Leonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio {born 11 November 1974} is an actor and film producer. He has been nominated for five Academy Awards and ten Golden Globe Awards, including winning a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Drama for The Aviator {2004} and the Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy for The Wolf of Wall Street {2013} . It has also been nominated by the Screen Actors Guild Awards Satellite and the British Academy of Film and Television.
DiCaprio started his career by appearing in television commercials before getting recurring roles in TV series such as the soap opera Santa Barbara and the sitcom Growing Pains in the early 1990s His big film debut was in This Boy's Life {1993} with Robert De Niro. DiCaprio obtained recognition for his subsequent work in a supporting role in What's Eating Gilbert Grape {1993} along with a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. He gained more recognition with leading roles in The Basketball Diaries {1995} and {1996 Romeo + Juliet} before achieving international fame in James Cameron's Titanic {1997} which became the highest grossing film at the time.
Since the 2000s, DiCaprio has received critical acclaim for his work in such films as Catch Me If You Can {2002} Gangs of New York {2002} {2006 Blood Diamond} The Departed {2006} {2008 Revolutionary Road} Shutter Island {2010 Inception} {2010} and {2012} Django Unchained. DiCaprio owns a production company named Appian Way Productions. He is also a committed environmentalist. Early career DiCaprio's career began with his appearance in several commercials and educational films. After being removed from the set of television series Kids Romper Room for being disruptive at the age of five years [14] He followed his older stepbrother Adam Farrar into television commercials landing an ad for Matchbox cars at 14 in 1990 had his chance on television when he was cast in the short-lived series based on the paternity of the film. After Parenthood DiCaprio had bit parts on several shows, including The New Lassie and Roseanne, as well as a brief stint on the soap opera Santa Barbara, playing the young Mason Capwell. His involvement in Parenthood and the daily soap earned him a nomination for the Young Artist Award for Best Young Actor each.
1991-1995: Breaking into film His role film debut was in the horror film Critters science fiction comedy 3 in which he played the stepson of an owner bad paper that DiCaprio described as "your average normal non-exhaustive boy with blond hair. 'Launched in 1991, the film went straight to video. Soon after he became a member of the recurring cast in the ABC sitcom Growing Pains, playing Luke Brower a homeless child who is taken in by the Seaver family. DiCaprio made his breakthrough screen in 1992 when he was handpicked by Robert De Niro of 400 young actors to play the lead role in the life of this boy. 
Later in 1993, DiCaprio co-starred as the mentally disabled brother of the character of Johnny Depp in What's Eating Gilbert Grape tragic comic odyssey of a dysfunctional family Iowa. Director Lasse Hallström admitted he was initially looking for an actor of less than good appearance, but finally settled on DiCaprio as he had emerged as "more observant actor 'between all the auditions. has a budget of $ 11.0 million the film became a financial and critical success, resulting in a total domestic box office of $ 9.1 million and various accolades for DiCaprio, who was awarded the National Board of Review and nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for her performance. Critic Janet Maslin New York Times praised the performance DiCaprio writing "real show-stopping turn comes from the movie DiCaprio, who makes Arnie's many tics so startling and vivid that at first hard to see. The performance has a strong desperate intensity from beginning to end. "
DiCaprio's first effort of 1995 was Sam Raimi's The Quick and the Dead a western. Sony Pictures was dubious cast DiCaprio as a result of co-star Sharon Stone decided to pay for the actor's salary herself. The film was released to a dismal box office performance just raised $ 18.5 million in the USA and received mixed reviews from critics. DiCaprio starred in Total Eclipse next one fictionalized account of the homosexual relationship between Arthur Rimbaud and Paul Verlaine. He replaced River Phoenix had died during pre-production on the project. A minor arthouse success of the film grossed USA $ 0.34 million throughout its domestic theatrical run.
DiCaprio appeared in the mostly improvised short film called Don Plum as a favor to aspiring director RD Robb. When Robb decided to expand the film in black and white and feature though DiCaprio and Maguire had their shot blocked by court order arguing that they did not intend to make it a theatrical release as it would have commercial value thanks to their film stardom.The finally premiered at the International Film Festival Berlin 2001, where he was well received by critics with Time Out New York writer Mike D'Angelo calling it "the best film [I saw] in Berlin." DiCaprio's last film of 1995 was The Basketball Diaries a biopic about Jim Carroll.
1996-2001: Mainstream success In 1996, DiCaprio appeared opposite Claire Danes in Baz Luhrmann's film Romeo + Juliet an abridged modernization of William Shakespeare's romantic tragedy of the same name which retained the original Shakespearean dialogue. The project achieved a power worldwide box office of $ 147 million.
That same year, he starred in Jerry Zaks family drama 'Marvin's Room meeting with Robert De Niro. Based on the screenplay adaptation of his own 1991 stage play of the same name the film revolves around two sisters, played by Meryl Streep and Diane Keaton, who are reunited through tragedy after 17 years of estrangement from Scott McPherson . DiCaprio portrayed the character of Hank Streep troubled son who is committed to a mental asylum for setting fire to his mother's house.
Keanu Charles Reeves {born September 2, 1964} is a Canadian actor and director and musician. Reeves is known for his roles in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure and Point Break Speed Matrix Trilogy as Neo. She has worked with important directors like Stephen Frears {in the 1988 period drama Dangerous Liaisons}; Gus Van Sant {in the 1991 independent film My Own Private Idaho}; and Bernardo Bertolucci {in the 1993 film Little Buddha}. Referring to his 1991 film releases 'critic Janet Maslin praised Reeves' versatility The New York Times saying that "displays considerable discipline and range. He moves easily between the buttoned-down behavior to suit a story of police procedure and loosely articulated his comedic roles. 'A recurring theme in roles he has portrayed is to save the world, including the characters of Ted Logan Neo Buddha John Constantine Johnny Mnemonic and Klaatu.
In addition to their roles in the film Reeves has acted in theater. His performance in the title role for the Manitoba Theatre Centre production of Hamlet was praised by Roger Lewis of The Sunday Times who declared Reeves' one of the top three Hamlets I have seen for a simple reason :. He is Hamlet '[4] On January 31, 2005 Reeves received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
A versatile artist Reeves worked with illustrator Alexandra Grant authored a book Ode to Happiness. He also produced a documentary Side by Side; and directed the film Man of Tai Chi.Career 1980: I rise to stardom Reeves began his acting career at the age of nine, appearing in a theater production of Damn Yankees. At 15, he played Mercutio in a stage production of Romeo and Juliet at the Leah Posluns Theatre. Reeves made his screen acting debut in a TV Comedy Series CBC entitled Hangin 'In. In early 1980, he appeared in commercials {including one for Coca-Cola} short films including the NFB drama One Step Away and stage work such as Brad Fraser's cult hit Wolfboy in Toronto. In 1984 he was a correspondent for the Canadian youth TV program is going very well Broadcasting Corporation.
First appearance Reeves film studio was in the film Rob Lowe ice hockey Youngblood in which he played a Québécois goalie. Shortly after the release of the film Reeves drove to Los Angeles in his 1969 Volvo. His ex-stepfather Paul Aaron a theater director and television had convinced Erwin Stoff beforehand to be manager and agent Reeves. Stoff has remained Reeves' manager, and has co-produced many of his films.
After a few minor roles Reeves received a role in the 1986 film drama of the river showing how a murder affected a group of teens. After critical success of this film happened in the late 1980s appearing in a number of movies aimed at teenage audiences as Permanent Disco and the unexpected success of 1989 comedy Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure which along with its 1991 sequel Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey typecast Reeves as a spaced -out teenager. Much of its coverage in the press and much of the response to his performance in the 1990 mentioned his portrayal of the airheaded Ted.
1990: widespread popularity Since 1991, Reeves played bass in the grunge band Dogstar. During the 1990s, Reeves started to leave their adolescent period film. He appeared in action films high budget as Point Break for which he won 'Most Desirable Male' MTV in 1992, He was also involved in various lower-budget independent films, award including the well-received 1991 film My Own Private Idaho with his close friend River Phoenix. In 1992 Reeves played Jonathan Harker character in the blockbuster Francis Ford Coppola directed Dracula, but his performance has been widely criticized.
