• Michael Constantine is an American actor best known for his role in “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” (2002).
• He was raised by Greek immigrant parents and became interested in acting while in high school.
• He has appeared in over 180 movies and TV series, including “The Last Mile” (1959), “The Hustler” (1961), “Island of Love” (1963), “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2” (2016), “My Favorite Martian” (1965), “Room 222” (1969-1974), “Sirota’s Court” (1976-1977), “79 Park Avenue” (1977), “Roots: The Next Generations” (1979), “Quincy, M.E.” (1979-1983), “My Big Fat Greek Life” (2003), and “Cold Case” (2007).
• He has been married twice and has two children.
• As of September 2020, his net worth is estimated at over $1.5 million.



Known for movies

Short Info

SpouseKathleen Christopher, Julianna McCarthy
FactActing mentor and friend of Denise Nicholas and Karen Valentine.


Who is actor Michael Constantine?

Michael Constantine was born as Gus Efstratiou – some sources claim he was born as Constantine Ioanides – in Reading, Pennsylvania USA, on 22 May 1927; his zodiac sign is Gemini and he holds American nationality. He is an actor who is perhaps still best known for having portrayed one of the lead characters Kostas ‘Gus’ Portokalos in the critically acclaimed romantic comedy movie “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” in 2002, written by Nia Vardalos who also starred in the film alongside John Corbett – the story follows a young Greek woman who is marrying a non-Greek man, and is organizing a big Greek wedding to please her parents.

Happy 93rd Birthday Michael Constantine! Born May 22, 1927… What's your game? Whaddaya shoot? -as Big John in The Hustler

Posted by Classic Movie Hub on Friday, 22 May 2020

The film was a huge hit as it won 20 awards and was nominated for 28 others, and for his performance, Michael was jointly nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture, and also a Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Hissy Fit, while he won a Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture.

Early life, family and education

Michael was raised an only child in a family of Greek immigrants. His father Theoharis Ioannides was a steel worker, while his mother Andromache Efstratiou was a housewife – note their names, hence the confusion over Michael’s name.

He became interested in acting while still attending a local high school, but as his parents were rather poor, he had no meanings of enrolling at an acting school and work on his skills.

Upon matriculation in 1945, he found a job to financially support himself, while gathering money for his acting classes – he eventually started training, and became popular when he a

Michael Constantine

ppeared in his first Broadway play – “Inherit the Wind” – in 1955. The play became a huge hit worldwide, and was performed 806 times before closing on 22 June 1957. After this initial success, he went on to appear in several other plays, such as “Conklin, “Compulsion” and “The Miracle Worker”.

Roles in movies

Michael has been credited with roughly 180 appearances in movies and TV series, and we are about to mention some of his most notable performances in this article.

One of his first notable roles was in the 1959 drama movie “The Last Mile”, which starred Mickey Rooney – the film is a remake of the eponymous movie released in 1932.

Two years later, Michael starred in Robert Rossen’s drama “The Hustler”, and was then invited to portray the supporting character Andy in the comedy “Island of Love”, which follows a con man who hires a writer to write a screenplay for him, which he will then sell to a rich man. The year 1964 saw him play supporting roles in both the comedy “Quick, Before it Melts” and the volume of short biographies “Profiles in Courage”. A few of his following roles were in the epic drama “Hawaii” in 1966, the comedy “Skidoo” in 1968, and the drama “Justine” in 1969.

In 1975, Michael appeared as Jess Wingate in the science fiction drama “The Night That Panicked America” while the following year saw him star as Luis Clasing in the war drama “Voyage of the Damned”.

In 1978, he was Harry Bergen in the romantic war drama “Summer of My German Soldier”, based on the eponymous novel written by Bette Greene, and in the same year he played Yashir in the two-part film “The Pirate”, which was based on the novel written by Harold Robbins.

In 1983, Michael was praised for his portrayal of Talaat Pasha in the drama movie “The Forty Days of Musa Dagh”, based on the eponymous novel by Alex Hakobian which follows the Armenian Genocide at Musa Dagh – Michael’s character Talaat Pasha was one of the three Pashas who ruled the Ottoman Empire during the First World War. He then appeared as one of the lead characters, Newman in the martial arts action movie “Pray for Death”, which also starred Sho Kosugi and James Booth, and a few of his following roles were in the comedy “In the Mood” in 1987, the American-Canadian fantasy drama “Prancer” in 1989, and the drama “My Life” in 1993.

