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This is a topic from the The Writing on the Walrus forum on inthe00s.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: CatwomanofV on 03/24/10 at 12:56 pm
Death of British Person of the Day: Queen Elizabeth 1
Elizabeth was born in Greenwich on 7 September 1533, the only daughter of Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn. When Elizabeth was two, Anne was beheaded for adultery on the orders of Henry, and Elizabeth was exiled from court. Her childhood was difficult, although she received a thorough Protestant education.
In 1553, Elizabeth's older half-sister Mary became queen. Mary was determined to re-establish Catholicism in England and viewed the Protestant Elizabeth as a direct threat, briefly imprisoning her in the Tower of London. When Elizabeth succeeded to the throne in 1558 one of her priorities was to return England to the Protestant faith and one of her greatest legacies was to establish and secure an English form of Protestantism. Elizabeth's reign also saw England significantly expand its trade overseas while at home, Shakespeare, Spenser and Marlowe were at the forefront of a renaissance in poetry and drama.
Catholic challenges and plots persisted through much of Elizabeth's reign. The focus of most of these was Elizabeth's cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots, a Catholic with a strong claim to the English throne, who sought exile in England in 1568. Elizabeth imprisoned her and she remained a prisoner for 20 years until Elizabeth was persuaded to agree to her execution in 1587.
The ill-fated Spanish Armada was launched by Philip II of Spain the following year, bringing to a climax the threat posed to English independence from Spain since Elizabeth's accession. Always a popular monarch, and a brilliant public speaker, Elizabeth proved a focus to unite the country against a common enemy.
Despite pressure from her advisers, particularly her chief secretary, William Cecil, Lord Burghley, Elizabeth always refused to marry. She had a close relationship with Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, and was not averse to using the promise of marriage for diplomatic purposes, but asserted her independence until the end of her life. When she died on 24 March 1603, she was succeeded by the Protestant James VI of Scotland, the son of Mary, Queen of Scots.
http://www.edu-negev.gov.il/bs/makif7/english/Elizabeth.jpg
If I remember my history, Philip II of Spain was married to Mary Tudor AKA Bloody Mary (Elizabeth's sister). After Mary died, Philip wanted to married Elizabeth to keep that alliance with England but Elizabeth refused and that led to the Spanish Armada.
Cat
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Philip Eno on 03/24/10 at 2:27 pm
If I remember my history, Philip II of Spain was married to Mary Tudor AKA Bloody Mary (Elizabeth's sister). After Mary died, Philip wanted to married Elizabeth to keep that alliance with England but Elizabeth refused and that led to the Spanish Armada.
Cat
...with the intention of overthrowing Elizabeth I of England.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Philip Eno on 03/24/10 at 2:27 pm
The word of the day...Peaks
The peak of a process or an activity is the point at which it is at its strongest, most successful, or most fully developed.
When something peaks, it reaches its highest value or its highest level.
The peak level or value of something is its highest level or value.
Peak times are the times when there is most demand for something or most use of something.
http://i533.photobucket.com/albums/ee340/mlwoodwa/2009-06-Indian%20Peaks%20Wilderness/S6300078.jpg
http://i904.photobucket.com/albums/ac241/udayamin/Uttarakhand%20Kumaon%20Trip%202010/P1000045.jpg
http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa156/rongonz/CanadianRockies_0310/26_LakeOHara_00.jpg
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l97/thedarkhalf75/Pogo%20sheesh/peakpalacetripeakssolitaireandgamej.jpg
http://i533.photobucket.com/albums/ee340/mlwoodwa/2009-06-Indian%20Peaks%20Wilderness/S6300087.jpg
http://i311.photobucket.com/albums/kk468/vyvwalsh/Cuzco/Cusco308.jpg
http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh166/SLTPlus/peaks.jpg
http://i452.photobucket.com/albums/qq247/JulieT814/Peaks.jpg
...more Desktop Backgrounds?
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: gibbo on 03/24/10 at 4:15 pm
A brilliant man, way ahead of his time.
Thank you.... 8) ::)
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Howard on 03/24/10 at 7:18 pm
...more Desktop Backgrounds?
and I love them,I'll use them when I get a chance. :)
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 03/25/10 at 5:26 am
Man,that's beautiful. :)
I'm happy you like them :)
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 03/25/10 at 5:27 am
Death of British Person of the Day: Queen Elizabeth 1
Elizabeth was born in Greenwich on 7 September 1533, the only daughter of Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn. When Elizabeth was two, Anne was beheaded for adultery on the orders of Henry, and Elizabeth was exiled from court. Her childhood was difficult, although she received a thorough Protestant education.
In 1553, Elizabeth's older half-sister Mary became queen. Mary was determined to re-establish Catholicism in England and viewed the Protestant Elizabeth as a direct threat, briefly imprisoning her in the Tower of London. When Elizabeth succeeded to the throne in 1558 one of her priorities was to return England to the Protestant faith and one of her greatest legacies was to establish and secure an English form of Protestantism. Elizabeth's reign also saw England significantly expand its trade overseas while at home, Shakespeare, Spenser and Marlowe were at the forefront of a renaissance in poetry and drama.
Catholic challenges and plots persisted through much of Elizabeth's reign. The focus of most of these was Elizabeth's cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots, a Catholic with a strong claim to the English throne, who sought exile in England in 1568. Elizabeth imprisoned her and she remained a prisoner for 20 years until Elizabeth was persuaded to agree to her execution in 1587.
The ill-fated Spanish Armada was launched by Philip II of Spain the following year, bringing to a climax the threat posed to English independence from Spain since Elizabeth's accession. Always a popular monarch, and a brilliant public speaker, Elizabeth proved a focus to unite the country against a common enemy.
Despite pressure from her advisers, particularly her chief secretary, William Cecil, Lord Burghley, Elizabeth always refused to marry. She had a close relationship with Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, and was not averse to using the promise of marriage for diplomatic purposes, but asserted her independence until the end of her life. When she died on 24 March 1603, she was succeeded by the Protestant James VI of Scotland, the son of Mary, Queen of Scots.
http://www.edu-negev.gov.il/bs/makif7/english/Elizabeth.jpg
Thanks Phil :)
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 03/25/10 at 5:28 am
A brilliant man, way ahead of his time.
That's for sure.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 03/25/10 at 5:29 am
Thank you.... 8) ::)
Oh Lordy ;D
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 03/25/10 at 5:35 am
The word of the day...Sun
The sun is the ball of fire in the sky that the Earth goes round, and that gives us heat and light.
You refer to the light and heat that reach us from the sun as the sun.
If you are sunning yourself, you are sitting or lying in a place where the sun is shining on you
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb188/lovebalin8/random%20people/sun.jpg
http://i700.photobucket.com/albums/ww8/drsyntax/100_1674.jpg
http://i770.photobucket.com/albums/xx343/marcella_05/holy%202/animated_sun.gif
http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa59/unlikeothersouls/Memorial%20Day%20Weekend%202007/sun.jpg
http://i910.photobucket.com/albums/ac309/speedybobie/Picture01.jpg
http://i621.photobucket.com/albums/tt296/jazzypoo4u101/decorative-sun.jpg
http://i812.photobucket.com/albums/zz44/Cookie007/350mw_14147830.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d57/axlequeen90/Travel/P1010263.jpg
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 03/25/10 at 5:41 am
The person born on this day...Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE (born 25 March 1947 as Reginald Kenneth Dwight; name change occurred in 1972) is an English singer-songwriter, composer and pianist.
In his four-decade career, John has sold more than 250 million records, making him one of the most successful artists of all time. His single "Candle in the Wind 1997" has sold over 37 million copies, becoming the best selling single of all time. He has more than 50 Top 40 hits, including seven consecutive No. 1 U.S. albums, 56 Top 40 singles, 16 Top 10, four No. 2 hits, and nine No. 1 hits. He has won five Grammy awards, an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award and a Tony Award. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked him Number 49 on its list of the 100 greatest artists of all time. Some of the characteristics of John's musical talent and work include an ability to quickly craft melodies for the lyrics of songwriting partner Bernie Taupin, his former rich tenor (now baritone) voice, his classical and gospel-influenced piano, the sensitive orchestral arrangements of Paul Buckmaster among others, and the on-stage showmanship, especially evident during the 1970s.
John was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. He has been heavily involved in the fight against AIDS since the late 1980s, and was knighted in 1998. He entered into a civil partnership with David Furnish on 21 December 2005 and continues to be a champion for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender social movements. In 2008, Billboard magazine ranked him as the most successful male solo artist on "The Billboard Hot 100 Top All-Time Artists" (Third overall, behind only The Beatles and Madonna).
On the advice of music publisher Steve Brown, John and Taupin started writing more complex songs for John to record for DJM. The first was the single "I've Been Loving You" (1968), produced by Caleb Quaye, former Bluesology guitarist. In 1969, with Quaye, drummer Roger Pope, and bassist Tony Murray, John recorded another single, "Lady Samantha", and an album, Empty Sky. Despite extraordinary reviews, none of the records sold well. John and Taupin now enlisted Gus Dudgeon to produce a follow-up with Paul Buckmaster as musical arranger. Elton John was released in the spring of 1970 on DJM Records/Pye Records in the UK and Uni Records in the USA, and established the formula for subsequent albums; gospel-chorded rockers and poignant ballads. The first single from the album, "Border Song", only made the US Top 100 peaking at Number 92. After the second single "Your Song" made the U.S. Top Ten, the album followed suit. John's first American concert took place at The Troubadour in Los Angeles (his introduction was provided by Neil Diamond), in August of that year, backed by ex-Spencer Davis Group drummer Nigel Olsson and bassist Dee Murray. Playing alongside David Ackles left him armed with ideas for showmanship, and the exuberant pianist followed Jerry Lee Lewis' style, kicking over the piano bench added to his own touches, performing handstands on the keyboards, John left the critics raving, and drew praise from fellow artists such as Quincy Jones and Bob Dylan.
In the spring of 1970, John was recruited to provide piano and backing vocals on "Back Home", the song recorded by the English football squad preparing to depart to Mexico for the World Cup finals.
Elton John was followed quickly with the concept album Tumbleweed Connection in October 1970, which reached the Top Ten on the Billboard 200. A frenetic pace of releasing two albums a year was now established.
The live album 17-11-70 (11-17-70 in the US) was recorded at a live show aired from A&R Studios on WABC-FM in New York City. Introduced by disc jockey Dave Herman, it featured extended versions of John/Taupin's early compositions that illustrate the gospel and boogie-woogie influences on John's piano playing, as well as the interaction between John, bassist Dee Murray, and drummer Nigel Olsson. During the magnum opus 18:20 version of "Burn Down the Mission", the band interpolates Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup's "My Baby Left Me" and a full rendition of The Beatles' "Get Back" before a rampaging conclusion. Sales of the live album were heavily hit in the U.S. when an east coast bootlegger released the performance several weeks before the official album, including all 60 minutes of the aircast, not just the 40 minutes selected by Dick James Music.
John and Taupin then wrote the soundtrack to the obscure film Friends and then the album Madman Across the Water, the latter reaching the Top Ten and producing the hit "Levon", while the soundtrack album produced the hit "Friends".
In 1972, the final piece of what would become known as the Elton John Band fell into place with the addition of Davey Johnstone on guitar and backing vocals. Murray, Olsson, and Johnstone combined with John and Taupin's writing, John's flamboyant performance style, and producer Gus Dudgeon to create a hit-making chemistry for the next five Elton John albums. Known for their instrumental playing, the members of the band were also strong backing vocalists who worked out and recorded many of their vocal harmonies themselves, usually in John's absence.
The band released Honky Chateau, which became John's first American number 1 album, spending five weeks at the top of the charts and spawning the hit singles "Rocket Man (I Think It's Going To Be A Long, Long Time)" (which is often compared to David Bowie's "Space Oddity") and "Honky Cat".
The pop album Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player came out at the start of 1973, and produced the hits "Crocodile Rock" and "Daniel"; the former became his first U.S. number one hit. (Ironically this, like his other famous 1970s solo hits, would be popular in his native land but never top the UK Singles Chart; this achievement would have to wait two decades.) Both the album and "Crocodile Rock" were the first album and single, respectively on the consolidated MCA Records label in the USA, replacing MCA's other labels including Uni.
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road gained instant critical acclaim and topped the chart on both sides of the Atlantic, remaining at Number 1 for two months. It also temporarily established John as a glam rock star. It contained the number 1 hit "Bennie and the Jets", along with the popular and praised "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road", "Candle in the Wind", "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting", "Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding" and "Grey Seal" (originally recorded and released in 1970 as the B-side to the UK-only single, "Rock and Roll Madonna"). There is also a VHS and DVD as part of the Classic Albums series, discussing the making, recording, and popularity of "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" through concert and home video footage including interviews.
John then formed his own MCA-distributed label Rocket Records and signed acts to it – notably Neil Sedaka ("Bad Blood", on which he sang background vocals) and Kiki Dee – in which he took personal interest. Instead of releasing his own records on Rocket, he opted for $8 million offered by MCA. When the contract was signed in 1974, MCA reportedly took out a $25 million insurance policy on John's life.
In 1974 a collaboration with John Lennon took place, resulting in Elton John covering The Beatles' "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" and Lennon's "One Day at a Time", and in return Elton John and band being featured on Lennon's "Whatever Gets You thru the Night". In what would be Lennon's last live performance, the pair performed these two number 1 hits along with the Beatles classic "I Saw Her Standing There" at Madison Square Garden. Lennon made the rare stage appearance to keep the promise he made that he would appear on stage with Elton if "Whatever Gets You Thru The Night" became a number 1 single.
Caribou was released in 1974, and although it reached number 1, it was widely considered a lesser quality album. Reportedly recorded in a scant two weeks between live appearances, it featured "The Bitch Is Back" and John's versatility in orchestral songs with "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me".
Pete Townshend of The Who asked John to play a character called the "Local Lad" in the film of the rock opera Tommy, and to perform a song named "Pinball Wizard". Drawing on power chords, John's version was recorded and used for the movie release in 1975 and the single came out in 1976 (1975 in the U.S.). The song charted at number 7 in England. Bally subsequently released a "Captain Fantastic" pinball machine featuring an illustration of John in his movie guise.
Elton John performing live in 1975
In the 1975 autobiographical album Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy, John revealed his previously ambiguous personality, with Taupin's lyrics describing their early days as struggling songwriters and musicians in London. The lyrics and accompanying photo booklet are infused with a specific sense of place and time that is otherwise rare in John's music. "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" was the hit single from this album and captured an early turning point in John's life.
The album's release signaled the end of the Elton John Band, as an unhappy and overworked John dismissed Olsson and Murray, two people who had contributed much of the band's signature sound and who had helped build his live following since the beginning. Johnstone and Ray Cooper were retained, Quaye and Roger Pope returned, and the new bassist was Kenny Passarelli; this rhythm section provided a heavier-sounding backbeat. James Newton-Howard joined to arrange in the studio and to play keyboards. John introduced the lineup before a crowd of 75,000 in London's Wembley Stadium.
Rock-oriented Rock of the Westies entered the U.S. albums chart at number 1 like Captain Fantastic, a previously unattained feat. However, the material was almost universally regarded as not on a par with previous releases. The musical and vocal chemistry Olsson and Murray brought to John's previous releases was seen as lacking by some, both on the album and in the concerts that supported it.
Commercially, John owed much of his success during the mid-1970s to his concert performances. He filled arenas and stadiums worldwide, and was arguably the hottest act in the rock world. John was an unlikely rock idol to begin with, as he was short of stature at 5 feet 7 inches (1.70 m), chubby, and gradually losing his hair. But he made up for it with impassioned performances and over-the-top fashion sense. Also known for his glasses (he started wearing them as a youth to copy his idol Buddy Holly), his flamboyant stage wardrobe now included ostrich feathers, $5,000 spectacles that spelled his name in lights, and dressing up like the Statue of Liberty, Donald Duck, or Mozart among others at his concerts made them a success and created interest for his music.
To celebrate five years of unparalleled success since he first appeared at the venue, in 1975 John played a two-night, four-show stand at The Troubadour. With seating limited to under 500 per show, the chance to purchase tickets was determined by a postcard lottery, with each winner allowed two tickets. Everyone who attended the performances received a hardbound "yearbook" of the band's history. That year he also contributed some exemplary piano playing to Kevin Ayers' Sweet Deceiver.
In 1976, the live album Here and There in May, then the downbeat Blue Moves in October, which contained the memorable but even gloomier hit "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word". His biggest success in 1976 was the "Don't Go Breaking My Heart", a peppy duet with Kiki Dee that topped both the American and British charts. Finally, in an interview with Rolling Stone that year entitled "Elton's Frank Talk", a stressed John stated that he was bisexual.
Besides being the most commercially successful period, 1970 - 1976 is also held in the most regard critically. Within only a three year span, between 1972-75 John saw seven consecutive albums reach Number 1 in the charts, which had not been accomplished before. Of the six Elton John albums to make the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time in Rolling Stone'in 2003, all are from this period, with Goodbye Yellow Brick Road ranked highest at number 91; similarly, the three Elton John albums given five stars by Allmusic (Tumbleweed Connection, Honky Château, and Captain Fantastic) are all from this period too.
During the same period, John made a self-effacing guest appearance on the popular Morecambe and Wise show on the BBC. The two comics spent the episode pointing him in the direction of everywhere except the stage in order to prevent him singing.
ohn was deeply affected by the plight of Ryan White, an Indiana teenager with AIDS. Along with Michael Jackson, John befriended and supported the boy and his family until White's death in 1990. Himself a mess and confronted by his then-lover, John checked into a Chicago hospital in 1990 to combat his drug abuse, alcoholism, and bulimia. In recovery, he lost weight and underwent hair replacement, and subsequently took up residence in Atlanta, Georgia. Also in 1990, John would finally achieve his first UK number one hit on his own, with "Sacrifice" (coupled with "Healing Hands") from the previous year's album Sleeping with the Past; it would stay at the top spot for six weeks.
The 1991 film documentary Two Rooms described the unusual writing style that John and Bernie Taupin use, which involves Taupin writing the lyrics on his own, and John then putting them to music, with the two never in the same room during the process. That same year, Two Rooms: Celebrating the Songs of Elton John & Bernie Taupin, a tribute album featuring contributions from many top British and American performers was released. Also in 1991, John's "Basque" won the Grammy for Best Instrumental, and a guest concert appearance he had made on George Michael's reverent treatment of "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" was released as a single and topped the charts in both the U.S. and UK. On 24 November 1991, Freddie Mercury died of AIDS. John was one of the few invited to attend the singer's private funeral services.
In 1992 he established the Elton John AIDS Foundation, intending to direct 90 percent of the funds it raised to direct care, and 10 percent to AIDS prevention education. He also announced his intention to donate all future royalties from sales of his singles in the U.S. and UK to AIDS research. That year, he released the U.S. number 8 album The One, his highest-charting release since 1976's Blue Moves, and John and Taupin signed a music publishing deal with Warner/Chappell Music for an estimated $39 million over 12 years, giving them the largest cash advance in music publishing history. John performed "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "The Show Must Go On" with Queen at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert, an AIDS charity event held at Wembley Stadium, London. "Bohemian Rhapsody" featured a duet with Axl Rose, a reconciliatory gesture given Rose's previous homophobic reputation.
In September of the same year, he performed "November Rain" with Rose's band Guns N' Roses for the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards at the Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles. The following year, he released Duets, a collaboration with 15 artists including Tammy Wynette and RuPaul. This also included a new collaboration with Kiki Dee, entitled "True Love", which reached the Top 10 of the UK charts, and a duet with Eric Clapton on "Runaway Train", which also charted.
Along with Tim Rice, John wrote the songs for the 1994 Disney animated film The Lion King, which became the highest-grossing traditionally animated feature of all time. Three of the five nominees for the Academy Award for Best Song that year were from The Lion King; "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" eventually won. In versions sung by John, both that and "Circle of Life" became big hits, while the other songs such as "Hakuna Matata" achieved popularity with all ages as well. "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" would also win John the Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. After the release of the soundtrack, the album remained at the top of Billboard's charts for nine weeks. On 10 November 1999, the RIAA certified The Lion King "Diamond" for selling 15 million copies.
John was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 1994. He and Bernie Taupin had previously been inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1992. John was made a Commander of The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1995. John has also been awarded the honour of Knight Bachelor, entitling him to use the prefix "Sir".
In 1995 John released Made in England (number 3, 1995), which featured the hit single "Believe" (number 15, 1995). Also, a compilation called Love Songs was released the following year.
The year 1997 found extreme highs and lows for John. Early in the year, vestiges of the flamboyant John resurfaced as he threw a 50th birthday party, costumed as Louis XIV, for 500 friends. John also performed with the surviving members of Queen in Paris at the opening night (17 January 1997) of "Le Presbytere N'a Rien Perdu De Son Charme Ni Le Jardin Du Son Éclat", a work by French ballet legend Maurice Bejart which draws upon AIDS and the deaths of Freddie Mercury and the company's principal dancer Jorge Donn. This was only the second time the three surviving members of Queen had performed together live since Mercury had died. Later in 1997, two close friends died: designer Gianni Versace was murdered; Diana, Princess of Wales died in a Paris car crash.
In early September, Taupin altered the lyrics of "Candle in the Wind" for a special version mourning the death of Diana, and John performed it at her funeral in Westminster Abbey. A recorded version, "Candle in the Wind 1997", then became the fastest- and biggest-selling single of all time, eventually selling 5 million copies in the United Kingdom, 11 million in the U.S., and around 33 million worldwide, with the proceeds of approximately £55 million going to the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund. It would later win John the Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, an achievement he has yet to repeat. He has not performed the song since Princess Diana's funeral, as John stated it would only be played once to lend it significance and make it special.
John and Tim Rice again teamed up in 1998 for the production of Elaborate Lives: The Legend of Aida. The musical was given its world premiere in the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta. It went on to Chicago and eventually Broadway under the simplified name, Aida.
2000s
Elton John performs at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, July 2008
In 2000, John and Tim Rice teamed again to create songs for DreamWorks' animated film The Road To El Dorado. In the musical theatre world, addition to a 1998 adaptation of The Lion King for Broadway, John also composed music for a Disney production of Aida in 1999 with lyricist Tim Rice, for which they received the Tony Award for Best Original Score and the Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album. He also released a live compilation album called Elton John One Night Only - The Greatest Hits from the show he did at Madison Square Garden in New York City that same year.
Returning again to musical theatre, John composed music for a West End Theatre production of Billy Elliot the Musical in 2005 with playwright Lee Hall. John's only theatrical project with Bernie Taupin so far is Lestat: The Musical, based on the Anne Rice vampire novels. However it was slammed by the critics and closed in May 2006 after 39 performances.
John was named a Disney Legend for his numerous outstanding contributions to Disney's films and theatrical works on 9 October 2006, by The Walt Disney Company.
In March 2007 he performed at Madison Square Garden for a record breaking 60th time for his 60th birthday, the concert was broadcast live and a DVD recording was released as Elton 60 - Live at Madison Square Garden; a greatest-hits compilation CD, Rocket Man – Number Ones, was released in 17 different versions worldwide, including a CD/DVD combo; and his back catalogue - almost 500 songs from 32 albums - became available for legal download.
He has told Rolling Stone magazine that he plans for his next record to be in the R&B/hip-hop genre. "I want to work with Pharrell {Williams}, Timbaland, Snoop {Dogg}, Kanye {West}, Eminem and just see what happens."
In October 2003, John announced that he had signed an exclusive agreement to perform 75 shows over three years at Caesars Palace on the Las Vegas Strip. The show, entitled The Red Piano, was a multimedia concert featuring massive props and video montages created by David LaChapelle. Effectively, he and Celine Dion share performances at Caesar's Palace throughout the year - while one performs, one rests. The first of these shows took place on 13 February 2004. On 21 June 2008, he performed his 200th show in Caesars Palace. A DVD/CD package of "The Red Piano" was released through Best Buy in November 2008. A two year global tour was sandwiched between commitments in Las Vegas, Nevada, some of the venues of which were new to John. The Red Piano Tour closed in Las Vegas in April 2009.
In a September 2008 interview with GQ Magazine, Elton John said: "I’m going on the road again with Billy Joel again next year" – confirming that the two piano-playing legends would be reuniting for more Face to Face concerts in 2009. The tour began in March and will continue for at least two more years.
John has been associated with AIDS charities since the deaths of his friends Ryan White and Freddie Mercury, raising large amounts of money and using his public profile to raise awareness of the disease. For example, in 1986 he joined with Dionne Warwick, Gladys Knight, and Stevie Wonder to record the single "That's What Friends Are For", with all profits being donated to the American Foundation for AIDS Research. The song won John and the others the Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal (as well as Song of the Year for its writers, Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager). In April 1990, John performed "Skyline Pigeon" at the funeral of White, a teenage hemophiliac he had befriended.
John founded the Elton John AIDS Foundation in 1992 as a charity to fund programmes for HIV/AIDS prevention, for the elimination of prejudice and discrimination against HIV/AIDS-affected individuals, and for providing services to people living with or at risk of contracting HIV/AIDS. This cause continues to be one of his personal passions. In early 2006, John donated the smaller of two bright-red Yamaha pianos from his Las Vegas, Nevada show to auction on eBay to raise public awareness and funds for the foundation.
To raise money for his AIDS charity, John hosts annually a glamorous White Tie & Tiara Ball, to which many famous celebrities are invited. On 28 June 2007, the 9th annual White Tie & Tiara Ball took place. The menu consisted of a truffle soufflé followed by Surf and Turf (filet mignon with Maine lobster tail) and a giant Knickerbocker Glory ice cream. An auction followed the dinner held by Stephen Fry. A Rolls Royce ‘Phantom’ drophead coupe and a piece of Tracey Emin's artwork both raised £800,000 for the charity fund, with the total amount raised reaching £3.5 million. Later on in the event, John sang "Delilah" with Tom Jones and "Big Spender" with Shirley Bassey. Tickets for the Ball cost £1,000 a head. The event raised £4.6 million for his AIDS Foundation in 2006.
Awards
Main article: List of Elton John awards
Discography
Main article: Elton John discography
Studio albums
* Empty Sky (1969)
* Elton John (1970)
* Tumbleweed Connection (1970)
* Madman Across the Water (1971)
* Honky Château (1972)
* Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player (1973)
* Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973)
* Caribou (1974)
* Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy (1975)
* Rock of the Westies (1975)
* Blue Moves (1976)
* A Single Man (1978)
* Victim of Love (1979)
* 21 at 33 (1980)
* The Fox (1981)
* Jump Up! (1982)
* Too Low for Zero (1983)
* Breaking Hearts (1984)
* Ice on Fire (1985)
* Leather Jackets (1986)
* Reg Strikes Back (1988)
* Sleeping with the Past (1989)
* The One (1992)
* Duets (1993)
* Made in England (1995)
* The Big Picture (1997)
* Songs from the West Coast (2001)
* Peachtree Road (2004)
* The Captain & the Kid (2006)
Soundtracks, scores & theatre albums
* Friends (soundtrack)
* The Lion King (1997)
* Aida (1998)
* Billy Elliot (2005)
* Lestat (2005)
Films
* Elton John: Me, Myself & I (2007) autobiography as himself
* The Country Bears, U.S. (2002) as himself
* Spice World, UK (1997) as himself
* Tommy, UK (1975) as Pinball Wizard
* Born to Boogie, U.S. (1972) as himself
Elton John Band
Main article: Elton John Band
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Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 03/25/10 at 5:46 am
The person who died on this day...Buck Owens
Alvis Edgar Owens, Jr. (August 12, 1929–March 25, 2006), better known as Buck Owens, was an American singer and guitarist who had 21 number one hits on the Billboard country music charts with his band, the Buckaroos. Owens and the Buckaroos pioneered what came to be called the Bakersfield sound—a reference to Bakersfield, California, the city Owens called home and from which he drew inspiration for what he preferred to call American Music.
While Owens originally used fiddle and retained pedal steel guitar into the 1970s, his sound on records and onstage was always more stripped-down and elemental, incorporating elements of Rock and roll. Owens met his longtime guitarist Don Rich while in the Seattle area. Rich can be heard harmonizing on all of Owens' hits until his death in a motorcycle accident in 1974. The loss of his best friend devastated Owens for years and abruptly halted his career until he performed with Dwight Yoakam in 1988.
Owens co-hosted Hee Haw with Roy Clark. Hee Haw, originally envisioned as country music's answer to Laugh-In, outlived that show and ran for 24 seasons. Owens was co-host from 1969 until he left the cast in 1986, convinced that the show's exposure had obscured his immense musical legacy. But following the death of Rich, a deep depression set in and lasted throughout the remaining years of his stint on Hee Haw. Owens is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Owens was born on a farm in Sherman, Texas to Alvis Edgar Owens, Sr. and his wife Maicie Azel Ellington. Midway Mall, at 4800 Texoma Parkway, now sits where his farm once was. (U.S. Highway 82 through Sherman was named Buck Owens Freeway in his honor).
"'Buck' was a mule on the Owens farm," Rich Kienzle wrote in the biography About Buck. "When Alvis, Jr., was three or four years old, he walked into the house and announced that his name was also Buck. That was fine with the family; the boy was Buck from then on." He attended public school for grades 1–3 in Garland, Texas.
In 1937, his family moved to Mesa, Arizona, during the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression.
Early career
In 1945, Owens co-hosted a radio show called Buck and Britt. In the late 1940s, he became a truck driver and drove through the San Joaquin Valley of California. He was impressed by Bakersfield, where he and his wife settled in 1950. Soon, Owens was frequently traveling to Hollywood for session recording jobs at Capitol Records, playing backup for Tennessee Ernie Ford, Sonny James, Wanda Jackson, Del Reeves, Tommy Sands, Tommy Collins, Faron Young and Gene Vincent, and many others.
Owens recorded a rockabilly record called "Hot Dog" for the Pep label, using the pseudonym Corky Jones because he did not want the fact he recorded a rock n' roll tune to hurt his country music career.
Owens' career took off in 1959, when his song "Second Fiddle" hit number 24 on the Billboard country chart. A few months later, "Under Your Spell Again" hit number 4, and then "Above and Beyond" hit #3. On April 2, 1960 he performed the song on ABC-TV's Ozark Jubilee.
In the early 1960s, the countrypolitan sound was popular, with smooth, string-laden, pop-influenced styles used by Eddy Arnold, Jim Reeves, and Patsy Cline, among others. Owens went against the trend, utilizing honky-tonk hillbilly feel, mixed idiosyncratically with the Mexican polkas he had heard on border radio stations while growing up.
Owens was named the most promising country and western singer of 1960 by Billboard. In 1961, his Top-10-charting duets with Rose Maddox earned them awards as vocal team of the year.
1963's "Act Naturally" became Buck Owens and the Buckaroos' first number 1 hit. The Beatles later recorded a cover of it in 1965. It appears on their Help! album. Ringo Starr later re-recorded the song as a duet with Buck Owens in 1988.
The 1966 album Carnegie Hall Concert was a smash hit and further cemented Buck Owens and the Buckaroos as more than just another honky tonk country band. Buck Owens and the Buckaroos achieved crossover success on to the pop charts. During that year, R&B singer Ray Charles released cover versions of two of Owens' songs that became pop hits: "Crying Time" and "Together Again".
In 1967, Owens and the Buckaroos toured Japan, a then-rare occurrence for a country musician. The subsequent live album, appropriately named Buck Owens and His Buckaroos in Japan, is the first country music album recorded outside the United States.
In 1968 Buck Owens and the Buckaroos performed for President Lyndon Baines Johnson at the White House which was later released as a live album.
Between 1968-1969, Steel Pedal guitar player Tom Brumley and drummer Willie Cantu left the band. Drummer Jerry Wiggins and Steel Pedal guitar player Jay Dee Maness were added to the band. Buck Owens and the Buckaroos had two songs reach #1 on the Country music Charts in 1969, "Tall Dark Stranger" and "Who's Gonna Mow Your Grass." During this time the variety show Hee Haw starring Buck Owens and the Buckaroos was at its heights of popularity. In 1969, Buck Owens and the Buckaroos recorded a live album, Live in London, where the Buckaroos premiered their rock song "A Happening In London Town" and their version of Chuck Berry's song "Johnny B. Goode".
In the early 1970s, Owens with the Buckaroos enjoyed a string of hit duets with his protege Susan Raye, who subsequently became a popular solo artist, with recordings produced by Owens.
In 1971, the Buckaroos' bass guitarist Doyle Holly left the band to pursue a solo career. Holly was known for his solo ballads with his trademark booming deep voice on Buck Owens and the Buckaroos albums. The departure of Doyle was a setback to the band, as Doyle had received the "Bass Player of the Year" award from the Academy of Country Music the year before in 1970 and served as co-lead vocalist (along with Don Rich) of the Buckaroos. Holly went on to record two solo records in the early 1970s, both were top 20 hits. Holly has subsequently been honored in the Rockabilly Hall of Fame and honored with a Block in the Walkway of Stars at the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Buck Owens and Don Rich were the only original members left of Buck Owens and the Buckaroos, and in the 1970s they struggled to top the Country Music charts. However, the popularity of Hee-Haw was allowing them to enjoy large crowds at indoor arenas.
In 1972, Buck Owens and the Buckaroos finally had another #1 hit, "Made in Japan" after three years of not having a number one song. In April, he added pedal steel guitarist, Jerry Brightman. The band had been without pedal steel since late in 1969 when Maness departed, and Buck returned to his grass roots sound of fiddle, steel, and electric guitars releasing a string of singles including "Arms Full of Empty", "Ain't it Amazing Gracie" and "Ain't Gonna Have Ole Buck (to kick around no more)". Buck's original release of "Streets of Bakersfield" was released in 1972.
On July 17, 1974, Owens' best friend and Buckaroos guitarist Don Rich was killed when he lost control of his motorcycle and struck a guard rail on Highway 99 north of Bakersfield. Rich had been on his way to join his family for vacation on the coast at Morro Bay. Owens was devastated. "He was like a brother, a son and a best friend," he said in the late 1990s. "Something I never said before, maybe I couldn't, but I think my music life ended when he did. Oh yeah, I carried on and I existed, but the real joy and love, the real lightning and thunder is gone forever."
KUZZ Radio logo featuring a depiction of Owens' trademark guitar
Before the 1960s were done, Owens — with the help of manager Jack McFadden — began to concentrate on his financial future. He bought several radio stations, including KNIX-AM and KNIX-FM in Phoenix and KUZZ in Bakersfield. In 1999, Owens sold the KNIX duo stations to Clear Channel Communications, but he maintained ownership of KUZZ until his death.
Owens established Buck Owens Enterprises and produced records by several artists.
Owens recorded for Warner Bros. Records, but Owens and his longtime fans were less than happy with the results; the recordings, made in Nashville, reflected the very type of bland country music he had always assailed. His spirit broken by the depression of Rich's death, he simply allowed himself to be led. He was no longer recording by the 1980s, devoting his time to overseeing his business empire from Bakersfield. Slowly, during that time, he recovered his equilibrium. Time allowed him to realize that, despite the excellent pay and friendships he'd developed on Hee Haw, the show effectively ruined his musical career by redefining him as a comedian, to the point that many who tuned in knew nothing of his phenomenal country music career or his classic hit recordings. He left the show in 1986.
Later career
Dwight Yoakam was largely influenced by Owens' style of music and eventually teamed up with him for a duet of "Streets of Bakersfield" in 1988. Their duet was Owens' first #1 single in 16 years.
The 1990s saw a flood of reissues of his Capitol recordings on compact disc. In 1974, Owens had bought back publishing rights to all of his Capitol recordings, as part of his final contract with the label. His albums had been out of print for nearly 15 years, when he released a retrospective box set in 1990. Encouraged by brisk sales, Owens struck a distribution deal with Sundazed Records of New York, which specializes in reissuing obscure recordings. A bulk of his Capitol catalog was reissued on CD in 1995, 1997 and recently in 2005. Sometime in the 1970s, Owens had also purchased the remaining copies of his original LP albums from Capitol's distribution warehouses across the country. Many of those records (still in the shrinkwrap) were stored by Owens for decades. He often gave them away as gifts and sold them at his nightclub for a premium price some 35 years later.
In August 1999, Owens brought back together the remaining members of his original Buckaroo Band to help him celebrate his 70th Birthday. They performed at Buck's Crystal Palace in Bakersfield. All the original surviving Buckaroos were there. Buck Owens, Doyle Holly, Tom Brumley, and Wille Cantu performed old hits from their heyday including "Tiger by the Tail" and "Act Naturally."
Owens was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1996. He was ranked #12 in CMT's 40 Greatest Men of Country Music in 2003. In addition, CMT also ranked the Buckaroos #2 in the channel's 20 Greatest Bands in 2005.
Long before Owens became the famous co-host of Hee Haw, his band became known for their signature Bakersfield sound, later emulated by artists such as Merle Haggard, Dwight Yoakam and Brad Paisley. This sound was originally made possible with two trademark silver-sparkle Fender Telecaster guitars, often played simultaneously by Owens and longtime wing-man Don Rich; Fender had made a "Buck Owens signature Telecaster," and after his death paid tribute to him. In 2003, Paisley blended creative styles with this guitar and his own famous Paisley Telecaster, creating what became known as the Buck-O-Caster. Initially, only two were made; one for Paisley himself and the other presented to Buck during a New Year celebration that Paisley attended in 2004.
Following the death of Rich, Owens' latter trademark was a red, white and blue acoustic guitar, along with a 1974 Pontiac convertible "Nudiemobile", adorned with pistols and silver dollars. A similar car, created by Nudie Cohn for Elvis Presley and later won by Owens in a bet, is now enshrined behind the bar at Owens' Crystal Palace Nightclub in Bakersfield, California.
Owens would hand out replicas of his trademark acoustic guitar to friends, acquaintances and fans. Each would contain a gold plaque with the name of the recipient. Some of these guitars cost $1000 and up.
Death
Buck Owens died in his sleep of an apparent heart attack on March 25, 2006, only hours after performing at his Crystal Palace restaurant, club and museum in Bakersfield. He had successfully recovered from oral cancer in the early 1990s, but had additional health problems near the end of the 1990s and the beginning of the 21st century, including pneumonia and a minor stroke suffered in 2004. These health problems had forced him to curtail his regular weekly performances with the Buckaroos at his Crystal Palace.
The Los Angeles Times interviewed longtime Owens spokesman (and Buckaroos keyboard player) Jim Shaw, who said Owens "had come to the club early and had a chicken-fried steak dinner and bragged that it's his favorite meal." Afterwards, Owens told band members that he wasn't feeling well and was going to skip that night's performance. Shaw said a group of fans introduced themselves while Owens was preparing to drive home; when they told him that they had traveled from Oregon to hear him perform, Owens changed his mind and took the stage anyway.
Shaw recalled Owens telling the audience, "If somebody's come all that way, I'm gonna do the show and give it my best shot. I might groan and squeak, but I'll see what I can do." Shaw added, "So, he had his favorite meal, played a show and died in his sleep. We thought, that's not too bad."
The front of the mausoleum where Owens is buried is inscribed "The Buck Owens Family" with the word's "Buck's Place" beneath.
His first wife, country singer Bonnie Owens, died just a month after Owens himself. Little is known about his second wife. His third wife was Jana Jae Greif who was the fiddle player in the "Hee Haw" band, being the first female "Buckaroo". They were married for only a few days before she filed for divorce. Owens had three sons: Buddy Alan (who charted several hits as a Capitol recording artist in the early 1970s and appeared with his father numerous times on Hee Haw), Michael and Johnny Owens.
People who have covered Owens songs
* Vocalist–guitarist Johnny Rivers performed a rock version of Owens's "Under Your Spell Again", for his album Meanwhile Back at the Whiskey A GoGo, in 1965.
* The Beatles and later Ringo Starr recorded versions of "Act Naturally". Starr recorded it as a duet with Owens himself in 1989; The Beatles recorded the song in 1964, a year after Owens released it himself, making it the first song to become a hit on both the Country music charts and the Billboard Top 40 Pop charts.
* Country artist Dwight Yoakam has cited Owens as an early influence in his career, and even recorded several of Owens's songs for himself. He was also collaborator and duet artist with Owens on the album Streets of Bakersfield.
* Mark Lanegan included a stunning cover of "Together Again" on his 1999 cover album, I'll Take Care of You.
* Genre-bending band Cake covered "Excuse Me (I Think I've Got a Heartache)" on their album "B-Sides and Rarities.".
* In 2007, Dwight Yoakam released a tribute album, Dwight Sings Buck.
* Creedence Clearwater Revival, a rock band that often demonstrated a country flavor, mentioned Owens in the hit, "Lookin' out My Back Door."
* In 2007 Austin/San Marcos, TX band The Derailers released Under The Influence of Buck, which featured twelve covers of Buck Owens songs, including "Under The Influence of Love" of which the title for this release was based on.
Discography
Main article: Buck Owens discography
See also
* KUVI-TV, Bakersfield, California – TV station originally owned by Owens
* KUZZ, Bakersfield, California – radio station originally owned by Owens
* Doyle Holly – Buckaroo member and solo artist honored in the Country Music Hall of Fame
* Don Rich – Buckaroo member known for helping to create the Bakersfield sound
* Jerry Brightman – Owens' pedal steel guitarist from 1972-1976
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Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Howard on 03/25/10 at 6:53 am
The person born on this day...Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE (born 25 March 1947 as Reginald Kenneth Dwight; name change occurred in 1972) is an English singer-songwriter, composer and pianist.
In his four-decade career, John has sold more than 250 million records, making him one of the most successful artists of all time. His single "Candle in the Wind 1997" has sold over 37 million copies, becoming the best selling single of all time. He has more than 50 Top 40 hits, including seven consecutive No. 1 U.S. albums, 56 Top 40 singles, 16 Top 10, four No. 2 hits, and nine No. 1 hits. He has won five Grammy awards, an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award and a Tony Award. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked him Number 49 on its list of the 100 greatest artists of all time. Some of the characteristics of John's musical talent and work include an ability to quickly craft melodies for the lyrics of songwriting partner Bernie Taupin, his former rich tenor (now baritone) voice, his classical and gospel-influenced piano, the sensitive orchestral arrangements of Paul Buckmaster among others, and the on-stage showmanship, especially evident during the 1970s.
John was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. He has been heavily involved in the fight against AIDS since the late 1980s, and was knighted in 1998. He entered into a civil partnership with David Furnish on 21 December 2005 and continues to be a champion for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender social movements. In 2008, Billboard magazine ranked him as the most successful male solo artist on "The Billboard Hot 100 Top All-Time Artists" (Third overall, behind only The Beatles and Madonna).
On the advice of music publisher Steve Brown, John and Taupin started writing more complex songs for John to record for DJM. The first was the single "I've Been Loving You" (1968), produced by Caleb Quaye, former Bluesology guitarist. In 1969, with Quaye, drummer Roger Pope, and bassist Tony Murray, John recorded another single, "Lady Samantha", and an album, Empty Sky. Despite extraordinary reviews, none of the records sold well. John and Taupin now enlisted Gus Dudgeon to produce a follow-up with Paul Buckmaster as musical arranger. Elton John was released in the spring of 1970 on DJM Records/Pye Records in the UK and Uni Records in the USA, and established the formula for subsequent albums; gospel-chorded rockers and poignant ballads. The first single from the album, "Border Song", only made the US Top 100 peaking at Number 92. After the second single "Your Song" made the U.S. Top Ten, the album followed suit. John's first American concert took place at The Troubadour in Los Angeles (his introduction was provided by Neil Diamond), in August of that year, backed by ex-Spencer Davis Group drummer Nigel Olsson and bassist Dee Murray. Playing alongside David Ackles left him armed with ideas for showmanship, and the exuberant pianist followed Jerry Lee Lewis' style, kicking over the piano bench added to his own touches, performing handstands on the keyboards, John left the critics raving, and drew praise from fellow artists such as Quincy Jones and Bob Dylan.
In the spring of 1970, John was recruited to provide piano and backing vocals on "Back Home", the song recorded by the English football squad preparing to depart to Mexico for the World Cup finals.
Elton John was followed quickly with the concept album Tumbleweed Connection in October 1970, which reached the Top Ten on the Billboard 200. A frenetic pace of releasing two albums a year was now established.
The live album 17-11-70 (11-17-70 in the US) was recorded at a live show aired from A&R Studios on WABC-FM in New York City. Introduced by disc jockey Dave Herman, it featured extended versions of John/Taupin's early compositions that illustrate the gospel and boogie-woogie influences on John's piano playing, as well as the interaction between John, bassist Dee Murray, and drummer Nigel Olsson. During the magnum opus 18:20 version of "Burn Down the Mission", the band interpolates Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup's "My Baby Left Me" and a full rendition of The Beatles' "Get Back" before a rampaging conclusion. Sales of the live album were heavily hit in the U.S. when an east coast bootlegger released the performance several weeks before the official album, including all 60 minutes of the aircast, not just the 40 minutes selected by Dick James Music.
John and Taupin then wrote the soundtrack to the obscure film Friends and then the album Madman Across the Water, the latter reaching the Top Ten and producing the hit "Levon", while the soundtrack album produced the hit "Friends".
In 1972, the final piece of what would become known as the Elton John Band fell into place with the addition of Davey Johnstone on guitar and backing vocals. Murray, Olsson, and Johnstone combined with John and Taupin's writing, John's flamboyant performance style, and producer Gus Dudgeon to create a hit-making chemistry for the next five Elton John albums. Known for their instrumental playing, the members of the band were also strong backing vocalists who worked out and recorded many of their vocal harmonies themselves, usually in John's absence.
The band released Honky Chateau, which became John's first American number 1 album, spending five weeks at the top of the charts and spawning the hit singles "Rocket Man (I Think It's Going To Be A Long, Long Time)" (which is often compared to David Bowie's "Space Oddity") and "Honky Cat".
The pop album Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player came out at the start of 1973, and produced the hits "Crocodile Rock" and "Daniel"; the former became his first U.S. number one hit. (Ironically this, like his other famous 1970s solo hits, would be popular in his native land but never top the UK Singles Chart; this achievement would have to wait two decades.) Both the album and "Crocodile Rock" were the first album and single, respectively on the consolidated MCA Records label in the USA, replacing MCA's other labels including Uni.
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road gained instant critical acclaim and topped the chart on both sides of the Atlantic, remaining at Number 1 for two months. It also temporarily established John as a glam rock star. It contained the number 1 hit "Bennie and the Jets", along with the popular and praised "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road", "Candle in the Wind", "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting", "Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding" and "Grey Seal" (originally recorded and released in 1970 as the B-side to the UK-only single, "Rock and Roll Madonna"). There is also a VHS and DVD as part of the Classic Albums series, discussing the making, recording, and popularity of "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" through concert and home video footage including interviews.
John then formed his own MCA-distributed label Rocket Records and signed acts to it – notably Neil Sedaka ("Bad Blood", on which he sang background vocals) and Kiki Dee – in which he took personal interest. Instead of releasing his own records on Rocket, he opted for $8 million offered by MCA. When the contract was signed in 1974, MCA reportedly took out a $25 million insurance policy on John's life.
In 1974 a collaboration with John Lennon took place, resulting in Elton John covering The Beatles' "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" and Lennon's "One Day at a Time", and in return Elton John and band being featured on Lennon's "Whatever Gets You thru the Night". In what would be Lennon's last live performance, the pair performed these two number 1 hits along with the Beatles classic "I Saw Her Standing There" at Madison Square Garden. Lennon made the rare stage appearance to keep the promise he made that he would appear on stage with Elton if "Whatever Gets You Thru The Night" became a number 1 single.
Caribou was released in 1974, and although it reached number 1, it was widely considered a lesser quality album. Reportedly recorded in a scant two weeks between live appearances, it featured "The Bitch Is Back" and John's versatility in orchestral songs with "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me".
Pete Townshend of The Who asked John to play a character called the "Local Lad" in the film of the rock opera Tommy, and to perform a song named "Pinball Wizard". Drawing on power chords, John's version was recorded and used for the movie release in 1975 and the single came out in 1976 (1975 in the U.S.). The song charted at number 7 in England. Bally subsequently released a "Captain Fantastic" pinball machine featuring an illustration of John in his movie guise.
Elton John performing live in 1975
In the 1975 autobiographical album Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy, John revealed his previously ambiguous personality, with Taupin's lyrics describing their early days as struggling songwriters and musicians in London. The lyrics and accompanying photo booklet are infused with a specific sense of place and time that is otherwise rare in John's music. "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" was the hit single from this album and captured an early turning point in John's life.
The album's release signaled the end of the Elton John Band, as an unhappy and overworked John dismissed Olsson and Murray, two people who had contributed much of the band's signature sound and who had helped build his live following since the beginning. Johnstone and Ray Cooper were retained, Quaye and Roger Pope returned, and the new bassist was Kenny Passarelli; this rhythm section provided a heavier-sounding backbeat. James Newton-Howard joined to arrange in the studio and to play keyboards. John introduced the lineup before a crowd of 75,000 in London's Wembley Stadium.
Rock-oriented Rock of the Westies entered the U.S. albums chart at number 1 like Captain Fantastic, a previously unattained feat. However, the material was almost universally regarded as not on a par with previous releases. The musical and vocal chemistry Olsson and Murray brought to John's previous releases was seen as lacking by some, both on the album and in the concerts that supported it.
Commercially, John owed much of his success during the mid-1970s to his concert performances. He filled arenas and stadiums worldwide, and was arguably the hottest act in the rock world. John was an unlikely rock idol to begin with, as he was short of stature at 5 feet 7 inches (1.70 m), chubby, and gradually losing his hair. But he made up for it with impassioned performances and over-the-top fashion sense. Also known for his glasses (he started wearing them as a youth to copy his idol Buddy Holly), his flamboyant stage wardrobe now included ostrich feathers, $5,000 spectacles that spelled his name in lights, and dressing up like the Statue of Liberty, Donald Duck, or Mozart among others at his concerts made them a success and created interest for his music.
To celebrate five years of unparalleled success since he first appeared at the venue, in 1975 John played a two-night, four-show stand at The Troubadour. With seating limited to under 500 per show, the chance to purchase tickets was determined by a postcard lottery, with each winner allowed two tickets. Everyone who attended the performances received a hardbound "yearbook" of the band's history. That year he also contributed some exemplary piano playing to Kevin Ayers' Sweet Deceiver.
In 1976, the live album Here and There in May, then the downbeat Blue Moves in October, which contained the memorable but even gloomier hit "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word". His biggest success in 1976 was the "Don't Go Breaking My Heart", a peppy duet with Kiki Dee that topped both the American and British charts. Finally, in an interview with Rolling Stone that year entitled "Elton's Frank Talk", a stressed John stated that he was bisexual.
Besides being the most commercially successful period, 1970 - 1976 is also held in the most regard critically. Within only a three year span, between 1972-75 John saw seven consecutive albums reach Number 1 in the charts, which had not been accomplished before. Of the six Elton John albums to make the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time in Rolling Stone'in 2003, all are from this period, with Goodbye Yellow Brick Road ranked highest at number 91; similarly, the three Elton John albums given five stars by Allmusic (Tumbleweed Connection, Honky Château, and Captain Fantastic) are all from this period too.
During the same period, John made a self-effacing guest appearance on the popular Morecambe and Wise show on the BBC. The two comics spent the episode pointing him in the direction of everywhere except the stage in order to prevent him singing.
ohn was deeply affected by the plight of Ryan White, an Indiana teenager with AIDS. Along with Michael Jackson, John befriended and supported the boy and his family until White's death in 1990. Himself a mess and confronted by his then-lover, John checked into a Chicago hospital in 1990 to combat his drug abuse, alcoholism, and bulimia. In recovery, he lost weight and underwent hair replacement, and subsequently took up residence in Atlanta, Georgia. Also in 1990, John would finally achieve his first UK number one hit on his own, with "Sacrifice" (coupled with "Healing Hands") from the previous year's album Sleeping with the Past; it would stay at the top spot for six weeks.
The 1991 film documentary Two Rooms described the unusual writing style that John and Bernie Taupin use, which involves Taupin writing the lyrics on his own, and John then putting them to music, with the two never in the same room during the process. That same year, Two Rooms: Celebrating the Songs of Elton John & Bernie Taupin, a tribute album featuring contributions from many top British and American performers was released. Also in 1991, John's "Basque" won the Grammy for Best Instrumental, and a guest concert appearance he had made on George Michael's reverent treatment of "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" was released as a single and topped the charts in both the U.S. and UK. On 24 November 1991, Freddie Mercury died of AIDS. John was one of the few invited to attend the singer's private funeral services.
In 1992 he established the Elton John AIDS Foundation, intending to direct 90 percent of the funds it raised to direct care, and 10 percent to AIDS prevention education. He also announced his intention to donate all future royalties from sales of his singles in the U.S. and UK to AIDS research. That year, he released the U.S. number 8 album The One, his highest-charting release since 1976's Blue Moves, and John and Taupin signed a music publishing deal with Warner/Chappell Music for an estimated $39 million over 12 years, giving them the largest cash advance in music publishing history. John performed "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "The Show Must Go On" with Queen at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert, an AIDS charity event held at Wembley Stadium, London. "Bohemian Rhapsody" featured a duet with Axl Rose, a reconciliatory gesture given Rose's previous homophobic reputation.
In September of the same year, he performed "November Rain" with Rose's band Guns N' Roses for the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards at the Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles. The following year, he released Duets, a collaboration with 15 artists including Tammy Wynette and RuPaul. This also included a new collaboration with Kiki Dee, entitled "True Love", which reached the Top 10 of the UK charts, and a duet with Eric Clapton on "Runaway Train", which also charted.
Along with Tim Rice, John wrote the songs for the 1994 Disney animated film The Lion King, which became the highest-grossing traditionally animated feature of all time. Three of the five nominees for the Academy Award for Best Song that year were from The Lion King; "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" eventually won. In versions sung by John, both that and "Circle of Life" became big hits, while the other songs such as "Hakuna Matata" achieved popularity with all ages as well. "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" would also win John the Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. After the release of the soundtrack, the album remained at the top of Billboard's charts for nine weeks. On 10 November 1999, the RIAA certified The Lion King "Diamond" for selling 15 million copies.
John was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 1994. He and Bernie Taupin had previously been inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1992. John was made a Commander of The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1995. John has also been awarded the honour of Knight Bachelor, entitling him to use the prefix "Sir".
In 1995 John released Made in England (number 3, 1995), which featured the hit single "Believe" (number 15, 1995). Also, a compilation called Love Songs was released the following year.
The year 1997 found extreme highs and lows for John. Early in the year, vestiges of the flamboyant John resurfaced as he threw a 50th birthday party, costumed as Louis XIV, for 500 friends. John also performed with the surviving members of Queen in Paris at the opening night (17 January 1997) of "Le Presbytere N'a Rien Perdu De Son Charme Ni Le Jardin Du Son Éclat", a work by French ballet legend Maurice Bejart which draws upon AIDS and the deaths of Freddie Mercury and the company's principal dancer Jorge Donn. This was only the second time the three surviving members of Queen had performed together live since Mercury had died. Later in 1997, two close friends died: designer Gianni Versace was murdered; Diana, Princess of Wales died in a Paris car crash.
In early September, Taupin altered the lyrics of "Candle in the Wind" for a special version mourning the death of Diana, and John performed it at her funeral in Westminster Abbey. A recorded version, "Candle in the Wind 1997", then became the fastest- and biggest-selling single of all time, eventually selling 5 million copies in the United Kingdom, 11 million in the U.S., and around 33 million worldwide, with the proceeds of approximately £55 million going to the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund. It would later win John the Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, an achievement he has yet to repeat. He has not performed the song since Princess Diana's funeral, as John stated it would only be played once to lend it significance and make it special.
John and Tim Rice again teamed up in 1998 for the production of Elaborate Lives: The Legend of Aida. The musical was given its world premiere in the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta. It went on to Chicago and eventually Broadway under the simplified name, Aida.
2000s
Elton John performs at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, July 2008
In 2000, John and Tim Rice teamed again to create songs for DreamWorks' animated film The Road To El Dorado. In the musical theatre world, addition to a 1998 adaptation of The Lion King for Broadway, John also composed music for a Disney production of Aida in 1999 with lyricist Tim Rice, for which they received the Tony Award for Best Original Score and the Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album. He also released a live compilation album called Elton John One Night Only - The Greatest Hits from the show he did at Madison Square Garden in New York City that same year.
Returning again to musical theatre, John composed music for a West End Theatre production of Billy Elliot the Musical in 2005 with playwright Lee Hall. John's only theatrical project with Bernie Taupin so far is Lestat: The Musical, based on the Anne Rice vampire novels. However it was slammed by the critics and closed in May 2006 after 39 performances.
John was named a Disney Legend for his numerous outstanding contributions to Disney's films and theatrical works on 9 October 2006, by The Walt Disney Company.
In March 2007 he performed at Madison Square Garden for a record breaking 60th time for his 60th birthday, the concert was broadcast live and a DVD recording was released as Elton 60 - Live at Madison Square Garden; a greatest-hits compilation CD, Rocket Man – Number Ones, was released in 17 different versions worldwide, including a CD/DVD combo; and his back catalogue - almost 500 songs from 32 albums - became available for legal download.
He has told Rolling Stone magazine that he plans for his next record to be in the R&B/hip-hop genre. "I want to work with Pharrell {Williams}, Timbaland, Snoop {Dogg}, Kanye {West}, Eminem and just see what happens."
In October 2003, John announced that he had signed an exclusive agreement to perform 75 shows over three years at Caesars Palace on the Las Vegas Strip. The show, entitled The Red Piano, was a multimedia concert featuring massive props and video montages created by David LaChapelle. Effectively, he and Celine Dion share performances at Caesar's Palace throughout the year - while one performs, one rests. The first of these shows took place on 13 February 2004. On 21 June 2008, he performed his 200th show in Caesars Palace. A DVD/CD package of "The Red Piano" was released through Best Buy in November 2008. A two year global tour was sandwiched between commitments in Las Vegas, Nevada, some of the venues of which were new to John. The Red Piano Tour closed in Las Vegas in April 2009.
In a September 2008 interview with GQ Magazine, Elton John said: "I’m going on the road again with Billy Joel again next year" – confirming that the two piano-playing legends would be reuniting for more Face to Face concerts in 2009. The tour began in March and will continue for at least two more years.
John has been associated with AIDS charities since the deaths of his friends Ryan White and Freddie Mercury, raising large amounts of money and using his public profile to raise awareness of the disease. For example, in 1986 he joined with Dionne Warwick, Gladys Knight, and Stevie Wonder to record the single "That's What Friends Are For", with all profits being donated to the American Foundation for AIDS Research. The song won John and the others the Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal (as well as Song of the Year for its writers, Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager). In April 1990, John performed "Skyline Pigeon" at the funeral of White, a teenage hemophiliac he had befriended.
John founded the Elton John AIDS Foundation in 1992 as a charity to fund programmes for HIV/AIDS prevention, for the elimination of prejudice and discrimination against HIV/AIDS-affected individuals, and for providing services to people living with or at risk of contracting HIV/AIDS. This cause continues to be one of his personal passions. In early 2006, John donated the smaller of two bright-red Yamaha pianos from his Las Vegas, Nevada show to auction on eBay to raise public awareness and funds for the foundation.
To raise money for his AIDS charity, John hosts annually a glamorous White Tie & Tiara Ball, to which many famous celebrities are invited. On 28 June 2007, the 9th annual White Tie & Tiara Ball took place. The menu consisted of a truffle soufflé followed by Surf and Turf (filet mignon with Maine lobster tail) and a giant Knickerbocker Glory ice cream. An auction followed the dinner held by Stephen Fry. A Rolls Royce ‘Phantom’ drophead coupe and a piece of Tracey Emin's artwork both raised £800,000 for the charity fund, with the total amount raised reaching £3.5 million. Later on in the event, John sang "Delilah" with Tom Jones and "Big Spender" with Shirley Bassey. Tickets for the Ball cost £1,000 a head. The event raised £4.6 million for his AIDS Foundation in 2006.
Awards
Main article: List of Elton John awards
Discography
Main article: Elton John discography
Studio albums
* Empty Sky (1969)
* Elton John (1970)
* Tumbleweed Connection (1970)
* Madman Across the Water (1971)
* Honky Château (1972)
* Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player (1973)
* Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973)
* Caribou (1974)
* Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy (1975)
* Rock of the Westies (1975)
* Blue Moves (1976)
* A Single Man (1978)
* Victim of Love (1979)
* 21 at 33 (1980)
* The Fox (1981)
* Jump Up! (1982)
* Too Low for Zero (1983)
* Breaking Hearts (1984)
* Ice on Fire (1985)
* Leather Jackets (1986)
* Reg Strikes Back (1988)
* Sleeping with the Past (1989)
* The One (1992)
* Duets (1993)
* Made in England (1995)
* The Big Picture (1997)
* Songs from the West Coast (2001)
* Peachtree Road (2004)
* The Captain & the Kid (2006)
Soundtracks, scores & theatre albums
* Friends (soundtrack)
* The Lion King (1997)
* Aida (1998)
* Billy Elliot (2005)
* Lestat (2005)
Films
* Elton John: Me, Myself & I (2007) autobiography as himself
* The Country Bears, U.S. (2002) as himself
* Spice World, UK (1997) as himself
* Tommy, UK (1975) as Pinball Wizard
* Born to Boogie, U.S. (1972) as himself
Elton John Band
Main article: Elton John Band
http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg147/gypsy1987/EltonJohn.jpg
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j294/enrique314/Wonka/elton_john_show_example.jpg
One of the best. :)
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 03/25/10 at 9:32 am
One of the best. :)
Yes he is. :)
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Frank on 03/25/10 at 12:27 pm
Elton had hit after hit after hit in the 70s.
I like "Your song" the best, with Levon close behind.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Howard on 03/25/10 at 6:54 pm
Elton had hit after hit after hit in the 70s.
I like "Your song" the best, with Levon close behind.
Honky Cat and Mama Can't Buy You Love are one of my favorites.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Frank on 03/25/10 at 7:10 pm
Honky Cat and Mama Can't Buy You Love are one of my favorites.
You mean, two of your favorites.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: gibbo on 03/25/10 at 7:46 pm
Elton had hit after hit after hit in the 70s.
I like "Your song" the best, with Levon close behind.
I liked Elton's earlier 70's work more than his later stuff. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road wasa great album. The first song I liked (of his) was Crocodile Rock....
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: gibbo on 03/25/10 at 7:59 pm
Re: Elton John....interestingly, he had only one #1 hit single in Australia (the duet with Kiki Dee). Yet his albums made top 10 for most of the 70's and 80's (unlike US and UK).. The US, UK and Canada had more success in buying singles (with Canada topping the list with 16 #1's...
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Frank on 03/25/10 at 11:41 pm
I liked Elton's earlier 70's work more than his later stuff. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road wasa great album. The first song I liked (of his) was Crocodile Rock....
Yes, GYBR was a great album, a double album too. I like Funeral for a friend/Love lies bleeding on that album as well.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Philip Eno on 03/26/10 at 1:39 am
The word of the day...Sun
The sun is the ball of fire in the sky that the Earth goes round, and that gives us heat and light.
You refer to the light and heat that reach us from the sun as the sun.
If you are sunning yourself, you are sitting or lying in a place where the sun is shining on you
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb188/lovebalin8/random%20people/sun.jpg
http://i700.photobucket.com/albums/ww8/drsyntax/100_1674.jpg
http://i770.photobucket.com/albums/xx343/marcella_05/holy%202/animated_sun.gif
http://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa59/unlikeothersouls/Memorial%20Day%20Weekend%202007/sun.jpg
http://i910.photobucket.com/albums/ac309/speedybobie/Picture01.jpg
http://i621.photobucket.com/albums/tt296/jazzypoo4u101/decorative-sun.jpg
http://i812.photobucket.com/albums/zz44/Cookie007/350mw_14147830.jpg
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d57/axlequeen90/Travel/P1010263.jpg
"Here comes the sun"
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Howard on 03/26/10 at 6:49 am
I liked Elton's earlier 70's work more than his later stuff. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road wasa great album. The first song I liked (of his) was Crocodile Rock....
and Saturday Night's All Right For Fighting.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: CatwomanofV on 03/26/10 at 12:03 pm
Two of my favorites are I'm Still Standing & I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues.
Cat
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Howard on 03/26/10 at 1:34 pm
Two of my favorites are I'm Still Standing & I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues.
Cat
great 80's videos.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: gibbo on 03/26/10 at 5:36 pm
Two of my favorites are I'm Still Standing & I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues.
Cat
Strangely, he started off huge in the U.S. with the album Honky Chateau and then followed it up wit GYBR.....had lots of top 10 singles etc. Then he was 'on the nose' in the U.S. in the 80's (if record sales are an indication). While Australia only gave him one number 1 single...his albums usually went top 10 through the 80's as well as the 70's. Not certain what that indicates... :-\\ Perhaps we are a nation of album buyers....
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 03/26/10 at 6:03 pm
Sorry no word or person today..we were at the hospital this morning with Missy..
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: CatwomanofV on 03/26/10 at 6:19 pm
Strangely, he started off huge in the U.S. with the album Honky Chateau and then followed it up wit GYBR.....had lots of top 10 singles etc. Then he was 'on the nose' in the U.S. in the 80's (if record sales are an indication). While Australia only gave him one number 1 single...his albums usually went top 10 through the 80's as well as the 70's. Not certain what that indicates... :-\\ Perhaps we are a nation of album buyers....
When he was big in the early 70s, I wasn't really a big fan (even though I loved the song Crocodile Rock)-in fact, I didn't like him at all. But over the years, he really grew on me. I think about the time when Someone Saved My Life, I started recognizing his wonderful talent. Now, I think he is a living legend and I think he is GREAT!!!!
Sorry no word or person today..we were at the hospital this morning with Missy..
I knew that. :\'( ((((((((((((((((((((((((hugs)))))))))))))))))))))
Besides Elton John is big enough to have him as person of the day for TWO days in a row. ;) :D ;D ;D
Cat
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Philip Eno on 03/27/10 at 4:52 am
British Person of the Day: Henry Royce
Sir Frederick Henry Royce, 1st Baronet, OBE (27 March 1863 – 22 April 1933) was a pioneering car manufacturer, who with Charles Stewart Rolls founded the Rolls-Royce company.
Early life
Frederick Henry Royce was born in Alwalton, Huntingdonshire, near Peterborough, the son of James and Mary Royce (maiden name King) and was the youngest of their five children. His family ran a flour mill which they leased from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners but the business failed and the family moved to London. His father died in 1872 and Royce had to go out to work selling newspapers and delivering telegrams, having had only one year of formal schooling.
In 1878 he started an apprenticeship with the Great Northern Railway company at its works in Peterborough thanks to the financial help of an aunt. After three years the money ran out and, after a short time with a tool-making company in Leeds, he returned to London and joined the Electric Light and Power Company. He moved to their Liverpool office in 1882 working on street and theatre lighting.
In 1884 with £20 of savings he entered a partnership with Ernest Claremont, a friend who contributed £50, and they started a business making domestic electric fittings in a workshop in Cooke Street, Hulme, Manchester called F H Royce and Company. In 1894 they started making dynamos and electric cranes and F.H. Royce & Company was registered as a limited liability company. The company was re-registered in 1899 as Royce Ltd with a public share flotation and a further factory opened in Trafford Park, Manchester.
Partnership with Rolls
Following a decline in trade after the Second Boer War, and the arrival of increasing competition in cranes and dynamos from Germany and the United States, Royce began considering the motor car as a potential new product for the company. With his fascination for all things mechanical he became increasingly focused on motor cars and bought first, in 1901, a small De Dion and in 1902 or 1903 a 1901 model two cylinder Decauville. This did not meet his high standards and so he first improved it and then decided to manufacture a car of his own which he did in a corner of the workshop in 1904.
Two more cars were made. Of the three, which were called Royces and had two cylinder engines, one was given to Ernest Claremont and the other sold to one of the other directors, Henry Edmunds. Edmunds was a friend of Charles Rolls who had a car showroom in London selling imported models and showed him his car and arranged the historic meeting between Rolls and Royce at the Midland Hotel, Manchester, on 4 May 1904. In spite of his preference for three or four cylinder cars, Rolls was impressed with the two-cylinder Royce 10 and in a subsequent agreement of 23 December 1904 agreed to take all the cars Royce could make. These would be of two, three, four and six cylinders and would be badged as Rolls-Royces.
The first Rolls-Royce car, the Rolls-Royce 10 hp, was unveiled at the Paris Salon in December 1904. In 1906 Rolls and Royce formalised their partnership by creating Rolls-Royce Limited, with Royce appointed chief engineer and works director on a salary of £1,250 per annum plus 4% of the profits in excess of £10,000. Royce thus provided the technical expertise to complement Rolls's financial backing and business acumen. By 1907 the company was winning awards for the engineering reliability of its cars.
Royce & Company remained in business as a separate company making cranes until 1932 when it was bought by Herbert Morris of Loughborough. The last Royce-designed crane was built in 1964.
Henry Royce married Minnie Punt in 1893 and they set up home together in Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester, and were joined by Royce's mother who lived nearby until her death in 1904 and Minnie's niece Violet. The Royces moved to a newly built house in Knutsford, Cheshire in 1898. Henry Royce and Minnie separated in 1912. After he was taken ill Royce was looked after by a nurse, Ethel Aubin.
Development of Rolls-Royce
Royce had always worked hard and was renowned for never eating proper meals which resulted in his being taken ill first in 1902 and again in 1911. Ill health had forced his move away from Derby in 1912. In the same year, he had a major operation in London and was given only a few months to live by the doctors. In spite of this he returned to work but was prevented from visiting the factory, which had moved to larger premises, fitted out to detailed plans by Royce, in Derby in 1908. He insisted on checking all new designs and engineers and draughtsmen had to take the drawings to be personally checked by him, a daunting prospect with his well-known perfectionism. He had a house built at Le Canadel in the south of France and a further home at Crowborough, East Sussex. In 1917, Henry Royce moved to the village of West Wittering, West Sussex.
In October 1928 he began design of the "R" engine while walking with some of his leading engineers on the beach at West Wittering, sketching ideas in the sand. Less than a year later the “R” engine designed in his studio in the village set a new world air speed record of 357.7 miles per hour and won the Schneider Trophy of 1929. When the Ramsay MacDonald Government decided not to finance the next attempt in 1931, Lucy, Lady Houston felt that Britain must on no account be left out of this contest. She wired the Prime Minister that she would guarantee £100,000 if necessary towards the cost leaving the Government with no alternative but to reverse their previous decision. The result was that Royce found that the "R" could be made to produce more power and the Supermarine S.6B seaplane won the Trophy at 340.08 mph (547.31 km/h) on 13 September 1931. Later that month on the 29th, the same aircraft with an improved engine flew at 407.5 mph (655.8 km/h) – becoming the first craft to fly at over 400 mph (640 km/h) and breaking the world's speed record.
Death
In 1931 Rolls-Royce Ltd. bought out the famous firm of W.O. Bentley. A "20/25" engine was put into a chassis and a Bentley Radiator fitted. An open four seater body completed the picture. The engine was "hotted-up" and the car was taken down to West Wittering to get Royce's approval. They were somewhat apprehensive of what he would say, but he gave it his blessing. He told them that such a fast car should have a means of varying the stiffness of the springing. The night before he died he sat up in bed and drew a sketch on the back of an envelope which he gave to Miss Aubin (his nurse and housekeeper) telling her to see that the "boys" in the factory got it safely. He died before it reached Derby. This was the adjustable shock-absorber. Thus, in 1933 the first Bentley made by Rolls-Royce Ltd. made its appearance and another famous name is carried on.
Following the success of the “R” engine, it was clear that they had an engine that would be of use to the Royal Air Force. As no Government assistance was forthcoming at first, in the national interest, they went ahead with development of what was called the “P.V.12” engine (P.V. standing for Private Venture). The idea was to produce an engine of about the same performance as the “R”, albeit with a much longer life. Royce launched the PV12 in October 1932 but unfortunately did not live to see its completion. The engine completed its first test in 1934, the year after he died. Later, the PV12 became the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine and the man who had once humbly signed the visitors’ book at the RAF Calshot seaplane base as “F.H. Royce – Mechanic” would never know how his engines would go on to change the course of the Second World War.
Royce, who lived by the motto "Whatever is rightly done, however humble, is noble", had already been awarded the OBE after the First World War, and was created a Baronet, of Seaton in the County of Rutland, on 26 June 1930 for his services to British Aviation.
He died at his house Elmstead in West Wittering on 22 April 1933. His last words were reported to be, "I wish I had spent more time in the office."
In 1962 a memorial window dedicated to his memory was unveiled in Westminster Abbey. The window is one of a series designed by Sir J. Ninian Comper and each one is dedicated to the memory of an eminent engineer. He is also commemorated in Royce Hall, student accommodation at Loughborough University.
http://www.derbyshireuk.net/henry_royce.jpg
http://www.derbyarboretum.co.uk/Munuments/Roycestatue.jpg
http://www.bruceongames.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/rolls-royce.jpg
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Howard on 03/27/10 at 6:58 am
Sorry no word or person today..we were at the hospital this morning with Missy..
That's ok,take care of Missy. :)
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 03/27/10 at 7:04 am
When he was big in the early 70s, I wasn't really a big fan (even though I loved the song Crocodile Rock)-in fact, I didn't like him at all. But over the years, he really grew on me. I think about the time when Someone Saved My Life, I started recognizing his wonderful talent. Now, I think he is a living legend and I think he is GREAT!!!!
I knew that. :\'( ((((((((((((((((((((((((hugs)))))))))))))))))))))
Besides Elton John is big enough to have him as person of the day for TWO days in a row. ;) :D ;D ;D
Cat
So true, he is my alltime favorite who I just had the pleasure of seeing with Billy Joel (Who's no slouch either) I did my senior thesis on him and got a 95.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 03/27/10 at 7:18 am
British Person of the Day: Henry Royce
Sir Frederick Henry Royce, 1st Baronet, OBE (27 March 1863 – 22 April 1933) was a pioneering car manufacturer, who with Charles Stewart Rolls founded the Rolls-Royce company.
Early life
Frederick Henry Royce was born in Alwalton, Huntingdonshire, near Peterborough, the son of James and Mary Royce (maiden name King) and was the youngest of their five children. His family ran a flour mill which they leased from the Ecclesiastical Commissioners but the business failed and the family moved to London. His father died in 1872 and Royce had to go out to work selling newspapers and delivering telegrams, having had only one year of formal schooling.
In 1878 he started an apprenticeship with the Great Northern Railway company at its works in Peterborough thanks to the financial help of an aunt. After three years the money ran out and, after a short time with a tool-making company in Leeds, he returned to London and joined the Electric Light and Power Company. He moved to their Liverpool office in 1882 working on street and theatre lighting.
In 1884 with £20 of savings he entered a partnership with Ernest Claremont, a friend who contributed £50, and they started a business making domestic electric fittings in a workshop in Cooke Street, Hulme, Manchester called F H Royce and Company. In 1894 they started making dynamos and electric cranes and F.H. Royce & Company was registered as a limited liability company. The company was re-registered in 1899 as Royce Ltd with a public share flotation and a further factory opened in Trafford Park, Manchester.
Partnership with Rolls
Following a decline in trade after the Second Boer War, and the arrival of increasing competition in cranes and dynamos from Germany and the United States, Royce began considering the motor car as a potential new product for the company. With his fascination for all things mechanical he became increasingly focused on motor cars and bought first, in 1901, a small De Dion and in 1902 or 1903 a 1901 model two cylinder Decauville. This did not meet his high standards and so he first improved it and then decided to manufacture a car of his own which he did in a corner of the workshop in 1904.
Two more cars were made. Of the three, which were called Royces and had two cylinder engines, one was given to Ernest Claremont and the other sold to one of the other directors, Henry Edmunds. Edmunds was a friend of Charles Rolls who had a car showroom in London selling imported models and showed him his car and arranged the historic meeting between Rolls and Royce at the Midland Hotel, Manchester, on 4 May 1904. In spite of his preference for three or four cylinder cars, Rolls was impressed with the two-cylinder Royce 10 and in a subsequent agreement of 23 December 1904 agreed to take all the cars Royce could make. These would be of two, three, four and six cylinders and would be badged as Rolls-Royces.
The first Rolls-Royce car, the Rolls-Royce 10 hp, was unveiled at the Paris Salon in December 1904. In 1906 Rolls and Royce formalised their partnership by creating Rolls-Royce Limited, with Royce appointed chief engineer and works director on a salary of £1,250 per annum plus 4% of the profits in excess of £10,000. Royce thus provided the technical expertise to complement Rolls's financial backing and business acumen. By 1907 the company was winning awards for the engineering reliability of its cars.
Royce & Company remained in business as a separate company making cranes until 1932 when it was bought by Herbert Morris of Loughborough. The last Royce-designed crane was built in 1964.
Henry Royce married Minnie Punt in 1893 and they set up home together in Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester, and were joined by Royce's mother who lived nearby until her death in 1904 and Minnie's niece Violet. The Royces moved to a newly built house in Knutsford, Cheshire in 1898. Henry Royce and Minnie separated in 1912. After he was taken ill Royce was looked after by a nurse, Ethel Aubin.
Development of Rolls-Royce
Royce had always worked hard and was renowned for never eating proper meals which resulted in his being taken ill first in 1902 and again in 1911. Ill health had forced his move away from Derby in 1912. In the same year, he had a major operation in London and was given only a few months to live by the doctors. In spite of this he returned to work but was prevented from visiting the factory, which had moved to larger premises, fitted out to detailed plans by Royce, in Derby in 1908. He insisted on checking all new designs and engineers and draughtsmen had to take the drawings to be personally checked by him, a daunting prospect with his well-known perfectionism. He had a house built at Le Canadel in the south of France and a further home at Crowborough, East Sussex. In 1917, Henry Royce moved to the village of West Wittering, West Sussex.
In October 1928 he began design of the "R" engine while walking with some of his leading engineers on the beach at West Wittering, sketching ideas in the sand. Less than a year later the “R” engine designed in his studio in the village set a new world air speed record of 357.7 miles per hour and won the Schneider Trophy of 1929. When the Ramsay MacDonald Government decided not to finance the next attempt in 1931, Lucy, Lady Houston felt that Britain must on no account be left out of this contest. She wired the Prime Minister that she would guarantee £100,000 if necessary towards the cost leaving the Government with no alternative but to reverse their previous decision. The result was that Royce found that the "R" could be made to produce more power and the Supermarine S.6B seaplane won the Trophy at 340.08 mph (547.31 km/h) on 13 September 1931. Later that month on the 29th, the same aircraft with an improved engine flew at 407.5 mph (655.8 km/h) – becoming the first craft to fly at over 400 mph (640 km/h) and breaking the world's speed record.
Death
In 1931 Rolls-Royce Ltd. bought out the famous firm of W.O. Bentley. A "20/25" engine was put into a chassis and a Bentley Radiator fitted. An open four seater body completed the picture. The engine was "hotted-up" and the car was taken down to West Wittering to get Royce's approval. They were somewhat apprehensive of what he would say, but he gave it his blessing. He told them that such a fast car should have a means of varying the stiffness of the springing. The night before he died he sat up in bed and drew a sketch on the back of an envelope which he gave to Miss Aubin (his nurse and housekeeper) telling her to see that the "boys" in the factory got it safely. He died before it reached Derby. This was the adjustable shock-absorber. Thus, in 1933 the first Bentley made by Rolls-Royce Ltd. made its appearance and another famous name is carried on.
Following the success of the “R” engine, it was clear that they had an engine that would be of use to the Royal Air Force. As no Government assistance was forthcoming at first, in the national interest, they went ahead with development of what was called the “P.V.12” engine (P.V. standing for Private Venture). The idea was to produce an engine of about the same performance as the “R”, albeit with a much longer life. Royce launched the PV12 in October 1932 but unfortunately did not live to see its completion. The engine completed its first test in 1934, the year after he died. Later, the PV12 became the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine and the man who had once humbly signed the visitors’ book at the RAF Calshot seaplane base as “F.H. Royce – Mechanic” would never know how his engines would go on to change the course of the Second World War.
Royce, who lived by the motto "Whatever is rightly done, however humble, is noble", had already been awarded the OBE after the First World War, and was created a Baronet, of Seaton in the County of Rutland, on 26 June 1930 for his services to British Aviation.
He died at his house Elmstead in West Wittering on 22 April 1933. His last words were reported to be, "I wish I had spent more time in the office."
In 1962 a memorial window dedicated to his memory was unveiled in Westminster Abbey. The window is one of a series designed by Sir J. Ninian Comper and each one is dedicated to the memory of an eminent engineer. He is also commemorated in Royce Hall, student accommodation at Loughborough University.
http://www.derbyshireuk.net/henry_royce.jpg
http://www.derbyarboretum.co.uk/Munuments/Roycestatue.jpg
http://www.bruceongames.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/rolls-royce.jpg
Thanks Phil..one luxurious car.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 03/27/10 at 7:26 am
The word of the day...Shrew
A shrew is a small brown animal like a mouse with a long pointed nose.
a scolding nagging bad-tempered woman
http://i736.photobucket.com/albums/xx3/Eluinstar/Stuff%20for%20Gram/common-shrew-3806.jpg
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn6/ratchikndogmous/whitetoothedshrew.jpg
http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o208/zsazel/shrew.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d15/Imdazedandcrazed/shrew.jpg
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i131/hurst2112/shrew.jpg
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b117/kortknee828/shrew.jpg
http://i341.photobucket.com/albums/o380/Naruto_312/shrew-elephant.jpg
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd295/whiskey_triv/shrew-1.jpg
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 03/27/10 at 7:30 am
The person of the day...Michael York
Michael York, OBE (born Michael Hugh Johnson; 27 March 1942) is an English actor. He is more recently known among mainstream audiences for his role as Basil Exposition in the Austin Powers series of comedy films.
York was born in Fulmer, Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, the son of Florence Edith May (née Chown), a musician; and Joseph Gwynne Johnson, a Llandovery born Welsh ex-Royal Artillery British Army officer and executive with Marks and Spencer department stores. York has an older sister, Penelope Anne (born 1940) and younger twin sisters, Caroline and Bridget (born 1947) but Bridget died a few hours after birth, according to his autobiography. He was brought up in Burgess Hill, Sussex. During his teenage years, York was educated at Bromley Grammar School for Boys, Bromley, Kent and at Oxford University. He began his career in a 1956 production of The Yellow Jacket. In 1959 he made his West End debut with a brief part in a production of Hamlet.
Career
Prior to graduating with a degree in English from the University of Oxford in 1964, York had toured with the National Youth Theatre, also performing with the Oxford University Dramatic Society and the University College Players. After some time with the Dundee Repertory Theatre, York joined the National Theatre where he worked with Franco Zeffirelli during the 1965 staging of Much Ado About Nothing.
York made his film debut as Lucentio in Zeffirelli's The Taming of the Shrew (1967), then was cast as Tybalt in Zeffirelli's 1968 film adaptation of Romeo and Juliet with Leonard Whiting and Olivia Hussey. He also starred in an early Merchant Ivory Productions film, The Guru (1969). He played an amoral bisexual drifter in Harold Prince's film Something for Everyone (1970) opposite Angela Lansbury as the countess who hires York as her footman. He then went on to portray the bisexual Brian Roberts in Bob Fosse's film version of Cabaret (1972), opposite Liza Minnelli. In 1977 reunited with Zeffirelli as a fiery John the Baptist in Jesus of Nazareth.
York starred as D'Artagnan in the 1973 adaptation of The Three Musketeers and he made his Broadway debut in the original production of Tennessee Williams's Out Cry. One year later the sequel to The Three Musketeers was released (roughly covering events in the second half of the book) titled The Four Musketeers. These two films are still popular and generally accepted as the best film version of the famous Dumas adventure story. Fifteen years later, most of the cast (and crew) joined together in a third film titled The Return of the Musketeers based on the Dumas novel Twenty Years After. York had already been on British TV as Jolyon (Jolly) in The Forsyte Saga (1967). He also played the title character in the film adaptation of Logan's Run (1976).
Since his auspicious early work, York has enjoyed a busy and varied career in film, television, and on the stage. He appeared in two episodes in the second season of the Road to Avonlea series as Ezekiel Crane, the lighthouse keeper of Avonlea and father of Gus Pike. His Broadway theatre credits include Bent (1980), The Crucible (1992), Someone Who'll Watch Over Me (1993), and the ill-fated musical The Little Prince and the Aviator (1982), which closed during previews. He also has made many sound recordings as a reader, including Harper Audio's production of C. S. Lewis's The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.
He appeared in the Babylon 5 episode "A Late Delivery From Avalon" as a delusion-ridden Earthforce gunner. He also appeared as Professor Asher Fleming, a 60 year-old Yale professor and boyfriend of Yale student Paris Geller (Liza Weil) in the fourth season of Gilmore Girls. He performed the voice of the character Ares in the Justice League Unlimited episode "Hawk & Dove", as well as a character named Dr. Montague Kane in the Batman: The Animated Series episode "Zatanna" and Kanto in the Superman: The Animated Series episode "Tools of the Trade". York starred in both The Omega Code and its sequel, Megiddo: The Omega Code 2, as Stone Alexander, portraying the Antichrist of Christian eschatology.
York also played President Alexander Bourne of Macronesia (formerly New Australia) on seaQuest 2032, a role that was quickly fleshed out and would have remained a major player in the series had it lasted past the thirteen episodes it was ordered for in its third season before ultimately being canceled. He has played Basil Exposition in all three of the Austin Powers movies. He has made an appearance on The Simpsons as Mason Fairbanks, Homer's possible father in "Homer's Paternity Coot." He was also in the third season finale of Sliders as a character reminiscent of Dr. Moreau. In 2006, York played the Charles Sobhraj-like character, Bernard Fremont, on Law & Order: Criminal Intent. He also appeared as himself in several episodes of the third season of Curb Your Enthusiasm, and featured in Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
York also voiced Petrie's uncle Pterano in The Land Before Time VII: The Stone of Cold Fire. York has also featured as the narrator in the audio New Testament project, the Word of Promise, which is being produced by Jim Caviezel. York played King Arthur in a revival of Lerner and Loewe's Camelot, which began its run at the La Mirada Theatre in Southern California, and toured nationally in 2006 and 2007. Recently, has voiced Forever King Patrick in Ben 10: Alien Force.
Personal life
York lives in California, USA. He married Patricia McCallum on 27 March 1968. His stepson is Star Wars producer Rick McCallum.
Filmography
* 1967 The Taming of the Shrew
* 1967 Liefdesbekentenissen
* 1967 Smashing Time
* 1967 Accident
* 1968 The Strange Affair
* 1968 Romeo and Juliet
* 1969 The Guru
* 1969 Alfred the Great
* 1969 Justine
* 1970 Something for Everyone
* 1971 La Poudre d'escampette
* 1971 Zeppelin
* 1972 Cabaret
* 1973 The Three Musketeers
* 1973 England Made Me
* 1973 Lost Horizon
* 1974 Great Expectations
* 1974 Murder on the Orient Express
* 1975 Conduct Unbecoming
* 1975 The Four Musketeers
* 1976 Logan's Run
* 1976 Seven Nights in Japan
* 1977 Jesus of Nazareth
* 1977 The Last Remake of Beau Geste
* 1977 The Island of Dr. Moreau
* 1978 Fedora
* 1978 Much Ado About Nothing
* 1979 The Riddle of the Sands
* 1979 A Man Called Intrepid
* 1980 Final Assignment
* 1981 The White Lions
* 1983 The Weather in the Streets
* 1983 Au Nom de Tous les Miens
* 1983 The Phantom of the Opera
* 1984 Success Is the Best Revenge
* 1984 The Master of Ballantrae
* 1985 Nevil Shute's the Far Country
* 1985 James A. Michener's Space
* 1985 British Rock The First Wave
* 1986 Storybook Series, Vol. 4
* 1986 Ponce de Leon and the Fountain of Youth
* 1986 L'Aube
* 1986 The Far Country
* 1986 Sword of Gideon
* 1986 Dark Mansions
* 1987 Un Delitto Poco Comune
* 1987 Lethal Obsession
* 1988 Il Segreto Del Sahara aka The Secret of the Sahara
* 1988 Midnight Cop
* 1988 The Four Minute Mile
* 1989 The Return of the Musketeers
* 1989 Till We Meet Again
* 1989 The Lady and the Highwayman
* 1990 Night of the Fox
* 1990 Come See The Paradise
* 1990 Shelley Duvall's Tall Tales and Legends: Ponce de Leon
* 1991 The Heat of the Day
* 1991 Eline Vere
* 1991 Road to Avonlea: All That Glitters
* 1991 Road to Avonlea: Sea Ghost
* 1992 Duel of Hearts
* 1992 Gardens of the World with Audrey Hepburn: Tulips and Spring Bulbs
* 1992 Gardens of the World with Audrey Hepburn: Public Gardens & Trees
* 1992 Gardens of the World with Audrey Hepburn: Flower Gardens
* 1992 Gardens of the World with Audrey Hepburn: Japanese Gardens
* 1992 Gardens of the World with Audrey Hepburn: Tropical Gardens
* 1992 Gardens of the World with Audrey Hepburn: Roses & Rose Gardens
* 1992 Gardens of the World with Audrey Hepburn: Formal Gardens
* 1992 Gardens of the World with Audrey Hepburn: Country Gardens
* 1992 Wide Sargasso Sea
* 1992 The Long Shadow
* 1993 Batman: The Animated Series: Zatanna
* 1993 Tracey Ullman Takes On New York
* 1994 Discretion Assured
* 1995 Not of This Earth
* 1996 September
* 1996 Danielle Steel's The Ring
* 1996 Babylon 5: A Late Delivery from Avalon
* 1997 The Long Way Home
* 1997 True Women
* 1997 Dark Planet
* 1997 The Treat
* 1997 A Christmas Carol
* 1997 Goodbye America
* 1997 Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
* 1997 The Ripper
* 1998 54
* 1998 A Dirty Little Business
* 1998 Perfect Little Angels
* 1998 One Hell of a Guy
* 1998 Wrongfully Accused
* 1998 A Knight in Camelot
* 1999 Henry James' The Ghostly Rental
* 1999 The Haunting of Hell House
* 1999 The Omega Code
* 1999 Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
* 2000 The Land Before Time VII: The Stone of Cold Fire
* 2000 Founding Fathers: You Say You Want a Revolution
* 2000 Founding Fathers: Rebels...With a Cause
* 2000 Borstal Boy
* 2000 A Monkey's Tale
* 2000 Founding Fathers: A Healthy Constitution
* 2000 Founding Fathers: Taking Liberties
* 2001 Criminal Desire
* 2001 Megiddo: The Omega Code 2
* 2002 Liberty's Kids
* 2002 Founding Brothers: The Evolution of a Revolution, Part Three - Parties
* 2002 Founding Brothers: A More Perfect Union, Part Two - Government
* 2002 Austin Powers in Goldmember
* 2002 Founding Brothers: The Evolution of a Revolution, Part Four - Posterity
* 2002 Founding Brothers: A More Perfect Union, Part One - Leadership
* 2003 La Femme Musketeer
* 2003 Gilmore Girls: Ted Koppel's Night Out
* 2004 The Remains of the Piano
* 2004 Moscow Heat
* 2004 Gilmore Girls: Luke Can See Her Face
* 2004 Gilmore Girls: Afterboom
* 2004 Justice League Unlimited: Hawk and Dove
* 2004 Gilmore Girls: The Nanny and the Professor
* 2004 Crusader
* 2006 Law & Order: Criminal Intent ::Slither
* 2007 Flatland: The Movie
* 2008 Świadectwo (Polish and Italian film, as narrator)
* 2008 Testimony
* 2009 Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
* 2009 Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Autobiography
* Accidentally on Purpose (US), Pocket Books. ISBN 0-671-79591-0.
* Travelling Player (UK), Headline. ISBN 0-7472-3306-3.
http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z229/Swinging_Sixties/1960s%20-%20People/MichaelYork.jpg
http://i715.photobucket.com/albums/ww153/sea2wind/Film%20Picture/MichaelYork.jpg
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 03/27/10 at 7:40 am
The person who died on this day...Aldo Ray
Aldo Ray (born Aldo DaRe; September 25, 1926 – March 27, 1991) was an American actor.
Ray was born in Pen Argyl, Pennsylvania to a Italian family of five brothers and one sister. In 1944, at the age of eighteen, Ray entered the Navy, where he served as a Frogman until 1946 and saw action at Okinawa with UDT-17.
Early life
Upon leaving the Navy, Ray entered the University of California at Berkeley, but his studies there were brief. Shortly after leaving Berkeley, Ray settled in Crockett, California with his first wife Shirley Green. They had one child, a daughter named Claire DaRe, and Aldo was even elected the 12th Township Constable of Crockett, a small bedroom community just north of San Francisco.
While constable of Crockett, California, Aldo drove his brother Guido to an audition for the film Saturday's Hero. Director David Miller was more interested in Aldo, because, it is rumored, of his voice, than in his brother, and hired him for the small role of a cynical soccer player opposite John Derek and Donna Reed. Columbia Pictures wasted no time in signing Ray to an exclusive contract, and despite having no acting experience, Aldo soon appeared in several films under his birth name, Aldo DaRe.
Hollywood stardom
Ray's husky frame, thick neck and raspy voice made him perfect for playing tough sexy roles. In his first film as Aldo Ray, he starred with Judy Holliday in 1952’s The Marrying Kind, directed by film legend George Cukor. Cukor famously suggested that Ray go to ballet school because he walked too much like a football player. That same year, Ray appeared in Pat and Mike, starring Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn in the seventh of their nine films together, and again directed by Cukor.
Ray’s work in Pat and Mike led to his nomination, along with Richard Burton and Robert Wagner, for a Golden Globe as Best Newcomer. Burton won the award that year, but Ray’s career was launched. Columbia Pictures head Harry Cohn liked Ray and wanted him for the role in From Here to Eternity that Fred Zinneman insisted that Montgomery Clift have.
The following year, 1953, Aldo’s personal life didn’t go nearly as well as his professional life. Although he and first wife Shirley Green were divorced, he starred opposite Rita Hayworth in Miss Sadie Thompson, a remake of the W. Somerset Maugham story Rain. This began the most productive period of Aldo’s career, preceded by his marriage to actress Jean Marie "Jeff" Donnell in 1954, a marriage that would only last two years.
In 1955, Ray appeared in starring roles in Battle Cry, Three Stripes in the Sun, and one of his best loved films, We're No Angels, in which he starred with Humphrey Bogart, Peter Ustinov, Basil Rathbone, Leo G. Carroll, and Joan Bennett. By then he was firmly associated with the macho roles that would continue to characterize his work.
During 1956, in between appearances in Three Stripes In The Sun and Men in War, Ray tried his hand at radio, working as a personality and announcer at Syracuse, New York hit music station WNDR. A photo of Ray with a colleague in the WNDR studios, taken as part of a station promotional package, survives and can be found on a WNDR tribute website, although it's not known if any aircheck tapes of his radio shows still exist. By 1957, in any event, he had left WNDR and the radio business and returned to Hollywood. He would appear in 11 films during the following 11 years (1957–68), the busiest period of his film career.
Author Richard Matheson said his best known work, The Incredible Shrinking Man, was inspired by a scene in Ray's Let's Do It Again in which a character puts on someone else's hat and it sinks down past his ears; "I thought, what if a man put on his own hat and that happened?" he recounted in an interview for Stephen King's non fiction work Danse Macabre.
This period of Ray’s career would culminate with a starring role in God's Little Acre, an honest adaptation of Erskine Caldwell’s steamy novel. The film featured Robert Ryan, with whom Ray had also worked in Men in War, and a young Tina Louise in her big screen debut. He was also memorable in The Naked and the Dead, a gritty adaptation of Norman Mailer's novel.
In 1959 he starred in 'Four Desperate Men (The Siege of Pinchgut), The film was filmed on location in Sydney Harbour Australia. 'Pinchgut' is actually 'Fort Denison' located in the Harbour. The film was the last produced by Ealing Studios, a small British Studio which lasted from 1939 to 1959.
Typecasting in the 1960s
By the dawn of the 1960’s Aldo was most often type-cast as the tough guy, capitalizing on his husky good looks and gravelly voice. He also married Johanna Bennet, who continues to work today, under the name Johanna Ray, as a respected casting director. They were divorced in 1967. (Johanna, a long time collaborator with David Lynch, cast Eric DaRe, her son with Aldo, in Lynch’s Twin Peaks series, as well as the movie Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me.) Aldo’s work of this decade included The Day They Robbed the Bank of England, What Did You Do in the War, Daddy? and Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round. His best known work of the 1960’s, however, was his portrayal of Sergeant Muldoon, alongside John Wayne, in The Green Berets.
Aldo also did two pilots for television in the 1960’s. Although neither was ever picked up, one, an American adaptation of the British comedy Steptoe and Son, was eventually reworked by Bud Yorkin and Norman Lear as a vehicle for Redd Foxx as Sanford and Son.
Career decline in the 1970s
Hollywood’s appetite for Ray’s machismo continued to wane in the 1970’s. He was typically cast as gruff and gravelly rednecks. Perhaps overly eager for work, Aldo even appeared in a pornographic movie, Sweet Savage, in a non-sexual role. This decline continued in the 1980’s. Aldo, diagnosed with throat cancer, accepted virtually any role that came his way in order to maintain his costly health insurance. What was worse, Aldo’s SAG membership was revoked in the 1980s when it was discovered he was acting in non-union productions. His last film was the campy Shock Em Dead in which he appeared with Traci Lords and Troy Donahue.
Return to Crockett, California and Death
In his last years he remained in Crockett, California with his mother and family and friends, where he died on March 27, 1991 at the age of 64. He was cremated and buried in Crockett, with a majority of the residents coming out to pay their respects. Aldo Ray is still considered Crockett California's favorite son and the small Crockett Museum still displays his pictures on a wall depicting his life and times.
The name of Brad Pitt's character Aldo Raine in Quentin Tarantino's movie Inglourious Basterds is a tribute to Aldo Ray.
Filmography
* Saturday's Hero (1951)
* My True Story (1951)
* The Marrying Kind (1952)
* Pat and Mike (1952)
* Miss Sadie Thompson (1953)
* Let's Do It Again (1953)
* Battle Cry (1955)
* We're No Angels (1955)
* Three Stripes In The Sun (1955)
* Men in War (1957)
* Nightfall (1957)
* God's Little Acre (1958)
* The Naked and the Dead (1958)
* Four Desperate Men (The Siege of Pinchgut) (1959)
* Johnny Nobody (1961)
* Suicide Commando (1966)
* What Did You Do in the War, Daddy? (1966)
* Riot on Sunset Strip (1967)
* Welcome to Hard Times (1967)
* The Green Berets (1968)
* The Power (1968)
* Dynamite Brothers (East Meets Watts) (1974)
* Seven Alone (1974)
* Inside Out (1975)
* Black Samurai (1977)
* The Haunted (1979)
* Don't Go Near the Park (1981)
* The Secret of NIMH (1982)
* Evils of the Night (1985)
* Prison Ship (1988)
* Shooters (1988)
* Crime of Crimes (1989)
* Blood Red (1989)
* Shock 'Em Dead (1991)
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i15/Nimhster/aldo-ray-crop.jpg
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn19/WadeBallard/Jeff%20Donnell/jd50.jpg
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Philip Eno on 03/27/10 at 8:55 am
Sorry no word or person today..we were at the hospital this morning with Missy..
I hope it all goes fine for you all.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 03/27/10 at 9:25 am
I hope it all goes fine for you all.
Thank You :)
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: CatwomanofV on 03/27/10 at 10:50 am
The person of the day...Michael York
Michael York, OBE (born Michael Hugh Johnson; 27 March 1942) is an English actor. He is more recently known among mainstream audiences for his role as Basil Exposition in the Austin Powers series of comedy films.
