Nigeria The Federal Republic of Nigeria -LSB- naɪˈdʒɪəriə -RSB- , commonly referred to as Nigeria , is a federal republic in West Africa , bordering Benin in the west , Chad and Cameroon in the east , and Niger in the north . Its coast in the south lies on the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean . It comprises 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory , where the capital , Abuja is located . Nigeria is officially a democratic secular country .   Modern-day Nigeria has been the site of numerous kingdoms and tribal states over the millennia . The modern state originated from British colonial rule beginning in the 19th century , and the merging of the Southern Nigeria Protectorate and Northern Nigeria Protectorate in 1914 . The British set up administrative and legal structures whilst practising indirect rule through traditional chiefdoms . Nigeria became a formally independent federation in 1960 , and plunged into a civil war from 1967 to 1970 . It has since alternated between democratically elected civilian governments and military dictatorships , until it achieved a stable democracy in 1999 , with the 2011 presidential elections considered the first to be reasonably free and fair .   Nigeria is often referred to as the `` Giant of Africa '' , owing to its large population and economy . With approximately 184 million inhabitants , Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and the seventh most populous country in the world . Nigeria has one of the largest populations of youth in the world . The country is viewed as a multinational state , as it is inhabited by over 500 ethnic groups , of which the three largest are the Hausa , Igbo and Yoruba ; these ethnic groups speak over 500 different languages , and are identified with wide variety of cultures . The official language is English . Nigeria is divided roughly in half between Christians , who live mostly in the southern part of the country , and Muslims in the northern part . A minority of the population practise religions indigenous to Nigeria , such as those native to the Igbo and Yoruba ethnicities .   , Nigeria is the world 's 20th largest economy , worth more than $ 500 billion and $ 1 trillion in terms of nominal GDP and purchasing power parity respectively . It overtook South Africa to become Africa 's largest economy in 2014 . The 2013 debt-to-GDP ratio was 11 percent . Nigeria is considered to be an emerging market by the World Bank ; it has been identified as a regional power on the African continent , a middle power in international affairs , and has also been identified as an emerging global power . Nigeria is a member of the MINT group of countries , which are widely seen as the globe 's next `` BRIC-like '' economies . It is also listed among the `` Next Eleven '' economies set to become among the biggest in the world . Nigeria is a founding member of the African Union and a member of many other international organizations , including the United Nations , the Commonwealth of Nations and OPEC .


Dragon Ball has been made into action figures.

Dragon Ball is a Japanese media franchise created by Akira Toriyama . The initial manga , written and illustrated by Toriyama , was serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1984 to 1995 , with the 519 individual chapters collected into 42 tankōbon volumes by its publisher Shueisha . Dragon Ball was initially inspired by the classical Chinese novel Journey to the West . The series follows the adventures of the protagonist , Son Goku , from his childhood through adulthood as he trains in martial arts and explores the world in search of the seven orbs known as the Dragon Balls , which summon a wish-granting dragon when gathered . Along his journey , Goku makes several friends and battles a wide variety of villains , many of whom also seek the Dragon Balls .   The Dragon Ball manga has been adapted into two anime series produced by Toei Animation : Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z , which together were broadcast in Japan from 1986 to 1996 . Additionally , the studio has developed 19 animated feature films and three television specials , as well as two anime sequel series titled Dragon Ball GT ( 1996 -- 1997 ) and Dragon Ball Super ( 2015 -- present ) . From 2009 to 2015 , a revised , faster-paced version of Dragon Ball Z aired in Japan under the title Dragon Ball Kai , in which most of the original version 's footage not featured in the manga is removed . Several companies have developed various types of merchandising based on the series leading to a large media franchise that includes films , both animated and live-action , collectible trading card games , numerous action figures , along with several collections of soundtracks and a large number of video games . As of November 2014 , the franchise generated $ 5 billion in merchandise , making Dragon Ball one of the most merchandisable anime based media franchises of all time .   Since its release , Dragon Ball has become one of the most successful manga and anime series of all time . The manga 's 42 volumes have sold over 156 million copies in Japan and more than 240 million copies worldwide , making it the third best-selling manga series in history . Reviewers have praised the art , characterization , and humor of the story . It is widely regarded as one of the greatest manga series ever made , with many manga artists citing Dragon Ball as a source of inspiration for their own now popular works . The anime , particularly Dragon Ball Z , is also highly popular in various countries and was arguably one of the most influential in boosting the popularity of Japanese animation in Western culture .


One Direction One Direction ( commonly abbreviated as 1D ) are an English-Irish pop boy band based in London , composed of Niall Horan , Liam Payne , Harry Styles , Louis Tomlinson , and previously , Zayn Malik until his departure from the band on 25 March 2015 . The group signed with Simon Cowell 's record label Syco Records after forming and finishing third in the seventh series of the British televised singing competition The X Factor in 2010 . Propelled to international success by social media , One Direction 's five albums , Up All Night ( 2011 ) , Take Me Home ( 2012 ) , Midnight Memories ( 2013 ) , Four ( 2014 ) , and Made in the A.M. ( 2015 ) , topped charts in most major markets , and generated hit singles including `` What Makes You Beautiful '' , `` Live While We 're Young '' , `` Best Song Ever '' , `` Story of My Life '' , and `` Drag Me Down '' .   Their awards include six Brit Awards , four MTV Video Music Awards , eleven MTV Europe Music Awards , seven American Music Awards ( including Artist of the Year in 2014 and 2015 ) , and 27 Teen Choice Awards , among many others . According to Nick Gatfield , the chairman and chief executive of Sony Music Entertainment UK , One Direction represented a $ 50 million business empire by June 2012 . They were proclaimed 2012 's `` Top New Artist '' by Billboard . According to the Sunday Times Rich List , by April 2013 , they had an estimated personal combined wealth of # 25 million ( $ 41.2 m ) making them the second-wealthiest musicians in the UK under 30 years of age . In 2014 , Forbes listed them the second-highest earning celebrities under 30 , with the group earning an estimated $ 75 million from June 2013 to June 2014 . In June 2015 , Forbes listed their earnings at $ 130 million for the previous twelve months , and ranked them the fourth highest earning celebrities in the world . In 2016 Forbes ranked them the world 's second highest earning celebrities .   After the release of Four , One Direction became the first band in the US Billboard 200 history to have their first four albums debut at number one . Their third album , Midnight Memories , was the biggest-selling album worldwide of 2013 despite being released in late November . The band 's Where We Are Tour in support of Midnight Memories and Four , was the highest-grossing concert tour in 2014 , and the highest-grossing tour ever by a vocal group , generating $ 282 million . In 2014 , Billboard named One Direction Artist of the Year . The band is currently on a hiatus that began in January 2016 , allowing all members to pursue other projects .


Louis Tomlinson Louis William Tomlinson ( born Louis Troy Austin ; 24 December 1991 ) is an English singer-songwriter and actor . He is known as a member of the pop boy band One Direction .   Tomlinson began his career as an actor , initially appearing in ITV drama Fat Friends as an extra . He also went on to appear in another ITV drama film If I Had You and the BBC drama Waterloo Road . In 2010 , he became a founding member of One Direction after auditioning as a solo artist on The X Factor . Following the band 's hiatus , Tomlinson released the single `` Just Hold On '' with Steve Aoki in December 2016 .   In 2013 , he was signed as a footballer by Doncaster Rovers of the Football League Championship on a non-contract basis . The same year he also formed his own record label , Triple Strings Ltd. . He appeared on Debrett 's 2017 list of the most influential people in the UK .


Frenemies is a teen comedy-drama television film.

Frenemies (film) Frenemies is a 2012 teen comedy-drama television film and anthology based on the novel of the same name by Alexa Young which premiered on Disney Channel . It features an ensemble cast starring Bella Thorne , Zendaya , Stefanie Scott , Nick Robinson , Mary Mouser and features Connor Price , Jascha Washington and Dylan Everett . The film follows three pairs of teenage friends that go from friends to enemies and back again . The film was directed by Daisy Mayer and written by Dava Savel , Wendy Weiner , and Jim Krieg . The Disney Channel Original Movie premiered on January 13 , 2012 in the United States and Canada .


Caroline Blakiston is in a television comedy.

Caroline Blakiston Caroline Blakiston ( born 13 February 1933 ) is an English actress . She is best known in her native United Kingdom for her role in the television comedy series Brass , and to international audiences as Mon Mothma in the Star Wars film Return of the Jedi .


Brass (TV series) Brass was a British television comedy-drama , made by Granada Television for ITV and eventually Channel 4 .   Set mostly in Utterley , a fictional Lancashire mining town in the 1930s , Brass was a comedy satirising the working-class period dramas of the 1970s ( most significantly When the Boat Comes In ) and the American productions such as Dallas and Dynasty . Unusually for ITV comedies of the time , there was no laughter track and the humour deliberately kept extremely dry , using convoluted wordplay and subtle commentary on popular culture . Brass is northern English slang for `` money '' as well as for `` effrontery '' . The series also gleefully parodied the 1977 Granada TV dramatisation of Dickens ' Hard Times , which also starred Timothy West .   The series , created by John Stevenson and Julian Roach , was set around two feuding families -- the wealthy Hardacres and the poor , working-class Fairchilds -- who lived in a small terraced house rented from the Hardacre empire . The Hardacre family was headed by the ruthless self-made businessman Bradley ( Timothy West ) , who espoused Thatcherite rhetoric , while coming up with various harebrained schemes to make his businesses more efficient so he could sack workers and his alcoholic aristocratic wife Lady Patience ( Caroline Blakiston ) . The head of the Fairchilds was the stern `` Red '' Agnes ( Barbara Ewing ) , who spread militant socialist rhetoric around the Hardacre mine , mill and munitions factory and her doltish , forelock-tugging husband George ( Geoffrey Hinsliff ; Geoffrey Hutchings in the 1990 series ) , who is dominated by his wife and his boss . In a twist , Agnes was also Bradley Hardacre 's mistress .   Other characters in the series were the children of the families . The Fairchilds had two sons -- Jack ( Shaun Scott ) , a defiant miner and Matthew ( Gary Cady ) , a sensitive clerk who wrote very poor verse . The Hardacre children were Bentley ( deceased ; his memorial stone is featured in the first episode ) , nymphomaniac Isobel ( Gail Harrison ) , innocent budding feminist Charlotte ( Emily Morgan ) , ambitious heir to the Hardacre empire Austin ( Robert Reynolds ) ( Patrick Pearson in the 1990 series ) and Morris ( James Saxon ) , a gay Cambridge student with a fondness for teddy bears ( c.f. Sebastian in Brideshead Revisited ) . Bentley , Austin and Morris are named after British car manufacturers ; Jack and Matt were named after terms used in the game of bowls .   Not only were Bradley and Agnes lovers , with Bradley being most likely the father of Matthew but Isobel and Jack were also lovers and afterwards it was revealed that Charlotte was not Bradley 's daughter but the result of an affair between Lady Patience and the elderly Lord Mountfast , whom Isobel married . Charlotte married Matthew , to whom Morris Hardacre had at one time been attracted . To complicate matters even further Lady Patience also had a brief fling with Matthew Fairchild .   Despite his wealth and social connections , Bradley had been brought up in the Utterley Cottage workhouse and had made his money himself , obviously not legally or fairly .   Apart from the Hardacres and the Fairchilds the most significant other character was the Scottish idealist , Dr McDuff , played by David Ashton and satirising Dr Finlay of Dr Finlay 's Casebook .   Brass ran for two series on ITV , shown between 1982 and 1984 but was brought back for a third series in 1990 on Channel 4 , set in 1939 . This third series saw the Hardacres move to London and later to a country mansion called Yonderley but making frequent trips to Utterley or Swarfside , where the Hardacre business empire was still based . The Fairchilds had also moved to London as Agnes was now MP for Utterley .   Some scenes are set at Croydon Airport but were filmed at Barton Airport , whose distinctive control tower shows in the film . Some of the opening scenes are of Thorn St in Summerseat , Bury . Greater Manchester .   The series is available on DVD in the United Kingdom .


