Michael Keaton
Encyclopedia
Michael John Douglas better known by the stage name Michael Keaton, is an American
actor
known for his early comedic roles, most notably his performance as the title character of Tim Burton
's Beetlejuice
(1988). Keaton is also famous for his dramatic portrayal of Bruce Wayne/Batman
in Tim Burton's Batman
(1989) and Batman Returns
(1992). He has since appeared in various other films, including Pixar
's Cars
(2006) and Toy Story 3
(2010).
, and lived in Robinson Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. His father, George A. Douglas, worked as a civil engineer and surveyor
, and his mother, Leona Elizabeth (née Loftus), a homemaker
, came from a Scots-Irish community in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania
. Keaton was raised in a large Catholic family and attended Montour High School
in Pennsylvania
. He studied speech for two years at Kent State
before dropping out and moving to Pittsburgh.
led Keaton to working as a TV cameraman at public television station WQED (TV)
in Pittsburgh. Keaton first appeared on TV in the Pittsburgh-based public television programs, including "Where the Heart Is" and Mister Rogers' Neighborhood
(1975), as one of the "Flying Zucchini Brothers." He also served as a full-time production assistant
on the show. (In 2004, following Fred Rogers' death, Keaton hosted the PBS memorial tribute program, Fred Rogers: Everybody's Favorite Neighbor.) Keaton also worked as an actor in Pittsburgh theatre
; he played the role of Rick in the Pittsburgh premiere of David Rabe's Sticks and Bones
with the Pittsburgh Poor Players.
Keaton left Pittsburgh and moved to Los Angeles
to begin auditioning for various TV parts. He popped up in various popular TV shows including Maude
and The Mary Tyler Moore Hour
. Around this time Keaton decided to use an alternative surname to avoid confusion with well-known actor Michael Douglas
and daytime host Mike Douglas, as well as satisfying SAG
rules, and after reading an article on actress Diane Keaton
, he decided on "Michael Keaton."
His next key break was working alongside James Belushi
in the short-lived comedy series Working Stiffs
, which showcased his comedic talent and led to a co-starring role in the comedy Night Shift
directed by Ron Howard
. His role as the hilariously fast-talking schemer Bill "Blaze" Blazejowski alongside Henry Winkler
's nerdish morgue attendant earned Keaton some critical acclaim, and he scored leads in the subsequent comedy hits Mr. Mom
, Johnny Dangerously
, and Gung Ho
.
Keaton's role as the title character in Tim Burton
's 1988 horror-comedy Beetlejuice
, which co-starred Alec Baldwin
, Geena Davis
, Catherine O'Hara
, and Winona Ryder
, earned Keaton widespread acclaim and boosted him to movieland's A-list. He originally turned down the title role in Beetlejuice but later reconsidered. Keaton now considers Beetlejuice his favorite of his own films. That same year, Keaton also gave an acclaimed dramatic performance as a drug-addicted businessman in Clean and Sober
. Newsweek
featured him in a story during this time.
superhero
of the 1989 blockbuster Batman
. Burton cast him because he thought that Keaton was the only actor who could believably portray someone who has the kind of darkly obsessive personality that the character demands. Warner Bros.
received thousands of letters of complaint by fans commenting that Keaton was the wrong choice to portray Batman, given his prior work in comedies and the fact that he lacked the suave, handsome features and tall, muscular physicality often attributed to the character in the comic books. However, Keaton's dramatic performance earned widespread acclaim from critics and audiences alike, and Batman became one of the most successful films of the year.
According to Keaton, he wasn't surprised when he was first considered as Batman, as he initially believed the film would be similar to the campy 1960s Batman TV series
starring Adam West
. It was only after Burton introduced Keaton to Frank Miller
's comic book mini-series Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
that Keaton really understood the dark and brooding side of Batman that he portrayed to much fan approval. Keaton later reprised his role in the sequel Batman Returns
(1992), which was another critically acclaimed success, though also controversial for being darker than the previous film.
He was initially set to return again for Warner Bros.' third Batman film, even going as far as to show up for costume fitting. However, when Burton was dropped as director of the film, Keaton left the franchise. He was reportedly dissatisfied with the screenplay approved by the new director, Joel Schumacher
, which Keaton considered to be too light-hearted in tone than the previous films. According to the A&E
Biography episode on Keaton, after he had refused the first time (after meetings with Schumacher), Warner Bros. offered him $15,000,000, but Keaton steadfastly refused. He was subsequently replaced by Val Kilmer
in Batman Forever
(1995) and by George Clooney
in Batman & Robin (1997). While Batman Forever was more commercially successful than Batman Returns, Batman & Robin was critically panned and failed to outgross any of the previous films. The franchise was then given a break until the release of Batman Begins
(2005), a reboot directed by Christopher Nolan
and starring Christian Bale
, which returned Batman to the darker atmosphere that Burton and Keaton's films had similarly featured.
, One Good Cop
, My Life
, and the star-studded Shakespearian story Much Ado About Nothing
. He also starred in another Ron Howard film, The Paper
, as well as with Andie MacDowell
in Multiplicity
and twice in the same role, Elmore Leonard
character Agent Ray Nicolette, in Jackie Brown
and Out of Sight
. The actor also made the family holiday movie Jack Frost
and the thriller Desperate Measures.
Keaton starred as a political candidate's speechwriter in 1994's Speechless
with Geena Davis
(his co-star in Beetlejuice
) and Christopher Reeve
(who, like Keaton, also portrayed a famous DC Comics
superhero on film; Superman
).
Since 2000, Keaton has appeared in several films with mixed success including Live From Baghdad
for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe award, First Daughter
, White Noise
, and Herbie: Fully Loaded
. While he continued to receive good notices from the critics (particularly for Jackie Brown), he was not able to approach the box-office success of Batman until the release of Disney/Pixar
's Cars
(2006), in which he voiced the character Chick Hicks. On New Years Day of 2004, he hosted the PBS
TV special Mr. Rogers: America's Favorite Neighbor. It was released by Triumph Marketing LLC
on DVD September 28 that year.
In 2006, Keaton starred in an independent film called Game 6
, a semi-thriller based around the infamous 1986 World Series
bid by the Boston Red Sox
. He had a cameo in the Tenacious D
short film, Time Fixers, an iTunes
exclusive. The 9-minute film was released to coincide with Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny. Keaton was announced to be the lead in Media 8 Entertainment
's film Reaper, a supernatural thriller. He reportedly agreed to star as John Target in the Matt Evans
scripted No Rule To Make Target, and he has directed a drama, The Merry Gentleman
.
Keaton reportedly was cast as Dr. Jack Shephard in the series Lost
, with the understanding that the role of Jack would be a brief one. Once the role was retooled to be a long-running series regular, Keaton withdrew. The part was then given to actor Matthew Fox
. The show ran for six seasons, with the Jack Shephard role continuing throughout.
