|
Robert T. Westbrook
Robert T. Westbrook (born December 24, 1945, New York City) is an American writer. He was born to columnist Sheilah Graham. Westbrook was raised in Los Angeles until his teen years, when his mother moved Robert and Wendy to New York City. Robert attended the progressive Putney School and Columbia College. Early career After a summer trip to the Soviet Union, Westbrook wrote his first book at age 17, ''Journey Behind the Iron Curtain'', which was published in 1963 by G.P. Putnam's Sons. In the 1960s, when he was at Columbia University, he was inspired to write his first novel, ''The Magic Garden of Stanley Sweetheart'', published by Crown in 1970. The novel became an MGM film, with an actor named Don Johnson in the title role. The film was praised by Andy Warhol for its depiction of the New York counterculture scene of the late 1960s. In the 1980s, while living with his family in Hawaii, Westbrook began a handful of satirical mysteries set in 1950s Los Angeles. In 1988, Westb ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sheilah Graham
Sheilah Graham (born Lily Shiel; 15 September 1904 – 17 November 1988) was a British-born, nationally syndicated American gossip columnist during Hollywood's "Golden Age". In her youth, she had been a showgirl and a freelance writer for Fleet Street in London. These early experiences would converge in her career in Hollywood, which spanned nearly four decades, as a successful columnist and author. Graham also was known for her relationship with F. Scott Fitzgerald, a relationship she played a significant role in immortalizing through the autobiographical ''Beloved Infidel,'' a bestseller that was made into a film. Early life Graham was born Lily Shiel in Leeds, England, the youngest of Rebecca (Blashman) and Louis Shiel's eight children (two died). Her parents were Ukrainian Jews. Her father, a tailor who had fled the pogroms, died of tuberculosis on a trip to Berlin while she was still an infant. Her mother and the children moved to a basement flat in a Stepney Green slum ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
HarperCollins
HarperCollins Publishers LLC is one of the Big Five English-language publishing companies, alongside Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, Hachette, and Macmillan. The company is headquartered in New York City and is a subsidiary of News Corp. The name is a combination of several publishing firm names: Harper & Row, an American publishing company acquired in 1987—whose own name was the result of an earlier merger of Harper & Brothers (founded in 1817) and Row, Peterson & Company—together with Scottish publishing company William Collins, Sons (founded in 1819), acquired in 1989. The worldwide CEO of HarperCollins is Brian Murray. HarperCollins has publishing groups in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, India, and China. The company publishes many different imprints, both former independent publishing houses and new imprints. History Collins Harper Mergers and acquisitions Collins was bought by Rupert Murdoch's News Corpora ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jack Anderson (columnist)
Jack Northman Anderson (October 19, 1922 – December 17, 2005) was an American newspaper columnist, syndicated by United Features Syndicate, considered one of the founders of modern investigative journalism. Anderson won the 1972 Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting for his investigation on secret U.S. policy decision-making between the United States and Pakistan during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. In addition to his newspaper career, Anderson also had a national radio show on the Mutual Broadcasting System, acted as Washington bureau chief of ''Parade'' magazine, and was a commentator on ABC-TV's ''Good Morning America'' for nine years. Among the exposés Anderson reported were the Nixon administration's investigation and harassment of John Lennon during its fight to deport Lennon; the continuing activities of fugitive Nazi officials in South America; and the savings and loan crisis. He revealed the history of a CIA plot to assassinate Fidel Castro and was credited for ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mira Sorvino
Mira Katherine Sorvino (; born September 28, 1967) is an American actress. She won the Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Woody Allen's ''Mighty Aphrodite'' (1995). She also starred in the films ''Romy and Michele's High School Reunion'' (1997), ''Mimic'' (1997), ''Lulu on the Bridge'' (1998), ''The Replacement Killers'' (1998), ''Summer of Sam'' (1999), and ''Like Dandelion Dust'' (2009). For her work in television, she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie for her portrayal of Marilyn Monroe in ''Norma Jean & Marilyn'' (1996), and twice nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film, again for her performance as Marilyn Monroe and her leading role in '' Human Trafficking'' (2005). Early life Sorvino was born on September 28, 1967 in Manhattan, New York City, to Lorraine Ruth Davis, a drama therapist for Alzheimer's disease patients ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Final Cut (2004 Film)
''The Final Cut'' is a 2004 science fiction psychological thriller film written and directed by Omar Naim. It stars Robin Williams, Jim Caviezel, Mira Sorvino, Mimi Kuzyk, Stephanie Romanov, Genevieve Buechner and Brendan Fletcher. The film takes place in a setting where memory implants make it possible to record entire lives. Williams plays a professional who specializes in editing the memories of unsavory people into uncritical memorials that are played at funerals. The film won the award for best screenplay at the Deauville American Film Festival and was nominated for best film at the Sitges Film Festival and Berlin International Film Festival. Plot A brief introduction describes "cutters", who edit the collected memories of the recently dead into feature-length memorials that are viewed by loved ones at funerals. Their code forbids them to mix footage from implants, to have the requisite implant, or to sell memories. The film opens with Alan Hakman as a child (Casey Dubois) ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Robin Williams
Robin McLaurin Williams (July 21, 1951August 11, 2014) was an American actor and comedian. Known for his improvisational skills and the wide variety of characters he created on the spur of the moment and portrayed on film, in dramas and comedies alike, he is regarded as one of the greatest comedians of all time. Williams began performing stand-up comedy in San Francisco and Los Angeles during the mid-1970s, and rose to fame playing the alien Mork in the ABC sitcom ''Mork & Mindy'' (1978–1982). After his first leading film role in ''Popeye'' (1980), he starred in several critically and commercially successful films, including '' The World According to Garp'' (1982), ''Moscow on the Hudson'' (1984), ''Good Morning, Vietnam'' (1987), ''Dead Poets Society'' (1989), ''Awakenings'' (1990), ''The Fisher King'' (1991), '' Patch Adams'' (1998), '' One Hour Photo'' (2002), and ''World's Greatest Dad'' (2009). He also starred in box office successes such as ''Hook'' (1991), '' Aladd ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Al Pacino
