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Michael Russnow

  • Writer
  • Actor
  • Additional Crew
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
Michael Russnow
A final broadcast by veteran newscaster Daniel McPherson
Play demo reel0:52
Daniel McPherson Newscaster role
2 Videos
30 Photos
Michael got his start by fearlessly calling Earl Hamner Jr., creator and narrator of The Waltons (1972) and urged him to give him and his then-partner a shot. It was a true Hollywood story, as the series was about a wannabe writer, and Michael and his partner were hired to pen three episodes.

After writing for The Streets of San Francisco (1972) and Little House on the Prairie (1974), Michael and his partner went their separate ways. Michael continued an eclectic career, branching into comedy with classics such as Barney Miller (1975) and Family Ties (1982). He then moved into the soap arena, working on Dynasty (1981), Knots Landing (1979), and Santa Barbara (1984).

Michael has also been working abroad, mostly in Europe, writing screenplay stories and TV Formats. In 2005, he co-wrote a TV pilot, "In Ewigkeit. Amen?" with a German TV series star. He has also completed a novel, "Hollywood on the Danube," about his adventures writing a Hungarian soap opera in Budapest.

Russnow is working on film and TV concepts, as well as continuing to write screenplays and stage plays in addition to professional script consulting through his company Ram Productions International.

He was for ten years (2008-2018) a contributing writer to the prestigious on-line publication The Huffington Post on subjects ranging from the Writers Guild strike to politics to movie reviews and anything that particularly strikes his fancy.

In 2011, he fulfilled a childhood dream of becoming a professional actor, joining AFTRA and then, in 2012, the merged SAG-AFTRA. As such, he has appeared in a feature and a number of short films, including the 2015 award-winning Speedwriting (2015), which he wrote, directed, co-produced and in which he co-starred.
  • More at IMDbPro
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    • Awards
      • 6 wins & 1 nomination total

    Photos30

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    Known for

    Michael Beardsley, John Bigham, Kelly Mullis, Michael Russnow, Leslie Simms, Tony Mouleart, Jacob Andrew Lyle, and Gill Williams in Speedwriting (2015)
    Speedwriting
    8.5
    Short
    • Writer
    • 2015
    The Streets of San Francisco (1972)
    The Streets of San Francisco
    7.3
    TV Series
    • Writer
    Ron Carey, Max Gail, Ron Glass, James Gregory, Steve Landesberg, Hal Linden, and Jack Soo in Barney Miller (1975)
    Barney Miller
    8.3
    TV Series
    • Writer
    T.K. Carter and Richard Gilliland in Just Our Luck (1983)
    Just Our Luck
    7.6
    TV Series
    • Writer

    Credits

    Edit
    IMDbPro

    Writer



    • Michael Beardsley, John Bigham, Kelly Mullis, Michael Russnow, Leslie Simms, Tony Mouleart, Jacob Andrew Lyle, and Gill Williams in Speedwriting (2015)
      Speedwriting
      8.5
      Short
      • Writer
      • 2015
    • The Cuddly Toy (2012)
      The Cuddly Toy
      6.0
      • additional dialogue
      • 2012
    • Robin Wright, Judith Anderson, Valorie Armstrong, Melissa Reeves, Robert Alan Browne, Paul Burke, Ismael 'East' Carlo, Margarita Cordova, Nicolas Coster, Lane Davies, Richard Eden, Gina Gallego, Linda Gibboney, Andrea Howard, Ava Lazar, A Martinez, Todd McKee, John Allen Nelson, Rupert Ravens, Julie Ronnie, Kerry Sherman, Louise Sorel, Jonna Leigh Stack, Marcy Walker, and Dane Witherspoon in Santa Barbara (1984)
      Santa Barbara
      5.7
      TV Series
      • writer
      • 1986
    • Joe Guzaldo and Larry Riley in Stir Crazy (1985)
      Stir Crazy
      5.8
      TV Series
      • writer
      • 1985
    • Donna Mills, Joan Van Ark, Michele Lee, Constance McCashin, John Pleshette, and Ted Shackelford in Knots Landing (1979)
      Knots Landing
      7.0
      TV Series
      • written by
      • 1985
    • Dynasty (1981)
      Dynasty
      6.4
      TV Series
      • teleplay by
      • 1983–1984
    • Emerald Point N.A.S. (1983)
      Emerald Point N.A.S.
      6.7
      TV Series
      • teleplay
      • written by
      • 1984
    • T.K. Carter and Richard Gilliland in Just Our Luck (1983)
      Just Our Luck
      7.6
      TV Series
      • written by
      • 1983
    • The Hamptons (1983)
      The Hamptons
      7.8
      TV Series
      • writer
      • 1983
    • Michael J. Fox, Justine Bateman, Meredith Baxter, Tina Yothers, and Michael Gross in Family Ties (1982)
      Family Ties
      7.3
      TV Series
      • written by
      • 1983
    • The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo (1979)
      The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo
      6.5
      TV Series
      • story by
      • 1980
    • Jack Elam and Jeffrey Kramer in Struck by Lightning (1979)
      Struck by Lightning
      7.2
      TV Series
      • Writer
      • 1979
    • Charlie Aiken, Jarrod Johnson, and Jill Whelan in Friends (1979)
      Friends
      7.1
      TV Series
      • story
      • 1979
    • Diff'rent Strokes (1978)
      Diff'rent Strokes
      6.7
      TV Series
      • story by
      • teleplay by
      • 1978
    • Ron Carey, Max Gail, Ron Glass, James Gregory, Steve Landesberg, Hal Linden, and Jack Soo in Barney Miller (1975)
      Barney Miller
      8.3
      TV Series
      • story by
      • teleplay by
      • written by
      • 1977

