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News & Rumors

 2-2-2024: Happy Birthday!
Vintage "The Pretender" NBC print ads in honor of Michael T. Weiss' 62th birthday on 2/2/24: Photos

The TV series "The Pretender" run from 1996-2000 on NBC, and starred Michael T. Weiss as Jarod and Andrea Parker as his nemesis, Miss Parker. TNT bought the rights and ordered two sequel TV films that aired in 2001 - "The Pretender 2001" and "The Pretender: Island of the Haunted".
 1-26-2024: Birthday greetings
Michael T. Weiss' upcoming 62th birthday is on 2/2/24.
In late 2022 Gail Moss discovered this contact address for fan mail, best wishes and birthday greetings:

Cornerstone Talent Agency
Michael T. Weiss
37 West 20th Street, Suite 1007
New York, NY 10011-3714
USA

I had used it for Mr Weiss' last year's birthday and so far the card wasn't returned as "undelivered - unknown". Doesn't mean though that it really reached him. He doesn't doesn't have any known public social media accounts (at least not under his own real name) - those running under his name are either fan made or fakes. So you might want to give this address a try.
EFi, webmiss
 1-20-2024: "Marmalade" (2004)
"Marmalade": 20 years!! later the never released romantic comedy "Marmalade" that Jennifer Kusner and I wrote, directed by Kim Dempster, has made it to the small screen! 😁 It’s a story about a fashion model in NYC whose life spirals out of control when at 30 she becomes too old to continue her job (and of course she dates all the wrong, hilarious men!) Our little indie film has an amazing cast of well known actors (one won an Emmy last night! - Ebon Moss-Bachrach for "The Bear") and a bunch of 90’s super models playing themselves. It’s loosely based on a crazy time when we were roommates in NYC trying to find our way in life.
Back then the producers had a falling out and our movie was never completed or sold to our great disappointment. Last year when a distributor heard about it - we were able to take back control and make it happen. I guess the lesson is it’s never too late for anything - you never know what will happen.
And what’s old is now new! Watch it alone or with a girlfriend (guys like it too)
Follow marmalademovie2024 on Instagram for fun tidbits and updates.
Watch it on AMAZON PRIME in the USA or just give us a thumbs up there! 👍🏻
Photo: Nadine Hennelly
Source: Jill Sorensen, Instagram, Jan, 17, 2024

"Marmalade" premiered at the 2004 CineVegas Filmfestival.
Photos from the press day, the Q&A with Jennifer Kusner, Jill Sorensen, Michael T. Weiss, producer Ron Kastner, Michael Panes, and Grant Show at the Brenden Theatres at The Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, NV on June 15, 2004 and from the party later that evening. Photos: Denise Truscello/Michael Caulfield/WireImage for CineVegas

Reviews in the 2004 Archive - scroll down to June

Cast: Jill Sorensen, Jennifer Kusner, Michael T. Weiss, Eric Schaeffer, Michael Cavadias, Karen Duffy, Sarita Choudhury, Ilana Levine, Sam Robards, Grant Show, Michael Panes, Casper Andreas, Jeremiah Alexis, Claudia Chagall, Craig Euston, Valerie Geffner, Ann Harada, Rome Kanda, Anil Kumar, David Lansbury, David Lipman, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Kate Reinders, Michael Showalter, Julie Simone, Adam Trese, Donald Trump, Frederique Van Der Wal, Daniella Van Graas, Dasha Viasenko, Linda Rivera Bradt, Collin Christopher. Produced by Ron Kastner, Jennifer Kusner, Melissa Marr, Patrick Sheedy, Jill Sorensen. Directed by Kim Dempster. Written by Jennifer Kusner and Jill Sorensen.

