Michael Caine is a retired English actor who has appeared in over 130 films and has had multiple television appearances. Caine's acting career began in the 1950s, when he was cast in many small, often uncredited roles in British films. Caine gained recognition as one of the most famous actors of the 1960s through his breakthrough role in the film Zulu (1964). He then portrayed spy Harry Palmer in the films The Ipcress File (1965), Funeral in Berlin (1966) and Billion Dollar Brain (1967). He also had starring roles in The Italian Job and Battle of Britain (both 1969).
His role in Sleuth (1972) led him to an Academy Award for Best Actor nomination. Caine has won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for the films Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) and The Cider House Rules (1999). More recently, Caine has gained a new following through his collaborations with British-American filmmaker Christopher Nolan in The Dark Knight Trilogy films, as well as The Prestige (2006), Inception (2010), Interstellar (2014), Dunkirk (2017) and Tenet (2020). Caine announced his retirement from acting in October 2023.
Film Year Title Role Director Notes1950Morning DepartureTeaboyHarold ClaytonUncredited 1956 Panic in the Parlour Sailor Gordon Parry A Hill in Korea Private Lockyer Julian Amyes Originally titled Hell in Korea1957 The Steel Bayonet Caine Michael Carreras Uncredited How to Murder a Rich Uncle Gilrony Nigel Patrick 1958 A Woman of Mystery Minor Role Ernest Morris Uncredited Carve Her Name with Pride Thirsty Prisoner on Train Lewis Gilbert The Key Bit part Carol Reed Blind Spot Johnny Brent Peter Maxwell The Two-Headed Spy Gestapo Agent Andre De Toth Passport to Shame Bridegroom Alvin Rakoff Also titled Room 43 1959 Danger Within Prisoner with Pin-Up Don Chaffey Uncredited1960 Foxhole in Cairo Weber John Llewellyn Moxey The Bulldog Breed Sailor in Cinema Fight Robert Asher Uncredited 1961 The Day the Earth Caught Fire Checkpoint Policeman Val Guest 1962 Solo for Sparrow Paddy Mooney Gordon Flemyng 1963 The Wrong Arm of the Law Police Station PC Cliff Owen Uncredited 1964 Zulu Lt. Gonville Bromhead Cy Endfield 1965 The Ipcress File Harry Palmer Sidney J. Furie 1966 Alfie Alfie Elkins Lewis Gilbert Nominated - Academy Award for Best Actor The Wrong Box Michael Finsbury Bryan Forbes Gambit Harry Tristan Dean Ronald Neame Funeral in Berlin Harry Palmer Guy Hamilton 1967 Hurry Sundown Henry Warren Otto Preminger Woman Times Seven Handsome Stranger Vittorio De Sica Segment: "Snow" Billion Dollar Brain Harry Palmer Ken Russell 1968 Deadfall Henry Stuart Clarke Bryan Forbes The Magus Nicholas Urfe Guy Green 1969 Play Dirty Captain Douglas Andre De Toth The Italian Job Charlie Croker Peter Collinson Also contributed to soundtrack. Vocals on "Getta Bloomin' Move On!" Battle of Britain Squadron Leader Canfield Guy Hamilton 1970 Too Late the Hero Pvt. Tosh Hearne Robert Aldrich Simon, Simon Himself Graham Stark Short film1971 Get Carter Jack Carter Mike Hodges The Last Valley The Captain James Clavell Kidnapped Alan Breck Delbert Mann 1972 X Y & Zee Robert Blakeley Brian G. Hutton Pulp Mickey King Mike Hodges Sleuth Milo Tindle Joseph L. Mankiewicz Nominated - Academy Award for Best Actor1974 The Black Windmill Major John Tarrant Don Siegel The Marseille Contract John Deray Robert Parrish Released in the U.S. as The Destructors1975 The Wilby Conspiracy Jim Keogh Ralph Nelson The Romantic Englishwoman Lewis Fielding Joseph Losey The Man Who Would Be King Peachy Carnehan John Huston 1976 Peeper Leslie C. Tucker Peter Hyams Harry and Walter Go to New York Adam Worth Mark Rydell The Eagle Has Landed Colonel Kurt Steiner John Sturges 1977 A Bridge Too Far Joe Vandeleur Richard Attenborough 1978 Silver Bears Doc Fletcher Ivan