Robert De Niro: Biography

Robert De Niro, Jr., was born to a family of artists. His mother, Virginia Admiral, was a painter, and father Robert was a painter, sculptor, and poet. De Niro's childhood was unique in its freedom, perhaps less so in its loneliness. He was known around his Little Italy neighborhood in New York as "Bobby Milk" because of his scrawniness and wimp-like traits. He was a shy child who preferred paperbacks to playmates. He was able to overcome his timidity at age ten for his first stage role as the cowardly lion in The Wizard of Oz. De Niro spent most of his early teen years on the streets, where he whiled away his time with a small-time gang. Acting called him back, and his first paycheck came at sixteen with a touring performance in Chekhov's The Bear. From there, De Niro embarked on a fifteen-year tour through dinner theatres and off-Broadway stages. Like most successful actors of the era, he studied with Stella Adler and Lee Strasberg, the chief proponents of Method acting.

Robert De Niro: Career

A student of acting with Stella Adler (1902–92) and Lee Strasberg, he worked off-Broadway, making his film debut in 1965. He received Oscars for his supporting role in The Godfather, Part II (1974), and for his portrayal of boxer Jake La Motta in Raging Bull (1980). His many films include Taxi Driver (1976), The Deerhunter (1978), Midnight Run (1988), Awakenings (1990), Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994), and Sleepers (1996). Among later works are Analyze This (1999), The Score (2001), and Meet the Fockers (2004). He made his directorial debut with A Bronx Tale (1993), in which he also starred. In 2002 he set up his own production company, Tribeca Films, to revitalize parts of Manhattan following the 11 September 2001 attacks. He was honoured with an American Film Institute Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003.

Robert De Niro: Films

The Good Shepherd (2006), Hide and Seek/Men of Honor (2005), Man on Fire/Hide and Seek (2005), The Bridge Of San Luis Rey (2005), Hide & Seek (2005), Meet the Fockers (2004), Godsend (2004), Analyze That (2002), City by the Sea (2002), Showtime (2002), The Score (2001), 15 Minutes (2001), Men of Honor (2000), Meet the Parents (2000), The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle (2000), Flawless (1999), Analyze This (1999), Ronin (1998), Great Expectations (1998), Jackie Brown (1997), Wag the Dog (1997), Cop Land (1997), Marvin's Room (1996), Sleepers (1996), The Fan (1996), Heat (1995), Casino (1995), Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994), A Bronx Tale (1993), This Boy's Life (1993), Mad Dog and Glory (1993), Night and the City (1992), Mistress (1992), Cape Fear (1991), Backdraft (1991), Guilty By Suspicion (1991), Awakenings (1990), Goodfellas (1990), Stanley and Iris (1990), We're No Angels (1989), Jacknife (1989), Midnight Run (1988), The Untouchables (1987), Angel Heart (1987), The Mission (1986), Brazil (1985), Falling in Love (1984), Once Upon A Time In America (1984), The King of Comedy (1982), True Confessions (1981), Raging Bull (1980), Line of Fire (1979), The Deer Hunter (1978), The Last Tycoon (1977), New York, New York (1977), 1900 (1976), Taxi Driver (1976), The Godfather Part II (1974), Bang the Drum Slowly (1973), Bang the Drum Slowly (1973), Mean Streets (1973), Addict (1971), Born to Win (1971), The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight (1971), Bloody Mama (1970), Hi, Mom! (1969), The Swap (1969), The Wedding Party (1969), Greetings (1968)