In between working various odd jobs all around the city, Al began taking drama classes at the Herbert Berghof Studio. After years of small theater productions and little acclaim, Al was accepted at the Actors Studio. His first real recognition for his acting came in 1968 in the form of an Obie Award for 'Best Actor' for the production of 'The Indian Wants The Bronx.' The next year he finally made it to Broadway in 'Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie?' and won a Best Supporting Actor Tony for his exacting, measured portrayal of a junkie.
Hollywood came calling in 1969 with a role (again as drug addict) in 'Me, Natalie.' Two years later he was in 'The Panic in Needle Park.' He was another junkie. But in 1974, the virtually unknown Al was handpicked by Francid Ford Coppola to star in 'The Godfather' as Michael Corleone, the reluctant young son of Mafia legend Vito Corleone who is suddenly thrust into the family business and has to learn to cope with the deadly world he is entering. Beating out everyone from Robert DeNiro to Warren Beatty to Jack Nicholson and enduring endless scepticism from the rest of the cast and crew, Al was terrific, and landed an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor!
From there, Al soon became one of the top stars at the blockbuster with roles in 'Serpico', 'The Godfather, Part II' and 'Dog Day Afternoon.' Unfortunately, there are always the flops, which for Al included 'Cruising,' 'Revolution' and 'Bobby Deerfield.'
He returned to Broadway in 1977 with 'The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel' (in the title role), for which he won a second Tony. He also starred as Antony in 'Julius Caesar,' and in David Mamet's 'American Buffalo.'
Al has made an incredible number of cinematic landmarks, and has been nominated for an Academy Award seven times, before finally winning in1992 as a blind Army colonel in 'Scent of a Woman.' Other superb performances by Al include roles in 'Glenngary Glen Ross,' (as fiery real estate agent Ricky Roma) 'Heat,' (reteaming with 'The Godfather, Part 2' co-star Robert DeNiro), 'The Godfather, Part III (reprising the role of Michael Corleone, the aging Don struggling to keep the family business legit.) 'Dick Tracy,' was Al's first major comedic role. Other glowing reviews came for '...And Justice For All,' 'Donnie Brasco,' 'Frankie And Johnny,' 'Carlito's Way' (Al took on the role of a Puerto Rican gangster), 'City Hall,' the Shakespearean documentary 'Looking For Richard' (Al was the king, of course!) and a personal a personal favorite of mine, Lowell Bergman, the CBS producer in 'The Insider.'
And of course, who can forget Al as the most evil bad guy of them all...the Devil, in 'The Devil's Advocate,' for which he was nominated for 'Best Villian' at the MTV Movie Awards! Al continues to blow us away at the movies, and we can expect lots of more incredible performances from this Hollywood icon.