Just a Nice Photo: Peter O’Toole
Actor Peter O’Toole was honored with a handprint and footprint ceremony at Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Los Angeles on Saturday.
Monthly Archive: April 2011
Pippa Middleton Biography (with Photos)
Our biography of Pippa Middleton, who was such a hit at the Royal Wedding, is now live. That’s Pippa at top left, riding in a carriage after the ceremony.
‘Vaguely Preposterous, Irrational, and Profoundly Moving’
An eyewitness reflects on the pageantry of the Royal Wedding.Where I sat, an elderly Gentleman-at-Arms, magnificently accoutred in a scarlet tunic, his gold helmet extravaga
Donald Trump’s Birthmarks
Thanks to The Smoking Gun, the military record — such as it is — of Donald Trump can be seen here.
Briefly, it says Donald Trump fudged when he recently told an interviewer that he “got lucky” with a very high draft number, and so avoided service in Vietnam.
Where Was Eliza McCardle Johnson Born?
First, who the heck was she?
Eliza McCardle Johnson was First Lady of the United States just after the Civil War ended. She was the wife of President Andrew Johnson, the guy who became president after Abraham Lincoln was killed.
“You Look Stunning, Babe”
What the lipreaders saw.
Does She Prefer Catherine or Kate?
There’s been some confusion about whether Kate Middleton prefers to be called Kate or Catherine.
Here’s what the Royal Family’s official site had to say before her wedding to Prince William:
Kate Middleton and Prince William are Now Married
Kate Middleton and Prince William were, in fact, married today at Westminster Abbey. (Sorry if you had her at 100-1 to jilt him at the altar.
Trump: The Hair
Sometimes you just have to marvel.More photos of Donald Trump and his hair >>{ Photo: Ivan Nikolov / WENN.com }
Harper Lee Is 85 But Is Not Spilling the Beans
Harper Lee, author of the beloved novel To Kill a Mockingbird, turns 85 today. She’s living quietly in Alabama, as always.
‘Bet You 100 to 1 the Archbishop Says Holy GOAT’
There’ll always be an England! Hard-core betting has commenced on the Royal Wedding, just outside of Westminster Abbey. 100/1 seems awfully long odds on black for the Queen’s hat…
Barack Obama’s Long-Form Birth Certificate
Remarkable. The White House today published a copy of President Barack Obama’s long-form birth certificate. Here it is:
The Royal Wedding: A Message for Panicky Fans
More Royal Wedding memorabilia here.
The Day John Wilkes Booth Was Killed
On this day in 1865 the man who murdered President Abraham Lincoln was cornered by the Union Cavalry and shot to death.John Wilkes Booth had eluded the long arm of the law for 12 days, but on April 26th he was found in a barn (shed) on the Garrett Farm in Virginia.
Harrison Ford Talks ‘Cowboys & Aliens’
“The trick of this thing and the beauty of this thing is that it’s a cowboy movie first and then stuff happens. Even after stuff happens it
doesn’t change — it hasn’t suddenly changed into another kind of movie.
Ellen Axson Wilson, Ill-Fated First Lady, is Your 3700th Biography
Ellen Axson Wilson, the first wife of President Woodrow Wilson, has become Who2’s 3700th biography. Mr. Hehn finished and posted her profile just last night.
Meet the New Who2 Bull Calf
“Here is a sharp looking Who 2 bull calf!” says a new posting on SteerPlanet, the Online Community for the Cattle Enthusiast. And I must say, we’re quite flattered by the tribute.
Fun: Tom Hanks Is A Lot of Animals
Thanks to the Tumblr blog Tom Hanks Is A Lot of Animals, we can all enjoy images like this one:
Wallis Simpson: On the Comeback Trail?
“Too ambitious, too ruthless, too greedy, too mannish, too sexual, too cruel, too divorced, too pro-German and too American.”Speaking of “American harlot” Wallis Simpson, she’s apparently on the comeback trail.
Guy Trundle, You Scalawag, Happy Birthday!
Amidst the delightful run-up to the royal wedding, take a moment today to sing “happy birthday, you naughty man” to Guy Trundle.
