Michael John Douglas, known professionally as Michael Keaton, is a quirky, inventive, and handsome American actor born on September 5, 1951, in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania.
He is the son of Leona Elizabeth (Loftus),a homemaker, and George A. Douglas, a civil engineer and surveyor. Keaton is of Irish, English, Scottish, and German descent.
Michael studied speech for two years at Kent State University before dropping out and moving to Pittsburgh. He attempted stand-up comedy, but it was unsuccessful, leading him to work as a TV cameraman in a cable station.
Keaton's early TV appearances included several episodes of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood in 1968. He then moved to Los Angeles to begin auditioning for TV, appearing in popular shows such as Maude and The Mary Tyler Moore Hour.
In 1979, Keaton decided to use an alternative surname to remove confusion with better-known actor Michael Douglas. He chose the surname "Keaton" after looking at the "K"s for surnames and thought it was inoffensive.
Keaton's breakthrough role came in 1982 with his co-starring role in the comedy series Night Shift, alongside Henry Winkler. He went on to star in several successful films, including Mr. Mom, Johnny Dangerously, Beetlejuice, and The Dream Team.
Keaton's dramatic role as Bruce Wayne/Batman in Tim Burton's Batman (1989) and Batman Returns (1992) earned him widespread acclaim and cemented his status as a versatile actor.
In the 1990s, Keaton appeared in a wide range of films, including Pacific Heights, One Good Cop, and Batman Returns. He continued to diversify his work, starring in films such as Much Ado About Nothing, My Life, and Jackie Brown.
In the 2000s, Keaton appeared in several productions with mixed success, including Live from Baghdad, First Daughter, and Herbie: Fully Loaded. He also provided voices for characters in animated films.
Keaton returned to major film roles in the 2010s, co-starring in The Other Guys, RoboCop, and Need for Speed. He also starred in Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014),a film by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, for which he received critical acclaim and numerous award nominations.
In 2015, Keaton played a journalist in Spotlight, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture. He then starred as Ray Kroc, the developer of McDonald's, in the drama The Founder (2016).
Keaton is a visiting scholar at Carnegie Mellon University and continues to be an active and respected figure in the film industry.
