Mike Baldridge - News Archived

Mike is shooting Justin Sullivan's sci-fi film "Chimpimp" in the role of a futuristic governmental agent (ala Agent Smith in The Matrix) in principal photography in High Definition 24P/35mm through July 3rd.

Mike will be shooting the co-lead role of Kevin Mortimer in Susan Barron's "The Visit".

"... Kevin is an aspiring painter who has recently relocated from New York. Though he can keep up with Steph and her mother in the wits department, he is ultimately a good-natured peacemaker interested in the recovery of the women's relationship, or so we think…"

Due to scheduling conflicts, Mike had to pass on director Joe Uhlarik's "big mack". Mike wishes Joe and the cast and crew of "big mack" a great shoot!

Mike also went straight to director and taped for Cinamour Entertainment's "Forbidden Warrior" (the prequel to "Forbidden Samurai").

Mike taped for Director Gary Winick in the role of Ted, which would work with Jennifer Garner as her receptionist in the upcoming Revolution Studios (Sony) feature "13 Going on 30".

Mike is also shooting the co-lead role of Frank in an adaptation of Melissa James Gibson's play "[sic]". "... sic follows the lives of three neighbors in a Soho apartment building and examines the empowering nature of language through people who have difficulty expressing themselves successfully. The three characters distance themselves from responsibility at a time in their lives when they should be assuming it. With elements of both Seinfeld and Beckett, our apartment dwellers seem to be rapidly going nowhere in a humorous comedy of manners..."

DECEMBER, 2002
"CATCH ME IF YOU CAN" screening/HBO "First Look"
"CANDLE IN THE WINDOW" wraps (UPDATED FOOTAGE 12/16/02)
"THE PRICE OF DOING BUSINESS" - The Odyssey Theatre

Mike is to attend the screening of "Catch Me If You Can" on December 15th (opens Christmas Day) and can also be seen in HBO's "First Look: The Making of Catch Me If You Can". Mike's last day on "Candle in the Window" was December 7th. Updated "Candle in the Window" images and video clips are up as of 12/22/02.

Mike would also like to thank Nancy Sackett (Danielle Steel's "The Ring", "Charles and Diana", "Beverly Hills Madam") for the opportunity to be a part of her play "The Price of Doing Business" at The Odyssey Theatre. The cast included Lin Shaye ("Something About Mary") and Cherish Lee (daughter of Charlene Tilton).

NOVEMBER, 2002
"THE POLAR EXPRESS" WITH TOM HANKS AND ROBERT ZEMECKIS
DESTINY ENTERTAINMENT'S "QUIGLEY"
BOOMTOWN - RECURRING ROLE
ROBBERY HOMICIDE DIVISION/MICHAEL MANN
"CANDLE IN THE WINDOW" - ABIATHER FILMS

Mike was at Culver Studios taping for Robert Zemeckis in the role of "Know It All" for the upcoming Imagemovers / Castle Rock / Playtone adaptation of Chris Van Allsburg's "The Polar Express". The role would work up to 10 weeks with Tom Hanks beginning February 2003.

Mike went to producers and director on Destiny Entertainment's feature "Quigley" for one of its largest supporting roles.

Mike taped for producers on Boomtown for the recurring role of Billy, a police surveillance technician.

Mike taped for producer/director/writer Michael Mann (Miami Vice, Heat, Ali, etc.) for his latest episodic, Robbery Homicide Division in the role of DEA Agent Tom Meyers.

Mike continues to shoot Abiather Film's "Candle In The Window" (fka "Alex & Ro") in the role of Thomas through December 3rd and the first stills are up from Mike's role in Black Rain.

OCTOBER, 2002
PAX MOW - "BOOK OF DAYS", "ALEX & RO" - ABIATHER FILMS
"SHE SPIES" - "PATIENT 14" - MATTEL HOT WHEELS VOICEOVER

Following two producer sessions, Mike awaits word on two roles in the PAX Movie of the Week "Book of Days". Mike also booked the role of Thomas in Abiather Films HD 24P feature "Alex & Ro".

