Wednesday, 30 October 2013

Giorgio Armani

I believe that these appointments it is not possible to justify the nobility of the man who more speaks to himself in the world of the industry of the fashion. Even if you write a hundred of appointments, it would not be sufficient. Giorgio Armani is the “man” at the time of selecting the clothes and fashionable accessories. From the moment in which it became fashionable that it has been one of the coveted names. The people of the whole world want to buy its mark, there is something in its clothes and accessories that do not get tired of. I still remember when I was small, I only knew a name in Armani suits. The given just name and it continues there, whenever I wanted to buy good suits and especially the glasses of the first name that occurs is “Armani”. So today he allows him to pay a little of respect to the nobility of this man and see some wonderful facts about this man in its biography. Giorgio Armani – History of VidaGiorgio Armani is the president and founder of the group Armani and the only shareholder of the famous person spa Armani. The Group Armani is today one of the houses of the world of the fashion, which has a business volume of more than 4 million euros in global sales. In the frame of the Group Armani, the work of more than 5000 employees, 13 factories and the function that has more than 250 exclusive shops of fashionable clothes in 36 countries. But the sufficient thing about the company, allows to know something about the most famous fashionable designer, the man who initiated the Group Armani. Fashion magnate of Giorgio Armani was born in July 11, 1934 in Piacenza, Italy, which is to approximately 50 kilometers to the south of Milan. He was the son of the director of mailing and he wanted to be a doctor. It is supposed that he had a rich family, since only the rich and famous ones can enter the medicine faculties in the 40s. He studied medicine for two years and then he decided finally that they operate in the persons it is not its tea cup. He developed the love for the photo, but before he could do something on this matter, had to join the defense service in 1957. When it returned, started by gaining interest in the fashion and worked for seven years like buyer of a departmental shop of the fashion in Milan “The Rinascente”. After acquiring knowledge on the clothes and the fashionable designs, it worked like assistant of Nino Cerruti, a very successful Italian designer. It remained with Cerruti for six years and learned all the tricks of the business of the fashion, which helped him to expand its creativity. With the help of its friend and associate Sergio Galeotti, Armani began its own clothes line for men and women. The mark Armani was born and there began the trip of which it is the most successful Italian fashionable house in this world. The year 1981 will be always remembered by the lovers of the fashion and partial to Armani, since it was the year in which there was thrown the Center Armani and Armani Jeans. There was no stop after, year after year, he began to expand its business and began to throw lines of clothes and fashionable accessories like Giorgio diverse cosmetic Armani, sunglasses Giorgio Armani and Giorgio Armani glasses for the formal wear. Go to any woman or masculine fashionable shop, it will find something with a name of mark Armani in him. Today Giorgio Armani has a personal $ fortune 5 billions. To maintain the statistics in mind, Armani is one of the most successful houses of the fashion. From the celebrities almost the whole world takes Armani to the politicians and to do her boasting in the red carpet. The most important lesson to learn of its history is that in fact it is possible to come to the top of the stairs across the hard work and the creativity. It is an inspiration for all of us. Giorgio Armani lines of ropala mark Armani has five levels of lines of luxurious clothes that are executed in him. It begins with Giorgio Armani, Armani Collezioni, Center Armani, Armani Exchange, Armani Junior. Giorgio ArmaniEsta labels specializes in men and women it is ready to use, accessories, glasses, cosmetics and perfumes. It is one of the marks of clothes more faces of the world and that only it is going to see in the big departmental shops. Armani CollezioniEsta clothes line is especially for the young minds and talented of the world. In the city of London, this is the favorite place where the rich and famous chief for its tailoring suits. Center ArmaniEstá especially designed for the persons who belong to the youngest generation. It is a mark of big success in the USA and he keeps on being most looked. Also it includes products of low price, which is very rare in other shops of clothes Armani. Armani ExchangeLa line of clothes that accessible Armani did and became very popular between the popular classes in the USA. It began in 1991 and soon it bloomed in the whole USA. Nevertheless, during the period of time the prices he got up and Armani Exchange was inaccessible again for many persons. Armani JuniorArmani Junior deals with the needs of the small children. I hope that the biography of Giorgio Armani was a good reading. Truly he is one of the most incredible fashionable designers who have gained themselves the right to be called an only one, but to stop being humble it is an important Armani characteristic and its love for the fashion keeps on growing.

Sunday, 27 October 2013

Jersey No 10: Diego Maradona

Name: Diego Armando Maradona. Birth date: October 30, 1960.Birthplace: Villa Fiorito, Buenos Aires. Breakthrough:Attracting the attention of Francis Cornejo, the coach of the youth team Argentinos Juniors when he was 9.

Who can forget the “Hand of God” in the 1986 football World Cup? This Maradona biography brings out controversial facts surrounding Diego Armando Maradona, one the most famous Spanish athletes ever produced.
Born on October 30, 1961, Diego Armando Maradona came from a poor family. He grew up in the slums of Villa Fiorita near Buenos Aires. His parents struggled to bring up a family of eight siblings. This Maradona biography reveals how as a young boy, Maradona dreamed of playing soccer.

It is interesting to read in this Maradona biography how he ended up wearing Jersey Number 10. The team won a phenomenal 140 straight games in 1972 with Maradona playing; he lead the team to win a junior championship. The team presented him with Jersey Number 10; the number of the great Pelé and the ultimate compliment for any soccer player.
The Beginnings of a Soccer Star

Young Maradona got his first football when he was just three. Entranced by the ball, he slept with it that night. When he was nine, Francis Cornejo, the coach of the youth team Argentinos Juniors or “Little Onions” as they were called, noticed his soccer skills. That is how Maradona started playing for the Little Onions.
When Maradona played for the Argentinos Juniors the stadiums were Jam packed revealing his growing popularity. He was associated with this team from 1976 to 1980.
For Maradona football represented a way to freedom from poverty. When he was just 21, Barcelona bought Maradona for a record $7.7 million. This deal made him headline news all over the world.
Maradona made efforts to play for the Argentinian national soccer team in 1978 and 1982 but was disappointed. Cesar Menotti, the Argentinean coach for the World cup team, cut short Maradona’s dreams to play in the 1978 World Cup. In 1982, he kicked a player from Brazil in the groin and was expelled from the game. He finally got his chance in 1986.

The 1986 Soccer World Cup


While playing against England, he scored two goals. The first one was scored with his hand. Maradona said that the goal was “un poco con la cabeza de Maradona y otro poco con la mano de Dios” which translates: a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God. This created a huge controversy.The 1986 World Cup was a challenging phase in Maradona’s career. This Maradona biography brings out the details. He was 25 years old and a name to reckon with millions of fans all over the world.
Maradona’s second goal, as described in this Maradona biography, earned him a permanent place in the history of soccer. In the words of Carlos Bilardo, the coach of the Argentinean team, “It is the second time in my life I have celebrated a goal with a scream. It was spectacular.”

