Martin Scorsese

Photo of Martin Scorsese

Biography

Arguably one of the greatest directors of all time, Martin Scorsese made some of the most daring films in cinema history. His impressive body of work was a meditation on the visceral nature of violence and male relationships that often reflected his own personal angst growing up in the violent streets of Manhattan's Lower East Side. Starting with "Mean Streets" (1973), a gritty look at life in Little Italy, Scorsese made his mark on Hollywood …
Read More »

Job Title

Actor, Director, Producer, Writer, Production Management, Editor, Consultants & Advisors, Below The Line, Other

Born

Martin Marcantonio Luciano Scorsese on November 17, 1942 in Flushing, New York, USA

Career Milestones

2011

Produced and directed the adventure drama "Hugo"; ensemble cast included Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Ben Kingsley

2011

Nominated for the 2011 Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series ("Boardwalk Empire")

2010

Produced the HBO series "Boardwalk Empire"; also directed the pilot episode

2010

Re-teamed with Leonardo DiCaprio on the drama thriller "Shutter Island"; Scorsese directed and produced

2008

Directed a documentary of Rolling Stones' A Bigger Bang tour titled "Shine a Light"

2007

Formed the World Cinema Foundation to preserve neglected films for posterity and restore others that have been damaged

2006

Received first Academy Award for directing "The Departed"

2004

Lent his voice to the animated character Sykes in "Shark Tale"

2004

Directed (also produced) the Howard Hughes biopic "The Aviator" about the early life of Hughes (Leonardo DiCaprio); received Golden Globe and Oscar nominations for Best Director; also nominated by the Directors Guild of America for Outstanding Directorial Achievement

2003

Received a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (February 28)

2003

Executive produced the six-part series "The Blues" (PBS); episodes directed by Spike Lee and Wim Wenders

2002

Directed Leonardo DiCaprio in the period drama "Gangs of New York"; received nominations for a BAFTA and an Oscar for his achievement in directing

2002

Executive produced "Deuces Wild" starring Matt Dillon and Deborah Harry

2002

Executive produced the Katherine Lindberg directed "Rain"; screened at the Sundance Film Festival

2001

Helmed the four-hour-plus history of Italian cinema, "My Voyage to Italy/Il Mio Viaggio in Italia"; screened at the New York Film Festival (released for one-week Oscar qualifying run, aired on TCM in 2002)

2000

Directed "Il Dolce Cinema," a documentary about the Italian cinema through the 1970s; shown at the Venice Film Festival

2000

Co-produced the film "Smiling Fish and Goat on Fire"

2000

Created the Turner Classic Movies (TCM) three-part documentary "A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies"

1999

Helmed "Bringing Out the Dead"

1998

Served as president of the Cannes Film Festival Jury

1997

Directed the Dalai Lama biopic "Kundun"

1995

Directed De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Sharon Stone in "Casino"

1993

Co-scripted (with Jay Cocks) and directed the elegant adaptation of Edith Wharton's "The Age of Innocence"; nominated for a Best Adapted Screenplay Academy Award

1992

Formed film preservation and distribution company Martin Scorsese Presents

1990

Signed a six-picture film production deal with Universal; first film completed under deal, "Cape Fear" (1991) starring De Niro

1990

Helmed and co-wrote "GoodFellas," based on Nicholas Pillegi's non-fiction Wiseguy; film earned six Oscar nominations including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay

1988

Directed the controversial "The Last Temptation of Christ"; nominated for a Best Director Academy Award

1987

Directed first music video, "Bad" starring Michael Jackson and scripted by Richard Price

1986

Helmed "The Color of Money," a sequel to "The Hustler" with Paul Newman reprising his role as 'Fast Eddie' Felsen

1985

Directed the comedy "After Hours"

1983

Helmed "The King of Comedy" starring De Niro

1980

Directed what many critics proclaimed the best film of the 1980s, "Raging Bull"; earned first Best Director Oscar nomination

1977

Stage directing debut, "The Act" starring Minnelli

1977

Helmed the nostalgic movie musical "New York, New York" starring Robert De Niro and Liza Minnelli

1976

Played an important one-scene supporting role in "Taxi Driver"'; also directed

1974

Helmed "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore" starring Ellen Burstyn

1973

First cameo appearance, "Mean Streets"; also breakthrough as director

Fired from NYU for missing classes while filming "Mean Streets"

Commercial feature directing debut (for producer Roger Corman), "Boxcar Bertha"

1971

First feature as co-producer, Francois Reichenbach's "Medicine Ball Caravan"

1970

First documentary as director, "Street Scenes"

1968

Hired as director of "The Honeymoon Killers" but replaced after one week

1967

Made six-minute film, "The Big Shave" with the support of the Belgian Cinematheque

1966

First feature-length film, "Who's That Knocking at My Door?" with fellow student, actor Harvey Keitel and editor Thelma Schoonmaker, both of whom were to become long-term collaborators

1963

Made first short film while at NYU, "What's a Nice Girl Like You Doing in a Place Like This?"

