Michael Keaton facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Michael Keaton
Keaton in 2024
Born	Michael John Douglas (1951-09-05) September 5, 1951 (age 73) Kennedy Township, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Other names	Michael Keaton Douglas
Alma mater	Kent State University
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1975–present
Spouse(s)	Caroline McWilliams (m. 1982; div. 1990)
Partner(s)	Courteney Cox (1989–1995)
Children	Sean Douglas
Awards	Full list

Michael John Douglas (born September 5, 1951), known as Michael Keaton, is an American actor. He used to be a stand-up comedian. He has won many awards, including a Primetime Emmy Award and two Golden Globe Awards. He was also nominated for an Academy Award and a BAFTA Award. In 2016, France honored him with the title of Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters.

Keaton became famous for his funny roles in movies like Johnny Dangerously (1984) and Beetlejuice (1988). He became even more well-known playing Batman in Batman (1989) and Batman Returns (1992). He has also been in movies such as Mr. Mom (1983), Jackie Brown (1997), and Dumbo (2019). He also lent his voice to characters in animated films like Cars (2006) and Toy Story 3 (2010).

His career got a big boost when he starred in Birdman (2014). In this movie, he played an actor trying to make a comeback. For this role, he won a Golden Globe Award and was nominated for an Academy Award. Since then, he has acted in true-story dramas like Spotlight (2015) and The Founder (2016). He played the Vulture in Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017). He also returned to play Batman in The Flash (2023) and Betelgeuse in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024).

Keaton also directed two films: The Merry Gentleman (2008) and Knox Goes Away (2023). He starred in Knox Goes Away as well.

Early Life and Education
Becoming an Actor
Personal Life and Interests
- Political Views and Activism
Awards and Recognition
Images for kids
See also

Early Life and Education

Michael John Douglas was born in Kennedy Township, Pennsylvania, on September 5, 1951. He was the youngest of seven children. He grew up in towns like McKees Rocks and Coraopolis. His father, George A. Douglas, was a civil engineer and surveyor. His mother, Leona Elizabeth Loftus, was a homemaker.

Keaton's family was Catholic. His mother had Irish roots. His father had Scottish, Scotch-Irish, German, and English ancestry. He went to Montour High School and graduated in 1969. He then studied Speech at Kent State University for two years. While there, he acted in plays. After college, he moved back to Pennsylvania to start his acting career.

Becoming an Actor

Starting Out in TV and Comedy (1975–1988)

Keaton first appeared on TV in Pittsburgh. He was on shows like Where the Heart Is and Mister Rogers' Neighborhood in 1975. For Mister Rogers, he played one of the "Flying Zucchini Brothers." He also worked as a production assistant. Later, he hosted a memorial tribute for Fred Rogers in 2003. He also hosted a 50th anniversary special for the show in 2018.

Keaton also acted in plays in Pittsburgh. He performed stand-up comedy to earn extra money. Later, he moved to Los Angeles to try out for TV roles. He appeared in popular shows like Maude. He decided to use a stage name because there were already actors named Michael Douglas and Mike Douglas. He picked "Keaton" from a phone book.

His first movie role was a small part in Rabbit Test (1978). His big break came when he starred with Jim Belushi in the comedy series Working Stiffs. This show proved his talent for comedy. It led to a co-starring role in the movie Night Shift (1982), directed by Ron Howard. His role as Bill "Billy Blaze" Blazejowski earned him praise.

Night Shift helped Keaton become a leading actor. He starred in the hit comedy Mr. Mom (1983). During this time, he was mostly known for funny roles. He tried to act in more serious movies, but it was difficult.

In 1988, Keaton's career changed a lot. He played the main character in Tim Burton's horror-comedy Beetlejuice. This role made him very popular and a top Hollywood actor.

Becoming a Star (1989–1999)

Keaton's career got another huge boost when Tim Burton chose him again. This time, he played the superhero Batman in the 1989 film Batman. Many fans were worried about this choice at first. But Keaton's performance was praised by everyone. Batman became one of the most successful movies of 1989.

Keaton played Batman again in the sequel Batman Returns (1992). This movie was also very successful. He was supposed to play Batman a third time. But when Tim Burton left the project, Keaton left too. He did not like the new script. He was replaced by Val Kilmer in Batman Forever (1995).

Keaton stayed busy in the 1990s. He appeared in many different films. These included Pacific Heights (1990) and Much Ado About Nothing (1993). He also played Agent Ray Nicolette in Jackie Brown (1997) and Out of Sight (1998). He starred in the family movie Jack Frost (1998).

Voice Acting and Comeback (2000–Present)

Keaton at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival

In the early 2000s, Keaton was in several movies. These included Live From Baghdad (2002), where he was nominated for a Golden Globe. He also played the President in First Daughter (2004). He found success with his voice acting. He voiced Chick Hicks in Disney/Pixar's Cars (2006). He also voiced Ken in Toy Story 3 (2010). Toy Story 3 was a huge hit, earning over $1 billion worldwide.

Keaton at the 2004 Dallas Comic Con promoting White Noise

In 2014, Keaton starred in Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance). He played Riggan Thomson, an actor famous for playing a superhero. He tries to make a comeback by putting on a play. For this role, he won a Golden Globe Award and was nominated for an Academy Award.

In 2015, Keaton played Walter V. Robinson in the Oscar-winning film Spotlight. In 2016, he starred as businessman Ray Kroc in The Founder. On July 28, 2016, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Keaton at the 2013 San Diego Comic Con

In 2017, Keaton played the supervillain the Vulture in Spider-Man: Homecoming. He also played Stan Hurley in American Assassin. In 2019, he was the villain in Disney's live-action Dumbo.

More recently, in 2020, Keaton appeared in The Trial of the Chicago 7. In 2021, he starred in the Netflix film Worth. In 2022, he briefly returned as Vulture in Morbius.

In 2023, Keaton played Batman/Bruce Wayne again in The Flash. He had not played the role since 1992. He also directed and starred in the thriller Knox Goes Away. In 2024, he returned as Betelgeuse in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

Personal Life and Interests

Keaton was married to Caroline McWilliams from 1982 to 1990. They have a son named Sean, who was born in 1983. Michael Keaton has two grandchildren through his son. He also had a relationship with actress Courteney Cox from 1990 to 1995.

Keaton is a big fan of Pittsburgh sports teams. He even made sure his Batman movie contract allowed him time off if the Pittsburgh Pirates made the playoffs. He often attends Pittsburgh Penguins hockey games and Pittsburgh Steelers football games. He also wrote a blog for ESPN about the Pirates baseball team in 2013.

In the 1980s, Keaton bought a ranch in Big Timber, Montana. He spends a lot of his time there. He loves fishing and has appeared on the fishing show Buccaneers & Bones.

Political Views and Activism

Keaton has supported political figures like Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and Joe Biden. He tries to be careful about when he gets involved in politics.

In 2019, he joined a PETA ad campaign. He asked tourists not to visit places that use animals for entertainment, like roadside zoos.

Awards and Recognition

Michael Keaton has won many awards. These include a Primetime Emmy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and several Screen Actors Guild Awards. He was also nominated for an Academy Award. The Hollywood Film Festival gave him a Career Achievement Award. He is also a visiting scholar at Carnegie Mellon University.