Three of Michael’s final roles in movies before his  retirement from acting were in the 1996 legal thriller “The Juror”, which starred Demi Moore and Alec Baldwin, the body horror “Thinner” in the same year, and the romantic comedy “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2” in 2016.

Roles in TV series

Michael’s first notable performance in a series was in the science fiction “My Favorite Martian” in 1965, and from that he appeared in single episodes of over 20 series, such as the crime drama “Target: The Corruptors!” in 1961, the drama “Channing” in 1963. and the medical drama “The Eleventh Hour” in 1964, before being cast to guest star in three episodes of the crime drama “The Fugitive”, which was very popular in the USA.

His next notable role was in the secret-agent adventure series “I Spy” in 1966, and from 1969 to 1974, he portrayed the supporting character Seymour Kaufman in the comedy drama “Room 222”, and for his performance Michael won a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in Comedy, and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting actor – Television.

Michael continued to guest star in single episodes of many series, before he was invited to play one of the lead characters in the sitcom “Sirota’s Court”, which aired from 1 December 1976 to 13 April 1977 on NBC, and for his performance was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Television Series – Comedy or Musical.

The year 1977 saw him appear in the mini-series “79 Park Avenue”, which starred Lesley Ann Warren, David Dukes and Polly Bergen, and is about a teenage girl living in New York in the ‘30s, who starts working as a prostitute, and in 1979 Michael starred in the mini-series “Roots: The Next Generations”, which was based on the final seven chapters of the novel “Roots: The Saga of an American Family” written by Alex Haley.

Between 1979 and 1983, Michael guest starred in four episodes of the mystery medical drama “Quincy, M. E.”, and then returned to appearing in single episodes of many series, such as the action adventure “The Fall Guy” in 1983, the action military drama “Airwolf” in 1985 and the critically acclaimed crime drama “Magnum, P. I.” in 1986.

The following 17 years saw Michael appear in numerous series and his first notable performance was in 2003 when he appeared in seven episodes of the sitcom “My Big Fat Greek Life”, which was closely based on the movie “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”.

Two of Michael’s final roles in TV series before retiring from acting were in the episode “Boy Crazy” of the crime mystery drama “Cold Case” in 2007, and a single episode of the talk-show “The Crossroads with Martin Anthony” in 2009.

Love life and wife

Michael met his first wife Julianna McCarthy, an American actress, years before he made his Broadway debut, and on 5 October 1953 the two married in a private ceremony attended by their closest friends and family – Julianna might be known to many as the Matriarch Liz Foster from the soap opera “The Young and the Restless”, which aired from 1973 to 1986.

She gave birth to their two children, Thea and Brendan Constantine before Julianna and Michael divorced in 1972.

Two years later on 29 September 1974, Michael married board certified pediatrician Kathleen Patricia Christopherson, and they were together for nearly six years before their divorce was finalized on 15 August 1980.

Michael has been keeping the details of his love life hidden from the media’s attention since his second divorce, and as of September 2020, he is single, was married twice and has two children.

Hobbies and other interests

Michael has been interested in learning languages ever since he launched his acting career, and being able to speak in Italian, Russian and French has helped him win many roles in both movies and TV series.

He was more or less physically active during his 20s and 30s as he occasionally played soccer with his friends and colleagues, but preferred to play board games such as chess and checkers, however, he rarely found players to play against, as he was very good.

He spent most of his career travelling around the US while shooting for his movies and TV series, and travelling eventually became a hobby of his – he also roamed around Europe, visiting countries such as Yugoslavia (broken apart in 1992), Germany and France.

Michael has his own favorite actors and actresses, some of whom are Humphrey Bogart, Cary Grant and Whoopi Goldberg, while some of his favorite movies are “Casablanca”, “Ghost” and “Anatomy of a Murder”.

Net worth

Michael’s age is 93. He has short brown hair and brown eyes, his height is 6ft 1ins (1.87m) and he weighs around 185lbs (83kgs).

As of September 2020, his net worth has been estimated at over $1.5 million.

