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Biographic by Steve McGarry

Biographic Steven McGarry Bob Dylan He was the angry young troubadour whose songs of protest inspired a generation and changed the face of popular music, making it cool for rock'n'roll to have an I.Q. The contribution of Bob Dylan to popular Culture can be measured by the timeless nature of his classic songs, from "Mr. Tambourine Man" to "Like a Rolling Stone," from "All Along the Watchtower" to "Knockin' on Heaven's Door." Bob Dylan was born Robert Zimmerman on May 24, 1941, in Duluth, Minnesota. Having played in numerous bands in high school, he ended a brief sojourn at the University of Minnesota to concentrate on music. He was briefly employed as a piano player with Bobby Vee's backing band before heading to New York and launching himself onto the Greenwich Village folk and blues club scene. By the re release of his second album - 1963's "The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan" - he was being hailed as a genius. He revolutionized songwriting, his words of anger and protest dwarfing the "moon and Jun" banality of his contemporaries, and such songs as "Blowin' in the Wind," "A Hard Rain's a-gonna Fall" and "the Times They Are a-Changin'" became the anthems of a generation. when Dylan "went electric" in 1965, he may have alienated a few die-hard folkies, but he became a multiplatinum rock superstar! But in 1966, at the height of "Dylanmania," Bob suddenly vanished! Following a motorcycle crash, he dropped out of sight for 18 months - although bootleg recordings of his work with The Band during that time created tremendous excitement. When Dylan returned, he seemed determined to shake off the trappings of stardom and pursue uncharted territory, challenging his fans to keep pace. Over the next decades, his music meandered through country, Christianity, and cover songs. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988, Bob Dylan is a Grammy, Oscar and Golden Globe winner, and his accolades have ranged from an honorary doctorate from Princeton to a lifetime achievement Grammy, from France's highest cultural award, the Cammdeur Dans L'Ordre Des Arts Et Des Lettres, to a Kennedy Center Award for his lifetime contribution to American culture. In 2012, he received his country's highest civilian award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, from President Obama. A living legend, Bob Dylan is currently touring North America and recently released his 25th studio album, "Tempest."

Biographic by Steve McGarry

BIOGRAPHIC Steve McGarry Clint Eastwood In a stellar career that has spanned more than 50 years, Clint Eastwood has earned a place in movie legend as an iconic superstar actor, a brilliant director, a shrewd and savvy producer and a gifted composer. And somehow, he even found time in the 1980's to serve a term as major of Carmel-By-The-Sea, California. Clinton Eastwood Jr., born in San Francisco on May 31, 1930, was serving in the army when he struck up a friendhip with David Janssen, the actor who would later find fame as star of "The Fugitive" TV series. Janssen helped him land a screen test that led to a movie studio contract and a string of small roles, starting with the 1955 sci-fi movie "Revenge of the Creature." Eastwood's big breakthrough came with the role of Rowdy Yates on the long-running TV series "Rawhide." As the Show reached the end of its 6-year run, a trio of european-made westerns in which he played a namelss, bounty-hunting anti-hero - "A Fistful of Dollars," "For a Few Dollars More" and "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" - made him a star. The "spaghetti westerns" opened up Hollywood's doors. From westerns such as "Hang 'Em High" and "High Plains Drifter," to war movies like "Where Eagles Dare" and "Kelly's Heroes," to thrillers such as "Play Misty For Me" and "the Eiger Sanction," the hits kept coming. He even starred in the musical "Paint Your Wagon," with "Dirty Harry," a smash success that would spawn four hit sequels, he created one of the most memorable characters in movie history. In the 1970s, he began to direct his own movies, and by the 1980s he was also producing them. His directorial work has not been limited to his own starring vehicles, as the success of "Mystic River" and "Letters from Iwo Jima" attest. In 1992, his movie-making brilliance was recognized when "Unforgiven" earned him an Oscar nomination as best actor, and landed him the best director and best picture awards, a feat he repeated with 2004's "Million Dollar Baby." A lifelong political Libertarian who once famously served as Mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, he made worldwide news when he recently appeared - with an empty chair as a prop= at the 2012 Republican National Convention.

