Biography

By the time O'Hare passed away in September 2012, he hadn't had a role in over a decade, nor had he been seen out in public for years, fueling speculation he was gravely ill for the last several years of his life. Only upon O'Hare's death (and at his request) did close friend and Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski confirm that he had, in fact, been battling an increasing debilitating case of schizophrenia. Straczynski also confirmed that O'Hare's difficulty with the illness was the primary reason he was forced to leave Babylon 5 at the end of the first season, a decision which was mutual and very amicable. JMS even went so far as to delay the filming of the series several months to try and accommodate his condition, but O'Hare declined, citing that the delay would adversely affect the rest of the cast & crew, and insisted that they should continue without him. O'Hare would eventually return for a brief cameo in the second season, as well as a guest role in the third season that concluded his character's story in the series.

Michael O'Hare is proud and grateful to have been the first white actor nominated by the Black theater community of New York for the AUDELCO AWARD for the Best Actor for his performance in the play "Shades of Brown" which examined the saddening effects of apartheid in South Africa.

Attended Harvard University from 1971-1974 (where he majored in English Literature) and studied at the prestigious Julliard School of Drama, as well as with Sanford Meisner (mid '80s).

Played the unflagging Col. Jessep in the Broadway hit, "A Few Good Men".

Was active member of New York theater groups.