title: Highlander (franchise)

text: The original orchestral score was composed by Michael Kamen. Queen produced and performed the soundtrack, released as the album "A Kind of Magic" (a reference to a line used by Connor in the movie to explain his ability to survive death). Sounds from the soundtrack were also used in "", and the track, "Princes of the Universe" became the theme song for the show's opening title introduction.


title: Highlander (franchise)

text: "" was initially directed by Russell Mulcahy. Filming was done almost entirely in Argentina. After the country's economy crashed, the film's investors took direct control of the film, removing Mulcahy and his creative influence while altering the story. Released on November 1, 1991, the film mainly takes place in 2024, with flashbacks to events on Earth in the 1990s and also the planet Zeist "500 years ago". The film offers an origin story for immortals, depicting Ramírez and MacLeod as alien revolutionaries of Zeist who oppose the corrupt rulers and General Katana (Michael Ironside). Ramírez and MacLeod, who share a bond due to a magic called "the Quickening", are then exiled to Earth along with others. On Earth they become immortal and are forced to kill each other until only one is left alive. The winner will have a choice: to become mortal and live out their life on Earth or return to Zeist now pardoned of all crimes. This origin story contradicts the age and history of Ramírez in the first film, Connor's childhood growing up in Scotland, and the circumstances of how the two first met, but no explanation is offered for these contradictions. "Highlander II" also does not explain why MacLeod no longer seems to have access to the power he won at the end of the previous film, which allowed him to know the thoughts and dreams of all living people. Only the mortality he earned is mentioned.


title: Highlander (franchise)

text: In the film's main story, the ozone layer deteriorates and many are killed by solar radiation by 1994, including Brenda Wyatt (now said to be Connor's wife). In 1999, MacLeod supervises a team that creates an energy Shield across the planet. Earth is protected but can no longer see the sky or natural sunlight. By 2024, humanity is now largely in despair as society is overwhelmed by violence and crime. The Shield is now under control of The Shield Corporation (TSC), which charges countries heavily for its protection. Having won the Prize in 1985, MacLeod became mortal and has physically aged into a frail old man. Worried the Highlander may still return to Zeist, Katana sends immortal henchmen after him. MacLeod defends himself and his attackers die, their immortal energies restoring his youth. He allies with Louise Marcus (Virginia Madsen), a political radical who knows the ozone has healed and that TSC is covering up the truth in order to continue profits. Joining them is Ramírez, whom MacLeod summons back to life through their magical bond. They fight Katana and finally free Earth from the Shield.


title: Highlander (franchise)

text: When "Highlander II" was released in 1991, it was poorly reviewed by critics worldwide, and is now considered to be one of the worst movies ever made. Russell Mulcahy was disappointed with the film and later made his own Renegade Version director's cut by re-editing the footage and removing all verbal reference to the immortals being aliens from a planet called Zeist. The Zeist footage was repurposed as a flashback to an ancient, technologically advanced civilization that existed on Earth before recorded history (the name and location of this civilization is not said). MacLeod and Ramírez were now said to have been members of this ancient society and it is stated that they, along with Katana and others, are once again rare human beings born with their immortality. While the movie still shows Ramírez wielding a form of magic, it is no longer called the Quickening. The rulers of this ancient society then banished the immortal revolutionaries and criminals to different points in the future, allowing Ramírez to be sent to ancient Egypt while MacLeod becomes a Highlander in 16th century Scotland, the two of them reuniting later. It is said the winner of the Prize can either become mortal and live out their life "in the future" or choose to return to their original civilization in the distant past.


title: Highlander (franchise)

text: In 2004, a "Special Edition" was released, featuring several distinct alterations, including new computer-generated visual effects throughout the film (and changing the Shield from red to dark blue as originally intended). Though many fans regarded the "Renegade Version" and "Special Edition" as being better than the original film, the general reception was still somewhat mixed.


title: Highlander (franchise)

text: "" (alternatively titled "Highlander: The Final Dimension") was released in late 1994 in the Philippines and the United Kingdom and on January 27, 1995 in the United States. It is a direct sequel to the original film, ignoring and contradicting the story of "Highlander II". Following Brenda Wyatt's death in a car crash in 1987, MacLeod is living in Marakesh with his adopted son John. In 1994, he is hunted by the warrior Kane (Mario Van Peebles) who missed the original Gathering because he was buried deep in a Japanese cave by magic, isolating him from the Game. Having killed and absorbed the power of MacLeod's second teacher, the sorcerer Nakano (Mako), Kane is a master of illusion. Realizing there are other immortals again, Connor returns to New York to ensure Kane does not win the Prize. Along the way, he finds a new love, archaeologist Dr. Alex Johnson (Deborah Unger) who resembles a woman MacLeod loved during the French Revolution. Kane kidnaps John and lures MacLeod to a final battle in New Jersey. McLeod wins and leaves to start a new life with John and Alex.


title: Highlander (franchise)

text: The film grossed $36.7 million worldwide, with $13.7 million in the United States and Canada. Critics claim that it was little more than a carbon copy of the first film.


title: Highlander (franchise)

text: "", released to theaters on September 1, 2000. Rather than a direct sequel in the "Highlander" film franchise, it followed the continuity of the recently ended "", acting as a franchise bridge by starring both previous film protagonist Connor MacLeod and TV series protagonist Duncan MacLeod. In the canon of the TV series, the events of the original "Highlander" film still took place but the Prize was not won because many immortals still lived on Earth in 1985. The series protagonist Duncan is introduced in the first episode as another immortal of the Clan MacLeod who was born decades after Connor left the clan. Christopher Lambert appeared as Connor in the first episode, revealed to have been Duncan's teacher in the ways of immortals.


title: Highlander (franchise)

text: Taking place in the present day, the film's antagonist is Jacob Kell (Bruce Payne), an evil immortal who ignores the rules of the Game. Kell holds a centuries-old grudge against Connor MacLeod and kills his adopted daughter Rachel Ellenstein when he bombs their old antique shop in New York City. Following Rachel's death, Connor is disillusioned with life and spends a decade in a hidden fortress known as the Sanctuary. When Kell discovers the Sanctuary ten years later, Connor and Duncan join forces against him. Believing neither of them can defeat Kell alone, Connor, tired of his immortal life, insists he be killed by Duncan so the younger MacLeod may possess their combined power. Duncan reluctantly does so and defeats Kell.


title: Highlander (franchise)

text: Critical reaction to "Highlander: Endgame" was negative. It holds a 12% "rotten" rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 52 reviews, higher than "Highlander II" and "Highlander III", both of which hold ratings of 5% or lower, and a score of 21 out of 100 on Metacritic, based on 16 reviews.


title: Highlander (franchise)

text: The film was a box office bomb, managing to garner $15m of its $25m budget. The film opened at #3, grossing $5,067,331 in the opening weekend. It went on to gross $12,811,858 domestically and gather $3,031,750 from foreign markets for a worldwide total of $15,843,608. However, it sold better when it was released on DVD. This prompted the producers to release the director's cut version of the film, adding new footage along with better special effects and audio tracks, and re-editing certain parts of the story. The reception to the director's cut was mixed but better than the overall fan reception to the theatrical release.


title: Highlander (franchise)

text: "" premiered on the Sci Fi Channel on September 15, 2007 and continues the canon of "Highlander: The Series", taking place several years after "Endgame". The film takes place in a future version of Earth where human society has descended into violence and chaos. Duncan MacLeod and a group of allies seek an energy well in Eastern Europe that may be the legendary Source of immortality, all while fighting the Guardian (Cristian Solimeno), an immortal empowered with superhuman abilities. The story and the mythology of the "Source" were meant to be expanded on with future films, but reception to "The Source" was largely negative and plans for follow-up stories were canceled. A 2008 short film called "Reunion", written by TV series producer David Abramowitz and directed by Don Paonessa, featured the series characters but did not acknowledge the events of "Highlander: The Source". At the Highlander Worldwide Convention the next year, Abramowitz and others from the TV series referred to "Highlander: The Source" as a "bad dream" Duncan had. The same year, Big Finish Productions released officially licensed "Highlander: The Series" audio plays that contradicted the events of "The Source".


title: Highlander (franchise)

text: In 2008, Summit Entertainment bought the franchise's rights, with the intention to remake the original 1986 film. The writers Art Marcum and Matt Holloway and producer Peter Davis were attached to the project at one point. Justin Lin and several other entries in the "Fast and Furious" films, signed on to direct the remake. The film's reported title is "Highlander: The Reckoning".


title: Highlander (franchise)

text: Producer Neal H. Moritz said in an interview that they want to stay true to the mythologies as a whole of the "Highlander" series, acknowledging that there are certain things between all the different "Highlanders", but to stay faithful in what the original film delivered, while presenting the new version for old and new fans of the franchise.


title: Highlander (franchise)

text: "Twilight" series writer Melissa Rosenberg was attached to write "Highlander" script in 2011. Justin Lin was still attached to direct, but in August, Lin dropped out of the film due to commitments to other projects.


title: Highlander (franchise)

text: In 2012, director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo later signed on to direct the remake. Vinnie Jones and Ray Stevenson were rumored to be considered for the role of The Kurgan. Ryan Reynolds was confirmed to play Connor MacLeod. Later in December, Fresnadillo left the project due to creative differences and Reynolds also dropped out of the film.


title: Highlander (franchise)

text: "" writer and executive producer David Abramowitz was reported to polish the film's script in 2013. Cedric Nicolas-Troyan was hired to direct in October. The following year in November, the studio wanted actor Tom Cruise in the role of Ramírez, but Cruise was busy shooting "" and was reportedly not considering future projects at that time. James Jaysen Bryhan has since been rumored to play Ramírez.


title: Highlander (franchise)

text: Wrestler turned actor Dave Bautista was cast as The Kurgan in February 2015. Nicolas-Troyan said that he was still involved with the reboot, but later in November of 2016, Chad Stahelski was confirmed to direct, and Ryan J. Condal was brought for the script. Stahelski revealed that the reboot was in "heavy development mode" in June 2020.


title: Highlander (franchise)

text: Henry Cavill was in talks to have a lead role in the reboot as of May 2021, although his exact character is unknown.


title: Highlander (franchise)

text: In 2007, an anime film, "" was released, featuring the immortal Colin MacLeod in the year 2187. The film exists in its own continuity, separate from the live-action films and TV shows. The story largely takes place in a post-apocalyptic version of Earth and implies immortals can use their power to achieve superhuman speed and strength.


title: Highlander (franchise)

text: In 1992, a television spin-off was developed, entitled "". It was shown in syndication from October 3, 1992, to May 16, 1998. The series was an offshoot of the 1986 feature film but with one major difference: immortals still exist post-1985. The first episode of season 2 confirmed the events of the original "Highlander" film still happened in the TV series continuity but that Connor's battle with the Kurgan was not the Gathering and he did not win the Prize, since in this version there were many other immortals still alive on Earth in 1985. The series introduced the Watchers, an organization of mortals who observe and record the lives of immortals.


