• His name is — now officially — Michael Caine.The famous British actor, born Maurice Micklewhite, has legally changed his name to the showbiz moniker he took on in 1954. This is because of the rise in airport security checks prompted by Islamic State.“An airport security guard would say, ‘Hi, Michael Caine’ and suddenly I’d give him a passport with a different name on it,” Caine says. “I could stand there for an hour. So I changed my name.”The 83-year-old began his acting career on the Sussex stage as Michael Scott. He was required to change his handle after moving to London, where another Michael Scott was already treading the boards.During a harried call to his agent, Caine looked outside the telephone booth and saw a poster for the Humphrey Bogart naval drama, The Caine Mutiny.“I was opposite the Odeon and I looked up, and my favourite actor is Humphrey Bogart, and there it was,” Caine says.Caine is famous for playing tough guys, good and bad, with his working-class, cockney acc...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.