The subsequent years were turbulent. Maradona commanded huge paychecks, became a drug addict and had two paternity suits filed against him. He had two children out of wedlock. Rumors said he was closely associated with the mob.Maradona became world famous after Argentina won the World Cup in 1986. Despite the “Hand of God” incident against England, the British named him “athlete of the decade.” Maradona continued as a member of the Argentinean team in the 1990 World Championship. Despite Maradona’s poor performance, Argentina won over Yugoslavia in the semifinals.
Maradona married his childhood sweetheart Claudia Villafañe in 1989. The wedding was a major extravaganza and the newspapers criticized him. In spite of all this, as the New York Times stated on November 14, 2001, “Maradona may only be a shadow of his old self, but he still has the strongest hold over his people of any living Argentine.”
Maradona Photos and Memorabilia 
His iconic status comes out clearly in this Maradona biography. Maradona is indeed one of the most famous Spanish athletes. And despite the many controversies, Maradona is a legend and continues to have millions of fans all over the world. As Marcela Mora y Araujo rightly puts it, “Indeed Maradona is a living legend.”
There is no doubt Maradona continues to be a legend in soccer. One of the most valuable items of Mardadona memorabilia are Maradona’s signed photos and articles.
Here I have selected a few Maradona photos that bring us back to the day in 1986 when that incredible goal was scored. My favorite is the one is the Maradona autographed photo of him holding the world cup trophy and being carried on his teammates’ shoulders.

Michael Jordan

American famed basketball star, known by some as the "Best Player Alive." Over 13 seasons as pro basketball's most dynamic and influential star, a dazzling career, there seemed to be nothing he could not do. He won six world championships with the Chicago Bulls, ten scoring titles and enough Most Valuable Player awards to stock his own wing at the Hall of Fame. He may possibly be the most famous American in the world, and is certainly so in the sports world. His salary peak was $34 million in 1998 and he reputedly earned $240 million from endorsements alone in the '90s. His sole public vice is gambling, and he appears to have his addiction under control.
The son of James and Deloris Jordan, Michael was encouraged to play baseball as a kid. While a senior in high school, he was invited to go to Dean Smith's basketball camp at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, 1980. Only the best players were invited. Jordan's determination to do the best he could got him on the Five-Star team.
He was drafted by the Chicago Bulls in his junior year at Chapel Hill and reluctantly left school behind as it had been his mother's dream for her children to attain higher education.
After 13 seasons playing with the National Basketball Association, Jordan has won the admiration of the sports world as a flawless player. As NBC analyst Bob Costas said, "Michael Jordan was just beautiful to watch."
Trauma was a factor in Jordan's life from before he was born. His mom had to stay in bed to avoid a miscarriage and when he was born with his nose bleeding, they wondered if he was all right. As a baby, he nearly suffocated once in the bedding. At about age two, he picked up two live wires and was blown three feet away with the shock. When Jordan was in college, his girl friend died in a flood, and he himself once had a near-drowning in a riptide. In 1993, he was shattered by the murder of his father in North Carolina during a roadside robbery. His dad, James (born 7/31/1946), vanished in mid-July and his body was later found floating in a So. Carolina creek 8/03/1993. Jordan seemed to interpret the tragedy as a message to embrace what was really important. He retired from basketball, albeit prematurely. Perhaps because his dad wanted him to play pro baseball, he joined the Chicago White Sox's for a brave but inglorious season-long spectacle that ended with his return to the Bulls in 1995.
Three world championships later, Jordan retired for real in 1/13/1999 to the dismay and sorrow of millions of fans to pursue a flourishing career in movies and TV. He was busy as well supervising his many endeavors such as the Jordan brand for a division of Nike and a Chicago restaurant. He is reportedly interested in pursuing the game of golf.
Michael met Juanita Vanoy in March 1985. In 1988, pregnant with Jeffrey, she considered filing a paternity suit but instead, they married on 9/02/1989 (at 3:30 AM!) in Las Vegas. They set up permanent residence in a 25,000-square-foot million-dollar mansion in Highland Park, Illinois with their three children, Jeffrey, Marcus and Jasmine. Jordan is known for his determination not to take himself too seriously and lead a good life. After 12 years of marriage, Juanita filed for divorce on 1/04/2002, three months after her restless husband went back to work. She asked for custody of their three kids and a fair share of his estimated worth of $400 million. They reconciled within the month, apparently with a compromise on their living arrangements.
After two retirements, he returned to play for the NBA's Washington Wizards. In January 2001, Jordan bought 10% of the Wizards for an estimated $2.5 million with the job of president of operations. He commuted to their Washington DC HQ where he kept a deluxe apartment until October, when he began playing for the team. He then lived full-time in DC while Juanita stayed in Texas.
Jordan’s official birth certificate was sold for $26,290 at Heritage Auctions on 1 August 2013.

Friday, 25 October 2013

Luciano Pavarotti

 12 October 1935 – 6 September 2007

Tenor Luciano Pavarotti, known for his larger-than-life showmanship that helped expand the popularity of opera, died September 6, 2007, at his home in Italy.   He was 71 years old.          

Pavarotti was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in July 2006 and had undergone further treatment for in August 2007.  

Pavarotti was born on October 12, 1935 on the outskirts of Modena in north-central Italy, the son of a baker and amateur singer.   W hile he spoke fondly of his childhood, the family was crowded into a two-room apartment.   And by 1943, World War II had forced the family into a rented single room in the countryside.
Pavarotti wanted to be a soccer star, but found himself enjoying his father's recordings, featuring the popular tenors of the day such as Bjoerling, Tito Schipa, and his favorite, Giuseppe Di Stefano.

At around the age of nine he began singing with his father in a small local church choir.   He also studied singing with childhood friend Mirella Freni, who later became a star soprano. 
At age 20, Pavarotti traveled with a chorus from his hometown to an international music competition in Wales. The group won first place.

Pavarotti abandoned a career in school-teaching to dedicate his life to singing.   He won the international competition at the Teatro Reggio Emilia in 1961, making his operatic debut there as Rodolfo in La Bohème on April 29.

Pavarotti made his international debut in 1963 when he stepped in for tenor Giuseppe Di Stefano in the role of ‘Rodolfo’ at the Royal Opera House in London. He took part in the La Scala tour of Europe in 1963–64.   His American debut in February 1965 in the Miami production of Donizetti’s "Lucia di Lammermoor" also launched his legendary partnership with Australian soprano Joan Sutherland.

It was with Sutherland that Pavarotti took London's Covent Garden and the New York Metropolitan Opera by storm in 1972 with a sparkling production of a Donizetti favorite, "La Fille du Regiment".  His voice and performance were very much in the powerful style of the traditional Italian tenor. He became internationally known as a concert performer, and achieved a large popular following through his recordings and television appearances.

He appeared in the film Yes, Giorgio in 1982, and published a volume of autobiography the same year.  His participation in the "Three Tenors" (with Placido Domingo and Jose Carreras) was hugely successful and credited with bringing classical music to the masses at a level never seen before.  Pavarotti also shared the stage with rock stars including U2's lead singer Bono and Eric Clapton, and even pop stars like Celine Dion and the Spice Girls.
He and Bono collected humanitarian aid during the Bosnia war.  And Pavarotti worked with the late Diana, Princess of Wales, to raise money to ban land mines worldwide.

In 2005, he was granted the freedom of the city of London and also received a Red Cross Award for Services to Humanity.
Pavrotti performed “Nessun Dorma” during his last major performance, at the opening of the Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, in February 2006.

While preparing to resume his 40-city farewell tour in July 2006, Pavrotti underwent emergency surgery at a New York hospital to remove a pancreatic tumor. The tenor underwent another two weeks of treatment in August 2007 at a hospital in his hometown of Modena, Italy. He was released two weeks before his death, attended to at home by cancer specialists.

Pavarotti is survived by four daughters, three with his first wife Adua and one with his second wife, Nicoletta Mantovani.   He had one granddaughter.

Angelina Jolie

Born on: 4th Jun 75
Born in: United States
Marital status: Single
Accupation: Actress, Hollywood


Angelina Jolie has enjoyed a long and successful career as an actress. She has won numerous awards for her work, including a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her performance in 1999's Girl, Interrupted and three Golden Globe awards. She has been nominated for a Best Actress Oscar for her latest film, Changeling, directed by Clint Eastwood. 



