---
name: "Michael J. Shannon"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/michael-shannon-1184168"
fi1m_id: "michael-shannon-1184168"
imdb_id: "nm0788332"
tmdb_id: 1184168
wikidata_id: "Q28053208"
roles: []
born: "24 January 1943"
died: "23 November 2023"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 5
average_fi1m_score: 64
average_over: 5
updated: "2026-10-04T18:41:16.339978+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Michael J. Shannon

## Identity

Michael J. Shannon

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/michael-shannon-1184168
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** michael-shannon-1184168
- **IMDb ID:** nm0788332
- **TMDB ID:** 1184168
- **Wikidata ID:** Q28053208
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_J._Shannon, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q28053208, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0788332/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1184168

Actor. Born 24 January 1943 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Died 23 November 2023.

## Details

- **Born:** 24 January 1943, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- **Died:** 23 November 2023
- **Active:** 1980–2012
- **Also known as:** Michael Shannon, Michael J Shannon
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1980s 68 (4), 2010s 50 (1)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 67 to 64 across 3 titles
- **Score spread:** 1 at 80+, 2 at 60–79, 2 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 1 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Comedy 3, Action 2, Adventure 2, Fantasy 2, Drama 1, Horror 1
- **Screen time:** 8 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $574m across 4 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_J._Shannon, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q28053208, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0788332/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1184168

## Streaming the US now

- **The Roku Channel:** [*Sheena*](https://film.one/film/sheena.md) (40)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Michael J. Shannon (also credited as Michael Shannon) was an American actor and playwright. Born in Chicago, Illinois, on 24 January 1943, he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Theatre Arts from Northwestern University.

He appeared in films including *Superman II* (1980) as the President's Aide, *Sheena* (1984) as Phillip Ames, and *Little Shop of Horrors* (1986) as a television reporter. On television he had recurring roles as Officer John Haven in *Future Cop* (1977–78) and Major James Kiley in *We'll Meet Again* (1982), and portrayed John F. Kennedy in the BBC series *Red Dwarf* (1988). Shannon also wrote and performed the one-man play *JFK on JFK*.

He was married to the actress Vickery Turner until her death in 2006; their daughter Caitlin is an actress and writer. Shannon died on 23 November 2023.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (5)

- *Dark Shadows* (2012), Fi1m 50, as Board Member #2 — [page](https://film.one/film/dark-shadows.md)
- *A Very Peculiar Practice* (1986), Fi1m 82, as Vice-Chancellor Jack Daniels — [page](https://film.one/tv/a-very-peculiar-practice.md)
- *Little Shop of Horrors* (1986), Fi1m 76, as Television Reporter — [page](https://film.one/film/little-shop-of-horrors.md)
- *Sheena* (1984), Fi1m 40, as Phillip Ames — [page](https://film.one/film/sheena.md)
- *Superman II* (1980), Fi1m 74, as President's Aide — [page](https://film.one/film/superman-ii.md)

## Complete filmography (60)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *National Theatre Live: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof* (2018), Actor
- *Möbius* (2013), as Alice's father
- *The Strange Case of Wilhelm Reich* (2013), as Judge Clifford
- *Dark Shadows* (2012), as Board Member #2 — Fi1m 50, [page](https://film.one/film/dark-shadows.md)
- *The Raven* (2012), as Dr. Morgan
- *You've Got a Friend* (2007), as Brayton Jennings
- *Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut* (2006), as President's Aide
- *Brothers and Sisters* (2006), series, as Tom Burgess
- *American Gun* (2005), as Jerry
- *Boston Legal* (2004), series, as Avery Wilson — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/tv/boston-legal.md)
- *30 Years to Life* (1998), as Graham
- *Only Love* (1998), as Dr. Duncan
- *Hostile Waters* (1997), as Admiral
- *The Affair* (1995), as Capt. Ford
- *Night Watch* (1995), as Martin Schraeder
- *JAG* (1995), series, as Richard Plesac
- *Paparazzo* (1995), as Denis Prince
- *Fatherland* (1994), as US Ambassador
- *Scarlett* (1994), series, as Maxwell
- *Space Precinct* (1994), series, as Dr. Henry Jansen
- *Royce* (1994), as Senator Scanlon
- *Goodnight Sweetheart* (1993), series, as Ed Murrow
- *The Big Battalions* (1992), series, as David
- *Merlin of the Crystal Cave* (1991), series, as Blackbeard
- *In Suspicious Circumstances* (1991), series, as Philip Yale Drew
- *Prime Suspect* (1991), series, as Jake Hunter — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/prime-suspect.md)
- *Pride and Extreme Prejudice* (1990), as Chapinski
- *Anything More Would Be Greedy* (1989), series, as Toby Dehring
- *Murder on the Moon* (1989), as Ivanov
- *Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story* (1989), series, as Morley Kennerly
- *Out of the Shadows* (1988), as Frank Osbourne
- *Red Dwarf* (1988), series, as John F. Kennedy — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/tv/red-dwarf.md)
- *The Two Mrs. Grenvilles* (1987), series, as Jack Fisher
- *Little Shop of Horrors* (1986), as Television Reporter — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/film/little-shop-of-horrors.md)
- *The Ted Kennedy Jr. Story* (1986), as Senator John Tunney
- *A Very Peculiar Practice* (1986), series, as Vice-Chancellor Jack Daniels — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/a-very-peculiar-practice.md)
- *Death of an Angel* (1986), as Bishop Holmes
- *Dempsey and Makepeace* (1985), series, as Conrad — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/tv/dempsey-and-makepeace.md)
- *Sheena* (1984), as Phillip Ames — Fi1m 40, [page](https://film.one/film/sheena.md)
- *Call to Glory* (1984), series, as Malcolm Sloane
- *Afterward* (1983), as Edward Boyne
- *Shades of Darkness* (1983), series, as Edward Boyne
- *The A-Team* (1983), series, as Randy Anderson
- *We'll Meet Again* (1982), series, as Major James Kiley
- *Making Love* (1982), as Marty
- *Riker* (1981), series, as Brice Landis
- *Never Never Land* (1980), as Peter
- *Superman II* (1980), as President's Aide — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/film/superman-ii.md)
- *The Best Place to Be* (1979), as Patrick Callahan
- *Cops and Robin* (1978), as John Haven
- *Target* (1977), series, as Bradley
- *Future Cop* (1977), series, as Haven
- *Future Cop* (1976), as Haven
- *The Author of Beltraffio* (1976), as James Sinclair
- *Henry James Stories* (1976), series, as James Sinclair
- *Rock Follies* (1976), series, as Carl 'Tubes' Benson
- *Wonder Woman* (1975), series, as Cameron
- *That Lucky Touch* (1975), as Lt. Davis
- *The Hanged Man* (1975), series, as Milton Webber
- *Future Cop: Cops and Robin*, as Haven

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/michael-shannon-1184168