He is a Russian actor, who immigrated from the Russian artistic theater to America and made a career in Hollywood that earned him an Academy Award nomination. He was born in St. Petersburg, his mother Natalia Golden is Jewish, and his father Alexander Chekhov is the brother of the writer Anton Chekhov. Michael studied classical drama and comedy at the Sivorn Theater in St. Petersburg, from 1907 to 1911, and graduated with honors. He began his film career in 1913 with a role in the movie Tercentenary of the Romanov Dynasty's Accession, followed by a number of roles in silent films, and in In 1945 he played the best famous movie role in Spellbound.