Keaton starred in the 2007 TV mini-series The Company
, set during the Cold War
, in which he portrayed the real-life CIA counterintelligence chief James Jesus Angleton
. The role garnered Keaton a 2008 SAG nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries. The Company also starred Chris O'Donnell
, who portrayed Batman's crime fighting sidekick Robin
(who was absent from the Batman films Keaton starred in) in Batman Forever and Batman & Robin.
Keaton most recently provided the voice of Ken in Toy Story 3
(2010). The movie received overwhelmingly positive acclaim and grossed over $1 billion worldwide, making it one of the most financially successful films ever. He announced in June 2010 his interest in returning for a Beetlejuice
sequel. He also played the minor role of Captain Gene Mauch in the comedy The Other Guys
.
In February 2011, Keaton was the subject of a light-hearted spoof at The Onion
, which jested that 87 percent of feature-length motion pictures would be significantly improved by the addition of the 59-year-old film and television actor.
from 1982 until 1990. They have one son, Sean Maxwell (born May 27, 1983). He also had a six-year relationship with actress Courteney Cox
from 1989 to 1995.
Keaton is a big Pittsburgh Pirates
fan being a native from the area. He even went so far as to negotiate a break in his Batman movie contract in case the Pirates made the playoffs that year. He is also a die hard Pittsburgh Steelers
fan. An avid fisherman, Keaton can be seen on the saltwater fishing series Buccaneers & Bones on Outdoor Channel, along with Tom Brokaw
, Zach Gilford
, Thomas McGuane
, and Yvon Chouinard
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
known for his early comedic roles, most notably his performance as the title character of Tim Burton
Tim Burton
Timothy William "Tim" Burton is an American film director, film producer, writer and artist. He is famous for dark, quirky-themed movies such as Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, Corpse Bride and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet...
's Beetlejuice
Beetlejuice
Beetlejuice is a 1988 American comedy horror film directed by Tim Burton, produced by The Geffen Film Company and distributed by Warner Bros...
(1988). Keaton is also famous for his dramatic portrayal of Bruce Wayne/Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
in Tim Burton's Batman
Batman (1989 film)
Batman is a 1989 superhero film based on the DC Comics character of the same name, directed by Tim Burton. The film stars Michael Keaton in the title role, as well as Jack Nicholson, Kim Basinger, Robert Wuhl and Jack Palance...
(1989) and Batman Returns
Batman Returns
Batman Returns is a 1992 American superhero film directed by Tim Burton. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, it is the sequel to Burton's Batman , and features Michael Keaton reprising the title role, with Danny DeVito as the Penguin and Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman.Burton originally did not...
(1992). He has since appeared in various other films, including Pixar
Pixar
Pixar Animation Studios, pronounced , is an American computer animation film studio based in Emeryville, California. The studio has earned 26 Academy Awards, seven Golden Globes, and three Grammy Awards, among many other awards and acknowledgments. Its films have made over $6.3 billion worldwide...
's Cars
Cars (film)
Cars is a 2006 American animated family film produced by Pixar and directed by John Lasseter and co-directed by Joe Ranft. It is the seventh Disney·Pixar feature film, and Pixar's final, independently-produced motion picture before its purchase by Disney...
(2006) and Toy Story 3
Toy Story 3
Toy Story 3 is a 2010 American 3D computer-animated comedy-adventure film, and the third installment in the Toy Story series. It was produced by Pixar and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It was directed by Lee Unkrich. The film was released worldwide from June through October in Disney Digital...
(2010).
Early life
Keaton, the youngest of seven children, was born in Coraopolis, PennsylvaniaCoraopolis, Pennsylvania
Coraopolis is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA. The population was 5,677 at the 2010 census. In 1940 the population peaked at 11,086. It is a small community located to the west of Pittsburgh, along the Ohio River and to the east of the Pittsburgh International Airport...
, and lived in Robinson Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. His father, George A. Douglas, worked as a civil engineer and surveyor
Surveying
See Also: Public Land Survey SystemSurveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional position of points and the distances and angles between them...
, and his mother, Leona Elizabeth (née Loftus), a homemaker
Homemaker
Homemaking is a mainly American term for the management of a home, otherwise known as housework, housekeeping or household management...
, came from a Scots-Irish community in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania
McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania
McKees Rocks, also known as "The Rocks", is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, along the south bank of the Ohio River. The borough population was 6,104 at the 2010 census.In the past, it was known for its extensive iron and steel interests...
. Keaton was raised in a large Catholic family and attended Montour High School
Montour High School
Montour High School is a public high school located at 223 Clever Road in Robinson Township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. The only high school for the Montour School District, it serves the suburban towns of Kennedy and Robinson Townships, and the boroughs of Ingram, Pennsbury Village, and...
in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. He studied speech for two years at Kent State
Kent State University
Kent State University is a public research university located in Kent, Ohio, United States. The university has eight campuses around the northeast Ohio region with the main campus in Kent being the largest...
before dropping out and moving to Pittsburgh.
Early career
An unsuccessful attempt at stand-up comedyStand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy is a comedic art form. Usually, a comedian performs in front of a live audience, speaking directly to them. Their performances are sometimes filmed for later release via DVD, the internet, and television...
led Keaton to working as a TV cameraman at public television station WQED (TV)
WQED (TV)
WQED is a Public Broadcasting Service member Public television station based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Established April 1, 1954, it was the first community-sponsored television station in the United States as well as the fifth public TV station...
in Pittsburgh. Keaton first appeared on TV in the Pittsburgh-based public television programs, including "Where the Heart Is" and Mister Rogers' Neighborhood
Mister Rogers' Neighborhood
Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, also known as Mister Rogers, is an American children's television series that was created and hosted by Fred Rogers. The series is aimed primarily at preschool ages, 2-5, but has been stated by Public Broadcasting Service as "appropriate for all ages"...
(1975), as one of the "Flying Zucchini Brothers." He also served as a full-time production assistant
Production assistant
A production assistant, also known as a PA, is a job title used in filmmaking and television for a person responsible for various aspects of a production...
on the show. (In 2004, following Fred Rogers' death, Keaton hosted the PBS memorial tribute program, Fred Rogers: Everybody's Favorite Neighbor.) Keaton also worked as an actor in Pittsburgh theatre
Theatre in Pittsburgh
Theatre in Pittsburgh has existed professionally since the early 1800s and has continued to expand, having emerged as an important cultural force in the city over the past 30 years.-History:...
; he played the role of Rick in the Pittsburgh premiere of David Rabe's Sticks and Bones
Sticks and Bones
Sticks and Bones is a 1971 play by David Rabe. The black comedy focuses on David, a blind Vietnam War veteran who finds himself unable to come to terms with his actions on the battlefield and alienated from his family because they neither can accept his disability nor understand his wartime...
with the Pittsburgh Poor Players.