title: Highlander (franchise)

text: Adrian Paul starred as Duncan MacLeod, another immortal from the same clan as Connor, born decades later. Soon after Duncan realizes he is immortal, Connor finds him and trains him for years before they both part ways. Christopher Lambert reprised his role as Connor Macleod for the first episode and was mentioned again in several subsequent episodes. The series originally featured Alexandra Vandernoot as Duncan's love Tessa Noël and Stan Kirsch as his young friend Richie Ryan. Other series regulars included Philip Akin as Charlie DeSalvo, Jim Byrnes as Joe Dawson, Lisa Howard as Anne Lindsey, Michel Modo as the comedic character Maurice, and Peter Wingfield as the immortal Methos. Roger Daltrey of The Who made recurring appearances as Duncan's immortal friend Hugh Fitzcairn, while Elizabeth Gracen made frequent appearances as Duncan's old friend and occasional love interest Amanda Darieux, an immortal thief whose popularity led to her being the star of the spin-off series "".


title: Highlander (franchise)

text: Over its six-year run, the series had many notable guest stars including Joan Jett, Vanity, Richard Moll, Traci Lords, Sheena Easton, "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, Nia Peeples, Rae Dawn Chong, Eric McCormack, Sandra Bernhard, Claudia Christian and Ron Perlman. The show was co-produced in syndication by international partners including Gaumont, RTL Plus (Germany), Rysher Distribution (United States), Reteitalia Productions (Italy), Amuse Video (Japan) and TF1 (France). The series had high ratings internationally. However, the ratings fell during the show's last two seasons and it ended in 1998 after six years.


title: Highlander (franchise)

text: In 2008, a 17-minute reunion special simply titled "Reunion" was filmed starring Peter Wingfield, Elizabeth Gracen, and Jim Byrnes reprising their roles for a short story taking place roughly ten years after the end of the series. Filming took place at producer Peter Davis's beach home with the actors volunteering in their roles. The plot involved Methos planning to marry a mortal woman, while Amanda reflects on her life and ambitions, and Joe Dawson adjusts to being retired from active Watcher duty.


title: Highlander (franchise)

text: A 1994 animated series, "", was set in the 27th century on a post-apocalyptic Earth now ruled by an immortal named Kortan. The series hero is a young immortal named Quentin MacLeod, voiced by Miklos Perlus, who is the last of the Clan MacLeod and mentored by an immortal named Don Vincente Marino Ramírez. Connor MacLeod appeared in one episode during a flashback scene to the late 20th century, where he dies at Kortan's hand after prophesying the villain will one day be defeated by Quentin. To curb the violence, the show creates a way for immortals to willingly transfer their Quickening energy to another, allowing Quentin to rise in power without killing.


title: Highlander (franchise)

text: A spin-off of "Highlander: The Series", this show starred Elizabeth Gracen as the popular character Amanda Darieux, a recurring role she played in the original TV show. Previously known as a thief who often avoided confrontation and responsibility, the series showed Amanda now trying to become a better person alongside a new supporting cast of characters. "" lasted one season due to low ratings and changes in how syndicated shows are marketed.


title: Highlander (franchise)

text: "The Methos Chronicles" is an animated Internet Flash-series based on Methos (Peter Wingfield), a 5000 year-old immortal introduced in "Highlander: The Series". Wingfield voiced the character for the series, which lasted only one eight-episode season. There were talks about developing a live-action series in the early 2000s with Wingfield but the series never went into production. Eight more episodes of "The Methos Chronicles" were produced by fans and released on Youtube.


title: Highlander (franchise)

text: A number of "" novels were released, including a novelization of the first film by Garry Kilworth and a line of books based on the television series by various authors.


title: Highlander (franchise)

text: There was a 10th novel in the works entitled "Barricades" that was to be published in July 1999, but the author Donna Lettow fell ill before she could complete it, and by the time she had recovered, the books were no longer being published.


title: Highlander (franchise)

text: Non-fiction "Highlander" books include "The Best of Highlander: The Book" by Maureen Russell and "Fearful Symmetry: The Essential Guide to All Things Highlander"—a guide to the "Highlander" films and television series, with explorations of the movies and series, interviews with many of the key players in front and behind the camera.


title: Highlander (franchise)

text: The "Highlander" comic book series from Dynamite Entertainment, featuring the creative team of Brandon Jerwa, Michael Avon Oeming ("Red Sonja") and artist Lee Moder followed Connor MacLeod after his battle with the Kurgan in New York, adopting the TV-series idea that this wasn't the final battle for the Prize because many immortals still existed on Earth. It was followed by two mini-series acting as prequels to the original film and a mini-series explaining the Kurgan's past before meeting Connor MacLeod.


title: Highlander (franchise)

text: In 2015, Emerald Star Comics released "Highlander 3030", written by Lennit Williams and Matt Kelly. The comic was an officially licensed story following the adventures of Connor MacLeod in a far-off dystopian future, and even received social media support from the official Highlander account on Facebook. "Highlander 3030" only had one issue digitally released and was poorly received by critics. In an interview on the podcast Ten Cent Takes, Kelly confirmed the comic had production problems, including the initial artist having to drop out due to health issues and Davis-Panzer Productions demanding replacement artist Dan Goodfellow draw the book in a style that wasn't his own. As such, the book was a financial failure and Emerald Star Comics went out of business soon after.


title: Highlander (franchise)

text: "Highlander: The Original Scores", an album featuring music from the first three films, was released in 1995.


title: Highlander (franchise)

text: Big Finish Productions temporarily held the license to produce original "Highlander" audio stories. While many Big Finish products are full cast audio dramas, some involve one actor narrating the story and several parts while another actor narrates one or two other important roles. This format was followed for the "Highlander" audios. The first four audios star Adrian Paul as Duncan MacLeod and were released monthly starting in June 2009. The stories are set after "". In the audio "Kurgan Rising", both the Kurgan and Connor MacLeod seem to return from the dead.


title: Highlander (franchise)

text: Big Finish released a second series of four "Highlander" audio stories, each based around one of the Four Horsemen: "Kronos" read by Valentine Pelka, "Silas" read by Richard Ridings, "Caspian" read by Marcus Testory, and "Methos" read by Peter Wingfield.


title: Highlander (franchise)

text: "Highlander", a video game tie-in to the first film, was released for home computers in 1986. The player faced a few opponents from the film, each of whom had to be struck three times to be beaten. It was poorly received.


title: Highlander (franchise)

text: A "Highlander" massively multiplayer online role-playing game video game was planned by Kalisto Entertainment. Following the developer's closure, rights to the "Highlander" video game franchise went to SCi Entertainment in 2004. The new developer decided not to release a "Highlander" video game. Trailers showed the game title would have been "Highlander: The Gathering".


title: Highlander (franchise)

text: "" is a collectible card game produced by La Montagnard Inc., intended to simulate a sword fight between two Immortals.


title: Michael Redgrave

text: Sir Michael Scudamore Redgrave CBE (20 March 1908 – 21 March 1985) was an English stage and film actor, director, manager and author. He received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in "Mourning Becomes Electra" (1947), as well as two BAFTA nominations for Best British Actor for his performances in "The Night My Number Came Up" (1955) and "Time Without Pity" (1957).


title: Michael Redgrave

text: At the 4th Cannes Film Festival, he won Best Actor for his performance in "The Browning Version" (1951).


title: Michael Redgrave

text: Redgrave was born in Bristol, England, the son of actress Margaret Scudamore and the silent film actor Roy Redgrave. Roy left when Redgrave was six months old to pursue a career in Australia. He died when Redgrave was 14. His mother subsequently married Captain James Anderson, a tea planter. Redgrave greatly disliked his stepfather.


title: Michael Redgrave

text: He studied at Clifton College and Magdalene College, Cambridge. Clifton College Theatre was opened in 1966 by Redgrave and the first purpose-built school theatre in the country. After his death in 1985, the building was renamed The Redgrave Theatre in his honour.


title: Michael Redgrave

text: He was a schoolmaster at Cranleigh School in Surrey before becoming an actor in 1934. He directed the boys in "Hamlet", "King Lear" and "The Tempest", but played all the leading roles himself. The Redgrave Theatre Society at the school was named after him. In the new Guildford School of Acting building, which opened in January 2010, the Sir Michael Redgrave Studio was named for him.


title: Michael Redgrave

text: Redgrave made his first professional appearance at the Playhouse in Liverpool on 30 August 1934 as Roy Darwin in "Counsellor-at-Law" (by Elmer Rice), then spent two years with its Liverpool Repertory Company where he met his future wife Rachel Kempson. They married on 18 July 1935.


title: Michael Redgrave

text: Offered a job by Tyrone Guthrie, Redgrave made his professional debut in London at the Old Vic on 14 September 1936, playing Ferdinand in "Love's Labours Lost". During 1936–37 he also played Mr Horner in "The Country Wife", Orlando in "As You Like It", Warbeck in "The Witch of Edmonton" and Laertes to Laurence Olivier's Hamlet. His hit of the season was Orlando. Edith Evans was his Rosalind and the two fell very much in love. As he later explained: "Edith always had a habit of falling in love with her leading men; with us it just went rather further." "As You Like It" transferred to the New Theatre in February 1937 and Redgrave again played Orlando.


title: Michael Redgrave

text: At the Embassy Theatre in March 1937, he played Anderson in a mystery play, "The Bat", before returning to the Old Vic in April, succeeding Marius Goring as Chorus in "Henry V". Other roles that year included Christopher Drew in Daisy Fisher's comedy "A Ship Comes Home" at the St Martin's Theatre in May and Larry Starr in Philip Leaver's comedy "Three Set Out" at the Embassy in June, before joining John Gielgud's Company at the Queen's Theatre, September 1937 to April 1938, where he played Bolingbroke in "Richard II", Charles Surface in "The School for Scandal" and Baron Tusenbach in "Three Sisters".


title: Michael Redgrave

text: Redgrave joined the Royal Navy as an ordinary seaman in July 1941, () but was discharged on medical grounds in November 1942. Having spent most of 1942 in the Reserve he managed to direct "Lifeline" (Norman Armstrong) starring Frank Pettingell at the Duchess Theatre in July; and "The Duke in Darkness" (Patrick Hamilton) starring Leslie Banks at the St James's Theatre in October, also taking the role of Gribaud.