York was born in Fulmer, Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, the son of Florence Edith May (née Chown), a musician; and Joseph Gwynne Johnson, a Llandovery born Welsh ex-Royal Artillery British Army officer and executive with Marks and Spencer department stores. York has an older sister, Penelope Anne (born 1940) and younger twin sisters, Caroline and Bridget (born 1947) but Bridget died a few hours after birth, according to his autobiography. He was brought up in Burgess Hill, Sussex. During his teenage years, York was educated at Bromley Grammar School for Boys, Bromley, Kent and at Oxford University. He began his career in a 1956 production of The Yellow Jacket. In 1959 he made his West End debut with a brief part in a production of Hamlet.
Career
Prior to graduating with a degree in English from the University of Oxford in 1964, York had toured with the National Youth Theatre, also performing with the Oxford University Dramatic Society and the University College Players. After some time with the Dundee Repertory Theatre, York joined the National Theatre where he worked with Franco Zeffirelli during the 1965 staging of Much Ado About Nothing.
York made his film debut as Lucentio in Zeffirelli's The Taming of the Shrew (1967), then was cast as Tybalt in Zeffirelli's 1968 film adaptation of Romeo and Juliet with Leonard Whiting and Olivia Hussey. He also starred in an early Merchant Ivory Productions film, The Guru (1969). He played an amoral bisexual drifter in Harold Prince's film Something for Everyone (1970) opposite Angela Lansbury as the countess who hires York as her footman. He then went on to portray the bisexual Brian Roberts in Bob Fosse's film version of Cabaret (1972), opposite Liza Minnelli. In 1977 reunited with Zeffirelli as a fiery John the Baptist in Jesus of Nazareth.
York starred as D'Artagnan in the 1973 adaptation of The Three Musketeers and he made his Broadway debut in the original production of Tennessee Williams's Out Cry. One year later the sequel to The Three Musketeers was released (roughly covering events in the second half of the book) titled The Four Musketeers. These two films are still popular and generally accepted as the best film version of the famous Dumas adventure story. Fifteen years later, most of the cast (and crew) joined together in a third film titled The Return of the Musketeers based on the Dumas novel Twenty Years After. York had already been on British TV as Jolyon (Jolly) in The Forsyte Saga (1967). He also played the title character in the film adaptation of Logan's Run (1976).
Since his auspicious early work, York has enjoyed a busy and varied career in film, television, and on the stage. He appeared in two episodes in the second season of the Road to Avonlea series as Ezekiel Crane, the lighthouse keeper of Avonlea and father of Gus Pike. His Broadway theatre credits include Bent (1980), The Crucible (1992), Someone Who'll Watch Over Me (1993), and the ill-fated musical The Little Prince and the Aviator (1982), which closed during previews. He also has made many sound recordings as a reader, including Harper Audio's production of C. S. Lewis's The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.
He appeared in the Babylon 5 episode "A Late Delivery From Avalon" as a delusion-ridden Earthforce gunner. He also appeared as Professor Asher Fleming, a 60 year-old Yale professor and boyfriend of Yale student Paris Geller (Liza Weil) in the fourth season of Gilmore Girls. He performed the voice of the character Ares in the Justice League Unlimited episode "Hawk & Dove", as well as a character named Dr. Montague Kane in the Batman: The Animated Series episode "Zatanna" and Kanto in the Superman: The Animated Series episode "Tools of the Trade". York starred in both The Omega Code and its sequel, Megiddo: The Omega Code 2, as Stone Alexander, portraying the Antichrist of Christian eschatology.
York also played President Alexander Bourne of Macronesia (formerly New Australia) on seaQuest 2032, a role that was quickly fleshed out and would have remained a major player in the series had it lasted past the thirteen episodes it was ordered for in its third season before ultimately being canceled. He has played Basil Exposition in all three of the Austin Powers movies. He has made an appearance on The Simpsons as Mason Fairbanks, Homer's possible father in "Homer's Paternity Coot." He was also in the third season finale of Sliders as a character reminiscent of Dr. Moreau. In 2006, York played the Charles Sobhraj-like character, Bernard Fremont, on Law & Order: Criminal Intent. He also appeared as himself in several episodes of the third season of Curb Your Enthusiasm, and featured in Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
York also voiced Petrie's uncle Pterano in The Land Before Time VII: The Stone of Cold Fire. York has also featured as the narrator in the audio New Testament project, the Word of Promise, which is being produced by Jim Caviezel. York played King Arthur in a revival of Lerner and Loewe's Camelot, which began its run at the La Mirada Theatre in Southern California, and toured nationally in 2006 and 2007. Recently, has voiced Forever King Patrick in Ben 10: Alien Force.
Personal life
York lives in California, USA. He married Patricia McCallum on 27 March 1968. His stepson is Star Wars producer Rick McCallum.
Filmography
* 1967 The Taming of the Shrew
* 1967 Liefdesbekentenissen
* 1967 Smashing Time
* 1967 Accident
* 1968 The Strange Affair
* 1968 Romeo and Juliet
* 1969 The Guru
* 1969 Alfred the Great
* 1969 Justine
* 1970 Something for Everyone
* 1971 La Poudre d'escampette
* 1971 Zeppelin
* 1972 Cabaret
* 1973 The Three Musketeers
* 1973 England Made Me
* 1973 Lost Horizon
* 1974 Great Expectations
* 1974 Murder on the Orient Express
* 1975 Conduct Unbecoming
* 1975 The Four Musketeers
* 1976 Logan's Run
* 1976 Seven Nights in Japan
* 1977 Jesus of Nazareth
* 1977 The Last Remake of Beau Geste
* 1977 The Island of Dr. Moreau
* 1978 Fedora
* 1978 Much Ado About Nothing
* 1979 The Riddle of the Sands
* 1979 A Man Called Intrepid
* 1980 Final Assignment
* 1981 The White Lions
* 1983 The Weather in the Streets
* 1983 Au Nom de Tous les Miens
* 1983 The Phantom of the Opera
* 1984 Success Is the Best Revenge
* 1984 The Master of Ballantrae
* 1985 Nevil Shute's the Far Country
* 1985 James A. Michener's Space
* 1985 British Rock The First Wave
* 1986 Storybook Series, Vol. 4
* 1986 Ponce de Leon and the Fountain of Youth
* 1986 L'Aube
* 1986 The Far Country
* 1986 Sword of Gideon
* 1986 Dark Mansions
* 1987 Un Delitto Poco Comune
* 1987 Lethal Obsession
* 1988 Il Segreto Del Sahara aka The Secret of the Sahara
* 1988 Midnight Cop
* 1988 The Four Minute Mile
* 1989 The Return of the Musketeers
* 1989 Till We Meet Again
* 1989 The Lady and the Highwayman
* 1990 Night of the Fox
* 1990 Come See The Paradise
* 1990 Shelley Duvall's Tall Tales and Legends: Ponce de Leon
* 1991 The Heat of the Day
* 1991 Eline Vere
* 1991 Road to Avonlea: All That Glitters
* 1991 Road to Avonlea: Sea Ghost
* 1992 Duel of Hearts
* 1992 Gardens of the World with Audrey Hepburn: Tulips and Spring Bulbs
* 1992 Gardens of the World with Audrey Hepburn: Public Gardens & Trees
* 1992 Gardens of the World with Audrey Hepburn: Flower Gardens
* 1992 Gardens of the World with Audrey Hepburn: Japanese Gardens
* 1992 Gardens of the World with Audrey Hepburn: Tropical Gardens
* 1992 Gardens of the World with Audrey Hepburn: Roses & Rose Gardens
* 1992 Gardens of the World with Audrey Hepburn: Formal Gardens
* 1992 Gardens of the World with Audrey Hepburn: Country Gardens
* 1992 Wide Sargasso Sea
* 1992 The Long Shadow
* 1993 Batman: The Animated Series: Zatanna
* 1993 Tracey Ullman Takes On New York
* 1994 Discretion Assured
* 1995 Not of This Earth
* 1996 September
* 1996 Danielle Steel's The Ring
* 1996 Babylon 5: A Late Delivery from Avalon
* 1997 The Long Way Home
* 1997 True Women
* 1997 Dark Planet
* 1997 The Treat
* 1997 A Christmas Carol
* 1997 Goodbye America
* 1997 Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
* 1997 The Ripper
* 1998 54
* 1998 A Dirty Little Business
* 1998 Perfect Little Angels
* 1998 One Hell of a Guy
* 1998 Wrongfully Accused
* 1998 A Knight in Camelot
* 1999 Henry James' The Ghostly Rental
* 1999 The Haunting of Hell House
* 1999 The Omega Code
* 1999 Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
* 2000 The Land Before Time VII: The Stone of Cold Fire
* 2000 Founding Fathers: You Say You Want a Revolution
* 2000 Founding Fathers: Rebels...With a Cause
* 2000 Borstal Boy
* 2000 A Monkey's Tale
* 2000 Founding Fathers: A Healthy Constitution
* 2000 Founding Fathers: Taking Liberties
* 2001 Criminal Desire
* 2001 Megiddo: The Omega Code 2
* 2002 Liberty's Kids
* 2002 Founding Brothers: The Evolution of a Revolution, Part Three - Parties
* 2002 Founding Brothers: A More Perfect Union, Part Two - Government
* 2002 Austin Powers in Goldmember
* 2002 Founding Brothers: The Evolution of a Revolution, Part Four - Posterity
* 2002 Founding Brothers: A More Perfect Union, Part One - Leadership
* 2003 La Femme Musketeer
* 2003 Gilmore Girls: Ted Koppel's Night Out
* 2004 The Remains of the Piano
* 2004 Moscow Heat
* 2004 Gilmore Girls: Luke Can See Her Face
* 2004 Gilmore Girls: Afterboom
* 2004 Justice League Unlimited: Hawk and Dove
* 2004 Gilmore Girls: The Nanny and the Professor
* 2004 Crusader
* 2006 Law & Order: Criminal Intent ::Slither
* 2007 Flatland: The Movie
* 2008 Świadectwo (Polish and Italian film, as narrator)
* 2008 Testimony
* 2009 Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
* 2009 Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Autobiography
* Accidentally on Purpose (US), Pocket Books. ISBN 0-671-79591-0.
* Travelling Player (UK), Headline. ISBN 0-7472-3306-3.
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I always thought he was very yummy.
Cat
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Howard on 03/27/10 at 7:42 pm
The word of the day...Shrew
A shrew is a small brown animal like a mouse with a long pointed nose.
a scolding nagging bad-tempered woman
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http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn6/ratchikndogmous/whitetoothedshrew.jpg
http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o208/zsazel/shrew.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d15/Imdazedandcrazed/shrew.jpg
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i131/hurst2112/shrew.jpg
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b117/kortknee828/shrew.jpg
http://i341.photobucket.com/albums/o380/Naruto_312/shrew-elephant.jpg
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd295/whiskey_triv/shrew-1.jpg
they look funny.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 03/28/10 at 4:45 am
they look funny.
Yes they do. ;D
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 03/28/10 at 4:50 am
The word of the day...Broadway
a street in New York City where there are many theatres, sometimes used to refer to the US theatre industry in general
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http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h191/RichardBastard/zombies_on_broadway.jpg
http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm233/W_Daninsky/Movie%20Posters/TheLambliesdownonBroadway.jpg
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w164/maebven/Off%20Broadway%20Show%20Promo/SleepySunStuLifecopy.jpg
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http://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy274/Madragon33/Statue%20of%20Liberty/NYC%20Skyline/Empire%20State%20Building/Times%20Square/Random%20NYC%20pics/DSCN1059.jpg
http://i862.photobucket.com/albums/ab188/breid1988/New%20York/meintimessquare.jpg
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 03/28/10 at 4:52 am
The person born on this day...Dianne Wiest
Dianne Wiest (born March 28, 1948) is an American actress. She has had a successful career on stage, television, and film, and has won two Academy Awards, two Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe Award. Wiest has also been nominated for a BAFTA Award.
Wiest was born in Kansas City, Missouri. Her father was a college dean and former psychiatric social worker for the U.S. Army, and her Scottish-born mother, Anne, worked as a nurse; her parents met in Algiers. She has two brothers: Greg and Don Wiest. Wiest's original ambition was to be a ballerina, but in late high school she switched her goal to theatre. She made her film debut in It's My Turn (1980), but did not establish herself as a film actress until her work for Woody Allen in the 1980s.
Stage career
Wiest studied theatre at the University of Maryland, leaving after her third term to tour with a Shakespearean troupe. Later, she had a supporting role in a New York Shakespeare Festival production of Ashes. She also acted at the Long Wharf Theatre in New Haven, CT, playing the title role in Ibsen's Hedda Gabler. She also understudied a role off-Broadway, in Kurt Vonnegut's Happy Birthday, Wanda June at the Lucille Lortel Theatre.
She made her Broadway debut in Robert Anderson's Solitaire/Double Solitaire, taking over in the role of the daughter in 1971. She landed a four-year job as a member of the Arena Stage in Washington, D.C., in such memorable roles as Emily in Our Town, Honey in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, and leading roles in S. Ansky's The Dybbuk, Maxim Gorky's The Lower Depths and Shaw's "Heartbreak House." She toured the USSR with the Arena Stage Company.
In 1976, Wiest went to the Eugene O'Neill National Playwrights Conference and starred in leading roles in Amlin Gray's Pirates and Christopher Durang's A History of the American Film. At Joe Papp's Public Theatre she took over the lead in Ashes, and played Cassandra in Agamemnon, directed by Andrei Şerban.
She appeared in two plays by Tina Howe: Museum and the The Art of Dining. In the latter, Wiest's performance as the shy and awkward authoress Elizabeth Barrow Colt won every off-Broadway theatre award: an Obie Award, a Theatre World Award, and the Clarence Derwent Award, given yearly for the most promising performance in New York theatre.
In early 1980, she appeared on Broadway in Frankenstein, directed by Tom Moore, portrayed Desdemona in Othello opposite James Earl Jones and Christopher Plummer and co-starred with John Lithgow in Christopher Durang's romantic screwball comedy Beyond Therapy, directed by John Madden. (A few years later she played opposite Lithgow again in the Herbert Ross film Footloose).
During this time in the 1980s, she received acclaim for her performances in Hedda Gabler, directed by Lloyd Richards at Yale Repertory Theatre, and in Harold Pinter's A Kind of Alaska, Janusz Glowacki's Hunting Cockroaches, and Lanford Wilson's Serenading Louie.
As Wiest became established as a film actress through her work in Woody Allen's films, she was less frequently available for stage roles. However, she managed to appear onstage the 1990s, in In the Summer House, Square One, Cynthia Ozick's The Shawl, and Naomi Wallace's One Flea Spare.
In 2003, she appeared with Al Pacino and Marisa Tomei in Oscar Wilde's Salome. In 2005, she starred in Kathleen Tolan's Memory House. She also starred in a production of Wendy Wasserstein's final play Third (directed by Daniel Sullivan) at Lincoln Center.
Her most recent New York theater roles includes performances as Arkadina in an off-Broadway revival of The Seagull (opposite Alan Cumming's Trigorin) and as Kate Keller in a Broadway revival of Arthur Miller's All My Sons, opposite John Lithgow, Patrick Wilson, and Katie Holmes. In 2009, Wiest appeared in the National Memorial Day Concert on the Mall in Washington, D.C. in a dialogue with Katie Holmes celebrating the life of an American veteran seriously wounded in Iraq, José Pequeño.
Film and television
Under Woody Allen's direction, Wiest won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Hannah and Her Sisters in 1987 and the same award again for Bullets Over Broadway in 1995.
She also acted in three other Woody Allen films: The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985), Radio Days (1987) and September (1987).
Her early screen roles include small roles in It's My Turn and I'm Dancing As Fast As I Can, both starring Jill Clayburgh in the lead roles.
In 1984, she starred in the blockbuster hit Footloose, as the reverend's wife.
She followed her first Oscar success with performances in The Lost Boys (1987) and Bright Lights, Big City (1988). She also starred with Steve Martin, Mary Steenburgen, Jason Robards, Keanu Reeves and Martha Plimpton in Ron Howard's Parenthood, for which she received her second Oscar nomination.
Wiest in 1990
In 1990, Wiest starred in Edward Scissorhands. She worked with Woody Allen once again, in 1994, for Bullets Over Broadway, a comedy set in 1920s New York City, winning her second Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her portrayal of Helen Sinclair, a boozy, glamorous, and loud star of the stage.
Other major film roles include Jodie Foster's Little Man Tate (1990) and The Birdcage (1996), Mike Nichols' remake of La Cage aux Folles.
On television, her performance on the series Road to Avonlea, in 1989, garnered her her first Emmy Award, for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series. She received another nomination for her performance in the 1999 telefilm The Simple Life of Noah Dearborn, co-starring Sidney Poitier. She starred in the television mini-series The 10th Kingdom in 2000.
From 2000 to 2002, Wiest portrayed interim District Attorney Nora Lewin in the long-running NBC crime drama Law & Order.
Wiest starred alongside Steve Carell and Juliette Binoche in Dan in Real Life (2007) and had a key supporting role in Charlie Kaufman's 2008 film Synecdoche, New York.
In 2008, she appeared as Gabriel Byrne's therapist, Gina Toll, on the HBO television series In Treatment, for which she received her second Emmy Award, for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Seres. She received another nomination (in the same category) for the second season, in 2009, but did not win.
Personal life
Wiest graduated from the University of Maryland in 1969 with a degree in Arts and Sciences.
She was in a long-term relationship with a New York talent agent, Sam Cohn, for many years.
Dianne Wiest has two adopted daughters, Emily (b. 1987) and Lily (b. 1991).
Filmography
Year Film Role Other notes
1980 It's My Turn Gail as Diane Wiest
1982 I'm Dancing as Fast as I Can Julie Addison
1983 Face of Rage Rebecca Hammil
Independence Day Nancy Morgan
1984 Falling in Love Isabelle
Footloose Vi Moore
1985 The Purple Rose of Cairo Emma
1986 Hannah and Her Sisters Holly Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture
1987 Radio Days Bea Nominated – BAFTA Award
September Stephanie
The Lost Boys Lucy Emerson
1988 Bright Lights, Big City Mother
1989 Parenthood Helen Buckman Nominated – Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture
Cookie Lenore
1990 Edward Scissorhands Peg
1991 Little Man Tate Jane Grierson
1994 Bullets Over Broadway Helen Sinclair Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role - Motion Picture
Cops and Robbersons Helen Robberson
The Scout Doctor H. Aaron
1995 Drunks Rachel
1996 The Associate Sally Dugan
The Birdcage Louise Keeley Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
1998 Practical Magic Aunt Bridget 'Jet' Owens
The Horse Whisperer Diane Booker
2000 The 10th Kingdom The Evil Queen TV mini-series
2000-2002 Law & Order D.A. Nora Lewin Twice nominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
2001 I Am Sam Annie Cassell
2002 Merci Docteur Rey Elisabeth Beaumont
2004 The Blackwater Lightship Lily TV
2004 Category 6: Day of Destruction Secretary of Energy Shirley Abbott TV mini-series
2005 Robots Mrs. Copperbottom
2006 A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints Flori
2007 Dedication Carol
Dan in Real Life Nana Burns
2008 In Treatment Dr. Gina Toll Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress – Drama Series (2008)
Nominated - Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress – Drama Series (2009)
Nominated - Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (2009)
Passengers Toni
Synecdoche, New York Ellen Bascomb/Millicent Weems
2009 Rage Miss Roth
2010 Rabbit Hole Post-production
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Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 03/28/10 at 4:58 am
The person who died on this day...Emmett Kelly
Emmett Leo Kelly (December 9, 1898 – March 28, 1979), a native of Sedan, Kansas, was an American circus performer, who created the memorable clown figure "Weary Willie," based on the hobos of the Depression era. Kelly began his career as a trapeze artist. By 1923, Emmett Kelly was working his trapeze act with John Robinson's circus when he met and married Eva Moore, another circus trapeze artist. They later performed together as the "Aerial Kellys" with Emmett still performing occasionally as a white face clown.
He started working as a clown full-time in 1931, and it was only after years of attempting to persuade the management that he was able to switch from a white face clown to the hobo clown that he had sketched ten years earlier while working at an art firm. "Weary Willie" was a tragic figure: a clown, who could usually be seen sweeping up the circus rings after the other performers. He tried but failed to sweep up the pool of light of a spotlight. His routine was revolutionary at the time: traditionally, clowns wore white face and performed slapstick stunts intended to make people laugh. Kelly did perform stunts too—one of his most famous acts was trying to crack a peanut with a sledgehammer—but as a tramp, he also appealed to the sympathy of his audience.
From 1942–1956 Kelly performed with the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus, where he was a major attraction, though he took the 1956 season off to perform as the mascot for the Brooklyn Dodgers baseball team. He also landed a number of Broadway and film roles, including the role of "Willie" in Cecil B. DeMille's The Greatest Show on Earth (1952). He also appeared in the Bertram Mills Circus.
Kelly was a Mystery Guest on the March 11, 1956 broadcast of What's My Line? and answered the panelists' questions with grunts rather than speaking yes or no. When the round was over, panelist Arlene Francis mentioned that Kelly was not allowed to speak while in makeup.
Kelly is depicted in a famous photograph, still in full clown make-up and costume, trying to extinguish the flames of the devastating Hartford Circus Fire that struck the Circus on July 6, 1944, and killed 167 people during the afternoon performance in Hartford, Connecticut. According to eyewitnesses, it was one of few times in which he was seen crying.
Emmett Kelly died at the age of 80 of a heart attack on March 28, 1979, at his home in Sarasota, Florida. He is buried in the Rest Haven Memorial Park, in Lafayette, Indiana.
Legacy
Emmett Kelly, Jr. at the New York World's fair in 1964.
Kelly's son, Emmett Kelly, Jr., did a similar "Weary Willie" character; the two were estranged for many years as a result. Kelly, Jr. claimed that his version of Willie was "less sad", but they seemed quite similar to most observers.
Kelly's boyhood town of Houston, Missouri, named Emmett Kelly Park in his honor and hosts an annual Emmett Kelly Clown Festival, which attracts clowns from across the region including Kelly's grandson, Joey Kelly, who returns every year to perform as a special guest.
The Emmett Kelly Museum is located in Sedan, Kansas.
Kelly was an inaugural inductee to the International Clown Hall of Fame in 1989. He was inducted into the International Circus Hall of Fame in 1994. in 1998, Kelly was inducted into the Hall of Famous Missourians, and a bronze bust depicting him is on permanent display in the rotunda of the Missouri State Capitol.
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Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Howard on 03/28/10 at 6:47 am
The person who died on this day...Emmett Kelly
Emmett Leo Kelly (December 9, 1898 – March 28, 1979), a native of Sedan, Kansas, was an American circus performer, who created the memorable clown figure "Weary Willie," based on the hobos of the Depression era. Kelly began his career as a trapeze artist. By 1923, Emmett Kelly was working his trapeze act with John Robinson's circus when he met and married Eva Moore, another circus trapeze artist. They later performed together as the "Aerial Kellys" with Emmett still performing occasionally as a white face clown.
He started working as a clown full-time in 1931, and it was only after years of attempting to persuade the management that he was able to switch from a white face clown to the hobo clown that he had sketched ten years earlier while working at an art firm. "Weary Willie" was a tragic figure: a clown, who could usually be seen sweeping up the circus rings after the other performers. He tried but failed to sweep up the pool of light of a spotlight. His routine was revolutionary at the time: traditionally, clowns wore white face and performed slapstick stunts intended to make people laugh. Kelly did perform stunts too—one of his most famous acts was trying to crack a peanut with a sledgehammer—but as a tramp, he also appealed to the sympathy of his audience.
From 1942–1956 Kelly performed with the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus, where he was a major attraction, though he took the 1956 season off to perform as the mascot for the Brooklyn Dodgers baseball team. He also landed a number of Broadway and film roles, including the role of "Willie" in Cecil B. DeMille's The Greatest Show on Earth (1952). He also appeared in the Bertram Mills Circus.
Kelly was a Mystery Guest on the March 11, 1956 broadcast of What's My Line? and answered the panelists' questions with grunts rather than speaking yes or no. When the round was over, panelist Arlene Francis mentioned that Kelly was not allowed to speak while in makeup.
Kelly is depicted in a famous photograph, still in full clown make-up and costume, trying to extinguish the flames of the devastating Hartford Circus Fire that struck the Circus on July 6, 1944, and killed 167 people during the afternoon performance in Hartford, Connecticut. According to eyewitnesses, it was one of few times in which he was seen crying.
Emmett Kelly died at the age of 80 of a heart attack on March 28, 1979, at his home in Sarasota, Florida. He is buried in the Rest Haven Memorial Park, in Lafayette, Indiana.
Legacy
Emmett Kelly, Jr. at the New York World's fair in 1964.
Kelly's son, Emmett Kelly, Jr., did a similar "Weary Willie" character; the two were estranged for many years as a result. Kelly, Jr. claimed that his version of Willie was "less sad", but they seemed quite similar to most observers.
Kelly's boyhood town of Houston, Missouri, named Emmett Kelly Park in his honor and hosts an annual Emmett Kelly Clown Festival, which attracts clowns from across the region including Kelly's grandson, Joey Kelly, who returns every year to perform as a special guest.
The Emmett Kelly Museum is located in Sedan, Kansas.
Kelly was an inaugural inductee to the International Clown Hall of Fame in 1989. He was inducted into the International Circus Hall of Fame in 1994. in 1998, Kelly was inducted into the Hall of Famous Missourians, and a bronze bust depicting him is on permanent display in the rotunda of the Missouri State Capitol.
http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i81/whitewolfschiro/emmett-kelly-biography.jpg
http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m44/cazzy62/CT%20GenTrails/Hartford/emmetkelly2.gif
he didn't seem like a happy clown.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 03/28/10 at 6:52 am
he didn't seem like a happy clown.
He wasn't he was "Weary Willie"
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Howard on 03/28/10 at 6:54 am
He wasn't he was "Weary Willie"
Is that the same thing? ???
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 03/28/10 at 8:32 am
Is that the same thing? ???
He was still a clown, but a sad one.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: CatwomanofV on 03/28/10 at 11:48 am
I saw 3 shows on Broadway way back in the dark ages: A Chorus Line, Annie (with Alison Smith), & 42nd Street (with the late, great Jerry Orbach).
Cat
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 03/28/10 at 12:52 pm
I saw 3 shows on Broadway way back in the dark ages: A Chorus Line, Annie (with Alison Smith), & 42nd Street (with the late, great Jerry Orbach).
Cat
The only play I ever saw was Camelot, but the play came to Rochester, I've never been to Broadway.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Philip Eno on 03/28/10 at 12:57 pm
The only play I ever saw was Camelot, but the play came to Rochester, I've never been to Broadway.
I still wish to see Camelot
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: CatwomanofV on 03/28/10 at 1:01 pm
The only play I ever saw was Camelot, but the play came to Rochester, I've never been to Broadway.
I have seen lots of plays-actually been in lots of plays, but those were the only 3 I saw on Broadway. If I could, I would LOVE to see Phantom of the Opera on Broadway. Maybe some day.
Cat
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 03/28/10 at 3:08 pm
I still wish to see Camelot
I enjoyed it.
I have seen lots of plays-actually been in lots of plays, but those were the only 3 I saw on Broadway. If I could, I would LOVE to see Phantom of the Opera on Broadway. Maybe some day.
Cat
I would love to go to Broadway and see Phantom also Wicked and i always wanted to see Cats. My son has seen Phantom and Wicked in Toronto, but not Broadway.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Howard on 03/28/10 at 7:16 pm
He was still a clown, but a sad one.
Was he depressed in real life or was that just an act? ???
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 03/28/10 at 9:53 pm
Was he depressed in real life or was that just an act? ???
I hope just an act.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 03/29/10 at 6:32 am
The word of the day...Python
A python is a large snake that kills animals by squeezing them with its body.
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Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 03/29/10 at 6:35 am
The person who was born on this day...Eric Idle
Eric Idle (born 29 March 1943) is an English comedian, actor, author, singer, writer and comedic composer. He wrote and performed as a member of the British comedy group Monty Python. Idle was born in South Shields, County Durham (now Tyne and Wear) in Harton Village, the son of Nora Barron (née Sanderson), a health visitor, and Ernest Idle. His father had served in the Royal Air Force and survived World War II, only to be killed in a hitch-hiking accident on Christmas Eve 1945. His mother had difficulty coping with a full-time job and raising a child, so when he was seven, she enrolled him into the Royal Wolverhampton School as a boarder.
The school had begun life as a Victorian orphanage, and during Idle's time was a charitable foundation dedicated to the welfare of children who had lost one or both parents. Its pupils, who were mainly the children of dead English soldiers, still referred to it as the 'Ophney'.
Idle is quoted as saying: "It was a physically abusive, bullying, harsh environment for a kid to grow up in. I got used to dealing with groups of boys and getting on with life in unpleasant circumstances and being smart and funny and subversive at the expense of authority. Perfect training for Python."
Idle stated that the two things that made his life bearable were listening to Radio Luxembourg under the bedclothes and watching the local football team, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Despite this, he disliked other sports and would sneak out of school every Thursday afternoon to the local cinema. He was eventually caught watching the X-rated film BUtterfield 8 and stripped of his prefecture, even though by that time he was head boy. Idle had already refused to be senior boy in the school cadet force, as he supported the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and had participated in the yearly Aldermaston March.
Idle maintains that there was little to do at the school and boredom drove him to study hard. He consequently won a place at Cambridge.
Career
College years (1965–67)
Idle attended Pembroke College at the University of Cambridge, where he studied English. At Pembroke, he was invited to join the prestigious Cambridge University Footlights Club by the President of the Footlights Club, Tim Brooke-Taylor, and Footlights Club member Bill Oddie.
"I'd never heard of the Footlights when I got there, but we had a tradition of college smoking-concerts, and I sent in some sketches parodying a play that had just been done. Tim Brooke-Taylor and Bill Oddie auditioned me for the Footlights smoker, and that led to me discovering about and getting into the Footlights, which was great."
When Idle joined the Footlights Club, the other members included Graham Chapman and John Cleese, who were also attending the University of Cambridge.
Idle became Footlights President in 1965 and was the first to allow women to join the club.
Before Python (1967–69)
Idle starred in the children's television comedy series Do Not Adjust Your Set opposite his future Python fellows Terry Jones and Michael Palin (who were both former University of Oxford students). Terry Gilliam provided animations for the show. Other members of the cast were comic actors David Jason and Denise Coffey.
Monty Python (1969–83)
Main article: Monty Python
Idle wrote for Monty Python mostly by himself, at his own pace, although he sometimes found it difficult in having to present material to the others and make it seem funny without the back-up support of a partner. John Cleese, another member of The Python Group, admitted that this was slightly unfair – when the team voted on which sketches should appear in a show, “he only got one vote” — but says that Idle was an independent person and worked best on his own. Idle himself admitted this was sometimes difficult: “You had to convince five others. And they were not the most un-egotistical of writers, either."
Idle's work in Python is often characterised by an obsession with language and communication: many of his characters have verbal peculiarities, such as the man who speaks in anagrams, the man who says words in the wrong order, and the butcher who alternates between rude and polite every time he speaks. A number of his sketches involve extended monologues (for example the customer in the "Travel Agency" sketch who won't stop talking about his unpleasant experiences with holidays), and he would frequently spoof the unnatural language and speech patterns of television presenters. Additionally, like Palin, Idle is said to be the master of insincere characters, from the David Frost-esque Timmy Williams, to small-time crook Stig O'Tracy, who tries to justify the fact that organized crime master Dinsdale Piranha had nailed his head to the floor.
One of the younger members of the team — a year behind Cleese and Chapman at Cambridge — Idle was closest in spirit to the students and teenagers who made up much of Python's fanbase. Python sketches dealing most with contemporary obsessions like pop music, sexual permissiveness and recreational drugs are Idle's work, often characterized by double entendre, sexual references, and other "naughty" subject matter — most famously demonstrated in "Nudge Nudge." Eric Idle originally wrote "Nudge, Nudge" for Ronnie Barker, but it was rejected because there was 'no joke in the words'.
A competent guitarist, Idle composed many of the group's most famous musical numbers, most notably "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life", the closing number of Life of Brian, which has grown to become a Python signature tune. He was responsible for the "Galaxy Song" from The Meaning of Life and (with Cleese) "Eric the Half-a-Bee", a whimsical tune that first appeared on the Monty Python's Previous Record album.
Post-Python career (1983–present)
After Python ceased to exist as a regularly active ensemble in the early 1980s, all six members pursued solo projects. Idle's first solo work was his own BBC Radio One show, Radio Five (pre-dating the real Radio Five station by 18 years). This ran for two seasons from 1973 to 1974 and involved Idle performing sketches and links to records, with himself playing nearly all the multi-tracked parts.
On television, Idle created Rutland Weekend Television (RWT), a sketch show on BBC2, written by himself, with music by Neil Innes. RWT was 'Britain's smallest television network'. The name was a parody of London Weekend Television, the independent television franchise that provided Londoners with their ITV services at weekends; Rutland had been England's smallest county, but had recently been 'abolished' in an administrative shake-up. To make the joke complete, the programme went out on a weekday. Other regular performers were David Battley, Henry Woolf, Gwen Taylor and Terence Bayler, and George Harrison made a guest appearance on one episode.
A legacy of RWT was the creation, with Innes, of The Rutles, an affectionate parody of The Beatles. The band became a popular phenomenon, especially in the U.S. where Idle was appearing on Saturday Night Live — fans would send in Beatles LPs with their sleeves altered to show the Rutles. In 1978 the Rutles' mockumentary film All You Need Is Cash, a collaboration between Python members and Saturday Night Live, was aired on NBC television, as written by Idle, with music by Innes. Idle appeared in the film as "Dirk McQuickly" (the Paul McCartney-styled character of the group), as well as the main commentator. Actors appearing in the film included Saturday Night Live's John Belushi, Bill Murray and Gilda Radner, as well as George Harrison and Mick Jagger. Idle wrote and directed The Rutles comeback in 2008 for a live show Rutlemania! to celebrate the 30th anniversary. The performances took place in Los Angeles and New York with a Beatles tribute band.
In 1986, Idle provided the voice of Wreck-Gar, the leader of the Junkions (a race of robots built out of junk that can only speak in movie catchphrases and advertising slogans) in Transformers: The Movie. In 1987 he took part in the English National Opera production of the Gilbert and Sullivan comic opera The Mikado, in which he appeared in the role of the Lord High Executioner. In 1989 he appeared in the U.S. comedy television series Nearly Departed, about a ghost who haunts the family inhabiting his former home. The series lasted for six episodes as a summer replacement series.
Idle received good critical notices appearing in projects written and directed by others — such as Terry Gilliam's The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1989), alongside Robbie Coltrane in Nuns on the Run (1990) and in Casper (1995). He also played Ratty in Terry Jones' version of the The Wind in the Willows (1996). However, his own creative projects — such as the movie Splitting Heirs (1993), a comedy he wrote, starred in and executive-produced — were mostly unsuccessful with critics and audiences.
In 1994, he appeared as Dr. Nigel Channing, chairman of the Imagination Institute and host of an 'Inventor of the Year' awards show in the three-dimensional film Honey, I Shrunk the Audience!, which has been an attraction at Walt Disney World's Epcot since 1994 and at Disneyland since 1998. The film also stars Rick Moranis and other members of the cast of the 1989 feature film Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. In 1999, he reprised the role in the second (and controversial) version of the Journey Into Imagination ride at Epcot, replacing Figment and Dreamfinder as the host. Due to an outcry from Disney fans, Figment was reinstated into the ride. Idle is also writer and star of the three-dimensional film Pirates — 4D for Busch Entertainment Corporation.
In 1995, he voiced Rincewind the "Wizzard" in a computer adventure game based on Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels. In 1996, he reprised his role as Rincewind for the game's sequel, and composed and sang its theme song, "That's Death". In 1998, Idle appeared in the lead role in the poorly received film Burn Hollywood Burn (see Criticism). That same year, he also provided the voice of Devon, a dragon, in Warner Bros. Animated film Quest for Camelot.
In recent years, Idle has worked with people who regard him as a huge inspiration, such as Trey Parker and Matt Stone in South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut, in which he voiced Dr. Vosknocker. He has also made three appearances on The Simpsons as famous documentarian Declan Desmond, so far the only appearance on the show by a Python. From 1999 to 2000, he played Ian Maxtone-Graham on the NBC sitcom Suddenly Susan. He has also acted as Narrator to the AudioNovel version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl and Waddlesworth the parrot in 102 Dalmatians and the video game of the same name.
In late 2003 Idle began a performing tour of several American and Canadian cities entitled The Greedy Bastard Tour. The stage performances consisted largely of music from Monty Python episodes and movies, along with some original post-Python material. In 2005 Idle released The Greedy Bastard Diary, a book detailing the things he and the cast and crew encountered during the year-long tour.
Spamalot is a musical comedy based on the 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail. The medieval production tells the story of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table as they journey on their quest for the Holy Grail. Spamalot features a book and lyrics by Eric Idle, music by Idle and John Du Prez, direction by Mike Nichols, and choreography by Casey Nicholaw.
More recently, Idle provided the voice of Merlin the magician in the DreamWorks animated film Shrek the Third (2007) with his former Python co-star John Cleese, who voiced King Harold, and he is to reprise the role in Shrek Forever After (2010). He reportedly stormed out of Shrek the Third's premiere and said he may sue the producers of the film after seeing them directly copy a gag from his earlier film Monty Python and the Holy Grail. The gag in question is banging coconuts together to imitate hoofbeats — a running gag throughout the film.
Idle's play What About Dick? was given a staged reading at two public performances in Hollywood on 10–11 November 2007. The cast included Idle, Billy Connolly, Tim Curry, Eddie Izzard, Jane Leeves, Emily Mortimer, Jim Piddock and Tracey Ullman.
Other credits
Writing
Idle has written several books, both fiction and non-fiction. His novels are Hello Sailor and The Road to Mars. In 1976, he produced a spin-off book to Rutland Weekend Television, entitled The Rutland Dirty Weekend Book. In 1982, he wrote a west end farce Pass The Butler, starring Willie Rushton. During his Greedy Bastard Tour of 2003, he wrote the diaries that would be made into The Greedy Bastard Diary: A Comic Tour of America, published in February 2005.
Idle also wrote the book and co-wrote the music and lyrics for the musical Monty Python's Spamalot, based on the film Monty Python and the Holy Grail. It premiered in Chicago before moving to Broadway, where it received the Tony Award for Best Musical of the 2004-05 season. Idle won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics.
In a 2005 poll to find "The Comedian's Comedian" (UK), he was voted 21 in the top 50 greatest comedy acts ever by fellow comedians and comedy insiders.
An example of Idle's idiosyncratic writing is "Ants In Their Pants" — a poem about the sex life of ants. It starts as follows:
'Where does an ant get its rocks off?
How does the ant get it on?
Do ants have it away, say three times a day,
Is it once a week sex, or p'raps none?'
Bibliography
* Hello Sailor, novel, 1975 ISBN 0-297-76929-4
* The Rutland Dirty Weekend Book, 1976 ISBN 0-413-36570-0
* Pass the Butler, play script, 1982 ISBN 0-413-49990-1
* The Quite Remarkable Adventures of the Owl and the Pussycat, children's book, 1996 ISBN 0-7871-1042-6
* The Road to Mars, novel, 1998 ISBN 0-7522-2414-X (hardcover), ISBN 0-375-70312-8 (paperback)
* Eric Idle Exploits Monty Python Souvenir Program, Green street Press (U.S.), 2000
* The Greedy Bastard Tour Souvenir Program, Green street Press (U.S.), 2003
* The Greedy Bastard Diary: A Comic Tour of America, journal, 2005 ISBN 0-06-075864-3
* Not the Messiah (He's a Very Naughty Boy), co-written, play/musical parody of Monty Python's Life of Brian
Songwriting
Idle is an accomplished songwriter, having composed and performed many of the Pythons' most famous comic pieces, including "Eric the Half-a-Bee", "The Philosophers' Song", "Galaxy Song", "Penis Song (Not the Noel Coward Song)" and, probably his most recognised hit, "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life", which was written for the closing scene of the Monty Python film Life of Brian, and sung from the crosses during the mass crucifixion. The song has since been covered by Harry Nilsson, Bruce Cockburn, Art Garfunkel and Green Day. Idle, his fellow Pythons, and assorted family and friends performed the song at Graham Chapman's funeral.
In 1990, Idle sang and co-wrote the theme tune to the popular British sitcom One Foot In The Grave. The song was later released, but did poorly in the charts. However, when "Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life" was adopted as a football chant in the late 1980s, Idle's then neighbour Gary Lineker suggested Idle re-record and release the popular track. This led to a surprise hit, some 12 years after the song's original appearance in Life Of Brian, reaching number 3 in the UK charts and landing Idle a set on Top of the Pops in October 1991.
In 2004, Idle recorded a protest song of sorts, the "FCC Song", in which he lambastes the US Federal Communications Commission for fining him $5,000 for saying the word "fudge" on national radio. Fittingly, the short song contains 14 uses of the said expletive. The song can be downloaded in MP3 and OGG Vorbis format at the Internet Archive. In 2005, he received multiple Tony award nominations for his songwriting work on the Broadway musical Spamalot.
He wrote, produced and performed the song "Really Nice Day" for the movie The Wild.
In June 2007, "Not the Messiah (He's a Very Naughty Boy)", a comic oratorio by Idle and John Du Prez premiered at the inaugural Luminato arts festival in Toronto. Idle himself performed during this 50-minute oratorio, along with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and members of the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. The composer, John Du Prez, was also present. Shannon Mercer, Jean Stilwell, Christopher Sieber, and Theodore Baerg sang the principal parts. The American premiere was at Caramoor (Westchester County, New York) on 1 July 2007. Soloists were the same as in the Toronto performance, but the accompanying chorus was made up of members of New York City's Collegiate Chorale. The show was revised and expanded for a tour of Australia and New Zealand in 2007, including two sell-out nights at the Sydney Opera House. A tour during the summer of 2008 included performances with the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington D.C., the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts in Virginia, and Houston.
Tributes
An asteroid, 9620 Ericidle, is named in his honour. Also, the Integrated development environment for the Python programming language is called IDLE.
Idle was voted the 21st favourite comedian out of 50 in The Comedian's Comedian 2005 poll by comedians and comedy insiders.
Family
Eric Idle married Lyn Ashley, an Australian, in 1969. They divorced in 1975. They have one son, Carey, born in 1973.
Idle married his current wife, Tania Kosevich, an American, in 1981. They have one daughter, Lily, born in 1990.
Criticism
Idle in recent years has been criticised for commercializing the legacy of Monty Python. In Slate, Sam Anderson wrote in the article "And Now For Something Completely Deficient" that though Idle "has earned a spot in Comedy Heaven for his Python days...his jokey "exposure" of his own exploitation (he has called tours "Eric Idle Exploits Monty Python" and "The Greedy Bastard Tour") is more irritating than funny." Of Spamalot, Anderson opined that "Python was formed in reaction to exactly the kind of lazy comedy represented by Spamalot — what Michael Palin once described as the 'easy, catch-phrase reaction' the members had all been forced to pander to in their previous writing jobs".
Spamalot has had mixed reactions from the other Python members. Terry Jones described it as “utterly pointless and full of air”. Cleese lent his support by voicing God in a recorded performance that was integrated into the musical. Palin observed: "It's a great show. It’s not ‘Python’ as we would have written it. But then, none of us would get together and write a ‘Python’ stage show." Terry Gilliam displayed a mixed reaction to the show, calling it "Python-like".
In 1998, Idle appeared in the lead role in the film Burn Hollywood Burn. The film was nominated as 'Worst Picture of the Decade' in the Golden Raspberry Awards (known as the Razzies) — and was awarded five Razzies including 'Worst Picture of the Year'.
In 2000 The AV Club gave the album Eric Idle Sings Monty Python: Live In Concert the title of 'Least Essential Solo Album' of the year. It said "the year's true nadir came from an unexpected source, beloved Monty Pythoner Eric Idle, who preceded his depressingly low-rent, if honestly dubbed "Eric Idle Exploits Monty Python" tour with the equally unimpressive, if no less accurately titled Eric Idle Sings Monty Python: Live In Concert."
There has also been criticism of Idle from the other Rutles, who reunited for the Archaeology album in the mid-1990s without him. On the Channel 4 programme What The Pythons Did Next, Rutles drummer John Halsey (aka Barry Wom), said that he had to switch off Idle's The Rutles 2: Can't Buy Me Lunch after 10 minutes. Innes was more diplomatic on the same show, saying "we used to think he had delusions of grandeur, now we know it's only grandeur".
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Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 03/29/10 at 6:39 am
The person who died on this day...Paul Henreid
Paul Henreid (10 January 1905 – 29 March 1992), whose birthname was Paul Georg Julius Hernreid Ritter von Wassel-Waldingau, was an Austrian actor and film director.
*
o NOTE**According to his SS death record, as well as his tombstone, he was actually born 1/10/1908
Born in Trieste, which was then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Henreid was the son of an aristocratic Viennese banker. He studied theatre in Vienna and debuted on the stage under the direction of Max Reinhardt. He began his film career acting in German films in the 1930s, but left Austria in 1935 for Britain. With the start of World War II, Henreid risked deportation or internment as an enemy alien, but Conrad Veidt spoke for him and he was allowed to remain free in England. A small role in Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939) then led him to Hollywood.
Career
In 1942, Henreid appeared in his two most important films. In Now, Voyager, he and Bette Davis created one of the screen's most imitated scenes, in which he lights two cigarettes and hands one to her. Henreid's next role was as Victor Laszlo, heroic anti-Nazi leader, in Casablanca with Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman.
In 1946, Henreid became a citizen of the United States.
He made regular film appearances throughout the 1940s, and in the early 1950s began directing for both film and television. His film credits include The Spanish Main (1945), Of Human Bondage (1946), Song of Love (1947), Thief of Damascus (1952), Siren of Bagdad (1953), and Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1961). His television directorial credits include Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Maverick, Bonanza and The Big Valley. In 1964, Henreid directed Dead Ringer, which starred Bette Davis and featured, in a minor role, the director's daughter, Monika.
Death
Paul Henreid's grave at Woodlawn Cemetery in Santa Monica
Henreid died of pneumonia in Santa Monica, California and was buried in Woodlawn Cemetery. He was buried with a fan letter from one Mildred Jacobs which he received in 1937, before he became famous, and which he said meant more to him than any award he had won.
Henreid has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, one (for film) at 6366 Hollywood Boulevard and the other (for television) at 1722 Vine Street.
Filmography
As actor
* Dawn (1933)
* Love in Morocco (1933)
* The Secret of Cavelli (1934)
* Eva, the Factory Girl (1935)
* Only a Comedian (1935)
* Victoria the Great (1937)
* Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939)
* Under Your Hat (1940)
* Mad Men of Europe (1940)
* Night Train to Munich (1940)
* Joan of Paris (1942)
* Now, Voyager (1942)
* Casablanca (1942)
* In Our Time (1944)
* Between Two Worlds (1944)
* The Conspirators (1944)
* Hollywood Canteen (1944)
* The Spanish Main (1945)
* Devotion (1946)
* Of Human Bondage (1946)
* Deception (1946)
* Song of Love (1947)
* Hollow Triumph (1948)
* Rope of Sand (1949)
* So Young So Bad (1950)
* Last of the Buccaneers (1950)
* Pardon My French (1951) - also French version
* For Men Only (1952)
* Thief of Damascus (1952)
* Stolen Face (1952)
* Woman in Hiding (1953)
* Siren of Bagdad (1953)
* This Song Is for You (1954)
* Deep in My Heart (1954)
* Pirates of Tripoli (1955)
* Meet Me in Las Vegas (1956)
* A Woman's Devotion (1956)
* Ten Thousand Bedrooms (1957)
* Holiday for Lovers (1959)
* Never So Few (1959)
* Operation Crossbow (1965)
* Peking Remembered (1967) - documentary, narrator
* The Madwoman of Chaillot (1969)
* Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977)
As director
* For Men Only (1952)
* A Woman's Devotion (1956)
* Live Fast, Die Young (1958)
* Girls on the Loose (1958)
* Dead Ringer (1964)
* Ballad in Blue (1964)
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Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Howard on 03/29/10 at 6:52 am
The person who was born on this day...Eric Idle
Eric Idle (born 29 March 1943) is an English comedian, actor, author, singer, writer and comedic composer. He wrote and performed as a member of the British comedy group Monty Python. Idle was born in South Shields, County Durham (now Tyne and Wear) in Harton Village, the son of Nora Barron (née Sanderson), a health visitor, and Ernest Idle. His father had served in the Royal Air Force and survived World War II, only to be killed in a hitch-hiking accident on Christmas Eve 1945. His mother had difficulty coping with a full-time job and raising a child, so when he was seven, she enrolled him into the Royal Wolverhampton School as a boarder.
The school had begun life as a Victorian orphanage, and during Idle's time was a charitable foundation dedicated to the welfare of children who had lost one or both parents. Its pupils, who were mainly the children of dead English soldiers, still referred to it as the 'Ophney'.
Idle is quoted as saying: "It was a physically abusive, bullying, harsh environment for a kid to grow up in. I got used to dealing with groups of boys and getting on with life in unpleasant circumstances and being smart and funny and subversive at the expense of authority. Perfect training for Python."
Idle stated that the two things that made his life bearable were listening to Radio Luxembourg under the bedclothes and watching the local football team, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Despite this, he disliked other sports and would sneak out of school every Thursday afternoon to the local cinema. He was eventually caught watching the X-rated film BUtterfield 8 and stripped of his prefecture, even though by that time he was head boy. Idle had already refused to be senior boy in the school cadet force, as he supported the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and had participated in the yearly Aldermaston March.
Idle maintains that there was little to do at the school and boredom drove him to study hard. He consequently won a place at Cambridge.
Career
College years (1965–67)
Idle attended Pembroke College at the University of Cambridge, where he studied English. At Pembroke, he was invited to join the prestigious Cambridge University Footlights Club by the President of the Footlights Club, Tim Brooke-Taylor, and Footlights Club member Bill Oddie.
"I'd never heard of the Footlights when I got there, but we had a tradition of college smoking-concerts, and I sent in some sketches parodying a play that had just been done. Tim Brooke-Taylor and Bill Oddie auditioned me for the Footlights smoker, and that led to me discovering about and getting into the Footlights, which was great."
When Idle joined the Footlights Club, the other members included Graham Chapman and John Cleese, who were also attending the University of Cambridge.
Idle became Footlights President in 1965 and was the first to allow women to join the club.
Before Python (1967–69)
Idle starred in the children's television comedy series Do Not Adjust Your Set opposite his future Python fellows Terry Jones and Michael Palin (who were both former University of Oxford students). Terry Gilliam provided animations for the show. Other members of the cast were comic actors David Jason and Denise Coffey.
Monty Python (1969–83)
Main article: Monty Python
Idle wrote for Monty Python mostly by himself, at his own pace, although he sometimes found it difficult in having to present material to the others and make it seem funny without the back-up support of a partner. John Cleese, another member of The Python Group, admitted that this was slightly unfair – when the team voted on which sketches should appear in a show, “he only got one vote” — but says that Idle was an independent person and worked best on his own. Idle himself admitted this was sometimes difficult: “You had to convince five others. And they were not the most un-egotistical of writers, either."
Idle's work in Python is often characterised by an obsession with language and communication: many of his characters have verbal peculiarities, such as the man who speaks in anagrams, the man who says words in the wrong order, and the butcher who alternates between rude and polite every time he speaks. A number of his sketches involve extended monologues (for example the customer in the "Travel Agency" sketch who won't stop talking about his unpleasant experiences with holidays), and he would frequently spoof the unnatural language and speech patterns of television presenters. Additionally, like Palin, Idle is said to be the master of insincere characters, from the David Frost-esque Timmy Williams, to small-time crook Stig O'Tracy, who tries to justify the fact that organized crime master Dinsdale Piranha had nailed his head to the floor.
One of the younger members of the team — a year behind Cleese and Chapman at Cambridge — Idle was closest in spirit to the students and teenagers who made up much of Python's fanbase. Python sketches dealing most with contemporary obsessions like pop music, sexual permissiveness and recreational drugs are Idle's work, often characterized by double entendre, sexual references, and other "naughty" subject matter — most famously demonstrated in "Nudge Nudge." Eric Idle originally wrote "Nudge, Nudge" for Ronnie Barker, but it was rejected because there was 'no joke in the words'.
A competent guitarist, Idle composed many of the group's most famous musical numbers, most notably "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life", the closing number of Life of Brian, which has grown to become a Python signature tune. He was responsible for the "Galaxy Song" from The Meaning of Life and (with Cleese) "Eric the Half-a-Bee", a whimsical tune that first appeared on the Monty Python's Previous Record album.
Post-Python career (1983–present)
After Python ceased to exist as a regularly active ensemble in the early 1980s, all six members pursued solo projects. Idle's first solo work was his own BBC Radio One show, Radio Five (pre-dating the real Radio Five station by 18 years). This ran for two seasons from 1973 to 1974 and involved Idle performing sketches and links to records, with himself playing nearly all the multi-tracked parts.
On television, Idle created Rutland Weekend Television (RWT), a sketch show on BBC2, written by himself, with music by Neil Innes. RWT was 'Britain's smallest television network'. The name was a parody of London Weekend Television, the independent television franchise that provided Londoners with their ITV services at weekends; Rutland had been England's smallest county, but had recently been 'abolished' in an administrative shake-up. To make the joke complete, the programme went out on a weekday. Other regular performers were David Battley, Henry Woolf, Gwen Taylor and Terence Bayler, and George Harrison made a guest appearance on one episode.
A legacy of RWT was the creation, with Innes, of The Rutles, an affectionate parody of The Beatles. The band became a popular phenomenon, especially in the U.S. where Idle was appearing on Saturday Night Live — fans would send in Beatles LPs with their sleeves altered to show the Rutles. In 1978 the Rutles' mockumentary film All You Need Is Cash, a collaboration between Python members and Saturday Night Live, was aired on NBC television, as written by Idle, with music by Innes. Idle appeared in the film as "Dirk McQuickly" (the Paul McCartney-styled character of the group), as well as the main commentator. Actors appearing in the film included Saturday Night Live's John Belushi, Bill Murray and Gilda Radner, as well as George Harrison and Mick Jagger. Idle wrote and directed The Rutles comeback in 2008 for a live show Rutlemania! to celebrate the 30th anniversary. The performances took place in Los Angeles and New York with a Beatles tribute band.
In 1986, Idle provided the voice of Wreck-Gar, the leader of the Junkions (a race of robots built out of junk that can only speak in movie catchphrases and advertising slogans) in Transformers: The Movie. In 1987 he took part in the English National Opera production of the Gilbert and Sullivan comic opera The Mikado, in which he appeared in the role of the Lord High Executioner. In 1989 he appeared in the U.S. comedy television series Nearly Departed, about a ghost who haunts the family inhabiting his former home. The series lasted for six episodes as a summer replacement series.
Idle received good critical notices appearing in projects written and directed by others — such as Terry Gilliam's The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1989), alongside Robbie Coltrane in Nuns on the Run (1990) and in Casper (1995). He also played Ratty in Terry Jones' version of the The Wind in the Willows (1996). However, his own creative projects — such as the movie Splitting Heirs (1993), a comedy he wrote, starred in and executive-produced — were mostly unsuccessful with critics and audiences.
In 1994, he appeared as Dr. Nigel Channing, chairman of the Imagination Institute and host of an 'Inventor of the Year' awards show in the three-dimensional film Honey, I Shrunk the Audience!, which has been an attraction at Walt Disney World's Epcot since 1994 and at Disneyland since 1998. The film also stars Rick Moranis and other members of the cast of the 1989 feature film Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. In 1999, he reprised the role in the second (and controversial) version of the Journey Into Imagination ride at Epcot, replacing Figment and Dreamfinder as the host. Due to an outcry from Disney fans, Figment was reinstated into the ride. Idle is also writer and star of the three-dimensional film Pirates — 4D for Busch Entertainment Corporation.
In 1995, he voiced Rincewind the "Wizzard" in a computer adventure game based on Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels. In 1996, he reprised his role as Rincewind for the game's sequel, and composed and sang its theme song, "That's Death". In 1998, Idle appeared in the lead role in the poorly received film Burn Hollywood Burn (see Criticism). That same year, he also provided the voice of Devon, a dragon, in Warner Bros. Animated film Quest for Camelot.
In recent years, Idle has worked with people who regard him as a huge inspiration, such as Trey Parker and Matt Stone in South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut, in which he voiced Dr. Vosknocker. He has also made three appearances on The Simpsons as famous documentarian Declan Desmond, so far the only appearance on the show by a Python. From 1999 to 2000, he played Ian Maxtone-Graham on the NBC sitcom Suddenly Susan. He has also acted as Narrator to the AudioNovel version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl and Waddlesworth the parrot in 102 Dalmatians and the video game of the same name.
In late 2003 Idle began a performing tour of several American and Canadian cities entitled The Greedy Bastard Tour. The stage performances consisted largely of music from Monty Python episodes and movies, along with some original post-Python material. In 2005 Idle released The Greedy Bastard Diary, a book detailing the things he and the cast and crew encountered during the year-long tour.
Spamalot is a musical comedy based on the 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail. The medieval production tells the story of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table as they journey on their quest for the Holy Grail. Spamalot features a book and lyrics by Eric Idle, music by Idle and John Du Prez, direction by Mike Nichols, and choreography by Casey Nicholaw.
More recently, Idle provided the voice of Merlin the magician in the DreamWorks animated film Shrek the Third (2007) with his former Python co-star John Cleese, who voiced King Harold, and he is to reprise the role in Shrek Forever After (2010). He reportedly stormed out of Shrek the Third's premiere and said he may sue the producers of the film after seeing them directly copy a gag from his earlier film Monty Python and the Holy Grail. The gag in question is banging coconuts together to imitate hoofbeats — a running gag throughout the film.
Idle's play What About Dick? was given a staged reading at two public performances in Hollywood on 10–11 November 2007. The cast included Idle, Billy Connolly, Tim Curry, Eddie Izzard, Jane Leeves, Emily Mortimer, Jim Piddock and Tracey Ullman.
Other credits
Writing
Idle has written several books, both fiction and non-fiction. His novels are Hello Sailor and The Road to Mars. In 1976, he produced a spin-off book to Rutland Weekend Television, entitled The Rutland Dirty Weekend Book. In 1982, he wrote a west end farce Pass The Butler, starring Willie Rushton. During his Greedy Bastard Tour of 2003, he wrote the diaries that would be made into The Greedy Bastard Diary: A Comic Tour of America, published in February 2005.
Idle also wrote the book and co-wrote the music and lyrics for the musical Monty Python's Spamalot, based on the film Monty Python and the Holy Grail. It premiered in Chicago before moving to Broadway, where it received the Tony Award for Best Musical of the 2004-05 season. Idle won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics.
In a 2005 poll to find "The Comedian's Comedian" (UK), he was voted 21 in the top 50 greatest comedy acts ever by fellow comedians and comedy insiders.
An example of Idle's idiosyncratic writing is "Ants In Their Pants" — a poem about the sex life of ants. It starts as follows:
'Where does an ant get its rocks off?
How does the ant get it on?
Do ants have it away, say three times a day,
Is it once a week sex, or p'raps none?'
Bibliography
* Hello Sailor, novel, 1975 ISBN 0-297-76929-4
* The Rutland Dirty Weekend Book, 1976 ISBN 0-413-36570-0
* Pass the Butler, play script, 1982 ISBN 0-413-49990-1
* The Quite Remarkable Adventures of the Owl and the Pussycat, children's book, 1996 ISBN 0-7871-1042-6
* The Road to Mars, novel, 1998 ISBN 0-7522-2414-X (hardcover), ISBN 0-375-70312-8 (paperback)
* Eric Idle Exploits Monty Python Souvenir Program, Green street Press (U.S.), 2000
* The Greedy Bastard Tour Souvenir Program, Green street Press (U.S.), 2003
* The Greedy Bastard Diary: A Comic Tour of America, journal, 2005 ISBN 0-06-075864-3
* Not the Messiah (He's a Very Naughty Boy), co-written, play/musical parody of Monty Python's Life of Brian
Songwriting
Idle is an accomplished songwriter, having composed and performed many of the Pythons' most famous comic pieces, including "Eric the Half-a-Bee", "The Philosophers' Song", "Galaxy Song", "Penis Song (Not the Noel Coward Song)" and, probably his most recognised hit, "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life", which was written for the closing scene of the Monty Python film Life of Brian, and sung from the crosses during the mass crucifixion. The song has since been covered by Harry Nilsson, Bruce Cockburn, Art Garfunkel and Green Day. Idle, his fellow Pythons, and assorted family and friends performed the song at Graham Chapman's funeral.
In 1990, Idle sang and co-wrote the theme tune to the popular British sitcom One Foot In The Grave. The song was later released, but did poorly in the charts. However, when "Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life" was adopted as a football chant in the late 1980s, Idle's then neighbour Gary Lineker suggested Idle re-record and release the popular track. This led to a surprise hit, some 12 years after the song's original appearance in Life Of Brian, reaching number 3 in the UK charts and landing Idle a set on Top of the Pops in October 1991.
In 2004, Idle recorded a protest song of sorts, the "FCC Song", in which he lambastes the US Federal Communications Commission for fining him $5,000 for saying the word "fudge" on national radio. Fittingly, the short song contains 14 uses of the said expletive. The song can be downloaded in MP3 and OGG Vorbis format at the Internet Archive. In 2005, he received multiple Tony award nominations for his songwriting work on the Broadway musical Spamalot.
He wrote, produced and performed the song "Really Nice Day" for the movie The Wild.
In June 2007, "Not the Messiah (He's a Very Naughty Boy)", a comic oratorio by Idle and John Du Prez premiered at the inaugural Luminato arts festival in Toronto. Idle himself performed during this 50-minute oratorio, along with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and members of the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir. The composer, John Du Prez, was also present. Shannon Mercer, Jean Stilwell, Christopher Sieber, and Theodore Baerg sang the principal parts. The American premiere was at Caramoor (Westchester County, New York) on 1 July 2007. Soloists were the same as in the Toronto performance, but the accompanying chorus was made up of members of New York City's Collegiate Chorale. The show was revised and expanded for a tour of Australia and New Zealand in 2007, including two sell-out nights at the Sydney Opera House. A tour during the summer of 2008 included performances with the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington D.C., the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts in Virginia, and Houston.
Tributes
An asteroid, 9620 Ericidle, is named in his honour. Also, the Integrated development environment for the Python programming language is called IDLE.
Idle was voted the 21st favourite comedian out of 50 in The Comedian's Comedian 2005 poll by comedians and comedy insiders.
Family
Eric Idle married Lyn Ashley, an Australian, in 1969. They divorced in 1975. They have one son, Carey, born in 1973.
Idle married his current wife, Tania Kosevich, an American, in 1981. They have one daughter, Lily, born in 1990.
Criticism
Idle in recent years has been criticised for commercializing the legacy of Monty Python. In Slate, Sam Anderson wrote in the article "And Now For Something Completely Deficient" that though Idle "has earned a spot in Comedy Heaven for his Python days...his jokey "exposure" of his own exploitation (he has called tours "Eric Idle Exploits Monty Python" and "The Greedy Bastard Tour") is more irritating than funny." Of Spamalot, Anderson opined that "Python was formed in reaction to exactly the kind of lazy comedy represented by Spamalot — what Michael Palin once described as the 'easy, catch-phrase reaction' the members had all been forced to pander to in their previous writing jobs".
Spamalot has had mixed reactions from the other Python members. Terry Jones described it as “utterly pointless and full of air”. Cleese lent his support by voicing God in a recorded performance that was integrated into the musical. Palin observed: "It's a great show. It’s not ‘Python’ as we would have written it. But then, none of us would get together and write a ‘Python’ stage show." Terry Gilliam displayed a mixed reaction to the show, calling it "Python-like".
In 1998, Idle appeared in the lead role in the film Burn Hollywood Burn. The film was nominated as 'Worst Picture of the Decade' in the Golden Raspberry Awards (known as the Razzies) — and was awarded five Razzies including 'Worst Picture of the Year'.
In 2000 The AV Club gave the album Eric Idle Sings Monty Python: Live In Concert the title of 'Least Essential Solo Album' of the year. It said "the year's true nadir came from an unexpected source, beloved Monty Pythoner Eric Idle, who preceded his depressingly low-rent, if honestly dubbed "Eric Idle Exploits Monty Python" tour with the equally unimpressive, if no less accurately titled Eric Idle Sings Monty Python: Live In Concert."
There has also been criticism of Idle from the other Rutles, who reunited for the Archaeology album in the mid-1990s without him. On the Channel 4 programme What The Pythons Did Next, Rutles drummer John Halsey (aka Barry Wom), said that he had to switch off Idle's The Rutles 2: Can't Buy Me Lunch after 10 minutes. Innes was more diplomatic on the same show, saying "we used to think he had delusions of grandeur, now we know it's only grandeur".
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I always enjoyed his humor.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 03/29/10 at 8:12 am
I always enjoyed his humor.
Me too :)
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 03/30/10 at 5:41 am
The word of the day...Sheriff
In the United States, a sheriff is a person who is elected to make sure that the law is obeyed in a particular county.
In Scotland, a sheriff is a legal officer whose chief duty is to act as judge in a Sheriff Court. These courts deal with all but the most serious crimes and with most civil actions
In England and Wales, the Sheriff of a city or county is a person who is elected or appointed to carry out mainly ceremonial duties.
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Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 03/30/10 at 5:47 am
The person who was born on this day...Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE (born 30 March 1945) is an English blues-rock guitarist, singer, songwriter and composer. Clapton has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo performer, as well as a member of rock bands the Yardbirds and Cream. He is the only person ever to be inducted three times. Often viewed by critics and fans alike as one of the most important and influential guitarists of all time, Clapton was ranked fourth in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" and #53 on their list of the Immortals: 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.
Although Clapton has varied his musical style throughout his career, it has always remained grounded in the blues; despite this focus, he is credited as an innovator in a wide variety of genres. These include blues-rock (with John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers and The Yardbirds) and psychedelic rock (with Cream). Clapton's chart success was not limited to the blues, with chart-toppers in Delta Blues (Me and Mr. Johnson), Adult contemporary ("Tears in Heaven") and reggae (Bob Marley's "I Shot the Sheriff"; he is often credited for bringing reggae and Bob Marley to the mainstream). Two of his most successful recordings were the hit love song "Layla", which he played with the band Derek and the Dominos, and Robert Johnson's "Crossroads", which has been his staple song since his days with Cream.
Clapton left the Bluesbreakers in July 1966 (to be replaced by Peter Green) and formed Cream, one of the earliest supergroups. Cream was also one of the earliest "power trios", with Jack Bruce on bass (also of Manfred Mann, the Bluesbreakers and the Graham Bond Organization) and Ginger Baker on drums (another member of the GBO). Before the formation of Cream, Clapton was not well known in the United States; he left the Yardbirds before "For Your Love" hit the American Top Ten, and had yet to perform there. During his time with Cream, Clapton began to develop as a singer, songwriter and guitarist, though Bruce took most of the lead vocals and wrote the majority of the material with lyricist Pete Brown. Cream's first gig was an unofficial performance at the Twisted Wheel in Manchester on 29 July 1966 before their full debut two nights later at the National Jazz and Blues Festival in Windsor. Cream established its enduring legend with the high-volume blues jamming and extended solos of their live shows.
In early 1967, Clapton's status as Britain's top guitarist was rivaled by the emergence of Jimi Hendrix, an acid rock-infused guitarist who used wailing feedback and effects pedals to create new sounds for the instrument. Hendrix attended a performance of the newly formed Cream at the Central London Polytechnic on 1 October 1966, during which Hendrix sat in on a shattering double-timed version of "Killing Floor". In return, top UK stars including Clapton, Pete Townshend, and members of The Rolling Stones and The Beatles avidly attended Hendrix's early club performances. Hendrix's arrival had an immediate and major effect on the next phase of Clapton's career, although Clapton continued to be recognised in UK music polls as the premier guitarist.
Clapton first visited the United States while touring with Cream. In March 1967, Cream performed a nine show stand at the RKO Theater in New York. They recorded Disraeli Gears in New York from 11–15 May 1967. Cream's repertoire varied from soulful pop ("I Feel Free") to lengthy blues-based instrumental jams ("Spoonful"). Disraeli Gears featured Clapton's searing guitar lines, Bruce's soaring vocals and prominent, fluid bass playing, and Baker's powerful, polyrhythmic jazz-influenced drumming. Together, Cream's talents secured themselves as an influential power trio.
In 28 months, Cream had become a commercial success, selling millions of records and playing throughout the U.S. and Europe. They redefined the instrumentalist's role in rock and were one of the first blues-rock bands to emphasize musical virtuosity and lengthy jazz-style improvisation sessions. Their U.S. hit singles include "Sunshine of Your Love" (#5, 1968), "White Room" (#6, 1968) and "Crossroads" (#28, 1969) – a live version of Robert Johnson's "Cross Road Blues". Though Cream was hailed as one of the greatest groups of its day, and the adulation of Clapton as a guitar hero reached new heights, the supergroup was destined to be short-lived. Drug and alcohol use escalated tension between the three members and the conflicts between Bruce and Baker eventually led to Cream's demise. A strongly critical Rolling Stone review of a concert of the group's second headlining U.S. tour was another significant factor in the trio's demise, and it affected Clapton profoundly as well.
Cream's farewell album, Goodbye, featured live performances recorded at The Forum, Los Angeles, 19 October 1968, and was released shortly after Cream disbanded in 1968; it also featured the studio single "Badge", co-written by Clapton and George Harrison. Clapton had met Harrison and become friends with him after the Beatles shared a bill with the Clapton-era Yardbirds at the London Palladium. The close friendship between Clapton and Harrison resulted in Clapton's playing on Harrison's "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" from the Beatles' White Album. In the same year of release as the White Album, Harrison released his solo debut Wonderwall Music, becoming the first of many Harrison solo records to feature Clapton on guitar. Though friends, Clapton would go largely uncredited for his contributions to Harrison's albums due to contractual restraints. The pair would often play live together as each other's guest. A year after Harrison's death in 2001, Clapton helped organise the tribute concert, for which he was musical director.
Cream briefly reunited in 1993 to perform at the ceremony inducting them into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; however, a full reunion took place in May 2005, with Clapton, Bruce, and Baker playing four sold-out concerts at London's Royal Albert Hall and three more at New York's Madison Square Garden that October. Recordings from the London shows were released on CD, LP, and DVD in September/December 2005.
Blind Faith & Delaney and Bonnie and Friends
Main articles: Blind Faith and Delaney and Bonnie and Friends
A desultory spell in a second super group, the short-lived Blind Faith (1969), which was composed of Cream drummer Ginger Baker, Steve Winwood of Traffic and Ric Grech of Family, resulted in one LP and one arena-circuit tour. The super group debuted before 100,000 fans in London's Hyde Park on 7 June 1969. They later performed several dates in Scandinavia and began a sold-out American tour in July before their one and only album was released. The LP Blind Faith was recorded in such haste that side two consisted of just two songs, one of them a 15-minute jam entitled "Do What You Like". The album's jacket image of a topless pubescent girl was deemed controversial in the United States and was replaced by a photograph of the band. Blind Faith dissolved after less than seven months. While Winwood returned to Traffic, by now Clapton was tired of both the spotlight and the hype that had surrounded Cream and Blind Faith.
Clapton decided to step into the background for a time, touring as a sideman with the American group Delaney and Bonnie and Friends, who had been the support act for Blind Faith's U.S. tour. He also played two dates that fall as a member of The Plastic Ono Band, including the famous performance at the Toronto Rock and Roll Revival in September 1969, released as the album Live Peace in Toronto 1969.
Clapton became close friends with Delaney Bramlett, who encouraged him in his singing and writing. During the summer of 1969, Clapton and Bramlett contributed to the Music From Free Creek "supersession" project. Clapton, appearing as "King Cool" for contractual reasons, played with Dr. John on three songs, joined by Bramlett on one track. Jeff Beck also contributed to the sessions as "A. N. Other", though Clapton and Beck did not play together.
Using the Bramletts' backing group and an all-star cast of session players (including Leon Russell and Stephen Stills), Clapton recorded his first solo album during two brief tour hiatuses, fittingly named Eric Clapton. Delaney Bramlett co-wrote six of the songs with Clapton, and Bonnie Bramlett co-wrote "Let It Rain". The album also yielded the unexpected U.S. #18 hit, J. J. Cale's "After Midnight". Clapton went with Delaney and Bonnie from the stage to the studio with the Dominos to record George Harrison's All Things Must Pass in spring 1970. During this busy period, Clapton also recorded with other artists including Dr. John, Leon Russell, Plastic Ono Band, Billy Preston and Ringo Starr.
1970s
Derek and the Dominos
Main article: Derek and the Dominos
"Layla"
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27 second sample of the song "Layla", as performed by Derek and the Dominos
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Taking over Delaney & Bonnie's rhythm section—Bobby Whitlock (keyboards, vocals), Carl Radle (bass) and Jim Gordon (drums)—Clapton formed a new band which was intended to counteract the "star" cult that had grown up around him and show that he could be a member of an ensemble. The band was called "Eric Clapton and Friends" at first, and the name "Derek and the Dominos" was an accident, which occurred when the band's provisional name of "Eric and the Dynamos" was misread as Derek and the Dominos. Clapton's biography, though, argues that Ashton told Clapton to call the band "Del and the Dominos", Del being his nickname for Clapton. Del and Eric were combined and the final name became "Derek and the Dominos".
Clapton's close friendship with George Harrison had brought him into contact with Harrison's wife Pattie Boyd, with whom he became deeply infatuated. When she spurned his advances, Clapton's unrequited affections prompted most of the material for the Dominos' album Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs. This album contained the monster-hit single, love song "Layla", inspired by the classical poet of Persian literature, Nezami Ganjavi's The Story of Layla and Majnun, a copy of which his friend Ian Dallas had given him. The book moved Clapton profoundly as it was the tale of a young man who fell hopelessly in love with a beautiful, unavailable woman and who went crazy because he could not marry her.
Working at Criteria Studios in Miami with Atlantic Records producer Tom Dowd, who had worked with Clapton on Cream's Disraeli Gears, the band recorded a double-album. The two parts of "Layla" were recorded in separate sessions: the opening guitar section was recorded first, and for the second section, laid down several months later, drummer Jim Gordon composed and played the piano part. The Layla LP was actually recorded by a five-piece version of the group, thanks to the unforeseen inclusion of guitarist Duane Allman of The Allman Brothers Band. A few days into the Layla sessions, Dowd—who was also producing the Allmans—invited Clapton to an Allman Brothers outdoor concert in Miami. The two guitarists met first onstage, then played all night in the studio and became friends. Duane first added his slide guitar to "Tell the Truth" on 28 August as well as "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out". In four days, the five-piece Dominos recorded "Key to the Highway", "Have You Ever Loved a Woman", and "Why Does Love Got to be So Sad". When September came around, Duane briefly left the sessions for gigs with his own band, and the four-piece Dominos recorded "I Looked Away", "Bell Bottom Blues", and "Keep on Growing". Duane returned to record "I am Yours", "Anyday", and "It's Too Late". On the 9th, they recorded Hendrix's "Little Wing" and the title track. The following day, the final track, "Thorn Tree in the Garden" was recorded.
Eric Clapton in Barcelona, 1974
The album was heavily blues-influenced and featured a combination of the twin guitars of Allman and Clapton, with Allman's incendiary slide-guitar a key ingredient of the sound. Many critics would later notice that Clapton played best when in a band composed of dual guitars; working with another guitarist kept him from getting "sloppy and lazy and this was undeniably the case with Duane Allman." It showcased some of Clapton's strongest material to date, as well as arguably some of his best guitar playing, with Whitlock also contributing several superb numbers, and his powerful, soul-influenced voice.
Tragedy dogged the group throughout its brief career. During the sessions, Clapton was devastated by news of the death of Jimi Hendrix; eight days previously the band had cut a blistering version of "Little Wing" as a tribute to him which was added to the album. On 17 September 1970, one day before Hendrix's death, Clapton had purchased a left-handed Stratocaster that he had planned to give to Hendrix as a birthday gift. Adding to Clapton's woes, the Layla album received only lukewarm reviews upon release. The shaken group undertook a U.S. tour without Allman, who had returned to the Allman Brothers Band. Despite Clapton's later admission that the tour took place amidst a veritable blizzard of drugs and alcohol, it resulted in the surprisingly strong live double album In Concert. The band had recorded several tracks for a second album in London during the spring of 1971 (five of which were released on the Eric Clapton box-set Crossroads), but the results were mediocre.
A second record was in the works when a clashing of egos took place and Clapton walked, thus disbanding the group. Allman was later killed in a motorcycle accident on 29 October 1971. Although Radle would remain Clapton's bass player until the summer of 1979 (Radle died in May 1980 from the effects of alcohol and narcotics), it would be 2003 before Clapton and Whitlock appeared together again (Clapton guested on Whitlock's appearance on the Later with Jools Holland show). Another tragic footnote to the Dominos story was the fate of drummer Jim Gordon, who was an undiagnosed schizophrenic and years later murdered his mother during a psychotic episode. Gordon was confined to 16-years-to-life imprisonment, later being moved to a mental institution, where he remains today.
Solo career
Yvonne Elliman with Clapton in 1975
Clapton's career successes in the 1970s were in stark contrast to his personal life, which was troubled by romantic longings and drug and alcohol addiction. In addition to his (temporarily) unrequited and intense attraction to Pattie Boyd, he withdrew from recording and touring to isolation in his Surrey, England residence. There he nursed his heroin addiction, resulting in a career hiatus interrupted only by the Concert for Bangladesh in August 1971 (where he passed out on stage, was revived, and continued the show). In January 1973, The Who's Pete Townshend organised a comeback concert for Clapton at London's Rainbow Theatre aptly titled the "Rainbow Concert" to help Clapton kick his addiction. Clapton would return the favour by playing 'The Preacher' in Ken Russell's film version of The Who's Tommy in 1975; his appearance in the film (performing "Eyesight to the Blind") is notable as he is clearly wearing a fake beard in some shots, the result of deciding to shave off his real beard after the initial takes in an attempt to force the director to remove his earlier scene from the movie and leave the set.
In 1974, now partnered with Pattie (they would not actually marry until 1979) and no longer using heroin (although starting to drink heavily), Clapton put together a more low-key touring band that included Radle, Miami guitarist George Terry, keyboardist Dick Sims, drummer Jamie Oldaker and vocalists Yvonne Elliman and Marcy Levy (better known as Marcella Detroit who later recorded in the 1980s pop duo Shakespears Sister). With this band Clapton recorded 461 Ocean Boulevard (1974), an album with an emphasis on more compact songs and fewer guitar solos; the cover-version of "I Shot The Sheriff" was Clapton's first #1 hit and was important in bringing reggae and the music of Bob Marley to a wider audience. The 1975 album There's One in Every Crowd continued the trend of 461. The album's original title The World's Greatest Guitar Player (There's One In Every Crowd) was changed before pressing, as it was felt its ironic intention would be misunderstood. The band toured the world and subsequently released the 1975 live LP, E.C. Was Here. Clapton continued to release albums and toured regularly. Highlights of the era include No Reason to Cry, whose collaborators included Bob Dylan and The Band, and Slowhand, which featured "Wonderful Tonight", another song inspired by Pattie Boyd, and a second J.J. Cale cover, "Cocaine". In 1978 he performed at the Last Waltz, the Bands final concert.
During an August 1976 concert in Birmingham, Clapton provoked a controversy that has continued to follow him when he made pointed remarks from the stage in support of British politician Enoch Powell's efforts to restrict immigration to the UK (see below).
Clapton playing live; the Eishalle theater of Wetzikon, Switzerland, 19 June 1977
On 5 August 1976 Clapton provoked an uproar and lingering controversy when he spoke out against increasing immigration during a concert in Birmingham. Visibly intoxicated, Clapton voiced his support of controversial political candidate Enoch Powell and announced on stage that Britain was in danger of becoming a "black colony". Clapton was quoted telling the audience: "I think Enoch's right ... we should send them all back. Throw the wogs out! Keep Britain white!" The latter phrase was at the time a British National Front slogan. Clapton continued:
"I used to be into dope, now I’m into racism. It’s much heavier, man. fudgeing wogs, man. fudgeing Saudis taking over London. Bastard wogs. Britain is becoming overcrowded and Enoch will stop it and send them all back. The black wogs and coons and Arabs and fudgeing Jamaicans and fudgeing (indecipherable) don’t belong here, we don’t want them here. This is England, this is a white country, we don’t want any black wogs and coons living here. We need to make clear to them they are not welcome. England is for white people, man. We are a white country. I don’t want fudgeing wogs living next to me with their standards. This is Great Britain, a white country, what is happening to us, for fudge's sake? We need to vote for Enoch Powell, he’s a great man, speaking truth. Vote for Enoch, he’s our man, he’s on our side, he’ll look after us. I want all of you here to vote for Enoch, support him, he’s on our side. Enoch for Prime Minister! Throw the wogs out! Keep Britain white!"
This incident, along with some explicitly pro-fascism remarks made around the same time by David Bowie as well as uses of Nazi-related imagery by Sid Vicious and Siouxsie Sioux, were the main catalysts for the creation of Rock Against Racism, which occurred on 30 April 1978.
In response to his comments, rock photographer Red Saunders and others published an open letter in NME, Melody Maker, Sounds and the Socialist Worker. It read "Come on Eric... Own up. Half your music is black. You're rock music's biggest colonist". It also concluded, "P.S. Who shot the Sheriff, Eric? It sure as hell wasn't you!".
In an interview from October 1976 with Sounds magazine, Clapton remarked: "I thought it was quite funny actually. I don't know much about politics. I don't even know if it would be good or bad for him to get in. I don't even know who the Prime Minister is now. I just don't know what came over me that night. It must have been something that happened in the day but it came out in this garbled thing... I thought the whole thing was like Monty Python. There's this rock group playing onstage and the singer starts talking about politics. It's so stupid. Those people who paid their money sittin' listening to this madman dribbling on and the band meanwhile getting fidgety thinking 'oh dear'."
In a 2004 interview with Uncut, Clapton referred to Powell as "outrageously brave", and stated that his "feeling about this has not changed", because the UK is still "... inviting people in as cheap labour and then putting them in ghettos." In 2004, Clapton told an interviewer for Scotland on Sunday, "There's no way I could be a racist. It would make no sense". In his 2007 autobiography, Clapton called himself "deliberately oblivious to it all" and wrote, "I had never really understood or been directly affected by racial conflict... when I listened to music, I was disinterested in where the players came from or what colour their skin was. Interesting, then, that 10 years later, I would be labelled a racist... Since then, I have learnt to keep my opinions to myself. Of course, it might also have had something to do with the fact that Pattie had just been leered at by a member of the Saudi royal family." In a December 2007 interview with Melvin Bragg on The South Bank Show, Clapton reiterated his support for Enoch Powell and again denied that Powell's views were "racist".
Awards and honours
Year Award / Recognition
1983
* Presented the Silver Clef Award from Princess Michael of Kent for outstanding contribution to British music.
1985
* Presented with BAFTA for Best Original Television Music for Score of Edge of Darkness with Michael Kamen.
1993
* "Tears In Heaven" won three Grammy awards for Song of the Year, Record of the Year, and Male Pop Vocal Performance. Clapton also won Album of the Year and Best Rock Vocal Performance for Unplugged and Best Rock Song for "Layla".
1994
* Awarded the Order of the British Empire for services to music.
2000
* Inducted into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for the third time, this time as a solo artist. He was earlier inducted as a member of the bands Cream and The Yardbirds.
2004
* Promoted to CBE, receiving the award from the Princess Royal at Buckingham Palace as part of the New Year's Honours list.
2006
* Awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (as a member of Cream)
Clapton's music in film and TV
* Mean Streets (1973) – "I Looked Away"
* The Hit (1984) – Score
* Back to the Future (1985) – Heaven Is One Step Away
* Edge of Darkness (1985) – Soundtrack
* The Color of Money (1986) – "It's In The Way That You Use It"
* SpaceCamp (1986 film) – "Forever Man" plays when Tate Donovan's character arrives at the Space Camp.
* The German car manufacturer Opel and Vauxhall in the UK used the guitar riff of Clapton's "Layla" in its advertising campaign throughout in 1987–95.
* Lethal Weapon (1987) – Soundtrack with Michael Kamen
* Lethal Weapon 2 (1989) – "Knockin' On Heaven's Door"
* Goodfellas (1990) – "Layla" and "Sunshine of Your Love"
* Rush (1991) – Clapton wrote the score
* Wayne's World (1992) – "Loving your Loving"
* Peter's Friends (1992) – "Give Me Strength"
* Lethal Weapon 3 (1992) - Clapton contributed to the score and co-wrote and co-performed the song "It's Probably Me" with Sting and "Runaway Train" with Elton John.
* True Lies (1994) – "Sunshine of Your Love"
* The Simpsons episode "Mother Simpson" (1995) – "Sunshine of Your Love"
* Twister (1996) – "Motherless Child"
* Phenomenon (1996) – "Change the World"
* The Van (1996) – (Soundtrack)
* Patch Adams (1998) – "Let It Rain"
* Lethal Weapon 4 (1998) – "Pilgrim"
* City Of Angels (1998) – "Further On Up The Road"
* Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes "Band Candy" and "Forever" (1998) – "Tales of Brave Ulysses"
* Runaway Bride (1999) – "Blue Eyes Blue "
* The Story of Us (1999) – "(I) Get Lost" (featured multiple times)
* Friends episode "The One with the Proposal, Part 2" (2000) - "Wonderful Tonight"
* Dancing At The Blue Iguana (2000) – "River of Tears"
* A Knight's Tale (2001) – "Further On Up The Road"
* Blow (2001) – "Strange Brew"
* Friends episode "The One Where Rachel Has a Baby, Part Two" (2002) - "River of Tears"
* Futurama episode "The 30% Iron Chef" (2002) – "Sunshine of Your Love"
* The Sopranos episode "Whitecaps" (2002) – Tony Soprano is seen listening to "Layla" in his Suburban.
* School Of Rock (2003) – "Sunshine of Your Love"
* Starsky & Hutch (2004) – "Cocaine"
* Anger Management (2004) – "Strange Brew"
* Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004) – "Cocaine"
* Bad News Bears (2005) – "Cocaine"
* Lords of Dogtown (2005) – "Strange Brew"
* Lord of War (2005) – "Cocaine"
* United States of Tara episode – "Cocaine"
Discography
Main article: Eric Clapton discography
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Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Howard on 03/30/10 at 5:48 am
The person who was born on this day...Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE (born 30 March 1945) is an English blues-rock guitarist, singer, songwriter and composer. Clapton has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo performer, as well as a member of rock bands the Yardbirds and Cream. He is the only person ever to be inducted three times. Often viewed by critics and fans alike as one of the most important and influential guitarists of all time, Clapton was ranked fourth in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" and #53 on their list of the Immortals: 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.
Although Clapton has varied his musical style throughout his career, it has always remained grounded in the blues; despite this focus, he is credited as an innovator in a wide variety of genres. These include blues-rock (with John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers and The Yardbirds) and psychedelic rock (with Cream). Clapton's chart success was not limited to the blues, with chart-toppers in Delta Blues (Me and Mr. Johnson), Adult contemporary ("Tears in Heaven") and reggae (Bob Marley's "I Shot the Sheriff"; he is often credited for bringing reggae and Bob Marley to the mainstream). Two of his most successful recordings were the hit love song "Layla", which he played with the band Derek and the Dominos, and Robert Johnson's "Crossroads", which has been his staple song since his days with Cream.
Clapton left the Bluesbreakers in July 1966 (to be replaced by Peter Green) and formed Cream, one of the earliest supergroups. Cream was also one of the earliest "power trios", with Jack Bruce on bass (also of Manfred Mann, the Bluesbreakers and the Graham Bond Organization) and Ginger Baker on drums (another member of the GBO). Before the formation of Cream, Clapton was not well known in the United States; he left the Yardbirds before "For Your Love" hit the American Top Ten, and had yet to perform there. During his time with Cream, Clapton began to develop as a singer, songwriter and guitarist, though Bruce took most of the lead vocals and wrote the majority of the material with lyricist Pete Brown. Cream's first gig was an unofficial performance at the Twisted Wheel in Manchester on 29 July 1966 before their full debut two nights later at the National Jazz and Blues Festival in Windsor. Cream established its enduring legend with the high-volume blues jamming and extended solos of their live shows.
In early 1967, Clapton's status as Britain's top guitarist was rivaled by the emergence of Jimi Hendrix, an acid rock-infused guitarist who used wailing feedback and effects pedals to create new sounds for the instrument. Hendrix attended a performance of the newly formed Cream at the Central London Polytechnic on 1 October 1966, during which Hendrix sat in on a shattering double-timed version of "Killing Floor". In return, top UK stars including Clapton, Pete Townshend, and members of The Rolling Stones and The Beatles avidly attended Hendrix's early club performances. Hendrix's arrival had an immediate and major effect on the next phase of Clapton's career, although Clapton continued to be recognised in UK music polls as the premier guitarist.
Clapton first visited the United States while touring with Cream. In March 1967, Cream performed a nine show stand at the RKO Theater in New York. They recorded Disraeli Gears in New York from 11–15 May 1967. Cream's repertoire varied from soulful pop ("I Feel Free") to lengthy blues-based instrumental jams ("Spoonful"). Disraeli Gears featured Clapton's searing guitar lines, Bruce's soaring vocals and prominent, fluid bass playing, and Baker's powerful, polyrhythmic jazz-influenced drumming. Together, Cream's talents secured themselves as an influential power trio.
In 28 months, Cream had become a commercial success, selling millions of records and playing throughout the U.S. and Europe. They redefined the instrumentalist's role in rock and were one of the first blues-rock bands to emphasize musical virtuosity and lengthy jazz-style improvisation sessions. Their U.S. hit singles include "Sunshine of Your Love" (#5, 1968), "White Room" (#6, 1968) and "Crossroads" (#28, 1969) – a live version of Robert Johnson's "Cross Road Blues". Though Cream was hailed as one of the greatest groups of its day, and the adulation of Clapton as a guitar hero reached new heights, the supergroup was destined to be short-lived. Drug and alcohol use escalated tension between the three members and the conflicts between Bruce and Baker eventually led to Cream's demise. A strongly critical Rolling Stone review of a concert of the group's second headlining U.S. tour was another significant factor in the trio's demise, and it affected Clapton profoundly as well.
Cream's farewell album, Goodbye, featured live performances recorded at The Forum, Los Angeles, 19 October 1968, and was released shortly after Cream disbanded in 1968; it also featured the studio single "Badge", co-written by Clapton and George Harrison. Clapton had met Harrison and become friends with him after the Beatles shared a bill with the Clapton-era Yardbirds at the London Palladium. The close friendship between Clapton and Harrison resulted in Clapton's playing on Harrison's "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" from the Beatles' White Album. In the same year of release as the White Album, Harrison released his solo debut Wonderwall Music, becoming the first of many Harrison solo records to feature Clapton on guitar. Though friends, Clapton would go largely uncredited for his contributions to Harrison's albums due to contractual restraints. The pair would often play live together as each other's guest. A year after Harrison's death in 2001, Clapton helped organise the tribute concert, for which he was musical director.
Cream briefly reunited in 1993 to perform at the ceremony inducting them into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; however, a full reunion took place in May 2005, with Clapton, Bruce, and Baker playing four sold-out concerts at London's Royal Albert Hall and three more at New York's Madison Square Garden that October. Recordings from the London shows were released on CD, LP, and DVD in September/December 2005.
Blind Faith & Delaney and Bonnie and Friends
Main articles: Blind Faith and Delaney and Bonnie and Friends
A desultory spell in a second super group, the short-lived Blind Faith (1969), which was composed of Cream drummer Ginger Baker, Steve Winwood of Traffic and Ric Grech of Family, resulted in one LP and one arena-circuit tour. The super group debuted before 100,000 fans in London's Hyde Park on 7 June 1969. They later performed several dates in Scandinavia and began a sold-out American tour in July before their one and only album was released. The LP Blind Faith was recorded in such haste that side two consisted of just two songs, one of them a 15-minute jam entitled "Do What You Like". The album's jacket image of a topless pubescent girl was deemed controversial in the United States and was replaced by a photograph of the band. Blind Faith dissolved after less than seven months. While Winwood returned to Traffic, by now Clapton was tired of both the spotlight and the hype that had surrounded Cream and Blind Faith.
Clapton decided to step into the background for a time, touring as a sideman with the American group Delaney and Bonnie and Friends, who had been the support act for Blind Faith's U.S. tour. He also played two dates that fall as a member of The Plastic Ono Band, including the famous performance at the Toronto Rock and Roll Revival in September 1969, released as the album Live Peace in Toronto 1969.
Clapton became close friends with Delaney Bramlett, who encouraged him in his singing and writing. During the summer of 1969, Clapton and Bramlett contributed to the Music From Free Creek "supersession" project. Clapton, appearing as "King Cool" for contractual reasons, played with Dr. John on three songs, joined by Bramlett on one track. Jeff Beck also contributed to the sessions as "A. N. Other", though Clapton and Beck did not play together.
Using the Bramletts' backing group and an all-star cast of session players (including Leon Russell and Stephen Stills), Clapton recorded his first solo album during two brief tour hiatuses, fittingly named Eric Clapton. Delaney Bramlett co-wrote six of the songs with Clapton, and Bonnie Bramlett co-wrote "Let It Rain". The album also yielded the unexpected U.S. #18 hit, J. J. Cale's "After Midnight". Clapton went with Delaney and Bonnie from the stage to the studio with the Dominos to record George Harrison's All Things Must Pass in spring 1970. During this busy period, Clapton also recorded with other artists including Dr. John, Leon Russell, Plastic Ono Band, Billy Preston and Ringo Starr.
1970s
Derek and the Dominos
Main article: Derek and the Dominos
"Layla"
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27 second sample of the song "Layla", as performed by Derek and the Dominos
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Taking over Delaney & Bonnie's rhythm section—Bobby Whitlock (keyboards, vocals), Carl Radle (bass) and Jim Gordon (drums)—Clapton formed a new band which was intended to counteract the "star" cult that had grown up around him and show that he could be a member of an ensemble. The band was called "Eric Clapton and Friends" at first, and the name "Derek and the Dominos" was an accident, which occurred when the band's provisional name of "Eric and the Dynamos" was misread as Derek and the Dominos. Clapton's biography, though, argues that Ashton told Clapton to call the band "Del and the Dominos", Del being his nickname for Clapton. Del and Eric were combined and the final name became "Derek and the Dominos".
Clapton's close friendship with George Harrison had brought him into contact with Harrison's wife Pattie Boyd, with whom he became deeply infatuated. When she spurned his advances, Clapton's unrequited affections prompted most of the material for the Dominos' album Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs. This album contained the monster-hit single, love song "Layla", inspired by the classical poet of Persian literature, Nezami Ganjavi's The Story of Layla and Majnun, a copy of which his friend Ian Dallas had given him. The book moved Clapton profoundly as it was the tale of a young man who fell hopelessly in love with a beautiful, unavailable woman and who went crazy because he could not marry her.
Working at Criteria Studios in Miami with Atlantic Records producer Tom Dowd, who had worked with Clapton on Cream's Disraeli Gears, the band recorded a double-album. The two parts of "Layla" were recorded in separate sessions: the opening guitar section was recorded first, and for the second section, laid down several months later, drummer Jim Gordon composed and played the piano part. The Layla LP was actually recorded by a five-piece version of the group, thanks to the unforeseen inclusion of guitarist Duane Allman of The Allman Brothers Band. A few days into the Layla sessions, Dowd—who was also producing the Allmans—invited Clapton to an Allman Brothers outdoor concert in Miami. The two guitarists met first onstage, then played all night in the studio and became friends. Duane first added his slide guitar to "Tell the Truth" on 28 August as well as "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out". In four days, the five-piece Dominos recorded "Key to the Highway", "Have You Ever Loved a Woman", and "Why Does Love Got to be So Sad". When September came around, Duane briefly left the sessions for gigs with his own band, and the four-piece Dominos recorded "I Looked Away", "Bell Bottom Blues", and "Keep on Growing". Duane returned to record "I am Yours", "Anyday", and "It's Too Late". On the 9th, they recorded Hendrix's "Little Wing" and the title track. The following day, the final track, "Thorn Tree in the Garden" was recorded.
Eric Clapton in Barcelona, 1974
The album was heavily blues-influenced and featured a combination of the twin guitars of Allman and Clapton, with Allman's incendiary slide-guitar a key ingredient of the sound. Many critics would later notice that Clapton played best when in a band composed of dual guitars; working with another guitarist kept him from getting "sloppy and lazy and this was undeniably the case with Duane Allman." It showcased some of Clapton's strongest material to date, as well as arguably some of his best guitar playing, with Whitlock also contributing several superb numbers, and his powerful, soul-influenced voice.
Tragedy dogged the group throughout its brief career. During the sessions, Clapton was devastated by news of the death of Jimi Hendrix; eight days previously the band had cut a blistering version of "Little Wing" as a tribute to him which was added to the album. On 17 September 1970, one day before Hendrix's death, Clapton had purchased a left-handed Stratocaster that he had planned to give to Hendrix as a birthday gift. Adding to Clapton's woes, the Layla album received only lukewarm reviews upon release. The shaken group undertook a U.S. tour without Allman, who had returned to the Allman Brothers Band. Despite Clapton's later admission that the tour took place amidst a veritable blizzard of drugs and alcohol, it resulted in the surprisingly strong live double album In Concert. The band had recorded several tracks for a second album in London during the spring of 1971 (five of which were released on the Eric Clapton box-set Crossroads), but the results were mediocre.
A second record was in the works when a clashing of egos took place and Clapton walked, thus disbanding the group. Allman was later killed in a motorcycle accident on 29 October 1971. Although Radle would remain Clapton's bass player until the summer of 1979 (Radle died in May 1980 from the effects of alcohol and narcotics), it would be 2003 before Clapton and Whitlock appeared together again (Clapton guested on Whitlock's appearance on the Later with Jools Holland show). Another tragic footnote to the Dominos story was the fate of drummer Jim Gordon, who was an undiagnosed schizophrenic and years later murdered his mother during a psychotic episode. Gordon was confined to 16-years-to-life imprisonment, later being moved to a mental institution, where he remains today.
Solo career
Yvonne Elliman with Clapton in 1975
Clapton's career successes in the 1970s were in stark contrast to his personal life, which was troubled by romantic longings and drug and alcohol addiction. In addition to his (temporarily) unrequited and intense attraction to Pattie Boyd, he withdrew from recording and touring to isolation in his Surrey, England residence. There he nursed his heroin addiction, resulting in a career hiatus interrupted only by the Concert for Bangladesh in August 1971 (where he passed out on stage, was revived, and continued the show). In January 1973, The Who's Pete Townshend organised a comeback concert for Clapton at London's Rainbow Theatre aptly titled the "Rainbow Concert" to help Clapton kick his addiction. Clapton would return the favour by playing 'The Preacher' in Ken Russell's film version of The Who's Tommy in 1975; his appearance in the film (performing "Eyesight to the Blind") is notable as he is clearly wearing a fake beard in some shots, the result of deciding to shave off his real beard after the initial takes in an attempt to force the director to remove his earlier scene from the movie and leave the set.
