Michael Caine once remarked, “Do I believe in God? Yes, I do. When you’ve had a life like mine, you have to.”
He wasn’t exaggerating. For proof of Caine’s timeless cool, look no further than Michael Caine: Photographed by Terry O’Neill, a new collection of photos that “offers an immersive visual journey through Michael Caine’s career, immortalizing Caine’s charm both in and out of character.” An inimitable character actor equipped with an oft-imitated South London accent, Caine has appeared in numerous memorable films in his 88 years on Earth, from his playboy turn in Alfie and tough-guy ones in The Italian Job and Get Carter, to comedies like Hannah and Her Sisters and The Muppet Christmas Carol, to blockbusters such as the Batman films and Kingsman: The Secret Service. And nobody’s managed to photograph him quite like his good pal Terry O’Neill.
“Having had the opportunity to look through a pretty vast selection of images in the Terry O’Neill photo archive held by Iconic Images in London, what shone through is how Terry’s achievement as a craftsperson dovetailed so well with his friendship with Michael Caine over the years,” says the book’s author, James Clarke. “Whether Terry was photographing Michael Caine at work on set, or in character for the purposes of portrait images for the promotion of a given film, he brings out a real sense of familiarity with the actor.”
Indeed, Caine and O’Neill were the best of friends, and until his passing in 2019, the legendary lensman captured The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Elton John, David Bowie, and the British royal family. You’ve surely seen his photos of former wife Faye Dunaway after winning the Best Actress Oscar for Network, lounging by the Beverly Hills Hotel swimming pool surrounded by newspapers and her tiny gold statuette.
See these exclusive photos of Caine from Michael Caine: Photographed by Terry O’Neill, which is out July 5 from ACC Art Books and available for preorder now.
Michael Caine in his early years as an emerging film star in Funeral in Berlin, 1966.
Terry O'Neill
Michael Caine during the filming of Guy Hamilton’s Funeral in Berlin in London, 1966.
Terry O'Neill/ACC Art Books
Michael Caine takes a nap during the filming of Woman Times Seven by Vittorio De Sica in Paris, 1967.
Terry O'Neill/ACC Art Books
Michael Caine on the set of Get Carter, 1970.
Terry O'Neill/ACC Art Books
Michael Caine on the set of Get Carter, 1970.
Terry O'Neill/ACC Art Books
It was Bob Hoskins who had approached Caine to appear in the film as crime boss, Mortwell in the 1986 film, Mona Lisa.
Terry O'Neill/ACC Art Books
By the late 1980s, Michael Caine was a well-established international movie star and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels was a highpoint in his Hollywood film career. Here he is with co-star Steve Martin, 1988.
Terry O'Neill/ACC Art Books