Michael Lally (born May 25, 1942) is an American-born poet and the author of more than 30 books of poetry. He is considered part of the New York School of poetry, which began in the early 1950s and is acknowledged as one of the most influential movements of American poetry. He counts among his major influences the poets Frank O'Hara and William Carlos Williams, as well as writer William Saroyan.

Biography

Early years

Lally was born in Orange, New Jersey, the youngest of seven in an Irish-American family of policemen, priests, and politicians, and raised in South Orange, New Jersey. His autobiographical style of poetry and prose reflects on American culture from the 1950s forward: civil rights, gay rights, women's rights and anti-war movements and his active participation in each. Lally started out playing piano and reading his poetry in coffeehouses and bars in 1959. In 1962 he joined the United States Air Force, where he spent more than four years as an enlisted man, and later used the G.I. Bill to attend the University of Iowa Writers' Workshop. In the Fall of 1968, while living in Iowa, Lally actively campaigned for the position of Johnson County Sheriff as part of the Peace and Freedom Party ticket.

Writing career

In 1972 he wrote the autobiographical South Orange Sonnets which received a New York Poetry Center Discovery Award.

Acting career

He moved from New York to Los Angeles in 1982 and acted in movies and TV (as Michael David Lally), mostly as a bad guy and the occasional good guy. He was seen in films including Basic Instinct (1992), White Fang (1991) and Cool World (1992), as well as on TV as Captain Bubb in Deadwood (2004), Walter Hoyt on NYPD Blue (1995–97) and Detective Frank Costa on JAG (1997–98). His writing found its way into several movies including.

Personal life

Lally has been married three times. His first wife was Carol Lee Fisher from 1964 to 1979. His second wife was Penelope Milford from 1982 to 1984. He then wed a third time to Jaina Flynn in 1997 before separating in 2003. Lally has three children: Caitlin, Miles and Flynn.

Books

Plays

Film

Song

Notable awards