Michael Dinner has directed the movies Miss Lonelyhearts (1983, also writer), Heaven Help Us (1985) (aka Catholic Boys), Off Beat (1986), Hot to Trot (1988), The Crew (2000), the TV movies Thicker Than Blood: The Larry McLinden Story (1994) and Rise and Walk: The Dennis Byrd Story (1994), and the TV series "Tribeca" (1993, episode The Box), "Chicago Hope" (1994), and "Fantasy Island" (1998), "The $treet" (2000), and "Corsairs" (2002). He was Executive Producer of the TV series "Early Edition" (1996) and "Fantasy Island" (1998), and Co-Executive Producer of the TV series "Chicago Hope" (1994).

A Michael Dinner released the music album PRETENDER; I do not know whether he is the same person.