Actor Michael Caine's broad South London accent and pleasant but not beautiful face were hardly the makings of a matinee idol. Yet his long-running, amazingly prolific career stands as a testament to the curly-haired actor's remarkable skill and effort. Making his way on the British stage and television screens, Caine segued to features in 1956's "Hell in Korea" which was followed by several small appearances in British films throughout the late 1950s and early 60s. After proving his versatility with a breakthrough role as an upper-crust soldier in the war drama "Zulu" (1964), Caine starred in 1965's "The Ipcress File" as working-class spy Harry Palmer, based on espionage thrillers by Len Deighton. The antithesis of James Bond's ridiculous glamour, Palmer drank pints of beer, not shaken martinis and his mode of transport was a public bus, not a snappy sports car. Caine gave an exceptional performance, his matter-of-fact delivery perfectly suited for the part. He went on to reprise the character in two subsequent films, "Funeral in Berlin" (1966) and Ken Russell's "Billion Dollar Brain" (1967). Years later, Caine resurrected Palmer in the cable-aired Showtime originals "Bullet to Beijing" (1995) and "Midnight in St Petersburg" (1998).

While the Len Deighton mysteries won Caine sizable fame, it was "Alfie" (1966) that would succeed in making him a household name, forever associated with the ultimate bachelor in this swinging London-set tale of lechery. While an early effort from an actor with many more years of quality work to come, Caine's ability to evince cocky assuredness and a hint of self-doubt with just a look made his Oscar-nominated performance truly worthy of its legendary status. That same year he made his US film debut opposite Shirley MacLaine (at her request after admiring him in "The Ipcress File") in the enjoyable comic caper "Gambit" and in 1969 scored in the lively cult favorite "The Italian Job".

1972 saw Caine earn his second Best Actor Oscar nomination for his work in Joseph L Mankiewicz's acclaimed suspense drama "Sleuth", capably holding his own opposite acting giant Laurence Olivier. Ten years later, he would star with Christopher Reevein the similarly themed, palatable but less spectacular "Deathtrap". Caine successfully essayed a leading role alongside notables Sean Connery and Christopher Plummerin John Huston's epic adventure "The Man Who Would Be King" (1975), as an oddly likable con man done in by his and Connery's lofty ambitions. (The film also featured the actor's second wife, Shakira) That same year he starred opposite Sidney Poitieras men on the run in the South Africa-set political thriller "The Wilby Conspiracy", a pairing interestingly revisited in the 1997 TV-movie "Mandela and de Klerk" (Showtime), with the duo this time taking the title roles of the South African leaders. Caine finished out the 70s with less memorable roles in 1978's insect horror flick "The Swarm", the disaster sequel "Beyond the Poseidon Adventure" (1979) and was arguably wasted in Richard Attenborough's overly long 1977 war epic "A Bridge Too Far".

A challenging high profile role in Brian De Palma's stylized thriller "Dressed To Kill" (1980) was next, with Caine as a psychiatrist whose transvestitism proves, in all ways, an ugly sideline. 1983's "Educating Rita" earned the actor his third Best Actor Oscar nomination, and his realistic portrayal of alcoholic tutor Dr. Frank Bryant may have been his most memorable work in years. Caine finally picked up an Oscar in the Best Supporting Actor category for "Hannah and Her Sisters" (1986). He shone in Woody Allen's celebrated comedy as a pathetic rock star manager married to Mia Farrowbut engaged in an illicit liaison with her sister (Barbara Hershey). Neil Jordan's "Mona Lisa" that same year marked another stand out performance, cementing his status as an ever-reliable first-rate actor. As a contemptible mob boss in London, Caine gave a mesmerizing performance as the charming yet terrifying character. He debuted as executive producer with 1987's forgettable "The Fourth Protocol" (in which he also acted) and he would go on to produce very few films, instead opting to invest his fortune in restaurants, a pursuit he found more personally and financially rewarding. Two more strong performances followed in 1988, in the comedies "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" and "Without A Clue". Caine's engaging performance as a plotting con artist in the former carried an air of sophistication that fit nicely alongside co-star Steve Martin's broad antics, while the latter showed that he could pull off a buffoonish character with style. The actor put in good performances as completely disparate characters in the entertaining but unremarkable 1990 releases "A Shock to the System" and "Mr. Destiny".

This time period proved better for Caine on the small screen. Having made his US miniseries debut in the compelling "Jack the Ripper" (CBS, 1988), Caine went on to star as the troubled title characters in 1990's "Jekyll & Hyde" (ABC). He produced and starred in HBO's spy drama "Blue Ice" (1993). Other television projects of note include the actor's forceful take on Joseph Stalin (complete with respectable Russian accent) in the NBC miniseries "World War II: When Lions Roared" (1994), and his intriguing performance as the overzealous Captain Nemo in "Jules Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" (ABC, 1997).

Highly-regarded as pleasure to work with, both for his reliable performances and professional demeanor, Caine advised others on his craft with much referenced instructional acting book and videos, with a special aired on A&E in 1991. An entertaining as well as informative work, his wisdom featured gems including the now fabled advice that actors should never blink. He followed up with an autobiography entitled "What's It All About?" harking back to what may still be his best remembered role.

In 1992 Caine starred in "A Muppet Christmas Carol" with a wonderful self-mocking turn in the fine adaptation of the Dickens' holiday classic. If one mercifully overlooks the lackluster Steven Seagal vehicle "On Deadly Ground" (1994), Caine can be said to have made a most auspicious return to the big screen in his excellent but little seen performance as a ruthless safe-cracker in "Blood & Wine" (1996). Instead, Mark Herman's "Little Voice" (1998) would prove to be Caine's so-called comeback. As Ray Say, a Northern seaside town dwelling talent scout whose London accent divulges his washed up status, the actor gave a stand-out performance in a film brimming with exceptional acting. Always keeping Ray Say's pathetic desperation just below the surface until the end, Caine reached new heights in an already remarkable career. With a showstopping performance of "It's Over" that was nothing short of breathtaking, it was not surprising that the legendary actor should win that year's Golden Globe. In the midst of a virtual career renaissance, he was seen in 1999 in Lasse Hallstrom's moving John Irving adaptation "The Cider House Rules", playing a loveable orphanage-running abortionist replete with American accent. For this turn, the actor received his fifth career Oscar nomination and second award as Best Supporting Actor.

Caine continued to play a variety of roles both dramatic and comedic: appearing in 2002's "Austin Powers in Goldmember" he sent up his own early spy-film image by playing Nigel Powers, the equally randy father of Mike Myer's shagadellic secret agent; on the dramatic side, Caine also took on the role of a British journalist covering the earliest days of Vietnam's revolt against the French government--while also caught in a very personal love triangle--in the somber war film "The Quiet American" (2002) for which he received an Academy Award nomination as Best Actor for his compelling performance as a cynical yet romantic man who moves from watching on the sidelines to taking a personal stand in the conflict around him.