Michael Culhane

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title: "Michael Culhane" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["dynasty-(franchise)-characters", "fictional-chauffeurs", "american-male-characters-in-soap-operas", "television-characters-introduced-in-1981"] topic_path: "geography/united-states" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Culhane" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox soap character"]

FieldValue
nameMichael Culhane
seriesDynasty
portrayerWayne Northrop
first"Oil" (1981)
last"The Sublet" (1987)
creatorRichard and Esther Shapiro
image1Michael Culhane-Wayne Northrop.jpg
caption1Wayne Northrop as Michael Culhane
years1981, 1986–87
::

| name = Michael Culhane | series = Dynasty | portrayer = Wayne Northrop | first = "Oil" (1981) | last = "The Sublet" (1987) | creator = Richard and Esther Shapiro | spinoffs = | image1 = Michael Culhane-Wayne Northrop.jpg | caption1 = Wayne Northrop as Michael Culhane | years = 1981, 1986–87 Michael Culhane is a fictional character from the ABC television series Dynasty, created by Richard and Esther Shapiro. Portrayed by Wayne Northrop, the character is introduced in the series' 1981 pilot episode as the chauffeur of oil tycoon Blake Carrington (John Forsythe). Michael is also having an affair with Blake's self-indulgent daughter, Fallon (Pamela Sue Martin). Northrop left the series at the end of the first season, but returned for season seven, during which Michael dates Fallon's sister, Amanda (Karen Cellini). In The CW's 2017 reboot of the series, Michael is portrayed by Robert Christopher Riley.

Original series

Northrop debuted as Michael in the Dynasty pilot episode, "Oil" (1981), and left in the season one finale, "The Testimony" (1981). He returned in the seventh season premiere "The Victory" (1986), and left again in the episode "The Sublet" (1987).

Storylines

Season one

As Dynasty begins, Carrington chauffeur Michael is involved in a sexual relationship with heiress Fallon, the daughter of his boss, Blake Carrington. Michael proves useful to Blake in his shady business dealings, but Blake has him beaten up when he learns of his relationship with Fallon.

Season two

Fired by Blake, Michael leaves town in the episode "The Verdict" without informing Fallon of his departure.

Season seven

Michael returns in the seventh season premiere "The Victory", in time to save Fallon's sister Amanda Carrington from a fire at La Mirage. The two become romantically involved as Blake gives Michael back his job as Blake's driver, but Blake fires Michael when he sees him kissing Amanda. An angry Michael, not really as poor as he has let on, secretly orchestrates a deal that would give him a piece of Blake's latest venture. However, Amanda's mother Alexis Colby reveals his schemes, and he leaves Denver again in "The Sublet".

Reboot

| name = Michael Culhane | series = Dynasty | portrayer = Robert Christopher Riley | years = 2017–22 | first = "I Hardly Recognized You" (2017) | last = "Catch 22" (2022) | creator = Sallie Patrick Richard and Esther Shapiro | spinoffs = | image1 = Michael Culhane-Robert Christopher Riley.jpg | caption1 = Robert Christopher Riley as Michael Culhane | occupation = Businessman Chauffeur (formerly) | father = James Culhane | mother = Luella Culhane | sisters = Evie Culhane | spouse = | children =

Casting and development

A pilot for a Dynasty reboot for The CW was announced in September 2016, and Riley was cast as Michael in February 2017. The new series premiered on The CW on October 11, 2017.

The character is one of several cast as nonwhite for the reboot. Executive producer Sallie Patrick said that with Michael and Carrington butler Anders, "we introduce the theme of upstairs/downstairs, because how can you have a show about the filthy rich without including the people who try their damnedest to keep them clean?"

