Which Boxer was known as 'The Brockton Blockbuster'

Famous Boxers - The Greatest Boxers of All Time Famous Boxers Muhammad Ali (1942) Famous For: Being widely considered one of the greatest boxers of all time. The Greatest, “The People’s Champion,” these are nicknames given to one of the most famous athletes in the world, Muhammad Ali. He has born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. before he converted to Islam in 1964. Before turning professional, Ali won a gold medal at the Olympics in Rome in 1960 as a light heavyweight. As a professional heavyweight, we won fifty-six, 37 by knockout. Some of his fights have been given titles, most famous include, “Rumble in the Jungle,” in Kinshasa, Zaire against George Foreman and “The Thrilla in Manila,” in Manila, Philippines against Joe Frazier. Ali was a multiple heavyweight champion during his career as a boxer. Manny Pacquiao (1978) Famous For: World champion in eight weight divisions Eight division world champion, the first to ever accomplish the feat, Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao was named “Fighter of the Decade” in 2009. A southpaw, Pacquiao’s record is an impressive 54-5 with 2 draws. This is one fighter who has received more than his share of nicknames that include: Pac Man, The Nation’s Fist, Destroyer, Mexicutioner and the list goes on. Mike Tyson (1966) Famous For: Unified the heavyweight titles under the WBA, WBC, & IBF At twenty years old, Mike Tyson became the undisputed heavyweight champion, unifying the WBA (World Boxing Association), WBC (World Boxing Council), and the IBF (International Boxing Federation) heavyweight titles. “The Baddest Man on the Planet”, as Tyson was known, won 44 of his fifty fights by knockout. He is also known as Iron Mike and Kid Dynamite for his hard hitting punches. Floyd Mayweather Jr. (1977) Famous For: Undefeated record Rated as the best pound for pound fighter today, Floyd Mayweather Jr. remains undefeated. He is a world champion in five divisions beginning with the Super Featherweight, Lightweight, Welterweight, Light Welterweight, and Light Middleweight, divisions. As an amateur, he had an 84-6 record, as a professional, he is 45-0. He has two nicknames to date, “Money” & “Pretty Boy.” Jack Johnson (1878-1946) Famous For: Galveston Giant The “Galveston Giant” or John Arthur Johnson became the first Black American world boxing heavyweight (179 lbs not more than 201) champion. His reign as champion lasted for seven years. He had a total of 114 fights, he won eighty fights, forty-five by knockouts; twelve draws, fourteen no-contest, and 13 losses. Johnson was an “orthodox” style of boxer. George Foreman (1949) Famous For: Rumble in the Jungle Two time World Heavyweight Champion George Foreman was one of the most famous boxers of his time that go with his epic battles against the likes of Joe Frazier, Ken Norton, and Muhammad Ali. In 1968, he won the gold medal at summer Olympics in Mexico City. In his storied boxing career, Foreman compiled seventy-six wins. He was the oldest, at age 45, Heavyweight champion to win the title. His nicknames include, “The Heywood Giant, Big George, and the Punching Preacher.” Roy Jones Jr. (1969) Famous For: 1990s Fighter of the Decade After starting as a boxer in the light middleweight division, Roy Jones Jr. eventually found himself winning the heavyweight title. During the 1990s, Jones received the recognition for being the “Fighter of the Decade.” He garnered a total of 56 wins during his professional career, receiving the title Champion as a Middleweight, Super Middleweight, Light Heavyweight, and Heavyweight. He was known as “RJ, Captain Hook, Superman, and Junior.” Rocky Marciano (1923-1969) Famous For: Undefeated Heavyweight boxer Untied and undefeated in his professional boxing career, former World Heavyweight champion Rocky (Rocco Francis Marchegiano) Marciano, is the only boxer to hold this distinction. He had forty-nine fights, lost none, won 43 by knockout. Born in Brockton, Massachusetts, he has been given the alias “Rock from Brockton” and “Brockton Blockbuster.” Julio César Chávez, Jr. (1986) Famous For: WBC Middleweight champion in 2011 Fo


Which olympic swimmer was known as 'Eric the Eel'?

London 2012 Olympics: how Eric 'the Eel' Moussambani inspired a generation in swimming pool at Sydney Games - Telegraph London 2012 Olympics: how Eric 'the Eel' Moussambani inspired a generation in swimming pool at Sydney Games Eric Moussambani Malonga can remember the precise moment his life - and his  name - changed forever.   Image 1 of 2 Great lengths: Eric 'the Eel' Moussambani during the 100m freestyle heats at the Sydney Aquatic Centre in 2000 Photo: EPA   Image 1 of 2 Man in charge: Eric 'the Eel' Moussambani, who came to global recognition in the Sydney Olympic pool, is now coaching the Equatorial Guinea swimming team  By Jennifer O’Mahony 11:00PM BST 27 Jul 2012 It was an April morning in 2000 and the 22 year-old was listening to the radio at his home in his native Malabo, the ramshackle capital city of Equatorial Guinea. Over the airwaves, a message crackled out: would members of the public who wanted to try for a place in the national Olympic swimming squad please make themselves known. Moussambani’s ear pricked up: he was not even a member of a club, let alone the national team, but still he vowed to attend the trials. He was the only one who bothered and so, by default, he was selected for the Sydney Games: it was the first in a chain of perfect coincidences in the life of the man now known the world over as Eric the Eel. From then until his appearance in Australia, Moussambani was on his own. “My preparation was very poor because I did not have a coach,” he recalls. “I was training by myself, in the river and the sea. My country did not have a competition swimming pool, and I was only training at the weekends, for two hours at a time. I didn’t have any experience in crawl, breaststroke, or butterfly. I didn’t know how to swim competitively. “The first time I swam in the sea I was 12 years old and was on vacation in my mother’s village. My first time in a swimming pool was on May 6 2000 in the Hotel Ureca swimming pool.” Related Articles Payne ready to take plunge 26 Jul 2012 Moussambani landed in Sydney just months later, after a gruelling three-day journey. “I felt so good when I arrived in Sydney; it was amazing. I was happy being at the Olympics , because it was a new experience for me. We arrived early in the morning, at around 5am, after travelling from Malabo to Libreville (Gabon) to Paris to Hong Kong and on to Sydney.” Moussambani did not have to achieve a qualifying standard because of a wildcard draw to encourage developing countries to send athletes to the Games, and his lone trajectory was further accelerated when the two other swimmers in his 100m freestyle heat were disqualified for false starts. That just left Eric, alone and unprepared on an Australian starting block and facing the first 50m pool he had ever seen in his life, surrounded by TV crews and 17,000 spectators. Everyone knows what happens next. The 1min 52.72sec thrash through the pool, with Moussambani’s legs askew and arms slapping through the water, captivated the world. Dressed in an ordinary pair of Speedo-style swim trunks, he could not have contrasted more with the sleek ease and amphibian spandex of the other competitors. The pause after his awkward somersault and push off after his first length, when no one was sure if the Eel would make it, saw the world collectively hold its breath. He recalls the noise of the crowd spurring him on. “I felt that I was important because I was representing my country. I was also nervous, due to the fact that I had never seen so many people and TVs. I remember that when I was swimming, I could hear the crowd, and that gave me strength to continue and complete the 100 metres, but I was already tired. It was my first time in an Olympic swimming pool.” He finished, drawing out the last couple of metres into an agonising wait, and propped himself up on the pool side, exhausted and taking in the noise he could only half hear in the water. After the hype of the talk shows and interviews died down, Eric went home. Now 33, he is an IT engineer and coaches the national swimming team. Equatorial G


Which footballer was given the name 'El Pibe de Oro' (The Golden Boy)?

Footballer Nicknames - PelÃ©, Pibe de Oro, Gazza, Becks, Zizou: A Century of Diminutives | Sportslens Hugo Steckelmacher 18 April, 2008 Best of SL , Lists , Managers Don’t call me Hugo any more. I’m English, don’t you know? So you have to change my name. At school, P.E. teachers insisted on branding me “Steckel”, although I suppose I should just be grateful I escaped that awful nom de plume that is the quintessentially British “Macca”. It’s 10:30pm, and a day both frustrating and unproductive has truckled obeisantly past. I’ve seen the interview with “La Radio” yabbering on about “Berba/The Assassin” and “Keano”. “Curbs” is frustrated — who wouldn’t be? “Stevie G” and “El niño” just won’t stop scoring, and “the Pope” feels a little more secure on his Anfield throne. They once had a cocaine-snorting “God” in Liverpool, you know? They say anything’s possible up north. As you will have made out from my opening paragraph, this post is going to be about NICKNAMES , and I must extend a note of thanks to my father, who was responsible for informing me about Fitz Hall’s ingenious moniker “One size”, and to Hall himself for inspiring this article. A shout out also to former Everton player Neil “Dissa” Pointin and QPR ’s on-loan Chelsea midfielder Michael “Haunted” Mancienne. I must admit, foreign influence in the Premier League is welcome in my eyes if only because it makes us rethink our sobriquets. The standard Anglican procedure, that of affixing the ‘a’ or ‘y’ sound onto any name whatsoever, nominally the surname — “yes, I thought Stubbsy was mammoth at the back today” — is problematized somewhat by these delicious foreign syllables. Oh, the torments of David Moyes and Alan Curbishley, who are two of the worst culprits. For every “Sheva” and “Berba” that we manage to conjure up (the Bulgarian is also known as “The Assassin”), there is an “Ole Gunnar Solskjaer”, the “Baby-faced Assassin” whose surnames resist all butchering. Although I dread to think what would’ve happened had he ended up at Arsenal, where some awful Gunnar/Gunner foreplay would surely have emerged. And in truth, we have a lot to learn about nicknaming, us Brits. Where is the imagination? In the World Cup of nicknames, we are destined invariably to be knocked out on penalties. “Wazza” against “The Beast”? “Becks” versus “The Little Witch”? (“Little Witch” i.e. “La Brujita” in Spanish is the name given to Juan Sebastián Verón — whom us Englanders branded simply “Seba”: it is the diminutive form of “La Bruja”, Verón’s father’s nickname back at Estudiantes). For G-d’s sake, as well as playing the best football at the 2006 World Cup, Argentina had by far and away the best set of sobriquets. Admit it, as a defender you’d cower at the sight of “La pulga atómica”, “El Apache” and either one of “Valdanito” or “El Jardinero” lining up as a united front. It makes me laugh to think of the nomenclatural crisis that would be sparked in Alan Curbishley’s brain when presented with a name like “Messi”. “But it already ends in the “y” sound.” his phrenic cavity would grumble, with furrowed brow, before spitting out the only other sound we seem to know, and “Mezza” he would be forever. Look what’s happened to Rooney. And I much preferred “Roonaldo” to “Wazza”. And that’s why Mr Hall’s hilarious handle had me in raptures. We can do it, I thought. So I’ve decided to set up a sort of project, if you will. Next time you see a manager refer with desperation to his charge as “Giggsy”, screw up your face, defrost those neurons, and think of something better. Then swing by and let us know what you’ve thought of. And while you’re here, have a vote for your favourite nickname — I’ve provided a long, but no means complete, list below, grouped into countries and continents for ease of browsing and comparison. You could also tell us which country has the best nicknames. Incidentally, if you’re stuck for inspiration, you could always wham your surname into the Brazilian Nickname Generator and give your alias an aromatic, exotic touch. Now that’s a baptism of fire. . Fernando Gago = Pintita,


Willie John McBride is associated with which sport?

