Paul Michael Glaser knew he wanted to act while still in high school in the Boston area and he spent summers working in stock theaters before attending college. Upon earning his Masters Degree in theatre at Boston University, he headed to New York, where he appeared in an off-Broadway rock musical version of Shakespeare's "Hamlet". He went on to make his Broadway debut in Robert Shaw's "The Man in the Glass Booth" (1969) and the following year was Blythe Danner's boyfriend in "Butterflies Are Free", a role he reprised in the 1972 film version, opposite Goldie Hawn. By the time "Butterflies" was released as a movie, Glaser had already made his film debut as Perchik, the revolutionary, in Norman Jewison's "Fiddler on the Roof" (1971).

Despite a subsequent screen lead in John Huston's "Phobia" (1980), Glaser's acting career seemed destined for TV. His debut in the medium came on daytime dramas. Billed as Michael Glaser, he portrayed Dr. Chernak on "Love is a Many Splendored Thing" (CBS, 1969-70) before joining "Love of Life" (CBS, 1970-71), as Dr. Corelli. He played the title role of the magician/escape artist in "The Great Houdini" (ABC, 1976), opposite Sally Struthers. But his true TV fame would come from his portrayal of Dave Starsky, the spark plug of the "Starsky and Hutch" team, a successful ABC series. It was also during the run of the series that Glaser began to direct. Although Glaser starred in the miniseries "Princess Daisy" (NBC, 1983), and the 1984 ABC TV-movie "Single Bars, Single Women", his attentions were increasingly turned toward behind the cameras. Glaser directed the TV-movie thriller "Amazons" (ABC, 1984), but got his big chance with "Miami Vice". Besides directing the 1985-86 season opener for this NBC show, Glaser directed numerous episodes, winning an Emmy nomination for "Smuggler's Bluff". His success on the small screen also led to a shot at feature films.

Glaser made his big screen directorial debut with "Band of the Hand" (1986). Also set in Miami, it was the story of a Vietnam Vet who whips a group of street toughs in an anti-drug vigilante group. While the film set no box office fires, it won Glaser the chance to direct the Arnold Schwarzenegger vehicle "The Running Man" (1987), about a futuristic world in which convicted felons try to save their lives by appearing on a deadly game show. Five years later, he helmed the charming, though cliched romance "The Cutting Edge", which featured winning performances from Moira Kelly, D B Sweeney and Roy Dotrice. Glaser followed with "The Air Up There" (1994), starring Kevin Bacon as an American who goes to Africa to recruit a basketball player. Glaser conceived the story for, co-produced and directed the youth-oriented "Kazaam" (1996), a whimsical tale of a rapping genie (Shaquille O'Neal).