What's it all about, Michael?

Michael Caine on the set of his newest film, Shiner, with director John Irvin

After success at the Oscars and Baftas, Michael Caine's position as the elder statesman of British acting now seems assured.

Now 67, he has appeared in over 70 films since the 1950s. On Wednesday, he was honoured by stars from the showbiz world at a Variety Club lunch held in his honour.

It is a far cry from his upbringing in South London. Born Maurice Joseph Micklewhite on 14 March 1933, his family lived in extreme poverty.

1971's Get Carter is regarded as a film classic

He began acting as a teenager in a youth club, and joined a repertory company in Sussex in 1952 after serving his National Service in Korea.

He changed his name to Michael Caine, after his favourite movie The Caine Mutiny, and attempted to make it big.

Starting as an assistant stage manager, he went on to act in minor roles in TV plays and shows, including Dixon Of Dock Green.

In the late fifties and early sixties he appeared in a number of American films - mostly in uncredited roles - and in several television productions.

Zulu breakthrough

His breakthrough came with the 1964 film Zulu, in which he played an upper-crust lieutenant, despite his pronounced London accent.

The part which won him an Oscar: Caine in The Cider House Rules

Then in 1966 he played the eponymous lead in Alfie. It marked the first time a major film character had directly addressed the camera. Caine won a Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination for his protrayal of a cockney casanova.

He also found success between 1965 and 1967 by playing agent Harry Palmer in a trilogy of spy films: The Ipcress File, Funeral in Berlin and Billion Dollar Brain.

At the time, Caine was well known for a penchant for heavy drinking, and revelled in excess.

His next major role was in 1969, when he starred in The Italian Job as Charlie Croker, who masterminded an attempt to steal $4 million of gold.

First of all, I choose the great roles, and if none of these come, I choose the mediocre ones. If they don't come, I choose the ones that pay the rent.

Michael Caine

It was followed by 1971's Get Carter, in which he showcased some great character acting, playing the ruthless London gangster Jack Carter.

As the years went by he discarded his Cockney wide-boy image in favour of a more mature sophistication. He received Oscar nominations for Sleuth in 1972 and Educating Rita in 1983, both in the Best Actor category. He was also awarded a Golden Globe for Educating Rita.

Despite his recent praise, Michael Caine has not always starred in classics - many of his films were downright forgettable, such as the ill-fated Jaws 4.

He said: "First of all, I choose the great roles, and if none of these come, I choose the mediocre ones.

"If they don't come, I choose the ones that pay the rent."

Renaissance

Caine added: "It's much more difficult to act well in a bad film with a bad director than in any other type of movie.

"And it gives you great experience in taking care of yourself."

Winning a Golden Globe for Little Voice in 1999

In 1986 he won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, for his part in Woody Allen's Hannah and Her Sisters. His renaissance seemed assured - although he missed the awards to continue working on Jaws 4.

It took a few more years before the public really took him back to their hearts. Caine starred as Captain Nemo in the television series 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and his profile surfaced once again.

1998 saw Caine in the British film Little Voice, in which he appeared alongside Brenda Blethyn, Jane Horrocks and Ewan McGregor.

In the film, he sang a raging punk version of Roy Orbison's It's Over.

An adaptation of the play The Rise and Fall of Little Voice, the film was an unexpected success which saw Caine winning a Golden Globe award for his role as the agent Ray Say.

A bloody shirt in Shiner

The following year, he appeared in a big-screen adaptation of John Irving's novel The Cider House Rules. In the film, he adopted an American accent, which took him three months of voice coaching to master.

His performance as Dr Wilbur Larch garnered his second Oscar, for Best Supporting Actor.

Forthcoming roles will see Caine play a ghost who teaches James Spader the value of love in Curtain Call, and teaming up with Matthew Marsden and Martin Landau in Shiner.

These days he has added many more strings to his bow. He currently owns five restaurants in London and one in Miami.

He also has his own production company, and was awarded a CBE in 1993.

Caine once held a television masterclass on film acting, in which he advised young hopefuls to reduce every effort to an absolute minimum. Somehow it seems he's put in a bit more energy than he claims.