# Michael Lembeck
**Michael Lembeck** (born 1948) is an American television and film director and actor. As a director he has worked on comedy series including *Coach*, *Major Dad*, *Mad About You*, and *Friends*, winning a Primetime Emmy in 1996 for directing an episode of *Friends*; his feature films include *The Santa Clause 2* (2002), *Connie and Carla* (2004), and *Tooth Fairy* (2010).[1](https://www.dga.org/craft/visualhistory/interviews/michael-lembeck) Before directing, he worked for two decades as an actor, most recognizably as Max Horvath on the sitcom *One Day at a Time*.[2](https://www.sagaftra.org/conversations-michael-lembeck)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1948, Brooklyn, New York; son of actor Harvey Lembeck[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/michael-lembeck/) |
| Acting career | Over 200 episodes of half-hour comedy television; regular as Max Horvath on *One Day at a Time* for five years[2](https://www.sagaftra.org/conversations-michael-lembeck) |
| Directing debut | Turned to directing in 1989, later taking on episodes of over 30 series[4](https://www.showtimes.com/celebrity/michael-lembeck-6959/biography/) |
| Television volume | Nearly 300 episodes of television directed over his career[2](https://www.sagaftra.org/conversations-michael-lembeck) |
| Emmy | Winner, Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series, 1996, for *Friends*; three nominations in total, all for *Friends* (1996, 1999, 2000)[5](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/michael-lembeck) |
| Feature debut | *The Santa Clause 2* (2002), which grossed more than $140 million at the domestic box office[2](https://www.sagaftra.org/conversations-michael-lembeck) |
| Guild service | Directors Guild Western Directors Council 1995–2011; Negotiating Committees in 1999, 2005, 2008, and 2011[1](https://www.dga.org/craft/visualhistory/interviews/michael-lembeck) |
## Early life and acting career
Lembeck was born in Brooklyn, New York, to show-business parents; his father, Harvey Lembeck, was a character actor remembered for the Broadway play and film *Stalag 17*, for his role as Corporal Rocco Barbella on *The Phil Silvers Show*, and for the Eric Von Zipper roles in the [American International Pictures](https://www.edgepedia.org/american-international-pictures) "Beach Party" films.[2](https://www.sagaftra.org/conversations-michael-lembeck) He graduated from [Beverly Hills High School](https://www.edgepedia.org/beverly-hills-high-school) in 1966, where his drama classmates included [Rob Reiner](https://www.edgepedia.org/rob-reiner), Albert Brooks, and Richard Dreyfuss, then studied drama at Los Angeles City College and Cal State and performed in summer stock.[6](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0501185/)
His first television role came in 1969 in the comedy *Gidget Grows Up*, followed by guest appearances on series such as *The Partridge Family*, *The Rookies*, *Happy Days*, and *Barney Miller*. He toured with the original National company of the Broadway musical *[Grease](https://www.edgepedia.org/grease-musical)*, with [John Travolta](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-travolta) as his roommate.[6](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0501185/) Onstage he appeared in many plays in New York and regional theater before moving into California film and television work.[2](https://www.sagaftra.org/conversations-michael-lembeck)
**Screen roles.** Lembeck appeared in the films *The Boys in Company C* (1978) and *The In-Laws* (1979), playing Tommy Ricardo, the son of [Peter Falk](https://www.edgepedia.org/peter-falk)'s character, and he played [Abbie Hoffman](https://www.edgepedia.org/abbie-hoffman) in the HBO movie *Conspiracy: The Trial of the Chicago 8* (1987).[2](https://www.sagaftra.org/conversations-michael-lembeck) On television he was a regular on *Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman* and, for five years, part of the ensemble on *One Day at a Time*, playing Max, the husband of [Mackenzie Phillips](https://www.edgepedia.org/mackenzie-phillips)'s character.[2](https://www.sagaftra.org/conversations-michael-lembeck)
## Move into directing
In 1989 Lembeck turned to directing, starting with the comedy *Coming of Age* and going on to direct episodes of more than 30 series.[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/michael-lembeck/) • [4](https://www.showtimes.com/celebrity/michael-lembeck-6959/biography/) He became a steady presence in multi-camera television comedy, with substantial runs on *Major Dad* and *Mad About You*, and work on *Coach*, *NewsRadio*, *Ellen*, *Veronica's Closet*, *Two Guys and a Girl*, and *Everybody Loves Raymond*, for which he directed the pilot.[1](https://www.dga.org/craft/visualhistory/interviews/michael-lembeck) • [4](https://www.showtimes.com/celebrity/michael-lembeck-6959/biography/) A 1996 *Los Angeles Times* profile noted that he had helped launch *Everybody Loves Raymond* that season while also directing *Friends*, *NewsRadio*, *Ellen*, and *Mad About You* in recent seasons.[7](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-11-17-ca-65402-story.html)