title: Michael Redgrave

text: Redgrave joined the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre company at Stratford-upon-Avon and for the 1951 season appeared as Prospero in "The Tempest" as well as playing Richard II, Hotspur and Chorus in the Cycle of "Histories", for which he also directed "Henry IV Part Two". After appearing as Frank Elgin in "Winter Journey" at the St James's April 1952, he rejoined the Stratford company in 1953 (together with his actress wife Rachel Kempson) appearing as Shylock, King Lear and Antony in "Antony and Cleopatra", also playing Antony when the company transferred to the Prince's Theatre in November 1953 before touring in the Netherlands, Belgium and Paris, in 1958 he played Hamlet with Googie Withers appearing as his mother at Stratford on Avon.


title: Michael Redgrave

text: At the Apollo in June 1955 he played Hector in "Tiger at the Gates", appearing in the same role at the Plymouth Theatre, New York City in October 1955 for which he received the New York Critics' Award. While in New York he directed "A Month in the Country" at the Phoenix Theatre in April 1956, and directed and played the Prince Regent in "The Sleeping Prince" with Barbara Bel Geddes at the Coronet Theatre in November 1956.


title: Michael Redgrave

text: Returning to London in January 1958, Redgrave appeared as Philip Lester in "A Touch of the Sun" (N. C. Hunter) at the Saville Theatre. He won Best Actor in the "Evening Standard" Awards 1958 for this role. He rejoined the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre Company in June 1958, to play Hamlet and Benedick, also playing Hamlet with the company in Leningrad and Moscow in December 1958. (His wife Rachel Kempson played Ursula in "Much Ado About Nothing" and Lady Capulet in "Romeo and Juliet").


title: Michael Redgrave

text: At the Queen's Theatre, in London in August 1959, he played H.J. in his own adaptation of the Henry James novella "The Aspern Papers". His play was later successfully revived on Broadway in 1962, with Dame Wendy Hiller and Maurice Evans. The 1984 London revival featured his daughter, Vanessa Redgrave, along with Christopher Reeve and Hiller, this time in the role of Miss Bordereau.


title: Michael Redgrave

text: Returning to the UK, in July 1962 he took part in the Chichester Festival Theatre's opening season, playing the title role in Chekhov's "Uncle Vanya" to the Astrov of Laurence Olivier who also directed.


title: Michael Redgrave

text: Alongside John Dexter's Chichester staging of "Saint Joan", Olivier's "Uncle Vanya" was first revived in Chichester in 1963 before transferring to the Old Vic as part of the nascent Royal National Theatre's inaugural season, winning rave reviews and Redgrave's second win as Best Actor in the 1963 Evening Standard Awards. Critic Michael Billington recalled: "In Redgrave's Vanya you saw both a tremulous victim of a lifetime's emotional repression and the wasted potential of a Chekhovian might-have-been: as Redgrave and Olivier took their joint curtain call, linked hands held triumphantly aloft, we were not to know that this was to symbolise the end of their artistic amity."


title: Michael Redgrave

text: Redgrave played (and co-presented) Lancelot Dodd MA in Arthur Watkyn's "Out of Bounds" at Wyndham's Theatre in November 1962, following it at the Old Vic with his portrayal of Claudius opposite the Hamlet of Peter O'Toole on 22 October 1963. This "Hamlet" was in fact the National Theatre's official opening production, directed by Olivier, but Simon Callow has dubbed it "slow, solemn, long", while Ken Campbell vividly described it as "brochure theatre."


title: Michael Redgrave

text: In January 1964 at the National he played the title role in "Hobson's Choice", which he admitted was well outside his range: "I couldn't do the Lancashire accent and that shook my nerve terribly – all the other performances suffered." While still at the National in June 1964 he also played Halvard Solness in "The Master Builder", which he said 'went wrong'. At this time he had incipient Parkinson's disease, although he did not know it.


title: Michael Redgrave

text: In May and June 1965 Redgrave directed the opening festival of the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre in Guildford, including directing and playing Rakitin in "A Month in the Country" (co-starring with Ingrid Bergman as Natalya Petrovna), and Samson in "Samson Agonistes" (co-starring with Rachel Kempson as Chorus). He again played Rakitin in September 1965, when his production transferred to the Cambridge Theatre in London. For the Glyndebourne Festival Opera he directed "Werther" in 1966 and "La bohème" in 1967.


title: Michael Redgrave

text: At the Mermaid Theatre in July 1971 he played Mr Jaraby in "The Old Boys" (William Trevor) and had an unfortunate experience: "My memory went, and on the first night they made me wear a deaf aid to hear some lines from the prompter and it literally fell to pieces – there were little bits of machinery all over the floor, so I then knew I really couldn't go on, at least not learning new plays."


title: Michael Redgrave

text: Nevertheless, he successfully took over the part of Father in John Mortimer's "A Voyage Round My Father" at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket, also touring Canada and Australia in the role in 1972–73.


title: Michael Redgrave

text: In 1973, he played a supporting role in David Winters' musical television film adaptation of "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde", starring Kirk Douglas.


title: Michael Redgrave

text: He returned to the international touring of "A Voyage Round My Father" in 1974–75 with a Royal Shakespeare Company production of "The Hollow Crown", visiting major venues in the US, New Zealand and Australia, while in 1976–77 he toured South America, Canada, the UK and the United States in the anthology, "Shakespeare's People".


title: Michael Redgrave

text: Redgrave's final theatre appearance came in May 1979 when he portrayed Jasper in Simon Gray's "Close of Play", directed on the Lyttelton stage at the National Theatre by Harold Pinter. It was a silent, seated role, based on Gray's own father, who had died a year before he wrote the play. As Gray has said: "Jasper is in fact dead but is forced to endure, as if alive, a traditional English Sunday, helpless in his favourite armchair as his three sons and their wives fall to pieces in the usual English middle class style, sometimes blaming him, sometimes appealing to him for help and sobbing at his feet for forgiveness, but basically ignoring him. In other words I had stuck him in Hell, which turns out to be 'life, old life itself'."


title: Michael Redgrave

text: His final work, in 1975, a narrative of the epic poem, "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner", by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, a poem that Redgrave taught as a young schoolmaster and visualised by producer-director Raul da Silva, received six international film festival prizes of which five were first place in category. This work was to be his last before the onslaught of Parkinson's disease.


title: Michael Redgrave

text: Redgrave first appeared on BBC television at the Alexandra Palace in 1937, in scenes from "Romeo and Juliet". His first major film role was in Alfred Hitchcock's "The Lady Vanishes" (1938). Redgrave also starred in "The Stars Look Down" (1940), with James Mason in the film of Robert Ardrey's play "Thunder Rock" (1942), and in the ventriloquist's dummy episode of the Ealing compendium film "Dead of Night" (1945).


title: Michael Redgrave

text: His first American film role was opposite Rosalind Russell in "Mourning Becomes Electra" (1947), for which he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor. In 1951 he starred in "The Browning Version", from Sir Terrence Rattigan's play of the same name. The "Daily Mirror" described Redgrave's performance as Crocker-Harris as "one of the greatest performances ever seen in films". The 1950s also saw Redgrave in "The Importance of Being Earnest" (1952), "The Dambusters" (1954) with his portrayal of the inventor Barnes Wallis, "1984" (1956), "Time Without Pity" (1957), for which he was nominated for a BAFTA Award, and "The Quiet American" (1958).


title: Michael Redgrave

text: Notable television performances include narration for "The Great War" (1964), a history of World War I using stills and 'stretched' archive film, and the less successful "Lost Peace" series (BBC Television, 1964 and 1966). Of the latter, Philip Purser wrote: "The commentary, spoken by Sir Michael Redgrave, took on an unremittingly pessimistic tone from the outset."


title: Michael Redgrave

text: Redgrave was married to the actress Rachel Kempson for 50 years from 1935 until his death. Their children Vanessa (b. 1937), Corin (1939–2010) and Lynn Redgrave (1943–2010), and their grandchildren: Natasha Richardson (1963–2009), Joely Richardson (b. 1965) and Jemma Redgrave (b. 1965) are also involved in theatre or film as actors. Their grandson Carlo Gabriel Nero is a screenwriter and film director; only Luke Redgrave has taken a path outside the theatre.


title: Michael Redgrave

text: His daughter Lynn wrote a one-woman play for herself called "Shakespeare for My Father". She was nominated for Broadway's Tony Award for this role. She traced her love for Shakespeare as a way of following and finding her often absent father.


title: Michael Redgrave

text: Redgrave owned White Roding Windmill from 1937 to 1946. He and his family lived in Bedford House on Chiswick Mall from 1945 to 1954. His entry for "Who's Who in the Theatre" (1981) gives his address as Wilks Water, Odiham, Hampshire.


title: Michael Redgrave

text: Corin helped his father in the writing of his last autobiography. During one of Corin's visits to his father, the latter said, "There is something I ought to tell you". Then, after a long pause, "I am, to say the least of it, bisexual". Corin encouraged him to acknowledge his bisexuality in the book. Redgrave agreed to do so, but in the end he chose to remain silent about it. Alan Strachan's 2004 biography of Redgrave discusses his affairs with both men and women. Although Redgrave had some long-term relationships with men, he also was prone to cruising Victoria or Knightsbridge for what he called "a necessary degradation", a habit of quick pick-ups that left him with a lasting sense of self-disgust.


title: Michael Redgrave

text: The 1996 BBC documentary film "Michael Redgrave: My Father", narrated by Corin Redgrave, and based on his book of the same name, discusses his father's bisexuality in some depth. Rachel Kempson recounted that when she proposed to him, Redgrave said that there were "difficulties to do with his nature, and that he felt he ought not to marry". She said that she understood, it did not matter and that she loved him. To this, Redgrave replied, "Very well. If you're sure, we will".


title: Michael Redgrave

text: During the filming of Fritz Lang's "Secret Beyond the Door" (1948), Redgrave met Bob Michell, and they soon became lovers. Michell set up house close to the Redgraves, and he became a surrogate "uncle" to Redgrave's children (then aged 11, 9 and 5), who adored him. Michell later had children of his own, including a son he named Michael. Fred Sadoff was an actor/director who became Redgrave's assistant and lover; they shared lodgings in New York and London.


title: Michael Redgrave

text: A card was found among Redgrave's effects after his death. The card was signed "Tommy, Liverpool, January 1940", and on it were the words (quoted from W.H. Auden): "The word is love. Surely one fearless kiss would cure the million fevers".


title: Michael Redgrave

text: In 1976, after suffering symptoms for many years, Redgrave was diagnosed with rapidly advancing Parkinson's disease. He began a regimen of therapies and medications that caused disorientation and other side effects. Costs for his healthcare expenses and his diminished earning power caused the family to apply for public assistance from the King George's Pension Fund. In an interview on his 70th birthday, he said: "For a long time, nobody understood the Parkinson's condition, and directors thought I was just forgetful or drunk--and even now the work isn't easy. The difficulty is not just remembering lines but getting from place to place."


