Michael Elias, Writer-Actor-Director-Episode # 251

Storybeat with Steve Cuden

Michael Elias is an award-winning writer, actor and director who’s written film, television, theatre and fiction.

His new novel, You Can Go Home Now, is a timely and thoroughly entertaining psychological thriller featuring a female cop on the hunt for a killer while battling violent secrets of her own. I’ve read You Can Go Home Now and can tell you it’s a deeply engaging mystery with a lot of heart. Michael is also the author of the novel, The Last Conquistador.

Born and raised in upstate New York, Michael moved to New York City after graduating from St. John’s College in Annapolis to pursue a career in acting. He was a member of the Living Theatre and acted at The Judson Poets Theatre, La MaMa, and Caffé Chino. Michael then transitioned to Hollywood and with Frank Shaw wrote the screenplay for The Frisco Kid starring Gene Wilder and Harrison Ford. With Eve Babitz he wrote Envoyez les Violons. And then he began a long writing partnership with Rich Eustis. Together, they wrote the screenplays for Serial, Young Doctors in Love and they created the popular sitcom, Head of the Class for ABC, which was partially based on Michael’s experience as a high school teacher in New York City.

Michael also worked with Steve Martin, a collaboration that included material for Steve’s comedy albums, network TV specials, and the screenplay for The Jerk.

Michael wrote and directed Showtime’s Lush Life with Forrest Whitaker and Jeff Goldblum, leading to a nomination for Best Director at The Cable Ace Awards . His semi-autobiographical play, The Catskill Sonata, about a small hotel in upstate New York, was directed by the legendary filmmaker, Paul Mazursky.