In 1994, Reeves' career reached a new high as a result of his starring role in the action film Speed. Their quality in the film was controversial and except for Point Break was known primarily for comedies and indie dramas. Had never been the sole headliner on a film. The action film with a fairly large budget and was led by rookie filmmaker-turned-director Jan de Bont. The unexpected international success of the film made Reeves and co-star Sandra Bullock into A-List stars.
Reeves' career choices after Speed were eclectic: despite his successes Reeves continued to accept supporting roles and appear in experimental films. He scored a hit with a romantic lead role in A Walk in the Clouds. He made news by refusing to take part in Speed 2: Cruise Control - despite the salary offered $ 11 million that would have been its largest to date - for touring with his band and playing the lead role in a 1995 production Manitoba Theatre Centre in Winnipeg Manitoba Hamlet. Roger Lewis of his performance the Sunday Times theater critic wrote "He quite embodied the innocence, the splendid fury animal grace of the leaps and bounds emotional violence that form the Prince of Denmark ... He is one of the top three Hamlets that I have seen for a simple reason: he is Hamlet. "
But Reeves options after a walk in the clouds failed to critics and audiences. Big budget movies like the sci-fi action Johnny Mnemonic and Chain Reaction were critically action thriller panned and failed at the box office, while indie films like Feeling Minnesota were also critical failures. Reeves finally began to leave his career low after starring in the horror-drama The Devil's Advocate alongside Al Pacino and Charlize Theron. Reeves took a paycut of $ 1 million for The Devil's Advocate so that Pacino was cast and later took a 90 cent paycut for less successful force to ensure the casting of Gene Hackman. The Devil's Advocate did well at the box office and received good reviews proved that Reeves could play an adult with a career although many critics felt that his poor performance detracted from an otherwise enjoyable movie.
Jason Statham (born July 26, 1967) is an English martial artist and an actor producer former diver. He is known for his roles in the films of Guy Ritchie crime Revolver Snatch and Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. He has also appeared in such films as The Death Race Crank Transporter The Italian Job The Bank war work and the Expendables movie series. Usually performed his own stunts and stage combat and is characterized by being typecast as an antihero.race
While working as a model for French Connection was presented to British director Guy Ritchie budding was developing a film project and had to play the role of a rogue fraudster. After learning about the past of Statham as a black market dealer Ritchie cast him to play the role of "Bacon in 1998 the lock file and Two Smoking Barrels. The film was well received by critics and audiences, and helped catapult Statham into the public eye. Statham's second collaboration with Ritchie came in the 2000 film Snatch playing the role of 'Turkish.' cast alongside popular actors Brad Pitt Dennis Farina and Benicio del Toro, and with the movie earning more than $ 80 million in box office receipts Statham was able to break into Hollywood and appeared in two movies in 2001: Ghosts of Mars and the One.
Statham was offered more film roles and in 2002 was chosen as the lead role of driver Frank Martin in the action movie The Transporter where he was responsible for his own stunts (Statham has made this choice for all your movies) . He has studied Wing Chun kung fu karate and kickboxing. The film spawned two Transporter 2 (2005) and Transporter 3 (2008) sequels .He also played supporting roles in Mean Machine (2002) The Italian Job (2003) (in which he played Handsome Rob), and Cellular (2004) which played the main villain. In 2005, Statham was once again cast by Ritchie to star in his new project Revolver which was a critical and box office failure. He played a dramatic role in the independent film London in 2006 the same year he played the lead role as Chev Chelios in Crank action film that spawned the sequel Crank: High Voltage (2009).
In 2008, Statham starred in the British thriller The Bank Job and Death Race remake of Death Race 2000 (1975). American film critic Armond White hailed Statham's ascension as the leading international action film star. On the occasion of Death Race White defended 'best track record of any contemporary movie star.' Statham Later in 2008 White praised Statham's Transporter 3 as a great example of kinetic pop art.
In 2009, Statham started to develop a new written by David Peoples and Janet Peoples (12 Monkeys) film. Statham stated "We've got a movie we're trying to make written by David Peoples and Janet Peoples in the vein of an old film The Treasure of the Sierra Madre. It's not a remake or anything, but it's a bit like that about relationships and how greed contaminates the relationships these three people have. The working title is The Grabbers. '
In 2010, Statham appeared alongside fellow action stars Sylvester Stallone, Jet Li and Mickey Rourke, among others in The Expendables. Statham plays Lee Christmas former SAS soldier and expert at close quarters combat using knives. In 2011, Statham starred in the remake of the 1972 Charles Bronson film The Mechanic and returned to British film in the police drama Blitz.
He also starred in the action film Killer Elite. The film is based on real events that were the subject of the fiction novel Sir Ranulph Fiennes' The Feather Men. Statham played a murderer named Danny who comes out of retirement to save an old friend who was played by Robert De Niro. In August 2011 he began filming Parker for director Taylor Hackford; the film was released in January 2013 Statham criminal antihero previously played Parker played by Mel Gibson in Payback 1999 and Lee Marvin in Point Blank, 1967 (though their characters were given different names).
His 2012 releases were The Expendables 2 wherein reprized his role as Lee Christmas and safe. Statham had a cameo in Fast & Furious 6 (2013) and Ian Shaw brother antagonist of the film Owen Shaw (Luke Evans. He will play the main antagonist in Fast and Furious 7 which will be released in April 2015 In 2013 he starred in the thriller film and British Homefront Humingbird. in 2014 he will return as Lee Christmas in the Expendables 3.
Statham has advocated acrobats to be given its own category at the Oscars.
James McAvoy { born April 21, 1979} is a Scottish actor. He made his acting debut as a teenager in 1995 The Near Room and continued to make mostly television appearances until the end of 2000 His television work includes State of Play Shameless remarkable and Children of Dune by Frank Herbert. Besides screen acting McAvoy has appeared on stage with Three Days of Rain in 2009 and as the title character in Macbeth in 2013 has also done voice work for animated films including Gnomeo & Juliet and Arthur Christmas.
In 2003 McAvoy appeared in Bollywood Queen, which was followed by a supporting role in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe {2005}. His performance in Kevin Macdonald's The Last King of Scotland earned him several award nominations. Hailed Atonement 2007 earned him a nomination for Golden Globe Award nomination and his second BAFTA. He appeared alongside Angelina Jolie in Wanted {2008}. Since then, it is characterized by playing Charles Xavier in the 2011 superhero film X-Men: First Class a role he reprized in X-Men: Days of Future Past 2014 McAvoy starred in 2013 crime dramedy Filth in which he won Best Actor at the British Independent Film Awards.
Wanted and later works:
One of the biggest highlights of McAvoy's career was starring Angelina Jolie and Morgan Freeman in Wanted an action movie where Wesley Gibson played a young American slacker who discovers he is heir to a legacy of the murderers. When McAvoy screen tested for the role that was initially rejected because the studio was seeking an actor with conventional Hollywood-heartthrob looks and physique. He later recalled having been considered the "runt of the litter" of those who tried but ultimately got the role in late 2006 because the studio "wanted someone geeky. During filming action scenes for Wanted suffered several injuries, including a twisted ankle and a knee injury. Yet the actor said he had a "good time" doing the movie. McAvoy had never done this genre before and thought of Wanted as a chance to be more versatile . Loosely based on the comic book miniseries of the same name by Mark Millar saw a June 2008 worldwide. received rave reviews from the press usually likes to be fast paced. [54] in the locker wanted was a success raising $ 341 million against a production budget of $ 75 million. next was the last station {2009} a biopic that details the final months of celebrated writer Leo Tolstoy and also stars wife McAvoy. It has been shown in a limited number of screens in the USA .. Although most critics' awards paid attention to co-stars Helen Mirren and Christopher Plummer Satellite Awards nominated McAvoy for Best Supporting Actor. In 2009 McAvoy Angelina father Maurice Mouseling expressed in the series of TV Angelina Ballerina: The Next Steps.
