What a delight going Live with actor, and friend, Michael Gross. A pro, he handled the intro whilst I dealt with FB frustrations. We touched ever so briefly on the pandemic, jumped into Michael’s humble beginnings in Chicago, as a lower middle class, parochial school-going alter boy, raised by a fair-minded before his time, father, and a fearless, creative, impromptu mother who inspired and gave permission to Michael and his younger, one day to be SNL success-story, Mary Gross. With a mid-western work ethic, a chance role in High School as the comic relief in Oklahoma at an all-girls school wetted Michael’s thespian tastes as well as his awareness of where the girls “are.” Pre-med, in a commuter college, he soon found his way to the stage, getting his MFA at Yale School of Drama, which led to three years in Louisville Rep, Regional Repertory, Yale Rep, before finding his way to NY, with dollars saved and the ability to say, “no.” Like to co-starring with Richard Gere in what would be his first Broadway play… or did he? Great story there. Great stories everywhere. Ali McGraw, Sidney Lumet, Cloris Leachman (A Girl Named Sooner), Woody Allen, John Carpenter, Sylvia Sidney, Jason Robards, Bette Davis, Angela Lansbury… how he got to Hollywood, Family Ties, his one day wife, Elza, who negotiated his first contract there for the other side, his next, on his side, and how that success led to his being able to say “no,” in Hollywood. There were loads of “yes’s,” Tremors! All 7 of ‘em, and the TV show, and why that appealed. We touched on Grace and Frankie, The Affair, and left a plethora of other outstanding work for another day.

I cajoled to get Michael, while on vacation with his bride in New Mexico, to agree to this chat. I’ll give him a week and let the Part 2 cajoling, I mean charming, commence.

Easy, humble, yet self-assured, crazy talented, exceedingly smart, forward-thinking, and fair-minded (both of his parents shining through him), it was mostly great entertainment and laugh-out-loud, fun.

I adore this man, and the fine human and artist he is. He brings as much authenticity to the conversation as he does to his work, and that’s saying something.

Michael Gross Live on Game Changers with Vicki Abelson

Wed, 7/21/21, 5 pm PT, 8 pm ET

Streamed Live on my Facebook

Replay here:

https://bit.ly/3iwFa9W

All BROADcasts, as podcasts, also available on

iTunes apple.co/2dj8ld3

Stitcher bit.ly/2h3R1fla

tunein bit.ly/2gGeItj

Also on iHeartRadio, SoundCloud, Voox, OwlTail, Backtracks, PlayerFM, Himalaya, Podchaser, and Listen Notes

Thanks to Rick Smolke of Quik Impressions, the best printers, printing, the best people people-ing. quikimpressions.com

Nicole Venables,of Ruby Begonia Hair Studio Beauty and Products, for tresses like the stars she coifs, and regular people, like me. I love my hair, and I love Nicole. http://www.rubybegoniahairstudio.com/

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