The daughter of thespians Marcheline Bertrand and Jon Voight, acting was in Jolie's blood. She trained while still a teenager at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute, where she was seen in several stage productions. She later joined the renowned Met Theatre Group in Los Angeles. 


She began appearing in films and TV production in the mid-1990s, winning a first Golden Globe for her role as the wife of the controversial lead character in the 1997 small screen production of George Wallace. She won a second Golden Globe the following year with her title role in Gia, a TV drama about supermodel Gia Carangi and her struggle with success, drugs and the AIDS that eventually killed her. She also won a Screen Actors Guild Award and an Emmy nomination for Gia. 


An early film from this time was Playing God and prior to that she starred in the Hallmark Hall of Fame's four-hour mini series, True Women, based on Janice Woods Windle's best-selling historical novel. Jolie also starred in Annette Haywood-Carter's acclaimed Foxfire and Iain Softley's Hackers. 


She played a rookie police officer opposite Denzel Washington's veteran detective in The Bone Collector, a thriller directed by Phillip Noyce. She also co-starred in Mike Newell's Pushing Tin, while Playing by Heart earned her The National Board of Review's award for Breakthrough Performance. 


But her real breakthrough performance came in 1999 with Jolie's mesmerizing portrayal of a mental patient in Girl, Interrupted, which netted her the acting holy grail of a Golden Globe, Oscar and Screen Actors Guild Award. The film, based on a true story by Susanna Kayson, was directed by James Mangold and co-starred Winona Ryder. 


Jolie followed this in 2001 with the phenomenally successful Tomb Raider, which was partly shot in Cambodia and helped her become a Hollywood superstar. In 2003, she filmed a sequel - Lara Croft: Tomb Raider - The Cradle of Life. 

The start of the new millennium was a busy period for Jolie, who appeared with Nicolas Cage and Robert Duvall as car thieves committing their final heist in the smash hit, gone in 60 Seconds (2000). She was seen opposite Antonio Banderas in and was also in the romantic comedy, Life or Something like It (2002). 


In 2004, Jolie starred in the thriller, Taking Lives, with Ethan Hawke, a year after portraying a United Nations relief worker in the provocative drama, Beyond Borders. In 2005, the actress co-starred with Brad Pitt in an amusing remake, Mr. and Mrs. Smith. She also appeared in Oliver Stone's ancient Greece epic, Alexander, and action/ adventure Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow with Jude Law and Gwyneth Paltrow. She lent her voice to animated feature Shark Tale. One of her co-stars was Jack Black and the two teamed up again in 2008 for another animated film, the hugely popular Kung Fu Panda. 


In 2006, she appeared in Robert De Niro's The Good Shepherd, a film about the early history of the CIA as seen through the eyes of Edward Wilson, played by Matt Damon. She played Margaret Russell, Wilson's neglected wife. The following year, Jolie made her directorial debut with the documentary A Place in Time, which captures life in 27 locations around the globe during a single week. 


In the same year, Jolie starred as Mariane Pearl in Michael Winterbottom's documentary-style drama, A Mighty Heart, about the 2002 kidnap and murder of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl in Pakistan. The film earned her fifth Golden Globe nomination and her third Screen Actors Guild Award nomination. She also played Grendel's mother in Robert Zemeckis' animated epic, Beowulf. 


Her most recent films are Wanted, an adaptation of a graphic novel by Mark Millar, Kung Fu Panda and Changeling, which is inspired by events that occurred in Los Angeles during the 1920s. It tells the story of a woman driven to confront a corrupt LA Police Department after a boy believed to be her abducted son is not the boy she gave birth to.

Thursday, 24 October 2013

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Born:
July 30, 1947 
• Graz, Austria


