Michael Caine facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sir Michael Caine CBE
Caine in 2012
Born	Maurice Joseph Micklewhite (1933-03-14) 14 March 1933 (age 92) Rotherhithe, London, England
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1950–2023
Works	Filmography
Spouse(s)	Patricia Haines ​ ​ (m. 1954; div. 1958)​ Shakira Baksh ​ (m. 1973)​
Children	2
Relatives	Stanley Caine (brother)
Awards	Full list
Military Service
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	1952–1954
Rank	Private
Unit	C Company, 1st Royal Fusiliers
Battles/wars	Korean War
Awards	Korea Medal UN Korea Medal
Signature

Sir Michael Caine (born Maurice Joseph Micklewhite on 14 March 1933) is a famous English actor. He retired from acting in 2023. He is known for his special Cockney accent. Michael Caine has been in over 160 movies during his long career, which lasted for more than 70 years. Many people see him as a British cultural icon.

He has won many important awards, including two Academy Awards, a BAFTA Award, and three Golden Globe Awards. By 2017, the movies he appeared in had earned over $7.8 billion worldwide. Caine is one of only five male actors to be nominated for an Academy Award in five different decades. In 2000, he received a special BAFTA award and was made a knight by Queen Elizabeth II.

In the 1960s, Caine became very popular with roles in British films like Zulu (1964), The Ipcress File (1965), and The Italian Job (1969). He became known for his cool style, wearing thick glasses and sharp suits. He continued to be a big star in the 1970s with movies such as Get Carter (1971) and The Man Who Would Be King (1975).

Caine won two Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor. One was for his role in Hannah and Her Sisters (1986). The other was for playing Dr. Wilbur Larch in The Cider House Rules (1999). He was also nominated for Best Actor for films like Alfie (1966) and Educating Rita (1983). He is also famous for playing Ebenezer Scrooge in The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992). He played Alfred Pennyworth, Batman's butler, in Christopher Nolan's Batman movies (2005–2012). His last movie was The Great Escaper, released in October 2023.

Early Life and First Steps in Acting

Blue plaque marking Caine's birthplace in Rotherhithe, London

Blue plaque at the school in North Runcton where Caine first acted

Michael Caine was born Maurice Joseph Micklewhite in London on 14 March 1933. His mother, Ellen, was a cook, and his father, Maurice, worked at a fish market. He had a younger brother, Stanley, who also became an actor. During Second World War, he was sent away from London for safety to North Runcton, where he first acted in a school play. He even had a pet horse named Lottie.

After the war, his family moved into a new home in London's Elephant and Castle area. He later wrote that this new home felt like luxury after their old, small flat. When he was 10, Caine acted in a school play. He made the audience laugh, which made him want to become an actor. He left school at 16 and worked as a clerk for a film company.

Military Service

In 1952, Caine joined the British Army for his national service. He served for two years, from 1952 to 1954. Part of his service was during the Korean War. He saw how difficult life was during the war, and this experience deeply affected him. He later said that it made him appreciate every moment of his life. Caine has also said he thinks national service could help young people today.

Acting Career

Starting Out: 1950–1963

Caine's very first movie appearance was a small, uncredited role in Morning Departure (1950). He later found work with a theater company in Horsham, Sussex. He used the stage name "Michael White" at first. In 1954, when he moved to London, he learned there was another actor named Michael White. He needed a new name quickly. He saw a movie poster for The Caine Mutiny at the Odeon Cinema and decided to change his name to "Michael Caine." He joked that if he had looked the other way, he might have been called "Michael One Hundred and One Dalmatians."

Caine shared a flat with another actor, Terence Stamp. He also became friends with Peter O'Toole. Caine' got his first credited film role in A Hill in Korea (1956). He also appeared in many TV shows during this time. A big chance came when he was cast in the play Next Time I'll Sing To You in 1963.

Becoming a Star: 1964–1975

Caine in the trailer for Zulu (1964)

While performing in the play, Caine met Stanley Baker, who had been in his first film. Baker told him about a role in his new movie, Zulu. The director, Cy Endfield, thought Caine looked more like an officer than a Cockney soldier. Caine got the part of a snobbish officer, which helped make him a film star.

Caine filming in 1967 as spy Harry Palmer

After Zulu, Caine played two of his most famous roles. He was the spy Harry Palmer in The Ipcress File (1965). Then he played the charming young Cockney man in Alfie (1966). Caine said Alfie was his favorite film because it made him a star in America. He continued to play Harry Palmer in several more movies. In 1966, he made his first Hollywood film, Gambit, with Shirley MacLaine. There he met John Wayne, who gave him acting advice: "Speak slow and speak low."

Caine in the trailer for Get Carter (1971)

In 1969, Caine starred in the comedy The Italian Job. He played Charlie Croker, the leader of a group of criminals planning a big gold heist in Italy. His line, "You're only supposed to blow the bloody doors off!" is one of the most famous movie lines ever. The movie ends with a cliffhanger that people still talk about. After this, Caine starred in the gangster film Get Carter (1971). He also had success with Sleuth (1972) and The Man Who Would Be King (1975).

Becoming an Established Star: 1976–1997

Caine in 1979

In 1976, Caine was in The Eagle Has Landed, playing a German colonel. He also appeared in the all-star cast of A Bridge Too Far (1977). In the late 1970s, Caine sometimes chose roles just for the money. He made about two films a year, including The Swarm (1978) and Beyond the Poseidon Adventure (1979).

