Worked as an attendant in a psychiatric hospital, as a waiter, a dishwasher, a typist, a Times Square headline crier during a newspaper strike and as a toy salesman at Macy's

Stage debut, "Yes Is For a Very Young Man" at Sarah Lawrence College

Broadway stage debut, "A Cook For Mr. General"

TV acting debut, "Sweet Prince of Delancey Street" episode of "Naked City"

Joined the Theatre Company of Boston and appeared in "Endgame", "The Quare Fellow", "In the Jungle of Cities" and other plays

Appeared in "Harry, Noon and Night" at the American Place Theater, NYC

Served as assistant to the director (Ulu Grosbard) on off-Broadway revival of "A View From the Bridge"

Worked as stage manager for "The Subject Was Roses" on Broadway; directed by Ulu Grosbard

Feature acting debut, "Tiger Makes Out"

Breakthrough screen role as Benjamin Braddock in Mike Nichols' "The Graduate"; recieved first Oscar nomination as Best Actor

Broadway directorial debut, "Jimmy Shine"

Earned second Best Actor Academy Award nomination for his mesmerizing performance as Ratso Rizzo in "Midnight Cowboy"

Directed Broadway production, "All Over Town"

Appeared in the ABC children's TV special, "Marlo Thomas and Friends in Free to Be... You and Me"

Received third Best Actor Oscar nomination as comedian Lenny Bruce in Bob Fosse's biopic "Lenny"

Began directing film, "Straight Time" (turned over to Ulu Grosbard)

Earned Best Actor Oscar as a separated father coping with parenting in "Kramer vs Kramer"

Delivered a brilliant performance as an out-of-work actor who resorts to drag to win a role in the comedy "Tootsie"; nominated for a Best Actor Oscar

Executive produced and starred in TV special, "Death of a Salesman" (which he had previously done in a revival onstage

Founded Punch Productions

Won second Oscar as Best Actor for his turn as an autistic man in Barry Levinson's "Rain Man"; also first collaboration with the director

Provided a guest voice for "The Simpsons" as Lisa's beloved Jewish substitute teacher; credited as "Sam Etic"

Inducted into the French Order of Arts and Letters

Received rave reviews for his portrayal of a Hollywood producer (reportedly based on Robert Evans) in Barry Levinson's political satire "Wag the Dog"; earned Best Actor Academy Award nomination

Reteamed with Levinson for "Sphere"

Produced "The Blouse Man," which marked the directorial debut of actor Tony Goldwyn

Announced to make feature directorial debut with "Personal Injuries"

Played opposite Susan Sarandon in the touching drama "Moonlight Mile"

Played a mob boss in the drama "Confidence"

Co-starred in the thriller "Runaway Jury"

Cast as Ben Stiller's father in "Meet the Fockers," the follow-up to 2000's hit "Meet the Parents"

Starred opposite Johnny Depp in "Finding Neverland" which details the experiences of 'Peter Pan' author J.M. Barrie

Stars opposite Jude Law and Naomi Watts in David O. Russell's comedy "I Heart Huckabees"

Cast in Andy Garcia's feature directorial debut "The Lost City"

Co-starred as a literary expert opposite Will Ferrell in the Marc Forster comedy, "Stranger Than Fiction"

Played an eccentric toy shop owner in the fantasy film "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium"

Played kung fu master, Shifu in the animated feature, "Kung Fu Panda"