Most people successfully pursue one or two careers throughout their lives. By the age of fifty-six, Arnold Schwarzenegger had tackled at least three—bodybuilding, acting, and politics. It is difficult to break into any one of these professions, yet Schwarzenegger managed to excel in each and every one. He earned thirteen world bodybuilding championships, is considered one of the most influential actors in Hollywood, and, in 2003, without ever running for political office before, he became the governor of California. If Schwarzenegger had listened to his many critics along the way, he never would have succeeded. However, with discipline, determination, and drive, he proved that an Austrian-born immigrant can achieve the American dream.
The need to succeed
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger was born on July 30, 1947, the second son of Gustav and Aurelia Schwarzenegger. He was raised, along with older brother Meinhard, in the tiny village of Thal, just outside of Graz, Austria. Schwarzenegger's father, Gustav, was the local police chief, and the family lived above the police station where Gustav worked. The Schwarzenegger home was a humble one. In fact, they did not have indoor plumbing until Arnold was a teenager. This was not uncommon at the time, however, since families all over Europe were just beginning to recover from the effects of World War II (1939–45).
Before joining the police force, Gustav Schwarzenegger was a military officer, and he ran his household in strict military fashion. Both Arnold and Meinhard were required to get up before sunrise to tend to their chores. After chores came a rigorous exercise routine, followed by breakfast. Gustav also instilled a love of sports in his sons. Meinhard, who died when he was twenty-three years old in a car accident, was a boxing champion. Arnold showed promise as a soccer player. It was while performing exercises to strengthen his legs for soccer that Schwarzenegger turned to the sport that would eventually make him famous: bodybuilding.
Arnold Schwarzenegger pursued weightlifting and bodybuilding with a passion. He trained for hours a day, both at a local gym and at home where he set up a training area in a room that had no heat. He also studied anatomy and nutrition to understand how to become physically fit. His parents worried that he was obsessed with training, but Schwarzenegger had his eyes on a goal; that goal was to leave his little village behind and become a success in America.
"I learned something from all these years of lifting and training hard.... What I learned was that we are always stronger than we know."
Mr. Universe
In 1965, after he graduated from high school, Schwarzenegger joined the Austrian army. Just one month after enlisting, he won his first bodybuilding title, Mr. Junior Europe. The competition was held in Germany, and Schwarzenegger had left his army base without permission to compete. As a result, he spent the next year in the brig, which is a holding area for people in the military who have committed offenses. After he was released, Schwarzenegger resumed his training with gusto, often spending up to five hours a day in the gym.
The Ronald Reagan Comparison
Arnold Schwarzenegger was not the first celebrity to hold public office. For example, professional wrestler Jesse "The Body" Ventura (1951–) was governor of Minnesota from 1998 until 2002, and from 1986 to 1988 actor/director Clint Eastwood (1930–) was mayor of Carmel, California. The best-known celebrity-turned-politician, however, may be Ronald Reagan (1911–2004), former governor of California (1967–1975) and president of the United States (1981–1989). Throughout his run for governor, Schwarzenegger was constantly compared to Reagan for some obvious reasons: both were actors, both were very charismatic speakers, and both were new to politics when they ran for office. But, are there other similarities?
  • Age: Schwarzenegger and Reagan were both fifty-six years old when they became governor of California.
  • Nicknames: Reagan was known as "The Great Communicator" while Schwarzenegger was dubbed "The Oak" because of his strength and concentration.
    Arnold Schwarzenegger poses with a bronze bust of President Ronald Reagan.
    Mike Guastella/WireImage.com.
  • Sports: Both men shared a love of sports and got their start in the world of athletics. Schwarzenegger was a bodybuilder; Reagan played football and was a swimmer. Reagan also got his first break into show business as an announcer for football and baseball games in Iowa.
His grueling schedule paid off in 1967, when, at the age of twenty, Schwarzenegger won his first Mr. Universe title. The Mr. Universe competition is an annual event sponsored by the National Amateur Bodybuilders Association (NABBA). Competitors are judged on such things as size and definition of muscles, balance and proportion of body parts, and overall presentation. The youngest person to ever win the competition, Schwarzenegger was confident that he would keep his title the following year. He was also excited because his dream of traveling to the United States was about to come true since the 1968 Mr. Universe competition was to be held in Miami, Florida.
Although he did not win the 1968 title in Miami, Schwarzenegger was noticed by fitness pioneer Joe Weider (1922–). Weider was so impressed by the young bodybuilder that he invited him to stay in the United States and live and train with him in Los Angeles, California. Schwarzenegger jumped at the chance. Weider became Schwarzenegger's mentor, and from the late 1960s through the 1970s, Schwarzenegger devoted himself to training and competing. He reclaimed his Mr. Universe crown in 1969, and went on to dominate every major bodybuilding competition, including Mr. Universe, Mr. World, and Mr. Olympia.
In addition to being a star bodybuilder, Schwarzenegger helped popularize the sport. He wrote articles about his unique training methods for Weider's fitness magazines; he also was featured in a 1977 documentary about bodybuilding competitions, called Pumping Iron. The documentary was quite popular and gave Schwarzenegger his first taste of Hollywood celebrity. In 1980, at the age of thirty-three, he officially retired from bodybuilding to devote himself to a new career: acting.
Box-office gold
Schwarzenegger made a few low-budget movies in the 1970s, cast mostly in small roles that required big muscles, not big talent. In 1982 he was tapped to play the lead in Conan the Barbarian, based on the comic-book hero of the same name. Again, Schwarzenegger's strength was in his biceps, not his acting skills. Critics panned his performance, claiming that it was nearly impossible to understand his German-accented English. Audiences, however, loved the movie, which turned out to be a box-office hit. Two years later, in 1984, Schwarzenegger cemented his box-office appeal when he appeared in the movie The Terminator.
In The Terminator, Schwarzenegger played a violent cyborg (part robot, part human) who is sent from the future to exterminate the mother of humankind's future leader. He spoke seventy-four words in the movie, all delivered in a monotone, robotic voice. Audiences did not mind the lack of acting ability, and they flocked to see Schwarzenegger in the sci-fi thriller. The movie was so popular that Schwarzenegger became known for his character's famous one-liner: "I'll be back," or as Schwarzenegger pronounced it, "Awl be buck."
Action movies like The Terminator proved to be wildly popular with people of all ages, and Schwarzenegger proved to be the perfect action hero. He followed The Terminator with a string of movies, including Commando (1985), Predator (1987), Total Recall (1990), and True Lies(1994). He also continued the Terminator movies, starring in Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), which produced the famous line, "Hasta la vista, baby," and Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003). For his role in Terminator 3, Schwarzenegger was paid $30 million.
In addition to playing the tough-as-nails hero, Schwarzenegger starred in a number of comedies, including three movies made by director Ivan Reitman (1946–): Twins (1988), Kindergarten Cop (1990), and Junior (1994). Moviegoers embraced the "lighter side of Arnold," and critics admitted that Schwarzenegger was growing as an actor. Everyone agreed that he was box-office gold. In fact, in 1993, he was recognized as the International Box Office Star of the Decade.
By 2004 Schwarzenegger had appeared in nearly thirty movies, and he brought his unique style to each role. One thing he never lost was his accent. Comedians and critics made countless jokes about the way "Ah-nuld" talked, but Schwarzenegger seemed to take it in stride. He also explained in a 1991 interview with Pat Broeske that he did not want to get rid of his accent completely because it had become, Broeske noted, "his trademark, his signature."
The family man
Schwarzenegger's trademark made him a very wealthy actor, and he used his money wisely, investing in real estate and several businesses, including the restaurant chain Planet Hollywood. He was also a devoted family man. Schwarzenegger met his wife, television journalist Maria Shriver (1955–), in 1977. The couple married in 1986; they
Arnold Schwarzenegger supports Willie McKinney during the bench press competition of the 1999 Special Olympics World Games.
AP/Wide World Photos. Reproduced by permission.
have four children, two boys and two girls. Shriver was no stranger to celebrity, considering she is part of one of the most famous families in the United States. Her mother, Eunice Kennedy Shriver (1921–), is the sister of U.S. president John F. Kennedy (1917–1963).
Most people thought that the couple made a very odd pair. He was a brawny bodybuilder turned actor. She was a "brain" who graduated from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., and was coanchor of CBS Morning News. He was a well-known supporter of the Republican Party. The Republican Party is considered to be the more conservative of the two major political parties in the United States. Shriver, as part of the Kennedy clan, was a Democrat to the core. Members of the Democratic Party are traditionally considered to be more liberal. Those closest to the couple, however, say they are a perfect match. Both have competitive drives; both are committed to their family; and both share a wacky sense of humor.
The Schwarzeneggers also share a commitment to politics and to social causes. Since 1979 they have been devoted to the Special Olympics, helping to raise funds and awareness. Established by Eunice Shriver in 1968, Special Olympics provides year-round sports training and sponsors annual athletic competitions for children and adults with mental retardation. There are Special Olympics programs in almost 150 countries; Arnold serves as the Special Olympics International Weight Training Coach.
In 1990 Schwarzenegger was given an incredible opportunity to spread his message about the importance of fitness when President George H. W. Bush (1924–) appointed him chairman of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports (PCPFS). According to the PCPFS Web site, the goal of the council is to "promote, encourage and motivate Americans of all ages to become physically active and participate in sports." Schwarzenegger was the perfect spokesman. With high energy and unlimited enthusiasm, he traveled across the country spreading the word that it was "hip to be fit." When Democrat Bill Clinton (1946–) took over the presidency in 1993, Schwarzenegger resigned from the council.
The "Collectionator"
Schwarzenegger had been such a dynamic public figure in the Bush administration that people wondered if he was heading for a future in politics. Schwarzenegger denied the rumors for years, claiming he was too busy being a businessman and family man. In 2002, however, he spent a good deal of time campaigning in California for state grant money to fund after-school programs for children. And, in 2003, when California governor Gray Davis (1942–) was threatened by a recall, the buzz was strong that Schwarzenegger would throw his hat in the ring.
The year 2003 was a strange one in California politics. Democrat Gray Davis, who had over twenty years of experience in politics, was governor, and had been since 1998. Throughout his first term in office, however, Davis faced a number of problems, including an outof-control budget, a sagging state economy, and electricity blackouts that left most of the state without power for some time during 2001. Californians were not happy, and they blamed Davis for the sad state of affairs. In 2002, just months into his second term of office, citizens started a campaign to recall Davis as governor. This meant that Davis, through a special election, would possibly be replaced.
The election led to media frenzy since it was the first time in California's history that a governor faced a recall. In addition, people came out of the woodwork to campaign for Davis's job. On August 6, 2003, Schwarzenegger fueled the frenzy by announcing that he, too, was going to run for governor. He made his announcement during an interview on the late-night television program The Tonight Show.
Schwarzenegger spent the next several months campaigning in rather untraditional ways. For example, he chatted with Oprah Winfrey (1954–) on her afternoon talk show, and he was interviewed by disc jockey Howard Stern (1954–), who is known for his outrageous radio antics. Schwarzenegger peppered his interviews with references to his movies, promising to say "Hasta la vista" to new taxes and calling himself the "Collectionator," since one of his goals was to ask the federal government for funds to bail California out of its economic crisis.
Arnold to the rescue
All of the media attention prompted voters to turn out in droves, and on October 8, 2003, the citizens of California elected Arnold Schwarzenegger governor with 48.6 percent of the vote. On November 17, during his swearing-in ceremony, Schwarzenegger commented, "It is no secret that I'm a newcomer to politics. I realize I was elected on faith and hope. And I feel a great responsibility not to let the people down."
The public may have felt they needed an action hero to come to their aid, but political commentators had their doubts. Schwarzenegger was able to campaign on catchy phrases, but what would he do once in office? According to political consultant David Axelrod in a 2003 Time article, "This isn't the movies. No one is going to throw him a ray gun so he can blow up the deficit."
Schwarzenegger's first days in office were watched closely. He made good on several of his campaign promises, including lowering car taxes. He was also applauded for trying to get California Democrats and Republicans to work together to help solve the state's budget problems. Schwarzenegger, however, was just beginning to flex his political muscles. His state still faced a staggering amount of debt, and he tried to figure a way out without hurting social programs like education and health care.
In March 2004, voters passed Schwarzenegger's Proposition 57, which would allow the state to use bonds (low-interest, long-term loans) to slash $15 billion from the ever-growing debt. Politicians considered the proposition to be a daring move, but Schwarzenegger was used to taking chances, and he had faith that the voters would believe in him. In a rally held just after the vote, and reported on CNN, he reassured the public that his borrowing plan would "make California the golden state that it once was."
Just months into office, people began to speculate once again what was next for Arnold Schwarzenegger, family man, businessman, actor, and now governor. When he appeared on the television program Meet the Press, in February 2004, host Tim Russert wondered if perhaps Schwarzenegger had his eye on the White House. Schwarzenegger shooed away the question, commenting that he had been too busy tackling California's problems to think about his next move. "I have no idea," he commented, "I haven't thought about that at all."
But, can we believe him, since that is exactly what Schwarzenegger said when asked if he would ever run for political office? He faces one big obstacle, however. According to the U.S. Constitution, only citizens who were born in the United States are eligible to be president. Although Schwarzenegger became a citizen in 1983, he was born in Austria. A change, or amendment, to the constitution has been proposed that would make it possible for anyone who has been a U.S. citizen for at least twenty years to seek the presidency. And, as Ah-nuld has proven time and again, anything is possible. 