Willie John: A rugby legend - BBC Sport BBC Sport Willie John: A rugby legend By Gavin Andrews From the section Rugby Union Share this page Media playback is not supported on this device Willie John McBride captained the Lions in 1974 It started with a phone call. "Hello, could I speak to Willie John McBride please?" Speaking. "Hello Willie John McBride." Oh dear, how do you talk to a legend? You can't just call him Willie John like an old team-mate, can you? "It's Gavin from the BBC here, would you be free to meet for a chat about the Lions in 1974?" "Yes. Tomorrow afternoon at my house about 2 o'clock Ok." That went well, big deep breath. Then came the drive up the lane to the McBride family home in Ballyclare. It was easier to say hello in person. Still, I kept it to Mr McBride. A firm handshake and a welcome into the living room. He sat back in his armchair (if he still smoked a pipe I imagined he would have lit it). "Well, what would you like to talk about?" "You," I replied. Rugby memorabilia was dotted around the room. Photos and mementos from journeys to far off frontiers with Ireland and the Lions. Willie John has an aura about him. At 74 he is still a big man, broad, a presence. After a few pleasantries, it was time for the pitch. "Mr McBride, we would like to tell your story to our generation; to the rugby fans who have known nothing but the modern game - World Cups, Six Nations and professional players. We want to show the days with no substitutions, and when a Lions tour lasted four months....and in your words." He paused and started talking. Two hours of anecdotes later, we sat with eyes wide and mouths open. It was time to ask: "Would you do a bit of filming with us and tell us some of those stories?" The diary came out of his back pocket. I'm free next Thursday. We were underway! McBride's playing record stands favourable comparison with any of the greats of the game What immediately struck me was the importance of his upbringing in Moneyglass, near Toomebridge in County Antrim. Growing up on the family farm, he lost his father at four years of age. "That's something that still wakes me up now and again. I often wonder what it might have been like to have had a father over those years," he said. "I had three brothers and a sister on the farm and my wonderful mother was a tremendous manager. I like to think she taught us proper values in life. "I believe those years gave me not only a strength, but mentally it gave me that will to go on. There was no such thing as stopping at half-time; you had to go the whole way." There was no rugby history in the McBride family. A house match at Ballymena Academy at the age of 17 would change that, "They came to me and said, you're a big guy. If you play we'll have 15. I hadn't a clue about this game, but I was big and it wasn't a problem to me, I could shake people off." After a short spell with Randalstown, he moved to Eaton Park and Ballymena Rugby Club where the myth of Willie John was born. His playing record stands with any of the greats of the game. Almost 20 years of service with Ulster, 63 caps for Ireland (1962-75) and five tours with the then British Lions. The series wins in New Zealand in 1971 and South Africa in 1974 have gone down in sporting folklore; not only for the manner of those wins but for the style of play of the tourists. 'Willie John' traces the highs and lows of life as an international sportsman in an amateur era. In the making of this programme there was a long list of greats, from every era, eager to give their impressions of the man from Moneyglass. Cue more awkward phone calls! But just mention the name Willie John and they all made time. Sir Ian McGeechan went on his first Lions tour with Willie John in South Africa in '74, "I still think of him as my captain. Willie John was probably the biggest natural leader of British and Irish rugby in the 70s, when it was the best in the world. He was somebody that gave inspiration and aspiration for players of the time that it put British rugby at a different level. Without him I not sure


What type of animal was World Cup Willie, the 1966 Football World Cup mascot?

FIFA World Cup official mascots - FIFA.com © FIFA.com FIFA World Cup™ Mascots in History The Official Mascots have come to play an increasingly important role in the FIFA World Cup™, representing the fun side of the event. Cast as a variety of animals, fruit, vegetables and children (plus one or two abstract characters), their infectiously positive attitudes have added to the atmosphere of each competition in their own unique ways.  Official Mascots not only serve to promote the event and entertain the crowd in the stadium, but also become ambassadors of their country and worldwide “celebrities” through their extensive use by the Commercial Affiliates of the FIFA World Cup™, and through the licensing and merchandising programmes.  The first Official Mascot was introduced at the 1966 FIFA World Cup England™ – “Willie”, a lion decked out in the Union Jack flag. As well as being a “live” mascot, he appeared as a cartoon design that was used to promote the competition and was the subject of the Official Song. As well as sparking the interest of the host nation, the mascot also showed the rest of the world that the event was fun for everyone. Below is a list of the Official Mascots to date:  1966 England: World Cup Willie (lion) 1970 Mexico: Juanito (boy) 1974 West Germany: Tip and Tap (two boys) 1978 Argentina: Gauchito (footballer) 1986 Mexico: Pique (hot pepper) 1990 Italy: Ciao (stick figure player) 1994 United States: Striker (dog) 1998 France: Footix (cockerel) 2006 Germany: Goleo VI (lion) 2010 South Africa: Zakumi (leopard) 2014 Brazil: Fuleco™ (three-banded armadillo)   Fuleco™ – A mascot without precedent Eventually named Fuleco™, and destined to become one of the stars of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™, the Official Mascot was the result of an initial tender process involving six Brazilian design agencies. These six agencies were responsible for the creation of 47 different design proposals, which were then analysed taking into account factors such as representation of Brazil, intellectual property and the feasibility of the mascot as a live costume. A shortlist of six designs was then further analysed with focus group research carried out within the Official Mascot’s primary target group – children, aged 5-12 years. The three-banded Brazilian armadillo was very popular in all stages of analysis and was therefore chosen to be the Official Mascot for the 2014 FIFA World Cup™.  The choice of colours in his design provided a clear link to the Brazilian national flag and referred to three of the strongest features of life in Brazil. The green shorts represent the lush tropical landscape, the yellow body tones illustrated the sunny climate and beautiful beaches, and the blue tints in the shell portrayed the sky and clear waters. After a three-month voting campaign and 1.7 million votes, the name Fuleco™ – a fusion of the words “futebol” and “ecologia” – was chosen by the Brazilian public and finally announced as the official name. Fuleco™ quickly became one of the most high-profile ambassadors of the 2014 FIFA World Cup™, with a 97% awareness recorded in the Brazilian market prior to the tournament – rising to 99%   in the post tournament research, an unprecedented figure for a FIFA World Cup™ Mascot. Fuleco™ was present in all 64 matches of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ and in many FIFA Fan Fests across Brazil, entertaining the fans on and off the pitch. He was the ambassador voice of the Waste Management campaign in all 12 stadia which collected 416 tonnes of waste. Fuleco™ has also been very active on social media since he was first introduced to the world, reaching over 1.3 million online fans. The 2014 FIFA World Cup™ Official Mascot was the one of the strongest selling assets of FIFA’s Licensing Programme, covering a great range of product categories, loved by kids and adults alike. Fuleco™ had several TV appearances in Brazil in the build-up to the tournament and reached international TV audiences when he joined the FIFA Ballon d’Or 2012 award show and the Final Draw of the 2014 FIFA World Cup™ arm in arm with


In which TV show would you find the character Groundskeeper Willie?

Groundskeeper Willie (Character) Groundskeeper Willie (Character) from "The Simpsons" (1989) The content of this page was created by users. It has not been screened or verified by IMDb staff. There may be more photos available for this character. To select more photos to be displayed in this character's gallery, click the Edit Photos link. Overview William "Willie" MacDougal, more commonly known as Groundskeeper Willie... See more  » Alternate Names: Groundskeeper WIllie / Groundskeeper Willy / Park Groundskeeper / Shelbyville Groundskeeper Filmography [Skinner watches as Willie burns Bart's lice-infested clothes] Groundskeeper Willie : See you in hell, you wingless bloodsuckers! Principal Skinner : What kind of parents would permit such a lapse in scalpal hygiene? Groundskeeper Willie : Well, you better check out his sister. She could be rife with them bugs too!


Which band had a UK number four hit in June 1972 with Little Willy?

Little Willy by Sweet Songfacts Little Willy by Sweet Songfacts Songfacts This song was written by Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman - neither of whom were members of Sweet. Instead, Chinn and Chapman were a major force in the British pop music industry in the 1970s. Just as in the US, Leiber and Stoller became known for "the Brill Building sound," Chinn and Chapman in the UK became known as the "Chinnichap" sound. They produced songs for Suzi Quatro, and British bands Smokie, Mud, Racey, and The Arrows. Chapman would later produce albums for Blondie and The Knack, and along with Holly Knight , wrote Pat Benatar's hit " Love Is A Battlefield ." "Little Willy" was Sweet's biggest US hit, peaking the charts at #3 when it was re-released in 1973. It was a non-album single, but went gold in the US and UK all by itself anyway. Critics in the UK dismissed the song as "bubblegum" and referred to the lyrics as "nursery porn." Sweet wanted to shed their bubblegum/ glam-rock image and become more hardcore, so they later turned to writing their own songs. Putting this song together, Chinn and Chapman used a pounding drum beat popularized by Slade and producer Mike Leander. They mixed in the riff from the Who song " I Can't Explain ," and added the exceptionally catchy chorus, which dug into your ear and wouldn't let go. The song didn't tell any kind of story - just that Willy won't go home - but listeners didn't care and with Glam Rock, the lyrics weren't supposed to make sense anyway.


Which Willie, satirist and co-founder of Private Eye, died on 11th December 1996?

