Michael Mahonen


Michael Mahonen is a Canadian actor, director and screen writer.

History

After graduating from the Theatre Arts Program at George Brown College in 1989, Michael Mahonen auditioned for a young company formed for The Citadel Theatre in Edmonton. His first job as a professional actor involved the role of James Keller in "The Miracle Worker," as well as the roles of Lucius and Popilious Lena in "Julius Caesar."
In 1990 he was chosen for the role of Gus Pike for the CBC television program Road to Avonlea. He garnered three Gemini Award nominations in 1993, 1994 and 1995 for his work on the television series. In 1992, he starred as a jazz trumpet player with Billy Dee Williams in the film Giant Steps. He then played Lee Colgan in the CBC miniseries Conspiracy of Silence directed by Frances Mankiewicz.

In 1994 he co-starred with Michael Riley in the television special "The Facts Behind the Helsinki Roccamatios". Michael played the character of Paul, a young man dying of the AIDS virus after contracting it from a blood transfusion a few years earlier.
In the summer of 1994 he played the role of Jacob Mercer in "Salt Water Moon". This was part of David French's Mercer family saga set in Newfoundland.
He also guest starred in numerous American and Canadian television projects including an episode of entitled "Nemesis", in which he played a humanoid named "Brone." In 1997, Michael Mahonen starred in Judith Thompson's "Sled" at Toronto's Tarragon Theatre. He then returned to film, co-starring in the 1998 film "Captured". He went on to make several more films including "Blindness".
In 2003, Michael began work on his first feature film "Sandstorm". The film involved a fact-based drama about the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China. He wrote, directed and produced the entire film for under $5,000. The cast was made of volunteers. The film received 29 awards including Best Feature Film, Best Drama, Best Director and Best Screenplay.

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1990-1996Road to AvonleaGus Pike28 episodes
1991Rin Tin Tin: K-9 CopNorman BakerEpisode: "Abused Child"
1991Conspiracy of SilenceLee ColganTV movie
1992Top CopsKeith GordonEpisode: "Robert Ruh"
1992Personal EffectsPhilipShort film
1992Giant StepsArvo Leek
1992By Way of the StarsBen DavisTV mini-series
1992Secret ServiceChandlerEpisode: "Social Insecurity/Inside Job"
1993Collateral DamageNickShort film
1997'BroneEpisode: "Nemesis |Nemesis"
1997ViperDirk HanleyEpisode: "Wilderness Run"
1998CapturedJoey BreedVideo
2000'John JewittEpisode: "When the World Began..."
2000Strong MedicineAnonymous / JoeEpisode: "Second Look"
2001An Intrigue of MannersDorimant
2003A Taste of ShakespeareMalcolmEpisode: "Macbeth"
2004This Is WonderlandPatrick BellamyEpisode: "1.5"
2007All HatSteve Allman
2008BlindnessSergeant
2009Crangle's CollisionSydneyShort film

YearTitleNotes
2004Sandstorm2005 - Won - Humanitarian Film Award
2004 - Won - Grand Jury Prize - Best Feature Film