{"id":129497,"date":"2025-09-08T11:46:36","date_gmt":"2025-09-08T16:46:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/?p=129497"},"modified":"2025-09-08T11:47:03","modified_gmt":"2025-09-08T16:47:03","slug":"qa-with-michael-spound","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/?p=129497","title":{"rendered":"Q&#038;A with Michael Spound"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-1545664804358300\" crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display: block; text-align: center;\" data-ad-layout=\"in-article\" data-ad-format=\"fluid\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-1545664804358300\" data-ad-slot=\"8616314829\"><\/ins><br \/>\n<script>\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});<\/script><\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/?p=129497\" rel=\"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/?p=129497\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-129498 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Michael-Spound-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Michael-Spound-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Michael-Spound-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Michael-Spound-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Michael-Spound-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Michael-Spound-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Michael-Spound.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Exclusive Interview by Karen Beishuizen<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Photos courtesy of Michael Spound<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Michael Spound is an American actor and writer. He is best known as Dave Kendall in the TV show \u201cHotel\u201d which ran for five years. On the set he met his wife Heidi Bohay who played Megan Kendall, Dave\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>KB: Did you always want to be an actor growing up?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>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 \u201cThe Crucible\u201d and my dad was playing John Proctor. I still recall moments from that show. I recently directed a production of \u201cThe Crucible\u201d 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 \u201cThe King and I\u201d as one of the king\u2019s many children. And a year later I played my first small role (I had lines) in a wonderful Jean Kerr comedy called \u201cThe King of Hearts\u201d. It was in that play that I got my first laugh and I was hooked. About 25 years later I did a production of \u201cThe King of Hearts\u201d in Los Angeles (different role) with Courteney Cox and Ed Winter (M*A*S*H).<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>KB: In 1983 you were cast as Dave Kendall in the great show &#8220;Hotel&#8221;: How did you get the part and how was it to play opposite Bette Davis in the pilot episode? That must have been something.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>I was so young, maybe 25, when I walked into that first audition for \u201cHotel\u201d. 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 \u201cHappy Days\u201d, \u201cLaverne and Shirley\u201d and \u201cFamily Ties\u201d. I was told that my appearance on Gary David Goldberg&#8217;s \u201cFamily Ties\u201d (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 \u201cHotel\u201d in 1983.<\/p>\n<p>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\u2019s office and read with six different women to play Megan Kendall, Dave&#8217;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.<\/p>\n<p>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!<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>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?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>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&#8217;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.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>KB: You also played in movies and in the theatre: What do you prefer the most and why?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>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 \u201cMust Love Dogs\u201d 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.<\/p>\n<p>In the theatre my favorite experience was \u201cTwilight of The Golds\u201d. 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, \u201cJust listen to that\u201d was spoken and the lights started to fade, I remember listening for applause. Silence.<\/p>\n<p>You could feel the silence. And, then there was a faint \u201cbravo\u201d 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.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>KB: You write scripts too: What makes a good story?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>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: \u201cBreaking Bad\u201d, \u201cSuccession\u201d, \u201cMad Men\u201d, \u201cGame of Thrones\u201d, \u201cWest Wing\u201d, \u201cThe Wire\u201d and loving \u201cThe Guilded Age\u201d right now. Oh, and \u201cThe Pitt\u201d on HBO. The best comedies: \u201cMary Tyler Moore Show\u201d, \u201cThe Dick Van Dyke Show\u201d, \u201cM*A*S*H\u201d, \u201cCurb Your Enthusiasm\u201d, \u201cVeep\u201d and \u201cFriends\u201d.<\/p>\n<p><strong>KB: You are semi-retired: I give you a mystery script and you can choose the director.