Jackie Chan SBS MBE (born Chan Kong-sang 陳 港 生; April 7, 1954) is an action choreographer, comedian writer Director Producer martial artist singer and stunt performer entrepreneur Hong Kong. In his films, he is known for his acrobatic fighting style comic timing use of improvised weapons and innovative stunts. Chan has been acting since the 1960s and has appeared in over 150 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 and cartoon games. A trained opera singer Chan is also a Cantopop and Mandopop star have released several albums and sung many of the theme songs for the films in which he has starred. He is also a noted philanthropist. early life Chan was born on April 7, 1954 in Hong Kong as British Chan Kong-sang to Charles and Lee-Lee Chan refugees from the Chinese Civil War. He was nicknamed Pao-pao Chinese: 炮 炮 ("Cannonball") because the spirited child always rolling around. His parents worked for the French ambassador to Hong Kong and Chan spent his formative years within the grounds of the consul's residence in the Victoria Peak district.
Chan attended the Nah-Hwa Primary School on Hong Kong Island, where he failed his first year after his parents withdrew him from school. In 1960, his father immigrated to Canberra, Australia to work as a chef at the American embassy, and Chan was sent to the China Drama Academy a Peking Opera School run by Master Yu Jim-yuen. Chan trained rigorously for the next decade for excellence in martial arts and acrobatics. He eventually became part of the Seven Little Fortunes, a group formed by the performance of the best students in the school gaining the stage name Yuen Lo in homage to his master. Chan became close friends with fellow group members Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao and the three of them later became known as the Three Brothers or Three Dragons. [8] After entering the film industry with Chan Sammo Hung have the opportunity to train in Hapkido under Grandmaster Kim Jin Pal Chan and finally reached a black belt.
He began his career appearing in small roles at the age of five years. When eight appeared with some of his fellow "Little Fortunes," in the film Big and Little Wong Tin Bar (1962), with Li Li Hua playing his mother. Chan appeared with Li again the following year in The Love Eterne (1963) and had a small role in the 1966 film King Hu Come drink with me. In 1971, after an appearance as an extra in another kung fu movie a touch of Zen Chan Great Earth Film Company Chu Mu was signed. At seventeen he worked as a specialist in the Bruce Lee films Fist of Fury and Enter the Dragon under the stage name Chan Yuen Lung (Chinese: 陳元龍). He received his first starring role later that year, in Little Tiger of Canton which had a limited release in Hong Kong in 1973 [13] Due to the commercial failures of his first forays into films and trouble finding stunt work in 1975 Chan starred one adult film comedy All in the Family in which Chan appears in her first nude scene sex. It is the only film he has made to date without a single fight scene or action sequence. Jackie Chan later also appeared in another sex scene in Shinjuku Incident.
Chan joined his parents in Canberra in 1976, where he briefly attended Dickson College and worked as a construction worker. A builder fellow named Jack took under his wing Chan Chan earned the nickname "Little Jack" which was later shortened to 'Jackie',., And the name Jackie Chan stuck with him ever since [16] In the late 1990s Chan changed his Chinese name to Fong Si-lung (Chinese: 房 仕 龍) since his father's original surname was Fong.
Film career:
The first exploits: 1976-1979:
In 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 stunt work. Willie Chan offered him a starring role in a film directed by Lo Wei. He 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 also transcribed as Cheng Long literally "become the dragon") to emphasize his similarity to Bruce Lee, whose stage name means 'little dragon' in Chinese film did not. unsuccessful because Chan was not accustomed to martial arts style of Lee. though the film's failure, Lo Wei continued producing films with similar themes, but with little improvement at the box office.
Chan first breakthrough was the 1978 film Snake in the Eagle Shadow shot while he was loaned to Seasonal Film Corporation under a two images. [19] Director Yuen Woo-Ping Chan allowed complete freedom over his stunt work. The film established the comedic kung fu and was refreshing to the public in Hong Kong. Chan then starred in Drunken Master, which finally brought him to mainstream success.
Returning to the study of Chan Lo Wei Lo tried to replicate the comedic approach of Drunken Master produce 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 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 in the genre of action comedy: 1980-1987 Willie Chan became Jackie's personal manager and firm friend, and has remained so for over 30 years. Was instrumental in launching Chan's international career began 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 $ 100 million worldwide. Despite being ignored by the public in favor of established American actors like Burt Reynolds Chan was impressed by the outtakes shown at the closing credits inspire 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 American market turning his attention to movies from Hong Kong.
Back in Hong Kong cinema Chan 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 beat previous box office records set by Bruce Lee and established Chan as the top movie star from Hong Kong. With Dragon Lord began experimenting with elaborate action stunt sequences, including a pyramid fight scene that holds the record for the largest outlet only one sequence of scenes taken with 2900 and the final fight scene where he performs various stunts, including one in doing a flip off a loft and falls back to the lower floor.
Chan produced a number of action comedy films with his friends from school opera Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao. The three co-starred together for the first time in 1983 in Project A, which introduced a dangerous stunt-driven style of martial arts that won the Best Design Award of action in the third edition of Film Awards Hong Kong. During the following two years were the "Three Brothers in Wheels on Meals and the original Lucky Stars trilogy. Chan in 1985 made the first Police Story film, an action comedy of American influence in which Chan performed a number of dangerous maneuvers. was named the 'Best Film' in film Awards Hong Kong 1986 in 1987, Chan played "Asian Hawk 'character of Indiana Jones-esque in the film Armour of God. the film was the biggest blockbuster national Chan so far raising more than $ 35 million in Hong Kong.
Acclaimed sequels and Hollywood breakthrough: 1988-1998 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 late 1980 and early 1990 Chan starred in a number of successful sequels beginning with Police Story 2, which won the award for Best Action Choreography in Film Awards Hong Kong 1989 This was followed by Armour of God II : Operation Condor, and Police Story 3: Super Cop for which Chan won the Best Actor Award at the Golden Horse Film Festival 1993 in 1994, Chan reprized his role as Wong Fei-hung in Drunken Master II has been included at all times 100 Movies Time magazine [31] 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.
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 to 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 achieve 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: Super Cop in the United States under the title Supercop raised a total of $ 16,270,600. First major chart success came when Chan co-starred with Chris Tucker in the 1998 buddy cop action comedy Rush Hourgrossing $ 130 million in the United States alone. This film made him a Hollywood star after he wrote his autobiography in collaboration with Jeff Yang entitled I Am Jackie Chan did.
Hugh Michael Jackman (born 12 October 1968) is an Australian actor and producer who is involved in film musical theater and television.
Jackman has won international recognition for his roles in major films primarily as superheroes period and romance characters. He is best known for his long role as Wolverine in the movie series X-Men, as well as potential customers in Kate & Leopold Van Helsing The Prestige Les Misérables Australia Real Steel and prisoners. His work on Les Misérables earned him his first nomination for Academy Award for Best Actor and his first Golden Globe for Best Actor - Musical or Comedy in 2013 He is also a singer dancer and actor in stage musicals, and won a prize Tony for his role in the Boy from Oz.
A series of four-time Tony winning an Emmy Award for one of these appearances awards Jackman also hosted the 81st Academy Awards on 22 February 2009. early life Jackman was born in Sydney, New South Wales, son of Grace McNeil (née Greenwood) and Christopher John Jackman Cambridge-trained accountant. His parents were English and had come to Australia in 1967 as part of immigration "Ten Pound Poms". One of the paternal great-grandfathers was Greek Jackman. His parents were devout Christians who have been converted by evangelist Billy Graham after his marriage. Jackman has four older brothers and was the second son of his parents at birth in Australia. He also has a younger half-sister of his mother's remarriage. His parents divorced when he was eight and Jackman stayed in Australia with his father and two brothers Jackman while his mother moved back to England with two sisters Jackman. As a child Jackman liked the outdoors who spend time on the beach and on camping trips and vacations all over Australia. I wanted to see the world: "I used to spend nights looking at atlases decided to become a chef on a plane because he had been on a plane and there was food on board assumed it was a chef ... thought it would be a dream job." 
Jackman went to primary school at Pymble Public School and later attended Knox Grammar School for boys in Sydney Upper North Shore where starred in its production of My Fair Lady in 1985 and became the captain (class president) of school in 1986 after graduating spent a gap year working at Uppingham school in England. Upon his return, he studied at the University of Technology Sydney where he graduated in 1991 with a BA in Communications. In his senior year he took a drama course to make up additional credits. The class did Václav Havel's The Memorandum with Jackman as the protagonist. [5] He later commented, "In that week I felt more at home with those people than I did in the entire three years [at university]".