Tuesday, 22 October 2013

Jet Li


Name: Jet Li
Born: 26 April 1963 (Age: 50)
Where: Beijing, China
Height: 5' 6"
Awards: No Major Awards


Following closely on Jackie Chan's well-calloused heels as one of the most dazzling physical performers of the silver screen, Jet Li's lightning-fast moves, friendly sense of humor, and genuine concern for his fans have endeared him to a generation of international action-film lovers as one of the most respected figures in martial arts cinema. The youngest of five siblings (consisting of two brother and two sisters) whose father died when he was only two years old, one might say that the painfully honest momma's boy has, since reaching adulthood, slightly overcompensated for his admittedly over-protected childhood (the future daredevil didn't even learn how to ride a bicycle until in his early teens). Sent during summer recess to what is now referred to as the Beijing Sports and Exercise school, Li was fatefully assigned to the wushu class and was one of a mere handful of students asked to return when the season ended and students filed back into classrooms in the fall. An exceptionally adept wushu student despite being only eight years of age, the experience boosted the confidence of the shy youth despite urges to join his classmates in after-school play. Leaving home for the first time the following year to attend competition, Li took first place at the event and was concurrently given the honor of performing at the opening ceremony of the eagerly anticipated Pan-Asian-African-Latin American Table Tennis Championships, an honor which also included the youth receiving personal praise from none other than Premier Zhou Enlai. No longer required to attend conventional schooling, the young wonder was admitted to a rigorous sports school. Eventually remaining with a group that consisted of 20 of China's finest young wushu practitioners, the students were then put through another kind of training entirely -- this time of the Western etiquette persuasion -- for an extremely important goodwill tour of the United States. Despite a potentially embarrassing international incident in which the overly excited youngster expressed his excitement when he spotted what he thought was a Chinese airplane in Hawaii (the plane was actually Tawianese, an extremely sensitive and important distinction at the time) and travels with a heavily guarded entourage, the journey went fairly well and gave Li a newfound sense of independence. Winning the coveted All-China Youth Championships upon his return to China provided Li with his first national championship title, though it was only a prelude to a slew of awards to come including a bloodied performance at the qualifying round of China's National Games, during which Li accidentally cut his head with his saber (the determined youngster didn't even realize what had happened, assuming he was simply perspiring, until his form was nearly finished). Despite his serious injury, the 12-year-old Li went on to win first place in the National Games to the amazement of the enraptured crowd. Competing frequently in the following years and surviving a close brush with death in a faulty cargo plane (the passengers were literally given pads of paper to write out their wills), Li was later appointed to an official welcoming committee for American presidents due to his previous contributions to positive Sino-American relations. Later attempting to live up to his title of "All-Around Wushu Champion of China," the 16-year-old who many referred to as all capable decided to do all he could to live up to the title by internalizing his understanding of the wushu practice through philosophy. Operating on the basic principle of Taiji (similar to yin/yang in the balance/counterbalance theory), Li began an internal voyage that would be just as rewarding as the physical labors he had so diligently pursued. Breaking into the world of film with an exciting performance in 1979's Shaolin Temple, Li's screen presence was undeniable and ignited a boom in the kung-fu film industry during the 1980s. Though he took an unsuccessful attempt at directing a few short years later with Born to Defend (1986), his acting career continued to accelerate at high speed with such hits as theOnce Upon a Time in China and the Fong Sai-Yuk series in the early '90s. Rising to remarkable celebrity status due to his charm and unmatchable moves, Li gained fans in both the young and old and continued to thrill Eastern moviegoers in increasingly awe-inspiring ways. A crossover to American films began with his role as the villain in Lethal Weapon 4 (1998) (a role originally offered to Chan but turned down due to his inclination never to play the bad guy), and continued with more likable roles in Romeo Must Die and Kiss of the Dragon (2000 and 2001 respectively). Li caused something of a sensation with the release of Kiss of the Dragon when he made a special plea to parents not to bring their children to the film due to the unusually (for Li) adult-oriented violence of the film. A request virtually unheard of in the Hollywood system, Li promised parents that they would soon be able to share his high-kicking escapades with their children with the decidedly more family friendly The One a few short months later. In 2003 Li would return to stateside screens alongside DMX in Cradle to the Grave (2003), a remake of the classic Fritz Lang film M (1931) which fared only moderatly well at the box office. Just as it began to seem as if Li had forsaken the period martial arts genre on which he was weaned in favor of mainstream Hollywood success, his memorable return to the format with director Zhang Yimou's richly textured 2002 effort Hero proved to fans that he still possessed all the talent and charm he had so skillfully displayed in the previous Hong Kong hits produced before his crossover success. Despite the fact that the film drew some of the best reviews of Li's later career, however, the inexplicable decision made by U.S. distributor Miramax to sit on Hero for nearly two years before unceremoniously dumping it into stateside theaters in August of 2004 eventually caused many fans to seek out foreign releases of the critically-praised effort well before it's official U.S. release; a mournful mistake that likely resulted in diminshed sales at stateside multiplexes. A second collaboration with Kiss of the Dragon collaborator Luc Besson resulted in Unleashed, an effort many fans considered to be a notable improvement over his previous U.S. efforts, and in 2006 Li would return to the genre that launched his career one last time with the throwback martial arts biopic Fearless. A traditional-minded kung-fu epic that eschewed wirework and digital effects to focus on character and the art of fighting, Fearless proved an enormous success when it out-grossed such recent hits as House of Flying Daggars, Hero, and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon upon being released into East Asian theaters in January of 2006. He made The Warlords and The Forbidden Kingdom, and had one of this most high-profile successes in the United States being part of the superstar ensemble in The Expendables, signing on for that movie's sequel two years later as well. In between those two films he could be seen in Flying Swords of the Dragon Gate and Emperor and the White Snake. 