Keaton left Pittsburgh and moved to Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
to begin auditioning for various TV parts. He popped up in various popular TV shows including Maude
Maude (TV series)
Maude was an American television sitcom that was originally broadcast on the CBS network from September 12, 1972 until April 22, 1978.Maude starred Beatrice Arthur as Maude Findlay, an outspoken, middle-aged, politically liberal woman living in suburban Tuckahoe, Westchester County, New York with...
and The Mary Tyler Moore Hour
The Mary Tyler Moore Hour
The Mary Tyler Moore Hour was a television series broadcast by CBS in the spring of 1979.Like her first series, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Moore's eponymous sitcom, The Mary Tyler Moore Show , had been highly-rated, critically acclaimed, and the recipient of many Emmy Awards...
. Around this time Keaton decided to use an alternative surname to avoid confusion with well-known actor Michael Douglas
Michael Douglas
Michael Kirk Douglas is an American actor and producer, primarily in movies and television. He has won three Golden Globes and two Academy Awards; first as producer of 1975's Best Picture, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and as Best Actor in 1987 for his role in Wall Street. Douglas received the...
and daytime host Mike Douglas, as well as satisfying SAG
Screen Actors Guild
The Screen Actors Guild is an American labor union representing over 200,000 film and television principal performers and background performers worldwide...
rules, and after reading an article on actress Diane Keaton
Diane Keaton
Diane Keaton is an American film actress, director, producer, and screenwriter. Keaton began her career on stage, and made her screen debut in 1970...
, he decided on "Michael Keaton."
His next key break was working alongside James Belushi
James Belushi
James Adam "Jim" Belushi is an American actor, comedian, and musician. He is the younger brother of comic actor John Belushi.-Early life:Belushi was born in Chicago...
in the short-lived comedy series Working Stiffs
Working Stiffs (TV series)
Working Stiffs is a short-lived 1979 television series which starred James Belushi and Michael Keaton as brothers Ernie and Mike O'Rourke. The pair were janitors who aspired to work their way up in the field of business. The brothers worked in an office building owned by their Uncle Harry...
, which showcased his comedic talent and led to a co-starring role in the comedy Night Shift
Night Shift (film)
Night Shift is a 1982 comedy film, one of Ron Howard's earliest directorial efforts. It stars Howard's Happy Days co-star Henry Winkler along with Michael Keaton, in his first starring role, and Shelley Long, who later in the year would star as Diane Chambers in the popular sitcom Cheers. Also...
directed by Ron Howard
Ron Howard
Ronald William "Ron" Howard is an American actor, director, and producer. He came to prominence as a child actor, playing Opie Taylor in the sitcom The Andy Griffith Show for eight years, and later the teenaged Richie Cunningham in the sitcom Happy Days for six years...
. His role as the hilariously fast-talking schemer Bill "Blaze" Blazejowski alongside Henry Winkler
Henry Winkler
Henry Franklin Winkler, OBE is an American actor, director, producer, and author.Winkler is best known for his role as Fonzie on the 1970s American sitcom Happy Days...
's nerdish morgue attendant earned Keaton some critical acclaim, and he scored leads in the subsequent comedy hits Mr. Mom
Mr. Mom
Mr. Mom is a 1983 American comedy-drama film directed by Stan Dragoti and written by John Hughes about a stay-at-home dad. The film stars Michael Keaton, Teri Garr, Jeffrey Tambor, Christopher Lloyd, and Martin Mull.-Plot:...
, Johnny Dangerously
Johnny Dangerously
Johnny Dangerously is a 1984 comedy spoof of 1930s' crime/gangster movies. It was directed by Amy Heckerling; its four screenwriters included Bernie Kukoff and Jeff Harris, both of whom previously created the hit TV series Diff'rent Strokes...
, and Gung Ho
Gung Ho (film)
Gung Ho is a 1986 Ron Howard comedy film, released by Paramount Pictures, and starring Michael Keaton and Gedde Watanabe. The film's story portrayed the takeover of an American car plant by a Japanese corporation...
.
Keaton's role as the title character in Tim Burton
Tim Burton
Timothy William "Tim" Burton is an American film director, film producer, writer and artist. He is famous for dark, quirky-themed movies such as Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, Corpse Bride and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet...
's 1988 horror-comedy Beetlejuice
Beetlejuice
Beetlejuice is a 1988 American comedy horror film directed by Tim Burton, produced by The Geffen Film Company and distributed by Warner Bros...
, which co-starred Alec Baldwin
Alec Baldwin
Alexander Rae "Alec" Baldwin III is an American actor who has appeared on film, stage, and television.Baldwin first gained recognition through television for his work in the soap opera Knots Landing in the role of Joshua Rush. He was a cast member for two seasons before his character was killed off...
, Geena Davis
Geena Davis
Virginia Elizabeth "Geena" Davis is an American actress, film producer, writer, former fashion model, and a women's Olympics archery team semi-finalist...
, Catherine O'Hara
Catherine O'Hara
Catherine Anne O'Hara is a Canadian-American actress and comedienne. She is well known for her comedy work on SCTV, and her roles in the films After Hours, Beetlejuice, Home Alone, and The Nightmare Before Christmas, and also in the mockumentary films written and directed by Christopher Guest...
, and Winona Ryder
Winona Ryder
Winona Ryder is an American actress. She made her film debut in the 1986 film Lucas. Ryder's first significant role came in Tim Burton's Beetlejuice as a goth teenager, which won her critical and commercial recognition...
, earned Keaton widespread acclaim and boosted him to movieland's A-list. He originally turned down the title role in Beetlejuice but later reconsidered. Keaton now considers Beetlejuice his favorite of his own films. That same year, Keaton also gave an acclaimed dramatic performance as a drug-addicted businessman in Clean and Sober
Clean and Sober
Clean and Sober is a 1988 American drama film directed by Glenn Gordon Caron starring Michael Keaton as a real estate agent and his trouble with substance abuse. This film was a dramatic departure from comedies for Keaton. The cast also includes Kathy Baker, M...
. Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
featured him in a story during this time.
Batman
Keaton's career was given another major boost when he was again cast by Tim Burton, this time as the title comic bookComic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
superhero
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
of the 1989 blockbuster Batman
Batman (1989 film)
Batman is a 1989 superhero film based on the DC Comics character of the same name, directed by Tim Burton. The film stars Michael Keaton in the title role, as well as Jack Nicholson, Kim Basinger, Robert Wuhl and Jack Palance...
. Burton cast him because he thought that Keaton was the only actor who could believably portray someone who has the kind of darkly obsessive personality that the character demands. Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
received thousands of letters of complaint by fans commenting that Keaton was the wrong choice to portray Batman, given his prior work in comedies and the fact that he lacked the suave, handsome features and tall, muscular physicality often attributed to the character in the comic books. However, Keaton's dramatic performance earned widespread acclaim from critics and audiences alike, and Batman became one of the most successful films of the year.