A Strange Easter Poem for a Strange Easter Bunny
Dear strange Super Easter BunnyOutside the Ermenegildo Zegna,With your utility belt of Peeps and Astroturf,You seem slightly less than sunnyAnd slightly less than regnant,But no one can deny your gusto/verve.
Friday Movie Zingers
Samuel L. Jackson narrates African Cats, Disney’s new documentary about life on the savannah.
Just a Nice Photo: Barack Obama and His Cardboard Wife
President Barack Obama poses with a photo cutout of his wife, Michelle, during a visit to Miami Central High School in Florida last month. (Official White House photo by Pete Souza.)See photos of the real Michelle Obama >>
Chris Hondros’s Final Images
Amazing last photos of house-to-house fighting by photojournalist Chris Hondros, killed in Libya yesterday.{ Hat tip: Daily Dish }
Every Last Photo Ever Taken of Good Old Abe Lincoln
Every known photo of Abraham Lincoln from 1846 until his death in 1865. He was about 37 years old in that first shot, 56 when he died. My faves are …..
Luther Vandross Would Have Turned 60 Today
Honey-voiced crooner Luther Vandross would have turned 60 today, had he not died (alas) in 2005. Never in perfect health, Vandross had a stroke and lapsed into a coma in 2003, snapped out of it long enough to collect accolades (and Grammys) for his album Dance
Startling Outbreak of Sanity in Arizona
Arizona Govenor Jan Brewer vetoes bills putting guns on campus and requiring proof of citizenship from Obama in 2012.”I never imagined being presented with a bill that could require candidates for president of the greatest and most powerful nation on Earth to submit their early baptismal circumcisi
Hayley Mills, You May Now Retire (If You Wish)
Hayley Mills, child star of Pollyanna fame, turns 65 today.
How Many Josh Grobans Can You Spot?
Josh Groban poses with his new album, Illuminations, in Dublin yesterday. We count four curly-haired Josh Grobans, but there could be more.See our Josh Groban biography >>
Dusty Springfield’s Groovy Video
Today would have been the birthday of Dusty Springfield, who died in 1999 at the age of 59. The singer’s real name was Mary O’Brien. Here she is singing her biggest hit, “Son of a Preacher Man.”
Check out those groovy hand motions.
Apollo 13 Drama in 1970
On this day back in 1970, Americans were sitting around their televisions and radios wondering what was going to happen to the astronauts aboard Apollo 13.
The day before, on April 13th, an explosion aboard the spacecraft threw everything off. As we now know (because of reality and the 1995 Ron Howard film), the astronauts made it home safely, thanks to the power in the lunar module, some duct tape and the smarts of them fellers what could still worry a slide rule.
Happy Birthday to Jack Chick
Yes, it’s the birthday of comic artist and Christian ink-warrior Jack Chick, the mysterious creator of religious comics such as The Wall and Li’l Susy and The Great Escape!.
For your pleasure, here’s a computer animated version of Jack Chick’s 1978 classic, The Sissy.
In The Sissy a couple of unenlightened truckers get the message that Jesus was no wimp. And when Jesus comes back, he’s going to unleash some righteous clobberin’.
Yuri Gagarin the Queen Toucher
A new biography of Russian astronaut Yuri Gagarin says the first man in space violated British royal protocol during his visit to England in 1961.
The Guardian has the story that biographer Lev Danilkin claims Yuri Gagarin touched Queen Elizabeth’s knee during breakfast at Buckingham Palace.
Well, honestly, who hasn’t done that? I think it was part of the tour up until about 2003.
Poyekhali Plus 50: A Doodle for Yuri Gagarin
Call him Yuri Googarin. Russian astronaut Yuri Gagarin has been rightly saluted with a Google doodle on the 50th anniversary of the day he became the first human in space. (Google founder Sergey Br
Mitt Romney’s Hat Almost In Ring
Former Massachusetts governor and 2008 Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney announced today that he’s decisively almost to the point of running for the office of U.S. president again.