Jackie Chan

Jackie Chan (born Chan Kong-sang, 7.4.1954)
Jackie Chan was born in Hong Kong and is an actor, comedian,  martial arts expert, stunt performer and film director. He has been appearing in films since the 1970s and has been in over 100 movies. He has a star on both the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Hong Kong Avenue of Stars.
Jackie Chan: Childhood & Early Career
Jackie Chan was born in Victoria Peak, to Charles and Lee-Lee Chan. After failing his first year at Nah-Hwa Primary School, his parents withdrew him from school and in 1960, his father moved to Australia sending his son to the China Drama Academy. Whilst he was there, Jackie Chan trained extensively in acrobatics and martial arts. He eventually joined the performance group Little Fortunes, with Yuen Biao and Sammo Hung.
Aged eight, Jackie Chan appeared in the 1962 film Big and Little Wong Tin Bar. Chan continued to appear in films and at the age of 17, he was a stuntman in the Bruce Lee films Fist of Fury and Enter the Dragon Chan's premier starring role came in 1973, when he starred in Little Tiger of Canton. 1975's All in the Family was notable for including Chan's only nude sex scene.
Jackie Chan: Film Career
Having seen Chan in John Woo's Hand of Death, the Hong Kong director Willie Chan took Jackie Chan on board for the film New Fist of Fury, emphasising his similarity to Bruce Lee.
The film that propelled Jackie Chan to mainstream popularity was Drunken Master. Willie Chan was an important figure in Jackie's crossover to Hollywood success in the 1980s. His first Hollywood film was 1980s Battle Creek Brawl, followed by a small role in the cult film Cannonball Run, starring Burt Reynolds, Farrah Fawcett and Roger Moore.
Later on in the 1980s, Jackie Chan abandoned Hollywood and returned to the Hong Kong film industry, eclipsing the success of Bruce Lee with films such as The Young Master, Dragon Lord and The Young Master.
Jackie Chan made the first Police Story film in 1985, which was a huge success in Hong Kong, before returning to work with Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao again in Dragons Forever.
Chan returned to Hollywood in the 1990s, initially turning down roles such as Simon Phoenix in Sylvester Stallone's Demolition Man (the role was eventually played by Wesley Snipes), for fear of being typecast. In 1995, he starred in Rumble in the Bronx.
In 1998, Jackie Chan starred with Chris Tucker in Rush Hour, a film that made a huge star of Jackie Chan. On the back of the film's release, the martial arts star released his autobiography I Am Jackie Chan.
Chan's success continued to improve with the success of 2000's Shanghai Noon, Rush Hour 2, Shanghai Knights and The Medallion.
His first collaboration with Jet Li was 2008's The Forbidden Kingdom and featured Chan's first use of wires and special effects. In the popular animation King Fu Panda, Jackie Chan voiced the character of Master Monkey. The film also featured the voices of Jack Black,  Angelina Jolie and Dustin Hoffman.
The next big Hollywood blockbuster from Jackie Chan was a remake of The Karate Kid, along with Jaden Smith (son of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith).

Jean-Claude Van Damme


Birth Name: Jean-Claude Van Varenberg
Birthdate: October 18, 1960
Birthplace: Brussels, Belgium
Occupations: Actor, Director, Writer, Model, Producer
Quote: "I am the Fred Astaire of karate." --Los Angeles Times, August 20, 1991

Claim to Fame: High-intensity action movies
Significant Other(s):
Wife: Maria Rodriguez; first wife; Venezuelan; born 1954; separated 1981 when Van Damme moved to the US
Wife: Cynthia Derdian; married for one year in 1985; met while he was working in her father's carpet store
Wife: Gladys Portugues, bodybuilder; married 1986; separated July 1992; divorced; reconciled after his separation from La Pier; remarried Van Damme June 1999
Wife: Darcy La Pier, model; born 1965; Hawaiian Tropic beauty-contest winner representing the state of Oregon in 1985; previously married to Hawaiian Tropic mogul Ron Rice in a highly publicized lavish wedding while still married to a man in Portland, Oregon; married Van Damme February 3, 1994; filed for divorce June 7, 1996; reconciled; filed again for divorce December 19, 1996; reconciled a second time; filed divorce petition again in November 1997, alleging Van Damme physically abused her and was addicted to drugs
Family:
Father: Eugene Van Varenberg, florist
Mother: Eliana Van Varenberg
Sibling: Has one, older
Son: Kristopher Van Damme, born 1987; mother, Gladys Portugues
Daughter: Bianca Van Damme, born October 1990; mother, Gladys Portugues
Son: Nicholas Van Damme; born October 10, 1995; mother, Darcy LaPier
Biography
The handsome, genial Van Damme won the European karate championship (earning the nickname 'The Muscles From Brussels') and made the unique contribution to the martial arts genre of executing a karate kick to his opponent's head during a leaping 360-degree turn. Van Damme began taking karate lessons as a child, then turned to body-building and ballet. He opened his own gym while still in his teens, earning a reported $15,000 a month. But movie stardom was always his goal. Van Damme made his feature acting debut in the French action film "Rue Barbare" (filmed in 1980, released in 1983) and headed for America. While learning English, he worked odd jobs and landed small roles like a gay pick-up in the short "Monaco Forever" (1984) and 'Ivan the Russian' in the low-budget action film "No Retreat, No Surrender" (1986). Van Damme was finally groomed for stardom in the inexpensive, highly marketable karate/action films "Bloodsport", "Kickboxer" and "Black Eagle" (all 1988). 5Van Damme had a very busy and profitable 1990, breaking into mainstream features as a Mountie with "Death Warrant" and received his first screenplay credit on "Lionheart", in which he also starred as a French Legionnaire avenging his brother's death. Van Damme expanded his production credits to include producer with "Double Impact" (1991), in which he played twins. "Universal Soldier" (1992), with Van Damme as a sympathetic zombie, was one of his most popular films, grossing over $100 million worldwide. He attempted to display further versatility with "Nowhere to Run" (1993) by playing a romantic character opposite Rosanna Arquette. By this time, his salary had skyrocketed to $3.5 million. But Van Damme--knowing his audience--returned to high intensity action with "Hard Target" (1993), the American directorial debut of Hong Kong action auteur John Woo. Humor leavened his next film, "Timecop" (the title pretty much explains this 1994 actioner). Later that year, he played a Colonel rescuing hostages from Raul Julia in "Street Fighter" and he saved the Stanley Cup finals from a terrorist in "Sudden Death" (1995). More of the same followed with Van Damme's directorial debut, "The Quest" (1996) and two teamings with Hong Kong director Tsui Hark, "Double Team" (1997) and "Knock Off" (1998)
Awards:
Won the European Professional Karate Association's middleweight championship in his late teens
Factoids:
His fight scenes are so intense that he won't film them in the U.S. for fear of being sued
Education:
Dropped out of school at age 16
Karate with Dominique Valera
Ballet for five years after taking karate

Sylvester Stallone

Birth Name: Sylvester Stallone
Born: 07/06/1946
Birth Place: New York City, New York, USA



Born Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone in Hell's Kitchen, NY on July 6, 1946, his first moments set the tone for a challenging life: an accident during his forceps delivery severed a nerve in his face, which resulted in his trademark slurred speech and drooping facial features. Stallone's parents, Jacqueline Labofish - who would later achieve pseudo-celebrity in the 1980s as a wrestling promoter and astrologer - and Frank Stallone Sr. had a combative relationship, leading young Sly to spend several years in foster homes. He eventually returned to his family in Maryland, which included younger brother Frank, but the marriage soon dissolved, leaving Stallone to relocate with his mother to her new husband's hometown of Philadelphia, PA. His time there was marked by frequent expulsions from schools and bouts with loneliness and anger. By the time he landed in a school for troubled youth, he was named "Most Likely to End Up in the Electric Chair" by his classmates. Sports and exercise provided his sole positive outlet.