In 1974, now partnered with Pattie (they would not actually marry until 1979) and no longer using heroin (although starting to drink heavily), Clapton put together a more low-key touring band that included Radle, Miami guitarist George Terry, keyboardist Dick Sims, drummer Jamie Oldaker and vocalists Yvonne Elliman and Marcy Levy (better known as Marcella Detroit who later recorded in the 1980s pop duo Shakespears Sister). With this band Clapton recorded 461 Ocean Boulevard (1974), an album with an emphasis on more compact songs and fewer guitar solos; the cover-version of "I Shot The Sheriff" was Clapton's first #1 hit and was important in bringing reggae and the music of Bob Marley to a wider audience. The 1975 album There's One in Every Crowd continued the trend of 461. The album's original title The World's Greatest Guitar Player (There's One In Every Crowd) was changed before pressing, as it was felt its ironic intention would be misunderstood. The band toured the world and subsequently released the 1975 live LP, E.C. Was Here. Clapton continued to release albums and toured regularly. Highlights of the era include No Reason to Cry, whose collaborators included Bob Dylan and The Band, and Slowhand, which featured "Wonderful Tonight", another song inspired by Pattie Boyd, and a second J.J. Cale cover, "Cocaine". In 1978 he performed at the Last Waltz, the Bands final concert.
During an August 1976 concert in Birmingham, Clapton provoked a controversy that has continued to follow him when he made pointed remarks from the stage in support of British politician Enoch Powell's efforts to restrict immigration to the UK (see below).
Clapton playing live; the Eishalle theater of Wetzikon, Switzerland, 19 June 1977
On 5 August 1976 Clapton provoked an uproar and lingering controversy when he spoke out against increasing immigration during a concert in Birmingham. Visibly intoxicated, Clapton voiced his support of controversial political candidate Enoch Powell and announced on stage that Britain was in danger of becoming a "black colony". Clapton was quoted telling the audience: "I think Enoch's right ... we should send them all back. Throw the wogs out! Keep Britain white!" The latter phrase was at the time a British National Front slogan. Clapton continued:
"I used to be into dope, now I’m into racism. It’s much heavier, man. fudgeing wogs, man. fudgeing Saudis taking over London. Bastard wogs. Britain is becoming overcrowded and Enoch will stop it and send them all back. The black wogs and coons and Arabs and fudgeing Jamaicans and fudgeing (indecipherable) don’t belong here, we don’t want them here. This is England, this is a white country, we don’t want any black wogs and coons living here. We need to make clear to them they are not welcome. England is for white people, man. We are a white country. I don’t want fudgeing wogs living next to me with their standards. This is Great Britain, a white country, what is happening to us, for fudge's sake? We need to vote for Enoch Powell, he’s a great man, speaking truth. Vote for Enoch, he’s our man, he’s on our side, he’ll look after us. I want all of you here to vote for Enoch, support him, he’s on our side. Enoch for Prime Minister! Throw the wogs out! Keep Britain white!"
This incident, along with some explicitly pro-fascism remarks made around the same time by David Bowie as well as uses of Nazi-related imagery by Sid Vicious and Siouxsie Sioux, were the main catalysts for the creation of Rock Against Racism, which occurred on 30 April 1978.
In response to his comments, rock photographer Red Saunders and others published an open letter in NME, Melody Maker, Sounds and the Socialist Worker. It read "Come on Eric... Own up. Half your music is black. You're rock music's biggest colonist". It also concluded, "P.S. Who shot the Sheriff, Eric? It sure as hell wasn't you!".
In an interview from October 1976 with Sounds magazine, Clapton remarked: "I thought it was quite funny actually. I don't know much about politics. I don't even know if it would be good or bad for him to get in. I don't even know who the Prime Minister is now. I just don't know what came over me that night. It must have been something that happened in the day but it came out in this garbled thing... I thought the whole thing was like Monty Python. There's this rock group playing onstage and the singer starts talking about politics. It's so stupid. Those people who paid their money sittin' listening to this madman dribbling on and the band meanwhile getting fidgety thinking 'oh dear'."
In a 2004 interview with Uncut, Clapton referred to Powell as "outrageously brave", and stated that his "feeling about this has not changed", because the UK is still "... inviting people in as cheap labour and then putting them in ghettos." In 2004, Clapton told an interviewer for Scotland on Sunday, "There's no way I could be a racist. It would make no sense". In his 2007 autobiography, Clapton called himself "deliberately oblivious to it all" and wrote, "I had never really understood or been directly affected by racial conflict... when I listened to music, I was disinterested in where the players came from or what colour their skin was. Interesting, then, that 10 years later, I would be labelled a racist... Since then, I have learnt to keep my opinions to myself. Of course, it might also have had something to do with the fact that Pattie had just been leered at by a member of the Saudi royal family." In a December 2007 interview with Melvin Bragg on The South Bank Show, Clapton reiterated his support for Enoch Powell and again denied that Powell's views were "racist".
Awards and honours
Year Award / Recognition
1983
* Presented the Silver Clef Award from Princess Michael of Kent for outstanding contribution to British music.
1985
* Presented with BAFTA for Best Original Television Music for Score of Edge of Darkness with Michael Kamen.
1993
* "Tears In Heaven" won three Grammy awards for Song of the Year, Record of the Year, and Male Pop Vocal Performance. Clapton also won Album of the Year and Best Rock Vocal Performance for Unplugged and Best Rock Song for "Layla".
1994
* Awarded the Order of the British Empire for services to music.
2000
* Inducted into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for the third time, this time as a solo artist. He was earlier inducted as a member of the bands Cream and The Yardbirds.
2004
* Promoted to CBE, receiving the award from the Princess Royal at Buckingham Palace as part of the New Year's Honours list.
2006
* Awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (as a member of Cream)
Clapton's music in film and TV
* Mean Streets (1973) – "I Looked Away"
* The Hit (1984) – Score
* Back to the Future (1985) – Heaven Is One Step Away
* Edge of Darkness (1985) – Soundtrack
* The Color of Money (1986) – "It's In The Way That You Use It"
* SpaceCamp (1986 film) – "Forever Man" plays when Tate Donovan's character arrives at the Space Camp.
* The German car manufacturer Opel and Vauxhall in the UK used the guitar riff of Clapton's "Layla" in its advertising campaign throughout in 1987–95.
* Lethal Weapon (1987) – Soundtrack with Michael Kamen
* Lethal Weapon 2 (1989) – "Knockin' On Heaven's Door"
* Goodfellas (1990) – "Layla" and "Sunshine of Your Love"
* Rush (1991) – Clapton wrote the score
* Wayne's World (1992) – "Loving your Loving"
* Peter's Friends (1992) – "Give Me Strength"
* Lethal Weapon 3 (1992) - Clapton contributed to the score and co-wrote and co-performed the song "It's Probably Me" with Sting and "Runaway Train" with Elton John.
* True Lies (1994) – "Sunshine of Your Love"
* The Simpsons episode "Mother Simpson" (1995) – "Sunshine of Your Love"
* Twister (1996) – "Motherless Child"
* Phenomenon (1996) – "Change the World"
* The Van (1996) – (Soundtrack)
* Patch Adams (1998) – "Let It Rain"
* Lethal Weapon 4 (1998) – "Pilgrim"
* City Of Angels (1998) – "Further On Up The Road"
* Buffy the Vampire Slayer episodes "Band Candy" and "Forever" (1998) – "Tales of Brave Ulysses"
* Runaway Bride (1999) – "Blue Eyes Blue "
* The Story of Us (1999) – "(I) Get Lost" (featured multiple times)
* Friends episode "The One with the Proposal, Part 2" (2000) - "Wonderful Tonight"
* Dancing At The Blue Iguana (2000) – "River of Tears"
* A Knight's Tale (2001) – "Further On Up The Road"
* Blow (2001) – "Strange Brew"
* Friends episode "The One Where Rachel Has a Baby, Part Two" (2002) - "River of Tears"
* Futurama episode "The 30% Iron Chef" (2002) – "Sunshine of Your Love"
* The Sopranos episode "Whitecaps" (2002) – Tony Soprano is seen listening to "Layla" in his Suburban.
* School Of Rock (2003) – "Sunshine of Your Love"
* Starsky & Hutch (2004) – "Cocaine"
* Anger Management (2004) – "Strange Brew"
* Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004) – "Cocaine"
* Bad News Bears (2005) – "Cocaine"
* Lords of Dogtown (2005) – "Strange Brew"
* Lord of War (2005) – "Cocaine"
* United States of Tara episode – "Cocaine"
Discography
Main article: Eric Clapton discography
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg70/junsato/2863787.jpg
always good to hear his music. :)
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 03/30/10 at 6:09 am
The person who died on this day...James Cagney
James Francis Cagney, Jr. (July 17, 1899 – March 30, 1986) was an American film actor. Although he won acclaim and major awards for a wide variety of roles, he is best remembered for playing "tough guys." In 1999, the American Film Institute ranked him eighth among the Greatest Male Stars of All Time.
Cagney's seventh film, The Public Enemy, became one of the most influential gangster movies of the period. Notable for its famous grapefruit scene, the film thrust Cagney into the spotlight, making him one of Warners' and Hollywood's biggest stars. In 1938, he received his first Academy Award for Best Actor nomination for Angels with Dirty Faces, before winning in 1942 for his portrayal of George M. Cohan in Yankee Doodle Dandy. He was nominated a third time in 1955 for Love Me or Leave Me. Cagney retired for 20 years in 1961, spending time on his farm before returning for a part in Ragtime mainly to aid his recovery from a stroke.
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Cagney is in stripped pajamas. He looks angry as he reaches across a breakfast table with the grapefruit in his hand.
Cagney smashes a grapefruit into Mae Clarke's face in a famous scene from Cagney's breakthrough movie, The Public Enemy (1931)
Warner Brothers′ succession of gangster movie hits, in particular Little Caesar with Edward G. Robinson, culminated with the 1931 film The Public Enemy. Due to the strong reviews in his short film career, Cagney was cast as nice-guy Matt Doyle, opposite Edward Woods' role of Tom Powers. However, after the initial rushes, the two were swapped. The film cost only $151,000 to make, but it became one of the first low budget films to gross $1 million.
Cagney received widespread praise for his role. The New York Herald Tribune described his performance as "the most ruthless, unsentimental appraisal of the meanness of a petty killer the cinema has yet devised." He received top billing after the film, but while he acknowledged the importance of the role to his career, he always disputed that it changed the way heroes and leading men were portrayed; he cited Clark Gable's slapping of Barbara Stanwyck six months earlier (in Night Nurse) as more important. Nevertheless, the scene in which Cagney smashes a grapefruit into Mae Clarke's face is viewed by many critics as a one of the most famous moments in movie history. The scene itself was a very late addition, and who originally thought of the idea is a matter of debate; producer Darryl Zanuck claimed he thought of it in a script conference, Director William Wellman claimed that the idea came to him when he saw the grapefruit on the table during the shoot, and writers Glasmon and Bright claimed the scene was based on the real life of small-time gangster Hymie Weiss, who threw an omelet into his girlfriend's face. Cagney himself usually cited the writers' version, but the fruit's victim, Clarke, agreed that it was Wellman's idea, saying "I'm sorry I ever agreed to do the grapefruit bit. I never dreamed it would be shown in the movie. Director Bill Wellman thought of the idea suddenly. It wasn't even written into the script."
The impact of the scene was such that filmmakers have mimicked it many times throughout cinema history; the scene from The Big Heat in which Lee Marvin's character throws scalding coffee into the face of Gloria Grahame, and Richard Widmark pushing an old lady down a flight of stairs in Kiss of Death, were influenced by Cagney's portrayal of Tom Powers. Cagney himself was offered grapefruit in almost every restaurant he visited for years after, and Clarke claimed it virtually ruined her career due to typecasting.
Cagney's stubbornness was starting to become well known behind the scenes, not least after his refusal to join in a 100 percent participation charity drive that was being pushed by Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. Cagney did not object to donating money to charity, but rather to being forced to. Already he had acquired the nickname "The Professional Againster".
Head and shoulders shot of Cagney, looking stern, wearing a suit with a white handkerchief in his pocket.
Along with George Raft, Edward G. Robinson and Humphrey Bogart, Warner Bros. actors all, Cagney defined what a movie gangster was. In G Men (1934), though, he played a lawyer who joins the FBI.
Warners was quick to combine its two rising gangster stars — Cagney and Robinson — for the 1931 film Smart Money. So keen was the studio to follow up the success of Robinson's Little Caesar that Cagney actual shot Smart Money (for which he received second billing) at the same time as The Public Enemy. As in The Public Enemy, Cagney was required to be physically violent to a woman on screen, a signal that Warners was keen to keep Cagney in the public eye; this time he slapped co-star Evalyn Knapp.
While Cagney was in New York, his brother, who had effectively become his agent, angled for a substantial pay rise and more personal freedom for his brother. Warners' hand was forced by the success of The Public Enemy and of Blonde Crazy, and they eventually offered Cagney an improved contract of $1000 a week. Cagney's first film upon returning from New York was 1932's Taxi!. The film is notable for not only being the first time that Cagney danced on screen, but it was also the last time he would allow himself to be shot at with live ammunition (a relatively common occurrence at the time, as blank cartridges and squibs were considered too expensive and hard to find to be used in most motion picture filming). He had experienced being shot at in The Public Enemy, but during filming for Taxi!, he was almost hit. In his opening scene, Cagney spoke fluent Yiddish, a language he picked up during his boyhood in New York City. The film was again praised by critics, and it was swiftly followed by The Crowd Roars and Winner Takes All.
"I never said, 'MMMmmm, you dirty rat!"
Cagney, in his acceptance speech for the AFI Life Achievement Award, 1974
Taxi! was the source of one of Cagney's most misquoted lines; he never actually said, "MMMmmm, you dirty rat!", a line commonly used by impressionists. The closest he got to it in the film was: "Come out and take it, you dirty, yellow-bellied rat, or I'll give it to you through the door!"
Despite his success, Cagney was not satisfied with his contract. He wanted more money for his successful films, but he also offered to take a smaller salary should his star wane in the future. Warners refused, and so Cagney once again walked out. He was holding out for $4000 a week, the same amount as Edward G. Robinson, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., and Kay Francis. Warners refused to cave in this time, and suspended Cagney. Cagney announced that he would do his next three pictures for free if Warners canceled the remaining five years on his contract. He also threatened to quit Hollywood and go back to Columbia University to follow his brothers into medicine. After six months of suspension, a deal was brokered by Frank Capra that gave the actor an improved salary of around $3000 a week, a guarantee of no more than four films a year, and top billing.
Having learned about the block-booking studio system that almost guaranteed them huge profits, Cagney was determined to spread the wealth. He would send money and goods to old friends from his neighborhood, though he did not generally make this known. His insistence on no more than four films a year was based on his having witnessed actors—even teenagers—regularly working 100 hours a week in order to turn out more films. This experience would also be an integral part of his involvement in the formation of the Screen Actors Guild, which came into existence in 1933.
Cagney with his arm around an actress who has her eyes closed.
Cagney and Joan Blondell in Footlight Parade (1933)
Cagney returned to the studio and made Hard to Handle in 1933. This was followed by a steady stream of films, including the highly regarded Footlight Parade, which gave Cagney the chance to return to his song-and-dance roots. The film includes show-stopping scenes in the Busby Berkeley choreographed routines. His next notable film was 1934's Here Comes the Navy which paired him with Pat O'Brien for the first time; the two would continue to have a long friendship.
In 1935, Cagney was listed as one of the Top Ten Moneymakers in Hollywood for the first time, and was cast more frequently outside of gangster roles; he played a lawyer who joins the FBI in G-Men, and he also took on his first, and only, Shakespearean role, as Nick Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream.
Cagney's last movie in 1935 was Ceiling Zero, his third film with Pat O'Brien. Significantly, O'Brien received top billing, which was a clear breach of Cagney's contract. This, combined with the fact that Cagney had made five movies in 1934, again against his contract terms, forced him to bring legal proceedings against Warners for breach of contract. The dispute dragged on for several months. Cagney received calls from David Selznick and Sam Goldwyn, but neither felt in a position to offer him work while the dispute went on. Meanwhile, while being represented by his brother William in court, Cagney went back to New York to search for a country property where he could indulge in his passion for farming.
Independent years (1936–1937)
Cagney spent most of the next year on his farm, and only went back to work when Edward L. Alperson from Grand National films, a newly established, independent studio, approached him to make movies at $100,000 a film and 10% of the profits. Cagney made two films for Grand National: Great Guy and Something to Sing About. He received good reviews for both, but overall the production quality was not up to Warner standards and the films did not do well. A third film was planned (Dynamite) but Grand National ran out of money.
Close up shot of three men in a room, talking.
Humphrey Bogart with Cagney and Jeffrey Lynn in The Roaring Twenties (1939), the last film Bogart and Cagney made together.
The timing was fortunate for Cagney, as the courts decided the Warners lawsuit in Cagney's favor. He had done what many thought unthinkable in that he had taken on the studios and won. Not only did he win the suit, but Warners knew that he was still a star, and invited him back for a five-year, $150,000 a film deal, with no more than two films a year. Cagney would also have full say over what films he did and did not make. Additionally, William Cagney was guaranteed a deal as an assistant producer for the films his brother would star in.
Cagney had established the power of the walkout as keeping the studios to their word. He later explained his reasons, saying: "I walked out because I depended on the studio heads to keep their word on this, that or other promise, and when the promise was not kept, my only recourse was to deprive them of my services." Cagney himself acknowledged the importance of the walkout for other actors in breaking the dominance of the studio system. Normally when stars walked out, the time they were absent was added on to the end of their already long contract, as happened with Olivia de Havilland and Bette Davis. Cagney, however, walked out and came back with an improved contract. Many in Hollywood watched the case closely for hints of how future contracts might be handled.
Artistically, the Grand National experiment was a success for Cagney, who was able to move away from his traditional Warners tough guy roles to more sympathetic characters. How far he could have experimented and developed can never be known, but certainly back in the Warners fold he was back playing tough guys.
Return to Warner Bros. (1938–1942)
Head and shoulders shot of Cagney talking to a man in a clerical collar.
Cagney with his pal Pat O'Brien in
Angels with Dirty Faces (1938), the sixth of nine feature films they would make together.
Cagney's two films of 1938, Boy Meets Girl and Angels with Dirty Faces, both co-starred Pat O'Brien. The former saw Cagney in a comedy role, and received mixed reviews. Warners had allowed Cagney his change of pace, but was keen to get him back to playing tough guys, which was more lucrative. Ironically, the script for Angels was one that Cagney had hoped to do while with Grand National, but the studio had been unable to secure funding.
Cagney starred as Rocky Sullivan, a gangster fresh out of jail and looking for his former associate, played by Humphrey Bogart, who owes him money. Whilst revisiting his old haunts, he runs into his old friend Jerry Connolly who is now a priest looking after the Dead End Kids. The kids idolize Rocky, much to Connolly's concern. After a messy shoot-out, Sullivan is eventually captured by the police and sentenced to death by electric chair. Connolly pleads with Rocky to "turn yellow" on his way to the chair so that the Kids lose their respect for him, and hopefully avoid a life of crime. Sullivan refuses, but on his way to the chair he begs for his life. The film is ambiguous as to whether this cowardice is real or just for the Kids' benefit. Cagney himself refused to say, insisting he liked the ambiguity. The film is regarded by many as one of Cagney's finest, and garnered him an Academy Award for Best Actor nomination for 1938. He lost to Spencer Tracy in Boys Town, a role which Cagney had been considered for, but lost out on due to his typecasting. Cagney did, however, win that year's New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor.
His earlier insistence on not filming with live ammunition proved to be a good decision; having been told while filming Angels with Dirty Faces that he would do a scene with real machine gun bullets, Cagney refused and insisted the shots be superimposed afterwards. As it turned out, a ricocheting bullet passed through exactly where his head would have been.
During his first year back at Warners, Cagney became the studio's highest earner, earning $324,000. He completed his first decade of movie-making in 1939 with The Roaring Twenties, his first film with Raoul Walsh, and his last with Bogart. It was also his last gangster film for ten years. Cagney again received good reviews; Graham Greene stated that "Mr. Cagney, of the bull-calf brow, is as always a superb and witty actor". The Roaring Twenties was the last film in which a character's violence was explained by poor upbringing, or their environment, as was the case in The Public Enemy. From that point on, violence was attached to mania, as in White Heat. In 1939, Cagney was second to only Gary Cooper in the national wage stakes, earning $368,333.
Cagney on stage and in costume, singing and dancing while the caste watches.
Cagney as George M. Cohan performing "The Yankee Doodle Boy" from Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)
His next notable career role was playing George M. Cohan in Yankee Doodle Dandy, a film Cagney himself "took great pride in" and considered his best. Producer Hal Wallis said that having seen Cohan in I'd Rather Be Right, he never considered anyone other than Cagney for the role. Cagney himself, on the other hand, insisted that Fred Astaire had been the first choice and turned it down.
Filming began the day after the attack on Pearl Harbor, and the cast and crew worked in a "patriotic frenzy" as the US' early involvement in World War II gave the cast and crew a feeling that "they might be sending the last message from the free world", according to actress Rosemary DeCamp. Cohan was given a private showing of the film shortly before his death, and thanked Cagney "for a wonderful job". A paid première, with seats ranging from $25 to $25,000, raised $5,750,000 in war bonds for the US treasury.
"Smart, alert, hard-headed, Cagney is as typically American as Cohan himself... It was a remarkable performance, probably Cagney's best, and it makes Yankee Doodle a dandy"
Time magazine
Many critics of the time and since have declared it to be Cagney's best film, drawing parallels between Cohan and Cagney; they both began their careers in vaudeville, had years of struggle before reaching the peak of their profession, were surrounded with family and married early, and both had a wife who was happy to sit back while he went on to stardom. The film was nominated for eight Academy Awards (winning three) and Cagney won Best Actor. In his acceptance speech, Cagney said: "I've always maintained that in this business, you're only as good as the other fellow thinks you are. It's nice to know that you people thought I did a good job. And don't forget that it was a good part, too."
Cagney had lost out on Boys' Town to Spencer Tracy, and also lost the role of Notre Dame football coach Knute Rockne in Knute Rockne, All American to his friend Pat O'Brien, both because of the hard-man image that Warners had developed for him. Cagney announced in March 1942 that he and brother William were setting up Cagney Productions to release films though United Artists.
Independent again (1942–1948)
Free of Warners again, Cagney spent some time relaxing on his farm in Martha's Vineyard before volunteering to join the USO. He spent several weeks touring the US, entertaining troops with vaudeville routines and scenes from Yankee Doodle Dandy. In September 1942 he was elected president of the Screen Actors Guild.
Almost a year after the creation of his new production company, Cagney Productions produced its first film, Johnny Come Lately, in March 1943. While the main studios were producing patriotic war movies, Cagney was determined to continue dispelling his tough guy image, so he produced a movie that was a "complete and exhilarating exposition of the Cagney 'alter-ego' on film". According to Cagney, the film "made money but it was no great winner", and reviews varied from excellent (Time) to poor (New York's PM).
"I'm here to dance a few jigs, sing a few songs, say hello to the boys, and that's all."
Cagney to British reporters
Following the film's completion, Cagney went back to the USO and toured US military bases in the UK. He refused to do any interviews with the UK press, preferring to concentrate on rehearsals and performances. He gave several shows a day for the Army Signal Corps; called The American Cavalcade of Dance, the show consisted of a history of American dance, from the earliest days to Fred Astaire, and culminated with dances from Yankee Doodle Dandy.
The second movie Cagney's company produced was Blood On the Sun. Insisting on doing his own stunts, Cagney required judo training from expert Ken Kuniyuki and Jack Halloran, a former policeman. The Cagneys had hoped that an action film would appeal more to more audiences, but it fared worse at the box office than Johnny Come Lately. At this time, Cagney heard of young war hero Audie Murphy, who appeared on the front of Life magazine. Cagney thought that Murphy had the looks to be a movie star, and suggested that he come to Hollywood. Murphy, however, could not act, and his contract was loaned out and then sold.
While negotiating the rights for their third independent film, Cagney starred in 20th Century Fox's 13 Rue Madeleine at $300,000 for two months of work. The film was a success, and Cagney was keen to begin production of his new project, an adaptation of William Saroyan's Broadway play The Time of Your Life. Saroyan himself loved the film, but it was a commercial disaster, costing the company half a million dollars to make, and audiences again struggled to accept Cagney out of tough guy roles.
Cagney Productions was in serious trouble; poor returns from the produced films, and a legal dispute with Sam Goldwyn Studio over a rental agreement forced Cagney back to Warners. He signed a distribution-production deal with the studio for the film White Heat, effectively making Cagney Productions a unit of Warner Brothers.
Back to Warners (1949–1955)
Head and shoulders shot of Cagney, wearing black fedora and smiling slightly; scenery in the background.
Cagney as Cody Jarrett in White Heat (1949)
Cagney's portrayal of Cody Jarrett in the 1949 film White Heat is one of his most memorable. Cinema had changed in the ten years since Walsh last directed Cagney (in The Roaring Twenties), and the actor's portrayal of gangsters had also changed. Unlike Tom Powers in The Public Enemy, Jarrett is portrayed as a raging lunatic with little or no sympathetic qualities. In the 18 intervening years, Cagney's hair had begun to gray, and he developed a paunch for the first time. He was no longer a romantic commodity, and this was reflected in his portrayal of Jarrett. Cagney himself had the idea of playing Jarrett as psychotic; he later stated that "it was essentially a cheapie one-two-three-four kind of thing, so I suggested we make him nuts. It was agreed so we put in all those fits and headaches."
Cagney's closing lines of the film — "Made it, Ma! Top of the world!" — was voted the 18th greatest movie line by the American Film Institute. Likewise, Jarrett's explosion of rage in prison on being told his mother's death is widely hailed as one of Cagney's most memorable performances. Some of the extras on set actually became terrified of the actor because of his violent portrayal. Cagney attributed the performance to his father's alcoholic rages that he had seen as a child, as well as someone that he had seen on a visit to a mental hospital. Cagney described the script as "that extremely rare thing, the perfect script". When the film was released, Snyder reportedly asked how Cagney had so accurately copied his limp, but Cagney himself insisted he had not, having made it up based on personal observation of other people when they limped: "What I did was very simple. I just slapped my foot down as I turned it out while walking. That's all".
His performance earned him another Best Actor Academy Award nomination, 17 years after his first. Reviews were strong, and the film is considered to be one of the best of his later career. In Day he had found a co-star he could build a rapport with such as he had had with Blondell at the start of his career. Day herself was full of praise for Cagney, stating that he was "the most professional actor I've ever known. He was always 'real'. I simply forgot we were making a picture. His eyes would actually fill up when we were working on a tender scene. And you never needed drops to make your eyes shine when Jimmy was on the set."
Cagney's next film was Mister Roberts, directed by John Ford and slated to star Spencer Tracy. It was Tracy's involvement that ensured that Cagney accepted the supporting role, although in the end Tracy did not take part. Cagney had worked with Ford before on What Price Glory?, and they had got on fairly well. However, as soon as Ford met Cagney at the airport, the director warned that they would "tangle asses", which caught Cagney by surprise. He later said: "I would have kicked his brains out. He was so goddamned mean to everybody. He was truly a nasty old man." The next day, Cagney was slightly late on set, and Ford became incensed. Cagney cut short the imminent tirade, saying "When I started this picture, you said that we would tangle asses before this was over. I'm ready now – are you?" Ford walked away and he and Cagney had no more problems, even if he never particularly liked Ford.
Cagney's skill at noticing tiny details in other actor's performances reappeared during the shooting of Mister Roberts. When watching the Kraft Music Hall anthology television show some months before, Cagney had noticed Jack Lemmon performing left-handed. The first thing that Cagney asked Lemmon when they met was if he was still using his left hand. Lemmon was shocked; he had done it on a whim, and thought no-one else had noticed. He said of his costar, "his powers of observation must be absolutely incredible, in addition to the fact that he remembered it. I was very flattered."
The film was a success, securing three Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Sound Recording and Best Supporting Actor for Lemmon, who won. While Cagney was not nominated, he had thoroughly enjoyed the production. Filming on Midway Island and in a more minor role meant that he had time to relax and engage in his hobby of painting. He also drew caricatures of the cast and crew.
Honors and legacy
In 1974, Cagney received the Lifetime Achievement Award of the American Film Institute. Charlton Heston, in announcing that Cagney was to be awarded, called him "One of the most significant figures of a generation when American film was dominant, Cagney, that most American of actors, somehow communicated eloquently to audiences all over the world …and to actors as well."
He received the Kennedy Center Honors in 1980, and in 1984 Ronald Reagan awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Cagney was among Stanley Kubrick's favorite actors, and was declared by Orson Welles as "maybe the greatest actor to ever appear in front of a camera." Warner Brothers would arrange private screenings of Cagney films for Winston Churchill.
Filmography
Year Film Role Notes
1930 The Doorway to Hell Steve Mileaway
Sinners' Holiday Harry Delano
1931 How I Play Golf, by Bobby Jones No. 11: 'Practice Shots' Himself uncredited
Blonde Crazy Bert Harris
Smart Money Jack
The Millionaire Schofield, Insurance Salesman
The Public Enemy Tom Powers
Other Men's Women Ed "Eddie" Bailey
1932 Winner Take All Jim "Jimmy" Kane
The Crowd Roars Joe Greer
Taxi! Matt Nolan
1933 Lady Killer Dan Quigley
Footlight Parade Chester Kent
The Mayor of Hell Richard "Patsy" Gargan
Picture Snatcher Danny Kean
Hard to Handle Myron C. "Lefty" Merrill
1934 The St. Louis Kid Eddie Kennedy
The Hollywood Gad-About Himself short subject
Here Comes the Navy Chester "Chesty" J. O'Conner
He Was Her Man Flicker Hayes, aka Jerry Allen
Jimmy the Gent "Jimmy" Corrigan
1935 Mutiny on the Bounty Extra uncredited
A Midsummer Night's Dream Bottom, the weaver
The Irish in Us Danny O'Hara
G Men "Brick" Davis
Devil Dogs of the Air Thomas Jefferson "Tommy" O'Toole
Trip Thru a Hollywood Studio Himself short subject
A Dream Comes True Himself short subject
Frisco Kid Bat Morgan
1936 Great Guy Johnny "Red" Cave
Ceiling Zero Dizzy Davis
1937 Something to Sing About Terrence "Terry" Rooney stage name of Thadeus McGillicuddy
1938 Angels with Dirty Faces Rocky Sullivan Nominated - Academy Award for Best Actor
Boy Meets Girl Robert Law
For Auld Lang Syne Himself - Introducing arriving celebrities short subject
1939 The Roaring Twenties Eddie Bartlett
Each Dawn I Die Frank Ross
Hollywood Hobbies Himself short subject
The Oklahoma Kid Jim Kincaid
1940 City for Conquest Danny Kenny (Young Samson)
Torrid Zone Nick "Nicky" Butler
The Fighting 69th Jerry Plunkett
1941 The Bride Came C.O.D. Steve Collins
The Strawberry Blonde T. L. "Biff" Grimes
1942 Yankee Doodle Dandy George M. Cohan Academy Award for Best Actor
Captains of the Clouds Brian MacLean (bush pilot)
1943 Johnny Come Lately Tom Richards
You, John Jones! John Jones short subject
1944 Battle Stations Narrator short subject
1945 Blood on the Sun Nick Condon
1947 13 Rue Madeleine Robert Emmett "Bob" Sharkey aka Gabriel Chavat
1948 The Time of Your Life Joseph T. (who observes people)
1949 White Heat Arthur "Cody" Jarrett
1950 The West Point Story Elwin "Bix" Bixby
Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye Ralph Cotter
1951 Starlift Himself Cameo
Come Fill the Cup Lew Marsh
1952 What Price Glory? Capt. Flagg
1953 A Lion Is in the Streets Hank Martin
1955 Mister Roberts Capt. Morton
The Seven Little Foys George M. Cohan
Love Me or Leave Me Martin Snyder Nominated - Academy Award for Best Actor
Run for Cover Matt Dow
1956 These Wilder Years Steve Bradford
Tribute to a Bad Man Jeremy Rodock
1957 Short-Cut to Hell Himself in pre-credits sequence, also director
Man of a Thousand Faces Lon Chaney
1959 Shake Hands with the Devil Sean Lenihan
Never Steal Anything Small Jake MacIllaney
1960 The Gallant Hours Fleet Admiral William F. Halsey, Jr. also producer
1961 One, Two, Three C.R. MacNamara
1968 Arizona Bushwhackers Narrator
1981 Ragtime Commissioner Rhinelander Waldo
Television
* The Ballad of Smokey the Bear (1966) - voice, narrator
* Terrible Joe Moran (1984)
http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb216/CMRenda/James%20Cagney/4226.jpg
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l111/shoelessjoe03/JamesCagney1.jpg
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 03/30/10 at 6:35 am
always good to hear his music. :)
Yes it is. :)
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: CatwomanofV on 03/30/10 at 11:28 am
Has to be one of my absolutely favs of "Slow Hand".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_jpWumPnxc
Cat
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: CatwomanofV on 03/30/10 at 11:31 am
My "step-cousin" (my step-father's niece) had the "honor" of cleaning out James Cagney's stables. :D ;D ;D They were neighbors and as a teen, she got a part-time job at his farm.
Cat
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 03/30/10 at 12:57 pm
My "step-cousin" (my step-father's niece) had the "honor" of cleaning out James Cagney's stables. :D ;D ;D They were neighbors and as a teen, she got a part-time job at his farm.
Cat
Hey if I got to meet Jimmy Cagney I would clean the horse sheesh :)
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Howard on 03/30/10 at 3:02 pm
The person who died on this day...James Cagney
James Francis Cagney, Jr. (July 17, 1899 – March 30, 1986) was an American film actor. Although he won acclaim and major awards for a wide variety of roles, he is best remembered for playing "tough guys." In 1999, the American Film Institute ranked him eighth among the Greatest Male Stars of All Time.
Cagney's seventh film, The Public Enemy, became one of the most influential gangster movies of the period. Notable for its famous grapefruit scene, the film thrust Cagney into the spotlight, making him one of Warners' and Hollywood's biggest stars. In 1938, he received his first Academy Award for Best Actor nomination for Angels with Dirty Faces, before winning in 1942 for his portrayal of George M. Cohan in Yankee Doodle Dandy. He was nominated a third time in 1955 for Love Me or Leave Me. Cagney retired for 20 years in 1961, spending time on his farm before returning for a part in Ragtime mainly to aid his recovery from a stroke.
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Cagney is in stripped pajamas. He looks angry as he reaches across a breakfast table with the grapefruit in his hand.
Cagney smashes a grapefruit into Mae Clarke's face in a famous scene from Cagney's breakthrough movie, The Public Enemy (1931)
Warner Brothers′ succession of gangster movie hits, in particular Little Caesar with Edward G. Robinson, culminated with the 1931 film The Public Enemy. Due to the strong reviews in his short film career, Cagney was cast as nice-guy Matt Doyle, opposite Edward Woods' role of Tom Powers. However, after the initial rushes, the two were swapped. The film cost only $151,000 to make, but it became one of the first low budget films to gross $1 million.
Cagney received widespread praise for his role. The New York Herald Tribune described his performance as "the most ruthless, unsentimental appraisal of the meanness of a petty killer the cinema has yet devised." He received top billing after the film, but while he acknowledged the importance of the role to his career, he always disputed that it changed the way heroes and leading men were portrayed; he cited Clark Gable's slapping of Barbara Stanwyck six months earlier (in Night Nurse) as more important. Nevertheless, the scene in which Cagney smashes a grapefruit into Mae Clarke's face is viewed by many critics as a one of the most famous moments in movie history. The scene itself was a very late addition, and who originally thought of the idea is a matter of debate; producer Darryl Zanuck claimed he thought of it in a script conference, Director William Wellman claimed that the idea came to him when he saw the grapefruit on the table during the shoot, and writers Glasmon and Bright claimed the scene was based on the real life of small-time gangster Hymie Weiss, who threw an omelet into his girlfriend's face. Cagney himself usually cited the writers' version, but the fruit's victim, Clarke, agreed that it was Wellman's idea, saying "I'm sorry I ever agreed to do the grapefruit bit. I never dreamed it would be shown in the movie. Director Bill Wellman thought of the idea suddenly. It wasn't even written into the script."
The impact of the scene was such that filmmakers have mimicked it many times throughout cinema history; the scene from The Big Heat in which Lee Marvin's character throws scalding coffee into the face of Gloria Grahame, and Richard Widmark pushing an old lady down a flight of stairs in Kiss of Death, were influenced by Cagney's portrayal of Tom Powers. Cagney himself was offered grapefruit in almost every restaurant he visited for years after, and Clarke claimed it virtually ruined her career due to typecasting.
Cagney's stubbornness was starting to become well known behind the scenes, not least after his refusal to join in a 100 percent participation charity drive that was being pushed by Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. Cagney did not object to donating money to charity, but rather to being forced to. Already he had acquired the nickname "The Professional Againster".
Head and shoulders shot of Cagney, looking stern, wearing a suit with a white handkerchief in his pocket.
Along with George Raft, Edward G. Robinson and Humphrey Bogart, Warner Bros. actors all, Cagney defined what a movie gangster was. In G Men (1934), though, he played a lawyer who joins the FBI.
Warners was quick to combine its two rising gangster stars — Cagney and Robinson — for the 1931 film Smart Money. So keen was the studio to follow up the success of Robinson's Little Caesar that Cagney actual shot Smart Money (for which he received second billing) at the same time as The Public Enemy. As in The Public Enemy, Cagney was required to be physically violent to a woman on screen, a signal that Warners was keen to keep Cagney in the public eye; this time he slapped co-star Evalyn Knapp.
While Cagney was in New York, his brother, who had effectively become his agent, angled for a substantial pay rise and more personal freedom for his brother. Warners' hand was forced by the success of The Public Enemy and of Blonde Crazy, and they eventually offered Cagney an improved contract of $1000 a week. Cagney's first film upon returning from New York was 1932's Taxi!. The film is notable for not only being the first time that Cagney danced on screen, but it was also the last time he would allow himself to be shot at with live ammunition (a relatively common occurrence at the time, as blank cartridges and squibs were considered too expensive and hard to find to be used in most motion picture filming). He had experienced being shot at in The Public Enemy, but during filming for Taxi!, he was almost hit. In his opening scene, Cagney spoke fluent Yiddish, a language he picked up during his boyhood in New York City. The film was again praised by critics, and it was swiftly followed by The Crowd Roars and Winner Takes All.
"I never said, 'MMMmmm, you dirty rat!"
Cagney, in his acceptance speech for the AFI Life Achievement Award, 1974
Taxi! was the source of one of Cagney's most misquoted lines; he never actually said, "MMMmmm, you dirty rat!", a line commonly used by impressionists. The closest he got to it in the film was: "Come out and take it, you dirty, yellow-bellied rat, or I'll give it to you through the door!"
Despite his success, Cagney was not satisfied with his contract. He wanted more money for his successful films, but he also offered to take a smaller salary should his star wane in the future. Warners refused, and so Cagney once again walked out. He was holding out for $4000 a week, the same amount as Edward G. Robinson, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., and Kay Francis. Warners refused to cave in this time, and suspended Cagney. Cagney announced that he would do his next three pictures for free if Warners canceled the remaining five years on his contract. He also threatened to quit Hollywood and go back to Columbia University to follow his brothers into medicine. After six months of suspension, a deal was brokered by Frank Capra that gave the actor an improved salary of around $3000 a week, a guarantee of no more than four films a year, and top billing.
Having learned about the block-booking studio system that almost guaranteed them huge profits, Cagney was determined to spread the wealth. He would send money and goods to old friends from his neighborhood, though he did not generally make this known. His insistence on no more than four films a year was based on his having witnessed actors—even teenagers—regularly working 100 hours a week in order to turn out more films. This experience would also be an integral part of his involvement in the formation of the Screen Actors Guild, which came into existence in 1933.
Cagney with his arm around an actress who has her eyes closed.
Cagney and Joan Blondell in Footlight Parade (1933)
Cagney returned to the studio and made Hard to Handle in 1933. This was followed by a steady stream of films, including the highly regarded Footlight Parade, which gave Cagney the chance to return to his song-and-dance roots. The film includes show-stopping scenes in the Busby Berkeley choreographed routines. His next notable film was 1934's Here Comes the Navy which paired him with Pat O'Brien for the first time; the two would continue to have a long friendship.
In 1935, Cagney was listed as one of the Top Ten Moneymakers in Hollywood for the first time, and was cast more frequently outside of gangster roles; he played a lawyer who joins the FBI in G-Men, and he also took on his first, and only, Shakespearean role, as Nick Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream.
Cagney's last movie in 1935 was Ceiling Zero, his third film with Pat O'Brien. Significantly, O'Brien received top billing, which was a clear breach of Cagney's contract. This, combined with the fact that Cagney had made five movies in 1934, again against his contract terms, forced him to bring legal proceedings against Warners for breach of contract. The dispute dragged on for several months. Cagney received calls from David Selznick and Sam Goldwyn, but neither felt in a position to offer him work while the dispute went on. Meanwhile, while being represented by his brother William in court, Cagney went back to New York to search for a country property where he could indulge in his passion for farming.
Independent years (1936–1937)
Cagney spent most of the next year on his farm, and only went back to work when Edward L. Alperson from Grand National films, a newly established, independent studio, approached him to make movies at $100,000 a film and 10% of the profits. Cagney made two films for Grand National: Great Guy and Something to Sing About. He received good reviews for both, but overall the production quality was not up to Warner standards and the films did not do well. A third film was planned (Dynamite) but Grand National ran out of money.
Close up shot of three men in a room, talking.
Humphrey Bogart with Cagney and Jeffrey Lynn in The Roaring Twenties (1939), the last film Bogart and Cagney made together.
The timing was fortunate for Cagney, as the courts decided the Warners lawsuit in Cagney's favor. He had done what many thought unthinkable in that he had taken on the studios and won. Not only did he win the suit, but Warners knew that he was still a star, and invited him back for a five-year, $150,000 a film deal, with no more than two films a year. Cagney would also have full say over what films he did and did not make. Additionally, William Cagney was guaranteed a deal as an assistant producer for the films his brother would star in.
Cagney had established the power of the walkout as keeping the studios to their word. He later explained his reasons, saying: "I walked out because I depended on the studio heads to keep their word on this, that or other promise, and when the promise was not kept, my only recourse was to deprive them of my services." Cagney himself acknowledged the importance of the walkout for other actors in breaking the dominance of the studio system. Normally when stars walked out, the time they were absent was added on to the end of their already long contract, as happened with Olivia de Havilland and Bette Davis. Cagney, however, walked out and came back with an improved contract. Many in Hollywood watched the case closely for hints of how future contracts might be handled.
Artistically, the Grand National experiment was a success for Cagney, who was able to move away from his traditional Warners tough guy roles to more sympathetic characters. How far he could have experimented and developed can never be known, but certainly back in the Warners fold he was back playing tough guys.
Return to Warner Bros. (1938–1942)
Head and shoulders shot of Cagney talking to a man in a clerical collar.
Cagney with his pal Pat O'Brien in
Angels with Dirty Faces (1938), the sixth of nine feature films they would make together.
Cagney's two films of 1938, Boy Meets Girl and Angels with Dirty Faces, both co-starred Pat O'Brien. The former saw Cagney in a comedy role, and received mixed reviews. Warners had allowed Cagney his change of pace, but was keen to get him back to playing tough guys, which was more lucrative. Ironically, the script for Angels was one that Cagney had hoped to do while with Grand National, but the studio had been unable to secure funding.
Cagney starred as Rocky Sullivan, a gangster fresh out of jail and looking for his former associate, played by Humphrey Bogart, who owes him money. Whilst revisiting his old haunts, he runs into his old friend Jerry Connolly who is now a priest looking after the Dead End Kids. The kids idolize Rocky, much to Connolly's concern. After a messy shoot-out, Sullivan is eventually captured by the police and sentenced to death by electric chair. Connolly pleads with Rocky to "turn yellow" on his way to the chair so that the Kids lose their respect for him, and hopefully avoid a life of crime. Sullivan refuses, but on his way to the chair he begs for his life. The film is ambiguous as to whether this cowardice is real or just for the Kids' benefit. Cagney himself refused to say, insisting he liked the ambiguity. The film is regarded by many as one of Cagney's finest, and garnered him an Academy Award for Best Actor nomination for 1938. He lost to Spencer Tracy in Boys Town, a role which Cagney had been considered for, but lost out on due to his typecasting. Cagney did, however, win that year's New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor.
His earlier insistence on not filming with live ammunition proved to be a good decision; having been told while filming Angels with Dirty Faces that he would do a scene with real machine gun bullets, Cagney refused and insisted the shots be superimposed afterwards. As it turned out, a ricocheting bullet passed through exactly where his head would have been.
During his first year back at Warners, Cagney became the studio's highest earner, earning $324,000. He completed his first decade of movie-making in 1939 with The Roaring Twenties, his first film with Raoul Walsh, and his last with Bogart. It was also his last gangster film for ten years. Cagney again received good reviews; Graham Greene stated that "Mr. Cagney, of the bull-calf brow, is as always a superb and witty actor". The Roaring Twenties was the last film in which a character's violence was explained by poor upbringing, or their environment, as was the case in The Public Enemy. From that point on, violence was attached to mania, as in White Heat. In 1939, Cagney was second to only Gary Cooper in the national wage stakes, earning $368,333.
Cagney on stage and in costume, singing and dancing while the caste watches.
Cagney as George M. Cohan performing "The Yankee Doodle Boy" from Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)
His next notable career role was playing George M. Cohan in Yankee Doodle Dandy, a film Cagney himself "took great pride in" and considered his best. Producer Hal Wallis said that having seen Cohan in I'd Rather Be Right, he never considered anyone other than Cagney for the role. Cagney himself, on the other hand, insisted that Fred Astaire had been the first choice and turned it down.
Filming began the day after the attack on Pearl Harbor, and the cast and crew worked in a "patriotic frenzy" as the US' early involvement in World War II gave the cast and crew a feeling that "they might be sending the last message from the free world", according to actress Rosemary DeCamp. Cohan was given a private showing of the film shortly before his death, and thanked Cagney "for a wonderful job". A paid première, with seats ranging from $25 to $25,000, raised $5,750,000 in war bonds for the US treasury.
"Smart, alert, hard-headed, Cagney is as typically American as Cohan himself... It was a remarkable performance, probably Cagney's best, and it makes Yankee Doodle a dandy"
Time magazine
Many critics of the time and since have declared it to be Cagney's best film, drawing parallels between Cohan and Cagney; they both began their careers in vaudeville, had years of struggle before reaching the peak of their profession, were surrounded with family and married early, and both had a wife who was happy to sit back while he went on to stardom. The film was nominated for eight Academy Awards (winning three) and Cagney won Best Actor. In his acceptance speech, Cagney said: "I've always maintained that in this business, you're only as good as the other fellow thinks you are. It's nice to know that you people thought I did a good job. And don't forget that it was a good part, too."
Cagney had lost out on Boys' Town to Spencer Tracy, and also lost the role of Notre Dame football coach Knute Rockne in Knute Rockne, All American to his friend Pat O'Brien, both because of the hard-man image that Warners had developed for him. Cagney announced in March 1942 that he and brother William were setting up Cagney Productions to release films though United Artists.
Independent again (1942–1948)
Free of Warners again, Cagney spent some time relaxing on his farm in Martha's Vineyard before volunteering to join the USO. He spent several weeks touring the US, entertaining troops with vaudeville routines and scenes from Yankee Doodle Dandy. In September 1942 he was elected president of the Screen Actors Guild.
Almost a year after the creation of his new production company, Cagney Productions produced its first film, Johnny Come Lately, in March 1943. While the main studios were producing patriotic war movies, Cagney was determined to continue dispelling his tough guy image, so he produced a movie that was a "complete and exhilarating exposition of the Cagney 'alter-ego' on film". According to Cagney, the film "made money but it was no great winner", and reviews varied from excellent (Time) to poor (New York's PM).
"I'm here to dance a few jigs, sing a few songs, say hello to the boys, and that's all."
Cagney to British reporters
Following the film's completion, Cagney went back to the USO and toured US military bases in the UK. He refused to do any interviews with the UK press, preferring to concentrate on rehearsals and performances. He gave several shows a day for the Army Signal Corps; called The American Cavalcade of Dance, the show consisted of a history of American dance, from the earliest days to Fred Astaire, and culminated with dances from Yankee Doodle Dandy.
The second movie Cagney's company produced was Blood On the Sun. Insisting on doing his own stunts, Cagney required judo training from expert Ken Kuniyuki and Jack Halloran, a former policeman. The Cagneys had hoped that an action film would appeal more to more audiences, but it fared worse at the box office than Johnny Come Lately. At this time, Cagney heard of young war hero Audie Murphy, who appeared on the front of Life magazine. Cagney thought that Murphy had the looks to be a movie star, and suggested that he come to Hollywood. Murphy, however, could not act, and his contract was loaned out and then sold.
While negotiating the rights for their third independent film, Cagney starred in 20th Century Fox's 13 Rue Madeleine at $300,000 for two months of work. The film was a success, and Cagney was keen to begin production of his new project, an adaptation of William Saroyan's Broadway play The Time of Your Life. Saroyan himself loved the film, but it was a commercial disaster, costing the company half a million dollars to make, and audiences again struggled to accept Cagney out of tough guy roles.
Cagney Productions was in serious trouble; poor returns from the produced films, and a legal dispute with Sam Goldwyn Studio over a rental agreement forced Cagney back to Warners. He signed a distribution-production deal with the studio for the film White Heat, effectively making Cagney Productions a unit of Warner Brothers.
Back to Warners (1949–1955)
Head and shoulders shot of Cagney, wearing black fedora and smiling slightly; scenery in the background.
Cagney as Cody Jarrett in White Heat (1949)
Cagney's portrayal of Cody Jarrett in the 1949 film White Heat is one of his most memorable. Cinema had changed in the ten years since Walsh last directed Cagney (in The Roaring Twenties), and the actor's portrayal of gangsters had also changed. Unlike Tom Powers in The Public Enemy, Jarrett is portrayed as a raging lunatic with little or no sympathetic qualities. In the 18 intervening years, Cagney's hair had begun to gray, and he developed a paunch for the first time. He was no longer a romantic commodity, and this was reflected in his portrayal of Jarrett. Cagney himself had the idea of playing Jarrett as psychotic; he later stated that "it was essentially a cheapie one-two-three-four kind of thing, so I suggested we make him nuts. It was agreed so we put in all those fits and headaches."
Cagney's closing lines of the film — "Made it, Ma! Top of the world!" — was voted the 18th greatest movie line by the American Film Institute. Likewise, Jarrett's explosion of rage in prison on being told his mother's death is widely hailed as one of Cagney's most memorable performances. Some of the extras on set actually became terrified of the actor because of his violent portrayal. Cagney attributed the performance to his father's alcoholic rages that he had seen as a child, as well as someone that he had seen on a visit to a mental hospital. Cagney described the script as "that extremely rare thing, the perfect script". When the film was released, Snyder reportedly asked how Cagney had so accurately copied his limp, but Cagney himself insisted he had not, having made it up based on personal observation of other people when they limped: "What I did was very simple. I just slapped my foot down as I turned it out while walking. That's all".
His performance earned him another Best Actor Academy Award nomination, 17 years after his first. Reviews were strong, and the film is considered to be one of the best of his later career. In Day he had found a co-star he could build a rapport with such as he had had with Blondell at the start of his career. Day herself was full of praise for Cagney, stating that he was "the most professional actor I've ever known. He was always 'real'. I simply forgot we were making a picture. His eyes would actually fill up when we were working on a tender scene. And you never needed drops to make your eyes shine when Jimmy was on the set."
Cagney's next film was Mister Roberts, directed by John Ford and slated to star Spencer Tracy. It was Tracy's involvement that ensured that Cagney accepted the supporting role, although in the end Tracy did not take part. Cagney had worked with Ford before on What Price Glory?, and they had got on fairly well. However, as soon as Ford met Cagney at the airport, the director warned that they would "tangle asses", which caught Cagney by surprise. He later said: "I would have kicked his brains out. He was so goddamned mean to everybody. He was truly a nasty old man." The next day, Cagney was slightly late on set, and Ford became incensed. Cagney cut short the imminent tirade, saying "When I started this picture, you said that we would tangle asses before this was over. I'm ready now – are you?" Ford walked away and he and Cagney had no more problems, even if he never particularly liked Ford.
Cagney's skill at noticing tiny details in other actor's performances reappeared during the shooting of Mister Roberts. When watching the Kraft Music Hall anthology television show some months before, Cagney had noticed Jack Lemmon performing left-handed. The first thing that Cagney asked Lemmon when they met was if he was still using his left hand. Lemmon was shocked; he had done it on a whim, and thought no-one else had noticed. He said of his costar, "his powers of observation must be absolutely incredible, in addition to the fact that he remembered it. I was very flattered."
The film was a success, securing three Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Sound Recording and Best Supporting Actor for Lemmon, who won. While Cagney was not nominated, he had thoroughly enjoyed the production. Filming on Midway Island and in a more minor role meant that he had time to relax and engage in his hobby of painting. He also drew caricatures of the cast and crew.
Honors and legacy
In 1974, Cagney received the Lifetime Achievement Award of the American Film Institute. Charlton Heston, in announcing that Cagney was to be awarded, called him "One of the most significant figures of a generation when American film was dominant, Cagney, that most American of actors, somehow communicated eloquently to audiences all over the world …and to actors as well."
He received the Kennedy Center Honors in 1980, and in 1984 Ronald Reagan awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Cagney was among Stanley Kubrick's favorite actors, and was declared by Orson Welles as "maybe the greatest actor to ever appear in front of a camera." Warner Brothers would arrange private screenings of Cagney films for Winston Churchill.
Filmography
Year Film Role Notes
1930 The Doorway to Hell Steve Mileaway
Sinners' Holiday Harry Delano
1931 How I Play Golf, by Bobby Jones No. 11: 'Practice Shots' Himself uncredited
Blonde Crazy Bert Harris
Smart Money Jack
The Millionaire Schofield, Insurance Salesman
The Public Enemy Tom Powers
Other Men's Women Ed "Eddie" Bailey
1932 Winner Take All Jim "Jimmy" Kane
The Crowd Roars Joe Greer
Taxi! Matt Nolan
1933 Lady Killer Dan Quigley
Footlight Parade Chester Kent
The Mayor of Hell Richard "Patsy" Gargan
Picture Snatcher Danny Kean
Hard to Handle Myron C. "Lefty" Merrill
1934 The St. Louis Kid Eddie Kennedy
The Hollywood Gad-About Himself short subject
Here Comes the Navy Chester "Chesty" J. O'Conner
He Was Her Man Flicker Hayes, aka Jerry Allen
Jimmy the Gent "Jimmy" Corrigan
1935 Mutiny on the Bounty Extra uncredited
A Midsummer Night's Dream Bottom, the weaver
The Irish in Us Danny O'Hara
G Men "Brick" Davis
Devil Dogs of the Air Thomas Jefferson "Tommy" O'Toole
Trip Thru a Hollywood Studio Himself short subject
A Dream Comes True Himself short subject
Frisco Kid Bat Morgan
1936 Great Guy Johnny "Red" Cave
Ceiling Zero Dizzy Davis
1937 Something to Sing About Terrence "Terry" Rooney stage name of Thadeus McGillicuddy
1938 Angels with Dirty Faces Rocky Sullivan Nominated - Academy Award for Best Actor
Boy Meets Girl Robert Law
For Auld Lang Syne Himself - Introducing arriving celebrities short subject
1939 The Roaring Twenties Eddie Bartlett
Each Dawn I Die Frank Ross
Hollywood Hobbies Himself short subject
The Oklahoma Kid Jim Kincaid
1940 City for Conquest Danny Kenny (Young Samson)
Torrid Zone Nick "Nicky" Butler
The Fighting 69th Jerry Plunkett
1941 The Bride Came C.O.D. Steve Collins
The Strawberry Blonde T. L. "Biff" Grimes
1942 Yankee Doodle Dandy George M. Cohan Academy Award for Best Actor
Captains of the Clouds Brian MacLean (bush pilot)
1943 Johnny Come Lately Tom Richards
You, John Jones! John Jones short subject
1944 Battle Stations Narrator short subject
1945 Blood on the Sun Nick Condon
1947 13 Rue Madeleine Robert Emmett "Bob" Sharkey aka Gabriel Chavat
1948 The Time of Your Life Joseph T. (who observes people)
1949 White Heat Arthur "Cody" Jarrett
1950 The West Point Story Elwin "Bix" Bixby
Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye Ralph Cotter
1951 Starlift Himself Cameo
Come Fill the Cup Lew Marsh
1952 What Price Glory? Capt. Flagg
1953 A Lion Is in the Streets Hank Martin
1955 Mister Roberts Capt. Morton
The Seven Little Foys George M. Cohan
Love Me or Leave Me Martin Snyder Nominated - Academy Award for Best Actor
Run for Cover Matt Dow
1956 These Wilder Years Steve Bradford
Tribute to a Bad Man Jeremy Rodock
1957 Short-Cut to Hell Himself in pre-credits sequence, also director
Man of a Thousand Faces Lon Chaney
1959 Shake Hands with the Devil Sean Lenihan
Never Steal Anything Small Jake MacIllaney
1960 The Gallant Hours Fleet Admiral William F. Halsey, Jr. also producer
1961 One, Two, Three C.R. MacNamara
1968 Arizona Bushwhackers Narrator
1981 Ragtime Commissioner Rhinelander Waldo
Television
* The Ballad of Smokey the Bear (1966) - voice, narrator
* Terrible Joe Moran (1984)
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have any older pictures of James Cagney? ???
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 03/30/10 at 3:12 pm
have any older pictures of James Cagney? ???
Sorry no.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Howard on 03/30/10 at 3:12 pm
Sorry no.
That's ok. :)
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: gibbo on 03/30/10 at 4:05 pm
Cagney had a funny dancing style... ;D
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: CatwomanofV on 03/30/10 at 4:13 pm
Cagney had a funny dancing style... ;D
Yeah, but he loved to dance.
My matha thanks you, my fatha thanks you.
Cat
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Frank on 03/30/10 at 9:43 pm
James Cagney and Lacey would have been a great TV show... ;)
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 03/31/10 at 4:20 am
The word of the day...Carousel
At an airport, a carousel is a moving surface from which passengers can collect their luggage.
A carousel is a large circular machine with seats, often in the shape of animals or cars. People can sit on it and go round and round for fun.
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Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 03/31/10 at 4:24 am
The person born on this day...Shirley Jones
Shirley Mae Jones (born March 31, 1934) is an American singer and actress of stage, film and television. She starred as wholesome characters in a number of well-known musical films, such as Oklahoma!, Carousel, and The Music Man. She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for playing a prostitute in Elmer Gantry. She is probably best known to 1970s TV audiences as Shirley Partridge, the widowed mother of five children in the sitcom/television series, The Partridge Family, co-starring her real-life stepson David Cassidy, son of Jack Cassidy. Jones was born in Charleroi, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh, to Marjorie Williams, a strict, strong-minded homemaker, and Paul Jones, owners of the Jones Brewing Company. An only child, she was named after Shirley Temple. The family later moved to nearby Smithton, Pennsylvania. Jones could sing almost as soon as she could speak. Encouraged by her summer camp counselors, her family arranged for teenaged Shirley to study twice a week, in Pittsburgh, with the world-renowned singer and teacher, Ralph Lawando. Afterwards, she frequently joined her father for a show at the Pittsburgh Playhouse, where she fell in love with the musical theater.
Early stage career
In Manhattan, one of Shirley's friends convinced her to sing for a Broadway agent, Gus Sherman. Sherman was pleased to put Jones under contract, and with her parents' approval, she resettled in New York and gave herself one year to become a Broadway performer. She only had $100 in her pocket. If she didn't succeed, she would move back to Smithton and work as a veterinarian. Her first audition was for a replacement chorus girl in the long-running musical, South Pacific. Rodgers and Hammerstein, writers of South Pacific, saw great potential in Shirley. She became the first and only singer to be put under personal contract with the songwriters. The duo cast her in her second Broadway show, Me and Juliet. On tour, she understudied the lead and earned rave reviews.
Movie actress of the 1950s and 1960s
Jones impressed Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II with her musically-trained voice and was cast as the female lead in the film adaptation of their hit musical Oklahoma! in 1955. Other musicals quickly followed, including Carousel (1956), April Love (1957) and The Music Man (1962), in which she was often typecast as a wholesome, kind character. However, she won a 1960 Oscar for her performance in Elmer Gantry as a woman corrupted by the title character played by Burt Lancaster. Jones' character becomes a prostitute who encounters her seducer years later and takes her revenge. She was reunited with Ron Howard (who had played a role in The Music Man) in The Courtship of Eddie's Father in 1963. Jones landed the role of a lady who fell in love with the professor in Fluffy (1965). In addition, she also has an impressive stage resume, including playing the title character in the Broadway musical Maggie Flynn in 1968.
Prolific character actress
As a teenager, Jones made her debut on an episode of Fireside Theatre. The part led to other roles such as: Gruen Guild Playhouse, Ford Star Jubilee, Playhouse 90, Lux Video Theatre, The United States Steel Hour, The DuPont Show of the Month, Make Room for Daddy, where she played herself, The Comedy Spot, Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre, The Name of the Game, McMillan and Wife, Disneyland, The Love Boat, Hotel, Murder, She Wrote, Melrose Place, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, among many others.
TV series
The Partridge Family
In 1970, after her film roles dwindled, and after turning down the role of Carol Brady on The Brady Bunch, which ultimately gave the role to fellow actress Florence Henderson, Jones was more than happy to be the producers' first choice to audition for the lead role of Shirley Partridge in The Partridge Family, a sitcom based on the real-life musical family The Cowsills, for ABC. The show focused on a young widowed mother whose five children form a pop/rock group after the entire family painted its signature bus to travel. She was convinced that the combination of music and comedy would be a surefire hit. Jones realized, however, that:
“ The problem with Partridge—though it was great for me and gave me an opportunity to stay home and raise my kids—when my agents came to me and presented it to me, they said if you do a series and it becomes a hit show, you will be that character for the rest of your life and your movie career will go into the toilet, which is what happened. But I have no regrets. ”
During its first season, it became a hit and was screened in over 70 countries. Within months, Jones and her co-stars were pop culture TV icons. Her real-life twenty-year-old stepson David Cassidy, who was an unknown actor at the time, played Shirley Partridge's eldest son, Keith, and became the hottest teen idol in the country. The show itself also spawned a number of records and songs performed by David and Shirley. That same year, "I Think I Love You" reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 music chart.
While enjoying playing Shirley Partridge, Jones was in a real-life crisis with her emotionally troubled husband. This sitcom also starred a lot of unknown actors and actresses, such as ex-model Susan Dey as the eldest daughter and second child, Laurie; future radio personality Danny Bonaduce as sarcastic son Danny; and future bookstore manager Suzanne Crough as the youngest child, Tracy. Jeremy Gelbwaks played the original Chris Partridge but left the show after the first season because his parents were moving to another state. Future race car driver Brian Forster replaced him during the series' second season in 1971.
By 1974, the ratings had sunk low, David Cassidy finally had had enough of playing Keith Partridge, and one of his teenage fans had died of heart failure from injuries sustained while attending one of his concerts. The Partridge Family was dropped from the prime-time lineup after four seasons and 96 episodes. Though Jones was outraged about the series' cancellation, she held the show together. In fact, it was one of six series to be cancelled that year (along with Room 222, The F.B.I., The Brady Bunch, Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law, and Here's Lucy) to make room for new shows.
Shirley Jones's friendship with David Cassidy's family began in the mid to late 1950s, when David was just 6, after he learned about his father's divorce from his mother Evelyn Ward. Upon David's first meeting with Shirley before co-starring with her on The Partridge Family, he said, "The day he tells me that they're divorced, he tells me, 'We're remarried, and let me introduce you to my new wife.' He was thrilled when her first movie, Oklahoma! (1955), had come out; and my dad took me to see it—I just see her, and I go, uh-oh, it doesn't really quite register with me, 'cause I'm in total shock, because I wanted to hate her, but the instant that I met her, I got the essence of her. She's a very warm open, sweet, good human being. She couldn't have thought of me in the coldness of the ice any more than she did." Shirley was shocked to hear her real-life stepson was going to audition for the role of Keith Partridge. David said, "At the auditions, they introduced me to the lead actress (Shirley Jones) 'cause they had no idea, they had no idea. So I said, 'What are you doing here?' She looked at me and said, 'What are you doing here?' And I said, 'Well, I'm reading for the lead guy.' I said, 'What are you doing here?' She said, 'I'm the mother!'" Cassidy discussed his relationship with his stepmother on the show: "She wasn't my mother, and I can be very open, and we can speak, and we became very close friends. She was a very good role model for me, watching the way, you know, she dealt with people on the set, and watching people revere her." After the show's cancellation, Cassidy remained very close to his half-brothers and the rest of his Partridge Family cast mates, especially Shirley.
Cassidy appeared on many shows alongside his stepmother, including A&E Biography, TV Land Confidential, and The Today Show, and he was one of the presenters of his stepmother's Intimate Portrait on Lifetime Television and the defunct reality show In Search of the Partridge Family, where he served as co-executive producer. The rest of the cast also celebrated the 25th, 30th, and the 35th anniversaries of The Partridge Family (although Cassidy was unavailable to attend the 25th anniversary in 1995 owing to other commitments). In addition, Jack Cassidy's death in 1976 drew Jones and Cassidy closer as Shirley's three children and stepson mourned their father.
Shirley and other projects
In 1979, Jones tried her hand at television for the second time starring in Shirley which, like, The Partridge Family, fetaured a family headed by a widowed mother, but failed to win ratings, and was canceled toward the middle of the season. Jones also played the "older woman" girlfriend of Drew Carey's character in several episodes of The Drew Carey Show.
She also won fans in the memorable dramatic project There Were Times, Dear, in which she played a loyal wife whose husband is dying of Alzheimer's Disease; she was nominated for an Emmy for this work.
In February 1986, Shirley Jones unveiled her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Vine Street just around the corner from Hollywood Boulevard.
Jones had a stellar turn in a rare revival of Noel Coward's operetta Bitter Sweet at the Long Beach Civic Light Opera in 1983. In 2004, Shirley returned to Broadway in a revival of 42nd Street, portraying diva "Dorothy Brock" opposite her son Patrick Cassidy—the first time a mother and son were known to star together on Broadway. In July 2005, Shirley revisited the musical Carousel onstage in Massachusetts portraying "Cousin Nettie". Shirley continues to appear in venues nationwide, in concerts and in speaking engagements.
In July 2006, Jones received an Emmy nomination for her supporting performance in the TV film Hidden Places. Shirley was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild award for the same film but lost to Helen Mirren for Elizabeth I. She also appeared in 2006's Grandma's Boy, produced by Adam Sandler, as a nymphomaniac senior citizen.
On November 16, 2007, Shirley Jones took stage at the Oklahoma Centennial Spectacular concert at the Ford Center celebrating Oklahoma's 100th birthday. Jones sang the songs "Oklahoma!" and "People Will Say We're In Love" from the musical Oklahoma!.
In early 2008, it was announced that Shirley would play Colleen Brady on the long-running NBC soap opera Days of our Lives.
On August 25, UK label Stage Door Records will release the retrospective collection Shirley Jones - Then & Now featuring 24 songs from Jones's musical career, including songs from the timeless films 'Oklahoma!', 'Carousel' and 'April Love'. The album also features new recordings such as 'Beauty And The Beast', 'Memory' and a sentimental tribute to 'The Music Man'.
Personal life
Jones (left) with First Lady Nancy Reagan, September 29, 1982
She was best friends with her late co-star Gordon MacRae and his ex-wife Sheila, and he was the godfather of her first son, Shaun Cassidy. She also admitted that she had a crush on Gordon when she was young and was starstruck when she worked opposite him on Oklahoma!. She is also the one who convinced MacRae to take the part as Billy Bigelow in Carousel when Frank Sinatra, who'd originally been cast, suddenly dropped out during the first days of filming. According to Jones, Sinatra left because he'd been outraged that the director asked for an additional take on a scene, shouting "Am I being paid twice for this??"
On August 5, 1956, Jones married the actor Jack Cassidy, with whom she had three sons, Shaun, Patrick, and Ryan. David Cassidy, Jack's only child from his first marriage to actress Evelyn Ward, became her stepson. Divorcing Cassidy in 1974, she later married comic/actor Marty Ingels on November 13, 1977. Despite drastically different personalities and several separations (she filed, then withdrew, a divorce petition in 2002), they remained married.
Jones's father, Paul, underwent surgery for lung cancer in 1958 but died within days.
Jones is a registered Republican who appeared at the 1988 Republican Convention and sang the National Anthem. She also sang at the 2003 lighting of the National Christmas Tree in Washington, D.C., at President George W. Bush's request.
Jones and Shaun Cassidy are the only mother and son to each have a song reach number one on the Billboard Charts. Jones hit #1 with The Partridges' "I Think I Love You" in 1970 (sung with stepson David Cassidy). Shaun followed that in 1977 with "Da Do Ron Ron."
On the evening of December 11, 1976, after Jones had refused an offer of reconciliation from Jack Cassidy, she received news that her ex-husband's penthouse apartment was in flames. Apparently, the fire started from his lit cigarette while he was falling asleep on the couch. The next morning, the firefighters found Cassidy's dead body inside.
In 1979, the National Enquirer ran a story about Jones's consumption of alcoholic beverages and her husband's erratic behavior. Together they filed a $20 million lawsuit that dragged on until 1984 when the Enquirer agreed to a retraction and an out-of-court settlement.
Jones and Ingels wrote an autobiography based on their quirky relationship/marriage, Shirley & Marty: An Unlikely Love Story (Morrow, 1990, co-written with Mickey Herskowitz).
Jones is a vegetarian.
Filmography
* Oklahoma! (1955)
* Carousel (1956)
* April Love (1957)
* Never Steal Anything Small (1959)
* Bobbikins (1959)
* Elmer Gantry (1960)
* Pepe (1960)
* Two Rode Together (1961)
* The Music Man (1962)
* The Courtship of Eddie's Father (1963)
* A Ticklish Affair (1963)
* Dark Purpose (1964)
* Bedtime Story (1964)
* Fluffy (1965)
* The Secret of My Success (1965)
* The Gulf (1969)
* The Happy Ending (1969)
* Oddly Coupled (1970)
* The Cheyenne Social Club (1970)
* Beyond the Poseidon Adventure (1979)
* Black Devil Doll From Hell (1984)
* Tank (1984)
* Jack L. Warner: The Last Mogul (1993) (documentary)
* Cops n Roberts (1995)
* This Is My Father (1998) (documentary)
* Gideon (1999)
* The Adventures of Cinderella's Daughter (2000)
* Ping! (2000)
* Shriek If You Know What I Did Last Friday the Thirteenth (2000)
* Manna from Heaven (2002)
* The Creature of the Sunny Side Up Trailer Park (2004)
* Raising Genius (2004)
* Grandma's Boy (2006)
* Christmas Is Here Again (2007) (voice)
Television work
* Out of the Blue (1968) (unsold pilot)
* Silent Night, Lonely Night (1969)
* The Partridge Family (1970-1974)
* The Girls of Huntington House (1973)
* The Family Nobody Wanted (1975)
* Winner Take All (1975)
* The Lives of Jenny Dolan (1975)
* Yesterday's Child (1977)
* Evening in Byzantium (1978)
* Who'll Save Our Children? (1978)
* A Last Cry for Help (1979)
* Shirley (1979-1980)
* The Children of An Lac (1980)
* Inmates: A Love Story (1981)
* The Adventures of Pollyanna (1982)
* Hotel (1983) (pilot for series)
* Charlie (1989) (unsold pilot)
* Dog's Best Friend (1997)
* That '70s Show (2000) (cameo)
* Hidden Places (2006)
* Monarch Cove (2006)
* Days of our Lives (2008)
* Ruby & The Rockits (2009)
Stage work
* South Pacific (1953) (Broadway, ensemble role)
* Me and Juliet (1954) (Chicago)
* Oklahoma! (1956) (European tour with Jack Cassidy)
* The Beggar's Opera (1957) (with Jack Cassidy)
* Wish You Were Here! (1959) (Dallas State Fair Theater with Jack Cassidy)
* The Sound of Music (1966) (Regional - various)
* Maggie Flynn (1967) (Broadway with Jack Cassidy)
* Wait Until Dark (1967) (with Jack Cassidy)
* The Marriage Band (1972) (with Jack Cassidy)
* On a Clear Day You Can See Forever (1974)
* Show Boat (1976)
* The Sound of Music (1977)
* Bitter Sweet (1982)
* Love Letters (1994) (with Marty Ingels)
* The King & I (1994)
* Love Letters (1995) (with Marty Ingels)
* 42nd Street (2004) (Broadway with Patrick Cassidy)
* Carousel (2005)
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Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 03/31/10 at 4:29 am
The person who died on this day...Selena
Selena Quintanilla-Pérez (April 16, 1971 – March 31, 1995), best known mononymously as Selena, was a Mexican American singer who has been called "The Queen of Tejano music". The youngest child of a Mexican-American couple, Selena released her first album at the age of twelve. She won Female Vocalist of the Year at the 1987 Tejano Music Awards and landed a recording contract with EMI a few years later. Her fame grew throughout the early 1990s, especially in Spanish-speaking countries.
Selena attained further notability in North America after she was murdered at the age of 23 by Yolanda Saldívar, the president of her fan club. On April 12, 1995, two weeks after her death, George W. Bush, governor of Texas at the time, declared her birthday "Selena Day" in Texas. Warner Bros. produced Selena, a film based on her life starring Jennifer Lopez in 1997. Selena's life was also the basis of the musical Selena Forever starring Veronica Vazquez as Selena. As of June 2006, Selena was commemorated with a museum and a bronze life-sized statue (Mirador de la Flor in Corpus Christi, Texas), which are visited by hundreds of fans each week.
Selena was born in Lake Jackson, Texas, to a Mexican father, Abraham Quintanilla Jr. and a Mexican-American mother, Marcella Ofelia Samora, and was raised as a Jehovah's Witness. She began singing at the age of six; when she was nine her father founded the singing group Selena y Los Dinos, which she fronted. They initially performed at the Quintanilla family's restaurant, PappaGayo's, but the restaurant failed shortly afterwards.
The family soon went bankrupt and was evicted from their home. Taking their musical equipment in an old bus, they relocated to Corpus Christi, Texas. There, they performed wherever they could: at street corners, weddings, quinceañeras, and fairs. Their efforts at spreading their names and talents paid off in 1985 when the fourteen-year-old Selena recorded her first album for a local record company. The album was not sold in stores and her father bought all of the original copies. It was re-released in 1995 under the title Mis Primeras Grabaciones.
Selena did well in school, but as she grew more popular as a musical performer, the travel demands of her performance schedule began to interfere with her education. Her father pulled her out of school altogether when she was in eighth grade. She continued her education on the road; at age seventeen she earned a high school diploma from The American School of Correspondence in Chicago, Illinois. Selena released her third album, Alpha, in 1986.
Success
At the 1987 Tejano Music Awards, Selena won Best Female Vocalist (and dominated the award for the next seven years). In 1988, she released two albums, Preciosa and Dulce Amor. In 1989, José Behar, the former head of the Sony Latin Music division, signed Selena with Capitol/EMI, a record company he founded. He later said that he signed Selena because he thought he had discovered the next Gloria Estefan. Selena signed a contract with Coca-Cola to become one of its advertising spokesmen in Texas that same year, and her concerts drew thousands of people.
In 1988, Selena met Chris Pérez, who had his own band. Two years later, the Quintanilla family hired him to play in Selena's band and they quickly fell in love. At first her father did not approve of their relationship and went as far as firing Pérez from the band. He eventually came to accept the relationship. On April 2, 1992, Selena and Pérez were married in Nueces County, Texas, and Selena added her new husband's surname to her own.
In 1990, Selena released another album, Ven Conmigo, written by her main songwriter and brother Abraham Quintanilla, III. This recording was the first Tejano album recorded by a female artist to achieve gold status. Around the same time, a registered nurse and fan named Yolanda Saldívar approached Selena's father with the idea of starting a fan club. Her wish was granted and she became the club's president; later she became the manager of Selena's clothing boutiques. Selena released another hit album in 1992, Entre a Mi Mundo, which also achieved gold status. Songs from that album, such as "Como La Flor", helped make Selena a star. Her 1993 Selena Live! album won a Grammy award for Best Mexican-American Performance.
"Como La Flor" (1993)
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The song Como La Flor is one of Selena's best known Spanish songs. 40 second sample.
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Selena released her next album, Amor Prohibido, in 1994. The album was nominated for another Grammy award for Mexican-American Album of the Year. She began designing and manufacturing a clothing line in 1994 and opened two boutiques called Selena Etc., one in Corpus Christi and the other in San Antonio. Both were equipped with in-house beauty salons. Hispanic Business magazine reported that the singer earned over five million dollars from these boutiques. Selena also made appearances alongside Erik Estrada in a Latin soap opera titled Dos Mujeres, Un Camino.
Selena and her band continued to receive accolades; Billboard's Premio Lo Nuestro awarded them six prestigious awards including Best Latin Artist and Song of the Year for "Como La Flor". Coca-Cola released a commemorative bottle in her honor to celebrate their five-year relationship. Meanwhile, her duet with the Barrio Boyzz, "Dondequiera Que Estes", raced to the top of the Latin charts. This prompted Selena to tour in New York City, Argentina, Puerto Rico and Central America where she was in growing demand. The duet with Salvadoran singer Alvaro Torres, "Buenos Amigos", was also a hit.
By fall of 1994, Amor Prohibido was a commercial success in Mexico and made four number one Latin hits, replacing Gloria Estefan's Mi Tierra on the chart's number one spot. It sold over 400,000 copies by late 1994 in the U.S. and another 50,000 copies in Mexico, reaching gold status. At this point, Selena developed plans to record an English-language album, but continued to tour for Amor Prohibido while beginning preparations for the album. Her next album Selena Live! won Best Mexican-American Album at the 36th Grammy Awards.
In 1995, Selena made a cameo appearance in the romantic comedy Don Juan DeMarco, which starred Marlon Brando, Johnny Depp and Faye Dunaway; she appeared as a background mariachi singer during the first scene. In February 1995, Selena played a concert at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo in the Houston Astrodome, which attracted over 65,000 fans—more than country stars such as George Strait, Vince Gill and Reba McEntire. Despite her busy schedule, Selena visited local schools to talk to students about the importance of education. She also donated her time to civic organizations such as D.A.R.E. and planned a fund raising concert to help AIDS patients. These demonstrations of community involvement won her loyalty from her fan base. Selena scheduled her English album for release in the summer of 1995. Afraid that her fans would think she was turning her back on them, she was working on a new Tejano album as well. Meanwhile, she planned to open two more boutiques including one in Monterrey, Mexico.
Death
In early 1995, the Quintanillas discovered that Yolanda Saldívar, the president of Selena's fan club (Texas-section) and the manager of her boutiques, was embezzling money from the fan club and decided to fire her. Soon after the fallout, Selena agreed to meet Saldívar in a Days Inn hotel in Corpus Christi on the morning of March 31, 1995 to retrieve paperwork for tax purposes. At the hotel, Selena demanded the missing financial papers. Saldívar delayed the handover by claiming she had been raped in Mexico. The singer drove Saldívar to a local hospital where doctors found no evidence of rape. Saldívar returned to the motel where Selena again demanded the missing financial papers.
Selena told Saldívar that she just couldn't be trusted anymore. At 11:49 am, Yolanda drew a gun from her purse, pointing it at Selena. As the singer turned and left the room, Saldívar shot her once in the back. Critically wounded, Selena ran towards the lobby to get help. She collapsed on the floor as the clerk called 911, with Saldívar chasing her, calling her a bitch. Before collapsing to the floor, Selena named Saldívar as her assailant and gave the room number where she had been shot. After an ambulance and the police arrived on the scene, Selena was transported to a local hospital. She died there from loss of blood at 1:05 p.m., two weeks before her 24th birthday.
After death
Selena's death had widespread impacts. Major networks interrupted their regular programming to break the news; Tom Brokaw referred to Selena as "The Mexican Madonna". Numerous vigils and memorials were held in her honor, and radio stations in Texas played her music non-stop. Her funeral drew approximately 60,000 mourners, many of whom traveled from outside the United States. Among the celebrities who were reported to have immediately phoned the Quintanilla family to express their condolences were Gloria Estefan, Julio Iglesias and Madonna. People magazine published a commemorative issue in honor of Selena's memory and musical career, titled Selena 1971–1995, Her Life in Pictures. A few days afterwards, Howard Stern mocked Selena's murder and burial, poked fun at her mourners, and criticized her music. Stern said, "This music does absolutely nothing for me. Alvin and the Chipmunks have more soul... Spanish people have the worst taste in music. They have no depth." Stern's comments outraged and infuriated the Hispanic community across Texas. After a disorderly conduct arrest warrant was issued in his name, Stern later made an on-air apology, in Spanish, for his comments. Two weeks after her death, on April 12, George W. Bush, then Governor of Texas, declared Selena's birthday April 16 as "Selena Day" in Texas.
That summer, Selena's album Dreaming of You, a combination of Spanish-language songs and new English-language tracks, debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200, making her the first Hispanic singer to accomplish this feat and the second highest debut after Michael Jackson's HIStory. On its release date, the album sold over 175,000 copies, a record for a female pop singer, and it sold two million copies in its first year. Songs such as "I Could Fall in Love" and "Dreaming of You" were played widely by mainstream English-language radio, with the latter reaching #21 on the Billboard Hot 100. Meanwhile, "I Could Fall in Love", while ineligible for the Hot 100 at the time, reached #12 on the Hot 100 Airplay chart and the top 10 on the Adult Contemporary Chart. David Byrne has paid homage to Selena on his past tours with Tosca Strings by performing their duo God's Child. "Dreaming of You" was certified three times Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.
In October 1995, a Houston jury convicted Saldívar of first degree murder and sentenced her to life in prison, with the possibility of parole in thirty years. The gun used to kill Selena was later destroyed and the pieces thrown into Corpus Christi Bay.
Legacy
Jennifer Lopez played Selena in a film about her life. Directed by Gregory Nava, the biopic opened with mostly positive reviews. Over 20,000 people auditioned for the leading role in the movie. The film stirred some controversy in the Mexican-American community, since Lopez is Puerto Rican-American and played the role of a singer of Mexican descent. But Selena's fans supported the movie, and Lopez's acting in the film helped elevate her career. Although Lopez succeeded as a pop star a few years later, Selena's voice was dubbed in for all the songs in the movie. For her role, Lopez was nominated for a Golden Globe award for Best Actress in a Musical.
Reliant Stadium in Houston hosted a tribute concert, Selena ¡VIVE!, on April 7, 2005. Held a week after the 10th anniversary of her death, over 65,000 fans attended the concert, which featured high-profile artists including Gloria Estefan, Pepe Aguilar, Thalía, Paulina Rubio, Ana Barbara, Alejandra Guzmán, Ana Gabriel, and Fey. The artists performed renditions of Selena's music, as did her brother, A.B. Quintanilla, who performed with his band Kumbia Kings backed with footage of Selena singing "Baila Esta Cumbia". Broadcast live on the Univision network, Selena ¡VIVE! is the highest-rated and most-viewed Spanish-language show in American television history. The show, which lasted over three hours, scored a 35.9 Nielsen household rating.
The American Bank Center in Corpus Christi named their 2,526-seat concert auditorium, Selena Auditorium, in her memory.
Selected discography
Main articles: Selena discography and Selena videography
Independent Studio albums
* Selena Y Los Dinos (1984)
* The New Girl in Town (1985)
* Alpha (1986)
* Munequito De Trapo (1987)
* And The Winner Is... (1987)
* Preciosa (1988)
* Dulce Amor (1988)
"Dreaming of You" (1995)
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One of Selena's English songs, "Dreaming of You peaked at #21 in the Billboard charts. 34 second sample.
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EMI Studio albums
* Selena (1989)
* Ven Conmigo (1990)
* Entre A Mi Mundo (1992)
* Live! (1993)
* Amor Prohibido (1994)
* Dreaming of You (1995)
Filmography
Film
Year Film Role Notes
1995 Don Juan DeMarco Ranchera singer Minor role
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1985–1995 Johnny Canales Show herself TV appearances
1987–1995 Tejano Music Awards herself TV appearances
1993 Dos mujeres, un camino herself
2005 Selena !VIVE! herself honoree
2008 Biography TV series (2 episodes)
2009 Top Trece TV series (1 episode)
2009 Historia de una Leyenda TV series (1 episode)
2010 Famous Crime Scene: Selena TV series (1 episode) featured
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Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Howard on 03/31/10 at 6:49 am
The word of the day...Carousel
At an airport, a carousel is a moving surface from which passengers can collect their luggage.
A carousel is a large circular machine with seats, often in the shape of animals or cars. People can sit on it and go round and round for fun.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ma1U1GtgYrI
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: CatwomanofV on 03/31/10 at 10:51 am
As I was reading the paper this morning (specifically, reading the horoscope and realizing that today was March 31) I KNEW that Shirley Jones was going to be the Person of the Day (well, it was a toss up between her & William Daniels). No, the paper didn't say who's birthday it is today, I just know both of them have birthdays today. How? I knew SJ because as a kid, I had THIS album.
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The reason I know William Daniels because I think he is a terrific actor and stars in one of my absolute favorite movies of ALL time: 1776. So I did a little research on him and his birthday stuck in my head. (Yeah, I have a memory for dates.)
Cat
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Frank on 03/31/10 at 10:52 am
The person born on this day...Shirley Jones
Shirley Mae Jones (born March 31, 1934) is an American singer and actress of stage, film and television. She starred as wholesome characters in a number of well-known musical films, such as Oklahoma!, Carousel, and The Music Man. She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for playing a prostitute in Elmer Gantry. She is probably best known to 1970s TV audiences as Shirley Partridge, the widowed mother of five children in the sitcom/television series, The Partridge Family, co-starring her real-life stepson David Cassidy, son of Jack Cassidy. Jones was born in Charleroi, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh, to Marjorie Williams, a strict, strong-minded homemaker, and Paul Jones, owners of the Jones Brewing Company. An only child, she was named after Shirley Temple. The family later moved to nearby Smithton, Pennsylvania. Jones could sing almost as soon as she could speak. Encouraged by her summer camp counselors, her family arranged for teenaged Shirley to study twice a week, in Pittsburgh, with the world-renowned singer and teacher, Ralph Lawando. Afterwards, she frequently joined her father for a show at the Pittsburgh Playhouse, where she fell in love with the musical theater.
Early stage career
In Manhattan, one of Shirley's friends convinced her to sing for a Broadway agent, Gus Sherman. Sherman was pleased to put Jones under contract, and with her parents' approval, she resettled in New York and gave herself one year to become a Broadway performer. She only had $100 in her pocket. If she didn't succeed, she would move back to Smithton and work as a veterinarian. Her first audition was for a replacement chorus girl in the long-running musical, South Pacific. Rodgers and Hammerstein, writers of South Pacific, saw great potential in Shirley. She became the first and only singer to be put under personal contract with the songwriters. The duo cast her in her second Broadway show, Me and Juliet. On tour, she understudied the lead and earned rave reviews.
Movie actress of the 1950s and 1960s
Jones impressed Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II with her musically-trained voice and was cast as the female lead in the film adaptation of their hit musical Oklahoma! in 1955. Other musicals quickly followed, including Carousel (1956), April Love (1957) and The Music Man (1962), in which she was often typecast as a wholesome, kind character. However, she won a 1960 Oscar for her performance in Elmer Gantry as a woman corrupted by the title character played by Burt Lancaster. Jones' character becomes a prostitute who encounters her seducer years later and takes her revenge. She was reunited with Ron Howard (who had played a role in The Music Man) in The Courtship of Eddie's Father in 1963. Jones landed the role of a lady who fell in love with the professor in Fluffy (1965). In addition, she also has an impressive stage resume, including playing the title character in the Broadway musical Maggie Flynn in 1968.
Prolific character actress
As a teenager, Jones made her debut on an episode of Fireside Theatre. The part led to other roles such as: Gruen Guild Playhouse, Ford Star Jubilee, Playhouse 90, Lux Video Theatre, The United States Steel Hour, The DuPont Show of the Month, Make Room for Daddy, where she played herself, The Comedy Spot, Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre, The Name of the Game, McMillan and Wife, Disneyland, The Love Boat, Hotel, Murder, She Wrote, Melrose Place, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, among many others.
TV series
The Partridge Family
In 1970, after her film roles dwindled, and after turning down the role of Carol Brady on The Brady Bunch, which ultimately gave the role to fellow actress Florence Henderson, Jones was more than happy to be the producers' first choice to audition for the lead role of Shirley Partridge in The Partridge Family, a sitcom based on the real-life musical family The Cowsills, for ABC. The show focused on a young widowed mother whose five children form a pop/rock group after the entire family painted its signature bus to travel. She was convinced that the combination of music and comedy would be a surefire hit. Jones realized, however, that:
“ The problem with Partridge—though it was great for me and gave me an opportunity to stay home and raise my kids—when my agents came to me and presented it to me, they said if you do a series and it becomes a hit show, you will be that character for the rest of your life and your movie career will go into the toilet, which is what happened. But I have no regrets. ”
During its first season, it became a hit and was screened in over 70 countries. Within months, Jones and her co-stars were pop culture TV icons. Her real-life twenty-year-old stepson David Cassidy, who was an unknown actor at the time, played Shirley Partridge's eldest son, Keith, and became the hottest teen idol in the country. The show itself also spawned a number of records and songs performed by David and Shirley. That same year, "I Think I Love You" reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 music chart.
While enjoying playing Shirley Partridge, Jones was in a real-life crisis with her emotionally troubled husband. This sitcom also starred a lot of unknown actors and actresses, such as ex-model Susan Dey as the eldest daughter and second child, Laurie; future radio personality Danny Bonaduce as sarcastic son Danny; and future bookstore manager Suzanne Crough as the youngest child, Tracy. Jeremy Gelbwaks played the original Chris Partridge but left the show after the first season because his parents were moving to another state. Future race car driver Brian Forster replaced him during the series' second season in 1971.
By 1974, the ratings had sunk low, David Cassidy finally had had enough of playing Keith Partridge, and one of his teenage fans had died of heart failure from injuries sustained while attending one of his concerts. The Partridge Family was dropped from the prime-time lineup after four seasons and 96 episodes. Though Jones was outraged about the series' cancellation, she held the show together. In fact, it was one of six series to be cancelled that year (along with Room 222, The F.B.I., The Brady Bunch, Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law, and Here's Lucy) to make room for new shows.
Shirley Jones's friendship with David Cassidy's family began in the mid to late 1950s, when David was just 6, after he learned about his father's divorce from his mother Evelyn Ward. Upon David's first meeting with Shirley before co-starring with her on The Partridge Family, he said, "The day he tells me that they're divorced, he tells me, 'We're remarried, and let me introduce you to my new wife.' He was thrilled when her first movie, Oklahoma! (1955), had come out; and my dad took me to see it—I just see her, and I go, uh-oh, it doesn't really quite register with me, 'cause I'm in total shock, because I wanted to hate her, but the instant that I met her, I got the essence of her. She's a very warm open, sweet, good human being. She couldn't have thought of me in the coldness of the ice any more than she did." Shirley was shocked to hear her real-life stepson was going to audition for the role of Keith Partridge. David said, "At the auditions, they introduced me to the lead actress (Shirley Jones) 'cause they had no idea, they had no idea. So I said, 'What are you doing here?' She looked at me and said, 'What are you doing here?' And I said, 'Well, I'm reading for the lead guy.' I said, 'What are you doing here?' She said, 'I'm the mother!'" Cassidy discussed his relationship with his stepmother on the show: "She wasn't my mother, and I can be very open, and we can speak, and we became very close friends. She was a very good role model for me, watching the way, you know, she dealt with people on the set, and watching people revere her." After the show's cancellation, Cassidy remained very close to his half-brothers and the rest of his Partridge Family cast mates, especially Shirley.
Cassidy appeared on many shows alongside his stepmother, including A&E Biography, TV Land Confidential, and The Today Show, and he was one of the presenters of his stepmother's Intimate Portrait on Lifetime Television and the defunct reality show In Search of the Partridge Family, where he served as co-executive producer. The rest of the cast also celebrated the 25th, 30th, and the 35th anniversaries of The Partridge Family (although Cassidy was unavailable to attend the 25th anniversary in 1995 owing to other commitments). In addition, Jack Cassidy's death in 1976 drew Jones and Cassidy closer as Shirley's three children and stepson mourned their father.
Shirley and other projects
In 1979, Jones tried her hand at television for the second time starring in Shirley which, like, The Partridge Family, fetaured a family headed by a widowed mother, but failed to win ratings, and was canceled toward the middle of the season. Jones also played the "older woman" girlfriend of Drew Carey's character in several episodes of The Drew Carey Show.
She also won fans in the memorable dramatic project There Were Times, Dear, in which she played a loyal wife whose husband is dying of Alzheimer's Disease; she was nominated for an Emmy for this work.
In February 1986, Shirley Jones unveiled her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Vine Street just around the corner from Hollywood Boulevard.
Jones had a stellar turn in a rare revival of Noel Coward's operetta Bitter Sweet at the Long Beach Civic Light Opera in 1983. In 2004, Shirley returned to Broadway in a revival of 42nd Street, portraying diva "Dorothy Brock" opposite her son Patrick Cassidy—the first time a mother and son were known to star together on Broadway. In July 2005, Shirley revisited the musical Carousel onstage in Massachusetts portraying "Cousin Nettie". Shirley continues to appear in venues nationwide, in concerts and in speaking engagements.
In July 2006, Jones received an Emmy nomination for her supporting performance in the TV film Hidden Places. Shirley was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild award for the same film but lost to Helen Mirren for Elizabeth I. She also appeared in 2006's Grandma's Boy, produced by Adam Sandler, as a nymphomaniac senior citizen.
On November 16, 2007, Shirley Jones took stage at the Oklahoma Centennial Spectacular concert at the Ford Center celebrating Oklahoma's 100th birthday. Jones sang the songs "Oklahoma!" and "People Will Say We're In Love" from the musical Oklahoma!.
In early 2008, it was announced that Shirley would play Colleen Brady on the long-running NBC soap opera Days of our Lives.
On August 25, UK label Stage Door Records will release the retrospective collection Shirley Jones - Then & Now featuring 24 songs from Jones's musical career, including songs from the timeless films 'Oklahoma!', 'Carousel' and 'April Love'. The album also features new recordings such as 'Beauty And The Beast', 'Memory' and a sentimental tribute to 'The Music Man'.
Personal life
Jones (left) with First Lady Nancy Reagan, September 29, 1982
She was best friends with her late co-star Gordon MacRae and his ex-wife Sheila, and he was the godfather of her first son, Shaun Cassidy. She also admitted that she had a crush on Gordon when she was young and was starstruck when she worked opposite him on Oklahoma!. She is also the one who convinced MacRae to take the part as Billy Bigelow in Carousel when Frank Sinatra, who'd originally been cast, suddenly dropped out during the first days of filming. According to Jones, Sinatra left because he'd been outraged that the director asked for an additional take on a scene, shouting "Am I being paid twice for this??"
On August 5, 1956, Jones married the actor Jack Cassidy, with whom she had three sons, Shaun, Patrick, and Ryan. David Cassidy, Jack's only child from his first marriage to actress Evelyn Ward, became her stepson. Divorcing Cassidy in 1974, she later married comic/actor Marty Ingels on November 13, 1977. Despite drastically different personalities and several separations (she filed, then withdrew, a divorce petition in 2002), they remained married.
Jones's father, Paul, underwent surgery for lung cancer in 1958 but died within days.
Jones is a registered Republican who appeared at the 1988 Republican Convention and sang the National Anthem. She also sang at the 2003 lighting of the National Christmas Tree in Washington, D.C., at President George W. Bush's request.
Jones and Shaun Cassidy are the only mother and son to each have a song reach number one on the Billboard Charts. Jones hit #1 with The Partridges' "I Think I Love You" in 1970 (sung with stepson David Cassidy). Shaun followed that in 1977 with "Da Do Ron Ron."
On the evening of December 11, 1976, after Jones had refused an offer of reconciliation from Jack Cassidy, she received news that her ex-husband's penthouse apartment was in flames. Apparently, the fire started from his lit cigarette while he was falling asleep on the couch. The next morning, the firefighters found Cassidy's dead body inside.
In 1979, the National Enquirer ran a story about Jones's consumption of alcoholic beverages and her husband's erratic behavior. Together they filed a $20 million lawsuit that dragged on until 1984 when the Enquirer agreed to a retraction and an out-of-court settlement.
Jones and Ingels wrote an autobiography based on their quirky relationship/marriage, Shirley & Marty: An Unlikely Love Story (Morrow, 1990, co-written with Mickey Herskowitz).
Jones is a vegetarian.
Filmography
* Oklahoma! (1955)
* Carousel (1956)
* April Love (1957)
* Never Steal Anything Small (1959)
* Bobbikins (1959)
* Elmer Gantry (1960)
* Pepe (1960)
* Two Rode Together (1961)
* The Music Man (1962)
* The Courtship of Eddie's Father (1963)
* A Ticklish Affair (1963)
* Dark Purpose (1964)
* Bedtime Story (1964)
* Fluffy (1965)
* The Secret of My Success (1965)
* The Gulf (1969)
* The Happy Ending (1969)
* Oddly Coupled (1970)
* The Cheyenne Social Club (1970)
* Beyond the Poseidon Adventure (1979)
* Black Devil Doll From Hell (1984)
* Tank (1984)
* Jack L. Warner: The Last Mogul (1993) (documentary)
* Cops n Roberts (1995)
* This Is My Father (1998) (documentary)
* Gideon (1999)
* The Adventures of Cinderella's Daughter (2000)
* Ping! (2000)
* Shriek If You Know What I Did Last Friday the Thirteenth (2000)
* Manna from Heaven (2002)
* The Creature of the Sunny Side Up Trailer Park (2004)
* Raising Genius (2004)
* Grandma's Boy (2006)
* Christmas Is Here Again (2007) (voice)
Television work
* Out of the Blue (1968) (unsold pilot)
* Silent Night, Lonely Night (1969)
* The Partridge Family (1970-1974)
* The Girls of Huntington House (1973)
* The Family Nobody Wanted (1975)
* Winner Take All (1975)
* The Lives of Jenny Dolan (1975)
* Yesterday's Child (1977)
* Evening in Byzantium (1978)
* Who'll Save Our Children? (1978)
* A Last Cry for Help (1979)
* Shirley (1979-1980)
* The Children of An Lac (1980)
* Inmates: A Love Story (1981)
* The Adventures of Pollyanna (1982)
* Hotel (1983) (pilot for series)
* Charlie (1989) (unsold pilot)
* Dog's Best Friend (1997)
* That '70s Show (2000) (cameo)
* Hidden Places (2006)
* Monarch Cove (2006)
* Days of our Lives (2008)
* Ruby & The Rockits (2009)
Stage work
* South Pacific (1953) (Broadway, ensemble role)
* Me and Juliet (1954) (Chicago)
* Oklahoma! (1956) (European tour with Jack Cassidy)
* The Beggar's Opera (1957) (with Jack Cassidy)
* Wish You Were Here! (1959) (Dallas State Fair Theater with Jack Cassidy)
* The Sound of Music (1966) (Regional - various)
* Maggie Flynn (1967) (Broadway with Jack Cassidy)
* Wait Until Dark (1967) (with Jack Cassidy)
* The Marriage Band (1972) (with Jack Cassidy)
* On a Clear Day You Can See Forever (1974)
* Show Boat (1976)
* The Sound of Music (1977)
* Bitter Sweet (1982)
* Love Letters (1994) (with Marty Ingels)
* The King & I (1994)
* Love Letters (1995) (with Marty Ingels)
* 42nd Street (2004) (Broadway with Patrick Cassidy)
* Carousel (2005)
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I saw some of the musicals films she was in back in the day. She was good.