Biographic by Steve McGarry

Biographic Steve McGarry Helen Mirren Dame Helen Mirren was born Helen Lydia Mironoff in London on July 26, 1945, the daughter of a former Russian aristocrat who worked as a London driving test examiner. She learned her acting craft with the National Youth Theater and the Royal Shakespeare Company, and toured Africa and the U.S. with the International Centre for Theater Research, while appearing extensively on the stage in roles as diverse as Kitty in "Charley's Aunt," Nina in "The Seagull," and Lady Macbeth. Early movie credits ranged from Shakespeare adaptations to "the Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu," and from the controversial "Caligula" to the lauded U.K. gangter movie "The Long Good Friday." Her portrayal of police detective Jane Tennison in TV's "Prime Suspect" drama series earned her three consecutive Bafta Awards and two Emmys. Having received Oscar nominations for 1994's "The Madness of Kind George" and 2001's "Gosford Park," she won an Academy Award for 2006's "The Queen," a role that also earned her a Golden Globe. That same year, her portrayal of another British Monarch in "Elizabeth I" brought Goldne Globe and Emmy success. Other recognition includes a Golden Globe for 1996's "Losing Chase" and an Oscar nomination for 2009's "The Last Station." Married since 1997 to movie director Taylor Hackford, her long-time paramour, Mirren's latest role sees her play the wife of the famous director Alfred Hitchcock in "Hitchcock."

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Biographic by Steve McGarry

BIOGRAPHIC Steve McGarry Quentin Tarantino Quentin Tarantino was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, on march 27, 1963, and raised in southern California. An aspiring actor, he developed an interest in directing while working in a video rental store. In the mid-1980's, he wrote and directed his own starring vehicle, "My Best Friend's Birthday." The film was partially destroyed in a fire and has never been commercially released, but it helped open Holloywood doors for him. Tarantino made his official debut as a writer and director with 1992's "Reservoir Dogs," a movie since hailed by Empire magazine as the "greatest independent film of all time." Tarantino sold the scripts to "True Romance" and "Natural Born Killers," and following the success of "Reservoir Dogs," he was offered a number of movie projects, including "Men In Black" and "Speed." Instead, he decamped to Amsterdam to work on the script for his next project... Released in 1994, "Pulp Fiction" was a massive hit, grossing more than $200 million and earning seven Academy Award nominations. Tarantino won the original screenplay Oscar and the Palme D'or at the Cannes Film Festival. He has gone on to carve out one of the most eclectic careers in Hollywood, as an actor, director, writer and producer, including extensive collaborations with director Robert Rodriquez on the likes of "From Dusk Till Dawn" and "Grindhouse." His director credits include "Jackie Brown," the Kill Bill" movies and "Ingloriuous Basterds" (which earned eight Oscar nominations). His latest offering is "Django Unchained."

Biographic by Steve McGarry

BIOGRAPHIC Steve McGarry Jessica Chastain Born and raised in Northern California, Jessica Chastain studied drama at New York City's Famed Julliard School on a scholarship made available by Robin Williams. After graduatin with a B.F.A. in 2003, she made her TV debut in a 2004 remake of the gothic soap opera "Dark Shadows." Subsequent TV credits included roles on the likes of "ER," "Veronica Mars" and "Law and Order: Trial by Jury." She made her film debut with the starring role in 2008's "Jolene," a movie inspired by the Dolly Parton song of the same name. Her performance earned her the Best Actress Award at the Seattle Internatioal Film Festival. A role in 2009's "Stolen" was followed by the female lead in 2011's "the Tree of Life," opposite Brad Pitt and Sean Penn, with her performance earning her critical acclaim and numerous awards. Astonishingly, that same year, Jessica also starred in "The Debt," "Take Shelter," "Texas Killing Fields," "Coriolanus" and the short "Touch of Evil." She also earned rave reviews for her performance in the box=office smash "The Help, " for which she was rewarded with Oscar and Golden Globe nominations and a clutch of other awards. She changed pace in 2012, with a voice role in the animated "Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted," before starring in the gangster film, "Lawless." Currently appearing on Broadway in a revival of "the Heiress," she starts 2013 with the release of two movies: "Zero Dark Thirty," a drama based on the hung for Osama Bin Laden, and the horror film "Mama."

