Maurice Joseph Micklewhite: Who was Michael Caine’s father?

Maurice Joseph Micklewhite is the father of Michael Caine. Maurice Joseph Micklewhite’s son is considered a British film icon. His career has spanned eight decades, and he’s racked up more accolades than we can count. Caine made his breakthrough in the 1960s with starring roles in British films such as Zulu (1964), The Ipcress File (1965), The Italian Job (1969), and Battle of Britain (1969). He solidified his stardom with roles in Get Carter (1971), The Last Valley (1971), The Man Who Would Be King (1975), The Eagle Has Landed (1976), and A Bridge Too Far (1977).

Maurice Joseph Micklewhite: Bio Summary

Who is Michael Caine’s father?

Maurice Joseph Micklewhite was born on  20 January 1899  in London, England (United Kingdom). She was the son of Joseph Henry Micklewhite and Johannah Regan. He was the brother of Joseph Micklewhite, Catherine P. Micklewhite, Henry Micklewhite, Lawrence Micklewhite, Hannah (Micklewhite) Dumas, George Micklewhite, and John Micklewhite. He was a Catholic of Anglo-Irish and Romani descent.

Maurice Joseph Micklewhite was married to Ellen Maria Burchell in 1931 in Southwark, London, England. His wife Ellen was a Charlady while he was a fish market porter at the Billingsgate fish market. The couple were the parents of two boys  Michael Caine ( Born Maurice Joseph Micklewhite Jr) and Stanley Caine.

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Whenever funds got too tight, Michael Caine’s father would swipe fish from the market and bring it home for dinner. As the actor put it, “By the time I was 15 I never wanted to see fish again.”

Maurice Joseph Micklewhite raised her family in London’s Southwark district; during the Second World War, torn from his family, Caine was evacuated 100 miles (160 km) north to North Runcton, Norfolk. Though he was too young to join the war, the conflict upended Caine’s entire life.

Per reports, the new family that took him in wasn’t happy to have him as they beat him regularly. He had to endure even worse torment at the hands of the new family. Eventually, the horrible family got what was coming to them in the end. Ellen taught them a lesson. According to Factinate, Caine’s mother came to Norfolk to confront her son’s caretakers when she heard of the abuse, and it wasn’t pretty. According to Caine, his mother beat the woman of the house so horribly, that she nearly went to prison.

After the War, Michael Caine’s father was demobilized and the family was rehoused by the council in Marshall Gardens in London’s Elephant and Castle area, where they lived in a prefabricated house made in Canada as much of London’s housing stock had been destroyed during the Blitz in 1940 and 1941.

Maurice Joseph Micklewhite never saw his son become a star

Though Maurice Sr. was always there for his family, he never got to see his son become a movie star. Maurice Sr. died in Caine’s arms in 1957. Though he was gone, Caine kept his father close to his mind for the rest of his life. 

Speaking to his agent from a telephone booth in Leicester Square, London, he looked around for inspiration, noted that The Caine Mutiny was being shown at the Odeon Cinema, and decided to change his name to “Michael Caine”.

Though he had his name legally changed to Michael Caine to make his life easier and for showbiz purposes when Caine was knighted, he asked to be knighted as Maurice Micklewhite to honor his father.

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One of the few regrets The Dark Knight Trilogy star has in life is that his father never got to see him make it big. “I was a penniless bum when he was alive. I’m still a bum at heart, but now I’m a rich one.“- Michael Caine said.

It wasn’t too long after his father’s passing that Caine’s career finally started looking up. The cause of Maurice Joseph Micklewhite’s death has not been revealed by the actor. He was 57 years old at the time of his death. His wife Ellen Maria Burchell also passed away in 1989.