Biography
Character actor Michael Paul Chan spent the first half of his career accumulating small roles in numerous films and television series, particularly of the crime variety. Building up a résumé playing officers, criminals, and civilians alike in "CHiPs" (NBC 1977-1983), "Falling Down" (1993), and even superhero films like "Batman Forever" (1995), the talented actor was a prime candidate for a crime series of his very own, or perhaps two: In 2005, Chan signed on to play Lt. Mike Tao in "The Closer" (TBS 2005-2012), carrying the character forth into the series' spinoff "Major Crimes" (TBS 2012-). Michael Paul Chan was born on June 26, 1950 in San Francisco, California to second generation Chinese-American parents. Before taking to the screen as a professional actor, Chan contributed to the founding of San Francisco's Asian American Theater Company in 1973. Two years later, he married his wife, Christina Ann Chan, and began working in both film and television, including parts in series like "Police Story" (NBC 1973-78) and films like the screwball comedy "Up Yours" (1979). The decade to follow landed Chan a number of one-off appearances on dramatic television series, including "CHiPs" (NBC 1977-1983) and "T.J. Hooker" (ABC/CBS 1982-86), as well as a few bit parts in high profile movies including "Runaway" (1984) and "The Goonies" (1985). Both trends continued into the 1990s, including "Jake and the Fatman" (CBS 1987-1992), "The Wonder Years" (ABC 1988-1993), and "The Joy Luck Club" (1993), in which he played the overbearing husband to Laura Tom's character Lena. That same year, Chan also appeared in the Joel Schumacher film "Falling Down" (1993) and the Dolph Lundgren-starring action drama "Army of One" (1993). After a starring turn on "Valley of the Dolls" (Fox 1994), a short-lived soap opera series that only wound up broadcasting in select American cities, Chan reunited with "Goonies" director Richard Donner for the western reboot "Maverick" (1994), and with Schumacher for the comic book movies "Batman Forever" (1995) and "Batman & Robin" (1997). The decade to come would grant Chan a wealth of small screen work, beginning with a regular role on the animated comedy "The PJs" (Fox/The WB 1999-2002). In the realm of live action, Chan starred on the crime procedural "Robbery Homicide Division" (CBS 2002-03) and played a recurring role as Judge Lionel Ping on the acclaimed sitcom "Arrested Development" (Fox 2003-06 / Netflix 2013-). In 2005, he began playing the character of Lt. Mike Tao in the crime series "The Closer" (TBS 2005-2012). Chan sustained his relationship with Mike Tao upon joining several of his fellow "The Closer" cast members in spinoff series "Major Crimes" (TBS 2012-).