Biographic by Steve McGarry

Biographic Steve McGarry Joaquin Phoenix Joaquin Rafael Phoenix was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on October 28, 1974. His parents were missionaries for the Children of God religious sect and adopted Phoenix as the family surname. When the family settled in Los Angeles, after spending years in Central and South America, the five Phoenix kids jumped enthusiastically into acting careers - although, as strict vegans, they refused to appear in TV commercials for meat, milk, or junk food. Joaquin, who was billed at that time as Leaf Phoenix, first appeared in TV shows alongside his older brother, River Phoenix. Following his movie debut in 1986 in "Spacecamp," he starred in 1987's "Russkies" and Appeared in the 1989 hit "Parenthood," before dropping out of acting to move to Mexico with his dad. In 1993, a family tragedy put him back in the spotlight when 23-year-old River Phoenix, one of the brightest young stars in movies, collapsed and died outside a Hollywood nightclub. Joaquin, who was with his brother that night, was deeply affected and considered leaving movies for good. At the insistence of friends, he began to read scripts again, and returned to the screen in 1995's "To Die For." His stardom was assured with his Oscar and Golden Globe-nominated performance as the brutal Commodus in 2000's "gladiator," and then cemented by his Golden Globe-winning portrayal of country legend Johnny Cash in "Walk the Line," a movie which also earned him his second Academy Award nomination. In 2008, he announced that he had abandoned acting to pursue a career in hip-hop, although the move was subsequently revealed as an elaborate spoof and the basis for the mockumentary film "I'm Still Here." He did, however, take a long break from movies, before returning in 2012 in "The Master." His memorable performance has earned him extensive awards recognition.

Biographic by Steve McGarry

Biographic Steve McGarry OSCAR! The first Academy Awards were presented at a private brunch held at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in 1929. The first Academy Award winner in history was Emil Jannings, who received his best actor award prior to the event to allow him to return to Europe. The origin of the nickname bestowed upon the iconic gold-plated statuettes is disputed, but Walt Disney is quoted as thanking the academy for his "Oscar" in 1932. The nickname was officially adopted by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 1939. The Academy Awards are moviedom's most prestigious accolades, and the annual televised ceremony is now broadcast live to more than 100 countries around the world. Four actors have each received three Academy Awards - Ingrid Bergman, Jack Nicholson, Meryl Streep and Walter Brennan - but the record is held by Katharine Hepburn, who won the best actress award four times. John Ford is the most successful director, with his four awards. With a tally of 22 Oscars, Walt Disney holds the record as the person with most awards. The awards have seen many notable firsts, including actress Jeanne Eagels receiving the first posthumous nomination for acting in 1929. Peter Finch, for "Network," was the first to win a posthumous award for acting. With her best supporting actress award for 1939's "Gone with the Wind," Hattie McDaniel was the first black actress to win for acting. Sidney Poitier and Halle Berry were the first African-Americans to win for best actor and best actress, respectively. Three films have garnered 11 Academy Awards each - 1959's "Ben-Hur," 1997's "Titanic," and 2003's "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" (Which won in every category in which it was nominated.) "Titanic" also matched the record of 14 nominations set by the 1950 movie "All About Eve." This year's best actress slate pits 85-year-old Emmanuelle Riva against 9-year-old Quvenzhane Wallis - the category's oldest-ever nominee in contention with the category's youngest.