Heritage: Comic, cartoonist and Private Eye founder Willie Rushton - the greatest satirist of them all - Heritage - Hampstead Highgate Express Email this article to a friend To send a link to this page you must be logged in. As a boy Willie Rushton cut his teeth drawing illustrations for the school publication. Later, in 1961, along with his childhood contemporaries, he established the satirical magazine Private Eye. Often dressed as if he was heading off on a fishing jolly, he secured a place in the nation’s heart as a brilliant, original and witty performer. On screen, each week, alongside the late Sir David Frost, he entertained audiences in excess of 13 million on That Was The Week That Was (TW3). According to Who’s Who his recreations included, “gaining weight, losing weight and parking”. Appearing on Desert Island Discs – with what Michael Palin described as his “famous crusty colonel voice” – he admitted to being “frankly terrified” by the prospect of a plane crash, leaving him “alone on a beach with 600 plastic lunches” as company. At a literary lunch hosted by The Oldie he once quipped, “Where would we be without a sense of humour? (Very slight pause) Germany!”. But he is, perhaps, remembered most fondly for his 22 years as an irreplaceable team member on BBC Radio 4’s I’m Sorry I Haven’t a Clue. Sitting alongside his dear friend and stand-up partner, Barry Cryer, he would have fans in stitches playing the enigmatic game of Mornington Crescent, where a plaque was installed – inside the station – as a fitting tribute in 2002. William George [Willie] Rushton (1937–1996), cartoonist, comedian and author, was born on August 18, at 3 Wilbraham Place, Chelsea. He was the only child of John Atherton Rushton, a publisher with a penchant for cricket. Young Willie spent time training at Lord’s Cricket Ground, learning the sport which developed in to a lifelong passion. In later years he played for the Lord’s Taverners and wrote a novel, W. G. Grace’s Last Case (1984), based on a fictional episode in the life of the great cricketer. Educated at Shrewsbury School his chums included Richard Ingrams, Christopher Booker and Paul Foot. With Ingrams and Booker he produced The Wallopian, a satirical version of the school magazine, to which he contributed cartoons. Ingrams explained: “My best friend at school was Willie. We were in the same house and we were both there because our fathers had been there before us. “Willie was almost my exact contemporary, being only one day older. He was one of those rare people who didn’t appear ever to change. The torrid period of adolescence left him unscathed, making him the ideal companion for someone like me, prone to write love poetry or harbour hopes of becoming a missionary in Africa. “Even as a 12-year-old he was a brilliant cartoonist, entirely self-taught, who when left to himself would cover every available scrap of paper with doodles – mostly fat bald middle-aged men with moustaches.” The young would-be-satirists targeted pseudo-intellectuals, and coined the term “pseuds”, which later gained common currency in Private Eye. Academically undistinguished, Rushton claimed to have failed O-level maths seven times. When confronted with a specimen in a bottle during a biology exam and asked, “What’s this?”, he answered, “Disgusting”. His theatrical talent first found an outlet at school. He recalled that when he played Lord Loam in The Admirable Crichton, “the audience wondered which elderly member of staff had been dragooned into playing Loam”. Failing Latin and unable to secure a place at Oxbridge, where his peers were headed, Rushton did his national service in the army. He failed the officer selection board and served in the ranks. He later commented: “The army is, God bless it, one of the funniest institutions on earth and also a sort of microcosm of the world. It’s split almost perfectly into our class system. Through serving in the ranks I discovered the basic wit of my fellow man – whom basically, to tell the truth, I’d never met before.” After leaving the army Rushton worked at a


In the 1971 film Willy Wonka was played by Gene Wilder, but who played him in the 2005 re-make Charlie And The Chocolate Facory?

Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory Vs. Charlie and The Chocolate Factory: The Characters Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory Vs. Charlie and The Chocolate Factory: The Characters Updated on March 15, 2014 "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory" is a popular movie that was made in 1971, directed by Mel Stuart. "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" is a re-make of Willy Wonka, made in 2005 and directed by Tim Burton. The titles of the 2 movies really should be switched. In Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory it's all about Charlie and his hard time trying to find the golden ticket. In Charlie and the Chocolate Factory it's more about Willy Wonka and his no longer existent relationship with his father due to the fact that his dad was a dentist and Willy left home to open his own candy factory. The two movies are similar because they have Willy Wonka, the factory, and the 5 kids getting golden tickets, but really they are entirely different. Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory Trailer Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Trailer ~Willy Wonka~ The original Willy Wonka is played by Gene Wilder. The newer Willy Wonka is played by Johnny Depp. ~Charlie Bucket~ The original Charlie Bucket is played by Peter Ostrum. The newer Charlie Bucket is played by Freddie Highmore. ~Mike Teevee~ The original Mike Teavee is played by Paris Themmen. The newer Mike Teevee is played by Jordan Fry. ~Veruca Salt~ The original Veruca Salt is played by Julie Dawn Cole. The newer Veruca Salt is played by Julia Winter. ~Violet Beauregarde~ The original Violet Beauregarde is played by Denise Nickerson. The newer Violet Beauregarde is played by AnnaSophia Robb. ~Augustus Gloop~ The original Augustus Gloop is played by Michael Bolner. The newer Augustus Gloop is played by Philip Wiegratz. ~Cast of Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory~ ~The Parents~


Which 1986 Alan Clarke film is about 2 teenage babysiters from Bradford who have an affair with a married man?

BFI Screenonline: Rita, Sue and Bob Too (1986) Rita, Sue and Bob Too (1986)   Courtesy of Channel Four Television   Umbrella Entertainment, British Screen, Channel Four Producer Music Michael Kamen Cast: Siobhan Finneran (Rita); Michelle Holmes (Sue); George Costigan (Bob); Lesley Sharp (Michelle); Willie Ross (Sue's father); Kulvinder Ghir (Aslam) The urban decay of Bradford's Buttershaw estate provides the setting for Alan Clarke 's Rita, Sue and Bob Too . The story of a married man's illicit affair with two teenage babysitters, the film is part sex comedy and part critique of the social division of 1980s Britain. Set during Rita and Sue's last few weeks at school, with nothing but the dole queue to look forward to when they leave, the girls find excitement on the reclining seats of middle-aged lothario Bob's car. Unlike Rita and Sue, Bob and his family live in a modern house on the 'nicer' side of town. The film uses the differing domestic locations to highlight the growing gap between Thatcher's home-owning nouveau riche and those left behind in sink estates, victims of the poverty trap. Adapted from a series of plays by Andrea Dunbar and based on her own experiences growing up on the Buttershaw estate, much of the film's humour is tempered with a sense of desperation. Clarke treats the alcoholism, racism and domestic violence that provide a backdrop to Rita and Sue's world in typically matter-of-fact fashion while subtle observations of modern life - like Bob's nosey neighbour who calls the police because he sees an Asian boy in his affluent neighbourhood - are deftly comic. With elements of both the social realist films of the 1960s and the bawdy Confessions... series of the 1970s, Rita, Sue and Bob Too was released in the mid-1980s when the fear of an AIDS epidemic was at its height and its comic treatment of promiscuity flew in the face of various initiatives aimed at discouraging casual sex amongst the young. Co-financed by Channel 4 Rita, Sue and Bob Too is one of only three Alan Clarke films made specifically for cinema release. Justin Hobday


Which singer was backed by The Vandellas?

The Vandellas Martha and the Vandellas One of Motown Records' earliest and most exciting vocal groups, Martha and The Vandellas achieved  two Top Ten hits before the ascendancy of The Supremes. Driven by Martha Reeves' soulful, brassy lead vocals, the Vandellas became Motown's earthier, more aggressive "girl group" alternative to the Supremes. Martha Reeves, one of eleven children, was born in Eufaula Alabama on July 18, 1941. She moved with her parents Ruby and Elijah to Detroit, Michigan before her first birthday. Reeves spent most of her childhood singing and working in her grandfather's church. She attended Russell Elementary on Detroit's eastside and was taught vocals by Emily Wagstaff. Northeastern High School was where she studied voice under the direction of Abraham Silver, who also coached Florence Ballard and Mary Wilson of the Supremes, Bobby Rogers of the Miracles. First Martha and the Vandellas group photo (From L-R Martha Reeves, Annette Beard and Rosalind Ashford)       After graduating from high school in 1959, Reeves joined the girl group called the Fascinations. They recorded their first record about 1960, backing Mike Hanks on "The Hawk" on Mah's Records. They also backed Leon Peterson on "I Know You Know" on the Bobbin label in 1962. Their first big break was working with local singer J.J. Barnes on "Won't You Let Me Know." The 1962 single on Rich Records credited both Barnes and the Del-Phis and led to the answer record "Ill Let You Know" on Check-Mate. In the late summer of 1960 Reeves met Rosalind Ashford and they were invited to join Annette Sterling and Gloria Williamson in the Del-Phis. After doing some local talent shows and jobs they recorded a single on Chess-Mate Records, a subsidiary of Chess Records in 1961. The Del-Phi"s recording that didn't make the charts was "My Baby Won't Come Back". Reeves as a solo entered and won a talent contest. The prize was a three day engagement at the Twenty Grand, a local nightclub where she sang as Martha LaVaille. On her last night, William "Mickey" Stevenson, an A&R and Berry Gordy's right-hand man at Motown Records, approached Reeves, after hearing her sing, and gave her his card. In 1961 Reeves was hired as his secretary. One day Motown head Berry Gordy needed background singers in short order for a session; Reeves and her friends, Ashford and Beard, were called in. They sang behind Marvin Gaye on "Stubborn Kind of Fellow," his first hit in 1962 and "Hitch Hike." A couple months later, Reeves again found her self in the right place at the right time. Stevenson had called over to the studio, where a union rep was checking to make sure the label was following the rule that a singer had to be on a mic when tracks were recorded. In Mary Well's absence, Reeves sang "I'll Have To Let Him Go, impressing Stevenson enough ask the Del-Phis to record "You'll Never Cherish A Love So True ('Til You Lose It)." The session was a success, but Gloria decided she didn't want to leave her job and left the group. The single was issued anyway on Mel-O-Dy as by the Vells. The rest of the group convinced Gordy that they were staying as a trio. Gordy then asked the girls to come up with a new name. They then called themselves Martha and the Vandellas, taking their name from Detroit street Van Dyke and Reeve's favorite singer Della Reese before recording "I'll Have to Let Him Go." Come Get These Memories Signed to the newly formed Gordy label in September 1962 as Martha and The Vandellas, the group's first hit was their second release, a beat ballad "Come Get These Memories" (#29 pop, #3 R&B 1963) and was Holland-Dozier-Holland's first collaboration as a songwriting team. "Memories" was followed by two explosive  Holland-Dozier-Holland dance records: "Heat Wave" (#4 pop, #1 R&B, 1963) and "Quicksand" (#8 1963). After being turned down by Kim Weston, a Mickey Stevenson and Marvin Gaye composition,"Dancing in the Street" was given to Martha and the Vandellas; who turned it into their biggest hit (#2, 1964). Their other big hits included "Nowhere to Run" (#8, pop, #5 R&B, 1965) a


Which ex-comic is married to Billy Connolly?