But I will always remember her as Shirley Partridge.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: CatwomanofV on 03/31/10 at 10:56 am
I saw some of the musicals films she was in back in the day. She was good.
But I will always remember her as Shirley Partridge.
She wasn't good. She was OUTSTANDING!!! But yeah, she will always be Shirley Partridge. ;)
I am serious, and don't call me Shirley.
Cat
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Frank on 03/31/10 at 10:56 am
As I was reading the paper this morning (specifically, reading the horoscope and realizing that today was March 31) I KNEW that Shirley Jones was going to be the Person of the Day (well, it was a toss up between her & William Daniels). No, the paper didn't say who's birthday it is today, I just know both of them have birthdays today. How? I knew SJ because as a kid, I had THIS album.
http://greg-willis.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/09/partridge-family.jpg
Cat
That album ( I think ) had "That'l be the day, "Doesn't someone want to be wanted" and "I'll meet you halfway" two (female sisters) friends of mine played that album, and their 1st one, and "Sound magazine" to death
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: CatwomanofV on 03/31/10 at 11:26 am
That album ( I think ) had "That'l be the day, "Doesn't someone want to be wanted" and "I'll meet you halfway" two (female sisters) friends of mine played that album, and their 1st one, and "Sound magazine" to death
I think I had all of them except the first one. (My sister had that one). Sound Magazine was my favorite.
This was my favorite:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57KcdDNDN98
Man, listening to that brings me back to another place, another time.
Cat
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 03/31/10 at 3:33 pm
I think I had all of them except the first one. (My sister had that one). Sound Magazine was my favorite.
This was my favorite:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57KcdDNDN98
Man, listening to that brings me back to another place, another time.
Cat
Great song :).. I love their songs, once in a while i'll get on YouTube and play a few.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 03/31/10 at 3:36 pm
As I was reading the paper this morning (specifically, reading the horoscope and realizing that today was March 31) I KNEW that Shirley Jones was going to be the Person of the Day (well, it was a toss up between her & William Daniels). No, the paper didn't say who's birthday it is today, I just know both of them have birthdays today. How? I knew SJ because as a kid, I had THIS album.
http://greg-willis.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/09/partridge-family.jpg
The reason I know William Daniels because I think he is a terrific actor and stars in one of my absolute favorite movies of ALL time: 1776. So I did a little research on him and his birthday stuck in my head. (Yeah, I have a memory for dates.)
Cat
I missed William's name so my 2nd choice would have been Christopher Walken or Richard Chamberlain
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Frank on 03/31/10 at 4:04 pm
I think I had all of them except the first one. (My sister had that one). Sound Magazine was my favorite.
This was my favorite:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57KcdDNDN98
Man, listening to that brings me back to another place, another time.
Cat
Good song. I like it too. Yes, another place, another time, almost seems like a dream ( just about 40 years ago...)
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: gibbo on 03/31/10 at 4:20 pm
Shirley Jones....I liked everything she ever did! ::) Patridge Family is showing on our free-to-air digital tv station. I watch it on Sunday afdternoon (right before the original Charlie's Angels).... :)
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: CatwomanofV on 03/31/10 at 4:29 pm
Good song. I like it too. Yes, another place, another time, almost seems like a dream ( just about 40 years ago...)
40 years? Nope, I refused to believe that. It was only something like 5 years ago or so-right?
Cat
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Frank on 03/31/10 at 4:33 pm
40 years? Nope, I refused to believe that. It was only something like 5 years ago or so-right?
Cat
Umm...yeah....and the Partridge family is still on TV on ABC friday nights along with the Brady Bunch.
I can't wait for the American bi-centennial celebrations...can you?
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: CatwomanofV on 03/31/10 at 4:59 pm
Umm...yeah....and the Partridge family is still on TV on ABC friday nights along with the Brady Bunch.
I can't wait for the American bi-centennial celebrations...can you?
200 years ago today...
;D ;D ;D
Cat
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Howard on 03/31/10 at 7:00 pm
Umm...yeah....and the Partridge family is still on TV on ABC friday nights along with the Brady Bunch.
I can't wait for the American bi-centennial celebrations...can you?
and TVLand too.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/01/10 at 5:15 am
The word of the day...Gazebo
A gazebo is a small building with open sides. Gazebos are often put up in gardens so that people can sit in them to enjoy the view.
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Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/01/10 at 5:19 am
The person born on this day...Debbie Reynolds
Debbie Reynolds (born Mary Frances Reynolds; April 1, 1932) is an American actress, singer, and dancer. She is also a collector of movie memorabilia. Reynolds was also an MGM contract star. Reynolds was born in El Paso, Texas, the second child of Maxine N. (née Harmon; 1913–1999) and Raymond Francis Reynolds (1903–1986), who was a carpenter for the Southern Pacific Railroad. Reynolds was a Girl Scout and a troop leader (a scholarship in her name is offered to high-school age Girl Scouts). Her family moved to Burbank, California, in 1939, and she was raised in a strict Nazarene faith. At age 16, while a student at Burbank's John Burroughs High School, Reynolds won the Miss Burbank Beauty Contest, a contract with Warner Brothers, and acquired her new first name.
Career
(from left) Barbara Ruick, Bob Fosse, Reynolds and Bobby Van in The Affairs of Dobie Gillis (1953).
Debbie Reynolds regularly appeared in movie musicals during the 1950s and had several hit records during the period. Her song "Aba Daba Honeymoon" (featured in the 1950 film Two Weeks with Love as a duet with Carleton Carpenter) was a top-three hit in 1951. Her most high-profile film role was in Singin' in the Rain (1952) as Kathy Selden. In Bundle of Joy (1956) she appeared with her then-husband, Eddie Fisher.
Her recording of the song "Tammy" (from her 1957 film Tammy and the Bachelor) earned her a gold record, and was the best-selling single by a female vocalist in 1957. It was number one for five weeks on the Billboard pop charts. In the movie (the first of the Tammy film series) she co-starred with Leslie Nielsen.
In 1959 Reynolds recorded her first album for Dot Records, simply called Debbie, which included her own selection of 12 standards including "S’posin'", "Moonglow", "Mean To Me" and "Time After Time". Bing Crosby paid tribute to Reynolds in the sleeve notes accompanying the album thus:
“ Someone recently said, and with reasonable accuracy I would think, that good singers make good actors. Evidence in support of this belief is available in the recent performances of Sinatra and Martin, for instance, but I would like to put forth also the proposition that the reverse is quite true: good actors make good singers. Assuming they can carry a tune. We all know that Debbie is better than a good actress — she’s VERY good, and we all know she can sing with a lilt and a listenable quality that’s genuinely pleasant and agreeable. Witness “Tammy”. It was small surprise to me then that when I listened to this beautiful album she has etched for Dot, I found myself captivated and enchanted. Quite obviously Debbie had spent a great deal of time selecting the songs to be included, because she’s made them her own, and invested them with a sincerity that’s inescapable — of contrasting moods to be sure, but the moods are there, and to me, mighty effective. And that, mes amis, is artistry. ”
Reynolds also scored two other top-25 Billboard hits with "A Very Special Love" (1958) and "Am I That Easy to Forget" (1960) — a pop-music version of a country-music hit made famous by both songwriters Carl Belew (in 1959), Skeeter Davis (in 1960), and several years later by singer Engelbert Humperdinck. During these years she also headlined in major Las Vegas, showrooms.
Marquee listing Reynolds's world premiere at the Riviera Hotel, Las Vegas, December 1962.
Her starring role in The Unsinkable Molly Brown (1964) led to a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress. She then portrayed Jeanine Deckers in The Singing Nun (1966).
In what Reynolds has called the "stupidest mistake of my entire career", she made headlines in 1970 after instigating a fight with the NBC television network over cigarette advertising on her eponymous television series; NBC cancelled the show.
She continues to make appearances in film and television. From 1999 to its 2006 series finale, she played Grace Adler's ditzy mother Bobbi on the NBC sitcom Will & Grace (1998–2006), which earned her a Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series in 2000. She also plays a recurring role in the Disney Channel Original Movie Halloweentown film series as Aggie Cromwell. Reynolds made a guest appearance as a presenter at the 69th Academy Awards in 1997.
Reynolds has released several albums of both her vintage performances and her later recordings.
Awards and nominations
Reynolds won the National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in The Catered Affair (1956).
She has received various nominations for awards including: an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for The Unsinkable Molly Brown (1964), a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy for The Debbie Reynolds Show (1970), a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for Mother (1996) and a Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series, for her role of Bobbi Adler in the sitcom Will & Grace (2000). In 1996 and 1997, she received the Lifetime Achievement Award in Comedy, in the American Comedy Awards.
Her foot and hand prints are preserved at the Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California. She also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6654 Hollywood Boulevard.
In November 2006, Reynolds received the "Lifetime Achievement Award" from Chapman University (Orange, California). On May 17, 2007, she was awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters from the University of Nevada, Reno, (Reno, Nevada) where she had contributed for many years to the film-studies program. In her acceptance speech, she referred to the University as "Nevahda...Arizona".
Personal life
Reynolds has been married three times. She and Eddie Fisher were married in 1955. They are the parents of Carrie Fisher and Todd Fisher. A public scandal ensued when Fisher and Elizabeth Taylor fell in love, and Reynolds and Fisher were divorced in 1959. Her second marriage, to millionaire businessman Harry Karl, lasted from 1960 to 1973. At its end, she found herself in financial difficulty because of Karl's gambling and bad investments. (Under the community-property laws of California, both spouses in a marriage are legally responsible for debts incurred by either.) Reynolds was married to real-estate developer Richard Hamlett from 1984 to 1996. They purchased Greek Isles Hotel & Casino, a small hotel and casino in Las Vegas, but it was not a success. In 1997, Reynolds was forced to declare bankruptcy.
Reynolds has been active in the Thalians Club, a charitable organization.
She has amassed a large collection of movie memorabilia and displayed them, first in a museum at her Las Vegas hotel and casino during the 1990s and later in a museum close to the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles. On several occasions she has auctioned off items from the collection. The collection will re-open in the Gatlinburg, Tennessee, area in the future.
She resides in Los Angeles next door to her daughter Carrie.
Filmography
Features:
* June Bride (1948)
* The Daughter of Rosie O'Grady (1950)
* Three Little Words (1950)
* Two Weeks with Love (1950)
* Mr. Imperium (1951)
* Singin' in the Rain (1952)
* Skirts Ahoy! (1952)
* I Love Melvin (1953)
* The Affairs of Dobie Gillis (1953)
* Give a Girl a Break (1954)
* Susan Slept Here (1954)
* Athena (1954)
* Hit the Deck (1955)
* The Tender Trap (1955)
* Meet Me in Las Vegas (1956)
* The Catered Affair (1956)
* Bundle of Joy (1956)
* Tammy and the Bachelor (1957)
* This Happy Feeling (1958)
* The Mating Game (1959)
* Say One for Me (1959)
* It Started with a Kiss (1959)
* The Gazebo (1959)
* The Rat Race (1960)
* Pepe (1960)
* The Pleasure of His Company (1961)
* The Second Time Around (1961)
* How the West Was Won (1962)
* Mary, Mary (1963)
* My Six Loves (1963)
* The Unsinkable Molly Brown (1964)
* Goodbye Charlie (1964)
* The Singing Nun (1966)
* Divorce American Style (1967)
* How Sweet It Is! (1968)
* What's the Matter with Helen? (1971)
* Charlotte's Web (1973) (voice)
* Busby Berkeley (1974) (documentary)
* That's Entertainment! (1974)
* Kiki's Delivery Service (1989) (voice in 1998 English dub)
* The Bodyguard (1992)
* Jack L. Warner: The Last Mogul (1993) (documentary)
* Heaven & Earth (1993)
* That's Entertainment! III (1994)
* Mother (1996)
* Wedding Bell Blues (1996)
* In & Out (1997)
* Halloweentown (1998)
* Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)
* Zack and Reba (1998)
* Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Movie (1998) (voice)
* Keepers of the Frame (1999) (documentary)
* Rugrats in Paris: The Movie (2000) (voice)
* Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge (2001)
* Cinerama Adventure (2002) (documentary)
* Connie and Carla (2004)
* Halloweentown High (2004)
* Return to Halloweentown (2006)
* Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project (2007) (documentary)
* The Jill & Tony Curtis Story (2008) (documentary)
* Blaze of Glory (film) (2008) (voice)
* The Brothers Warner (2008) (documentary)
* Fay Wray: A Life (2008) (documentary)
* Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age (2009) (documentary)
Short subjects:
* A Visit with Debbie Reynolds (1959)
* The Story of a Dress (1964)
Television work
* The Eddie Fisher Show (recurring guest star from 1957–1959)
* A Date with Debbie (1960)
* Go!!! (1967)
* ...And Debbie Makes Six (1968)
* The Debbie Reynolds Show (1969–1970)
* Debbie Reynolds and the Sound of Children (1969)
* Aloha Paradise (1981) (canceled after seven episodes)
* Sadie and Son (1987)
* Perry Mason: The Case of the Musical Murder (1989)
* Movie Memories with Debbie Reynolds (1991–1992)
* Battling for Baby (1992)
* Wings (1994)
* Roseanne (1997)..."Arsenic and Old Mom" as Audrey Conner
* Halloweentown (1998)
* The Christmas Wish (1998)
* Will & Grace (recurring cast member from 1999–2006)
* A Gift of Love: The Daniel Huffman Story (1999)
* Virtual Mom (2000)
* These Old Broads (2001)
* Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge (2001)
* Generation Gap (2002) (unsold pilot)
* Tracey Ullman in the Trailer Tales (2003)
* Kim Possible (recurring cast member from (2003–2007) (voice)
* Pryor Offenses (2004)
* Halloweentown High (2004)
* Lolo's Cafe (2006) (voice)
* Return to Halloweentown (2006)
* Secret Talents of the Stars (2008) (canceled after one episode)
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Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/01/10 at 5:26 am
The person who died on this day... Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. (April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984), better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and instrumentalist with a three-octave vocal range. Starting as a member of the doo-wop group The Moonglows in the late fifties, he ventured into a solo career after the group disbanded in 1960 signing with the Tamla subsidiary of Motown Records. After starting off as a session drummer, Gaye ranked as the label's top-selling solo artist during the sixties.
Due to solo hits including "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)", "Ain't That Peculiar", "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" and his duet singles with singers such as Mary Wells and Tammi Terrell, he was crowned "The Prince of Motown" and "The Prince of Soul".
Notable for fighting the hit-making but restrictive Motown process in which performers and songwriters and producers were kept separate, Gaye proved with albums like his 1971 What's Going On and his 1973 Let's Get It On that he was able to produce music without relying on the system, inspiring fellow Motown artists such as Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson to do the same.
His mid-1970s work including the Let's Get It On and I Want You albums helped influence the quiet storm, urban adult contemporary and slow jam genres. After a self-imposed European exile in the early eighties, Gaye returned on the 1982 Grammy-winning hit, "Sexual Healing" and the Midnight Love album before his death. Gaye was shot dead by his father on April 1, 1984. He was posthumously inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.
In 2008, the American music magazine Rolling Stone ranked Gaye #6 on its list of The Greatest Singers of All Time, and ranked #18 on 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.
Motown started Artist Development to look after artists. Gaye rebelled against receiving the same tuition as his Motown peers, though he'd later regretted that decision. Eventually he stopped "grooming school" though he took its director Maxine Powell's advice to not perform with his eyes closed as if "to appear that he wasn't asleep".
In June 1961, Gaye issued his first solo recording, The Soulful Moods of Marvin Gaye, the second album by Motown. The record featured Broadway standards and jazz-rendered show tunes, and also yielded the R&B ballad single, "Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide". The record failed. Gaye released two more failed singles, a cover of The Chordettes' "Sandman" and "Soldier's Plea" in 1962. Gaye would find his first success as a co-songwriter on the Marvelettes' 1962 hit, "Beechwood 4-5789".
Gaye scored his first hit single "Stubborn Kind of Fellow" in September. The song, co-written by Gaye, was an autobiographical pun on his nonchalant, moody behavior. Produced by William "Mickey" Stevenson with background vocals supplied by Martha & The Vandellas, the recording became a hit on the Hot R&B Songs chart.
The single would be followed by his first Top 40 singles "Hitch Hike", "Pride and Joy" and "Can I Get a Witness", which charted for Gaye in 1963. The success continued with the 1964 singles "You Are a Wonderful One", "Try It Baby", "Baby Don't You Do It" and "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)", which became his first signature song.
Gaye contributed to writing and playing drums on the 1964 hit by Martha and the Vandellas, "Dancing in the Street". His work with Smokey Robinson on the 1966 album, Moods of Marvin Gaye, spawned consecutive top ten singles in "I'll Be Doggone" and "Ain't That Peculiar". Due to this success and the singer's well-crafted image, Gaye became a favorite on the teen shows American Bandstand, Shindig!, Hullaballoo and The T.A.M.I. Show. In August 1966, he became just the second Motown act to successfully perform at the Copacabana, though due to label friction, a live album cut from the performances set to be released in 1967 was shelved for nearly 40 years.
A screenshot of a 1967 performance by Gaye and Terrell during taping of the Mike Douglas Show.
Tammi Terrell and I Heard It Through the Grapevine: 1967–1970
Main articles: Tammi Terrell and I Heard It Through the Grapevine
A number of Gaye's hits for Motown were with female artists such as Kim Weston and Mary Wells; the first Gaye/Wells album, 1964's Together, was Gaye's first charting album. However, it was Gaye's work with Tammi Terrell that became the most memorable. Terrell and Gaye were a good standing duet at the time and their first album, 1967's United, birthed the hits "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" and "Your Precious Love".
Real-life couple Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson provided the writing and production for the Gaye/Terrell records. While Gaye and Terrell were not lovers — though rumors persist — they portrayed lovers on record. Gaye claimed that for the songs he was in love with her. On October 14, 1967, while in concert at the homecoming for Hampden-Sydney College, Virginia, outside the college town of Farmville, Tammi Terrell collapsed in Gaye's arms. She was rushed to Southside Community Hospital, where she was later diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. Contrary to popular belief, the concert was not at Hampton University. The chairperson of the event recounted the events on WFLO FM radio in Farmville in April 2007 for the anniversary of Marvin's passing.
Motown decided to carry on with Gaye/Terrell recordings, issuing the You're All I Need album in 1968, which featured "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" and "You're All I Need to Get By". By the final album, Easy in 1969, Terrell's vocals were mostly by Valerie Simpson. Two tracks on Easy were archived Terrell solo songs with Gaye's vocals overdubbed.
Terrell's illness put Gaye in a depression; he refused to acknowledge the success of his song "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" (About this sound sample (help·info)), released in 1967 by Gladys Knight & The Pips (his was recorded before, but released after theirs), his first #1 hit and the biggest selling single in Motown history to that point, with four million copies sold. His work with producer Norman Whitfield, who produced "Grapevine", resulted in similar success with the singles "Too Busy Thinking About My Baby" and "That's the Way Love Is". Meanwhile, Gaye's marriage was crumbling and he was bored with his music. Wanting creative control, he sought to produce singles for Motown session band The Originals, whose Gaye- produced hits, "Baby I'm For Real" and "The Bells", brought success.
What's Going On: 1970–72
Main article: What's Going On
Tammi Terrell died of a brain tumor on March 16, 1970. Gaye was so emotional at her funeral that he talked to her lying in state as if she were going to respond. He went into seclusion and did not perform in concert for nearly two years. Gaye told friends he had thought of quitting music, at one point trying out for the Detroit Lions (where he met acquaintances Mel Farr and Lem Barney), but after the success of his productions with the Originals, Gaye entered the studio on June 1, 1970 and recorded "What's Going On", "God Is Love", and "Sad Tomorrows" - an early version of "Flying High (In The Friendly Sky)". Gaye wanted to release "What's Going On", but Gordy refused, calling the single "the worst record I ever heard". Gaye threatened to leave Motown unless the record was released. Gordy eventually relented and the song was released with little publicity in January 1971. Despite no backing from Motown, the single became a hit, peaking at number-one on the Billboard R&B charts for five weeks. It is also rated the fourth best song of all time by Rolling Stone. After the single's success, Gordy requested an entire album of similar tracks.
Gaye performing live at the Oakland Coliseum during his 1973-1974 tour
The What's Going On album became one of the highlights of Gaye's career and is his best-known work. Both in terms of its funk and jazz-influenced sound and personal lyrical content, it was a departure from his earlier Motown work. Two more of its singles, "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" and "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)", became Top 10 pop hits and #1 R&B hits. The album became one of the most memorable soul albums and, based upon its themes, the concept album became the frontier for soul music. It has been called "the most important and passionate record to come out of soul music, delivered by one of its finest voices".
Let's Get It On and continued success in music: 1972–77
Main articles: Let's Get It On and I Want You (album)
After the release of What's Going On, Motown renegotiated a contract with Gaye that allowed him creative control. The deal was worth $1 million, making Gaye the highest-earning black artist. He moved from Detroit to Los Angeles in 1972 after being offered a chance to write the score to a blaxploitation film. Writing, arranging and producing the movie Trouble Man, Gaye issued the soundtrack and title song in 1972. The soundtrack and single became hits, the single peaking at the top ten in early 1973.
Gaye decided to switch from social to sensual with Let's Get It On in 1973. The album was a departure for its sensual appeal. Yielded by the title track (About this sound sample (help·info)) and tracks such as "Come Get to This", "You Sure Love to Ball", and "Distant Lover", Let's Get It On became Gaye's biggest selling album during his lifetime, surpassing What's Going On. Also, with the title track, Gaye broke his own record at Motown by surpassing the sales of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine". The album would be hailed "a record unparalleled in its sheer sensuality and carnal energy."
Gaye began working on his final duet album, this time with Diana Ross for the Diana & Marvin project, an album of duets that began recording in 1972, while Ross was pregnant with her second child, Tracee Ellis Ross. Gaye refused to sing if he couldn't smoke in the studio, so the album was recorded by overdubbing Ross and Gaye at separate sessions. Released in fall 1973, the album yielded the US Top 20 hit singles "You're a Special Part of Me and "My Mistake (Was to Love You)" as well as the UK versions of The Stylistics's "You Are Everything" at #5 and "Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart)" at #25, respectively.
In 1976, Gaye released the I Want You LP, which yielded the title track as the number-one R&B single, and the modest charter, "After the Dance." Album tracks such as "Since I Had You" and "Soon I'll Be Loving You Again" geared Gaye towards more funky material. The following year, Gaye released the funk single, "Got to Give It Up, Pt. 1", which became a simultaneous number-one US hit. The single was featured on his Live at the London Palladium album, which partially helped in the album selling over two million copies, becoming one of the top-selling albums of that year. During the same period, Gaye was honored by the United Nations for his charitable work.
Here, My Dear and his final days at Motown: 1978–1981
Main article: Here, My Dear
Gaye performs at the London Palladium in 1977
The following year, shortly after divorcing his wife, Anna, he agreed to remit a portion of his salary and sales of his upcoming album as alimony. The result was 1978's Here, My Dear, which addressed the sour points of his marriage and almost led to Anna filing a lawsuit for invasion of privacy. That album went nowhere and Gaye struggled. By 1979, besieged by tax problems and drug addictions, Gaye filed for bankruptcy and moved to Hawaii, where he lived in a bread van and began working on his follow-up to Here, My Dear, titled In Our Lifetime?.
In 1980, he signed with British promoter Jeffrey Kruger to headline a European tour with stops at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland and performances in Amsterdam and England. While in London, Gaye was to headline a Command Performance at the Royal Gala Charity Show for Princess Margaret but the singer showed up seven hours late with Princess Margaret leaving halfway through the concert. While in London, he continued work on Lifetime with a rough draft completed by the fall of the year. When Motown issued the album in January 1981, Gaye accused Motown of editing and remixing the album without his consent, releasing an unfinished song ("Far Cry"), altering the album art he requested and removing the question mark from the title, muting its irony. Afterwards, Gaye vowed never to record another project for Motown Records.
Comeback and sudden death: 1982–84
Main articles: Midnight Love, Sexual Healing, and Death of Marvin Gaye
On the advice of Belgian concert promoter Freddy Cousaert, Gaye moved to Ostend, Belgium, in early 1981 where he enjoyed a brief period of sobriety from drug abuse. Still upset over Motown's decision to release In Our Lifetime, he negotiated a release from the label and signed with Columbia Records in 1982, releasing the Midnight Love album late that year. The album included "Sexual Healing" (About this sound sample (help·info)), which was Gaye's last hit. He wrote it during his 2 month stay in the village Moere, near Ostend. Gaye's friend and lawyer Curtis Shaw calls this Moere-period "the best thing that ever happened to Marvin". The video clip of "Sexual Healing" is recorded in the Casino-Kursaal in Ostend.
The single reached number one on Billboard's R&B chart, where it stayed for ten weeks, later crossing to number three on Billboard's Hot 100. The single sold two million copies in the U.S. earning a platinum certification. The song also gave Gaye his first two Grammy Awards (Best R&B Male Vocal Performance, Best R&B Instrumental) in February 1983. It was nominated for Best R&B Song but lost to George Benson's "Turn Your Love Around".
The following year, he was nominated for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance again, this time for the Midnight Love album. In February 1983, Gaye performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" at the NBA All-Star Game, held at The Forum in Inglewood, California, accompanied by Gordon Banks who played the studio tape from stands.. In March 1983, he gave his final performance in front of his old mentor Berry Gordy and the Motown label for Motown 25, performing "What's Going On". He then embarked on a U.S. tour to support his album. The tour, ending in August 1983, was plagued by health problems and Gaye's bouts with depression, and fear over an attempt on his life.
When the tour ended, he isolated himself by moving into his parents' house. He threatened to commit suicide several times after bitter arguments with his father. On April 1, 1984, Gaye's father fatally shot him after an argument that started after his parents squabbled over misplaced business documents. Gaye attempted to intervene, and was killed by his father using a gun that Marvin Jr. had given him four months before. Marvin Gaye would have turned 45 the next day. Marvin Sr. was sentenced to five years of probation after pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter. Charges of first-degree murder were dropped after it was revealed that Marvin Sr. had been beaten by Marvin Jr. before the killing. Doctors discovered Marvin Sr. had a brain tumor but was deemed fit for trial. Spending his final years in a retirement home, he died of pneumonia in 1998.
In 1987, Marvin Gaye Jr. was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He was also inducted to Hollywood's Rock Walk in 1989 and was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1990.
In 2005, Marvin Gaye Jr. was inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame. In 2007, two of Gaye's most important recordings, "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" and "What's Going On", were voted Legendary Michigan Songs.
Discography
Main article: Marvin Gaye discography
Top Ten albums
* 1971: What's Going On (#6 U.S.)
* 1973: Let's Get It On (#2 U.S.)
* 1973: Diana & Marvin (#5 UK)
* 1974: Marvin Gaye Live! (#8 U.S.)
* 1976: I Want You (#4 U.S.)
* 1977: Live at the London Palladium (#3 U.S.)
* 1978: Here, My Dear
* 1981: In Our Lifetime
* 1982: Midnight Love (#7 U.S.; #10 UK)
* 2000: Marvin Gaye: The Love Songs (#8 UK)
U.S. and UK Top Ten singles
* 1963: "Pride and Joy" (US #10)
* 1964: "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)" (US #6)
* 1965: "I'll Be Doggone" (US #8)
* 1965: "Ain't That Peculiar" (US #8)
* 1967: "Your Precious Love" (US #5)
* 1967: "If I Could Build My Whole World Around You" (US #10)
* 1968: "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" (US #8)
* 1968: "You're All I Need to Get By" (US #7)
* 1968: "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" (US #1; UK #1)
* 1969: "Too Busy Thinking About My Baby" (US #4; UK #5)
* 1969: "The Onion Song" (UK #9)
* 1969: "That's The Way Love Is" (US #7)
* 1970: "Abraham, Martin & John" (UK #9)
* 1971: "What's Going On" (US #2)
* 1971: "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" (US #4)
* 1971: "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)" (US #9)
* 1972: "Trouble Man" (US #7)
* 1973: "Let's Get It On" (US #1)
* 1974: "You Are Everything" (UK #5)
* 1977: "Got to Give It Up" (US #1; UK #7)
* 1982: "Sexual Healing" (US #3; UK #4)
* 1985: "Sanctified Lady" (US #2; US R&B singles chart)
* 1986: "I Heard It Through the Grapevine (UK-only re-release)" (UK #8)
Filmography
* 1965: The T.A.M.I. Show (documentary)
* 1969: The Ballad of Andy Crocker (television movie)
* 1971: Chrome & Hot Leather (television movie)
* 1972: Trouble Man (cameo; soundtrack)
* 1973: Save the Children (documentary)
Videos and DVDs
* The Real Thing: In Performance (1964-1981) Motown/Universal 2006
Marvin Gaye in popular culture
* In "Smooth Operator" by Big Daddy Kane, he refers to Marvin Gaye's Let's Get it On on the third verse saying "...so just play Marvin Gaye and let's get it on."
* In "Keep Ya Head Up" by 2Pac, the lyrics in the second verse of the song are "I remember Marvin Gaye used to sing to me, he had me feelin' like black was the thing to be." He is also mentioned in "Thugz Mansion" as being in Tupacs heaven: "Seen a show with Marvin Gaye last night, it had me shook."
* In Stephen King's novel The Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands, Jake's father has a Marvin Gaye poster hanging in his study.
* In 1997, R&B singer Aaliyah did a cover to Marvin Gaye's "Got To Give It Up" which featured Slick Rick.
* In the song "Hörst Du mich?" by German Hip Hop band Fettes Brot, the first verse is dedicated to Marvin Gaye.
* Spandau Ballet's 1983 breakthrough single "True" (written by Martin Kemp) features the line "Listening to Marvin all night long / This is the sound of my soul".
* In the song "In the Mood" by The Whispers, some of the lyrics in the first verse goes "how about some Marvin Gaye? Feel like some "Sexual Healing"..."
* Rapper Erick Sermon's song "Music" off of the What's the Worst That Could Happen? soundtrack in 2001 starring Martin Lawrence and Danny DeVito samples Marvin's "I've Got My Music".
* During the 2008 Summer Olympics, Nike ran ads focused on the United States' Men's Basketball Team featuring Marvin Gaye's 1983 performance of "The Star-Spangled Banner" during the NBA All-Star Game. The reasoning being that the team found inspiration in the way Marvin Gaye performed the song.
* R&B group Day 26's song entitled "Come With Me" features the line: "Lonely at the crib/had to get up and search for me a honeydip/listening to Sexual Healing".
* The Prefab Sprout song "When the angels" from their 1985 album "Steve McQueen" was inspired by the death of Marvin Gaye.
* R&B Trio H-Town's debut single "Knockin' Boots" features the line of "Listening to some Marvin Gaye all night long" on their 1993 debut album Fever for Da Flavor.
* Rapper Nas on The Tavis Smiley Show says "So It's Like Marvin Gaye" was aired on November 15, 2004.
* The song entitled 'Dreamworld' on Robin Thicke's third album contains a reference to Marvin Gaye, 'I would say Marvin Gaye, your father didn't want you to die.'
* Indie rock outfit Low mentions Gaye in their song "In the Drugs": "nd I closed my eyes like Marvin Gaye, but now I've had enough."
* Eazy E mentions Gaye in the song "8 ball":"Put in the old tape Marvin Gaye's greatest hits Turn the sheesh up had the bass cold whomping Cruising through the east side south of Compton."
* Rapper The Game mentions Marvin Gaye in the song "Dreams": "Head in the clouds, wonderin' where the hell Marvin Gaye went"
* Pimp C in the song "Get My Money" mentions him in the intro: "I'ma step up to this mic like Marvin Gaye", and then in the very next song on the album, "Young Prostitute", again in the intro he says: "Marvin Gaye, like Marvin Gaye, bitch".
* Jamie Foxx in the song Slow Jamz feat. Twista and Kanye West, Jamie mentions " She say she wants some Marvin Gaye, some Luther Vandross, alil Anita, definitely set this party off right."
* In the Ghostface Killah album Fishscale, the song Jellyfish feat. Cappadonna and Trife contains the line, 'She got body like whats going on/Or some Marvin Gaye **** like lets get it on'
* On B Dolan's 2010 album, entitled Fallen House Sunken City (Strange Famous Records) 'Marvin' is a poem about the last days of Marvin Gaye.
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Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Howard on 04/01/10 at 6:57 am
Sexual Healing was my favorite video. :)
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/01/10 at 7:15 am
Sexual Healing was my favorite video. :)
It's a great song :)
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Frank on 04/01/10 at 2:44 pm
When I read through "word of the day" quickly, I thought the word was gibbo, not gazebo.That's a close one.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Howard on 04/01/10 at 7:36 pm
It's a great song :)
and What's Going On.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Philip Eno on 04/02/10 at 12:33 am
The word of the day...Carousel
At an airport, a carousel is a moving surface from which passengers can collect their luggage.
A carousel is a large circular machine with seats, often in the shape of animals or cars. People can sit on it and go round and round for fun.
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Great musical!
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/02/10 at 5:24 am
Great musical!
Yes it is. :)
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/02/10 at 5:29 am
The word of the day...Kindergarten
A kindergarten is an informal kind of school for very young children, where they learn things by playing.
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Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/02/10 at 5:32 am
The person born on this day...Linda Hunt
Linda Hunt (born April 2, 1945) is an American film, stage and television actress. She is perhaps best known for her Academy Award-winning role in 1982's The Year of Living Dangerously. She is currently portraying the role of Henrietta "Hetty" Lange, Office of Special Projects Operations Manager on the CBS Television series NCIS: Los Angeles. Linda Hunt was born in Morristown, New Jersey and raised in Westport, Connecticut, one of the two daughters of Raymond Davy Hunt, vice president of Harper Fuel Oil on Long Island and Elsie Doying Hunt, a piano teacher who taught at the Westport School of Music and accompanied the Saugatuck Congregational Church choir. Linda Hunt attended the prestigious Interlochen Arts Academy. She has a sister, Marcia.
Career
Hunt's film debut in 1980 was in Robert Altman's musical comedy Popeye. Two years later, she co-starred as Billy Kwan in The Year of Living Dangerously, Peter Weir's film adaptation of the novel of the same name. For her role as the male Chinese-Australian photographer, Hunt won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1983, becoming the first person to win an Oscar for playing a character of the opposite sex (also the first to win playing an Australian character). This was both cross-gender acting and yellowface.
Also a well known stage actress, Hunt has received two Obie awards and a Tony Award nomination for her theatre work. She created the role of Aunt Dan in Wallace Shawn's play Aunt Dan and Lemon. Recently, she portrayed Sister Aloysius in the Pasadena Playhouse production of John Patrick Shanley's Tony Award-winning play Doubt. Her television appearances include recurring roles as Judge Zoey Hiller on David E. Kelley's series The Practice and as Dr. Claire Bryson on Without a Trace. She has narrated several instalments of The American Experience on PBS. She now plays the role of an operations manager and supervisor on the CBS fall show NCIS: Los Angeles with Chris O'Donnell, LL Cool J and Daniela Ruah.
Voice work
Beside her acting abilities, Hunt is distinguished by her small stature (she is 4'9"/1.45 m), and her rich, resonant voice, which she has used in numerous documentaries, cartoons, and commercials. She is the on-air host for City Arts & Lectures, a radio program recorded by KQED public radio. Hunt was chosen by Walt Disney Feature Animation to lend her enigmatic speaking and singing voice to Grandmother Willow in the film Pocahontas.
Her voice work also includes the character of "Management" in Carnivàle, and the titan Gaia, who serves as the Narrator in the God of War series of video games. She narrated the introductory film at the International Spy Museum in Washington, D.C.
Personal life
Hunt has lived with her partner, Karen Kline, since 1987.
Filmography
Year Film Role Notes
1980 Popeye Mrs. Oxheart
1983 The Year of Living Dangerously Billy Kwan Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture
1984 Dune Shadout Mapes
The Bostonians Dr. Prance
1985 Eleni Katina
Silverado Stella
1987 Waiting for the Moon Alice B. Toklas
1989 She-Devil Hooper
1990 Kindergarten Cop Miss Schlowski
Carmilla Narrator
1991 If Looks Could Kill Ilsa Grunt
1992 Rain Without Thunder Atwood Society Director
1993 Younger and Younger Frances
Twenty Bucks Angeline
1994 Prêt-à-Porter Regina Krumm
1995 Pocahontas Grandmother Willow voice
1997 The Relic Dr. Ann Cuthbert
Eat Your Heart Out Kathryn
1998 Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World Grandmother Willow voice
2002 Dragonfly Sister Madeline
2005 Auschwitz—Inside the Nazi State Narrator voice
Yours, Mine and Ours Mrs. Munion
God of War Narrator VG—voice
The Great Transatlantic Cable Narrator
2006 Stranger Than Fiction Dr. Mittag-Leffler
2007 The Singing Revolution Narrator
God of War 2 Gaia/Narrator VG--voice
2008 God of War: Chains of Olympus Narrator VG--voice
2010 God of War 3 Gaia VG--voice
Selected television credits
Year Title Role Notes
1978 Fame Mona
1993 Space Rangers Commander Chenault
1997–2002 The Practice Judge Zoey Hiller 24 episodes
2003–2005 Carnivàle Management—voice 9 episodes
2006 Nature Narrator "Christmas in Yellowstone"
2007 The Unit Department of Defense Psychiatrist: Dr. Eudora Hobbs 2 episodes
2008 Without a Trace Dr. Claire Bryson: FBI Psychiatrist 3 episodes
2009-Present NCIS: Los Angeles Henrietta "Hetty" Lange Series regular
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Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/02/10 at 5:40 am
The person who died on this day...Buddy Rich
Bernard "Buddy" Rich (September 30, 1917 – April 2, 1987) was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. Rich was billed as "the world's greatest drummer" and was known for his virtuosic technique, power, groove, and speed. Rich was born in Brooklyn, New York to vaudevillians Robert and Bess Rich. His talent for rhythm was first noted by his father, who saw that Buddy could keep a steady beat with spoons at the age of one. He began playing drums in vaudeville when he was 18 months old, billed as "Traps the Drum Wonder." At the peak of Rich's childhood career, he was reportedly the second-highest paid child entertainer in the world (after Jackie Coogan). At 11 he was performing as a bandleader. He received no formal drum instruction, and went so far as to claim that instruction would only degrade his musical talent. He also never admitted to practicing, claiming to play the drums only during performances and was not known to read music. He expressed great admiration for, and was influenced by, the playing of Chick Webb, Gene Krupa, Dave Tough, and Jo Jones, among others.
Jazz career
He first played jazz with a major group in 1937 with Joe Marsala and guitarist Jack Lemaire, then played with Bunny Berigan (1938) and Artie Shaw (1939). Rich even instructed a 14-year-old Mel Brooks in drumming for a short while when playing for Shaw. At 21, Rich participated in his first major recording with the Vic Schoen Orchestra (the band that backed the Andrews Sisters). In 1938, he was also hired to play in Tommy Dorsey's orchestra where Rich met and performed with Frank Sinatra. In 1942, Rich left the Dorsey band to join the United States Marine Corps. He rejoined the Dorsey group two years later after leaving the Marines. In 1946, Rich formed his own band with financial support from Sinatra and continued to lead different groups on and off until the early fifties.
In addition to Tommy Dorsey (1939–1942, 1945, 1954–1955), Rich also played with Benny Carter (1942), Harry James (1953-1956–1962, 1964, 1965), Les Brown, Charlie Ventura, and Jazz at the Philharmonic, as well as leading his own band and performing with all-star groups. In the early fifties Rich played with Dorsey and also began to perform with trumpeter Harry James, an association which lasted until 1966. In 1966, Rich left James in order to develop a new big band. For most of the period from 1966 until his death, he led successful big bands in an era when the popularity of big bands had waned from their 1930s and 40s peak. In this later period, Rich continued to play clubs but he had stated in multiple interviews that the great majority of his big band's performances were at high schools, colleges and universities, with club performances done to a much lesser degree. Rich also served as the session drummer for many recordings, where his playing was often much more understated than in his own big-band performances. Especially notable were Rich's sessions for the late-career comeback recordings of Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, on which he worked with pianist Oscar Peterson and his famous trio featuring bassist Ray Brown and guitarist Herb Ellis.
TV "guest" appearances
In the 1950s, Rich was a frequent guest on The Steve Allen Show and other television variety shows. Beginning in 1962, Rich was also a frequent guest on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show and The Merv Griffin Show, among others. One of his most widely seen television performances was in a 1978 episode of The Muppet Show, where he engaged Muppet drummer "Animal" (played by Ronnie Verrell) in a drum battle. Rich won handily, infuriating Animal so much that he broke a drum over Rich's head.
Drumming technique and well known performances
Rich's technique has been one of the most standardized and coveted in drumming. His dexterity, speed and smooth execution are considered "holy grails" of drum technique and has been considered almost next to impossible to duplicate. While Rich typically held his sticks using traditional grip, he was also a skilled "match grip" player, and was one of few drummers to master the one-handed roll on both hands. Some of his more spectacular moves are crossover riffs, where he would criss-cross his arms from one drum to another, sometimes over the arm, and even under the arm at great speed.
He often used contrasting techniques to keep long drum solos from getting mundane. Aside from his energetic explosive displays, he would go into quieter passages. One passage he would use in most solos starts with a simple single-stroke roll on the snare picking up speed and power, then slowly moving his sticks closer to the rim as he gets quieter and then eventually playing on just the rim itself while still maintaining speed. Then he would reverse the effect and slowly move towards the center of the snare while increasing power.
Rich also demonstrated incredible skill at brush technique. On one album, Tatum Group Masterpieces No. 3 along with Lionel Hampton and Art Tatum, Rich plays brushes almost throughout.
Another technique that few drummers have been able to perfect is the stick-trick where he does a fast roll just by slapping his two sticks together in a circular motion. When performing a single-stroke roll, Rich could be clocked at up to 20 strokes per second, a feat now only being approached decades later by Mike Mangini, Jojo Mayer, Matt Smith and others.
In 1942, Rich and drum teacher Henry Adler co-authored the instructional book Buddy Rich's Modern Interpretation of Snare Drum Rudiments, regarded as one of the more popular snare-drum rudiment books written, mainly because of the Buddy Rich imprimatur.
One of Adler's former students introduced Adler to Rich. "The kid told me Buddy played better than Krupa. Buddy was only in his teens at the time and his friend was my first pupil. Buddy played and I watched his hands. Well, he knocked me right out. He did everything I wanted to do, and he did it with such ease. When I met his folks, I asked them who his teacher was. 'He never studied,' they told me. That made me feel very good. I realized that it was something physical, not only mental, that you had to have."
In a 1985 interview, Adler clarified the extent of his teacher-student relationship to Rich and their collaboration on the instructional book:
"I had nothing to do with . That was a result of Tommy Dorsey's introduction to the Buddy Rich book," Adler said. "I used to go around denying it, knowing that Buddy was a natural player. Sure, he studied with me, but he didn't come to me to learn how to hold the drumsticks. I set out to teach Buddy to read. He'd take six lessons, go on the road for six weeks and come back. He didn't have time to practice."
"Tommy Dorsey wanted Buddy to write a book and he told him to get in touch with me. I did the book and Tommy wrote the foreword. Technically, I was Buddy's teacher, but I came along after he had already acquired his technique."
When asked about Rich's ability to read music, Bobby Shew, lead trumpeter in Rich's mid-60s big band replied,
"No. He’d always have a drummer there during rehearsals to read and play the parts initially on new arrangements... He’d only have to listen to a chart once and he’d have it memorized. We'd run through it and he'd know exactly how it went, how many measures it ran and what he'd have to do to drive it. ...The guy had the most natural instincts."
The West Side Story Medley
Perhaps his most popular later performance was a big band arrangement of a medley derived from the Leonard Bernstein classic West Side Story, first released on the 1966 album Buddy Rich's Swingin' New Big Band
The West Side Story medley is considered by many as one of the most complex and difficult-to-perform big-band arrangements written. Penned by Bill Reddie, Rich received this arrangement of Leonard Bernstein's melodies from the famed musical in the mid-1960s and found it to be very challenging even for him. It consists of many rapid-fire time changes and signatures and took almost a month of constant rehearsals to perfect. It since became a staple in all his performances, clocking in at various lengths from seven to fifteen minutes. Bernstein himself had nothing but praise for it. In 2002, a DVD was released called The Lost West Side Story Tapes that captured a 1985 performance of this along with other numbers. These tapes had been previously thought to have been lost in a fire.
Channel One Suite
After the West Side Story Medley, Rich's most famous performance was the Channel One Suite by Bill Reddie. Like the West Side Story Medley, the Channel One Suite generally was a quite long performance ranging from about 12 minutes to about 26 minutes and usually contained 2 or 3 drum solos. Although 26 minute performances of the Channel One Suite were not incredibly common, they were not unheard of. A recording of one of his live performances was released in 2006 which contained a 26 minute Channel One Suite.
Personality
Although Rich was usually helpful and friendly, he had a short temper. In many instances, he took advantage of the respect he commanded. While he threatened many times to fire members of his band, he seldom did so, and for the most part he lauded his band members during television and print interviews. Rich's temper, mercurial attitude and imposing personality are documented in secret recordings members of his band made during some of his tantrums on tour buses and backstage.
These recordings, long circulated in bootleg form, have done much to fuel the reputation of Rich's personality. The tapes were popular with comedians Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David, who used three quotes from them more or less verbatim on Seinfeld:
* "If I have to tell you again, we're gonna take it outside and I'm gonna show you what it's like!" ("The Opposite")
* "This guy - this is not my kind of guy." ("The Understudy")
* "Then let's see how he does, up there, without all the assistance!" ("The Butter Shave")
On one recording, Rich threatens to fire Dave Panichi, a trombonist, for wearing a beard.
Rich's temper was referred in the Beastie Boys song "Sabotage": "I'm Buddy Rich when I fly off the handle."
Dusty Springfield allegedly slapped Rich after several days of "putting up with Rich's insults and show-biz sabotage (at one point, after describing mutiple black singers as being 'second-rate', he introduced Springfield by saying, 'and here's one who's third-rate')".
Band member and lifelong friend David Lucas says that "Rich had a soft heart underneath it all. His favorite song was "It's Not Easy Being Green".
Buddy Rich held a black belt in karate, as mentioned in a CNN television interview with Larry King, c. 1985.
Death and legacy
Buddy Rich remained active until the end of his life, appearing with his Big Band on Michael Parkinson's British talk show Parkinson only a few weeks prior to his death. In the episode, Parkinson kidded Rich about his Donny Osmond kick, by claiming that Rich was the president of Osmond's fan club. Reportedly, prior to heart surgery, when asked by a nurse if he was allergic to anything; he replied, "Yes, Country and Western music!" Days before he died, he was visited by Mel Tormé, who claims that one of Buddy's last requests was "to hear the tapes" that featured his angry outbursts. At the time, Tormé was working on an authorized biography of Rich which was released after Rich's death, titled Traps, The Drum Wonder: The Life of Buddy Rich.
On April 2, 1987, Rich died of heart failure following surgery for a malignant brain tumor. He is interred in the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles, California. He was 69.
Since Rich's death, a number of memorial concerts have been held. In 1994, the Rich tribute album Burning for Buddy: A Tribute to the Music of Buddy Rich was released. Produced by Rush drummer/lyricist Neil Peart, the album features performances of Rich staples by a number of rock and jazz drummers such as Kenny Aronoff, Dave Weckl, Steve Gadd, Max Roach and Peart himself, accompanied by the Buddy Rich Big Band. A second volume was issued in 1997.
Discography
Studio and live albums as leader or co-leader
* 195?: The Flip Phillips / Buddy Rich Trio (Clef Records)
* 1953: The Swingin' Buddy Rich (Norgran Records)
* 1955: Sing and Swing with Buddy Rich (Norgran)
* 1955: Buddy and Sweets (Norgran)
* 195?: The Lester Young / Buddy Rich Trio (Norgran)
* 1955: The Wailing Buddy Rich (Norgran)
* 1955: Krupa and Rich (Clef)
* 1955: Lionel Hampton / Art Tatum / Buddy Rich Trio (Clef)
* 1956: Buddy Rich Sings Johnny Mercer (Verve Records)
* 1956: This One's for Basie (Verve) — re-issued 1967 as Big Band Shout
* 1957: Buddy Rich Just Sings (Verve)
* 1958: Buddy Rich in Miami (Verve)
* 1959: Richcraft (Mercury Records)
* 1959: Rich Versus Roach (Mercury)
* 1959: The Voice Is Rich (Mercury)
* 19??: The Rich Rebellion (Mercury
* 1960: The Driver (EmArcy Records)
* 1961: Blues Caravan (Verve)
* 1961: Playtime (Argo Records)
* 1962: Burnin' Beat, Buddy Rich & Gene Krupa (Verve)
* 1966: Swingin' New Big Band (Pacific Jazz Records / Blue Note Records)
* 1966: The Sounds of '66, Sammy Davis Jr. & Buddy Rich (Reprise Records)
* 1967: Big Swing Face (Pacific Jazz)
* 1967: The New One! (Pacific Jazz) — aka Take it Away
* 1968: Rich Ala Rahka (World Pacific)
* 1968: Mercy, Mercy (Pacific Jazz)
* 1969: Buddy & Soul (Pacific Jazz)
* 1970: Keep the Customer Satisfied (Liberty Records)
* 1971: Different Drummer (RCA Records)
* 1971: Buddy Rich in London (RCA) — expanded UK release = Buddy Rich: Very Alive at Ronnie Scott's (RCA (UK))
* 1972: Stick It (RCA)
* 1973: The Roar of '74 (Groove Merchant Records)
* 1974: Very Live at Buddy's Place (Groove Merchant)
* 1974: Transition (Groove Merchant)
* 1974: The Last Blues Album, Vol. 1 (Groove Merchant)
* 1975: Big Band Machine (Groove Merchant)
* 1976: Speak No Evil (RCA)
* 1977: Buddy Rich Plays and Plays and Plays (RCA)
* 1977: Lionel Hampton Presents Buddy Rich (Who's Who In Jazz) — aka Buddy's Cherokee... also released as The Sound of Jazz, Vol 10
* 1977: Class of '78 (The Great American Gramophone Company) — also released as The Greatest Drummer That Ever Lived with The Best Band I Ever Had
* 1977: Europe '77 (Magic)
* 1978: Together Again: For the First Time, Mel Tormé and Buddy Rich (Gryphon / Century) — aka When I Found You
* 1980: Live at Ronnie Scott's (DRG) — aka The Man from Planet Jazz
* 1981: The Buddy Rich Band (Universal Special Products)
* 1983: Rich and Famous (Amway) — aka The Magic of Buddy Rich, aka Buddy Rich - The Man
* 1985: Mr. Drums: Live on King Street, San Francisco (Café)
Posthumous releases of previously unreleased recordings
* 2001: Wham! The Buddy Rich Big Band Live (Label M)
* 2004: No Funny Hats (Lightyear)
Notable compilation albums
* 1960: The Drum Battle (Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich at JATP) (Verve)
* 196?: The Best of Buddy Rich (Pacific Jazz)
* 1969: Super Rich (Verve)
* 1971: Time Being (Bluebird/RCA)
* 1987: Compact Jazz: Buddy Rich (Verve)
* 1990: Compact Jazz: Gene Krupa & Buddy Rich (Verve)
* 1992: No Jive (Novus)
* 1998: Buddy Rich: The Legendary '47-'48 Orchestra Vol. 1 (Hep Records)
* 1998: Buddy Rich: The Legendary '46-'48 Orchestra Vol. 2 (Hep)
* 2005: Classic EmArcy, Verve, Small Group Buddy Rich Sessions (7 CD Box set, Mosaic Records #232)
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Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Howard on 04/02/10 at 7:04 am
The word of the day...Kindergarten
A kindergarten is an informal kind of school for very young children, where they learn things by playing.
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I remember my kindergarden picture from 1979,that was the picture where I was missing a piece of my bangs,What had happened was my mother was painting and all of a sudden,I grabbed a pair of scissors I cut my own hair and I was forced to take my class picture.The patch of hair missing from my head,To this day I have no recollection whatsoever as to why I did what I did,Hey I was 5. ;D
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: CatwomanofV on 04/02/10 at 10:58 am
WHAT?? Dr. Demento isn't birthday of the day, today? :\'( :\'(
Cat
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Philip Eno on 04/02/10 at 11:03 am
Yes it is. :)
I want to see it again!
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Howard on 04/02/10 at 3:36 pm
WHAT?? Dr. Demento isn't birthday of the day, today? :\'( :\'(
Cat
http://i601.photobucket.com/albums/tt99/randolf_012/Randy_Orton_08_Cropped.jpg
And don't forget WWE Superstar Randy Orton,his birthday was yesterday.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/02/10 at 4:10 pm
WHAT?? Dr. Demento isn't birthday of the day, today? :\'( :\'(
Cat
I couldn't remember if i did him before.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: CatwomanofV on 04/02/10 at 4:34 pm
I couldn't remember if i did him before.
I don't recall you ever doing him.
Cat
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Philip Eno on 04/03/10 at 1:55 am
British Person of the Day: Sally Thomsett
Sally Thomsett (born 3 April 1950 in Sussex, England) is a British actress.
She is mainly remembered for starring in the 1970 film The Railway Children and for playing Jo in the TV sitcom, Man About The House (1973-1976). She also appeared in the 1971 movie Straw Dogs, where she played an attractive girl accidentally killed by the mentally handicapped character.
The Railway Children
In 1970 Thomsett was cast as the 11-year old Phyllis, despite the actress being 20 years old at the time - older than Jenny Agutter, who played her on-screen "older" sister Bobbie. Her contract forbade her to reveal her true age during the making of the film and was also not allowed to be seen smoking, drinking, driving her car, or in the company of her boyfriend during the shoot. (She did however make an appearance on BBC children's television shortly after, where the interviewer said "I wouldn't dream of asking a lady her age, but you're obviously quite a bit older than the part you played in the film".) After release, she received a BAFTA award nomination for Best Promising Newcomer.
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Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Philip Eno on 04/03/10 at 1:55 am
British Person of the Day: Sally Thomsett
Sally Thomsett (born 3 April 1950 in Sussex, England) is a British actress.
She is mainly remembered for starring in the 1970 film The Railway Children and for playing Jo in the TV sitcom, Man About The House (1973-1976). She also appeared in the 1971 movie Straw Dogs, where she played an attractive girl accidentally killed by the mentally handicapped character.
The Railway Children
In 1970 Thomsett was cast as the 11-year old Phyllis, despite the actress being 20 years old at the time - older than Jenny Agutter, who played her on-screen "older" sister Bobbie. Her contract forbade her to reveal her true age during the making of the film and was also not allowed to be seen smoking, drinking, driving her car, or in the company of her boyfriend during the shoot. (She did however make an appearance on BBC children's television shortly after, where the interviewer said "I wouldn't dream of asking a lady her age, but you're obviously quite a bit older than the part you played in the film".) After release, she received a BAFTA award nomination for Best Promising Newcomer.
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I hope the image works well.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/03/10 at 6:16 am
I don't recall you ever doing him.
Cat
I must have looked him up for some reason, because when I look people up on Wikipedia if I already did the person they are in a lighter color, so I thought I did him last year...Sorry :-[
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/03/10 at 6:17 am
I hope the image works well.
The image is fine. Wow she played an 11year old and was 20.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/03/10 at 6:23 am
The word of the day...Cooler
A cooler is a container for keeping things cool, especially drinks.
A water cooler is a machine that dispenses drinking water, especially in an office.
wine cooler
a drink made with wine, fruit juice, ice and soda water
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Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/03/10 at 6:28 am
The person born on this day...Alec Baldwin
Alexander Rae "Alec" Baldwin III (born April 3, 1958) is an American actor who has appeared on film, stage and television.
Baldwin first gained recognition through television for his work in the soap opera Knots Landing, which aired on CBS from 1984 to 1986. He has since played both leading and supporting roles in films such as Beetlejuice (1988), The Hunt for Red October (1990), The Aviator (2004) and The Departed (2006). His performance in the 2003 film The Cooler garnered him an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor nomination.
He currently stars as Jack Donaghy on the NBC sitcom 30 Rock. He has received two Emmy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, and four Screen Actors Guild Awards. He is the oldest of the Baldwin brothers working in Hollywood.
Stage
Baldwin made his Broadway debut in 1986, in a revival of Joe Orton's Loot alongside theater veterans Zoe Wanamaker, Željko Ivanek, Joseph Maher and Charles Keating. This production closed after three months. His other Broadway credits include Caryl Churchill's Serious Money with Kate Nelligan and a highly acclaimed revival of Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire. His performance as Stanley Kowalski in the latter garnered him a Tony Award nomination for Best Actor. Baldwin also received an Emmy nomination for the 1995 television version of the production, in which both he and Jessica Lange reprised their roles, alongside John Goodman and Diane Lane. In 1998, Baldwin played the title role in Macbeth at the Public theater alongside Angela Bassett and Liev Schreiber in a production directed by George C. Wolfe. In 2004, Baldwin starred in a revival of Twentieth Century with Anne Heche.
On June 9, 2005, he appeared in a concert version of the Rogers and Hammerstein musical South Pacific at Carnegie Hall. He starred as Luther Billis, alongside Reba McEntire as Nellie and Brian Stokes Mitchell as Emile. The production was taped and telecast by PBS on April 26, 2006. In 2006, Baldwin made theater news in Roundabout Theatre Company's Off-Broadway revival of Joe Orton's Entertaining Mr. Sloane.
Television
Baldwin's first major acting role was as Billy Aldrich on the daytime soap opera The Doctors from 1980 to 1982. In the fall of 1983, he starred in the short-lived television series Cutter to Houston. He then co-starred in the television series Knots Landing from 1984 to 1986. In 1986, Baldwin starred in Dress Gray, a four-hour made-for-television miniseries, as an honest cadet sergeant who tries to solve the mystery of a murdered classmate. The film was adapted by Gore Vidal from the novel by Lucian Truscott.
Between the years of 1998 and 2002, Baldwin was the U.S. narrator for the children's show Thomas and Friends, narrating all 52 episodes of seasons 5 and 6. Baldwin appeared in a celebrity edition of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire in November 2000, competing against Jon Stewart, Charlie Sheen, Vivica A. Fox and Norm Macdonald. He won $250,000 for PAWS, and used Kim Basinger as one of his "phone-a-friend" partners.
In 2002, Baldwin appeared on two episodes of Friends as Phoebe Buffay's overly enthusiastic love interest, Parker. He also portrayed a recurring character in a number of episodes in season 7 and 8 of Will & Grace, in which he played Malcolm - a 'top secret agent' and the lover of Karen Walker (Megan Mullally). He also guest-starred in the first live episode of the series. Baldwin wrote an episode of Law & Order entitled "Tabloid", which aired in 1998. He played the role of Dr. Barrett Moore, a retired plastic surgeon, in the series Nip/Tuck.
On July 7, 2007, Baldwin was a host at the American leg of Live Earth, which was broadcast on NBC.
Baldwin currently stars in the NBC sitcom 30 Rock, which first aired in October 2006. Baldwin had met series creator Tina Fey and one of his co-stars, Tracy Morgan, during several tapings of Saturday Night Live. He has received two Emmy Awards, two Golden Globe awards and two Screen Actors Guild Awards for his role. Baldwin received his second Emmy nomination for Best Actor in a Television Comedy or Musical as Jack Donaghy in 2008, marking his seventh Primetime Emmy nomination and first win. He won again in 2009. Since season 3, Baldwin has been credited as producer of the show.
Baldwin joined TCM’s The Essentials Robert Osborne as co-host beginning in March 2009.
Baldwin co-hosted the 82nd Academy Awards with Steve Martin in 2010. He has hosted Saturday Night Live 14 times as of November 2009.
Film
Baldwin made his theatrical film debut with a minor role in the 1988 film She's Having a Baby. Also in 1988, he appeared in Beetlejuice and Working Girl. He gained further recognition as a leading man with his role as Jack Ryan in The Hunt for Red October (1990).
Baldwin met his future wife Kim Basinger when they played lovers in the 1991 film The Marrying Man. He appeared with Basinger again in The Getaway, a 1994 remake of the 1972 Steve McQueen film of the same name. Next, in a brief role, Baldwin played a ferocious sales executive in Glengarry Glen Ross (1992), a part added to the film version of David Mamet's Pulitzer Prize-winning stage play. Later that year, he starred in Prelude to a Kiss with Meg Ryan, which was based on the Broadway play. The film received a lukewarm reception by critics and grossed only $22 million worldwide.
In 1994, Baldwin made a foray into pulp fiction-based movies with the role of the title character in The Shadow. The film made $48 million. In 1996 and 1997, Baldwin continued to work in several thrillers including The Edge, The Juror and Heaven's Prisoners.
Baldwin shifted towards character acting, beginning with 2001's Pearl Harbor. He played Lt. Col. James Doolittle in the film, which, with a worldwide box office of $449,220,945, remains the highest grossing film Baldwin has appeared in his acting career. Baldwin was nominated for an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, and the Screen Actors Guild Award for his performance in the 2003 gambling drama The Cooler. He appeared in Martin Scorsese's The Aviator (2004) and The Departed (2006). In 2006, he starred in the film Mini's First Time, alongside Nikki Reed and Luke Wilson. Baldwin performed opposite Sarah Michelle Gellar in the 2007 romantic comedy, Suburban Girl. In 2009, he co-starred in the hit romantic comedy It's Complicated with Meryl Streep and Steve Martin.
Baldwin directed and starred in an all-star version of The Devil and Daniel Webster with Anthony Hopkins, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Dan Aykroyd in 2001. The then-unreleased film became an asset in a federal bank fraud trial when investor Jed Barron was convicted of bank fraud while the movie was in production. The film eventually was acquired by The Yari Group without Baldwin's involvement. In 2007, the Yari Film Group announced it would give the film, now titled Shortcut to Happiness, a theatrical release in the spring and cable film network Starz! announced they had acquired pay TV rights for the film. Shortcut to Happiness was finally released in 2008. Baldwin, displeased with the way the film had been cut in post-production, demanded that his directorial credit be changed to the pseudonym "Harry Kirkpatrick".
Baldwin has also worked as voice actor in films such as The Royal Tenenbaums, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within and Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends.
Radio
On January 12, 2009, Baldwin became the host of The New York Philharmonic This Week, the nationally broadcast radio series of the New York Philharmonic. He has recorded two nationally distributed public service radio announcements on behalf of the Save the Manatee Club.
A Promise to Ourselves
In 2008 Alec Baldwin and Mark Tabb published A Promise to Ourselves, which chronicles Baldwin's seven-year battle to remain a part of his daughter's life.
Baldwin contends that after their separation in December 2000, his former wife, Kim Basinger, endeavored to deny him access to his daughter by refusing to discuss parenting, blocking visitation, not providing telephone access, not following court orders, not dropping their daughter off for reasons of it being inconvenient, and directly lobbying the child. He contends she spent over $1.5 million in the effort.
Baldwin called this parental alienation syndrome. Baldwin has called the attorneys in the case "opportunists" and has characterized Basinger's psychologists as part of the "divorce industry". He has faulted them more than Basinger, and writes, "In fact, I blame my ex-wife least of all for what has transpired. She is a person, like many of us, doing the best she can with what she has. She is a litigant, and therefore, one who walks into a courtroom and is never offered anything other than what is served there. Nothing off the menu, ever."
Baldwin wrote that he has spent over a million dollars, has had to put time aside from his career, has had to travel extensively, and needed to find a house in California (he lived in New York), so he could stay in his daughter's life. Baldwin contended that after seven years of these issues, he hit a breaking point, and left an angry voicemail message in response to another unanswered arranged call. He contends that the tape was sold to TMZ, which released the recording despite laws against publishing media related to a minor without the permission of both parents. Baldwin admitted he made a mistake, but asked not to be judged as a parent based on a bad moment. He later admitted to Playboy in June 2009 that he contemplated suicide over the voice mail that leaked to the public. Of the incident, he said "I spoke to a lot of professionals, who helped me. If I committed suicide, would have considered that a victory. Destroying me was their avowed goal."
During the autumn of 2008, Baldwin toured in support of the book, speaking about his experiences related in it
1987 Forever, Lulu Buck
1988 She's Having a Baby Davis McDonald
Beetlejuice Adam Maitland
Married to the Mob Frank de Marco
Working Girl Mick Dugan
Talk Radio Dan
1989 Great Balls of Fire! Jimmy Swaggart
Tong Tana Narrator Documentary
1990 The Hunt for Red October Jack Ryan
Miami Blues Frederick J. Frenger Jr.
Alice Ed
1991 The Marrying Man Charley Pearl
1992 Prelude to a Kiss Peter Hoskins
Glengarry Glen Ross Blake
1993 Malice Dr. Jed Hill
1994 The Getaway Carter 'Doc' McCoy
The Shadow Lamont Cranston/The Shadow
1995 Two Bits Narrator
1996 Wild Bill: Hollywood Maverick Narrator Documentary
The Juror Teacher
Heaven's Prisoners Dave Robicheaux
Looking for Richard Clarence Documentary
Ghosts of Mississippi Bobby DeLaughter
1997 The Edge Robert Green
1998 Thick as Thieves Mackin, The Thief
Mercury Rising Lt. Col. Nicholas Kudrow
1999 The Confession Roy Bleakie
Notting Hill Jeff King
Outside Providence Old Man Dunphy Nominated — Las Vegas Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actor
"Scout's Honor" Todd Fitter Short film
2000 The Acting Class Himself
Thomas and the Magic Railroad Mr. Conductor
State and Main Bob Barrenger Florida Film Critics Circle Award for Best Cast
National Board of Review Award for Best Cast
Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Cast
Clerks: The Animated Series Leonardo Leonardo
2001 Pearl Harbor Lt. Col. James Doolittle
Cats & Dogs Butch Voice
Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within Capt. Gray Edwards Voice
The Royal Tenenbaums Narrator Voice
2002 The Adventures of Pluto Nash M.Z.M.
2003 The Cooler Shelly Kaplow Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor
National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actor
Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actor
Vancouver Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor
Nominated — Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
Nominated — Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor
Nominated — Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor
Nominated — Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor
Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor
Nominated — Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actor
Nominated — Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor – Drama
Nominated — Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Male Actor in a Supporting Role
Nominated — Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor
Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There
The Cat in the Hat Lawrence "Larry" Quinn Nominated — Razzie Award for Worst Supporting Actor
Walking with Cavemen Narrator Documentary
"Brighter Days" Himself Short film
Channel Chasers 30-year-old Timmy Turner Voice
2004 Along Came Polly Stan Indursky
Double Dare Documentary
The Last Shot Joe Devine
The Aviator Juan Trippe Nominated — Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Cast
The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie Dennis (Plankton's hired hitman) Voice
2005 Elizabethtown Phil DeVoss
Fun with Dick and Jane Jack McCallister
2006 Mini's First Time Martin
The Departed Capt. George Ellerby National Board of Review Award for Best Cast
Nominated — Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Cast
Running with Scissors Norman Burroughs
The Good Shepherd Sam Murach
2007 Suburban Girl Archie Knox
Brooklyn Rules Caesar Manganaro
Shortcut to Happiness Jabez Stone
2008 My Best Friend's Girl Professor Turner
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa Makunga Voice
Lymelife Mickey Bartlett
2009 My Sister's Keeper Campbell Alexander
It's Complicated Jacob Adler National Board of Review Award for Best Cast
Nominated — BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1980–1982 The Doctors Billy Allison Aldrich
1983 Cutter to Houston Dr. Hal Wexler
1984 Sweet Revenge Major Alex Breen
1984–1986 Knots Landing Joshua Rush
1985 Hotel Dennis Medford Episode: Distortions
1985 Love on the Run Sean Carpenter
1986 Dress Gray Rysam 'Ry' Slaight TV miniseries
1987 The Alamo: Thirteen Days to Glory Colonel William B. Travis
1995 A Streetcar Named Desire Stanley Kowalski Nominated — Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor – Miniseries or a Television Film
Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film
1998–2003 Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends Himself Narrator
2000 Nuremberg Justice Robert H. Jackson TV miniseries
Nominated — Emmy Award for Outstanding Miniseries
Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film
2000–2001 Clerks: The Animated Series Leonardo Leonardo
2002 Friends Parker Episodes: "The One in Massapequa," "The One with the Tea Leaves"
2002 Path to War Robert McNamara, Secretary of Defense TV movie
Nominated — Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor – Miniseries or a Television Film
Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film
2003 Walking with Cavemen Himself Episodes: "Blood Brothers," "First Ancestors," "Savage Family," "The Survivors"
2003 Second Nature Paul Kane
2003 Dreams & Giants Himself Host
2004 The Fairly OddParents in: Channel Chasers Adult Timmy Turner Voice role
2004 Nip/Tuck Dr. Barret Moore Episode: "Joan Rivers"
2004 Las Vegas Jack Keller Episodes: "Degas Away with It," "Hellraisers & Heartbreakers"
2005 The Simpsons Dr. Caleb Thorn Episode: "Bonfire of the Manatees"
2005 Will & Grace Malcolm Episodes: "The Hole Truth," "Seems Like Old Times," "The Old Man and the Sea," "Alive and Schticking," "Friends with Benefits," "Kiss and Tell"
Nominated — Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor – Comedy Series (2005, 2006)
2006 Great Performances Luther Billis Episode: "'South Pacific' in Concert from Carnegie Hall"
2006–Present 30 Rock Jack Donaghy Produced five episodes
Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor – Comedy Series (2008, 2009)
Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Musical or Comedy Series (2006, 2008, 2009)
Nominated — Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor – Comedy Series (2007)
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009)
2010 The Marriage Ref Guest Judge Episode: "Pilot"
Awards
Year Award Category Title
1985 Soap Opera Digest Awards Outstanding New Actor in a Prime Time Serial Knots Landing
1992 Valladolid International Film Festival Best Actor Glengarry Glen Ross (Shared with cast)
2000 Cinequest San Jose Film Festival Maverick Tribute Award
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2000 National Board of Review of Motion Pictures Best Acting by an Ensemble State and Main (Shared with cast)
2003 Best Supporting Actor The Cooler
2006 Best Ensemble The Departed (Shared with cast)
2001 Gemini Award Best Dramatic Mini-Series Nuremberg
Florida Film Critics Circle Awards Best Ensemble Cast State and Main (Shared with cast)
Online Film Critics Society Awards Best Ensemble State and Main (Shared with cast)
2004 Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actor The Cooler
Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role The Cooler
Vancouver Film Critics Circle Best Supporting Actor The Cooler
2005 Hamptons International Film Festival Golden Starfish Award for Career Achievement
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2007 Golden Globe Award Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy 30 Rock
Television Critics Association Awards Individual Achievement in Comedy 30 Rock
Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series 30 Rock
2008 Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series 30 Rock
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series 30 Rock
Emmy Award Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series 30 Rock
Golden Globe Award Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy 30 Rock
2009 Emmy Award Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series 30 Rock
2010 Golden Globe Award Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy 30 Rock
Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series 30 Rock
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Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/03/10 at 6:33 am
The person who died on this day...Sarah Vaughan
Sarah Lois Vaughan (March 27, 1924 – April 3, 1990) was an American jazz singer, described by Scott Yanow as having "one of the most wondrous voices of the 20th century". She had a contralto vocal range.
Nicknamed "Sailor" (for her salty speech), "Sassy" and "The Divine One", Sarah Vaughan was a Grammy Award winner. The National Endowment for the Arts bestowed upon her its "highest honor in jazz", the NEA Jazz Masters Award, in 1989.
Biographies of Vaughan frequently stated that she was immediately thrust into stardom after a winning an Amateur Night performance at Harlem's Apollo Theater. In fact, the story that biographer Leslie Gourse relates seems to be a bit more complex. Vaughan was frequently accompanied by a friend, Doris Robinson, on her trips into New York City. Sometime in the Fall of 1942 (when Sarah was 18 years old), Vaughan suggested that Robinson enter the Apollo Amateur Night contest. Vaughan played piano accompaniment for Robinson, who won second prize. Vaughan later decided to go back and compete herself as a singer. Vaughan sang "Body and Soul" and won, although the exact date of her victorious Apollo performance is uncertain. The prize, as Vaughan recalled later to Marian McPartland, was US$10 and the promise of a week's engagement at the Apollo. After a considerable delay, Vaughan was contacted by the Apollo in the spring of 1943 to open for Ella Fitzgerald.
Sometime during her week of performances at the Apollo, Vaughan was introduced to bandleader and pianist Earl Hines, although the exact details of that introduction are disputed. Billy Eckstine, Hines' singer at the time, has been credited by Vaughan and others with hearing her at the Apollo and recommending her to Hines. Hines also claimed to have discovered her himself and offered her a job on the spot. Regardless, after a brief tryout at the Apollo, Hines officially replaced his existing female singer with Vaughan on April 4, 1943.
With Earl Hines and Billy Eckstine: 1943–1944
Vaughan spent the remainder of 1943 and part of 1944 touring the country with the Earl Hines big band that also featured baritone Billy Eckstine. Vaughan was hired as a pianist, reputedly so Hines could hire her under the jurisdiction of the musicians' union (American Federation of Musicians) rather than the singers union (American Guild of Variety Artists), but after Cliff Smalls joined the band as a trombonist and pianist, Sarah's duties became limited exclusively to singing. This Earl Hines band is best remembered today as an incubator of bebop, as it included trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, saxophonist Charlie Parker (playing tenor saxophone rather than the alto saxophone that he would become famous with later) and trombonist Bennie Green. Gillespie also arranged for the band, although a recording ban by the musicians union prevented the band from recording and preserving its sound and style for posterity.
Eckstine left the Hines band in late 1943 and formed his own big band with Gillespie, leaving Hines to become the new band's musical director. Parker came along too, and the Eckstine band over the next few years would host a startling cast of jazz talent: Miles Davis, Kenny Dorham, Art Blakey, Lucky Thompson, Gene Ammons, Dexter Gordon, among others.
Vaughan accepted Eckstine's invitation to join his new band in 1944, giving her an opportunity to develop her musicianship with the seminal figures in this era of jazz. Eckstine's band also afforded her first recording opportunity, a December 5, 1944 date that yielded the song "I'll Wait and Pray" for the Deluxe label. That date led to critic and producer Leonard Feather to ask her to cut four sides under her own name later that month for the Continental label, backed by a septet that included Dizzy Gillespie and Georgie Auld.
Band pianist John Malachi is credited with giving Vaughan the moniker "Sassy", a nickname that matched her personality. Vaughan liked it and the name (and its shortened variant "Sass") stuck with colleagues and, eventually, the press. In written communications, Vaughan often spelled it "Sassie".
Vaughan officially left the Eckstine band in late 1944 to pursue a solo career, although she remained very close to Eckstine personally and recorded with him frequently throughout her life.
Early solo career: 1945–1948
Vaughan began her solo career in 1945 by freelancing in clubs on New York's 52nd Street like the Three Deuces, the Famous Door, the Downbeat and the Onyx Club. Vaughan also hung around the Braddock Grill, next door to the Apollo Theatre in Harlem. On May 11, 1945, Vaughan recorded "Lover Man" for the Guild label with a quintet featuring Gillespie and Parker with Al Haig on piano, Curly Russell on double bass and Sid Catlett on drums. Later that month she went into the studio with a slightly different and larger Gillespie/Parker aggregation and recorded three more sides.
After being invited by violinist Stuff Smith to record the song "Time and Again" in October, Vaughan was offered a contract to record for the Musicraft label by owner Albert Marx, although she would not begin recording as a leader for Musicraft until May 7, 1946. In the intervening time, Vaughan made a handful of recordings for the Crown and Gotham labels and began performing regularly at Cafe Society Downtown, an integrated club in New York's Sheridan Square.
While at Cafe Society, Vaughan became friends with trumpeter George Treadwell. Treadwell became Vaughan's manager and she ultimately delegated to him most of the musical director responsibilities for her recording sessions, leaving her free to focus almost entirely on singing. Over the next few years, Treadwell also made significant positive changes in Vaughan's stage appearance. Aside from an improved wardrobe and hair style, Vaughan had her teeth capped, eliminating an unsightly gap between her two front teeth.
Many of Vaughan's 1946 Musicraft recordings became quite well-known among jazz aficionados and critics, including "If You Could See Me Now" (written and arranged by Tadd Dameron), "Don't Blame Me", "I've Got a Crush on You", "Everything I Have is Yours" and "Body and Soul." With Vaughan and Treadwell's professional relationship on solid footing, the couple married on September 16, 1946.
Vaughan's recording success for Musicraft continued through 1947 and 1948. Her recording of "Tenderly" became an unexpected pop hit in late 1947. Her December 27, 1947, recording of "It's Magic" (from the Doris Day film Romance on the High Seas) found chart success in early 1948. Her recording of "Nature Boy" from April 8, 1948, became a hit around the same time as the release of the famous Nat King Cole recording of the same song. Because of yet another recording ban by the musicians union, "Nature Boy" was recorded with an a capella choir as the only accompaniment, adding an ethereal air to a song with a vaguely mystical lyric and melody.
Stardom and the Columbia years: 1948–1953
The musicians union ban pushed Musicraft to the brink of bankruptcy and Vaughan used the missed royalty payments as an opportunity to sign with the larger Columbia record label. Following the settling of the legal issues, her chart successes continued with the charting of "Black Coffee" in the summer of 1949. During her tenure at Columbia through 1953, Vaughan was steered almost exclusively to commercial pop ballads, a number of which had chart success: "That Lucky Old Sun", "Make Believe (You Are Glad When You're Sorry)", "I'm Crazy to Love You", "Our Very Own", "I Love the Guy", "Thinking of You" (with pianist Bud Powell), "I Cried for You", "These Things I Offer You", "Vanity", "I Ran All the Way Home", "Saint or Sinner", "My Tormented Heart", and "Time", among others.
Vaughan also achieved substantial critical acclaim. She won Esquire magazine's New Star Award for 1947 as well as awards from Down Beat magazine continuously from 1947 through 1952, and from Metronome magazine from 1948 through 1953. A handful of critics disliked her singing as being "over-stylized", reflecting the heated controversies of the time over the new musical trends of the late 40's. However, the critical reception to the young singer was generally positive.
Recording and critical success led to numerous performing opportunities, packing clubs around the country almost continuously throughout the years of the late 1940s and early 1950s. In the summer of 1949, Vaughan made her first appearance with a symphony orchestra in a benefit for the Philadelphia Orchestra entitled "100 Men and a Girl." Around this time, Chicago disk jockey Dave Garroway coined a second nickname for her, "The Divine One", that would follow her throughout her career.
With improving finances, in 1949 Vaughan and Treadwell purchased a three-story house on 21 Avon Avenue in Newark, occupying the top floor during their increasingly rare off-hours at home and relocating Vaughan's parents to the lower two floors. However, the business pressures and personality conflicts led to a cooling in the personal relationship between Treadwell and Vaughan. Treadwell hired a road manager to handle Vaughan's touring needs and opened a management office in Manhattan so he could work with clients in addition to Vaughan.
Vaughan's relationship with Columbia Records also soured as she became dissatisfied with the commercial material she was required to record and lackluster financial success of her records. A set of small group sides recorded in 1950 with Miles Davis and Benny Green are among the best of her career, but they were atypical of her Columbia output.
The Mercury years: 1954–1958
In 1953, Treadwell negotiated a unique contract for Vaughan with Mercury Records. She would record commercial material for the Mercury label and more jazz-oriented material for its subsidiary EmArcy. Vaughan was paired with producer Bob Shad and their excellent working relationship yielded strong commercial and artistic success. Her debut Mercury recording session took place in February 1954 and she stayed with the label through 1959. After a stint at Roulette Records (1960 to 1963), Vaughan returned to Mercury from 1964 to 1967.
Vaughan's commercial success at Mercury began with the 1954 hit, "Make Yourself Comfortable", recorded in the fall of 1954, and continued with a succession of hits, including: "How Important Can It Be" (with Count Basie), "Whatever Lola Wants", "The Banana Boat Song", "You Ought to Have A Wife" and "Misty". Her commercial success peaked in 1959 with "Broken Hearted Melody", a song she considered to be "corny", but, nonetheless, became her first gold record and a regular part of her concert repertoire for years to come. Vaughan was reunited with Billy Eckstine for a series of duet recordings in 1957 that yielded the hit "Passing Strangers". Vaughan's commercial recordings were handled by a number of different arrangers and conductors, primarily Hugo Peretti and Hal Mooney.
The jazz "track" of her recording career also proceeded apace, backed either by her working trio or various combinations of stellar jazz players. One of her own favorite albums was a 1954 sextet date that included Clifford Brown.
The latter half of the 1950s often found Vaughan in the company of a veritable who's who of jazz as she followed a schedule of almost non-stop touring. She was featured at the first Newport Jazz Festival in the summer of 1954 and would star in subsequent editions of that festival at Newport and in New York City for the remainder of her life. In the fall of 1954, she performed at Carnegie Hall with the Count Basie Orchestra on a bill that also included Billie Holiday, Charlie Parker, Lester Young and the Modern Jazz Quartet. That fall, she again toured Europe successfully before embarking on a "Big Show" U. S. tour, a grueling succession of start-studded one-nighters that included Count Basie, George Shearing, Erroll Garner and Jimmy Rushing. At the 1955 New York Jazz Festival on Randalls Island, Vaughan shared the bill with the Dave Brubeck quartet, Horace Silver, Jimmy Smith, and the Johnny Richards Orchestra
Although the professional relationship between Vaughan and Treadwell was quite successful through the 1950s, their personal relationship finally reached a breaking point and she filed for a divorce in 1958. Vaughan had entirely delegated financial matters to Treadwell, and despite stunning income figures reported through the 1950s, at the settlement Treadwell said that only $16,000 remained. The couple evenly divided that amount and their personal assets, terminating their business relationship.
The 1960s
The exit of Treadwell from Sarah Vaughan's life was also precipitated by the entry of Clyde "C.B." Atkins, a man of uncertain background whom she had met in Chicago and married on September 4, 1959. Although Atkins had no experience in artist management or music, Vaughan wished to have a mixed professional/personal relationship like the one she had with Treadwell. She made Atkins her personal manager, although she was still feeling the sting of the problems she had with Treadwell, and initially kept a slightly closer eye on Atkins. Vaughan and Atkins moved into a house in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.
When Vaughan's contract with Mercury Records ended in late 1959, she immediately signed on with Roulette Records, a small label owned by Morris Levy, who was one of the backers of New York's Birdland, where she frequently appeared. Roulette's roster also included Count Basie, Joe Williams, Dinah Washington, Lambert, Hendricks and Ross and Maynard Ferguson.
Vaughan began recording for Roulette in April 1960, making a string of strong large ensemble albums arranged and/or conducted by Billy May, Jimmy Jones, Joe Reisman, Quincy Jones, Benny Carter, Lalo Schifrin and Gerald Wilson. Surprisingly, she also had some pop chart success in 1960 with "Serenata" on Roulette and a couple of residual tracks from her Mercury contract, "Eternally" and "You're My Baby". She also made a pair of intimate vocal/guitar/double bass albums of jazz standards: After Hours (1961) with guitarist Mundell Lowe and double bassist George Duvivier and Sarah + 2 (1962) with guitarist Barney Kessell and double bassist Joe Comfort.
Vaughan was incapable of having children, so, in 1961, she and Atkins adopted a daughter, Debra Lois. However, the relationship with Atkins proved difficult and violent so, following a series of strange incidents, she filed for divorce in November 1963. She turned to two friends to help sort out the financial wreckage of the marriage: club owner John "Preacher" Wells, a childhood acquaintance, and Clyde "Pumpkin" Golden, Jr. Wells and Golden found that Atkins' gambling and profligate spending had put Vaughan around $150,000 in debt. The Englewood Cliffs house was ultimately seized by the IRS for nonpayment of taxes. Vaughan retained custody of their child and Golden essentially took Atkins place as Vaughan's manager and lover for the remainder of the decade.
Around the time of her second divorce, she also became disenchanted with Roulette Records. Roulette' finances were even more deceptive and opaque than usual in the record business and its recording artists often had little to show for their efforts other than some excellent records. When her contract with Roulette ended in 1963, Vaughan returned to the more familiar confines of Mercury Records. In the summer of 1963, Vaughan went to Denmark with producer Quincy Jones to record four days of live performances with her trio, Sassy Swings the Tivoli, an excellent example of her live show from this period. The following year, she made her first appearance at the White House, for President Johnson.
Unfortunately, the Tivoli recording would be the brightest moment of her second stint with Mercury. Changing demographics and tastes in the 1960s left jazz artists with shrinking audiences and inappropriate material. While Vaughan retained a following large and loyal enough to maintain her performing career, the quality and quantity of her recorded output dwindled even as her voice darkened and her skill remained undiminished. At the conclusion of her Mercury deal in 1967 she was left without a recording contract for the remainder of the decade.
In 1969, Vaughan terminated her professional relationship with Golden and relocated to the West Coast, settling first into a house near Benedict Canyon in Los Angeles and then into what would end up being her final home in Hidden Hills.
Rebirth in the 1970s
Vaughan met Marshall Fisher after a 1970 performance at a casino in Las Vegas and Fisher soon fell into the familiar dual role as Vaughan's lover and manager. Fisher was another man of uncertain background with no musical or entertainment business experience, but—unlike some of her earlier associates—he was a genuine fan devoted to furthering her career.
The seventies also heralded a rebirth in Vaughan's recording activity. In 1971, Bob Shad, who had worked with her as producer at Mercury Records, asked her to record for his new record label, Mainstream Records. Basie veteran Ernie Wilkins arranged and conducted her first Mainstream album, A Time In My Life in November 1971. In April 1972, Vaughan recorded a collection of ballads written, arranged and conducted by Michel Legrand. Arrangers Legrand, Peter Matz, Jack Elliott and Allyn Ferguson teamed up for Vaughan's third Mainstream album, Feelin' Good. Vaughan also recorded Live in Japan, a live album in Tokyo with her trio in September 1973.
During her sessions with Legrand, Bob Shad presented "Send In The Clowns", a Stephen Sondheim song from the Broadway musical A Little Night Music, to Vaughan for consideration. The song would become her signature, replacing the chestnut "Tenderly" that had been with her from the beginning of her solo career.
Unfortunately, Vaughan's relationship with Mainstream soured in 1974, allegedly in a conflict precipitated by Fisher over an album cover photograph and/or unpaid royalties. This left Vaughan again without a recording contract for three years.
In December 1974, Vaughan played a private concert for the United States President Gerald Ford and French president Giscard d'Estaing during their summit on Martinique.
Also in 1974, conductor Michael Tilson Thomas asked Vaughan to participate in an all-Gershwin show he was planning for a guest appearance with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl. The arrangements were by Marty Paich and the orchestra would be augmented by established jazz artists Dave Grusin on piano, Ray Brown on double bass, drummer Shelly Manne and saxophonists Bill Perkins and Pete Christlieb. The concert was a success and Thomas and Vaughan repeated the performance with Thomas' home orchestra in Buffalo, New York, followed by appearances in 1975 and 1976 with symphony orchestras around the country. These performances fulfilled a long-held interest by Vaughan in working with symphonies and she made orchestra performances without Thomas for the remainder of the decade.
In 1977, Vaughan terminated her personal and professional relationship with Marshall Fisher. Although Fisher is occasionally referenced as Vaughan's third husband, they were never legally married. Vaughan began a relationship with Waymond Reed, a trumpet player 16 years her junior who was playing with the Count Basie band. Reed joined her working trio as a musical director and trumpet player and became her third husband in 1978.
In 1977, Tom Guy, a young filmmaker and public TV producer, followed Vaughan around on tour, interviewing numerous artists speaking about her and capturing both concert and behind-the-scenes footage. The resulting sixteen hours of footage was pared down into an hour-and-a-half documentary, Listen To The Sun, that aired on September 21, 1978, on New Jersey Public Television, but was never commercially released.
In 1977, Norman Granz, who was also Ella Fitzgerald's manager, signed Vaughan to his Pablo Records label. Vaughan had not had a recording contract for three years, although she had recorded a 1977 album of Beatles songs with contemporary pop arrangements for Atlantic Records that was eventually released in 1981. Vaughan's first Pablo release was I Love Brazil, recorded with an all-star cast of Brazilian musicians in Rio de Janeiro in the fall of 1977. It garnered a Grammy nomination.
The Pablo contract resulted in a total of seven albums: a second and equally wondrous Brazilian record, "Copacabana", again recorded in Rio (1979), How Long Has This Been Going On? (1978) with a quartet that included pianist Oscar Peterson, guitarist Joe Pass, bassist Ray Brown, and drummer Louis Bellson; two Duke Ellington Songbook albums (1979); Send In The Clowns (1981) with the Count Basie orchestra playing arrangements primarily by Sammy Nestico; and Crazy and Mixed Up (1982), another quartet album featuring Sir Roland Hanna, piano, Joe Pass, guitar, Andy Simpkins, bass, and Harold Jones drums.
Vaughan and Waymond Reed divorced in 1981.
Vaughan remained quite active as a performer during the 1980s and began receiving awards recognizing her contribution to American music and status as an important elder stateswoman of Jazz. In the summer of 1980, Vaughan received a plaque on 52nd Street outside the CBS Building (Black Rock) commemorating the jazz clubs she had once frequented on "Swing Street" and which had long since been demolished and replaced with office buildings.
A performance of her symphonic Gershwin program with the New Jersey Symphony in 1980 was broadcast on PBS and won her an Emmy Award in 1981 for "Individual Achievement - Special Class". She was reunited with Michael Tilson Thomas for slightly modified version of the Gershwin program with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the CBS Records recording, Gershwin Live! won Vaughan the Grammy award for Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Female. In 1985, Vaughan received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 1988, Vaughan was inducted into the American Jazz Hall of Fame.
After the conclusion of her Pablo contract in 1982, Vaughan did only a limited amount studio recording. Vaughan made a guest appearance in 1984 on Barry Manilow's 2:00 AM Paradise Cafe, an album of original pastiche compositions that featured a number of established jazz artists. In 1984, Vaughan participated in one of the more unusual projects of her career, The Planet is Alive, Let It Live a symphonic piece composed by Tito Fontana and Sante Palumbo on Italian translations of Polish poems by Karol Wojtyla, the future Pope John Paul II. The recording was made in Germany with an English translation by writer Gene Lees and was released by Lees on his own private label after the recording was turned down by the major labels. In 1986, Vaughan sang two songs, "Happy Talk" and "Bali Ha'i", in the role of Bloody Mary on an otherwise stiff studio recording by opera stars Kiri Te Kanawa and José Carreras of the score of the Broadway musical South Pacific, while sitting on the studio floor.
Vaughan's final complete album was Brazilian Romance, produced and composed by Sergio Mendes and recorded primarily in the early part of 1987 in New York and Detroit. In 1988, Vaughan contributed vocals to an album of Christmas carols recorded by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir with the Utah Symphony Orchestra and sold in Hallmark Cards stores. In 1989, Quincy Jones' album Back on the Block featured Vaughan in a brief scatting duet with Ella Fitzgerald. This was Vaughan's final studio recording and, fittingly, it was Vaughan's only formal studio recording with Fitzgerald in a career that had begun 46 years earlier opening for Fitzgerald at the Apollo.
Vaughan is featured in a number of video recordings from the 1980s. Sarah Vaughan Live from Monterrey was taped in 1983 or 1984 and featured her working trio with guest soloists. Sass and Brass was taped in 1986 in New Orleans and also features her working trio with guest soloists, including Dizzy Gillespie and Maynard Ferguson. Sarah Vaughan: The Divine One was featured in the American Masters series on PBS.
She was given the George and Ira Gershwin Award for Lifetime Musical Achievement, UCLA Spring Sing.
Death
In 1989, Vaughan's health began to decline, although she rarely betrayed any hints in her performances. Vaughan canceled a series of engagements in Europe in 1989 citing the need to seek treatment for arthritis in the hand, although she was able to complete a later series of performances in Japan. During a run at New York's Blue Note jazz club in 1989, Vaughan received a diagnosis of lung cancer and was too ill to finish the final day of what would turn out to be her final series of public performances.
Vaughan returned to her home in California to begin chemotherapy and spent her final months alternating stays in the hospital and at home. Toward the end, Vaughan tired of the struggle and demanded to be taken home, where she died on the evening of April 3, 1990, while watching a television movie featuring her daughter, a week after her 66th birthday.
Vaughan's funeral was held at Mount Zion Baptist Church at 208 Broadway in Newark, New Jersey which was the same congregation she grew up in, although relocated to a new building. Following the ceremony, a horse-drawn carriage transported her body to its final resting place in Glendale Cemetery in Bloomfield, New Jersey.
Hit songs associated with Sarah Vaughan
The listing is not chronological.
1. If You Could See Me Now
2. Tenderly
3. Beautiful Changes
4. It's Magic (Recorded December 27, 1947 for Musicraft.)
5. Shulie A Bop
6. The Nearness of You
7. Loverman (with Charlie Parker May 11, 1945 for the Guild label, with her own quartet in the 1950s for EmArcy.)
8. Make Yourself Comfortable (Highest chart position, number 4, November 11, 1954
9. Broken Hearted Melody (Highest chart position, number 7, September 1959
10. Passing Strangers (with Billy Eckstine)
11. Misty
12. Whatever Lola Wants
Grammy Hall of Fame
Recordings of Sarah Vaughan were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, which is a special Grammy award established in 1973 to honor recordings that are at least twenty-five years old, and that have "qualitative or historical significance."
Grammy Hall of Fame
Year Recorded Title Genre Label Year Inducted
1955 Sarah Vaughan with Clifford Brown Jazz (Album) Mercury 1999
1946 If You Could See Me Now Jazz (Single) Musicraft 1998
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http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p264/lumis09/JAZZ/Sarah_Vaughan.jpg
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Howard on 04/03/10 at 6:49 am
The person born on this day...Alec Baldwin
Alexander Rae "Alec" Baldwin III (born April 3, 1958) is an American actor who has appeared on film, stage and television.
Baldwin first gained recognition through television for his work in the soap opera Knots Landing, which aired on CBS from 1984 to 1986. He has since played both leading and supporting roles in films such as Beetlejuice (1988), The Hunt for Red October (1990), The Aviator (2004) and The Departed (2006). His performance in the 2003 film The Cooler garnered him an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor nomination.
He currently stars as Jack Donaghy on the NBC sitcom 30 Rock. He has received two Emmy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, and four Screen Actors Guild Awards. He is the oldest of the Baldwin brothers working in Hollywood.
Stage
Baldwin made his Broadway debut in 1986, in a revival of Joe Orton's Loot alongside theater veterans Zoe Wanamaker, Željko Ivanek, Joseph Maher and Charles Keating. This production closed after three months. His other Broadway credits include Caryl Churchill's Serious Money with Kate Nelligan and a highly acclaimed revival of Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire. His performance as Stanley Kowalski in the latter garnered him a Tony Award nomination for Best Actor. Baldwin also received an Emmy nomination for the 1995 television version of the production, in which both he and Jessica Lange reprised their roles, alongside John Goodman and Diane Lane. In 1998, Baldwin played the title role in Macbeth at the Public theater alongside Angela Bassett and Liev Schreiber in a production directed by George C. Wolfe. In 2004, Baldwin starred in a revival of Twentieth Century with Anne Heche.
On June 9, 2005, he appeared in a concert version of the Rogers and Hammerstein musical South Pacific at Carnegie Hall. He starred as Luther Billis, alongside Reba McEntire as Nellie and Brian Stokes Mitchell as Emile. The production was taped and telecast by PBS on April 26, 2006. In 2006, Baldwin made theater news in Roundabout Theatre Company's Off-Broadway revival of Joe Orton's Entertaining Mr. Sloane.
Television
Baldwin's first major acting role was as Billy Aldrich on the daytime soap opera The Doctors from 1980 to 1982. In the fall of 1983, he starred in the short-lived television series Cutter to Houston. He then co-starred in the television series Knots Landing from 1984 to 1986. In 1986, Baldwin starred in Dress Gray, a four-hour made-for-television miniseries, as an honest cadet sergeant who tries to solve the mystery of a murdered classmate. The film was adapted by Gore Vidal from the novel by Lucian Truscott.
Between the years of 1998 and 2002, Baldwin was the U.S. narrator for the children's show Thomas and Friends, narrating all 52 episodes of seasons 5 and 6. Baldwin appeared in a celebrity edition of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire in November 2000, competing against Jon Stewart, Charlie Sheen, Vivica A. Fox and Norm Macdonald. He won $250,000 for PAWS, and used Kim Basinger as one of his "phone-a-friend" partners.
In 2002, Baldwin appeared on two episodes of Friends as Phoebe Buffay's overly enthusiastic love interest, Parker. He also portrayed a recurring character in a number of episodes in season 7 and 8 of Will & Grace, in which he played Malcolm - a 'top secret agent' and the lover of Karen Walker (Megan Mullally). He also guest-starred in the first live episode of the series. Baldwin wrote an episode of Law & Order entitled "Tabloid", which aired in 1998. He played the role of Dr. Barrett Moore, a retired plastic surgeon, in the series Nip/Tuck.
On July 7, 2007, Baldwin was a host at the American leg of Live Earth, which was broadcast on NBC.
Baldwin currently stars in the NBC sitcom 30 Rock, which first aired in October 2006. Baldwin had met series creator Tina Fey and one of his co-stars, Tracy Morgan, during several tapings of Saturday Night Live. He has received two Emmy Awards, two Golden Globe awards and two Screen Actors Guild Awards for his role. Baldwin received his second Emmy nomination for Best Actor in a Television Comedy or Musical as Jack Donaghy in 2008, marking his seventh Primetime Emmy nomination and first win. He won again in 2009. Since season 3, Baldwin has been credited as producer of the show.
Baldwin joined TCM’s The Essentials Robert Osborne as co-host beginning in March 2009.
Baldwin co-hosted the 82nd Academy Awards with Steve Martin in 2010. He has hosted Saturday Night Live 14 times as of November 2009.
Film
Baldwin made his theatrical film debut with a minor role in the 1988 film She's Having a Baby. Also in 1988, he appeared in Beetlejuice and Working Girl. He gained further recognition as a leading man with his role as Jack Ryan in The Hunt for Red October (1990).
Baldwin met his future wife Kim Basinger when they played lovers in the 1991 film The Marrying Man. He appeared with Basinger again in The Getaway, a 1994 remake of the 1972 Steve McQueen film of the same name. Next, in a brief role, Baldwin played a ferocious sales executive in Glengarry Glen Ross (1992), a part added to the film version of David Mamet's Pulitzer Prize-winning stage play. Later that year, he starred in Prelude to a Kiss with Meg Ryan, which was based on the Broadway play. The film received a lukewarm reception by critics and grossed only $22 million worldwide.
In 1994, Baldwin made a foray into pulp fiction-based movies with the role of the title character in The Shadow. The film made $48 million. In 1996 and 1997, Baldwin continued to work in several thrillers including The Edge, The Juror and Heaven's Prisoners.
Baldwin shifted towards character acting, beginning with 2001's Pearl Harbor. He played Lt. Col. James Doolittle in the film, which, with a worldwide box office of $449,220,945, remains the highest grossing film Baldwin has appeared in his acting career. Baldwin was nominated for an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, and the Screen Actors Guild Award for his performance in the 2003 gambling drama The Cooler. He appeared in Martin Scorsese's The Aviator (2004) and The Departed (2006). In 2006, he starred in the film Mini's First Time, alongside Nikki Reed and Luke Wilson. Baldwin performed opposite Sarah Michelle Gellar in the 2007 romantic comedy, Suburban Girl. In 2009, he co-starred in the hit romantic comedy It's Complicated with Meryl Streep and Steve Martin.