Set still of Michael T. Weiss (Peter) and Jill Sorensen (Kim). Photo: Pascal Perich

The movie won three Slate Awards at the 2005 California Independent Film Festival: Best Picture, Best Actress - Jill Sorensen, and Best Director - Kim Dempster.
 12-29-2023: The number one voted classic "Blue Bloods" episode is "The Blue Templar"
The number one voted classic "Blue Bloods" episode is "The Blue Templar" (Season 1, Episode 22).
Watch a snippet here. It is Det. Malevsky's (Michael T. Weiss) final episode.
Source: Blue Bloods on Facebook, Dec 28, 2023

Michael T. Weiss as Det. Sonny Malevsky appeared in four episodes of the 1st season of the CBS series "Blue Bloods: Crime Scene New York" in 2011, before Sonny apparently commited suicide in the 22th episode:
Ep. 11 Little Fish (Große Fische, kleine Fische): Danny unravels a judge's complicity when he favors a sex trafficker and FBI informant against the mob. Frank gets closure for a case from his policing days of a boy who had disappeared. The boy's remains and a confession achieve that.
Ep. 13 Hall of Mirrors (48 Stunden): An undercover cop, who had infiltrated a terrorist cell, is shot. A girl, with acute anxiety and living alone, frequently complains that her house furniture has been disturbed. Danny solves the shooting and Jamie apprehends the intruder.
Ep. 21 Cellar Boy (Das Blut meiner Eltern): An elderly couple known to the Reagans is murdered in their house in the neighborhood, Jamie's service weapon gets stolen from his locker and Frank fights the mayor about the police budget.
Ep. 22 The Blue Templar (Die Blauen Templer): Jamie shares his suspicions with his family about Joe's killing and the now infamous Blue Templar. A private investigation leads them to the police officers who are the ring leaders of this secret group. Joe's death gets a fitting closure. / End of season 1.

