Michael Currie(1928-2009)

Character actor Michael Currie was born Herman Christian Schwenk Jr. on July 24, 1928 in Kingston, New York. His parents were Herman C. Schwenk and Mabel Lockwood. Currie was the youngest of three children. He attended Kingston High School, where he sang in the a cappella choir and played football. Michael worked in his family business Schwenk's Bakery during the summer and on weekends. He graduated from St. Lawrence University with a degree in psychology and was an apprentice at the Woodstock Playhouse. Currie did graduate work at both Cornell University and the University of Ohio. Michael served two years in Okinawa during the Korean War. Following his tour of duty, Currie taught theater at SUNY New Paltz. He met his future wife Ann Dods on a blind date in 1960 and married her later that same year.

Michael acted in four movies with Clint Eastwood; he was especially memorable as Captain Donnelly in "Sudden Impact" and "The Dead Pool." He was likewise impressive as jolly hotel owner Rafferty in "Halloween III: Season of the Witch." Currie had a recurring role as Sheriff Jonas Carter in the popular daytime horror soap opera "Dark Shadows." Among the other TV shows he made guest appearances on are "M.A.S.H.," "Family," "Soap," "Cheers," "Dallas," and "Newhart." Michael's stage credits include a Broadway production of "Love and Kisses" as well as Off-Broadway productions of such plays as "The Premise" and "What Price Glory." He was the father of son John and daughter Catherine. Currie died at age 81 on December 22, 2009 in Freeport, Maine.