Lisa Bonet is an American television actress.

Lisa Bonet Lisa Michelle Bonet ( born November 16 , 1967 ) is an American actress . She is best known for her role as Denise Huxtable -- Kendall on the NBC sitcom , The Cosby Show ( 1984 -- 92 ) and originally starring in its spinoff comedy , A Different World for its first season ( 1987 -- 88 ) .


Gabrielle Solis is portrayed by an actress.

Gabrielle Solis Gabrielle Solis ( née Marquez , previously Lang ) is a fictional character from the ABC television series Desperate Housewives . She is portrayed by Eva Longoria . Longoria was Nominated for Golden Globe Award for Best Actress -- Television Series Musical or Comedy at the 2006 Golden Globe Awards .


Eva Longoria Eva Longoria Bastón ( born Eva Jacqueline Longoria ; March 15 , 1975 ) is an American actress , producer , director , activist and businesswoman . After a series of guest roles on several television series , Longoria was first recognized for her portrayal of Isabella Braña on the CBS daytime soap opera The Young and the Restless , on which she starred from 2001 to 2003 . She is perhaps best known for her role as Gabrielle Solis on the ABC television series Desperate Housewives , which ran from 2004 to 2012 and for which she received Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award nominations . She has also appeared in Harsh Times ( 2005 ) , The Sentinel ( 2006 ) , and Over Her Dead Body ( 2008 ) . From 2015 to 2016 , Longoria starred as Ana Sofia Calderón on the short-lived NBC sitcom Telenovela , and served as an executive producer for the Lifetime television series Devious Maids .   Longoria has also appeared in several advertising campaigns and has been named one of Hollywood 's most beautiful women by several publications , including People en Español and People magazines . She currently holds contracts with L'Oréal , Hanes , and New York & Co , among others .


Arjun Kapoor hosted the IIFA Awards in Britain.

Arjun Kapoor Arjun Kapoor ( -LSB- ɐrˈɟun kəˈpuːr -RSB- ; born 26 June 1985 ) is an Indian actor who appears in Bollywood films . He is the son of film producers Boney Kapoor and Mona Shourie Kapoor . After working as an assistant director and associate producer on several films , including Kal Ho Naa Ho ( 2003 ) and Wanted ( 2009 ) , he made his acting debut with Habib Faisal 's romantic drama Ishaqzaade ( 2012 ) , for which he was nominated for the Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut .   Kapoor went on to portray a coal bandit in the action film Gunday ( 2014 ) , an aspiring writer in the romance 2 States ( 2014 ) and a stay-at-home husband in the romantic comedy Ki & Ka ( 2016 ) ; all three films earned over worldwide . In addition to acting in film , Kapoor has hosted the 16th IIFA Awards ceremony in 2015 and the seventh season of the television reality show Fear Factor : Khatron Ke Khiladi in 2016 .


Daz Dillinger Delmar Drew Arnaud ( born May 25 , 1973 ) , better known by his stage name Daz Dillinger ( formerly Dat Nigga Daz ) , is an American rapper and record producer from Long Beach , California . Dillinger is best known for his membership in the duo Tha Dogg Pound , alongside Kurupt , as well as his work with Death Row Records .


Neil Armstrong was in the first in-flight space emergency.

Neil Armstrong Neil Alden Armstrong ( August 5 , 1930 -- August 25 , 2012 ) was an American astronaut and the first person to walk on the Moon . He was also an aerospace engineer , naval aviator , test pilot , and university professor . Before becoming an astronaut , Armstrong was an officer in the U.S. Navy and served in the Korean War . After the war , he earned his bachelor 's degree at Purdue University and served as a test pilot at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics ( NACA ) High-Speed Flight Station , where he logged over 900 flights . He later completed graduate studies at the University of Southern California .   A participant in the U.S. Air Force 's Man in Space Soonest and X-20 Dyna-Soar human spaceflight programs , Armstrong joined the NASA Astronaut Corps in 1962 . He made his first space flight as command pilot of Gemini 8 in March 1966 , becoming NASA 's first civilian astronaut to fly in space . He performed the first docking of two spacecraft , with pilot David Scott . This mission was aborted after Armstrong used some of his reentry control fuel to prevent a dangerous spin caused by a stuck thruster , in the first in-flight space emergency .   Armstrong 's second and last spaceflight was as commander of Apollo 11 , the first manned Moon landing mission in July 1969 . Armstrong and Lunar Module pilot Buzz Aldrin descended to the lunar surface and spent two and a half hours outside the spacecraft , while Michael Collins remained in lunar orbit in the Command/Service Module . Along with Collins and Aldrin , Armstrong was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Richard Nixon . President Jimmy Carter presented Armstrong the Congressional Space Medal of Honor in 1978 . Armstrong and his former crewmates received the Congressional Gold Medal in 2009 .   Armstrong died in Cincinnati , Ohio on August 25 , 2012 , at the age of 82 , after complications from coronary artery bypass surgery .


Havoc went to DVD on November 29, 2010 just that one time.

Havoc (2005 film) Havoc is a 2005 crime drama film starring Anne Hathaway and Bijou Phillips , with Shiri Appleby , Freddy Rodriguez , Joseph Gordon-Levitt , Michael Biehn , and Laura San Giacomo appearing in supporting roles . The film is about the lives of wealthy Los Angeles , California teenagers whose exposure to hip hop culture inspires them to imitate the gangster lifestyle . They run into trouble when they encounter a gang of drug dealers , discovering they are not as street-wise as they had thought .   Written by Jessica Kaplan and Stephen Gaghan and directed by Barbara Kopple , the film was shown at several film festivals and then went directly to DVD on November 29 , 2005 .


Macbeth is believed to have first been performed in 1606.

Macbeth Macbeth ( -LSB- məkˈbɛθ -RSB- full title The Tragedy of Macbeth ) is a tragedy by William Shakespeare ; it is thought to have been first performed in 1606 . It dramatises the damaging physical and psychological effects of political ambition on those who seek power for its own sake . Of all the plays that Shakespeare wrote during the reign of James I , who was patron of Shakespeare 's acting company , Macbeth most clearly reflects the playwright 's relationship with his sovereign . It was first published in the Folio of 1623 , possibly from a prompt book , and is Shakespeare 's shortest tragedy .   A brave Scottish general named Macbeth receives a prophecy from a trio of witches that one day he will become King of Scotland . Consumed by ambition and spurred to action by his wife , Macbeth murders King Duncan and takes the Scottish throne for himself . He is then wracked with guilt and paranoia . Forced to commit more and more murders to protect himself from enmity and suspicion , he soon becomes a tyrannical ruler . The bloodbath and consequent civil war swiftly take Macbeth and Lady Macbeth into the realms of madness and death .   Shakespeare 's source for the story is the account of Macbeth , King of Scotland ; Macduff ; and Duncan in Holinshed 's Chronicles ( 1587 ) , a history of England , Scotland , and Ireland familiar to Shakespeare and his contemporaries , although the events in the play differ extensively from the history of the real Macbeth . The events of the tragedy are usually associated with the execution of Henry Garnet for complicity in the Gunpowder Plot of 1605 .   In the backstage world of theatre , some believe that the play is cursed , and will not mention its title aloud , referring to it instead as `` The Scottish Play '' . Over the course of many centuries , the play has attracted some of the most renowned actors to the roles of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth . It has been adapted to film , television , opera , novels , comics , and other media .


Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace ( -LSB- ˈbʌkɪŋəm_ˈpælɪs -RSB- ) is the London residence and administrative headquarters of the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom . Located in the City of Westminster , the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality . It has been a focal point for the British people at times of national rejoicing and mourning .   Originally known as Buckingham House , the building at the core of today 's palace was a large townhouse built for the Duke of Buckingham in 1703 on a site that had been in private ownership for at least 150 years . It was acquired by King George III in 1761 as a private residence for Queen Charlotte and became known as The Queen 's House . During the 19th century it was enlarged , principally by architects John Nash and Edward Blore , who constructed three wings around a central courtyard . Buckingham Palace became the London residence of the British monarch on the accession of Queen Victoria in 1837 .   The last major structural additions were made in the late 19th and early 20th centuries , including the East front , which contains the well-known balcony on which the royal family traditionally congregates to greet crowds . The palace chapel was destroyed by a German bomb during World War II ; the Queen 's Gallery was built on the site and opened to the public in 1962 to exhibit works of art from the Royal Collection .   The original early 19th-century interior designs , many of which survive , include widespread use of brightly coloured scagliola and blue and pink lapis , on the advice of Sir Charles Long . King Edward VII oversaw a partial redecoration in a Belle Époque cream and gold colour scheme . Many smaller reception rooms are furnished in the Chinese regency style with furniture and fittings brought from the Royal Pavilion at Brighton and from Carlton House . The palace has 775 rooms , and the garden is the largest private garden in London . The state rooms , used for official and state entertaining , are open to the public each year for most of August and September and on some days in winter and spring .


Zinedine Zidane received the Golden Ball.

