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Michael Keaton biography

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Best Known For

Michael Keaton is an American actor known for his roles in the comedy Mr. Mom and as Batman in the Tim Burton-directed installments of the series.

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Synopsis

Michael Keaton was born on September 5, 1951 in Coraopolis, Penn. He attended Kent State, but dropped out to pursue acting. After some false starts on television, Keaton had his first hit with Mr. Mom. He later worked with directors Tim Burton (Beetlejuice, Batman),

Kenneth Branagh and Quentin Tarantino. Keaton was married to Caroline McWilliams from 1982-1990. The couple has one son together.

Early Life

Actor, director. Born Michael Douglas on September 5, 1951, in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania. The youngest of seven children, he liked to joke around as a way to get attention. His father worked as a civil engineer, while his mother stayed home to take care of the kids. At school, Keaton displayed his interest in acting by performing humorous skits.

After attending Kent State University for two years, Keaton dropped out to pursue an acting career. He found work as a cab driver and an ice cream truck driver in his hometown for a while, as he tried his hand at stand-up comedy. In 1975, Keaton made his television debut on the children's series Mister Roger's Neighborhood, which was filmed in Pittsburgh. He later moved to Los Angeles, where he started to land some television work. Keaton changed his last name in order to prevent confusion between he and famous actor Michael Douglas. After seeing an article on actress Diane Keaton, Michael decided he liked the sound of her last name. He made it his as well.

Big Break

In 1977, Keaton joined the cast of the sitcom All's Fair. He played a presidential aide in the short-lived series, which starred Richard Crenna and Bernadette Peters. After appearances on such shows as Mary, Maude, and Family, Keaton landed a lead role in the comedy Working Stiffs. He and Jim Belushi played brothers who worked as janitors. The show only lasted a month. In 1982, Keaton tried again for television success with Report to Murphy, a sitcom in which he played a parole officer. The program aired for a month and a half before being canceled.

While he couldn't find fame on television, Keaton was starting to experience success in films. He starred with Henry Winkler and Shelley Long in Night Shift (1982), a comedy directed by Ron Howard. The film told the story of two morgue workers who start using their workplace as a brothel. The film was met with critical success; co-star Henry Winkler earned a Golden Globe for his performance, and Keaton was recognized with a Kansas City Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor. Box office attendance, however, was low.

The following year, Keaton had a career breakthrough with the domestic comedy Mr. Mom, a film about a man who becomes a stay-at-home dad after losing his job. The film became his first big hit, grossing more than $64 million domestically.

Hollywood Star

Keaton then starred in Johnny Dangerously (1984), a send-up of old gangster films.

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