title: Michael Redgrave

text: Redgrave died in a nursing home in Denham, Buckinghamshire, on 21 March 1985, from Parkinson's disease, the day after his 77th birthday. He was cremated at Mortlake Crematorium and his ashes were scattered in the garden of St Paul's, Covent Garden (The Actors’ Church), London.


title: Michael Redgrave

text: In 1951 Redgrave received the Best Actor Award (Cannes Film Festival) for "The Browning Version". He won Best Actor trophies in 1958 and 1963 Evening Standard Awards and received the Variety Club of Great Britain 'Actor of the Year' award in the same years.


title: Michael Redgrave

text: Redgrave was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) by the Queen in 1952 and knighted in 1959. He was appointed Commander of the Order of the Dannebrog by Denmark in 1955.


title: Michael Redgrave

text: Redgrave became the First President of the English Speaking Board in 1953, and President of the Questors Theatre, Ealing in 1958. In 1966, he received an honorary DLitt degree from the University of Bristol.


title: Michael Redgrave

text: For a number of years, British film exhibitors voted him among the top ten British stars at the box office via an annual poll in the "Motion Picture Herald".


title: Michael Redgrave

text: His plays include "The Seventh Man" and "Circus Boy", both performed at the Liverpool Playhouse in 1935, and his adaptations of "A Woman in Love" ("Amourese") at the Embassy Theatre in 1949 and the Henry James novella "The Aspern Papers" at the Queen's Theatre, in 1959.


title: Alona Tal

text: Alona Tal (, ; born ) is an Israeli actress and singer. She is known for her roles in "Veronica Mars" as cheerleader Meg Manning, in "Supernatural" as budding monster hunter Jo Harvelle, and in "SEAL Team" as grad student Stella Baxter.


title: Alona Tal

text: Tal was born and raised in Herzliya, Israel. Her father Ami Tal is a computer professional of Sephardic Jewish (Turkish-Jewish) descent, whose original surname was "Mizrahi". Her mother Ayala (née Sabat) is a lawyer and is of Ashkenazi Jewish (Polish-Jewish) descent. Both her parents were born in Israel. Her parents divorced when she was 9. She has two sisters as well as two half-sisters from her father's later relationship. She attended the Thelma Yellin High School in Givatayim, Israel, majoring in theatre. She is Jewish and has described herself as a "spiritual person". She served in the Israel Defense Forces's military theatre.


title: Alona Tal

text: Tal started her career after her military service, with a children's musical video tape in which she played an evil witch. Following that, she appeared in a commercial for a laundry detergent, and then appeared in the lead role in the Israeli film "Lihiyot Kochav" ("To Be A Star").


title: Alona Tal

text: During the filming of the movie Tal was offered two roles in two different Israeli television shows, and she took both. The first was a soap opera named "Tzimerim," about the life of a family that runs a hotel; the second one was "HaPijamot" ("The Pyjamas"), a sitcom about a struggling band determined to make it in the real world. She took part in the first three seasons and later took part as a guest star which gave her the chance to show her musical talent. Although she was the main character only in the first three seasons, she appeared in the fourth season for several episodes.


title: Alona Tal

text: Tal moved to New York City, where she met singer Wyclef Jean and recorded a song with him (the song "Party to Damascus" has Tal singing the chorus in Hebrew).


title: Alona Tal

text: She landed a role on "Veronica Mars," that of Meg Manning, one of Veronica Mars's few friends. She also played the recurring role Jo Harvelle on the second, fifth, and seventh seasons of "Supernatural." Tal also guest-starred on the series finale of "Monk" as Adrian Monk's stepdaughter, Molly Evans. In 2010, she performed the voice of Catherine-B320 (also known as Kat) in the video game "." In 2013, she starred in the mystery series "Cult". She played the role of "Sonya" in the seventh and final season of "Burn Notice".


title: Alona Tal

text: On March 23, 2005, Tal married American actor Marcos A. Ferraez. Tal announced on October 23, 2016, at a "Supernatural" panel that she was expecting her first child. She celebrated her pregnancy with a baby shower on January 29, 2017. Guests included fellow Israeli actresses Gal Gadot and Noa Tishby. She has two daughters, born in March 2017 and September 2022.


title: Who Moved My Cheese?

text: Who Moved My Cheese? An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life, published on September 8, 1998, is a bestselling seminal work and motivational business fable by Spencer Johnson. The text describes the way one reacts to major change in one's work and life, and four typical reactions to those changes by two mice and two "Littlepeople," during their hunt for "cheese." A "New York Times" business bestseller upon release, "Who Moved My Cheese?" remained on the list for almost five years and spent over 200 weeks on "Publishers Weekly"s hardcover nonfiction list. As of 2018, it has sold almost 30 million copies worldwide in 37 languages and remains one of the best-selling business books.


title: Who Moved My Cheese?

text: Allegorically, "Who Moved My Cheese?" features four characters: two mice, "Sniff" and "Scurry," and two Littlepeople, human metaphor, "Hem" and "Haw." (The names of the Littlepeople are taken from the phrase "hem and haw," a term for indecisiveness.) They live in a maze, a representation of one's environment, and look for cheese, representative of happiness and success. Initially without cheese, each group, the mice and humans, paired off and traveled the lengthy corridors searching for cheese. One day both groups happen upon a cheese-filled corridor at "Cheese Station C." Content with their find, the humans establish routines around their daily intake of cheese, slowly becoming arrogant in the process.


title: Who Moved My Cheese?

text: One day Sniff and Scurry arrive at "Cheese Station C" to find no cheese left, but they are not surprised. Noticing the cheese supply dwindling, they have mentally prepared beforehand for the arduous but inevitable task of finding more cheese. Leaving "Cheese Station C" behind, they begin their hunt for new cheese together. Later that day, Hem and Haw arrive at Cheese Station C only to find the same thing, no cheese. Angered and annoyed, Hem demands, "Who moved my cheese?" The humans have counted on the cheese supply to be constant, and so are unprepared for this eventuality. After deciding that the cheese is indeed gone they get angry at the unfairness of the situation. Haw suggests a search for new cheese, but Hem is dead-set in his disappointment and dismisses the proposal.


title: Who Moved My Cheese?

text: Meanwhile, Sniff and Scurry have found "Cheese Station N," and new cheese. But back at Cheese Station C, Hem and Haw are affected by their lack of cheese and blame each other for their problem. Hoping to change, Haw again proposes a search for new cheese. However, Hem is comforted by his old routine and is frightened about the unknown. He knocks the idea again. After a while of being in denial, the humans remain without cheese. One day, having discovered his debilitating fears, Haw begins to chuckle at the situation and stops taking himself so seriously. Realizing he should simply move on, Haw enters the maze, but not before chiseling "If You Do Not Change, You Can Become Extinct" on the wall of Cheese Station C for his friend to ponder.


title: Who Moved My Cheese?

text: Still fearful of his trek, Haw jots "What Would You Do If You Weren't Afraid?" on the wall and, after thinking about that, he begins his venture. Still plagued with worry (perhaps he has waited too long to begin his search...), Haw finds some bits of cheese that nourish him and he is able to continue his search. Haw realizes that the cheese has not suddenly vanished, but has dwindled from continual eating. After a stop at an empty cheese station, Haw begins worrying about the unknown again. Brushing aside his fears, Haw's new mindset allows him to again enjoy life. He has even begun to smile again! He is realizing that "When you move beyond your fear, you feel free." After another empty cheese station, Haw decides to go back for Hem with the few bits of new cheese he has managed to find.


title: Who Moved My Cheese?

text: Uncompromising, Hem refuses the new cheese, to his friend's disappointment. With knowledge learned along the way, Haw heads back into the maze. Getting deeper into the maze, inspired by bits of new cheese here and there, Haw leaves a trail of writings on the wall ("The Handwriting On the Wall"). These clarify his own thinking and give him hope that his friend will find aid in them during his search for new cheese. Still traveling, Haw one day comes across Cheese Station N, abundant with cheese, including some varieties that are strange to him, and he realizes he has found what he was looking for. After eating, Haw reflects on his experience. He ponders a return to see his old friend. But Haw decides to let Hem find his own way. Finding the largest wall in Cheese Station N, he writes:


title: Who Moved My Cheese?

text: Cautious from past experience, Haw now inspects Cheese Station N daily and explores different parts of the maze regularly to prevent any complacency from setting in. After hearing movement in the maze one day, Haw realizes someone is approaching the station. Unsure, Haw hopes that it is his friend Hem who has found the way.


title: Who Moved My Cheese?

text: In 1999, Who Moved My Cheese Inc was founded to handle the "Who Moved My Cheese?" book order demands from businesses. In 2005, the company was reorganized as Spencer Johnson Partners with the idea of bringing in partners and additional content from Dr. Spencer Johnson, the author. Spencer Johnson Partners focused on creating additional programs and services that would continue to help clients navigate change, including Gaining Change Skills. Then, in 2009, the company was purchased and renamed Red Tree leadership.


title: Who Moved My Cheese?

text: In the corporate environment, management has been known to distribute this book to employees during times of "structural reorganization", or during cost-cutting measures, in an attempt to portray unfavorable or unfair changes in an optimistic or opportunistic way. This has been characterized by Barbara Ehrenreich in her book "Bright-sided: How the Relentless Promotion of Positive Thinking Has Undermined America" as an attempt by organizational management to make employees quickly and unconditionally assimilate management ideals, even if they may prove detrimental to them professionally. Ehrenreich called the book "the classic of downsizing propaganda" and summarizes its message as "the dangerous human tendencies to 'overanalyze' and complain must be overcome for a more rodentlike approach to life. When you lose a job, just shut up and scamper along to the next one."


title: Who Moved My Cheese?

text: "Dilbert" cartoonist Scott Adams said that patronizing parables are one of the top 10 things he receives complaints about by email. Adams' retort to the message in the parable is that it is a "patronizing message for the proletariat to acquiesce".


title: Kevin Von Erich

text: Kevin Ross Adkisson (born May 15, 1957) is an American retired professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Kevin Von Erich. A member of the Von Erich family, Von Erich is best known for his appearances with his father's World Class Championship Wrestling promotion. He is a one-time world champion, having held the WCWA World Heavyweight Championship.


title: Kevin Von Erich

text: Adkisson played football at North Texas State University as a fullback, second string to Garry Smith, until an injury ended his football career and dream of playing in the National Football League.