Ballon d'Or The Ballon d'Or ( -LSB- balɔ̃ dɔʁ -RSB- ; `` Golden Ball '' ) , is an annual association football award presented by France Football . It has been awarded since 1956 , although between 2010 and 2015 , an agreement was made with FIFA and the award was temporarily merged with the FIFA World Player of the Year , and known as the FIFA Ballon d'Or . Conceived by sports writer Gabriel Hanot , the Ballon d'Or award honours the male player deemed to have performed the best over the previous year , based on voting by football journalists . Originally , only European players were in contention for the Ballon d'Or : in 1995 the award was expanded to include all players at European clubs and in 2007 to all players from around the world .


Zinedine Zidane Zinedine Yazid Zidane ( -LSB- zinedin zidan -RSB- , born 23 June 1972 ) , nicknamed `` Zizou '' , is a retired French footballer and current manager of Real Madrid . He played as an attacking midfielder for the France national team , Cannes , Bordeaux , Juventus and Real Madrid . An elite playmaker , renowned for his elegance , vision , ball control and technique , Zidane was named the best European footballer of the past 50 years in the UEFA Golden Jubilee Poll . He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time .   At club level , Zidane won the La Liga title and the UEFA Champions League with Real Madrid , two Serie A league championships with Juventus and an Intercontinental Cup and a UEFA Super Cup each with both aforementioned teams . His 2001 transfer from Juventus to Real Madrid set a world record fee of an equivalent $ 75 million . His left-foot volleyed winner in the 2002 UEFA Champions League Final is considered to be one of the greatest goals in the competition 's history . On the international stage with France , Zidane won the 1998 FIFA World Cup , scoring twice in the final , and UEFA Euro 2000 where he was named Player of the Tournament . The World Cup triumph made him a national hero in France , and he received the Légion d'honneur in 1998 .   Zidane was named the FIFA World Player of the Year three times , in 1998 , 2000 and 2003 , and won the 1998 Ballon d'Or . He was Ligue 1 Player of the Year in 1996 , Serie A Footballer of the Year in 2001 and La Liga Best Foreign Player in 2002 . In 2004 , he was named in the FIFA 100 , a list of the world 's greatest living players compiled by Pelé . Zidane received the Golden Ball for player of the tournament at the 2006 World Cup , despite his infamous sending off in the final against Italy for headbutting Marco Materazzi in the chest . Prior to the World Cup , he announced he would retire at the end of the tournament .   After retirement , Zidane became assistant coach at Real Madrid under Carlo Ancelotti for the 2013 -- 14 season . After a successful year in which the club won the UEFA Champions League and Copa del Rey , Zidane became the coach of Real Madrid 's B team , Real Madrid Castilla . In 2010 , Zidane was an ambassador for Qatar 's successful bid to stage the 2022 FIFA World Cup , the first Arab country to host the tournament . Zidane is currently the manager of Real Madrid , taking over the position in January 2016 . In his first season as manager , Zidane won the UEFA Champions League title .


The Amanda Show started in 1999 and ended in 2002.

The Amanda Show The Amanda Show is an American live action sketch comedy and variety show created by Dan Schneider that aired on Nickelodeon in April 4 , 1999 as a pilot , then as a regular series from October 16 , 1999 to September 21 , 2002 . It starred Amanda Bynes , Drake Bell and Nancy Sullivan , and featured John Kassir , Raquel Lee , and Josh Peck . The show was a spin-off from All That , in which Bynes had co-starred for several years . The show was cancelled at the end of 2002 . Writers for the show included Schneider , John Hoberg , Steven Molaro , and Andrew Hill Newman .   Two years after the end of The Amanda Show , Dan Schneider created a new series , called Drake & Josh , featuring Drake Bell , Josh Peck and Nancy Sullivan .


Audrey Horne was introduced in a series.

Audrey Horne Audrey Horne is a fictional character from the ABC television series Twin Peaks , played by Sherilyn Fenn . The character was created by David Lynch . She was introduced in the pilot . The daughter of Ben ( Richard Beymer ) and Sylvia Horne , sister of Johnny Horne ( Robert Bauer ) and half-sister of Donna Hayward ( Lara Flynn Boyle ) , her storylines focused on her infatuation with the series protagonist Dale Cooper ( Kyle MacLachlan ) , infiltrating the brothel/casino One Eyed Jacks and becoming an activist through civil disobedience .


Pilot (Twin Peaks) The pilot episode , also known as Northwest Passage , of the mystery television series Twin Peaks premiered on the ABC Network on Sunday , April 8 , 1990 . It was written by series creators Mark Frost and David Lynch , and directed by Lynch . The pilot follows the characters of Dale Cooper and Harry S. Truman as they investigate the death of popular high school student Laura Palmer ; Cooper believes the murder has connections to a murder case that occurred a year earlier . In addition to setting the tone for the show , the episode sets up several character and story arcs and marked the appearance of several recurring characters . The episode received a strong Nielsen household rating compared to other season one episodes and was well received by fans and critics alike . The original title for the series was Northwest Passage , but this was later changed .


Bridge of Spies stars Amy Ryan and Tom Hanks.

Bridge of Spies (film) Bridge of Spies is a 2015 historical drama legal thriller film directed and co-produced by Steven Spielberg , written by Matt Charman , Ethan and Joel Coen and stars Tom Hanks , Mark Rylance , Amy Ryan and Alan Alda . Set during the Cold War , the film tells the story of lawyer James B. Donovan , who is entrusted with negotiating the release of Francis Gary Powers -- a U.S. Air Force pilot whose U-2 spy plane was shot down over the Soviet Union in 1960 -- in exchange for Rudolf Abel , a convicted Soviet KGB spy held under the custody of the United States , whom he represented at trial . The name of the film refers to the Glienicke Bridge , which connects Potsdam with Berlin , where the prisoner exchange took place . The film was an international co-production of the United States and Germany .   Bridge of Spies was shot under the working title of St. James Place . Principal photography began on September 8 , 2014 , in Brooklyn , New York City , and the production proceeded at Babelsberg Studios in Potsdam . The film was released by Touchstone Pictures on October 16 , 2015 , in the United States and distributed by 20th Century Fox in other territories . It was a box office success , grossing $ 165 million worldwide , and received positive reviews , garnering praise for its direction , screenplay , acting , score , and production merits . The film received six Academy Award nominations including Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay , and won Best Supporting Actor for Rylance .


Barack Obama will have a library built in his honor.

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( -LSB- bəˈrɑːk_huːˈseɪn_oʊˈbɑːmə -RSB- ; born August 4 , 1961 ) is an American politician who served as the 44th President of the United States from 2009 to 2017 . He is the first African American to have served as president . He previously served in the U.S. Senate representing Illinois from 2005 to 2008 , and in the Illinois State Senate from 1997 to 2004 .   Obama was born in Honolulu , Hawaii , two years after the territory was admitted to the Union as the 50th state . Raised largely in Hawaii , Obama also spent one year of his childhood in Washington State and four years in Indonesia . After graduating from Columbia University in 1983 , he worked as a community organizer in Chicago . In 1988 Obama enrolled in Harvard Law School , where he was the first black president of the Harvard Law Review . After graduation , he became a civil rights attorney and professor , teaching constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School from 1992 to 2004 . Obama represented the 13th District for three terms in the Illinois Senate from 1997 to 2004 , when he ran for the U.S. Senate . Obama received national attention in 2004 , with his unexpected March primary win , his well-received July Democratic National Convention keynote address , and his landslide November election to the Senate . In 2008 , Obama was nominated for president , a year after his campaign began , and after a close primary campaign against Hillary Clinton . He was elected over Republican John McCain , and was inaugurated on January 20 , 2009 . Nine months later , Obama was named the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize laureate .   During his first two years in office , Obama signed many landmark bills . Main reforms were the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act ( often referred to as `` Obamacare '' ) , the Dodd -- Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act , and the Do n't Ask , Do n't Tell Repeal Act of 2010 . The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and Tax Relief , Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization , and Job Creation Act of 2010 served as economic stimulus amidst the Great Recession , but the GOP regained control of the House of Representatives in 2011 . After a lengthy debate over the national debt limit , Obama signed the Budget Control and the American Taxpayer Relief Acts . In foreign policy , Obama increased U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan , reduced nuclear weapons with the U.S.-Russian New START treaty , and ended military involvement in the Iraq War . He ordered military involvement in Libya in opposition to Muammar Gaddafi , and the military operation that resulted in the death of Osama bin Laden .   After winning re-election by defeating Republican nominee Mitt Romney , Obama was sworn in for a second term in 2013 . During his second term , Obama promoted greater inclusiveness for LGBT Americans , with his administration filing briefs that urged the Supreme Court to strike down same-sex marriage bans as unconstitutional ( United States v. Windsor and Obergefell v. Hodges ) . Obama also advocated gun control in response to the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting , and issued wide-ranging executive actions concerning climate change and immigration . In foreign policy , Obama ordered military intervention in Iraq in response to gains made by ISIL after the 2011 withdrawal from Iraq , continued the process of ending U.S. combat operations in Afghanistan , promoted discussions that led to the 2015 Paris Agreement on global climate change , initiated the sanctions against Russia following the invasion in Ukraine , brokered a nuclear deal with Iran , and normalized U.S. relations with Cuba .   Obama left office in January 2017 with a 60 % approval rating . He currently resides in Washington , D.C. His presidential library will be built in Chicago .


24 (2016 film) 24 is a 2016 Indian Tamil-language science fiction thriller film written and directed by Vikram Kumar . Based on the concept of time-travel , the film stars actor Suriya in triple roles , with actresses Samantha Ruth Prabhu , Nithya Menen and Saranya Ponvannan in lead roles .   The development dates back to 2009 , where the film was to feature actors Vikram and Ileana D'Cruz in lead roles . However , in February 2010 , the project was dropped due to difference in opinions between director , producer and actor , facing rejection of the refined script . In August 2014 , Suriya agreed to produce and act in the film , with principal photography commencing in Mumbai in April 2015 , continuing in Nasik , Goregaon and Pune . The second phase of filming was done in Poland by end-September 2015 . Filming was completed in Chennai by November 2015 .   Produced by 2D Entertainment , the film has cinematography by S. Tirru . The soundtrack and film score are composed by A. R. Rahman , with lyrics by Vairamuthu and Madhan Karky . The film along with the dubbed Telugu version having the same title was released on 6 May 2016 . It is also dubbed in Hindi as Time Story .   The film won two awards at the 64th National Film Awards Best Cinematography and Best Production Design .


Are You Experienced is the debut studio album of a rock band.