Baldwin directed and starred in an all-star version of The Devil and Daniel Webster with Anthony Hopkins, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Dan Aykroyd in 2001. The then-unreleased film became an asset in a federal bank fraud trial when investor Jed Barron was convicted of bank fraud while the movie was in production. The film eventually was acquired by The Yari Group without Baldwin's involvement. In 2007, the Yari Film Group announced it would give the film, now titled Shortcut to Happiness, a theatrical release in the spring and cable film network Starz! announced they had acquired pay TV rights for the film. Shortcut to Happiness was finally released in 2008. Baldwin, displeased with the way the film had been cut in post-production, demanded that his directorial credit be changed to the pseudonym "Harry Kirkpatrick".
Baldwin has also worked as voice actor in films such as The Royal Tenenbaums, Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within and Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends.
Radio
On January 12, 2009, Baldwin became the host of The New York Philharmonic This Week, the nationally broadcast radio series of the New York Philharmonic. He has recorded two nationally distributed public service radio announcements on behalf of the Save the Manatee Club.
A Promise to Ourselves
In 2008 Alec Baldwin and Mark Tabb published A Promise to Ourselves, which chronicles Baldwin's seven-year battle to remain a part of his daughter's life.
Baldwin contends that after their separation in December 2000, his former wife, Kim Basinger, endeavored to deny him access to his daughter by refusing to discuss parenting, blocking visitation, not providing telephone access, not following court orders, not dropping their daughter off for reasons of it being inconvenient, and directly lobbying the child. He contends she spent over $1.5 million in the effort.
Baldwin called this parental alienation syndrome. Baldwin has called the attorneys in the case "opportunists" and has characterized Basinger's psychologists as part of the "divorce industry". He has faulted them more than Basinger, and writes, "In fact, I blame my ex-wife least of all for what has transpired. She is a person, like many of us, doing the best she can with what she has. She is a litigant, and therefore, one who walks into a courtroom and is never offered anything other than what is served there. Nothing off the menu, ever."
Baldwin wrote that he has spent over a million dollars, has had to put time aside from his career, has had to travel extensively, and needed to find a house in California (he lived in New York), so he could stay in his daughter's life. Baldwin contended that after seven years of these issues, he hit a breaking point, and left an angry voicemail message in response to another unanswered arranged call. He contends that the tape was sold to TMZ, which released the recording despite laws against publishing media related to a minor without the permission of both parents. Baldwin admitted he made a mistake, but asked not to be judged as a parent based on a bad moment. He later admitted to Playboy in June 2009 that he contemplated suicide over the voice mail that leaked to the public. Of the incident, he said "I spoke to a lot of professionals, who helped me. If I committed suicide, would have considered that a victory. Destroying me was their avowed goal."
During the autumn of 2008, Baldwin toured in support of the book, speaking about his experiences related in it
1987 Forever, Lulu Buck
1988 She's Having a Baby Davis McDonald
Beetlejuice Adam Maitland
Married to the Mob Frank de Marco
Working Girl Mick Dugan
Talk Radio Dan
1989 Great Balls of Fire! Jimmy Swaggart
Tong Tana Narrator Documentary
1990 The Hunt for Red October Jack Ryan
Miami Blues Frederick J. Frenger Jr.
Alice Ed
1991 The Marrying Man Charley Pearl
1992 Prelude to a Kiss Peter Hoskins
Glengarry Glen Ross Blake
1993 Malice Dr. Jed Hill
1994 The Getaway Carter 'Doc' McCoy
The Shadow Lamont Cranston/The Shadow
1995 Two Bits Narrator
1996 Wild Bill: Hollywood Maverick Narrator Documentary
The Juror Teacher
Heaven's Prisoners Dave Robicheaux
Looking for Richard Clarence Documentary
Ghosts of Mississippi Bobby DeLaughter
1997 The Edge Robert Green
1998 Thick as Thieves Mackin, The Thief
Mercury Rising Lt. Col. Nicholas Kudrow
1999 The Confession Roy Bleakie
Notting Hill Jeff King
Outside Providence Old Man Dunphy Nominated — Las Vegas Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actor
"Scout's Honor" Todd Fitter Short film
2000 The Acting Class Himself
Thomas and the Magic Railroad Mr. Conductor
State and Main Bob Barrenger Florida Film Critics Circle Award for Best Cast
National Board of Review Award for Best Cast
Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Cast
Clerks: The Animated Series Leonardo Leonardo
2001 Pearl Harbor Lt. Col. James Doolittle
Cats & Dogs Butch Voice
Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within Capt. Gray Edwards Voice
The Royal Tenenbaums Narrator Voice
2002 The Adventures of Pluto Nash M.Z.M.
2003 The Cooler Shelly Kaplow Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor
National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actor
Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actor
Vancouver Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor
Nominated — Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
Nominated — Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor
Nominated — Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor
Nominated — Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor
Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor
Nominated — Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actor
Nominated — Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor – Drama
Nominated — Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Male Actor in a Supporting Role
Nominated — Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor
Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There
The Cat in the Hat Lawrence "Larry" Quinn Nominated — Razzie Award for Worst Supporting Actor
Walking with Cavemen Narrator Documentary
"Brighter Days" Himself Short film
Channel Chasers 30-year-old Timmy Turner Voice
2004 Along Came Polly Stan Indursky
Double Dare Documentary
The Last Shot Joe Devine
The Aviator Juan Trippe Nominated — Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Cast
The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie Dennis (Plankton's hired hitman) Voice
2005 Elizabethtown Phil DeVoss
Fun with Dick and Jane Jack McCallister
2006 Mini's First Time Martin
The Departed Capt. George Ellerby National Board of Review Award for Best Cast
Nominated — Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Cast
Running with Scissors Norman Burroughs
The Good Shepherd Sam Murach
2007 Suburban Girl Archie Knox
Brooklyn Rules Caesar Manganaro
Shortcut to Happiness Jabez Stone
2008 My Best Friend's Girl Professor Turner
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa Makunga Voice
Lymelife Mickey Bartlett
2009 My Sister's Keeper Campbell Alexander
It's Complicated Jacob Adler National Board of Review Award for Best Cast
Nominated — BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1980–1982 The Doctors Billy Allison Aldrich
1983 Cutter to Houston Dr. Hal Wexler
1984 Sweet Revenge Major Alex Breen
1984–1986 Knots Landing Joshua Rush
1985 Hotel Dennis Medford Episode: Distortions
1985 Love on the Run Sean Carpenter
1986 Dress Gray Rysam 'Ry' Slaight TV miniseries
1987 The Alamo: Thirteen Days to Glory Colonel William B. Travis
1995 A Streetcar Named Desire Stanley Kowalski Nominated — Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor – Miniseries or a Television Film
Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film
1998–2003 Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends Himself Narrator
2000 Nuremberg Justice Robert H. Jackson TV miniseries
Nominated — Emmy Award for Outstanding Miniseries
Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film
2000–2001 Clerks: The Animated Series Leonardo Leonardo
2002 Friends Parker Episodes: "The One in Massapequa," "The One with the Tea Leaves"
2002 Path to War Robert McNamara, Secretary of Defense TV movie
Nominated — Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor – Miniseries or a Television Film
Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film
2003 Walking with Cavemen Himself Episodes: "Blood Brothers," "First Ancestors," "Savage Family," "The Survivors"
2003 Second Nature Paul Kane
2003 Dreams & Giants Himself Host
2004 The Fairly OddParents in: Channel Chasers Adult Timmy Turner Voice role
2004 Nip/Tuck Dr. Barret Moore Episode: "Joan Rivers"
2004 Las Vegas Jack Keller Episodes: "Degas Away with It," "Hellraisers & Heartbreakers"
2005 The Simpsons Dr. Caleb Thorn Episode: "Bonfire of the Manatees"
2005 Will & Grace Malcolm Episodes: "The Hole Truth," "Seems Like Old Times," "The Old Man and the Sea," "Alive and Schticking," "Friends with Benefits," "Kiss and Tell"
Nominated — Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor – Comedy Series (2005, 2006)
2006 Great Performances Luther Billis Episode: "'South Pacific' in Concert from Carnegie Hall"
2006–Present 30 Rock Jack Donaghy Produced five episodes
Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor – Comedy Series (2008, 2009)
Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Musical or Comedy Series (2006, 2008, 2009)
Nominated — Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor – Comedy Series (2007)
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009)
2010 The Marriage Ref Guest Judge Episode: "Pilot"
Awards
Year Award Category Title
1985 Soap Opera Digest Awards Outstanding New Actor in a Prime Time Serial Knots Landing
1992 Valladolid International Film Festival Best Actor Glengarry Glen Ross (Shared with cast)
2000 Cinequest San Jose Film Festival Maverick Tribute Award
-
2000 National Board of Review of Motion Pictures Best Acting by an Ensemble State and Main (Shared with cast)
2003 Best Supporting Actor The Cooler
2006 Best Ensemble The Departed (Shared with cast)
2001 Gemini Award Best Dramatic Mini-Series Nuremberg
Florida Film Critics Circle Awards Best Ensemble Cast State and Main (Shared with cast)
Online Film Critics Society Awards Best Ensemble State and Main (Shared with cast)
2004 Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actor The Cooler
Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role The Cooler
Vancouver Film Critics Circle Best Supporting Actor The Cooler
2005 Hamptons International Film Festival Golden Starfish Award for Career Achievement
-
2007 Golden Globe Award Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy 30 Rock
Television Critics Association Awards Individual Achievement in Comedy 30 Rock
Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series 30 Rock
2008 Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series 30 Rock
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series 30 Rock
Emmy Award Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series 30 Rock
Golden Globe Award Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy 30 Rock
2009 Emmy Award Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series 30 Rock
2010 Golden Globe Award Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy 30 Rock
Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series 30 Rock
http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z37/cbeachum/Baldwin.jpg
http://i484.photobucket.com/albums/rr203/haberci/unlu/AlecBaldwin/01/04.jpg
Alec Baldwin was in the news a while ago.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Philip Eno on 04/03/10 at 6:54 am
The word of the day...Cooler
A cooler is a container for keeping things cool, especially drinks.
A water cooler is a machine that dispenses drinking water, especially in an office.
wine cooler
a drink made with wine, fruit juice, ice and soda water
http://i922.photobucket.com/albums/ad63/brookejolly1977/DSC03611.jpg
http://i746.photobucket.com/albums/xx108/tofavoryou/GreekCooler.jpg
http://i712.photobucket.com/albums/ww126/savio7/Fan%20Cooler/usb-fan-cooler-turtle-1.jpg
http://i746.photobucket.com/albums/xx108/tofavoryou/GreekPartyCooler.jpg
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g156/CowboyRon80/Posters/MagicCoolerPoster.jpg
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m261/g60_2006/IMAGE_197.jpg
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f356/caressa105203/wine_cooler_b.jpg
http://i521.photobucket.com/albums/w337/gerilori/Winecooler.jpg
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f144/Parallax80/office.jpg
http://i947.photobucket.com/albums/ad318/cjfromla/forsalenovitems041jpgpb.jpg
Steve macQueen was the Cooler King
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/04/10 at 6:29 am
The word of the day...Easter
Easter is a Christian festival when Jesus Christ's return to life is celebrated. It is celebrated on a Sunday in March or April
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e229/cdavoli/happy-easter.jpg
http://i930.photobucket.com/albums/ad141/SheilaGig/easter.gif
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e206/urfavgurrl/Happy_Easter.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y54/eshepard/Easter/Evangeline3219.jpg
http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt209/msparrie/easter/easter_candy.jpg
http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u124/shenvalcat/happyeasterlily.jpg
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Howard on 04/04/10 at 7:03 am
I always loved those Cadbury Creme Eggs with the yolk in the middle.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/04/10 at 6:49 pm
I always loved those Cadbury Creme Eggs with the yolk in the middle.
I haven't had them in years
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: nally on 04/04/10 at 6:51 pm
I always loved those Cadbury Creme Eggs with the yolk in the middle.
I haven't had them in years
Neither have I... the last time I can remember eating any was 10 years ago. I might've had one or two since then, but can't remember offhand.
And by the way, I love the Easter pics up above; they are very colorful and festive. 8)
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Philip Eno on 04/05/10 at 1:52 am
I always loved those Cadbury Creme Eggs with the yolk in the middle.
Too "Cremey" for me!
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/05/10 at 5:12 am
Neither have I... the last time I can remember eating any was 10 years ago. I might've had one or two since then, but can't remember offhand.
And by the way, I love the Easter pics up above; they are very colorful and festive. 8)
I'm glad you like them. :)
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Philip Eno on 04/05/10 at 5:22 am
British Person of the Day: Nigel Hawthorne
Sir Nigel Barnard Hawthorne, CBE (5 April 1929 – 26 December 2001) was an English actor, perhaps best remembered for his role as Sir Humphrey Appleby, the Permanent Secretary in the sitcom Yes Minister and the Cabinet Secretary in its sequel, Yes, Prime Minister.
Early life
Hawthorne was born in Coventry, England, the son of Agnes Rosemary (née Rice) and Charles Barnard Hawthorne, a physician. He grew up in South Africa, where he was educated at St George's Grammar School, Cape Town and Christian Brothers College. He enrolled at the University of Cape Town but withdrew and returned to the United Kingdom in the 1950s to pursue a career in acting.
Career
Hawthorne made his professional stage debut in 1950, playing Archie Fellows in a Cape Town production of The Shop at Sly Corner.
In a long and varied career, which began with an advert for Mackeson stout and a bit part in Dad's Army, his most famous roles were as Sir Humphrey Appleby, the Permanent Secretary of the fictional Department of Administrative Affairs in the television series Yes Minister (and Cabinet Secretary in its sequel, Yes, Prime Minister), for which he won four BAFTA awards, and as King George III in Alan Bennett's stage play The Madness of George III (Olivier Award) and the film adaptation, for which he received an Oscar nomination.
Honours
He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1987, and was knighted in 1999.
Personal life and death
An intensely private individual, he was upset at having been involuntarily "outed" as gay in 1995 in the publicity surrounding the Academy Awards, but he did attend the ceremony with his long-time partner Trevor Bentham, speaking openly about being gay in interviews and his autobiography, Straight Face, which was published posthumously.
Hawthorne had several operations for pancreatic cancer, although his immediate cause of death was from a heart attack, aged 72. He was survived by his partner, Trevor Bentham and buried at the Parish Church of Thundridge near Ware, Hertfordshire.
Television
* Mrs Wilson's Diary (1969) … Roy Jenkins
* Alma Mater (1971) … Major
* The Floater (1975)
* Eleanor Marx: Tussy (1977)
* Eleanor Marx: Eleanor (1977)
* Marie Curie (1977) … Pierre Curie
* Destiny (1978)
* Holocaust (1978) … General Otto Ohlendorf
* Warrior Queen (1978) … Catus Decianus
* Edward and Mrs. Simpson (1978) … Walter Monkton
* Thomas & Sarah (1979) … Wilson
* The Knowledge (1979) … Mr. Burgess
* Yes Minister (1980–1984) … Sir Humphrey Appleby, Permanent Secretary
* The Tempest (1980) … Stephano
* A Tale of Two Cities (1980) … Mr. C. J. Stryver
* Jessie (1980) … Mr. Edmonds
* Jukes of Piccadilly (1980) … Brinsley Jukes
* A Brush with Mr. Porter on the Road to Eldorado (1981)
* The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1982) … Magistrate at Esmeralda's trial
* A Woman Called Golda (1982) … King Abdullah
* The World Cup: A Captain's Tale (1982)
* The Critic (1982)
* The Barchester Chronicles (1982) … Archdeacon Grantly
* The Tartuffe or Imposter (1983) … Orgon
* Pope John Paul II (1984) … Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski
* The House (1984)
* Mapp & Lucia (1985) … Georgie Pillson
* Jenny's War (1985) … Colonel
* Yes, Prime Minister (1986–1988) … Sir Humphrey Appleby, Cabinet Secretary
* Spirit of Man (1989) … Rev. Jonathan Guerdon (segment "From Sleep and Shadow")
* Relatively Speaking (1990) … Philip Carter
* The Trials of Oz (1991) … Brian Leary
* Flea Bites (1991) … Kryst
* Inside (1996) … Colonel Kruger
* The Fragile Heart (1996) … Edgar Pascoe
* Forbidden Territory: Stanley's Search for Livingstone (1997) … David Livingstone
* Animal Stories (1998–2000) … Narrator
* Victoria & Albert (2001) … William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne
* Call Me Claus (2001) … St. Nick
Film
* Young Winston (1972) (uncredited) … Boer sentry
* S*P*Y*S (1974) … Croft
* The Hiding Place (1975) … Pastor De Ruiter
* Watership Down (1978) (voice) … Campion
* Sweeney 2 (1978) … Dilke
* The Sailor's Return (1978) … Mr. Fosse
* History of the World: Part I (1981) … Citizen official
* Memoirs of a Survivor (1981) … Victorian father
* Firefox (1982) … Pyotr Baranovich
* The Plague Dogs (1982) (voice) … Dr. Robert Boycott
* Gandhi (1982) … Kinnoch
* Dead On Time (1983) ... Doctor
* Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (1983) … Man walking by Crimson Insurance building as anchor is raised
* The Chain (1984) … Mr. Thorn
* The Black Cauldron (1985) (voice) … Fflewddur Fflam
* Turtle Diary (1985) … The publisher
* Rarg (1988) (voice)
* King of the Wind (1989) … Achmet
* En Håndfull tid (1989) … Ted Walker
* Freddie as F.R.O.7 (1992) (voice) … Brigadier G
* Demolition Man (1993) … Dr. Raymond Cocteau
* The Madness of King George (1994) … George III
* Richard III (1995) … George, Duke of Clarence
* Twelfth Night (1996) … Malvolio
* Murder in Mind (1997) … Dr. Ellis
* Amistad (1997) … Martin Van Buren
* The Object of My Affection (1998) … Rodney Fraser
* Madeline (1998) … Lord Covington (segment "Lord Cucuface")
* At Sachem Farm (1998) … Uncle Cullen
* The Winslow Boy (1999) … Arthur Winslow
* The Big Brass Ring (1999) … Kim Mennaker
* Tarzan (1999) (voice) … Professor Porter
* A Reasonable Man (1999) … Judge Wendon
* The Clandestine Marriage (1999) … Lord Ogleby
http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/870000/images/_872527_top.jpg
http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Arts/Arts_/Pictures/2009/2/6/1233916011644/Nigel-Hawthorne-in-King-L-001.jpg
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/05/10 at 5:32 am
The word of the day...Chain
A chain consists of metal rings connected together in a line.
If prisoners are in chains, they have thick rings of metal round their wrists or ankles to prevent them from escaping.
You can refer to feelings and duties which prevent you from doing what you want to do as chains.
A chain of things is a group of them existing or arranged in a line.
A chain of shops, hotels, or other businesses is a number of them owned by the same person or company.
A chain of events is a series of them happening one after another.
http://i977.photobucket.com/albums/ae254/gfuturehk/Chain/NST754.jpg
http://i977.photobucket.com/albums/ae254/gfuturehk/Chain/NST786.jpg
http://i564.photobucket.com/albums/ss82/Msbettybug/ChainWeight.jpg
http://i802.photobucket.com/albums/yy309/midsummersmelody/peoplechainholdinghands.jpg
http://i698.photobucket.com/albums/vv342/classicbike09/DSCC26811.jpg
http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx60/pl4ntm4n/DSC00892.jpg
http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/yy62/emiliano030309/HolidayInnmail.jpg
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd128/lilipuk_photo/DSCN4460.jpg
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/05/10 at 5:33 am
British Person of the Day: Nigel Hawthorne
Sir Nigel Barnard Hawthorne, CBE (5 April 1929 – 26 December 2001) was an English actor, perhaps best remembered for his role as Sir Humphrey Appleby, the Permanent Secretary in the sitcom Yes Minister and the Cabinet Secretary in its sequel, Yes, Prime Minister.
Early life
Hawthorne was born in Coventry, England, the son of Agnes Rosemary (née Rice) and Charles Barnard Hawthorne, a physician. He grew up in South Africa, where he was educated at St George's Grammar School, Cape Town and Christian Brothers College. He enrolled at the University of Cape Town but withdrew and returned to the United Kingdom in the 1950s to pursue a career in acting.
Career
Hawthorne made his professional stage debut in 1950, playing Archie Fellows in a Cape Town production of The Shop at Sly Corner.
In a long and varied career, which began with an advert for Mackeson stout and a bit part in Dad's Army, his most famous roles were as Sir Humphrey Appleby, the Permanent Secretary of the fictional Department of Administrative Affairs in the television series Yes Minister (and Cabinet Secretary in its sequel, Yes, Prime Minister), for which he won four BAFTA awards, and as King George III in Alan Bennett's stage play The Madness of George III (Olivier Award) and the film adaptation, for which he received an Oscar nomination.
Honours
He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1987, and was knighted in 1999.
Personal life and death
An intensely private individual, he was upset at having been involuntarily "outed" as gay in 1995 in the publicity surrounding the Academy Awards, but he did attend the ceremony with his long-time partner Trevor Bentham, speaking openly about being gay in interviews and his autobiography, Straight Face, which was published posthumously.
Hawthorne had several operations for pancreatic cancer, although his immediate cause of death was from a heart attack, aged 72. He was survived by his partner, Trevor Bentham and buried at the Parish Church of Thundridge near Ware, Hertfordshire.
Television
* Mrs Wilson's Diary (1969) … Roy Jenkins
* Alma Mater (1971) … Major
* The Floater (1975)
* Eleanor Marx: Tussy (1977)
* Eleanor Marx: Eleanor (1977)
* Marie Curie (1977) … Pierre Curie
* Destiny (1978)
* Holocaust (1978) … General Otto Ohlendorf
* Warrior Queen (1978) … Catus Decianus
* Edward and Mrs. Simpson (1978) … Walter Monkton
* Thomas & Sarah (1979) … Wilson
* The Knowledge (1979) … Mr. Burgess
* Yes Minister (1980–1984) … Sir Humphrey Appleby, Permanent Secretary
* The Tempest (1980) … Stephano
* A Tale of Two Cities (1980) … Mr. C. J. Stryver
* Jessie (1980) … Mr. Edmonds
* Jukes of Piccadilly (1980) … Brinsley Jukes
* A Brush with Mr. Porter on the Road to Eldorado (1981)
* The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1982) … Magistrate at Esmeralda's trial
* A Woman Called Golda (1982) … King Abdullah
* The World Cup: A Captain's Tale (1982)
* The Critic (1982)
* The Barchester Chronicles (1982) … Archdeacon Grantly
* The Tartuffe or Imposter (1983) … Orgon
* Pope John Paul II (1984) … Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski
* The House (1984)
* Mapp & Lucia (1985) … Georgie Pillson
* Jenny's War (1985) … Colonel
* Yes, Prime Minister (1986–1988) … Sir Humphrey Appleby, Cabinet Secretary
* Spirit of Man (1989) … Rev. Jonathan Guerdon (segment "From Sleep and Shadow")
* Relatively Speaking (1990) … Philip Carter
* The Trials of Oz (1991) … Brian Leary
* Flea Bites (1991) … Kryst
* Inside (1996) … Colonel Kruger
* The Fragile Heart (1996) … Edgar Pascoe
* Forbidden Territory: Stanley's Search for Livingstone (1997) … David Livingstone
* Animal Stories (1998–2000) … Narrator
* Victoria & Albert (2001) … William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne
* Call Me Claus (2001) … St. Nick
Film
* Young Winston (1972) (uncredited) … Boer sentry
* S*P*Y*S (1974) … Croft
* The Hiding Place (1975) … Pastor De Ruiter
* Watership Down (1978) (voice) … Campion
* Sweeney 2 (1978) … Dilke
* The Sailor's Return (1978) … Mr. Fosse
* History of the World: Part I (1981) … Citizen official
* Memoirs of a Survivor (1981) … Victorian father
* Firefox (1982) … Pyotr Baranovich
* The Plague Dogs (1982) (voice) … Dr. Robert Boycott
* Gandhi (1982) … Kinnoch
* Dead On Time (1983) ... Doctor
* Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (1983) … Man walking by Crimson Insurance building as anchor is raised
* The Chain (1984) … Mr. Thorn
* The Black Cauldron (1985) (voice) … Fflewddur Fflam
* Turtle Diary (1985) … The publisher
* Rarg (1988) (voice)
* King of the Wind (1989) … Achmet
* En Håndfull tid (1989) … Ted Walker
* Freddie as F.R.O.7 (1992) (voice) … Brigadier G
* Demolition Man (1993) … Dr. Raymond Cocteau
* The Madness of King George (1994) … George III
* Richard III (1995) … George, Duke of Clarence
* Twelfth Night (1996) … Malvolio
* Murder in Mind (1997) … Dr. Ellis
* Amistad (1997) … Martin Van Buren
* The Object of My Affection (1998) … Rodney Fraser
* Madeline (1998) … Lord Covington (segment "Lord Cucuface")
* At Sachem Farm (1998) … Uncle Cullen
* The Winslow Boy (1999) … Arthur Winslow
* The Big Brass Ring (1999) … Kim Mennaker
* Tarzan (1999) (voice) … Professor Porter
* A Reasonable Man (1999) … Judge Wendon
* The Clandestine Marriage (1999) … Lord Ogleby
http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/870000/images/_872527_top.jpg
http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Arts/Arts_/Pictures/2009/2/6/1233916011644/Nigel-Hawthorne-in-King-L-001.jpg
Now that's funny, I just did the word Chain for his movie The Chain..he was going to be my person.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/05/10 at 5:40 am
the person of the day...Michael Moriarty
Michael Moriarty (born April 5, 1941) is a three time Emmy and Tony award winning American-Canadian actor of stage and screen, and a jazz musician. He played Benjamin Stone for four seasons on the TV series Law & Order.
Moriarty, an Irish American, was born in Detroit, Michigan, the son of Elinor (née Paul) and George Moriarty, a police surgeon. His grandfather, George Moriarty, was a third baseman, umpire and manager in the major leagues for nearly 40 years. He attended middle school at Cranbrook School in Bloomfield Hills before transferring to the University of Detroit Jesuit High School for high school. Moriarty then matriculated at Dartmouth College in the class of 1963, where he was a theatre major. After he received his degree, he left for London, England, where he enrolled in the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, after receiving a Fulbright Scholarship.
Acting career
In 1973, Moriarty was cast to play the egocentric Henry Wiggen in Bang the Drum Slowly, a film about friendship between two unlikely baseball teammates – the second being Robert De Niro, a slow thinking catcher who becomes terminally ill. In the same year, Moriarty starred in a TV movie adaptation of Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie with Katharine Hepburn. Coincidentally, the film also featured Sam Waterston, who later replaced Moriarty as the Executive Assistant District Attorney on Law & Order. Moriarty's role in Menagerie (as "Jim," the Gentleman Caller; Waterston played the son "Tom") won him an Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actor of the Year. In 1974 he had a starring role as rookie detective Bo Lockley in the acclaimed gritty police drama Report to the Commissioner.
He won a Tony Award in 1974 for his work in Find Your Way Home. Moriarty's career on the screen was slow to develop, while his theatre career was flourishing. He starred as a German SS officer in the television miniseries Holocaust, which earned him another Emmy. Through the 1980s, Moriarty starred in such Larry Cohen movies as Q, The Stuff, It's Alive 3, and A Return to Salem's Lot (much later, he appeared in Cohen's Masters of Horror episode "Pick Me Up"), as well as Clint Eastwood's Pale Rider and The Hanoi Hilton. In 1986, he starred in the fantasy science fiction movie Troll, playing the role of Harry Potter Sr.
From 1990 to 1994, Moriarty starred as Ben Stone on Law & Order. He left the show in 1994, alleging that his departure was a result of his threatening a lawsuit against then-Attorney General Janet Reno, who had cited Law & Order as offensively violent. Moriarty criticized Reno's comment, and claimed that not only did she want to censor shows like Law & Order but also such fare as Murder, She Wrote. He later accused Law & Order executive producer Dick Wolf of not taking his concerns seriously, and claimed that Wolf and other network executives were "caving in" to Reno's "demands" on the issue of TV violence. Moriarty published a full-page advertisement in a Hollywood trade magazine, calling upon fellow artists to stand up with him against attempts to censor TV show content. He subsequently wrote and published The Gift of Stern Angels, his account of this time in his life.
Wolf and others working on Law & Order tell a different story, however. On November 18, 1993, Moriarty and Wolf, along with other television executives, met with Reno to dissuade her from supporting any law that would censor the show. Wolf said that Moriarty overreacted to any effect the law was likely to have on the show. Law & Order producers claim they were forced to remove Moriarty from the series because of "erratic behavior". One example reportedly happened during the filming of the episode "Breeder" when, according to the episode's director, Arthur Forney, Moriarty was unable to deliver his lines with a straight face. Series and network officials deny any connection to his departure and Janet Reno. Wolf also denies that the show has become less violent, graphic or controversial since 1994.
Moriarty performed in Courage Under Fire, Along Came a Spider, Shiloh, Emily of New Moon and James Dean, for which he won his third Emmy. In 2007 he debuted his first feature-length film as screenwriter and performed the role of a man who thinks he is Adolf Hitler in Hitler Meets Christ.
Musical career
In addition to his acting career, Moriarty is a semi-professional jazz pianist and singer, as well as a classical composer. He has recorded three jazz albums (though the first, Reaching Out, went unreleased), and has performed live regularly in both New York and Vancouver, with a jazz trio and quintet. In a 1990 concert review, New York Times reviewer Stephen Holden called Moriarty "a jazz pianist of considerable skill, an oddball singer with more than one vocal personality, and a writer of eccentric, jivey jazz songs".
Personal life
Shortly after leaving Law & Order, Moriarty moved to Canada, declaring himself a political exile. He lived for a time in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where he was granted Canadian citizenship, and Toronto, Ontario before settling in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Moriarty lives in Maple Ridge, British Columbia, where he still acts, writes and plays music. On the blog Enter Stage Right Moriarty writes that he was a "very bad drunk", but that as of February 1, 2004, he had been sober for three years.
Politics
Moriarty is politically active, describing himself as a "centrist", and sometimes as a "realist". He has written extensively on his opposition to abortion.
In response to a recent interview question as to what the most pressing issue facing the nation was, he stated:
We will find abortion and the despotic Roe v. Wade decision revealing itself as a virtual burning of the Declaration of Independence and our "inalienable right to life…when created"… not gestated. So the pressing issue will, inevitably, be the Third Millennium's version of American slavery: ABORTION.
Moriarty announced his intention to run for President of the United States in 2008 in an interview in the November 2005 issue of Northwest Jazz Profile, but never formally declared his candidacy. He later endorsed fellow former Law & Order actor Fred Thompson for the presidency. He has been a frequent contributor of numerous political columns to the ESR (Enter Stage Right)'s online Journal of Conservativism.
The website Michael Moriarty Unofficial, Unauthorized, Unsanctioned Home Page, contains editorials by Moriarty, and these, in addition to posts on ESR, contain scathing denunciations of an eclectic array of targets, including Bill Clinton, abortion, embryonic stem cell research, anti-Catholicism, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, George W. Bush, both major U.S. political parties, Halliburton, the College of Cardinals, and Islam. Historically, he has been a supporter of the Republican Party. A recent interview contains the following quotes by Moriarty:
Like the collaborating Vichy government in France under the Nazis, America will surrender to laws and ideologies that contradict the American Constitution and the most simple Human Rights. The Supreme Court took a once individually free nation and corrupted it by the lie of Science that fetuses are, in their first two trimesters, no more than egg yolk. Ultimately, our American Intellectual Supremacists bought the "Population Problem", in the same way Europe fell under the thrall of the so-called "Jewish Problem."
Islam, in and of itself... is an Allah-worshipping, Kamikaze Nation, exactly like pre-World War II Imperial Japan. Its Bible, the Koran, can be read like Hitler's Mein Kampf. It demands to rule the entire human race. Islam's only idea of freedom of religion is the freedom of Islam to rule everything. Islamic Political Parties should be no more trusted than neo-Nazi, White Supremacists and David Duke of the Ku Klux Klan have been trusted. Tragically, the only language Islam, like Hirohito's Japan, understands is violence. The measures Harry Truman took to end the war with Japan may prove tragically necessary with Islam.}}
He later restated his previous comments towards Islam, deeming that Osama Bin Laden preached a perverted, traitorous form of Islam
Allah is plumbing your depths. The fear you're now beginning to feel is only the beginning. As you shut walls between your terror and your evil missions, Allah is exuding His presence within every true Muslim. The eyes and ears of Islam are hearing their God and, with all their eyes on you, Osama, witness the clarity of their adoration begin to cloud with the smoky mists of Allah. Merely a wisp of doubt in your followers will grow to a puff of occasional anger, then a stare of growing revelation, and finally, when they again turn their eyes on you, they will see Islam's greatest traitor, Allah's most evil son, and Mohammed's certain enemy.http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v196/paganpriest/Movies/People/MichaelMoriarty.jpg
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q15/belzerfan21/law%20and%20order%20orig/season2team.jpg
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/05/10 at 5:45 am
the person who died on this day...Gene Pitney
Gene Francis Alan Pitney (February 17, 1940 – April 5, 2006) was an American singer-songwriter, musician, and sound engineer. In 2002, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Through the mid-1960s, he enjoyed success as a recording artist on both sides of the Atlantic. As a performer, his singles charted 16 Top 40 times in the U.S., four in the Top Ten. In the UK he had 22 Top 40 hits and 11 Top Tens. He wrote the early 1960s hits "He's a Rebel", by The Crystals, and "Hello Mary Lou", by Rick Nelson.
Pitney was among a small group of early 1960s American acts such as Roy Orbison, Bobby Vinton, The Four Seasons, Jan and Dean, Jay and the Americans, The Beach Boys, and The Supremes who continued to enjoy hits after the British Invasion in the U.S. in 1964.
Pitney was born in Hartford, Connecticut, and grew up in Rockville, now part of Vernon. His early influences were Clyde McPhatter and doo-wop groups like The Crows. He attended Rockville High School, at which he was named "the Rockville Rocket," and where he formed his first band, Gene & the Genials. He made records as part of a duo called Jamie and Jane with Ginny Arnell (who later had a solo hit , DumbHead), and in 1959 made a single as Billy Bryan. The first of the two Decca 45s as Jamie and Jane was "Snuggle Up, Baby", a cover of a song Charlie Gracie recorded at Cameo 1957 or early 1958 which remained unreleased until London Records released Gracie's original version in Europe in 1978.
Career
Rise to fame (1961-1964)
Signed to songwriter Aaron Schroeder's newly formed Musicor label in 1961, Pitney scored his first chart single, "(I Wanna) Love My Life Away". For this song, he played several instruments and multi-tracked the vocals. This was followed that same year by his first hit, "Town Without Pity". This song, from the film of the same name starring Kirk Douglas, won a Golden Globe Award for best movie song and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Song. Pitney was the first pop singer to perform at the Oscars ceremony, singing "Town Without Pity" on 9 April 1962. The song lost the Academy Award to "Moon River".
Pitney wrote songs for others. Notable examples are "He's a Rebel" for The Crystals, Vikki Carr, and Elkie Brooks, "Today's Teardrops" for Roy Orbison, "Rubber Ball" for and also for , and "Hello Mary Lou" for Ricky Nelson. Ironically, The Crystals' "He's A Rebel" kept Pitney's highest peaking Hot 100 record, "Only Love Can Break a Heart", from the top of that chart on 3 November 1962.
Pitney is remembered for "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance", which was associated with the 1962 John Ford film of the same name starring James Stewart, John Wayne, Vera Miles and Lee Marvin. Pitney gave a strong performance of the song, which was written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. Although it was peaked at number 4 on the Billboard pop charts, it was never used in the movie because of a publishing dispute between Famous Music and Paramount Pictures.
His 1963 hit, "Mecca", is a precursor to psychedelia in its use of Indian music three years before The Beatles. Exotic instruments became a Pitney trademark, such as the mariachi trumpets in "Lonely Drifter", the ukuleles in "Hawaii", and the gypsy fiddle in "Golden Earrings".
His popularity in the UK market was ensured by the success of "Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa", by Bacharach-David, at the end of 1963. It reached number 4 at the start of 1964. It was also a hit in the U.S.
Involvement with The Rolling Stones (1964)
Pitney was present with Phil Spector at some of the Rolling Stones' early recording sessions in London, including "Little by Little" and other tracks for their debut album; he played piano, though the extent is uncertain.
The Jagger/Richards song "That Girl Belongs to Yesterday" was a UK hit for Pitney in 1964; it was the first tune composed by the Rolling Stones' to become a top-10 hit in the UK. In the U.S. the single stalled at #49, and ending a run of seven Top 40 for Pitney as a performer.
Maintaining popularity
After another low-charting single (1964's "Yesterday's Hero"), Pitney had another string of hit singles in the mid-1960s, with the song of unrequited love, "It Hurts To Be in Love" (U.S. 7) and "I'm Gonna Be Strong" (U.S. 9) in 1964, and "Nobody Needs Your Love" in 1966 (the first two were top 10 in the U.S.; the last two at number two in the UK). "It Hurts To Be in Love" was planned for Neil Sedaka but RCA refused to sell it because he had recorded it outside RCA Victor in violation of his contract. The writers, Howard Greenfield and Helen Miller, presented the song to Pitney. Miller replaced Sedaka's voice with Pitney's.
In 1965, Pitney recorded two successful albums with George Jones They were voted the most promising country-and-western duo of the year. Pitney also recorded songs in Italian, Spanish and German, and twice finished second in the Sanremo Music Festival, where his strong vibrato reminded older listeners of the Italian tenor Caruso. He had a regional hit with Nessuno Mi Puo' Giudicare.
UK, Australian and European stardom (1966-1970s)
Pitney's career in the U.S. took a downturn after mid-1966, when "Backstage" ended another run of top 40 hits. He returned one last time to the top 40 with "She's a Heartbreaker" in mid-1968 and had a few hits in the lower reaches of the Hot 100 after that, but by 1970 he was no longer a hit-maker in the U.S.
Pitney maintained a successful career in Britain and the rest of Europe into the 1970s, appearing regularly on UK charts as late as 1974. In Australia, after a fallow period in the early 1970s, Pitney returned to the top 40 charts in 1974, as both Blue Angel (#2) and Trans-Canada Highway (#14 - production by David Mackay) were substantial hits. Pitney continued to place records in the Australian charts through 1976.
In the early 70s, Pitney decided to spend only six months each year on the road.
Later career
Pitney's last hit the UK charts in 1989, after an absence of 15 years, was a duet with Marc Almond. It was a version of "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart" by British writers Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway. It had been a number five for Pitney in 1967. This brought him his first UK number 1 in late January 1989, staying four weeks. It went to No. 1 elsewhere in Europe. The two appeared on the Terry Wogan television show in Britain, Almond dressed in leather, Pitney in a white tuxedo.
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds had recorded "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart" on their cover album, Kicking Against the Pricks, in 1986. But it never had the success of Pitney-Almond.
On 26 February 1993, Pitney performed at Carnegie Hall in New York on the day of the first World Trade Center18 bombing. On 18 March 2002 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Death
Pitney died on April 5, 2006, aged 66. His tour manager found him dead in the Hilton Hotel, in Cardiff, Wales, in the middle of a UK tour. His final show at Cardiff's St. David's Hall was a success, with a standing ovation, ending the show with "Town Without Pity". An autopsy confirmed heart disease, caused by atherosclerosis. He was survived by his wife, Lynne, and three sons, Todd, Chris and David.
Posthumous tributes
In tribute, Marc Almond recorded "Backstage (I'm Lonely)" for his 2007 covers album Stardom Road.
On 20 September 2007, a plaque to Pitney was unveiled at the town hall in his hometown of Rockville, Connecticut. Members of the family attended. The Gene Pitney Commemorative Committee established a music scholarship in Pitney's name. It is awarded annually to Rockville High School. In October 2008, an international fan convention was held in Rockville.
Discography
Singles
Note that release dates refer to initial release. Pitney's early singles generally appeared one to four months later in the UK/Australia. Many of his later releases are UK/Australia/NZ only.
Sources include Joel Whitburn's Record Research material for the U.S. Top 100, "Bubbling Under" and U.S. Country charts; Tim Rice et al., Guinness Book of Hit Singles for the UK; CHUM Chart for Canada prior to mid-1964, and the Canadian RPM charts thereafter; and The Kent Report for Australia
Release date Title Chart positions
Australia Canada UK U.S Hot 100 U.S. C&W
1959? Jamie & Jane (Gene Pitney and Ginny Arnell):
Snuggle Up Baby
1959? Jamie & Jane (Gene Pitney and Ginny Arnell):
Classical Rock And Roll
1960 as Billy Bryan: Cradle of My Arms
1960 Please Come Back
January 1961 (I Wanna) Love My Life Away 29 23 26 39
April 1961 Louisiana Mama
July 1961 Every Breath I Take 42
October 1961 Town Without Pity 31 10 32 13
April 1962 (The Man Who Shot) Liberty Valance 3 2 4
August 1962 Only Love Can Break a Heart (A-Side) 4 11 2
" If I Didn't Have a Dime (To Play the Jukebox) (B-Side) 4 42 58
December 1962 Half Heaven - Half Heartache 11 4 12
March 1963 Mecca (A-Side) 7 2 12
" Teardrop by Teardrop (B-Side) 130
June 1963 True Love Never Runs Smooth 18 17 21
October 1963 Twenty Four Hours from Tulsa 3 6 5 17
January 1964 That Girl Belongs to Yesterday (A-Side) 9 41 7 49
" Who Needs It (B-Side) 9 41 131
April 1964 Yesterday's Hero (A-Side) 18 36 64
April 1964 Cornflower Blue (B-Side) 18
July 1964 It Hurts to Be In Love 6 2 36 7
July 1964 Lips Are Redder on You
Australian release only 83
October 1964 I'm Gonna Be Strong 5 3 2 9
February 1965 I Must Be Seeing Things (A-Side) 12 6 6 31
February 1965 Marianne (B-Side) 12
April 1965 George & Gene (George Jones & Gene Pitney):
I've Got Five Dollars and It's Saturday Night 65 99 16
May 1965 Last Chance to Turn Around 13 4 13
June 1965 George & Gene (George Jones & Gene Pitney):
Louisiana Man (A-Side) 25
June 1965 George & Gene (George Jones & Gene Pitney):
I'm a Fool to Care (B-Side) 115
July 1965 Looking Through the Eyes of Love 34 3 3 28
November 1965 Princess In Rags 13 2 9 37
November 1965 George & Gene (George Jones & Gene Pitney):
Big Job 50
January 1966 Gene Pitney and Melba Montgomery:
Baby Ain't That Fine 15
March 1966 Nessuno Mi Puo' Guidcare 30 115
April 1966 Backstage 29 2 4 25
May 1966 George & Gene (George Jones & Gene Pitney):
That's All It Took 47
June 1966 Nobody Needs Your Love
European release only 2
July? 1966 Gene Pitney and Melba Montgomery:
Being Together
September 1966 (In the) Cold Light of Day (A-Side) 19 38 115
September 1966 The Boss's Daughter (B-Side) 19
December 1966 Just One Smile (A-Side) 55 8 64
December 1966 Innamorata (B-Side) 55
March 1967 I'm Gonna Listen to Me
March 1967 Animal Crackers (In Cellophane Boxes) 87 106
April 1967 Tremblin'
September 1967 Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart 69 5 130
March 1968 The More I Saw of Her
March 1968 Somewhere in the Country
European release only 19
April 1968 She's a Heartbreaker 39 13 16
October 1968 Billy, You're My Friend 31 92 92
November 1968 Yours Until Tomorrow
European release only 34
March 1969 Maria Elena
European release only 25
August 1969 Playing Games of Love
Australian release only 85
December 1969 She Lets Her Hair Down (Early in the Morning) 88 89
March 1970 A Street Called Hope 37
October 1970 Shady Lady 29
1971 Higher and Higher
1971 Gene Are You There?
1972 I Just Can't Help Myself
1972 Summertime Dreamin'
April 1973 24 Sycamore
European release only 34
October 1974 Blue Angel
European/Australian release only 2 39
March 1975 Trans-Canada Highway
European/Australian release only 14
1977 It's Over, It's Over
1977 Dedication
January 1989 Marc Almond & Gene Pitney:
Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart
European release only 24 1
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x206/dancranfield/gene_pitney.jpg
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f224/petertim/genepitney2000diedapril2006.jpg
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Philip Eno on 04/05/10 at 5:47 am
The word of the day...Chain
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd128/lilipuk_photo/DSCN4460.jpg
I fell hungry now!
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Philip Eno on 04/05/10 at 5:48 am
the person who died on this day...Gene Pitney
Gene Francis Alan Pitney (February 17, 1940 – April 5, 2006) was an American singer-songwriter, musician, and sound engineer. In 2002, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Through the mid-1960s, he enjoyed success as a recording artist on both sides of the Atlantic. As a performer, his singles charted 16 Top 40 times in the U.S., four in the Top Ten. In the UK he had 22 Top 40 hits and 11 Top Tens. He wrote the early 1960s hits "He's a Rebel", by The Crystals, and "Hello Mary Lou", by Rick Nelson.
Pitney was among a small group of early 1960s American acts such as Roy Orbison, Bobby Vinton, The Four Seasons, Jan and Dean, Jay and the Americans, The Beach Boys, and The Supremes who continued to enjoy hits after the British Invasion in the U.S. in 1964.
Pitney was born in Hartford, Connecticut, and grew up in Rockville, now part of Vernon. His early influences were Clyde McPhatter and doo-wop groups like The Crows. He attended Rockville High School, at which he was named "the Rockville Rocket," and where he formed his first band, Gene & the Genials. He made records as part of a duo called Jamie and Jane with Ginny Arnell (who later had a solo hit , DumbHead), and in 1959 made a single as Billy Bryan. The first of the two Decca 45s as Jamie and Jane was "Snuggle Up, Baby", a cover of a song Charlie Gracie recorded at Cameo 1957 or early 1958 which remained unreleased until London Records released Gracie's original version in Europe in 1978.
Career
Rise to fame (1961-1964)
Signed to songwriter Aaron Schroeder's newly formed Musicor label in 1961, Pitney scored his first chart single, "(I Wanna) Love My Life Away". For this song, he played several instruments and multi-tracked the vocals. This was followed that same year by his first hit, "Town Without Pity". This song, from the film of the same name starring Kirk Douglas, won a Golden Globe Award for best movie song and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Song. Pitney was the first pop singer to perform at the Oscars ceremony, singing "Town Without Pity" on 9 April 1962. The song lost the Academy Award to "Moon River".
Pitney wrote songs for others. Notable examples are "He's a Rebel" for The Crystals, Vikki Carr, and Elkie Brooks, "Today's Teardrops" for Roy Orbison, "Rubber Ball" for and also for , and "Hello Mary Lou" for Ricky Nelson. Ironically, The Crystals' "He's A Rebel" kept Pitney's highest peaking Hot 100 record, "Only Love Can Break a Heart", from the top of that chart on 3 November 1962.
Pitney is remembered for "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance", which was associated with the 1962 John Ford film of the same name starring James Stewart, John Wayne, Vera Miles and Lee Marvin. Pitney gave a strong performance of the song, which was written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. Although it was peaked at number 4 on the Billboard pop charts, it was never used in the movie because of a publishing dispute between Famous Music and Paramount Pictures.
His 1963 hit, "Mecca", is a precursor to psychedelia in its use of Indian music three years before The Beatles. Exotic instruments became a Pitney trademark, such as the mariachi trumpets in "Lonely Drifter", the ukuleles in "Hawaii", and the gypsy fiddle in "Golden Earrings".
His popularity in the UK market was ensured by the success of "Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa", by Bacharach-David, at the end of 1963. It reached number 4 at the start of 1964. It was also a hit in the U.S.
Involvement with The Rolling Stones (1964)
Pitney was present with Phil Spector at some of the Rolling Stones' early recording sessions in London, including "Little by Little" and other tracks for their debut album; he played piano, though the extent is uncertain.
The Jagger/Richards song "That Girl Belongs to Yesterday" was a UK hit for Pitney in 1964; it was the first tune composed by the Rolling Stones' to become a top-10 hit in the UK. In the U.S. the single stalled at #49, and ending a run of seven Top 40 for Pitney as a performer.
Maintaining popularity
After another low-charting single (1964's "Yesterday's Hero"), Pitney had another string of hit singles in the mid-1960s, with the song of unrequited love, "It Hurts To Be in Love" (U.S. 7) and "I'm Gonna Be Strong" (U.S. 9) in 1964, and "Nobody Needs Your Love" in 1966 (the first two were top 10 in the U.S.; the last two at number two in the UK). "It Hurts To Be in Love" was planned for Neil Sedaka but RCA refused to sell it because he had recorded it outside RCA Victor in violation of his contract. The writers, Howard Greenfield and Helen Miller, presented the song to Pitney. Miller replaced Sedaka's voice with Pitney's.
In 1965, Pitney recorded two successful albums with George Jones They were voted the most promising country-and-western duo of the year. Pitney also recorded songs in Italian, Spanish and German, and twice finished second in the Sanremo Music Festival, where his strong vibrato reminded older listeners of the Italian tenor Caruso. He had a regional hit with Nessuno Mi Puo' Giudicare.
UK, Australian and European stardom (1966-1970s)
Pitney's career in the U.S. took a downturn after mid-1966, when "Backstage" ended another run of top 40 hits. He returned one last time to the top 40 with "She's a Heartbreaker" in mid-1968 and had a few hits in the lower reaches of the Hot 100 after that, but by 1970 he was no longer a hit-maker in the U.S.
Pitney maintained a successful career in Britain and the rest of Europe into the 1970s, appearing regularly on UK charts as late as 1974. In Australia, after a fallow period in the early 1970s, Pitney returned to the top 40 charts in 1974, as both Blue Angel (#2) and Trans-Canada Highway (#14 - production by David Mackay) were substantial hits. Pitney continued to place records in the Australian charts through 1976.
In the early 70s, Pitney decided to spend only six months each year on the road.
Later career
Pitney's last hit the UK charts in 1989, after an absence of 15 years, was a duet with Marc Almond. It was a version of "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart" by British writers Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway. It had been a number five for Pitney in 1967. This brought him his first UK number 1 in late January 1989, staying four weeks. It went to No. 1 elsewhere in Europe. The two appeared on the Terry Wogan television show in Britain, Almond dressed in leather, Pitney in a white tuxedo.
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds had recorded "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart" on their cover album, Kicking Against the Pricks, in 1986. But it never had the success of Pitney-Almond.
On 26 February 1993, Pitney performed at Carnegie Hall in New York on the day of the first World Trade Center18 bombing. On 18 March 2002 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Death
Pitney died on April 5, 2006, aged 66. His tour manager found him dead in the Hilton Hotel, in Cardiff, Wales, in the middle of a UK tour. His final show at Cardiff's St. David's Hall was a success, with a standing ovation, ending the show with "Town Without Pity". An autopsy confirmed heart disease, caused by atherosclerosis. He was survived by his wife, Lynne, and three sons, Todd, Chris and David.
Posthumous tributes
In tribute, Marc Almond recorded "Backstage (I'm Lonely)" for his 2007 covers album Stardom Road.
On 20 September 2007, a plaque to Pitney was unveiled at the town hall in his hometown of Rockville, Connecticut. Members of the family attended. The Gene Pitney Commemorative Committee established a music scholarship in Pitney's name. It is awarded annually to Rockville High School. In October 2008, an international fan convention was held in Rockville.
Discography
Singles
Note that release dates refer to initial release. Pitney's early singles generally appeared one to four months later in the UK/Australia. Many of his later releases are UK/Australia/NZ only.
Sources include Joel Whitburn's Record Research material for the U.S. Top 100, "Bubbling Under" and U.S. Country charts; Tim Rice et al., Guinness Book of Hit Singles for the UK; CHUM Chart for Canada prior to mid-1964, and the Canadian RPM charts thereafter; and The Kent Report for Australia
Release date Title Chart positions
Australia Canada UK U.S Hot 100 U.S. C&W
1959? Jamie & Jane (Gene Pitney and Ginny Arnell):
Snuggle Up Baby
1959? Jamie & Jane (Gene Pitney and Ginny Arnell):
Classical Rock And Roll
1960 as Billy Bryan: Cradle of My Arms
1960 Please Come Back
January 1961 (I Wanna) Love My Life Away 29 23 26 39
April 1961 Louisiana Mama
July 1961 Every Breath I Take 42
October 1961 Town Without Pity 31 10 32 13
April 1962 (The Man Who Shot) Liberty Valance 3 2 4
August 1962 Only Love Can Break a Heart (A-Side) 4 11 2
" If I Didn't Have a Dime (To Play the Jukebox) (B-Side) 4 42 58
December 1962 Half Heaven - Half Heartache 11 4 12
March 1963 Mecca (A-Side) 7 2 12
" Teardrop by Teardrop (B-Side) 130
June 1963 True Love Never Runs Smooth 18 17 21
October 1963 Twenty Four Hours from Tulsa 3 6 5 17
January 1964 That Girl Belongs to Yesterday (A-Side) 9 41 7 49
" Who Needs It (B-Side) 9 41 131
April 1964 Yesterday's Hero (A-Side) 18 36 64
April 1964 Cornflower Blue (B-Side) 18
July 1964 It Hurts to Be In Love 6 2 36 7
July 1964 Lips Are Redder on You
Australian release only 83
October 1964 I'm Gonna Be Strong 5 3 2 9
February 1965 I Must Be Seeing Things (A-Side) 12 6 6 31
February 1965 Marianne (B-Side) 12
April 1965 George & Gene (George Jones & Gene Pitney):
I've Got Five Dollars and It's Saturday Night 65 99 16
May 1965 Last Chance to Turn Around 13 4 13
June 1965 George & Gene (George Jones & Gene Pitney):
Louisiana Man (A-Side) 25
June 1965 George & Gene (George Jones & Gene Pitney):
I'm a Fool to Care (B-Side) 115
July 1965 Looking Through the Eyes of Love 34 3 3 28
November 1965 Princess In Rags 13 2 9 37
November 1965 George & Gene (George Jones & Gene Pitney):
Big Job 50
January 1966 Gene Pitney and Melba Montgomery:
Baby Ain't That Fine 15
March 1966 Nessuno Mi Puo' Guidcare 30 115
April 1966 Backstage 29 2 4 25
May 1966 George & Gene (George Jones & Gene Pitney):
That's All It Took 47
June 1966 Nobody Needs Your Love
European release only 2
July? 1966 Gene Pitney and Melba Montgomery:
Being Together
September 1966 (In the) Cold Light of Day (A-Side) 19 38 115
September 1966 The Boss's Daughter (B-Side) 19
December 1966 Just One Smile (A-Side) 55 8 64
December 1966 Innamorata (B-Side) 55
March 1967 I'm Gonna Listen to Me
March 1967 Animal Crackers (In Cellophane Boxes) 87 106
April 1967 Tremblin'
September 1967 Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart 69 5 130
March 1968 The More I Saw of Her
March 1968 Somewhere in the Country
European release only 19
April 1968 She's a Heartbreaker 39 13 16
October 1968 Billy, You're My Friend 31 92 92
November 1968 Yours Until Tomorrow
European release only 34
March 1969 Maria Elena
European release only 25
August 1969 Playing Games of Love
Australian release only 85
December 1969 She Lets Her Hair Down (Early in the Morning) 88 89
March 1970 A Street Called Hope 37
October 1970 Shady Lady 29
1971 Higher and Higher
1971 Gene Are You There?
1972 I Just Can't Help Myself
1972 Summertime Dreamin'
April 1973 24 Sycamore
European release only 34
October 1974 Blue Angel
European/Australian release only 2 39
March 1975 Trans-Canada Highway
European/Australian release only 14
1977 It's Over, It's Over
1977 Dedication
January 1989 Marc Almond & Gene Pitney:
Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart
European release only 24 1
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x206/dancranfield/gene_pitney.jpg
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f224/petertim/genepitney2000diedapril2006.jpg
:\'(
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Philip Eno on 04/05/10 at 5:49 am
the person who died on this day...Gene Pitney
Gene Francis Alan Pitney (February 17, 1940 – April 5, 2006) was an American singer-songwriter, musician, and sound engineer. In 2002, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Through the mid-1960s, he enjoyed success as a recording artist on both sides of the Atlantic. As a performer, his singles charted 16 Top 40 times in the U.S., four in the Top Ten. In the UK he had 22 Top 40 hits and 11 Top Tens. He wrote the early 1960s hits "He's a Rebel", by The Crystals, and "Hello Mary Lou", by Rick Nelson.
Pitney was among a small group of early 1960s American acts such as Roy Orbison, Bobby Vinton, The Four Seasons, Jan and Dean, Jay and the Americans, The Beach Boys, and The Supremes who continued to enjoy hits after the British Invasion in the U.S. in 1964.
Pitney was born in Hartford, Connecticut, and grew up in Rockville, now part of Vernon. His early influences were Clyde McPhatter and doo-wop groups like The Crows. He attended Rockville High School, at which he was named "the Rockville Rocket," and where he formed his first band, Gene & the Genials. He made records as part of a duo called Jamie and Jane with Ginny Arnell (who later had a solo hit , DumbHead), and in 1959 made a single as Billy Bryan. The first of the two Decca 45s as Jamie and Jane was "Snuggle Up, Baby", a cover of a song Charlie Gracie recorded at Cameo 1957 or early 1958 which remained unreleased until London Records released Gracie's original version in Europe in 1978.
Career
Rise to fame (1961-1964)
Signed to songwriter Aaron Schroeder's newly formed Musicor label in 1961, Pitney scored his first chart single, "(I Wanna) Love My Life Away". For this song, he played several instruments and multi-tracked the vocals. This was followed that same year by his first hit, "Town Without Pity". This song, from the film of the same name starring Kirk Douglas, won a Golden Globe Award for best movie song and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Song. Pitney was the first pop singer to perform at the Oscars ceremony, singing "Town Without Pity" on 9 April 1962. The song lost the Academy Award to "Moon River".
Pitney wrote songs for others. Notable examples are "He's a Rebel" for The Crystals, Vikki Carr, and Elkie Brooks, "Today's Teardrops" for Roy Orbison, "Rubber Ball" for and also for , and "Hello Mary Lou" for Ricky Nelson. Ironically, The Crystals' "He's A Rebel" kept Pitney's highest peaking Hot 100 record, "Only Love Can Break a Heart", from the top of that chart on 3 November 1962.
Pitney is remembered for "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance", which was associated with the 1962 John Ford film of the same name starring James Stewart, John Wayne, Vera Miles and Lee Marvin. Pitney gave a strong performance of the song, which was written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. Although it was peaked at number 4 on the Billboard pop charts, it was never used in the movie because of a publishing dispute between Famous Music and Paramount Pictures.
His 1963 hit, "Mecca", is a precursor to psychedelia in its use of Indian music three years before The Beatles. Exotic instruments became a Pitney trademark, such as the mariachi trumpets in "Lonely Drifter", the ukuleles in "Hawaii", and the gypsy fiddle in "Golden Earrings".
His popularity in the UK market was ensured by the success of "Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa", by Bacharach-David, at the end of 1963. It reached number 4 at the start of 1964. It was also a hit in the U.S.
Involvement with The Rolling Stones (1964)
Pitney was present with Phil Spector at some of the Rolling Stones' early recording sessions in London, including "Little by Little" and other tracks for their debut album; he played piano, though the extent is uncertain.
The Jagger/Richards song "That Girl Belongs to Yesterday" was a UK hit for Pitney in 1964; it was the first tune composed by the Rolling Stones' to become a top-10 hit in the UK. In the U.S. the single stalled at #49, and ending a run of seven Top 40 for Pitney as a performer.
Maintaining popularity
After another low-charting single (1964's "Yesterday's Hero"), Pitney had another string of hit singles in the mid-1960s, with the song of unrequited love, "It Hurts To Be in Love" (U.S. 7) and "I'm Gonna Be Strong" (U.S. 9) in 1964, and "Nobody Needs Your Love" in 1966 (the first two were top 10 in the U.S.; the last two at number two in the UK). "It Hurts To Be in Love" was planned for Neil Sedaka but RCA refused to sell it because he had recorded it outside RCA Victor in violation of his contract. The writers, Howard Greenfield and Helen Miller, presented the song to Pitney. Miller replaced Sedaka's voice with Pitney's.
In 1965, Pitney recorded two successful albums with George Jones They were voted the most promising country-and-western duo of the year. Pitney also recorded songs in Italian, Spanish and German, and twice finished second in the Sanremo Music Festival, where his strong vibrato reminded older listeners of the Italian tenor Caruso. He had a regional hit with Nessuno Mi Puo' Giudicare.
UK, Australian and European stardom (1966-1970s)
Pitney's career in the U.S. took a downturn after mid-1966, when "Backstage" ended another run of top 40 hits. He returned one last time to the top 40 with "She's a Heartbreaker" in mid-1968 and had a few hits in the lower reaches of the Hot 100 after that, but by 1970 he was no longer a hit-maker in the U.S.
Pitney maintained a successful career in Britain and the rest of Europe into the 1970s, appearing regularly on UK charts as late as 1974. In Australia, after a fallow period in the early 1970s, Pitney returned to the top 40 charts in 1974, as both Blue Angel (#2) and Trans-Canada Highway (#14 - production by David Mackay) were substantial hits. Pitney continued to place records in the Australian charts through 1976.
In the early 70s, Pitney decided to spend only six months each year on the road.
Later career
Pitney's last hit the UK charts in 1989, after an absence of 15 years, was a duet with Marc Almond. It was a version of "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart" by British writers Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway. It had been a number five for Pitney in 1967. This brought him his first UK number 1 in late January 1989, staying four weeks. It went to No. 1 elsewhere in Europe. The two appeared on the Terry Wogan television show in Britain, Almond dressed in leather, Pitney in a white tuxedo.
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds had recorded "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart" on their cover album, Kicking Against the Pricks, in 1986. But it never had the success of Pitney-Almond.
On 26 February 1993, Pitney performed at Carnegie Hall in New York on the day of the first World Trade Center18 bombing. On 18 March 2002 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Death
Pitney died on April 5, 2006, aged 66. His tour manager found him dead in the Hilton Hotel, in Cardiff, Wales, in the middle of a UK tour. His final show at Cardiff's St. David's Hall was a success, with a standing ovation, ending the show with "Town Without Pity". An autopsy confirmed heart disease, caused by atherosclerosis. He was survived by his wife, Lynne, and three sons, Todd, Chris and David.
Posthumous tributes
In tribute, Marc Almond recorded "Backstage (I'm Lonely)" for his 2007 covers album Stardom Road.
On 20 September 2007, a plaque to Pitney was unveiled at the town hall in his hometown of Rockville, Connecticut. Members of the family attended. The Gene Pitney Commemorative Committee established a music scholarship in Pitney's name. It is awarded annually to Rockville High School. In October 2008, an international fan convention was held in Rockville.
Discography
Singles
Note that release dates refer to initial release. Pitney's early singles generally appeared one to four months later in the UK/Australia. Many of his later releases are UK/Australia/NZ only.
Sources include Joel Whitburn's Record Research material for the U.S. Top 100, "Bubbling Under" and U.S. Country charts; Tim Rice et al., Guinness Book of Hit Singles for the UK; CHUM Chart for Canada prior to mid-1964, and the Canadian RPM charts thereafter; and The Kent Report for Australia
Release date Title Chart positions
Australia Canada UK U.S Hot 100 U.S. C&W
1959? Jamie & Jane (Gene Pitney and Ginny Arnell):
Snuggle Up Baby
1959? Jamie & Jane (Gene Pitney and Ginny Arnell):
Classical Rock And Roll
1960 as Billy Bryan: Cradle of My Arms
1960 Please Come Back
January 1961 (I Wanna) Love My Life Away 29 23 26 39
April 1961 Louisiana Mama
July 1961 Every Breath I Take 42
October 1961 Town Without Pity 31 10 32 13
April 1962 (The Man Who Shot) Liberty Valance 3 2 4
August 1962 Only Love Can Break a Heart (A-Side) 4 11 2
" If I Didn't Have a Dime (To Play the Jukebox) (B-Side) 4 42 58
December 1962 Half Heaven - Half Heartache 11 4 12
March 1963 Mecca (A-Side) 7 2 12
" Teardrop by Teardrop (B-Side) 130
June 1963 True Love Never Runs Smooth 18 17 21
October 1963 Twenty Four Hours from Tulsa 3 6 5 17
January 1964 That Girl Belongs to Yesterday (A-Side) 9 41 7 49
" Who Needs It (B-Side) 9 41 131
April 1964 Yesterday's Hero (A-Side) 18 36 64
April 1964 Cornflower Blue (B-Side) 18
July 1964 It Hurts to Be In Love 6 2 36 7
July 1964 Lips Are Redder on You
Australian release only 83
October 1964 I'm Gonna Be Strong 5 3 2 9
February 1965 I Must Be Seeing Things (A-Side) 12 6 6 31
February 1965 Marianne (B-Side) 12
April 1965 George & Gene (George Jones & Gene Pitney):
I've Got Five Dollars and It's Saturday Night 65 99 16
May 1965 Last Chance to Turn Around 13 4 13
June 1965 George & Gene (George Jones & Gene Pitney):
Louisiana Man (A-Side) 25
June 1965 George & Gene (George Jones & Gene Pitney):
I'm a Fool to Care (B-Side) 115
July 1965 Looking Through the Eyes of Love 34 3 3 28
November 1965 Princess In Rags 13 2 9 37
November 1965 George & Gene (George Jones & Gene Pitney):
Big Job 50
January 1966 Gene Pitney and Melba Montgomery:
Baby Ain't That Fine 15
March 1966 Nessuno Mi Puo' Guidcare 30 115
April 1966 Backstage 29 2 4 25
May 1966 George & Gene (George Jones & Gene Pitney):
That's All It Took 47
June 1966 Nobody Needs Your Love
European release only 2
July? 1966 Gene Pitney and Melba Montgomery:
Being Together
September 1966 (In the) Cold Light of Day (A-Side) 19 38 115
September 1966 The Boss's Daughter (B-Side) 19
December 1966 Just One Smile (A-Side) 55 8 64
December 1966 Innamorata (B-Side) 55
March 1967 I'm Gonna Listen to Me
March 1967 Animal Crackers (In Cellophane Boxes) 87 106
April 1967 Tremblin'
September 1967 Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart 69 5 130
March 1968 The More I Saw of Her
March 1968 Somewhere in the Country
European release only 19
April 1968 She's a Heartbreaker 39 13 16
October 1968 Billy, You're My Friend 31 92 92
November 1968 Yours Until Tomorrow
European release only 34
March 1969 Maria Elena
European release only 25
August 1969 Playing Games of Love
Australian release only 85
December 1969 She Lets Her Hair Down (Early in the Morning) 88 89
March 1970 A Street Called Hope 37
October 1970 Shady Lady 29
1971 Higher and Higher
1971 Gene Are You There?
1972 I Just Can't Help Myself
1972 Summertime Dreamin'
April 1973 24 Sycamore
European release only 34
October 1974 Blue Angel
European/Australian release only 2 39
March 1975 Trans-Canada Highway
European/Australian release only 14
1977 It's Over, It's Over
1977 Dedication
January 1989 Marc Almond & Gene Pitney:
Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart
European release only 24 1
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x206/dancranfield/gene_pitney.jpg
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f224/petertim/genepitney2000diedapril2006.jpg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Cxhl8AwOf0
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Philip Eno on 04/05/10 at 5:51 am
:\'(
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIjUaxP7PPE
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/05/10 at 5:57 am
I fell hungry now!
Me too :)
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Philip Eno on 04/05/10 at 5:58 am
Me too :)
...and we are going out later!
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/05/10 at 5:58 am
:\'(
He was a great performer.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Philip Eno on 04/05/10 at 6:00 am
He was a great performer.
He died when on tour in Wales.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Howard on 04/05/10 at 6:50 am
the person who died on this day...Gene Pitney
Gene Francis Alan Pitney (February 17, 1940 – April 5, 2006) was an American singer-songwriter, musician, and sound engineer. In 2002, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Through the mid-1960s, he enjoyed success as a recording artist on both sides of the Atlantic. As a performer, his singles charted 16 Top 40 times in the U.S., four in the Top Ten. In the UK he had 22 Top 40 hits and 11 Top Tens. He wrote the early 1960s hits "He's a Rebel", by The Crystals, and "Hello Mary Lou", by Rick Nelson.
Pitney was among a small group of early 1960s American acts such as Roy Orbison, Bobby Vinton, The Four Seasons, Jan and Dean, Jay and the Americans, The Beach Boys, and The Supremes who continued to enjoy hits after the British Invasion in the U.S. in 1964.
Pitney was born in Hartford, Connecticut, and grew up in Rockville, now part of Vernon. His early influences were Clyde McPhatter and doo-wop groups like The Crows. He attended Rockville High School, at which he was named "the Rockville Rocket," and where he formed his first band, Gene & the Genials. He made records as part of a duo called Jamie and Jane with Ginny Arnell (who later had a solo hit , DumbHead), and in 1959 made a single as Billy Bryan. The first of the two Decca 45s as Jamie and Jane was "Snuggle Up, Baby", a cover of a song Charlie Gracie recorded at Cameo 1957 or early 1958 which remained unreleased until London Records released Gracie's original version in Europe in 1978.
Career
Rise to fame (1961-1964)
Signed to songwriter Aaron Schroeder's newly formed Musicor label in 1961, Pitney scored his first chart single, "(I Wanna) Love My Life Away". For this song, he played several instruments and multi-tracked the vocals. This was followed that same year by his first hit, "Town Without Pity". This song, from the film of the same name starring Kirk Douglas, won a Golden Globe Award for best movie song and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Song. Pitney was the first pop singer to perform at the Oscars ceremony, singing "Town Without Pity" on 9 April 1962. The song lost the Academy Award to "Moon River".
Pitney wrote songs for others. Notable examples are "He's a Rebel" for The Crystals, Vikki Carr, and Elkie Brooks, "Today's Teardrops" for Roy Orbison, "Rubber Ball" for and also for , and "Hello Mary Lou" for Ricky Nelson. Ironically, The Crystals' "He's A Rebel" kept Pitney's highest peaking Hot 100 record, "Only Love Can Break a Heart", from the top of that chart on 3 November 1962.
Pitney is remembered for "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance", which was associated with the 1962 John Ford film of the same name starring James Stewart, John Wayne, Vera Miles and Lee Marvin. Pitney gave a strong performance of the song, which was written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. Although it was peaked at number 4 on the Billboard pop charts, it was never used in the movie because of a publishing dispute between Famous Music and Paramount Pictures.
His 1963 hit, "Mecca", is a precursor to psychedelia in its use of Indian music three years before The Beatles. Exotic instruments became a Pitney trademark, such as the mariachi trumpets in "Lonely Drifter", the ukuleles in "Hawaii", and the gypsy fiddle in "Golden Earrings".
His popularity in the UK market was ensured by the success of "Twenty Four Hours From Tulsa", by Bacharach-David, at the end of 1963. It reached number 4 at the start of 1964. It was also a hit in the U.S.
Involvement with The Rolling Stones (1964)
Pitney was present with Phil Spector at some of the Rolling Stones' early recording sessions in London, including "Little by Little" and other tracks for their debut album; he played piano, though the extent is uncertain.
The Jagger/Richards song "That Girl Belongs to Yesterday" was a UK hit for Pitney in 1964; it was the first tune composed by the Rolling Stones' to become a top-10 hit in the UK. In the U.S. the single stalled at #49, and ending a run of seven Top 40 for Pitney as a performer.
Maintaining popularity
After another low-charting single (1964's "Yesterday's Hero"), Pitney had another string of hit singles in the mid-1960s, with the song of unrequited love, "It Hurts To Be in Love" (U.S. 7) and "I'm Gonna Be Strong" (U.S. 9) in 1964, and "Nobody Needs Your Love" in 1966 (the first two were top 10 in the U.S.; the last two at number two in the UK). "It Hurts To Be in Love" was planned for Neil Sedaka but RCA refused to sell it because he had recorded it outside RCA Victor in violation of his contract. The writers, Howard Greenfield and Helen Miller, presented the song to Pitney. Miller replaced Sedaka's voice with Pitney's.
In 1965, Pitney recorded two successful albums with George Jones They were voted the most promising country-and-western duo of the year. Pitney also recorded songs in Italian, Spanish and German, and twice finished second in the Sanremo Music Festival, where his strong vibrato reminded older listeners of the Italian tenor Caruso. He had a regional hit with Nessuno Mi Puo' Giudicare.
UK, Australian and European stardom (1966-1970s)
Pitney's career in the U.S. took a downturn after mid-1966, when "Backstage" ended another run of top 40 hits. He returned one last time to the top 40 with "She's a Heartbreaker" in mid-1968 and had a few hits in the lower reaches of the Hot 100 after that, but by 1970 he was no longer a hit-maker in the U.S.
Pitney maintained a successful career in Britain and the rest of Europe into the 1970s, appearing regularly on UK charts as late as 1974. In Australia, after a fallow period in the early 1970s, Pitney returned to the top 40 charts in 1974, as both Blue Angel (#2) and Trans-Canada Highway (#14 - production by David Mackay) were substantial hits. Pitney continued to place records in the Australian charts through 1976.
In the early 70s, Pitney decided to spend only six months each year on the road.
Later career
Pitney's last hit the UK charts in 1989, after an absence of 15 years, was a duet with Marc Almond. It was a version of "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart" by British writers Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway. It had been a number five for Pitney in 1967. This brought him his first UK number 1 in late January 1989, staying four weeks. It went to No. 1 elsewhere in Europe. The two appeared on the Terry Wogan television show in Britain, Almond dressed in leather, Pitney in a white tuxedo.
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds had recorded "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart" on their cover album, Kicking Against the Pricks, in 1986. But it never had the success of Pitney-Almond.
On 26 February 1993, Pitney performed at Carnegie Hall in New York on the day of the first World Trade Center18 bombing. On 18 March 2002 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Death
Pitney died on April 5, 2006, aged 66. His tour manager found him dead in the Hilton Hotel, in Cardiff, Wales, in the middle of a UK tour. His final show at Cardiff's St. David's Hall was a success, with a standing ovation, ending the show with "Town Without Pity". An autopsy confirmed heart disease, caused by atherosclerosis. He was survived by his wife, Lynne, and three sons, Todd, Chris and David.
Posthumous tributes
In tribute, Marc Almond recorded "Backstage (I'm Lonely)" for his 2007 covers album Stardom Road.
On 20 September 2007, a plaque to Pitney was unveiled at the town hall in his hometown of Rockville, Connecticut. Members of the family attended. The Gene Pitney Commemorative Committee established a music scholarship in Pitney's name. It is awarded annually to Rockville High School. In October 2008, an international fan convention was held in Rockville.
Discography
Singles
Note that release dates refer to initial release. Pitney's early singles generally appeared one to four months later in the UK/Australia. Many of his later releases are UK/Australia/NZ only.
Sources include Joel Whitburn's Record Research material for the U.S. Top 100, "Bubbling Under" and U.S. Country charts; Tim Rice et al., Guinness Book of Hit Singles for the UK; CHUM Chart for Canada prior to mid-1964, and the Canadian RPM charts thereafter; and The Kent Report for Australia
Release date Title Chart positions
Australia Canada UK U.S Hot 100 U.S. C&W
1959? Jamie & Jane (Gene Pitney and Ginny Arnell):
Snuggle Up Baby
1959? Jamie & Jane (Gene Pitney and Ginny Arnell):
Classical Rock And Roll
1960 as Billy Bryan: Cradle of My Arms
1960 Please Come Back
January 1961 (I Wanna) Love My Life Away 29 23 26 39
April 1961 Louisiana Mama
July 1961 Every Breath I Take 42
October 1961 Town Without Pity 31 10 32 13
April 1962 (The Man Who Shot) Liberty Valance 3 2 4
August 1962 Only Love Can Break a Heart (A-Side) 4 11 2
" If I Didn't Have a Dime (To Play the Jukebox) (B-Side) 4 42 58
December 1962 Half Heaven - Half Heartache 11 4 12
March 1963 Mecca (A-Side) 7 2 12
" Teardrop by Teardrop (B-Side) 130
June 1963 True Love Never Runs Smooth 18 17 21
October 1963 Twenty Four Hours from Tulsa 3 6 5 17
January 1964 That Girl Belongs to Yesterday (A-Side) 9 41 7 49
" Who Needs It (B-Side) 9 41 131
April 1964 Yesterday's Hero (A-Side) 18 36 64
April 1964 Cornflower Blue (B-Side) 18
July 1964 It Hurts to Be In Love 6 2 36 7
July 1964 Lips Are Redder on You
Australian release only 83
October 1964 I'm Gonna Be Strong 5 3 2 9
February 1965 I Must Be Seeing Things (A-Side) 12 6 6 31
February 1965 Marianne (B-Side) 12
April 1965 George & Gene (George Jones & Gene Pitney):
I've Got Five Dollars and It's Saturday Night 65 99 16
May 1965 Last Chance to Turn Around 13 4 13
June 1965 George & Gene (George Jones & Gene Pitney):
Louisiana Man (A-Side) 25
June 1965 George & Gene (George Jones & Gene Pitney):
I'm a Fool to Care (B-Side) 115
July 1965 Looking Through the Eyes of Love 34 3 3 28
November 1965 Princess In Rags 13 2 9 37
November 1965 George & Gene (George Jones & Gene Pitney):
Big Job 50
January 1966 Gene Pitney and Melba Montgomery:
Baby Ain't That Fine 15
March 1966 Nessuno Mi Puo' Guidcare 30 115
April 1966 Backstage 29 2 4 25
May 1966 George & Gene (George Jones & Gene Pitney):
That's All It Took 47
June 1966 Nobody Needs Your Love
European release only 2
July? 1966 Gene Pitney and Melba Montgomery:
Being Together
September 1966 (In the) Cold Light of Day (A-Side) 19 38 115
September 1966 The Boss's Daughter (B-Side) 19
December 1966 Just One Smile (A-Side) 55 8 64
December 1966 Innamorata (B-Side) 55
March 1967 I'm Gonna Listen to Me
March 1967 Animal Crackers (In Cellophane Boxes) 87 106
April 1967 Tremblin'
September 1967 Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart 69 5 130
March 1968 The More I Saw of Her
March 1968 Somewhere in the Country
European release only 19
April 1968 She's a Heartbreaker 39 13 16
October 1968 Billy, You're My Friend 31 92 92
November 1968 Yours Until Tomorrow
European release only 34
March 1969 Maria Elena
European release only 25
August 1969 Playing Games of Love
Australian release only 85
December 1969 She Lets Her Hair Down (Early in the Morning) 88 89
March 1970 A Street Called Hope 37
October 1970 Shady Lady 29
1971 Higher and Higher
1971 Gene Are You There?
1972 I Just Can't Help Myself
1972 Summertime Dreamin'
April 1973 24 Sycamore
European release only 34
October 1974 Blue Angel
European/Australian release only 2 39
March 1975 Trans-Canada Highway
European/Australian release only 14
1977 It's Over, It's Over
1977 Dedication
January 1989 Marc Almond & Gene Pitney:
Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart
European release only 24 1
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x206/dancranfield/gene_pitney.jpg
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f224/petertim/genepitney2000diedapril2006.jpg
A good singer who died too soon. :(
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: CatwomanofV on 04/05/10 at 12:24 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5mwAK2UFxI
Cat
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Howard on 04/05/10 at 1:25 pm
Chain of Fools Aretha Franklin.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: nally on 04/05/10 at 1:28 pm
The word of the day...Chain
A chain consists of metal rings connected together in a line.
If prisoners are in chains, they have thick rings of metal round their wrists or ankles to prevent them from escaping.
You can refer to feelings and duties which prevent you from doing what you want to do as chains.
A chain of things is a group of them existing or arranged in a line.
A chain of shops, hotels, or other businesses is a number of them owned by the same person or company.
A chain of events is a series of them happening one after another.
http://i977.photobucket.com/albums/ae254/gfuturehk/Chain/NST754.jpg
http://i977.photobucket.com/albums/ae254/gfuturehk/Chain/NST786.jpg
http://i564.photobucket.com/albums/ss82/Msbettybug/ChainWeight.jpg
http://i802.photobucket.com/albums/yy309/midsummersmelody/peoplechainholdinghands.jpg
http://i698.photobucket.com/albums/vv342/classicbike09/DSCC26811.jpg
http://i741.photobucket.com/albums/xx60/pl4ntm4n/DSC00892.jpg
http://i778.photobucket.com/albums/yy62/emiliano030309/HolidayInnmail.jpg
http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd128/lilipuk_photo/DSCN4460.jpg
...As well as the "Chain of Songs" or "Chain of Names" or TV shows or movies or...anything in the Penguin Boards Games.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Howard on 04/05/10 at 1:29 pm
One Chain Don't Make No Prision.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/06/10 at 6:10 am
...As well as the "Chain of Songs" or "Chain of Names" or TV shows or movies or...anything in the Penguin Boards Games.
Good examples :)
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: danootaandme on 04/06/10 at 6:14 am
Ball and Chain
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdsPKDt96wE&feature=related
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/06/10 at 6:18 am
The word of the day...Natural
If you say that it is natural for someone to act in a particular way or for something to happen in that way, you mean that it is reasonable in the circumstances.
Natural behaviour is shared by all people or all animals of a particular type and has not been learned.
Someone with a natural ability or skill was born with that ability and did not have to learn it.
Natural things exist or occur in nature and are not made or caused by people.
Someone's natural parent is their biological father or mother, as opposed to an adult who is looking after them or has adopted them. Someone's natural child is their biological son or daughter, as opposed to a child they are looking after or have adopted
http://i979.photobucket.com/albums/ae276/AquariumWranglers/DSC01166.jpg
http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg117/CHADOWSHADOW/layniechadowpics007.jpg
http://i850.photobucket.com/albums/ab64/nermmqe66/08-1.jpg
http://i656.photobucket.com/albums/uu282/bewafa/planning_natural_bridges.jpg
http://i916.photobucket.com/albums/ad9/Jinxx-chan97/Picture16.jpg
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o143/lizeth2007/cherry-blossom-natural-pink-1.jpg
http://i706.photobucket.com/albums/ww62/muddkids/Onsies/bodysuithresnaturalhres.jpg
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/06/10 at 6:21 am
The person born on this day...Barry Levinson
Barry Levinson (born April 6, 1942) is an American screenwriter, film director, actor, and producer of film and television. His films include Bugsy, The Natural and Rain Man. Levinson was born in Baltimore, Maryland, the son of Violet "Vi" (née Krichinsky) and Irvin Levinson, who worked in furniture and appliance business. His family is of Russian Jewish descent. After growing up in Baltimore and graduating from Forest Park Senior High School, Levinson attended Baltimore City Community College, and American University in Washington, D.C. before moving to Los Angeles to work as an actor and writer. Levinson at one time shared an apartment with would-be drug smuggler (and basis for the movie Blow) George Jung.
Career
Levinson's first writing work was for variety shows such as The Marty Feldman Comedy Machine, The Lohman and Barkley Show, The Tim Conway Show, and The Carol Burnett Show. After some success as a screenwriter — notably the Mel Brooks comedies Silent Movie (1976) and High Anxiety (1977) (in which he played a bellboy) and the Oscar-nominated script (co-written by then-wife Valerie Curtin) …And Justice for All (1979) — Levinson began his career as a director with Diner (1982), for which he had also written the script and which earned him a Oscar nomination for Best Screenplay.
Levinson.
Diner was the first of a series of films set in the Baltimore of Levinson's youth. The others were Tin Men (1987), a story of aluminum-siding salesmen in the 1960s starring Richard Dreyfuss and Danny DeVito; the immigrant family saga Avalon (which featured Elijah Wood in one of his earliest screen appearances), and Liberty Heights (1999).
His biggest hit, both critically and financially, was Rain Man (1988) with Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise (in which Levinson also appeared as an actor). The film won four Academy Awards including Best Director for Levinson. Another notable film in his career was the 1984 baseball drama The Natural starring Robert Redford, who would later direct Quiz Show and cast Levinson as television personality Dave Garroway. Levinson also directed Good Morning, Vietnam (1987) and Toys (1992), both with Robin Williams, and the critically acclaimed Bugsy (1991) with Warren Beatty.
He directed Dustin Hoffman again in Wag the Dog (1997), a political comedy co-starring Robert DeNiro about a war staged in a film studio. Levinson had been an uncredited co-writer on Hoffman's hit comedy Tootsie in 1982. He partnered with producer Mark Johnson to form the film production company Baltimore Pictures, until the duo parted ways in 1994.
Levinson has been a producer or executive producer for such major productions as The Perfect Storm directed by Wolfgang Petersen (2000); Analyze That (2002), starring DeNiro as a neurotic mob boss and Billy Crystal as his therapist, and Possession (2002), based on the best-selling novel by A. S. Byatt.
He has a television production company with Tom Fontana (The Levinson/Fontana Company) and served as executive producer for a number of series, including Homicide: Life on the Street (which ran on NBC from 1993-1999) and the HBO prison drama Oz. Levinson also played a main role in the short-lived TV series The Jury, where he played a judge (the role was uncredited).
Levinson published his first novel, Sixty-Six (ISBN 0-7679-1533-X), in 2003. Like several of his films, it is semi-autobiographical and set in Baltimore in the 1960s. He directed two webisodes of the American Express ads "The Adventures of Seinfeld and Superman".
In 2004, Levinson was the recipient of the Austin Film Festival's Distinguished Screenwriter Award.
Levinson directed a documentary PoliWood about the 2008 Democratic and Republican National Conventions. The documentary, produced by Tim Daly, Robin Bronk and Robert E. Baruc, had its premiere at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival.
Personal life
Levinson grew up in a Jewish family. He married his writing collaborator Valerie Curtin in 1975. They divorced seven years later. He later married Dianna Rhodes, whom he met in Baltimore while filming Diner. He is the father Sam, Jack, Michelle and Patrick Levinson.
He is a minority owner of the Baltimore Orioles baseball team.
Currently, he resides with his two sons and wife in Redding, Connecticut.
Filmography
Year Film Oscar wins Oscar nominations
1982 Best Friends
1982 Diner 1
1984 The Natural 4
1985 Young Sherlock Holmes 1
1987 Tin Men
1987 Good Morning Vietnam 1
1988 Rain Man 4 8
1990 Avalon 4
1991 Bugsy 2 10
1992 Toys 2
1994 Jimmy Hollywood
1994 Disclosure
1996 Sleepers 1
1997 Wag the Dog 2
1998 Sphere
1999 Liberty Heights
2000 An Everlasting Piece
2001 Bandits
2004 Envy
2006 Man of the Year
2008 What Just Happened
2009 a remake of The Saint television series - -
2009 PoliWood - a documentary - -
2009 The Band that Wouldn't Die - a documentary - -
2010 Boone's Lick - -
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Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/06/10 at 6:33 am
The person who died on this day...Greer Garson
Greer Garson, CBE (29 September 1904 – 6 April 1996) was a British-born actress who was very popular during World War II. As one of MGM's major stars of the 1940s, Garson received seven Academy Award nominations, winning the Best Actress award for Mrs. Miniver (1942). She was often cast in films with Walter Pidgeon as her co-star. Greer Garson was born Eileen Evelyn Greer Garson in Manor Park, Essex (now Greater London), England in 1904. She was the only child of George Garson (1865–1906), a clerk born in London, but with Scottish lineage, and his Irish wife, Nancy ("Nina") Sophia Greer (d. 1958). Her maternal grandfather was David Greer, a RIC sergeant in Castlewellan, Co Down, Ireland in the 1880s and who later became a land steward to the Annesleys' wealthy landlords, who built the town of Castlewellan. He lived in a large detached house built on the lower part of what was known as Pig Street or known locally as the Back Way near Shilliday’s builder’s yard. The house was called ‘Claremount’ and today the street is named Claremount Avenue. It was often reported that Garson was born in this house. She was, in fact born in London, but spent much of her childhood in Castlewellan.
She was educated at King's College London, where she earned degrees in French and 18th century literature, and at the University of Grenoble in France . She had intended to become a teacher, but instead began working with an advertising agency, and appeared in local theatrical productions.
Career
Garson in Pride and Prejudice (1940)
Greer Garson's early professional appearances were on stage, starting at Birmingham Repertory Theatre in January 1932. She appeared on television during its earliest years (the late 1930s), most notably starring in a thirty-minute production of an excerpt of Twelfth Night in May 1937, with Dorothy Black. These live transmissions were part of the BBC's experimental service from Alexandra Palace and this is the first known instance of a Shakespeare play performed on television.
Louis B. Mayer discovered Garson while he was in London looking for new talent. Garson was signed to a contract with MGM in late 1937, but did not begin work on her first film, Goodbye, Mr. Chips, until late 1938. She received her first Oscar nomination for the role, but lost to Vivien Leigh for Gone with the Wind. She received critical acclaim the next year for her role as Elizabeth Bennet in the 1940 film, Pride and Prejudice.
Garson starred with Joan Crawford in When Ladies Meet in 1941, and that same year became a major box office star with the sentimental Technicolor drama Blossoms in the Dust, which brought her the first of five consecutive Best Actress Oscar nominations, tying Bette Davis' 1938-1942 record, a record that still stands. Garson won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1942 for her role as a strong British wife and mother in the middle of World War II in Mrs. Miniver. (Guinness Book of World Records credits her with the longest Oscar acceptance speech, at five minutes and 30 seconds, after which the Academy Awards instituted a time limit.) She was also nominated for Madame Curie (1943), Mrs. Parkington (1944), and The Valley of Decision (1945).
Garson and co-star Walter Pidgeon in Mrs. Miniver (1942)
Garson was partnered with Clark Gable, after his return from war service, in Adventure (1945). The film was advertised with the catch-phrase "Gable's back and Garson's got him!" Gable argued for "He put the Arson in Garson"; she countered "She Put the Able in Gable!"; thereafter, the safer catchphrase was selected. Garson's popularity dropped somewhat in the late 1940s, but she remained a prominent film star until the mid-1950s, as she was known for her gorgeous red hair.
In 1951, she became a naturalized citizen of the United States. She made only a few films after her MGM contract expired in 1954. In 1958, she received a warm reception on Broadway in Auntie Mame, replacing Rosalind Russell, who had gone to Hollywood to make the film version. In 1960, Garson received her seventh and final Oscar nomination for Sunrise at Campobello, in which she played Eleanor Roosevelt, this time losing to Elizabeth Taylor for Butterfield 8.
Garson's last film, in 1967, was Disney's The Happiest Millionaire, although she made infrequent television appearances. In 1968, she narrated the children's television special The Little Drummer Boy, which went on to become a classic children's Christmas television program which was broadcast annually for many years.
Personal life
Garson was married three times. Her first marriage, on 28 September 1933, was to Edward Alec Abbot Snelson (1904–1992), later Sir Edward, a British civil servant who became a noted judge and expert in Indian and Pakistani affairs. The actual marriage reportedly lasted only a few weeks, but was not formally dissolved until 1943.
Her second husband, whom she married (at age 39) in 1943, was Richard Ney (1915–2004), the younger actor (28 years old) who played her son in Mrs. Miniver. They divorced in 1947, with Garson claiming that Ney called her a "has-been" and belittled her age, as well as testimony from Garson that he also physically abused her. Ney eventually became a respected stock-market analyst and financial consultant.
That same year, she married a millionaire Texas oilman and horse breeder, E. E. "Buddy" Fogelson (1900–1987), and in 1967, the couple retired to their "Forked Lightning Ranch" in New Mexico. They purchased the U.S. Hall of Fame champion Thoroughbred Ack Ack from the estate of Harry F. Guggenheim in 1971, and were highly successful as breeders. They also maintained a home in Dallas, Texas, where Garson funded the Greer Garson Theater facility at Southern Methodist University.
Garson donated millions for the construction of the Greer Garson Theater at the College of Santa Fe and The Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University on three conditions: 1) that the stage be circular, 2) that the premiere production be William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, and 3) that it have large ladies' rooms.
Garson was a devout Presbyterian.
Death
Greer Garson died from heart failure in Dallas on 6 April 1996, at the age of 91. She is interred there in the Sparkman-Hillcrest Memorial Park Cemetery.
Filmography
Year Film Role Notes
1939 Goodbye, Mr. Chips Katherine Chipping Nominated - Academy Award for Best Actress
Remember? Linda Bronson Holland
1940 The Miracle of Sound Herself colour test for Blossoms in the Dust
Pride and Prejudice Elizabeth Bennet
1941 Blossoms in the Dust Edna Kahly Gladney Nominated - Academy Award for Best Actress
When Ladies Meet Mrs. Claire Woodruff
1942 Mrs. Miniver Mrs. Kay Miniver Winner - Academy Award for Best Actress
Random Harvest Paula Ridgeway
1943 The Youngest Profession Herself - Guest Star
Madame Curie Marie Curie Nominated - Academy Award for Best Actress
1944 Mrs. Parkington Susie "Sparrow" Parkington Nominated - Academy Award for Best Actress
1945 The Valley of Decision Mary Rafferty Nominated - Academy Award for Best Actress
Adventure Emily Sears
1947 Desire Me Marise Aubert
1948 Julia Misbehaves Julia Packett
1949 That Forsyte Woman Irene Forsyte
1950 Screen Actors Herself - uncredited short subject
The Miniver Story Mrs. Kay Miniver
1951 The Law and the Lady Jane Hoskins aka Lady Jane Loverly
1953 Scandal at Scourie Mrs. Victoria McChesney
Julius Caesar Calpurnia
1954 Her Twelve Men Jan Stewart
1955 Strange Lady in Town Dr. Julia Winslow Garth
1960 Sunrise at Campobello Eleanor Roosevelt Golden Globe
Nominated - Academy Award for Best Actress
Pepe Herself Cameo appearance
1966 The Singing Nun Mother Prioress
1967 The Happiest Millionaire Mrs. Cordelia Biddle
1968 The Little Drummer Boy "Our Story Teller" as Ms. Greer Garson
1978 Little Women Aunt Kathryn March
1986 Directed by William Wyler Herself documentary
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Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/06/10 at 6:37 am
Ball and Chain
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdsPKDt96wE&feature=related
Now she has natural talent. :)
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: CatwomanofV on 04/06/10 at 10:42 am
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hr0Vto0n5DA
Cat
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Howard on 04/06/10 at 2:55 pm
The word of the day...Natural
If you say that it is natural for someone to act in a particular way or for something to happen in that way, you mean that it is reasonable in the circumstances.
Natural behaviour is shared by all people or all animals of a particular type and has not been learned.
Someone with a natural ability or skill was born with that ability and did not have to learn it.
Natural things exist or occur in nature and are not made or caused by people.
Someone's natural parent is their biological father or mother, as opposed to an adult who is looking after them or has adopted them. Someone's natural child is their biological son or daughter, as opposed to a child they are looking after or have adopted
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very nice pictures Ninny. :)
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/06/10 at 4:01 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hr0Vto0n5DA
Cat
Another great talent.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/06/10 at 4:01 pm
very nice pictures Ninny. :)
Thanks Howie :)
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/06/10 at 4:03 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5mwAK2UFxI
Cat
How did i miss this :-[ I love this song. :)
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Frank on 04/06/10 at 5:00 pm
How did i miss this :-[ I love this song. :)
The Chain: Great song from one of the best albums ever, which RULED through my early years of high school.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: CatwomanofV on 04/06/10 at 5:29 pm
How did i miss this :-[ I love this song. :)
One of my all-time favorites of Fleetwood Mac. (Tusk is another one.)
Cat
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/07/10 at 6:19 am
One of my all-time favorites of Fleetwood Mac. (Tusk is another one.)
Cat
Fleetwood Mac is one of my favorite bands :)
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/07/10 at 6:26 am
The word or phrase of the day...Rush Hour
The rush hour is one of the periods of the day when most people are travelling to or from work.
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Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/07/10 at 6:30 am
The person born on this day...Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan, SBS, MBE (born Chan Kong-sang, 陳港生; 7 April 1954) is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, filmmaker, comedian, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer.
In his movies, he is known for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, use of improvised weapons and innovative stunts. Jackie Chan has been acting since the 1970s and has appeared in over 100 films. Chan has received stars on the Hong Kong Avenue of Stars and the Hollywood Walk of Fame. As a cultural icon, Chan has been referenced in various pop songs, cartoons and video games. Chan is also a Cantopop and Mandopop star, having released a number of albums and sung many of the theme songs for the films in which he has starred. n 1976, Jackie Chan received a telegram from Willie Chan, a film producer in the Hong Kong film industry who had been impressed with Jackie's stuntwork. Willie Chan offered him an acting role in a film directed by Lo Wei. Lo had seen Chan's performance in the John Woo film Hand of Death (1976) and planned to model him after Bruce Lee with the film New Fist of Fury. His stage name was changed to Sing Lung (Chinese: 成龍, literally "become the dragon") to emphasise his similarity to Bruce Lee, whose stage name was Lei Siu-lung (Chinese: 李小龍, meaning "Little Dragon"). The film was unsuccessful because Chan was not accustomed to Lee's martial arts style. Despite the film's failure, Lo Wei continued producing films with similar themes, resulting in little improvement at the box office.
Chan's first major breakthrough was the 1978 film Snake in the Eagle's Shadow, shot while he was loaned to Seasonal Film Corporation under a two-picture deal. Under director Yuen Woo-ping, Chan was allowed complete freedom over his stunt work. The film established the comedic kung fu genre, and proved to be a breath of fresh air for the Hong Kong audience. Chan then starred in Drunken Master, which finally propelled him to mainstream success.
Upon Chan's return to Lo Wei's studio, Lo tried to replicate the comedic approach of Drunken Master, producing Half a Loaf of Kung Fu and Spiritual Kung Fu. He also gave Chan the opportunity to co-direct The Fearless Hyena with Kenneth Tsang. When Willie Chan left the company, he advised Jackie to decide for himself whether or not to stay with Lo Wei. During the shooting of Fearless Hyena Part II, Chan broke his contract and joined Golden Harvest, prompting Lo to blackmail Chan with triads, blaming Willie for his star's departure. The dispute was resolved with the help of fellow actor and director Jimmy Wang Yu, allowing Chan to stay with Golden Harvest.
Success of the action comedy genre: 1980–1987
The film Police Story, nicknamed "Glass Story" for its stunt work, is set in a modern period.
Willie Chan had become Jackie's personal manager and firm friend, and has remained so for over 30 years. He was instrumental in launching Chan's international career, beginning with his first forays into the American film industry in the 1980s. His first Hollywood film was Battle Creek Brawl in 1980. Chan then played a minor role in the 1981 film The Cannonball Run, which grossed US$100 million worldwide. Despite being largely ignored by audiences in favour of established American actors like Burt Reynolds, Chan was impressed by the outtakes shown at the closing credits, inspiring him to include the same device in his future films.
After the commercial failure of The Protector in 1985, Chan temporarily abandoned his attempts to break into the US market, returning his focus to Hong Kong films.
Back in Hong Kong, Chan's films began to reach a larger audience in East Asia, with early successes in the lucrative Japanese market including The Young Master (1980) and Dragon Lord (1982). The Young Master went on to beat previous box office records set by Bruce Lee and established Chan as Hong Kong cinema's top star.
Chan produced a number of action comedy films with his opera school friends Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao. The three co-starred together for the first time in 1983 in Project A, which won the Best Action Design Award at the third annual Hong Kong Film Awards. Over the following two years, the "Three Brothers" appeared in Wheels on Meals and the original Lucky Stars trilogy. In 1985, Chan made the first Police Story film, a US-influenced action comedy in which Chan performed his own stunts. It was named the "Best Movie" at the 1986 Hong Kong Film Awards. In 1987, Chan played "Asian Hawk", an Indiana Jones-esque character, in the film Armour of God. The film was Chan's biggest domestic box office success to date, grossing over HK $35 million.
Acclaimed sequels and Hollywood breakthrough: 1988–1998
Chan in his Hollywood breakthrough film Rumble in the Bronx.
In 1988 Chan starred alongside Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao for the last time to date, in the film Dragons Forever. Hung co-directed with Corey Yuen, and the villain in the film was played by Yuen Wah, both of whom were fellow graduates of the China Drama Academy.