Passer The Swarm Dr. Bradford Crane Irwin Allen California Suite Sidney Cochran Herbert Ross 1979 Ashanti Dr. David Linderby Richard Fleischer Beyond the Poseidon Adventure Captain Mike Turner Irwin Allen 1980 Dressed to Kill Dr. Robert Elliott Brian De Palma The Island Blair Maynard Michael Ritchie 1981 The Hand Jonathan Lansdale Oliver Stone Escape to Victory Captain John Colby John Huston 1982 Deathtrap Sidney Bruhl Sidney Lumet 1983 Educating Rita Dr. Frank Bryant Lewis Gilbert Nominated - Academy Award for Best Actor The Honorary Consul Charley Fortnum, Consul John Mackenzie The Jigsaw Man Philip Kimberly / Sergei Kuzminsky Terence Young Monty Python's The Meaning of Life Soldier Terry Jones Uncredited 1984 Blame It on Rio Matthew Hollins Stanley Donen 1985 Water Governor Baxter Thwaites Dick Clement The Holcroft Covenant Noel Holcroft John Frankenheimer 1986 Hannah and Her Sisters Elliot Woody Allen Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor Sweet Liberty Elliott James Alan Alda Mona Lisa Mortwell Neil Jordan Half Moon Street Lord Sam Bulbeck Bob Swaim The Whistle Blower Frank Jones Simon Langton 1987 The Fourth Protocol John Preston John Mackenzie Also executive producer Jaws: The Revenge Hoagie Newcombe Joseph Sargent Surrender Sean Stein Jerry Belson 1988 Without a Clue Sherlock Holmes / Reginald Kincaid Thom Eberhardt Dirty Rotten Scoundrels Lawrence Jamieson Frank Oz 1990 A Shock to the System Graham Marshall Jan Egleson Mr. Destiny Mike / Mr. Destiny James Orr Bullseye Sidney Lipton / Doctor Hicklar Michael Winner 1992 Noises Off Lloyd Fellowes Peter Bogdanovich Blue Ice Harry Anders Russell Mulcahy Also producer The Muppet Christmas Carol Ebenezer Scrooge Brian Henson 1994 On Deadly Ground Michael Jennings Steven Seagal 1996 Blood and Wine Victor 'Vic' Spansky Bob Rafelson 1998 Shadow Run Haskell Geoffrey Reeve Curtain Call Max Gale Peter Yates Little Voice Ray Say Mark Herman 1999 The Cider House Rules Dr. Wilbur Larch Lasse Hallström Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor The Debtors Addict Evi Quaid 2000 Quills Dr. Royer-Collard Philip Kaufman Shiner Billy 'Shiner' Simpson John Irvin Get Carter Cliff Brumby Stephen Kay Miss Congeniality Victor Melling Donald Petrie 2001 Last Orders Jack Fred Schepisi 2002 Austin Powers in Goldmember Nigel Powers Jay Roach The Quiet American Thomas Fowler Phillip Noyce Nominated - Academy Award for Best Actor2003 Quicksand Jake Mellows John Mackenzie The Actors O'Malley Conor McPherson Secondhand Lions Garth Tim McCanlies The Statement Pierre Brossard Norman Jewison 2004 Around the Bend Henry Lair Jordan Roberts 2005 Batman Begins Alfred Pennyworth Christopher Nolan First collaboration with Nolan Bewitched Nigel Bigelow Nora Ephron The Weather Man Robert Spritzel Gore Verbinski 2006 Children of Men Jasper Alfonso Cuarón The Prestige John Cutter Christopher Nolan 2007 Flawless Mr. Hobbs Michael Radford Sleuth Andrew Wyke Kenneth Branagh 2008 The Dark Knight Alfred Pennyworth Christopher Nolan Is Anybody There? Clarence John Crowley 2009 Harry Brown Harry Brown Daniel Barber 2010 Inception Professor Stephen Miles Christopher Nolan 2011 Gnomeo & Juliet Lord Redbrick Kelly Asbury Voice Cars 2 Finn McMissile John Lasseter 2012 Journey 2: The Mysterious Island Alexander Anderson Brad Peyton The Dark Knight Rises Alfred Pennyworth Christopher Nolan 2013 Now You See Me Arthur Tressler Louis Leterrier Mr. Morgan's Last Love Matthew Morgan Sandra Nettelbeck 2014 Stonehearst Asylum Dr. Benjamin Salt Brad Anderson Interstellar Professor John Brand Christopher Nolan 2015 Kingsman: The Secret Service Arthur / Chester King Matthew Vaughn Youth Fred Ballinger Paolo Sorrentino The Last Witch Hunter Father Dolan Breck Eisner 2016 Now You See Me 2 Arthur Tressler Jon M. Chu 2017 