Are You Experienced Are You Experienced is the debut studio album by English-American rock band the Jimi Hendrix Experience . Released in 1967 , the LP was an immediate critical and commercial success , and it is widely regarded as one of the greatest debuts in the history of rock music . The album features Jimi Hendrix 's innovative approach to songwriting and electric guitar playing which soon established a new direction in psychedelic and hard rock music .   By mid-1966 , Hendrix was struggling to earn a living playing the R&B circuit as a backing guitarist . After being referred to Chas Chandler , who was leaving the Animals and interested in managing and producing artists , Hendrix was signed to a management and production contract with Chandler and ex-Animals manager Michael Jeffery . Chandler brought Hendrix to London and began recruiting members for a band designed to showcase the guitarist 's talents , the Jimi Hendrix Experience . In late October , after having been rejected by Decca Records , the Experience signed with Track , a new label formed by the Who 's managers Kit Lambert and Chris Stamp .   Are You Experienced and its preceding singles were recorded over a five-month period from late October 1966 through early April 1967 . The album was completed in sixteen recording sessions at three London locations , including De Lane Lea Studios , CBS , and Olympic . Released in the UK on May 12 , 1967 , Are You Experienced spent 33 weeks on the charts , peaking at number two . The album was issued in the US on August 23 by Reprise Records , where it reached number five on the Billboard 200 , remaining on the chart for 106 weeks , 27 of those in the Top 40 . The album also spent 70 weeks on the US Billboard R&B chart , where it peaked at # 10 . The US version contained some of Hendrix 's best known songs , including the Experience 's first three singles , which , though omitted from the British edition of the LP , were top ten hits in the UK : `` Purple Haze '' , `` Hey Joe '' , and `` The Wind Cries Mary '' .   In 2005 , Rolling Stone ranked Are You Experienced fifteenth on its list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time . They placed four songs from the album on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time : `` Purple Haze '' ( 17 ) , `` Foxy Lady '' ( 153 ) , `` Hey Joe '' ( 201 ) , and `` The Wind Cries Mary '' ( 379 ) . That same year , the record was one of 50 recordings chosen by the Library of Congress in recognition of its cultural significance to be added to the National Recording Registry . Writer and archivist Reuben Jackson of the Smithsonian Institution wrote : `` it 's still a landmark recording because it is of the rock , R&B , blues ... musical tradition . It altered the syntax of the music ... in a way I compare to James Joyce 's Ulysses . ''


Philip Seymour Hoffman was outside of Magnolia.

Philip Seymour Hoffman Philip Seymour Hoffman ( July 23 , 1967 -- February 2 , 2014 ) was an American actor , director , and producer of film and theater . Best known for his distinctive supporting and character roles -- typically lowlifes , bullies , and misfits -- Hoffman made many films from the early 1990s until his death at age 46 .   Drawn to theater as a teenager , Hoffman studied acting at New York University 's Tisch School of the Arts . He began his screen career in a 1991 episode of Law & Order and started to appear in films in 1992 . He gained recognition for his supporting work , notably in Boogie Nights ( 1997 ) , Happiness ( 1998 ) , Patch Adams ( 1998 ) , The Big Lebowski ( 1998 ) , Magnolia ( 1999 ) , The Talented Mr. Ripley ( 1999 ) , Almost Famous ( 2000 ) , Punch-Drunk Love ( 2002 ) , and Along Came Polly ( 2004 ) . He began to occasionally play leading roles , and for his portrayal of the author Truman Capote in Capote ( 2005 ) , won multiple accolades including the Academy Award for Best Actor . Hoffman 's profile continued to grow , and he received three more Oscar nominations for his supporting work as a brutally frank CIA officer in Charlie Wilson 's War ( 2007 ) , a priest accused of pedophilia in Doubt ( 2008 ) , and the charismatic leader of a Scientology-type movement in The Master ( 2012 ) .   While he mainly worked in independent films , including The Savages ( 2007 ) and Synecdoche , New York ( 2008 ) , Hoffman also appeared in Hollywood blockbusters , such as Twister ( 1996 ) and Mission : Impossible III ( 2006 ) , and in one of his final roles , as Plutarch Heavensbee in the Hunger Games series ( 2013 -- 15 ) . The feature Jack Goes Boating ( 2010 ) marked his debut as a filmmaker . Hoffman was also an accomplished theater actor and director . He joined the off-Broadway LAByrinth Theater Company in 1995 , where he directed , produced , and appeared in numerous stage productions . His performances in three Broadway plays -- True West ( 2000 ) , Long Day 's Journey into Night ( 2003 ) , and Death of a Salesman ( 2012 ) -- all led to Tony Award nominations .   Hoffman struggled with drug addiction as a young adult , and relapsed in 2013 after many years of sobriety . In February 2014 , he was found dead with a syringe of heroin still in his arm , but the official cause of death was combined drug intoxication -- an unexpected event that was widely lamented in the film and theater industries . Remembered for his fearlessness in playing reprehensible characters , and for bringing depth and humanity to such roles , Hoffman was described in his New York Times obituary as `` perhaps the most ambitious and widely admired American actor of his generation '' .


Doctor Who Doctor Who is a British science-fiction television programme produced by the BBC since 1963 . The programme depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called `` The Doctor '' , an extraterrestrial being from the planet Gallifrey . He explores the universe in a time-travelling space ship called the TARDIS . Its exterior appears as a blue British police box , which was a common sight in Britain in 1963 when the series first aired . Accompanied by a number of companions , the Doctor combats a variety of foes , while working to save civilisations and help people in need .   The show is a significant part of British popular culture , and elsewhere it has gained a cult following . It has influenced generations of British television professionals , many of whom grew up watching the series . The programme originally ran from 1963 to 1989 . There was an unsuccessful attempt to revive regular production in 1996 with a backdoor pilot , in the form of a television film titled Doctor Who . The programme was relaunched in 2005 , and since then has been produced in-house by BBC Wales in Cardiff . Doctor Who has also spawned numerous spin-offs , including comic books , films , novels , audio dramas , and the television series Torchwood ( 2006 -- 2011 ) , The Sarah Jane Adventures ( 2007 -- 2011 ) , K-9 ( 2009 -- 2010 ) , and Class '' ( 2016-present ) , and has been the subject of many parodies and references in popular culture .   Twelve actors have headlined the series as the Doctor . The transition from one actor to another is written into the plot of the show with the concept of regeneration into a new incarnation -- an idea introduced in 1966 to allow the show to continue after the departure of original lead William Hartnell who was becoming very ill at the time . The concept is that this is a Time Lord trait through which the character of the Doctor takes on a new body and personality to recover from a severe injury or anything that would otherwise kill a normal person . Each actor 's portrayal differs , but all represent stages in the life of the same character and form a single narrative . The time-travelling feature of the plot means that different incarnations of the Doctor occasionally meet . The current lead , Peter Capaldi , took on the role after Matt Smith 's exit in the 2013 Christmas special `` The Time of the Doctor '' . In 2017 , Capaldi confirmed he would be leaving at the end of the tenth series , with his final appearance being the 2017 Christmas Special .


Time Lord The Time Lords are a fictional , ancient extraterrestrial people in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who , of which the series ' protagonist , the Doctor , is a member . Time Lords are so named for their command of time travel technology and their non-linear perception of time . Originally they were described as a powerful and wise race from the planet Gallifrey , from which the Doctor was a renegade ; details beyond this were very limited for the first decade of the series . They later became integral to many episodes and stories as their role in the fictional universe developed . For the first eight years after the series resumed in 2005 , the Time Lords were said to have been destroyed at some point between the original series ' cancellation in 1989 and the show 's revival during the fictional Last Great Time War . In 2013 , the 50th anniversary special `` The Day of the Doctor '' concerned this supposed destruction and their eventual survival .   They developed a culture of custodianship and time-related technologies based on this perception which includes strictly controlled space/time travel machines ( known as `` TARDISes '' ) and monitoring devices to travel through time and to prevent time from being subverted or abused -- although actual action was described as rare in practice due to their traditional policy of strict non-interference and neutrality . They can act to manipulate timelines of a wide range of events and individuals , so long as they do not cross back into their own timeline . Over subsequent episodes their history , their development of time manipulation , and their internal politics were touched upon , with Time Lord society portrayed as a stagnated ceremony-bound oligarchy and their past having descended into myth and legend . The Doctor became at times an ally , being appointed their president during his fourth incarnation and assisting them on many occasions .


Regeneration (Doctor Who) In the long running British science fiction television series Doctor Who , regeneration is a biological ability exhibited by the Time Lords , a race of fictional humanoids originating on the planet Gallifrey . This process allows a Time Lord who is old , wounded or otherwise dying to undergo a transformation into a new physical form and a somewhat different personality . The process has been used eleven times throughout the history of the franchise as a device for introducing a new actor for the lead role of its main character , the Doctor . The current incarnation of the Doctor is played by Peter Capaldi , following the regeneration of the Eleventh Doctor ( portrayed by Matt Smith ) during the 2013 Christmas special `` The Time of the Doctor '' . Other Time Lords and similar characters have also regenerated , for various reasons , sometimes with change of actors .


Peter Capaldi Peter Dougan Capaldi ( born 14 April 1958 ) is a Scottish actor , writer and director , best known for playing the twelfth incarnation of the Doctor in the television series Doctor Who . His next most notable role is spin doctor Malcolm Tucker in The Thick of It , for which he has received four British Academy Television Award nominations , winning Best Male Comedy Performance in 2010 . For reprising the role in the spinoff film In the Loop , Capaldi was honoured with several film critic award nominations for Best Supporting Actor . He further took on the role of Paddington Bear 's neighbour Mr. Curry in the family comedy film Paddington ; he is set to reprise the role in Paddington 2 .   As a director , Capaldi won the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film and the BAFTA Award for Best Short Film for his short film Franz Kafka 's It 's a Wonderful Life . He went on to write and direct the drama film Strictly Sinatra and helmed two series of sitcom Getting On .


Doctor Who spin-offs Doctor Who spin-offs refers to material created outside of , but related to , the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who .   Both during the main run of the series from 1963 to 1989 and after its cancellation , numerous novels , comic strips , comic books and other material were generated based on the characters and situations introduced in the show . These spin-offs continued to be produced even without a television series to support them and helped keep the show alive in the minds of its fans and the public until the programme was revived in 2005 .   This entry mainly concentrates on `` official '' spin-offs , that is to say , material sanctioned by the British Broadcasting Corporation , which produces the series , as well as material sanctioned by the copyright holders of characters from the series .   One aspect of Doctor Who spin-offs which makes them different from many spin-offs from other science fiction franchises is that many of the television writers and stars have been directly involved in the production of spin-offs . For example , it has become common for a former television actor to reprise their character for an audio play .   The BBC holds no position on Doctor Who canon . Although the spin-offs generally do not intentionally contradict the television series , the various spin-off series do occasionally contradict each other .


Feature film is a division of Davis Entertainment.