In the late 1980s and early 90s, Chan starred in a number of successful sequels beginning with Police Story 2, which won the award for Best Action Choreography at the 1989 Hong Kong Film Awards. This was followed by Armour of God II: Operation Condor, and Police Story 3, for which Chan won the Best Actor Award at the 1993 Golden Horse Film Festival. In 1994, Chan reprised his role as Wong Fei-hung in Drunken Master II, which was listed in Time Magazine's All-Time 100 Movies. Another sequel, Police Story 4: First Strike, brought more awards and domestic box office success for Chan, but did not fare as well in foreign markets. Jackie Chan rekindled his Hollywood ambitions in the 1990s, but refused early offers to play villains in Hollywood films to avoid being typecast in future roles. For example, Sylvester Stallone offered him the role of Simon Phoenix, a criminal in the futuristic film Demolition Man. Chan declined and the role was taken by Wesley Snipes.
Chan finally succeeded in establishing a foothold in the North American market in 1995 with a worldwide release of Rumble in the Bronx, attaining a cult following in the United States that was rare for Hong Kong movie stars. The success of Rumble in the Bronx led to a 1996 release of Police Story 3 in the United States under the title Supercop, which grossed a total of US $16,270,600. Jackie's first huge blockbuster success came when he co-starred with Chris Tucker in the 1998 buddy cop action comedy Rush Hour, grossing US$130 million in the United States alone. This film made a star of Jackie Chan, in Hollywood. As a publicity stunt, Jackie also wrote his autobiography in collaboration with Jeff Yang entitled I Am Jackie Chan.
Dramatization and fame in Hollywood: 1999–present
In 1998, Chan released his final film for Golden Harvest, Who Am I? After leaving Golden Harvest in 1999, he produced Gorgeous, a romantic comedy that focused on personal relationships. Chan then helped create a PlayStation game in 2000 called Jackie Chan Stuntmaster, to which he lent his voice and performed the motion capture.
Jackie Chan plays an anti-hero for the first time in Rob-B-Hood: a burglar with gambling problems.
Despite further success with Shanghai Noon in 2000, Rush Hour 2 in 2001 and Shanghai Knights in 2003, Chan became frustrated with Hollywood over the limited range of roles and lack of control over the film-making process. In response to Golden Harvest's withdrawal from the film industry in 2003, Chan started his own film production company, JCE Movies Limited (Jackie Chan Emperor Movies Limited) in association with Emperor Multimedia Group (EMG). His films have since featured an increasing number of dramatic scenes while continuing to succeed at the box office; examples include New Police Story (2004), The Myth (2005) and the hit film Rob-B-Hood (2006).
Chan's next release was Rush Hour 3 in August 2007. It grossed US$255 million. However, it performed poorly in Hong Kong, grossing only HK$3.5 million during its opening weekend. The filming of The Forbidden Kingdom, Chan's first onscreen collaboration with fellow Chinese actor Jet Li, was completed on 24 August 2007 and the film was released in April 2008. Chan voiced the character Master Monkey in the DreamWorks Animation film, Kung Fu Panda, released in June 2008, appearing with stars Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman and Angelina Jolie. In addition, he has signed up to assist Anthony Szeto in an advisory capacity for the writer-director's upcoming film Wushu, which is currently in pre-production. The film will star Sammo Hung and Wang Wenjie as father and son.
In November 2007, Chan began filming Shinjuku Incident with director Derek Yee, which sees Chan take on the role of a Chinese immigrant in Japan. The film was released on 2 April 2009. According to his blog, Chan wishes to direct a film after completing Shinjuku Incident, something he has not done for a number of years. The film is expected to be the third in the Armour of God series, and has a working title of Armour of God III: Chinese Zodiac. Chan originally stated that he would start filming on 1 April 2008, but that date had passed. Because the Screen Actors Guild did not go on strike, Chan started shooting his next movie The Spy Next Door at the end of October in New Mexico, leaving the status of Armour of God III: Chinese Zodiac up in the air. In The Spy Next Door, Chan plays an undercover agent whose cover is blown when he looks after the children of his girlfriend. In Little Big Soldier, Chan stars, alongside Leehom Wang in a non-martial arts movie based on the Warring States Period.
On 22 June 2009, Chan left Los Angeles to begin filming The Karate Kid, a remake of the original in Beijing.
Stunts
Jackie Chan prepares to slide down the side of a high rise building in New Police Story
Jackie Chan performs most of his own stunts, which are choreographed by the Jackie Chan Stunt Team. He has stated in interviews that the primary inspiration for his more comedic stunts were films such as The General directed by and starring Buster Keaton, who was also known to perform his own stunts. Since its establishment in 1983, Chan has used the team in all his subsequent films to make choreographing easier, given his understanding of each member's abilities. Chan and his team undertake many of the stunts performed by other characters in his films, shooting the scenes so that their faces are obscured.
The dangerous nature of his stunts makes it difficult for Chan to get insurance, especially in the United States, where his stunt work is contractually limited. Chan holds the Guinness World Record for "Most Stunts By A Living Actor", which emphasizes "no insurance company will underwrite Chan's productions, in which he performs all his own stunts". In addition, he holds an unrecognised record for the most number of takes for a single shot in a film, having shot over 2900 retakes for a complex scene involving a badminton game in Dragon Lord.
Chan has been injured numerous times attempting stunts; many of them have been shown as outtakes or as bloopers during the closing credits of his films. He came closest to death filming Armour of God, when he fell from a tree and fractured his skull. Over the years, Chan has dislocated his pelvis and broken his fingers, toes, nose, both cheekbones, hips, sternum, neck, ankle and ribs on numerous occasions. Promotional materials for Rumble in the Bronx emphasized that Chan performed all of the stunts, and one version of the movie poster even diagrammed his many injuries.
Filmography and screen persona
Further information: Jackie Chan filmography
Jackie Chan created his screen persona as a response to Bruce Lee, and the numerous imitators who appeared before and after Lee's death. In contrast to Lee's characters, who were typically stern, morally upright heroes, Chan plays well-meaning, slightly foolish regular guys (often at the mercy of their friends, girlfriends or families) who always triumph in the end despite the odds. Additionally, Chan has stated that he deliberately styles his movement to be the opposite of Lee's: where Lee held his arms wide, Chan holds his tight to the body; where Lee was loose and flowing, Chan is tight and choppy. Despite the success of the Rush Hour series, Chan has stated that he is not a fan of it since he neither appreciates the action scenes in the movie, nor understands American humour. In the same interview Chan said that while he is not enamored with the films he makes in the U.S., and has repeatedly shown a lack of enthusiasm for some of his biggest Hollywood projects fearing that Chinese viewers may not understand them, he uses the high salaries from these pictures to fund Chinese projects that he is more interested in.
In recent years, the aging Chan grew tired of being typecast as an action hero, prompting him to act with more emotion in his latest films. In New Police Story, he portrayed a character suffering from alcoholism and mourning his murdered colleagues. To further shed the image of Mr. Nice Guy, Chan played an anti-hero for the first time in Rob-B-Hood starring as Thongs, a burglar with gambling problems. During a news conference in Shanghai on 28 March 2004, Chan referred to the recently concluded Republic of China presidential election, 2004 in Taiwan, in which Democratic Progressive Party candidates Chen Shui-bian and Annette Lu were re-elected as President and Vice-President as "the biggest joke in the world." Chan's comments were criticised by Parris Chang, a Taiwanese legislator and senior member of the DPP, who called for the government of Taiwan to take punitive steps against Chan for his comments, such as banning his movies and barring him the right to visit Taiwan. Some 50 police and security personnel were required to separate protesters from Chan, as they were attempting to spit at him when he arrived at Taipei airport for a charity sponsored by cable TV channel TVBS on 18 June 2008. Chan insisted that his remarks were not intended to insult the people of Taiwan.
Referring to his participation in the torch relay for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, Chan spoke out against demonstrators who disrupted the relay several times attempting to draw attention to a wide-ranging number of grievances against the Chinese government, including China's human rights record and the political status of Taiwan. He warned that he would lash out against anyone planning to stop him from carrying the Olympic Torch, saying, "Demonstrators better not get anywhere near me."
On 18 April 2009, during a panel discussion at the annual Boao Forum for Asia titled "Tapping into Asia's Creative Industry Potential," Chan said "...in the 10 years after Hong Kong's return to Chinese rule, I can gradually see, I'm not sure if it's good to have freedom or not." Chan went on to say, "If you're too free, you're like the way Hong Kong is now. It's very chaotic. Taiwan is also chaotic." He also added, "I'm gradually beginning to feel that we Chinese need to be controlled. If we're not being controlled, we'll just do what we want." Chan however complained about the quality of Chinese goods, saying, "...a Chinese TV might explode." but shied away from criticizing the Chinese government for banning his 2009 film Shinjuku Incident. Chan's comments prompted an angry response from some legislators and other prominent figures in Taiwan and Hong Kong. Hong Kong Legislator Leung Kwok-hung said that Chan "insulted the Chinese people. Chinese people aren't pets." The Hong Kong Tourism Board stated that it had received 164 comments and complaints from the public over Chan's remarks. A spokesman for Chan told reporters that the actor was referring to freedom in the entertainment industry rather than Chinese society at large and that certain people with "ulterior motives deliberately misinterpreted what he said.
Founded in 1988, the Jackie Chan Charitable Foundation offers scholarships and active help to Hong Kong's young people through a variety of worthy causes. Over the years, the foundation has broadened its scope to include provision of medical services, aid to victims of natural disaster or illness, and projects where the major beneficiaries are Hong Kong people or organizations. Major donation projects of The Jackie Chan Charitable Foundation:
* The Jackie Chan Gymnasium at Lingnan University
* The Jackie Chan Challenge Cup Intercollegiate Invitation Tournament
* The Jackie Chan Family Unit, Hong Kong Girl Guides Association Jockey Club Beas River Lodge
* The Jackie Chan Whole Person Development Center
* Renovation of the Bethanie Site, Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts
* Medical Funding in Mainland China (Operation Smile)
* Medical Donation in Hong Kong (Queen Mary Hospital, SARS Relief)
* Support for the Performing Arts
* Youth Development Programs
The Dragon's Heart Foundation
The Dragon's Heart Foundation was founded in 2005 to fulfill the desperate needs of children and the elderly in remote areas of China. Since 2005, the Dragon's Heart Foundation has built over a dozen schools, provided books, fees, and uniforms, and has raised millions of dollars to give much-needed educational opportunities for the poor. In addition, the Dragon's Heart Foundation provides for the elderly with donations of warm clothing, wheelchairs, and other items. Jackie often travels to the remote locations to attend groundbreakings or school openings, and to lend support and encouragement.
Awards and nominations
Hong Kong Film Awards
* Best Action Choreography Nomination for Dragon Lord
* Best Actor Nomination for Project A
* Best Actor Nomination for Heart of Dragon
* Best Actor Nomination for Police Story
* Best Director Nomination for Police Story
* Best Picture for Rouge
* Best Actor Nomination for Mr Canton and Lady Rose
* Best Actor Nomination for Police Story 3: Super Cop
* Best Actor Nomination for Crime Story
* Best Action Choreography Nomination for Crime Story
* Best Actor Nomination for Rumble in the Bronx
* Best Action Choreography for Rumble in the Bronx
* Best Actor Nomination for Police Story 4: First Strike
* Best Actor Nomination for Who Am I?
* Best Action Choreography for Who Am I?
* Best Action Choreography Nomination for Gorgeous
* Best Actor Nomination for New Police Story
* Professional Spirit Award
* Best Action Choreography Nomination for The Myth
* Best Original Film Song Nomination for The Myth
* Best Action Choreography Nomination for Rob-B-Hood
(10 Best Actor Nominations, 6 Best Action Choreography Nominations, 1 Best Picture Nomination, 1 Best Director Nomination, 1 Best Original Film Song Nomination)
Personal life
In 1982, Jackie Chan married Lin Feng-Jiao (aka Joan Lin), a Taiwanese actress. That same year, the two had a son, singer and actor Jaycee Chan.
"In a 1999 scandal, he acknowledged all but paternity of a daughter with 1990 Miss Asia Pageant winner Elaine Ng," although paparazzi had also linked Jackie to "everyone from the late Taiwanese singer Teresa Teng to sultry pop star and actress Anita Mui."
He speaks Cantonese, Mandarin, and English fluently, and also speaks some Korean and Japanese, as well as a little Spanis
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w241/sahduk/jackiechan.jpg
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn21/taylorspectacular00/jackie-chan.jpg
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/07/10 at 6:36 am
The person who died on this day...Walter Huston
Walter Huston (pronounced /ˈwɔːltər ˈhjuːstən/; April 6, 1884 – April 7, 1950) was a Canadian-born American actor. He was the father of actor and director John Huston and the grandfather of actress Anjelica Huston and actor Danny Huston. He was also the adoptive grandfather of Pablo, a boy from Mexico who was adopted by John. Born Walter Houghston in Toronto, Ontario to an Ulster-Scottish father and a Scottish Canadian mother, he began his Broadway career in 1924. Once talkies began in Hollywood, he achieved fame in character roles. His first major role was in 1929's The Virginian with Gary Cooper. He appeared in the Broadway theatrical adaptation of Sinclair Lewis' novel Dodsworth in 1934 and the play's film version two years later.
Huston stayed busy throughout the 1930s and 1940s, both on stage and screen (becoming one of America's most distinguished actors); he performed "September Song" in the original Broadway production of Knickerbocker Holiday in 1938. Among his films are Rain (1932), The Devil and Daniel Webster (1941) and Mission to Moscow (1943), a pro-Soviet World War II propaganda film as Ambassador Joseph E. Davies. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1948 for his role in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, which was directed by his son, John Huston. His last film was The Furies in 1950 with Barbara Stanwyck.
Along with Anthony Veiller, he narrated the Why We Fight series of World War II documentaries directed by Frank Capra.
He died in Hollywood from an aortic aneurysm, one day after his 66th birthday.
Walter Huston has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6626 Hollywood Blvd.
Partial filmography (with co-stars)
* The Lady Lies (1929) with Claudette Colbert
* The Virginian (1929) with Gary Cooper
* The Virtuous Sin (1930) with Kay Francis
* The Bad Man (1930)
* The Beast of the City (1932) with Jean Harlow and Jean Hersholt
* American Madness (1932) with Pat O'Brien
* Rain (1932) with Joan Crawford
* Gabriel Over the White House (1933) with Franchot Tone
* Dodsworth (1936) with Ruth Chatterton, Mary Astor, and David Niven
* Rhodes of Africa (1936)
* The Devil and Daniel Webster (1941) with James Craig, Edward Arnold, and Anne Shirley
* Swamp Water (1941) with Walter Brennan and Anne Baxter
* The Shanghai Gesture (1942) with Gene Tierney
* Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) with James Cagney
* The Outlaw (1943) with Thomas Mitchell and Jane Russell
* Edge of Darkness (1943) with Errol Flynn and Ann Sheridan
* Mission to Moscow (1943)
* And Then There Were None (1945)
* Dragonwyck (1946) with Gene Tierney and Vincent Price
* Duel in the Sun (1946) with Joseph Cotten, Gregory Peck, and Jennifer Jones
* The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948) with Humphrey Bogart and Tim Holt
* The Furies (1950) with Wendell Corey and Barbara Stanwyck
Academy Awards and nominations
* 1937 - Nominated Best Actor in a Leading Role - Dodsworth
* 1942 - Nominated Best Actor in a Leading Role - The Devil and Daniel Webster
* 1943 - Nominated Best Actor in a Supporting Role - Yankee Doodle Dandy
* 1949 - Won Best Actor in a Supporting Role - The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
In popular culture
* Huston was mentioned in the 1994 western-comedy City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold and the "Walter Huston dance" after finding the buried gold.
See also
* Canadian pioneers in early Hollywood
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http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh179/mdffyx/2010/virginian.jpg
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Howard on 04/07/10 at 6:43 am
The word or phrase of the day...Rush Hour
The rush hour is one of the periods of the day when most people are travelling to or from work.
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http://i529.photobucket.com/albums/dd335/Tatsume/rush_hour.jpg
http://i419.photobucket.com/albums/pp279/kleine_rosa_kuchen/Wonderland/rush_hour.jpg
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m279/wanderingwoman1/California/HPIM0420.jpg
http://i332.photobucket.com/albums/m321/KellyCallihan85/Wyoming043.jpg
I hate rush hour (in general)
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/07/10 at 7:42 am
I hate rush hour (in general)
I don't have to deal with it.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Frank on 04/07/10 at 11:08 am
The person born on this day...Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan, SBS, MBE (born Chan Kong-sang, 陳港生; 7 April 1954) is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, filmmaker, comedian, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer.
In his movies, he is known for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, use of improvised weapons and innovative stunts. Jackie Chan has been acting since the 1970s and has appeared in over 100 films. Chan has received stars on the Hong Kong Avenue of Stars and the Hollywood Walk of Fame. As a cultural icon, Chan has been referenced in various pop songs, cartoons and video games. Chan is also a Cantopop and Mandopop star, having released a number of albums and sung many of the theme songs for the films in which he has starred. n 1976, Jackie Chan received a telegram from Willie Chan, a film producer in the Hong Kong film industry who had been impressed with Jackie's stuntwork. Willie Chan offered him an acting role in a film directed by Lo Wei. Lo had seen Chan's performance in the John Woo film Hand of Death (1976) and planned to model him after Bruce Lee with the film New Fist of Fury. His stage name was changed to Sing Lung (Chinese: 成龍, literally "become the dragon") to emphasise his similarity to Bruce Lee, whose stage name was Lei Siu-lung (Chinese: 李小龍, meaning "Little Dragon"). The film was unsuccessful because Chan was not accustomed to Lee's martial arts style. Despite the film's failure, Lo Wei continued producing films with similar themes, resulting in little improvement at the box office.
Chan's first major breakthrough was the 1978 film Snake in the Eagle's Shadow, shot while he was loaned to Seasonal Film Corporation under a two-picture deal. Under director Yuen Woo-ping, Chan was allowed complete freedom over his stunt work. The film established the comedic kung fu genre, and proved to be a breath of fresh air for the Hong Kong audience. Chan then starred in Drunken Master, which finally propelled him to mainstream success.
Upon Chan's return to Lo Wei's studio, Lo tried to replicate the comedic approach of Drunken Master, producing Half a Loaf of Kung Fu and Spiritual Kung Fu. He also gave Chan the opportunity to co-direct The Fearless Hyena with Kenneth Tsang. When Willie Chan left the company, he advised Jackie to decide for himself whether or not to stay with Lo Wei. During the shooting of Fearless Hyena Part II, Chan broke his contract and joined Golden Harvest, prompting Lo to blackmail Chan with triads, blaming Willie for his star's departure. The dispute was resolved with the help of fellow actor and director Jimmy Wang Yu, allowing Chan to stay with Golden Harvest.
Success of the action comedy genre: 1980–1987
The film Police Story, nicknamed "Glass Story" for its stunt work, is set in a modern period.
Willie Chan had become Jackie's personal manager and firm friend, and has remained so for over 30 years. He was instrumental in launching Chan's international career, beginning with his first forays into the American film industry in the 1980s. His first Hollywood film was Battle Creek Brawl in 1980. Chan then played a minor role in the 1981 film The Cannonball Run, which grossed US$100 million worldwide. Despite being largely ignored by audiences in favour of established American actors like Burt Reynolds, Chan was impressed by the outtakes shown at the closing credits, inspiring him to include the same device in his future films.
After the commercial failure of The Protector in 1985, Chan temporarily abandoned his attempts to break into the US market, returning his focus to Hong Kong films.
Back in Hong Kong, Chan's films began to reach a larger audience in East Asia, with early successes in the lucrative Japanese market including The Young Master (1980) and Dragon Lord (1982). The Young Master went on to beat previous box office records set by Bruce Lee and established Chan as Hong Kong cinema's top star.
Chan produced a number of action comedy films with his opera school friends Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao. The three co-starred together for the first time in 1983 in Project A, which won the Best Action Design Award at the third annual Hong Kong Film Awards. Over the following two years, the "Three Brothers" appeared in Wheels on Meals and the original Lucky Stars trilogy. In 1985, Chan made the first Police Story film, a US-influenced action comedy in which Chan performed his own stunts. It was named the "Best Movie" at the 1986 Hong Kong Film Awards. In 1987, Chan played "Asian Hawk", an Indiana Jones-esque character, in the film Armour of God. The film was Chan's biggest domestic box office success to date, grossing over HK $35 million.
Acclaimed sequels and Hollywood breakthrough: 1988–1998
Chan in his Hollywood breakthrough film Rumble in the Bronx.
In 1988 Chan starred alongside Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao for the last time to date, in the film Dragons Forever. Hung co-directed with Corey Yuen, and the villain in the film was played by Yuen Wah, both of whom were fellow graduates of the China Drama Academy.
In the late 1980s and early 90s, Chan starred in a number of successful sequels beginning with Police Story 2, which won the award for Best Action Choreography at the 1989 Hong Kong Film Awards. This was followed by Armour of God II: Operation Condor, and Police Story 3, for which Chan won the Best Actor Award at the 1993 Golden Horse Film Festival. In 1994, Chan reprised his role as Wong Fei-hung in Drunken Master II, which was listed in Time Magazine's All-Time 100 Movies. Another sequel, Police Story 4: First Strike, brought more awards and domestic box office success for Chan, but did not fare as well in foreign markets. Jackie Chan rekindled his Hollywood ambitions in the 1990s, but refused early offers to play villains in Hollywood films to avoid being typecast in future roles. For example, Sylvester Stallone offered him the role of Simon Phoenix, a criminal in the futuristic film Demolition Man. Chan declined and the role was taken by Wesley Snipes.
Chan finally succeeded in establishing a foothold in the North American market in 1995 with a worldwide release of Rumble in the Bronx, attaining a cult following in the United States that was rare for Hong Kong movie stars. The success of Rumble in the Bronx led to a 1996 release of Police Story 3 in the United States under the title Supercop, which grossed a total of US $16,270,600. Jackie's first huge blockbuster success came when he co-starred with Chris Tucker in the 1998 buddy cop action comedy Rush Hour, grossing US$130 million in the United States alone. This film made a star of Jackie Chan, in Hollywood. As a publicity stunt, Jackie also wrote his autobiography in collaboration with Jeff Yang entitled I Am Jackie Chan.
Dramatization and fame in Hollywood: 1999–present
In 1998, Chan released his final film for Golden Harvest, Who Am I? After leaving Golden Harvest in 1999, he produced Gorgeous, a romantic comedy that focused on personal relationships. Chan then helped create a PlayStation game in 2000 called Jackie Chan Stuntmaster, to which he lent his voice and performed the motion capture.
Jackie Chan plays an anti-hero for the first time in Rob-B-Hood: a burglar with gambling problems.
Despite further success with Shanghai Noon in 2000, Rush Hour 2 in 2001 and Shanghai Knights in 2003, Chan became frustrated with Hollywood over the limited range of roles and lack of control over the film-making process. In response to Golden Harvest's withdrawal from the film industry in 2003, Chan started his own film production company, JCE Movies Limited (Jackie Chan Emperor Movies Limited) in association with Emperor Multimedia Group (EMG). His films have since featured an increasing number of dramatic scenes while continuing to succeed at the box office; examples include New Police Story (2004), The Myth (2005) and the hit film Rob-B-Hood (2006).
Chan's next release was Rush Hour 3 in August 2007. It grossed US$255 million. However, it performed poorly in Hong Kong, grossing only HK$3.5 million during its opening weekend. The filming of The Forbidden Kingdom, Chan's first onscreen collaboration with fellow Chinese actor Jet Li, was completed on 24 August 2007 and the film was released in April 2008. Chan voiced the character Master Monkey in the DreamWorks Animation film, Kung Fu Panda, released in June 2008, appearing with stars Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman and Angelina Jolie. In addition, he has signed up to assist Anthony Szeto in an advisory capacity for the writer-director's upcoming film Wushu, which is currently in pre-production. The film will star Sammo Hung and Wang Wenjie as father and son.
In November 2007, Chan began filming Shinjuku Incident with director Derek Yee, which sees Chan take on the role of a Chinese immigrant in Japan. The film was released on 2 April 2009. According to his blog, Chan wishes to direct a film after completing Shinjuku Incident, something he has not done for a number of years. The film is expected to be the third in the Armour of God series, and has a working title of Armour of God III: Chinese Zodiac. Chan originally stated that he would start filming on 1 April 2008, but that date had passed. Because the Screen Actors Guild did not go on strike, Chan started shooting his next movie The Spy Next Door at the end of October in New Mexico, leaving the status of Armour of God III: Chinese Zodiac up in the air. In The Spy Next Door, Chan plays an undercover agent whose cover is blown when he looks after the children of his girlfriend. In Little Big Soldier, Chan stars, alongside Leehom Wang in a non-martial arts movie based on the Warring States Period.
On 22 June 2009, Chan left Los Angeles to begin filming The Karate Kid, a remake of the original in Beijing.
Stunts
Jackie Chan prepares to slide down the side of a high rise building in New Police Story
Jackie Chan performs most of his own stunts, which are choreographed by the Jackie Chan Stunt Team. He has stated in interviews that the primary inspiration for his more comedic stunts were films such as The General directed by and starring Buster Keaton, who was also known to perform his own stunts. Since its establishment in 1983, Chan has used the team in all his subsequent films to make choreographing easier, given his understanding of each member's abilities. Chan and his team undertake many of the stunts performed by other characters in his films, shooting the scenes so that their faces are obscured.
The dangerous nature of his stunts makes it difficult for Chan to get insurance, especially in the United States, where his stunt work is contractually limited. Chan holds the Guinness World Record for "Most Stunts By A Living Actor", which emphasizes "no insurance company will underwrite Chan's productions, in which he performs all his own stunts". In addition, he holds an unrecognised record for the most number of takes for a single shot in a film, having shot over 2900 retakes for a complex scene involving a badminton game in Dragon Lord.
Chan has been injured numerous times attempting stunts; many of them have been shown as outtakes or as bloopers during the closing credits of his films. He came closest to death filming Armour of God, when he fell from a tree and fractured his skull. Over the years, Chan has dislocated his pelvis and broken his fingers, toes, nose, both cheekbones, hips, sternum, neck, ankle and ribs on numerous occasions. Promotional materials for Rumble in the Bronx emphasized that Chan performed all of the stunts, and one version of the movie poster even diagrammed his many injuries.
Filmography and screen persona
Further information: Jackie Chan filmography
Jackie Chan created his screen persona as a response to Bruce Lee, and the numerous imitators who appeared before and after Lee's death. In contrast to Lee's characters, who were typically stern, morally upright heroes, Chan plays well-meaning, slightly foolish regular guys (often at the mercy of their friends, girlfriends or families) who always triumph in the end despite the odds. Additionally, Chan has stated that he deliberately styles his movement to be the opposite of Lee's: where Lee held his arms wide, Chan holds his tight to the body; where Lee was loose and flowing, Chan is tight and choppy. Despite the success of the Rush Hour series, Chan has stated that he is not a fan of it since he neither appreciates the action scenes in the movie, nor understands American humour. In the same interview Chan said that while he is not enamored with the films he makes in the U.S., and has repeatedly shown a lack of enthusiasm for some of his biggest Hollywood projects fearing that Chinese viewers may not understand them, he uses the high salaries from these pictures to fund Chinese projects that he is more interested in.
In recent years, the aging Chan grew tired of being typecast as an action hero, prompting him to act with more emotion in his latest films. In New Police Story, he portrayed a character suffering from alcoholism and mourning his murdered colleagues. To further shed the image of Mr. Nice Guy, Chan played an anti-hero for the first time in Rob-B-Hood starring as Thongs, a burglar with gambling problems. During a news conference in Shanghai on 28 March 2004, Chan referred to the recently concluded Republic of China presidential election, 2004 in Taiwan, in which Democratic Progressive Party candidates Chen Shui-bian and Annette Lu were re-elected as President and Vice-President as "the biggest joke in the world." Chan's comments were criticised by Parris Chang, a Taiwanese legislator and senior member of the DPP, who called for the government of Taiwan to take punitive steps against Chan for his comments, such as banning his movies and barring him the right to visit Taiwan. Some 50 police and security personnel were required to separate protesters from Chan, as they were attempting to spit at him when he arrived at Taipei airport for a charity sponsored by cable TV channel TVBS on 18 June 2008. Chan insisted that his remarks were not intended to insult the people of Taiwan.
Referring to his participation in the torch relay for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, Chan spoke out against demonstrators who disrupted the relay several times attempting to draw attention to a wide-ranging number of grievances against the Chinese government, including China's human rights record and the political status of Taiwan. He warned that he would lash out against anyone planning to stop him from carrying the Olympic Torch, saying, "Demonstrators better not get anywhere near me."
On 18 April 2009, during a panel discussion at the annual Boao Forum for Asia titled "Tapping into Asia's Creative Industry Potential," Chan said "...in the 10 years after Hong Kong's return to Chinese rule, I can gradually see, I'm not sure if it's good to have freedom or not." Chan went on to say, "If you're too free, you're like the way Hong Kong is now. It's very chaotic. Taiwan is also chaotic." He also added, "I'm gradually beginning to feel that we Chinese need to be controlled. If we're not being controlled, we'll just do what we want." Chan however complained about the quality of Chinese goods, saying, "...a Chinese TV might explode." but shied away from criticizing the Chinese government for banning his 2009 film Shinjuku Incident. Chan's comments prompted an angry response from some legislators and other prominent figures in Taiwan and Hong Kong. Hong Kong Legislator Leung Kwok-hung said that Chan "insulted the Chinese people. Chinese people aren't pets." The Hong Kong Tourism Board stated that it had received 164 comments and complaints from the public over Chan's remarks. A spokesman for Chan told reporters that the actor was referring to freedom in the entertainment industry rather than Chinese society at large and that certain people with "ulterior motives deliberately misinterpreted what he said.
Founded in 1988, the Jackie Chan Charitable Foundation offers scholarships and active help to Hong Kong's young people through a variety of worthy causes. Over the years, the foundation has broadened its scope to include provision of medical services, aid to victims of natural disaster or illness, and projects where the major beneficiaries are Hong Kong people or organizations. Major donation projects of The Jackie Chan Charitable Foundation:
* The Jackie Chan Gymnasium at Lingnan University
* The Jackie Chan Challenge Cup Intercollegiate Invitation Tournament
* The Jackie Chan Family Unit, Hong Kong Girl Guides Association Jockey Club Beas River Lodge
* The Jackie Chan Whole Person Development Center
* Renovation of the Bethanie Site, Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts
* Medical Funding in Mainland China (Operation Smile)
* Medical Donation in Hong Kong (Queen Mary Hospital, SARS Relief)
* Support for the Performing Arts
* Youth Development Programs
The Dragon's Heart Foundation
The Dragon's Heart Foundation was founded in 2005 to fulfill the desperate needs of children and the elderly in remote areas of China. Since 2005, the Dragon's Heart Foundation has built over a dozen schools, provided books, fees, and uniforms, and has raised millions of dollars to give much-needed educational opportunities for the poor. In addition, the Dragon's Heart Foundation provides for the elderly with donations of warm clothing, wheelchairs, and other items. Jackie often travels to the remote locations to attend groundbreakings or school openings, and to lend support and encouragement.
Awards and nominations
Hong Kong Film Awards
* Best Action Choreography Nomination for Dragon Lord
* Best Actor Nomination for Project A
* Best Actor Nomination for Heart of Dragon
* Best Actor Nomination for Police Story
* Best Director Nomination for Police Story
* Best Picture for Rouge
* Best Actor Nomination for Mr Canton and Lady Rose
* Best Actor Nomination for Police Story 3: Super Cop
* Best Actor Nomination for Crime Story
* Best Action Choreography Nomination for Crime Story
* Best Actor Nomination for Rumble in the Bronx
* Best Action Choreography for Rumble in the Bronx
* Best Actor Nomination for Police Story 4: First Strike
* Best Actor Nomination for Who Am I?
* Best Action Choreography for Who Am I?
* Best Action Choreography Nomination for Gorgeous
* Best Actor Nomination for New Police Story
* Professional Spirit Award
* Best Action Choreography Nomination for The Myth
* Best Original Film Song Nomination for The Myth
* Best Action Choreography Nomination for Rob-B-Hood
(10 Best Actor Nominations, 6 Best Action Choreography Nominations, 1 Best Picture Nomination, 1 Best Director Nomination, 1 Best Original Film Song Nomination)
Personal life
In 1982, Jackie Chan married Lin Feng-Jiao (aka Joan Lin), a Taiwanese actress. That same year, the two had a son, singer and actor Jaycee Chan.
"In a 1999 scandal, he acknowledged all but paternity of a daughter with 1990 Miss Asia Pageant winner Elaine Ng," although paparazzi had also linked Jackie to "everyone from the late Taiwanese singer Teresa Teng to sultry pop star and actress Anita Mui."
He speaks Cantonese, Mandarin, and English fluently, and also speaks some Korean and Japanese, as well as a little Spanis
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w241/sahduk/jackiechan.jpg
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn21/taylorspectacular00/jackie-chan.jpg
I have seen over 15 movies that Jackie was in. He does the most amazing stunts. Great stuff.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: CatwomanofV on 04/07/10 at 12:15 pm
I don't have to deal with it.
We have rush hour here-all both cars. :D ;D ;D ;D
Ok, we have a little bit more than that-but not much.
Cat
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/07/10 at 12:25 pm
I have seen over 15 movies that Jackie was in. He does the most amazing stunts. Great stuff.
Wow , I've seen a few but not that many.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: nally on 04/07/10 at 12:30 pm
I have seen over 15 movies that Jackie was in. He does the most amazing stunts. Great stuff.
Wow , I've seen a few but not that many.
Me neither. I enjoy his movies and the stunts that he performs.
I've seen all three films of the Rush Hour series, as well as Twin Dragons (1999), Rumble In The Bronx (1995?), and a couple others from the 90's.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Frank on 04/07/10 at 1:08 pm
Wow , I've seen a few but not that many.
Well, my wife is Chiese from Hong Kong, so she has suggested a few. I have seen many of them with English subtitles only ( from the 80s)
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Howard on 04/07/10 at 7:03 pm
Jackie Chan is tremendous with the stunts that he does even at his age.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/08/10 at 5:35 am
The word of the day...Tiptoe(s)
If you tiptoe somewhere, you walk there very quietly without putting your heels on the floor when you walk.
If you do something on tiptoe or on tiptoes, you do it standing or walking on the front part of your foot, without putting your heels on the ground.
http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc283/lilfalcongirl/tiptoes.jpg
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http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f288/mrrmaidjes/tiptoes.jpg
http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z292/scarysherri07/tiptoes.jpg
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http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y99/svgymnast/thtiptoes.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y276/chantellell/d967c967.jpg
http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x207/jouloca/caratulas/Tiptoes.jpg
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/08/10 at 5:39 am
The person who was born on this day...Patricia Arquette
Patricia T. Arquette (born April 8, 1968) is an American actress and director. She plays the lead character in the supernatural drama series Medium. Arquette was born in Chicago, Illinois, the daughter of Lewis Arquette, an actor, and Brenda "Mardi" Olivia (née Nowak), an actress, poet, theater operator, activist, acting teacher and therapist. Arquette's mother was Jewish, the daughter of a Holocaust refugee from Poland, and Arquette's father was a convert to Islam and a descendant of explorer Meriwether Lewis. Her paternal grandfather was comedian Cliff Arquette, and her siblings are actors Rosanna, Alexis, Richmond and David Arquette. Arquette is the sister-in-law of Courteney Cox, who is married to her brother David.
Arquette was raised in Virginia and California.
Career
At the age of seventeen, Arquette was first cast in a role for Pretty Smart (1986). A year later, she gained attention for her starring role in A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, playing Kristen Parker. She won a CableACE Award in 1991 for her portrayal of a deaf epileptic in Wildflower. In 1993, she starred in Tony Scott's True Romance. Soon after, her career took off, and she has since appeared in such critically acclaimed movies as Ed Wood as the 'worst ever' film director's eventual wife, Beyond Rangoon, Ethan Frome, Lost Highway, Little Nicky, Stigmata, Bringing Out the Dead, Human Nature, Disney's Holes, and Flirting with Disaster.
In January 2005, she began starring in her first television series, NBC's Medium. Her role as psychic Allison DuBois won her an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in 2005, as well as nominations for a Golden Globe in 2006 and 2007, a SAG award in 2006 and 2010, and an Emmy Award in 2007 and 2008.
Personal life
In April 1995, Arquette married Nicolas Cage (with whom she would later co-star in Bringing Out the Dead in 1999). They separated after nine months, but acted as a couple in public until Cage filed for divorce in February 2000. The divorce petition was withdrawn, but Arquette filed again in November 2000.
In 1997, after her mother died of breast cancer, Arquette worked to raise awareness about the disease. She has run in the annual Race for the Cure, and in 1999 was the spokesperson for Lee National Denim Day, which raises millions of dollars for breast cancer research and education.
Arquette has a son, Enzo (born January 3, 1989) with musician Paul Rossi.
While filming Holes she discovered she was pregnant. Daughter Harlow Olivia Jane was born on February 20, 2003. She and actor Thomas Jane became engaged in 2002 and married on June 25, 2006 at the Palazzo Contarini in Venice, Italy. In January 2009, Arquette filed for divorce from Jane on the grounds of irreconcilable differences, but a couple of weeks later, the couple reconciled and Arquette requested to abandon the divorce petition.
Filmography
Year Title Role
1986 Pretty Smart Zero
1987 A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors Kristen Parker
1988 Far North Jilly
1990 Prayer of the Rollerboys Casey
1991 The Indian Runner Dorothy
Wildflower Alice
1992 Trouble Bound Kit Clifton
Inside Monkey Zetterland Grace Zetterland
1993 True Romance Alabama Worley
Ethan Frome Mattie Silver
1994 Ed Wood Kathy O'Hara
Holy Matrimony Havana
1995 Beyond Rangoon Laura Bowman
1996 Flirting with Disaster Nancy
Infinity Arline Greenroom
1997 Lost Highway Renee Madison/Alice Wakefield
Nightwatch Katherine
1998 The Hi-Lo Country Mona Birk
1999 Bringing Out the Dead Mary Burke
Goodbye Lover Sandra Dunmore
Stigmata Frankie Paige
2000 Little Nicky Valerie Veran
2001 Human Nature Lila Jute
2002 The Badge Scarlet
Searching for Debra Winger Herself
2003 Deeper Than Deep Linda Lovelace
Tiptoes Lucy
Holes Miss Katherine/Kissin' Kate Barlow
Abby Singer Cameo
2005–present Medium (TV series) Allison DuBois
2006 Fast Food Nation Cindy
2013 Boyhood Mom
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Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/08/10 at 5:44 am
The person who died on this day...Ryan White
Ryan Wayne White (December 6, 1971 – April 8, 1990) was an American teenager from Kokomo, Indiana who became a national poster child for HIV/AIDS in the United States, after being expelled from middle school because of his infection. A hemophiliac, he became infected with HIV from a contaminated blood treatment and, when diagnosed in December 1984, was given six months to live. Despite doctors having said he posed no risk to other students, AIDS was poorly understood at the time, and when White tried to return to school, many parents and teachers in Kokomo rallied against his attendance. A lengthy legal battle with the school system ensued, and media coverage of the case made White into a national celebrity and spokesman for AIDS research and public education. He appeared frequently in the media with celebrities such as Elton John, Michael Jackson and Phil Donahue. Surprising his doctors, White lived five years longer than predicted and died in April 1990, one month prior to his high school graduation.
Before White, AIDS was a disease widely associated with the male homosexual community, because it was first diagnosed there. That perception shifted as White and other prominent HIV-infected people, such as Magic Johnson, the Ray brothers and Kimberly Bergalis, appeared in the media to advocate for more AIDS research and public education to address the epidemic. The U.S. Congress passed a major piece of AIDS legislation, the Ryan White Care Act, shortly after White's death. The Act was reauthorized in 2006 and again on October 30, 2009; its Ryan White Programs are the largest provider of services for people living with HIV/AIDS in the United States.
Ryan White was born at St. Joseph Memorial Hospital in Kokomo, Indiana, to Jeanne Elaine Hale and Hubert Wayne White. When he was six days old, doctors diagnosed him with severe Hemophilia A, a hereditary blood coagulation disorder associated with the x chromosome, which causes even minor injuries to result in severe bleeding. For treatment, he received transfusions of Factor VIII, a blood product created from pooled plasma of non-hemophiliacs, an increasingly common treatment for hemophiliacs at the time.
Healthy for most of his childhood, he became extremely ill with pneumonia in December 1984. On December 17, 1984, during a partial-lung removal procedure, White was diagnosed with AIDS. The scientific community knew little about AIDS at the time: scientists had only realized earlier that year that HIV was the cause of AIDS. White had received a contaminated treatment of Factor VIII that was infected with HIV. Because HIV had only been recently identified as the AIDS virus, much of the pooled factor VIII concentrate supply was tainted because doctors did not know how to test for the disease, and donors did not know they were infected. Among hemophiliacs treated with blood-clotting factors between 1979 and 1984, nearly 90% became infected with HIV. At the time of his diagnosis, his T-cell count had dropped to 25 (a healthy individual without HIV will have around 1,200). Doctors predicted White had only six months to live.
After the diagnosis, White was too ill to return to school, but by spring had begun to feel better. His mother asked if he could return to school, but was told by school officials that he should not. On June 30, 1985, a formal request to permit re-admittance to school was denied by Western School Corporation superintendent James O. Smith, sparking a legal battle that lasted for eight months.
Battle with schools
Timeline of legal battle
1985–86 school year
June 30 Superintendent James O. Smith denies White admittance to school.
Aug. 26 First day of school. White is allowed to listen to his classes via telephone.
Oct. 2 School principal upholds decision to prohibit White.
Nov. 25 Indiana Department of Education rules that White must be admitted.
Dec. 17 The school board votes 7–0 to appeal the ruling.
Feb. 6 Indiana DOE again rules White can attend school, after inspection by Howard County health officers.
Feb. 13 Howard County health officer determines White is fit for school.
Feb. 19 Howard County judge refuses to issue an injunction against White.
Feb. 21 White returns to school. A different judge grants a restraining order that afternoon to again bar him.
Mar. 2 White's opponents hold an auction in the school gymnasium to raise money to keep White out.
April 9 White's case is presented in Circuit Court.
April 10 Circuit Court Judge Jack R. O'Neill dissolves restraining order. Ryan returns to school.
July 18 Indiana Court of Appeals declines to hear any further appeals.
Western Middle School in Russiaville, faced enormous pressure from many parents and faculty to bar White from the campus after his diagnosis became widely known. 117 parents (from a school of 360 total students) and 50 teachers signed a petition encouraging school leaders to ban White from school. Due to the widespread fear and ignorance about AIDS, the principal and later the school board assented. The White family filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn the ban. The Whites initially filed suit in the U.S. District Court in Indianapolis. The court, however, declined to hear the case until administrative appeals had been resolved. On November 25, an Indiana Department of Education officer ruled that the school must follow the Indiana Board of Health guidelines and that White must be allowed to attend school.
The ways in which HIV spread were not fully understood in the 1980s. Scientists knew it spread via blood and was not transmittable by any sort of casual contact, but as recently as 1983, the American Medical Association had thought that "Evidence Suggests Household Contact May Transmit AIDS", and the belief that the disease could spread easily persisted. Children with AIDS were still rare: at the time of White's rejection from school, the Centers for Disease Control knew of only 148 cases of pediatric AIDS in the United States. Many families in Kokomo believed his presence posed an unacceptable risk. When White was permitted to return to school for one day in February 1986, 151 of 360 students stayed home. He also worked as a paperboy, and many of the people on his route canceled their subscriptions, believing that HIV could be transmitted through newsprint.
The Indiana state health commissioner, Dr. Woodrow Myers, who had extensive experience treating AIDS patients in San Francisco, and the Federal Centers for Disease Control both notified the board that White posed no risk to other students, but the school board and many parents ignored their statements. In February 1986, the New England Journal of Medicine published a study of 101 people who had spent three months living in close but non-sexual contact with people with AIDS. The study concluded that the risk of infection was "minimal to nonexistent," even when contact included sharing toothbrushes, razors, clothing, combs and drinking glasses; sleeping in the same bed; and hugging and kissing.
When White was finally readmitted in April, a group of families withdrew their children and started an alternative school. Threats of violence and lawsuits persisted. According to White's mother, people on the street would often yell, "we know you're queer" at Ryan. The editors and publishers of the Kokomo Tribune, which supported White both editorially and financially, were also called homosexuals and threatened with death for their actions.
White attended Western Middle School for eighth grade for the entire 1986–87 school year, but was deeply unhappy and had few friends. The school required him to eat with disposable utensils and use separate bathrooms. Threats continued. When a bullet was fired through the Whites' living room window, the family decided to leave Kokomo. After finishing the school year, his family moved to Cicero, Indiana, where White enrolled at Hamilton Heights High School. On August 31, 1987, a "very nervous" White was greeted by school principal Tony Cook, school system superintendent Bob G. Carnal, and a handful of students who had been educated about AIDS and were unafraid to shake White's hand.
National spokesman
The publicity of White's trial catapulted him into the national spotlight, amidst a growing wave of AIDS coverage in the news media. Between 1985 and 1987, the number of news stories about AIDS in the American media doubled. While isolated in middle school, White appeared frequently on national television and in newspapers to discuss his tribulations with the disease. Eventually he became known as a poster boy for the AIDS crisis, appearing in fundraising and educational campaigns for the disorder. White participated in numerous public benefits for children with AIDS. Many celebrities appeared with White, starting during his trial and continuing for the rest of his life, to help publicly destigmatize socializing with people with AIDS. Singers John Cougar Mellencamp, Elton John and Michael Jackson, actor Matt Frewer, diver Greg Louganis, President Ronald Reagan and Nancy Reagan, Surgeon General Dr. C. Everett Koop, Indiana University basketball coach Bobby Knight and basketball player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar all befriended White. He also was a friend to many children with AIDS or other potentially debilitating conditions.
For the rest of his life he appeared frequently on Phil Donahue's talk show. His celebrity crush, Alyssa Milano of the then-popular TV show Who's the Boss?, met White and gave him a kiss. Elton John helped the family purchase their home in Cicero. Elton John had loaned Jeanne White $16,500 to put toward a down payment on the Cicero home. In high school White drove a red Mustang convertible, a gift from Michael Jackson. Despite the fame and donations, White stated that he disliked the public spotlight, loathed remarks that seemingly blamed his mother or his upbringing for his illness, and emphasized that he would be willing at any moment to trade his fame for freedom from the disease.
Search Wikisource Wikisource has the speech Ryan gave before the commission:
White's speech
In 1988, White spoke before President Reagan's AIDS Commission. White told the commission of the discrimination he had faced when he first tried to return to school, but how education about the disease had made him welcome in the town of Cicero. White emphasized his differing experiences in Kokomo and Cicero as an example of the power and importance of AIDS education.
In 1989, ABC aired the television movie The Ryan White Story, starring Lukas Haas as Ryan, Judith Light as Jeanne and Nikki Cox as his sister Andrea. White had a small cameo appearance in the film, playing a boy also suffering from HIV who befriends Haas. Others in the film included Sarah Jessica Parker as a sympathetic nurse, George Dzundza as his doctor, and George C. Scott as White's attorney, who legally argued against school board authorities. Nielsen estimated that the movie was seen by 15 million viewers. Some residents of Kokomo felt that the movie portrayed their entire town in an unfairly negative light. After the film aired, the office of Kokomo mayor Robert F. Sargent was flooded with complaints from across the country, although Sargent had not been elected to the office during the time of the controversy.
By the spring of 1990, White's health was deteriorating rapidly. In his final public appearance, he hosted an after-Oscars party with former president Ronald Reagan and first lady Nancy Reagan in California. Although his health was deteriorating, White spoke to the Reagans about his date to the prom and his hopes of attending college.
Death
"We owe it to Ryan to make sure that the fear and ignorance that chased him from his home and his school will be eliminated. We owe it to Ryan to open our hearts and our minds to those with AIDS. We owe it to Ryan to be compassionate, caring and tolerant toward those with AIDS, their families and friends. It's the disease that's frightening, not the people who have it."
—Former U.S. President Ronald Reagan, April 11, 1990
On March 29, 1990, several months before his high school class graduated and before his senior prom, White entered Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis with a respiratory infection. As his condition deteriorated he was placed on a ventilator and sedated. He was visited by Elton John and the hospital was deluged with calls from well-wishers. White died on Palm Sunday, April 8, 1990.
Over 1,500 people attended White's funeral on April 11, a standing-room-only event held at the Second Presbyterian Church on Meridian Street in Indianapolis. White's pallbearers included Elton John, football star Howie Long and Phil Donahue. Elton John performed "Skyline Pigeon" at the funeral and also trained the Hamilton Heights High School choir to sing with him. The funeral was also attended by Michael Jackson and First Lady Barbara Bush. On the day of the funeral, former president Reagan—who had been widely criticized for failing to mention AIDS in any speeches until 1987 although he had spoken on the issue in press conferences beginning in 1985—wrote a tribute to White that appeared in The Washington Post. Reagan's statement about AIDS and White's funeral were seen as indicators of how greatly White had helped change perceptions of AIDS.
White is buried in Cicero, close to the home of his mother. In the year following his death, his grave was vandalized on four occasions. As time passed, however, White's grave became a 'shrine' for his admirers.
Legacy
White was one of a handful of highly visible people with AIDS in the 1980s and early 1990s who helped change the public perception of the disease. White, along with actor Rock Hudson, was one of the earliest public faces of AIDS. Along with later public figures who became associated with HIV/AIDS, such as the Ray brothers, Magic Johnson, Kimberly Bergalis and Freddie Mercury, White helped to increase public awareness that HIV/AIDS was a significant epidemic.
Numerous charities formed around White's death. The Indiana University Dance Marathon, started in 1991, raises money for the Riley Hospital for Children. Between 1991 and 2008, this event helped raise over $5 million for children at Riley. The money raised has also helped found the Ryan White Infectious Disease Clinic at the hospital to take care of the nation's sickest children. White's personal physician, with whom he was close friends, Dr. Martin Kleiman, became the Ryan White Professor of AIDS Medicine at Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis. In a 1993 interview, prominent gay rights and AIDS activist Larry Kramer said, "I think little Ryan White probably did more to change the face of this illness and to move people than anyone. And he continues to be a presence through his mom, Jeanne White. She has an incredibly moving presence as she speaks around the world."
In 1992, White's mother founded the national nonprofit Ryan White Foundation. The foundation worked to increase awareness of HIV/AIDS-related issues, with a focus on hemophiliacs like Ryan White, and on families caring for relatives with the disease. The foundation was active throughout the 1990s, with donations reaching $300,000 a year in 1997. Between 1997 and 2000, however, AIDS donations declined nationwide by 21%, and the Ryan White Foundation saw its donation level drop to $100,000 a year. In 2000, White's mother closed the foundation, and merged its remaining assets with AIDS Action, a larger charity. She became a spokeswoman for AIDS activism and continues to arrange speaking events through the site devoted to her son, ryanwhite.com. White's high school, Hamilton Heights, has had a student-government sponsored annual Aids Walk, with proceeds going to a Ryan White Scholarship Fund.
White's death inspired Elton John to create the Elton John AIDS Foundation. White also became the inspiration for a handful of popular songs. Elton John donated proceeds from The Last Song which appears on his album The One to a Ryan White fund at Riley Hospital. Michael Jackson dedicated the song "Gone Too Soon" from his Dangerous album to White, as did 1980s pop star Tiffany with the song "Here in My Heart" on her New Inside album. In November 2007, The Children's Museum of Indianapolis opened an exhibit called "The Power of Children: Making a Difference" which featured White along with Anne Frank and Ruby Bridges.
Ryan White and public perception of AIDS
See also: HIV/AIDS in the United States
In the early 1980s, AIDS was known as gay-related immune deficiency, because the disease had first been identified among primarily homosexual communities in New York City and San Francisco. At the start of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the United States, the disease was thought to be a "homosexual problem" and was largely ignored by policy makers. White's diagnosis demonstrated to many that AIDS was not exclusive to homosexuals. In his advocacy for AIDS research, White himself always rejected any criticism of homosexuality.
White was seen by some as an "innocent victim" of the AIDS epidemic. White and his family strongly rejected the language of "innocent victim" because the phrase was often used to imply that homosexuals with AIDS were "guilty". White's mother told The New York Times, "Ryan always said, 'I'm just like everyone else with AIDS, no matter how I got it.' And he would never have lived as long as he did without the gay community. The people we knew in New York made sure we knew about the latest treatments way before we would have known in Indiana. I hear mothers today say they're not gonna work with no gay community on anything. Well, if it comes to your son's life, you better start changing your heart and your attitude around."
Ryan White Care Act
Main article: Ryan White Care Act
President Obama signs the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act of 2009.
In August 1990, four months after White's death, Congress enacted The Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act (often known simply as the Ryan White Care Act), in his honor. The act is the United States' largest federally funded program for people living with HIV/AIDS. The Ryan White Care Act funds programs to improve availability of care for low-income, uninsured and under-insured victims of AIDS and their families.
Ryan White programs are "payer of last resort," which subsidize treatment when no other resources are available. The act was reauthorized in 1996, 2000 and 2006 and remains an active piece of legislation today. The program provides some level of care for around 500,000 people a year and, in 2004, provided funds to 2,567 organizations. The Ryan White programs also provide funding and technical assistance to local and state primary medical care providers, support services, healthcare provider and training programs.
The Ryan White Act was set to expire on September 30, 2009, although efforts began to obtain an extension to the act. The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act of 2009 was signed on October 30, 2009 by President Barack Obama, who announced plans to remove a ban on travel and immigration to the U.S. by individuals with HIV. Obama called the 22-year ban a decision "rooted in fear rather than fact"
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Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: danootaandme on 04/08/10 at 6:38 am
Ryan White is the face of what should never have happen, but happens because of small minds. RIP Ryan the world is a better place for you having been in it.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Howard on 04/08/10 at 6:52 am
Tiptoe through The Tulips.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/08/10 at 8:23 am
Ryan White is the face of what should never have happen, but happens because of small minds. RIP Ryan the world is a better place for you having been in it.
So true and there are still a lot of narrow minded people out there. >:( :(
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/08/10 at 8:26 am
Tiptoe through The Tulips.
I remember when Tiny Tim sang that song on Johnny Carson, I also remember when he married Miss Vicki.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: CatwomanofV on 04/08/10 at 11:45 am
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skU-jBFzXl0
Cat
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/08/10 at 12:49 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skU-jBFzXl0
Cat
Classic ;D
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Howard on 04/08/10 at 7:02 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skU-jBFzXl0
Cat
That was funny.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: nally on 04/08/10 at 7:28 pm
That was funny.
Yes, just about everything done on Laugh-In was funny.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/09/10 at 6:50 am
Yes, just about everything done on Laugh-In was funny.
I remember sneaking downstairs to watch Laugh-In. :)
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/09/10 at 6:56 am
The word of the day...Postcards
A postcard is a piece of thin card, often with a picture on one side, which you can write on and send to people without using an envelope
A picture postcard is a postcard with a photograph of a place on it. People often buy picture postcards of places they visit when on holiday.
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Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/09/10 at 7:02 am
The person born on this day...Dennis Quaid
Dennis William Quaid (born April 9, 1954) is an American actor. He became known during the 1980s after appearing in several successful films. Quaid was born in Houston, Texas, the son of Juanita Bonniedale "Nita" (née Jordan) Quaid, a real estate agent, and William Rudy Quaid, an electrician. He is the younger brother of actor Randy Quaid. Quaid has Irish and Cajun (French) ancestry. He attended Pershing Middle School in Houston. He studied Chinese and dance at Bellaire High School in Bellaire, Texas, and later in college, at the University of Houston, under drama coach Cecil Pickett.
Career
After his brother, Randy, was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in The Last Detail (1973), Quaid dropped out of the University of Houston before graduating and moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career of his own. He initially had trouble finding work but began to gain notice when he appeared in Breaking Away (1979) and earned good reviews for his role in The Right Stuff (1983).
Known for his grin, Quaid has appeared in both comedic and dramatic roles. Quaid had starring roles in the films Enemy Mine (1985) and Innerspace (1987). He also achieved acclaim for his portrayal of Jerry Lee Lewis in Great Balls of Fire! (1989).
Quaid's career lost steam in the early 1990s, after he fought and kicked a cocaine addiction. He continued to garner positive reviews in a variety of films, however, such as Doc Holliday in Wyatt Earp (1994). He starred in the remake of The Parent Trap (1998), playing the part of the twins' father, and as an aging pro football quarterback in Oliver Stone's Any Given Sunday (1999). Some of Quaid's more recent film credits include Far From Heaven (2002), The Flight of the Phoenix (2004), In Good Company (2004), The Day After Tomorrow (2004), Yours, Mine and Ours (2005), Vantage Point (2008), G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009), and Pandorum (2009).
He will portray U.S. President Bill Clinton, alongside Michael Sheen as Tony Blair and Hope Davis as Hillary Clinton, in the 2010 film The Special Relationship.
Awards
For his role in Far From Heaven (2002) he won the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor, the Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor, the Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actor and the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male. He received nominations for Best Supporting Actor from the Golden Globe Awards, the Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards and the Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Personal life
Quaid golfing in 2006.
Quaid was raised in the Baptist faith and is currently a practicing Christian.
Quaid and actress P.J. Soles were married on November 25, 1978. The couple were divorced on January 23, 1983. On February 14, 1991, he and Meg Ryan were married. Quaid and Ryan have a son, Jack Henry (born April 24, 1992). They were divorced on June 16, 2001.
Quaid married Kimberly Buffington, an Austin, Texas, real-estate agent, on July 4, 2004. The couple had twins, born via a gestational carrier, on November 8, 2007, in Santa Monica, California. Their son Thomas Boone was born first at 8:26 a.m. and weighed six pounds, twelve ounces (3.06 kg). Daughter Zoe Grace was born two minutes later weighing five pounds, nine ounces (2.52 kg).
On November 18, 2007, hospital staff mistakenly gave Quaid's twelve-day-old twins a dosage of heparin 1,000 times the common dosage for infants. Their attorney said the newborns will "be fine now", but Quaid filed a lawsuit against the drug manufacturer, Baxter Healthcare, claiming that packaging for the two doses of heparin are not different enough. In May 2008, the Quaids testified before the United States House of Representatives' Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, asking U.S. Congress not to preempt the right to sue drug manufacturers for negligence under state law.
In addition to acting, Quaid is a musician and plays with his band, the Sharks. Quaid also has a pilot's license and is a scratch golfer. In 2005, he was named as the top golfer among the "Hollywood set" by Golf Digest. He lends his name to the annual "Dennis Quaid Charity Weekend" (formerly the "Jiffy Lube/Dennis Quaid Charity Classic") in Austin. The golf tournament attracts numerous celebrities with the proceeds split among local children's charities. He is a member of the Bel-Air Country Club in Bel-Air, California, and tries to stay at homes on private courses when he is on the road.
Quaid works with the charity, International Hospital for Children in New Orleans, Louisiana. He makes trips to Central America to help build medical clinics and transport sick children back to the U.S. for treatment they cannot get locally.
Filmography
Year Film Role Notes
1975 Crazy Mama Bellhop (uncredited)
1977 I Never Promised You a Rose Garden Shark, Baseball Pitcher
September 30, 1955 Frank
1978 Our Winning Season Paul Morelli
The Seniors Alan
1979 Breaking Away Mike
1980 The Long Riders Ed Miller
Gorp Mad Grossman
1981 All Night Long Freddie Dupler
Caveman Lar
The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia Travis Child
Stripes Extra at Graduation Ceremony (uncredited)
1983 Tough Enough Art Long
Jaws 3-D Michael 'Mike' Brody
The Right Stuff Gordon Cooper
1984 Dreamscape Alex Gardner
1985 Enemy Mine Willis Davidge
1987 The Big Easy Det. Remy McSwain Independent Spirit Award for Best Lead Male
Valladolid International Film Festival Award for Best Actor
Innerspace Lt. Tuck Pendleton
Suspect Eddie Sanger
1988 D.O.A. Dexter Cornell
Everybody's All-American Gavin Grey
1989 Great Balls of Fire! Jerry Lee Lewis
1990 Come See The Paradise Jack McGurn
Postcards from the Edge Jack Faulkner
1993 Wilder Napalm Wallace Foudroyant/Biff the Clown
Undercover Blues Jefferson 'Jeff' Blue
Flesh and Bone Arlis Sweeney
1994 A Century of Cinema Himself (documentary)
Wyatt Earp Doc Holliday
1995 Something to Talk About Eddie Bichon
1996 Dragonheart Bowen
1997 Gang Related Joe Doe/William
Switchback Frank LaCrosse
1998 Savior Joshua Rose/Guy
The Parent Trap Nick Parker
Playing by Heart Hugh
1999 Any Given Sunday Jack 'Cap' Rooney
2000 Frequency Frank Sullivan Nominated — Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Actor - Suspense
Nominated — Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor
Traffic Arnie Metzger Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
2001 Dinner with Friends Gabe
2002 The Rookie Jimmy Morris
Far from Heaven Frank Whitaker Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor
Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male
New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor
Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actor
Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture
Nominated — Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actor
Nominated — Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture
Nominated — Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
2003 Cold Creek Manor Cooper Tilson
2004 The Alamo Sam Houston
The Day After Tomorrow Jack Hall
In Good Company Dan
Flight of the Phoenix Frank Towns
2005 Yours, Mine and Ours Frank Beardsley
2006 American Dreamz President Joseph Staton
2007 Battle for Terra Roven (voice)
2008 Vantage Point Thomas Barnes
Smart People Lawrence Wetherhold
The Express Ben Schwartzwalder
2009 Horsemen Aidan Breslin
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra General Hawk
Pandorum Payton
2010 Legion Bob Hanson
The Special Relationship Bill Clinton (post-production)
2011 Soul Surfer (Filming)
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Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/09/10 at 7:07 am
The person who died on this day...Brook Benton
Brook Benton (September 19, 1931 – April 9, 1988) was an American singer and songwriter who was popular with rock and roll, rhythm and blues, and pop music audiences during the late 1950s and early 1960s, when he scored hits such as "It's Just A Matter Of Time" and "Endlessly", many of which he co-wrote.
He made a comeback in 1970 with the ballad "Rainy Night in Georgia." Benton scored over 50 Billboard chart hits as an artist, and also wrote hits for other performers.
Benjamin Franklin Peay was born on September 19, 1931 in Lugoff, South Carolina. When Peay was young he enjoyed gospel music and wrote songs. So in 1948 he went to New York to pursue his music career. He went in and out of gospel groups such as The Langfordaires, The Jerusalem Stars, and The Golden Gate Quartet. Returning to his home state, he joined a R&B singing group, The Sandmen, and went back to New York to get a big break with his group. The Sandmen had limited success, and their label, Okeh Records, decided to push Peay as a solo artist, changing his name to Brook Benton, apparently at the suggestion of label executive Marv Halsman.
Brook earned a good living writing songs and co-producing albums. He wrote songs for artists such as Nat King Cole, Clyde McPhatter (for whom he wrote the hit "A Lover's Question"), and Roy Hamilton. Soon he released his first minor hit, "A Million Miles from Nowhere". Later he went on to the Mercury label, which would eventually bring him larger success.
Big break
Finally in 1959 he made his breakthrough with his hits "It's Just a Matter of Time" and "Endlessly". "It's Just a Matter of Time" peaked at #3 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart, while "Endlessly" made it to #12. Both of the first two hits were written by Benton with Clyde Otis. They were originally offered to Nat King Cole, but when Otis became an A&R official at Mercury, he convinced Benton to sign with the label and record them himself, while asking Cole not to record the songs as planned. He followed this success with a series of hits, including "So Many Ways" (#6), "Hotel Happiness" (#3), "Think Twice" (#11), "Kiddio" (#7), and "The Boll Weevil Song" (#2). In 1960, he had two top 10 hit duets with Dinah Washington: "Baby (You've Got What It Takes)" (#5) and "A Rockin' Good Way (To Mess Around and Fall in Love)" (#7).
He also recorded his own version of "Take Good Care of Her" in 1962. In the mid- and late 1960's, Benton recorded for RCA Records and Reprise Records with minimal commercial success. In 1969 he signed with Cotillion Records, a subsidiary of Atlantic Records, where the next year he had his last major hit with "Rainy Night in Georgia".
Benton eventually charted 49 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, with other songs charting on Billboard's rhythm and blues, easy listening, and Christmas music charts. The last album made by Benton was Fools Rush In, which was released posthumously in 2005. At one point he was recording on Groove Records.
Death
Brook died of complications from spinal meningitis in Queens, New York City, at the age of 56 on April 9, 1988. Singer Elvis Presley once told his friend, Marty Lacker, that Brook Benton was one of his biggest influences.
Discography
Albums
Year Album U.S. Pop
1959 This Time of Year 12
1961 Golden Hits 82
1961 The Boll Weevil Song And 11 Other Great Hits 70
1962 If You Believe 77
1962 Singing the Blues - Lie to Me 40
1963 Golden Hits, Volume 2 82
1967 Laura (What's He Got That I Ain't Got) 156
1969 Do Your Own Thing 189
1970 Brook Benton Today 27
1970 Homestyle 199
1977 The Incomparable Brook Benton - 20 Greatest Hits (Warwick) -
Singles
Year Single US Pop US R&B US AC UK Singles Chart Album
1958 "A Million Miles from Nowhere" 82 - - - -
1959 "Endlessly" 12 3 - 28 -
1959 "Hurtin' Inside" 78 23 - - -
1959 "This Time of the Year" - - - - This Time of the Year
1959 "It's Just a Matter of Time" 3 1 - - It's Just a Matter of Time
1959 "So Close" 38 5 - - -
1959 "So Many Ways" 6 1 - - -
1959 "Thank You Pretty Baby" 16 1 - - -
1959 "With All My Heart" 82 - - - -
1960 "Baby (You've Got What It Takes)" (with Dinah Washington) 5 1 - - -
1960 "Fools Rush In (Where Angels Fear to Tread)" 24 5 - 50 Songs I Love to Sing
1960 "Someday You'll Want Me to Want You" 93 - - - -
1960 "Kiddio" 7 1 - 41 -
1960 "A Rockin' Good Way" (with Dinah Washington) 7 1 - - -
1960 "The Same One" 16 21 - - -
1960 "The Ties That Bind" 37 15 - - -
1961 "For My Baby" 28 2 - - -
1961 "Frankie and Johnny" 20 14 6 - The Boll Weevil Song
1961 "It's Just a House Without You" 45 - 8 - -
1961 "Think Twice" 11 6 - - -
1961 "The Boll Weevil Song" 2 2 1 30 The Boll Weevil Song
1962 "Hit Record" 45 19 - - -
1962 "Lie to Me" 13 3 - - Singing The Blues
1962 "Revenge" 15 12 - - -
1962 "Shadrack" 19 - - - -
1962 "The Lost Penny" 77 - - - -
1962 "Still Waters Run Deep" 89 - - - -
1962 "Walk on the Wild Side" 43 - - - -
1963 "Hotel Happiness" 3 2 - - -
1963 "I Got What I Wanted" 28 4 14 - Singing The Blues
1963 "Dearer Than Life" 59 - - - -
1963 "My True Confession" 22 7 8 - Singing The Blues
1963 "Two Tickets to Paradise" 32 15 8 - -
1964 "Another Cup of Coffee" 47 47 13 - -
1964 "Going Going Gone" 35 35 - - -
1964 "A House is Not a Home" 75 75 13 - -
1964 "Too Late to Turn Back Now" 43 43 14 - -
1964 "Lumberjack" 53 53 15 - -
1964 "Do It Right" 67 67 - - -
1965 "Love Me Now" 100 - 37 - -
1965 "Mother Nature, Father Time" 53 26 9 - Mother Nature, Father Time
1967 "Laura (What's He Got That I Ain't Got)" 78 - 37 - -
1968 "Weakness in a Man" - - 36 - -
1968 "Do Your Own Thing" 99 - 26 - -
1969 "Nothing Can Take the Place of You" 74 11 - - -
1970 "Don't It Make You Want to Go Home" 45 31 4 - Home Style
1970 "My Way" 72 25 35 - Today
1970 "Rainy Night in Georgia" 4 1 2 - Today
1971 "Shoes" 67 18 18 - -
1978 "Making Love is Good for You" - 49 - - -
http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z104/darko47darko/brook_benton.jpg
http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z104/darko47darko/BrookBenton-1.jpg
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Howard on 04/09/10 at 3:08 pm
The person who died on this day...Brook Benton
Brook Benton (September 19, 1931 – April 9, 1988) was an American singer and songwriter who was popular with rock and roll, rhythm and blues, and pop music audiences during the late 1950s and early 1960s, when he scored hits such as "It's Just A Matter Of Time" and "Endlessly", many of which he co-wrote.
He made a comeback in 1970 with the ballad "Rainy Night in Georgia." Benton scored over 50 Billboard chart hits as an artist, and also wrote hits for other performers.
Benjamin Franklin Peay was born on September 19, 1931 in Lugoff, South Carolina. When Peay was young he enjoyed gospel music and wrote songs. So in 1948 he went to New York to pursue his music career. He went in and out of gospel groups such as The Langfordaires, The Jerusalem Stars, and The Golden Gate Quartet. Returning to his home state, he joined a R&B singing group, The Sandmen, and went back to New York to get a big break with his group. The Sandmen had limited success, and their label, Okeh Records, decided to push Peay as a solo artist, changing his name to Brook Benton, apparently at the suggestion of label executive Marv Halsman.
Brook earned a good living writing songs and co-producing albums. He wrote songs for artists such as Nat King Cole, Clyde McPhatter (for whom he wrote the hit "A Lover's Question"), and Roy Hamilton. Soon he released his first minor hit, "A Million Miles from Nowhere". Later he went on to the Mercury label, which would eventually bring him larger success.
Big break
Finally in 1959 he made his breakthrough with his hits "It's Just a Matter of Time" and "Endlessly". "It's Just a Matter of Time" peaked at #3 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart, while "Endlessly" made it to #12. Both of the first two hits were written by Benton with Clyde Otis. They were originally offered to Nat King Cole, but when Otis became an A&R official at Mercury, he convinced Benton to sign with the label and record them himself, while asking Cole not to record the songs as planned. He followed this success with a series of hits, including "So Many Ways" (#6), "Hotel Happiness" (#3), "Think Twice" (#11), "Kiddio" (#7), and "The Boll Weevil Song" (#2). In 1960, he had two top 10 hit duets with Dinah Washington: "Baby (You've Got What It Takes)" (#5) and "A Rockin' Good Way (To Mess Around and Fall in Love)" (#7).
He also recorded his own version of "Take Good Care of Her" in 1962. In the mid- and late 1960's, Benton recorded for RCA Records and Reprise Records with minimal commercial success. In 1969 he signed with Cotillion Records, a subsidiary of Atlantic Records, where the next year he had his last major hit with "Rainy Night in Georgia".
Benton eventually charted 49 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, with other songs charting on Billboard's rhythm and blues, easy listening, and Christmas music charts. The last album made by Benton was Fools Rush In, which was released posthumously in 2005. At one point he was recording on Groove Records.
Death
Brook died of complications from spinal meningitis in Queens, New York City, at the age of 56 on April 9, 1988. Singer Elvis Presley once told his friend, Marty Lacker, that Brook Benton was one of his biggest influences.
Discography
Albums
Year Album U.S. Pop
1959 This Time of Year 12
1961 Golden Hits 82
1961 The Boll Weevil Song And 11 Other Great Hits 70
1962 If You Believe 77
1962 Singing the Blues - Lie to Me 40
1963 Golden Hits, Volume 2 82
1967 Laura (What's He Got That I Ain't Got) 156
1969 Do Your Own Thing 189
1970 Brook Benton Today 27
1970 Homestyle 199
1977 The Incomparable Brook Benton - 20 Greatest Hits (Warwick) -
Singles
Year Single US Pop US R&B US AC UK Singles Chart Album
1958 "A Million Miles from Nowhere" 82 - - - -
1959 "Endlessly" 12 3 - 28 -
1959 "Hurtin' Inside" 78 23 - - -
1959 "This Time of the Year" - - - - This Time of the Year
1959 "It's Just a Matter of Time" 3 1 - - It's Just a Matter of Time
1959 "So Close" 38 5 - - -
1959 "So Many Ways" 6 1 - - -
1959 "Thank You Pretty Baby" 16 1 - - -
1959 "With All My Heart" 82 - - - -
1960 "Baby (You've Got What It Takes)" (with Dinah Washington) 5 1 - - -
1960 "Fools Rush In (Where Angels Fear to Tread)" 24 5 - 50 Songs I Love to Sing
1960 "Someday You'll Want Me to Want You" 93 - - - -
1960 "Kiddio" 7 1 - 41 -
1960 "A Rockin' Good Way" (with Dinah Washington) 7 1 - - -
1960 "The Same One" 16 21 - - -
1960 "The Ties That Bind" 37 15 - - -
1961 "For My Baby" 28 2 - - -
1961 "Frankie and Johnny" 20 14 6 - The Boll Weevil Song
1961 "It's Just a House Without You" 45 - 8 - -
1961 "Think Twice" 11 6 - - -
1961 "The Boll Weevil Song" 2 2 1 30 The Boll Weevil Song
1962 "Hit Record" 45 19 - - -
1962 "Lie to Me" 13 3 - - Singing The Blues
1962 "Revenge" 15 12 - - -
1962 "Shadrack" 19 - - - -
1962 "The Lost Penny" 77 - - - -
1962 "Still Waters Run Deep" 89 - - - -
1962 "Walk on the Wild Side" 43 - - - -
1963 "Hotel Happiness" 3 2 - - -
1963 "I Got What I Wanted" 28 4 14 - Singing The Blues
1963 "Dearer Than Life" 59 - - - -
1963 "My True Confession" 22 7 8 - Singing The Blues
1963 "Two Tickets to Paradise" 32 15 8 - -
1964 "Another Cup of Coffee" 47 47 13 - -
1964 "Going Going Gone" 35 35 - - -
1964 "A House is Not a Home" 75 75 13 - -
1964 "Too Late to Turn Back Now" 43 43 14 - -
1964 "Lumberjack" 53 53 15 - -
1964 "Do It Right" 67 67 - - -
1965 "Love Me Now" 100 - 37 - -
1965 "Mother Nature, Father Time" 53 26 9 - Mother Nature, Father Time
1967 "Laura (What's He Got That I Ain't Got)" 78 - 37 - -
1968 "Weakness in a Man" - - 36 - -
1968 "Do Your Own Thing" 99 - 26 - -
1969 "Nothing Can Take the Place of You" 74 11 - - -
1970 "Don't It Make You Want to Go Home" 45 31 4 - Home Style
1970 "My Way" 72 25 35 - Today
1970 "Rainy Night in Georgia" 4 1 2 - Today
1971 "Shoes" 67 18 18 - -
1978 "Making Love is Good for You" - 49 - - -
http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z104/darko47darko/brook_benton.jpg
http://i194.photobucket.com/albums/z104/darko47darko/BrookBenton-1.jpg
Rainy Night In Georgia was my favorite.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: gibbo on 04/09/10 at 4:12 pm
I thought Brooke Benton was Barbi Benton for a moment and eagerly scrolled to the pics. What a disappointment! ;)
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/10/10 at 6:05 am
I thought Brooke Benton was Barbi Benton for a moment and eagerly scrolled to the pics. What a disappointment! ;)
That's funny ;D
Just for you
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n313/sogoishi/Cult%20Sirens/BarbieBenton_nude_picture_1.jpg
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/10/10 at 6:13 am
The word of the day...Buffalo
A buffalo is a wild animal like a large cow with horns that curve upwards. Buffalo are usually found in southern and eastern Africa.
A buffalo is the same as a water buffalo.
A buffalo is the same as a bison
http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/oo18/jimwolfemusic/Band%20Promos/Buffalo1877.jpg
http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq210/lindas_gallery/bison.jpg
http://i551.photobucket.com/albums/ii446/Frida-photos/Cine/buffalo_66_006.jpg
http://i921.photobucket.com/albums/ad54/cp27bossy/buffalo/pominvillegreen.jpg
http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j163/SteveFinMD/helens1.jpg
http://i667.photobucket.com/albums/vv32/stanlawson/buffalowildwings.png
http://i744.photobucket.com/albums/xx85/reuannod/coins/78B1918buffalonickel.jpg
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa222/ljnavarre/buffalo3.jpg
http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj264/jmann172/buffalo-bills.gif
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/10/10 at 6:16 am
The person born on this day...Haley Joel Osment
Haley Joel Osment (born April 10, 1988) is an American actor. After a series of roles in television and film during the 1990s, including a small part in Forrest Gump playing the title character’s son, Osment rose to fame with his performance as Cole Sear in M. Night Shyamalan’s thriller film The Sixth Sense that earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He subsequently appeared in leading roles in several high-profile Hollywood films including Pay It Forward and A.I. He made his Broadway debut in 2008 in a revival of American Buffalo, co-starring with John Leguizamo and Cedric the Entertainer
Osment was born in Los Angeles, California; the son of Theresa Osment (née Seifert), a teacher, and Michael Eugene Osment, a theater and film actor, both natives of Alabama. He has one sister, four years younger, actress and singer-songwriter Emily Osment. Osment’s parents described his childhood as a “good old-fashioned Southern upbringing,” and his father said that when Osment was learning to speak, he deliberately avoided using baby talk when communicating with his son.
Raised as a Catholic, Osment was a straight-A student at Flintridge Preparatory School in La Cañada, California. As a child, he was talented in many sports, including basketball, football, wrestling, and golf.
Career
Osment in 2001
Osment's acting career began at the age of four, when his mother took him to a new Ikea store; a talent scout was there looking for new actors, and Osment put his name down. He got called back for an audition, and was asked to describe the biggest thing he had ever seen; Osment described an IMAX theater screen, and won the part in a Pizza Hut TV commercial, advertising their "Big Foot" pizza. The commercial launched his career; later that year he starred in the ABC TV sitcom Thunder Alley, his first role in series television. His first feature film role was as Forrest Gump's son, also named Forrest Gump, in the 1994 movie of the same name. He also had a small part in another 1994 film, Mixed Nuts. Throughout the rest of 1990s, Osment played regular and/or recurring roles in various TV series; including The Jeff Foxworthy Show and the final season of Murphy Brown, where he replaced Dylan Christopher as Murphy's son, Avery. In addition, he made numerous guest appearances on shows including The Larry Sanders Show, Walker, Texas Ranger (as a child dying from AIDS), Touched by an Angel, Chicago Hope, The Pretender, and an emotional episode of Ally Mcbeal; "Angels and Blimps", in which he played a child dying from leukemia. He starred in the 1996 film Bogus, alongside Whoopi Goldberg and Gérard Depardieu, and appeared in the 1998 made-for-TV movie The Lake, with Yasmine Bleeth, as well as I'll Remember April (1999), with future The Sixth Sense co-star Trevor Morgan.
Osment first achieved major stardom in 1999, when he appeared in the blockbuster film The Sixth Sense, co-starring Bruce Willis. For his portrayal of Cole Sear, a psychic child, Osment won Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor. He was also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, becoming the second-youngest performer ever to receive an Academy nomination for a supporting role, but lost the final Oscar vote to Michael Caine (with whom he would later work, appearing together in Secondhand Lions). One of Osment's lines in The Sixth Sense, "I see dead people", became a popular catchphrase and is often repeated or parodied on television programs and in other media. He made three minor (voice-only) guest appearances on the animated TV series Family Guy in 2000.
The 2000 Academy Awards ceremony honored another future co-star, Kevin Spacey, who, along with Helen Hunt, appeared in Osment's next film, Pay It Forward (2000). The following year, he appeared in Steven Spielberg's Artificial Intelligence: A.I., cementing his stature as one of the leading young actors in Hollywood. This role earned him his second Saturn Award for Best Younger Actor, and another critical acclaim. In reviewing the movie, critic Roger Ebert claimed that: "Osment, who is onscreen in almost every scene, is one of the best actors now working". Also in 2001, Osment starred in the Polish film, Edges of the Lord, as Romek. The movie was never released theatrically in the United States.
Osment has lent his voice to animated films such as The Country Bears, The Hunchback of Notre Dame II and The Jungle Book 2. He returned to live action with the 2003 film, Secondhand Lions.
More recently, Osment was the voice of Sora, the main protagonist of the Kingdom Hearts video game series (English-language edition). Osment also voiced the character of Takeshi Jinno, in the English version of the Immortal Grand Prix anime TV series.
He next appeared in Home of the Giants, playing a high school journalist opposite Ryan Merriman and Danielle Panabaker. He is currently working on Montana Amazon as both an actor and executive producer. The film co-stars Olympia Dukakis and is expected to be released in 2010.
Osment made his Broadway debut at the Belasco Theatre in November 2008, playing the role of "Bobby", a young heroin addict, in a revival of David Mamet's American Buffalo; co-starring with John Leguizamo and Cedric the Entertainer. The show opened to mixed reviews, and a provisional statement was made on November 20, 2008, that it would close after the first week. Osment was given one sentence in the New York Times review of the production: "Mr. Osment’s facial stubble and slumping posture fail to override the impression that he’s giving a perfect School of Disney juvenile performance." Newsday, however, said "Haley Joel Osment... has a sweet, haunting neediness as a slacker who appears to recognize a kind of death in himself."
Personal life
According to Osment's official website, he follows a mostly vegetarian diet (though he does like chicken and fish), and in an interview with Daniel Robert Epstein, Osment mentioned that he plays the guitar and piano. He currently attends New York University's Tisch School of the Arts.
Osment is an avid golfer who began playing at the age of 7. He played for the U.S. team in the All-Star Cup 2005, under team leader Mark O'Meara, and has participated in the Annual Michael Douglas & Friends Celebrity Golf Tournament.
Osment was involved in a single-driver automobile accident on July 20, 2006, in which he struck a brick mailbox and overturned his car while driving near his home. The accident resulted in injuries including a broken rib, fractured right shoulder blade, cuts and abrasions. In connection with this incident, Osment pleaded no contest to one count each of misdemeanor driving under the influence of alcohol and drug possession on October 19, 2006. He was sentenced to three years probation, 60 hours in an alcohol rehabilitation and education program, a fine of $1500, and a minimum requirement of 26 Alcoholics Anonymous meetings over a six-month period.
Filmography
Year Film Role Notes
1994 Forrest Gump Forrest Gump, Jr.
Mixed Nuts Little Boy
1996 Bogus Albert Franklin
For Better or Worse Danny
1997 Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas Chip Voice (direct-to-video)
1998 Ransom of Red Chief Andy Dorset (TV movie)
1999 The Sixth Sense Cole Sear Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor
Nominated – Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture
Nominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
I'll Remember April Peewee Clayton
2000 Pay It Forward Trevor McKinney
Discover Spot Spot the Dog Voice
2001 A.I. Artificial Intelligence David Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor
Edges of the Lord Romek
2002 The Hunchback of Notre Dame II Zephyr Voice
The Country Bears Beary Barrington Voice
2003 Secondhand Lions Walter
The Jungle Book 2 Mowgli Voice
2005 Immortal Grand Prix Takeshi Jinno Anime TV series; Voice (English-language)
2007 Home of the Giants Robert "Gar" Gartland
2010 Montana Amazon Womple
Truth & Treason Helmuth Hübener
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i2/brezerandpippin/sensibility01b.jpg
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w275/kids4you/HaleyJoelOsment.jpg
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/10/10 at 6:30 am
The person who died on this day...Linda Darnell
Linda Darnell (October 16, 1923 – April 10, 1965) was an American film actress.
Darnell was a model as a child, and progressed to theater and film acting as an adolescent. She made her first film in 1939, and appeared in supporting roles in films for 20th Century Fox. She played the lead role in Forever Amber (1947), and received positive reviews for her work in Unfaithfully Yours (1948) and A Letter to Three Wives (1949). Although she continued acting throughout the 1950s, she never again achieved the same success.
Born Monetta Eloyse Darnell in Dallas, Texas, as one of five children, to Calvin Darnell and Pearl Brown, Darnell was a model by the age of 11, and was acting on the stage by the age of 13. She was chosen by a talent scout to go to Hollywood, and by age 15, she was signed to a contract at 20th Century Fox. She featured in her first film Hotel for Women in 1939, followed by roles in The Mark of Zorro, Blood and Sand, Hangover Square and My Darling Clementine. In 1943, she was cast, uncredited, as the Virgin Mary in The Song of Bernadette.
In 1947, Darnell won the starring role in the highly anticipated movie Forever Amber, based on a bestselling historical novel that was denounced as being immoral at that time. The character, Amber, was so named because of her hair color, and this is the only major film in which Darnell — normally known for her raven hair and somewhat Latin looks — appears as a redhead. Publicity at the time compared the novel Forever Amber to Gone with the Wind. The search for the actress to portray Amber, a beauty who uses men to make her fortune in 17th-century England, was modeled on the extensive process that led to the casting of Vivien Leigh as Scarlett O'Hara. But the film did not live up to its hype.
The following year, Darnell portrayed Daphne de Carter in the Preston Sturges' comedy Unfaithfully Yours (1948), also starring Rex Harrison, and as one of the three wives in the comedy/drama A Letter to Three Wives (1949). Darnell's hard-edged performance in the latter won her the best reviews of her career. She was widely tipped to win an Academy Award nomination for this part, but, when this did not happen, her career began to wane. Aside from her starring role opposite Richard Widmark and Sidney Poitier in the groundbreaking No Way Out (1950), her later films were rarely noteworthy, and her appearances were increasingly sporadic thereafter. Further hampering Darnell's career was the actress's alcoholism and weight gain. Darnell's last work as an actress was in a stage production in Atlanta in early 1965.
Personal life and death
Darnell was married to cameraman J. Peverell Marley (1943–1952), brewery heir Philip Leibmann (1954–55), and pilot Merle Roy Robertson (1957–1963). Darnell and her first husband adopted a daughter, Charlotte Mildred "Lola" Marley, the actress's only child.
Linda Darnell in a May 1944 pin-up photo for Yank, the Army Weekly.
Darnell's last performances as an actress were in a play in Atlanta in early 1965. She died on April 10, 1965, at age 41, from burns she received in a house fire in Glenview, Illinois. She had been staying there with friends while preparing for a stage role in the Chicago area. Her 1940 film, Star Dust, had played on television the night of the fire, and it was widely reported that Darnell had fallen asleep with a lit cigarette while watching it. Some more sensational reports claimed she was intoxicated and despondent over her career. But biographer Ronald L. Davis, in his book Hollywood Beauty, wrote that there was no evidence that any of these stories were true, or that Darnell was in any way responsible for the blaze. By his account, Darnell was burned over 90 percent of her body because rather than jump from the window as her friend's daughter had already done, Darnell tried to make it to the front door. She reached the door but the doorknob was too hot to touch.
Her ashes are interred at the Union Hill Cemetery, Chester County, Pennsylvania, in the family plot of her son-in-law. For her contribution to the motion picture industry, Linda Darnell has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1631 Vine Street.
Filmography
Film
Year Film Role Notes
1939 Day-Time Wife Jane Norton
1940 Star Dust Carolyn Sayres
1940 Brigham Young Zina Webb - The Outsider Alternative title: Brigham Young: Frontiersman
1940 The Mark of Zorro Lolita Quintero
1941 Blood and Sand Carmen Espinosa
1941 Rise and Shine Louise Murray
1942 The Loves of Edgar Allan Poe Virginia Clemm
1943 City Without Men Nancy Johnson Alternative title: Prison Farm
1944 Buffalo Bill Dawn Starlight
1944 It Happened Tomorrow Sylvia Smith/Sylvia Stevens
1944 Sweet and Low-Down Trudy Wilson
1945 Hangover Square Netta Longdon
1945 Fallen Angel Stella
1946 Anna and the King of Siam Tuptim
1946 Centennial Summer Edith Rogers
1946 My Darling Clementine Chihuahua
1947 Forever Amber Amber St. Clair
1948 Unfaithfully Yours Daphne De Carter
1949 A Letter to Three Wives Lora Mae Hollingsway
1949 Slattery's Hurricane Mrs. Aggie Hobson
1950 Two Flags West Elena Kenniston
1950 No Way Out Edie Johnson
1951 The 13th Letter Denise Turner
1951 The Guy Who Came Back Dee Shane
1952 Saturday Island Lt. Elizabeth Smythe
1952 Blackbeard the Pirate Edwina Mansfield
1953 Second Chance Clare Shepperd, alias Clare Sinclair
1954 This Is My Love Vida Dove
1955 It Happens in Roma Renata Adorni Alternative title: The Last Five Minutes
1956 Dakota Incident Amy Clarke
1957 Zero Hour! Ellen Stryker
1965 Black Spurs Sadie
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1956 The 20th Century Fox Hour Lily Martyn 1 episode
Screen Director's Playhouse Ellen 1 episode
1958 Playhouse 90 Meg Lyttleton 1 episode
Climax! Helen Randall 1 episode
Wagon Train Dora Gray Fogelberry 2 episodes
1959 77 Sunset Strip Zina Felice 1 episode
1964 Burke's Law Monica Crenshaw 1 episode
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o134/brettrules1980/linda-darnell-1-sized.jpg
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j1/aappleton218/classicmisc1/Actresses02/ld.jpg
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Howard on 04/10/10 at 7:03 am
The word of the day...Buffalo
A buffalo is a wild animal like a large cow with horns that curve upwards. Buffalo are usually found in southern and eastern Africa.
A buffalo is the same as a water buffalo.
A buffalo is the same as a bison
http://i357.photobucket.com/albums/oo18/jimwolfemusic/Band%20Promos/Buffalo1877.jpg
http://i448.photobucket.com/albums/qq210/lindas_gallery/bison.jpg
http://i551.photobucket.com/albums/ii446/Frida-photos/Cine/buffalo_66_006.jpg
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http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j163/SteveFinMD/helens1.jpg
http://i667.photobucket.com/albums/vv32/stanlawson/buffalowildwings.png
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http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa222/ljnavarre/buffalo3.jpg
http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj264/jmann172/buffalo-bills.gif
I love Buffalo Wings with Bleu Cheese.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Philip Eno on 04/10/10 at 11:25 am
Once again I have plenty to catch up on.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: gibbo on 04/10/10 at 2:20 pm
That's funny ;D
Just for you
http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n313/sogoishi/Cult%20Sirens/BarbieBenton_nude_picture_1.jpg
Now you're talking.... ::)
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/11/10 at 5:04 am
The word of the day...Map
A map is a drawing of a particular area such as a city, a country, or a continent, showing its main features as they would appear if you looked at them from above.
A map is a drawing that gives special information about an area.
To map an area means to make a map of it.
If you say that someone or something put a person, thing, or place on the map, you approve of the fact that they made it become well-known and important.
http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/zz199/ssserpentine/the%20forgotten%20TORA/map.png
http://i978.photobucket.com/albums/ae261/Asahina_Harima/map_rokugan.jpg
http://i707.photobucket.com/albums/ww79/JewishSniper118/map.gif
http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy25/herbike/Birthday66054.jpg
http://i967.photobucket.com/albums/ae153/TheBlueRocky/ayrimmap.png
http://i819.photobucket.com/albums/zz112/Emi_Weathers/HernandoGin11x17.png
http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/ab4/Luk77/MAP.jpg
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg71/BlackHC/undeadgroundx.png
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/11/10 at 5:06 am
The person born on this day...Vincent Gallo
Vincent Gallo (born April 11, 1961) is an Italian-American film actor, director, producer, screenwriter, singer-songwriter, and painter. Although he has had minor roles in mainstream films such as Goodfellas, he is most associated with independent movies, including Buffalo '66, which he wrote, directed, did the music for and starred in, The Brown Bunny, which he also wrote, directed, produced, starred in and photographed, Arizona Dream, The Funeral and Palookaville . In the late 70's and early 1980s, Gallo was a painter in the New York City art scene showing with famed art dealer Annina Nosei, performed in a rap duo and was part of the first Hip Hop television broadcast Graffiti Rock, and played in a industrial band called Bohack which released an album title It Took Several Wives. In the 1990s, Gallo played in two noise bands, Bunny and RRIICCEE. In the early 2000s, he released several solo recordings on WARP records. Gallo is known for his outspoken views and generally hostile nature, once stating: "I stopped painting in 1990 at the peak of my success just to deny people my beautiful paintings; and I did it out of spite."
Gallo was born in Buffalo, New York, the son of Janet, a hair-dresser, and Vincenzo Vito Gallo, also a hairdresser and professional gambler. Both of his parents emigrated from Sicily. Gallo lived in New York City 1978-2002 and traveled around most of Europe living briefly in Paris and Rome. Gallo's first creative project was as a member of the New York City-based post-punk band GRAY whose members included famed artist Jean-Michel Basquiat.
Films
Gallo has modeled, most notably for Calvin Klein, and been photographed by Richard Avedon. He first began painting, then racing motorcycles, and finally became an actor.
During Gallo's artistic period in the 1980s, when he worked as a musician and painter in New York City, he also began experimenting with film. He made the short film "If You Feel Froggy, Jump" and appeared in a film called the "New York Beat Movie" (1981) with painter Jean Michel Basquiat. In 1984, Gallo acted in "The Way It Is" (1984), which included actors Steve Buscemi and Rockets Redglare. After starring in the obscure 1989 film Doc's Kingdom, he began acting in small parts in more well-known films such as Goodfellas, The House of the Spirits, and The Perez Family. French director Claire Denis hired Gallo to act in several films such as the "short film Keep It for Yourself, the made-for-TV U.S. Go Home, and its follow-up feature Nénette et Boni (1996)."
Gallo acted in the film Arizona Dream, with Johnny Depp, in the cult comedy Palookaville, and in The Funeral, and had a lead role in the film Truth or Consequences, N.M. (film)
In 1998, his debut film Buffalo '66 was nominated for, but did not win, an award for "Best First Feature" at the Independent Spirit Awards. Gallo made this drama for $1.5 M, serving as writer, director, lead actor, and composer/performer of the soundtrack. The release of Buffalo '66 "...gained him a solid fan base". Gallo proceeded to act in the crime drama Freeway 2: Confessions of a Trickbaby, the drama Stranded: Náufragos, the thriller Hide and Seek, and the romantic comedy Get Well Soon. Gallo appeared in another Claire Denis film, an erotic/horror movie called Trouble Every Day.
In 2003, Gallo starred in and directed the film The Brown Bunny. The film, which chronicles a motorcycle racer's cross country road trip, co-starred Chloë Sevigny. The film, which contained a scene of Sevigny performing unsimulated oral sex upon Gallo, received overwhelmingly negative critical response to its initial cut and became a media scandal, in part due to Gallo's use of a still image from a sex scene on a promotional billboard. According to Andrea LeVasseur of the Allmovie, The Brown Bunny "premiered to much derision at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival."
A war of words erupted between Gallo and popular film critic Roger Ebert in 2003 regarding Ebert's statement that The Brown Bunny was the worst film in the history of Cannes. Gallo retorted by calling Ebert a "fat pig with the physique of a slave trader" and put a hex on Ebert, wishing him colon cancer. Ebert then responded, paraphrasing a statement once made by Winston Churchill that "although I am fat, one day I will be thin, but Mr. Gallo will still have been the director of The Brown Bunny." Regarding Gallo's alleged hex, Ebert quipped "the video of my colonoscopy is more entertaining than your movie," a comment that Gallo later claimed to find funny.
A shorter, re-edited version of the film played later in 2003 at the Toronto International Film Festival (although it retained the controversial sex scene). While not receiving the highest praise, neither did it garner the same level of derision as the Cannes version. Ebert responded favorably to this second edit, and the pair reconciled amicably thereafter.
Sony Pictures Entertainment acquired multi-territory distribution rights for the film in February 2005. Sony Pictures Entertainment also released the film on DVD in North America in August 2005.
Gallo has recently appeared as a model in H&M Spring 2009 Collection with Eva Herzigova.
Music
Gallo played electric bass and sang in the mid-1970s in several adolescent garage bands such as Blue Mood, a progressive rock cover band named Zephyr (not the late 1960s band) which did one performance in New York State, and the Plastics. At the age of 16, Gallo moved to New York City and was a later member of the band, Gray, with visual artist Jean Michel Basquiat (who was not yet famous). Gray played at clubs such as Max's Kansas City, CBGB's, Hurrahs, and the Mudd Club. A few of Gray's recordings appear on the soundtrack for the film Downtown 81. In the early 1980s, Gallo performed solo as the Nonsexuals, rapped in a duo called Trouble Deuce under the name Prince Vince (along with Nick Nice, who went under the name DJ High Priest).
Gallo played in a band called Bohack which recorded an album entitled It Took Several Wives. When Bohack disbanded, Gallo turned his attention to acting, directing, and composing in films. He wrote songs for the soundtrack of the 1998 film Buffalo 66. He played in a rock band with Lukas Haas called Bunny, and Gallo put out his own CD which he wrote. performed and produced under Warp Records, titled "When". Bunny did a Japanese tour and recorded an album for Sony with producer Eddie Offord. In Japan, for his 2001 When tour, Josh Klinghoffer and Carla Azar of Autolux supported him as his tour band.
In 2002 he released "Recordings of Music for a Film", which is a remastered version of his older music. He also did shows with Jim O'Rourke playing on bass. Gallo has also performed shows with Sean Lennon, whom he collaborated with on an album they completed in 2004, that has yet to be released. Nikolai Haas, Lukas Haas's younger brother, was a drummer for a few of Gallo's shows. Gallo also curated one weekend of the UK music festival All Tomorrow's Parties in April 2005. His friends John Frusciante and PJ Harvey appeared on the bill. Gallo selected Yoko Ono as a headline act, and also performed with her and her son Sean Lennon at this event.
Gallo's most recent musical project is the band RRIICCEE, with Hole co-founder Eric Erlandson, which plays only improvised music.
Music videos
Gallo also appears in the following music videos by other artists: "Grounded" by My Vitriol (2001), "Cosmopolitan Bloodloss" by Glassjaw (2003), "99 Problems" by Jay-Z (2004), and "Bitter" by Lit.
Gallo directed music videos for the songs "Going Inside" by John Frusciante, and "Anemone" by L'Arc-en-Ciel.
Personal life and political ideology
Gallo is a supporter of the Republican Party, and has been seen at a New York fashion show with George W. Bush's daughters Barbara and Jenna. He has stated that his fantasy is "becoming more like the stereotype of the Republican Party." He also wishes to look "more like George Will." In his own words, Gallo "considered himself a radical, always, but an extremely conservative radical".
Gallo is godfather to Chris Squire's son.