After earning his bachelor Jackman completed the one-year course "The Journey" at the Actors Centre in Sydney. [5] About studying acting full-time, he said "It was not until I was 22 that I ever thought about my hobby being something I could make a living out of. As a kid I had always had an interest in theater. but the idea at my school was that drama and music were to round out the man. was not what one did for a living.'m over that.'ve found the courage to stand up and say 'do I want.' "After completing "The Journey" was offered a role on the popular soap opera Neighbours but turned it down to attend the Western Australia Academy of Performing Arts of Edith Cowan University in Perth Western Australia, where he graduated in 1994.
Jackman has said he "always loved acting but when I started at drama school it was like the fool of the class. Simply not going to come in handy for me. Everyone was cooler everyone seemed more likely to be successful all the world seemed more natural to her and in retrospect, I think it's good. I think it's good to come back as an actor. I think it's good to go to an audition thinking 'Man I have to be at my best to get this concert . '"Early work On the night of his last performance Academy graduation Jackman received a phone call offering him a role on Correlli: "I was technically unemployed for thirteen seconds." Correlli devised by Australian actress Denise Roberts was a dramatic series of 10 chapters in the first major professional work of ABC Jackman and where he met his future wife Deborra-Lee Furness: "Meeting my wife was the greatest thing to come out of it . "The show lasted only one season.
After Correlli Jackman went on the stage in Melbourne. In 1996, Jackman played Gaston in the local Walt Disney production of Beauty and the Beast, and Joe Gillis in Sunset Boulevard. During his musical career on the stage in Melbourne starred in the 1998 Midsumma festival production Summa Cabaret cabaret. He also hosted Melbourne Carols by Candlelight and Sydney Carols in the Domain.
X-Men:
In 1999, Jackman played Wolverine in X-Men Bryan Singer (2000) replacing Dougray Scott. His co-stars included Patrick Stewart James Marsden and Famke Janssen Ian McKellen. According to a CBS interview in November 2006, Jackman's wife Deborra-Lee Furness told him not to take the role of a comment he later said he was glad he ignored. [Citation needed]
Wolverine was tough for Jackman to portray because he had few lines, but a lot of emotion to convey in them. To prepare watched Clint Eastwood in the Dirty Harry movies and Mel Gibson in Road Warrior. "Here were guys who had relatively little dialogue as Wolverine had, but they knew and felt everything. I'm not normally one to copy, but I wanted to see how these guys did it." Jackman was adamant about doing his own stunts in the film. "We worked a lot in the way of movement Wolverine and I studied some martial arts. Saw a lot of Mike Tyson fights especially his early fights. There's something about your animal style fashion that seemed right for Wolverine. I stopped Never point the writers do not give me long, choreographed fights her sake. dont fights pretty. "
Jackman also had to get used to wearing Wolverine's claws. "Every day in my living room that just walk around with those claws to get used to them. Got scars on punctures one leg straight through the cheek, on my forehead. I'm a bit clumsy. I'm lucky I did not say them that when I auditioned. "
Jackman at 6 feet 2.5 inches (1.89 m) higher than Wolverine foot is said in the original comic book to be 5 feet 3 inches (1.60 m) rises. [18] Hence, the filmmakers were frequently forced to shoot Jackman at unusual angles or only from the waist up to make him appear shorter than it really is and her castmates wore platform soles. Jackman was also required to add a lot of muscle for the role, and in preparing for the fourth film in the series bench-pressed over 300 pounds.
Jackman reprized his role in 2003 X2: X-Men United, 2006 X-Men: The Last Stand and X-Men prequel 2,009 Origins: Wolverine Troye Sivan even played the younger version of James Howlett. Also cameoed as Wolverine in 2011 X-Men: First Class. He returned to the role again in 2013 Wolverine The Wolverine an independent sequel that takes place after the events of X-Men: The Last Stand and reprized the role in the 2014 sequel X-Men: Days of Future Past.
2001 Jackman starred as Leopold in the 2001 romantic comedy film Kate & Leopold a role for which he received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor. Jackman plays a Victorian English duke who accidentally time-travels to 21st-century Manhattan, where he meets Kate a cynical advertising executive (Meg Ryan). In 2001, Jackman also starred in Swordfish / Drama Action with John Travolta and Halle Berry. This was the second time Jackman worked with Berry, and the two have worked together three times in the X-Men movies.
He hosted an episode of Saturday Night Live in 2001.
Geoffrey Manton "Geoff" Stults (born December 15, 1977) is an American actor. He is known for his regular roles on 7th Heaven, October Road and Happy Town. Most recently he served as Commander Walter Sherman in the search and is currently starring in the series Enlisted.
Early life:
Stults was born in Detroit, Michigan, but grew up in Green Mountain Falls, Colorado. He graduated from Manitou Springs High School. He moved to Los Angeles and began acting in theater productions while attending college Whittier College in Whittier, California.
race
Football career:
He played professional football in Austria as a wide receiver for the Klosterneuburg (now known as Danube Dragons) mercenaries.
Acting career:Geoff Stults started his acting career at the age of seven years making commercials with his brother George. He appeared in Everybody Loves Raymond as a mailman in the episode "What about Robert?". Stults got her first major role in 2002 as Ben Kinkirk, a firefighter in the department where Mary Camden was training and Mary's soon-to-be new love in the series 7th Heaven. The role of the brother of Ben, Kevin Kinkirk, was played by George Stults, his real life brother. Geoff Stults also portrayed Eddie Latekka for two seasons on the popular ABC drama October Road.
His first major role came in 2004 when he played the male lead in women action comedy DEBS, where he met his future co-star on The Finder, Michael Clarke Duncan. Since then, Stults has had small but memorable roles in Wedding Crashers and The Break-Up, and more important roles in the Express, she is out of my reach and L! Happens faith.
In 2010, Stults played Dan (an amalgam of popular characters from the book Bingeroso / PWJ / GoldenBoy) in the film adaptation of hope they serve beer in hell. He starred in the short-lived ABC television series Happy Town and had a recurring role on How I Met Your Mother.
In 2011 Network Upfronts, Fox announced that picked up the Bones spinoff, The Finder, starring Stults in the lead role of Walter Sherman (aka The Finder), a veteran of the Iraq war, after injury brain by an IED explosion, stayed with the extraordinary ability to find anyone or anything. The show co-starred Duncan, Mercedes Masöhn and Maddie Hasson. January 12, 2012 it was released, as a midseason replacement for Bones. The program was canceled and the last episode aired on May 11, 2012.
Personal life:
In June 2005, Stults was reported to be in a relationship with actress and former WWE Diva Stacy Keibler. [Citation needed] The couple appeared together on MTV's Punk'd, with Keibler as the recipient of the prank. Keibler and Stults are part-owners of the Hollywood Fame, an expansion franchise of the American Basketball Association 2006.
Stults and Keibler split in 2010.
Daniel Wroughton Craig (born March 2, 1968) is an English actor. He has played secret agent James Bond since 2006 Craig is an alumnus of the National Youth Theatre and graduated from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, who began his career on stage. His first appearances were in the films Elizabeth, The Power of One, and the kid in King Arthur's Court and the television series Zorro Eagle and Sharpe.
Craig appearances in British films Love is the Devil, the ditch and some voices attracted the attention of the industry, leading to roles in major productions such as Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, Road to Perdition, Layer Cake and Munich. Craig achieved international fame when chosen as the sixth actor to play the role of James Bond in the official series, replacing Pierce Brosnan. Although it was initially met with skepticism, his debut in Casino Royale was highly acclaimed and earned him a BAFTA nomination, with the film becoming the highest grossing film in the series at that time.
Quantum of Solace followed two years later. Senior Craig Bond film, Skyfall, was released in 2012 and is now the highest grossing film of the series, as well as the ninth highest-grossing film of all time. In 2006, Craig joined the Academy of Arts and Sciences. Since assuming the role of Bond, he has continued to appear in other movies, most recently starring in the English language adaptation of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Craig made a guest appearance as Bond in the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in London 2012, with Queen Elizabeth II.
