August, 1988
by Dean Fleischman
Daytime TV
When we contacted Michael Tylo about his decision to leave All My Children, he invited us down to the studio to discuss his reasoning. Michael understood his fans would have questions, and he wanted to make sure they got answers. So why did Michael leave?
"I felt I was at a crossroad in my life. I'll be forty in October, and I believe if I'm going to take another career direction, now it's the time to do it," Michael explained. "There's so many other things I want to devote my energy to, such as directing, writing, and acting in theater and film."
Directing, in particular, is a deep love of Michael's. If circumstances had been different, Michael may never have created memorable characters like Quinton McCord Chambelrain (Guiding Light) and Matt Connolly (All My Children). "I started out as a directing student, but I looked very young so no one would give me a chance. My mentor, Sir Tyrone Guthrie, gave me some advice. He said I had a very commercial look, so capitalize on it by acting. It's only after I made a name for myself acting that people started giving me a chance to direct."
Michael recently has been seen at Guiding Light's studio where he's taken up the role of a student under the tutelage director Bruce Barry. "Bruce directed the major remotes I did on Guiding Light, and now he's helping me learn how to direct daytime. Bruce is one of the best, and these are the people you want to learn from. I watch what he does and make mental notes."
Besides directing, Michael also hopes to polish some of the writing projects he's been working on, including a screenplay he co-wrote with castmate Mark LaMura (Mark). He describes this project as a thriller that deals with international espionage. Michael also has a pilot that's being considered by one of the networks.
Even though he cherishes the freedom to explore his other artistic interests, Michael is quick to point out that the greatest benefit of his reduced schedule is the opportunity to spend more time with his family. He's still a newlywed, having married his wife Hunter (ex-Robin, AMC) nearly a year ago, and, besides adopting her son Christopher, Michael looks forward to his first child, which is due in the coming weeks.
"I always put my family first and Hunter shares that belief. We communicate well together, and that makes for a stronger relationship. We also encourage each other to pursue our individual dreams as part of our marriage. For example, Hunter's going to school to finish up her degree in pre-med. Science is a real interest of hers, and I encourage her to pursue it as far as she wants."
Michael's grateful that he doesn't have to face the future alone. He realizes the coming months could be difficult, considering the cutthroat nature of the entertainment business, but he's ready for the challenge ahead.
"The time is right, so let's take a shot. I just don't want my tombstone to read: 'He could've if he would've.'"