Michael Caine Biography

Born Maurice Joseph Micklewhite, he later took the screen name Michael Caine. He is one of the most famous English actors of the post war period starring in over 100 films.

He began acting in the 1950s and rose to fame with his appearance as an upper class English officer in the epic film Zulu. Zulu told of the epic siege by thousands of Zulu warriors against a British outpost. Fighting to the death, the British managed to hold out against the massed assault of the Zulus.

Another iconic film of the 1960s was the 'Italian Job' Michael Caine led a group of English gangsters to take part in an audacious robbery of gold from Italy. It is famous for the chase scenes involving Mini Coopers and the film was later remade.

In the 1980s, Michael Caine moved to America where he continued to star in many films. However, many films he made in this period were flops. He later admitted to being motivated by money rather than the quality of the film.

However, in 1984 he won the golden globe award for his role in Educating Rita.

He was made a CBE in 1992.