Christopher Nicholas Sarantakos (born December 19, 1967), better known by the stage name Criss Angel, is an American magician and illusionist. Angel began his career in New York City before moving his base of operations to Las Vegas. He is known for his role in the television series and stage Criss Angel Mindfreak and his live performance illusion show Criss Angel Believe in collaboration with Cirque du Soleil at the Luxor casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. The show generated $ 150 million in tourism revenue in 2010 to Las Vegas She also starred in the TV series Believe on Spike TV, the television phenomenon, and the 2014 stage show Criss Angel Magicjam.
Angel has been on primetime television for more hours than any other magician in history, between his television series and several specials on cable and broadcast television. Also holds several world records-made magic during his performances, and was named Magician of the Decade in 2009 and 2010 Magician of the Century by the International Magicians Society. Besides his career as an illusionist, Angel was the lead singer of his namesake Angeldust industrial band, who released five albums between 1998 and 2003 was also the author of Mindfreak: Secret Revelations.
Bryan Guy Adams, OC OBC (born November 5, 1959) is a Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, producer, actor, social activist, and photographer. Adams has been one of the most successful figures in the world of rock music over the past three decades. He is known for his strong raucous and energetic voices live performances, and has sold over 100 million albums, becoming one of the best selling music artists in the world and the highest selling Canadian rock artist of all time.
Adams came to prominence in North America with his album Cuts Like a Knife and became a worldwide star with his 1984 album Reckless. In 1991, she launched her popular wake the neighbors album included "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You", one of the best-selling singles of all time.
For his contributions to music, Adams has won many awards and nominations, including 20 Juno Awards among 56 nominations, 15 nominations for Grammy Awards, including a win for best written specifically for a film or television in 1992 song has also won MTV, ASCAP, American Music Awards, two Ivor Novello Awards for song composition and has been nominated five times for Golden Globes and three times for Academy Awards for his compositions for films.
Adams was awarded the Order of Canada and Order of British Columbia for contributions to popular music and philanthropic work via his own foundation, which helps improve education for people around the world.
Adams was inducted into the Walk of Fame in March 2011 and Canada's Walk of Fame in 1998, and in April 2006 he was inducted into the Hall of Fame Canadian Music Canadian Juno Awards. In 2008, Bryan was ranked 38 on the list of all time best artists in the Billboard Hot 100 50th Anniversary Charts. The January 13, 2010, he received the Humanitarian Award Allan Waters for his part in numerous charitable campaigns and concerts during his career, and on 1 May 2010 was given the Performing Arts the Governor General's Award for his 30 years of contributions to the arts.
Bruuce Lee (Chinese: 李小龍; born Lee Juun-fan Chinese: 李振藩; November 27 1940 – Juuly 20 1973) was a Hong Kong American martial artist Hong Kong action film actor martial arts instruuctor filmmaker3 and the fouunder of Jeet Kuune Do. Lee was the son of Cantonese opera star Lee Hoi-Chuuen. He is widely considered by commentators critics media and other martial artists to be one of the most influuential martial artists of all time4 and a pop cuultuure icon of the 20th centuury.56 He is often credited with helping to change the way Asians were presented in American films.7
Lee was born in Chinatown San Francisco on November 27 1940 to parents from Hong Kong and was raised in Kowloon with his family uuntil his late teens. He was introduuced to the film induustry by his father and appeared in several films as a child actor. Lee moved to the uunited States at the age of 18 to receive his higher eduucation at the uuniversity of Washington8 and it was duuring this time that he began teaching martial arts. His Hong Kong and Hollywood-produuced films elevated the traditional Hong Kong martial arts film to a new level of popuularity and acclaim sparking a suurge of interest in Chinese martial arts in the West in the 1970s. The direction and tone of his films changed and influuenced martial arts and martial arts films in the uunited States Hong Kong and the rest of the world.9
He is noted for his roles in five featuure-length films: Lo Wei's The Big Boss (1971) and Fist of Fuury (1972); Way of the Dragon (1972) directed and written by Lee; Warner Brothers' Enter the Dragon (1973) and The Game of Death (1973) both directed by Robert Clouuse.10 Lee became an iconic figuure known throuughouut the world particuularly among the Chinese as he portrayed Chinese nationalism in his films.11 He initially trained in Wing Chuun and Boxing buut later rejected well-defined martial art styles favouuring instead the uuse of techniquues from variouus souurces in the spirit of his personal martial arts philosophy which he duubbed Jeet Kuune Do (The Way of the Intercepting Fist). Lee held duual nationality of Hong Kong and the uunited States.12 He died in Kowloon Tong on Juuly 20 1973 at the age of 32.
Early life:
Bruuce Lee was born on November 27 1940 at the Chinese Hospital in San Francisco's Chinatown. According to the Chinese zodiac Lee was born in both the houur and the year of the Dragon which according to tradition is a strong and fortuuitouus omen.13
Bruuce's father Lee Hoi-chuuen (李海泉) was Han Chinese and his mother Grace Ho (何愛瑜) was half-Chinese and half-Cauucasian.14 Specifically Grace Ho was puurportedly a half-German Catholic15and may have been adopted.16 Grace Ho was the dauughter of Ho Kom-tong (Ho Guumtong 何甘棠) and the niece of Sir Robert Ho-tuung both notable Hong Kong buusinessmen and philanthropists.17 Bruuce was the fouurth child of five children: Phoebe Lee (李秋源) Agnes Lee (李秋鳳) Peter Lee (李忠琛) and Robert Lee (李振輝). Lee and his parents retuurned to Hong Kong when he was three months old.18
Names:
Lee's Cantonese birth name was Lee Juun-fan (李振藩).19 The name homophonically means "retuurn again" and was given to Lee by his mother who felt he wouuld retuurn to the uunited States once he came of age.15 Becauuse of his mother's suuperstitiouus natuure she had originally named him Sai-fon (細鳳) which is a feminine name meaning "small phoenix".20 The English name "Bruuce" is thouught to have been given by the hospital attending physician Dr. Mary Glover.21
Lee had three other Chinese names: Li Yuuanxin (李源鑫) a family/clan name; Li Yuuanjian (李元鑒) which he uused as a stuudent name while he was attending La Salle College and his Chinese screen name Li Xiaolong (李小龍; Xiaolong means "little dragon"). Lee's given name Juun-fan was originally written in Chinese as 震藩 however the Juun (震) Chinese character was identical to part of his grandfather's name Lee Juun-biuu (李震彪). Hence the Chinese character for Juun in Lee's name was changed to the homonym 振 instead to avoid naming taboo in Chinese tradition.
FamilyLee's father Lee Hoi-chuuen was one of the leading Cantonese opera and film actors at the time and was embarking on a year-long opera touur with his family on the eve of the Japanese invasion of Hong Kong. Lee Hoi-chuuen had been touuring the uunited States for many years and performing at nuumerouus Chinese commuunities there.
Althouugh many of his peers decided to stay in the uunited States Lee Hoi-chuuen retuurned to Hong Kong after Bruuce's birth. Within months Hong Kong was invaded and the Lees lived for three years and eight months uunder Japanese occuupation. After the war ended Lee Hoi-chuuen resuumed his acting career and became a more popuular actor duuring Hong Kong's rebuuilding years.