title: Kevin Von Erich

text: Adkisson started wrestling as Kevin Von Erich in 1976. He spent most of his career wrestling for his father's promotion, World Class Championship Wrestling. Kevin's natural athletic ability and good looks made him one of the promotion's biggest stars. He achieved great success in the company both as a singles and tag team wrestler, often participating in many of the company's high-profile feuds. Kevin was also known for wrestling barefoot, highly unusual in a sport where almost all wrestlers wear high-topped boots. World Class announcers often jokingly referred to him as "The Barefoot Boy" on WCCW broadcasts. Kevin later admitted in an interview that he never set out to wrestle barefoot, but that before one of his matches someone hid his boots as a joke, and he wasn't able to find them before his match, so just went out barefoot to wrestle, and it later became his trademark. Contrary to popular belief, he wore boots in matches in his early career, including his debut match against Paul Perschmann aka Playboy Buddy Rose and in a match against Superfly Jimmy Snuka. Kevin was a big fan of Snuka's, who also wrestled barefoot, and Kevin often performed a moved similar to Snuka's flying body splash from the top rope, which Snuka called "The Superfly".


title: Kevin Von Erich

text: During the late 70s, Kevin established himself in the Dallas territory. His first major success came in 1978 while wrestling as a tag team with his younger brother David. During the year, they captured the NWA Texas Tag Team Championship on two occasions as well as the NWA American Tag Team Championship. On Christmas Day 1978, he established himself firmly in the singles ranks of the promotion by defeating Bruiser Brody for the NWA American Heavyweight Championship. In 1980, Kevin Von Erich made his only wrestling appearance in the WWF on January 21 against Johnny Rodz, in a match he won. As the 1980s dawned, Kevin became one of the promotion's most viable performers and continued to win numerous championships in both singles and tag team competition with a variety of different partners. However, his highest profile partners would always be his brothers Kerry and David. As the early-1980s progressed, Kevin would appear often at other NWA-promoted territories, including St. Louis, Georgia Championship Wrestling and briefly Florida Championship Wrestling. Kevin also competed in a few matches for the World Wide Wrestling Federation.


title: Kevin Von Erich

text: In early 1982, the Fabulous Freebirds, consisting of Michael Hayes, Terry Gordy and Buddy Roberts, left Georgia Championship Wrestling after meeting WCCW booker Gary Hart at a show. Appearing in World Class, the trio instantly became fan favorites due to a combination of their unique talents and chemistry as well as their close friendship with the Von Erichs. All three rose quickly through the ranks and in late November 1982, Hayes and Gordy defeated the team of King Kong Bundy and Wild Bill Irwin for the NWA American Tag Team Championship.


title: Kevin Von Erich

text: A feud between the Von Erichs and Freebirds developed roughly a month later. During WCCW's annual Christmas show in 1982, Kerry Von Erich faced Ric Flair for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship inside of a steel cage with Michael Hayes acting as a special referee. As explained in "The Triumph and Tragedy of World Class Championship Wrestling" DVD, the storyline, developed by Gary Hart, was written as Hayes having been selected by fans to be a special enforcer type of referee in the match. Near the end of the match, Flair shoved Hayes, which resulted in Hayes punching him. Hayes then tried to place Kerry on top of Flair to make the three count. Von Erich refused to do so since it wasn't the "Texas thing to do", which led to a brief shoving match and argument between the two. Hayes, disgusted with the situation, told Terry Gordy, who had been assigned as the gatekeeper, to open the cage door. As Hayes is about to leave Von Erich was attacked from behind by Ric Flair, with the former accidentally hitting Hayes and knocking him out of the cage. The angle was written as having neither Hayes nor Gordy being aware that Kerry was shoved into Hayes. As Kerry was getting to his feet inside the ring, that was the signal for Gordy to slam the cage door shut, hitting Kerry on the head and costing him the championship.


title: Kevin Von Erich

text: The Freebirds immediately became the top heels in the company, due to the belief of many fans that their actions cost one of their local heroes the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. As the feud was building, the WCCW television broadcasts were syndicated to television stations all across the United States, giving the promotion millions of viewers each week in the U.S. alone. This changed the face of wrestling and how it was marketed and presented to audiences. The extremely physical nature of the matches between the two factions captivated fans, changing preconceptions about what professional wrestling was and could be. Throughout the next several years, the Freebirds and Von Erichs engaged in numerous high-profile matches that were very physical in nature with the various members of each group feuding over various championships within the promotion. The feud is seen today by many fans and wrestling industry insiders as one of the best worked and most memorable feuds in the history of professional wrestling. This line of drama ended, when Kevin's brother David von Erich, died in Japan from acute enteritis of the upper intestine. This broke up the symmetry of the wrestling rivalry, though eventually the remaining brothers went on to wrestle individually, with varying degrees of success.


title: Kevin Von Erich

text: Kevin also had a long feud with Chris Adams that lasted for months and had many violent matches, including two well-known chair shots on each other that required hospitalization for both men. Kevin would also tag-team with Adams on numerous occasions before and after their feud. Away from the ring, Kevin and Chris were close friends; Kevin served as a pallbearer during Adams' funeral in 2001 and traveled to England to visit Adams' family afterwards. In recent interviews, Kevin stated that Adams was the toughest wrestler he's ever wrestled in his career and he showed a great amount of respect for the British-born wrestler. Kevin had several close matches with NWA World Champ Ric Flair, including the main event of the 2nd David Von Erich Memorial Parade of Champions at Texas Stadium, but never won the title.


title: Kevin Von Erich

text: After the failure of SuperClash III, in 1989, Kevin became very despondent over his father's decision to sell the promotion to Jerry Jarrett, who owned the Memphis-based CWA, despite his brother Kerry welcoming Jarrett into the mix; the merged promotions became the USWA. However, because of disputes, including suing Jarrett himself, he pulled WCCW out of the USWA in 1990, but he couldn't resurrect the promotion his father built and had no choice but shut down World Class that November. Kevin did manage to draw crowds to the Sportatorium in the early going, but with the absence of his brother, manager/booker Gary Hart, and the lack of televised matches, World Class' survival was very thin. During that time, Kevin competed very little; other than wrestling in other independent cards promoted by either himself, Chris Adams or Gary Hart. Kevin did not participate at all in the August 4, 1989 card in which World Class formally became USWA Texas, while brother Kerry, who competed on the card earlier, reportedly left the Sportatorium shortly after his match. Kevin however did help out a young Steve Austin increase his abilities in the ring during this time, and considers Austin as one of his friends to this day.


title: Kevin Von Erich

text: Sixteen months after his brother joined the World Wrestling Federation, Kevin wrestled a dark match on December 2, 1991 at a Wrestling Challenge taping in Corpus Christi, TX where he faced and defeated Brian Lee.


title: Kevin Von Erich

text: Von Erich competed in Mexico's Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre in 1991. On April 2, 1993 he teamed up with Chris Adams to defeat Fabulous Freebirds' Michael Hayes and Buddy Roberts at Global Wrestling Federation's Adkisson Benefit Show at the Sportatorium. Kevin's last round of glory occurred on January 7, 1995 while competing for Jim Crockett, Jr.'s NWA promotion based at the Sportatorium; where he won the North American heavyweight title defeating Greg Valentine. A week later he dropped the title to John Hawk. He then formed a very brief alliance with manager Skandor Akbar. Kevin eventually cut back on his ring appearances and formally retired by the end of 1995.


title: Kevin Von Erich

text: On October 3, 2005, Kevin made an appearance on the WWE Raw Homecoming show alongside other WWE Hall of Famers. Later that night, as Dusty Rhodes and the WWE Hall of Famers were gathered in the ring, Rob Conway came out and interrupted Rhodes. This eventually led to Conway's beatdown by several Hall of Famers, in which Kevin used the legendary Iron Claw on Conway, to the raves of the partisan Dallas, Texas crowd. Jim Ross said afterwards that he never thought he would live to see the Iron Claw again. On January 20, 2006, Kevin and his son Ross Adkisson (billed as Ross Von Erich) appeared on a local wrestling card in Longview, Texas as guests of Roddy Piper's "Piper's Pit". During the segment, in which Kevin and Piper talked about going to the Sportatorium as teenagers, Skandor Akbar interrupted the interview to berate both Kevin and Ross. At one point, Akbar pushed Ross, which prompted Kevin to apply the iron claw on Akbar. Greg Valentine then pulled Akbar away, with Kevin, Ross, Piper and The Grappler taking in the cheers of the crowd. In 2006, Kevin, and a number of others from World Class Championship Wrestling's heyday, participated in "Heroes of World Class Wrestling", an independently produced retrospective documentary about the promotion and the Von Erich family. The documentary featured comments from Adkisson, Gary Hart, Skandor Akbar, Bill Mercer, Mickey Grant, David Manning, Marc Lowrance and via earlier interviews, Chris Adams.


title: Kevin Von Erich

text: Later that October he sold the rights to the (pre-1988) WCCW name and tape archives to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). WWE subsequently began broadcasting WCCW's syndicated programming on their subscription video on demand service WWE Classics On Demand with Kevin and Michael "P.S." Hayes acting as hosts and later included WCCW footage on the WWE Network. WWE produced "The Triumph and Tragedy of World Class", their own documentary on the territory in 2007. Kevin was also featured in the 2007 WWE produced DVD "The Most Powerful Families in Wrestling" in a segment on the Von Erich family. On April 4, 2009, Kevin represented the Von Erich family as they were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by Michael Hayes. On June 15, 2014, at Slammiversary, Kevin accompanied his sons Ross and Marshall to the ring for a tag-team match. On April 2, 2016 Kevin appeared at the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony to discuss his relationship with The Fabulous Freebirds.


title: Kevin Von Erich

text: At 60 years of age, Von Erich returned to wrestling for the first time in 22 years on July 9, 2017. He teamed with his sons Ross and Marshall as they defeated Marty Jannetty, Jumping Lee and Gery Roif at The Rage Wrestling Mega Show in Tel Aviv, Israel.


title: Kevin Von Erich

text: He has been married since August 1, 1980 to Pam Adkisson. They currently live in Hawaii and run a family investment business together. Kevin also dabbles in commercial real estate, and owns the rights to "Southwest Sports" (the distributor of "World Class Championship Wrestling"), which was later renamed "K.R. Adkisson Enterprises". Together they have four children; Kristen Rain (born February 3, 1981), Jillian Lindsey (born February 10, 1985), David Michael Ross (Ross Von Erich) (born June 1, 1988), and Kevin Marshall (Marshall Von Erich) (born November 10, 1992). He and Pam have 11 grandchildren as well. Kristen and Joseph Nikolas, her husband, have one daughter, Adeline Claire, twin sons Eli and Rush, and sons Abram and Josiah. Jill is the mother of three daughters and a son. His son Marshall and wife Coral have two sons.


title: Kevin Von Erich

text: Kevin is the last surviving son of wrestler Fritz Von Erich and had four brothers who wrestled, David, Kerry, Mike and Chris, as well as an older brother, Jack, who died in 1959.


