Q&A with Michael Spound

Exclusive Interview by Karen Beishuizen
Photos courtesy of Michael Spound

Michael Spound is an American actor and writer. He is best known as Dave Kendall in the TV show “Hotel” which ran for five years. On the set he met his wife Heidi Bohay who played Megan Kendall, Dave’s wife. They have been married since 1988. Michael is semi-retired from acting and is director of The Buckley School in Sherman Oaks where he teaches acting and directing.

KB: Did you always want to be an actor growing up?

Yes. Pretty much. I grew up in the small town of Concord, Massachusetts- and there was an historic community theatre company called The Concord Players. First show I ever saw was at this theatre. I was 9 years old. It was a production of “The Crucible” and my dad was playing John Proctor. I still recall moments from that show. I recently directed a production of “The Crucible” and I dedicated it to my dad. Anyway, when I was in second grade (age 8) my dad took me to an audition at The Concord Players with my sister. The first production I was in was “The King and I” as one of the king’s many children. And a year later I played my first small role (I had lines) in a wonderful Jean Kerr comedy called “The King of Hearts”. It was in that play that I got my first laugh and I was hooked. About 25 years later I did a production of “The King of Hearts” in Los Angeles (different role) with Courteney Cox and Ed Winter (M*A*S*H).

KB: In 1983 you were cast as Dave Kendall in the great show “Hotel”: How did you get the part and how was it to play opposite Bette Davis in the pilot episode? That must have been something.

I was so young, maybe 25, when I walked into that first audition for “Hotel”. I got the role the way any unknown actor gets a role. I had moved to Los Angeles after graduating Northwestern University. I had landed a role in an ABC/Paramount pilot opposite Ally Sheedy which began a string of guest starring roles such as “Happy Days”, “Laverne and Shirley” and “Family Ties”. I was told that my appearance on Gary David Goldberg’s “Family Ties” (an episode where Alex loses his sister in a poker game) got the attention of the casting people at ABC which led to the audition for “Hotel” in 1983.

I remember that after a couple of times reading for the role of Dave Kendall (bellhop/ law student) and meeting with casting and the director, I went to another audition in Aaron Spelling’s office and read with six different women to play Megan Kendall, Dave’s wife. Heidi Bohay was last. We kind of fumbled through a reading and we both started laughing at ourselves because we kept forgetting lines and I think I dropped the script and we bumped heads when we both went to pick it up. I guess they liked us as we got the parts and we did it for five years with Jim Brolin, Connie Sellecca, Shea Farrell, Shari Belafonte, Nathan Cook and Anne Baxter.

It was just a blast. And yes, the owner of the hotel (played by Anne Baxter in the series) was played by Hollywood movie legend Bette Davis in the pilot. The day we shot it with Ms. Davis was an unforgettable experience. It was Heidi and I with Jim Brolin and Ms. Davis. We shot the entire scene with close-ups and were about to wrap up when Jim asked Ms. Davis if she was okay with the scene and she responded no. Jim asked her what she would change and she told him in a clear, cool, confident voice. Jim went to the director (Jerry London) and within 10 minutes we were reshooting. It was fine with us as it meant more time with Bette Davis!

KB: Heidi Bohay played your wife in the show and you got married for real in 1988. You met on the set but how hard or how easy is it to play a couple on set and off set?

We met at an early audition and became friends immediately. We were so young and it was a first big series for both. Being flown to San Francisco, to stay and shoot at The Fairmont Hotel with so many huge stars was mind blowing. The first scene we ever shot was a bed scene as our characters were celebrating their first wedding anniversary and my character steals the keys to the unoccupied honeymoon suite. Anyway, a bed scene is a great way to strip away any nerves and we got to know each other very well, very fast. We actually did not date for the first three years of the show. We were just friends until the fourth season when we started hanging out at the set in each other’s trailers and well, something happened at the Hotel Christmas party in 1986. And, even then we kept it a secret for the few months of shooting. Connie Sellecca was the first to figure it out.

KB: You also played in movies and in the theatre: What do you prefer the most and why?

I love both but they are very different. I guess I like theatre better as it is so much more of an intimate experience with the audience and the other actors also. The rehearsal period is long and if the show works you really end up being family. My favorite film was the Diane Lane and John Cusack comedy “Must Love Dogs” because I became reunited with the man who gave me my first break in television, Gary David Goldberg (Family Ties) and I got to work with my old college buddy Brad Hall (SNL) who was writing and producing with Gary at the time.

In the theatre my favorite experience was “Twilight of The Golds”. It was a new play by a young playwright, the amazing Jon Tolins (Schmigadoon, The Good Fight, Elsbeth) and it was supposed to be just a short run at The Pasadena Playhouse. This short run became a remarkable year. It was a five-character drama and going into the opening we had no idea what to expect. As a cast, we all liked the play, but had no idea what was about to happen. On opening night, as the final line, “Just listen to that” was spoken and the lights started to fade, I remember listening for applause. Silence.

You could feel the silence. And, then there was a faint “bravo” shouted and all at once this thunderous ovation. Lights up. Everyone in the audience was on their feet, cheering and clapping. The five of us were a bit stunned. The LA Times and USA Today had glowing reviews. After sold out houses in Pasadena we found ourselves on the road playing packed theatres all over the country including The Kennedy Center. On October 21, we opened at The Booth Theatre on Broadway. It was short lived on Broadway as the NY Times did not give it any love (although Rex Reed did) , but the young company all became family for life. And, being on the road with Heidi and my young son, Zach (he was 4) and the joy of going from Pasadena to Broadway in just nine months was unforgettable.

KB: You write scripts too: What makes a good story?

Still writing. The best stories have a character that wants something that is difficult to achieve and the character will do anything to get it. We love stories with great characters that we can either identify with or just want to spend time with. And twists. We all love a good twist. My favorite tv shows: “Breaking Bad”, “Succession”, “Mad Men”, “Game of Thrones”, “West Wing”, “The Wire” and loving “The Guilded Age” right now. Oh, and “The Pitt” on HBO. The best comedies: “Mary Tyler Moore Show”, “The Dick Van Dyke Show”, “M*A*S*H”, “Curb Your Enthusiasm”, “Veep” and “Friends”.

KB: You are semi-retired: I give you a mystery script and you can choose the director.

Quentin Tarantino. I would just love to do a Tarantino movie. I just love “Once Upon A Time in… Hollywood”, “Inglorious Bastards”, “Pulp Fiction”, etc. But who doesn’t?

KB: What are you currently up to?

Heidi and I still work as actors but about five years ago an old friend (and my son’s prep school theatre teacher) asked me to help him do some directing at my son’s old prep school- The Buckley in Sherman Oaks. My friend left the school the following year for another job and I was going to leave also as it was really about that friendship. But I looked at all of these amazing seniors – all beginning performing arts journeys- and if I had left they would not have a familiar face for their final year. I directed them in “Into The Woods” and “Our Town” and I enjoyed it so much, I stayed- and now I have become the theatre teacher and full time director at Buckley.

It is four years later and I am getting ready to begin another year. And I love it. I love the energy from the young people. The great thing about teaching theatre and film is that the kids WANT to be there. They want to learn and I try to bring them a sense of what it is like in the outside world- on a professional set, soundstage or rehearsal room. My set designer for all of the shows has been a young person introduced to me by the Broadway set designer that created the sets for “Twilight of The Golds” on Broadway in ’94. And I try bring that kind of element and knowledge to all of my acting classes and now to my new acting for camera class which I run in conjunction with a film directing class. I can still work professionally but working with young artists is better than retiring.

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