Alfredo James Pacino (; ; born April 25, 1940) is an American actor. Considered one of the most influential actors of the 20th century, he has received numerous accolades: including an Academy Award, two Tony Awards, and two Primetime Emmy Awards, making him one of the few performers to have achieved the Triple Crown of Acting. He has also been honored with the AFI Life Achievement Award, the Cecil B. DeMille Award, and the National Medal of Arts. A method actor and former student of the HB Studio and the Actors Studio, where he was taught by Charlie Laughton and Lee Strasberg, Pacino's film debut came at the age of 29 with a minor role in ''Me, Natalie'' (1969). He gained favorable notice for his first lead role as a heroin addict in '' The Panic in Needle Park'' (1971). Wide acclaim and recognition came with his breakthrough role as Michael Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola's ''The Godfather'' (1972), for which he received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best S ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Insomnia (2002 Film)
''Insomnia'' is a 2002 American psychological crime thriller film directed by Christopher Nolan and written by Hillary Seitz. A remake of the 1997 Norwegian film of the same name, it stars Al Pacino, Robin Williams and Hilary Swank with Maura Tierney, Martin Donovan, Nicky Katt and Paul Dooley in supporting roles. The film follows two Los Angeles homicide detectives investigating a murder in Nightmute, Alaska. It is the only film by Nolan that he did not write or co-write. Released on May 24, 2002, ''Insomnia'' grossed more than $113 million worldwide against a production budget of $46 million, and received critical praise, including for Pacino's and Williams' performances. Plot In the small fishing town of Nightmute, Alaska, 17-year-old Kay Connell is found murdered. Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) detectives Will Dormer and Hap Eckhart are sent to assist the local police with their investigation. They do so at the request of police chief Nyback, an old colleague of Do ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brad Pitt
William Bradley Pitt (born December 18, 1963) is an American actor and film producer. He is the recipient of various accolades, including two Academy Awards, a British Academy Film Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and a Primetime Emmy Award. As a public figure, Pitt has been cited as one of the most powerful and influential people in the American entertainment industry. Pitt first gained recognition as a cowboy hitchhiker in the Ridley Scott road film ''Thelma & Louise'' (1991). His first leading roles in big-budget productions came with the drama films '' A River Runs Through It'' (1992) and '' Legends of the Fall'' (1994), and the horror film ''Interview with the Vampire'' (1994). He gave critically acclaimed performances in David Fincher's crime thriller ''Seven'' (1995) and the science fiction film '' 12 Monkeys'' (1995). The latter earned him a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor and his first Academy Award nomination. Pitt found greater commercial success s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Julia Roberts
Julia Fiona Roberts (born October 28, 1967) is an American actress. Known for her leading roles in films encompassing a variety of genres, she has received multiple accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and three Golden Globe Awards. The films in which she has starred have collectively grossed over $3.9 billion globally, making her one of Hollywood's most bankable stars. After an early breakthrough with appearances in '' Mystic Pizza'' (1988) and '' Steel Magnolias'' (1989), Roberts established herself as a leading actress when she headlined the romantic comedy '' Pretty Woman'' (1990), which grossed $464million worldwide. She starred in numerous commercially successful films throughout the 1990s, including the cult romantic comedies ''My Best Friend's Wedding'' (1997), ''Notting Hill'' (1999) and '' Runaway Bride'' (1999), before winning the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in the biographical drama ''Erin Brockovich'' (200 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Mexican
''The Mexican'' is a 2001 American dark comedy adventure crime film directed by Gore Verbinski and stars Julia Roberts and Brad Pitt in lead roles. Its plot is a mixture of different genres. Plot In Los Angeles, a traffic light changes to red and there are offscreen sounds of an automobile collision. Five years later, Jerry Welbach has been working off a debt to imprisoned mob boss Arnold Margolese. After Jerry fouls up what was meant to be his final errand, Margolese's second-in-command, Bernie Nayman sends Jerry on a new final errand: retrieving an antique pistol for Margolese in Mexico from a man named Beck. Jerry's additional job for Margolese proves to be the last straw for Jerry's girlfriend Sam, who leaves him to move to Las Vegas. Arriving in Mexico, Jerry finds the pistol with Beck, who explains the history of the legendary gun known as "the Mexican". When Beck is killed by a stray bullet from celebratory gunfire, Jerry calls his colleague Ted and learns that Beck wa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Signet Books
The New American Library (also known as NAL) is an American publisher based in New York, founded in 1948. Its initial focus was affordable paperback reprints of classics and scholarly works as well as popular and pulp fiction, but it now publishes trade and hardcover titles. It is currently an imprint of Penguin Random House; it was announced in 2015 that the imprint would publish only nonfiction titles. History 20th century New American Library (NAL) began life as Penguin U.S.A. and as part of Penguin Books of England. Because of complexities of exchange control and import and export regulations—Penguin made the decision to terminate the association, and the company was renamed the New American Library of World Literature in 1948 when Penguin Books' assets (excluding the Penguin and Pelican trademarks) were bought by Victor Weybright and Kurt Enoch (formerly head of Albatross Books). Enoch served as president of New American Library from 1947 to 1965. He later served as h ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
