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Alfredo James Pacino - Alfredo James Pacino was born in New York City on April 25, 1940 to Italian American parents. He went to the High School of Performing Arts, spent four years at the Herbert Berghof Studio, and then moved to the Actors Studio, where he studied method acting under acting coach Lee Strasberg.

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On stage - Pacino's stage career began in 1967. In 1969, he won a Tony Award (for his work in 'Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie?'). He won a second Tony in 1971 for 'The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel' (pictured).

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Early career - Pacino made his film debut in 1969 with a brief appearance in 'Me, Natalie.' But it was his role as a substance abuser in 'The Panic in Needle Park' (1971) that brought the fledgling actor to the attention of director Francis Ford Coppola.

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'The Godfather' (1972) - Coppola took a gamble by casting the relatively unknown Pacino as Michael Corleone in 'The Godfather.' Pacino's dynamic performance earned him an Academy Award nomination.

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'Scarecrow' (1973) - Pacino next co-starred alongside Gene Hackman in this road movie, which bombed at the US box office but tied for the Grand Prix du Festival International du Film at the 1973 Cannes Film Festival. It has since gained cult status among moviegoers.

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'Serpico' (1973) - In the same year, Pacino gave a solid performance as New York cop Frank Serpico in this riveting biographical crime drama. He was subsequently nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor.

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'The Godfather Part II' (1974) - Reprising his role as the ruthless Michael Corleone garnered Pacino a BAFTA Award for Best Actor. He was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor.

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'Dog Day Afternoon' (1975) - The 1970s saw some of Pacino's finest work, including this critically acclaimed crime drama based on real events. The actor picked up Academy and Golden Globe Best Actor nominations for the role of the hapless bank robber, Sonny Wortzik.

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'Bobby Deerfield' (1977) - Another Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor followed his turn as a race car driver in this romantic drama directed by Sydney Pollack.

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'...And Justice for All' (1979) - Incredibly, the actor was nominated for a fourth time for the Best Actor Oscar in this courtroom drama that opened to critical acclaim and box office success.

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'Scarface' (1983) - A remake of the 1932 classic of the same name, 'Scarface' provided Pacino with a defining role as a Cuban refugee who ends up a powerful crime boss. Another Golden Globe Best Actor nomination followed in the film's wake.

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'Sea of Love' (1989) - The mid-1980s marked a return to the stage for Pacino, before the actor headed back to cinema in 'Sea of Love,' which received positive reviews from critics.

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Another nomination - Yet another Best Supporting Actor Academy Award nomination landed in Pacino's lap for his supporting role as Big Boy Caprice in Warren Beatty's action comedy take on the comic book detective, which also co-starred Madonna (pictured).

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'Scent of a Woman' (1992) - His role as an irritable, blind, medically retired Army officer in this critically acclaimed drama finally secured Pacino an Academy Award for Best Actor. He also scooped a Golden Globe.

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'Glengarry Glen Ross' (1992) - In the same year, he was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor for his role in 'Glengarry'—the first male actor ever to receive two acting nominations for two movies in the same year, and to win for the lead role.

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Oscar success - A smiling Al Pacino holds his Best Actor Oscar for his role in 'Scent of a Woman' at the 65th Annual Academy Awards.

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'Heat' (1995) - Pacino and Robert De Niro both appeared in 'The Godfather Part II,' but not in the same scene together. The pairing therefore of these two giants of cinema in Michael Mann's hit crime thriller was eagerly anticipated. The film was a commercial and critical success.

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'Looking for Richard' (1996) - The actor's directorial debut is both a performance of selected scenes from William Shakespeare's 'Richard III,' and a broader look at the Bard's continuing role and influence in popular culture.

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'The Devil's Advocate' (1997) - Despite the film's mixed critical reception, Pacino's depiction of a super smooth but ultimately dastardly devil in a suit won him positive reviews in this stylish supernatural thriller.

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'Donnie Brasco' (1997) - Always comfortable working in the crime genre, Pacino joined a stellar cast that included Johnny Depp, Michael Madsen, and Anne Heche, for this acclaimed Mafia-themed movie set in the 1970s.

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'The Insider' (1999) - Working again with Michael Mann, the actor starred alongside Russell Crowe in this fictionalized account of a true story about a whistle-blower in the tobacco industry. It was nominated for seven Academy Awards.

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'Any Given Sunday' (1999) - This Oliver Stone-directed sports drama saw Pacino join an A-list ensemble cast, along with several former American football players, for nearly three hours of intense gridiron action.

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'Insomnia' (2002) -

Notable for having Robin Williams playing a villain, this intriguing mystery thriller saw Pacino's detective character blur the lines between right and wrong while trying to catch a criminal and a good night's sleep in the perpetual Alaskan summer daylight.

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Life Achievement Award - In 2007, Al Pacino accepted the AFI Life Achievement Award during a ceremony held at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California.

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Back on stage - A consummate stage actor, Pacino is pictured here during the opening night of 'The Merchant of Venice' at The Broadhurst Theatre in November 2010.

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Emmy award - Clutching his Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Mini Series or Movie for his work on 'You Don't Know Jack' at the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles.

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Medal of Arts - Back in 2012, US President Barack Obama honored the actor with a National Medal of Arts during a ceremony at the White House in Washington, D.C.

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'The Irishman' (2019) - Teaming up for a third time with Robert De Niro, Al Pacino is pictured here on the set of Martin Scorsese's 'The Irishman' in Long Island, New York.

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'The Irishman' (2019) - The film stars De Niro as a labor union leader and Mafia hit man, with Pacino playing Teamsters boss Jimmy Hoffa. Pacino and co-star Joe Pesci were both nominated for the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for their work in the film.

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'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood' (2019) -

Quentin Tarantino's most recent offering stars Pacino, Brad Pitt, and Leonardo DiCaprio in a crime thriller set in Los Angeles. Pacino is pictured on set between takes.

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'House of Gucci' (2021) -

In a film starring the likes of Adam Driver, Lady Gaga, and Jared Leto, Pacino found himself nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture.

See also: The world's most influential film directors and their masterpieces

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