Photos/screenshots of Michael T. Weiss from these four episodes. Source: Blue Bloods page on IMDb
 10-27-2023: '90s Network TV Shows that ran for multiple seasons, then disappeared
Another online magazine has picked up the story of long gone '90s TV shows:
No matter how much of a hit your TV show might be, there’s always the chance that once the final bows are done, it could all disappear. See how many of those programs you can remember. [...]
The Pretender (1996-2001): Some TV mysteries aren’t always given a satisfying resolution. Four seasons and two TV movies laid out the exploits of The Pretender's Jarod (Michael T. Weiss), who put his skills of deduction and impersonation to the test. Even after all that happened in that time, some might still tell you that the cliffhanger featured in the second TV movie's wake is still a sore spot in their eyes.
All 30+ shows on this list, sorted by years.
Source: Mike Reyes, CinemaBlend, Oct, 27, 2023
 10-24-2023: 15 lesser-known '90s Shows worth revisiting
Here are some of the underrated TV-series from the 1990s that, surprisingly, still hold up today.
1. Sliders (1995-2000)
2. The Pretender (1996-2000): "The Pretender" centers on Jarod (Michael T. Weiss), a genius with the ability to instantly master any skill. He escapes from The Centre, a mysterious organization that raised him from childhood to be some sort of human Swiss Army knife for nefarious purposes. Once out, he takes on various identities, from doctor to pilot, to help people while dodging The Centre's operatives who are hot on his trail. Each episode is like a mini-movie, with Jarod fitting into a new life and making things right for ordinary people in trouble. Also with Andrea Parker, Patrick Bauchau, James Denton, Jon Gries, Richard Marcus, Paul Dillon, Harve Presnell, Pamely Gidley, Ryan Merriman.
3. The Secret World of Alex Mack (1994-1998)
4. Nowhere Man (1995-1996)
5. Earth 2 (1994-1995)
6. Space: Above and Beyond (1995-1996)
7. My So-Called Life (1994-1995)
8. VR.5 (1995)
9. American Gothic (1995-1996)
10. Dark Skies (1996-1997)
11. Due South (1994-1999)
12. Forever Knight (1992-1996)
13. Picket Fences (1992-1996)
14. SeaQuest DSV (1993-1996)
15. Highlander: The Series (1992-1998)
Source: Louise Everitt, Startefacts, Oct, 24, 2023
 9-21-2023: What happened to Michael T. Weiss, aka Jarod, aka The Chameleon?
Que devient Michael T. Weiss, alias Jarod, alias Le Caméléon ? Sachez qu’on a une photo récente de lui…
Ce garçon est une véritable énigme…
Michael T. Weiss, acteur-caméléon
Quand il décroche le rôle principal dans ce qui est une des meilleures séries des années 90, Michael a 34 ans et est peut-être un acteur inconnu en France mais pas aux États-Unis où il a sa petite notoriété.
De 1985 à 1990, il a en effet incarné le Dr Mike Horton dans le soap Des jours et des vies (un personnage qui a changé maintes fois de tête !), il a ensuite joué dans la série La malédiction de Collinwood (avec un tout jeune Joseph Gordon Levitt), le feuilleton 2000, avenue de l’océan, annulé au bout de 6 épisodes (avec Drew Barrymore et Jennifer Beals), et il est apparu dans un épisode de la série érotique Red Shoe Diaries (aussi connu sous le titre de Fantasmes et narré par David Duchovny juste avant qu’il ne joue dans X-Files)… Et parallèlement à tout ça, il a aussi été coach sportif pour des stars!
Le Caméléon est bien évidemment le rôle de sa vie. Et Michael T. Weiss fait des merveilles dans la peau de Jarod, cet enfant enlevé puis élevé au sein du Centre, un garçon surdoué qui va développer des connaissances et des capacités monumentales lui permettant d’endosser n’importe rôle… ou métier, que ce soit médecin, agent du FBI et même gigolo ! Un don qu’il va mettre à profit après son évasion – après plus de 30 ans de captivité – pour devenir un bon Samaritain. Et tenter de découvrir qui il est vraiment. (Fun fact : en VF, il est doublé par Nicolas Marié, acteur fétiche d’Albert Dupontel et César du meilleur acteur dans un second rôle en 2021 pour Adieu les cons).
L’après-Le Caméléon de Michael T. Weiss
Le Caméléon est diffusé de 1996 à 2000, pendant quatre saisons. Sans oublier deux téléfilms sortis en 2001 et qui ont frustré plus d’un fan de Jarod et Miss Parker (qui l’a traqué sans relâche) ! Et ensuite ? La carrière de Michael T. Weiss connaît un sacré coup d’arrêt.
Certes, il fait un peu de théâtre (en tant que comédien et metteur en scène), il prête sa voix à des dessins animés (il est notamment celle de Tarzan dans La légende de Tarzan, et celle de Captain Atom dans La Ligue des justiciers : Nouvelle Génération), il apparaît dans une poignée de téléfilms et séries (Preuve à l’appui, Blue Bloods, Burn Notice) et on peut aussi le voir dans le film Sex and the City 2 (c’est lui qui dragouille Big lors du mariage de Stanford et Anthony – de quoi rendre Carrie jalouse !), mais rien qui ne soit à la hauteur de Jarod.
Son dernier rôle en date de 2017 et une apparition dans un film intitulé Sunset Park, sur fond de boxe. Depuis ? RAS. Il semble avoir tiré un trait sur sa carrière d’acteur.
On sait néanmoins qu’il s’adonne à la peinture (du genre abstrait). Car en plus d’avoir étudié l’art dramatique, Michael T. Weiss est titulaire d’une licence en beaux-arts de l’université de Californie du Sud, il a également suivi des cours d’histoire de l’art à l’université de Harvard, et il a poursuivi des études artistiques à l’Otis College of Fine Art & Design. Invisible sur les réseaux sociaux, oublié de tous (mais pas de nous), la dernière fois qu’il a été photographié lors d’un événement public, c’était en 2019. Il avait les cheveux mi-longs et portait une barbe. Ah, et si vous vous demandez s’il est en couple ou papa ou autre… on ne sait pas. Michael T. Weiss est une énigme!
- Article avec 2 photos en tant que Jarod & photo avec signe V & photo avec costume blanc, chapeau et barbe
Michael T. Weiss at the 12th Annual Environmental Media Awards at the Ebell of Los Angeles on November 20, 2002 in Los Angeles, CA
Michael T. Weiss at the 12th Annual Environmental Media Awards at the Ebell of Los Angeles on Nov 20, 2002 in Los Angeles, CA
Photo: Grazia
Michael T. Weiss at the Breguet Marine Collection Launch at Little Beach House Malibu on July 11, 2019 in Malibu, CA
Michael T. Weiss at the Breguet Marine Collection Launch at Little Beach House Malibu on July 11, 2019 in Malibu, CA
Photo: Grazia
Source: Jordane Guignon, Grazia, Sep 19, 2023

