Birthday: 1957-09-25

Place of Birth: Chicago, Illinois USA

Height: 6' 2" (1.88 m)

Wiki Biography: When he was 6'2" and 190 pounds, Michael Madsen--the brother of actress Virginia Madsen--was equally adept at portraying heroic as well as villainous characters. There's something in the way he delivers his lines with an underlying aggression masked behind his gravelly tones that makes you feel very uneasy about his true intentions. Madsen first honed his craft at Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre, where he worked under John Malkovich, one of the theater's founders. His first few film roles were minor ones, in such projects as Against All Hope (1982), Racing with the Moon (1984) and The Natural (1984). His work received considerable notice after his knife-edged performance as deranged killer Vince Miller in Kill Me Again (1989) and then as Susan Sarandon's rough-edged boyfriend Jimmy in Thelma & Louise (1991). His big breakthrough role came as the sadistic jewel thief Mr. Blonde in Quentin Tarantino's low-budget hit Reservoir Dogs (1992). Audiences were glued to their seats as Madsen playfully danced around a tied-down and terrified police officer, slicing him with a knife and splashing gasoline all over the petrified man, all to the cheery tunes of Stealers Wheel 's 'Stuck In the Middle With You.' Not to be typecast, Madsen surprised many with his performance as foster parent Glen Greenwood in the hit family movie Free Willy (1993) before returning to another criminal role as bank robber Rudy Travis in the remake of the Steve McQueen heist flick The Getaway (1994), and then back again as Glen Greenwood in Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home (1995). Madsen continues to turn in edge-of-the-seat performances as morally bankrupt individuals on the wrong side of the law, as in his intense on-screen showings in Donnie Brasco (1997), Mulholland Falls (1996) and High Noon (2000) (TV). In 2003 he teamed up again with Tarantino in both volumes of Tarantino's magnum martial arts/revenge opus Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) and Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004) as the coldly evil Budd AKA Sidewinder. In addition to his film work, Madsen has contributed dialogue to two of Sony PlayStations's biggest-selling games, Grand Theft Auto 3 (2001) (VG) and Driv3r (2004) (VG), as well as writing several books of his own poetry. Although uncomfortable with fame, Madsen's star continues to shine in Hollywood and his droll yet captivating acting style is ensuring him a steady flow of work as one on the screen's favorite heavies. IMDb Mini Biography By: firehouse44 (qv's & corrections by A. Nonymous) Mini Biography Michael Madsen is most notably recognized for his role as the sadistic killer Mr. Blonde in Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs (1992). Although his career has leaned towards playing tough guys, partly because of his strong 6'2" stature and husky voice, Michael has been working to change that image. Most recently, he gave a remarkable performance in Strength and Honour (2007) as Sean Kelleher, a boxer who promised his dying wife that he would never fight again. When their son becomes ill following her death, he returns to the ring to fight in order to pay for son's costly medical treatment. Michael Madsen's career spans over 25 years and over 170 films. He has played memorable characters in a myriad of box office hits, including The Doors (1991), Thelma & Louise (1991), The Getaway (1994), Mulholland Falls (1996), Donnie Brasco (1997), Species II (1998), Die Another Day (2002), Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003), Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004), Sin City (2005), Hell Ride (2008), and the loving father in Free Willy (1993) and the sequel Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home (1995). Michael also is an accomplished poet, with over eight books released. Michael continues to turn in memorable performances and continues to stretch as an actor. Some believe his best work is yet to come.