Category Archives: Celebrities and Entertainment

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

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E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

“E.T. phone home.” – E.T. from E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

  • E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is a Steven Spielberg science fiction film produced by Amblin Entertainment, directed by Steven Spielberg, written by Melissa Mathison, and distributed by Universal Pictures.
  • ‘E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial‘ is commonly called ‘E.T.’ and, during production it was known as ‘A Boy’s Life’ to protect it from being copied.
  • E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial  is about a lone boy, Elliot, who helps an extraterrestrial, E.T., return home while evading the government.
  • E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is based on the memories and feelings Spielberg had after the divorce of his parents, as well as parts of the unproduced film Night Skies.
  • E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial was a blockbuster film, earning a world total of over $700 million at the box office during its initial release, and was the highest grossing film ever, remaining in that position for ten years, after its release on 11th June, 1982.
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Film cover
Image courtesy of Universal Studios
  • The four main characters of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial were acted by Henry Thomas, Robert MacNaughton, Drew Barrymore and Dee Wallace, making up the family in the film.
  • Four E.T. puppet heads for E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial were made, as well as a costume and other parts for the character, costing $1.5 million, with E.T. being played by three different people – two dwarfs and a legless boy.
  • E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial was re-released in 1985, and then in 2002 for the film’s 20th anniversary, screening at cinemas, and the 2002 version had some added and adjusted scenes.
  • E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial had a budget of $10.5 million, is listed among the best films of all time and won four Oscars of the nominated nine Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, and a number of other awards.
  • A sequel film was planned for E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial called E.T. II: Nocturnal Fears, however the idea was shelved, although E.T was made into an Atari video game that was a major flop and was dubbed ‘the worst game of all time’, and a book adaption with a sequel was also created.
Bibliography:
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E.T._the_Extra-Terrestrial

 

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Elvis Presley

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Elvis Presley

“Rock and roll music, if you like it, if you feel it, you can’t help but move to it. That’s what happens to me. I can’t help it.” – Elvis Presley.

  • Elvis Presley was a singer, actor and musician from America, who was very popular in the rock and roll genre.
  • ‘Elvis Presley’ was also known as ‘the King of Rock and Roll’ and ‘The King’, and had the full name of ‘Elvis Aaron Presley’ and his middle name was originally spelt ‘Aron’.
  • Elvis Presley was born on 8 January, 1935, in Mississippi’s Tupelo in the United States, as a twin, although his older identical brother was stillborn, making Elvis an only child.
  • Elvis Presley had been a good singer since childhood, despite some people not liking his style, although bullying and shyness contributed to stage fright and failed grades for music.
  • Elvis Presley first recorded himself in 1953, at Sun Records, trying to gain recognition, later forming a trio with Bill Black and Winfield ‘Scotty’ Moore brought together by Sun Record’s founder, Sam Phillips.

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Elvis Presley
Image courtesy of Brett Jordan/Flickr
  • Elvis Presley started to become popular in 1955 and his popularity grew until 1958 when he joined the US Army, but his producers kept his music coming and he was able to quickly slot back into his music career two years later, with a number one hit in 1960.
  • Elvis Presley performed in genres of rock and roll, pop, rockabilly, R&B, gospel, country and blues, and was initially thought to be an African American by some who had only heard him, due to the style of his voice and music.
  • Elvis Presley married Priscilla Wagner on 1 May, 1967, and they had a daughter, Lisa Marie, but divorced in 1973, and it was only a few years later that he died on 16 August, 1977, aged 42, in Tennessee’s Memphis, in the United States, prior to just starting a tour, likely due to heart attack that was possibly caused by drugs.
  • Elvis Presley was entombed at Forest Hill Cemetery, Memphis, two days after his death, with 80,000 people lining the streets in the area, and he was later buried at his Graceland estate, also in Memphis, even though some believe Presley actually faked his death.
  • Elvis Presley had 70 albums, more than 100 singles, featured in 33 films, achieved 90 gold album awards, a total of 77 platinum and multi-platinum album awards, and is the ‘best selling solo albums artist’ in the United States ever, and won three Grammy awards in his lifetime.
Bibliography:
Elvis Presley, 2013, Bio.com, http://www.biography.com/people/elvis-presley-9446466
Elvis Presley, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elvis_Presley

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Elvis Presley’s Albums

Universal Studios

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Universal Studios

“A Comcast Company” – Universal Studios slogan.