General Info

Full NameMichael Constantine
ProfessionActor
NationalityAmerican

Family

SpouseKathleen Christopher, Julianna McCarthy
ChildrenBrendan Constantine, Thea Constantine
ParentsTheoharis Ioannides, Andromache Efstratiou

Accomplishments

AwardsPrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor – Comedy or Musical
NominationsScreen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture, Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Miniseries, or Motion Picture Made for Television, Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy, Teen Choice Award for Choice Hi...
MoviesMy Big Fat Greek Wedding, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2, Thinner, The Hustler, Prancer, The Juror, If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium, The Reivers, The North Avenue Irregulars, The Last Mile, Skidoo, Pray for Death, Deadfall, Summer of My German Soldier, Peeper, Quick, Before It Melts, Don't Drink t...
TV ShowsMy Big Fat Greek Life, Sirota's Court, Room 222, Hey, Landlord

Social profile links

Facts

#Fact
1He was awarded the 1989 Drama Logue Award for Outstanding Performance for "Temptation" at the Mark Taper Forum Theatre in Los Angeles, California.
2Acting mentor and friend of Denise Nicholas and Karen Valentine.
3He made guest appearances on both of the longest running prime time dramas in US television history: Gunsmoke (1955) and Law & Order (1990).
4Has a variety of foreign accents at his disposal, including French, Italian and Russian.
5Was a good friend of Telly Savalas, starring with him in many television programs such as American Playhouse: My Palikari (1982) and Kojak (1973).
6He is a Greek American. His parents were Greek immigrants.
7He and his ex-wife, Julianna McCarthy, have two children: Thea Eileen (Thea Constantine) and Brendan Neil (Brendan Constantine).