Davis Entertainment Davis Entertainment is an American independent film production company , founded by John Davis in 1984 .   Davis 's three divisions -- - feature film , independent film , and television - -- develop and produce film and television projects for the major studios , independent distributors , networks and cable broadcasters . The Company has enjoyed a long-standing first-look production deal at 20th Century Fox , though also produces projects for all studios and mini-majors .


Jeff Goldblum has received nominations for a Genie and he is American.

Jeff Goldblum Jeffrey Lynn Goldblum ( -LSB- ˈɡoʊldbluːm -RSB- born October 22 , 1952 ) is an American actor who has received nominations for an Oscar , an Emmy , a Genie and a Drama Desk Award throughout his career and is best known for starring in the highest-grossing films of his era , Jurassic Park ( 1993 ) and Independence Day ( 1996 ) , as well as their respective sequels , The Lost World : Jurassic Park ( 1997 ) , Independence Day : Resurgence ( 2016 ) , and Jurassic World 2 ( 2018 ) .   Goldblum starred in films including Invasion of the Body Snatchers ( 1978 ) , The Big Chill ( 1983 ) and Into the Night ( 1985 ) before coming to the attention of wider audiences in David Cronenberg 's The Fly ( 1986 ) which earned him a Saturn Award for Best Actor .   His other films include The Tall Guy ( 1989 ) , Deep Cover ( 1992 ) , Powder ( 1995 ) , The Prince of Egypt ( 1998 ) , Cats & Dogs ( 2001 ) , Igby Goes Down ( 2002 ) , The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou ( 2004 ) , Adam Resurrected ( 2008 ) , Le Week-End ( 2013 ) and The Grand Budapest Hotel ( 2014 ) . He has been cast as Grandmaster in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film Thor : Ragnarok . He also starred in several TV series including the eighth and ninth seasons of Law & Order : Criminal Intent as Zack Nichols .


Andrew Jackson Andrew Jackson ( March 15 , 1767 -- June 8 , 1845 ) was an American soldier and statesman who served as the seventh President of the United States from 1829 to 1837 and was the founder of the Democratic Party . Before being elected to the presidency , Jackson served in Congress and gained fame as a general in the United States Army . As president , Jackson sought to advance the rights of the `` common man '' against a `` corrupt aristocracy '' and to preserve the Union .   He became a practicing lawyer in Tennessee and in 1791 he married Rachel Donelson Robards . Jackson served briefly in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate . Upon returning to Tennessee , he was appointed a justice on the Tennessee Supreme Court , serving from 1798 until 1804 . In 1801 , Jackson was appointed colonel in the Tennessee militia , and was elected its commander the following year . He led Tennessee militia and U.S. Army regulars during the Creek War of 1813 -- 1814 , winning a major victory at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend . The subsequent Treaty of Fort Jackson required the Creek surrender of vast lands in present-day Alabama and Georgia . Jackson won a decisive victory in the War of 1812 over the British army at the Battle of New Orleans , making him a national hero . Following the conclusion of the War of 1812 , Jackson led U.S. forces in the First Seminole War , which helped produce the Adams -- Onís Treaty of 1819 and the transfer of Florida from Spain to the United States . Following the ratification of the treaty , Jackson briefly served as Florida 's first territorial governor before winning election as a U.S. Senator from Tennessee .   Jackson was a candidate for president in 1824 but , lacking a majority of electoral votes , lost the election in the House of Representatives to John Quincy Adams . In reaction to a `` corrupt bargain '' between opponents Adams and Henry Clay , Jackson 's supporters founded the Democratic Party . He ran again for president in 1828 against Adams and won in a landslide . As president , Jackson faced a threat of secession by South Carolina over the `` Tariff of Abominations '' enacted under Adams . The Nullification Crisis was defused when the tariff was amended and Jackson threatened the use of military force if South Carolina attempted to secede . Congress , led by Clay , attempted to reauthorize the Second Bank of the United States ; Jackson regarded the Bank as a corrupt institution and vetoed the renewal of its charter . After a lengthy struggle , Jackson and the congressional Democrats thoroughly dismantled the Bank . In 1835 , Jackson became the only president to completely pay off the national debt , fulfilling a longtime goal .   In foreign affairs , Jackson 's administration concluded a `` most favored nation '' treaty with Great Britain , settled U.S. claims of damages by France from the Napoleonic Wars , and recognized the Republic of Texas . His presidency marked the beginning of the ascendancy of the `` spoils system '' in American politics . In 1830 , Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act , which relocated most members of the Native American tribes in the South to Indian Territory ( now Oklahoma ) . The relocation process dispossessed the Indians and resulted in widespread death and sickness . In his retirement , Jackson remained active in Democratic Party politics , supporting the presidencies of Martin Van Buren and James K. Polk .   Jackson was widely revered in the United States , but his reputation has declined since the mid-20th century , largely due to his role in Indian removal and support for slavery . Surveys of historians and scholars have ranked Jackson between 6th and 18th most successful among United States presidents .


Frank Sinatra released the album The Voice of Frank Sinatra in May of 1946.

Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra ( -LSB- sᵻˈnɑːtrə -RSB- -LSB- siˈnaːtra -RSB- ; December 12 , 1915 -- May 14 , 1998 ) was an American singer , actor , and producer who was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century . He is one of the best-selling music artists of all time , having sold more than 150 million records worldwide . Born in Hoboken , New Jersey , to Italian immigrants , Sinatra began his musical career in the swing era with bandleaders Harry James and Tommy Dorsey . Sinatra found success as a solo artist after he signed with Columbia Records in 1943 , becoming the idol of the `` bobby soxers '' . He released his debut album , The Voice of Frank Sinatra , in 1946 . Sinatra 's professional career had stalled by the early 1950s , and he turned to Las Vegas , where he became one of its best known performers as part of the Rat Pack . His career was reborn in 1953 with the success of From Here to Eternity , with his performance subsequently winning an Academy Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor . Sinatra released several critically lauded albums , including In the Wee Small Hours ( 1955 ) , Songs for Swingin ' Lovers ! ( 1956 ) , Come Fly with Me ( 1958 ) , Only the Lonely ( 1958 ) and Nice 'n' Easy ( 1960 ) .   Sinatra left Capitol in 1960 to start his own record label , Reprise Records , and released a string of successful albums . In 1965 , he recorded the retrospective September of My Years , starred in the Emmy-winning television special Frank Sinatra : A Man and His Music , and released the tracks `` Strangers in the Night '' and `` My Way '' . After releasing Sinatra at the Sands , recorded at the Sands Hotel and Casino in Vegas with frequent collaborator Count Basie in early 1966 , the following year he recorded one of his most famous collaborations with Tom Jobim , the album Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim . It was followed by 1968 's collaboration with Duke Ellington . Sinatra retired for the first time in 1971 , but came out of retirement two years later and recorded several albums and resumed performing at Caesars Palace , and reached success in 1980 with `` New York , New York '' . Using his Las Vegas shows as a home base , he toured both within the United States and internationally until a short time before his death in 1998 .   Sinatra forged a highly successful career as a film actor . After winning an Academy Award for From Here to Eternity , he starred in The Man with the Golden Arm ( 1955 ) , and received critical acclaim for his performance in The Manchurian Candidate ( 1962 ) . He appeared in various musicals such as On the Town ( 1949 ) , Guys and Dolls ( 1955 ) , High Society ( 1956 ) , and Pal Joey ( 1957 ) , winning another Golden Globe for the latter . Toward the end of his career , he became associated with playing detectives , including the title character in Tony Rome ( 1967 ) . Sinatra would later receive the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award in 1971 . On television , The Frank Sinatra Show began on ABC in 1950 , and he continued to make appearances on television throughout the 1950s and 1960s . Sinatra was also heavily involved with politics from the mid-1940s , and actively campaigned for presidents such as Harry S. Truman , John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan , though before Kennedy 's death Sinatra 's alleged Mafia connections led to his being snubbed .   While Sinatra never formally learned how to read music , he had an impressive understanding of it , and he worked very hard from a young age to improve his abilities in all aspects of music . A perfectionist , renowned for his dress sense and performing presence , he always insisted on recording live with his band . His bright blue eyes earned him the popular nickname `` Ol' Blue Eyes '' . Sinatra led a colorful personal life , and was often involved in turbulent affairs with women , such as with his second wife Ava Gardner . He went on to marry Mia Farrow in 1966 and Barbara Marx in 1976 . Sinatra had several violent confrontations , usually with journalists he felt had crossed him , or work bosses with whom he had disagreements . He was honored at the Kennedy Center Honors in 1983 , was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Ronald Reagan in 1985 , and the Congressional Gold Medal in 1997 . Sinatra was also the recipient of eleven Grammy Awards , including the Grammy Trustees Award , Grammy Legend Award and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award . After his death , American music critic Robert Christgau called him `` the greatest singer of the 20th century '' , and he continues to be seen as an iconic figure .


The Voice of Frank Sinatra The Voice of Frank Sinatra is the first studio album by American singer Frank Sinatra , released on Columbia Records , catalogue C-112 , March 4 , 1946 . It was first issued as a set of four 78 rpm records totaling eight songs , the individual discs having been previously released as singles , consisting of catalog #s 36762 , 36919 , 36921 , and 37089 . The album went to # 1 on the fledgling Billboard chart . It stayed at the top for seven weeks in 1946 , spending a total of eighteen weeks on the charts . The album chart consisted of just a Top Five until August 1948 . The cover depicted to the right is that of the original 78 rpm release cover , also used on the compact disc reissue .


Frank Ocean was named Christopher Edwin Breaux.

Frank Ocean Christopher Francis `` Frank '' Ocean ( born Christopher Edwin Breaux ; October 28 , 1987 ) , is an American singer , songwriter , and rapper . Known for his idiosyncratic musical style , Ocean first embarked on a career as a ghostwriter , and in 2010 he became a member of hip hop collective Odd Future . He released his breakout mixtape , Nostalgia , Ultra , to critical acclaim in 2011 . It generated his first charting single `` Novacane '' . In 2012 , Ocean finished in second place in BBC 's Sound of 2012 poll .   His debut studio album , Channel Orange , was released in July 2012 to critical acclaim and reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200 . It was promoted with three singles : `` Thinkin Bout You '' , `` Pyramids '' and `` Sweet Life '' . In 2016 , Ocean released the visual album Endless alongside his second studio album Blonde , following several years of delays . Blonde was acclaimed by critics , and debuted at number one in the United States and the United Kingdom .


