History Creator / HarveyKeitel

Consummate badass actor Harvey Keitel (born May 13, 1939 in Brooklyn, UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity), has been acting in films since 1967. He also played [[CowboyCop Gene]] [[MemeticBadass Hunt]] in the [[TransAtlanticEquivalent American version]] of ''Series/{{Life On Mars|2008}}''; much like Philip Glenister in the [[Series/LifeOnMars2006 British original]], he was the best thing on the show. A former [[SemperFi United States Marine]], he is frequently revered as one of cinema's greatest actors for badass roles that nevertheless require emotional range, possibly equaling Creator/RobertDeNiro despite his lack of awards.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Keitel was originally cast as Willard in ''Film/ApocalypseNow'', but sacked after a week of shooting and replaced by Creator/MartinSheen.

* Roddy in ''[[Film/Deathwatch1980 Death Watch]] (1980)

* [[FakeNationality Fake Italian-American]]: Despite being Jewish-American, he's played several Italian-American gangsters throughout his career.

* BrooklynRage: Born and raised there, he has the natural chops to convey this aspect of most of most of his characters.

* FakeNationality: More specifically, ethnicity. Anyway, despite being Jewish-American, he's played several Italian-American gangsters throughout his career.

* ProductionPosse: With directors Wes Anderson, Martin Scorsese, Abel Ferrara, and Quentin Tarantino, and also with actors Robert De Niro, Steve Buscemi, Willem Dafoe, Bill Murray, Edward Norton, Jason Schwartzman, and Tim Roth.

* {{Typecast}}: As criminals, {{Slimeball}}s, {{MagnificentBastard smooth crooks}}, or members of TheMafia.

* {{Typecast}}: As criminals, sleezeballs, smooth crooks, or members of TheMafia.

* SS-Oberscharfuehrer Eric Muhsfeldt in ''Film/TheGreyZone'' (2001)

* FakeNationality: More specifically ethnicity. Anyway, despite being Jewish-American, he's played several Italian-American gangsters throughout his career.
* {{Irony}}: He's Jewish, but plays a ruthless SS NCO in ''Film/The Grey Zone.''

* SmokeVoice: Bolsters his ability to play tough guys.

* BrooklynRage: A recurring character mark of his.

* FakeItalian: Despite being Jewish, he's played several Italian-American gangsters throughout his career.

* ProductionPosse: With directors Wes Anderson, Martin Scorsese, and Quentin Tarantino, and also with actors Robert De Niro, Steve Buscemi, Willem Dafoe, Bill Murray, Edward Norton, Jason Schwarzman, and Tim Roth.

* FakeEthnicity: Despite being Jewish, he's played several Italian-American gangsters throughout his career.

* {{Typecast}}: As criminals, sleezeballs, or members of TheMafia.

* {{Typecast}}: As mobsters or members of the Mafia.

* AdamWesting: Kinda. He plays his character Winston Wolfe from Film/PulpFiction in a number of adverts for Direct Line Insurance in the UK. The basic premise is Winston Wolfe coming to the aid of some beleaguered Briton with a home or car insurance problem, initially intimidating them with his Mafioso type swagger and then amicably reassuring them that Direct Line with handle their problems.

* MaleFrontalNudity - one of the most memorable aspects of ''Film/ThePiano''. Also did it in ''Film/MeanStreets'' and ''Film/BadLieutenant''.
* {{Typecast}}: As mobsters or members of the Mafia.
* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Keitel was originally cast as Willard in ''Film/ApocalypseNow'', but sacked after a week of shooting and replaced by Creator/MartinSheen.

* Winston Wolfe in ''Film/PulpFiction'' (1993), a role that he reprised for a series of Direct Line ads in the U.K.

* Dad in ''Film/LittleNicky'' (2000)

* DawsonCasting: An interesting case in ''Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore''. The film has his character (who is roughly 27 years old) attempting to seduce the titular character (who is 35) with some difficulty, as the latter is worried about the age gap. Harvey Keitel, though, ''was'' roughly 35 at the time of filming. Despite this, the film is still able to pull off the age disparity, since Ellen Burstyn was actually 42 when she played Alice.
%%* FourStarBadass

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* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Keitel was originally cast as Willard in ''Film/ApocalypseNow'', but sacked after a week of shooting and replaced by Creator/MartinSheen.
** He was also fired from ''Film/EyesWideShut'' early in filming.

Consummate badass actor Harvey Keitel born May 13, 1939 in Brooklyn, UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity, has been acting in films since 1967. He also played [[CowboyCop Gene]] [[MemeticBadass Hunt]] in the [[TransAtlanticEquivalent American version]] of ''Series/{{Life On Mars|2008}}''; much like Philip Glenister in the [[Series/LifeOnMars2006 British original]], he was the best thing on the show. A former [[SemperFi United States Marine]], he is frequently revered as one of cinema's greatest actors for badass roles that nevertheless require emotional range, possibly equaling Creator/RobertDeNiro despite his lack of awards.

* Ray Donlan in ''Film/CopLand'' (1997)