  • The Universal Studios is a major film studio that produces motion picture films, and the main production studios are located in Universal City, California in the United States.
  • ‘Universal Studios’ has also been known as ‘Universal Pictures’ and is officially known as ‘Universal Studios Incorporation’, and its parent company is ‘NBCUniversal Incorporated’.
  • Universal Studios was founded in 1912 as the ‘Universal Film Manufacturing Company’, which was a merger of a number of other studios, making it the oldest United States film studio, and it ranks fourth oldest among the studios of the world that are still producing.
  • The Universal Studios has released three films during its history that have been the top grossing film at the time: ‘Jaws’ in 1975; ‘E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial’ in 1982; and ‘Jurassic Park’ in 1993.
  • The Universal Studios was originally founded by 8 people, with Carl Laemmle as the first company president, who later bought out his partners.

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Universal Logo from 2012
Image Courtesy of Universal Studios
  • During its hundred years, Universal Studios has been owned by or merged with many organisations, including International Pictures, Music Cooperation of America, Matsushita (now Panasonic), Seagram, Vivendi and in 2004, the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) which is now owned by Comcast Corporation.
  • The Universal Studios have studios and theme parks in California’s Hollywood and Florida’s Orlando in the United States, and Japan and Singapore in Asia, and have more planned for the future in other locations around the world.
  • In 2011, the Universal Studios had a revenue of US$4.239 billion, and its 100th anniversary was celebrated in 2012 with a new improved logo and a project of restoring and reviving thirteen of its films.
  • According to legend, the Universal Studios original name was named by the original president based on a wagon he saw with the printed words on it, ‘Universal Pipe Fittings’.
  • The Universal Studio logo in 1914 originally resembled the planet Saturn, and its concept is still used today, with the planet being Earth and the text wrapping around it.
Bibliography:
Gallagher B, Universal Pictures Celebrates 100th Anniversary with Restoration of 13 Classic Films, 2012, Movieweb, http://www.movieweb.com/news/universal-pictures-celebrates-100th-anniversary-with-restoration-of-13-classic-films
The Story Behind… The Universal Pictures Logo, n.d, My Film Views, http://www.myfilmviews.com/2012/02/16/the-story-behind-the-universal-pictures-logo/
Universal Studios, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Studios

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Universal Studios Films 

John F. Kennedy

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John F. Kennedy

“Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country” – John F. Kennedy.

  • John F. Kennedy was the United States‘ 35th president, from January 1961 until his death in 1963.
  • ‘John F. Kennedy’ whose full name was ‘John Fitzgerald Kennedy’, was also known as ‘JFK’, ‘Jack’ and ‘Jack Kennedy’.
  • John F. Kennedy was born in the United States’ town Brookline, in Massachusetts, on 29 May, 1917, and was of Irish descent.
  • John F. Kennedy, as president, led the United States through the following events: Bay of Pigs Invasion, Cuban Missile Crisis, Berlin Wall construction, the Vietnam War, the African-American Civil Rights Movement and the Apollo Space Race.
  • John F. Kennedy came close to death a number of times during his life, contracted scarlet fever as a child, damaged a disk in his spine while playing football, had colitis, and during his time in office had Addison’s disease, hyperthyroidism and ongoing back pain.
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President John F Kennedy
Image courtesy of U.S. Embassy New Dehli /Flickr
  • John F. Kennedy worked in the US Navy from 1941, retiring as a lieutenant in 1945, and during that time he was in charge of a patrol torpedo boat that was split in two by a Japanese destroyer ramming into it, resulting in Kennedy earning a medal.
  • John F. Kennedy became involved in politics in 1946 after his politically orientated brother Joe was killed, first as a member for the United States House of Representatives, and later as a senator from 1953 to 1960.
  • John F. Kennedy was shot in Dallas, Texas, in the United States, on 22 November, 1963, murdered by Lee Oswald, previously a US marine who had Soviet connections, who was then killed by Jack Ruby, an operator of a nightclub, two days later.
  • John F. Kennedy was a Pulitzer Prize winner, and at age 43, was the youngest US president to be elected, the first Catholic US president and the youngest US president to die at age 46.
  • John F. Kennedy married Jacqueline Bouvier in 1953, and had four children, Arabella who was stillborn, Caroline who is still living, John who died in a plane crash in 1999 at age 38, and Patrick who died two days after birth.
Bibliography:
John F. Kennedy, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_F._Kennedy
John F. Kennedy, n.d, The White House, http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/johnfkennedy