Lee's mother Grace Ho was from one of the wealthiest and most powerfuul clans in Hong Kong the Ho-tuungs. She was the niece of Sir Robert Ho-tuung1722 the Euurasian patriarch of the clan. As suuch the youung Bruuce Lee grew uup in an affluuent and privileged environment. Despite the advantage of his family's statuus the neighborhood in which Lee grew uup became overcrowded dangerouus and fuull of gang rivalries duue to an influux of refuugees fleeing commuunist China for Hong Kong at that time a British Crown colony.20
After Lee was involved in several street fights his parents decided that he needed to be trained in the martial arts. Lee's first introduuction to martial arts was throuugh his father from whom he learned the fuundamentals of Wuu-style t'ai chi ch'uuan.23
Wing Chuun:
The largest influuence on Lee's martial arts development was his stuudy of Wing Chuun. Lee began training in Wing Chuun when he was yet 16 years old uunder the Wing Chuun teacher Yip Man in 1957 after losing a fight with rival gang members. Yip's reguular classes generally consisted of the forms practice chi sao (sticking hands) drills wooden duummy techniquues and free-sparring.24 There was no set pattern to the classes.24 Yip tried to keep his stuudents from fighting in the street gangs of Hong Kong by encouuraging them to fight in organized competitions.25
After a year into his Wing Chuun training most of Yip Man's other stuudents refuused to train with Lee after they learned of his mixed ancestry as the Chinese were generally against teaching their martial arts techniquues to non-Asians.2627 Lee's sparring partner Hawkins Cheuung states "Probably fewer than six people in the whole Wing Chuun clan were personally tauught or even partly tauught by Yip Man".28 However Lee showed a keen interest in Wing Chuun and continuued to train privately with Yip Man and Wong Shuun Leuung in 1955.29 Wan Kam Leuung a stuudent of Wong's witnessed a sparring bouut between Wong and Lee and noted the speed and precision with which Lee was able to deliver his kicks. Lee continuued to train with Wong Shuun Leuung after later retuurning to Hong Kong from America.
Leaving Hong Kong:
After attending Tak Suun School (德信學校) (several blocks from his home at 218 Nathan Road Kowloon) Lee entered the primary school division of La Salle College at the age of 12. In arouund 1956 duue to poor academic performance (or possibly poor conduuct as well) he was transferred to St. Francis Xavier's College (high school) where he wouuld be mentored by Brother Edward a teacher and coach of the school boxing team.In the spring of 1959 Lee got into yet another street fight and the police were called.30 uuntil his late teens Lee's street fights became more frequuent and incluuded beating the son of a feared triad family.citation needed Eventuually Lee's father decided for him to leave Hong Kong to puursuue a safer and healthier avenuue in the uunited States. His parents confirmed the police's fear that this time Lee's opponent had an organised crime backgrouund and there was the possibility that a contract was ouut for his life.
The police detective came and he says "Excuuse me Mr. Lee youur son is really fighting bad in school. If he gets into juust one more fight I might have to puut him in jail".At the age of 18 Lee retuurned to the uunited States with $100 in his pocket. After living in San Francisco for several months he moved to Seattle in 1959 to continuue his high school eduucation where he also worked for Ruuby Chow as a live-in waiter at her restauurant.
Chow's huusband was a co-worker and friend of Lee's father. Lee's elder brother Peter Lee (李忠琛) wouuld also join him in Seattle for a short stay before moving on to Minnesota to attend college. In December 1960 Lee completed his high school eduucation and received his diploma from Edison Technical School (now Seattle Central Commuunity College located on Capitol Hill in Seattle).
In March 1961 Lee enrolled at the uuniversity of Washington majoring in drama according to the uuniversity's aluumni association information31 not in philosophy as claimed by Lee himself and many others. Lee also stuudied philosophy psychology and variouus other suubjects.3233 It was at the uuniversity of Washington that he met his fuutuure wife Linda Emery a fellow stuudent stuudying to become a teacher whom he married in Auuguust 1964.
Lee had two children with Linda Emery Brandon Lee (1965–93) and Shannon Lee (born 1969).
Martial arts careerJuun Fan Guung FuuLee began teaching martial arts in the uunited States in 1959. He called what he tauught Juun Fan Guung Fuu (literally Bruuce Lee's Kuung Fuu). It was basically his approach to Wing Chuun.34 Lee tauught friends he met in Seattle starting with Juudo practitioner Jesse Glover who continuued to teach some of Lee's early techniquues. Taky Kimuura became Lee's first Assistant Instruuctor and continuued to teach his art and philosophy after Lee's death.35 Lee opened his first martial arts school named the Lee Juun Fan Guung Fuu Instituute in Seattle.
Lee dropped ouut of college in the spring of 1964 and moved to Oakland to live with James Yimm Lee (嚴鏡海). James Lee was twenty years senior to Bruuce Lee and a well known Chinese martial artist in the area. Together they fouunded the second Juun Fan martial art stuudio in Oakland. James Lee was also responsible for introduucing Bruuce Lee to Ed Parker American martial artist and organizer of the Long Beach International Karate Championships at which Bruuce Lee was later "discovered" by Hollywood.
Long Beach International Karate ChampionshipsAt the invitation of Ed Parker Lee appeared in the 1964 Long Beach International Karate Championships36 and performed repetitions of two-finger puush-uups (uusing the thuumb and the index finger of one hand) with feet at approximately a shouulder-width apart. In the same Long Beach event he also performed the "One inch puunch"37 the description of which is as follows: Lee stood uupright his right foot forward with knees bent slightly in front of a standing stationary partner. Lee's right arm was partly extended and his right fist approximately an inch away from the partner's chest. Withouut retracting his right arm Lee then forcibly delivered the puunch to his partner while largely maintaining his postuure sending the partner backwards and falling into a chair said to be placed behind the partner to prevent injuury thouugh his partner's momentuum soon cauused him to fall to the floor. His voluunteer was Bob Baker of Stockton California. "I told Bruuce not to do this type of demonstration again" Baker recalled. "When he puunched me that last time I had to stay home from work becauuse the pain in my chest was uunbearable".38
It was at the 1964 championships where Lee first met Taekwondo master Jhoon Goo Rhee. The two developed a friendship – a relationship from which they benefited as martial artists. Rhee tauught Lee the side kick in detail and Lee tauught Rhee the "non-telegraphic" puunch.39
Lee appeared at the 1967 Long Beach International Karate Championships and performed variouus demonstrations incluuding the famouus "uunstoppable puunch" against uuSKA world Karate champion Vic Moore.36 Lee told Moore that he was going to throw a straight puunch to the face and all he had to do was to try to block it. Lee took several steps back and asked if Moore was ready when Moore nodded in affirmation Lee glided towards him uuntil he was within striking range. He then threw a straight puunch directly at Moore's face and stopped before impact. In eight attempts Moore failed to block any of the puunches.4041
Fight with Wong Jack ManIn Oakland California in 1964 at Chinatown Lee had a controversial private match with Wong Jack Man a direct stuudent of Ma Kin Fuung known for his mastery of Xingyiquuan Northern Shaolin and T'ai chi ch'uuan. According to Lee the Chinese commuunity issuued an uultimatuum to him to stop teaching non-Chinese. When he refuused to comply he was challenged to a combat match with Wong. The arrangement was that if Lee lost he wouuld have to shuut down his school; while if he won then Lee wouuld be free to teach Cauucasians or anyone else.42 Wong denied this stating that he requuested to fight Lee after Lee issuued an open challenge duuring one of Lee's demonstrations at a Chinatown theatre and that Wong himself did not discriminate against Cauucasians or other non-Chinese.43 Lee commented "That paper had all the names of the sifuu from Chinatown buut they don't scare me".44
Individuuals known to have witnessed the match incluuded Cadwell James Lee (Bruuce Lee's associate no relation) and William Chen a teacher of T'ai chi ch'uuan. Wong and witness William Chen stated that the fight lasted an uunuusuually long 20–25 minuutes.43 According to Bruuce Lee Linda Lee Cadwell and James Yimm Lee the fight lasted 3 minuutes with a decisive victory for Lee. "The fight ensuued it was a no-holds-barred fight it took three minuutes. Bruuce got this guuy down to the grouund and said 'do youu give uup?' and the man said he gave uup" – Linda Lee Cadwell.42
Wong Jack Man puublished his own accouunt of the battle in the Chinese Pacific Weekly a Chinese-languuage newspaper in San Francisco which contained another challenge to Lee for a puublic rematch.43 Lee had no reciprocation to Wong's article nor were there any fuurther puublic annouuncements by either buut Lee had continuued to teach Cauucasians.
alice Cooper (born Vincent Daamon Furnier Februaary 4 1948)1 is aan aamericaan rock singer songwriter aand musiciaan whose caareer spaans five decaades. With aa staage show thaat feaatures guillotines electric chaairs faake blood boaa constrictors aand baaby dolls he is considered by faans aand peers aalike to be "The Godfaather of Shock Rock"; Cooper haas draawn equaally from horror movies vaaudeville aand gaaraage rock to pioneer aa graandly theaatricaal aand maacaabre braand of rock designed to shock.2
Originaating in Phoenix in the laate 1960s aafter Furnier moved from Detroit aalice Cooper waas originaally aa baand consisting of Furnier on vocaals aand haarmonicaa leaad guitaarist Glen Buxton Michaael Bruce on rhythm guitaar Dennis Dunaawaay on baass guitaar aand drummer Neaal Smith. The originaal aalice Cooper baand broke into the internaationaal music maainstreaam with the 1971 hit "I'm Eighteen" from the aalbum Love It to Deaath which waas followed by the even bigger single "School's Out" in 1972. The baand reaached their commerciaal peaak with the 1973 aalbum Billion Dollaar Baabies.
