He was born in New York City to the late Yiddish-language actors, Pesach Burstein and Lillian Lux. He began performing on stage at Yiddish theaters from childhood, in musicals and melodramas produced by his father, Pesach Burstein, especially as part of the Four Bursteins.
He is not related to actress Ellen Burstyn (née Edna Rae Gillooly). He headed out on his own after reaching adulthood, in a bid to reach audiences bigger than the Yiddish stage. He has performed on television in the United States, Israel, and the Netherlands.
He has performed on Broadway, the Yiddish theater, and on the Israeli stage.
He had his own show, De Mike Burstyn Show (1978–1981). He was cast as the lead in Israel Becker"s The Flying Matchmaker, an Israeli film.
In 1981, he took part in the Israeli heats of the Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Sviv kol ha"olam". The song was placed sixth.
Among his most noted roles in Yiddish theater was the part in his father"s production of Itzik Manger"s Songs of the Megillah (the longest running Yiddish production to date in Israel, released on Broadway as Megilla of Itzik Manger).
Burstyn appeared on Broadway in Barnum, where he succeeded Jim Dale in the title role. He was nominated for Drama Desk Awards for his performance as Mayer in The Rothschilds off-Broadway in 1990 and in On Second Avenue in 2005. In 2009, he starred in the title role of the stage adaption by Joseph Bologna"s Lansky.
Burstyn holds dual Israeli-American citizenship.
The Komediant is a documentary recounting the lives and careers of the Burstein family.
Board directors Variety Club Israel, Tel Aviv, 1980. Honorary president Israeli Cystic Fibrosis Organization, Tel Aviv, since 1986. With Israeli Defense Forces, since 1967.
Member American Federation of television and Radio Artists, Actors Equity Association, Screen Actors Guild, Hebrew Actors Union, Israel Union Performing Artists.
Married Edti Pupisky. Children: Peter, Adam.