Billy Connolly - Biography - IMDb Billy Connolly Biography Showing all 50 items Jump to: Overview  (4) | Mini Bio  (1) | Spouse  (2) | Trade Mark  (6) | Trivia  (15) | Personal Quotes  (22) Overview (4) 6' (1.83 m) Mini Bio (1) Billy Connolly was born and raised in Glasgow, Scotland. He left school to work in the shipyards becoming a welder and joined the Territorial Army (in the parachute regiment) at around the same time. He developed an interest in folk music, eventually becoming an accomplished banjo player and a member of the band Humblebums with Gerry Rafferty (later of Baker Street fame). The jokes he told between songs eventually took over his act and he became a full-time comedian. Already a big star in Scotland, he became a household name in the UK after appearing on Parkinson (1971) in the early seventies. Billy has released many recordings and videos of his concert performances over the years. He has expanded his repertoire to include acting, appearing in a number of television dramas and films, most recently in the USA. In the 90s he made two documentary series for the BBC, about Scotland and Australia respectively, and in 1997 he starred in the award winning film Mrs Brown (1997). He is one of the UK's top comedian. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Anonymous Spouse (2) ( 20 December  1989      - present) (3 children) Iris Pressagh Tangential storytelling in stand-up comedy performances, often featuring multilayered digressions from original story. Banjo playing Use of bad language in his stand-up routines Long hair Glaswegian accent Trivia (15) Known for his long, messy hair, goatee and lots of bad language in his stand-up show. American audiences are generally unfamiliar with Connolly's musical accomplishments, since he all but eliminated the songs from his act before he became popular in North America. An exception to this were his guest appearances on Pearl (1996) in which he sang one of his old songs, "I Wish I Was in Glasgow", in a duet with Malcolm McDowell . Three Daughters with Pamela Stephenson : Daisy (born 31 December 1983), Amy (born 7 July 1986) and Scarlett (born 28 July 1988). Two children with his previous wife, Iris Pressagh: Son Jamie (born 1969) and Daughter Cara (born 1973). Married Pamela Stephenson in Fiji on 20 December 1989. July 2001: Received an honorary doctorate from the University of Glasgow. He was awarded the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2003 Queen's Birthday Honours List for his services to Entertainment. He is a long time supporter of Glasgow Celtic Football Club. He is a former reserve soldier in Britain's elite parachute regiment, serving with 15 Para (now a disbanded battalion). In September 2005, he announced that he is returning to live in his native Scotland, after residing in the United States for some years. Diagnosed with early-stage prostate cancer and Parkinson's Disease [September 16, 2013]. Fulham, London, England [May 2009] Received the Outstanding Contribution to Television and Film Award at the 2012 British Academy Scotland Awards. To date (2016), Billy holds the record for the most guest appearances on the popular British TV talk show Parkinson (1971), with a reported 15 spots. Billy's Parkinson's Disease was initially diagnosed under informal circumstances in that he was approached by a doctor in his L.A. hotel lobby after an appearance on Conan O'Brien's show in 2012. After the doctor introduced himself as a fan, he then remarked that Billy's shuffling gait resembled that of someone with the possible early onset of the disease and advised him to get a medical checkup. In October 2004, during an 18-night stint at London's Hammersmith Apollo, Connolly was criticised for making jokes about the hostage Kenneth Bigley. Shortly after Connolly joked about the future killing of the hostage and touched on the subject of Bigley's young Thai wife, Bigley was beheaded in Iraq. Connolly claims he was misquoted. He has declined to clarify what he actually said, claiming that the context was as important as the precise words used. Personal Qu


In the tv show Charmed, what was the name of the eldest sister (played by Shannen Doherty) who was killed off at the end of Season 3?

See the Cast of 'Charmed' Then and Now See the Cast of 'Charmed' Then and Now July 26, 2013 @ 9:00 AM The WB Television Network Way back when, on a little TV network called UPN, Shannen Doherty, Holly Marie Combs and Alyssa Milano starred in the hit show 'Charmed,' in which they played three sister witches, known as the Charmed Ones, battling the forces of evil while trying to maintain some sense of normalcy. As the years went by -- especially towards its eighth and final season -- the storylines became wicca ridiculous and the dialogue became too cheesy for many to stomach. But ultimately, the show still lingers in the hearts and minds of its dedicated fans. Let's take a look back at the cast and see where they are now. Shannen Doherty, Prue Halliwell The WB Television Network/Getty Images Then: As the eldest of the on-screen sisters, Shannen Doherty, of '90210' fame, played Prue, the witch with the power of telekinesis (initially only activated by intensely squinting her eyes) and astral projection. The actress left the show after season 3 amidst rumors that she was feuding with co-star Alyssa Milano. However, her official statement was that "there was too much drama on the set and not enough passion for the work." So Prue was killed off. Now: While she's by no means "out of work," Doherty hasn't found as bright a spotlight as the one given to her through 'Charmed.' If you haven't seen the more recent '90210' series on The CW, any number of her made-for-TV movies or that now-canceled Syfy reality show she hosted, 'Scare Tactics,' you'll now her best as that woman on the Education Connection commercial ... this commercial: http://youtu.be/Q5EvsDfNnhA Holly Marie Combs, Piper Halliwell The WB Television Network/Getty Images Then: Doherty and Holly Marie Combs had been friends for years before the two joined up for 'Charmed.' Combs played the middle sister with the power to stop time, which eventually grew to incorporate molecular acceleration (i.e. blowing stuff up) as the seasons went on. Prior to the series, she was known best for her role in the show 'Picket Fences,' a gig she landed at the age of 18. Now: Aside from a really small part in Steven Soderbergh's 'Oceans 11' -- she was that woman playing poker -- she was featured in a couple TV movies before landing the role of Ella Montgomery on ABC Family's 'Pretty Little Liars.' Alyssa Milano, Phoebe Halliwell The WB Television Network/Getty Images Then: Actress Lori Rom was originally cast in the role of Phoebe Halliwell, the youngest sister in this witchy trio with the power of premonition, but left after filming the (unaired) pilot for "personal reasons." That's when producer Aaron Spelling replaced her with his 'Melrose Place' star Alyssa Milano. The actress became, reportedly, the bane of Doherty's existence. While Milano was outspoken about their rocky relationship, sources at the time said Doherty was so fed up with her that she gave the network an ultimatum -- "it's her or me." And we know how that ended. Now: Milano is probably the most well known of the original 'Charmed' cast. She's currently making the press rounds to promote her latest series, ABC's 'Mistresses,' but she also popped up in the movie 'New Year's Eve,' and TV shows like 'My Name Is Earl' and 'Romantically Challenged.' Rose McGowen, Paige Matthews The WB Television Network/Getty Images Then: Once Doherty exited, 'Charmed' needed a third sister to complete the "Power of Three," so 'Jawbreaker' actress Rose McGowan was cast as the sisters' long-lost sibling, Paige Matthews, the half-white lighter (i.e. angel) half-witch love child of momma Halliwell and her white lighter. At the time, McGowan's most recognized accomplishment was dating and getting engaged to her then-hubby Marilyn Manson. Now: Yes, that is what McGowan looks like today. Draw your own conclusions. After her 'Charmed' life came to an end, the actress picked her movie career back up with roles in Quentin Tarantino's 'Death Proof'; Robert Rodriguez's 'Grindhouse,' 'Machete' and 'Planet Terror'; 'Conan the Barbarian'; stints on TV se


Who was married to Spandau Ballet's Gary Kemp and later to Jude Law?

Sadie Frost on depression and her doomed marriage to Jude Law | Daily Mail Online comments 'The force of the love I felt for Jude and his intense ambition made me feel out of control,' said Sadie Frost Sadie Frost has revealed how depression ‘weaved a dance of destruction’ through her adult life, and was one of the primary reasons behind the break-up of her marriage to Jude Law. She writes with candour about her illness and her life with the Hollywood actor in her much-anticipated autobiography, Crazy Days, which The Mail on Sunday begins serialising today in the Review section. Last month, the book was the subject of a legal action from Law, who issued a 100-page writ demanding that all passages relating to their marriage be removed. The actor employed a leading firm of solicitors, Atkins Thomson, to try to prevent publication of details relating to the couple’s turbulent six-year union. Not only did the mention of previous liaisons on both sides cause concern, he is also said to have objected to the inclusion of minor domestic details and photographs of their children. However, the matter was settled last month at the High Court. Sadie says she was bedevilled by internal conflicts: a ‘battle between the good girl and the bad’ during her chaotic childhood and, later, her experience of ‘paradise syndrome’ – when she ‘had it all’ but felt compelled to ‘destroy whatever was good before someone took it from me’. She details her early romance with Law – they met when he was 19 and she was 25 and a married mother – and the guilt she suffered because of it. She writes: ‘I knew that by even entertaining thoughts of Jude, I was jeopardising an idyllic home life, the most secure relationship I’d ever had. I crushed my unwelcome ideas about Jude, but it wasn’t easy.’ Eventually, Sadie left her husband, Spandau Ballet’s Gary Kemp, and bought a house with Law. Sadie and Jude at the Bafta awards in London in 2000 ‘The force of the love I felt for Jude and his intense ambition made me feel out of control,’ she recalls. She writes of the pressures their careers brought to bear on their relationship, in particular the long periods apart. In 1996 she discovered she was pregnant with their first child. ‘Jude was away a lot, while I was sitting on the sofa, getting fatter and gripped by a nagging sense that I was jeopardising my love,’ she writes. After their baby, Rafferty, was born Sadie says ‘unease’ pulled her down. ‘Eventually I wanted to press the self-destruct button. One night I arranged a babysitter and went out. ‘I partied all night and got home the next day racked with guilt. I was sitting at my dressing table, not feeling anything – just numb. 'I watched my hand slowly pick up a pair of scissors. It was as if I was being sucked down lower into the chair and the scissors seemed to be drawn to my arm. 'I appeared to have cut myself. Blood dripped down my arm. There was no sense of panic within me – I just felt empty.’ She was successfully treated for severe post-natal depression, but it returned after the birth of the couple’s daughter, Iris Tallulah, in October 2000. The end of Frost’s marriage to Law came after a holiday in Thailand. ‘Right away I knew something was wrong,’ she writes. ‘I knew it was over, the way he looked at me. I was underweight, depressed and scared . . . I asked him if he loved me but he didn’t need to reply – I knew the answer. The moment had arrived and I knew the relationship with the man I loved was over.’ Now, she says, she is happy. ‘I don’t regret the past, nor do I dwell on it,’ explains Sadie. ‘I’ve probably recovered from manic depression, or severe PND, which has weaved such a dance of destruction through my adult life . . . to have come through and out the other end, into the light.’ Sadie tells for the first time of her doomed marriage to dashing film star Jude Law... Happy and healthy: Sadie has finally conquered her demons but it has been a long and tortuous road Sadie Frost was a successful film actress and mother when she met a 19-year-old unknown called Jude Law. Their l


What name is given to any work of religious art which depicts the baby Jesus with his mother?

