Iconic director Martin Scorsese celebrated a milestone birthday on Saturday as he turned 70 years old.

Born on Nov. 17, 1942, in Queens, New York, Scorsese would go on to become one of the most prolific and respected American filmmakers of his generation. He is hailed as one of the most influential film directors of all time, and he has gained significant acclaim for his work, which deals largely with themes of guilt, redemption, modern crime and violence and the identity of Italian Americans.

He has received a showering of critical acclaim and awards consideration throughout his long career. Scorsese has been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director a total of seven times, and he finally won the prize in 2006 for his film "The Departed."

Scorsese is known for his long and fruitful relationships with actors he admires and whom he casts in many of his films.

The first such actor is Robert DeNiro, who has worked with Scorsese on a total of eight films since 1978, including the following: "Mean Streets," "Taxi Driver," "New York, New York," "Raging Bull," "The King of Comedy," "Goodfellas," "Cape Fear" and "Casino."

Scorsese has built a similar relationship in recent years with Leonardo DiCaprio. Scorsese and DiCaprio have worked together on a number of films, including "Gangs of New York," "The Aviator," "The Departed," "Shutter Island" and the upcoming film "The Wolf of Wall Street," which is currently filming and set for release in 2013.

Scorsese has been married a total of five times, and he has three daughters. His most well-known wife was actress Isabella Rossellini, who he married in 1979 and divorced in 1983. The director has been married to Helen Morris since 1999, and the couple has one daughter, Francesca.

Tags: Martin Scorsese Robert DeNiro Leonardo DiCaprio