Michael Gross

Michael Edward Gross was born on June 21, 1947, in Chicago, Illinois. His mother, Virginia Ruth Cahill, worked as a telephone operator, and his father, William Oscar Gross, was a tool designer. Gross initially faced academic challenges during high school, even being involved with a gang for a few years. However, he transitioned to become a more focused student, eventually serving as senior class president. He continued his education at the University of Illinois Chicago, earning a drama degree, and later obtained an M.F.A. from the Yale University School of Drama. His early career involved theatrical work, including performances with the Actors Theatre of Louisville and Joseph Papp’s New York Shakespeare Theatre Festival, before he moved to New York to pursue an acting career.

Gross gained significant public recognition through his breakthrough role as Steven Keaton in the popular sitcom “Family Ties,” which aired from 1982 to 1989. Following the conclusion of “Family Ties,” he diversified his acting portfolio, taking on roles in television movies, including three of the “In the Line of Duty” series. He also became noted for narrating audiobooks. Beyond his sitcom success, Gross is widely recognized for his portrayal of the character Burt Gummer in the “Tremors” film franchise, a role he maintained for over three decades, from the original film in 1990 through “Tremors: Shrieker Island” in 2020. His performance in “Tremors 3: Back to Perfection” earned him a Best Actor award from the DVD Exclusive Awards. Throughout his extensive career, Gross has accumulated a wide range of credits in film, television, and theatre, establishing himself as a versatile and enduring figure in the entertainment industry.

Demonstrating a lifelong passion outside of acting, Michael Gross is a dedicated railfan, an enthusiast of railway systems. He possesses an extensive collection of railroad antiques and is an amateur railroad historian, photographer, and modeler. He was also a former part-owner of the Santa Fe Southern Railway. This interest led him to become a spokesperson for the World’s Greatest Hobby campaign, promoting model railroading, and for Operation Lifesaver, advocating for railroad safety. Since 2009, he has served as the celebrity spokesman for the B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore, Maryland, further highlighting his commitment to preserving railroad history.