Storylines

Season one

Carrington chauffeur Michael Culhane (Robert Christopher Riley) is also Fallon's lover and unofficial henchman, though he has feelings for her which seem unrequited. Michael gets photos for Fallon of Cristal kissing her ex-lover Matthew Blaisdel in "I Hardly Recognized You". In "Guilt is for Insecure People", Michael is hesitant to help Fallon find leverage against her father Blake. Meanwhile, Fallon's brother Steven is suspicious of Blake's involvement in Matthew's death, and Michael reveals to him that Blake has Matthew's phone in his possession. Somewhat frustrated by Fallon's dismissive treatment, Michael becomes involved with Kori Rucks, Fallon's acquaintance from high school, in "Private as a Circus". Their relationship survives Fallon's jealous meddling in "I Exist Only for Me". In "A Taste of Your Own Medicine", Fallon meets Michael's parents, Louella and James. Michael has led them to believe that he is a vice president at Carrington Atlantic, and Fallon backs him up. In "The Best Things in Life", Michael's relationship with Kori implodes over his lingering feelings for Fallon. In "Rotten Things", Fallon has a falling out with Monica Colby, who begins her own romantic relationship with Michael. When Fallon discovers that Monica is helping Jeff manipulate her into marriage for nefarious reasons in "Nothing but Trouble", Michael agrees to help Fallon investigate why, and turn the tables on the Colbys. In "The Gospel According to Blake Carrington", Michael enlists the help of his computer genius teenage sister, Evie (Elizabeth Youman), who confirms Fallon's suspicions that Jeff has access to all Carrington emails and texts. On the eve of her faux wedding to Jeff in "Our Turn Now", Fallon tells Michael she loves him, and asks him to marry her at city hall. He refuses, not wanting something so important to be part of a Carrington plot. In "Enter Alexis", Michael learns that his father is seriously ill, and resigns. Cristal connects James's leukemia diagnosis to a Carrington Atlantic coverup in "Don't Con a Con Artist". Louella asks Fallon to keep her distance from Michael in "Use or Be Used". In "A Line from the Past", James dies as the coverup is exposed in the press, and Cristal—in her last act as COO after being fired by Blake—hires Michael. When Blake pushes back against Fallon's and Michael's efforts toward change in "Trashy Little Tramp", Michael urges Fallon to do the right thing. She finds incriminating information on Blake, which she uses in a secret meeting with the Carrington Atlantic board to make a case for them to name her CEO in Blake's place. Fallon professes her love for Michael in "Dead Scratch", but he announces his intention to leave Atlanta. When the Carringtons are trapped in the burning trophy room, Michael comes to their rescue.

Season two

In "Twenty-Three Skidoo", Michael and Fallon have resumed their relationship. Though Fallon and Liam Ridley are still pretending to be married, Michael proposes, and she accepts.