List of 10 Remarkable Religious Renaissance Paintings - History Lists HISTORY LISTS You are here: History Lists · Art · List of 10 Remarkable Religious Renaissance Paintings List of 10 Remarkable Religious Renaissance Paintings The great painters of the Renaissance period, many of whom focused on religious themes were often commissioned by well-to-do patrons including the Pope himself. Religion was infiltrated in everyday life in this era, deeply resonating with both the painters and those they worked for. Many of these religious paintings are among the greatest works of Renaissance art as a whole. Wedding at Cana by Paolo Veronese The Wedding at Cana (or The Wedding Feast at Cana) by Paolo Veronese is an oil on canvas that was painted in 1563 for the Benedectine Monastery of San Giorgio Maggiore in Venice. It depicts the Biblical Wedding Feast at Cana where according to the New Testament, Jesus performed his first miracle by turning water into wine. The Biblical story, however, is set into Veronese’s time although some figures are depicted wearing antique clothing. It is said that Veronese painted himself among the 130 participants of the wedding feast (clothed in white with a viol next to Titian and Bassano). The painting with dimensions of 666 cm x 990 cm (262 in x 390 in) is displayed in the Louvre Museum in Paris. The School of Athens by Raphael One of four frescoes by Raphael in the so-called Raphael Rooms in the Apostolic Palace in Vatican was painted by the Italian Renaissance artist between 1509 and 1511. The School of Athens revels Raphael’s interpretation of philosophy as a divine form of knowledge, with Plato and Aristotle placed in the center of the scene, just like Jesus is in the center of Paolo Veronese’s The Wedding at Cana. In total, twenty-one ancient Greek philosophers are painted, engaging in lofty discourse. Raphael’s fresco doesn’t have religious character as such but its location within a Greek cross-shaped building in Vatican has been interpreted as an attempt to reconcile Christianity and pagan philosophy. The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci The mural on the back wall of the dining hall of the Dominican convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan, Italy, was painted from 1495 to 1498. It differed from other frescoes of the era in that da Vinci created it by using experimental pigments directly on the dry plaster wall. But even before it was finished, it suffered from paint flaking off the wall. Da Vinci repaired the damage but it continued to crumble and was inadvertently damaged over the years both by the effects of time and unfortunate events such as Napoleon’s troops using the wall for target practice and the 1943 bombing which destroyed the room’s roof and exposed the fresco to the weather elements. Not much of the original painting survived and what can be seen today are mainly repairs. The Creation of Adam by Michelangelo The famous fresco on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican City was painted from 1511 to 1512. Unfortunately, Michelangelo’s masterpiece and one of the most famous works of both High Renaissance and religious art suffered from candle smoke damage, going back for centuries, which caused the fresco to darken and assume a gloomy shadow. In the 1980s, the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel went through an extensive restoration which revealed colors and details that were hidden for centuries. The restoration, however, has also caused a great deal of controversy among art historians. Madonna del Prato (also known as Madonna of the Meadow) by Raphael The artist painted this oil on board in 1505 whilst he was in Florence; though the painting is now housed in the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, Austria. Madonna del Prato, also known as Madonna of the Meadow depicts Virgin Mary looking down to baby Jesus and his cousin John the Baptist who is kneeling and offering a cross to Jesus. The painting was created for Taddeo Taddei and remained in the Taddei family until 1660s when it was sold to Ferdinand Charles, Archduke of Austria. Salome with the Head of Saint John the Bap


How many episodes of Only Fools and Horses were there? a. 65 b. 85 c. 105 d. 125

Project MUSE - The Campanian Case of Gaius Lucilius: Downtrodden Satire from Suessa Aurunca The Campanian Case of Gaius Lucilius: Downtrodden Satire from Suessa Aurunca Ian Goh Abstract The hometown of the verse satirist Gaius Lucilius was Suessa Aurunca, on the border between Latium and Campania. This chapter investigates the remnants of Campania in this poet’s surviving fragments and reception, mostly in Horace but also in Cicero and Juvenal. Horses, gladiators, pots, theater, and pronunciation are all Campanian aspects of the satirist’s cultural identity, despite his invention of a Roman genre. Contexts of arrogance and militarism, harking back to fighting against Rome in centuries-old wars, mingle in Lucilius with tourism and conspicuous consumption as markers of insider and outsider positioning vis-à-vis Campania, a half-forgotten homeland for the satirist. The inventor of Roman verse satire, 1 Gaius Lucilius, was born, probably in 180 BCE, 2 in the town of Suessa Aurunca, on the border between Latium and Campania, between the rivers Liris and the Vulturnus, a town colonized by the Romans in 313 BCE. 3 We know Lucilius was from there because of the scholium to some programmatic lines of Juvenal: cur tamen hoc potius libeat decurrere campo,per quem magnus equos Auruncae flexit alumnussi uacat ac placidi rationem admittitis, edam. (Juv. 1.19-21) 4 [End Page 91] But why I choose to traverse the same plain across which Aurunca’s star student steered his horses, I’ll tell you, if you are free and take in my rationale calmly. This town, Suessa Aurunca, was traditionally a stronghold of the Aurunci, their major base. To explain why it might be important to Campanian identity, the theme of this collection of essays, we need to invoke the Great Latin War of almost two centuries before Lucilius’ floruit. In this major turning point for Roman history, the Latin league, including Volsci, Campani, and Aurunci, were beaten by the Romans and Samnites. At least one battle was fought, as Diodorus Siculus has it, 5 at Suessa Aurunca: Ῥωμαῖοι δὲ πρὸς Λατίνους καὶ Καμπανοὺς παραταξάμενοι περὶ πόλιν Σούεσσαν ἐνίκησαν καὶ τῶν ἡττηθέντων μέρος τῆς χώρας ἀφείλοντο. ὁ δὲ κατωρθωκὼς τὴν μάχην Μάλλιος ὁ ὕπατος ἐθριάμβευσεν. (Diod. Sic. 16.90.2) And the Romans, drawn up around the town of Suessa against the Latins and Campanians, defeated them, and annexed part of the land of the conquered. Manlius, the consul who had won the battle, celebrated a triumph. This campaign was famous because, as Livy recounts, it led to Manlius Torquatus celebrating a triumph in 340 BCE, having in its course put his son to death for disobeying his orders (Liv. 8.7.1-22); so, too, this section of Livy contains the equally exemplary story of the deuotio of Decius Mus (Liv. 8.8.19-11.1). 6 And as a result of this war, ciuitas sine suffragio was extended to the defeated Latin peoples, and Rome’s hold over the Italian peninsula started to take shape. 7 Talking the cultural identity talk, as I intend to do about Lucilius, is important because, as Quintilian famously observes, Roman satire is the one genre that “at least is wholly ours” (quidem tota nostra est, Inst. 10.1.93). And Suessa Aurunca, Lucilius’ hometown, is important for early interactions between Rome and Campania proper because the Via Appia originally ran through it. 8 However, after 296 BCE the town was bypassed by the redirection of the Appia from [End Page 92] Minturnae through nearby Sinuessa. Hence Horace missed Suessa on his journey to Brundisium in Satire 1.5, and instead he met some dear friends, including Virgil, at Sinuessa: Plotius et Varius Sinuessae Vergiliusqueoccurrunt, animae quales neque candidioresterra tulit neque quis me sit deuinctior alter. (Hor. S. 1.5.40-42) Plotius and Varius and Virgil ran into us at Sinuessa; the earth never bore brighter souls, and none to whom I was more attached. The choice of this meeting-point, in terms of its proximity to Naples with the Epicurean school of Philodemus and Siro (with which Varius, Virgil, and Horace had connections), 9 has the advantage of e


Fawlty Towers was supposedly set in which seaside town?

Fawlty Towers (TV Series 1975-1979) — The Movie Database (TMDb) 7.7 Overview Fawlty Towers is a British sitcom produced by BBC Television that was first broadcast on BBC2 in 1975 and 1979. Twelve episodes were made. The show was written by John Cleese and his then wife Connie Booth, both of whom also starred in the show. The series is set in Fawlty Towers, a fictional hotel in the seaside town of Torquay, on the "English Riviera". The plots centre around tense, rude and put-upon owner Basil Fawlty, his bossy wife Sybil, a comparatively normal chambermaid Polly, and hapless Spanish waiter Manuel and their attempts to run the hotel amidst farcical situations and an array of demanding and eccentric guests. In a list drawn up by the British Film Institute in 2000, voted by industry professionals, Fawlty Towers was named the best British television series of all time. Find out where to watch this on Featured Crew


What name was given to the spin-off off the comedy series Porridge?

BBC - Comedy - Porridge Porridge Porridge The character of jailbird Norman Stanley Fletcher was originally conceived for a one-off comedy, Prisoner and Escort, forming one of Ronnie Barker's 1973 season of TV pilots, Seven of One. The BBC picked it up the next year for a full series, but neither they nor writers Dick Clement and Ian Le Frenais can have known quite what a phenomenon they'd created with the show they thought of calling Bird or Stir, before settling on another euphemism for life behind bars, Porridge. When the new show first aired in 1974 it was greeted with outrage in sections of the tabloid press, shocked at the notion of a comedy programme glorifying prison. Little time was needed, though, before any complaints were drowned out underneath a chorus of critical acclaim and public adoration for what remains one of the most classic British sitcoms ever produced. Fletcher himself is an old hand at 'doing time', and we meet him serving a five-year stretch at HMP Prison Slade for breaking and entering - each episode would begin with the booming voice of the judge (recorded by Barker) passing sentence and the stark slamming of prison doors. Fletcher expects to enjoy a single cell but he's forced to share with a first-time offender, a naïve, young Brummie called Lennie Godber (played by Richard Beckinsale). Fletcher reluctantly takes Godber under his wing and helps him to 'keep his nose clean' but together they always end up getting into trouble (often for reasons beyond their control), either with other inmates or the prison officers at Slade. While the richly comic dialogue between the two cell-mates was a joy to watch, Clement and Le Frenais' wonderful writing didn't stop there, and they populated HMP Slade with a host of memorably eccentric characters, from kindly but senile Blanco (played ingeniously by a young David Jason), disgraced dentist Harris and dim-witted Warren to the irascible Scot MacLaren, conman Ives and the prison Mr Big, Harry Grout. While Fletcher's knowledge and experience saw him regarded highly by most fellow inmates, it didn't stop him being used and blackmailed from time to time by Grout, who'd often force Fletch into tasks against his will. It was Fletcher's day-to-day job to juggle life on the landings with not getting caught by the wardens, which meant taking advantage of the kind-hearted and soft-natured Mr Barrowclough, and sidestepping the eagle eye of the harsh, suspicious Mr MacKay (portrayed with delicious menace by Fulton McKay). Episodes would usually involve Fletcher and Godber getting into trouble but somehow scoring a minor victory, usually against MacKay. The glee Barker injected into Fletcher's little triumphs was magical to watch. Porridge is probably the classic realisation of the sitcom method of putting characters in a situation where they're trapped with each other. In Fletcher's case it was with his cell-mate Godber, and the wonderful relationship between the pair in the scripts was elevated to pure gold by the sparkling chemistry between he two leads, Barker and Beckinsale. Writers Clement and Le Frenais were so successful that the show became essential viewing inside Britain's real jails, and prisoners claimed it was the most accurate portrayal of real prison life on TV. Its massive success spawned a superior spin-off movie and a Bafta-winning sitcom sequel Going Straight, set around Fletcher's life on release from Slade, before more episodes were curtailed by the untimely death of Richard Beckinsale in 1979. Porridge was a show never afraid to throw into the mix scenes of true drama, as Godber and sometimes even Fletcher occasionally struggled to cope with the grind of being stuck behind bars. The way in which such moments were woven into episodes, adding depth and realism to the series without ever diminishing the humour, is yet another reason why it remains unarguably one of the all-time classics.


