Michael Strong (born Cecil Natapoff; February 8, 1918 – September 17, 1980)[2][3] was an American stage, film and television actor.

Michael Strong was born in New York City as Cecil Natapoff, the son of Russian-Jewish parents who emigrated to the U.S. in 1903, fleeing the pogroms of Russia.

[4] After a stage career that included one of the principal roles in the play Men to the Sea, he was signed to a personal contract by Hal.

B. Wallis at Paramount Pictures in 1945, and was slated to make his screen debut in the film The Searching Wind in the role created on stage by Montgomery Clift.

[11] Strong appeared in the 1949 stage and William Wyler's 1951 film version of Detective Story, playing a cat burglar, and was cast by Elia Kazan in supporting and ensemble roles, twice appeared in the opening night casts of plays by Arthur Miller.

[4] In 1962, Kazan invited Strong, Jason Robards and other actors in forming the Repertory Theater of Lincoln Center.

[4] He made guest appearances in over 120 television series during his career on shows such as The Green Hornet (in "Hornet Save Thyself"), Decoy, Naked City, The Eleventh Hour, The F.B.I., The Fugitive, I Spy, Mission: Impossible (five episodes), Columbo (in "Negative Reaction"), The Streets of San Francisco, The Big Valley, Planet of the Apes and Hawaii Five-O.

At its release, a brief New York Times review called it a “top-flight, one-man tour de force by Michael Strong.” It has been described as a "lost masterpiece.