Filmography
Actor
* Promises Written in Water (2010)
* Tetro (2009)
* Metropia (2009)
* Oliverio Rising (2007)
* Dirt (2007-TV)
* Moscow Zero (2006)
* The Brown Bunny (2003)
* Stranded: Náufragos (2001)
* Get Well Soon (2001)
* Trouble Every Day (2001)
* Hide and Seek (2000)
* Freeway II: Confessions of a Trickbaby (1999)
* Buffalo 66 (1998)
* L.A. Without a Map (1998)
* Truth or Consequences, NM (1997)
* Nénette et Boni (1996)
* The Funeral (1996)
* Basquiat (1996)
* Palookaville (1996)
* The Perez Family (1995)
* Arizona Dream (1993)
* The House of the Spirits (1993)
* Goodfellas (1990)
* Doc's Kingdom (1987)
* The Gunlover (1986)
* The Way It Is (1985)
Writer/director
* Promises Written in Water (2010)
* The Brown Bunny (2003)
* Buffalo ’66 (1998)
Discography
Albums
* It Took Several Wives - (1982), released on Family Friend Records (as Bohack)
* The Way It Is Soundtrack - (1984), released on Rojo Records
* Buffalo 66 Soundtrack - (1998), released on Will Records
* When - (2001), released on Warp Records (as Vincent Gallo)
* Recordings Of Music For Film - (2002), released on Warp Records
Singles
* "So Sad" EP - (2001), released on Warp Records
* "Honey Bunny" 7" - (2001), released on Warp Records
http://i671.photobucket.com/albums/vv77/julie_dc2205/gallo.jpg
http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/oo102/lysandre_2008/vincent-gallo-776791.jpg
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: gibbo on 04/11/10 at 5:10 am
As soon as I saw the word 'map' ... this came to mind.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjdRgBAY278
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/11/10 at 5:11 am
The person who died on this day...Kurt Vonnegut
Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. (pronounced /ˈvɒnɨɡət/; November 11, 1922 – April 11, 2007) was an American novelist who wrote works blending satire, black comedy, and science fiction, such as Slaughterhouse-Five (1969), Cat's Cradle (1963), and Breakfast of Champions (1973). He was known for his humanist beliefs as well as being honorary president of the American Humanist Association. He is widely considered one of the most influential American writers of the 20th century. Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, to fifth-generation German-American parents Kurt Vonnegut, Sr., and Edith Lieber. Both his father and grandfather attended MIT and were architects in the Indianapolis firm Vonnegut & Bohn; his great-grandfather was the founder of the Vonnegut Hardware Company, an Indianapolis institution. Vonnegut graduated from Shortridge High School in Indianapolis in May 1940, and was accepted to attend Cornell University beginning that fall. At Cornell, he served as assistant managing editor and associate editor for the student newspaper, the Cornell Daily Sun, and majored in chemistry. While attending Cornell, he was a member of the Delta Upsilon Fraternity, following in the footsteps of his father. While at Cornell, Vonnegut enlisted in the U.S. Army. The army transferred him to the Carnegie Institute of Technology and the University of Tennessee to study mechanical engineering. On May 14, 1944, Mothers' Day, his mother committed suicide by sleeping pill overdose.
Vonnegut's first short story, "Report on the Barnhouse Effect" appeared in the February 11, 1950 edition of Collier's (it has since been reprinted in his short story collection, Welcome to the Monkey House). His first novel was the dystopian novel Player Piano (1952), in which human workers have been largely replaced by machines. He continued to write short stories before his second novel, The Sirens of Titan, was published in 1959. Through the 1960s, the form of his work changed, from the relatively orthodox structure of Cat's Cradle (which in 1971 earned him a Master's Degree) to the acclaimed, semi-autobiographical Slaughterhouse-Five, given a more experimental structure by using time travel as a plot device.
These structural experiments were continued in Breakfast of Champions (1973), which included many rough illustrations, lengthy non-sequiturs and an appearance by the author himself, as a deus ex machina.
"This is a very bad book you're writing," I said to myself.
"I know," I said.
"You're afraid you'll kill yourself the way your mother did," I said.
"I know," I said.
Deadeye Dick, although mostly set in the mid-twentieth century, foreshadows the turbulent times of contemporary America; it ends prophetically with the lines "You want to know something? We are still in the Dark Ages. The Dark Ages — they haven't ended yet." The novel explores themes of social isolation and alienation that are particularly relevant in the postmodern world. Society is seen as openly hostile or indifferent at best, and popular culture as superficial and excessively materialistic.
Vonnegut attempted suicide in 1984 and later wrote about this in several essays.
Breakfast of Champions became one of his best-selling novels. It includes, in addition to the author himself, several of Vonnegut's recurring characters. One of them, science fiction author Kilgore Trout, plays a major role and interacts with the author's character.
In 1974, Venus on the Half-Shell, a book by Philip José Farmer in a style similar to that of Vonnegut and attributed to Kilgore Trout, was published. This caused some confusion among readers, as for some time many assumed that Vonnegut wrote it; when the truth of its authorship came out, Vonnegut was reported as being "not amused". In an issue of the semi-prozine The Alien Critic/Science Fiction Review, published by Richard E. Geis, Farmer claimed to have received an angry, obscenity-laden telephone call from Vonnegut about it.
In addition to recurring characters, there are also recurring themes and ideas. One of them is ice-nine (a central wampeter in his novel Cat's Cradle).
Although many of his novels involved science fiction themes, they were widely read and reviewed outside the field, not least due to their anti-authoritarianism. For example, his seminal short story Harrison Bergeron graphically demonstrates how an ethos like egalitarianism, when combined with too much authority, engenders horrific repression.
In much of his work, Vonnegut's own voice is apparent, often filtered through the character of science fiction author Kilgore Trout (whose name is based on that of real-life science fiction writer Theodore Sturgeon), characterized by wild leaps of imagination and a deep cynicism, tempered by humanism. In the foreword to Breakfast of Champions, Vonnegut wrote that as a child, he saw men with locomotor ataxia, and it struck him that these men walked like broken machines; it followed that healthy people were working machines, suggesting that humans are helpless prisoners of determinism. Vonnegut also explored this theme in Slaughterhouse-Five, in which protagonist Billy Pilgrim "has come unstuck in time" and has so little control over his own life that he cannot even predict which part of it he will be living through from minute to minute. Vonnegut's well-known phrase "So it goes", used ironically in reference to death, also originated in Slaughterhouse-Five and became a slogan for anti-Vietnam War protestors in the 1960s. "Its combination of simplicity, irony, and rue is very much in the Vonnegut vein."
With the publication of his novel Timequake in 1997, Vonnegut announced his retirement from writing fiction. He continued to write for the magazine In These Times, where he was a senior editor, until his death in 2007, focusing on subjects ranging from contemporary U. S. politics to simple observational pieces on topics such as a trip to the post office. In 2005, many of his essays were collected in a new bestselling book titled A Man Without a Country, which he insisted would be his last contribution to letters.
An August 2006 article reported:
He has stalled finishing his highly anticipated novel If God Were Alive Today — or so he claims. "I've given up on it... It won't happen... The Army kept me on because I could type, so I was typing other people's discharges and stuff. And my feeling was, 'Please, I've done everything I was supposed to do. Can I go home now?' That's what I feel right now. I've written books. Lots of them. Please, I've done everything I'm supposed to do. Can I go home now?"
The April 2008 issue of Playboy featured the first published excerpt from Armageddon in Retrospect, the first posthumous collection of Vonnegut's work. The book itself was published in the same month. It included never before published short stories by the writer and a letter that was written to his family during WWII when Vonnegut was captured as a prisoner of war. The book also contains drawings that Vonnegut himself drew and a speech he wrote shortly before his death. The introduction of the book was written by his son, Mark Vonnegut.
Vonnegut also taught at Harvard University, where he was a lecturer in English, and the City College of New York, where he was a Distinguished Professor. In a 2003 interview Vonnegut said, "I myself feel that our country, for whose Constitution I fought in a just war, might as well have been invaded by Martians and body snatchers. Sometimes I wish it had been. What has happened, though, is that it has been taken over by means of the sleaziest, low-comedy, Keystone Cops-style coup d’etat imaginable. And those now in charge of the federal government are upper-crust C-students who know no history or geography, plus not-so-closeted white supremacists, aka 'Christians,' and plus, most frighteningly, psychopathic personalities,or 'PPs.'" When asked how he was doing at the start of a 2003 interview, he replied: "I'm mad about being old and I'm mad about being American. Apart from that, OK."
In A Man Without a Country, he wrote that "George W. Bush has gathered around him upper-crust C-students who know no history or geography." He did not regard the 2004 election with much optimism; speaking of Bush and John Kerry, he said that "no matter which one wins, we will have a Skull and Bones President at a time when entire vertebrate species, because of how we have poisoned the topsoil, the waters and the atmosphere, are becoming, hey presto, nothing but skulls and bones."
In 2005, Vonnegut was interviewed by David Nason for The Australian. During the course of the interview Vonnegut was asked his opinion of modern terrorists, to which he replied, "I regard them as very brave people." When pressed further Vonnegut also said that "They are dying for their own self-respect. It's a terrible thing to deprive someone of their self-respect. It's your culture is nothing, your Race is nothing, you're nothing ... It is sweet and noble—sweet and honourable I guess it is—to die for what you believe in." (This last statement is a reference to the line "Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori" from Horace's Odes, or possibly to Wilfred Owen's ironic use of the line in his Dulce Et Decorum Est.) Nason took offense at Vonnegut's comments and characterized him as an old man who "doesn't want to live any more ... and because he can't find anything worthwhile to keep him alive, he finds defending terrorists somehow amusing." Vonnegut's son, Mark, responded to the article by writing an editorial to the Boston Globe in which he explained the reasons behind his father's "provocative posturing" and stated that "If these commentators can so badly misunderstand and underestimate an utterly unguarded English-speaking 83-year-old man with an extensive public record of saying exactly what he thinks, maybe we should worry about how well they understand an enemy they can't figure out what to call."
A 2006 interview with Rolling Stone stated, " ... it's not surprising that he disdains everything about the Iraq War. The very notion that more than 2,500 U.S. soldiers have been killed in what he sees as an unnecessary conflict makes him groan. 'Honestly, I wish Nixon were president,' Vonnegut laments. 'Bush is so ignorant.' "
Though he was a dissident to the end, Vonnegut held a bleak view on the power of artists to effect change. "During the Vietnam War," he told an interviewer in 2003, "every respectable artist in this country was against the war. It was like a laser beam. We were all aimed in the same direction. The power of this weapon turns out to be that of a custard pie dropped from a stepladder six feet high.
In his book Bagombo Snuff Box: Uncollected Short Fiction, Vonnegut listed eight rules for writing a short story:
1. Use the time of a total stranger in such a way that he or she will not feel the time was wasted.
2. Give the reader at least one character he or she can root for.
3. Every character should want something, even if it is only a glass of water.
4. Every sentence must do one of two things—reveal character or advance the action.
5. Start as close to the end as possible.
6. Be a Sadist. No matter how sweet and innocent your leading characters, make awful things happen to them—in order that the reader may see what they are made of.
7. Write to please just one person. If you open a window and make love to the world, so to speak, your story will get pneumonia.
8. Give your readers as much information as possible as soon as possible. To hell with suspense. Readers should have such complete understanding of what is going on, where and why, that they could finish the story themselves, should cockroaches eat the last few pages.
Vonnegut qualifies the list by adding that Flannery O'Connor broke all these rules except the first, and that great writers tend to do that.
In Chapter 18 of his book Palm Sunday, "The Sexual Revolution", Vonnegut grades his own works. He states that the grades "do not place me in literary history" and that he is comparing "myself with myself." The grades are as follows:
* Player Piano: B
* The Sirens of Titan: A
* Mother Night: A-plus
* Cat's Cradle: A-plus
* God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater: A
* Slaughterhouse-Five: A-plus
* Welcome to the Monkey House: B-minus
* Happy Birthday, Wanda June: D
* Breakfast of Champions: C
* Slapstick: D
* Jailbird: A
* Palm Sunday: C
Vonnegut was a master of satire, but he was humble about satire as a tool we can use to preserve our sanity in an insane world: "I guess it works some. Just telling people, 'You are not alone. There are a lot of others who feel as you do.' We’re a terribly lonesome society."
Appearances
* Vonnegut played himself in a cameo in 1986's Back to School, in which he is hired by Rodney Dangerfield's Thornton Melon to write a paper on the topic of the novels of Kurt Vonnegut. Recognizing the work as not Melon's own, Professor Turner tells him, "Whoever did write this doesn't know the first thing about Kurt Vonnegut."
* Vonnegut also made brief cameos in the film adaptations of his novels Mother Night and Breakfast of Champions. Mother Night was directed by Keith Gordon, who starred as Dangerfield's son in Back to School.
* Vonnegut appeared as part of the Enron "Why" advertising campaign.
* He made a guest appearance on the 2002 DVD released by 1 Giant Leap, leading the producers of the film to say, "Probably the most unbelievable result in our whole production was getting Kurt Vonnegut to agree to an interview". In the film, Vonnegut states, "Music is, to me, proof of the existence of God. It is so extraordinarily full of magic, and in tough times of my life I can listen to music and it makes such a difference".
* Vonnegut narrates and wrote the narrative of two oratorios with composer Dave Soldier recorded by the Manhattan Chamber Orchestra, A Soldier's Story based on the execution of Private Eddie Slovik and Ice-9 Ballads, adapted from Cat's Cradle.
* Vonnegut recorded a number of first-person voice overs for Ken Burns's documentary The Civil War and included one of a young soldier reflecting on a visit with a prostitute.
* Vonnegut appears briefly in the 2005 dramatic documentary The American Ruling Class playing himself.
* Vonnegut appears briefly in the 2005 Dutch release of the three part BBC documentary D-Day to Berlin. The allies journey to victory, telling about his memories of the bombing of Dresden
* In August 2006, Kurt Vonnegut was interviewed on the national, weekly public radio program, The Infinite Mind, from inside the 3-D virtual on-line community Second Life. The program made broadcast history as the first to be taped inside a virtual world, and it was the author's last face-to-face sit-down interview. The host was The Infinite Mind's John Hockenberry, who was with Vonnegut in the studio as the program was taped. Vonnegut's virtual interview was taped in front of a virtual audience of 100 people from around the world a the 16-acre virtual broadcast center created by producer Bill Lichtenstein and Lichtenstein Creative Media which produces The Infinite Mind. The 38-minute "machinima" video of Vonnegut's last interview is available on You Tube, and as of March 2010 it has had more than 100,000 views.
* In 2007 Vonnegut is featured in the film Never Down as Robert and appears in several scenes.
Tributes
* The 2009 Hollywood adaptation of Vonnegut's story "Harrison Bergeron", a film entitled 2081 is dedicated "To Kurt Vonnegut, Jr."
* At the annual Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library McFadden Memorial Lecture at Butler University in Indianapolis, on April 27, 2007, where Vonnegut was being honored posthumously, his son Mark delivered a speech that the author wrote for the event, and which was reported as the last thing he wrote. It ends with this: "I thank you for your attention, and I'm outta here."
* Following his death, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart on Comedy Central gave Vonnegut a small tribute frame before the closing credits with his own famous phrase on death--"so it goes." There was also a short clip of him being interviewed by Jon Stewart, in which he joked that chlamydia, giraffes and hippopotamuses are evidence of evolution being controlled by a divine power.
* Filmmaker Michael Moore included Vonnegut in the dedications for his 2007 film Sicko; at the end of the film, the words "Thank You Kurt Vonnegut for Everything" appear on the screen.
* The satirical newspaper The Onion contained a tribute to Vonnegut soon after he died, with a reference to his work Slaughterhouse-Five stating that he shouldn't be referred to as dead "without checking Dresden for his younger self first."
* On November 11, 2007, Wynkoop Brewing Company in Denver, reintroduced Kurt's Mile High Malt to celebrate the late author's birthday. The beer was originally created by Vonnegut's grandfather, Albert Lieber, of the Indianapolis Brewery, using coffee as the secret ingredient. Kurt's Mile High Malt was first brewed in 1996 thanks to Wynkoop Founder and Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, a friend of Vonnegut's. At Vonnegut's request, coffee was added to the Mile High Malt, making it a close recreation to his grandfather's original.
* When Vonnegut died, members of the Alplaus Vounteer Fire Department in New York lowered the American flag to half mast, hung the funeral shroud, and rang a fire bell in accordance with the traditional 5-5-5 alarm used to honor fallen brothers. Vonnegut's name still appears on an old active fire-fighters roster, located next to a screen-print that he donated to the department.
http://i457.photobucket.com/albums/qq292/drumin4urlovin/kurt-vonnegut.jpg
http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r265/swedensqueen/vonnegut.jpg
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/11/10 at 5:12 am
As soon as I saw the word 'map' ... this came to mind.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjdRgBAY278
Now that's funny I actually watched Bonanza the other day, and DanDan loves the theme and be-bops to it :)
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: gibbo on 04/11/10 at 5:16 am
Now that's funny I actually watched Bonanza the other day, and DanDan loves the theme and be-bops to it :)
Hey ...I be-bop to it too... ;D
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Philip Eno on 04/11/10 at 6:08 am
British Person of the Day: Lisa Stansfield
Lisa Stansfield (born 11 April 1966) is an English singer.
Early years
Stansfield was born in Heywood, Lancashire in England, where she attended Redbrook School, Rochdale. Her first television appearance was on a talent programme in the Granada TV area in 1982. She won it singing The Human League track "The Things That Dreams Are Made Of". The series was produced by the then Head of Light Entertainment at Granada TV, Johnny Hamp.
After releasing several unsuccessful singles in her mid-teens, she co-hosted a Children's TV pop show, Razzmatazz with Alistair Pirrie; additionally, Stansfield could be seen in 1983 children's television series The Krankies Klub, alongside comedian Jimmy Cricket and pop rock band Rocky Sharpe and the Replays. She became an international celebrity in the early 1990s.
Career
Her British band Blue Zone saw modest success with the single "Jackie", where she achieved some success with her guest vocals on Coldcut's record "People Hold On". She is probably best known for her first UK number-one single, "All Around the World" (1989), which also peaked at number three in the United States Billboard Hot 100 the following year. Other worldwide hits from her solo debut album Affection include "This Is the Right Time" (featuring a house music influence production by Coldcut with Mark Saunders), "Live Together", "What Did I Do to You" and "You Can't Deny It". "All Around the World" was the second song by a white female singer to hit number one on the Billboard R&B chart; (the first being "Ooo La La La" by Teena Marie in 1988);"You Can't Deny It" also topped that chart. Affection went platinum in the United States and sold a total of five million singles worldwide.
In 1990, Stansfield was among a handful of high profile artists to participate in the Red Hot + Blue charity disc (which honoured Cole Porter's songwriting and benefitted AIDS research). She got to show her swing and jazz chops on the song "Down in the Depths", which was one of few traditional renditions to appear on the album. Thus began an illustrious and respected tradition of Stansfield offering jazz and torch songs to outside projects (most recently she sang "I've Got the World on a String" for the Mona Lisa Smile soundtrack). This is likely what got her noticed for consideration as the female lead in the independent film Swing (1999), where she was to sing the majority of the film's songs as well as act.
In 1992, Stansfield won a BRIT Award as best British female solo artist. Her second album Real Love did not quite live up to the success of Affection; it did spawn four Top 40 singles on the European charts: "Change", "All Woman", "Time to Make You Mine" and "Set Your Loving Free". "All Woman" became Stansfield's third number one single on the Billboard R&B chart and due to the success of that song, the album went gold.
She continued recording disco-influenced soul throughout the 1990s. Her third album So Natural (1993) spawned three Top 40 European singles including the title track (UK number 15), "In All the Right Places" (UK number 8 ), and "Little Bit of Heaven" (UK number 32), but the album was never released in the United States. She had continued success throughout Europe, but her popularity in North America had diminished.
Her self-titled fourth album Lisa Stansfield (1997) was a hit in Europe with two Top Ten singles: "People Hold On" (re-released as a dance mix by the Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) and "The Real Thing," and the Top 40 track "Never Never Gonna Give You Up" (a remake of Barry White's 1973 hit); upon being released in North America, the album received some mainstream attention, but much more in the dance clubs where remixes were very successful (an astonishing four singles: "Never Never Gonna Give You Up", "Never Gonna Fall", "I'm Leavin'", "People Hold On" reached number one on the Hot Dance Club Play chart). It charted modestly peaking at number 30 Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and number 55 on the Billboard 200. Also in the U.S., "Never Never Gonna Give You Up" also became Stansfield's last Top 40 R&B hit, and final Hot 100 hit. Subsequently, the remix album was released due to Stansfield's reinterest from the dance community. The music video for "Never Never Gonna Give You Up" was an eye-catcher featuring a nude Stansfield strolling a city street, acquiring a few items of clothing along the way. VH1 featured the clip and even gave it the Pop-Up Video treatment.
Her 2001 album Face Up was less successful, barely charting and with a lack of publicity but featured the singles "Let's Just Call It Love" and "8-3-1" and found her experimenting with newer styles of R&B such as 2-step while continuing with her established sound. Stansfield's husband, Ian Devaney, delivered an arrangement for the ballad "How Could You", which displayed his love of Burt Bacharach's legacy. Only one single was released in the United Kingdom.
Following the release of Face Up, a greatest hits collection called Biography was released, which sold well in the United Kingdom and Europe. Stansfield then parted ways with Arista/BMG records (ending an eighteen year association with the label). Stansfield signed with ZTT Records for the United Kingdom, and her 2004 release The Moment was produced by Trevor Horn, well-known for his work with Seal, Grace Jones and Frankie Goes to Hollywood among others. The album would be distributed in Europe by Edel. Featuring the singles "Treat Me Like a Woman" (released as a "double A side" with "Easier") and "If I Hadn't Got You" a song written by Chris Braide with ex-Squeeze songwriter Chris Difford. The album found her exploring more pop oriented album and focusing on lush ballads.
Despite this, as with her previous release, the album and supporting singles were not a success. At the time of the project's release, ZTT Records was gearing large amounts of its resources into re-marketing its music catalogue and producing the Trevor Horn concert for The Prince's Trust and its accompanying double CD, Produced by Trevor Horn. The release of "Treat Me Like a Woman" was delayed twice. Her record label eventually paired it with the album "Easier". Later that year ZTT dropped her from their record label. A DVD of Stansfield's Ronnie Scott's performance in 2003 was released in 2005.
Stansfield also has a career in acting; she starred in the 1999 film Swing with actor Hugo Speer, and recorded covers of swing classics and a few original songs written in the style for the soundtrack. She later appeared on a London stage in The Vagina Monologues. In 2006, she guest-starred in the series Goldplated. In 2007, she starred in a Marple episode ("Ordeal by Innocence") and later joined the cast of The Edge of Love.
In 1998 Stansfield was named in a list of the biggest private financial donors to the Labour Party (UK).
Discography can be view here
http://www.celebsquotes.com/l/lisa-stansfield/lisa-stansfield.jpg
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/11/10 at 6:45 am
British Person of the Day: Lisa Stansfield
Lisa Stansfield (born 11 April 1966) is an English singer.
Early years
Stansfield was born in Heywood, Lancashire in England, where she attended Redbrook School, Rochdale. Her first television appearance was on a talent programme in the Granada TV area in 1982. She won it singing The Human League track "The Things That Dreams Are Made Of". The series was produced by the then Head of Light Entertainment at Granada TV, Johnny Hamp.
After releasing several unsuccessful singles in her mid-teens, she co-hosted a Children's TV pop show, Razzmatazz with Alistair Pirrie; additionally, Stansfield could be seen in 1983 children's television series The Krankies Klub, alongside comedian Jimmy Cricket and pop rock band Rocky Sharpe and the Replays. She became an international celebrity in the early 1990s.
Career
Her British band Blue Zone saw modest success with the single "Jackie", where she achieved some success with her guest vocals on Coldcut's record "People Hold On". She is probably best known for her first UK number-one single, "All Around the World" (1989), which also peaked at number three in the United States Billboard Hot 100 the following year. Other worldwide hits from her solo debut album Affection include "This Is the Right Time" (featuring a house music influence production by Coldcut with Mark Saunders), "Live Together", "What Did I Do to You" and "You Can't Deny It". "All Around the World" was the second song by a white female singer to hit number one on the Billboard R&B chart; (the first being "Ooo La La La" by Teena Marie in 1988);"You Can't Deny It" also topped that chart. Affection went platinum in the United States and sold a total of five million singles worldwide.
In 1990, Stansfield was among a handful of high profile artists to participate in the Red Hot + Blue charity disc (which honoured Cole Porter's songwriting and benefitted AIDS research). She got to show her swing and jazz chops on the song "Down in the Depths", which was one of few traditional renditions to appear on the album. Thus began an illustrious and respected tradition of Stansfield offering jazz and torch songs to outside projects (most recently she sang "I've Got the World on a String" for the Mona Lisa Smile soundtrack). This is likely what got her noticed for consideration as the female lead in the independent film Swing (1999), where she was to sing the majority of the film's songs as well as act.
In 1992, Stansfield won a BRIT Award as best British female solo artist. Her second album Real Love did not quite live up to the success of Affection; it did spawn four Top 40 singles on the European charts: "Change", "All Woman", "Time to Make You Mine" and "Set Your Loving Free". "All Woman" became Stansfield's third number one single on the Billboard R&B chart and due to the success of that song, the album went gold.
She continued recording disco-influenced soul throughout the 1990s. Her third album So Natural (1993) spawned three Top 40 European singles including the title track (UK number 15), "In All the Right Places" (UK number 8 ), and "Little Bit of Heaven" (UK number 32), but the album was never released in the United States. She had continued success throughout Europe, but her popularity in North America had diminished.
Her self-titled fourth album Lisa Stansfield (1997) was a hit in Europe with two Top Ten singles: "People Hold On" (re-released as a dance mix by the Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) and "The Real Thing," and the Top 40 track "Never Never Gonna Give You Up" (a remake of Barry White's 1973 hit); upon being released in North America, the album received some mainstream attention, but much more in the dance clubs where remixes were very successful (an astonishing four singles: "Never Never Gonna Give You Up", "Never Gonna Fall", "I'm Leavin'", "People Hold On" reached number one on the Hot Dance Club Play chart). It charted modestly peaking at number 30 Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and number 55 on the Billboard 200. Also in the U.S., "Never Never Gonna Give You Up" also became Stansfield's last Top 40 R&B hit, and final Hot 100 hit. Subsequently, the remix album was released due to Stansfield's reinterest from the dance community. The music video for "Never Never Gonna Give You Up" was an eye-catcher featuring a nude Stansfield strolling a city street, acquiring a few items of clothing along the way. VH1 featured the clip and even gave it the Pop-Up Video treatment.
Her 2001 album Face Up was less successful, barely charting and with a lack of publicity but featured the singles "Let's Just Call It Love" and "8-3-1" and found her experimenting with newer styles of R&B such as 2-step while continuing with her established sound. Stansfield's husband, Ian Devaney, delivered an arrangement for the ballad "How Could You", which displayed his love of Burt Bacharach's legacy. Only one single was released in the United Kingdom.
Following the release of Face Up, a greatest hits collection called Biography was released, which sold well in the United Kingdom and Europe. Stansfield then parted ways with Arista/BMG records (ending an eighteen year association with the label). Stansfield signed with ZTT Records for the United Kingdom, and her 2004 release The Moment was produced by Trevor Horn, well-known for his work with Seal, Grace Jones and Frankie Goes to Hollywood among others. The album would be distributed in Europe by Edel. Featuring the singles "Treat Me Like a Woman" (released as a "double A side" with "Easier") and "If I Hadn't Got You" a song written by Chris Braide with ex-Squeeze songwriter Chris Difford. The album found her exploring more pop oriented album and focusing on lush ballads.
Despite this, as with her previous release, the album and supporting singles were not a success. At the time of the project's release, ZTT Records was gearing large amounts of its resources into re-marketing its music catalogue and producing the Trevor Horn concert for The Prince's Trust and its accompanying double CD, Produced by Trevor Horn. The release of "Treat Me Like a Woman" was delayed twice. Her record label eventually paired it with the album "Easier". Later that year ZTT dropped her from their record label. A DVD of Stansfield's Ronnie Scott's performance in 2003 was released in 2005.
Stansfield also has a career in acting; she starred in the 1999 film Swing with actor Hugo Speer, and recorded covers of swing classics and a few original songs written in the style for the soundtrack. She later appeared on a London stage in The Vagina Monologues. In 2006, she guest-starred in the series Goldplated. In 2007, she starred in a Marple episode ("Ordeal by Innocence") and later joined the cast of The Edge of Love.
In 1998 Stansfield was named in a list of the biggest private financial donors to the Labour Party (UK).
Discography can be view here
http://www.celebsquotes.com/l/lisa-stansfield/lisa-stansfield.jpg
I was thinking of doing her too :)
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Philip Eno on 04/11/10 at 6:47 am
I was thinking of doing her too :)
So she has not been missed today.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Howard on 04/11/10 at 6:56 am
British Person of the Day: Lisa Stansfield
Lisa Stansfield (born 11 April 1966) is an English singer.
Early years
Stansfield was born in Heywood, Lancashire in England, where she attended Redbrook School, Rochdale. Her first television appearance was on a talent programme in the Granada TV area in 1982. She won it singing The Human League track "The Things That Dreams Are Made Of". The series was produced by the then Head of Light Entertainment at Granada TV, Johnny Hamp.
After releasing several unsuccessful singles in her mid-teens, she co-hosted a Children's TV pop show, Razzmatazz with Alistair Pirrie; additionally, Stansfield could be seen in 1983 children's television series The Krankies Klub, alongside comedian Jimmy Cricket and pop rock band Rocky Sharpe and the Replays. She became an international celebrity in the early 1990s.
Career
Her British band Blue Zone saw modest success with the single "Jackie", where she achieved some success with her guest vocals on Coldcut's record "People Hold On". She is probably best known for her first UK number-one single, "All Around the World" (1989), which also peaked at number three in the United States Billboard Hot 100 the following year. Other worldwide hits from her solo debut album Affection include "This Is the Right Time" (featuring a house music influence production by Coldcut with Mark Saunders), "Live Together", "What Did I Do to You" and "You Can't Deny It". "All Around the World" was the second song by a white female singer to hit number one on the Billboard R&B chart; (the first being "Ooo La La La" by Teena Marie in 1988);"You Can't Deny It" also topped that chart. Affection went platinum in the United States and sold a total of five million singles worldwide.
In 1990, Stansfield was among a handful of high profile artists to participate in the Red Hot + Blue charity disc (which honoured Cole Porter's songwriting and benefitted AIDS research). She got to show her swing and jazz chops on the song "Down in the Depths", which was one of few traditional renditions to appear on the album. Thus began an illustrious and respected tradition of Stansfield offering jazz and torch songs to outside projects (most recently she sang "I've Got the World on a String" for the Mona Lisa Smile soundtrack). This is likely what got her noticed for consideration as the female lead in the independent film Swing (1999), where she was to sing the majority of the film's songs as well as act.
In 1992, Stansfield won a BRIT Award as best British female solo artist. Her second album Real Love did not quite live up to the success of Affection; it did spawn four Top 40 singles on the European charts: "Change", "All Woman", "Time to Make You Mine" and "Set Your Loving Free". "All Woman" became Stansfield's third number one single on the Billboard R&B chart and due to the success of that song, the album went gold.
She continued recording disco-influenced soul throughout the 1990s. Her third album So Natural (1993) spawned three Top 40 European singles including the title track (UK number 15), "In All the Right Places" (UK number 8 ), and "Little Bit of Heaven" (UK number 32), but the album was never released in the United States. She had continued success throughout Europe, but her popularity in North America had diminished.
Her self-titled fourth album Lisa Stansfield (1997) was a hit in Europe with two Top Ten singles: "People Hold On" (re-released as a dance mix by the Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) and "The Real Thing," and the Top 40 track "Never Never Gonna Give You Up" (a remake of Barry White's 1973 hit); upon being released in North America, the album received some mainstream attention, but much more in the dance clubs where remixes were very successful (an astonishing four singles: "Never Never Gonna Give You Up", "Never Gonna Fall", "I'm Leavin'", "People Hold On" reached number one on the Hot Dance Club Play chart). It charted modestly peaking at number 30 Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and number 55 on the Billboard 200. Also in the U.S., "Never Never Gonna Give You Up" also became Stansfield's last Top 40 R&B hit, and final Hot 100 hit. Subsequently, the remix album was released due to Stansfield's reinterest from the dance community. The music video for "Never Never Gonna Give You Up" was an eye-catcher featuring a nude Stansfield strolling a city street, acquiring a few items of clothing along the way. VH1 featured the clip and even gave it the Pop-Up Video treatment.
Her 2001 album Face Up was less successful, barely charting and with a lack of publicity but featured the singles "Let's Just Call It Love" and "8-3-1" and found her experimenting with newer styles of R&B such as 2-step while continuing with her established sound. Stansfield's husband, Ian Devaney, delivered an arrangement for the ballad "How Could You", which displayed his love of Burt Bacharach's legacy. Only one single was released in the United Kingdom.
Following the release of Face Up, a greatest hits collection called Biography was released, which sold well in the United Kingdom and Europe. Stansfield then parted ways with Arista/BMG records (ending an eighteen year association with the label). Stansfield signed with ZTT Records for the United Kingdom, and her 2004 release The Moment was produced by Trevor Horn, well-known for his work with Seal, Grace Jones and Frankie Goes to Hollywood among others. The album would be distributed in Europe by Edel. Featuring the singles "Treat Me Like a Woman" (released as a "double A side" with "Easier") and "If I Hadn't Got You" a song written by Chris Braide with ex-Squeeze songwriter Chris Difford. The album found her exploring more pop oriented album and focusing on lush ballads.
Despite this, as with her previous release, the album and supporting singles were not a success. At the time of the project's release, ZTT Records was gearing large amounts of its resources into re-marketing its music catalogue and producing the Trevor Horn concert for The Prince's Trust and its accompanying double CD, Produced by Trevor Horn. The release of "Treat Me Like a Woman" was delayed twice. Her record label eventually paired it with the album "Easier". Later that year ZTT dropped her from their record label. A DVD of Stansfield's Ronnie Scott's performance in 2003 was released in 2005.
Stansfield also has a career in acting; she starred in the 1999 film Swing with actor Hugo Speer, and recorded covers of swing classics and a few original songs written in the style for the soundtrack. She later appeared on a London stage in The Vagina Monologues. In 2006, she guest-starred in the series Goldplated. In 2007, she starred in a Marple episode ("Ordeal by Innocence") and later joined the cast of The Edge of Love.
In 1998 Stansfield was named in a list of the biggest private financial donors to the Labour Party (UK).
Discography can be view here
http://www.celebsquotes.com/l/lisa-stansfield/lisa-stansfield.jpg
How weird is this? I'm listening to her at this moment as her birthday is today. :o
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/11/10 at 8:52 am
How weird is this? I'm listening to her at this moment as her birthday is today. :o
Very cool :)
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/12/10 at 5:50 am
The word of the day...Bubblegum
Bubble gum is a sweet substance similar to chewing gum. You can blow it out of your mouth so it makes the shape of a bubble.
Bubblegum is a type of chewing gum especially designed to blow a out of the mouth. Bubblegum is available in many different colors and flavors. ..
a disparaging term from the 60s and 70s, referring to pop music perceived as being so frivolous that it would only appeal to pre-teens, or someone .
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj44/sylvanacmar/bubblegum.gif
http://i991.photobucket.com/albums/af39/jtemeott/DSC_0409.jpg
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj55/allilyn_2008/ohsnap.png
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj70/D0NT0NYABR0WN08/6op9jza.jpg
http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g294/mahamolko/i%20like/BUBBLEGUM_BALLS.jpg
http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r205/babydelbs/bubblegum.png
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f233/camnatcar/bubblegum.jpg
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a216/foxii_chick101/bubblegum.png
http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r90/ACEhannah/bbg100.jpg
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/12/10 at 5:57 am
The person born on this day...David Cassidy
David Bruce Cassidy (born April 12, 1950) is an American actor, singer, songwriter and guitarist. He is best known for his role as Shirley Jones's eldest son, Keith Partridge, in the 1970s musical/sitcom The Partridge Family from 1970 to 1974. (Jones is Cassidy's stepmother in real life.) He was one of pop culture's most celebrated teen idols, enjoying a successful pop career in the 1970s, and still performs today.
David Cassidy was born at Flower Fifth Avenue Hospital in New York City, New York, the son of actor Jack Cassidy and actress Evelyn Ward. As his parents were frequently touring on the road, he spent his early years being raised by his maternal grandparents in a middle class neighborhood in West Orange, New Jersey. In 1956, he found out from neighbor children that his parents had been divorced for over two years and had not even told him.
In 1956, his father married actress Shirley Jones, and three half-brothers were born: Shaun (1958), Patrick (1962) and Ryan (1966).
Career
On January 2, 1969, Cassidy made his professional debut in the Broadway musical The Fig Leaves Are Falling, which closed after 4 performances. Fortunately, a casting director saw the show and asked Cassidy to make a screen test. In 1969, he moved to Los Angeles.
After signing with Universal Studios in 1969, Cassidy featured in episodes of the TV series Ironside, Marcus Welby, M.D., Adam-12 and Bonanza. In 1970, he took the part of Keith Partridge, son of Shirley Partridge, who was played by Cassidy's real stepmother and series' lead, Shirley Jones. According to an episode profiling her on A&E Biography, "Shirley Jones: Hollywood's Musical Mom", Cassidy said that he wanted to hate his stepmother, but after his mother's real-life divorce, she immediately stepped in and he began to love her.
The Partridge Family series creator Bernard Slade and producers Paul Junger Witt and Robert "Bob" Claver did not care whether Cassidy could sing, knowing only that his androgynous good looks would guarantee success. But shortly after production began, Cassidy convinced music producer Wes Farrell that he was good enough and he was promoted to lead singer for show's recordings. Once I Think I Love You became a hit, Cassidy began work on solo albums as well. Within the first year he had produced his own single, "Cherish" (from the album of the same title), which reached #9 in the US, and began tours that featured Partridge tunes and his own hits. He became a teen idol.
On and off the show, Cassidy had a strong bond with his stepmother. He and co-star Danny Bonaduce did not get along with Jeremy Gelbwaks, (who played their brother, Chris) during its first season. In the second season, Gelbwaks was replaced by Brian Forster, who stayed until the series' end.
Ten albums by The Partridge Family and five solo albums were produced during the show. David also became an instant drawcard with spectacular sellout concerts successes in major arenas around the world. These concerts produced mass hysteria resulting in the media coining the term Cassidymania. By way of example, he played to two sellout crowds of 56,000 each at the Houston Astrodome in Texas over one weekend in 1972. His concert in New York's Madison Square Gardens sold out in one day and resulted in riots after the show. His concert tours of the UK sold out and included six sellout concerts at Wembley over one weekend in 1973. In Australia in 1974, the mass hysteria was such that there were calls to have him deported from the country, especially after the madness at his 33,000 audience concert at Melbourne Cricket Ground.
A turning point in his live rock concerts (while still filming The Partridge Family) was a gate stampede which killed a teenage girl. At a show in London's White City Stadium on May 26, 1974, 650 were injured in a crush at the front of the stage. Thirty were taken to hospital, and one, 14-year-old Bernadette Whelan, died on May 30 from injuries. The show was the penultimate date on a world tour. A deeply affected Cassidy faced the press, trying to make sense of what had happened. Out of respect for the family and to avoid turning the girl's funeral into a media circus, Cassidy did not attend the service. He did, however, speak to Bernadatte's parents and sent flowers. Cassidy stated at the time that this would haunt him until the day he died.
Of approximately $500 million that The Partridge Family and Cassidy merchandising made internationally, he was allegedly paid only $15,000. Cassidy's 1994 autobiography C'mon Get Happy: Fear And Loathing On The Partridge Family Bus provides an account of most aspects of his fame, including contracts, money and his fanatical worldwide fan following.
Cassidy always maintained that he hated the "bubblegum pop" style of music on The Partridge Family and wanted to be taken seriously as a hard rock musician. Rebelling against the squeaky-clean character of Keith Partridge, Cassidy gave a candid interview about his active sex life and former illegal drug use for Rolling Stone. The article included a provocative, partially nude photo by Annie Leibovitz. Upon publication on May 11, 1972, the public was shocked, as 38 percent of the audience for The Partridge Family were children. Cassidy was disappointed that the article was written in a such a vague way that different readers drew different inferences from it; these included some speculations that he was coming out as a gay man. Coca-Cola canceled plans for sponsoring a proposed David Cassidy TV special, and other companies that used his image for product endorsements also threatened to cancel. Cassidy heeded his manager's advice to try and avoid further blunders.
By this point, Cassidy had decided to quit both touring and acting in The Partridge Family, concentrating instead on recording and song-writing. International success continued, mostly in Great Britain and Germany, when he released three well-received solo albums on RCA between 1975 and 1977. Cassidy became first to have a hit with I Write The Songs, a Top 20 record in Great Britain before the song became Barry Manilow's signature tune. Cassidy's recording was produced by the song's author-composer, Bruce Johnston of The Beach Boys.
In 1978, Cassidy starred in an episode of Police Story titled "A Chance To Live", for which he received an Emmy nomination. NBC created a show based on it called David Cassidy: Man Under Cover but it was canceled after one season. However the format was used in a well-received Fox TV series 21 Jump Street, with Johnny Depp in the role Cassidy vacated.
In 1985, music success continued with the Arista release of the single The Last Kiss (#6 in the UK), with backing vocals by George Michael, which was included on the album Romance. These went gold in Europe and Australia and Cassidy supported them with a sellout tour of the UK which resulted in the Greatest Hits Live compilation of 1986. George Michael cited Cassidy as a major career influence and interviewed Cassidy for David Litchfield's prestigious Ritz Newspaper. Cassidy returned to the American Top 40 with his 1990 Lyin' To Myself, released on Enigma. In 1998, he had a AC hit with "No Bridge I Wouldn't Cross" from his album Old Trick, New Dog. His 2001 album Then and Now went platinum internationally and returned Cassidy to the Top 5 of the UK album charts for the first time since 1974.
Cassidy has performed in musical theatre. In 1981, he toured in a revival of a pre-Broadway production of Little Johnny Jones, a show originally produced in 1904 with music, lyrics, and book by George M. Cohan. (The show is excerpted in the biographic film Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942), when James Cagney sings Give My Regards to Broadway and The Yankee Doodle Boy.) However, Cassidy received negative reviews and was replaced by another former teen idol, Donny Osmond, by the time the show reached Broadway. Cassidy was a replacement for the lead in the original 1982 Broadway production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. He appeared in London's West End production of Time and returned to Broadway in Blood Brothers alongside Petula Clark and his half-brother, Shaun Cassidy. In concert performances in 1990, Cassidy hired his recalcitrant TV brother Danny Bonaduce as his warm-up act. In 1996, he replaced Michael Crawford in the Las Vegas show EFX, re-writing it into one of the Strip's favorite shows - although Cassidy was forced to resign after he injured his foot during a performance. He also created The Rat Pack is Back, in which he made guest appearances as Bobby Darin, and which ran successfully. In 2000, he wrote and appeared in the Las Vegas show At the Copa, with Sheena Easton as both the young and old versions of the lead character, Johnny Flamingo. In 2005, Cassidy played the manager of Aaron Carter's character in the film Popstar. In 2006, he made a guest appearance for BBC Children in Need performing live, then assisting Terry Wogan collecting donations from the studio audience.
He co-starred alongside his brother Patrick in a 2009 ABC Family short-lived comedy series entitled Ruby & The Rockits, a show created by his brother Shaun.
Personal life
Cassidy's first wife was actress Kay Lenz, whom he married in 1977 and divorced in 1982. His second wife was South African sportswoman Meryl Tanz, whom he married in 1984. This marriage ended in 1985. On March 30, 1991, Cassidy married Sue Shifrin-Cassidy, by whom he has a son, Beau Devin Cassidy. He also has a daughter, actress Katie Cassidy (born in 1986), from his relationship with 1970s model Sherry Benedon.
The Globe reported that Cassidy once slept with his Partridge Family co-star Susan Dey. He said he loved the teenage actress like a sister when they were shooting The Partridge Family but that she was (unbeknownst to Cassidy) in love with him. Shirley Jones told Cassidy that Dey had "a giant crush" on him and encouraged him to "look at her". After the wrap party at the end of the show's run, Dey confided her feelings and the couple made a half-hearted attempt to spend one night together, but Cassidy was very uncomfortable and deeply regretted it. It was reported in The Globe that Cassidy said "I find a certain sluttiness very attractive in a woman, and Susan just didn't have it. She was sweetness and innocence, a good girl, and I couldn't think of her as anything but my sister whom I love dearly to this day." Cassidy has had very little contact with Dey since the end of The Partridge Family. In his autobiography, he wrote "Communications were terminated from her end, not mine" and that "I still love Susan in some special way. I can never let that go".
Cassidy has written another memoir that was published in the UK in March 2007. Could It Be Forever? My Story gives details of his personal life.
Discography (solo)
The following are sourced from the performer's fan site
Singles
* "Cherish" (1971 US#9)
* "Could It Be Forever" (1972 US#37 UK#2)
* "How Can I Be Sure" (1972 US#25 UK#1)
* "Rock Me Baby" (1972 US#38 UK#11)
* "I Am a Clown" / "Some Kind of Summer" (1973 UK#3)
* "Daydream" (1973)
* "Daydreamer" / "The Puppy Song" (1973 UK#1)
* "If I Didn't Care" (1974 UK#9)
* "Please Please Me" (1974 UK#16)
* "I Write the Songs" / "Get It Up for Love" (1975 UK#11)
* "Darlin'" (1975 UK#16)
* "Tomorrow" (1976 UK#12)
* "Breakin' Down Again" (1976)
* "Gettin' It in the Streets" (1976)
* "Saying Goodbye Ain't Easy (We'll Have to Go Away)" (1977)
* "Hurt So Bad" (1979)
* "The Last Kiss" (1985 UK#6)
* "Romance (Let Your Heart Go)" (1985 UK#54)
* "Someone" (1985 UK#86)
* "Live EP" (1986)
* "Lyin' to Myself" (1990 US#27)
* "For All the Lonely" (1992)
* "I Think I Love You (new version)" (1998)
* "No Bridge I Wouldn't Cross" (1998 US#21 (AC))
Albums
* Cherish (1972)
* Rock Me Baby (1972)
* Dreams are Nuthin' More than Wishes (1973)
* Cassidy Live! (1974)
* David Cassidy's Greatest Hits (1974)
* David Cassidy Forever (1975)
* The Higher They Climb (1975)
* Home Is Where the Heart Is (1976)
* Getting It In The Street (1976)
* Romance (1985)
* Greatest Hits Live (1986)
* David Cassidy (1990)
* Didn't You Used to Be? (1992)
* Old Trick New Dog (1996)
* David Cassidy's Partridge Family Favorites (1998)
* When I'm a Rock 'n' Roll Star (1998)
* Then and Now (2001)
* A Touch of Blue (2003)
* David Cassidy Part II - The Remix (2007)
Musical Albums
* Blood Brothers (musical album) (1995)
* EFX (cast album) (1997)
Discography (The Partridge Family)
* The Partridge Family Album (1970)
* Up To Date (1971)
* Sound Magazine (1971)
* Christmas Card (1971)
* Shopping Bag (1972)
* At Home With Their Greatest Hits (1972)
* The Partridge Family Notebook (1972)
* Crossword Puzzle (1973)
* Bulletin Board (1973)
* World of the Partridge Family (1974)
* Greatest Hits (1989) (first time on CD)
* The Definitive Collection (2001)
* Come On Get Happy!: The Very Best of The Partridge Family (2005)
Feature film filmography
* The Night the City Screamed (1980)
* Instant Karma (1990)
* The Spirit of '76 (1990)
* Popstar (2005)
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Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/12/10 at 6:05 am
The person who died on this day...Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882 – April 12, 1945; pronounced /ˈroʊzəvɛlt/ ROE-zə-velt) was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war. The only American president elected to more than two terms, he was often referred to by his initials, FDR. Roosevelt won his first of four presidential elections in 1932, while the United States was in the depths of the Great Depression. FDR's combination of optimism and economic activism is often credited with keeping the country's economic crisis from developing into a political crisis. He led the United States through most of World War II, and died in office of a cerebral hemorrhage shortly before the war ended.
Roosevelt named his approach to the economic situation the New Deal; it consisted of legislation pushed through Congress as well as executive orders. Executive orders included the bank holiday declared when he first came to office; legislation created new government agencies, such as the Works Progress Administration and the National Recovery Administration, with the intent of creating new jobs for the unemployed. Other legislation provided direct assistance to individuals, such as the Social Security Act.
As World War II began in 1939, with Japanese occupation of countries on the western Pacific rim and the rise of Hitler in Germany, FDR kept the US on an ostensibly neutral course. In March 1941, Roosevelt provided Lend-Lease aid to the countries fighting against Nazi Germany, with Great Britain the recipient of the most assistance. With the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, Roosevelt immediately asked for and received a declaration of war against Japan. Germany subsequently declared war on the United States on December 11, 1941. The nearly total mobilization of the US economy to support the war effort caused a rapid economic recovery.
Roosevelt dominated the American political scene, not only during the twelve years of his presidency, but for decades afterwards. FDR's coalition melded together such disparate elements as Southern whites and African Americans in the cities of the North. Roosevelt's political impact also resonated on the world stage long after his death, with the United Nations and Bretton Woods as examples of his administration's wide ranging impact. Roosevelt is consistently rated by scholars as one of the greatest U.S. Presidents.
See also: Roosevelt family and Delano family
Franklin Delano Roosevelt was born on January 30, 1882, in the Hudson Valley town of Hyde Park, New York. His father, James Roosevelt, and his mother, Sara, were each from wealthy old New York families, of Dutch and French ancestry respectively. Franklin was their only child. His paternal grandmother, Mary Rebecca Aspinwall, was a first cousin of Elizabeth Monroe, wife of the fifth U.S. President, James Monroe. One of his ancestors was John Lothropp, also an ancestor of Benedict Arnold and Joseph Smith, Jr. One of his distant relatives from his mother's side is the author Laura Ingalls Wilder. His maternal grandfather Warren Delano II, a descendant of Mayflower passengers Richard Warren, Isaac Allerton, Degory Priest, and Francis Cooke, during a period of twelve years in China made more than a million dollars in the tea trade in Macau, Canton, and Hong Kong, but upon returning to the United States, he lost it all in the Panic of 1857. In 1860, he returned to China and made a fortune in the notorious but highly profitable opium trade supplying opium-based medication to the U. S. War Department during the American Civil War, although not exclusively.
Roosevelt in 1893.
Roosevelt grew up in an atmosphere of privilege. Sara was a possessive mother, while James was an elderly and remote father (he was 54 when Franklin was born). Sara was the dominant influence in Franklin's early years. Frequent trips to Europe made Roosevelt conversant in German and French. He learned to ride, shoot, row, and play polo and lawn tennis.
Roosevelt went to Groton School, an Episcopal boarding school in Massachusetts. He was heavily influenced by its headmaster, Endicott Peabody, who preached the duty of Christians to help the less fortunate and urged his students to enter public service. Roosevelt went to Harvard, where he lived in luxurious quarters and was a member of the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity. He was also president of The Harvard Crimson daily newspaper. While he was at Harvard, his fifth cousin Theodore Roosevelt became President, and Theodore's vigorous leadership style and reforming zeal made him Franklin's role model and hero. In 1902, he met his future wife Eleanor Roosevelt, Theodore's niece, at a White House reception (they had previously met as children, but this was their first serious encounter). Eleanor and Franklin were fifth cousins, once removed. They were both descended from Claes Martensz van Rosenvelt (Roosevelt), who arrived in New Amsterdam (Manhattan) from the Netherlands in the 1640s. Rosenvelt's (Roosevelt) two grandsons, Johannes and Jacobus, began the Long Island and Hudson River branches of the Roosevelt family, respectively. Eleanor and Theodore Roosevelt were descended from the Johannes branch, while FDR came from the Jacobus branch.
Roosevelt entered Columbia Law School in 1905, but dropped out in 1907 because he had passed the New York State Bar exam. In 1908, he took a job with the prestigious Wall Street firm of Carter Ledyard & Milburn, dealing mainly with corporate law. He was first initiated in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and was initiated into Freemasonry on October 11, 1911 at Holland Lodge No. 8 in New York City
When Roosevelt was inaugurated March 4, 1933 (32 days after Hitler, FDR's World War II nemesis, was appointed Chancellor of Germany), the U.S. was at the nadir of the worst depression in its history. A quarter of the workforce was unemployed. Farmers were in deep trouble as prices fell by 60%. Industrial production had fallen by more than half since 1929. Two million were homeless. Due to the lack of employment, organized crime and outlaws were on the rise, such as John Dillinger. By the evening of March 4, 32 of the 48 states, as well as the District of Columbia had closed their banks. The New York Federal Reserve Bank was unable to open on the 5th, as huge sums had been withdrawn by panicky customers in previous days. Beginning with his inauguration address, Roosevelt began blaming the economic crisis on bankers and financiers, the quest for profit, and the self-interest basis of capitalism:
“ Primarily this is because rulers of the exchange of mankind's goods have failed through their own stubbornness and their own incompetence, have admitted their failure, and have abdicated. Practices of the unscrupulous money changers stand indicted in the court of public opinion, rejected by the hearts and minds of men. True they have tried, but their efforts have been cast in the pattern of an outworn tradition. Faced by failure of credit they have proposed only the lending of more money. Stripped of the lure of profit by which to induce our people to follow their false leadership, they have resorted to exhortations, pleading tearfully for restored confidence....The money changers have fled from their high seats in the temple of our civilization. We may now restore that temple to the ancient truths. The measure of the restoration lies in the extent to which we apply social values more noble than mere monetary profit. ”
Historians categorized Roosevelt's program as "relief, recovery and reform." Relief was urgently needed by tens of millions of unemployed. Recovery meant boosting the economy back to normal. Reform meant long-term fixes of what was wrong, especially with the financial and banking systems. Roosevelt's series of radio talks, known as fireside chats, presented his proposals directly to the American public.
First New Deal, 1933–1934
Roosevelt's "First 100 Days" concentrated on the first part of his strategy: immediate relief. From March 9 to June 16, 1933, he sent Congress a record number of bills, all of which passed easily. To propose programs, Roosevelt relied on leading Senators such as George Norris, Robert F. Wagner and Hugo Black, as well as his Brain Trust of academic advisers. Like Hoover, he saw the Depression caused in part by people no longer spending or investing because they were afraid.
His inauguration on March 4, 1933 occurred in the middle of a bank panic, hence the backdrop for his famous words: "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." The very next day Congress passed the Emergency Banking Act which declared a "bank holiday" and announced a plan to allow banks to reopen. However, the number of banks that opened their doors after the "holiday" was fewer than the number that had been open before. This was his first proposed step to recovery. To give Americans confidence in the banks, Roosevelt signed the Glass-Steagall Act that created the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).
Dorothea Lange's Migrant Mother depicts destitute pea pickers during the depression in California, centering on Florence Owens Thompson, a mother of seven children at age 32, March 1936.
* Relief measures included the continuation of Hoover's major relief program for the unemployed under the new name, Federal Emergency Relief Administration. The most popular of all New Deal agencies, and Roosevelt's favorite, was the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), which hired 250,000 unemployed young men to work on rural local projects. Congress also gave the Federal Trade Commission broad new regulatory powers and provided mortgage relief to millions of farmers and homeowners. Roosevelt expanded a Hoover agency, the Reconstruction Finance Corporation, making it a major source of financing to railroads and industry. Roosevelt made agriculture relief a high priority and set up the first Agricultural Adjustment Administration (AAA). The AAA tried to force higher prices for commodities by paying farmers to take land out of crops and to cut herds.
* Reform of the economy was the goal of the National Industrial Recovery Act (NIRA) of 1933. It tried to end cutthroat competition by forcing industries to come up with codes that established the rules of operation for all firms within specific industries, such as minimum prices, agreements not to compete, and production restrictions. Industry leaders negotiated the codes which were then approved by NIRA officials. Industry needed to raise wages as a condition for approval. Provisions encouraged unions and suspended anti-trust laws. The NIRA was found to be unconstitutional by unanimous decision of the U.S. Supreme Court on May 27, 1935. Roosevelt opposed the decision, saying "The fundamental purposes and principles of the NIRA are sound. To abandon them is unthinkable. It would spell the return to industrial and labor chaos." In 1933, major new banking regulations were passed. In 1934, the Securities and Exchange Commission was created to regulate Wall Street, with 1932 campaign fundraiser Joseph P. Kennedy in charge.
* Recovery was pursued through "pump-priming" (that is, federal spending). The NIRA included $3.3 billion of spending through the Public Works Administration to stimulate the economy, which was to be handled by Interior Secretary Harold Ickes. Roosevelt worked with Republican Senator George Norris to create the largest government-owned industrial enterprise in American history, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), which built dams and power stations, controlled floods, and modernized agriculture and home conditions in the poverty-stricken Tennessee Valley. The repeal of prohibition also brought in new tax revenues and helped him keep a major campaign promise.
* In a controversial move, Roosevelt gave Executive Order 6102 which made all privately held gold of American citizens property of the US Treasury. This gold confiscation by executive order was argued to be unconstitutional, but Roosevelt's executive order asserts authority to do so based on the "War Time Powers Act" of 1917. Gold bullion remained illegal for Americans to own until President Ford rescinded the order in 1974.
Roosevelt tried to keep his campaign promise by cutting the regular federal budget, including 40% cuts to veterans' benefits and cuts in overall military spending. He removed 500,000 veterans and widows from the pension rolls and slashed benefits for the remainder. Protests erupted, led by the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Roosevelt held his ground, but when the angry veterans formed a coalition with Senator Huey Long and passed a huge bonus bill over his veto, he was defeated. He succeeded in cutting federal salaries and the military and naval budgets. He reduced spending on research and education.
Roosevelt also kept his promise to push for repeal of Prohibition. In April 1933, he issued an Executive Order redefining 3.2% alcohol as the maximum allowed. That order was preceded by Congressional action in the drafting and passage of the 21st Amendment, which was ratified later that year.
Second New Deal, 1935–1936
Dust storms were frequent during the 1930s; this one occurred in Texas in 1935. See the Dust Bowl.
After the 1934 Congressional elections, which gave Roosevelt large majorities in both houses, there was a fresh surge of New Deal legislation. These measures included the Works Progress Administration (WPA) which set up a national relief agency that employed two million family heads. However, even at the height of WPA employment in 1938, unemployment was still 12.5% according to figures from Michael Darby. The Social Security Act, established Social Security and promised economic security for the elderly, the poor and the sick. Senator Robert Wagner wrote the Wagner Act, which officially became the National Labor Relations Act. The act established the federal rights of workers to organize unions, to engage in collective bargaining, and to take part in strikes.
While the First New Deal of 1933 had broad support from most sectors, the Second New Deal challenged the business community. Conservative Democrats, led by Al Smith, fought back with the American Liberty League, savagely attacking Roosevelt and equating him with Marx and Lenin. But Smith overplayed his hand, and his boisterous rhetoric let Roosevelt isolate his opponents and identify them with the wealthy vested interests that opposed the New Deal, setting Roosevelt up for the 1936 landslide. By contrast, the labor unions, energized by the Wagner Act, signed up millions of new members and became a major backer of Roosevelt's reelections in 1936, 1940 and 1944
Third term, 1941–1945
Policies
Roosevelt and Winston Churchill meet at Argentia, Newfoundland aboard HMS Prince of Wales during their 1941 secret meeting to develop the Atlantic Charter.
Roosevelt's third term was dominated by World War II, in Europe and in the Pacific. Roosevelt slowly began re-armament in 1938 since he was facing strong isolationist sentiment from leaders like Senators William Borah and Robert Taft who supported re-armament. By 1940, it was in high gear, with bipartisan support, partly to expand and re-equip the United States Army and Navy and partly to become the "Arsenal of Democracy" supporting the United Kingdom, French Third Republic, the Republic of China and (after June 1941), the Soviet Union. As Roosevelt took a firmer stance against the Axis Powers, American isolationists—including Charles Lindbergh and America First—attacked the President as an irresponsible warmonger. Unfazed by these criticisms and confident in the wisdom of his foreign policy initiatives, FDR continued his twin policies of preparedness and aid to the Allied coalition. On December 29, 1940, he delivered his Arsenal of Democracy fireside chat, in which he made the case for involvement directly to the American people, and a week later he delivered his famous Four Freedoms speech in January 1941, further laying out the case for an American defense of basic rights throughout the world.
The military buildup spurred economic growth. By 1941, unemployment had fallen to under 1 million. There was a growing labor shortage in all the nation's major manufacturing centers, accelerating the Great Migration of African Americans workers from the Southern United States, and of underemployed farmers and workers from all rural areas and small towns. The homefront was subject to dynamic social changes throughout the war, though domestic issues were no longer Roosevelt's most urgent policy concerns.
When Nazi Germany invaded the Soviet Union in June 1941, Roosevelt extended Lend-Lease to the Soviets. During 1941, Roosevelt also agreed that the U.S. Navy would escort Allied convoys as far east as Great Britain and would fire upon German ships or submarines (U-boats) of the Kriegsmarine if they attacked Allied shipping within the U.S. Navy zone. Moreover, by 1941, U.S. Navy aircraft carriers were secretly ferrying British fighter planes between the UK and the Mediterranean war zones, and the British Royal Navy was receiving supply and repair assistance at American naval bases in the United States.
Thus, by mid-1941, Roosevelt had committed the U.S. to the Allied side with a policy of "all aid short of war." Roosevelt met with Winston Churchill, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on August 14, 1941, to develop the Atlantic Charter in what was to be the first of several wartime conferences. In July 1941, Roosevelt ordered Henry Stimson, Secretary of War to begin planning for total American military involvement. The resulting "Victory Program," under the direction of Albert Wedemeyer, provided the President with the estimates necessary for the total mobilization of manpower, industry, and logistics to defeat the "potential enemies" of the United States. The program also planned to dramatically increase aid to the Allied nations and to have ten million men in arms, half of whom would be ready for deployment abroad in 1943. Roosevelt was firmly committed to the Allied cause and these plans had been formulated before the Attack on Pearl Harbor by the Empire of Japan.
A 1999 survey by C-SPAN found that by a wide margin academic historians consider Abraham Lincoln, George Washington and Roosevelt the three greatest presidents, consistent with other surveys. Roosevelt is the sixth most admired person from the 20th century by US citizens, according to Gallup.
Both during and after his terms, critics of Roosevelt questioned not only his policies and positions, but also the consolidation of power that occurred because of his lengthy tenure as president, his service during two major crises, and his enormous popularity. The rapid expansion of government programs that occurred during Roosevelt's term redefined the role of the government in the United States, and Roosevelt's advocacy of government social programs was instrumental in redefining liberalism for coming generations.
Roosevelt firmly established the United States' leadership role on the world stage, with pronouncements such as his Four Freedoms speech, forming a basis for the active role of the United States in the war and beyond.
After Franklin's death, Eleanor Roosevelt continued to be a forceful presence in U.S. and world politics, serving as delegate to the conference which established the United Nations and championing civil rights. Many members of his administration played leading roles in the administrations of Truman, Kennedy and Johnson, each of whom embraced Roosevelt's political legacy.
Roosevelt's home in Hyde Park is now a National historic site and home to his Presidential library. His retreat at Warm Springs, Georgia is a museum operated by the state of Georgia. His summer retreat on Campobello Island is maintained by the governments of both Canada and the United States as Roosevelt Campobello International Park; the island is accessible by way of the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Bridge.
The Roosevelt Memorial is located in Washington, D.C. next to the Jefferson Memorial on the Tidal Basin, and Roosevelt's image appears on the Roosevelt dime. Many parks and schools, as well as an aircraft carrier and a Paris subway station and hundreds of streets and squares both across the US and the rest of the world have been named in his honor.
Reflecting on Roosevelt's presidency, "which brought the United States through the Great Depression and World War II to a prosperous future", said FDR's biographer Jean Edward Smith in 2007, "He lifted himself from a wheelchair to lift the nation from its knees."
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Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Howard on 04/12/10 at 6:42 am
The word of the day...Bubblegum
Bubble gum is a sweet substance similar to chewing gum. You can blow it out of your mouth so it makes the shape of a bubble.
Bubblegum is a type of chewing gum especially designed to blow a out of the mouth. Bubblegum is available in many different colors and flavors. ..
a disparaging term from the 60s and 70s, referring to pop music perceived as being so frivolous that it would only appeal to pre-teens, or someone .
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I always liked Bubbleyum Bubblegum.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/12/10 at 7:28 am
I always liked Bubbleyum Bubblegum.
Yeah Bubble Yum was better than Hubba Bubba :)
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: apollonia1986 on 04/12/10 at 10:26 am
I thought Bubble Yum and Hubba Hubba were the same thing! :(
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Frank on 04/12/10 at 10:39 am
The person born on this day...David Cassidy
David Bruce Cassidy (born April 12, 1950) is an American actor, singer, songwriter and guitarist. He is best known for his role as Shirley Jones's eldest son, Keith Partridge, in the 1970s musical/sitcom The Partridge Family from 1970 to 1974. (Jones is Cassidy's stepmother in real life.) He was one of pop culture's most celebrated teen idols, enjoying a successful pop career in the 1970s, and still performs today.
David Cassidy was born at Flower Fifth Avenue Hospital in New York City, New York, the son of actor Jack Cassidy and actress Evelyn Ward. As his parents were frequently touring on the road, he spent his early years being raised by his maternal grandparents in a middle class neighborhood in West Orange, New Jersey. In 1956, he found out from neighbor children that his parents had been divorced for over two years and had not even told him.
In 1956, his father married actress Shirley Jones, and three half-brothers were born: Shaun (1958), Patrick (1962) and Ryan (1966).
Career
On January 2, 1969, Cassidy made his professional debut in the Broadway musical The Fig Leaves Are Falling, which closed after 4 performances. Fortunately, a casting director saw the show and asked Cassidy to make a screen test. In 1969, he moved to Los Angeles.
After signing with Universal Studios in 1969, Cassidy featured in episodes of the TV series Ironside, Marcus Welby, M.D., Adam-12 and Bonanza. In 1970, he took the part of Keith Partridge, son of Shirley Partridge, who was played by Cassidy's real stepmother and series' lead, Shirley Jones. According to an episode profiling her on A&E Biography, "Shirley Jones: Hollywood's Musical Mom", Cassidy said that he wanted to hate his stepmother, but after his mother's real-life divorce, she immediately stepped in and he began to love her.
The Partridge Family series creator Bernard Slade and producers Paul Junger Witt and Robert "Bob" Claver did not care whether Cassidy could sing, knowing only that his androgynous good looks would guarantee success. But shortly after production began, Cassidy convinced music producer Wes Farrell that he was good enough and he was promoted to lead singer for show's recordings. Once I Think I Love You became a hit, Cassidy began work on solo albums as well. Within the first year he had produced his own single, "Cherish" (from the album of the same title), which reached #9 in the US, and began tours that featured Partridge tunes and his own hits. He became a teen idol.
On and off the show, Cassidy had a strong bond with his stepmother. He and co-star Danny Bonaduce did not get along with Jeremy Gelbwaks, (who played their brother, Chris) during its first season. In the second season, Gelbwaks was replaced by Brian Forster, who stayed until the series' end.
Ten albums by The Partridge Family and five solo albums were produced during the show. David also became an instant drawcard with spectacular sellout concerts successes in major arenas around the world. These concerts produced mass hysteria resulting in the media coining the term Cassidymania. By way of example, he played to two sellout crowds of 56,000 each at the Houston Astrodome in Texas over one weekend in 1972. His concert in New York's Madison Square Gardens sold out in one day and resulted in riots after the show. His concert tours of the UK sold out and included six sellout concerts at Wembley over one weekend in 1973. In Australia in 1974, the mass hysteria was such that there were calls to have him deported from the country, especially after the madness at his 33,000 audience concert at Melbourne Cricket Ground.
A turning point in his live rock concerts (while still filming The Partridge Family) was a gate stampede which killed a teenage girl. At a show in London's White City Stadium on May 26, 1974, 650 were injured in a crush at the front of the stage. Thirty were taken to hospital, and one, 14-year-old Bernadette Whelan, died on May 30 from injuries. The show was the penultimate date on a world tour. A deeply affected Cassidy faced the press, trying to make sense of what had happened. Out of respect for the family and to avoid turning the girl's funeral into a media circus, Cassidy did not attend the service. He did, however, speak to Bernadatte's parents and sent flowers. Cassidy stated at the time that this would haunt him until the day he died.
Of approximately $500 million that The Partridge Family and Cassidy merchandising made internationally, he was allegedly paid only $15,000. Cassidy's 1994 autobiography C'mon Get Happy: Fear And Loathing On The Partridge Family Bus provides an account of most aspects of his fame, including contracts, money and his fanatical worldwide fan following.
Cassidy always maintained that he hated the "bubblegum pop" style of music on The Partridge Family and wanted to be taken seriously as a hard rock musician. Rebelling against the squeaky-clean character of Keith Partridge, Cassidy gave a candid interview about his active sex life and former illegal drug use for Rolling Stone. The article included a provocative, partially nude photo by Annie Leibovitz. Upon publication on May 11, 1972, the public was shocked, as 38 percent of the audience for The Partridge Family were children. Cassidy was disappointed that the article was written in a such a vague way that different readers drew different inferences from it; these included some speculations that he was coming out as a gay man. Coca-Cola canceled plans for sponsoring a proposed David Cassidy TV special, and other companies that used his image for product endorsements also threatened to cancel. Cassidy heeded his manager's advice to try and avoid further blunders.
By this point, Cassidy had decided to quit both touring and acting in The Partridge Family, concentrating instead on recording and song-writing. International success continued, mostly in Great Britain and Germany, when he released three well-received solo albums on RCA between 1975 and 1977. Cassidy became first to have a hit with I Write The Songs, a Top 20 record in Great Britain before the song became Barry Manilow's signature tune. Cassidy's recording was produced by the song's author-composer, Bruce Johnston of The Beach Boys.
In 1978, Cassidy starred in an episode of Police Story titled "A Chance To Live", for which he received an Emmy nomination. NBC created a show based on it called David Cassidy: Man Under Cover but it was canceled after one season. However the format was used in a well-received Fox TV series 21 Jump Street, with Johnny Depp in the role Cassidy vacated.
In 1985, music success continued with the Arista release of the single The Last Kiss (#6 in the UK), with backing vocals by George Michael, which was included on the album Romance. These went gold in Europe and Australia and Cassidy supported them with a sellout tour of the UK which resulted in the Greatest Hits Live compilation of 1986. George Michael cited Cassidy as a major career influence and interviewed Cassidy for David Litchfield's prestigious Ritz Newspaper. Cassidy returned to the American Top 40 with his 1990 Lyin' To Myself, released on Enigma. In 1998, he had a AC hit with "No Bridge I Wouldn't Cross" from his album Old Trick, New Dog. His 2001 album Then and Now went platinum internationally and returned Cassidy to the Top 5 of the UK album charts for the first time since 1974.
Cassidy has performed in musical theatre. In 1981, he toured in a revival of a pre-Broadway production of Little Johnny Jones, a show originally produced in 1904 with music, lyrics, and book by George M. Cohan. (The show is excerpted in the biographic film Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942), when James Cagney sings Give My Regards to Broadway and The Yankee Doodle Boy.) However, Cassidy received negative reviews and was replaced by another former teen idol, Donny Osmond, by the time the show reached Broadway. Cassidy was a replacement for the lead in the original 1982 Broadway production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. He appeared in London's West End production of Time and returned to Broadway in Blood Brothers alongside Petula Clark and his half-brother, Shaun Cassidy. In concert performances in 1990, Cassidy hired his recalcitrant TV brother Danny Bonaduce as his warm-up act. In 1996, he replaced Michael Crawford in the Las Vegas show EFX, re-writing it into one of the Strip's favorite shows - although Cassidy was forced to resign after he injured his foot during a performance. He also created The Rat Pack is Back, in which he made guest appearances as Bobby Darin, and which ran successfully. In 2000, he wrote and appeared in the Las Vegas show At the Copa, with Sheena Easton as both the young and old versions of the lead character, Johnny Flamingo. In 2005, Cassidy played the manager of Aaron Carter's character in the film Popstar. In 2006, he made a guest appearance for BBC Children in Need performing live, then assisting Terry Wogan collecting donations from the studio audience.
He co-starred alongside his brother Patrick in a 2009 ABC Family short-lived comedy series entitled Ruby & The Rockits, a show created by his brother Shaun.
Personal life
Cassidy's first wife was actress Kay Lenz, whom he married in 1977 and divorced in 1982. His second wife was South African sportswoman Meryl Tanz, whom he married in 1984. This marriage ended in 1985. On March 30, 1991, Cassidy married Sue Shifrin-Cassidy, by whom he has a son, Beau Devin Cassidy. He also has a daughter, actress Katie Cassidy (born in 1986), from his relationship with 1970s model Sherry Benedon.
The Globe reported that Cassidy once slept with his Partridge Family co-star Susan Dey. He said he loved the teenage actress like a sister when they were shooting The Partridge Family but that she was (unbeknownst to Cassidy) in love with him. Shirley Jones told Cassidy that Dey had "a giant crush" on him and encouraged him to "look at her". After the wrap party at the end of the show's run, Dey confided her feelings and the couple made a half-hearted attempt to spend one night together, but Cassidy was very uncomfortable and deeply regretted it. It was reported in The Globe that Cassidy said "I find a certain sluttiness very attractive in a woman, and Susan just didn't have it. She was sweetness and innocence, a good girl, and I couldn't think of her as anything but my sister whom I love dearly to this day." Cassidy has had very little contact with Dey since the end of The Partridge Family. In his autobiography, he wrote "Communications were terminated from her end, not mine" and that "I still love Susan in some special way. I can never let that go".
Cassidy has written another memoir that was published in the UK in March 2007. Could It Be Forever? My Story gives details of his personal life.
Discography (solo)
The following are sourced from the performer's fan site
Singles
* "Cherish" (1971 US#9)
* "Could It Be Forever" (1972 US#37 UK#2)
* "How Can I Be Sure" (1972 US#25 UK#1)
* "Rock Me Baby" (1972 US#38 UK#11)
* "I Am a Clown" / "Some Kind of Summer" (1973 UK#3)
* "Daydream" (1973)
* "Daydreamer" / "The Puppy Song" (1973 UK#1)
* "If I Didn't Care" (1974 UK#9)
* "Please Please Me" (1974 UK#16)
* "I Write the Songs" / "Get It Up for Love" (1975 UK#11)
* "Darlin'" (1975 UK#16)
* "Tomorrow" (1976 UK#12)
* "Breakin' Down Again" (1976)
* "Gettin' It in the Streets" (1976)
* "Saying Goodbye Ain't Easy (We'll Have to Go Away)" (1977)
* "Hurt So Bad" (1979)
* "The Last Kiss" (1985 UK#6)
* "Romance (Let Your Heart Go)" (1985 UK#54)
* "Someone" (1985 UK#86)
* "Live EP" (1986)
* "Lyin' to Myself" (1990 US#27)
* "For All the Lonely" (1992)
* "I Think I Love You (new version)" (1998)
* "No Bridge I Wouldn't Cross" (1998 US#21 (AC))
Albums
* Cherish (1972)
* Rock Me Baby (1972)
* Dreams are Nuthin' More than Wishes (1973)
* Cassidy Live! (1974)
* David Cassidy's Greatest Hits (1974)
* David Cassidy Forever (1975)
* The Higher They Climb (1975)
* Home Is Where the Heart Is (1976)
* Getting It In The Street (1976)
* Romance (1985)
* Greatest Hits Live (1986)
* David Cassidy (1990)
* Didn't You Used to Be? (1992)
* Old Trick New Dog (1996)
* David Cassidy's Partridge Family Favorites (1998)
* When I'm a Rock 'n' Roll Star (1998)
* Then and Now (2001)
* A Touch of Blue (2003)
* David Cassidy Part II - The Remix (2007)
Musical Albums
* Blood Brothers (musical album) (1995)
* EFX (cast album) (1997)
Discography (The Partridge Family)
* The Partridge Family Album (1970)
* Up To Date (1971)
* Sound Magazine (1971)
* Christmas Card (1971)
* Shopping Bag (1972)
* At Home With Their Greatest Hits (1972)
* The Partridge Family Notebook (1972)
* Crossword Puzzle (1973)
* Bulletin Board (1973)
* World of the Partridge Family (1974)
* Greatest Hits (1989) (first time on CD)
* The Definitive Collection (2001)
* Come On Get Happy!: The Very Best of The Partridge Family (2005)
Feature film filmography
* The Night the City Screamed (1980)
* Instant Karma (1990)
* The Spirit of '76 (1990)
* Popstar (2005)
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Keith Partridge...most of the girls I grew up with just fell in love with him in the early 70s.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/12/10 at 11:14 am
I thought Bubble Yum and Hubba Hubba were the same thing! :(
No Hubba Bubba is by Wrigleys, where Bubble Yum was originally made by lifesavers who sold it to Hersheys.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/12/10 at 11:16 am
Keith Partridge...most of the girls I grew up with just fell in love with him in the early 70s.
He was a little to old for me, I had a crush on the kid who pretended to play the drums(Brian Forster)
I just looked him up and he's only 4 days younger than me, plus he is the great great great grandson of Charles Dickens. :)
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: CatwomanofV on 04/12/10 at 1:03 pm
My mother & step-father met at the FDR estate in Hyde Park, NY. The Park Service held a New Years' Eve party there one year. My mother's best friend worked for the Park Service and "dragged" my mother to the party & my step-father's sister-in-law also worked for the Park Service and he was "dragged" to the party. It was pretty much "love at first sight" because they got married 6 months later (the only reason why they waited so long was because my mother's divorce from my dad was not yet final). After that, every time we went to the FDR estate or the Vanderbilt mansion (also in Hyde Park and just down the road from the FDR place), we got the VIP treatment. I got to see a lot of the mansion that most tourists do not get to see.
Going off on a tangent. The stables from the Vanderbilt mansion was turned into a playhouse back in the late 60s early 70s. My mother as well as two of my sisters worked there. That was where I met Pat O'Brien, James Whitmore, Joan Fontaine, Betty Grable, & William Shatner.
Cat
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/12/10 at 2:24 pm
My mother & step-father met at the FDR estate in Hyde Park, NY. The Park Service held a New Years' Eve party there one year. My mother's best friend worked for the Park Service and "dragged" my mother to the party & my step-father's sister-in-law also worked for the Park Service and he was "dragged" to the party. It was pretty much "love at first sight" because they got married 6 months later (the only reason why they waited so long was because my mother's divorce from my dad was not yet final). After that, every time we went to the FDR estate or the Vanderbilt mansion (also in Hyde Park and just down the road from the FDR place), we got the VIP treatment. I got to see a lot of the mansion that most tourists do not get to see.
Going off on a tangent. The stables from the Vanderbilt mansion was turned into a playhouse back in the late 60s early 70s. My mother as well as two of my sisters worked there. That was where I met Pat O'Brien, James Whitmore, Joan Fontaine, Betty Grable, & William Shatner.
Cat
Nice, very nice indeed. :)
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Howard on 04/12/10 at 7:08 pm
Yeah Bubble Yum was better than Hubba Bubba :)
and what about Big League Chew.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: gibbo on 04/12/10 at 7:24 pm
David Cassidy had a major influence in my learning how to play guitar and sing. It really did impress the chicks at parties etc. I couln't talk directly to them without nerves...but I could sing and play songs..and that acted as an ice breaker. I must have been okay back then 'cos they didn't run off in the middle of the song. ;D ::)
I even wanted my hair to 'bounce' when I walked...just like Keith Partridge!
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Frank on 04/12/10 at 7:30 pm
David Cassidy had a major influence in my learning how to play guitar and sing. It really did impress the chicks at parties etc. I couln't talk directly to them without nerves...but I could sing and play songs..and that acted as an ice breaker. I must have been okay back then 'cos they didn't run off in the middle of the song. ;D ::)
I even wanted my hair to 'bounce' when I walked...just like Keith Partridge!
It's even more amazing that all of this occurred in the last 3 months only :D
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/12/10 at 7:36 pm
and what about Big League Chew.
Yuck :D
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: gibbo on 04/12/10 at 7:40 pm
It's even more amazing that all of this occurred in the last 3 months only :D
If you could see my hair (or lack thereof) you would know this to be untue... ;D
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Howard on 04/13/10 at 5:43 am
Yuck :D
What was yuck about it?
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/13/10 at 6:15 am
What was yuck about it?
It wasn't my cup of tea.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/13/10 at 6:32 am
The word of the day...Carnival
A carnival is a public festival during which people play music and sometimes dance in the streets.
A carnival is a travelling show which is held in a park or field and at which there are machines to ride on, entertainments, and games
A carnival ofsomething such as colours or sounds is a bright or exciting mixture of them.
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http://i671.photobucket.com/albums/vv74/tnsabellacruiser/Mics%20pic/CARNIV2comix-2.jpg
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/13/10 at 6:34 am
The person born on this day...Howard Keel
Howard Keel (April 13, 1919 – November 7, 2004) was an American actor and singer. He starred in many film musicals of the 1950s.
Harry Keel was born in Gillespie, Illinois, to Navyman-turned-coalminer Homer Keel and his wife, Grace Osterkamp Keel. (It is often stated that his birth name was Harold Leek; this was a mistake made by the MGM publicity department in the 1950s.)
Young Harry spent his childhood in poverty. As a young boy in Gillespie one of his teachers, Miss Rosa Burke, noticed Harry wasn't eating any lunch. From that day forward, Miss Burke would pack two lunches,—one for herself and one for Harry. When Harry became famous and would perform near Gillespie, Miss Burke was always sent tickets to attend his performances.
After his father's death in 1930, he and his mother moved to California, where he graduated from Fallbrook High School at the age of 17 and took various odd jobs until finally settling at Douglas Aircraft Company, where he became a traveling representative.
Career and personal life
At the age of 20, he was overheard singing by his landlady, Mom Rider, and was encouraged to take vocal lessons. One of his musical heroes was the great baritone Lawrence Tibbett and Howard would later say that finding out that his own voice was a basso cantante was one of the greatest disappointments of his life. Nevertheless, his first public performance came in the summer of 1941 when he played the role of Samuel the Prophet in Handel's oratorio Saul and David (singing a duet with bass-baritone George London).
Just a couple years after this, in 1943, Harold met and married his first wife, actress Rosemary Cooper. In 1945 Harold briefly understudied for John Raitt in the Broadway hit Carousel, before being assigned to Oklahoma! by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. It was during this time, he accomplished a feat that has never been duplicated: he performed the leads in both shows on the same day.
In 1947 Oklahoma! became the first American musical, post-war, to travel to London, England, and Harold went with it. On the opening night, 30 April, at the Drury Lane Theatre, the capacity audience (which included the future Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom) demanded fourteen encores. Harold Keel was hailed as the next great star and was the toast of the West End.
During the London run, the marriage of Harold and Rosemary ended in divorce, and Harold fell in love with a young member of the show's chorus, dancer Helen Anderson. They married in January 1949 and, a year later, Harold - now called Howard - became a father for the first time to daughter Kaija.
While living in London, Keel made his film debut as Howard Keel at the British Lion studio in Elstree, in The Small Voice (1948), released in the US as Hideout, playing an escaped convict, holding up a playwright and his wife in their English country cottage.
Additional Broadway credits include Saratoga, No Strings, and Ambassador. He appeared at The Muny in St. Louis, MO as General Waverly in White Christmas (2000), Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady (1996); Emile de Becque in South Pacific (1992), and Adam in Seven Brides For Seven Brothers (1978).
MGM years
From London's West End, Howard ended up at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer making his film musical debut as Frank Butler in the movie version of Irving Berlin's Annie Get Your Gun (1950).
Howard's MGM career was to be a frustrating business. MGM never seemed to know quite what to do with him and, outside of plum roles in the films Show Boat (1951), Kiss Me Kate (1953), Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954), and Kismet (1955), he was forced into a stream of unremarkable musicals and B-films. On loan-out at Warner Brothers, he played Wild Bill Hickok in Calamity Jane (1953), a highly popular, Oscar-winning musical filmed in 1953, starring Doris Day in one of her most famous screen roles. This film was Warner Brothers' answer to Annie Get Your Gun, also including the smash hit song "Secret Love".
There were two more children born to Howard and Helen, daughter Kirstine in 1952 and son Gunnar in 1955. Soon after, Howard was released from his contract and returned to his first love, the stage.
1960s and early 1970s
As America's taste in entertainment changed, finding jobs became harder and harder for Howard. The 1960s held little chance for career advancement, with a round of nightclub work, B-Westerns and summer stock.
Under the strain, Howard began to drink heavily, and his marriage to Helen crumbled. They divorced in 1970.
But 1970 proved to be fortuitous for Howard after all. He was set up on a blind date with airline stewardess Judy Magamoll, who was 25 years his junior and had never even heard of him. Years later Howard would say it was love at first sight, but the age difference bothered him tremendously. For Judy, however, it wasn't a problem, and with the aid of Robert Frost's poem "What Fifty Said", she convinced him to try the relationship. They were married in December 1970 and his drinking problem soon ceased. He resumed his routine of nightclub, cabaret and summer stock jobs with his new wife at his side, and, in 1971-72, appeared briefly in the West End and Broadway productions of the flop musical, Ambassador.
Then, in 1974, Howard became a father for the fourth time, to daughter Leslie Grace.
The Love Boat, Dallas, and his revived career
Howard continued to tour, his wife and daughter in tow, but by 1980 he had had enough of struggling to find work and he moved his family to Oklahoma, intending to join an oil company. They had barely settled there when Howard was called back to California to appear with Jane Powell on an episode of The Love Boat. While he was there, he was told that the producers of the smash hit television series Dallas wanted to talk to him. After several cameo appearances, Howard joined the show permanently as the dignified, if hot tempered, oil baron Clayton Farlow and his career reached heights it had never seen before.
Recording career
With his renewed fame, Howard began his first solo recording career at age 64, as well as a wildly successful concert career in the UK. He released an album in 1984 called "With Love", that sold poorly, thus indicating that though the American public were happy to see him as a supporting actor on hit TV show, they were not prepared for a full resumption of his previous stardom. In January 1986 he underwent double heart bypass surgery.
Even after Dallas he continued to sing, and kept his voice in remarkable shape. In 1994, he and Judy moved to Palm Desert, CA. The Keels were always active in charity events, helping their community and were well loved amongst the residents. In particular, Howard and Judy attended the annual Howard Keel Golf Classic at Mere Golf Club in Cheshire, England, which raised money for the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC). He attended for many years, up until the year of his death.
Death
Howard died at his home in Palm Desert on November 7, 2004, six weeks after being diagnosed with colon cancer. He is survived by Judy, his wife of 34 years, his four children, ten grandchildren and a great-granddaughter. He was cremated and his ashes scattered at various favorite places including Mere Golf Club, Liverpool John Lennon Airport, and in Tuscany, Italy.
Family
Keel had four children, three with second wife Helen Anderson – two daughters, Katija Liane (born January 14, 1950) and Kirstine Elizabeth (born June 21, 1952), and a son, Gunnar Louis (born June 3, 1955) – and one with his third wife Judy – a daughter, Leslie Grace (born September 1, 1974).
Filmography
Film
Year Film Role Notes
1948 The Small Voice Boke as Harold Keel
1950 Annie Get Your Gun Frank Butler
Pagan Love Song Hazard Endicott
1951 Three Guys Named Mike Mike Jamison
Show Boat Gaylord Ravenal
Across the Wide Missouri Narrator
Texas Carnival Slim Shelby
Callaway Went Thataway Stretch Barnes/ Smoky Callaway Alternate title: The Star Said No
1952 Desperate Search Vince Heldon
Lovely to Look At Tony Naylor
The Hoaxters Narrator Short Subject
1953 Fast Company Rick Grayton
Ride, Vaquero! King Cameron
Calamity Jane Wild Bill Hickok
Kiss Me Kate Fred Graham / 'Petruchio'
1954 Rose Marie Capt. Mike Malone
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers Adam Pontipee
Deep in My Heart Specialty in 'My Maryland'
1955 Jupiter's Darling Hannibal
Kismet The Poet
1959 Floods of Fear Donovan
The Big Fisherman Simon Peter
1961 Armored Command Col. Devlin
1962 The Day of the Triffids Bill Masen
1966 Waco 'Waco'
1967 Red Tomahawk Capt. Tom York
The War Wagon Levi Walking Bear
1968 Arizona Bushwhackers Lee Travis
1994 That's Entertainment! III Himself
2002 My Father's House Roy Mardis
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1957 Zane Grey Theater Will Gorman 1 episode - Gift from a Gunman
1958 Roberta John Kent TV Movie
1961 Tales of Wells Fargo Justin Brox 1 episode - Casket 7.3
1963 Death Valley Days Diamond Jim Brady 1 episode - Diamond Jim Brady
1964 Kiss Me Kate Fred Graham TV Movie
1965 Run for Your Life Hardie Rankin 1 episode - The Time of the Sharks
1967 The Red Skelton Show Police Officer McGoogle 1 episode - A Christmas Urchin
1969 Here's Lucy 1 episode - Lucy's Safari
Insight 1 episode - Is the 11:59 Late This Year?
1976 The Quest Shanghai Pierce 1 episode - Seventy-Two Hours
1981-1983 The Love Boat Duncan Harlow 2 episodes
Long Time No See/The Bear Essence/Kisses and Makeup
Maid for Each Other/Lost and Found/Then There Were Two
1981-1991 Dallas Clayton Farlow 208 episodes
1982 Fantasy Island Guest Star 1 episode - The Big Bet/Nancy and the Thunderbirds
1984 Entertainment Express 1 episode - Episode #2.2
1991 Good Sports Sonny Gordon 1 episode - The Return of Nick
Murder, She Wrote Larry Thorson 1 episode - A Killing in Vegas
1994 Hart to Hart: Home Is Where the Hart Is Capt. Quentin "Jack" Jackson TV Movie
1995 Walker Texas Ranger Daniel Lamont 1 episode - Blue Movies
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Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/13/10 at 6:52 am
The person who died on this day...Michel Brière
Michel Edouard Brière (October 21, 1949 – April 13, 1971) was an NHL hockey player whose career was cut short due to an automobile accident in 1970.
Briere was selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the third round (#26 overall) in the 1969 NHL Amateur Draft. During his junior career with the Shawinigan Bruins, Briere was a dominant force, scoring 129 goals, 191 assists, and 320 points in 100 games.
"He asked for a bigger bonus and said, 'I'm going to be here for 20 years.."
—Jack Riley, The first General Manager of the Penguins , detailing the contract negotiations with rookie Michel Briere before the 1969-70 season
During his first/only NHL season, Briere would be a core component to the Penguins as they went to the 2nd round of the playoffs in the 1969–70 season. He scored 12 goals and 32 assists, finishing third in team scoring with 44 points. At this time, many scouts were predicting that the slightly-built but fast and nimble Briere would be a top NHL star for years to come. Briere was even being compared to the likes of Phil Esposito and Bobby Clarke, who were also young phenoms.
On November 1, 1969, Pittsburgh's rookie center scored his first NHL goal by beating Minnesota North Stars' goaltender Ken Broderick at the 15:15 mark of the third period.
He raised his game in the playoffs, leading the team in scoring with eight points. Briere netted the first overtime goal in franchise history on April 12, 1970. Briere scored the game-winner - and series clincher - at 8:28 of the first overtime period against the Oakland Seals in front of 3,028 fans at the Oakland Coliseum. The sweep of the Seals was the first playoff series victory for the Penguins.
The Penguins finished just two victories short of the Stanley Cup final, losing to St. Louis in the semifinals.
Briere finished the playoffs with five goals, including three game-winning goals, and was named the Penguins' rookie of the year.
Tragedy
Briere returned to Quebec to marry his childhood sweetheart Michele Beaudoin. Briere and Beaudin, who had a 1-year-old son, Martin, were to be married on June 6, 1970.
Tragedy struck at 9 p.m. on May 15, 1970 when Briere was involved in a single-car crash with two friends.
Briere was ejected from his Orange 1970 Mercury Cougar along Highway 117 in Val-d'Or just 70 miles from his hometown of Malartic. The Pens' rookie suffered major head trauma. Briere was flown 300 miles by government plane to Notre Dame Hospital in Montreal where Dr. Claude Bertrand, a leading Canadian neuro-surgeon, performed the first of four brain surgeries and delivered his prognosis that Briere had a 50-50 chance of living.
While Briere was hospitalized, the Penguins started pre-season conditioning near Brantford, Ontario. Then-trainer Ken Carson added Briere's name to the back of a jersey. The jersey, along with Briere's equipment bag, traveled with the team for the 1970-71 season.
Ten months later Briere was transferred to Montreal's Marie-Clarac Rehabilitation Hospital on March 27, 1971. The Pens finished the regular season at home on April 4 - a 1-1 tie with St. Louis - and missed the playoffs. Nine days later, after spending the last 11 months in a coma, Briere died at 4:20 p.m. on April 13, 1971.
Six members of the Penguins, including Jack Riley, Carson and Coach Red Kelly, attended the funeral outside Montreal. A memorial service was held in St. Paul's Cathedral in Pittsburgh in which most of the team officials and some players attended.
Legacy
Briere's number 21 was not retired immediately by the team, but no one ever wore it again. A framed jersey hung in the Igloo Club (inside the Pittsburgh Civic Arena) with his photo. That was the only visible sign the number was retired.
"No one ever asked to wear that number (21). If they had, I would have told them Mike's story."
—Ken Carson, Penguins equipment manager telling about the "unofficial" retirement of Michel Briere's number
Briere and Mario Lemieux are the only two players in Penguins' history to have their numbers retired. Briere's number was officially retired on January 5, 2001; just nine days after Lemieux returned to once again wear his number 66.
The QMJHL renamed its MVP award the Michel Briere Memorial Trophy in 1972. The Pittsburgh Penguins also present the Michel Briere Rookie of the Year Award annually to the seasons' best rookie player
Career statistics
Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1969–70 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 76 12 32 44 20 10 5 3 8 17
NHL totals 76 12 32 44 20 10 5 3 8 17
See also
* List of ice hockey players who died during their playing career
* Pittsburgh Penguins All-Time Draft Picks
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Frank on 04/13/10 at 10:50 am
Michel Briere
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ghxo00vYNZ4/SWGIwDMCQ3I/AAAAAAAAATw/PG2HzTWJgDE/s400/Picture+5.png
http://www.hockeydraftcentral.com/images/1969/Round%203/69026.jpg
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/13/10 at 2:15 pm
Michel Briere
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ghxo00vYNZ4/SWGIwDMCQ3I/AAAAAAAAATw/PG2HzTWJgDE/s400/Picture+5.png
http://www.hockeydraftcentral.com/images/1969/Round%203/69026.jpg
Thanks Frank :)
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Howard on 04/13/10 at 3:08 pm
I love summer carnivals,especially the Ferris Wheel. :)
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/13/10 at 8:13 pm
I love summer carnivals,especially the Ferris Wheel. :)
It's been a while since I was on a ferris wheel, but I did enjoy riding them (unless you were stuck up top)
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/14/10 at 6:47 am
The word or phrase of the day...Coal Miner
A coal miner is a person whose job is mining coal.
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* Let us remember all miners who have lost their lives in their work*
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/14/10 at 6:50 am
The person of the day...Loretta Lynn
Loretta Lynn (born Loretta Webb on April 14, 1934) is an American country music singer-songwriter; she was one of the leading country vocalists and songwriters during the 1960s.
In the '60s and '70s, Lynn achieved over 70 hits as a solo artist and a duet partner.
Her best-selling 1976 autobiography, Coal Miner's Daughter, was made into a hit Academy Award-winning film starring Sissy Spacek and Tommy Lee Jones in 1980.
Including solo and duet work, Loretta Lynn has released 16 number one country hits over the course of her career.
Born to Melvin "Ted" Webb (1906–1959) and Clara Marie (Ramey) Webb (1912–1981) and named in honor of Loretta Young, Loretta Webb was the second of eight children; her youngest sister is country singer Crystal Gayle. She is also, on her mother's side, distantly related to country singer Patty Loveless. Lynn grew up in Butcher Hollow, a section of Van Lear, a mining community near Paintsville, Johnson County, Kentucky. Her mother, Clara, was of Scots-Irish and Cherokee ancestry. Her father, Ted, was a coal miner, storekeeper, and farmer. She was married to Oliver Vanetta Lynn, commonly known as "Doolittle," "Doo," or "Mooney" (for running moonshine), on January 10, 1948, at 13 years of age. In an effort to break free of the coal mining industry, Lynn moved to the logging community Custer, Washington, with her husband, at the age of 16. The Lynns had four children - Betty Sue, Jack Benny, Cissy and Ernest Ray - by the time Loretta was 19, and subsequently had twin girls, Peggy and Patsy (named after Patsy Cline).
Lynn always had a passion for music. Before getting married, she regularly sang at churches and in local concerts. After she married, she stopped singing in public, wishing rather to focus on her family life. Instead, she passed her love of music on to her children, often singing to them around the house. When Loretta was 24, Doolittle bought her a guitar as an anniversary present, which she taught herself to play.
Childhood home of Loretta Lynn
Even though they were married for nearly 50 years and had six children together, the Lynn's marriage was reportedly rocky up to Doolittle's death in 1996. In her 2002 autobiography, Still Woman Enough, and in an interview with CBS News the same year, Lynn recounts how her husband cheated on her regularly and once left her while she was giving birth. Lynn and her husband also fought frequently, but, she said, "he never hit me one time that I didn’t hit him back twice."
Music career
1960 – 1966: Early country success
Lynn began singing in local clubs and later with a band, The Trailblazers, which included her brother Jay Lee Webb. Lynn appeared in a televised Tacoma, Washington talent contest, hosted by Buck Owens, which was seen by Norm Burley, one of the founders of Zero Records.
Zero Records president Don Grashey arranged a recording session in Hollywood, where four of Lynn's own compositions were recorded: "I'm A Honky Tonk Girl," "Whispering Sea," "Heartache Meet Mister Blues," and "New Rainbow." Her first release featured "Whispering Sea" and "I'm A Honky Tonk Girl." With their initial support, Lynn went on to become one of country music’s greats.
Lynn signed her first contract on February 1, 1960, with Zero Records. She recorded her first release in March of that year, with bandleader Speedy West on steel guitar, Harold Hensely on fiddle, Roy Lanham on guitar, Al Williams on bass, and Muddy Berry on drums. The material was recorded at United-Western Recorders, in Hollywood, CA and engineered by Don Blake and produced by Grashey.
In 1960, under the Zero label, Lynn recorded "I'm A Honky Tonk Girl." The Lynns toured the country to promote the release to country stations, while Grashey and Del Roy took the music to KFOX in Long Beach, California. When the Lynns reached Nashville, the song was a minor hit, climbing to #14 on Billboard's C & W Chart, and Lynn began cutting demo records for the Wilburn Brothers' Publishing Company. Through the Wilburns, Lynn was able to secure a contract with Decca Records.
Her relationship with the Wilburn Brothers and her appearances on the Grand Ole Opry, beginning in 1960, helped Lynn become the number one female recording artist in country music. Lynn's contract with the Wilburn Brothers gave them the publishing rights to her material. She was still fighting to regain these rights 30 years after ending her business relationship with them, but was ultimately denied the publishing rights. Lynn stopped writing music in the 1970s because of these contracts.
Although Kitty Wells had become the first major female country vocalist during the 1950s, by the time Lynn recorded her first record, only three other women - Patsy Cline, Skeeter Davis, and Jean Shepard - had become top stars. By the end of 1962, it was clear that Lynn was on her way to becoming the fourth. Lynn credits Cline as her mentor and best friend during those early years, and as fate would have it, Lynn would follow her as the most popular country vocalist of the early '60s and, eventually, the 1970s.
Lynn released her first Decca single, "Success," in 1962, and it went straight to Number 6, beginning a string of Top 10 singles that would run through the rest of the decade and throughout the next. She was a hard honky-tonk singer for the first half of the '60s and rarely strayed from the genre. Between this time, Lynn soon began to regularly hit the Top 10 after 1964 with "Before I'm Over You", which peaked at #4, followed by "Wine, Women, and Song", which peaked at #3. In late 1964, Lynn also recorded a duet album with Lynn's idol and Country performer, Ernest Tubb. Their lead single, "Mr. and Mrs. Used to Be" peaked within the Top 15. Together, the pair recorded two more albums, "Singin' Again" (1967) and If we Put Our Heads Together (1969). In 1965, Lynn's solo career continued with three major hits that year, "Happy Birthday", "Blue Kentucky Girl" (later recorded and made a Top 10 hit in the 70s by Emmylou Harris), and "The Home You're Tearing Down". Lynn's label issued two albums that year, Songs from My Heart and Blue Kentucky Girl. While most of these songs were Top 10 Country hits, none of them reached #1.
