Michael Lembeck

Michael Lembeck, born on June 25, 1948, in Brooklyn, New York, is a multifaceted talent recognized for his contributions as an actor and director in both television and film. The son of actor and comedian Harvey Lembeck and Caroline, he commenced his acting journey in the late 1960s before transitioning into directing in the 1970s.

One of Lembeck's most memorable roles was as Max Horvath, Julie Cooper's husband, on the beloved sitcom *One Day at a Time*. He also gained fame portraying "Kaptain Kool" in *Kaptain Kool and the Kongs*, a segment of *The Krofft Supershow* from 1976 to 1978, and appeared in the 1978 film *The Boys in Company C*.

Shifting his focus primarily to directing, Lembeck has made significant strides in the industry. He earned an Emmy Award for directing the iconic *Friends* episode "The One After the Superbowl" and helmed an impressive 20 additional episodes of the series. His feature film directing debut came with *The In-Laws*, and he went on to direct popular family films such as *The Santa Clause 2* and *The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause*, as well as the comedy *Connie and Carla* starring Nia Vardalos. Currently, he is married to actress Lorna Patterson.