(Courtesy of Abiather Films - Description of the role of Thomas): "Alex & Ro is an intense family drama dealing with breast cancer. Thomas is the boyfriend trying to convince Jenny to fight it; Jenny is on her second time around and is not inclined to do so. The role appears in about 20 - 30 minutes of screen time, is intense, with a strong range, and is the key role in the film..."

Mike also just went to producers on MGM's "SHE SPIES" and to director Andrew Bakalar on Gemstar Pictures psychological thriller "Patient 14".

Mike also just completed the voiceover work for NASCAR driver Ryan Newman in his upcoming Mattel Hot Wheels spot.

Mike wrapped the improv based "Black Rain" for director Keith Payne. The project is now in post in Greensboro, North Carolina and video clips from the dailies should be available shortly.

Comedy will be the word of the day for the rest of the year as Mike has joined the Harvey Lembeck Professional Comedy Workshop and The Second City improv training programs.

Mike went to producers on UPN's new fall show Haunted and back to producers for THE AGENCY on CBS.

JULY, 2002 - MIKE GRADUATES FROM TWO YEAR MEISNER PROGRAM
RICHARD DREYFUSS/MARTHA COOLIDGE/BENICIO DEL TORO SPEAK

Richard Dreyfuss and Martha Coolidge were among the commencement speakers at Mike's graduation ceremony from the Joanne Baron/D.W. Brown two year Meisner program held at the Fairmont Miramar oceanside in Santa Monica. Benicio Del Toro also lent his advice to the graduates earlier in the month.

Mike was brought back in by Deb Zane ("Catch Me If You Can") to be taped for Ridley Scott in a role to work with Nicolas Cage in the upcoming feature "The Matchstick Men". Mike also met with Mr. A.C. Lyles at Paramount to discuss the progress on OB-1 and was asked to return with the pilot episode once it's out of post. Mike received a front row invitation from Mr. Jay Bernstein's office and attended the award presentation to Jay from the Harvard Film School.

Mike steps behind the camera to co-produce the pilot plus two episodes of the TFK Media/Wave Breaking production Orbital Broadcast 1. OB-1 is the ultimate sci-fi news/fan show to include comedy, parody and celebrity guests locked in a space station orbiting earth. It's the Daily Show meets MAD TV in a Cage Match in Space!

Mike is also responsible for securing the celebrity guest appearances on the show which include Walter Koenig (Mr. Chekov from the original Star Trek series), Tim Russ (Star Trek: Voyager's Vulcan Tactical and Security Officer) and George Takei (Mr. Sulu from the original Star Trek series).

OB-1 has already garnered mid-level independent television station distribution of nearly one million homes in the Los Angeles area with options to expand that distribution in 25 million and 85 million home increments. Please visit Orbital Broadcast 1 for all the latest production information.

Mike just shot the lead role in the Doppelganger Productions thriller "Confessions". Please visit confessionsthemovie.com.

"This one's pretty bloody... Spent several days head to toe in some very convincing fake blood (but didn't have it as bad as a few of my victims... heh heh... some spectacular cathedral location shooting combined with great writing and killer (literally) suspense... stay tuned for news on distribution..."

"Steven Spielberg is an amazing man. He makes you feel so welcome from the moment you step onto the set. I still can't believe I've been lucky enough to stand next to him, talking about blocking, new lines he wants to add or last minute improv ideas he has... and everything just works because he's got such a fantastic attitude..."

"Leo has been every bit as good natured. In one scene he and I have a pretty full on body collision coming around a corner at a party and I have a glass full of wine. Wardrobe, makeup and hair were on me to not get wine all over him. On one particular take we hit at just the right angle and the wine went flying, all over him, all over me, all over the set... Leo was smiling with wine dripping down his hair and face and said to me "That was some good work..."

Mike just went through the first round of reads for the supporting role of William Law in Richard Dutcher's next project for ZION FILMS "THE PROPHET". Mike also just went to producers as an Assistant District Attorney for Lifetime's THE DIVISION.

Back to producers for THE AGENCY (this time for Shaun Cassidy) as well as to producers for FELICITY.

