris.[2] Lassie is taken away from Chris, who then is put under pressure when his grandpa has to decide whether to sell the valuable family vineyard in return for the dog.[2]

In 1986, Sharrett played Tom in the witty sci-fi/horror movie Deadly Friend.[3] In the teenage friendship story, Tom and his friend Paul bring friend Samantha back to life using a computer chip designed by Paul.[3] Reviews of Sharrett's performance were positive,[4][5] with a New York Times reviewer writing, "As Tom, Michael Sharrett is a wonderful foil, fainting away at the first kick of Sam's supposedly dead leg."[3] For his performance as Tom, Sharrett received a Young Artist Award nomination in 1986 as the Best Young Actor in a Horror Motion Picture.[6]

In 1988, Sharrett appeared in the short lived TV series Supercarrier. Two years later, in October 1990, Sharrett served as a main character in an episode of the American television drama The Trials of Rosie O'Neill.[7] In that episode, Sharrett played a seemingly all-American boy accused of desecrating a Jewish cemetery.[7] Rosie, a Los Angeles public defender character played by Sharon Gless in the series, defends Sharrett's character.[7] The episode first aired on Monday, October 22 on CBS.[7]

Selected filmography

Films

Year Film Role Other notes
1978 Hot Lead and Cold Feet Marcus
1978 The Magic of Lassie Chris Mitchell
1984 Snowballing Dan aka Smooth Moves
1985 Savage Dawn Danny Rand
1986 Deadly Friend Tom 'Slime' Toomey Received Young Artist Award nomination as the Best Young Actor in a Horror Motion Picture
1989 Kill Me Again Tim the Motel Clerk
1995 Theodore Rex New Eden Volunteer aka T. Rex

Television

Year Show Role Other notes
1977 Our Town Si Crowell Play filmed for TV
1978 Strange Companions David
Little House on the Prairie Peter Lundstrom
1979 The Night Rider Chock Hollister-Young Thomas
Hanging by a Thread Tommy Craig
A Shining Season Chuck Lander
Joe's World Jimmy Wabash TV series
1981 Diff'rent Strokes Henry Episode: First Day Blues
1984 Newhart Episode: Send Her Ella
Charles in Charge Alexander Morgan Episode: Pilot
1985 Magnum, P.I. Kenny Harbison Episode: Paniolo
Otherworld Stock Clerk Episode: Rules of Attraction
1986 Our House Episode: Choices
St. Elsewhere Donald Westphall Episode: Time Heals: Part 2
1988 TV 101 Craig Blumen Episodes: Everything You've Always Wanted to Know About Teenagers (But Were Afraid to Ask) and The Unbearable Rightness of Penny
Supercarrier Donald Willough, Ocean Specialist 1st Class Series character
1989 TV 101 Craig Blumen Episodes: Kangaroo Gate and Clicks
1990 Baywatch Ben Episode: Home Cort, Original Air Date:12 January 1990
2003 50 Greatest TV Animals Chris Mitchell (self) Uncredited archive footage

References

  1. ^ Levesque, John. (March 1, 1997) Seattle Post-Intelligencer Venerable collie series bland but its safe for the masses. Doggone! Lassie's back. Section: Entertainment; Page B1.
  2. ^ a b Canada Newswire (August 9, 2007) TV Land Canada Reveals Fall 2007 Premiere Dates.
  3. ^ a b c James, Caryn. (October 11, 1986) The New York Times Screen: Wes Craven's 'Deadly Friend'. Section: 1; Page 114.
  4. ^ See, for example, Billington, Linda. (October 23, 1986) Anchorage Daily News The cutting room floor. Peggy Sue charms, Deadly Friend doesn't. Section: Lifestyles; Page 3 (writing, "Wes Craven's at it again. Unfortunately, "it" isn't quite enough. Too bad. Craven's latest directorial outing, "Deadly Friend," has several things going for it, not the least of which are its three young leads: Matthew Laborteaux, Kristy Swanson and Michael Sharrett.")
  5. ^ See also, Muir, John Kenneth. (2004) Wes Craven: The Art of Horror. Page 127; Publisher: McFarland. ISBN 0-7864-1923-7 (writing, "Bruce Joel Rubin's screenplay hits some nice notes and his droll dialogue is well delivered by the three primary youngsters, Matthew Laborteaux, Kristy Swanson and Michael Sharrett.")
  6. ^ Internet Movie Database (2008) Awards for Michael Sharrett. Accessed July 3, 2008.
  7. ^ a b c d Entertainment Weekly (October 19, 1990) "The week at a glance. A guide to notable shows, Oct. 19 to 25." Section: Television Listings; Page 10.

External links