According to Keaton, he wasn't surprised when he was first considered as Batman, as he initially believed the film would be similar to the campy 1960s Batman TV series
Batman (TV series)
Batman is an American television series, based on the DC comic book character of the same name. It stars Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin — two crime-fighting heroes who defend Gotham City. It aired on the American Broadcasting Company network for three seasons from January 12, 1966 to...
starring Adam West
Adam West
William West Anderson , better known by the stage name Adam West, is an American actor best known for his lead role in the Batman TV series and the film of the same name...
. It was only after Burton introduced Keaton to Frank Miller
Frank Miller (comics)
Frank Miller is an American comic book artist, writer and film director best known for his dark, film noir-style comic book stories and graphic novels Ronin, Daredevil: Born Again, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Sin City and 300...
's comic book mini-series Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns is a four-issue comic book limited series written and drawn by Frank Miller, originally published by DC Comics under the title Batman: The Dark Knight in 1986. When the issues were released in a collected edition later that year, the story title for the first issue...
that Keaton really understood the dark and brooding side of Batman that he portrayed to much fan approval. Keaton later reprised his role in the sequel Batman Returns
Batman Returns
Batman Returns is a 1992 American superhero film directed by Tim Burton. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, it is the sequel to Burton's Batman , and features Michael Keaton reprising the title role, with Danny DeVito as the Penguin and Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman.Burton originally did not...
(1992), which was another critically acclaimed success, though also controversial for being darker than the previous film.
He was initially set to return again for Warner Bros.' third Batman film, even going as far as to show up for costume fitting. However, when Burton was dropped as director of the film, Keaton left the franchise. He was reportedly dissatisfied with the screenplay approved by the new director, Joel Schumacher
Joel Schumacher
Joel T. Schumacher is an American film director, screenwriter and producer.-Early life:Schumacher was born in New York City, the son of Marian and Francis Schumacher. His mother was a Swedish Jew, and his father was a Baptist from Knoxville, Tennessee, who died when Joel was four years old...
, which Keaton considered to be too light-hearted in tone than the previous films. According to the A&E
A&E Network
The A&E Network is a United States-based cable and satellite television network with headquarters in New York City and offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, London, Los Angeles and Stamford. A&E also airs in Canada and Latin America. Initially named the Arts & Entertainment Network, A&E launched...
Biography episode on Keaton, after he had refused the first time (after meetings with Schumacher), Warner Bros. offered him $15,000,000, but Keaton steadfastly refused. He was subsequently replaced by Val Kilmer
Val Kilmer
Val Edward Kilmer is an American actor. Originally a stage actor, Kilmer became popular in the mid-1980s after a string of appearances in comedy films, starting with Top Secret! , then the cult classic Real Genius , as well as blockbuster action films, including a supporting role in Top Gun and a...
in Batman Forever
Batman Forever
Batman Forever is a 1995 American superhero film directed by Joel Schumacher and produced by Tim Burton. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, the film is a sequel to Batman Returns , with Val Kilmer replacing Michael Keaton as Batman...
(1995) and by George Clooney
George Clooney
George Timothy Clooney is an American actor, film director, producer, and screenwriter. For his work as an actor, he has received two Golden Globe Awards and an Academy Award...
in Batman & Robin (1997). While Batman Forever was more commercially successful than Batman Returns, Batman & Robin was critically panned and failed to outgross any of the previous films. The franchise was then given a break until the release of Batman Begins
Batman Begins
Batman Begins is a 2005 American superhero action film based on the fictional DC Comics character Batman, directed by Christopher Nolan. It stars Christian Bale as Batman, along with Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes, Cillian Murphy, Morgan Freeman, Ken Watanabe, Tom Wilkinson,...
(2005), a reboot directed by Christopher Nolan
Christopher Nolan
Christopher Jonathan James Nolan is a British-American film director, screenwriter and producer.He received serious notice after his second feature Memento , which he wrote and directed based on a story idea by his brother, Jonathan Nolan. Jonathan went to co-write later scripts with him,...
and starring Christian Bale
Christian Bale
Christian Charles Philip Bale is an English actor. Best known for his roles in American films, Bale has starred in both big budget Hollywood films and the smaller projects from independent producers and art houses....
, which returned Batman to the darker atmosphere that Burton and Keaton's films had similarly featured.
Later career
Keaton remained in demand during the 1990s, appearing in a wide range of films including Pacific HeightsPacific Heights (1990 film)
Pacific Heights is a 1990 thriller film directed by John Schlesinger and starring Melanie Griffith, Matthew Modine, and Michael Keaton. Griffith's real-life mother Tippi Hedren has a cameo as a rich older woman who is conned by Keaton's character. The original music score was composed by Hans...
, One Good Cop
One Good Cop
One Good Cop is a 1991 American crime film written and directed by Heywood Gould and starring Michael Keaton, Rene Russo, Anthony LaPaglia and Benjamin Bratt.-Plot:...
, My Life
My Life (film)
My Life is a 1993 film starring Michael Keaton and Nicole Kidman and directed by Bruce Joel Rubin. With a PG-13 rating, this film's domestic box office gross was $28 million.-Plot summary:...
, and the star-studded Shakespearian story Much Ado About Nothing
Much Ado About Nothing (film)
Much Ado About Nothing is a 1993 British/American romantic comedy film based on William Shakespeare's play. It was adapted for the screen and directed by Kenneth Branagh, who also played the role of Benedick....
. He also starred in another Ron Howard film, The Paper
The Paper
The Paper is a 1994 American comedy-drama film directed by Ron Howard and starring Michael Keaton, Robert Duvall, and Glenn Close. The film depicts 24 hours in a newspaper editor's professional and personal life.-Plot:...
, as well as with Andie MacDowell
Andie MacDowell
Rosalie Anderson "Andie" MacDowell is an American model and actress. She has received the Golden Camera and an Honorary César.-Early life:...
in Multiplicity
Multiplicity (film)
Multiplicity is a 1996 comedy film, starring Michael Keaton and Andie MacDowell. The film was co-produced and directed by Harold Ramis. The original music score was composed by George Fenton....
and twice in the same role, Elmore Leonard
Elmore Leonard
Elmore John Leonard Jr. , better known as Elmore Leonard, is an American novelist and screenwriter. His earliest published novels in the 1950s were westerns, but Leonard went on to specialize in crime fiction and suspense thrillers, many of which have been adapted into motion pictures.Among his...
character Agent Ray Nicolette, in Jackie Brown
Jackie Brown (film)
Jackie Brown is a 1997 American crime drama film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. It is an adaptation of the novel Rum Punch by American novelist Elmore Leonard and pays homage to 1970s blaxploitation films....
and Out of Sight
Out of Sight
Out of Sight is a 1998 American crime film. The film was directed by Steven Soderbergh and based on the novel of the same name by Elmore Leonard. It was the first of several collaborations between Soderbergh and star George Clooney. The film was released on June 26, 1998. It was nominated for two...
. The actor also made the family holiday movie Jack Frost
Jack Frost (1998 film)
Jack Frost is a 1998 Christmas film, starring Michael Keaton and Kelly Preston. Keaton stars as the title character, a man who dies in a car accident and comes back to life as a snowman...
and the thriller Desperate Measures.