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Quentin Tarantino. I would just love to do a Tarantino movie. I just love \u201cOnce Upon A Time in\u2026 Hollywood\u201d, \u201cInglorious Bastards\u201d, \u201cPulp Fiction\u201d, etc. But who doesn\u2019t?<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>KB: What are you currently up to?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>Heidi and I still work as actors but about five years ago an old friend (and my son&#8217;s prep school theatre teacher) asked me to help him do some directing at my son&#8217;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 &#8211; 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 \u201cInto The Woods\u201d and \u201cOur Town\u201d and I enjoyed it so much, I stayed- and now I have become the theatre teacher and full time director at Buckley.<\/p>\n<p>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 \u201cTwilight of The Golds\u201d on Broadway in &#8217;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.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em><strong><span style=\"font-size: 14pt; color: #808000;\"><a style=\"color: #808000;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.authorhouse.com\/en\/bookstore\/bookdetails\/232300-BOXING-INTERVIEWS-OF-A-LIFETIME\">Click Here to Order Boxing Interviews Of A Lifetime By &#8220;Bad&#8221; Brad Berkwitt<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"wpforms-container wpforms-container-full\" id=\"wpforms-126533\"><form id=\"wpforms-form-126533\" class=\"wpforms-validate wpforms-form wpforms-ajax-form\" data-formid=\"126533\" method=\"post\" enctype=\"multipart\/form-data\" action=\"\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F129497\" data-token=\"657dcd84187d84d6524d05c85ad247bb\" data-token-time=\"1777655697\"><noscript class=\"wpforms-error-noscript\">Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.<\/noscript><div class=\"wpforms-field-container\"><div id=\"wpforms-126533-field_1-container\" class=\"wpforms-field wpforms-field-name\" data-field-id=\"1\"><label class=\"wpforms-field-label\">Name <span class=\"wpforms-required-label\">*<\/span><\/label><div class=\"wpforms-field-row wpforms-field-medium\"><div class=\"wpforms-field-row-block wpforms-first wpforms-one-half\"><input type=\"text\" id=\"wpforms-126533-field_1\" class=\"wpforms-field-name-first wpforms-field-required\" name=\"wpforms[fields][1][first]\" required><label for=\"wpforms-126533-field_1\" class=\"wpforms-field-sublabel after\">First<\/label><\/div><div class=\"wpforms-field-row-block wpforms-one-half\"><input type=\"text\" id=\"wpforms-126533-field_1-last\" class=\"wpforms-field-name-last wpforms-field-required\" name=\"wpforms[fields][1][last]\" required><label for=\"wpforms-126533-field_1-last\" class=\"wpforms-field-sublabel after\">Last<\/label><\/div><\/div><\/div><div id=\"wpforms-126533-field_2-container\" class=\"wpforms-field wpforms-field-email\" data-field-id=\"2\"><label class=\"wpforms-field-label\" for=\"wpforms-126533-field_2\">Email <span class=\"wpforms-required-label\">*<\/span><\/label><input type=\"email\" id=\"wpforms-126533-field_2\" class=\"wpforms-field-medium wpforms-field-required\" name=\"wpforms[fields][2]\" spellcheck=\"false\" required><\/div>\t\t<div id=\"wpforms-126533-field_4-container\"\n\t\t\tclass=\"wpforms-field wpforms-field-text\"\n\t\t\tdata-field-type=\"text\"\n\t\t\tdata-field-id=\"4\"\n\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<label class=\"wpforms-field-label\" for=\"wpforms-126533-field_4\" >or Email Comment<\/label>\n\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" id=\"wpforms-126533-field_4\" class=\"wpforms-field-medium\" name=\"wpforms[fields][4]\" >\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div id=\"wpforms-126533-field_3-container\" class=\"wpforms-field wpforms-field-textarea\" data-field-id=\"3\"><label class=\"wpforms-field-label\" for=\"wpforms-126533-field_3\">Comment or Message<\/label><textarea id=\"wpforms-126533-field_3\" class=\"wpforms-field-medium\" name=\"wpforms[fields][3]\" ><\/textarea><\/div><script>\n\t\t\t\t( function() {\n\t\t\t\t\tconst style = document.createElement( 'style' );\n\t\t\t\t\tstyle.appendChild( document.createTextNode( '#wpforms-126533-field_4-container { position: absolute !important; 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He is best known as Dave Kendall in the TV show \u201cHotel\u201d which ran for five years. On the set he met his wife Heidi Bohay who played Megan Kendall, Dave\u2019s wife. They have been married since [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":129498,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28132,17984],"tags":[33438],"class_list":["post-129497","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-columns-by-karen-beishuizen","category-entertainment-news","tag-qa-with-michael-spound"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/129497","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=129497"}],"version-history":[{"count":-3,"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/129497\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/129498"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=129497"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=129497"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=129497"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}