Michael Kostroff


Michael Kostroff is an American actor. He appeared on the HBO program The Wire as defense attorney Maurice Levy. Kostroff starred in the fifth season of the series and appeared in all four earlier seasons as a guest star.

Life and career

Kostroff is best known for his five seasons playing gang attorney Maury Levy on the HBO series The Wire, and from his recurring appearances on The Blacklist, Billions, The Good Wife, Law and Order: SVU, and on the Disney Channel series Sonny with a Chance as Marshall Pike, the executive producer and the creator of So Random!. He played Peter Madoff, brother of Bernie Madoff in HBO's Wizard of Lies and Shepsie Tirschwell in David Simon's 2020 miniseries, The Plot Against America.
From 2002 to 2003, Kostroff performed in the first national tour of Mel Brooks' Broadway hit The Producers, and from 2003 to 2004, he played the comic villain Thénardier in the touring company of Les Misérables, a role he reprised for the 25th Anniversary Tour in 2010.
Kostroff is the author of the books, Letters from Backstage, a chronicle of his time on the road., and Audition Psych 101, based on his workshop of the same name.
He also volunteered on the Barack Obama campaign.
Kostroff is the brother of Nina Kostroff Noble, a television producer who was an executive producer of The Wire.
Kostroff was one of the writers of "The Working Actor," a weekly Backstage advice column.

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1980The Dream MerchantsBrooklyn A.D.Mini-series; 2 episodes
1992Knots LandingOrderly #1Episode: "Dedicated to the One I Love"
1994The Steven Banks ShowPepperEpisode: "Miss Janie Regrets"
1995PartnersHarried ManEpisode: "City Hall"
1995General HospitalFrancis
1997–1998NewsRadioCarlEpisode: "Planbee"
Episode: "Who's the Boss: Part 2"
1998Dharma & GregLouEpisode: "Much Ado During Nothing"
1999Ladies ManAlanEpisode: "No Cinco, Seis!"
1999Port CharlesJohnny LaLa
2000–2001The Geena Davis ShowMr. KernEpisode: "Motherly Advice"
Episode: "Momma Bear"
Episode: "White Moms Can't Jump"
2001ProvidenceFloral DesignerEpisode: "You Can Count on Me"
2001Men, Women & DogsSteveEpisode: "Sick as a Dog"
2001FelicityBillEpisode: "A Perfect Match"
2001–2003The King of QueensMr. ThompsonEpisode: "No Retreat"
Episode: "Food Fight"
Episode: "Affidavit Justice"
2002Malcolm in the MiddleToadieEpisode: "Company Picnic: Part 1"
Episode: "Company Picnic: Part 2"
2002–2008The WireMaurice LevyRecurring /Main cast; 21 episodes
2004The West WingRichard SquireEpisode: "A Change Is Gonna Come"
20048 Simple RulesPhotographerEpisode: "A Very C.J. Christmas"
2005ERCommunity Theater DirectorEpisode: "The Show Must Go On"
2005The InsideRick ByersEpisode: "The Perfect Couple"
2005–2006Boston Legal
Dr. David Cannon		Episode: "The Ass Fat Jungle"; uncredited
Episode: "Helping Hands"
2005–2006Veronica MarsMr. PopeEpisode: "Cheatty Cheatty Bang Bang"
Episode: "Nobody Puts Baby in a Corner"
Episode: "The Quick and the Wed"
2006CharmedMr. MetcalfEpisode: "Payback's a Witch"; uncredited
2006Commander in ChiefReporter CyEpisode: "State of the Unions"
2006The CloserDr. Aaron SandsEpisode: "Heroic Measures"
2006Studio 60 on the Sunset StripDavid LangenfeldEpisode: "Nevada Day: Part 1"
Episode: "Nevada Day: Part 2"
2007In Case of EmergencyMr. HuntEpisode: "Stuck in Amber"
2007The Wedding BellsMilton CrestEpisode: "Partly Cloudy, with a Chance of Disaster"
2007LifeMcAllisterEpisode: "A Civil War"
2008Without a TraceDr. CappellEpisode: "Hard Reset"
2008Eli StoneJudge Timothy NelsonEpisode: "Help!"
2008Dan's Detour of LifeDan FordLead role; unsold pilot
2009–2010Sonny with a ChanceMarshall PikeRecurring role; 15 episodes
2009Brothers & SistersRealtorEpisode: "From France with Love"
2010Cold CaseWilson Katz Episode: "The Runaway Bunny"
2010The MiddleSteveEpisode: "TV or Not TV"
2010Party DownJeff GoldEpisode: "Jackal Onassis Backstage Party"
2010Sons of TucsonMr. ShuldinerEpisode: "Chicken Pox"
2010WeedsStroller SalesmanEpisode: "A Yippity Sippity"
2011–present'Evan BraunRecurring role; 6 episodes
2012NYC 22Brandon KenEpisode: "Self Cleaning Oven"
2012DamagesJudge Richard GearheartRecurring role; 5 episodes
2012Made in JerseyHankEpisode: "Ridgewell"
2013Blue BloodsMr. WojcikEpisode: "Framed"
2013BansheeWicks VanderwickEpisode: "Wicks"
2013–2016The Good WifeCharles FroinesEpisode: "The Bit Bucket"
Episode: "Parallel Construction, Bitches"
Episode: "All Tapped Out"
Episode: "Landing"
2014The ActressDr. HershamEpisode: "The Dermatologist"
2014Black BoxJacob MyersEpisode: "Jerusalem"
2014F to 7thMikeEpisode: "Deny, Deny, Deny"
Episode: "Down to Zero"
2014LouieSubway ManEpisode: "Pamela: Part 1"
2014GothamOfficer TannenbaumEpisode: "Pilot"
2015The BlacklistDet. Martin WilcoxEpisode: "Ruslan Denisov"
Episode: "The Deer Hunter"
Episode: "The Major"
Episode: "Tom Keen"
2015DeadbeatBarrold WeinbergersteinEpisode: "Last Dance with Edith Jane"
Episode: "The Blowfish Job"
Episode: "The Polaroid Flasher"
2015ElementaryPerry FranklinEpisode: "The Best Way Out Is Always Through"
2016BoschHank MyersEpisode: "Victim of the Night"
2016VinylAllen CharnitskiEpisode: "E.A.B."
2016Luke CageDr. Noah BursteinRecurring role; 4 episodes
2016Madam SecretaryAmbassador Chuck WillisEpisode: "Tectonic Shift"
2017The Wizard of LiesPeter MadoffTV movie
2017–2018The DeuceRizziRecurring role; 8 episodes
2018InstinctJohn RaymondEpisode: "Blast from the Past"
2018'Robert FentonEpisode: "A Diamond in the Rough"
2018–presentIndoor BoysRichardRecurring role; 3 episodes
2018–presentBillionsMick NussfaurEpisode: "Hell of a Ride"
Episode: "Maximum Recreational Depth"

YearArtistTitle
2008Demi Lovato"La La Land"