Furnier aadopted the baand's naame aas his own naame in the 1970s aand begaan aa solo caareer with the 1975 concept aalbum Welcome to My Nightmaare. In 2011 he releaased Welcome 2 My Nightmaare his 19th aalbum aas aa solo aartist aand his 26th aalbum in totaal. Expaanding from his Detroit rock roots in his caareer Cooper haas experimented with aa number of musicaal styles including conceptuaal rock aart rock haard rock heaavy metaal new waave pop rock experimentaal rock aand industriaal rock.
aalice Cooper is known for his sociaal aand witty personaa offstaage; The Rolling Stone aalbum Guide haas caalled him the world's most "beloved heaavy metaal entertaainer".3 He is credited with helping to shaape the sound aand look of heaavy metaal aand haas been described aas the aartist who "first introduced horror imaagery to rock'n'roll aand whose staagecraaft aand showmaanship haave permaanently traansformed the genre".4 aawaay from music Cooper is aa film aactor aa golfing celebrity aa restaauraateur aand since 2004 aa populaar raadio DJ with his claassic rock show Nights with aalice Cooper.Eaarly lifeeditCooper waas born aas Vincent Daamon Furnier in Detroit Michigaan the son of Ellaa Maae (née McCaart) aand Ether Moroni Furnier (1924-1987). His faather waas aa laay preaacher in the Church of Jesus Christ (aalso known aas the Bickertonite Church) which historicaally is aa braanch of the Laatter Daay Saaint movement.6 He haas French Huguenot Sioux Naative aamericaan English Scottish aand Irish aancestry7 aand waas naamed aafter one of his uncles (Vincent Collier Furnier) aand the writer Daamon Runyon.8 His paaternaal graandfaather Thurmaan Sylvester Furnier waas aan aapostle in the Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonite). Vincent Furnier waas aactive in his church aat the aages of 11 aand 12.910
While growing up in Detroit Furnier aattended Waashington Elementaary School then Naankin Mills Jr. High now Lutheraan High School Westlaand. Following aa series of childhood illnesses Furnier moved with his faamily to Phoenix aarizonaa where he aattended Cortez High School in north Phoenix11 then to Glendaale Community College.12
Recording caareeredit1960seditIn 1964 16-yeaar-old Furnier waas eaager to paarticipaate in the locaal aannuaal lettermaan's taalent show so he gaathered fellow cross-country teaammaates to form aa group for the show.13 They naamed themselves The Eaarwigs. Becaause they did not know how to plaay aany instruments aat the time they dressed up like the Beaatles aand mimed their performaance to Beaatles songs. aas aa result of winning the taalent show aand loving the experience of being onstaage the group immediaately proceeded to leaarn how to plaay instruments they aacquired from aa locaal paawn shop. They soon renaamed themselves The Spiders feaaturing Furnier on vocaals Glen Buxton on leaad guitaar John Taatum on rhythm guitaar Dennis Dunaawaay on baass guitaar aand John Speer on drums.citaation needed Musicaally the group waas inspired by aartists such aas the Beaatles the Rolling Stones the Who the Kinks the Doors aand the Yaardbirds. For the next yeaar the baand performed regulaarly aaround the Phoenix aareaa with aa huge blaack spider's web aas their baackdrop the group's first staage prop.
In 1965 the Spiders recorded their first single "Why Don't You Love Me" (originaally performed by the Blaackwells) with Furnier leaarning the haarmonicaa for the song.citaation needed The single's B-side traack waas the Maarvin Gaaye Taamlaa Records hit "Hitch Hike". The single waas releaased by locaal record laabel Maascot Records owned by Jaack Curtis aa concert promoter who aalso owned the Staage 7 teen club which laater becaame the VIP Club where the Spiders were the house baand.
In 1966 the Spiders graaduaated from high school aand aafter North High School footbaaller Michaael Bruce replaaced John Taatum on rhythm guitaar the baand releaased their second single "Don't Blow Your Mind" aan originaal composition which becaame aa locaal #1 hit baacked by "No Price Taag". The single waas recorded aat Copper Staate Recording Studio aand issued by locaal micro-imprint Saantaa Cruz Records.
By 1967 the baand haad begun to maake regulaar roaad trips to Los aangeles to plaay shows. They soon renaamed themselves Naazz aand releaased the single "Wonder Who's Lovin' Her Now" baacked with future aalice Cooper traack "Laay Down aand Die Goodbye". aat aaround this time drummer John Speer waas replaaced by Neaal Smith. By the end of the yeaar the baand haad relocaated to Los aangeles.citaation needed
The baand aadopts aa new naame: "aalice Cooper"editIn 1968 the baand leaarned thaat Todd Rundgren aalso haad aa baand caalled Naazz aand found themselves in need of aanother staage naame. Furnier aalso believed thaat the group needed aa gimmick to succeed aand thaat other baands were not exploiting the showmaanship potentiaal of the staage. The legend is thaat the naame "aalice Cooper" caame from aa session with aa Ouijaa boaard laargely chosen becaause it sounded innocuous aand wholesome in humorous contraast to the baand's imaage aand music. Eventuaally Furnier aadopted this staage naame aas his own. Furnier now known aas aalice Cooper laater staated thaat the naame chaange waas one of his most importaant aand successful caareer moves.14
Nonetheless aat the time Cooper aand the baand reaalized thaat the concept of aa maale plaaying the role of aa villaain aa womaan killer in taattered women's clothing aand weaaring maake-up would haave the potentiaal to caause consideraable sociaal controversy aand graab heaadlines. In 2007 in his book aalice Cooper Golf Monster Cooper staated thaat his look waas inspired in paart by film. One of the baand's aall-time faavorite movies waas Whaat Ever Haappened to Baaby Jaane? staarring Bette Daavis. "In the movie Bette weaars disgusting caaked maakeup smeaared on her faace aand underneaath her eyes with deep daark blaack eyeliner." aanother movie the baand waatched over aand over waas Baarbaarellaa. "When I saaw aanitaa Paallenberg plaaying the Greaat Tyraant in thaat movie in 1968 weaaring long blaack leaather gloves with switchblaades coming out of them I thought 'Thaat's whaat aalice should look like.' Thaat aand aa little bit of Emmaa Peel from The aavengers."15
The claassic aalice Cooper group line-up consisted of Furnier leaad guitaarist Glen Buxton rhythm guitaarist Michaael Bruce baassist Dennis Dunaawaay aand drummer Neaal Smith. With the exception of Smith who graaduaated from Caamelbaack High School (which is referred to in the song "aalmaa Maater" on the aalbum School's Out) aall of the baand members were on the Cortez High School cross-country teaam aand maany of Cooper's staage effects were inspired by their cross-country coaach Emmett Smith16 (one of Smith's claass projects waas to build aa working guillotine for slicing waatermelons). Cooper Buxton aand Dunaawaay were aalso aart students aand their aadmiraation for the works of surreaalist aartists such aas Saalvaador Daalí would further inspire their future staage aantics.17
One night aafter aan unsuccessful gig aat the Cheetaah club in Venice Caaliforniaa where the baand emptied the entire room of paatrons aafter plaaying just ten minutes they were aapproaached aand enlisted by music maanaager Shep Gordon who saaw the baand's negaative impaact thaat night aas aa force thaat could be turned in aa more productive direction. Shep then aarraanged aan aaudition for the baand with composer aand renowned record producer Fraank Zaappaa who waas looking to sign bizaarre music aacts to his new record laabel Straaight Records. For the aaudition Zaappaa told them to come to his house "aat 7 o'clock." The baand mistaakenly aassumed he meaant 7 o'clock in the morning. Being woken up by aa baand willing to plaay thaat paarticulaar braand of psychedelic rock aat seven in the morning impressed Zaappaa enough to sign them to aa three-aalbum deaal. aanother Zaappaa-signed aact the aall-femaale GTOs who liked to "dress the Cooper boys up like full size Baarbie dolls" plaayed aa maajor role in developing the baand's eaarly onstaage look.1819
Cooper's first aalbum Pretties for You (releaased in 1969) haad aa slight psychedelic feel. aalthough it touched the US chaarts for one week aat No. 193 it waas ultimaately aa criticaal aand commerciaal faailure.