Idris Elba Idrissa Akuna `` Idris '' Elba , ( -LSB- ˈɪdrᵻs_ˈɛlbə -RSB- born 6 September 1972 ) is an English actor , musician , and DJ . He is known for playing druglord Russell `` Stringer '' Bell on the HBO series The Wire , Detective John Luther on the BBC One series Luther , and Nelson Mandela in the biographical film Mandela : Long Walk to Freedom ( 2013 ) . He has been nominated four times for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Miniseries or Television Film , winning one , and was nominated five times for a Primetime Emmy Award .   Elba has appeared in films such as Ridley Scott 's American Gangster ( 2007 ) , Takers ( 2010 ) , Thor ( 2011 ) , Prometheus ( 2012 ) , Pacific Rim ( 2013 ) , Thor : The Dark World ( 2013 ) and Beasts of No Nation ( 2015 , for which he received BAFTA and Golden Globe nominations for Best Supporting Actor ) , and Star Trek Beyond ( 2016 ) . In 2016 , he also voiced Chief Bogo in Zootopia , Shere Khan in The Jungle Book , and Fluke in Finding Dory . He will make his directorial debut with an adaptation of 1992 novel Yardie by Victor Headley .   In addition to his acting work , Elba is a DJ under the moniker DJ Big Driis ( or Big Driis the Londoner ) and hip hop soul musician . In 2016 , he was named in the Time 100 list of the Most Influential People in the World .


Ireland Ireland ( -LSB- ˈaɪərlənd -RSB- Éire -LSB- ˈeːɾʲə -RSB- ; Ulster-Scots : Airlann -LSB- - scoˈɑːrlən -RSB- ) is an island in the North Atlantic . It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel , the Irish Sea , and St George 's Channel . Ireland is the second-largest island of the British Isles , the third-largest in Europe , and the twentieth-largest on Earth .   Politically , Ireland is divided between the Republic of Ireland ( officially named Ireland ) , which covers five-sixths of the island , and Northern Ireland , which is part of the United Kingdom , in the northeast of the island . In 2011 , the population of Ireland was about 6.4 million , ranking it the second-most populous island in Europe after Great Britain . Just under 4.6 million live in the Republic of Ireland and just over 1.8 million live in Northern Ireland .   The island 's geography comprises relatively low-lying mountains surrounding a central plain , with several navigable rivers extending inland . The island has lush vegetation , a product of its mild but changeable climate which avoids extremes in temperature . Thick woodlands covered the island until the Middle Ages . As of 2013 , the amount of land that is wooded in Ireland is about 11 % of the total , compared with a European average of 35 % . There are twenty-six extant mammal species native to Ireland . The Irish climate is very moderate and classified as oceanic . As a result , winters are milder than expected for such a northerly area . However , summers are cooler than those in Continental Europe . Rainfall and cloud cover are abundant .   The earliest evidence of human presence in Ireland is dated at 10,500 BC . Gaelic Ireland had emerged by the 1st century CE . The island was Christianised from the 5th century onward . Following the Norman invasion in the 12th century , England claimed sovereignty over Ireland . However , English rule did not extend over the whole island until the 16th -- 17th century Tudor conquest , which led to colonisation by settlers from Britain . In the 1690s , a system of Protestant English rule was designed to materially disadvantage the Catholic majority and Protestant dissenters , and was extended during the 18th century . With the Acts of Union in 1801 , Ireland became a part of the United Kingdom . A war of independence in the early 20th century was followed by the partition of the island , creating the Irish Free State , which became increasingly sovereign over the following decades , and Northern Ireland , which remained a part of the United Kingdom . Northern Ireland saw much civil unrest from the late 1960s until the 1990s . This subsided following a political agreement in 1998 . In 1973 the Republic of Ireland joined the European Economic Community while the United Kingdom , and Northern Ireland , as part of it , did the same .   Irish culture has had a significant influence on other cultures , especially in the fields of literature . Alongside mainstream Western culture , a strong indigenous culture exists , as expressed through Gaelic games , Irish music , and the Irish language . The culture of the island also shares many features with that of Great Britain , including the English language , and sports such as association football , rugby , horse racing , and golf .


Mackenzie Foy starred as young Murphy in Interstellar.

Mackenzie Foy Mackenzie Christine Foy ( born November 10 , 2000 ) is an American model and actress . She is best known for her role as Renesmee Cullen in the 2012 film The Twilight Saga : Breaking Dawn -- Part 2 , which earned her a Young Artist Award nomination as Best Supporting Young Actress in a Feature Film , and as the young Murphy in the 2014 space epic Interstellar , for which she received critical acclaim and several awards and nominations .


Days of Heaven Days of Heaven is a 1978 American romantic drama film written and directed by Terrence Malick and starring Richard Gere , Brooke Adams , Sam Shepard , and Linda Manz . Set in 1916 , it tells the story of Bill and Abby , lovers who travel to the Texas Panhandle to harvest crops for a wealthy farmer . Bill encourages Abby to claim the fortune of the dying farmer by tricking him into a false marriage .   Days of Heaven was Malick 's second feature film , after the enthusiastically received Badlands ( 1973 ) , and was produced on a budget of $ 3,000,000 . Production was particularly troublesome , with a tight shooting schedule and significant budget constraints . Additionally , editing took Malick a lengthy three years , due to difficulty with achieving a general flow and assembly of the scenes . This was eventually solved with an added , improvised narration by Linda Manz . The film was scored by Ennio Morricone and photographed by Nestor Almendros and Haskell Wexler .   Days of Heaven received positive reviews on its original theatrical release ; its photography was widely praised , although a small number of critics considered only this aspect to be worthy of high praise . It was not a significant commercial success , but did win an Academy Award for Best Cinematography along with three nominations for the score , costume design and sound . Malick also won the Best Director Award at the Cannes Film Festival .   Days of Heaven has since become one of the most acclaimed films of its decade , noted particularly for its cinematography . In 2007 , it was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being `` culturally , historically , or aesthetically significant '' . It continues to appear in polls of the best films ever made , and appeared at # 49 on a BBC poll of the greatest American films .


Richard Gere Richard Tiffany Gere ( -LSB- ˈɡɪər -RSB- ; born August 31 , 1949 ) is an American actor and humanitarian activist . He began acting in the 1970s , playing a supporting role in Looking for Mr. Goodbar and a starring role in Days of Heaven . He came to prominence in 1980 for his role in the film American Gigolo , which established him as a leading man and a sex symbol . He went on to star in several hit films , including An Officer and a Gentleman , Pretty Woman , Primal Fear , Runaway Bride , Arbitrage and Chicago , for which he won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor and a Screen Actors Guild Award for part of the Best Cast .


The Silence of the Lambs was a film starring Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins.

The Silence of the Lambs (film) The Silence of the Lambs is a 1991 American horror-thriller film directed by Jonathan Demme and starring Jodie Foster , Anthony Hopkins , and Scott Glenn . Adapted by Ted Tally from the 1988 novel of the same name by Thomas Harris , his second to feature the character of Dr. Hannibal Lecter ; a brilliant psychiatrist and cannibalistic serial killer , the film was the second adaptation of a Harris novel featuring Lecter , preceded by the Michael Mann-directed Manhunter in 1986 . In the film , Clarice Starling , a young U.S. FBI trainee , seeks the advice of the imprisoned Dr. Lecter to apprehend another serial killer , known only as `` Buffalo Bill '' .   The Silence of the Lambs was released on February 14 , 1991 , and grossed $ 272.7 million worldwide against its $ 19 million budget . It was only the third film , the other two being It Happened One Night and One Flew Over the Cuckoo 's Nest , to win Academy Awards in all the top five categories : Best Picture , Best Actor , Best Actress , Best Director , and Adapted Screenplay . It is also the first ( and so far only ) Best Picture winner widely considered to be a horror film , and only the third such film to be nominated in the category , after The Exorcist in 1973 and Jaws in 1975 . The film is considered `` culturally , historically or aesthetically '' significant by the U.S. Library of Congress and was selected to be preserved in the National Film Registry in 2011 . A sequel titled Hannibal was released in 2001 with Hopkins reprising his role , followed by two prequels : Red Dragon ( 2002 ) and Hannibal Rising ( 2007 ) .


Iceland Iceland ( -LSB- ˈaɪslənd -RSB- -LSB- ˈistlant -RSB- ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean . It has a population of and an area of 103000 km2 , making it the most sparsely populated country in Europe . The capital and largest city is Reykjavík . Reykjavík and the surrounding areas in the southwest of the country are home to over two-thirds of the population . Iceland is volcanically and geologically active . The interior consists of a plateau characterised by sand and lava fields , mountains and glaciers , while many glacial rivers flow to the sea through the lowlands . Iceland is warmed by the Gulf Stream and has a temperate climate , despite a high latitude just outside the Arctic Circle . Its high latitude and marine influence still keeps summers chilly , with most of the archipelago having a tundra climate .   According to the ancient manuscript Landnámabók , the settlement of Iceland began in the year 874 AD when the Norwegian chieftain Ingólfr Arnarson became the first permanent settler on the island . In the following centuries , Norwegians , and to a lesser extent other Scandinavians , emigrated to Iceland , bringing with them thralls of Gaelic origin . The island was governed as an independent commonwealth under the Althing , one of the world 's oldest functioning legislative assemblies . Following a period of civil strife , Iceland acceded to Norwegian rule in the 13th century . The establishment of the Kalmar Union in 1397 united the kingdoms of Norway , Denmark and Sweden . Iceland thus followed Norway 's integration to that Union and came under Danish rule after Sweden 's secession from that union in 1523 . Although the Danish kingdom introduced Lutheranism forcefully in 1550 , Iceland remained a distant semi-colonial territory in which Danish institutions and infrastructures were conspicuous by their absence . In the wake of the French revolution and the Napoleonic wars , Iceland 's struggle for independence took form and culminated in independence in 1918 and the founding of a republic in 1944 . Until the 20th century , Iceland relied largely on subsistence fishing and agriculture , and was among the poorest in Europe . Industrialisation of the fisheries and Marshall Plan aid following World War II brought prosperity , and Iceland became one of the wealthiest and most developed nations in the world . In 1994 , it became a part of the European Economic Area , which further diversified the economy into sectors such as finance , biotechnology , and manufacturing .   Iceland has a market economy with relatively low taxes compared to other OECD countries . It maintains a Nordic social welfare system that provides universal health care and tertiary education for its citizens . Iceland ranks high in economic , political and social stability and equality . In 2013 , it was ranked as the 13th most-developed country in the world by the United Nations ' Human Development Index . Iceland runs almost completely on renewable energy . Affected by the ongoing worldwide financial crisis , the nation 's entire banking system systemically failed in October 2008 , leading to a severe depression , substantial political unrest , the Icesave dispute , and the institution of capital controls . Some bankers were jailed . Since then , the economy has made a significant recovery , in large part due to a surge in tourism .   Icelandic culture is founded upon the nation 's Scandinavian heritage . Most Icelanders are descendants of Germanic and Gaelic settlers . Icelandic , a North Germanic language , is descended from Old Norse and is closely related to Faroese and West Norwegian dialects . The country 's cultural heritage includes traditional Icelandic cuisine , Icelandic literature and medieval sagas . Iceland has the smallest population of any NATO member and is the only one with no standing army , its lightly armed coast guard being in charge of defence .


