Michael was born in New York City on May 25, 1960 to Warren and Jane Zorek. he was raised in Manhatten with a sister two years older, attending PS 6 and Riverdale Country School in the Bronx. At Riverdale he was a classmate of David Yazbek and Keith Levenson, graduating in 1978. He attended Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio where he majored in Drama along with Fellow classmate, Allison Janney. After graduating in 1982 he delivered singing telegrams in New York City before moving to Los Angeles in the fall of '82. Three weeks after arriving in Los Angeles he auditioned for and won the role of Bubba Beauregard in the 1983 film, "Private School." This was followed by roles in films and television before slowing down in the mid 1980s. Michael supported himself by working at Music Plus, Ed Debevic's and The Virgin Megastore. In 1995, Michael moved back to New York where he worked at the Virgin Megastore in Times Square. in 1998, Michael joined a Public Relations firm and met Shelly Friedland who became his wife in September of 2000. In March of 2002, their son Jeremy was born and three months later Michael became a stay at home father. In March of 2006 their daughter Diana was born. Both children model and Jeremy has a budding acting career. Michael occasionally auditions through Jeremy's manager, Ingrid French.