Keaton starred as a political candidate's speechwriter in 1994's Speechless
Speechless (film)
Speechless is a 1994 romantic comedy film directed by Ron Underwood. It stars Geena Davis , Michael Keaton, Bonnie Bedelia, Ernie Hudson and Christopher Reeve.-Plot:...
with Geena Davis
Geena Davis
Virginia Elizabeth "Geena" Davis is an American actress, film producer, writer, former fashion model, and a women's Olympics archery team semi-finalist...
(his co-star in Beetlejuice
Beetlejuice
Beetlejuice is a 1988 American comedy horror film directed by Tim Burton, produced by The Geffen Film Company and distributed by Warner Bros...
) and Christopher Reeve
Christopher Reeve
Christopher D'Olier Reeve was an American actor, film director, producer, screenwriter, author and activist...
(who, like Keaton, also portrayed a famous DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
superhero on film; Superman
Superman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
).
Live from Baghdad (film)
Live from Baghdad is a television movie produced in 2002 by HBO. It was directed by Mick Jackson and written by Robert Wiener . The movie was released during the prelude stage of the Iraq War....
for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe award, First Daughter
First Daughter (2004 film)
First Daughter is a 2004 American romantic comedy released by 20th Century Fox. It stars Katie Holmes as Samantha MacKenzie, daughter of the President of the United States, who enrolls at a college and develops a relationship with another student at the college played by Marc Blucas...
, White Noise
White Noise (film)
White Noise is a 2005 supernatural horror film, directed by Geoffrey Sax. The title refers to electronic voice phenomena , where voices, which some believe to be from the "other side," can be heard on audio recordings...
, and Herbie: Fully Loaded
Herbie: Fully Loaded
Herbie: Fully Loaded is a 2005 American comedy film directed by Angela Robinson and produced by Robert Simonds for Walt Disney Pictures. It stars Lindsay Lohan as the youngest member of an automobile-racing family, Michael Keaton as her father, Matt Dillon as a competing racer, Breckin Meyer as...
. While he continued to receive good notices from the critics (particularly for Jackie Brown), he was not able to approach the box-office success of Batman until the release of Disney/Pixar
Pixar
Pixar Animation Studios, pronounced , is an American computer animation film studio based in Emeryville, California. The studio has earned 26 Academy Awards, seven Golden Globes, and three Grammy Awards, among many other awards and acknowledgments. Its films have made over $6.3 billion worldwide...
's Cars
Cars (film)
Cars is a 2006 American animated family film produced by Pixar and directed by John Lasseter and co-directed by Joe Ranft. It is the seventh Disney·Pixar feature film, and Pixar's final, independently-produced motion picture before its purchase by Disney...
(2006), in which he voiced the character Chick Hicks. On New Years Day of 2004, he hosted the PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
TV special Mr. Rogers: America's Favorite Neighbor. It was released by Triumph Marketing LLC
Limited liability company
A limited liability company is a flexible form of enterprise that blends elements of partnership and corporate structures. It is a legal form of company that provides limited liability to its owners in the vast majority of United States jurisdictions...
on DVD September 28 that year.
In 2006, Keaton starred in an independent film called Game 6
Game 6 (film)
Game 6 is a 2005 American film directed by Michael Hoffman, first presented at the Sundance Film Festival in 2005 and released in the United States in 2006...
, a semi-thriller based around the infamous 1986 World Series
1986 World Series
The 1986 World Series pitted the New York Mets against the Boston Red Sox. It was cited in the legend of the "Curse of the Bambino" to explain the error by Bill Buckner in Game 6 that allowed the Mets to extend the series to a seventh game...
bid by the Boston Red Sox
1986 Boston Red Sox season
The 1986 Boston Red Sox season involved the Red Sox finishing 1st in the American League East with a record of 95 wins and 66 losses.-Offseason:...
. He had a cameo in the Tenacious D
Tenacious D
Tenacious D is an American rock band that was formed in Los Angeles, California in 1994. Composed of lead vocalist and guitarist Jack Black and lead guitarist and vocalist Kyle Gass, the band has released two albums – Tenacious D and The Pick of Destiny...
short film, Time Fixers, an iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
exclusive. The 9-minute film was released to coincide with Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny. Keaton was announced to be the lead in Media 8 Entertainment
Media 8 Entertainment
Media 8 is a leading independent film entertainment company engaged in financing, development, production and worldwide distribution of theatrical feature films in various forms of broadcast media.-Overview:...
's film Reaper, a supernatural thriller. He reportedly agreed to star as John Target in the Matt Evans
Matt Evans
For the Canadian international rugby union player see Matt Evans Matthew Nicolas "Matt" Evans is a Filipino- American actor who was a former housemate of the Philippine reality television show Pinoy Big Brother: Teen Edition...
scripted No Rule To Make Target, and he has directed a drama, The Merry Gentleman
The Merry Gentleman
The Merry Gentleman is a 2009 drama film about a woman who leaves an abusive relationship to start a new life in Chicago, where she forms a friendship with a hitman who is undergoing his own emotional crisis...
.
Keaton reportedly was cast as Dr. Jack Shephard in the series Lost
Lost (TV series)
Lost is an American television series that originally aired on ABC from September 22, 2004 to May 23, 2010, consisting of six seasons. Lost is a drama series that follows the survivors of the crash of a commercial passenger jet flying between Sydney and Los Angeles, on a mysterious tropical island...
, with the understanding that the role of Jack would be a brief one. Once the role was retooled to be a long-running series regular, Keaton withdrew. The part was then given to actor Matthew Fox
Matthew Fox (actor)
Matthew Chandler Fox is an American actor. He is mostly known for his role as Charlie Salinger on Party of Five, and for portraying Jack Shephard on the supernatural drama television series Lost.- Early life :...
. The show ran for six seasons, with the Jack Shephard role continuing throughout.
Keaton starred in the 2007 TV mini-series The Company
The Company (TV miniseries)
The Company is a miniseries about the activities of the CIA during the Cold War. It was based on the best selling novel by Robert Littell. The teleplay adaptation was written by Ken Nolan.-Plot:...
, set during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
, in which he portrayed the real-life CIA counterintelligence chief James Jesus Angleton
James Jesus Angleton
James Jesus Angleton was chief of the Central Intelligence Agency's counterintelligence staff from 1954 to 1975...
. The role garnered Keaton a 2008 SAG nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries. The Company also starred Chris O'Donnell
Chris O'Donnell
Christopher Eugene "Chris" O'Donnell is an American actor. He has played Robin in two Batman films, Batman Forever and Batman & Robin, Charlie Simms in Scent of a Woman, Finn Dandridge in Grey's Anatomy, Peter Garrett in Vertical Limit, and more recently, Jack McAuliffe in The Company. O'Donnell...
, who portrayed Batman's crime fighting sidekick Robin
Robin (comics)
Robin is the name of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, originally created by Bob Kane, Bill Finger and Jerry Robinson, as a junior counterpart to DC Comics superhero Batman...