Steven Spielberg's birthday is in December.

Steven Spielberg Steven Allan Spielberg , , ( born December 18 , 1946 ) is an American director , producer , and screenwriter . He is considered one of the founding pioneers of the New Hollywood era , as well as being viewed as one of the most popular directors and producers in film history . He is also one of the co-founders of DreamWorks Studios .   In a career spanning more than four decades , Spielberg 's films have spanned many themes and genres . Spielberg 's early science-fiction and adventure films , such as Jaws ( 1975 ) , Close Encounters of the Third Kind ( 1977 ) , Raiders of the Lost Ark ( 1981 ) , and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial ( 1982 ) , were seen as archetypes of modern Hollywood escapist filmmaking . In later years , his films began addressing humanistic issues such as the Holocaust , the transatlantic slave trade , civil rights , war , and terrorism in such films as The Color Purple ( 1985 ) , Empire of the Sun ( 1987 ) , Schindler 's List ( 1993 ) , Amistad ( 1997 ) , Saving Private Ryan ( 1998 ) , Munich ( 2005 ) , War Horse ( 2011 ) , Lincoln ( 2012 ) , and Bridge of Spies ( 2015 ) . His other films include Jurassic Park ( 1993 ) , A.I. Artificial Intelligence ( 2001 ) , and War of the Worlds ( 2005 ) .   Spielberg won the Academy Award for Best Director for Schindler 's List and Saving Private Ryan , as well as receiving five other nominations . Three of Spielberg 's films -- Jaws , E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial , and Jurassic Park -- achieved box office records , originated and came to epitomize the blockbuster film . The unadjusted gross of all Spielberg-directed films exceeds $ 9 billion worldwide , making him the highest-grossing director in history . His personal net worth is estimated to be more than $ 3 billion . He is also known for his long-standing associations with several actors , producers , and technicians , most notably composer John Williams , who has composed music for all but two of Spielberg 's movies which are The Color Purple and Bridge of Spies .


Blake Edwards Blake Edwards ( born William Blake Crump ; July 26 , 1922 -- December 15 , 2010 ) was an American film director , screenwriter , and producer .   Edwards began his career in the 1940s as an actor , but he soon began writing screenplays and radio scripts before turning to producing and directing in television and films . His best-known films include Breakfast at Tiffany 's , Days of Wine and Roses , 10 , Victor/Victoria , and the hugely successful Pink Panther film series with British actor Peter Sellers . Often thought of as primarily a director of comedies , he also directed several drama , musical , and detective films . Late in his career , he transitioned to writing , producing , and directing for theater .   In 2004 , he received an Honorary Academy Award in recognition of his writing , directing , and producing an extraordinary body of work for the screen .


The Expendables (film series) The Expendables is an American series of action films written by and starring Sylvester Stallone and originally created by David Callaham . The film series itself was created to pay homage to the blockbuster action films of the 1980s and 90s and also pays gratitude to the action stars of those decades , as well as more recent stars in action . The series consists of three films : The Expendables ( 2010 ) , The Expendables 2 ( 2012 ) and The Expendables 3 ( 2014 ) , with a final fourth film scheduled to be released in 2018 . The series has received mixed critical reception , in regard to its plots and dialogue between the characters ; however , many critics praised the use of humor and action scenes . The films have been box office successes .


Jet Li Li Lianjie ( born 26 April 1963 ) , better known by his stage name Jet Li , is a Chinese film actor , film producer , martial artist , and retired Wushu champion who was born in Beijing . He is a naturalized Singaporean citizen .   After three years of training with Wu Bin , Li won his first national championship for the Beijing Wushu Team . After retiring from Wushu at age 19 , he went on to win great acclaim in China as an actor making his debut with the film Shaolin Temple ( 1982 ) . He went on to star in many critically acclaimed martial arts epic films , most notably as the lead in director Zhang Yimou 's 2002 Hero , Fist of Legend which is the best acclaimed Li movie by Rotten Tomatoes , and the Once Upon a Time in China series , in which he portrayed folk hero Wong Fei-hung .   Li 's first role in a non-Chinese film was as a villain in Lethal Weapon 4 ( 1998 ) , and his first leading role in a Hollywood film was as Han Sing in Romeo Must Die ( 2000 ) . He has gone on to star in many action films , including in French cinema with Luc Besson Kiss of the Dragon and Unleashed . He co-starred in The One ( 2001 ) , The Forbidden Kingdom ( 2008 ) with Jackie Chan , all three of The Expendables films with Sylvester Stallone , and as the title character villain in The Mummy : Tomb of the Dragon Emperor ( 2008 ) .


Tobey Maguire began his career in the late 1980s.

Tobey Maguire Tobias Vincent `` Tobey '' Maguire ( born June 27 , 1975 ) is an American actor and producer . He began his career in the late 1980s . His first appearance in a feature film was a non-speaking part in The Wizard ( 1989 ) . He is known for playing the title character in Sam Raimi 's Spider-Man film trilogy ( 2002 , 2004 , and 2007 ) , as well as for his roles in Pleasantville ( 1998 ) , The Cider House Rules ( 1999 ) , Wonder Boys ( 2000 ) , Seabiscuit ( 2003 ) , The Good German ( 2006 ) , Brothers ( 2009 ) , and The Great Gatsby ( 2013 ) .   He was nominated for the Screen Actors Guild and Golden Globe Awards , and received two Saturn Awards , including one for Best Actor . In 2012 he established his own production company , Material Pictures , and co-produced Good People that same year . In 2014 he produced and starred as Bobby Fischer in Pawn Sacrifice .


Me Before You (film) Me Before You is a 2016 British-American romantic drama film directed by Thea Sharrock as her directorial debut and adapted by English author Jojo Moyes from her 2012 novel of the same name . The film stars Emilia Clarke , Sam Claflin , Steve Peacocke , Jenna Coleman , Charles Dance , Matthew Lewis , Janet McTeer , Vanessa Kirby and Joanna Lumley .   Set in the UK , the film is shot in various historic locations around the country , including Pembroke Castle in Wales , and Chenies Manor House in Buckinghamshire , England . The film was released on June 3 , 2016 , in the US , received mixed reviews on Metacritic and grossed $ 207 million worldwide .


Grand Slam (tennis) The Grand Slam tournaments , also called majors , are the four most-important annual tennis events . They offer the most ranking points , prize money , public and media attention , the greatest strength and size of field , and greater number of `` best of '' sets for men . The Grand Slam itinerary consists of the Australian Open in mid January , the French Open in May and June , Wimbledon in June and July , and the US Open in August and September . Each tournament is played over a period of two weeks . The Australian and United States tournaments are played on hard courts , the French on clay , and Wimbledon on grass . Wimbledon is the oldest , founded in 1877 , followed by the US in 1881 , the French in 1891 , and the Australian in 1905 . However , of these four , only Wimbledon was a major before 1924 -- 25 , the time when all four became designated Grand Slam tournaments . Skipping Grand Slam tournaments -- especially the Australian Open because of the remoteness , the inconvenient dates ( around Christmas and New Year 's Day ) and the low prize money -- was not unusual before 1982 , which was the start of the norm of counting Grand Slam titles .   The term Grand Slam also , and originally , refers to the achievement of winning all four major championships in a single calendar year within one of the five events : men 's and women 's singles ; men 's , women 's , and mixed doubles . In doubles , one team may accomplish a Grand Slam playing together or one player may achieve it with different partners . The term `` Grand Slam '' without qualification refers to winning the four majors in a single calendar year .   Winning the four majors in consecutive tournaments but not in the same year is known as a Non-Calendar Year Grand Slam , while winning all four majors at any point during the course of a career is known as a Career Grand Slam . Winning the gold medal at the Summer Olympic Games in addition to the four majors in a one calendar year is known as a `` Golden Grand Slam '' or more commonly the `` Golden Slam '' . Also , winning the Year-End Championship ( known as ATP World Tour Finals for men 's singles and doubles disciplines , and WTA Tour Championships for both women 's disciplines ) in the same period is known as a `` Super Slam '' . Together , all four Majors in all three disciplines ( singles , doubles , and mixed doubles ) are called a `` boxed set '' of Grand Slam titles . No male or female player has won all twelve events in one calendar year , although a `` career boxed set '' has been achieved by three female players .


Andre Agassi Andre Kirk Agassi ( -LSB- ˈɑːndreɪ_ˈæɡəsi -RSB- born April 29 , 1970 ) is an American retired professional tennis player and former World No. 1 who was one of the sport 's most dominant players from the early 1990s to the mid-2000s . Generally considered by critics and fellow players to be one of the greatest tennis players of all time , Agassi has been called the greatest service returner in the history of the game . Described by the BBC upon his retirement as `` perhaps the biggest worldwide star in the sport 's history '' , Agassi compiled performances that , along with his unorthodox apparel and attitude , saw him cited as one of the most charismatic players in the history of the game . As a result , he is credited for helping to revive the popularity of tennis during the 1990s .   In singles tennis , Agassi is an eight-time Grand Slam champion and a 1996 Olympic gold medalist , as well as finishing runner-up in seven other Grand Slam tournaments . During the Open Era , Agassi was the first male player to have won 4 Australian Open titles , a record that was later surpassed by Novak Djokovic when he won his 5th title on 2015 , and then by Roger Federer in 2017 . Agassi is one of five male singles players to achieve the Career Grand Slam in the Open Era and one of eight in history , the first of two to achieve the Career Golden Slam ( Career Grand Slam and Olympic Gold Medal , the other being Rafael Nadal ) , and the only man to win the Career Golden Slam and the ATP Tour World Championships ( won in 1990 ) : a distinction dubbed as a `` Career Super Slam '' by Sports Illustrated .   Agassi was the first male player to win all four Grand Slam tournaments on three different surfaces ( hard , clay and grass ) , and the last American male to win both the French Open ( in 1999 ) and the Australian Open ( in 2003 ) . He also won 17 ATP Masters Series titles and was part of the winning Davis Cup teams in 1990 , 1992 and 1995 . Agassi reached the World No. 1 ranking for the first time in 1995 but was troubled by personal issues during the mid-to-late 1990s and sank to World No. 141 in 1997 , prompting many to believe that his career was over . Agassi returned to World No. 1 in 1999 and enjoyed the most successful run of his career over the next four years . During his 20-plus year tour career , Agassi was known by the nickname `` The Punisher '' .   After suffering from sciatica caused by two bulging discs in his back , a spondylolisthesis ( vertebral displacement ) and a bone spur that interfered with the nerve , Agassi retired from professional tennis on September 3 , 2006 , after losing in the third round of the US Open to Benjamin Becker . He is the founder of the Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation , which has raised over $ 60 million for at-risk children in Southern Nevada . In 2001 , the Foundation opened the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy in Las Vegas , a K-12 public charter school for at-risk children . He has been married to fellow tennis player Steffi Graf since 2001 .