President Harry Truman Fires General Douglas MacArthur
Today in 1951 United States President Harry S. Truman fired General Douglas MacArthur and relieved him of command of all U.S. forces in Korea.
There was a “police action” going on at the time, which is to say a war.
Sidney Lumet: A Few Fond Thoughts
Sidney Lumet has died at age 86. The director of Serpico, Dog Day Afternoon and 12 Angry Men passed away of lymphoma at his home in New York.A few thoughts about Sidney Lumet from the back row:
Kurt Cobain, In Memoriam
Yesterday was the anniversary of the discovery of Kurt Cobain’s body, in 1994. He’d been dead a few days, due to a self-inflicted gunshot wound (they say).
Kurt Cobain and Nirvana were at the height of rock and roll success at the time. Then Kurt was dead and we were left with his grievous widow, Courtney Love, some poorly-recorded live performances and an eternity of the Cult of Kurt Cobain.
Just a Nice Photo: Michael J. Fox and Daughter
Michael J. Fox shares a light moment with his daughter, Esme, atop the Empire State Building on Friday. They were there to throw a switch lighting the building orange and white to raise awareness for The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.
Ingmar Bergman to Appear on All-New $32 Bill
Sweden has announced which internationally famous Swedes will appear on their new banknotes, scheduled for circulation sometime in 2014 or 2015.
Birthday Twins: A Rare Daily Double!
A Maverick, a movie director, and a movie director who’s a maverick. All this and Sir David Frost too in today’s rare daily double of birthday twins.
Glenn Beck Will End His Daily Show on Fox News
Glenn Beck is ending his daily television show on Fox News.
Duncan Jones Biography: New!
Our new biography of Duncan Jones is now live. He’s the director of the sci-fi film Moon (2009) and now Source Code (starring Jake Gyllenhaal, as seen above on a Spanish poster).
‘Super’ Movie: Rainn Wilson and Elliot Page Chew the Fat
“I always get on conference calls four minutes late, because it’s not so late that it [irritates people], but it’s just late enough to show how important I am.”Rainn Wilson,
Happy Birthday, Thomas Hobbes
Today is the birthday of English philosopher and royal pal Thomas Hobbes.
Werner Herzog’s Cave of Forgotten Dreams
Filmmaker Werner Herzog has made a feature-length documentary about the caves and cave paintings in France’s Chauvet cave. The film is called Cave of Forgotten Dreams and examines paintings on the walls that date to around 30,000 years ago.
To hear Werner Herzog talk about his new movie, including the technical challenges he experienced filming in 3D for the first time, listen to this 19 minute podcast from the U.K.’s Picturehouse Blog.
William Henry Harrison Made History Today in 1841
U.S. President William Henry Harrison made history on this day in 170 years ago. How? He became the first president to die while in office.
Barack Obama: “This Will Be My Final Campaign”
“This will be my final campaign, at least as a candidate.”So said Barack Obama in an email to supporters this morning, announcing that he’s filing the paperwork to run for president in 2012.
Torpedo of Truth, or Bomb of Baloney?
4700 showed up for Charlie Sheen’s live show in Detroit last night. Not many stayed.
King Hussein’s QSL Card
No, that’s not the sequel to The King’s Speech.
Angelina Jolie at Age 15
Angelina Jolie at age 15, in a portrait by photographer Harry Langdon. The shot was part of a large set of Langdon celebrity photos auctioned off last year; the group fetched a total of $122,000.Here’s Angelna Jolie as she looks 20 years later:
Happy Birthday, D. Boon!
Today would have been the 53rd birthday of D. Boon, singer and guitarist for the San Pedro punk band Minutemen back in the 1980s. He died in 1985 at the age of 27, killed in a car crash.
Here’s a video of one of my favorite Minutemen songs, “This Ain’t No Picnic.” It’s funny, it’s short, it’s a typical Minutemen song in theme and execution and it stars their nemesis, then-president Ronald Reagan:
Robin Williams is Bewhiskered and On Broadway
Robin Williams last night after making his Broadway acting debut in Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo.
Don Draper Will Return (Thrice Over)
Don Draper fans can relax: Mad Men is coming back for three more seasons.