(who was absent from the Batman films Keaton starred in) in Batman Forever and Batman & Robin.
Keaton most recently provided the voice of Ken in Toy Story 3
Toy Story 3
Toy Story 3 is a 2010 American 3D computer-animated comedy-adventure film, and the third installment in the Toy Story series. It was produced by Pixar and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It was directed by Lee Unkrich. The film was released worldwide from June through October in Disney Digital...
(2010). The movie received overwhelmingly positive acclaim and grossed over $1 billion worldwide, making it one of the most financially successful films ever. He announced in June 2010 his interest in returning for a Beetlejuice
Beetlejuice
Beetlejuice is a 1988 American comedy horror film directed by Tim Burton, produced by The Geffen Film Company and distributed by Warner Bros...
sequel. He also played the minor role of Captain Gene Mauch in the comedy The Other Guys
The Other Guys
The Other Guys is a 2010 American action comedy film directed and co-written by Adam McKay, starring Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg, and featuring Dwayne Johnson, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Keaton, Eva Mendes, Steve Coogan, and Ray Stevenson...
.
In February 2011, Keaton was the subject of a light-hearted spoof at The Onion
The Onion
The Onion is an American news satire organization. It is an entertainment newspaper and a website featuring satirical articles reporting on international, national, and local news, in addition to a non-satirical entertainment section known as The A.V. Club...
, which jested that 87 percent of feature-length motion pictures would be significantly improved by the addition of the 59-year-old film and television actor.
Personal life
Keaton was married to actress Caroline McWilliamsCaroline McWilliams
Caroline Margaret McWilliams was an American actress best known for her portrayal of Marcy Hill on the television series Benson and Sally on the television series Soap...
from 1982 until 1990. They have one son, Sean Maxwell (born May 27, 1983). He also had a six-year relationship with actress Courteney Cox
Courteney Cox
Courteney Bass Cox is an American actress, she is best known for her roles as Monica Geller on the NBC sitcom Friends, Gale Weathers in the horror series Scream and as Jules Cobb in the ABC sitcom Cougar Town, for which she earned her first Golden Globe nomination....
from 1989 to 1995.
Keaton is a big Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
fan being a native from the area. He even went so far as to negotiate a break in his Batman movie contract in case the Pirates made the playoffs that year. He is also a die hard Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
fan. An avid fisherman, Keaton can be seen on the saltwater fishing series Buccaneers & Bones on Outdoor Channel, along with Tom Brokaw
Tom Brokaw
Thomas John "Tom" Brokaw is an American television journalist and author best known as the anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News from 1982 to 2004. He is the author of The Greatest Generation and other books and the recipient of numerous awards and honors...
, Zach Gilford
Zach Gilford
Zach Gilford is an American actor best known for his role as Matt Saracen on the NBC television drama series Friday Night Lights. Gilford starred alongside Terrell Owens in the 2008 NBA Celebrity All-Star game....
, Thomas McGuane
Thomas McGuane
Thomas Francis McGuane III is an American author. His work includes ten novels, short fiction and screenplays, as well as three collections of essays devoted to his life in the outdoors.-Early life:...
, and Yvon Chouinard
Yvon Chouinard
Yvon Chouinard is a rock climber, environmentalist and outdoor industry businessman, noted for his contributions to climbing, climbing equipment and the outdoor gear business. His second company, Patagonia is known for its environmental focus...
.
Film
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Night Shift Night Shift (film) Night Shift is a 1982 comedy film, one of Ron Howard's earliest directorial efforts. It stars Howard's Happy Days co-star Henry Winkler along with Michael Keaton, in his first starring role, and Shelley Long, who later in the year would star as Diane Chambers in the popular sitcom Cheers. Also... |
Bill Blazejowski | Kansas City Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor Kansas City Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor The Kansas City Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor is an award given by the Kansas City Film Critics Circle to honor the best achievements in acting.-1960s:-1970:-1980s:-1990s:-2000s:-2010s:-References:*... |
| 1983 | Mr. Mom Mr. Mom Mr. Mom is a 1983 American comedy-drama film directed by Stan Dragoti and written by John Hughes about a stay-at-home dad. The film stars Michael Keaton, Teri Garr, Jeffrey Tambor, Christopher Lloyd, and Martin Mull.-Plot:... |
Jack Butler | |
| 1984 | Johnny Dangerously Johnny Dangerously Johnny Dangerously is a 1984 comedy spoof of 1930s' crime/gangster movies. It was directed by Amy Heckerling; its four screenwriters included Bernie Kukoff and Jeff Harris, both of whom previously created the hit TV series Diff'rent Strokes... |
Jonathan "Johnny" Kelly (a.k.a. Johnny Dangerously) | |
| 1986 | Gung Ho Gung Ho (film) Gung Ho is a 1986 Ron Howard comedy film, released by Paramount Pictures, and starring Michael Keaton and Gedde Watanabe. The film's story portrayed the takeover of an American car plant by a Japanese corporation... |
Hunt Stevenson | |
| Touch and Go | Robert "Bobby" Barbato | ||
| 1987 | The Squeeze The Squeeze (1987 film) The Squeeze is a 1987 comedy film, starring Michael Keaton, and co-starring Rae Dawn Chong.-Plot:After retrieving a mysterious parcel for his ex-wife, eccentric down-on-his-luck artist Harry Berg enlists the help of private eye Rachel Dobs when he suddenly becomes embroiled with thugs and a... |
Harold "Harry" Berg | |
| 1988 | She's Having a Baby She's Having a Baby She's Having a Baby is a 1988 American romance film directed by John Hughes.The film portrays a young newlywed couple, Kristy and Jake Briggs played by Elizabeth McGovern and Kevin Bacon, who try to cope with being married and what is expected of them by their parents. Jake must also deal with the... |
Himself | uncredited cameo |
| Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is a 1988 American comedy horror film directed by Tim Burton, produced by The Geffen Film Company and distributed by Warner Bros... |
Betelgeuse | Nominated - Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor | |
| National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actor National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actor The National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actor is an annual award given by the National Society of Film Critics to honor the best leading actor of the year.-1960s:-1970s:-1980s:-1990s:-2000s:-2010s:... |
|||
| Clean and Sober Clean and Sober Clean and Sober is a 1988 American drama film directed by Glenn Gordon Caron starring Michael Keaton as a real estate agent and his trouble with substance abuse. This film was a dramatic departure from comedies for Keaton. The cast also includes Kathy Baker, M... |
