I don't see that this has already been posted, so I'll take a chance that this isn't redundant.
There's a long review with Michael Des Barres on
Review Fix -- the links to it are on
his website. He mostly talks about rock and roll, but he does mention his time on MacGyver:
Reviewfix.com – You played the character Dog from “WKRP” – Charles Weatherbee – and the very different “Diary of a Sex Addict” and “MacGyver.” Your career is just amazing.
Michael Des Barres - I had no idea of how it all happened. I remember specifically we came off the road with the Power Station – I was in that rock ‘n’ roll star bubble. It was so fun for me, because up until the Power Station I really did not have private jets and taking me to and from shows and massive audiences. It was way more subversive and way more culty than the Power Station – I was a massive fan of Power Station, and how “MacGyver” happened was magical. I remember I came of the road, and I still had the white Rolls-Royce being driven around in this, I got an audition to play a one up thing in “MacGyver.” I think this was the first season, maybe the second season.
Reviewfix.com - Yeah. Murdoc, right?
Michael Des Barres – Yeah, Murdoc. I showed up in this white Roller and the producers were outside smoking a cigarette, and I got the job pulling up in a car, which was glamorous and so romantic, so dramatic. They wanted this character played, and then I spent the next six years doing “MacGyver,” playing this wonderful role.
Reviewfix.com – Was that supposed to be a recurring role originally, or not?
Michael Des Barres - I did it once, and then I just got a fan base real quick. Kids loved it. It was all young guys, especially African-American young guys, who still see it on the telly and syndication. They love it because that character was such a variance with MacGyver’s, who had no guns – a pure, good man. I think it sublimated a lot of peoples’ revenge fantasies against their fathers, whatever, that theory about it. Murdoc just took care of the problem.
Reviewfix.com - Is it easier to play someone like that, or harder?
Michael Des Barres – I never really think about “Is it harder…?” I don’t think like that.
Reviewfix.com - More challenging, I mean?
Michael Des Barres – Challenging, no. People say, “What are your influences in music?” And my response is everybody. Anybody that plugs in a guitar inspires me, and every actor and actress who has ever had the courage to step in front of a camera with a hundred people looking at you and listening to the potentially inspired word action inspires me, so what am I talking about is self-confidence.
