Michael Phelan

Creative humorist/collaborator/actor/writer who has acted sporadically since childhood, with detours along the way, mostly wonderful ones, Michael James O'Flaherty was born on September 26, 1967. In 1977, 10-year-old-Michael O'Flaherty was invited to work for Labine-Mayer Productions as an occasional background player in their daytime drama Ryan's Hope, appearing as background player (uncredited) in six episodes and a speaking role with Malachy McCourt in two episodes, and the privilege of being adjacent to Kate Mulgrew in some family bar scenes. At the time, many members of the O'Flaherty and Mulvey clans, while experienced thespians in the old country, worked behind the scenes as writers and crew members for local NYC network productions since the early-1960's, so Michael found himself in the background of a few of those NYC productions over the summers. Michael grew up in a "fractured" family, often moving around the country after his parents' 1978 divorce, putting acting on hold.