Daryl Poynter | National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actor National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actor The National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actor is an annual award given by the National Society of Film Critics to honor the best leading actor of the year.-1960s:-1970s:-1980s:-1990s:-2000s:-2010s:... |
|
| 1989 | The Dream Team The Dream Team (film) The Dream Team is a 1989 comedy film directed by Howard Zieff and produced by Christopher W. Knight for Imagine Entertainment and Universal Pictures. It stars Michael Keaton, Christopher Lloyd, Peter Boyle and Stephen Furst as mental-hospital inpatients who are left unsupervised in New York City... |
William "Billy" Caufield | |
| Batman Batman (1989 film) Batman is a 1989 superhero film based on the DC Comics character of the same name, directed by Tim Burton. The film stars Michael Keaton in the title role, as well as Jack Nicholson, Kim Basinger, Robert Wuhl and Jack Palance... |
Bruce Wayne / Batman Batman Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics... |
||
| 1990 | Pacific Heights Pacific Heights (1990 film) Pacific Heights is a 1990 thriller film directed by John Schlesinger and starring Melanie Griffith, Matthew Modine, and Michael Keaton. Griffith's real-life mother Tippi Hedren has a cameo as a rich older woman who is conned by Keaton's character. The original music score was composed by Hans... |
Carter Hayes | |
| 1991 | One Good Cop One Good Cop One Good Cop is a 1991 American crime film written and directed by Heywood Gould and starring Michael Keaton, Rene Russo, Anthony LaPaglia and Benjamin Bratt.-Plot:... |
Arthur "Artie" Lewis | |
| 1992 | Batman Returns Batman Returns Batman Returns is a 1992 American superhero film directed by Tim Burton. Based on the DC Comics character Batman, it is the sequel to Burton's Batman , and features Michael Keaton reprising the title role, with Danny DeVito as the Penguin and Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman.Burton originally did not... |
Bruce Wayne / Batman | Nominated - MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss This is a following list for the MTV Movie Award winners and nominees for Best Kiss.This is a following list for the MTV Movie Award winners and nominees for Best Kiss.... (with Michelle Pfeiffer Michelle Pfeiffer Michelle Marie Pfeiffer is an American actress. She made her film debut in 1980 in The Hollywood Knights, but first garnered mainstream attention with her performance in Brian De Palma's Scarface . Pfeiffer has won numerous awards for her work... ) |
| Porco Rosso Porco Rosso Porco Rosso, known in Japan as is the sixth anime film directed by Hayao Miyazaki, produced by Studio Ghibli and released in 1992, of an Italian World War I fighter ace, now living as a freelance bounty hunter chasing "air pirates" in the Adriatic Sea. The man has been cursed and transformed into... |
Porco Rosso | voice in 2003 English dubbed version | |
| 1993 | Much Ado About Nothing Much Ado About Nothing (film) Much Ado About Nothing is a 1993 British/American romantic comedy film based on William Shakespeare's play. It was adapted for the screen and directed by Kenneth Branagh, who also played the role of Benedick.... |
Dogberry Dogberry Dogberry is a self-satisfied night constable in Shakespeare's Much Ado about Nothing.In the play, Dogberry is the chief of the citizen-police in Messina. As is usual in Shakespearean comedy, and Renaissance comedy generally, he is a figure of comic incompetence... |
|
| My Life My Life (film) My Life is a 1993 film starring Michael Keaton and Nicole Kidman and directed by Bruce Joel Rubin. With a PG-13 rating, this film's domestic box office gross was $28 million.-Plot summary:... |
Robert "Bob" Jones | ||
| 1994 | The Paper The Paper The Paper is a 1994 American comedy-drama film directed by Ron Howard and starring Michael Keaton, Robert Duvall, and Glenn Close. The film depicts 24 hours in a newspaper editor's professional and personal life.-Plot:... |
Henry Hackett | |
| Speechless Speechless (film) Speechless is a 1994 romantic comedy film directed by Ron Underwood. It stars Geena Davis , Michael Keaton, Bonnie Bedelia, Ernie Hudson and Christopher Reeve.-Plot:... |
Kevin Vallick | ||
| 1996 | Multiplicity Multiplicity (film) Multiplicity is a 1996 comedy film, starring Michael Keaton and Andie MacDowell. The film was co-produced and directed by Harold Ramis. The original music score was composed by George Fenton.... |
Douglas "Doug" Kinney | |
| 1997 | Inventing the Abbotts Inventing the Abbotts Inventing the Abbotts is a 1997 romance film directed by Pat O'Connor, starring Joaquin Phoenix, Billy Crudup, Liv Tyler, Jennifer Connelly, and Michael Keaton. The screenplay by Ken Hixon is based on a short story by Sue Miller. The original music score is composed by Michael Kamen... |
Narrator / Older Doug | uncredited |
| Jackie Brown Jackie Brown (film) Jackie Brown is a 1997 American crime drama film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. It is an adaptation of the novel Rum Punch by American novelist Elmore Leonard and pays homage to 1970s blaxploitation films.... |
Raymond "Ray" Nicolette | ||
| 1998 | Desperate Measures | Peter McCabe | |
| Out of Sight Out of Sight Out of Sight is a 1998 American crime film. The film was directed by Steven Soderbergh and based on the novel of the same name by Elmore Leonard. It was the first of several collaborations between Soderbergh and star George Clooney. The film was released on June 26, 1998. It was nominated for two... |
Raymond "Ray" Nicolette | cameo | |
| Jack Frost Jack Frost (1998 film) Jack Frost is a 1998 Christmas film, starring Michael Keaton and Kelly Preston. Keaton stars as the title character, a man who dies in a car accident and comes back to life as a snowman... |
Jack Frost | ||
| 2000 | A Shot at Glory A Shot at Glory A Shot at Glory is a film by Michael Corrente produced in 1999 and released in 2001, starring Robert Duvall and the Scottish football player Ally McCoist. It had limited commercial and critical success. The film features the fictional Scottish football club Kilnockie, as they attempt to reach their... |
Peter Cameron | |
| 2002 | Live from Baghdad Live from Baghdad Live from Baghdad is a non-fiction book by CNN producer Robert Wiener about his experiences before the Persian Gulf War of 1990–91.It was filmed by HBO in 2002 under the same title.... |
Robert Wiener | |
| 2003 | Quicksand Quicksand (2003) Quicksand is a 2003 direct-to-video British-French-German co-produced action film starring Michael Keaton and Michael Caine. It was released in Germany, Finland, Sweden and Norway in 2003, in United States on March 16, 2004 and in the United Kingdom on November 1, 2004... |
Martin Raikes | |
| 2004 | First Daughter First Daughter (2004 film) First Daughter is a 2004 American romantic comedy released by 20th Century Fox. It stars Katie Holmes as Samantha MacKenzie, daughter of the President of the United States, who enrolls at a college and develops a relationship with another student at the college played by Marc Blucas... |
President Mackenzie | |
| 2005 | White Noise White Noise (film) White Noise is a 2005 supernatural horror film, directed by Geoffrey Sax. The title refers to electronic voice phenomena , where voices, which some believe to be from the "other side," can be heard on audio recordings... |
Jonathan Rivers | |
| Game 6 Game 6 (film) Game 6 is a 2005 American film directed by Michael Hoffman, first presented at the Sundance Film Festival in 2005 and released in the United States in 2006... |