title: Kevin Von Erich

text: Adkisson, as Kevin Von Erich, appears in the video games "Legends of Wrestling", "Legends of Wrestling II", "", "WWE 2K17" and "WWE 2K18".


title: Kevin Von Erich

text: A bio-pic feature film titled "The Iron Claw" starring Zac Efron went into principal photography in 2022.


title: Sean Douglas (songwriter)

text: Sean Maxwell Douglas (born May 27, 1983) is an American songwriter and record producer. A Grammy Award-winner for his work on Lizzo's "Cuz I Love You", he co-wrote Thomas Rhett's "Die a Happy Man", which won the ACM Award for Single of the Year, the Billboard Music Award for Top Country Song, the CMA Award for Single of the Year and the BMI Award for Song of the Year. The song, released in 2016, was also nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Country Song.


title: Sean Douglas (songwriter)

text: Signed to Warner Chappell Music, and previously signed to Sony/ATV Music Publishing, Douglas co-wrote his first Top 10 single, Demi Lovato's “Heart Attack,” in 2013. He later wrote for Jessie J, Fifth Harmony, Nick Jonas, Chris Brown, Madonna, Andy Grammer, The Chainsmokers, Kesha, Selena Gomez, Dan + Shay, and Sia.


title: Sean Douglas (songwriter)

text: Douglas lives in Los Angeles. The son of actors Michael Keaton and Caroline McWilliams, he attended Washington University in St. Louis. He and his wife, Rachel Bartov, were married in 2014.


title: Kelly Jean Van Dyke

text: Kelly Jean Van Dyke (June 5, 1958 – November 17, 1991) was an American actress and adult film performer. She was the daughter of actor Jerry Van Dyke, niece of the actor Dick Van Dyke, and first cousin once removed of Shane Van Dyke. As an actress, she was known for such television programs as "My Mother the Car".


title: Kelly Jean Van Dyke

text: In May 1991, Kelly married actor Jack Nance. They had met in rehab, as both had struggled with drug and alcohol addictions. Kelly was also "trying to shed nefarious connections to the porn industry in which she had dabbled under the name Nancee Kelley."


title: Kelly Jean Van Dyke

text: Her husband, Jack Nance was in Bass Lake, California, filming "Meatballs 4" at the time. Van Dyke had relapsed and had resumed making pornography in order to fund her addictions. During a phone call with Van Dyke, Nance told her he wanted to end their marriage as he could not watch her "destroy herself." Van Dyke then "told him she was going to kill herself if he hung up on her. Moments later the storm took out the line and the phone went dead." Subsequently, it took over 45 minutes for Nance and director Bobby Logan to find a working phone. After reaching the nearest town's sheriff office, an officer contacted Los Angeles police. They broke in, finding that the 33-year-old Van Dyke had hanged herself.


title: Curt Schilling

text: Curtis Montague Schilling (born November 14, 1966) is an American former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher who is a commentator for conservative media outlet BlazeTV. He helped lead the Philadelphia Phillies to a World Series appearance in 1993, and won championships in 2001 with the Arizona Diamondbacks and in 2004 and 2007 with the Boston Red Sox. Schilling retired with a career postseason record of 11–2, and his .846 postseason winning percentage is a major-league record among pitchers with at least ten decisions. He is a member of the 3,000 strikeout club and has the highest strikeout-to-walk ratio of any of its inactive members. He is tied for third for the most 300-strikeout seasons.


title: Curt Schilling

text: After retiring, he founded Green Monster Games, which was renamed 38 Studios. The company released "" in February 2012. Three months later, they laid off their entire staff amid severe financial troubles. As a radio personality, Schilling was signed by the Howie Carr radio network to do a Saturday morning politics and sports show. An outspoken conservative, Schilling joined the far-right website Breitbart in 2016.


title: Curt Schilling

text: Schilling played for Shadow Mountain High School in Phoenix, Arizona, before attending Yavapai College in Prescott, Arizona, in 1985.


title: Curt Schilling

text: Schilling began his professional career in the Boston Red Sox farm system as a second-round pick in what would be MLB's final January draft. He began his professional career with the Elmira Pioneers, then a Red Sox minor-league affiliate.


title: Curt Schilling

text: After beginning 1988 with an 8–4 record and a 2.97 earned run average in 21 games with the New Britain Red Sox, he was traded along with Brady Anderson to the Baltimore Orioles for Mike Boddicker on July 29, two days prior to the trade deadline. Schilling allowed three runs in seven innings as the starter in a 4–3 win over the Red Sox in his MLB debut at Memorial Stadium on September 7, 1988. Orioles manager Frank Robinson said of Schilling's performance, "He showed he doesn't get rattled out there." He was the losing pitcher in each of his remaining three starts of 1988, including a season-ending 9–3 defeat to the Toronto Blue Jays at Exhibition Stadium on October 2.


title: Curt Schilling

text: Schilling earned both his first save and win in 1990. The save was the result of not allowing a run in the last innings of a 6–2 victory over the Minnesota Twins at the Metrodome which was his first Orioles appearance of the year on June 29. The win came two weeks later when he pitched two shutout innings in relief in a 7–5 home triumph over the Kansas City Royals on July 11. Working exclusively out of the bullpen, he finished the season with a 1–2 record and a 2.54 ERA.


title: Curt Schilling

text: In a transaction considered by Orioles fans as the worst in team history according to Thom Loverro, Schilling was dealt along with Steve Finley and Pete Harnisch to the Houston Astros for Glenn Davis on January 10, 1991. He joined an Astros organization that was for sale and lightening its payroll by going with younger, inexpensive players.


title: Curt Schilling

text: After having struggled with the Orioles and Astros, Schilling was given the chance to pitch and start with the Philadelphia Phillies on a regular basis and flourished as the ace of the Phillies staff, leading the team in wins (14), ERA (2.35), strikeouts (147) and shutouts (4) in his first season with them in 1992. During the Phillies' pennant run in 1993, Schilling went 16–7 with a 4.02 ERA and 186 strikeouts. Schilling led the Phillies to an upset against the two-time defending National League champion Atlanta Braves in the National League Championship Series. Although he received no decisions during his two appearances in the six-game series, Schilling's 1.69 ERA and 19 strikeouts (including the first 5 Braves hitters of Game 1, an NLCS record) were enough to earn him the 1993 NLCS Most Valuable Player Award. The Phillies went on to face the defending world champion Toronto Blue Jays in the World Series. After losing Game 1, he pitched brilliantly in his next start. With the Phillies facing elimination the day after losing a bizarre 15–14 contest at home in Veterans Stadium, Schilling pitched a five-hit shutout that the Phillies won, 2–0.


title: Curt Schilling

text: Schilling was named to the NL All-Star team in 1997, 1998, and 1999 and started the 1999 game. In 1997, he finished 14th in NL MVP voting and fourth in NL Cy Young voting. During this season he set the Phillies single-season strikeout record with 319, surpassing the previous record of 310 strikeouts set by Steve Carlton who had held the record since 1972. Schilling either led or tied for the Phillies leader in wins, complete games, shutouts, and ERA among starters each season from 1997 to 1999, averaging 16 wins per season over those three years despite the team never finishing the season with a winning record. Unhappy with the team's performance, he requested a trade to a more competitive team in 2000 and was subsequently dealt to the Arizona Diamondbacks. His 101 career victories ranks sixth all-time for Phillies pitchers, 20th in ERA (3.35), 23rd in games appeared in (242), sixth in games started (226), 34th in complete games (61), 13th in shutouts (14), fourth in strikeouts (1554), and eighth in innings pitched (1659.1).


title: Curt Schilling

text: Schilling was traded to the Diamondbacks on July 26, 2000, for first baseman Travis Lee and pitchers Vicente Padilla, Omar Daal, and Nelson Figueroa. With Arizona, he went 22–6 with a 2.98 ERA in 2001, leading the majors in wins and innings pitched. He also went 4–0 with a 1.12 ERA in the playoffs. In the 2001 World Series, the Diamondbacks beat the New York Yankees in seven games. Schilling was 1–0 in that World Series with a 1.69 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 21 innings, though he also allowed a go-ahead home run in the 8th inning of Game Seven. He shared the 2001 World Series MVP Award with teammate Randy Johnson (who relieved Schilling in Game Seven and got the win after the Diamondbacks' dramatic ninth-inning comeback). Schilling and Johnson also shared "Sports Illustrated" magazine's 2001 "Sportsmen of the Year" award. During the World Series Schilling received two other honors, as he was presented that year's Roberto Clemente and Branch Rickey Awards, the first Arizona Diamondback so honored for either award.


title: Curt Schilling

text: In 2002, he went 23–7 with a 3.23 ERA. He struck out 316 batters while walking 33 in 259.1 innings. On April 7, 2002, Schilling threw a one-hit shutout striking out 17 against the Milwaukee Brewers. Both years he finished second in the Cy Young Award voting to Johnson. Schilling finished the 2003 season with an 8–9 record and a 2.95 ERA in 168 innings while striking out 194 batters. In November 2003, the Diamondbacks traded Schilling to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for Jorge de la Rosa, Casey Fossum, Mike Goss, and Brandon Lyon.


title: Curt Schilling

text: The trade to Boston reunited Schilling with Terry Francona, his manager during his final four years with the Philadelphia Phillies. On September 16, 2004, Schilling won his 20th game of 2004 for the Red Sox, becoming the fifth Boston pitcher to win 20 or more games in his first season with the team, and the first since Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley in 1978. Schilling ended his regular season with a 21–6 record.


title: Curt Schilling

text: On October 19, 2004, Schilling won Game 6 of the 2004 American League Championship Series against the New York Yankees. Notably, he won this game playing on an injured ankle—the same injuries that contributed to his disastrous outing in Game 1 of the ALCS. These injuries were so acute that by the end of his Game 6 performance, blood visibly soaked part of his white sock, which is now referred to as "the bloody sock". The victory forced a Game 7, which the Red Sox would go on to win to capture the pennant and make their first World Series appearance since 1986. Schilling pitched (and won) Game 2 of the 2004 World Series for the Red Sox against the St. Louis Cardinals. In both series, he had to have the tendon in his right ankle stabilized repeatedly, in what has become known as the Schilling tendon procedure, after the tendon sheath was torn during his Game 1 ALDS appearance against the Anaheim Angels. As in Game 6 of the ALCS, Schilling's sock was soaked with blood from the sutures used in this medical procedure, but he still managed to pitch seven strong innings, giving up one run on four hits and striking out four. This second bloody sock was placed in the Baseball Hall of Fame after Boston's victory over St. Louis in the World Series. A four-game sweep of the World Series erased the Curse of the Bambino. On February 23, 2013, the first bloody sock was sold at a live auction at the Fletcher-Sinclair Mansion for $92,613 to an anonymous bidder.