Who played the part of Compo in Last Of The Summer Wine?

As Last of the Summer Wine finally ends...How Compo, Cleggie and Co. drove Nora Batty | Daily Mail Online comments The camera was ready, but whether the same could be said of the three nervous actors perched in a perilously wobbly canoe on Yorkshire's fast- flowing and very cold River Wharfe was rather less certain. Shooting on the penultimate episode of the second series of Last Of The Summer Wine, however, could not wait. 'Action!' called director Bernard Thompson. And so off went the canoe, carrying its anxious crew towards the famous bridge at Bolton Abbey. Last of the great battle-axes: Kathy Staff with troublesome trio Peter Sallis, Bill Owen and Brian Wilde In the bow was Bill Owen, who as a young actor had once been under contract at Rank film studios and who was hoping that the role of 'Compo' Simmonite would give him a final tilt at fame. In the stern was Michael Bates, a former Gurkha officer who played the part of Cyril Blamire for the first two series. And in the middle was a shaking Peter Sallis, probably wishing he'd never accepted the part of Norman Clegg. Sallis, you see, couldn't swim. The canoe shot under the bridge, as planned. Then it started to wobble. And shudder. And then it went over. The non-swimming Sallis would later recall that he managed to escape the river only because he was able to put a foot on a hard object under the water and lever himself out on to the bank. RELATED ARTICLES Share That hard object turned out to be Owen's head. 'To have us row a canoe and shoot the bridge and come out the other side into this choppy water, there's no wonder the bloody thing turned over and no wonder I nearly drowned,' said Sallis. The problem for Sallis, and indeed for many future members of the Summer Wine cast, was that the show's audience thought it was precisely this sort of knockabout comedy that was funny; very funny, in fact. It may have been only a couple of years since the pilot episode had been successfully aired at the beginning of 1973, but Roy Clarke's creation was already changing. There was less talking, more of the glorious Yorkshire scenery and, as the second series took shape, far more of the absurd stunts that kept the show on air for a record-breaking 37 years. The prolific Clarke, who would go on to write Open All Hours for Ronnie Barker, loved writing sharp dialogue. But he adored creating physical comedy, too. His comic hero was Buster Keaton - and it showed. Over 295 episodes, just about anything on wheels or capable of being put on wheels - beds, sofas, baths, even rocket-powered rollerskates - careered down one of those vertiginously steep Yorkshire hills, almost always with Compo on board. Three men in a boat: Actors Bill Owen, Peter Sallis and Michael Bates. Sallis, who couldn't swim, dreaded the programme's water-based scenes Sallis, the only one of the three to make it from pilot to final episode, would later recall how he would scan new scripts for the dread words: 'All we see of our three is a row of bubbles on the surface of the water.' Later, as the three main male leads grew older, it increasingly fell to stunt men and younger members of the cast to continue the physical comedy tradition, as Jean Fergusson - who played the man-hunting Marina for 25 years - remembers. She recalls one scene that required Marina and her lover Howard Sibshaw, played by Robert Fyfe, to fall out of a boat into some filthy canal water. And like Sallis many years earlier, Fyfe couldn't swim. 'Robert put his hand on top of my head,' said Fergusson. 'I went under this foul, foul water - there's still a pair of earrings somewhere in the Marsden canal.' Getting cold or soaked and often both was part and parcel of being a Summer Wine regular. 'I was introduced to thermal knickers up there,' recalls Juliette Kaplan, who played Howard's bossy wife, Pearl Sibshaw. 'I have never known the wind get so bad.' Stunts, however, were only part of the reason Last Of The Summer Wine attracted up to 18 million viewers. Some said the show harked back nostalgically to a better, simpler time, but those involved i


Bill Pertwee played which character in Dads Army?

Dad's Army star Bill Pertwee dies aged 86 - BBC News BBC News Dad's Army star Bill Pertwee dies aged 86 27 May 2013 Image caption Pertwee also took part in BBC radio show Round the Horne Bill Pertwee, who played Warden Hodges in Dad's Army, has died, his agent has confirmed. The 86-year-old also starred as PC Wilson in You Rang M'Lord? He also appeared in three Carry On films. Agent Meg Poole said he died peacefully on Monday with his family around him. He is survived by his son Jonathan. His Dad's Army character was a greengrocer who became chief air raid warden when World War II broke out. His catchphrase was: "Put that light out!" He was a thorn in the side of Captain Mainwaring and Sgt Wilson (played by Arthur Lowe and John Le Mesurier respectively), who called him "a common little man". Pertwee, who was born in Amersham, Buckinghamshire, lived in a residential home in Wadebridge, Cornwall. He was airlifted to The Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro on Sunday where he died at 03:30 BST on Monday surrounded by family. The actor first played the grumpy Dad's Army warden in 1968. The show went on to earn a Bafta for best comedy in 1971 and inspired a film - also starring Pertwee - in the same year. Pertwee was a founder member and the president of the Dad's Army Appreciation Society. His son Jonathan said: "He would give everything a go. He was very dedicated to the people around him and he was very dedicated to his charity work. Media captionActor Bill Pertwee has passed away at the age of 86. "But also he was very humble about the whole thing, he was the subject of This is Your Life in 1999, and he'd always think how lucky he was," he added. "He'd say 'marvellous, isn't it, to be in this business', because he said ' I'm not really a proper actor', but he was extraordinarily versatile." Mr Pertwee said his father had a continued affection for Dad's Army. "He loved it. He loved the people in it, it was a big part of his life and he used to have a lot of fun with Clive (Dunn) and John Le Mesurier and Frank Williams and all of them. They just had a a great bond." His agent Ms Poole also paid tribute: "He was a really, really nice man. Very bright, very intelligent. "He came from a big theatrical family, a big showbusiness family, and like all of them it was his life and it was very important to him and he was a hugely professional, very clever man." His wife, actress Marion McLeod, died in 2005. They were married for 45 years. Frank Williams, who played the vicar in Dad's Army, told the BBC: "He always used to play himself down as an actor... I think he was a very good actor... Bill was a lovely man. "He was the life and soul of the party, great fun." Pertwee was made an MBE in 2006 for his services to charity - he supported children's hospices. Image caption You Rang M'Lord? was a sitcom set in 1927 about life above and below the stairs. It ran from 1988 to 1993. In 1957, Pertwee wrote to BBC director and producer Richard Afton in search of his big TV break. In the letter , he mentions his cousin, the actor Jon Pertwee, who became one of the stars of the hit radio comedy The Navy Lark before taking on the title role in Doctor Who in 1970. Bill Pertwee had only been an entertainer for a couple of years when he wrote the letter, having served his apprenticeship in variety halls across the country. His break eventually came with the offer to join the hugely popular radio show Beyond Our Ken with Kenneth Horne and Kenneth Williams. This led to him appearing in the radio series Round The Horne, again starring Williams and created by Barry Took and Marty Feldman. He also appeared opposite Morecambe and Wise writer Eddie Braben - who died last week - in The Show with Ten Legs. Pertwee's other credits included Carry on Loving, Carry on Girls and Carry On at Your Convenience.


On which river does Balmoral Castle stand?

Balmoral Castle: Vacationing with the queen - CNN.com Balmoral Castle: Vacationing with the queen By Jill O'Brien, CNN Updated 2:32 PM ET, Tue August 6, 2013 Chat with us in Facebook Messenger. Find out what's happening in the world as it unfolds. Photos: Balmoral Estate – The Royal Standard flies from the turrets of Balmoral Castle in Ballater, Scotland, when the Queen is in residence. Cottages on Balmoral Estate are available for rent to regular vacationers. Hide Caption 1 of 8 Photos: Balmoral Estate – The Connachat Cottage is located about three miles west of the Castle and sleeps up to eight guests. Hide Caption 2 of 8 Photos: Balmoral Estate – The 50,000-acre estate employs about 50 full-time workers and 50 to 100 part-time workers. About 85,000 people visit the castle and gardens each year, according to the British Monarchy's website . Hide Caption 3 of 8 Photos: Balmoral Estate – About 100 hectares are farmed by the estate and other parcels are let to neighboring farmers. Hide Caption 4 of 8 Photos: Balmoral Estate – The Garbh Allt Shiel rental cottage is in the Ballochbuie Forest, about five miles west of the castle. Deer are frequent visitors to the open ground around the cottage. Hide Caption 5 of 8 Photos: Balmoral Estate – The Prince of Wales, left, and his sons Prince William, right, and Prince Harry stand above the Falls of Muick at Balmoral in 1997. Hide Caption 6 of 8 Photos: Balmoral Estate – In this September 1960 photo, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh pose on the lawn at Balmoral with their children, Prince Andrew, center, Princess Anne, left, and Charles, Prince of Wales. Hide Caption 7 of 8 Photos: Balmoral Estate – Queen Elizabeth II walks cross country on the grounds of Balmoral Castle in this October 1967 photo. Hide Caption Cottages on the grounds of Balmoral Castle are available to the public for rent The royal estate in the Scottish highlands is a favorite retreat of Queen Elizabeth II Sightings of the royal family are possible for visitors to the estate The cozy cottages are more rustic than the royal digs As the world watched and waited for little Prince George to make his royal way into the world in London, Queen Elizabeth II was among those wishing the baby would hurry up. The reason? "I'm going on holiday," the queen said days before the Duchess of Cambridge gave birth to the future king on July 22. Thankfully, Prince George was born just in time for the queen to begin her official holiday last week at the royal family's Scottish retreat, Balmoral Castle. The queen and members of the royal family will spend the next two months at her 50,000-acre estate in the Scottish highlands. The castle was originally built by Queen Victoria and by all accounts of both historians and those who work on the estate, it holds a very special place in the queen's heart. That's likely because it offers her a level of privacy that she cannot find anywhere else. Every year at this time she travels to the heart of the Cairngorms National Park in Royal Deeside, just outside the small town of Ballater. Here, behind large metal gates that keep the public outside for most of the royal family's visit, she has the privacy to stroll with her corgis around the gardens, catch up on correspondence at her Honka Hut (a pine summer cottage that was a gift from the Finnish government and is one of the queen's favorite spots on the estate), go fly fishing on the river Dee, or take in a round of golf on her private course. But here's a secret that few people seem to know: You can have the same vacation. I'm not talking about visiting the estate for the day , as many people do when it's open to the public. Nope, you can move in. Settle down in one of five cottages on the estate , and you'll have access to everything that makes Balmoral so special. I speak from experience, having just returned from two weeks in one of the Colt Cottages. It wasn't my first visit to the castle; I've visited every year since I first learned about the holiday cottages four years ago. While the Colt Cottages are the smallest


Where would you be stood if you were at zero degrees latitude and zero degrees longitude?