Biographic by Steve McGarry

Biographic Steve McGarry Christoph Waltz Christoph Waltz was born in Vienna, Austria, on October 4, 1956. The son of costume and set designers, he studied acting at the Max Reinhardt Seminar in Vienna and attended the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institiue in New York. His early credits include extensive stage work and television in Austria and Germany. Despite appearance on Autralian and British TV and a role in the 1995 Catherine Zeta-Jones movie "Catherine the Great," he was virtually unknown outside Germany...until Quentin Tarantino cast him in a starring role in his 2009 movie "Inglourious Basterds." Christophs's portrayal of the murderous Nazi officer Hans Landa in "Inglouriaous Basterds" earned him many awards, including an Oscar and a Golden Globe. The movie catapulted him to Hollywood stardom. 2011 found him in four very diverse movies: The superhero action comedy "The Green Hornet," the romantic drama "Water for Elephants," a reworking of "the Three Musketeers" - in which he played Cardinal Richelieu - and Roman Polanski's Dark Comedy "Carnage." His portrayal of bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz in Tarantino's "Django Unchained" earned Waltz even greater acclaim, including his second Oscar and Golden Globe.

Biographic by Steve McGarry

Biographic Steve McGarry Javier Bardem Javier Angel Encinas Bardem was born in Las Palmas De Gran Canaria in Spain's Canary Islands on March 1, 1969. Although he was born into a family of actors, directors, and screenwriters, painting was his first love. He studied at art school in Madrid and seemed destined for a career as a painter - but when funds were low, he took acting jobs to make ends meet. He made his film debut at the age of 20 in "Las Edades de Lulu" and received international acclaim for his leading role in 1992's award-winning "Jamon Jamon, " in which he starred with a teenage Penelope Cruz. Hollywood began to take notice, but as his English was poor, Bardem elected to continue working in the Spanish film industry. That changed with his starring role in 2000's "Before Night Falls," a movie that brought him Oscar and Golden Globe nominations. He gained further acclaim for "The Sea Inside" (Mar Adentro"), and also starred in "Goya's Ghosts," before his chilling take on the villainous Anton Chigurh in "No Country for Old Men" earned him an Oscar and a Golden Globe for best supporting actor. Woody Allen's "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" brought more awards recognition...and a romance with co-star Penelope Cruz. The wed in 2010 and are now expecting their second child. Having received another Oscar nomination for 2010's "Biutiful," and starred in "Eat Pray Love" opposite Julia Roberts, Bardem earned rave reviews as Bond villain Raoul Silva in the 2010 blockbuster "Skyfall."

Biographic by Steve McGarry

Biographic Steve McGarry Sandra Bullock Sandra Bullock was born in Arlington, Virginia, on July 26, 1964. As a child, she frequently accompanied her German-born, opera singer mother on European tours, spending time with her aunt and grandmother, becoming fluent in German and singing in a children's choir, a cheerleader and drama enthusiast in high school, Sandra gained a drama degree from East Carolina University. She moved to New York to pursue her acting ambitions and began to rack up TV and independent movie credits. 1990 saw her play the lead on the short-lived TV series "Working Girl" and enjoy a starring role in the miniseries "Lucky Chances." She appeared in several movies, including "Love Potion No. 9" and the big-budget "Demolition man" with Sylvester Stallone and Wesley Snipes. She made her breakthrough opposite Keanu Reeves in the 1994 blockbuster "Speed" - a role for which she prepared by earning a bus driver's license, passing her test on the first attempt! Hits such as "while You Were Sleeping," "A Time to Kill" and "Miss Congeniality" cemented her star status and elevated her earning power, as did subsequent hits such as "Two Weeks Notice," "Crash" and "The Lake House." A five-year marriage to TV celebrity motorcycle builder Jesse James ended in divorce in 2010. The 2009 rom-com "The Proposal" took more than $300 million at the box office, and "the Blind Side" earned Sandra an Oscar and Golden Globe. Following 2011's "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close," she teams up with Melissa McCarthy in the crime comedy "The Heat," from the director of the 2011 blockbuster "Bridesmaids."
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