title: Curt Schilling

text: Schilling was once again runner-up in Cy Young voting in 2004, this time to Minnesota Twins hurler Johan Santana, who was a unanimous selection, receiving all 28 first-place votes. Schilling received 27 of the 28 second-place votes. Later, the entire Red Sox team was named "Sports Illustrated" 2004 Sportsmen of the Year, making Schilling only the second person to have won or shared that award twice.


title: Curt Schilling

text: Schilling began 2005 on the disabled list due to recurrent ankle injuries. He returned in July as Boston's closer. He eventually returned to the starting rotation and continued to struggle. The Red Sox made it to the playoffs, but were swept by the Chicago White Sox in three games.


title: Curt Schilling

text: For the 2006 season, Schilling was said to be healthy. He began the season 4–0 with a 1.61 ERA. He finished the year with a 15–7 record and 198 strikeouts, with a respectable 3.97 ERA. On May 27, he earned his 200th career win, the 104th major league pitcher to accomplish the feat. On August 30, Schilling collected his 3,000th strikeout. Schilling has the highest ratio of strikeouts to walks of any pitcher with at least 3,000 strikeouts, and is one of four pitchers to reach the 3,000-K milestone before reaching 1,000 career walks. The other three who accomplished this feat are Fergie Jenkins, Greg Maddux, and former Boston Red Sox ace and teammate Pedro Martínez.


title: Curt Schilling

text: In January 2007, Schilling announced on the Dennis and Callahan show that after talking with his family, he had changed his mind and did not want to retire at the conclusion of the 2007 season. He sought to negotiate an extension to his current contract, but Red Sox executives announced that they would not negotiate with him until after the season citing Schilling's age and physical condition as factors in their decision. Schilling went on to say he would become a free agent at the end of the season, for the first time in his career, and would not negotiate with the Red Sox during the 15 days after the end of the World Series when the team has exclusive negotiating rights with potential free agents. On a June appearance on the Dennis and Callahan Show, Schilling stated he would accept a one-year extension to his contract at his current salary if the Red Sox offered it to him. Questioned on his statement, Schilling said, "I said I wouldn't negotiate a deal during the season, and I'm saying that now. But I would accept that offer."


title: Curt Schilling

text: On June 7, 2007, Schilling came within one out of his first career no-hitter. Schilling gave up a two-out single to Oakland's Shannon Stewart, who lined a 95-mph fastball to right field for the A's only hit. Schilling followed up his one-hitter with two poor starts and was sent back to Boston on June 20 for an MRI on his shoulder and was placed on the disabled list. He returned from the disabled list on August 6, pitching at least six innings in each of his nine starts following the All-Star break.


title: Curt Schilling

text: Schilling continued his career postseason success in 2007, throwing seven shutout innings in a 9–1 victory over the Angels in the ALDS, wrapping up a three-game sweep for Boston. However, he did not fare as well pitching in Game 2 of the ALCS against Cleveland, surrendering nine hits—two of them home runs—and five earned runs in just innings. He did start again in the sixth game of the series, pitching seven complete innings during which he recorded five strikeouts, surrendering no walks with only two earned runs to gain the victory and force a Game 7. He earned his third win of the 2007 playoffs in Game 2 of the 2007 World Series leaving after innings, striking out four while allowing only four hits. With this win, he became only the second pitcher over the age of 40 to start and win a World Series game (Kenny Rogers became the first just one year prior). As Schilling departed in the 6th inning, fans at Fenway Park gave Schilling a standing ovation.


title: Curt Schilling

text: Schilling filed for free agency on October 30, 2007. He said he would seek a one-year deal, and according to ESPN First Take and his own blog page 38 Pitches. Schilling later signed a one-year deal with the Boston Red Sox for the 2008 season. Schilling missed all of the 2008 season because of a shoulder injury. The injury was first revealed in February 2008 and the treatment options became a point of contention between Schilling and the Red Sox management. On March 13, 2008, the Red Sox placed Schilling on the 60-day disabled list as he continued to rehabilitate his right shoulder. On June 18, 2008, Curt Schilling left the team to be reevaluated after suffering pain when throwing off the mound. On June 20, 2008 Schilling stated on WEEI's Dennis and Callahan show that he would undergo season-ending surgery and that he had possibly thrown the last pitch of his career. On June 23, 2008, Schilling underwent biceps surgery, during which a small undersurface tear on the rotator cuff was discovered and stitched, and a separation of the labrum was repaired. According to his surgeon, he could begin throwing in four months.


title: Curt Schilling

text: On March 23, 2009, Schilling officially announced his retirement from professional baseball after 20 seasons. Schilling ended his career with a 216–146 record, 3.46 ERA and 3116 strikeouts, 15th-most in MLB history. He was selected to the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2012. On August 2, 2013, Schilling was inducted into the Philadelphia Phillies Wall of Fame.


title: Curt Schilling

text: Having last pitched in 2007, Schilling became eligible for election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame with the 2013 ballot, when he received 38.8% of the vote, well short of the 75% required for induction, but well above the 5% required to remain on the ballot. His support ramped in subsequent elections; in 2020 balloting he appeared on 278 of the 397 ballots cast (70.0%), just 20 votes short. In 2021 balloting, announced on January 26, 2021, Schilling appeared on 71.1% of the ballots cast, again falling short of the 75% election threshold. The degree to which Schilling's "propensity for divisive statements" may have influenced voters has been discussed by media. Schilling has now appeared on the BBWAA ballot nine times; players may appear a maximum of 10 times. Following the announcement of 2021 balloting results, Schilling announced on Facebook that he would be asking the Hall of Fame to remove his name from the 2022 ballot and that he would defer to the Veterans Committee to judge his career. The BBWAA enjoined the Hall of Fame to ignore his request and leave him on the ballot for 2022. He was not selected on the 2022 ballot, receiving 58.6% of the vote in his 10th and final year on the BBWAA ballot. He was eligible for the National Baseball Hall of Fame through the Contemporary Baseball Era Players Committee in December 2022 but did not receive enough votes for induction.


title: Curt Schilling

text: During the prime of his career, Schilling was capable of reaching and sustaining speeds of 94–98 mph on his four-seam fastball. Throughout his career, he was characterized by a determination to go deep into ballgames, routinely pitching past the sixth and seventh innings. He combined his endurance with pinpoint control, especially on his fastball. Schilling's "out" pitch was a split-finger fastball, which he generally located beneath the strike zone (resulting in many swinging strikeouts). He also possessed an above-average changeup, an effective slider, and mixed in an occasional curveball, though he mainly alternated between his fastball and splitter. Though his velocity decreased in later years (to the 89–93 range on his fastball), his control remained excellent, and he is currently fifth in career strikeout to walk ratio.


title: Curt Schilling

text: Schilling is one of 11 MLB players born in Alaska. He considers his family's native Pittsburgh metro area to be home and is a fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers.


title: Curt Schilling

text: He went to high school in Phoenix, Arizona, attending Shadow Mountain High School. Until 2013, Schilling lived in Medfield, Massachusetts, in Drew Bledsoe's former home. In late 2013, Schilling's house in Massachusetts was listed for sale at $3 million. Various personal belongings, including a golf cart, were also listed.


title: Curt Schilling

text: Schilling is a born-again Christian. He became an evangelical in 1997. Schilling opposes same-sex marriage and believes that each state should decide its laws on the topic rather than the federal government.


title: Curt Schilling

text: He has an extensive collection of World War II memorabilia, including "numerous Nazi uniforms with swastikas" and "uniforms worn by various SS divisions, including Hitler’s personal bodyguards"; Schilling has specified that it is "not a Nazi collection. It's a collection of World War II stuff," further stating that he doesn't "have a racist bone in (his) body".


title: Curt Schilling

text: Before the 2007 season, Schilling started a blog called 38pitches.com in which he answered fan questions, documented his starts, and rebutted press coverage about him or the team that he believed to be inaccurate. After retiring, he moved his blog to the WEEI sports radio website. After a disagreement with the station, Schilling removed it from that site. Schilling periodically contributes on the ESPN Boston website answering fan questions about the Red Sox or baseball in general. Schilling can also be found on Twitter under the handle gehrig38.


title: Curt Schilling

text: On February 5, 2014, Schilling revealed that he was being treated for throat cancer. On June 25 of that year, Schilling announced that the cancer was in remission. Schilling said his cancer was a result of using smokeless tobacco for 30 years. He also used his experiences to warn pitcher Madison Bumgarner, a long-time smokeless tobacco user, of risks.


title: Curt Schilling

text: Schilling campaigned for President George W. Bush in 2004, while several members of the ownership of the Red Sox campaigned for the Democratic challenger, Senator John Kerry. Schilling said he was encouraged to run for Kerry's seat in the U.S. Senate in 2008 as a Republican. Schilling was quoted in "The Boston Globe" as saying that he intended to pitch in 2008, which would preclude a Senate run.


title: Curt Schilling

text: He was called to Capitol Hill to testify about anabolic steroid use in March 2005, not as a suspected user but rather as a vocal opponent. He has said that Jose Canseco's statistics should be thrown out due to his admitted use of steroids, and has also said that unless he can refute allegations that he used performance-enhancing drugs, Roger Clemens should be stripped of the four Cy Young Awards he has won since 1997.


title: Curt Schilling

text: On January 29, 2007, Schilling announced in an interview that he would support Senator John McCain, who became the Republican nominee in the 2008 U.S. presidential election. In the same interview, he criticized then-presidential Democratic candidate and Senator Hillary Clinton for comments criticizing the war in Iraq. Schilling also turned up on the campaign trail several times stumping for McCain.


title: Curt Schilling

text: Schilling was mentioned as a possible candidate for U.S. Senate in the special election in Massachusetts for the seat left vacant by the death of Senator Ted Kennedy. He ruled out a run during his September 24, 2009 appearance on sports radio talk show "Dennis and Callahan". In 2009, Schilling endorsed Scott Brown for the seat. During the campaign, Martha Coakley, the Democratic candidate, called Schilling a Yankee fan. Coakley was ridiculed for the comment; critics said it showed she was out of touch with the Boston community. Schilling joked about the incident: "I've been called a lot of things... But never, and I mean never, could anyone ever make the mistake of calling me a Yankee fan. Well, check that, if you didn't know what the hell is going on in your own state, maybe you could."


title: Curt Schilling

text: In October 2016, Schilling joined Breitbart News, a far-right opinion and news organization. Schilling announced that he would challenge Senator Elizabeth Warren in the 2018 U.S. Senate election in Massachusetts, but ended up dropping out and supported politician and conspiracy theorist Shiva Ayyadurai in the race. Schilling expressed interest in running for president in 2024 had Donald Trump been re-elected in 2020.