Pictures

Movies

Actor

TitleYearStatusCharacter
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 22016Gus
Location! Location!2010ShortGustav
Back in 102009ShortBill
The Crossroads with Martin Anthony2009TV Series
Pink Glasses2008ShortDr.Love
Cold Case2007TV SeriesArchie Randall '07
Then Came You2006ShortCole McAllister
My Big Fat Greek Life2003TV SeriesGus
In-Laws2002TV SeriesHoward
My Big Fat Greek Wedding2002Gus Portokalos
Judging Amy2001TV SeriesElias Kelikidis
WW 32001TV MovieYuri Zenkovsky
Cosby1997TV SeriesZack
Thinner1996Tadzu Lempke
The Juror1996Judge Weitzel
New York News1995TV Series
Because Mommy Works1994TV MovieElliot
The Cosby Mysteries1994TV Series
Law & Order1992-1994TV SeriesJoshua Berger / Dan Barnett
My Life1993Bill Ivanovich
Deadfall1993Frank
Homicide: Life on the Street1993TV SeriesJim Scinta
By a Thread1990
Midnight Caller1990TV SeriesAngelo Busico
Island Son1990TV Series
Free Spirit1990TV SeriesWinnie's Father
Prancer1989Mr. Stewart / Santa
Hunter1988TV SeriesHarvey Falk
Murder, She Wrote1985-1988TV SeriesLaszlo Dolby / Ben Gibbons
Leap of Faith1988TV MovieDoctor Rudolph
Friday the 13th: The Series1988TV SeriesRay Dallion
Probe1988TV SeriesTruman Smith the 3rd
Simon & Simon1984-1988TV SeriesErnie Petrolik / Dr. John Longstrand / Robert Corman
The Law and Harry McGraw1988TV SeriesLamonica
In the Mood1987Mr. Wisecarver
Airwolf1987TV SeriesDr. Vladimir Bronski - Special Guest Star
MacGyver1985-1987TV SeriesSam Leland / Hungarian Inspector Jan Messic
Magnum, P.I.1986TV SeriesJudge Hannibal Kearns
Crazy Like a Fox1986TV Series
Blacke's Magic1986TV SeriesVictor Kroeger
Remington Steele1984-1986TV SeriesGeorge Edward Mulch
Daniel and the Lion's Den1986Video short voice
Highway to Heaven1985TV SeriesDr. Dan Hickey
Pray for Death1985Mr. Newman
Airwolf1985TV SeriesPresident Marios Guzman
Finder of Lost Loves1984TV SeriesMr. Harding
Masquerade1984TV Series
Mama's Family1984TV SeriesJudge Willard E. Packard
The New Mike Hammer1984TV SeriesMel Hurock
Hotel1983TV SeriesMr. Tomasino
The Love Boat1983TV SeriesCharlie Haskins
Matt Houston1983TV SeriesPolice Chief
The Fall Guy1983TV SeriesVirgil Sykes
Amanda's1983TV SeriesKrinsky
Forty Days of Musa Dagh1982Talaat Pasha
The Powers of Matthew Star1982TV SeriesGiancarlo
Quincy M.E.1979-1982TV SeriesDr. Arthur Ciotti / Brock Campbell / Dr. George Pendleton
Benson1982TV SeriesMichael Musker / Marvin Musker
It Takes Two1982TV SeriesJudge Beilin
Lou Grant1981-1982TV SeriesJoe Lombardi / Sidney Kovac
American Playhouse1982TV Series
Darkroom1982TV SeriesMonsieur de Paris
Palmerstown, U.S.A.1981TV SeriesBennett
Trapper John, M.D.1981TV SeriesMax Wyatt
Vega$1981TV SeriesArnie Moss
Evita Peron1981TV MovieJaime Yankelevich
The Love Tapes1980TV MovieFrank Yost
Fantasy Island1980TV SeriesJoshua Templar
Roots: The Next Generations1979TV Mini-SeriesDr. Vansina
Crisis in Mid-air1979TV MovieFrank Piovano
The North Avenue Irregulars1979Marv
The Pirate1978TV MovieYashir
Summer of My German Soldier1978TV MovieHarry Bergen
Harold Robbins' 79 Park Avenue1977TV Mini-SeriesBen Savitch
Billy: Portrait of a Street Kid1977TV MovieDr. Silver
Sirota's Court1976-1977TV SeriesJudge Matthew Sirota Judge Matthew J. Sirota
Voyage of the Damned1976Luis Clasing
Electra Woman and Dyna Girl1976TV SeriesThe Sorcerer
Wanted: The Sundance Woman1976TV MovieDave Riley, Shopkeeper aka David Baker
Twin Detectives1976TV MovieBen Sampson
Ellery Queen1976TV SeriesLeo Robert Campbell
McMillan & Wife1976TV SeriesDr. Eisner
Peeper1976Anglich
Conspiracy of Terror1975TV MovieJacob Horowitz
The Night That Panicked America1975TV MovieJess Wingate
Police Woman1975TV SeriesRalph
The Secret Night Caller1975TV MovieDr. Mayhill
The Manhunter1975TV SeriesWarden Lewis
Death Cruise1974TV MovieDr. Burke
Kojak1974TV SeriesDon 'Cheech' Frank Scalesi
Big Rose: Double Trouble1974TV MovieGunther
Room 2221969-1974TV SeriesPrincipal Seymour Kaufman
The Streets of San Francisco1973TV SeriesAl Davies
The Bait1973TV MovieCaptain Gus Maryk
The Bold Ones: The New Doctors1973TV SeriesCharles Milaney
Love, American Style1972TV SeriesFred (segment "Love and the High School Sweetheart")
Say Goodbye, Maggie Cole1972TV MovieDr. Sweeney
Deadly Harvest1972TV MovieStefan Groza
Suddenly Single1971TV MovieFrankie Ventura
The Impatient Heart1971TV MovieMurray Kane
Mary Tyler Moore1971TV SeriesMike Cooper
Night Gallery1971TV SeriesWellman (segment "The Boy Who Predicted Earthquakes")
The Odd Couple1971TV SeriesBill Green
The Name of the Game1970TV SeriesJay Johnson
The Reivers1969Mr. Binford
The Virginian1965-1969TV SeriesJohn Halstead / Private Essex Kanin / Stavros Karas
Don't Drink the Water1969Commissar Krojack
Mission: Impossible1969TV SeriesJanos
Justine1969Memlik Pasha
If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium1969Jack Harmon
The Good Guys1969TV SeriesLarry Tomack
Skidoo1968Leech
In Enemy Country1968Ladislov
The Danny Thomas Hour1968TV SeriesDemetrios
Gunsmoke1963-1968TV SeriesNoah Meek / Baca
The Flying Nun1968TV SeriesJuan
The Invaders1968TV SeriesDr. Martin Willard
Ironside1967TV SeriesHarry Brancusi
Iron Horse1967TV SeriesSam McGinty
Ghostbreakers1967TV MovieOscar Jensen
Dundee and the Culhane1967TV Series
The Fugitive1965-1967TV SeriesArthur 'Art' Howe / Lt. Ben Wyckoff / Ernie Svoboda
Hey, Landlord1966-1967TV SeriesJohn 'Jack' Ellenhorn / Jack Ellenhorn
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre1965-1967TV SeriesNiri / Steve Jenkins
Combat!1967TV SeriesJacques Patron
The Road West1966TV SeriesJacob Adams
T.H.E. Cat1966TV SeriesSilvio
I Spy1966TV SeriesColonel Halouf / Plotkin
Hawaii1966Mason, sailor
The Jean Arthur Show1966TV SeriesCarnella
12 O'Clock High1966TV SeriesGen. Nikolai Vorodenko
Beau Geste1966Rostov
The Dick Van Dyke Show1966TV SeriesLeslie Merkle
Run for Your Life1966TV SeriesColonel Shoner
My Favorite Martian1965-1966TV SeriesLeonardo da Vinci / Collins
The Double Life of Henry Phyfe1966TV SeriesGoogie
Hogan's Heroes1966TV SeriesCaptain Heinrich
Death Valley Days1965-1966TV SeriesGeorge Burnett / Thomas J. Pollack / John Chisum
Perry Mason1964-1965TV SeriesPappy Ryan / Dillard
The Trials of O'Brien1965TV SeriesColin Kipner
Memorandum for a Spy1965TV MovieNiri
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea1965TV SeriesDr. Brand
Profiles in Courage1964-1965TV SeriesGeneral Lucas / Watson
The Outer Limits1964TV SeriesJoe Dix
Quick Before It Melts1964Mikhail Drozhensky
Slattery's People1964TV SeriesPaul Hungerford
The Rogues1964TV SeriesDr. Vittorio De Nova
The Great Adventure1964TV SeriesColonel Streight
The Twilight Zone1964TV SeriesSheriff Charlie Koch
The Richard Boone Show1963-1964TV SeriesBarney Chapman / Romero
Arrest and Trial1963-1964TV SeriesDr. Graham / Dr. Fowler
77 Sunset Strip1963TV SeriesSylvio Fiore
The Greatest Show on Earth1963TV SeriesVerducci
Lonnie1963Gage
The Eleventh Hour1963TV SeriesDr. Jamison
Channing1963TV SeriesNick
Vacation Playhouse1963TV SeriesPolice Detective
Island of Love1963Andy
The Untouchables1961-1963TV SeriesMax Frivol / Marty Baltin / Seth Otis / ...
The Dakotas1963TV SeriesJohn Marshak
The Lloyd Bridges Show1962-1963TV SeriesHata - Town Elder / Aristos
The Beachcomber1962TV SeriesMaurice Martone
Sam Benedict1962TV SeriesJudge Tower
Ben Casey1962TV SeriesEngineer Andersen
Dr. Kildare1962TV SeriesDr. Ernest Miller
Naked City1962TV SeriesVito Calageras
The Defenders1961TV SeriesMr. Heinmiller
Target: The Corruptors1961TV SeriesChief Swenson
The Detectives1961TV SeriesSalvatore Tropolis
The New Breed1961TV SeriesOscar Holloway
Cain's Hundred1961TV SeriesHerbert Lorgan
The Hustler1961Big John
Armstrong Circle Theatre1958-1961TV SeriesVictor / George Calder / Committee Chairman
The Asphalt Jungle1961TV SeriesJoe Garfield
Play of the Week1960TV Series
The Catholic Hour1959TV SeriesPonticianus
Brenner1959TV SeriesLt. Kopec
The Last Mile1959Ed Werner
The Big Story1949TV SeriesMiller