    Actor



    • The Heat of the Beat
      • Detective
      • Completed
      • TV Series



    • Jorge Ameer, Wayne C. Dees, and Oran Stainbrook in Altered Perceptions (2023)
      Altered Perceptions
      3.2
      • TV Reporter Daniel McPherson
      • 2023
    • Margot Robbie in Babylon (2022)
      Babylon
      7.1
      • Asbestos Man (uncredited)
      • 2022
    • Zenith Run (2020)
      Zenith Run
      TV Movie
      • Commander Montgomery
      • 2020
    • Donald Watson, Julie Brett, and Nora Anderson in Let There Be Peace (2016)
      Let There Be Peace
      5.2
      Short
      • Jewish Man
      • 2016
    • Even Steve (2015)
      Even Steve
      TV Series
      • Dr. Sealy
      • 2015
    • Michael Beardsley, Kelly Mullis, Michael Fluffer, Paul Fanning, Tony Mouleart, Meghan Leone Cox, Josh Margulies, Sarah Oliver, Lauren Kelly, Shannon Glasgow, and Leah Lewandowski in Coitus of the Week (2015)
      Coitus of the Week
      7.4
      TV Movie
      • Sydney Shylock
      • 2015
    • Michael Beardsley, John Bigham, Kelly Mullis, Michael Russnow, Leslie Simms, Tony Mouleart, Jacob Andrew Lyle, and Gill Williams in Speedwriting (2015)
      Speedwriting
      8.5
      Short
      • Michael Goodwin
      • 2015
    • Water Into Wine
      Short
      • Peter
      • 2014
    • Then Again (2013)
      Then Again
      7.3
      • Michael Engel
      • 2013
    • The Time Tree
      Short
      • Older Alex
      • 2011

    Additional Crew



    • T.K. Carter and Richard Gilliland in Just Our Luck (1983)
      Just Our Luck
      7.6
      TV Series
      • story editor
      • 1983
    • Jack Elam and Jeffrey Kramer in Struck by Lightning (1979)
      Struck by Lightning
      7.2
      TV Series
      • story editor (1979)
      • 1979

    Verified affiliations

    Learn more at IMDbPro
    SAG-AFTRA

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    Daniel McPherson Newscaster role
    Demo Reel 0:52
    Daniel McPherson Newscaster role
    Demo Reel
    Demo Reel 1:16
    Demo Reel
    Demo Reel
    Demo Reel 1:16
    Demo Reel

    Personal details

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    • Official sites
      • Company website
      • Official Site
    • Height
      • 5′ 6″ (1.68 m)
    • Publicity listings
      • 1 Article

    Self-verified on IMDbPro

    • Gender / Gender identity
      • Male

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Graduate of CCNY (NYC) and UCLA.

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