Martin Scorsese

After briefly considering the priesthood, Martin Scorsese -- born Nov. 17, 1942, in Queens, N.Y. -- enrolled instead at New York University's film school.

Thanks to several impressive short films, Scorsese worked briefly for producer Roger Corman, directing Boxcar Bertha (1972). Scorsese's reputation for capturing the gritty heart of New York life grew with Mean Streets (1973), starring two actors long associated with him -- Robert De Niro and Harvey Keitel. The three collaborated again in Taxi Driver (1976).

Scorsese later tackled prizefighter Jake LaMotta's biography in Raging Bull (1980), which earned Scorsese the first of several Oscar nods for directing and writing. His critical success continued with Goodfellas, Gangs of New York and The Departed, for which he finally earned the Oscar for Best Director. More honors came in 2010 with the Cecil B. DeMille Award for career achievement.

Filmography