Self

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Making the Greekquel2016Video documentary shortHimself
My Big Fat Greek Dinner2016Video documentary shortHimself
Recorded Live2011TV SeriesHimself
The Promise of Tomorrow 1940- 19602009DocumentaryHimself
Life in the Fast Lane: Fast Eddie Felson and the Search for Greatness2007Video documentary short
Milestones in Cinema History: The Hustler2007Video documentary shortHimself
The Hollywood Squares1977TV SeriesGuest Appearance
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson1970-1976TV SeriesHimself / Judge Matthew J. Sirota from TV series SIROTA'S COURT
The Virginia Graham Show1972TV SeriesHimself
The 22nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards1970TV SpecialHimself - Winner: Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in Comedy
The Fountain of Groovy1970TV Movie documentaryHimself
The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour1969TV SeriesHimself - Commentor

Archive Footage

TitleYearStatusCharacter
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years2004Video documentary

Awards

Won Awards

YearAwardCeremonyNominationMovie
2003Golden Satellite AwardSatellite AwardsBest Actor in a Supporting Role, Comedy or MusicalMy Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)
1970Primetime EmmyPrimetime Emmy AwardsOutstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in ComedyRoom 222 (1969)

Nominated Awards

YearAwardCeremonyNominationMovie
2003ActorScreen Actors Guild AwardsOutstanding Performance by the Cast of a Theatrical Motion PictureMy Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)
2003Teen Choice AwardTeen Choice AwardsChoice Movie Hissy FitMy Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)
1977Golden GlobeGolden Globes, USABest Actor in a Television Series - Comedy or MusicalSirota's Court (1976)
1971Golden GlobeGolden Globes, USABest Supporting Actor - TelevisionRoom 222 (1969)
1971Primetime EmmyPrimetime Emmy AwardsOutstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in ComedyRoom 222 (1969)

Source: IMDb, Wikipedia

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