Michael John Harney is an American actor of film, television, and theater. He is best known for starring on the
Netflix
Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...
original series ''
Orange Is the New Black'' as Corrections Officer
Sam Healy. In 2019, he had a recurring role in the
Apple TV+ series ''
For All Mankind''.
Early life
Born in
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
, Harney went on to study under acting teachers William Esper and Phil Gushee, both of whom studied and taught with
Sanford Meisner for many years at The Neighborhood Playhouse School Of The Theater. After studying acting for 7 years he went on to run The Michael Harney Acting Studio in New York City for 8 years. During his time in New York City, Harney acted in and/or directed more than 80 plays and one acts and starred in ''On The Waterfront'' on Broadway playing the role of Charlie Malloy.
Career
Throughout Harney's television career, he has performed in numerous blockbuster films such as ''
Erin Brockovich'' and ''
Ocean's Thirteen''. Before starring on ''
Orange Is the New Black'', Harney starred as Detective Mike Roberts in the award-winning television police drama ''
NYPD Blue
''NYPD Blue'' is an American police procedural television series set in New York City, exploring the struggles of the fictional 15th Precinct detective squad in Manhattan. Each episode typically intertwines several plots involving an ensemble ca ...
'' and also in the
HBO
Home Box Office (HBO) is an American pay television service, which is the flagship property of namesake parent-subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is based a ...
historical drama series ''
Deadwood'' as Steve Fields. Harney first worked with ''Orange Is The New Black'' creator
Jenji Kohan on the Showtime original dark comedy ''
Weeds'', starring opposite
Mary-Louise Parker as Detective Mitch Ouellette.
In 2015, Harney returned to his film roots in the independent drama, ''
Bad Hurt,'' which had its world premiere at the 2015
Tribeca Film Festival
The Tribeca Festival is an annual film festival organized by Tribeca Enterprises. It takes place each spring in New York City, showcasing a diverse selection of film, episodic, talks, music, games, art, and immersive programming. The festival ...
. Set in 1999, ''Bad Hurt'' chronicles Ed Kendall's (Harney) struggle with PTSD as a proud war veteran and father to son (Theo Rossi) and mentally ill adult daughter (Iris Gilad), and the challenges each of them face during the constant pursuit of maintaining a normal family dynamic.
Personal life
He has one son.
Filmography
Film
Television
2025
The Better Sister
Video games
References
External links
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Interview in Queens Tribune, July, 2015
{{DEFAULTSORT:Harney, Michael
20th-century American male actors
21st-century American male actors
Living people
American male film actors
American male stage actors
American male television actors
Male actors from the Bronx
1956 births