Michael was born and raised in Los Angeles, where he still resides. After graduating from Cal State University at Northridge with a BA in film production and an emphasis on directing, Michael quickly transitioned to working in front of the camera and began his acting career. He was cast as Stone Cates in ABC Daytime's "General Hospital,&q...
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Michael was born and raised in Los Angeles, where he still resides. After graduating from Cal State University at Northridge with a BA in film production and an emphasis on directing, Michael quickly transitioned to working in front of the camera and began his acting career. He was cast as Stone Cates in ABC Daytime's "General Hospital," for which his work was awarded an Emmy Nomination in the best supporting actor category. Simultaneously, Michael started a second career following in the footsteps of his father, a legendary publicist of the highly successful Freeman & Sutton Public Relations Firm (Martin Lawrence, Burt Reynolds, Christopher Walken, Elijah Wood, Patty Duke, Miramax, Oprah Winfrey, and the American Film Institute). Michael's promotional skills became sought after by restaurants, bars, lounges, and night clubs that were looking to maximize their public image. Michael brought both a lucrative financial revenue stream and a multitude of press and notoriety to these establishments His promotional efforts, "brandSUTTON," now the name of his PR / Marketing company, excelled largely through the celebrity-based contacts that he had made as an actor in the Entertainment Industry, which he then combined with the large group of friends that grew up with him in Beverly Hills, to create a networking electronic database of over 10,000 taste-makers that rely on Michael on a weekly basis to tell them what's hot around town. Over the course of the last ten years, Michael has found success in both his entertainment and nightlife endeavors. He has starred in over ten films, has been credited as an Executive Producer alongside legendary Quincy Jones on the documentary "The Freshest Kids," and successfully promoted establishments such as: Bar One, The Beverly Club, On the Rox, Guy's Bar, Mamagaya, Garden of Eden, Billboard Live (now Key Club), Pop at Playroom (now A.D.), Chi & The Roof at the Hyatt Hotel, and The Hollywood Canteen (which he owned). Michael has become synonymous with Los Angeles nightlife and has been utilized for celebrity outreach by both The Motion Picture Television Fund's Next Generation counsel, and top public relations firms such as, Bragman, Nyman, & Cafarelli. He has thrown parties for the biggest celebrities in the business; including three post award show parties for Sean "Puffy" Combs, as well as Academy Award and Grammy parties. To keep his ear to the street and stay hot, he still currently promotes a couple of Hollywood hot spots, "Mood" and "LAX." Michael is the owner of "The Lodge Steakhouse," of Beverly Hills on La Cienega's famous restaurant row, as well as a Southern Style dining concept called "Memphis," in Hollywood. Michael is a Co-Founding Partner and the President of Marketing of a private membership community called "Xenii," that operates somewhat like a high-end mobile country club for an elite group of celebrities, high net worth individuals, and party-goers. His up coming restaurant concepts include Charcoal, Goa, and Asia, all scheduled to hit Hollywood running in 2006. He also resides as President of the film production company Standing O Pictures. Many lives, many hats.
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