Poor grades restricted Stallone's choices for higher education, so he ended up spending a stint in beauty school before attending the American College in Switzerland, where drama courses gave him a new direction. He returned to the United States in 1967 and studied drama at the University of Miami, but departed three credits shy of his degree for New York to find work just two years later. His speech impediment made it difficult for him to find substantial work, but his brawny physique ensured him of a certain type of role; he was a randy telephone repairman in the bawdy off-Broadway play "Score" (1971) and appeared nude in a softcore grindhouse feature called "Party at Kitty and Studs" (1970), which was revived in the mid-1970s after he rose to fame with "Rocky." Minor parts in Hollywood features like Woody Allen's "Bananas" (1971) and "The Prisoner of Second Avenue" (1975) eventually came his way, but these too were based entirely on his physical presence, and more often than not, he lost opportunities - including a role in "The Godfather" (1972) - for being too brawny. Frustrated with the lack of opportunity, Stallone headed for Los Angeles, where he intended to make his own way by writing scripts for himself. His fortunes increased somewhat after the move. Roger Corman offered him his most substantial roles to date in "Capone" (1975), starring as murderous Depression Era gangster Frank Nitti, and "Death Race 2000" (1975), in which he played a futuristic racecar driver with a chip on his shoulder. He also sold his first screenplay, a coming-of-age drama called "The Lords of Flatbush" (1974), in which he co-starred with fellow up-and-comers Henry Winkler, Perry King, and Armand Assante.

In 1975, he witnessed the epic boxing match between underdog Chuck "The Bayonne Bleeder" Wepner and heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali. Wepner's determination in the face of his superior opponent struck a chord with Stallone, who went home and penned the script for a feature about a good-natured club fighter named Rocky Balboa who gets a shot at the heavyweight title. The script fell into the hands of producers Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff, whose attention Stallone had caught with the script for another project titled "Paradise Alley." Both producers wanted the film, but initially balked on Stallone's request to play the title role. After some deliberation and script changes that included a more upbeat ending, both agreed that the film's low budget could allow for a relative unknown to play the lead. The result was one of the most invigorating and popular features of the 1970s; a rags-to-riches story enlivened by some of the most realistic boxing footage ever captured on film, as well as Stallone's unexpectedly funny and tender turn as Rocky, the "Italian Stallion." The shot of Rocky charging triumphantly up the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art to the strains of composer Bill Conti's "Gonna Fly Now" score became, in and of itself, one of the most iconic scenes in Hollywood history. Directed ably by John Avildsen, "Rocky" went on to gross over $117 million dollars and net three Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Film Editing. Stallone himself was nominated for two Oscars - Actor and Screenplay - and his Hollywood career was effectively launched quite famously at age 30.

Stallone made his directorial debut with "Paradise Alley" (1978), a period drama about three Hell's Kitchen brothers (Stallone, Assante and Kevin Conway) who get involved with professional wrestling. He then penned and starred in "F.I.S.T. (1978), a drama about a laborer who becomes involved in union organization. Neither proved as big a hit as "Rocky," so the inevitable sequel was set for 1979. "Rocky II" rematched Balboa with Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers), the Muhammad Ali stand-in he battled in the first film. Stallone both wrote and directed this film, which proved almost as popular as the first with moviegoers. It also established Stallone's routine of returning to his best-loved characters after experiencing a bout of flops.

Stallone was a American POW in World War II who participates in a soccer match against his Nazi captors in John Huston's cult favorite "Victory" (1981), and donned a beard and glasses to play a cop on the trail of a terrorist (Rutger Hauer) for the underrated "Nighthawks" (1981) - the latter of which suffered cuts at the hands of its studio and underperformed at the box office. But in 1982, he rose to the top of the box office yet again with a second frachise-in-the-making: "First Blood," an action-packed drama about troubled Vietnam vet John Rambo, who tangles with a small town police force. The film, directed by Ted Kotcheff, dampened the dark tone and downbeat ending of David Morrell's novel - which saw Rambo commit suicide after his rampage - giving Stallone one of his biggest hits since the "Rocky" films. It also (unintentionally) served as a touchstone for conservatives such as then-President Ronald Reagan, who admitted his fondness for the violent picture.

Stallone followed this with another huge hit, "Rocky III" (1982), which pitted the boxer against the brutal Clubber Lang (Mr. T). Though the latest sequel took Rocky even further from his humble roots, audiences still flocked to see the underdog story and the stellar boxing sequences. However, Stallone stumbled mightily with "Staying Alive" (1983), his sequel to "Saturday Night Fever" (1977). Despite a healthy box office take - John Travolta's last for awhile - Stallone's turn as director-producer-writer of the overtly cheesy musical - complete with a fur-clad Stallone street cameo and the casting of brother Frank as Travolta's competition for a lady's affections - was lambasted by critics. Even more maligned was his next film, the ill-advised musical comedy "Rhinestone," which saw Stallone singing with Dolly Parton. In the first of several bad career choices, Stallone reportedly turned down the starring roles in "Beverly Hills Cop" (1983) and "Romancing the Stone" (1984) to star in his major flop.

With two back-to-back disasters on his plate, Stallone retreated to familiar territory for his next projects. "Rocky IV" (1985) tapped heavily into the then-current flag-waving political rhetoric for his match between Balboa and a robotic Soviet fighter (Dolph Lundgren). Despite its not-so-subtle flash, the film was the highest grossing entry in the "Rocky" series then to date, earning some $127 million at the box office. The film also served as the launching point for Stallone's relationship with Danish model and actress Brigitte Nielsen, who appeared as Lundgren's Russian love interest. After marrying Sasha Czack in 1974 and raising two sons - Sage, who appeared as Rocky's son in "Rocky V" and later became a filmmaker and exhibitor; Seargeoh, who was autistic - Stallone filed for divorce and wed the over-the-top Nielsen. Their two-year relationship was covered to dizzying extremes until an abrupt and ugly divorce in 1987. Stallone also revived John Rambo for the ultra-violent "Rambo: First Blood Part II" (1985), which sent the vet back to Vietnam to rescue POWs. Critics blasted the picture for its conservative tone and staggering violence, but it was the second most popular film of the year and a massive hit worldwide. During this period, Stallone also served as executive producer on the TV biopic "Heart of a Champion: The Ray Mancini Story" (1985) and advised the project's numerous boxing scenes. It was, indeed, his biggest year since his bicentennial breakout in 1976.

The year 1986 marked the beginning of Stallone's long, cartoonish and critically reviled tenure as an action hero - a status solidified by his participation in the overblown Planet Hollywood restaurant chain, which he co-founded with fellow defenders of cinematic liberty, Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1991. "Cobra" - his second and final feature with Nielsen - was a tasteless crime picture with Stallone as a taciturn cop hunting axe-wielding serial killers. It scored well among moviegoers, but "Over The Top" (1987), with Stallone as a competitive arm wrestler, and "Tango and Cash" (1989), with Stallone and Kurt Russell as odd-couple cops fighting drug dealers, yielded mediocre returns and much unintended laughter. He returned for a third time as John Rambo in "Rambo III" (1988), which dispatched the homicidal hero to Afghanistan to fight the occupying Soviet Army. The picture, which earned a place in the record books as the film with the most violent acts and onscreen deaths in history, performed poorly at American box offices, but earned massive returns worldwide.

