Michael Purnell grew up in Red Level, Alabama, a small rural community in the southern part of the state. The son of Vernon Lee Purnell and Stella Stowers, Mike's parents were both deceased when he was nine years old, and he was raised by other relatives. He moved to LaGrange, Georgia, USA, when he was seventeen, where he later graduated from high school and college. At LaGrange College he majored in theatre, playing such character parts as Sancho Panza in "Man of LaMancha", and Bellamy in "The Fantasticks". After serving in the US Navy aboard the destroyer USS John W. Thomason in the western Pacific (Vietnam), he returned to Georgia where he worked as crew and cast member for the Atlanta Childrens' Theatre in his first professional production, "Treasure Island". Mike began a dual career when he began teaching in public school at Luthersville Elementary School in 1972. Since that time, he has continued teaching and acting in various settings, including his current position as high school English teacher in his home town in Red Level. He has acted in several television films, including _Season in Purgatory, A (1996)_ as "Charlie" the chauffeur, under the tutelage of the late director 'David Greene', and in the soon-to-be-released feature film, Dead Birds (2004) as "Preacher", under the direction of 'Alex Turner'. In addition to prolific work as background talent in industrial and commercial projects, Mike played the self-righteous store keeper in a Travis Tritt CMT video titled "Where Corn Don't Grow". Fate has afforded him the luxury of fulfilling a dedication to both careers: setting an encouraging example to the young people in his community as performer and teacher complements his lifelong dream. Show less «