Awards

2012

Producers Guild of America Award for Television Series - Drama in Boardwalk Empire

2012

Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing For Nonfiction Programming in George Harrison: Living in the Material World

2012

Producers Guild of America Award for Theatrical Motion Pictures in Hugo

2011

Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series in Boardwalk Empire

2011

BAFTA Award for Documentary in George Harrison: Living in the Material World

2011

National Board of Review Award for Best Director in Hugo

2011

Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Director in Hugo

2011

National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Director in Hugo

2011

Golden Globe Award for Best Director - Motion Picture in Hugo

2011

Academy Award for Best Picture in Hugo

2011

Academy Award for Directing in Hugo

2011

BAFTA Award for Director in Hugo

2011

Directors Guild of America Award for Feature Film in Hugo

2010

Directors Guild of America Award for Dramatic Series Night in Boardwalk Empire

2009

Golden Globe Award for Cecil B. DeMille Award

2006

Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Nonfiction Series in John Ford/John Wayne: The Filmmaker and the Legend

2006

Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing For Nonfiction Programming in No Direction Home: Bob Dylan

2006

Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Director in The Departed

2006

Critics' Choice Award for Best Director in The Departed

2006

New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Director in The Departed

2006

Golden Globe Award for Best Director - Motion Picture in The Departed

2006

BAFTA Award for David Lean Award For Achievement In Direction, The in The Departed

2006

Academy Award for Directing in The Departed

2006

Directors Guild of America Award for Feature Film in The Departed

2004

Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Director in The Aviator

2004

Critics' Choice Award for Best Director in The Aviator

2004

Golden Globe Award for Best Director - Motion Picture in The Aviator

2004

BAFTA Award for David Lean Award For Achievement In Direction, The in The Aviator

2004

Academy Award for Directing in The Aviator

2004

Directors Guild of America Award for Feature Film in The Aviator

2004

Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Nonfiction Series in The Blues

2003

Montreal World Film Festival for A Special Grand Prix of the Americas for their exceptional contribution to the cinematographic art

2003

Directors Guild of America Award for DGA Lifetime Achievement

2002

Critics' Choice Award for Best Director in Gangs of New York

2002

Golden Globe Award for Best Director - Motion Picture in Gangs of New York

2002

BAFTA Award for David Lean Award For Achievement In Direction, The in Gangs of New York

2002

Academy Award for Directing in Gangs of New York

2002

Directors Guild of America Award for Feature Film in Gangs of New York

2001

National Society of Film Critics Award for Film Heritage Awards in My Voyage to Italy

2001

National Board of Review Award for William K. Everson Award for Film History in My Voyage to Italy

1995

Golden Globe Award for Best Director - Motion Picture in Casino

1995

Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Cultural Program in Eric Clapton: Nothing But the Blues

1993

National Board of Review Award for Best Director in The Age of Innocence

1993

Golden Globe Award for Best Director - Motion Picture in The Age of Innocence

1993

Directors Guild of America Award for Feature Film in The Age of Innocence

1993

Academy Award for Writing (Screenplay Based On Material Previously Produced or Published) in The Age of Innocence

1991

Independent Spirit Award for Best Feature in The Grifters

1990

BAFTA Award for Achievement In Direction in Goodfellas

1990

BAFTA Award for Adapted Screenplay in Goodfellas

1990

New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Director in Goodfellas

1990

Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Director in Goodfellas

1990

Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Director in Goodfellas

1990

National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Director in Goodfellas

1990

Golden Globe Award for Best Director - Motion Picture in Goodfellas

1990

BAFTA Award for Best Film in Goodfellas

1990

Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay - Motion Picture in Goodfellas

1990

Directors Guild of America Award for Feature Film in Goodfellas

1990

Venice International Film Festival for Silver Lion for Best Director in Goodfellas

1988

Academy Award for Directing in The Last Temptation of Christ

1986

Independent Spirit Award for Best Director in After Hours

1986

Cannes Film Festival for Best Director in After Hours

1983

BAFTA Award for Direction in The King of Comedy

1980

National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Director in Raging Bull

1980

Golden Globe Award for Best Director - Motion Picture in Raging Bull

1980

Academy Award for Directing in Raging Bull

1980

Directors Guild of America Award for Feature Film in Raging Bull

1976

National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Director in Taxi Driver

1976

BAFTA Award for Direction in Taxi Driver

1976

Directors Guild of America Award for Feature Film in Taxi Driver

1976

Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for New Generation Award in Taxi Driver

1976

Cannes Film Festival for Palme d'Or in Taxi Driver

1975

BAFTA Award for Direction in Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore

1967

Chicago International Film Festival for Gold Hugo in Who's That Knocking at My Door?