When I was starting to watch grown up movies in the early 1990’s, I watched Pulp Fiction, and it amazed me how many talents were involved with the production. After watching two more Quentin Tarantino related films, Reservoir Dogs and From Dusk Till Dawn, I realized Harvey Keitel was in all 3 and was one of my favorite characters from each one. He was so cool bossing around John Travolta, tough consoling Tim Roth, and was just as intimidating fighting with George Clooney, (in the 3 films respectively). Using a calm speaking voice in the roles, I was amazed that he could pull that off without relying on or resorting to physical violence, I began to understand acting.

Harvey was born in Brooklyn, New York (1939) and he joined the US Marine Corps at age 16. When he came home, he worked as a court reporter until getting roles in off-Broadway productions. In 1967 he starred in Who’s That Knocking at My Door by first time director Martin Scorsese. He would also have a role in Scorsese’s 1976 Taxi Driver starring Robert De Niro. Keitel had roles in 2 other director’s first films, Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs, (which he also produced) and Ridley Scott’s The Duellists. Scott would direct him again in Thelma & Louise (1991), the same year he received an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for a role in Barry Levinson’s Bugsy. I also liked Harvey in Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel and his voice will be in Anderson’s next film, Isle of Dogs in 2018. That year should also reunite Scorsese, De Niro, and Keitel for The Irishman.

Thanks and Happy Birthday Harvey!