Top Twenty Actors of all Time: Al Pacino

Al Pacino was born Alfredo James Pacino in Harlem NYC on April 25, 1940.

He attended the High School for the Performing Arts in Manhattan until he dropped out at 17 to pursue his acting career.  Things started very slowly for Pacino and he found himself working odd jobs and even homeless at one point.

In 1966, Pacino auditioned and was accepted to the very prestigious Actors Studio (he is currently the co-president of the Studio with Ellen Burstyn).  At the Actors Studio he was fortunate enough to study under the legendary Lee Strasberg (as an aside, Strasberg had a role in Godfather II).

Pacino found himself becoming a stage actor.  One of his first plays THE INDIAN WANTS THE BRONX won Pacino the Obie Award.

In 1969, Pacino made his acting debut on Broadway in a play called DOES THE TIGER WANT A NECKTIE.  Pacino won the Tony Award for his efforts.

Pacino dated Jill Clayburgh for five years during this time and they often worked together.

Originally the studio bosses of Paramount Pictures did not want Al Pacino to play Michael Corleone in the Godfather, but the director Francis Ford Coppola insisted and he was eventually cast leaving an indelable performance..some say one of the greatest film performances of all time.  He was small in stature, but his intensity and cold stare burned up the screen.

Pacino is noted for such films as Godfather, Godfather II, Godfather III, Scarface, Dog Day Afternoon, Dick Tracy and Serpico.

He has been nominated for the Academy Award eight times and in 1992 took home the Oscar for his role for Best Actor for his work in SCENT OF A WOMAN.

Romantically he has been linked to not only Jill Clayburg, but Beverly D'Angelo and Diane Keaton.  He has never married but has three children.

In addition to the Obie and Academy Award previously mentioned, Pacino has won: Directors Guild Achievement Award, an Emmy Award for his role in the mini-series ANGELS IN AMERICA (playing the vicious Roy Cohn), Golden Globe Awards, Bafta Awards and in 2006 he was awarded the very prestigious American Film Institute Lifetime Acheivement Award.

Pacino's work speaks for itself.  He brings intensity, focus and an incredible ability to morph into any character he plays and is considered one of the finest actors in the history of theatre and film.