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Murdoc
Little is known about the international assassin Murdoc. He is, and
has been, the best in his line of work; his methods are, in his own words,
"quick, neat, untraceable." His mastery of makeup and costuming have made
him difficult to identify, and he never leaves loose ends - except, of
course, in the case of MacGyver and his friends.
Murdoc had been known to the DXS for about five years prior to
1980, when he attempted to kill Peter Thornton and MacGyver. This 1980
encounter resulted in Murdoc's apparent death in a collapsing building.
He did not return until seven years later, when he nearly succeeded in
blowing Mac and Pete up. Murdoc "died" in this confrontation, too, after
being careless with dynamite. But somehow, he escaped the explosion, and
he reappeared about a year later, to the surprise of a grieving MacGyver and
Nikki Carpenter; again, he took a "fatal" dive off the mountain known as
the Widowmaker after cutting his own climbing rope. The next time he
tried to kill MacGyver, he staged an elaborate musical, "Cleo Rocks,"
using MacGyver's friend Penny Parker as a pawn. Posing as crippled
director Jacques La Rue, he came very close to realizing his goal - only
to be defeated, once again, by MacGyver's ingenuity. For his "death" this
time, he plunged into a fiery pool after being electrocuted. Murdoc
laid to rest his vendetta, albeit temporarily, against MacGyver when he
realized that MacGyver was the only one who could help him rescue his
sister, Ashton Cooke, from his vengeful ex-employer at HIT, Homicide
International Trust. This spirit of cooperation between the two, however,
did not last; after another of Murdoc's "deaths," he and MacGyver resumed
their deadly game of cat-and-mouse...with Murdoc, yet again, plummeting
into a flooded mine shaft. Murdoc's final regular-series appearance was
as the right-hand man of a deposed Central American dictator who intended
to regain power; Murdoc made his exit by driving a Jeep off of a cliff
after a failed attempt to run MacGyver down. The body is not found. But
just so Mac doesn't worry this time, Murdoc gives him a call, laughs maniacally
and hangs up...
Despite his nasty homicidal tendencies and twisted sense of honor,
there are facets of Murdoc's personality that are quite likeable. The
assassin is a photography buff; to assure his employers of a successful
hit, he sends them a picture of the moment of the victim's death. He
showed his talent for musical composition when he wrote the score for
"Cleo Rocks," and he even fell in love with Penny Parker as he worked with
her on the production. He secretly supported his sister, Ashton, without
revealing to her his identity. If he hadn't become a hired killer, he
probably would have chosen a career as a photographer or a musician.
Murdoc Episodes: |
Michael Des Barres
Michael Des Barres was born January 24, 1949, and
spent his childhood in Hampstead, England. He enrolled
in drama school in London at the age of 16. He appeared
in the 1967 film "To Sir with Love" and launched his own
rock and roll band with the financial backing of composer
Andrew Lloyd Webber. Des Barres fronted for the '70s
rock bands Silverhead and Detective and filled in for
Robert Palmer as lead singer of Power Station. He
appeared in an episode of the original "WKRP in
Cincinnati" and played Jack Burns in the more recent
syndicated "WKRP" series. He's guest-starred on TV
shows such as "Lois & Clark", "Roseanne" and "Seinfeld"
to name a few; his film credits include "Pink Cadillac",
"Under Siege" and "A Simple Twist of Fate."
In the late 1990's, Michael continues to act. He has been
in over 40 television shows and made 15 movies, sometimes
showcasing his musical talent and sometimes not. He has recently
appeared in Sliders, Jag, Roseanne (a new episode), and several
episodes of "Melrose Place" where he played the recurring role
of Arthur Field. His most recent movie has been released on
home video, called Poison Ivy: The New Seduction, and in 1997
he completed work on another movie, Me And Will, in which he
plays a therapist in a rehab center. He has also filmed guest appearances in
1998 episodes of Hitz and Just Shoot Me. His most recent movie is "Sugar Town,"
which was released to rave reviews in September 1999. He has been singing
occasionally at the Viper Room in Los Angeles - look for shows by Vince Lightning
and the Spectaculars.
In 2002 he got role in tv-serie My Guide to Becoming a Rock Star.
Inspired by the hit British TV series, this satire centers on the struggling rock band "Slip Dog" and their search for fame.
Michael guest-starred, playing the role of Dr. Zirby in a new show on NBC started July 20, 2002.
Name: Michael Des Barres
Birthdate: January 24, 1949
Birthplace: Hampstead, England
His bands: Silverhead, Detective and Power Station
Father: Des Barres, Philip
Mother: Des Barres, Irene
Education: Drama school in London
Wife: Pamela Des Barres (divorced)
Son: Nicholas Des Barres
Favourite Murdoc episode: Strictly Business
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Michael Des Barres
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