Dorn previously starred in one of the most successful syndicated drama series in the history of television, Star Trek: The Next Generation. For seven years, he portrayed Lt. Worf, the Klingon security chief of the U.S.S. Enterprise and covered his leading man good looks with 90 minutes worth of make-up and prosthetics to create the other-worldly and beloved Worf.
The first of The Next Generation to join Star Trek on the big screen, Dorn played Lt. Worf's own grandfather in the 1991 hit feature "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country." And in Fall 1994, the rest of The Next Generation cast joined him in their first movie, "Star Trek: Generations." Dorn also appeared in Paramount's 1996 hit feature film "Star Trek: First Contact" and will co-star in the ninth "Star Trek" feature film scheduled for release in November 1998.
Although Dorn has found his greatest success through this enduring franchise, he had an active television career prior to being cast as Worf. He co-starred for three seasons as Officer Jed Turner on the popular NBC series CHiPS and guest starred in many primetime series including Knots Landing and Falcon Crest.
But his ambitions weren't always to be an actor. Born in Texas and raised in Pasadena, California, he studied radio/television production at Pasadena City College and took his turn in front of the student cameras. When he left school his interests settled in music and it was there that he pursued his early professional career as a performer.
He moved to San Francisco in 1973, then back to Los Angeles in 1976, making his living during that time playing and singing in several rock bands. Then in 1977 Michael landed a small part on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and thought his moment had arrived. Actually, his moment was still a few years away, but it was certainly a start.
After completing the Star Trek: The Next Generation series and a feature film, Dorn hung up his trademark Worf forehead and moved on to "Timemaster," a feature for SGE which was released in 1995. He also starred in the 1995 Showtime tele-film "Amanda and the Alien," with Nicole Eggert and Stacy Keach. He did a star turn in the Showtime series The Outer Limits, and acted as host of the Discovery Channel's popular series The World of Wonder.
His acting and voice-over work leave little leisure time, but what time he has, he spends in his single-seat military training jet, a F-86. He flies to air shows around the country and uses his plane as the ultimate private getaway.