Born:
March 14, 1933
in
London
Best Known For:
His glasses and cockney accent.
Early-life:
Born Maurice Joseph Micklewhite on March 14, 1933, in St Olave's Hospital, Rotherhithe, London. His father was a fish-market porter, his mother a charlady. He grew up with younger brother Stanley, but didn't know of his elder half-brother David until after their mother's death. David had severe epilepsy and lived all his life in hospital. Michael left school at 15 and did various jobs before joining the Army, and saw action in Korea. He decided to become an actor after taking part in plays at his local youth club, and took his stage name from Humphrey Bogart movie The Caine Mutiny.
Career:
Caine worked on stage and appeared in small roles on TV, often struggling to make ends meet. He was good friends with Terence Stamp during the early 1960s, before either became famous, and they often shared digs. Caine decided if he wasn't successful by the age of 30 he'd quit acting. Days before this milestone he landed the role in Zulu which made his name. The Harry Palmer spy movies, The Italian Job and Alfie secured his star status. Since then, he's made many films, many forgettable and, by his own admission, done for the money. Highlights include Get Carter, Sleuth (plus a remake), The Man Who Would Be King, Educating Rita, Little Voice, Mona Lisa, Batman Begins, The Prestige, The Dark Knight, Harry Brown and Interstellar. He won Oscars for Hannah and Her Sisters and The Cider House Rules. He claims he will retire from showbusiness when he's 90.
Quote:
"I'll always be around because I'm a skilled professional actor. Whether or not I've any talent is beside the point."
Trivia:
He was knighted in 2000.