Academy Award-nominated actor Harvey Keitel was born on May 13, 1939 in Brooklyn, New York. He came to prominence early on in his career, by appearing in a number of films by the acclaimed Martin Scorsese. Keitel worked in theater for about ten years of his life, and later ventured into acting on television and films. He was a member of the Actors’ Studio, even studying his profession under Frank Corsaro, Lee Strasberg and Stella Adler. He didn’t initially want to become an actor, but had signed on for the U.S. Marines when he was 16. He later worked as a court reporter before he began his career in acting by starring in many off-Broadway productions.
Harvey Keitel is a big supporter of works from then first-time directors. He met Scorsese while both of them were still starting in the business, and have since then worked together on numerous projects. Some of Keitel’s notable appearances in the director’s films are in Mean Streets in 1973 and Taxi Driver in 1976. After a career slump during the 1970s, Keitel was cast in many sinister parts, such as those for films by Ridley Scott. He later found plenty of work on stage and on the big screen, but found himself stereotyped in the role of a thug. In 1992, he was cast in Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs, which became his breakthrough into the industry. He also starred in Thelma & Louise, and landed a role in Bugsy. His performance earned him an Academy
Award nomination for Best Actor, which allowed him to broaden his acting range. His later, more acclaimed performances were seen in films like Bad Lieutenant, The Piano, and Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction. Some of his other appearances include those in From Dusk Till Dawn, Cop Land with Sylvester Stallone and Robert De Niro and Little Nicky with Adam Sandler. Keitel also boasts of many television appearances, including a stint on Saturday Night Live. In 2008, he was cast as Detective Gene Hunt on the ABC series Life on Mars. Keitel has also been honored with a Stanislavsky Award in 2002, due to his outstanding acting achievements.