Nicholas "Nicky" Rogan | ||
| Herbie: Fully Loaded Herbie: Fully Loaded Herbie: Fully Loaded is a 2005 American comedy film directed by Angela Robinson and produced by Robert Simonds for Walt Disney Pictures. It stars Lindsay Lohan as the youngest member of an automobile-racing family, Michael Keaton as her father, Matt Dillon as a competing racer, Breckin Meyer as... |
Raymond "Ray" Peyton, Sr. | ||
| 2006 | Cars Cars (film) Cars is a 2006 American animated family film produced by Pixar and directed by John Lasseter and co-directed by Joe Ranft. It is the seventh Disney·Pixar feature film, and Pixar's final, independently-produced motion picture before its purchase by Disney... |
Chick Hicks/Security Guard | uncredited voice role |
| The Last Time The Last Time (film) The Last Time is a 2006 film starring Michael Keaton, Brendan Fraser and Amber Valletta.-Plot:Ted Ryker is the top salesman in the New York office of a business machine company. The corporate stock lives by quarterly sales numbers, the competition is very intense, and the economy may be headed... |
Ted "Theodore" | ||
| 2009 | The Merry Gentleman The Merry Gentleman The Merry Gentleman is a 2009 drama film about a woman who leaves an abusive relationship to start a new life in Chicago, where she forms a friendship with a hitman who is undergoing his own emotional crisis... |
Franklin "Frank" Logan | director, actor |
| Post Grad | Walter Malby | ||
| Noah's Ark: The New Beginning Noah's Ark: The New Beginning Noah's Ark: The New Beginning is an upcoming animated film featuring an ensemble voice cast. It is a retelling of the Biblical story of Noah's Ark, told from the point of view of the animals on the ark, and is the second in the Promenade Pictures Epic Stories of the Bible film series, following on... |
Noah | voice only | |
| 2010 | Toy Story 3 Toy Story 3 Toy Story 3 is a 2010 American 3D computer-animated comedy-adventure film, and the third installment in the Toy Story series. It was produced by Pixar and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It was directed by Lee Unkrich. The film was released worldwide from June through October in Disney Digital... |
Ken | |
| The Other Guys The Other Guys The Other Guys is a 2010 American action comedy film directed and co-written by Adam McKay, starring Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg, and featuring Dwayne Johnson, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Keaton, Eva Mendes, Steve Coogan, and Ray Stevenson... |
Captain Gene Mauch | ||
| 2011 | Hawaiian Vacation Hawaiian Vacation Toy Story Toons: Hawaiian Vacation is a 2011 Pixar animated short directed by Gary Rydstrom. The short features characters from the Toy Story films and takes place after the events of Toy Story 3... |
Ken | voice only |
Television
| Year | Production | Role | Other notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | All's Fair All's Fair All's Fair is an American television situation comedy that aired on CBS from 1976 to 1977. The show co-starred Richard Crenna as a conservative political columnist and Bernadette Peters as a liberal photographer... |
Lannie Wolf | |
| 1977 | Klein Time Klein Time Klein Time is a 1977 film starring Robert Klein and Michael Keaton. The film is about a few comedians doing various voices to a crowd of people. Peter Boyle and Madeline Kahn play themselves.... |
Various | |
| Maude Maude (TV series) Maude was an American television sitcom that was originally broadcast on the CBS network from September 12, 1972 until April 22, 1978.Maude starred Beatrice Arthur as Maude Findlay, an outspoken, middle-aged, politically liberal woman living in suburban Tuckahoe, Westchester County, New York with... |
Chip Winston | ||
| 1978 | Mary (1978) | Skit characters | |
| The Tony Randall Show The Tony Randall Show The Tony Randall Show is an American television sitcom that debuted on September 23, 1976 and aired on ABC during its first season and on CBS for its second and final season.-Synopsis:... |
Zeke | ||
| 1979 | The Mary Tyler Moore Hour The Mary Tyler Moore Hour The Mary Tyler Moore Hour was a television series broadcast by CBS in the spring of 1979.Like her first series, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Moore's eponymous sitcom, The Mary Tyler Moore Show , had been highly-rated, critically acclaimed, and the recipient of many Emmy Awards... |
Kenneth Christy | |
| Working Stiffs Working Stiffs Working Stiffs may refer to:* Working stiff, an American slang term for a member of the working class*Working Stiffs , a 1979 television series starring Jim Belushi and Michael Keaton... |
Mike O'Rourke | ||
| 1981 | Kraft Walt Disney World 10th Anniversary | He played the bellboy, waiter, valet, store keeper. | |
| 1982 | Report To Murphy Report to Murphy Report to Murphy is an American situation comedy television series starring Michael Keaton that premiered on CBS on April 5, 1982.-Synopsis:... |
Murphy | |
| 2002 | Frasier Frasier Frasier is an American sitcom that was broadcast on NBC for eleven seasons, from September 16, 1993, to May 13, 2004. The program was created and produced by David Angell, Peter Casey, and David Lee in association with Grammnet and Paramount Network Television.A spin-off of Cheers, Frasier stars... |
Blaine Sternin | |
| Live from Baghdad Live from Baghdad (film) Live from Baghdad is a television movie produced in 2002 by HBO. It was directed by Mick Jackson and written by Robert Wiener . The movie was released during the prelude stage of the Iraq War.... |
Robert Wiener | Nominated - Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television | |
| 2001 | The Simpsons The Simpsons The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie... |
Jack Crowley Pokey Mom "Pokey Mom" is the tenth episode of the twelfth season of the American animated sitcom The Simpsons. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on January 14, 2001. In the episode, Marge tries to rehabilitate a convict with remarkable artistic talent. Meanwhile, Homer uses a trash... |
1 episode guest star |
| 2002 | King of the Hill King of the Hill King of the Hill is an American animated dramedy series created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels, that ran from January 12, 1997, to May 6, 2010, on Fox network. It centers on the Hills, a working-class Methodist family in the fictional small town of Arlen, Texas... |
Trip Larsen | |
| 2004 | Fred Rogers: America's Favorite Neighbor | Host | Nominated - Emmy Award Emmy Award An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various... for Outstanding Nonfiction Special |
| 2007 | The Company The Company (TV miniseries) The Company is a miniseries about the activities of the CIA during the Cold War. It was based on the best selling novel by Robert Littell. The teleplay adaptation was written by Ken Nolan.-Plot:... |
James Angleton | Nominated - Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie |
| 2011 | 30 Rock 30 Rock 30 Rock is an American television comedy series created by Tina Fey that airs on NBC. The series is loosely based on Fey's experiences as head writer for Saturday Night Live... |
Tom | 1 episode guest star |
External links
- http://web.archive.org/web/20080201045450rn_1/kdka.com/topstories/Michael.Keaton.Pirates.2.382399.htmlStory on Michael Keaton and his hometown Pittsburgh PiratesPittsburgh PiratesThe Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
opening day controversy]