Carl Michael Franklin is an American film and television director, producer, screenwriter, and former actor. He began his career in the 1970s as a television actor, playing regular roles as Dr. Fred Walters on The Fantastic Journey, Detective Jerry Cross on McClain's Law, and Captain Crane on The A-Team. In the 1980s, he graduated from the AFI Conservatory, and began directing B-movies at Roger Corman's Concorde Pictures.