His *Friends* work earned all three of his Emmy nominations: a win in 1996 for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series and further nominations in 1999 and 2000.[5](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/michael-lembeck) In the same interview with the *Los Angeles Times*, Lembeck described television directing as a collaborative form in which "the show isn't about the director," and said that after his acting career he found directing more satisfying than any acting job he had held.[7](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-11-17-ca-65402-story.html)
Later television credits extended across genres and decades, including *Californication*, *Greek*, *Hot in Cleveland*, *Baby Daddy* (where he was also an executive producer and directed 97 episodes), the 2017 revival of *One Day at a Time*, and *Murphy Brown*.[8](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/14583/michael-lembeck)
## Feature films
**The Santa Clause 2 (2002).** Lembeck's feature directorial debut was this Tim Allen Christmas comedy, which grossed more than $140 million at the domestic box office.[2](https://www.sagaftra.org/conversations-michael-lembeck) He followed it with the comedy *Connie and Carla* (2004), starring [Nia Vardalos](https://www.edgepedia.org/nia-vardalos) and [Toni Collette](https://www.edgepedia.org/toni-collette), and *The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause* (2006).[2](https://www.sagaftra.org/conversations-michael-lembeck) • [4](https://www.showtimes.com/celebrity/michael-lembeck-6959/biography/)
His later features stayed largely in the family-friendly lane: *The Clique* (2008), *Tooth Fairy* (2010) with [Dwayne Johnson](https://www.edgepedia.org/dwayne-johnson), *Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure* (2011), *The Bling Ring* (2011), and, in the 2020s, *Queen Bees* (2021), *The J Team* (2021), and *Snow Day* (2022).[3](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/michael-lembeck/) • [9](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/michael-lembeck/credits/3000200367/) For *Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure* he received a 2012 Directors Guild Award nomination in the Children's Programs category.[1](https://www.dga.org/craft/visualhistory/interviews/michael-lembeck)
## Comedy workshop and guild service
The family comedy tradition continued off screen. With his sister Helaine, Lembeck runs the Harvey Lembeck Comedy Workshop, founded by his father 35 years before a 2004 SAG Foundation profile; its longtime members have included [Robin Williams](https://www.edgepedia.org/robin-williams), Penny Marshall, and [John Ritter](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-ritter).[2](https://www.sagaftra.org/conversations-michael-lembeck) Within the [Directors Guild of America](https://www.edgepedia.org/directors-guild-of-america), he served on the Western Directors Council from 1995 to 2011 and on the negotiating committees of 1999, 2005, 2008, and 2011.[1](https://www.dga.org/craft/visualhistory/interviews/michael-lembeck)
He is married to the actress [Lorna Patterson](https://www.edgepedia.org/lorna-patterson), and the couple have two children.[4](https://www.showtimes.com/celebrity/michael-lembeck-6959/biography/)
## References
1. [Meet the Interviewer: Michael Lembeck, Directors Guild of America Visual History](https://www.dga.org/craft/visualhistory/interviews/michael-lembeck)
2. ["Conversations" with Michael Lembeck, SAG-AFTRA Foundation press release (2004)](https://www.sagaftra.org/conversations-michael-lembeck)
3. [Michael Lembeck – Actor, Director, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/michael-lembeck/)
4. [Michael Lembeck Biography, Showtimes](https://www.showtimes.com/celebrity/michael-lembeck-6959/biography/)
5. [Michael Lembeck – Emmy Awards and Nominations, Television Academy](https://www.televisionacademy.com/bios/michael-lembeck)
6. [Michael Lembeck, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0501185/)
7. [Where the 'Action!' Is, Los Angeles Times (November 17, 1996)](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-11-17-ca-65402-story.html)
8. [Michael Lembeck, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/14583/michael-lembeck)
9. [Michael Lembeck List of Movies and TV Shows, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/michael-lembeck/credits/3000200367/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Film and television directors › Directors of the United States and Canada › Television directors › Live-action scripted television directors*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license