Mike was taped for a role to work with Leonardo DiCaprio in the upcoming Steven Spielberg project "Catch Me If You Can" and read for the lead in the Summer 2002 DeLaurentiis Production "Shut Up and Kiss Me". Also called in again for Belisarius Productions on JAG (previously went to producers/studio on the Belisarius Productions FIRST MONDAY pilot).

Mike has wrapped the role of Crewman Dillard, to appear in episode five of Enterprise: "Unexpected" (SEE ENTERPRISE VIDEO CLIPS AND IMAGES). Mike had been previously called in to producers (including director LeVar Burton) for Enterprise. Mike also wrapped the role of E.R. Dr. Dubie in Paul Salamoff's parody of the M. Night Shyamalan film, "Unbreakable" with Orlando Jones, Eric Winzenreid and Elaine Hendrix.

Mike has booked Paul Salamoff's parody of the M. Night Shyamalan film, "Unbreakable", with main title billing to begin shooting in mid-August.

Mike goes to callbacks for the supporting role of Stu Goldman in Four Mile Entertainment's "The Collaboration" and called in for a series regular on the Termite Art Productions, "Hotel Hell".

Mike went to producers and studio (Paramount) for the Belisarius Supreme Court Pilot "First Monday".

Mike was asked to assist with direction of the TheatreVision description for the blind of "Early Edition" recorded at Saban.

On January 20th, Mike attended the Presidential Inauguration on behalf of TheatreVision to broadcast live nationwide coverage (CNR) of the Inauguration and the Inaugural Parade followed by taped on-camera descriptions of the Texas/Wyoming Inaugural Ball held that evening at the Washington Convention Center.

Mike wrapped the title role of Spencer (an artist with an extraordinary gift that tragically destroys both him and the woman he loves) for Solar Eclipse Entertainment's ART OF LOVE (SEE ART OF LOVE VIDEO CLIPS AND IMAGES). Premiering December 21st at the Los Angeles Film Festival, ART OF LOVE was shot entirely on Sony's latest HD Digital Technology (as used by Lucasfilm). Mike also joined Casting Director Terry Berland's six week On Camera Commercial Acting and Audition Class.

Mike completed the lead role of Racine with Christine Cameron as Matty in the UCLA Film School's production of BODY HEAT. Mike also finished two days of shooting on John Sammon's ST. CHRISTOPHER'S CODE for the American Film Institute. NOW THAT THE SAG COMMERCIAL STRIKE IS OVER, Mike joined Casting Director Stuart Robinson's five week On Camera Commercial Audition and Technique Workshop.

Mike relocated to Toluca Lake (adjacent to Universal City, Burbank, and Studio City) in the Los Angeles Area and is studying with the Joanne Baron/DW Brown Studio (Advanced Meisner Technique), The Larry Moss Studio (Advanced Scene Study and Technique Breakdown), Melissa Skoff (current Casting Director for JAG - Advanced Cold Reading/Audition Technique)), Michael D. Frederick (Alexander Technique) and the Sam Christensen Studio (Image Assessment/Design).

April/May/June - Mike has been on the set of Pat O'Connor's SWEET NOVEMBER with Keanu Reeves, Charlize Therone, Jason Isaacs, Michael Rosenbaum, Robert Joy and Greg Germann working as a stand-in for Greg, Jason and Robert and was then given a featured role as the Cable Car Man. "It has been a pretty unbelievable experience working on a Pat O'Connor film and staying within a few feet of Keanu, Charlize, Jason, Michael and Greg for much of a 12 hour day! The second team rehearsals have been a great experience, often requiring a quick pickup of dialog and blocking for several full run throughs for camera (with a little pressure on the last rehearsal if Keanu or Greg happen to be watching!) Erwin Stoff (Producer) has been on the set regularly. Deborah Stoff also stopped by for Keanu's cabaret rendition of "Time After Time". Pat O'Connor is amazing to watch and learn from and is incredibly gracious (Mrs. O'Connor has also visited the set) and Jonathan Watson and John Morse (First and Second A.D.) are outstanding..."