About Mike Houlihan.
Mike Houlihan is a former features columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times, where he penned the “Houli in ‘da Hood” column. He has written the “Hooliganism” column in the Irish American News since 1996. He began his career as an actor in 1973 with the American Shakespeare Festival in Stratford Ct., and appeared onstage with regional theatres across the country as well as Off-Broadway, on Broadway, on television and in major motion pictures. While working in New York he produced and directed a variety of theatrical ventures at The Village Gate, South Street Theatre, The Cherry Lane Theatre, and St. Malachy’s, as well as on the road in Chicago, Philly, Syracuse, and in his bar “The Houli-Dooley” in Rockaway Beach, NY. His experience as an actor, director, and producer, paved the way for his career as a playwright. His play GOIN’ EAST ON ASHLAND ran for over six years in Chicago, and his play MICKEY FINN had its world premiere production at the Royal George Theatre. Mike contributed humorous essays to public radio in Chicago on WBEZ-FM for several years and also appears regularly onstage in Chicago as a stand-up comic and character actor. In 2006 he won the Illinois/Chicago Film Office Screenplay competition with his screenplay, “Ballhawk”. Vanguard Cinema has released the DVD of Mike’s independent feature film, TAPIOCA starring Ben Vereen, Tim Kazurinsky, and several Second City comics. Tapioca premiered at the Park City Film Music Festival in Park City, Utah and played the film festival circuit through 2008, winning Best Feature Film at the Geneva Film Fest. Tapioca is also available on Amazon and ITunes. He is currently working with The Center for Independent Documentary in post-production on his latest film, a documentary, “Our Irish Cousins”, (ouririshcousins.com), just wrapped filming on “So Goes The World”-a documentary on Chicago’s 19th Ward Aldermanic Election, and WTTW Chicago Public Television aired his backstage peek at the St. Patrick’s Day Parade Queen Contest with the documentary, “Her Majesty, ‘da Queen” in February and March of 2011. Mike is also co-host of the immensely popular Irish radio program “The Skinny & Houli Show” every weekend in Chicago on WCEV 1450 AM (www.skinnyhouli.com) His book “Hooliganism Stories” is available online on this website and through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc. Mike’s most recent book, NOTHIN’S ON THE SQUARE, 82 Days on the Mayoral Campaign Trail, Making History in Chicago 2015″ is available on Amazon and https://abbeyfealepress.com Watch the feature trailer at www.TapiocaTheMovie.com. For more info go to http://ouririshcousins.com or https://hiberniantransmedia.org