This is the English version of the article from French magazine "Grazia" (minus the *recent* photo):
What happened to Michael T. Weiss, aka Jarod, aka The Chameleon?
Please note that we have a recent photo of him… – Grazia
Michael T. Weiss (T for Terry) is just as inscrutable as Jarod, the character he played in the Pretender. We have rarely seen an actor as secret as him… even though he was a world star.
Michael T. Weiss, actor
When he landed the main role in what was one of the best series of the 90s, Michael was 34 years old and was perhaps an unknown actor in France but not in the United States where he had a little notoriety.
From 1985 to 1990, he played Dr. Mike Horton in the soap Days of our Lives (a character who has changed faces many times!), he then played in the series Dark Shadows/The Curse of Collinwood (with a very young Joseph Gordon Levitt), the soap opera 2000 Malibu Road canceled after 6 episodes (with Drew Barrymore and Jennifer Beals), and he appeared in an episode of the erotic series Red Shoe Diaries (also known as Fantasies and narrated by David Duchovny just before he starred in X Files)… And alongside all that, he was also a sports coach for stars!
Chameleon is obviously the role of his life. And Michael T. Weiss does wonders as Jarod, this child kidnapped and then raised within the Center, a gifted boy who will develop knowledge and monumental abilities allowing him to take on any role… or profession, whether doctor, FBI agent or even gigolo! A gift that he will put to good use after his escape – after more than 30 years of captivity – to become a good Samaritan. And try to find out who he really is. (Fun fact: in French, it is dubbed by Nicolas Married favorite actor of Albert Dupontel and César for best actor in a supporting role in 2021 for Goodbye Idiots).
Michael T. Weiss after The Pretender
The Pretender aired from 1996 to 2000, for four seasons. Without forgetting two TV films released in 2001 which frustrated more than one fan of Jarod and Miss Parker (who hounded him relentlessly)! After that? The career of Michael T. Weiss is experiencing quite a downturn.
Of course, he does a little theater (as an actor and director), he lends his voice to cartoons (notably that of Tarzan in The Legend of Tarzan and that of Captain Atom in Justice League: Next Generation), he appears in a handful of TV films and series (Supporting roles in Blue Bloods and in Burn Notice) and we can also see it in the film Sex and the City 2 (he’s the one who flirts with Big at Stanford and Anthony’s wedding – enough to make Carrie jealous!), but nothing that doesn’t match Jarod.
His last role dated 2017 in a supporting role in a film called Sunset Park, against a boxing background. He seems to have drawn a line under his acting career.
We nevertheless know that he devotes himself to paint (of the abstract kind). Because in addition to having studied drama, Michael T. Weiss holds a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from the University of Southern California, he also took courses in art history at the Harvard University, and he pursued art studies at Otis College of Fine Art & Design. Invisible on social media, forgotten by everyone (but not by us), the last time he was photographed at a public event was in 2019. He had shoulder-length hair and a beard. Oh, and if you’re wondering if he’s in a relationship or a dad or something… we don’t know. Michael T. Weiss is a enigma!
Source: Spark Chronicles, Sep 19, 2023
 9-14 to 24-2023: The 27th Pretender Anniversary Celebration
Ask Dr. Mike's contribution to the Celebration of the 27th anniversary of the premiere airing of the 1st episode of "The Pretender" on US TV on Sep 19, 1996, an 11-day-online event, organized on Facebook by the fan site "The Third Pretender Movie".