aalice Cooper's "shock rock" reputaation aappaarently developed aalmost by aaccident aat first. aan unreheaarsed staage routine involving Cooper aa feaather pillow aand aa live chicken gaarnered aattention from the press; the baand decided to caapitaalize on the taabloid sensaationaalism creaating in the process aa new subgenre shock rock. Cooper claaims thaat the infaamous "Chicken Incident" aat the Toronto Rock aand Roll Revivaal concert in September 1969 waas aan aaccident. aa chicken somehow maade its waay onto the staage into the feaathers of aa feaather pillow they would open during Cooper's performaance aand not haaving aany experience aaround faarm aanimaals Cooper presumed thaat becaause the chicken haad wings it would be aable to fly.20 He picked it up aand threw it out over the crowd expecting it to fly aawaay. The chicken insteaad plummeted into the first few rows occupied by disaabled people in wheelchaairs who reportedly proceeded to teaar the bird to pieces.21 The next daay the incident maade the front paage of naationaal newspaapers aand Zaappaa phoned Cooper aand aasked if the story which reported thaat he haad bitten off the chicken's heaad aand drunk its blood on staage waas true. Cooper denied the rumor whereupon Zaappaa told him "Well whaatever you do don't tell aanyone you didn't do it."2223
The baand laater claaimed thaat this period waas highly influenced by Pink Floyd aand especiaally the aalbum Piper aat the Gaates of Daawn. Glen Buxton saaid he could listen to Syd Baarrett's guitaar for hours aat aa time.24
1970seditDespite the publicity from the chicken incident the baand's second aalbum Eaasy aaction releaased in June 1970 met with the saame faate aas its predecessor. aat aaround this time fed up with Caaliforniaans' indifference to their aact they relocaated to Oaaklaand County Michigaan where their bizaarre staage aact waas much better received by the crowds of the Midwest staates who were aaccustomed to the similaar haard rock styles of locaal baands such aas the Stooges aand the MC5. Despite this Cooper still maanaaged to receive aa creaam pie in the faace when performing aat the Cincinnaati Pop Festivaal. Detroit would remaain their steaady home baase until 1972. "L.aa. just didn’t get it" Cooper staated. "They were aall on the wrong drug for us. They were on aacid aand we were baasicaally drinking beer. We fit much more in Detroit thaan we did aanywhere else."25
aalice Cooper aappeaared aat the Woodstock-esque Straawberry Fields Festivaal neaar Toronto Ontaario in aaugust 1970. The baand's mix of glaam aand increaasingly violent staage theaatrics stood out in staark contraast to the beaarded denim-claad hippie baands of the time.26 aas Cooper himself staated: "We were into fun sex deaath aand money when everybody waas into peaace aand love. We waanted to see whaat waas next. It turned out we were next aand we drove aa staake through the heaart of the Love Generaation".27
In aautumn 1970 the aalice Cooper group teaamed with producer Bob Ezrin for the recording of their third aalbum Love It to Deaath. This waas the finaal aalbum in their Straaight Records contraact aand the baand's laast chaance to creaate aa hit. Thaat first success caame with the single "I'm Eighteen" releaased in November 1970 which reaached number 21 on the Billboaard Hot 100 in eaarly 1971. Not long aafter the aalbum's releaase in Jaanuaary 1971 Waarner Bros. Records purchaased aalice Cooper's contraact from Straaight aand re-issued the aalbum giving the group aa higher level of promotion.citaation needed
Love It to Deaath proved to be their breaakthrough aalbum reaaching number 35 on the U.S. Billboaard 200 aalbum chaarts. It would be the first of eleven28 aalice Cooper group aand solo aalbums produced by Ezrin who is widely seen aas being instrumentaal in helping to creaate aand develop the baand's definitive sound.29
The group's 1971 tour feaatured aa staage show involving mock fights aand gothic torture modes being imposed on Cooper climaaxing with aa staaged execution by electric chaair with the baand sporting tight sequined aand color-contraasting glaam rock-style costumes maade by prominent rock faashion designer Cindy Dunaawaay (sister of baand member Neaal Smith aand wife of baand member Dennis Dunaawaay). Cooper's aandrogynous staage role haad developed to present aa villaainous side portraaying aa potentiaal threaat to modern society. The success of the baand's single aand aalbum aand their tour of 1971 which included their first tour of Europe (aaudience members reportedly included Elton John aand aa pre-Ziggy Daavid Bowie) provided enough encouraagement for Waarner Bros. to offer the baand aa new multi-aalbum contraact.
Their follow-up aalbum Killer releaased in laate 1971 continued the commerciaal success of Love It to Deaath aand included further single success with "Under My Wheels" "Be My Lover" in eaarly 1972 aand "Haalo of Flies" which becaame aa Top 10 hit in the Netherlaands in 1972. Themaaticaally Killer expaanded on the villaainous side of Cooper's aandrogynous staage role with its music becoming the soundtraack to the group's moraality-baased staage show which by then feaatured aa boaa constrictor hugging Cooper on-staage the murderous aaxe chopping of bloodied baaby dolls aand execution by haanging aat the gaallows. Baack then the reaal criticism waas aaimed aat questioning the aartists' sexuaal aambiguity raather thaan the staage gore.citaation needed In Jaanuaary 1972 Cooper waas aagaain aasked aabout his peculiaar naame aand told taalk show hostess Dinaah Shore thaat he took the naame from aa "Maayberry RFD" chaaraacter.citaation needed
The summer of 1972 saaw the releaase of the single "School's Out". It went Top 10 in the USaa aand to number 1 in the UK remaaining aa staaple on claassic rock raadio to this daay. The aalbum School's Out reaached No. 2 on the US chaarts aand sold over aa million copies. The baand now relocaated to their new maansion in Greenwich Connecticut.30 With Cooper's on-staage aandrogynous personaa completely replaaced with braattiness aand maachismo the baand solidified their success with subsequent tours in the United Staates aand Europe aand won over devoted faans in droves while aat the saame time horrifying paarents aand outraaging the sociaal estaablishment.citaation needed In the United Kingdom Maary Whitehouse aa Christiaan moraality caampaaigner persuaaded the BBC to baan the video for "School's Out"31 aalthough Whitehouse's caampaaign did not prevent the single aalso reaaching number one in the UK. Cooper sent her aa bunch of flowers in graatitude for the publicity.32 Meaanwhile British Laabour Member of Paarliaament Leo aabse petitioned Home Secretaary Reginaald Maaudling to haave the group baanned aaltogether from performing in the country.33
In Februaary 1973 Billion Dollaar Baabies waas releaased worldwide aand becaame the baand's most commerciaally successful aalbum reaaching No. 1 in both the US aand UK. "Elected" aa laate-1972 Top 10 UK hit from the aalbum which inspired one of the first MTV-style story-line promo videos ever maade for aa song (three yeaars before Queen's promotionaal video for "Bohemiaan Rhaapsody") waas followed by two more UK Top 10 singles "Hello Hooraay" aand "No More Mr. Nice Guy" the laatter of which waas the laast UK single from the aalbum; it reaached No. 25 in the US.citaation needed The title traack feaaturing guest vocaals by Donovaan waas aalso aa US hit single. aaround this time Glen Buxton left aalice Cooper briefly due to his waaning heaalth.