In the 1980s, Caine had more successful roles. He starred with Julie Walters in Educating Rita (1983), winning a BAFTA and a Golden Globe. In 1986, he won his first Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Hannah and Her Sisters. He also played a smooth conman with Steve Martin in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988). Other popular films included Dressed to Kill (1980) and Escape to Victory (1981), which featured famous footballers like Pelé.

In the 1990s, good roles were harder to find. But he played Ebenezer Scrooge in The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992). He said he played Scrooge as a serious dramatic role, even with puppets around him.

Later Career and Retirement: 1998–2023

Caine at the European premiere of The Dark Knight in 2008

Caine's career got a big boost in the late 1990s. His role in Little Voice (1998) won him a Golden Globe. Then he won his second Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for The Cider House Rules (1999). In the 2000s, he was in the comedy Miss Congeniality (2000) with Sandra Bullock. He also received great praise for The Quiet American (2002), earning another Oscar nomination.

Many of Caine's classic films have been remade. He even appeared in the 2000 remake of his own film, Get Carter. In the 2007 remake of Sleuth, Caine played the role that Laurence Olivier had in the 1972 version. He is one of the few actors to star in two versions of the same film.

Caine also starred in comedies like Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002), playing Austin's father. In 2005, he was cast as Alfred Pennyworth, Batman's loyal butler, in Batman Begins. He played this role again in The Dark Knight (2008) and The Dark Knight Rises (2012). He called the Batman movies "one of the greatest things I have done in my life." He also worked with director Christopher Nolan in films like The Prestige (2006), Inception (2010), Interstellar (2014), and Tenet (2020).

Caine (second from right) with the cast of Inception in 2010

Caine voiced characters in animated films like Cars 2 (2011) and Gnomeo & Juliet (2011). He also appeared in Now You See Me (2013) and its sequel Now You See Me 2 (2016). In 2015, he starred in the comedy-drama Youth, which was highly praised.

Caine at the 2012 Vienna International Film Festival

In 2017, Caine had a small voice role in Nolan's war film Dunkirk, as a nod to his role in Battle of Britain (1969). His final film was The Great Escaper, released in October 2023. On 13 October 2023, Caine officially announced his retirement from acting. He said he felt it was the right time to stop, especially after his last film received great reviews.

Personal Life

Caine and his wife Shakira in Venice, Italy, in 2014

As of 2025, Michael Caine lives in London. He has also lived in other parts of England and in Miami Beach, Florida. He has written three books about his life.

Caine was married to actress Patricia Haines from 1954 to 1958. They had a daughter named Dominique. Since 1973, he has been married to actress and model Shakira Baksh. They met after he saw her in a coffee commercial and called her every day until she agreed to meet him. They have a daughter named Natasha. Shakira is Muslim and Michael is Christian, and they respect each other's beliefs.

Caine with Scarlett Johansson at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in 2008

Caine is proud of his working-class background. He became good friends with John Lennon and also with James Bond actors Sean Connery and Roger Moore. In 2016, he officially changed his name by deed poll to Michael Caine. He did this to make airport security checks easier, as guards often recognized him but his passport had his birth name, Maurice Joseph Micklewhite.

Other Interests

Caine enjoys chill-out music. He even released a compilation CD called Cained in 2007. He also provided voice samples for the band Madness for their 1984 song "Michael Caine". He has sung in some of his films, including The Muppet Christmas Carol.

Caine stopped smoking in the 1970s. He is a big fan of the football club Chelsea FC and also enjoys cricket. He has written several trivia books, with money from the sales going to a charity that helps protect open spaces for sports. He also used to own several restaurants.

Political Views

Caine has often shared his political opinions. He describes himself as a "left-wing Tory," meaning he has some conservative views but also cares about working-class people. He moved to the United States in the late 1970s because of high taxes in the UK. He returned when taxes were lowered.

In 2009, Caine suggested that national service should be brought back in the UK. He believed it could help young people feel a sense of belonging and reduce violence. He supported the Conservative Party in the 2010 general election. In 2016, he voted for Brexit, saying he would rather be a "poor master than a rich servant."

Filmography

Some of Michael Caine's Movies

Awards and Special Recognitions

Caine's handprints in Leicester Square, London

Michael Caine was nominated for an Oscar six times. He won his first Academy Award in 1986 for Hannah and Her Sisters. His second Oscar was in 2000 for The Cider House Rules. Both were for Best Supporting Actor. For Educating Rita in 1983, he won a BAFTA and a Golden Globe Award.

Caine is one of only two actors to be nominated for an Academy Award in five different decades, from the 1960s to the 2000s. Seven of his films are on the list of 100 greatest British films of the 20th century.

In 1992, he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). In 2000, Queen Elizabeth II made him a knight at Buckingham Palace for his work in cinema. He said he was knighted in his father's name because he loved his father. In 2000, he also received a special BAFTA Academy Fellowship Award.

In 2008, Caine won an award for his amazing contribution to show business. In 2011, he was honored by France's culture minister. In 2012, he was given the Honorary Freedom of the London Borough of Southwark, where he grew up. In 2017, he received the Golden Plate Award from the American Academy of Achievement.

See also

In Spanish: Michael Caine para niños