Going in Style Joe Harding Zach Braff Dunkirk Fortis Leader Christopher Nolan Uncredited voice cameo My Generation Himself David Batty Documentary film2018 Dear Dictator General Anton Vincent Lisa Addario & Joe Syracuse Sherlock Gnomes Lord Redbrick John Stevenson Voice King of Thieves Brian Reader James Marsh 2020 Come Away Charlie Brenda Chapman Four Kids and It The Psammead Andy De Emmony Voice Tenet Sir Michael Crosby Christopher Nolan2021 Twist Fagin Martin Owen Best Sellers Harris Shaw Lina Roessler 2022 Medieval Lord Boresh Petr Jákl 2023 The Great Escaper Bernard Jordan Oliver Parker Final film role
Television Year Title Role Notes1956 The Adventures of Sir Lancelot Third Knight Credited as Michael ScottEpisode: "The Magic Sword" Sunday Night Theatre Boudousse Episode: "The Lark"1957 Blood Money Fighter Sunday Night Theatre Episode: "Requiem for a Heavyweight" Dixon of Dock Green Indian pedlar Episode: "A Penn'orth of Allsorts"1958 Navy Log Soldier No. 1 Episode: "The Field" The Vise Folsham Episode: "The Sucker Game" Sunday Night Theatre Third P.C. Episode: "The Frog" The Adventures of William Tell Max Episode: "The Prisoner" Dixon of Dock Green Brocklehurst Episode: "Bracelets for the Groom"1959 Television Playwright Exterior Guard Episode: "The Dark Side of the Earth"Dixon of Dock Green Tufty Morris Episode: "Helmet on the Sideboard" The Adventures of William Tell Sgt. Weinar Episode: "The General's Daughter"1960 Deadline Midnight Ted Drake Episode 1.5 No Wreath for the General Second Police Constable 1961 The Compartment Young Man Walk a Crooked Mile Police constable Miniseries Armchair Theatre Helmsman Episode: "The Ship That Couldn't Stop" The Younger Generation Ray the Raver Episode: "Goodbye Charlie" ITV Play of the Week PC Wimbush UncreditedEpisode: "Ring of Truth"1962 The Edgar Wallace Mystery Theatre Paddy Mooney Episode: "Solo for Sparrow" ITV Play of the Week Willie Mossop Episode: "Hobson's Choice" 1963 First Night Johnny / Reggie Downes Episodes: "Funny Noises with Their Mouths" and "The Way with Reggie" 1964 ITV Play of the Week George Grant Episode: "The Other Man" Hamlet Horatio1969 Male of the Species Cornelius ITV Saturday Night Theatre Episode: "Cornelius" 1988 Jack the Ripper Chief Insp. Frederick Abberline Winner - Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Miniseries or Television Film 1990 Jekyll & Hyde Dr Henry Jekyll / Mr Edward Hyde Nominated - Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Miniseries or Television Film 1994 World War II: When Lions Roared Joseph Stalin Documentary 1995 Bullet to Beijing Harry Palmer Television film 1996 Midnight in Saint Petersburg 1997 Mandela and de Klerk F.W. de Klerk Nominated - Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Miniseries or Television Film 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Captain Nemo 2003Freedom: A History of Us William Pitt (voice) Episode: "Independence" The Rev. John Cotton (voice) Episode: "Liberty for All" Lord Cornwallis (voice) Episode: "Revolution" Edward Everett (voice) Episode: "Wake Up America" William Wood (voice) Episode: "Working for Freedom" Newspaper Editor (voice) Episode: "Yearning to Breathe Free"
Theatre +YearTitleRoleNotes1963Next Time I'll Sing to YouMeffCriterion Theatre and New Arts Theatre
Video games Year Title Role 2005 Batman Begins Alfred Pennyworth2015GivingTalesLittle Claus, Big Claus
Note: in The Italian Job (2001 video game), Caine's voice (as Charlie Croker) was impersonated by Phil Cornwell.
Box office ranking At his peak, exhibitors voted Michael Caine one of the most popular stars at the box office: 1966 – 2nd (UK) 1967 – 15th (US) 1969 – 3rd (UK) 1970 – 8th (UK) 1971 – 4th (UK)
See also List of awards and nominations received by Michael Caine
References
External links