Where Do Zero Degrees Latitude and Longitude Intersect? By Matt Rosenberg Updated August 06, 2016. The equator marks zero degrees latitude and the prime meridian marks zero degrees longitude, but where do these two lines meet? The simple answer is that they intersect in the Gulf of Guinea, just off the western coast of Africa. While this point on the map of the Earth has no real significance, it is a common question in geography trivia and it's an interesting fact to know. What is at 0° latitude, 0° longitude? The equator and prime meridian are both invisible lines that circle the Earth and they help us in navigation. Though invisible, the equator (0 ° latitude) is a very real line that divides the world into the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. The prime meridian (0° longitude) , on the other hand, was created by scholars who needed some point as a frame of reference to begin noting east-west points on the map. It is by pure happenstance that the coordinate of 0°, 0° falls in the middle of a little-known body of water. To be exact, the intersection of  zero degrees latitude and zero degrees longitude falls about 380 miles (611 kilometers) south of Ghana and 670 miles (1078 km) west of Gabon. This location is in the tropical waters of the eastern Atlantic Ocean, specifically, the Gulf of Guinea. The Gulf of Guinea is part of the western edge of the African tectonic plate. Most notably, according to the theory of continental drift , this may have been the location where South America and Africa were once joined. A look at the maps of the two continents will quickly show you the remarkable possibility to this geographic jigsaw puzzle. Is There a Marker at 0°, 0°? Very few people in the world will ever pass over the point where the equator and prime meridian meet. It requires a boat and a good navigator so, unlike the prime meridian line in Greenwich , there is not much call for tourism at this location. The spot is marked, though. A weather buoy (Station 13010 - Soul) is placed at the exact location of 0°, 0°. It is owned and maintained by the Prediction and Research Moored Array in the Atlantic (PIRATA). Like other buoys, Soul regularly records weather data from the Gulf of Guinea such as air and water temperature and wind speed and direction. Is this Intersection Important? The equator is an important line on the earth's surface. It marks the line above which the sun is directly overhead on the March and September equinoxes. The prime meridian, on the other hand, is an imaginary line, created by people to mark zero degrees longitude. It just happens to pass through Greenwich, but it could have been located anywhere. Therefore, the intersection of zero degrees longitude and zero degrees latitude is of no significance. However, just knowing that it is in the Gulf of Guinea may serve you well on a geography quiz or when playing Jeopardy or Trivial Pursuit. Also, you can use this bit of trivia to stump friends and family.


n which country would you find both the rivers Oder and Vistula, which flow into the Baltic Sea?

Do you know more than a primary school student? Do you know more than a primary school student? Try some of these questions asked at the quiz final Sun, Apr 12, 2015, 19:49 Updated: Sun, Apr 12, 2015, 20:04     Q What is the name of the scale used to measure the spice level of a chilli pepper? A Scoville Q Name the process that involves placing potatoes or other tubers into egg cartons to encourage sprouting. A Chitting Q Halifax is the provincial capital of what Canadian maritime province? A Nova Scotia Q What Washington organisation founded 57 years ago was established by President Dwight D Eisenhower and was preceded by NACA? A NASA Q Which artist had a famous blue period between 1901 and 1904? A Picasso Q Name the horse ridden by Ruby Walsh which fell in the Mare’s Hurdle at the Cheltenham festival in March? A Annie Power Q In which country would you find the Oder and Vistula rivers, both of which flow into the Baltic Sea? A Poland Q In what sport do you stand behind the Oche line? A Darts Q What is the capital of Indonesia? A Jakarta Q What was Henry VIII’s surname? A Tudor


What is the only US state which borders one other state only?

Which USA State borders only one other USA state? Which USA State borders only one other USA state? By Cynthia Kirkeby Which USA State borders only one other USA state? Maine is the only state that has only one bordering, neighboring state. Cynthia Kirkeby


Winston Churchill's mother came from which country?

Winston Churchill's American mother - Telegraph Winston Churchill's American mother Pushy mother: Jennie Churchill badgered everyone she thought might advance Winston's career  12:01AM GMT 03 Jan 2008 Philip Eade reviews Jennie Churchill: by Anne Sebba When, in 1918, Jennie Churchill married her third husband, the implausibly named Montagu Phippen Porch, she was 67, he 44 - three years younger than her son Winston. Nevertheless, her nephew Sunny Marlborough noticed at the time that Porch seemed to be 'physically in love' with her, that she 'showed signs of his attentions' and looked worn out after three days with him. Jennie, meanwhile, was quoted as saying of her latest catch: 'He has a future and I have a past, so we should be alright.' This combination of sexual energy and breezy optimism had propelled Jennie - 'more panther than woman' according to one of many admirers - through an incredible roller-coaster life. Not surprisingly, given whose mother she was and her reputed tally of 200 lovers, there have been several biographies; this thoughtful and scrupulously researched book by Anne Sebba is the sixth. Born in New York in 1854, Jennie inherited from her financier father, Leonard Jerome, an indomitable spirit that had led him, as one of his grandsons wrote, up a new financial hill every time he fell down. Aged 19, at an afternoon ball aboard a ship in Cowes harbour, the sultry Jennie Jerome met Lord Randolph Churchill, then 23, the second surviving son of the 7th Duke of Marlborough. She fell instantly in love and three days later agreed to marry him. What made the young Jennie tick up to this point in her life is not easy to fathom - as Sebba points out, the letters between members of the Jerome family are 'short on emotions, expectations and anxieties'. But Sebba makes a convincing case that what occurred with Randolph was a coup de foudre - however unlikely that may seem given how Randolph looked and behaved. She is equally persuasive that Winston was most probably conceived before they married, in 1874 - attesting to Jennie's 'confidence, physical passion, craving for excitement and sexual fearlessness' - though the author's plea that her interest here is 'not a prurient one' sounds a little priggish. Overall, however, Sebba's tone is far from that; her prose is clear, her judgments sensible. She is good on how Jennie helped the erratic Randolph in his strangely meteoric political career and moving when chronicling the disintegration of their marriage and their final world cruise as he went through what were probably the last stages of syphilis - Rosebery memorably recorded that Randolph was 'the chief mourner at his own protracted funeral'. But the real strength of the book is its examination of Jennie's role in shaping the character and career of Winston. It is hard to disagree with the assessment of Winston's daughter Mary Soames that even by the standards of their generation, Lord and Lady Randolph Churchill were 'pretty awful parents' to their eldest son when he was a boy. This book has plenty of evidence to back this up - notably Winston's letters from his peculiarly sadistic prep school imploring his parents to take him away, or at least come and see him; on the back of some of these are scribbled the names of those Jennie planned to ask to dinner. Sebba does not deny the neglect, but nevertheless has us believe that Jennie always loved her eldest son, and that she 'always knew that Winston would be her greatest achievement'. Winston's adolescent letters accusing his mother of maltreatment, far from damaging their relationship, taught him 'how far he could push and still carry those who loved and supported him, basic leadership skills', writes Sebba. When he was ready to embark on a career, Jennie badgered everyone she thought might advance it. His pushy mother made Churchill a controversial figure at times, but no one could say that she hadn't helped him on his way. Sebba suggests that Jennie's liking for younger men - her second husband, George Cornwallis-West, was, like her third, more than 20 years h


BBC - iWonder - Napoleon Bonaparte: The Little Corporal who built an Empire Napoleon Bonaparte: The Little Corporal who built an Empire 1769 1821Death in exile The Napoleon complex Diminutive in stature but towering in influence – few figures in history stand taller than Napoleon Bonaparte. Loved by his men, feared by his foes, the Duke of Wellington claimed he was worth 40,000 men on the battlefield. From outsider to emperor, trace Napoleon's meteoric rise to greatness – and find out how he was brought crashing back down to earth. 1769 Birth and early life DeAgostini/Getty Images Napoleon's father, Carlo Buonaparte, had been active in Paoli's resistance army but made terms with the French. Napoleon was born in Ajaccio, Corsica on 15 August. The occupying French forces who ran the island had acquired it from Genoa the year before. Though well off by local standards, Napoleon's parents were not rich, and their vigorous claims of noble descent fail to stand up to scrutiny. His mother Letizia and father Carlo were part of Corsica's bourgeoisie. Once involved in the Corsican resistance to French occupation, Carlo had made personal peace with the French when leader Pasquale Paoli was forced to flee and became assessor to the royal court. Little in the context of Napoleon's birth hinted at his remarkable future. Hulton Archive/Getty Images Napoleon attended the military school at Brienne for five years. Aged nine, Napoleon left for school in France. He was an outsider, unversed in the customs and traditions of his new home. Always destined for the military, Napoleon was educated first, briefly, at Autun, then five years in Brienne before a final year at the military academy in Paris. He graduated in September 1785 – ranked 42nd in a class of 58. It was while he was in Paris that Napoleon's father died, leaving the family facing financial hardship. Not yet 16, nor even the eldest son, it was nonetheless Napoleon who assumed responsibility as head of the family. 1786-1788 Photo12/UIG via Getty Images Corsican resistance leader Pasquale Paoli. Napoleon took his first commission, as a 2nd lieutenant of artillery. He read voraciously – on military strategy and tactics – determined to succeed. But his native land still had his heart. In his book Lettres sur la Corse he set out his vision for an independent Corsica, free of French control. In September he returned to the island of his birth, not rejoining his regiment until June 1788. Above all else, Napoleon felt, he was a Corsican. I was born when [Corsica] was perishing. Thirty thousand Frenchmen spewed onto our shores, drowning the throne of liberty in waves of blood… Napoleon Bonaparte, writing to Pasquale Paoli 1793 Art Media/Print Collector/Getty Images Napoleon succeeded in driving the British from Toulon. It wasn't long before Napoleon had the opportunity to demonstrate his new loyalty. At Toulon he won the first major military victory of his career. French anti-government forces had handed the port over to British troops. It was essential that the town be recaptured. Strategically important, the damage suffered to the prestige of the Revolution was just as significant. Napoleon was entrusted with breaking the resistance and by mid-December his tactics had forced the British to evacuate. Days later, Napoleon was promoted to brigadier general – he was just 24 years old. 1794 Saviour of the Republic Ann Ronan Pictures/Print Collector/Getty Images Napoleon's defeat of the royalist forces threatening the National Convention built his prestige to new heights. When a royalist revolt in Paris threatened to overthrow the government, it fell to Napoleon – the liberator of Toulon – to save the Republic. Facing a force of more than 20,000 men, Napoleon was massively outnumbered. But when the royalists descended on the National Convention in Paris on 5 October, Napoleon's troops forced them back. In less than an hour, 300 royalists lay dead. Not only had Napoleon saved the republic, but his exploits won him ever greater standing among the politicians running the new regime – the Directo


In which country was the composer Chopin born?

