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Michael McGlone is an Actor, Writer, Director, Producer, Musician and Performer who has appeared through the years both hysterically and grippingly on both the big and small screen, whether as the madman Joey Baratta on CBS’ S.W.A.T., the beloved Detective Szymanski on Person of Interest, or the obnoxious and colorful Mitch Murray on Psych, he has delighted television audiences time and time again with his dramatic flair and comedic timing.
With an even more prolific film career, the same can be said of his performances in such classics as The Bone Collector, The Brothers McMullen, She’s the One, One Tough Cop, Dinner Rush and Hardball… In a return to the screen with Eddie Burns in their third feature film together, The Fitzgerald Family Christmas, McGlone plays the fiery Quinn Fitzgerald…
As to Michael’s Music, his latest EP, The Center, is now available along with his three full length records, HERO, To Be Down and SPEED, in addition to his various singles, The Other Side, Guinivere, Let the Light In, Everywhere I Go (You Go), Rise Up, The Hammer and Thank you again…. His fourth album, Two Dancers, is on deck…an album which will include, in McGlone’s words, “The finest productions of my Music, yet...” Among the reviews of his Music, one concluded, “The world needs more songs like Hero, and more songwriters like Michael McGlone.”
In addition to his writing for both Television and Film, McGlone is also the author of the novels CAL, “And All the Roses Dying...”, Dice, Hourigan’s Song and The Soft Drive…as well as several volumes of verse and short stories…
What are some of your 2023 goals?
To stay productive, positive, continue to write regularly and remain dedicated to my physical and spiritual well-being. There have been times in my life when I’ve let any number, and sometimes all, of these intentions go and it always, sooner or later, shows me a life I don’t enjoy. As to professional goals I don’t talk about them, specifically, because it’s more productive for me I’ve found to focus on doing my daily work and stay humble in the pursuit of the longer term aspirations.
How do you achieve goals?
Work. Reminding myself that without me being fully involved in everything I want to achieve it will most certainly not come to pass. Though I seek to do this as I said before with humility and in surrender to the fact I do nothing alone. There is a magnificent ongoing collaboration and gift of Love and power in my life and I give thanks, consistently, for the myriad ways in which I am helped and guided. Thanks and prayer are the two best ways I know to remain centered and powerful.
How has being an actor changed your life?
It’s made me extremely happy. Performing in a variety of ways has always been a great source of joy to me...and now with greater appreciation of what informs my acting, particularly, it not only brings joy but greater understanding of myself and others. Because that’s what it is. It is to know yourself, reveal yourself, know others and through that knowledge enhance your capacity to empathize and express wide ranges of humanity...
What is something in your life you struggle with and how do you deal with it?
There are times when my mind will seek a negative. That’s how it seems. I’ll jump to a thought that’s not positive. A feeling. An interpretation of some event. It could be any number of things. It’s a tendency in me to move toward and dance with the negative. That’s what’s at work. And the way I deal with it now is to remind myself that I didn’t come into this life to be negative, to be ruled by negativity, I came here to achieve great things in my chosen careers and in love; it hasn’t ever been clearer that my professional and personal lives are one and they both serve the purpose of enhancing my life and the lives of those around me. To love myself and love others, fully, is what leads to the greatest joy. That’s less possible when I allow negative energy to thrive and so, I remind myself of the life I want, the life I firmly believe I am here to have. And so when a negative thought or feeling makes itself known, I accept it because I know it has come to teach me how to persist and move forward with only positive energy in my heart, in the midst of everything...
Tell us about your music.
It all began, as many things have, with a beautiful woman. On a vacation with my family when I was in high school, I met and fell in love with a girl named Romina. And I was so moved by her I taught myself to play guitar to write a song about it...and years and four albums and many singles later I am still writing songs and recording... To classify it, it is guitar and lyric driven Rock ‘n’ Roll...though some work has been more in the Folk genre... Van Morrison, Bob Dylan, Gordon Lightfoot are good references for the style and feel...
Tell us about your writing.
I write in multiple mediums. Stories and poetry came first when I was very young. As with all the things I do I found myself naturally drawn to writing...a story or situation would enter my mind and I would start to write...or I would feel a particular way and want to express it, and write a poem. Edgar Allan Poe was my first literary hero...and he remains a writer who captivates and inspires me. Some people don’t know this but he is, essentially, the father of the modern day horror story and the murder mystery. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes, has celebrated him as the one who showed him the way and in more than one of my novels Poe is referenced, either directly, or with a quote from one of his works. Even in my writing for the screen, I’m sure he’s instructed me; and while that form is much different than that of a book, it is equally satisfying. Perhaps that’s true for me because I love dialogue. Novelists who are less interested in that would not find it so, though for me, we reveal so much of ourselves by how we speak and move and conduct ourselves that screenwriting is deeply enjoyable.
What do you love to do in your spare time?
Frankly, I don’t think of my life as having spare time. Probably because I love it so much and when I am doing anything it has some connection to that love and very often the rest of my life, professionally and/or personally. I love to read. I love to spend time with loved ones. To practice Yoga...and keep true to a vigorous daily workout at home... Watching any of the numerous marvelous shows that are streaming...watching my favorite show of all time, All in the Family... Watching great acting. So many things bring me joy.
Do you cook?
I do. Minimally. It is what I would term bachelor cooking. Basic things. Basic preparation. These are not meals that take a lot of work. Here’s an example. Black beans with chicken, pepper jack cheese, spices and cauliflower... Wheat bread to go with it...
How do you help those around you be their best?
Love them. Be guided by kindness in my thoughts and actions with them, what I express. Share myself and my life, frailties included, and leave them knowing I truly care about their well-being. That I see how wonderful and gifted they are. That they not only deserve love, but that they are love.
What are a few of your favorite things?
As I said before, watching All in the Family, Columbo, watching a Richard Burton movie (”Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf”), talking to my Mom, running, yoga, writing, getting new pictures of my Goddaughter and her brother in my Skylight, looking at my niece Ava Rose in my Skylight, finishing a book or screenplay, writing a new song, getting hired on a new project...that always feels great... And seeing kindness and innocence in others, that brings me great joy. Also, seeing the greatness in others...seeing someone do something exceptionally well. Watching them excel.
Do you consider yourself the best version of you right now? why or why not?
I consider all of us the best version of ourselves, because, fundamentally, we are Love. All of us. That is our elemental truth. There are things that interfere, sometimes powerfully, with the expression of this, though this is my faith. When I do not feel as stable in that as I do at other times, I repeat some version of the process shared earlier, by which I remind myself of the fact we are all of inherent value and inherently unique and here to share ourselves positively and powerfully with each other so that we are all the better for it.
Recommend 2-5 books (not mine)
The Great Gatsby, Ironweed, Rebel Angels, Alexander Hamilton (by Ron Chernow), Long Day’s Journey into Night (that’s a play, but I needed to include it)
Recommend 2-5 bands or musicians
The Who, Leonard Cohen, Jimi Hendrix, Ren, Eminem
Who is your best friend?
My Mom
Who should I feature next?
I have a friend Kadia Saraf who met her husband Terry Serpico on the set of Law and Order SVU. He became a friend of mine through their marriage and they have such a great story. Perhaps you could feature a couple...