Biography

(2026) Award Winning Actor, Award Winning Author, Celebrity Radio Talk Show Host Michael Dante has starred/co-starred in thirty films, 150 television shows and was under contract to three major studios: MGM, Warner Bros., and 20th Century Fox. An ex-professional baseball player and winner of many prestigious awards, Michael has a street named for him in his hometown of Stamford, Connecticut, 'Michael Dante Way.' Michael Dante's award-winning autobiography, Michael Dante - From Hollywood to Michael Dante Way was published in 2014 and he received the Ella Dickey Literacy Award. Michael hosted his own Celebrity Radio Talk Show, The Michael Dante Classic Celebrity Talk Show interviewing the top classic names in entertainment and sports for 12 years, aired in Palm Springs, California. His book, My Classic Radio Interviews with the Stars - Volume One highlights sixty out of two hundred classic celebrities he interviewed. He has become a legend in his field, through his westerns on television and in films, dramas on television and in films, and always as ‘Maab’ in Friday's Child on the Original Star Trek series. Michael Dante played the title role in the classic film Winterhawk and wrote the sequel to the film in his book, Winterhawk's Land - Collector's Edition. The great Film Noir director Sammy Fuller selected Michael to play the part of Grant in The Naked Kiss. Michael Dante co-starred in two films with Audie Murphy, Apache Rifles and Arizona Raiders and starred in his first film, Westbound with Randolph Scott and Virginia Mayo. Michael authored a book entitled Six Rode Home, dedicated to all soldiers, in all wars throughout history, not knowing what they are coming home to. He co-starred in Seven Thieves with Joan Collins, Edgar G. Robinson, Eli Wallach, and Rod Stieger. His many awards include the Golden Boot Award, the ‘Oscar of Westerns’ in 2003. It is a most prestigious award; a career award selected by his peers for his fine work in the western genre; not just for one performance but based on all his fine work in westerns on television and in films. Also, the recipient of the Silver Spur Award, the Southern California Motion Picture Council Award, the Spirit of the West Award, Apacheland Spirit Award, Wall of Fame Henager American History Museum Award, Honoree of the Year Award by the Sons of Italy in America, a sidewalk star on the ‘Walk of Stars’ in Palm Springs, California, just to name a few. Michael Dante is invited to attend as a special celebrity guest at many Conventions and Festivals throughout the years and is still going strong, having written seven published books with his eighth book on the way. Kudos Michael!
- IMDb mini biography by: Michael Dante

Was a shortstop on the Stamford High School baseball team, then played for "The Advocate All-Stars" team which won a 1949 New England baseball championship. He signed a $6,000 bonus contract with the Boston Braves out of high school.

As of 2010, was living with his wife, Mary Jane, in Rancho Mirage, CA.

Majored in drama at the University of Miami.

Written entry in the "Dictionnaire du Cinéma: Les Acteurs" by Jean Tulard, Editions Robert Laffont (Collections Bouquins), Paris, 2007, page 310.

[about producer David Weisbart, for whom he worked on Custer (1967)] Truly, in or out of the business, one of the most wonderful human beings . . . We were doing very well in the ratings until about halfway through the 17 shows, Weisbart was on the golf course and had just uttered the words, "Isn't this a beautiful day, a gorgeous day to be out here . . . " and two minutes later he had a heart attack and died on the golf course.