Michael Des Barres facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Michael Des Barres
Des Barres in 2017
Background information
Birth name	Michael Phillips Des Barres
Born	(1948-01-24) 24 January 1948 (age 77) Hove, Sussex, England
Origin	London, England
Genres	Rock pop jazz funk glam rock
Occupation(s)	Actor singer
Years active	1960–present

Michael Philip Des Barres (born January 24, 1948) is an English actor and singer. He is known for playing Murdoc in the original MacGyver TV show. He also played Lenny Stoke in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. Later, he appeared as Murdoc's teacher, Nicholas Helman, in the 2016 MacGyver series. In music, he joined the band the Power Station and performed with them at the famous Live Aid concert in 1985.

Early Life and Family History

Michael Philip Des Barres was born in Hove, Sussex, England. He was the only child of Philip and Irene Des Barres. He went to Repton School, a boarding school, and later studied drama at the Corona Academy in London. He has some French family roots. His family's special title, Marquis, was given to an ancestor in the 1200s. This ancestor, Guillaume II Des Barres, was a French knight who helped King Philip II of France during a battle in 1214.

Career Highlights

Music Journey

Michael Des Barres began his music career in 1972 with the glam rock band Silverhead in England. They released two albums before the band split up in 1974.

After Silverhead, Des Barres moved to Los Angeles. There, he formed a new band called Detective. This band was signed to Led Zeppelin's record label, Swan Song Records.

After Detective broke up in 1978, Des Barres formed Chequered Past in 1982. In 1983, he helped write the song "Obsession" with Holly Knight. The band Animotion later had a big hit with their version of the song in 1984.

In 1985, Michael Des Barres joined the Power Station as their lead singer. He took over from Robert Palmer just before their American tour. He performed with them at the huge Live Aid concert that year.

In 2013, the Michael Des Barres Band released a live album called Hot n Sticky Live. In 2015, Des Barres released a solo album titled The Key to the Universe. This album brought him back together with Nigel Harrison, who used to play bass for Blondie.

In 2018, he started a new band called the Mistakes. This band includes experienced musicians like Loren Molinare and Matt Starr. They have released several songs and planned tours, but some were cancelled due to the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic.

Acting Roles

Michael Des Barres has acted in over 100 TV shows and nearly 30 movies. He started acting at age 8, appearing on posters as 'the Nux Bar Kid'. His first credited movie role was in the 1967 film To Sir, with Love. He played a student who always wore sunglasses.

He later focused more on acting again. He appeared in Ghoulies (1985) as a cult leader and Nightflyers (1987). He also worked with Clint Eastwood in the 1989 movie Pink Cadillac. Other film roles include Under Siege (1992) and Mulholland Drive (2001). He also had a part in the 2004 film Catch That Kid.

On television, besides his famous role as Murdoc in MacGyver, Des Barres was a main actor in The New WKRP in Cincinnati. He also appeared in the original WKRP in Cincinnati as a punk band singer. He had roles in many other popular shows like Roseanne, Seinfeld, ALF, Nip/Tuck, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, and NCIS.

In 2013, Des Barres performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. He was the narrator in a special musical show called 200 Motels: The Suites.

Radio Show

Michael Des Barres hosts "The Michael Des Barres Program" on Little Steven's Underground Garage radio channel. He plays a mix of rock, soul, and punk music. He also shares his wide knowledge of music and positive messages with millions of listeners.

Documentary Film

In 2021, a documentary about Michael Des Barres was released. It is called Who Do You Want Me to Be. The film explores his long career in music, TV, and movies.

Personal Life

In 1974, Michael Des Barres married Wendy Hamilton. They later divorced.

From 1977 to 1991, he was married to Pamela Des Barres. They have a son named Nicholas Des Barres, who is a writer and video game designer.

Since June 1981, Michael Des Barres has lived a healthy lifestyle. He has also helped young people who are experiencing homelessness. He has organized and hosted the annual Don't Knock the Rock Film Festival since 2003.

On December 21, 2018, Des Barres married Britta Hayertz.

Music Albums

Studio Albums

• I'm Only Human (1980)
• Somebody Up There Likes Me (1986)
• The Key to the Universe (2015)

With Silverhead

• Silverhead (1972)
• 16 and Savaged (1973)

With Detective

• Detective (1977)
• It Takes One to Know One (1977)

With Chequered Past

• Chequered Past (1984)

With the Michael Des Barres Band

• Carnaby Street (2012)
• Hot n Sticky Live (2013)

Film and TV Appearances

Movies

Television Shows

See also

In Spanish: Michael Des Barres para niños