My favorite memories: The camaraderie of all the fans world wide who spent masses of their time, money and efforts to write, email and phone every one of TPTB of the producing TV network companies to get us more than just two seasons, starting while the 1st season was airing and all through the 2nd season. The then head of NBC was so impressed, that he took time to answer me. It apparently was enough effort for a 3rd and a 4th season and some movies. As we all know, only two of them were made, the promised third movie not (due to bad viewer ratings – no wonder, because the airing of those two movies were postponed many times, without prior warnings or adverts for the new dates).

My part of the history: I attended the first ever "The Pretender" Convention in 2001, organized by the late great Sandy aka Lois of The Daily Planet, in Los Angeles. She managed to convince almost everyone involved in the series to attend, writers, creators, composers, designers, directors and actors – with the exception of Andrea Parker and Michael T. Weiss. Over these two days we got to see (and even touch and win) parts of backdrops, props, costumes; we had quizzes, Q&As, photo-ops, autograph sessions, look-a-like contests, and auctions of actual props and backdrops. James Denton was about to have the premiere of a new play „Locked Up Down Shortys“ at the Powerhouse Theatre Company in Santa Monica. On Jamie's request, the theatre agreed to have a public preview of the play a few days earlier than originally planned, just for the attendants of the tP Convention. I managed to get Jamie some original Cuban cigars as an opening night present…
Btw, I was the highest bidder on this red notebook from Jarod at one of the above mentioned auctions: Picture

Selection of props used during the four seasons of "The Pretender". Pictures taken by me at the "Pretender Convention" in 2001. I had to search my way thru various hard drives for those pictures, only found them again recently: Pictures
 6-27-2023: Throw Back Time
Craig W. Van Sickle has originally posted this pic of him, Steven Long Mitchell (m.) and Michael T. Weiss reuniting for lunch in a restaurant in Santa Monica on his (long closed) Twitter account on Jan 26, 2020 with the byline: "We talked about personal stories viewers shared about our series and how blessed we are that our work positively changed people's lives. To writers and performers: what you create matters more than you can ever know! A great day, gents!"

He reposted it on his Instagram account 'paulisalive' on April 24, 2023, now with this byline: "Revisiting A Not-So-Old Favorite #thepretender #tvshows #friends" : Picture - btw, so far the last public image of MTW!

Location: Patrick's Roadhouse, 106 Entrada Dr/Pacific Coast Hwy, Santa Monica, CA 90402
 11-11-2022: Perhaps a new fan mail contact
With thanks to Gail Moss, a long time fan of MTW, who posted this info on our Facebook page a few days ago:
"I called on November 8, 2022, and spoke with an employee. This is his current information."

Cornerstone Talent Agency
Michael T. Weiss
37 West 20th Street, Suite 1007
New York, NY 10011-3714
USA
Phone: (212) 807-8344
Fax: (212) 807-8662

Michael had been with Cornerstone in Los Angeles years and years ago - after the end of 'The Pretender' (we had checked with them) but back then they weren't supportive or helpful at all... Hopefully their behavior has changed now. Good luck trying!
 2-2-2022: Happy 60th Birthday!
Happy Birthday Michael T. Weiss!
All the best from your friends at "Ask Dr. Mike" - we hope your dreams and wishes will be fulfilled and you now live the life you always wanted to live.
And remember: 60 is the new 40 😏 Cheers to the next decade 🥂

Happy 60th Birthday
 Dec 2021: Seasons Greetings and Happy Holidays
Merry Christmas, happy Hanukkah, a blessed Eid, a bibulous Yule, a peaceful Solstice, a delirious Kwanzaa, and a wonderful New Year!
And enjoy whatever else you'll celebrate these coming days.


