Michael was born in Los Angeles on 25th July 1987 and raised there. His first acting role was as young Niles in the series Frasier in 1998. His television credits have since included lead roles in the movies _Personally Yours (2000)_ and _The Ballad of Lucy Whipple (2001)_ and guest-starring roles in the series Malcolm in the Middle, _"The X-Files" (1993)_ , Stargate SG-1, _"The Norm Show" (1999)_ Chicago Hope _""CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (2000)_ Judging Amy and Ladies Man

His ability to perform believable accents landed him such parts as a British boy in _"7th Heaven" (1994)_ , a southerner in the independent film _The Angel Doll (2002)_ and a New Zealander in the animated television movie _"Rocket Power: Race Across New Zealand" (2002)_ _ He was the voice of Pinocchio in the animated productions of House of Mouse and the special _"Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed In at the House of Mouse" (2001)_ and he had recurring roles in the animated series _"Fillmore" (2002)_ Hey Arnold! and Lloyd in Space. His additional film credits include Star Trek: Insurrection and _The United States of Leland (2003)_ .

He currently stars as Luke Girardi on the hit CBS television series _"Joan Of Arcadia" (2003)_ .

In addition to his acting career, Michael is the national spokesman for the organization Kids with a Cause, which works with less fortunate and ill children.
Played a younger version of Colonel Jack O'Neill (Richard Dean Anderson) in the Stargate SG-1 episode, 'Fragile Balance.' His Joan of Arcadia co-star Mary Steenburgen has been mentioned several times on that series as being O'Neill's heartthrob. Was writing a one-man show, but this was put on hold for his other projects and probably will never be finished. Part of what got him into acting was his flexible ability to accurately emulate other roles and dialects. Comments that after shooting the entire first season of Joan of Arcadia, he was recognized just as equally from a single episode of Stargate SG-1. He is a skilled drummer. He plays drums in a band with another actor, Joey Zimmerman. Has an older sister, Sarah, who is studying to become an optometrist. As his eyes are blue in real-life, he had to wear contact lenses when playing the younger version of Colonel Jack O'Neill in the Stargate SG-1 episode "Fragile Balance" as Richard Dean Anderson (who plays the usual version of the character) has brown eyes. Has worked with two actors who appeared in versions of "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers": Richard Dean Anderson (who he appeared with in the Stargate SG-1 episode "Fragile Balance") played Adam McFadden in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Russ Tamblyn (who he appeared with in the Joan of Arcadia episodes "Night without Stars", "Do the Math" and "Friday Night") played Gideon Pontipee in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Is close friends with his Joan of Arcadia co-star Chris Marquette and Aaron Himelstein who played the recurring character Friedman on that series. Appeared in episodes of two different television series which originally aired on January 21, 2001 on Fox: The X-Files episode "Badlaa" and Malcolm in the Middle episode "New Neighbors." The actresses who played his girlfriends, Mageina Tovah and Becky Wahlstrom, in Joan of Arcadia were eight and twelve years older than him respectively even though they were all supposed to be much the same age. Got his first car, a Toyota Prius, in October 2004. Has a nephew named Paul. His family owns a dog named Charley. It was a runaway after the 1994 earthquake in Northridge, California that they adopted. Andrew Dorsett, the Young Frasier to his Young Niles in Frasier episode "Where Every Bloke Knows Your Name," plays in a band with one of Welch's friends who is also one of his former drum instructors. Has played both a mentally retarded person (in The United States of Leland) and a genius (in Joan of Arcadia). His favourite TV show is Family Guy. Has worked with two different actors who were born on January 23, 1950: Richard Dean Anderson in the Stargate SG-1 episode "Fragile Balance" and Richard Gilliland in the Joan of Arcadia episodes "Death Be Not Whatever" and "The Devil Made Me Do It". His favourite films are Ferris Bueller's Day Off and The Matrix.