Michael Caine - Details

MICHAEL CAINE's versatility as a major international star in over 80 motion pictures has earned him the New York Film critics' Best Actor Award for Alfie (1966) a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor and a British Academy Award for Educating Rita (1983) a Golden Globe for Best Actor for Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988) a Golden Globe for Best Actor for Little Voice (1998) and five Academy Award nominations, for Alfie (1966) Sleuth (1972) Educating Rita (1983), culminating in Oscars for Best Supporting Actor for Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) and Cider House Rules, The (1999)

Michael Caine was born Maurice Joseph Mickelwhite in South London. His first job in the theatre was as assistant stage manager in Horsham, Sussex. Self confidence and a name change to Michael Caine (his nickname combined with Caine from "The Caine Mutiny") encouraged him to move to London, where he acted with Joan Littlewood's Theater Workshop.

The turning point in his career came at the age of 30 in 1963 when he was given the role of aristocratic Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead in the Joseph E. Levine production "Zulu." Caine turned his supporting role into a starring one with his performance and in the opinion of the critics, stole the show.

Passing forever out of the ranks of anonymity, he next played Harry Palmer in the espionage thriller "The Ipcress File," which exceeded all expectations at the box office and was voted Best Picture of the Year by the British film critics' annual poll.

Other film credits include, "Dressed to Kill," "Death Trap," "Educating Rita," "Blame It on Rio," "The Holcroft Covenant," "Hannah and her Sisters," "Sweet Liberty," "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels," "Gambit," "Funeral in Berlin," "Billion Dollar Brain," "Hurry Sundown," "Woman Times Seven," "Deadfall," "The Italian Job," "The Battle of Britain," "X, Y and Zee," "Pulp," "Sleuth," "The Wilby Conspiracy," "The Romantic Englishwoman," "The Man Who Would Be King," "Harry & Walter Go To New York," "California Suite," "Little Voice," "Quills" and "Shiner."

In 1986, he returned to television for the first time in 20 years to star in the four-hour mini-series "Jack the Ripper," which received the highest ratings ever for a drama in England.

Caine is also an author with the publication of his autobiography What's It All About? and Acting on Film, a book based on the highly successful series of lectures he gave on BBC Television.

In the 1992 Queen's birthday Honors, he was awarded the CBE and in 2000 he was knighted by the Queen and is now Sir Michael Caine.