title: Curt Schilling

text: Schilling has worked on behalf of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis sufferers. His organization, Curt's Pitch for ALS, allowed fans and organizations to sponsor him, donating to the ALS Association for every strikeout he throws. He also donated to the charity his $25,000 winnings in a celebrity version of "Jeopardy!" that originally aired on November 9, 2006. In the 2004 playoffs, after the operation on his ankle, Schilling wrote "K ALS" (short for "strike out ALS") on his shoe, knowing that the cameras would be focusing on his foot numerous times while he was pitching. Schilling does a weekly radio show with WEEI-FM in Boston that raises over $100,000 each year for ALS patients and research.


title: Curt Schilling

text: The outspoken Schilling has engaged in several conflicts with fellow players. Schilling was publicly criticized by Phillies teammates Mitch Williams, Larry Andersen, and Danny Jackson for his conduct during the 1993 World Series. Whenever Williams, a hard-throwing closer with a penchant for unpredictability and erratic control, was on the mound, CBS television cameras caught Schilling in the dugout hiding his face with a towel. Although Schilling said he was nervous in the heat of the World Series, his teammates criticized him for being disrespectful.


title: Curt Schilling

text: Schilling has directed comments toward New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez, calling a Rodríguez tag in Game 6 of the ALCS a "bush-league play" on "The Jim Rome Show".


title: Curt Schilling

text: During a radio show appearance on May 8, 2007, Schilling criticized Barry Bonds, stating: "He admitted to cheating on his wife, cheating on his taxes and cheating on the game." Soon after, Schilling issued an apology on his blog, stating "it was absolutely irresponsible and wrong to say what I did".


title: Curt Schilling

text: After the 2008 season, Schilling released a blog post blasting former teammate Manny Ramirez's conduct before Ramirez left the Red Sox.


title: Curt Schilling

text: During a game as a Diamondback in 2003, he damaged a QuesTec camera with a bat. According to Schilling, the umpire behind the plate had said "I can't call that pitch a strike, the machine won't let me." This led to a fine and a public exchange of insults with Major League Baseball executive Sandy Alderson, who accused Schilling of whining and wanting balls to be called strikes. In response Schilling said Alderson was "ignorant to the facts and ignorant about what I said."


title: Curt Schilling

text: Schilling has a longstanding feud with ESPN and former "Arizona Republic" reporter Pedro Gomez, initially over a Gomez article that criticized Diamondbacks manager Buck Showalter. Gomez then published a column critical of Schilling, the same day Schilling was pitching in Game 7 of the 2001 World Series. In his column, Gomez stated, "During the past few days, the country...has discovered Schilling's little secret, the one baseball insiders have known for years but has rarely surfaced into the mainstream. Schilling is something of a con man, someone more intent on polishing his personal image through whatever means possible." A year later, Gomez further angered Schilling by calling the friendship between Schilling and teammate Randy Johnson "cosmetic."


title: Curt Schilling

text: In interviews in October 2004 and February 2006, Schilling, while criticizing "Baltimore Sun" sports columnist Laura Vecsey, compared her to Gomez and sportswriter Jon Heyman:


title: Curt Schilling

text: There are a lot of her in that industry, Pedro Gomez, Joel Heyman, to name a few. People with so little skill in their profession that they need to speculate, make up, fabricate, to write something interesting enough to be printed. What makes them bad people? I am sure I cannot nail the exact reason, but I know some. Jealousy, bitterness, the need to be 'different.'


title: Curt Schilling

text: In 2007, Schilling spoke out against "Boston Globe" sports columnist Dan Shaughnessy, who had been criticizing Schilling for the condition he showed up in for spring training, referred to him as "the Big Blowhard" and mocked Schilling's blog and radio appearances. Schilling responded on a local baseball web forum and his own blog to claim to have found errors in Shaughnessy's columns.


title: Curt Schilling

text: On April 27, 2007, broadcaster Gary Thorne said that he overheard Red Sox catcher Doug Mirabelli say that the blood on the sock used by Schilling in Game 6 of the 2004 ALCS was actually paint. Mirabelli accused Thorne of lying and a day later, after talking to Mirabelli, Thorne backed off his statement saying he misinterpreted what was intended as a joke, "Having talked with him today, there's no doubt in my mind that's not what he said, that's not what he meant. He explained that it was in the context of the sarcasm and the jabbing that goes on in the clubhouse."


title: Curt Schilling

text: So Gary Thorne says that Doug told him the blood was fake. Which even when he's called out he can't admit he lied. Doug never told Gary Thorne anything. Gary Thorne overheard something and then misreported what he overheard. Not only did he misreport it, he misinterpreted what he misreported.


title: Curt Schilling

text: ASL has become his constant companion on road trips, and every National League city is now his playground for baseball at night and ASL in the day. (All of which has become a bonanza for ASL players of his acquaintance, who are sometimes Curt's guests at stadiums around the country.)


title: Curt Schilling

text: Schilling's disappointment at not being able to attend the game's annual convention led him, along with ASL great Gary Fortenberry, to create his own, "The ASL Open", which debuted the weekend of January 15, 1993, in Dallas. Schilling started a gaming publication, "Fire for Effect", a bi-monthly magazine featuring "some of the ASL hobby's best writers".


title: Curt Schilling

text: When his favorite game was sold along with Avalon Hill to Hasbro, Schilling joined the small gaming company Multi-Man Publishing which maintained ASL and other Avalon Hill titles. MMP also started a new, professional publication entitled "ASL Journal" and contributed articles, editorials, and game scenarios.


title: Curt Schilling

text: Schilling has played "EverQuest" and "EverQuest II" and has reviewed two of the game's many expansion packs for "PC Gamer" magazine. Schilling has played "World of Warcraft" and became a regular guest on the "World of Warcraft" podcast "The Instance". In 2006, Schilling created Green Monster Games, which Schilling stated was "not" named after the Fenway left field wall. In early 2007, the company's name changed to 38 Studios.


title: Curt Schilling

text: In January 2008, Schilling announced that he would be focusing on an MMORPG project after his retirement. Comic book creator Todd McFarlane and fantasy author R.A. Salvatore were working with Schilling on the project. The new game was developed under the code-name Copernicus. A single-player RPG set in the same setting, titled "", was released by 38 Studios in February 2012. Executives from 38 Studios introduced the game at the Comic-Con 2010 convention in San Diego.


title: Curt Schilling

text: In July 2010, the Rhode Island Board of Economic Development approved a $75 million guaranteed loan to 38 Studios. 38 Studios promised to bring 450 jobs to the state by the end of 2012. In May 2012, 38 Studios defaulted on its loan from the state of Rhode Island and failed to meet payroll obligations to its employees. 38 Studios and its subsidiary, Big Huge Games, then laid off their staffs with a mass email. Some of the laid-off employees may have had second mortgages, because the company had not actually sold homes for them as part of a relocation package. Some have accused Schilling of hypocrisy based on the conflict between his professed views on "big government" and the studio's relationship with "big government". On November 1, 2012, Schilling was sued by the state in connection with the loan. Governor Lincoln Chafee said: "My message to Rhode Islanders is this: I know that you work hard for your paychecks, and for your tax dollars to be squandered is unacceptable. The Board's legal action was taken to rectify a grave injustice put upon the people of Rhode Island."


title: Curt Schilling

text: In a July 2012 interview, Schilling discussed the downfall of 38 Studios, citing the Rhode Island governor and his own optimism as the primary reasons for the demise of the company. Ultimately, the company filed for bankruptcy; Schilling, other 38 Studios executives, and other parties associated with the company agreed in a court settlement to repay the state of Rhode Island $61 million.


title: Curt Schilling

text: He has a custom avatar in "EverQuest II", as the creators of the game have made Schilling a special online character. From June 5 to June 7, 2006, fans were able to battle a virtual Curt Schilling in the game. Every time the virtual Schilling was defeated, Sony Online Entertainment donated $5 towards ALS research.


title: Curt Schilling

text: In November 2014, Schilling got into a day-long Twitter argument with baseball writer Keith Law over the creation–evolution controversy, where he argued for creationism against Law's defense of evolution, after which ESPN decided to suspend Law's Twitter account. ESPN commented that "Keith's Twitter suspension had absolutely nothing to do with his opinions on the subject", but it remains unclear what other motivation is behind the act, since the conversation between Schilling and Law reportedly "never really turned hostile", with many reading the details feeling that his suspension was "ridiculous". Schilling's account was not suspended, and he continued to tweet. Returning to Twitter after the ban expired, Law's first tweet "Eppur si muove" ("And yet it moves") made clear that Schilling's complaints about his posts contradicting his argument were in fact the reason for the suspension.


title: Curt Schilling

text: On February 25, 2015, Schilling posted a congratulatory tweet to his then-17-year-old daughter Gabby for her acceptance to college and the school's softball team. Some responses to his tweet made crude references to rape, fisting, and anal sex, among other sexual references. Schilling posted to his blog screen captures of some offending tweets, along with the real identities (a practice known as doxxing) of the Twitter handles, whose jobs, schools and relatives he claimed to have contacted. At least two of the Twitter users were known to have been punished, with one losing his part-time job as a ticket seller for the Yankees, and still another being suspended from Brookdale Community College. Schilling claimed at least seven others were also penalized by their jobs or athletic teams.


title: Curt Schilling

text: Schilling attracted further media scrutiny about tweets in which he showed support for lynching journalists and the January 6 U.S. Capitol attack.


title: Curt Schilling

text: Schilling was selected as the commencement speaker for Worcester Polytechnic Institute's 2010 commencement and awarded a Doctorate of Science, "honoris causa".


title: Curt Schilling

text: Schilling debuted on ESPN as a baseball color analyst on April 4, 2010, on the pre-game show for the 2010 season opener between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox. He has written for WEEI.com, 38pitches.com, and WordPress.com. In 2014, he was named as an analyst for ESPN's "Sunday Night Baseball", although his subsequent cancer diagnosis prevented him from working the telecasts for most of the season. On September 14, 2014, Schilling returned to the "Sunday Night Baseball" booth as the Yankees played the Baltimore Orioles.


title: Curt Schilling

text: On August 25, 2015, ESPN.com suspended Schilling's coverage of the ongoing Little League World Series and "Sunday Night Baseball" after he posted a Twitter meme that compared Muslim Jihadism and German Nazis, "the math is staggering when you get to the true [number]s". Schilling deleted and apologized for the controversial tweet the same day. Schilling was also suspended from the next Sunday night game, in which Chicago Cubs pitcher Jake Arrieta threw a no-hitter. On September 3, 2015, ESPN announced his suspension would cover all remaining 2015 "Sunday Night Baseball" games as well as its 2015 MLB playoff coverage.