Sir Maurice Joseph Micklewhite, Jr. was born in South London on March 14, 1933 to a father who was a fish-porter and a mother who worked as a charwoman. The family lived in a poverty stricken area of London until the World War II where the mother and two sons were evacuated to rural Norfolk. Caine attended school until the age of 16 and then went on to serve with the British Army as a private during the Korean War.

Caine was knighted in November of 2000 under his real name, Maurice Micklewhite, Jr., and has been married twice. His first wife he met while he was working as an assistant stage manager for Horsham Repertory Company in Sussex. He and Patricia Haines had one daughter. Years later, he would meet his second and current wife, Shakira Baksh (Miss Guyana finalist). They were married in 1973 and have one daughter.

Caine's foray into acting came on the heels of his landing a job as assistant stage manager with the Hosham Repertory Company in Sussex. He answered a ad in "The Stage" and was awarded the position not long after his return from his stint in the army. Caine seemed to just naturally move from assistant stage manager to actor and upon doing so he just naturally relieved himself of his last name of Micklewhite. For awhile Caine was known as Michael Scott and after the release of the move "The Caine Mutiny"(1954) he changed his name again to Michael Caine.

For a long time Caine survived in the acting business in London by accepting bit parts in a series of TV and stage performances. Caine didn't become an international star (which seemed to happen overnight) until his roles in "Alfie"(1966) (which lead to an Oscar nomination) and as the master spy Harry Palmer in "The Ipcress File" (1965), "Funeral in Berlin", and "The Wrong Box "(both 1966). Caine's first Oscar came as a result of his role in Woody Allen's Hannah and Her Sisters (1986, winning a Best Supporting Actor Oscar). He also received a nomination for an Oscar with his role in "Educating Rita"(1983). His most recent Oscar for Best Supporting Actor came with his portrayal as an abortionist in "The Cider House Rules"(1999). In addition to the Oscars, Caine has won a number of other awards for his work.

Caine hasn't limited his interests to acting. He is an established and successful restaurant owner and has written two books. He also owns his own production company. Though Caine's career has seen its ups and downs, he is now at the point where he can pick and choose his acting jobs.