A sea change was required for Stallone's career in the late 1980s, but his next few projects only extended his losing streak. "Lock Up" (1988), with Stallone as a falsely accused prisoner victimized by a sadistic warden (Donald Sutherland), was an attempt to return to his underdog persona, but found few ticket buyers. Even the revival of Rocky Balboa in "Rocky V" (1990), with John G. Avildsen back in the director's chair and Stallone as screenwriter, couldn't muster a respectable profit. And a likable attempt at comedy with John Landis' screwball comedy "Oscar" (1991) tanked miserably. The nadir of Stallone's film career came just one year later with "Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot" (1992), a ghastly action comedy with a pistol-packing Estelle Getty as Stallone's interfering mom. The Golden Rasberry Awards showered upon the film only solidified the notion that Stallone's career was stuck in neutral, or fixed in a downward spiral. But like so many times before, Stallone came back from behind with two major hits in 1993. "Cliffhanger," by rising action director Renny Harlin, saw Stallone as a spooked mountain climber blackmailed into aiding criminals (led by an over-the-top John Lithgow) in recovering stolen treasury money. The film, which featured breathtaking scenery and stunt work, was a massive summer hit, and was soon followed by "Demolition Man" (1993), with Stallone as a 20th century cop awakened from a cryogenic prison to hunt super criminal Wesley Snipes. Filled with softball pokes at political correctness and Stallone's own "dinosaur" status, the film also scored mightily in the fall of 1993.

Flush with his latest bout of success, Stallone embarked on a string of high-profile action projects, including "The Specialist" (1994), a glossy action thriller with Sharon Stone and James Woods; "Assassins" (1995) with Antonio Banderas; "Judge Dredd" (1995), a live action version of the popular British graphic novel "2000 AD;" and "Daylight" (1996), a likable if busy disaster thriller. All save "Dredd" experienced anemic ticket sales, and each was picked over with increasing relish by Stallone's growing legion of naysayers. In fact, Stallone's paternity case with model Janice Dickinson, whom she had named as the father of her child, earned him more press than his films (Stallone was later cleared of the charge). A change of pace was clearly in need, and Stallone found it in "Cop Land" (1997), a gritty police drama from director James Mangold who would later score big with the Johnny Cash biopic, "Walk the Line" (2005). For his role as a partially deaf suburban sheriff who confronts a police corruption scandal, Stallone gained considerable weight and gave one of his most soulful performances since "Rocky." Critics responded with some of his best reviews to date, and the picture - which pitted Stallone against such acting heavyweights as Robert De Niro, Harvey Keitel, and Ray Liotta - performed respectably for an indie film. Stallone also took home the Best Actor Award from the Stockholm Film Festival.

In 1997, Stallone married Irish model Jennifer Flavin and settled into second fatherhood with three daughters (born in 1996, 1998, and 2002). At 51, Stallone's film career was at a crossroads; his greatest successes lay with two roles, both of which he was growing too old to play, according to industry pundits. His dream project, a biography of novelist and poet Edgar Allan Poe, was stagnant, and his standing among critics had improved only slightly after "Cop Land." Nevertheless, Stallone soldiered on with a film career. He lent his voice to DreamWorks' animated comedy "Antz" (1998), also featuring Woody Allen, Sharon Stone, and Gene Hackman, which scored well despite the popularity of the similar "A Bug's Life" (1998) from Pixar. But offbeat choices like this were few and far between, and Stallone was soon back in the action trenches for a string of failures, including an ill-advised remake of "Get Carter" (2000) and the racing drama "Driven" (2001). By the beginning of the new millennium, Stallone's films were not even receiving theatrical releases; "D-Tox" (a.k.a. "Eye See You;" 2002), the mob thriller "Avenging Angelo" (2002) and "Shade" (2003) were shipped directly to cable and home video.

Stallone caught a break in 2005 courtesy of director Robert Rodriguez, who cast him as the mischievous villain The Toymaker in "Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over," which proved a monster hit among younger viewers. He also returned to television for the first time since the mid-1980s with two appearances on the show "Las Vegas" (NBC, 2005-08) and as the executive producer and co-host of "The Contender" (NBC/ESPN, 2005-07), a reality show about aspiring boxers. However, the expense of the series and middling ratings forced it off the air in 2005, but it returned in 2006 on the sports network ESPN. The show was marred by controversy when one of its contestants committed suicide during the first season. That same year, Stallone ventured into publishing as the editorial director of the men's magazine Sly and author of the book Sly Moves, which discussed his personal life and fitness routines. The following year, Stallone revived the role that made him a star with "Rocky Balboa" (2006), a surprise to critics and audiences alike with its heartfelt storyline and winning performance by the 60-year-old Stallone, who further impressed viewers by exchanging real punches with professional boxer Antonio Tarver, who played his opponent. The picture went on to become Stallone's biggest success since "Cliffhanger" and the sixth most successful boxing movie in film history (after the first four "Rocky" titles and 2005's "Million Dollar Baby"). Once again, Stallone had risen from the ashes of his career to settle as close to the top as he had been in years.

In 2007, Stallone was the subject of controversy when news broke that he was caught trying to smuggle 48 vials of the growth hormone Jintropin past customs officials while in Australia promoting "Rocky Balboa." After claiming to have had a legitimate medical condition for his use of the restricted drug, Stallone was forced to plead guilty to the charges and was fined nearly $10,000. That same year, Stallone went into production as writer, director, producer and star of "Rambo" (2008), the fourth entry in the violent film series about the troubled Vietnam War veteran, which went on to earn over $100 million worldwide. In interviews, the actor indicated that the film did not mark the last of the character's adventures - true enough, a fifth installment was greenlit for production, only to be put aside for his next project.

Stallone fully embraced his action roots by co-writing, directing and starring in "The Expendables" (2010), a big-budget action movie to end all big-budget action movies, which heralded his return to the genre. Stallone intended to unite every major action hero from the 1980s and 1990s onscreen for the lovingly crafted epic. While some declined the offer - including Jean-Claude Van Damme, Steven Seagal, Kurt Russell and Wesley Snipes - he was able to book a dream cast that included himself, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Terry Crews, Randy Couture, Bruce Willis, Mickey Rourke, Stone Cold Steve Austin and the genre's Holy Grail that was Arnold Schwarzenegger. The film was a surprising success, which naturally led to filming "The Expendables 2" (2012), featuring a return of the original cast - including a greatly expanded role for Schwarzenegger - as well as the addition of martial arts star Chuck Norris.

But as he was busy promoting the film's August release, Stallone was struck by tragedy when his son, Sage, was found dead in his Studio City home on July 13, 2012. He was only 36 years old. The cause of death was initially rumored to be drugs but was determined to be a fatal heart attack. Sage had followed his father's footsteps onto the screen, making his film debut as Robert Balboa, Jr. in "Rocky V" (1990), as well as appearing in Stallone's disaster film "Daylight" (1996). As he struggled to deal with the tragic blow, Stallone suffered another loss, this time his half-sister, Toni Ann Filiti, succumbed to lung cancer at 48 years old. Their mother, Jackie Stallone, was by her side and reported the news to her son, who reportedly told her that he could not take any more pain. Stallone had just begun speaking openly about Sage's death and expressed hope that time would heal his wounds