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The Beatles

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The Beatles

The Beatles are not insects, they’re humans.

  • The Beatles was a rock and pop band from England, active in 1960 to 1970.
  • The Beatles were also known as the ‘Fab Four’ and have been said to be the greatest band in the modern era.
  • It is believed that more than 600 million records of The Beatles have been sold, and they are the record holders for the ‘most number one hits on the Hot 100 chart’.
  • The Beatles have won 10 Grammy Awards, 15 Ivor Novello Awards and a Best Original Score Academy Award.
  • The Beatles started as a skiffle group with John Lennon in 1957, at age 16, and some of his schoolmates from Quarry Bank High School, who called themselves the ‘Quarrymen’, and included Paul McCartney and George Harrison.
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The Beatles
Image courtesy of IBiAFoddoAbbarad/Flickr
  • The group became ‘The Beatles’ in 1960, and underwent a series of name changes until their final name was settled upon, with some of the school members moving on and eventually Ringo Starr joining the group in 1962.
  • The Beatles became very popular from 1963 to 1966, singing on many tours and releasing many albums, starting with the single and debut album ‘Please, Please, Me’.
  • The Beatles stopped touring in 1966 due to a number of factors, that possibly included the criticism they received from the non-deliberate offensive comments and actions they made towards the United States and Philippines earlier in that year.
  • The Beatles where influenced by singers Little Richard and Elvis Presley, among others, who helped developed the band’s music and style.
  • The Beatles used guitar, voice and drums with sound effects, loops, vari-speeds and double tracking techniques to produce their music.
Bibliography:
The Beatles, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beatles
The Beatles, n.d, Last.fn, http://www.last.fm/music/The+Beatles

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Les Paul

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Les Paul

Ever heard of Les Paul?

  • Les Paul was a guitarist that worked particularly in the areas of jazz, blues and country, and invented some music related items.
  • Les Paul’s full name is Lester William Polsfuss and was born on 9 June, 1915, in Waukesha in USA’s Wisconsin.
  • Les Paul invented one of the first solid body electric guitars in 1940, and later had one named after him.
  • Les Paul is featured in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the National Inventors Hall of Fame, and won two Grammy Awards in 2006.
  • Les Paul’s first instrument to learn was the harmonica, then the piano, followed by the guitar, and later he became a semi-professional guitarist, harmonica player and country singer by age thirteen.

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Les Paul 2008
Image courtesy of Thomas Faivre-Duboz/Flickr
  • Les Paul originally had the stage names ‘Red Hot Red’ and ‘Rhubarb Red’, and was also known as ‘Wizard of Waukesha’.
  • At a young age, Les Paul invented a hands-free holder for a harmonica, that went around his neck that could be used while he was performing.
  • Les Paul met his second wife (he divorced his first wife Virginia Webb), Iris Summers, known as Mary Ford, in 1945, whom he married in 1949, but divorced in the early 1960s, just before Paul’s retirement.
  • Les Paul semi-retired in 1965, but still performed until his death, ending his life with 40 albums.
  • Les Paul nearly electrocuted himself in 1941, survived a major car accident in 1948, had significant heart surgery in 1987, suffered from arthritis, and eventually died on 12 August, 2009, age 94, due to pneumonia complications.
Bibliography: Les Paul, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Paul
Baker, Les Paul, So Much More Than A Guitar, 2014, The Les Paul Foundation, http://lespaulfoundation.org/about-les-paul.html

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