Her first self-penned song to crack the Top Ten, 1966’s "Dear Uncle Sam”, was among the very first recordings to recount the human costs of the Vietnam War. In the latter half of the decade, although she still worked within the confines of honky tonk, her sound became more personal, varied, and ambitious, particularly lyrically. Beginning with 1966's Number 2 hit "You Ain't Woman Enough," Lynn began writing songs with a feminist viewpoint, which was unheard of in country music.
1967 – 1980: Breakthrough success
In 1967, she reached #1 with "Don't Come Home A' Drinkin' (With Lovin' on Your Mind)". Lynn's album, Don't Come Home A' Drinkin, went to number one and became one of the first albums by a female country artist to be reach sales of 500,000 copies. Lynn's next album, Fist City was released in 1967. The title track became Lynn's second #1 hit in early 1968 and the other single from the album, "What Kind of a Girl (Do You Think I Am)" peaked within the Top 10. In 1968 her next studio album, Your Squaw Is on the Warpath spawned two Top 5 Country hits, the title track and "You've Just Stepped In (From Stepping Out on Me)". In 1969 her next single, "Woman of the World (Leave My World Alone)" was Lynn's third chart-topper, followed by a subsequent Top 10, "To Make a Man (Feel Like a Man)".
Lynn was reportedly once inspired to write a song about a real woman who she suspected was flirting with her husband. The song, "You Ain't Woman Enough (To Take My Man)" was an instant hit and became one of Lynn's all-time best. Despite some criticism, Lynn's openness and honesty drew fans from around the nation, including some who were not previously familiar with country music.
Lynn's career continued to be successful into the 1970s, especially following the success of Lynn's hit "Coal Miner's Daughter", which peaked at #1 on the Billboard Country Chart in 1970. "Coal Miner's Daughter" tells the story of Lynn's life growing up in rural Butcher Hollow, Kentucky. The song would later serve as the impetus for the best-selling biography (1976) and the Oscar-winning biopic starring Sissy Spacek (1980), both of which share the song's title. The song became Lynn's first single to chart on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at #83. Lynn would have a series of singles that would chart low on the Hot 100 between 1970 and 1975.
In 1971, she began a professional partnership with Conway Twitty. As a duo, Lynn and Twitty had five consecutive Number 1 hits between 1971 and 1975: "After the Fire Is Gone" (1971), "Lead Me On" (1971), "Lousiana Woman, Mississippi Man" (1973), "As Soon as I Hang Up the Phone" (1974), and "Feelins'" (1974). The hit-streak kick-started what would become one of the most successful duos of country history. For four consecutive years (1972–1975), Lynn and Twitty were named the "Vocal Duo of the Year" by the Country Music Association. In addition to their five Number 1 singles, they had seven other Top 10 hits between 1976 and 1981.
As a solo artist, Lynn's career continued to be very successful into 1971, achieving her fifth #1 solo hit, "One's on the Way", written by poet and songwriter, Shel Silverstein. The songs that didn't reach the top spot peaked within the Top 10 during this time, "I Wanna Be Free", "You're Lookin' At Country" and 1972's "Here I Am Again", all released on separate albums. The next year, she became the first country star on the cover of Newsweek. In 1973, "Rated X" peaked at #1 on the Billboard Country Chart, and was considered one of Lynn's most controversial hits. The next year Lynn's next single, "Love Is the Foundation" also became a #1 Country hit from her album of the same name. The second and last single from that album, "Hey Loretta" became a Top 5 hit. Lynn continued to reach the Top 10 until the end of the decade, including with 1975's "The Pill", considered to be the first song to discuss birth control, other than an obscure 1967 song in French, Pilule d'Or (The Golden Pill) by Luc Dominique, the former Singing Nun.
Her unique material, which sassily and bluntly addressed issues in the lives of many women (particularly in the South), made her stand out among female country vocalists. As a songwriter, Lynn believed no topic was off limits, as long as it spoke to other women, and many of her songs were autobiographical.
In 1977, Lynn recorded Tribute album to friend and Country-pop singer, Patsy Cline, who died in a plane crash in 1963. The album covered some of Cline's biggest hits. The two singles Lynn released from the album, "She's Got You" and "Why Can't He Be You" became major hits. "She's Got You", which formerly went to #1 by Cline in 1962, went to #1 again that year by Lynn. "Why Can't He Be You" peaked at #7 shortly afterward.
Lynn enjoyed enormous success on country radio until the early 1980s, when a more pop-flavored type of country music began to dominate the market. Even so, Lynn was able to stay within the country Top 10 up until the end of the 1970s; however, most of her music by the late '70s had a slick pop sound to it. Lynn had her last Number 1 hit in early 1978 with her solo single, "Out of My Head and Back In My Bed." In 1979, Lynn had two Top 5 hits, "I Can't Feel You Anymore" and "I've Got a Picture Of Us on My Mind," each from separate albums.
Lynn was always adored by her fans while she was touring on her bus named Loretta Lynn. She often would sit for an hour or more on a stage giving autographs to her fans after a performance. Once in Salisbury, Md., the town's newspaper editor interviewed her while she was signing autographs. Editor Mel Toadvine asked her why she took so much time to sign autographs while more than 100 people stood in line all the way to the front of the Wicomico Youth and Civic Center. "These people are my fans," she told Toadvine. "I'll stay here until the very last one wants my autograph. Without these people, I am nobody; I love these people," she said.
In 1976, Lynn released Coal Miner's Daughter, an autobiography whose title came from her #1 record of 1970. It became a New York Times bestseller and was made into a film in 1980, starring Sissy Spacek as Lynn and Tommy Lee Jones as her husband, Doolittle. Spacek won the Academy Award for Best Actress for the part. Due mostly to the critical and commercial success of the film, Lynn gained more "mainstream" attention in the early 1980s, starring in two primetime specials on NBC.
In 1979 Loretta Lynn became the spokeswoman for Procter & Gamble, Crisco Oil, and started doing TV commercials and print ads for them until 1989.
1980 – 1989: Continued success
The '80s featured more hits ("Pregnant Again," "Naked In The Rain," "Somebody Led Me Away"). Her 1980 and 1981 albums, Loretta and Lookin' Good spawned these hits. Lynn was the first woman in country music to have 50 Top 10 hits. Her last Top 10 record as a soloist was "I Lie" in 1982, but her releases continued to chart until the end of the decade. Lynn continued to have Top 20 hits throughout the 1980s. One of her last solo releases was 1985's "Heart Don't Do This to Me," which reached #19; her last Top 20 hit. In 1993, Lynn stopped releasing singles and focused more on touring than promoting. As a concert artist, she remained a top draw throughout her career, but by the early 1990s she drastically cut down the number of personal appearances due to the fragile health of her husband, who died in 1996.
Lynn's 1985 album, Just a Woman spawned a Top 40 hit. In 1987, Lynn lent her voice to a song on k.d. Lang's album, Shadowland with other Country stars, Kitty Wells and Brenda Lee called "Honky Tonk Angels Medley".
Lynn's 1988 album Who Was That Stranger would be her last solo album for a major record company until 2004. She remained one of country music’s most popular and well-loved stars. She was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1988.
1990 – present: Later music career
Lynn returned to the public eye in 1993 with the trio album Honky Tonk Angels, recorded with Dolly Parton and Tammy Wynette, and the following year released a three-CD boxed set chronicling her career. In 1995, she taped a seven-week series on the Nashville Network (TNN) titled Loretta Lynn & Friends, and performed about 50 dates that year as well. The album's charting single, a cover of "Silver Threads and Golden Needles" reached #68. The album became very successful for the trio, peaking at #6 on the Top Country Albums chart and #42 on the main Billboard album chart. It sold over 800,000 copies in the United States, earning them a "Gold"-certified album by the RIAA shortly after its release.
In 2000, Lynn released her first album in several years, entitled Still Country. In it, she included a song, "I Can't Hear the Music," as a tribute to her late husband. She also released her first new single in over 10 years from the album, "Country In My Genes". While the album gained positive critical notices, sales were low in comparison with her releases in the 1970s. In 2002, Lynn published her second autobiography, Still Woman Enough, and in 2004, she published a cookbook, You're Cookin' It Country.
In 2004, Lynn made a comeback with the highly successful album Van Lear Rose, the second album on which Lynn either wrote or co-wrote every song. The album was produced by her "friend forever" Jack White of The White Stripes, and featured guitar work and backup vocals by White. Her collaboration with White allowed Lynn to reach new audiences and generations, even garnering high praise in magazines that specialize in mainstream and alternative rock music, such as Spin and Blender. Rolling Stone voted the album the second best of the year for 2004. (White has long been an admirer of Lynn and claims she is his favorite singer. He has covered several songs of hers, including the controversial "Rated X.")
Loretta Lynn is working on the follow-up to 2004's Van Lear Rose, plus a new CD of re-recorded versions of some of her hits over the past 45 years. Both CDs are set for release during 2010.
Lynn has been married only once; to her husband "Doolittle Lynn". They were married in 1948, shortly before she reached the age of 14, in Kentucky. The Lynn family had four children before Loretta turned 19, and then had twins in the early 60s: Peggy and Patsy Lynn. Patsy Lynn was named in honor of Patsy Cline. Lynn's twin daughters formed their own Country music duo group, The Lynns, in 1998 and released two singles off their debut album on Reprise Records and were nominated for "Vocal Duo of the Year" by the Country Music Association.
On July 22, 1984, Jack Benny Lynn, Loretta's eldest son, drowned while trying to ford the Duck River at the family ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee. Jack was 34 at the time of his death.
Family
Lynn is the second of eight children. Some of her siblings, including Jay Lee Webb and Peggy Sue, have pursued short-lived country music careers in the past . The most successful of Lynn's siblings to gain success on the Country charts is Crystal Gayle, who is best-known for a series of Country-pop crossover ballads in the late 70s and 80s, including the #1 Country and #2 Pop hit, "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue". Gayle had other #1 hits as well. Gayle and Lynn have previously toured together. Lynn is also distantly related to country singer Patty Loveless, who was raised around the same area Lynn had been raised as a child.
Current home and life
Lynn owns a ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee, billed as "The 7th Largest Attraction in Tennessee," featuring a recording studio, museums, lodging, and other attractions. The ranch is centered around her large plantation home, along with a replica of her Butcher Hollow cabin. She no longer lives in the plantation home, but tours of the house are available. In 2006, Lynn underwent shoulder surgery after injuring herself in a fall.
Honors and awards
Main article: List of Loretta Lynn awards
Lynn has written over 160 songs and released 70 albums. She has had ten Number 1 albums and sixteen Number 1 singles on the country charts. Lynn has won dozens of awards from many different institutions, including four Grammy Awards, seven American Music Awards, eight Broadcast Music Incorporated awards, and ten Academy of Country Music awards.
In 1972, Lynn was the first woman named "Entertainer of the Year" by the Country Music Association, and is one of six women to have received CMA's highest award. She was named "Artist of the Decade" for the 1970s by the Academy of Country Music. Lynn was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1988 and the Country Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1999. She was also the recipient of Kennedy Center Honors in 2003. Lynn is also ranked 65th on VH1's 100 Greatest Women of Rock & Roll and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
In 2001, VH1's television special 100 Greatest Women of Rock & Roll placed Lynn at #65 on their countdown. More remarkably, in 2002, Lynn also placed at #3 on CMT television's special of the 40 Greatest Women of Country Music, hosted by Billy Campbell. At Number 1 was Lynn's friend and mentor, Patsy Cline. 2001-Coal Miner's Daughter named among "NPR's 100 Most Significant Songs of the 20th Century".
On March 17, 2007, Berklee College of Music presented Lynn an Honorary Doctorate of Music degree for her contribution to the world of country music. The degree was presented to her on stage at the Grand Ole Opry. In 2008 Loretta Lynn was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in New York City. To date Lynn has been inducted into more music Hall Of Fames than any other female recording artist. 2010 seen the country music icon receiving the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award for her 45 years in country music.
Controversies
In her heyday, Lynn was not a stranger to controversy. She possibly had more banned songs than any other artist in the history of country music, including "Rated X," about the double standards divorced women face, "Wings Upon Your Horns," about the loss of teenage virginity, and "The Pill," lyrics by T. D. Bayless, about a wife and mother becoming liberated via the birth control pill. Her song "Dear Uncle Sam," released in 1966 during the Vietnam War, describes a wife's anguish at the loss of a husband to war. It has been included in live performances during the current Iraq War.
Discography
Main article: Loretta Lynn discography
See also
* Academy of Country Music
* List of country musicians
* Country Music Hall of Fame
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Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/14/10 at 6:56 am
The person who died on this day...Anthony Newley
Anthony George Newley (24 September 1931 – 14 April 1999) was an English actor, singer and songwriter. He enjoyed success as a performer in such diverse fields as rock & roll and stage and screen acting.
Newley was born in the London working class district of Hackney, the son of Frances Grace Newley and George Kirby, a shipping clerk. He was Jewish on his mother's side. His parents, who had never married, separated during his early childhood, and he was brought up by his single mother. Newley was evacuated during the Luftwaffe bombing of London during the Blitz and was thereby exposed to the performing arts when he was tutored during this time by George Pescud, a former British music hall entertainer.
Although recognised as very bright by his teachers back in London, he was uninterested in school, and by the age of fourteen was working as an office boy for an insurance company when he read an ad in the Daily Telegraph, headed "Boy Actors Urgently Wanted". He applied to the advertisers, the prestigious Italia Conti Stage School, only to discover that the fees were too high. Nevertheless, after a brief audition, he was offered a job as an office boy on a salary of only 30 shillings (£1.50) a week, but also including free tuition at the school. He naturally accepted and his career was to be launched. Whilst serving tea one afternoon he caught the eye of producer Geoffrey de Barkus, who cast Newley as "Dusty" in the children's serial, The Adventures of Dusty Bates.
Career
Newley's first major film role was as Dick Bultitude in Peter Ustinov's Vice Versa (1948) followed by the Artful Dodger in David Lean's Oliver Twist (1948), based on the classic Charles Dickens story. He made a successful transition from child star to contract player in British films of the 1950s (broken up by a short stint in the armed forces), to a top-of-the-pops crooner in the 1960s. During the 1950s he appeared in many British radio programmes and for a time appeared as Cyril in Floggits starring Elsie and Doris Waters. But it was probably the film Idol on Parade that changed his career direction the most. In the film he played a rock singer called up for national service.
He wrote ballads, many with Leslie Bricusse, that became signature hits for Sammy Davis Jr., Shirley Bassey and Tony Bennett. During the 1960s he also added his greatest accomplishments on the London West End theatre and Broadway theatre stage, in Hollywood films and British and American television. In the 1970s he remained active, particularly as a Las Vegas and Catskills Borscht Belt resort performer and talk show guest, but his career had begun to flounder. He had taken risks that eventually led to his downfall in Hollywood. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s he worked to achieve a comeback. He died of kidney cancer at the age of 67, soon after he had become a grandfather.
Music
Newley had a successful pop music career as a vocalist, which started in May 1959 with the song "I've Waited So Long" a number 3 hit in the UK charts thanks largely to the exposure it received as being featured in the film "Idol On Parade". This was quickly followed by his number 6 hit "Personality" and then two number-one hits in early 1960: "Why" (originally a 1959 U.S. hit for Frankie Avalon) and "Do You Mind?" (written by Lionel Bart). As a songwriter, he won the 1963 Grammy Award for Song of the Year for "What Kind of Fool Am I?", but he was also well-known for "Gonna Build a Mountain", "Once in a Lifetime", "On a Wonderful Day Like Today", "The Joker" and comic novelty songs such as "That Noise" and "The Oompa-Loompa Song", and his versions of "Strawberry Fair" and "Pop Goes the Weasel". He wrote songs that others made hits including "Goldfinger" (the title song of the James Bond film, Goldfinger, music by John Barry), and "Feeling Good", which became a hit for Nina Simone and the rock band Muse. With Leslie Bricusse, he wrote the musical Stop the World - I Want to Get Off in which he also performed, earning a nomination for a Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical. The play was made into a (poorly-received) film version in 1966, but Newley was unable to star in it due to a schedule conflict. The other musicals for which he co-wrote music and lyrics with Bricusse included The Roar of the Greasepaint—the Smell of the Crowd (1965) and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971), based on the children's book by Roald Dahl.
The consensus of critics and fans rates "Pure Imagination", "Ain't It Funny", "Love Is a Now and Then Thing", and "In My Solitude" at the top of the list. Amongst the many compilations now available are Anthony Newley: The Decca Years (1959–1964), Once in a Lifetime: The Anthony Newley Collection (1960–1971), and Anthony Newley's Greatest Hits (Deram). When he collaborated with Bricusse, they referred to themselves as the team of 'Brickman and Newburg', with Newburg concentrating mainly on the music and Brickman on the lyrics. Ian Frasier often did their arrangements and it has been suggested that his contributions were more extensive than has been acknowledged. For the songs from Hieronymous Merkin, Newley collaborated with Herbert Kretzmer.
The comedy album Fool Brittania, starring Newley, Joan Collins and Peter Sellers
In 1963, Newley had a hit comedy album called Fool Britannia!, the result of improvisational satires of the British Profumo scandal of the time by a team of Newley, his then-wife Joan Collins, and Peter Sellers. Newley's contributions to Christmas music are highlighted by his rendition of "The Coventry Carol" which appears on many anthologies. He also wrote and recorded a novelty Christmas song called "Santa Claus is Elvis". And there is a notorious album of spoken poetry which has Newley appearing in the nude on the sleeve with a similarly-attired young model.
In his later years as a mature singer Newley recorded songs from Fiddler on the Roof and Scrooge. He enjoyed his final popular success onstage when he starred in the latter musical which showed in London and toured UK cities including Liverpool, Birmingham and Manchester, in the 1990s. At the time of his death he had been working on a musical of Shakespeare's Richard III.
In May 2010 Stage Door Records released a compilation of unreleased Newley recordings entitled 'Newley Discovered'. The album produced with the Anthony Newley Society and Newley's family contains the concept recordings for Newley's self-penned movie musicals 'Can Hieronymus Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humppe and Find True Happiness?', 'Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory' and 'Mr. Quilp'.
In recognition of his creative skills and body of work, Newley was elected to the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1989.
Acting
The short-lived 1960 ATV series, The Strange World of Gurney Slade, in which Newley starred and also featured Bernie Winters, continues to have a cult following owing to its postmodern premise that the Newley character is trapped inside a television programme. Apart from a repeat of one episode on Channel 4 in 1992, it has not been seen in the UK in recent years. The show's theme tune by composer Max Harris, which was later utilised in the "animated clock" segments on the BBC children's show Vision On, may be better known today than the series itself. The piano figure prominent in the recording was lifted (unacknowledged) from Mose Allison's song "Parchman Farm".
Newley played Matthew Mugg in the original Doctor Dolittle and the repressed English businessman opposite Sandy Dennis in the original Sweet November. He also hosted Lucille Ball on a whirlwind tour of mod London in the Lucy TV special "Lucy in London." He performed in the autobiographical, Fellini-esque and X-rated Can Hieronymus Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humppe and Find True Happiness?, which he also directed and co-wrote with Herman Raucher. He performed in 'Quilp' (based on Dickens's 'The Old Curiosity Shop'), for which he composed some songs ('Love Has the Longest Memory of All'). His last feature role in the cast of the long-running British TV soap opera EastEnders was to have been a regular role, but Newley had to withdraw after a few months when his health began to fail.
Personal life
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Newley was married to Ann Lynn from 1956 to 1963, but the marriage ended in divorce. A son, Simon, was born to them but died in infancy from a congenital infirmity. He then was married to the actress Joan Collins from 1963 to 1971. The couple had two children, Tara Newley and Sacha Newley. Tara became a broadcaster in England and Sacha is a renowned portrait artist based in New York and represented by four paintings in the National Portrait Gallery (United States) in Washington, D.C.. Newley's third wife was former air hostess Dareth Rich, and they also had two children, Shelby and Christopher. In an episode of Angela and Friends (Sky One) Tara Newley also mentioned another sister, a third living daughter of Newley's.
Newley had been raised by his mother Grace, and, from the age of eight onward, by his stepfather, Ronald Gardner. Gardner wound up in Beverly Hills working as a chauffeur but soon ran off with another woman. Newley searched, with the help of a detective, for his biological father, George Kirby and effected a reunion. Newley bought his father a house in Beverly Hills, in the hope that he would reunite with Grace, but this did not happen. Newley died on 14 April 1999, in Jensen Beach, Florida, from renal cancer at the age of 67. He was said to have died in the arms of his companion, the designer Gina Fratini. He was survived by his five children, a granddaughter Miel, and his mother Grace, then aged 96, who has subsequently died. Since then two more grandchildren have been born: Weston (Tara's second child) and Ava Grace (Sacha's first, with his wife Angela Tassoni).
Newley's life is the subject of a biography by Garth Bardsley called Stop the World (London: Oberon, 2003). Although Newley alluded to some degree of bisexual activity in 1960s in his epic autobiographical film, Merkin, the allegation in the Bardsley biography that he had been "kept" by an older man while he struggled to restart his career in the 1950s was a shock to his fans. In 2007 the actress Anneke Wills published a memoir that details her involvement with Newley just before he took up with Collins, producing a daughter named Polly who perished in a car accident.
Discography
Singles
* 1959 I've Waited So Long/ Sat'day Night Rock-A-Boogie (Decca F11127, reached #3 in UK)
* 1959 Idle On Parade/ Idle Rock-A-Boogie (Decca F11137)
* 1959 Personality/ My Blue Angel (Decca F11142, reached #6 in UK)
* 1959 Someone To Love/ It's All Over (Decca F11163)
* 1960 Why/ Anything You Wanna Do (Decca F1194, reached #1 in UK)
* 1960 Do You Mind/ Girls Were Made To Love And Kiss (Decca F11220, reached #1 in UK)
* 1960 If She Should Come To You/ Lifetime Of Happiness (Decca F11254, reached #6 in UK)
* 1960 Strawberry Fair/ A Boy Without A Girl (Decca F11295, reached #3 in UK)
* 1961 And The Heavens Cried/ Lonely Boy And Pretty Girl (Decca F11331, reached #6 in UK)
* 1961 Pop Goes The Weasel/ Bee Bom (Decca F11362, reached #12 in UK)
* 1961 What Kind of Fool Am I?/ Once In A Lifetime (Decca F11376, reached #36 in UK)
* 1962 D-Darling/ I'll Walk Beside You (Decca F11419, reached #25 in UK)
* 1962 That Noise/ The Little Golden Clown (Decca F11486, reached #34 in UK)
* 1963 There's No Such Thing As Love/ She's Just Another Girl (Decca F11636)
* 1963 The Father Of Girls/ I Love Everything About You (Decca F11767)
* 1964 Tribute/ Lament To A Hero (Decca F11818)
* 1966 Why Can't You Try To Didgeridoo/ Is There A Way Back To Your Arms (RCA RCA1518; RCA 47-8785)
* 1966 Moogies Bloogies (recorded with Delia Derbyshire)
* 1967 Something In Your Smile/ I Think I Like You (RCA RCA1637)
* 1968 I'm All I Need/ When You Gotta Go (MCA MU1061)
* 1968 Sweet November (Warner Bros. Records 7174)
EPs
* 1959 "Idle On Parade" - I've Waited So Long/Idle Rock-a-boogie/Idle On Parade/Sat'day Night Rock-a-boogie (Decca DFE6566)
* 1960 "Tony's Hits" - Why/Anything You Wanna Do/Personality/My Blue Angel (Decca DFE6629, reached #6 in UK)
* 1960 "More Hits From Tony" - If She Should Come To You/Girls Were Made To Love And Kiss/Do You Mind/Lifetime Of Happiness (Decca DFE6655)
* 1961 "This Time The Dream's On Me" - Gone With The Wind/This Time The Dream's On Me/It's The Talk Of The Town/What's The Good About Goodbye? (Decca DFE6687 )
Albums
Studio albums
* 1955 "Cranks" (HMV CLP1082)
* 1960 "Love is a Now & Then Thing" (Decca LK4343; London LL3156)
* 1961 "Tony" (Decca LK4406; London PS244)
* 1964 "In My Solitude" (Decca LK4600, RCA Victor LSP2925 )
* 1965 "Who Can I Turn to?" (RCA Victor LSP3347 ; RCA Victor LSP3347 )
* 1966 "Who Can I Turn to?" (RCA Victor 7737 ; RCA Victor 7737 )
* 1966 "Newley Delivered" (Decca LK4654)
* 1966 "Newley Recorded" (RCA Victor RD7873; RCA Victor LSP3614)
* 1966 "The Genius of Anthony Newley" (London PS361)
* 1967 "Anthony Newley Sings Songs from Doctor Doolittle" (RCA Victor LSP3839)
* 1969 "The Romantic World of Anthony Newley" (Decca SPA45)
* 1970 "For You" (Bell Records 1101)
* 1971 "Pure Imagination" (MGM SE4781)
* 1972 "Ain't It Funny" (MGM/Verve MV5096)
* 1977 "The Singers and His Songs" (United Artists LA718-G)
* 1985 "Mr Personality" (Decca Tab 84)
* 1992 "Too Much Woman" (BBI (CD); GNP/Crescendo 2243)
Compilations
* 1962 This Is Tony Newley (London LL362)
* 1963 Peak Performances (London LL3283)
* 1969 The Best of Anthony Newley (RCA Victor LSP4163)
* 1990 Anthony Newley's Greatest Hits (Deram 820 694)
* 1990 Greatest Hits (Decca)
* 1995 The Best of Anthony Newley (GNP Crescendo)
* 1996 The Very Best of Anthony Newley (Carlton 30364 00122)
* 1997 The Very Best of Anthony Newley (Spectrum Music 552 090-2)
* 1997 Once in a Lifetime: The Collection (Razor & Tie RE 2145-2)
* 2000 A Wonderful Day Like Today (Camden)
* 2000 On a Wonderful Day Like Today: The Anthony Newley Collection (BMG 74321 752592)
* 2000 Decca Years 1959-1964 (Decca 466 918-2)
* 2001 Best of Anthony Newley (Decca)
* 2002 What Kind of Fool Am I? (Armoury)
* 2002 Remembering Anthony Newley: The Music, the Life, the Legend (Prism Leisure)
* 2003 Stop the World! (Blitz)
* 2004 Love Is a Now and Then Thing/In My Solitude (Vocalion)
* 2004 Pure Imagination/Ain't It Funny (Edsel)
* 2005 The Magic of Anthony Newley (Kala)
* 2006 Anthology (Universal/Spectrum)
* 2006 Anthony Newley Collection (Universal/Spectrum)
* 2006 Newley Delivered (Dutton Vocalion
* 2007 Best of Anthony Newley (Sony)
* 2007 Best of Anthony Newley (Camden)
* 2010 Newley Discovered (Stage Door Records)
Filmography
* Dusty Bates (1947)
* The Guinea Pig (1948)
* Vice Versa (1948)
* Oliver Twist (1948)
* A Boy, a Girl and a Bike (1949)
* Don't Ever Leave Me (1949)
* Vote for Huggett (1949)
* Highly Dangerous (1950)
* The Little Ballerina (1951)
* Those People Next Door (1952)
* Top of the Form (1953)
* The Blue Peter (1954)
* Up to His Neck (1954)
* Port Afrique (1954)
* Above Us the Waves (1955)
* The Cockleshell Heroes (1955)
* High Flight (1956)
* The Last Man to Hang (1956)
* X the Unknown (1956)
* Port Afrique (1956) .... Pedro
* How to Murder a Rich Uncle (1957)
* Fire Down Below (1957)
* The Good Companions (1957)
* The Man Inside (1958)
* No Time to Die (1958)
* The Heart of a Man (1959)
* The Lady Is a Square (1959)
* Killers of Kilimanjaro (1959)
* The Bandit of Zhobe (1959)
* Idle on Parade (1959)
* In the Nick (1960)
* Let's Get Married (1960)
* Jazz Boat (1960)
* The Small World of Sammy Lee (1963)
* Doctor Dolittle (1967)
* Sweet November (1968 film)
* Can Hieronymus Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humppe and Find True Happiness? (1969)
* Summertree (1971) as director
* The Old Curiosity Shop (1975)
* It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time (1975)
* Alice in Wonderland/Alice Through the Looking Glass (1985)
* The Garbage Pail Kids Movie (1987)
* Coins in the Fountain (1990)
* Boris and Natasha: The Movie (1992)
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u222/rlspear/Entertainment%20Collection/1081.jpg
http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff297/pingu2541/Album%20Covers/AnthonyNewleyTheRomanticWorldOf.jpg
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Howard on 04/14/10 at 7:03 am
The person who died on this day...Anthony Newley
Anthony George Newley (24 September 1931 – 14 April 1999) was an English actor, singer and songwriter. He enjoyed success as a performer in such diverse fields as rock & roll and stage and screen acting.
Newley was born in the London working class district of Hackney, the son of Frances Grace Newley and George Kirby, a shipping clerk. He was Jewish on his mother's side. His parents, who had never married, separated during his early childhood, and he was brought up by his single mother. Newley was evacuated during the Luftwaffe bombing of London during the Blitz and was thereby exposed to the performing arts when he was tutored during this time by George Pescud, a former British music hall entertainer.
Although recognised as very bright by his teachers back in London, he was uninterested in school, and by the age of fourteen was working as an office boy for an insurance company when he read an ad in the Daily Telegraph, headed "Boy Actors Urgently Wanted". He applied to the advertisers, the prestigious Italia Conti Stage School, only to discover that the fees were too high. Nevertheless, after a brief audition, he was offered a job as an office boy on a salary of only 30 shillings (£1.50) a week, but also including free tuition at the school. He naturally accepted and his career was to be launched. Whilst serving tea one afternoon he caught the eye of producer Geoffrey de Barkus, who cast Newley as "Dusty" in the children's serial, The Adventures of Dusty Bates.
Career
Newley's first major film role was as Dick Bultitude in Peter Ustinov's Vice Versa (1948) followed by the Artful Dodger in David Lean's Oliver Twist (1948), based on the classic Charles Dickens story. He made a successful transition from child star to contract player in British films of the 1950s (broken up by a short stint in the armed forces), to a top-of-the-pops crooner in the 1960s. During the 1950s he appeared in many British radio programmes and for a time appeared as Cyril in Floggits starring Elsie and Doris Waters. But it was probably the film Idol on Parade that changed his career direction the most. In the film he played a rock singer called up for national service.
He wrote ballads, many with Leslie Bricusse, that became signature hits for Sammy Davis Jr., Shirley Bassey and Tony Bennett. During the 1960s he also added his greatest accomplishments on the London West End theatre and Broadway theatre stage, in Hollywood films and British and American television. In the 1970s he remained active, particularly as a Las Vegas and Catskills Borscht Belt resort performer and talk show guest, but his career had begun to flounder. He had taken risks that eventually led to his downfall in Hollywood. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s he worked to achieve a comeback. He died of kidney cancer at the age of 67, soon after he had become a grandfather.
Music
Newley had a successful pop music career as a vocalist, which started in May 1959 with the song "I've Waited So Long" a number 3 hit in the UK charts thanks largely to the exposure it received as being featured in the film "Idol On Parade". This was quickly followed by his number 6 hit "Personality" and then two number-one hits in early 1960: "Why" (originally a 1959 U.S. hit for Frankie Avalon) and "Do You Mind?" (written by Lionel Bart). As a songwriter, he won the 1963 Grammy Award for Song of the Year for "What Kind of Fool Am I?", but he was also well-known for "Gonna Build a Mountain", "Once in a Lifetime", "On a Wonderful Day Like Today", "The Joker" and comic novelty songs such as "That Noise" and "The Oompa-Loompa Song", and his versions of "Strawberry Fair" and "Pop Goes the Weasel". He wrote songs that others made hits including "Goldfinger" (the title song of the James Bond film, Goldfinger, music by John Barry), and "Feeling Good", which became a hit for Nina Simone and the rock band Muse. With Leslie Bricusse, he wrote the musical Stop the World - I Want to Get Off in which he also performed, earning a nomination for a Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical. The play was made into a (poorly-received) film version in 1966, but Newley was unable to star in it due to a schedule conflict. The other musicals for which he co-wrote music and lyrics with Bricusse included The Roar of the Greasepaint—the Smell of the Crowd (1965) and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971), based on the children's book by Roald Dahl.
The consensus of critics and fans rates "Pure Imagination", "Ain't It Funny", "Love Is a Now and Then Thing", and "In My Solitude" at the top of the list. Amongst the many compilations now available are Anthony Newley: The Decca Years (1959–1964), Once in a Lifetime: The Anthony Newley Collection (1960–1971), and Anthony Newley's Greatest Hits (Deram). When he collaborated with Bricusse, they referred to themselves as the team of 'Brickman and Newburg', with Newburg concentrating mainly on the music and Brickman on the lyrics. Ian Frasier often did their arrangements and it has been suggested that his contributions were more extensive than has been acknowledged. For the songs from Hieronymous Merkin, Newley collaborated with Herbert Kretzmer.
The comedy album Fool Brittania, starring Newley, Joan Collins and Peter Sellers
In 1963, Newley had a hit comedy album called Fool Britannia!, the result of improvisational satires of the British Profumo scandal of the time by a team of Newley, his then-wife Joan Collins, and Peter Sellers. Newley's contributions to Christmas music are highlighted by his rendition of "The Coventry Carol" which appears on many anthologies. He also wrote and recorded a novelty Christmas song called "Santa Claus is Elvis". And there is a notorious album of spoken poetry which has Newley appearing in the nude on the sleeve with a similarly-attired young model.
In his later years as a mature singer Newley recorded songs from Fiddler on the Roof and Scrooge. He enjoyed his final popular success onstage when he starred in the latter musical which showed in London and toured UK cities including Liverpool, Birmingham and Manchester, in the 1990s. At the time of his death he had been working on a musical of Shakespeare's Richard III.
In May 2010 Stage Door Records released a compilation of unreleased Newley recordings entitled 'Newley Discovered'. The album produced with the Anthony Newley Society and Newley's family contains the concept recordings for Newley's self-penned movie musicals 'Can Hieronymus Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humppe and Find True Happiness?', 'Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory' and 'Mr. Quilp'.
In recognition of his creative skills and body of work, Newley was elected to the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1989.
Acting
The short-lived 1960 ATV series, The Strange World of Gurney Slade, in which Newley starred and also featured Bernie Winters, continues to have a cult following owing to its postmodern premise that the Newley character is trapped inside a television programme. Apart from a repeat of one episode on Channel 4 in 1992, it has not been seen in the UK in recent years. The show's theme tune by composer Max Harris, which was later utilised in the "animated clock" segments on the BBC children's show Vision On, may be better known today than the series itself. The piano figure prominent in the recording was lifted (unacknowledged) from Mose Allison's song "Parchman Farm".
Newley played Matthew Mugg in the original Doctor Dolittle and the repressed English businessman opposite Sandy Dennis in the original Sweet November. He also hosted Lucille Ball on a whirlwind tour of mod London in the Lucy TV special "Lucy in London." He performed in the autobiographical, Fellini-esque and X-rated Can Hieronymus Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humppe and Find True Happiness?, which he also directed and co-wrote with Herman Raucher. He performed in 'Quilp' (based on Dickens's 'The Old Curiosity Shop'), for which he composed some songs ('Love Has the Longest Memory of All'). His last feature role in the cast of the long-running British TV soap opera EastEnders was to have been a regular role, but Newley had to withdraw after a few months when his health began to fail.
Personal life
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Newley was married to Ann Lynn from 1956 to 1963, but the marriage ended in divorce. A son, Simon, was born to them but died in infancy from a congenital infirmity. He then was married to the actress Joan Collins from 1963 to 1971. The couple had two children, Tara Newley and Sacha Newley. Tara became a broadcaster in England and Sacha is a renowned portrait artist based in New York and represented by four paintings in the National Portrait Gallery (United States) in Washington, D.C.. Newley's third wife was former air hostess Dareth Rich, and they also had two children, Shelby and Christopher. In an episode of Angela and Friends (Sky One) Tara Newley also mentioned another sister, a third living daughter of Newley's.
Newley had been raised by his mother Grace, and, from the age of eight onward, by his stepfather, Ronald Gardner. Gardner wound up in Beverly Hills working as a chauffeur but soon ran off with another woman. Newley searched, with the help of a detective, for his biological father, George Kirby and effected a reunion. Newley bought his father a house in Beverly Hills, in the hope that he would reunite with Grace, but this did not happen. Newley died on 14 April 1999, in Jensen Beach, Florida, from renal cancer at the age of 67. He was said to have died in the arms of his companion, the designer Gina Fratini. He was survived by his five children, a granddaughter Miel, and his mother Grace, then aged 96, who has subsequently died. Since then two more grandchildren have been born: Weston (Tara's second child) and Ava Grace (Sacha's first, with his wife Angela Tassoni).
Newley's life is the subject of a biography by Garth Bardsley called Stop the World (London: Oberon, 2003). Although Newley alluded to some degree of bisexual activity in 1960s in his epic autobiographical film, Merkin, the allegation in the Bardsley biography that he had been "kept" by an older man while he struggled to restart his career in the 1950s was a shock to his fans. In 2007 the actress Anneke Wills published a memoir that details her involvement with Newley just before he took up with Collins, producing a daughter named Polly who perished in a car accident.
Discography
Singles
* 1959 I've Waited So Long/ Sat'day Night Rock-A-Boogie (Decca F11127, reached #3 in UK)
* 1959 Idle On Parade/ Idle Rock-A-Boogie (Decca F11137)
* 1959 Personality/ My Blue Angel (Decca F11142, reached #6 in UK)
* 1959 Someone To Love/ It's All Over (Decca F11163)
* 1960 Why/ Anything You Wanna Do (Decca F1194, reached #1 in UK)
* 1960 Do You Mind/ Girls Were Made To Love And Kiss (Decca F11220, reached #1 in UK)
* 1960 If She Should Come To You/ Lifetime Of Happiness (Decca F11254, reached #6 in UK)
* 1960 Strawberry Fair/ A Boy Without A Girl (Decca F11295, reached #3 in UK)
* 1961 And The Heavens Cried/ Lonely Boy And Pretty Girl (Decca F11331, reached #6 in UK)
* 1961 Pop Goes The Weasel/ Bee Bom (Decca F11362, reached #12 in UK)
* 1961 What Kind of Fool Am I?/ Once In A Lifetime (Decca F11376, reached #36 in UK)
* 1962 D-Darling/ I'll Walk Beside You (Decca F11419, reached #25 in UK)
* 1962 That Noise/ The Little Golden Clown (Decca F11486, reached #34 in UK)
* 1963 There's No Such Thing As Love/ She's Just Another Girl (Decca F11636)
* 1963 The Father Of Girls/ I Love Everything About You (Decca F11767)
* 1964 Tribute/ Lament To A Hero (Decca F11818)
* 1966 Why Can't You Try To Didgeridoo/ Is There A Way Back To Your Arms (RCA RCA1518; RCA 47-8785)
* 1966 Moogies Bloogies (recorded with Delia Derbyshire)
* 1967 Something In Your Smile/ I Think I Like You (RCA RCA1637)
* 1968 I'm All I Need/ When You Gotta Go (MCA MU1061)
* 1968 Sweet November (Warner Bros. Records 7174)
EPs
* 1959 "Idle On Parade" - I've Waited So Long/Idle Rock-a-boogie/Idle On Parade/Sat'day Night Rock-a-boogie (Decca DFE6566)
* 1960 "Tony's Hits" - Why/Anything You Wanna Do/Personality/My Blue Angel (Decca DFE6629, reached #6 in UK)
* 1960 "More Hits From Tony" - If She Should Come To You/Girls Were Made To Love And Kiss/Do You Mind/Lifetime Of Happiness (Decca DFE6655)
* 1961 "This Time The Dream's On Me" - Gone With The Wind/This Time The Dream's On Me/It's The Talk Of The Town/What's The Good About Goodbye? (Decca DFE6687 )
Albums
Studio albums
* 1955 "Cranks" (HMV CLP1082)
* 1960 "Love is a Now & Then Thing" (Decca LK4343; London LL3156)
* 1961 "Tony" (Decca LK4406; London PS244)
* 1964 "In My Solitude" (Decca LK4600, RCA Victor LSP2925 )
* 1965 "Who Can I Turn to?" (RCA Victor LSP3347 ; RCA Victor LSP3347 )
* 1966 "Who Can I Turn to?" (RCA Victor 7737 ; RCA Victor 7737 )
* 1966 "Newley Delivered" (Decca LK4654)
* 1966 "Newley Recorded" (RCA Victor RD7873; RCA Victor LSP3614)
* 1966 "The Genius of Anthony Newley" (London PS361)
* 1967 "Anthony Newley Sings Songs from Doctor Doolittle" (RCA Victor LSP3839)
* 1969 "The Romantic World of Anthony Newley" (Decca SPA45)
* 1970 "For You" (Bell Records 1101)
* 1971 "Pure Imagination" (MGM SE4781)
* 1972 "Ain't It Funny" (MGM/Verve MV5096)
* 1977 "The Singers and His Songs" (United Artists LA718-G)
* 1985 "Mr Personality" (Decca Tab 84)
* 1992 "Too Much Woman" (BBI (CD); GNP/Crescendo 2243)
Compilations
* 1962 This Is Tony Newley (London LL362)
* 1963 Peak Performances (London LL3283)
* 1969 The Best of Anthony Newley (RCA Victor LSP4163)
* 1990 Anthony Newley's Greatest Hits (Deram 820 694)
* 1990 Greatest Hits (Decca)
* 1995 The Best of Anthony Newley (GNP Crescendo)
* 1996 The Very Best of Anthony Newley (Carlton 30364 00122)
* 1997 The Very Best of Anthony Newley (Spectrum Music 552 090-2)
* 1997 Once in a Lifetime: The Collection (Razor & Tie RE 2145-2)
* 2000 A Wonderful Day Like Today (Camden)
* 2000 On a Wonderful Day Like Today: The Anthony Newley Collection (BMG 74321 752592)
* 2000 Decca Years 1959-1964 (Decca 466 918-2)
* 2001 Best of Anthony Newley (Decca)
* 2002 What Kind of Fool Am I? (Armoury)
* 2002 Remembering Anthony Newley: The Music, the Life, the Legend (Prism Leisure)
* 2003 Stop the World! (Blitz)
* 2004 Love Is a Now and Then Thing/In My Solitude (Vocalion)
* 2004 Pure Imagination/Ain't It Funny (Edsel)
* 2005 The Magic of Anthony Newley (Kala)
* 2006 Anthology (Universal/Spectrum)
* 2006 Anthony Newley Collection (Universal/Spectrum)
* 2006 Newley Delivered (Dutton Vocalion
* 2007 Best of Anthony Newley (Sony)
* 2007 Best of Anthony Newley (Camden)
* 2010 Newley Discovered (Stage Door Records)
Filmography
* Dusty Bates (1947)
* The Guinea Pig (1948)
* Vice Versa (1948)
* Oliver Twist (1948)
* A Boy, a Girl and a Bike (1949)
* Don't Ever Leave Me (1949)
* Vote for Huggett (1949)
* Highly Dangerous (1950)
* The Little Ballerina (1951)
* Those People Next Door (1952)
* Top of the Form (1953)
* The Blue Peter (1954)
* Up to His Neck (1954)
* Port Afrique (1954)
* Above Us the Waves (1955)
* The Cockleshell Heroes (1955)
* High Flight (1956)
* The Last Man to Hang (1956)
* X the Unknown (1956)
* Port Afrique (1956) .... Pedro
* How to Murder a Rich Uncle (1957)
* Fire Down Below (1957)
* The Good Companions (1957)
* The Man Inside (1958)
* No Time to Die (1958)
* The Heart of a Man (1959)
* The Lady Is a Square (1959)
* Killers of Kilimanjaro (1959)
* The Bandit of Zhobe (1959)
* Idle on Parade (1959)
* In the Nick (1960)
* Let's Get Married (1960)
* Jazz Boat (1960)
* The Small World of Sammy Lee (1963)
* Doctor Dolittle (1967)
* Sweet November (1968 film)
* Can Hieronymus Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humppe and Find True Happiness? (1969)
* Summertree (1971) as director
* The Old Curiosity Shop (1975)
* It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time (1975)
* Alice in Wonderland/Alice Through the Looking Glass (1985)
* The Garbage Pail Kids Movie (1987)
* Coins in the Fountain (1990)
* Boris and Natasha: The Movie (1992)
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http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff297/pingu2541/Album%20Covers/AnthonyNewleyTheRomanticWorldOf.jpg
Was he in Alice In Wonderland? ???
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/14/10 at 8:55 am
Was he in Alice In Wonderland? ???
The 1985 version
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Frank on 04/14/10 at 11:04 am
It's Pete Rose's birthday today too , He's 69.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: CatwomanofV on 04/14/10 at 11:23 am
It is funny because just about 2 days ago, I was watching this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inSuqXWcqpM
Cat
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/15/10 at 5:38 am
The word of the day...Touch
If you touch something, you put your hand onto it in order to feel it or to make contact with it
If two things are touching, or if one thing touches another, or if you touch two things, their surfaces come into contact with each other
Your sense of touch is your ability to tell what something is like when you feel it with your hands.
To touch something means to strike it, usually quite gently.
If something has not been touched, nobody has dealt with it or taken care of it.
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http://i817.photobucket.com/albums/zz94/dreadasaur/duntouch.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b309/IPulledTheTriger/Secrets/touch.jpg
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Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/15/10 at 5:40 am
The person of the day...Samantha Fox
Samantha Karen "Sam" Fox (born 15 April 1966 in Mile End, London) is an English former glamour model and dance-pop singer of the 1980s. The eldest daughter of the late Patrick John Fox and Carole Ann Wilken, Samantha Karen Fox comes from a family of market traders in the East End of London. She has a sister, Vanessa, who is six years younger, and a half-sister, Frederica, from her father's second marriage.
She attended St Thomas More RC School, Haringey, and took a keen interest in the theatre from an early age. She first appeared on a theatre stage at the age of three, and was enrolled in the Anna Scher Theatre School from the age of 5. Her first television appearance came in 1976, at the age of 10, in a BBC play entitled No Way Out. Following on from this, she started at the Judi Dench Mountview Theatre School, near her home in Haringey, at the age of 11.
Interested in music from an early age, she formed her first band, with Richard Smart on guitar and Bob Day on tambourine, at the age of 14. Her first record deal came a year later, with Lamborghini Records. However, both her theatre and music careers went on hold when her modelling career took off.
Modelling career
In early 1983, Carole Fox photographed her teenage daughter wearing lingerie and submitted several pictures to the The Sunday People newspaper's "Face and Shape of 1983" amateur modeling contest. Judged joint runner-up in the contest, Fox had her pictures published, and was soon after invited for a test shoot for The Sun newspaper's Page Three feature. Her parents gave their consent for their daughter to pose topless, and on Tuesday, 22 February 1983, Fox's first Page Three photograph was published under the headline "Sam, 16, Quits A-Levels for Ooh-Levels".
Fox's Cockney background, bubbly-blonde looks, winning smile, and 36D breasts made her an enormously popular Page Three model. After famously insuring her breasts for a quarter of a million pounds sterling, she won The Sun's Page Three Girl of the Year award for three consecutive years between 1984 and 1986. She also posed nude for several British men's magazines and was a UK Penthouse Pet, but very few full-frontal shots were ever published.
Fox retired from Page Three modelling in 1986, at the age of 20, by which time she had arguably become Britain's premiere sex symbol of the era. In 1995, aged 29, she made a one-off appearance in The Sun to promote Page Three's 25th anniversary week. After receiving an overwhelmingly positive reader response, she appeared in the slot every day during the anniversary week, with Friday's final topless picture given away as an A3-sized poster. In 1996, aged 30, she appeared in the October issue of Playboy magazine.
Fox's father Patrick, a former carpenter, managed her career until 1991, when Fox hired accountants to trace over £1 million that she believed he had embezzled from her accounts. She then sued her father, who by then had divorced and remarried, and in May 1995 she was awarded a £363,000 court settlement. Patrick Fox died in 2000, at which time he and Fox had not spoken for almost a decade.
Samantha Fox was, in a online vote held by the British Newspaper the Daily Star, voted by its readers, as 'The best page 3 pin up ever' in September 2008. As a result of the poll win, she appeared topless for the first time in 12 years in the Daily Star although on page 5, not page 3.
Music career
In the late-1980s, Fox began a successful singing career, producing three albums in three years (1986-1988), and working with notable music producers such as Stock Aitken Waterman and Full Force.
Touch Me (1986)
Samantha Fox released her debut single, "Touch Me (I Want Your Body)", when she was 19 years old in March 1986. The single made the Top 10 on both sides of the Atlantic (#3 in the UK; #4 in the US). It also topped the charts in many countries, including Canada, South Africa and Australia. Her debut live performance came at Peter Stringfellow's club Hippodrome.
Her second single "Do Ya Do Ya (Wanna Please Me)" also made #10 in the UK though fared less well in the US. The third release from the album, "Hold On Tight" managed to secure a top thirty placing in the UK singles chart (#26) while the final single, "I'm All You Need" just narrowly missed the UK Top 40 (#41).
Samantha Fox (1987)
Within a year, Fox had released her 2nd album in 1987 for Jive Records titled Samantha Fox. The first single released from the album, "Nothing's Gonna Stop Me Now", enabled her to achieve her third (and final) top ten hit in the UK (#8), though it only managed to peak at #80 on the US Billboard charts. The track was produced by the legendary production team Stock/Aitken/Waterman. The second single release, "I Surrender (To the Spirit of the Night)", failed to match the success of its predecessor in the UK and peaked at #25 in the UK. The next two releases, "I Promise You (Get Ready)" and "True Devotion," both failed altogether to make the UK Top 40 singles chart. "True Devotion" was a substantial radio hit in Canada.
As a result of the disappointments in previous singles released from the album, the fifth and final single, "Naughty Girls (Need Love Too)," turned the fortunes of the album around and managed to secure a top ten placing on the US Billboard charts (#3), becoming her biggest hit to date in the US and scoring Fox another Top 40 hit on the UK Singles chart (#31). The track was a different sound for Fox, being produced by the US hip-hop producers Full Force. These would continue to work with Samantha on subsequent albums and achieve similar success with her stateside, whereas her changed sound did not fare as well for her with European listeners, who preferred the Euro-pop sound of her earlier music.
I Wanna Have Some Fun (1988)
The following year, Fox released her 3rd album in 1988 for Jive Records, titled I Wanna Have Some Fun. The album was produced by various producers covering the Euro-pop sound. Two tracks "Next To Me" and the title track reunited her for Full Force, where another reunion with Stock Aitken Waterman saw her record a cover of Dusty Springfield's "I Only Wanna Be With You", and the SAW original "You Started Something". The first single released from the album was "Love House".
The second single released in the UK, "I Only Wanna Be With You," managed to secure her her biggest hit in over a year, peaking in the Top Twenty at #16. The first single release in the US fared even better. The title selection, "I Wanna Have Some Fun," produced by Full-Force, managed to peak in the US Top Ten at #8. (Though released as the third single in the UK, it only managed a #63 placing.) The American release, as the follow-up, of "I Only Wanna Be With You" peaked inside the US Billboard Top 40 at #31. No further singles were released from the album.
Just One Night (1991)
After a 3-year break, Fox released her fourth album for Jive Records in 1991, titled Just One Night.
The first single lifted from the album Hurt Me Hurt Me (But The Pants Stay On) was another Full Force production. Unfortunately the lead single failed to make an impression in either the UK or US charts. Second single Another Woman, originally produced by Ralf-Rene Maue, was remixed by PWL stable-mate Phil Harding for release and performed moderately on some European charts. A third single, the albums title track, was also released.
A bonus track, "Now I Lay Me Down" (again a Full Force production), was featured in the film A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child and on the accompanying soundtrack.
1990s
In 1992, Jive released Samantha's first official compilation, Greatest Hits, which featured three new tracks.
Fox co-wrote and performed the track "Go For The Heart" for UK submission in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1995. (Note: Track submitted as performed by SOX featuring Chris Bonacci and Lorraine McKintosh) The track placed 4th in preliminary public voting and was therefore not selected as the representative track. The track was a modest hit throughout some European territories.
In 1997, she released a new album 21st Century Fox. The album performed moderately throughout Europe and Scandinavia. Without a worldwide distribution deal the album suffered from little promotion and a staggered release schedule. Singles "The Reason Is You", "Deeper", "Let Me Be Free" and "Perhaps" made little chart impression (although "Let Me Be Free" was a Top 20 hit in The Netherlands) despite Fox making numerous television appearances to promote the album. The album remains a firm favourite with fans. In 1999 Sam was cast in her first stage musical, Tayla Goodman's Virus, but she had to withdraw when the backer pulled his money. Director Peter Everett said that Sam's withdrawal from the show was a great loss, as thousands of fans were eagerly awaiting her stage appearance.
2000s
In 2004, Fox teamed up with Mats Söderlund (alias Günther) in order to do a remake of "Touch Me (I Want Your Body)".
In November 2005, Fox released her latest album, Angel with an Attitude in Canada produced by Joe Barrucco
The album was reissued in Australia to coincide with the Countdown Tour and included a new version of "Touch Me".
2008 saw the release of "Midnight Lover", a Euro-dance collaboration with Greek production team Zante Dilemma.
In September 2009, Fox was a guest vocalist on the track "Tomorrow (Is Another Day)", by Marc Mysterio. In October 2009 Fox's first three albums were reissued in the US with bonus tracks. Scheduled for December 2009 is a new Greatest Hits set, both in single cd and double cd formats, both of which included and the new Marc Mysterio single "Tomorrow", on which Fox provides guest vocals..
The double disc set features unreleased tracks from Stock Aitken and Waterman.
Filmography
Fox's pictures gained her such fandom in India that she was invited to star in a Bollywood film Rock Dancer. This was written and directed by V. Menon, starring Shammi Kapoor, Kamal Sadanah, Ronit Roy, Sharon Prabhakar, Javed Jaffri, Johnny Lever etc. It also featured guest appearances from Govinda, and was produced by Subbir Mukherjee.
Fox also featured in It’s Been Real, written and directed by Steve Varnom and starring John Altman, and The Match, written and directed by Michael Davis and starring Pierce Brosnan, Ian Holm, Tom Sizemore, Neil Morrissey, David Hayman and Ilar Blair.
On From Under the Cork Tree, Fall Out Boy have a track called "A Little Less Sixteen Candles, A Little More Touch Me" which references the movie Sixteen Candles and Samantha Fox's album Touch Me. (The title also references the posthumous dance hit by Elvis Presley, "A Little Less Conversation.")
Other sidelines
Fox's career quieted down as she grew older, and she was not as commercially successful in her singing as she had once been.
In 1986 Fox was featured in a strip poker game (Samantha Fox Strip Poker) for Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, MSX, BBC Micro, and Amstrad CPC.
In 1989, Fox co-presented the BRIT Awards with Mick Fleetwood, which became notorious for turning into a shambles; Fox has asserted in interviews since that the autocue did not work properly that night, leading to utter chaos during the show's live TV broadcast. She spent a year in New York presenting pop promo videos for MTV, and she made other attempts at TV presenting, including an interview with Rolf Harris, which was ill-fated even before it started as Fox referred to her interviewee as "Ralph" on several occasions, although he got his own back by resting his beard against her neck and tickling her with it. She appeared on the sitcom Charles In Charge in 1990 where she played the role of "Samantha Steele," a fictional rock star whose agent pushes her to romance Charles (Scott Baio) in order to get the paparazzi to print it in the tabloids. In the story line, it was done for career publicity reasons since people seem to enjoy some controversy. She also appeared in Fort Lauderdale, Florida for Spring Break, where she sang her various then current hits to thousands of college students.
Fox featured in the ITV programme An Audience With... Ken Dodd, during which she asked him how he liked to use his famous tickling stick , a multicoloured feather duster. Dodd responded by nonchalantly moving into the audience and letting the item stroke Fox's collar, before violently plunging down it her cleavage, making her scream and giggle.
In 2003, she appeared in ("reality television") show The Club, competing against Richard Blackwood and Dean Gaffney by trying to run the most successful bar in "The Club," which was full of celebrity guests such as Katie "Jordan" Price.
In 2008, Fox and her lover Myra took part in Celebrity Wife Swap, exchanging with Freddie Starr and his wife Donna.
In November 2009 she took part in ITV's I'm a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here. She was voted out on the 16th day.
Personal life
Fox was twice linked to Australian con man Peter Foster. They dated in 1986-87 and then, after a seven year separation, they reunited in 1994 for a year. They were at one time reportedly engaged to be married. Fox described Foster as "the love of my life". She has also been in relationships with Paul Stanley, the singer and rhythm guitarist for the band KISS; and also with Spanish bullfighter Rafi Camino.
In 1994, it was reported that Fox had become a born-again Christian. That year, she played at the Christian arts festival Greenbelt.
She has become distant from Peter Foster and said:
I'm old enough now to know that I'd never be taken in again by the likes of Peter Foster. But then, I was 22 and impressionable. My parents had split and here was a man who was clever, manipulative and domineering. I came close to marrying him because I was so vulnerable.
—Samantha Fox,
Some time after the Bai Lin Tea controversy he suggested that Samantha and he make a film about their lives, but she sent a refusal via her lawyer.
Rumours regarding Fox's sexual orientation began to surface in 1999 when she judged a lesbian beauty pageant, and many people said they believed that the woman she lived with at the time, Australian Cris Bonacci, formerly guitarist with Girlschool, was more than just her manager.
In February 2003, she made a statement about her personal life:
"But I can't keep saying, 'Maybe,' or denying it. It is time to let people know where my heart is. People keep trying to say I'm a lesbian. I don't know what I am. All I know is that I'm in love with Myra . I love her completely and want to spend the rest of my life with her."
Fox participated in the television show Celebrity Wife Swap with Stratton.
Part of her reluctance to come out was due to fears of how some of her fans might react to her being in relationship with a woman, as she had already had to deal with obsessed fans and stalkers.
In August 2009, Samantha Fox announced her plans to have a civil partnership with her long term girlfriend and manager, Myra Stratton.
Charitable activity
Samantha Fox donated her favourite bra to a charity auction which allowed fans to buy a piece of celebrity clothing. Sense-National Deafblind and Rubella Association's Strip It Off three-day auction which began on 4 March 2008 saw members of the public bidding for stars' garments in order to raise money for the deaf blind charity.
Discography
Main article: Samantha Fox discography
Albums
* 1986: Touch Me
* 1987: Samantha Fox
* 1988: I Wanna Have Some Fun
* 1991: Just One Night
* 1992: Greatest Hits
* 1998: 21st Century Fox
* 2002: Watching You Watching Me
* 2005: Angel with an Attitude
* 2009: Greatest Hits
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Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/15/10 at 5:48 am
The person who died on this day...Greta Garbo
Greta Garbo (18 September 1905 – 15 April 1990) was a Swedish actress during Hollywood's silent film period and part of its Golden Age.
Regarded as one of the greatest and most inscrutable movie stars ever produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and the Hollywood studio system, Garbo received a 1954 Honorary Academy Award "for her unforgettable screen performances" and in 1999 was ranked as the fifth greatest female star of all time by the American Film Institute Garbo was born Greta Lovisa Gustafsson in Stockholm, Sweden, the youngest of three children of Karl Alfred Gustafsson (1871–1920) and Anna Lovisa Johansson (1872–1944). Garbo's older brother and sister were Sven Alfred (1898–1967) and Alva Maria (1903–1926). The family lived in a small apartment at Blekingegatan No. 32 in Stockholm. She stated in the book Garbo On Garbo (p. 33) that her relationship with her mother was not strained.
Becoming an actress
c. 1920
When Gustafsson was 14 years old, her father, to whom she was extremely close, died. She was forced to leave school and go to work. Her first job was as a soap-lather girl in a barbershop. One day a young man by the name of Kristian Bergström, son of the founder of PUB department store, Paul U. Bergström, entered the barbershop for a shave. He eventually offered her a job as a clerk at PUB. She accepted the offer and started to work for PUB in July 1920 where she would also model for newspaper advertisements. Her first motion picture aspirations came when she appeared in two short film advertisements (the first for the department store where she worked). They were eventually seen by comedy director Erik Arthur Petschler and he gave her a part in his upcoming film Peter the Tramp (1922).
From 1922 to 1924, Gustafsson studied at the prestigious Royal Dramatic Theatre in Stockholm. While there, she met director Mauritz Stiller who worked as a teacher. He trained her in cinema acting technique, gave her the stage name 'Greta Garbo', and cast her in a major role in the silent film Gösta Berlings Saga (The Story of Gösta Berling) in 1924, a dramatization of the famous novel by Nobel Prize winner Selma Lagerlöf. She starred in Gösta Berling opposite Swedish film actor Lars Hanson, then appeared in the 1925 German film Die freudlose Gasse (The Joyless Street or The Street of Sorrow) directed by G. W. Pabst and co-starring Asta Nielsen.
During filming of Die freudlose Gasse (1925)
She and Stiller were brought to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer by Louis B. Mayer when Gösta Berlings Saga caught his attention. On viewing the film during a visit to Berlin, Mayer was impressed with Stiller's direction, but was much more taken with Garbo's acting and screen presence. According to Mayer's daughter, Irene Mayer Selznick, with whom he screened the film, it was the gentle feeling and expression that emanated from her eyes which so impressed her father.
Unfortunately, her relationship with Stiller came to an end as her fame grew and he struggled in the studio system. He was fired by MGM and returned to Sweden in 1927, where he died the following year. Garbo was also a close friend of Einar Hanson, a Swedish actor who worked with her and Pabst on The Joyless Street, and then came to Hollywood to work at MGM and Paramount Pictures. Einar Hanson was killed in an auto accident in 1927, after leaving a dinner with Garbo and Stiller. Garbo's sister Alva died of cancer in 1926 at the age of 23 after appearing in one feature film in Sweden, adding to the melancholy Garbo felt at being in Hollywood. MGM refused to allow Garbo to attend her sister's funeral in Sweden. She was only able to return there for a visit in 1928.
Life in Hollywood
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Greta Garbo in 1932
The most well received of Garbo's silent movies were Flesh and the Devil (1927), Love (1927) and The Mysterious Lady (1928). She starred in the first two with the popular leading man John Gilbert. Her name was linked with his in a much publicized romance, and she was said to have left him standing at the altar in 1926, when she changed her mind about getting married.
Having achieved enormous success as a silent movie star, she was one of the few actors or actresses who made the transition to talkies, though she delayed the shift for as long as possible. Her film The Kiss (1929) was the last film MGM made without dialogue (it used a soundtrack with music and sound effects only).
Her voice was first heard on screen in Eugene O'Neill's Anna Christie (1930), which was publicized with the slogan "Garbo Talks". The movie was a huge success. In 1931 Garbo made a German version of the movie.
Garbo appeared as the World War I spy Mata Hari (1931). She was next part of an all-star cast in Grand Hotel (1932) in which she played a Russian ballerina.
She then had a contract dispute with MGM, and signed a new contract with the studio in July 1932, departing for Sweden later the same month. She exercised her new control by having her leading man in Queen Christina (1933), Laurence Olivier, replaced with Gilbert. In 1935, David O. Selznick wanted her cast as the dying heiress in Dark Victory, but she insisted on doing Tolstoy's Anna Karenina. Bette Davis would eventually play the Judith Traherne role in Dark Victory and score her third Oscar nomination.
Her role as the doomed courtesan in Camille (1936), opposite Robert Taylor and directed by George Cukor, would be regarded by Garbo as her finest acting performance. She then starred opposite Melvyn Douglas in Ninotchka (1939), directed by Ernst Lubitsch.
Garbo was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for Anna Christie (1930), Romance (1930), Camille (1937) and Ninotchka (1939).
Garbo received praise from many fellow actors:
Her instinct, her mastery over the machine, was pure witchcraft. I cannot analyse this woman's acting. I only know that no one else so effectively worked in front of a camera. —Bette Davis
During Garbo's Hollywood career, she was frequently caricatured in the animated cartoons of the day. These include Warner Brothers' Porky's Road Race, Speaking of the Weather (both directed by Frank Tashlin) and Hollywood Steps Out (directed by Tex Avery). She is also caricatured in Disney's Mickey's Gala Premiere, among others.
Later career
Greta Garbo together with her mother Anna Gustafsson during a trip in USA 1939.
Ninotchka was a successful attempt at lightening Garbo's image and making her less exotic. The comedy, Garbo's first, was marketed with the tagline, "Garbo laughs!". The follow-up film, Two-Faced Woman (1941), attempted to capitalize by casting Garbo in a romantic comedy, where she played a double role that featured her dancing, and tried to make her into "an ordinary girl". The film, Garbo's last, was directed by George Cukor, and was a critical (though not a commercial) failure.
It is often reported that Garbo chose to retire from cinema after this film's failure, but already by 1935 she was becoming more choosy about her roles, and eventually years passed without her agreeing to do another film. By her own admission, Garbo felt that after World War II the world changed, perhaps forever.
In 1949, Garbo filmed several screen tests as she considered reentering the movie business to shoot La Duchesse de Langeais directed by Walter Wanger; otherwise she never stepped in front of a movie camera again. The plans for this film collapsed when financing failed to materialize, and these tests were lost for 40 years, before resurfacing in someone's garage. They were included in the 2005 TCM documentary Garbo, and show her still radiant at age 43. There were suggestions that she might appear as the "Duchess de Guermantes" in a film adaptation of Marcel Proust's Remembrance of Things Past: but this never came to fruition. She was offered many roles over the years, but always turned them down.
Her last interview was probably with the entertainment writer Paul Callan of the British newspaper Daily Mail during the Cannes Film Festival. Meeting at the Hotel du Cap Eden Roc, Callan began "I wonder..." before Garbo cut in with "Why wonder?" and stalked off, making it one of the shortest interviews ever published.
She gradually withdrew from the entertainment world and moved to a secluded life in New York City, refusing to make any public appearances. Until her death, Garbo sightings were considered sport for paparazzi photographers. In 1974, pornographic filmmaker Peter De Rome tracked Garbo across New York and shot unauthorized footage of her for inclusion in his X-rated feature Adam & Yves.
Despite these attempts to flee from fame, she was nevertheless voted Best Silent Actress of the Century (her compatriot Ingrid Bergman winning the Best Sound Actress) in 1950, and was once designated as the most beautiful woman who ever lived by the Guinness Book of World Records.
Private life
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A veiled Garbo in dark coat and hat writes at a counter.
Filling out U.S. citizenship paperwork in 1950
Soon after her career took off, Garbo became known as a recluse; throughout her lifetime she conducted no interviews, signed no autographs, attended no social functions and answered no fan mail. Today she is often associated with her famous line from Grand Hotel: "I want to be alone". However, Garbo later commented, "I never said, 'I want to be alone.' I only said, 'I want to be left alone.' There is all the difference." Garbo neither married nor had children; she lived alone.
Garbo suffered from periods of depression, and has been described in various private letters as being narcissistic, possessive, and supposedly ashamed of her father, a latrine cleaner.
There was some speculation that Garbo was bisexual, that she had intimate relationships with women as well as men, such as the actor John Gilbert. They starred together for the first time in the classic Flesh and the Devil in 1926. Their on-screen erotic intensity soon translated into an off-camera romance, and by the end of production Garbo had moved in with Gilbert. Gilbert allegedly proposed to her three times before she finally accepted. When a marriage was finally arranged in 1926, she failed to show up at the ceremony. After the affair ended, and Gilbert's career collapsed with sound films, Garbo showed great loyalty to him and insisted that he appear with her in 1933's Queen Christina, despite the objection of MGM studio head Louis B. Mayer.
Garbo was introduced to stage and screen actress Lilyan Tashman at a tennis party in 1927 and allegedly had an affair with her. The two became inseparable companions who went shopping, swimming, and to Tashman's garden cottage.
In 1931, Garbo befriended the writer and socialite Mercedes de Acosta, introduced to her by the author Salka Viertel. According to de Acosta, the pair ultimately began a sporadic and volatile romance, punctuated by long periods of Garbo ignoring her and disregarding her many love letters. After about a year, the relationship ended, but they maintained contact. Following de Acosta's claims about her many trysts with Garbo, in her controversial autobiography Here Lies the Heart in 1960, the pair were permanently estranged.
According to the memoir written by dancer, model, and silent film actress Louise Brooks, she and Garbo had a brief liaison. Brooks described Garbo as masculine but a "charming and tender lover".
The 1995 biography Garbo relates Garbo's relationships—which were often just close friendships—with actor George Brent, conductor Leopold Stokowski, nutritionist Gayelord Hauser, photographer Cecil Beaton, and her manager George Schlee, husband of designer Valentina.
Secluded retirement
Gravestone of Greta Garbo
Garbo felt her movies had their proper place in history and would gain in value. On 9 February 1951, she became a naturalized citizen of the United States. In 1954 she was awarded a special Academy Award.
In 1953, she bought a seven-room apartment in New York City at 450 East 52nd Street, where she lived for the rest of her life.
She would at times jet-set with some of the world's best known personalities such as Aristotle Onassis and Cecil Beaton, but chose to live a private life. She was known for taking long walks through the New York streets dressed casually and wearing large sunglasses, always avoiding prying eyes, the paparazzi, and media attention. Garbo did, however, receive one last flurry of publicity when nude photos, taken with a long-range lens, were published in People in 1976. Trim and relaxed, she was enjoying a swim.
Garbo lived the last years of her life in absolute seclusion. Having invested very wisely, particularly in commercial property along Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, she was known for extreme frugality, and was very wealthy.
She died in New York Hospital on 15 April 1990, aged 84, as a result of pneumonia and renal failure. She had previously been successfully treated for breast cancer.
She was cremated, and after a long legal battle her ashes were finally interred at the Skogskyrkogården Cemetery in her native Stockholm. She left her entire estate, estimated at $20,000,000 USD to her niece, Gray Reisfield of New Jersey.
For her contributions to cinema, she has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6901 Hollywood Boulevard. In addition, in September 2005, the United States Postal Service and Swedish Posten jointly issued two commemorative stamps bearing her likeness.
Filmography
Year Film Role Notes
1920 Mr and Mrs Stockholm Go Shopping Elder sister former title: How Not To Dress
The Gay Cavalier Extra uncredited
1921 Our Daily Bread Companion
The Scarlet Angel Extra uncredited
1922 Peter the Tramp Greta
1924 The Story of Gösta Berling Elizabeth Dohna directed by Mauritz Stiller
1925 Die freudlose Gasse Greta Rumfort The Joyless Street
1926 The Torrent Leonora Moreno aka La Brunna First American movie
The Temptress Elena
Flesh and the Devil Felicitas directed by Clarence Brown
1927 Love Anna Karenina directed by Edmund Goulding
1928 The Divine Woman Marianne Only a 9 minute reel exists. Source: The Mysterious Lady DVD
The Mysterious Lady Tania Fedorova
A Woman of Affairs Diana Merrick Furness
1929 Wild Orchids Lillie Sterling
The Single Standard Arden Stuart Hewlett
The Kiss Irene Guarry
1930 Anna Christie Anna Christie Nominated – Academy Award for Best Actress
Garbo's first talkie
Romance Madame Rita Cavallini Nominated – Academy Award for Best Actress
1931 Anna Christie Anna Christie MGM's German version of Anna Christie, released early 1931
Inspiration Yvonne Valbret
Susan Lenox (Her Fall and Rise) Susan Lenox
Mata Hari Mata Hari
1932 Grand Hotel Grusinskaya
As You Desire Me Zara aka Marie
1933 Queen Christina Queen Christina
1934 The Painted Veil Katrin Koerber Fane
1935 Anna Karenina Anna Karenina New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress
1936 Camille Marguerite Gautier Nominated – Academy Award for Best Actress
1937 Conquest Countess Marie Walewska
1939 Ninotchka Nina Ivanovna 'Ninotchka' Yakushova Nominated – Academy Award for Best Actress
1941 Two-Faced Woman Karin Borg Blake
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Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Howard on 04/15/10 at 6:52 am
http://spin1038.com/wp-content/files/2009/11/celeb-6.jpg
At 44 she is still smokin hot. :o Who didn't have fantasies about her growing up in the 80's.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/15/10 at 7:21 am
http://spin1038.com/wp-content/files/2009/11/celeb-6.jpg
At 44 she is still smokin hot. :o Who didn't have fantasies about her growing up in the 80's.
I didn't :D
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: CatwomanofV on 04/15/10 at 10:09 am
I didn't :D
Same here.
Cat
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/15/10 at 11:01 am
Same here.
Cat
;D
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Frank on 04/15/10 at 3:11 pm
http://spin1038.com/wp-content/files/2009/11/celeb-6.jpg
At 44 she is still smokin hot. :o Who didn't have fantasies about her growing up in the 80's.
My buddy has a large poster of Samantha on his wall during the 80s. I remember that very well.
Kim Wilde too.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: gibbo on 04/15/10 at 6:58 pm
http://i553.photobucket.com/albums/jj391/watt_69/SamanthaFox5.jpg
My buddy has a large poster of Samantha on his wall during the 80s. I remember that very well.
Kim Wilde too.
I liked them both.... :) Umm...I meant Fox and Wilde that is... ::)
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Howard on 04/15/10 at 7:02 pm
My buddy has a large poster of Samantha on his wall during the 80s. I remember that very well.
Kim Wilde too.
Do you have a poster of Madonna from back in the 80's? ???
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/16/10 at 4:50 am
The word of the day...House
A house is a building in which people live, usually the people belonging to one family.
You can refer to all the people who live together in a house as the house.
House is used in the names of types of places where people go to eat and drink
House is used in the names of types of companies, especially ones which publish books, lend money, or design clothes
You can refer to the two main bodies of Britain's parliament and the United States of America's legislature as the House or a House.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c7/cyrenschant/House/Front.jpg
http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr215/cken1774/House.jpg
http://i738.photobucket.com/albums/xx26/tsukimusic/For%20JA/House.jpg
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q206/daddyoh70/Abandoned_House.jpg
http://i389.photobucket.com/albums/oo336/GirlsDontPoop216/house.jpg
http://i901.photobucket.com/albums/ac219/carlataone/Clean-the-House.jpg
http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/zz15/eltamia/Our%20house/330Downing106.jpg
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h241/4acesup/Entertainment/Movies/Big_mommas_house.jpg
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/16/10 at 4:54 am
The person born on this day...Martin Lawrence
Martin Fitzgerald Lawrence (born April 16, 1965) is an American actor, comedian, director, and producer. He came to fame during the 1990s, establishing a Hollywood career as a leading actor. Lawrence has acted in numerous movie roles and starred in his own television series, Martin, which ran from 1992 to 1997. Martin Lawrence born in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. where his father, John Lawrence, served in the U.S. Military. After his parents divorced in 1973, Lawrence rarely saw his father, who worked as a police officer at the time. His mother, Chlora, began working several jobs to support her family. During his teen years, Lawrence excelled at boxing. While living in Maryland, he attended Thomas G. Pullen School of Creative and Performing Arts (Landover, Maryland), Fairmont Heights High School (Fairmount Heights, Maryland), Eleanor Roosevelt High School and also Friendly High School in Fort Washington, Maryland, becoming a Mid-Atlantic Golden Gloves boxing contender.
Career
Lawrence moved to Los Angeles and found his way to the legendary Kings Wood comedy club. Shortly after appearing at the Wood, he won a performance spot on Star Search, a popular show in the United States. He did well on the show and made it to the final round before ultimately losing. However, executives at Columbia TriStar Television saw Martin's performance and offered him the role of "Maurice" on the television sitcom What's Happening Now!!; this was his first acting job. Upon cancellation of that show, Lawrence found bit parts in various films and television roles. His breakthrough role was as Cee in the Spike Lee film Do the Right Thing. Other roles followed in films such as the House Party series and the Eddie Murphy vehicle Boomerang. During this period, entertainment mogul Russell Simmons selected him to host the groundbreaking series Def Comedy Jam on HBO. Def Comedy Jam gave many comedians (including Chris Tucker, Dave Chappelle, Bernie Mac and Cedric the Entertainer) mainstream exposure.
During his stint with Def Comedy Jam, Lawrence appeared in his own hit series, Martin, which aired on FOX. The show ran from 1992 to 1997 and was an enormous success. "Martin" was the flagship of FOX's Thursday-night line-up, which drew millions of viewers away from NBC's "Must See TV" line-up. He hosted Saturday Night Live on February 19, 1994, where he made crude remarks about women's genitalia and personal hygiene; the monologue was completely edited out of NBC reruns and syndicated versions, and Lawrence was banned from the show for the rest of his life. "Martin"'s ratings continued to skyrocket so much that FOX became more of a contender against NBC and came closer to being considered among the top television networks. SNL was rumored to have invited Martin back to the show months later. It was said that he declined the offer. After Martin ended its run, Lawrence found ample work in comedy films. He often starred as the second lead opposite actors including Eddie Murphy, Will Smith, and Tim Robbins. Many of his films were blockbusters at the box office, including Boomerang (1992), Bad Boys (1995), Blue Streak (1999), Big Momma's House (2000) and Bad Boys 2 (2003). He also starred in critical and box office failures including Black Knight (2001) and National Security (2002). Regardless, his salary steadily increased to over $10 million per film role. He continues to work in film, with such films as Big Momma's House 2, which opened #1 at the North American box office and grossed almost $28 million its first weekend, and Wild Hogs (2007), in which he plays a bored suburbanite seeking adventure on the open road in a biker comedy alongside John Travolta, Tim Allen and William H. Macy.
In 2006, Lawrence appeared on Inside the Actors Studio, during which Lawrence briefly brought back to life some of the characters he'd portrayed on Martin.
At the 2009 BET Awards he appeared in a spoof movie trailer with Jamie Foxx for a fictitious movie that featured, respectively, their infamous TV characters Sheneneh Jenkins and Ugly Wanda.
Lawrence has reportedly signed on to star in an upcoming comedy titled Back To Africa. According to Variety, Lawrence will play a working-class man from Queens, New York who discovers that he is the heir to the throne of an African country and travels there to claim his birthright. Lawrence will serve as a producer on the film, which will be released via his Runteldat imprint and Alcon Entertainment. A release date for the film has not been announced. Also Produced show on tvone called Love that Girl
Personal life
Lawrence was engaged to Lark Voorhies in 1993.
He married Patricia Southall, a former Miss Virginia USA, in January 1995. Lawrence has a daughter with Southall named Jasmine Page, born on January 15, 1996. They divorced in September 1996. Lawrence also has two other daughters, Lyana and America, born in 2001 and 2003.
In 1996, Lawrence's Martin co-star, Tisha Campbell-Martin, filed a lawsuit against Lawrence and the show's producers for sexual harassment and verbal and physical assaults. HBO Studios settled the lawsuit so the show's final season could be completed. Campbell-Martin agreed to complete the season on the condition that she not appear in any scenes in the last two episodes with Lawrence. No criminal charges were ever filed and the accusations were never brought to court.
In the mid-1990s, Lawrence began abusing psychotropic drugs, and during filming of A Thin Line Between Love and Hate lashed out in a violent outburst on the set. He became increasingly erratic and was arrested after he reportedly brandished a pistol and screamed at tourists on Ventura Boulevard in Los Angeles. He was also arrested at Burbank Airport for carrying a loaded gun in his suitcase. In March 1997, Lawrence was arrested again after assaulting a man in a Hollywood nightclub.
During August 1999, Lawrence slipped into a three-day coma after collapsing from heat exhaustion while jogging in 100-degree heat while wearing several layers of heavy clothing. He recovered in the hospital after very nearly dying and running a body temperature of 107 °F (41.7 °C), his breathing assisted by a respirator.
Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
1989 Do The Right Thing Cee
1990 House Party Bilal
1991 Talkin' Dirty After Dark Terry
House Party 2 Bilal
1992 Boomerang Tyler
1994 You So Crazy Himself stand-up acting
executive producer and writer
1995 Bad Boys Marcus Burnett
1996 A Thin Line Between Love and Hate Narrator/Darnell 'Deeny/'D'/D.W.' Wright also director, exc. producer,music supervisor and writer
1997 Nothing to Lose Terrance Paul Davidson
1999 Life Claude Banks
Blue Streak Miles Logan/Detective Malone
2000 Big Momma's House Malcolm Turner/Big Momma also executive producer
2001 What's the Worst That Could Happen? Kevin Caffery
Black Knight Jamal Walker/Skywalker
2002 Martin Lawrence Live: Runteldat Himself also executive producer
stand-up acting/writer
2003 National Security Earl Montgomery also executive producer
Bad Boys II Marcus Burnett
2005 Rebound Roy McCormick/Preacher Don also executive producer
2006 Big Momma's House 2 Malcolm Turner/Big Momma
Open Season Boog voice
2007 Wild Hogs Bobby Davis
2008 Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins Dr. RJ Stevens/Roscoe Steven Jenkins, Jr.
College Road Trip Chief James Porter
2010 Death at a Funeral Ryan Parlson
2012 Big Momma's House 3 Malcolm Turner/Big Momma
Television
* What's Happening Now!! (cast member from 1987–1988) - Maurice
* A Little Bit Strange (1989) (unsold pilot)
* Hammer, Slammer, & Slade (1990) (unsold pilot)
* Private Times (1991) (unsold pilot)
* Martin (1992–1997) - Martin Payne
* Def Comedy Jam (host from 1992–1993)
* Love That Girl (executive producer)
Albums
Year Album Chart Positions
US US Hip-Hop
1993 Martin Lawrence Live Talkin' sheesh 76 10
1995 Funk It - 35
Awards and nominations
* Blockbuster Entertainment Award
o nominated with Eddie Murphy for Favorite Comedy Team (2000) for the movie Life
o nominated for Favorite Actor (2001) for the movie Big Momma's House
* NAACP Image Award
o won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (1995) for the series Martin
o won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (1996) for the series Martin
o nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (1997) for the series Martin
* Kids' Choice Award
o nominated for Favorite Television Actor (1995) for the series Martin
o nominated for Favorite Television Actor (1996) for the series Martin
o nominated for Favorite Movie Actor (2001) for the movie Big Momma's House
* MTV Movie Award
o nominated with Will Smith for Best On-Screen Duo (1996) for the movie Bad Boys
o nominated for the movie Big Momma's House
o nominated with Will Smith for Best On-Screen Team (2003) for the movie Bad Boys II
* ShoWest - Male Star of Tomorrow (1995)
* Teen Choice Award - nominated for Wipeout Scene of the Summer (2000) for the movie Big Momma's House
* BET Comedy Award - won Icon Comedy Award (2005)
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http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd201/santitoy/28martinlawrence.jpg
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/16/10 at 4:58 am
The person who died on this day...David Lean
Sir David Lean CBE (25 March 1908 – 16 April 1991) was a British filmmaker, producer, screenwriter and editor, best remembered for big-screen epics such as Lawrence of Arabia, The Bridge on the River Kwai, Doctor Zhivago, Ryan's Daughter, and A Passage to India. Acclaimed and praised by directors such as Steven Spielberg and Stanley Kubrick, Lean was voted 9th greatest film director of all time in the British Film Institute Sight & Sound "Directors Top Directors" poll 2002. Lean has four films in the top eleven of the British Film Institute's Top 100 British Films. David Lean was born in Croydon, Surrey (now part of Greater London), to Francis William le Blount Lean and the former Helena Tangye (niece of Sir Richard Trevithick Tangye). His parents were Quakers and he was a pupil at the Quaker-founded Leighton Park School in Reading. His younger brother, Edward Tangye Lean (1911–1974), founded the original Inklings literary club when a student at Oxford University.
Film career
Editing
Lean started at the bottom, as a clapperboard assistant. By 1930 he was working as an editor on newsreels, including those of Gaumont Pictures and Movietone. His career in feature films began with Freedom of the Seas in 1934 and Escape Me Never in 1935.
He edited Gabriel Pascal's film productions of two George Bernard Shaw plays, Pygmalion (1938) and Major Barbara (1941). He edited Powell & Pressburger's 49th Parallel (1941) and One of Our Aircraft Is Missing (1942). After this last film, Lean began his directing career, after editing more than two dozen features by 1942. As Tony Sloman wrote in 1999, "As the varied likes of David Lean, Robert Wise, Terence Fisher and Dorothy Arzner have proved, the cutting rooms are easily the finest grounding for film direction."
For Lean's final film, A Passage to India (1984), he chose to both direct and edit, and the two roles were given precisely equal status in the film's credits. Lean was nominated for Academy Awards in directing, editing, and writing for the film.
Directing
His first work as a director was in collaboration with Noël Coward on In Which We Serve (1942), and he later adapted several of Coward's plays into successful films. These included This Happy Breed (1944), Blithe Spirit (1945) and Brief Encounter (1945). Two celebrated Charles Dickens adaptations followed - Great Expectations (1946) and Oliver Twist (1948). The 2 latter films were the first of many films of his that starred Alec Guinness, who he considered to be his "good luck charm". He frequently cast Guinness in many of his films later on. The Sound Barrier (1952) had a screenplay by the playwright Terence Rattigan and Hobson's Choice (1954) was based on the play by Harold Brighouse.
Summertime (1955), marked a new direction for Lean. It was shot entirely on location in Venice. U.S.-financed, the film starred Katharine Hepburn as a middle-aged American woman who has a romance while on holiday in Venice. In the following years, Lean made the epics for which he is best known: The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957), for which he won an Academy Award, followed by another for Lawrence of Arabia, (1962). Doctor Zhivago (1965) was another major hit. In addition, Lean directed some scenes of The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965) while George Stevens was doing location work in Nevada. Most of his scenes involved Claude Rains and Jose Ferrer, both of whom had previously worked with Lean on Lawrence of Arabia. Following the moderately successful Ryan's Daughter in 1970, he did not direct another film until A Passage to India (1984), which would be his last.
From 1977 until 1980, Lean and Robert Bolt were working on a film adaptation of Captain Bligh and Mr. Christian by Richard Hough, which is a dramatized account of the Mutiny on the Bounty. It was originally written to be a two-part film, the first film was titled "The Lawbreakers" which dealt with the voyage out to Tahiti and the subsequent mutiny, and the second named "The Long Arm" that studied the journey of the mutineers after the mutiny, as well as the admiralty's response in sending out the frigate HMS Pandora and her famous box in which some of the mutineers were imprisoned. Lean could not find financial backing for both films after Warner Bros. withdrew from the project. Lean decided to combine it into one, and even looked at a seven-part TV series. The project suffered a further setback when Bolt suffered a massive stroke and was unable to continue writing. Melvyn Bragg ended up writing a considerable portion of the script. Lean was ultimately forced to abandon the project. The project was eventually released as The Bounty.
During the last years of his life, Lean was in pre-production of a film version of Joseph Conrad's Nostromo. Lean assembled an all star cast for his film, including Marlon Brando, Paul Scofield, Anthony Quinn, Peter O'Toole, Christopher Lambert, Isabella Rossellini, Dennis Quaid and Georges Corraface as the title character. Lean also wanted Alec Guinness to play Doctor Monyghan, but the aged actor turned him down in a letter from 1989: "I believe I would be disastrous casting. The only thing in the part I might have done well is the crippled crab-like walk." Steven Spielberg came on board as producer, with the backing of Warner Bros., but after several rewrites and disagreements on the script, Spielberg left the project and was replaced by Serge Silberman, a respected producer at Greenwich Film Productions. The project went through several writers; among those were Christopher Hampton and Robert Bolt. But in the end, Lean decided to write the film himself with the assistance of Maggie Unsworth, with whom he had worked on the scripts for Brief Encounter, Great Expectations, Oliver Twist and The Passionate Friends. Originally Lean considered filming in Mexico, but later decided to film in London and Madrid, partly to secure O'Toole, who had insisted he would only take part if the film was shot close to home. Nostromo had a total budget of $46m and was just six weeks away from filming at the time of Lean's death of throat cancer. It was rumoured that fellow film director John Boorman would be taking over direction, but the production collapsed and Nostromo soon became a BBC television mini-series.
Lean was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1973, and was knighted in 1984.
BAFTA
Lean was one of the founding members of the British Film Academy (later the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, or BAFTA) and was appointed its first chairman in 1947.
Reputation
David Lean received the AFI Life Achievement Award in 1990, being one of only three non-Americans to receive the award.
Lean is the most represented director on the BFI Top 100 British films list, having a total of seven films on the list, and four films in the top eleven. Lean's films in general have always been extremely popular with the general public, with The Bridge on the River Kwai, Lawrence of Arabia, and Doctor Zhivago among the highest-grossing films of all time. While Ryan's Daughter and A Passage to India were less successful on release, they have found wide and appreciative audiences since their release on DVD.
As Lean himself pointed out, his films are often admired by fellow directors as a showcase of the filmmaker's art. Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese in particular were huge fans of Lean's epic films, and claimed him as one of their primary influences. Both Spielberg and Scorsese also helped in the 1989 restoration of Lawrence of Arabia which, when released, greatly revived Lean's reputation.
George Lucas has referenced Lean's films, Lawrence of Arabia in particular, throughout his Star Wars film series. John Milius, Sergio Leone, Sam Peckinpah, Stanley Kubrick, and Sydney Pollack also claimed influence from Lean's films. Mel Brooks is also an admirer and parodied several of Lean's films in his sci-fi spoof Spaceballs. More recently, Joe Wright (Pride & Prejudice, Atonement) has cited Lean's works, particularly Doctor Zhivago, as an important influence on his work, and Baz Luhrmann has named Lean as one of the inspirations for his 2008 epic Australia.
Personal life
Lean was a long-term resident of Limehouse, East London. His home on Narrow Street is still owned by his family. He was married six times, had one son, and was divorced five times. He was survived by his last wife, Sandra Cooke.
1. Isabel Lean (28 June 1930 – 1936) (his first cousin) — one son, Peter
2. Kay Walsh (23 November 1940 – 1949)
3. Ann Todd (21 May 1949 – 1957)
4. Leila Matkar (4 July 1960 – 1978)
5. Sandra Hotz (28 October 1981 – 1984)
6. Sandra Cooke (15 December 1990 – 16 April 1991)
Filmography
Main article: David Lean filmography and awards in his films
Awards
Lean was nominated for a total of nine Academy Awards: seven for Best Director, one for Best Adapted Screenplay, and one for Best Film Editing, the latter two being for A Passage to India. Out of these nominations, Lean won two Oscars, both in the category of Best Director, for The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) and Lawrence of Arabia (1962). With seven nominations in the category of Best Director, Lean is the third most nominated director in Oscar history, tied with Fred Zinnemann and behind Billy Wilder (8 nominations) and William Wyler (12 nominations).
Lean was also nominated for four Golden Globe awards for Best Director, winning three, for The Bridge on the River Kwai, Lawrence of Arabia, and Doctor Zhivago.
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Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Howard on 04/16/10 at 6:48 am
The person born on this day...Martin Lawrence
Martin Fitzgerald Lawrence (born April 16, 1965) is an American actor, comedian, director, and producer. He came to fame during the 1990s, establishing a Hollywood career as a leading actor. Lawrence has acted in numerous movie roles and starred in his own television series, Martin, which ran from 1992 to 1997. Martin Lawrence born in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. where his father, John Lawrence, served in the U.S. Military. After his parents divorced in 1973, Lawrence rarely saw his father, who worked as a police officer at the time. His mother, Chlora, began working several jobs to support her family. During his teen years, Lawrence excelled at boxing. While living in Maryland, he attended Thomas G. Pullen School of Creative and Performing Arts (Landover, Maryland), Fairmont Heights High School (Fairmount Heights, Maryland), Eleanor Roosevelt High School and also Friendly High School in Fort Washington, Maryland, becoming a Mid-Atlantic Golden Gloves boxing contender.
Career
Lawrence moved to Los Angeles and found his way to the legendary Kings Wood comedy club. Shortly after appearing at the Wood, he won a performance spot on Star Search, a popular show in the United States. He did well on the show and made it to the final round before ultimately losing. However, executives at Columbia TriStar Television saw Martin's performance and offered him the role of "Maurice" on the television sitcom What's Happening Now!!; this was his first acting job. Upon cancellation of that show, Lawrence found bit parts in various films and television roles. His breakthrough role was as Cee in the Spike Lee film Do the Right Thing. Other roles followed in films such as the House Party series and the Eddie Murphy vehicle Boomerang. During this period, entertainment mogul Russell Simmons selected him to host the groundbreaking series Def Comedy Jam on HBO. Def Comedy Jam gave many comedians (including Chris Tucker, Dave Chappelle, Bernie Mac and Cedric the Entertainer) mainstream exposure.
During his stint with Def Comedy Jam, Lawrence appeared in his own hit series, Martin, which aired on FOX. The show ran from 1992 to 1997 and was an enormous success. "Martin" was the flagship of FOX's Thursday-night line-up, which drew millions of viewers away from NBC's "Must See TV" line-up. He hosted Saturday Night Live on February 19, 1994, where he made crude remarks about women's genitalia and personal hygiene; the monologue was completely edited out of NBC reruns and syndicated versions, and Lawrence was banned from the show for the rest of his life. "Martin"'s ratings continued to skyrocket so much that FOX became more of a contender against NBC and came closer to being considered among the top television networks. SNL was rumored to have invited Martin back to the show months later. It was said that he declined the offer. After Martin ended its run, Lawrence found ample work in comedy films. He often starred as the second lead opposite actors including Eddie Murphy, Will Smith, and Tim Robbins. Many of his films were blockbusters at the box office, including Boomerang (1992), Bad Boys (1995), Blue Streak (1999), Big Momma's House (2000) and Bad Boys 2 (2003). He also starred in critical and box office failures including Black Knight (2001) and National Security (2002). Regardless, his salary steadily increased to over $10 million per film role. He continues to work in film, with such films as Big Momma's House 2, which opened #1 at the North American box office and grossed almost $28 million its first weekend, and Wild Hogs (2007), in which he plays a bored suburbanite seeking adventure on the open road in a biker comedy alongside John Travolta, Tim Allen and William H. Macy.
In 2006, Lawrence appeared on Inside the Actors Studio, during which Lawrence briefly brought back to life some of the characters he'd portrayed on Martin.
At the 2009 BET Awards he appeared in a spoof movie trailer with Jamie Foxx for a fictitious movie that featured, respectively, their infamous TV characters Sheneneh Jenkins and Ugly Wanda.
Lawrence has reportedly signed on to star in an upcoming comedy titled Back To Africa. According to Variety, Lawrence will play a working-class man from Queens, New York who discovers that he is the heir to the throne of an African country and travels there to claim his birthright. Lawrence will serve as a producer on the film, which will be released via his Runteldat imprint and Alcon Entertainment. A release date for the film has not been announced. Also Produced show on tvone called Love that Girl
Personal life
Lawrence was engaged to Lark Voorhies in 1993.
He married Patricia Southall, a former Miss Virginia USA, in January 1995. Lawrence has a daughter with Southall named Jasmine Page, born on January 15, 1996. They divorced in September 1996. Lawrence also has two other daughters, Lyana and America, born in 2001 and 2003.
In 1996, Lawrence's Martin co-star, Tisha Campbell-Martin, filed a lawsuit against Lawrence and the show's producers for sexual harassment and verbal and physical assaults. HBO Studios settled the lawsuit so the show's final season could be completed. Campbell-Martin agreed to complete the season on the condition that she not appear in any scenes in the last two episodes with Lawrence. No criminal charges were ever filed and the accusations were never brought to court.
In the mid-1990s, Lawrence began abusing psychotropic drugs, and during filming of A Thin Line Between Love and Hate lashed out in a violent outburst on the set. He became increasingly erratic and was arrested after he reportedly brandished a pistol and screamed at tourists on Ventura Boulevard in Los Angeles. He was also arrested at Burbank Airport for carrying a loaded gun in his suitcase. In March 1997, Lawrence was arrested again after assaulting a man in a Hollywood nightclub.
During August 1999, Lawrence slipped into a three-day coma after collapsing from heat exhaustion while jogging in 100-degree heat while wearing several layers of heavy clothing. He recovered in the hospital after very nearly dying and running a body temperature of 107 °F (41.7 °C), his breathing assisted by a respirator.
Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
1989 Do The Right Thing Cee
1990 House Party Bilal
1991 Talkin' Dirty After Dark Terry
House Party 2 Bilal
1992 Boomerang Tyler
1994 You So Crazy Himself stand-up acting
executive producer and writer
1995 Bad Boys Marcus Burnett
1996 A Thin Line Between Love and Hate Narrator/Darnell 'Deeny/'D'/D.W.' Wright also director, exc. producer,music supervisor and writer
1997 Nothing to Lose Terrance Paul Davidson
1999 Life Claude Banks
Blue Streak Miles Logan/Detective Malone
2000 Big Momma's House Malcolm Turner/Big Momma also executive producer
2001 What's the Worst That Could Happen? Kevin Caffery
Black Knight Jamal Walker/Skywalker
2002 Martin Lawrence Live: Runteldat Himself also executive producer
stand-up acting/writer
2003 National Security Earl Montgomery also executive producer
Bad Boys II Marcus Burnett
2005 Rebound Roy McCormick/Preacher Don also executive producer
2006 Big Momma's House 2 Malcolm Turner/Big Momma
Open Season Boog voice
2007 Wild Hogs Bobby Davis
2008 Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins Dr. RJ Stevens/Roscoe Steven Jenkins, Jr.
College Road Trip Chief James Porter
2010 Death at a Funeral Ryan Parlson
2012 Big Momma's House 3 Malcolm Turner/Big Momma
Television
* What's Happening Now!! (cast member from 1987–1988) - Maurice
* A Little Bit Strange (1989) (unsold pilot)
* Hammer, Slammer, & Slade (1990) (unsold pilot)
* Private Times (1991) (unsold pilot)
* Martin (1992–1997) - Martin Payne
* Def Comedy Jam (host from 1992–1993)
* Love That Girl (executive producer)
Albums
Year Album Chart Positions
US US Hip-Hop
1993 Martin Lawrence Live Talkin' sheesh 76 10
1995 Funk It - 35
Awards and nominations
* Blockbuster Entertainment Award
o nominated with Eddie Murphy for Favorite Comedy Team (2000) for the movie Life
o nominated for Favorite Actor (2001) for the movie Big Momma's House
* NAACP Image Award
o won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (1995) for the series Martin
o won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (1996) for the series Martin
o nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (1997) for the series Martin
* Kids' Choice Award
o nominated for Favorite Television Actor (1995) for the series Martin
o nominated for Favorite Television Actor (1996) for the series Martin
o nominated for Favorite Movie Actor (2001) for the movie Big Momma's House
* MTV Movie Award
o nominated with Will Smith for Best On-Screen Duo (1996) for the movie Bad Boys
o nominated for the movie Big Momma's House
o nominated with Will Smith for Best On-Screen Team (2003) for the movie Bad Boys II
* ShoWest - Male Star of Tomorrow (1995)
* Teen Choice Award - nominated for Wipeout Scene of the Summer (2000) for the movie Big Momma's House
* BET Comedy Award - won Icon Comedy Award (2005)
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http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o167/FcKaLLYaLL/shanaynay.gif
Who remembers Sha Nay Nay? ;D
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/16/10 at 7:25 am
http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o167/FcKaLLYaLL/shanaynay.gif
Who remembers Sha Nay Nay? ;D
;D
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: CatwomanofV on 04/16/10 at 11:51 am
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ub_vBBjqF3g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lqn5AIdd-9k
Cat
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/16/10 at 12:49 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ub_vBBjqF3g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lqn5AIdd-9k
Cat
2 great songs :)
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: Howard on 04/16/10 at 2:27 pm
Our House was a good song by Madness,reached #1 in 1983.
Subject: Re: ninny's New Person & Word of the Day
Written By: ninny on 04/17/10 at 6:29 am
The word of the day...Boulevard
A boulevard is a wide street in a city, usually with trees along each side
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