David Caruso
An actor whose career pivoted from a shocking TV departure to becoming the face of a global crime drama franchise.
Born 1956 (age 70)·American actor and producer·Birthday: January 7·Baby Boomers
Biography
David Caruso's path in Hollywood was a study in dramatic turns. After a string of supporting film roles in the 80s, he landed the part of the brooding, red-haired Detective John Kelly on the groundbreaking series 'NYPD Blue.' His sudden exit after just one season, driven by a desire for movie stardom, became industry legend and his subsequent film career failed to ignite as hoped. Years later, he executed a remarkable comeback by anchoring 'CSI: Miami' as the taciturn, sunglass-wearing Lt. Horatio Caine. For a decade, his minimalist delivery and signature one-liners turned the character into a pop culture fixture, proving his unique ability to command the small screen on his own terms.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
David was born in 1956, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When David Was Born
The biggest hits of 1956
#1 Movie
The Ten Commandments
Best Picture
Around the World in 80 Days
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
David's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1956Born
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1961Started school
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1969Became a teenager
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1972Could drive
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1974Could vote
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1977Turned 21
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1986Turned 30
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 40
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 50
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 60
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 70
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- He earned a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor for his role as Detective John Kelly on 'NYPD Blue' in 1994.
- He starred as the lead in 'CSI: Miami' for its entire ten-season run, making it one of the most-watched television shows in the world.
- His portrayal of Lt. Horatio Caine became so definitive that the character was featured in the opening sequences of every episode.
- He appeared in the landmark film 'First Blood' (1982) as Deputy Mitch, one of his earliest notable roles.
Did You Know?
He is left-handed.
Before acting, he worked as a movie theater usher and a nightclub bouncer in New York.
He turned down a role in the blockbuster film 'Speed' (1994) during his post-NYPD Blue film period.
His distinctive red hair is natural.
“I'm not a movie star. I'm a television actor.”