1990 Davis Cup The 1990 Davis Cup was the 79th edition of the most important tournament between national teams in men 's tennis . A total of 84 nations participated in the tournament . In the final , the United States defeated Australia at the Suncoast Dome in St. Petersburg , FL , United States , on 30 November - 2 December .


ATP Finals The ATP Finals is the second highest tier of men 's tennis tournament after the four Grand Slam tournaments .   It is held annually in November at the O2 Arena in London , United Kingdom . The ATP Finals are the season-ending championships of the Association of Tennis Professionals ( ATP ) World Tour , featuring the top eight singles players and doubles teams of the ATP Rankings . The tournament was first held in 1970 .   Roger Federer holds the record for the most singles titles , with six , while Peter Fleming and John McEnroe hold record with 7 titles in doubles .   In the current tournament , winners are awarded up to 1500 rankings points ; with each round-robin loss , 200 points are deducted from that amount .


Keanu Reeves was in the movie Dangerous Liaisons.

Keanu Reeves Keanu Charles Reeves ( -LSB- kiːˈɑːnuː -RSB- ; born September 2 , 1964 ) is a Canadian actor , director , producer , and musician .   Reeves is best known for his acting career , beginning in 1985 and spanning more than three decades . He gained fame for his starring role performances in several blockbuster films including comedies from the Bill and Ted franchise ( 1989 -- 1991 ) ; action thrillers Point Break ( 1991 ) , Speed ( 1994 ) , and the John Wick franchise ; psychological thriller The Devil 's Advocate ( 1997 ) ; supernatural thriller Constantine ( 2005 ) ; and science fiction/action series The Matrix ( 1999 -- 2003 ) . He has also appeared in dramatic films such as Dangerous Liaisons ( 1988 ) , My Own Private Idaho ( 1991 ) , and Little Buddha ( 1993 ) , as well as the romantic horror Bram Stoker 's Dracula ( 1992 ) .   Since becoming active in the film industry , Reeves has earned critical acclaim . One New York Times critic praised Reeves ' versatility , saying that he `` displays considerable discipline and range ... he moves easily between the buttoned-down demeanor that suits a police procedural story and the loose-jointed manner of his comic roles '' . However , Reeves has spent much of his later career being typecast . A recurring character arc in many roles he has portrayed is one of saving the world , as can be seen in the characters of Ted Logan , Buddha , Neo , Johnny Mnemonic , John Constantine , and Klaatu . His acting has garnered several awards , including a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame .   During his film career , Reeves has engaged in several forms of artistic expression . Active as a musician for over a decade , he played bass guitar for the bands Dogstar and Becky . Acting onstage , he performed as Prince Hamlet for the Manitoba Theatre Centre 's production of Hamlet . He wrote the text for a picture book , Ode to Happiness , illustrated by Alexandra Grant . He has also produced a documentary , Side by Side , and directed the martial arts film Man of Tai Chi .


Philippines The Philippines ( -LSB- ˈfɪlᵻpiːnz -RSB- Pilipinas -LSB- ˌpɪlɪˈpinɐs -RSB- ) , officially the Republic of the Philippines ( -LSB- Republika ng Pilipinas , links = no -RSB- ) , is a sovereign island country in Southeast Asia situated in the western Pacific Ocean . It consists of about 7,641 islands that are categorized broadly under three main geographical divisions from north to south : Luzon , Visayas , and Mindanao . The capital city of the Philippines is Manila and the most populous city is Quezon City , both part of Metro Manila . Bounded by the South China Sea on the west , the Philippine Sea on the east and the Celebes Sea on the southwest , the Philippines shares maritime borders with Taiwan to the north , Vietnam to the west , Palau to the east and Malaysia and Indonesia to the south .   The Philippines ' location on the Pacific Ring of Fire and close to the equator makes the Philippines prone to earthquakes and typhoons , but also endows it with abundant natural resources and some of the world 's greatest biodiversity . The Philippines has an area of 300000 km2 , and a population of approximately 100 million . It is the eighth-most populated country in Asia and the 12th most populated country in the world . , approximately 10 million additional Filipinos lived overseas , comprising one of the world 's largest diasporas . Multiple ethnicities and cultures are found throughout the islands . In prehistoric times , Negritos were some of the archipelago 's earliest inhabitants . They were followed by successive waves of Austronesian peoples . Exchanges with Chinese , Malay , Indian , and Islamic nations occurred . Then , various competing maritime states were established under the rule of Datus , Rajahs , Sultans or Lakans .   The arrival of Ferdinand Magellan in Homonhon , Eastern Samar in 1521 marked the beginning of Hispanic colonization . In 1543 , Spanish explorer Ruy López de Villalobos named the archipelago Las Islas Filipinas in honor of Philip II of Spain . With the arrival of Miguel López de Legazpi from Mexico City , in 1565 , the first Hispanic settlement in the archipelago was established . The Philippines became part of the Spanish Empire for more than 300 years . This resulted in Roman Catholicism becoming the dominant religion . During this time , Manila became the western hub of the trans-Pacific trade connecting Asia with Acapulco in the Americas using Manila galleons .   As the 19th century gave way to the 20th , there followed in quick succession the Philippine Revolution , which spawned the short-lived First Philippine Republic , followed by the bloody Philippine -- American War of conquest by US military force . Aside from the period of Japanese occupation , the United States retained sovereignty over the islands until after World War II , when the Philippines was recognized as an independent nation . Since then , the Philippines has often had a tumultuous experience with democracy , which included the overthrow of a dictatorship by a non-violent revolution .   It is a founding member of the United Nations , World Trade Organization , Association of Southeast Asian Nations , the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum , and the East Asia Summit . It also hosts the headquarters of the Asian Development Bank . The Philippines is considered to be an emerging market and a newly industrialized country , which has an economy transitioning from being one based on agriculture to one based more on services and manufacturing . It is one of the only two predominantly Christian nations in Southeast Asia , the other being East Timor .


Island country An island country is a country whose primary territory consists of one or more islands or parts of islands . As of 2011 , 46 ( approximately 24 % ) of the 193 UN member states are island countries .


Josh Duhamel previously worked as a fashion model.

Josh Duhamel Joshua David Duhamel ( -LSB- dəˈmɛl -RSB- ; born November 14 , 1972 ) is an American actor and former fashion model . After various modeling work , he made his acting debut as Leo du Pres on the ABC daytime soap opera All My Children and later starred as Danny McCoy on NBC 's Las Vegas .   Duhamel then ventured into film , appearing as one of the main protagonists in the first three films of the Transformers film series ; reprising his role in the fifth film , Transformers : The Last Knight ( 2017 ) . He has also appeared in When in Rome ( 2010 ) , Life as We Know It ( 2010 ) , New Year 's Eve ( 2011 ) , Safe Haven ( 2013 ) , and You 're Not You ( 2014 ) . In 2015 , Duhamel co-starred on the short-lived CBS crime drama Battle Creek .


Jim Henson James Maury `` Jim '' Henson ( September 24 , 1936 -- May 16 , 1990 ) was an American puppeteer , artist , cartoonist , inventor , screenwriter , film director and producer who achieved international fame as the creator of the Muppets . Born in Greenville , Mississippi , and raised in Leland , Mississippi , and Hyattsville , Maryland , Henson began developing puppets while attending high school . While he was a freshman at the University of Maryland , College Park , he created Sam and Friends , a five-minute sketch-comedy puppet show that appeared on television . After graduating from the University of Maryland with a degree in home economics , he produced coffee advertisements and developed some experimental films . Feeling the need for more creative output , Henson founded Muppets Inc. in 1958 ( which would later become the Jim Henson Company ) .   Henson became famous in the 1960s when he joined the children 's educational television program Sesame Street , and there helped develop characters for the series . He also appeared on the sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live . In 1976 , after scrapping plans for a Broadway show , he produced The Muppet Show . He won fame for his creations , particularly Kermit the Frog , Rowlf the Dog , and Ernie , and was involved with Sesame Street for over 20 years . Rowlf the Dog was a cast member on the Jimmy Dean Show in the early 60 's . He also had frequent roles in Muppets films such as The Muppet Movie , The Great Muppet Caper , and The Muppets Take Manhattan , and created advanced puppets for projects like Fraggle Rock , The Dark Crystal , and Labyrinth . During the later years of his life , he also founded the Jim Henson Foundation and Jim Henson 's Creature Shop . His involvement in two television programs -- The Storyteller and The Jim Henson Hour -- led to Emmy Award wins .   Henson died of streptococcal toxic shock syndrome on May 16 , 1990 , at age 53 , twenty hours after experiencing a medical emergency -- an unexpected event that was widely lamented in the film and television industries . In the weeks after his death , he was celebrated in a wave of tributes . He was posthumously inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1991 , and as a Disney Legend in 2011 .


On October 16th, 2009, George Tuska passed away.

George Tuska George Tuska ( April 26 , 1916 -- October 16 , 2009 ) , who early in his career used a variety of pen names including Carl Larson , was an American comic book and newspaper comic strip artist best known for his 1940s work on various Captain Marvel titles and the crime fiction series Crime Does Not Pay , for and his 1960s work illustrating Iron Man and other Marvel Comics characters . As well , he drew the DC Comics newspaper comic strip The World 's Greatest Superheroes from 1978 -- 1982 .


Tim Burton has collaborated with Danny Elfman.

Danny Elfman Daniel Robert `` Danny '' Elfman ( born May 29 , 1953 ) is an American composer , singer , songwriter , and record producer . Elfman is best known for his work scoring films and television shows , in particular his frequent collaborations with director Tim Burton , and for being the lead singer and songwriter for the band Oingo Boingo from 1974 to 1995 .   In 1976 Elfman entered the film industry as an actor . In 1980 he scored his first film , Forbidden Zone , directed by his older brother Richard Elfman . Among his honours are four Academy Award nominations , a Grammy for Batman , an Emmy for Desperate Housewives , the 2002 Richard Kirk Award , and the Disney Legend Award .