References

References

  1. Schemering, Christopher. (September 1985). "[[The Soap Opera Encyclopedia (Schemering book)".
  2. (September 23, 1986). "Loren gives bravura performance in ''Courage''". [[The Spokesman-Review]].
  3. Zuckerman, Faye. (January 7, 1987). "Ranching focus of show". [[The Gadsden Times]].
  4. (September 30, 2016). "''Dynasty'' Reboot in the Works at The CW". [[The Hollywood Reporter]].
  5. Andreeva, Nellie. (September 30, 2016). "''Dynasty'' Reboot Set At the CW With Josh Schwartz & Stephanie Savage".
  6. Petski, Denise. (February 24, 2017). "''Dynasty'': CW Reboot Casts Robert Christopher Riley; ''Valor'' Adds Charlie Barnett".
  7. Andreeva, Nellie. (June 8, 2017). "The CW Sets Fall 2017 Premiere Dates For ''Dynasty'' & ''Valor'' And Returning Series".
  8. Price, Scott D.. (October 6, 2017). "In ''Dynasty'' reboot, women are strong and gays are out and proud". [[The Salt Lake Tribune]].
  9. Seitz, Matt Zoller. (October 10, 2017). "The CW's ''Dynasty'' Knows Exactly What It Is".
  10. Patrick, Sallie. (October 11, 2017). "''Dynasty'' showrunner reveals the Alexis Carrington cameo you might've missed". [[Entertainment Weekly]].
  11. Snetiker, Marc. (October 12, 2017). "''Dynasty'' series premiere recap: 'I Hardly Recognized You' (Season 1, Episode 1)". Entertainment Weekly.
  12. Snetiker, Marc. (October 26, 2017). "''Dynasty'' recap: 'Guilt Is for Insecure People' (Season 1, Episode 3)". Entertainment Weekly.
  13. Snetiker, Marc. (November 2, 2017). "''Dynasty'' recap: 'Private as a Circus' (Season 1, Episode 4)". Entertainment Weekly.
  14. Harrington, Delia. (November 15, 2017). "''Dynasty'' Episode 6 Review: 'I Exist Only For Me'". [[Den of Geek]].
  15. Harrington, Delia. (November 29, 2017). "''Dynasty'' Episode 7 Review: 'Taste of Your Own Medicine'". Den of Geek.
  16. Harrington, Delia. (December 7, 2017). "''Dynasty'' Season 1 Episode 8 Review: 'The Best Things in Life'". Den of Geek.
  17. Reiher, Andrea. (December 7, 2017). "''Dynasty'' Recap: 'Tis the Season for Secrets and Blackmail".
  18. Harrington, Delia. (December 13, 2017). "''Dynasty'' Episode 9 Review: 'Rotten Things'". Den of Geek.
  19. Reiher, Andrea. (December 13, 2017). "''Dynasty''{{'s}} New Villain Isn't Who We Expected It to Be".
  20. Harrington, Delia. (February 8, 2018). "''Dynasty'' Episode 13 Review: 'Nothing but Trouble'". Den of Geek.
  21. Reiher, Andrea. (February 8, 2018). "''Dynasty'' Recap: 'Nothing but Trouble' Left Us With Some Major Cliffhangers".
  22. Reiher, Andrea. (March 12, 2018). "''Dynasty'' Is Back With a Vengeance (in More Ways Than One)".
  23. Harrington, Delia. (March 16, 2018). "''Dynasty'' Episode 15 Review: 'Our Turn Now'". Den of Geek.
  24. Harrington, Delia. (March 30, 2018). "''Dynasty'' Episode 17 Review: 'Enter Alexis'". Den of Geek.
  25. Reiher, Andrea. (April 1, 2018). "''Dynasty''{{'s}} 'Enter Alexis' Is Everything We Hoped It Would Be and More".
  26. Harrington, Delia. (April 7, 2018). "''Dynasty'' Episode 18 Review: 'Don't Con a Con Artist'". Den of Geek.
  27. Reiher, Andrea. (April 9, 2018). "''Dynasty'' Turns Down the Heat a Bit With 'Don't Con a Con Artist'".
  28. Harrington, Delia. (April 20, 2018). "''Dynasty'' Episode 19 Review: 'Use or Be Used'". Den of Geek.
  29. Reiher, Andrea. (April 23, 2018). "''Dynasty'' Recap: Alexis Exposes Liam, But Is That Who He Really Is?".
  30. Harrington, Delia. (April 27, 2018). "''Dynasty'' Episode 20 Review: 'A Line from the Past'". Den of Geek.
  31. Reiher, Andrea. (April 30, 2018). "''Dynasty'' Gets a Little Too Convoluted With 'A Line from the Past'".
  32. Harrington, Delia. (May 4, 2018). "''Dynasty'' Episode 21 Review: 'Trashy Little Tramp'". Den of Geek.
  33. Harrington, Delia. (May 11, 2018). "''Dynasty'' Episode 22 Review: 'Dead Scratch'". Den of Geek.
  34. Reiher, Andrea. (May 14, 2018). "''Dynasty'' Goes Out in a Blaze of Glory—Bring on Season 2!".
  35. Harrington, Delia. (October 13, 2018). "''Dynasty'' Season 2 Episode 1 Review: '23 Skiddoo'". Den of Geek.

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dynasty-(franchise)-charactersfictional-chauffeursamerican-male-characters-in-soap-operastelevision-characters-introduced-in-1981