Michael Caine

**Sir Michael Caine** CBE (born **Maurice Joseph Micklewhite**; 14 March 1933) is a retired English actor. Known for his distinctive Cockney accent, he has appeared in more than 160 films over a career spanning eight decades and is considered a British film icon. He has received numerous awards including two Academy Awards, a BAFTA Award, three Golden Globe Awards, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. As of 2017, the films in which Caine has appeared have grossed over $7.8 billion worldwide. Caine is one of only five male actors to be nominated for an Academy Award for acting in five different decades. In 2000, he received a BAFTA Fellowship and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II.

Often playing a Cockney, Caine made his breakthrough in the 1960s with starring roles in British films such as *Zulu* (1964), *The Ipcress File* (1965), *The Italian Job* (1969), and *Battle of Britain* (1969). During this time he established a distinctive visual style wearing thick horn-rimmed glasses combined with sharp suits and a laconic vocal delivery; he was recognised as a style icon of the 1960s. He solidified his stardom with roles in *Get Carter* (1971), *The Last Valley* (1971), *The Man Who Would Be King* (1975), *The Eagle Has Landed* (1976), and *A Bridge Too Far* (1977).

Caine received two Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor for his roles as Elliot in Woody Allen's comedy *Hannah and Her Sisters* (1986), and as Dr. Wilbur Larch in Lasse Hallström's drama *The Cider House Rules* (1999). His other Oscar-nominated films include *Alfie* (1966), *Sleuth* (1972), *Educating Rita* (1983), and *The Quiet American* (2002). Other notable performances include in the films *California Suite* (1978), *Dressed to Kill* (1980), *Mona Lisa* (1986), *Little Voice* (1998), *Quills* (2000), *Children of Men* (2006), *Harry Brown* (2009), and *Youth* (2015).

Caine is also known for his performance as Ebenezer Scrooge in *The Muppet Christmas Carol* (1992), and for his comedic roles in *Dirty Rotten Scoundrels* (1988), *Miss Congeniality* (2000), *Austin Powers in Goldmember* (2002), and *Secondhand Lions* (2003). Caine portrayed Alfred Pennyworth in Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy (2005–2012). He has also had roles in five other Nolan films: *The Prestige* (2006), *Inception* (2010), *Interstellar* (2014), *Dunkirk* (2017), and *Tenet* (2020). He announced his retirement from acting in October 2023, with his final film being *The Great Escaper*, which came out the same month.

## Early life

Michael Caine was born Maurice Joseph Micklewhite at St Olave's Hospital in the Rotherhithe district of London on 14 March 1933, the son of cook and charwoman Ellen Frances Marie (née Burchell; 1901–1989) and fish market porter also called Maurice Joseph Micklewhite (1899–1957). His father was Catholic of Anglo-Irish and Romani descent. Caine was raised in his mother's Protestant faith. He had a younger brother, Stanley (1935–2013), who also became an actor, and an older maternal half-brother named David Burchell. He grew up in London's Southwark district; during the Second World War, he was evacuated 100 miles (160 km) north to North Runcton, Norfolk, where he made his acting debut at the village school and had a pet horse called Lottie.

After the war, Caine's father was demobilised and the family were rehoused by the council in Marshall Gardens in London's Elephant and Castle area, where they lived in a prefabricated house made in Canada as much of London's housing stock had been destroyed during the Blitz in 1940 and 1941. Caine later wrote in his autobiography, "The prefabs, as they were known, were intended to be temporary homes while London was reconstructed, but we ended up living there for eighteen years—and for us, after a cramped flat with an outside toilet, it was luxury."

At the age of 10, Caine acted in a school play as the father of the ugly sisters in *Cinderella*. His trousers' zipper was undone, prompting the audience to laugh, which inspired him to pursue an acting career. In 1944, he passed his eleven-plus examination, winning a scholarship to Hackney Downs School. After a year there, he moved to Wilson's School in Camberwell, which he left at age 16 after gaining School Certificates in six subjects. He then worked briefly as a filing clerk and messenger for a film company in Victoria and film producer Jay Lewis on Wardour Street.

## Portrays

* Pierre (Unmasked, second movie, final role before retirement)