In this episode, I have the great pleasure of speaking with Michael O’Keefe, a Zen and Taoist practitioner. Michael is also an actor, writer, producer, and director. I first saw Michael on the big screen in the heart-wrenching, Oscar-nominated film The Great Santini—where he played Robert Duvall’s teenage son. Fans of the hit comedy Caddyshack will remember Michael as Danny Noonan, the laid-back, unpretentious caddy who works at an elite country club. Michael has also written lyrics for a number of songs and artists, including two for his former wife Bonnie Raitt, one of which, "Longing in Their Hearts," won a Grammy for Raitt. The other song was from Raitt's "Luck of the Draw" album and was entitled "One Part be My Lover." He also penned the lyrics for “Tower of Gone” which is performed by Irish singer & songwriter Paul Brady.
Michael and I have two things in common: we were both born in Mount Vernon, NY, and we were both ordained as Zen Buddhist priests. Michael attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and New York University. He has a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from Bennington College.
Michael caused a sensation in the cinema with his role in The Great Santini (1979), for which he received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor and a Golden Globe nomination. The film, which starred Robert Duvall, was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture. He was also seen opposite Chevy Chase in 1980's Caddyshack. Michael has twice starred opposite Jack Nicholson, once as his son in Milk Milk (1987) and again as the father of a murdered girl in The Promise (2001). His film Frozen River was in competition at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival.
Michael has guest-starred on Saving Grace, The West Wing, Criminal Minds, The Closer, Law & Order, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, House, M*A*S*H, Ghost Whisperer, Brothers and Sisters, Leverage, and Blue Bloods and. In 2014, he appeared in a recurring role in Homeland as CIA agent and former interim station chief John Redmond and as Detective Winslow in the Amazon Prime original TV series Sneaky Pete.
Ordinary Awe & Wonder