Other
Characters: Bruno Hess 1969-70,
Bruno Hess 1970 Parallel Time, Laszlo Ferrari 1840
The
effete assassin Aristede comes to Collinsport after escaping
from Dartmoor Prison, where he was serving time for murder.
Befriended by the malefic Count Petofi, Aristede becomes his
servant helping him to regain his magical hand and enact an
evil agenda against the Collins Family. However, following
several failed missions and the betrayal of his employer,
inspires Petofi to enlist the magically gifted artist Charles
Delaware Tate to resurrect the Master of Dartmoor, Garth Blackwood,
from the dead to reclaim his escaped charge and bring him
to justice...
Michael
George Stroka was born on May 9, 1938 in Passaic, New
Jersey.
His acting debut came on the big screen in 1965 with King
Rat. Michael's later film ventures included Summer
School, Thirty-Six Hours, Harlem Nights, and a non-speaking
cameo appearance as a pallbearer in House of Dark Shadows,
filmed concurrently with his stint on the television series.
Michael
came to the attention of Dark Shadows creator Dan
Curtis when he auditioned unsuccessfully for his television
pilot Dead of Night. In addition to Dark Shadows,
his other daytime drama credits include Return to Peyton
Place and the role of Dr. Quentin Henderson on Edge
of Night. Michael's guest appearances on primetime television
included Homefront, Rome Sweet Rome, Buck Rogers, Wonder
Woman, 12 O'Clock High, Combat, Next Step Beyond, Blue Light,
The Twilight Zone, The Dating Game, P.S.I Factor, The Disappearance
of Flight 412 and Contract on Cherry Street.
During breaks from the small and big screen, Michael appeared
in numerous regional stage productions, such as Marathon
Madness, Berchtesgarden, Down the Morning Line, Funeral Games,
The Office Murders, The Long Christmas Dinner, The Happy Journey
to Camden and Trenton, Life in the Hotel Excellence and
Wet, Dry and Alive.
Almost
a month prior to his 59th birthday on April 14, 1997, Michael
Stroka died of kidney cancer in Los Angeles, following an
earlier battle with the illness. He is survived by his wife
Karen.
Biography
written by Vera Marano
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