Michael Lembeck is an American actor and director who has a net worth of $5 million.

Michael Lembeck built a long Hollywood career that eventually shifted from recognizable sitcom actor to highly successful television director. As an actor, he is best known for playing Max Horvath, the husband of Mackenzie Phillips' Julie Cooper, on the Norman Lear sitcom "One Day at a Time." Before that, he appeared on Lear's cult soap-opera parody "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman" as television reporter Clete Meisenheimer. He also played Kaptain Kool on "The Krofft Supershow" and appeared in shows such as "Barney Miller," "The Love Boat," and "Fantasy Island." Lembeck later became an in-demand sitcom director, winning an Emmy for directing "Friends" and going on to direct episodes of "Everybody Loves Raymond," "Mad About You," "Major Dad," "Baby Daddy," and many other series. His feature directing credits include "The Santa Clause 2," "The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause," "Connie and Carla," and "Tooth Fairy."

Michael Lembeck was born on June 25, 1948, in Brooklyn, New York. He was raised in a show business family. His father, Harvey Lembeck, was a comic actor best known for playing Corporal Rocco Barbella on "The Phil Silvers Show" and for appearing as Eric Von Zipper in the "Beach Party" films. His mother, Caroline, was also connected to the entertainment world, and his sister, Helaine Lembeck, became an actress.

After the family relocated to California, Lembeck attended Beverly Hills High School, graduating in 1966. He later studied drama at Los Angeles City College and California State University before pursuing acting professionally.

Lembeck began working on screen in the late 1960s and built up a résumé of guest roles throughout the 1970s. He appeared in Clint Eastwood's "Hang 'Em High" and later had roles on "The Partridge Family," "Happy Days," "Baretta," and "Barney Miller."

In 1976, Lembeck joined "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman," Norman Lear's surreal and influential parody of soap operas and middle-American television culture. Lembeck played Clete Meisenheimer, a local television reporter whose presence fit the show's obsession with media spectacle. The series was led by Louise Lasser as Mary Hartman, with a major ensemble that also included Greg Mullavey as Tom Hartman, Mary Kay Place as Loretta Haggers, Graham Jarvis as Charlie Haggers, Dody Goodman as Martha Shumway, Debralee Scott as Cathy Shumway, Claudia Lamb as Heather Hartman, Philip Bruns as George Shumway, and Martin Mull as Garth and Barth Gimble.

Lembeck's best-known acting role came on "One Day at a Time," where he played Max Horvath from 1979 to 1984. Max became an important character in the later years of the series as the husband of Julie Cooper, played by Mackenzie Phillips. Lembeck also appeared in "The Boys in Company C," "The In-Laws," and the short-lived sitcom "Foley Square."

Lembeck eventually found even greater success behind the camera. He directed numerous sitcoms and became especially associated with multi-camera comedy. His work on "Friends" earned him a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series for the episode "The One After the Superbowl."

His directing credits also include "Everybody Loves Raymond," "Veronica's Closet," "Coach," "Mad About You," "The Nanny," "Sister, Sister," "Baby Daddy," "2 Broke Girls," and "The Goldbergs." In film, he directed Tim Allen in "The Santa Clause 2" and "The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause," as well as "Connie and Carla" and "Tooth Fairy."

Michael Lembeck has been married to actress Lorna Patterson, who is known for "Airplane!" and the television series "Private Benjamin." The couple has two children.