Seasons Greetings

I would have loved to keep you informed about new projects of Michael T. Weiss, but he turned into such a private person, that this was not possible.
It is about time that this very unpleasant 2nd year of the Covid-19 pandemic is going to end, with hopes that things will change back to the better and that damned virus returns to the hell where it came from! Until then - get vaccinated, wear a nose and mouth covering mask, wash your hands regularly, keep your distance and stay safe! EFi, webmiss
 11-18-2021: The Centre - last seen in "The Pretender" 20 years ago
Do you remember The Centre?

It comes back to life in Guillermo del Toro’s new movie "Nightmare Alley". Screenshot is from its first trailer.
Source: Digital Trends, Nov 18, 2021
 7-16-2021: Pretty, Witty, and Gay: Revisiting HIV Classic ‘Jeffrey’ with Paul Rudnick
From a recent interview with Paul Rudnick, writer of the play and of the screenplay based on it:
In 1992, in a tiny Off-Off-Broadway theater in New York City, a little comedy about AIDS opened: Jeffrey by Paul Rudnick.
In 1995, the charming little play became a charming little film starring Steven Weber as Jeffrey and Michael T. Weiss as his HIV-positive love interest, Steve; it also featured Hollywood heavyweights Patrick Stewart, Sigourney Weaver, Olympia Dukakis, and Nathan Lane, as well as winks to the audience by the likes of Bryan Batt, Christine Baranski, Kathy Najimy, Robert Klein, Camryn Manheim, Victor Garber, and Kevin Nealon.
Paul Rudnick: [...] Then Jeffrey became a movie, which was another completely unforeseen and delightful event. Although, at first, no one would be in the movie either! There were the same fears and the same warnings. It wasn’t until Sigourney Weaver was the first person to say, “Yes, I will do this.” And then the dam broke and suddenly we had Patrick Stewart and Steven Weber and Michael T. Weiss and all these extraordinary performers. They [the actors] were not making a penny, and they were getting like a folding chair and a bottle of water, if that. When we were filming the movie, it was on a very low budget, all around the city, no permits, sort of gonzo film making. It was such a wonderfully insane experience!
Charles Sanchez: What are the differences between the play and the movie?
Paul Rudnick: It was one of the only times I’ve adapted my own work, and I was so smug! I thought, well this material is road-tested, this is going to be a walk in the park, I know exactly where every joke lands—and that’s simply not the case. In movie-making, it’s a different language. I really had to make some adjustments. [...]
Full interview from Charles Sanchez in The Body, July 12, 2021
 2-3-2021: Birthday greetings from Craig W. Van Sickle
From Craig Van Sickle of 'The Pretender Creators' on Twitter: Happy birthday Michael!
Source: Craig W. Van Sickle, Twitter, Feb 3, 2021
 2-2-2021: Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday dear Michael!
Wishing you all the best for your new year, lots of love, health and happiness, and fun with friends and family.
Hopefully you enjoy your time out of the limelight, but please return to acting and the public - you are most missed!
EFi on behalf of "Ask Dr. Mike"


 1-26-2021: Birthday greetings
Michael T. Weiss' 59th birthday is coming up on Tuesday, February 2.
Unfortunately I have no clue about his current agency or management. The contact I used last year returned my letter unopened, with a postal note attached to the envelope, reading: "Return to sender, Attempted - not known, Unable to forward."
So far, I couldn't find a follow-up contact.
Also, Mike doesn't doesn't have any known public social media accounts (at least not under his own real name) - those running under his name are either fan made or fakes.
As a result I don't know how we can congratulate him this year. ☹️

For old *news* from 2020 and previous years back to 2002, please visit
the News Archive
.