Chopin : Biography   biography    Click here    for Chopin's quotes and   quotes of others about Chopin >>> Fryderyk  Franciszek Chopin, the Polish composer  and pianist, was born on 1 March 1810, according to the statements of the  artist himself and his family, but according to his baptismal certificate,  which was written several weeks after his birth, the date was 22 February. His  birthplace was the village of Zelazowa Wola near Sochaczew, in the region of  Mazovia, which was part of the Duchy of Warsaw. The manor-house in Zelazowa  Wola belonged to Count Skarbek and Chopin's father, Mikolaj (Nicolas) Chopin,  a Polonized Frenchman, was employed there as a tutor. He had been born in 1771  in Marainville in the province of Lorraine in France, but already as a child  he had established contacts with the Polish families of Count Michal Pac and  the manager of his estate, Jan Adam Weydlich. At the age of 16, Mikolaj  accompanied them to Poland where he settled down permanently. He never  returned to France and did not retain contacts with his French family but  brought up his children as Poles. In 1806,  Mikolaj Chopin married Tekla Justyna Krzyzanowska, who was the housekeeper for  the Skarbek family at Zelazowa Wola. They had four children: three daughters  Ludwika, Izabela and Emilia, and a son Fryderyk, the second child. Several  months after his birth, the whole family moved to Warsaw, where Mikolaj Chopin  was offered the post of French language and literature lecturer in the Warsaw  Lyceum. He also ran a boarding school for sons of the gentry. The musical  talent of Fryderyk became apparent extremely early on, and it was compared  with the childhood genius of Mozart. Already at the age of 7, Fryderyk was the  author of two polonaises (in G minor and B flat major), the first being  published in the engraving workshop of Father Cybulski. The prodigy was  featured in the Warsaw newspapers, and "little Chopin" became the attraction  and ornament of receptions given in the aristocratic salons of the capital. He  also began giving public charity concerts. His first professional piano  lessons, given to him by Wojciech Zywny (b. 1756 in Bohemia), lasted from 1816  to 1822, when the teacher was no longer able to give any more help to the  pupil whose skills surpassed his own. The further development of Fryderyk's  talent was supervised by Wilhelm Wï¿½rfel (b.1791 in Bohemia), the renowned  pianist and professor at the Warsaw Conservatory who was to offer valuable,  although irregular, advice as regards playing the piano and organ. From 1823 to  1826, Fryderyk attended the Warsaw Lyceum where his father was one of the  professors. He spent his summer holidays in estates belonging to the parents  of his school friends in various parts of the country. For example, he twice  visited Szafarnia in the Kujawy region where he revealed a particular interest  in folk music and country traditions. The young composer listened to and noted  down the texts of folk songs, took part in peasant weddings and harvest  festivities, danced, and played a folk instrument resembling a double bass  with the village musicians; all of which he described in his letters. Chopin  became well acquainted with the folk music of the Polish plains in its  authentic form, with its distinct tonality, richness of rhythms and dance  vigour. When composing his first mazurkas in 1825, as well as the later ones,  he resorted to this source of inspiration which he kept in mind until the very  end of his life. In the autumn  of 1826, Chopin began studying the theory of music, figured bass and  composition at the Warsaw High School of Music, which was both part of the  Conservatory and, at the same time, connected with Warsaw University. Its head  was the composer Jï¿½zef Elsner (b. 1769 in Silesia). Chopin, however, did not  attend the piano class. Aware of the exceptional nature of Chopin's talent,  Elsner allowed him, in accordance with his personality a


In which country was Joseph Stalin born?

BBC - iWonder - Joseph Stalin: National hero or cold-blooded murderer? Joseph Stalin: National hero or cold-blooded murderer? 1879 1953Death of Stalin and the end of an era How did Stalin get away with murder? Stalin’s name meant "man of steel" and he lived up to it. He oversaw the war machine that helped defeat Nazism and was the supreme ruler of the Soviet Union for a quarter of a century. His regime of terror caused the death and suffering of tens of millions. But this powerful man began life as the son of an alcoholic cobbler and a doting mother who sent him to study to be a priest. 1879 Topfoto Young Stalin. He is born on 18 December 1879 in Gori, Georgia in the Russian empire. He is first named Iosif (Joseph) Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili. Joseph grows up in poverty. His mother is a washerwoman and his father is a cobbler. He catches small pox aged seven and is left with a pockmarked face and a slightly deformed left arm. He is bullied by the other children and feels a continual need to prove himself. His father is an alcoholic who deals out regular beatings. As young Joseph grows up, Georgia’s romantic folklore and anti-Russian traditions capture his imagination. Topfoto Photograph of Stalin as a young man. Joseph’s religious mother wants him to be a priest and in 1895 sends him to study in Tiflis, the Georgian capital. However Joseph rebels and instead of studying scripture he reads the secret writings of Karl Marx and joins a local socialist group. He devotes much of his time to the revolutionary movement against the Russian monarchy and loses interest in his studies. Going against his mother’s wishes, Joseph becomes an atheist and frequently argues with the priests. In 1899 he is finally thrown out of the seminary after failing to turn up to his exams. You know, they are fooling us, there is no God… all this talk about God is sheer nonsense. Stalin puts forward his atheistic arguments 1901 The revolutionary bandit You need to have JavaScript enabled to view this clip. David Reynolds describes Stalin's life as a Bolshevik bank robber. Clips from World War Two: 1941 and the Man of Steel (BBC Four, 2013). While working as a clerk at the Meteorological Observatory, Joseph carries on with his revolutionary activities, organising strikes and protests. His activities become known to the Tsarist secret police and he is forced to go underground. He joins the Bolshevik party and conducts guerrilla warfare for the first time in the 1905 Russian Revolution. His first meeting with Lenin, the Bolshevik leader, is at a party conference in Finland. Lenin is impressed by this 'ruthless underground operator'. In 1907 Joseph steals 250,000 rubles (approximately $3.4m in US dollars) in a bank robbery in Tiflis to help fund the cause. Man of steel Stalin's first wife Ketevan Svanidze. Joseph marries his first wife Ketevan Svanidze in 1906. She comes from a poor family of minor nobility. Ketevan gives birth to their son Yakov Dzhugashvili the following year. After the Tiflis bank robbery Joseph and his family escape Tsarist forces by travelling to Baku in Azerbaijan. When Ketevan dies of typhus in 1907, Joseph is wracked with grief. He leaves his son to be cared for by his wife’s parents and throws himself into his revolutionary work. He adopts the name 'Stalin' which means 'steel' in Russian. He is arrested on a number of occasions and exiled to Siberia in 1910. This creature softened my heart of stone. She died and with her died my last warm feelings for humanity. Stalin speaking about his first wife's death 1917 Takes part in the Russian Revolution Getty Lenin speaks at the First All-Russian Congress of Soviets with Stalin at his side. Lenin organises the Russian Revolution and promises “peace, land, and bread”. Stalin plays a crucial role by running Pravda, the Bolshevik newspaper. He is hailed as a hero when he helps Lenin to escape from the Tsar’s army into Finland and is appointed to the inner circle of the Bolshevik party. When the Tsar is toppled the country descends into civil war. Stalin, like other the hardliners within th


Who was disparagingly known as that Austrian corporal?

Wilhelm II, German Emperor (Central Victory) | Alternative History | Fandom powered by Wikia Wilhelm II, German Emperor (Central Victory) 41,176pages on June 15, 1888 – June 4, 1941 Predecessor Lutheranism Wilhelm II ( German : Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albrecht von Preußen; English : Frederick William Victor Albert of Prussia) (January 27, 1859 – June 4, 1941) was the German Emperor (Kaiser) and last King of Prussia, ruling the German Empire from June 15, 1888 until his death on June 4, 1941 and the Kingdom of Prussia from June 15, 1888 to January 30, 1934. He was a grandson of the British Queen Victoria and related to many monarchs and princes of Europe. Crowned in 1888, he dismissed the Chancellor, Prince Otto von Bismarck , in 1890 and launched Germany on a bellicose "New Course" in foreign affairs that culminated in his support for Austria-Hungary in the crisis of July 1914 that led to World War I . Bombastic and impetuous, he sometimes made tactless pronouncements on sensitive topics without consulting his ministers, and allowed his generals to dictate policy during World War I with little regard for the civilian government. This would lead to him becoming a figurehead for the rest of his life. Although he despised Hitler, the deteriorating political stability of Germany let him play an important role in the German National People's Party 's rise to power. He dissolved the parliament twice in 1932 and eventually appointed Hitler as Chancellor in January 1933. In February, he issued the Reichstag Fire Decree which suspended various civil liberties, and in March he signed the Enabling Act, in which the parliament gave Hitler's administration legislative powers. This would later be seen as his greatest mistake as Hitler's dictatorship would lead Germany to victory in World War II , it would also remain in effect and eventually lead to the collapse of the German Empire in 1991. However, his contribution to German colonial expansion makes him a hated figure in the United Kingdom for destroying the British Empire. Contents [ show ] Biography Wilhelm was born on January 27, 1859 in Berlin to Prince Frederick William of Prussia (the future Frederick III) and his wife, Victoria, Princess Royal of the United Kingdom. He was the first grandchild of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert , but more importantly, as the first son of the Crown Prince of Prussia, Wilhelm was (from 1861) the second in the line of succession to Prussia, and also, after 1871, to the German Empire, which, according to the constitution of the German Empire, was ruled by the Prussian King. He was related to many royal figures across Europe, and as war loomed in 1914, Wilhelm was on friendly terms with his cousins the Tsar Nicholas II of Russia and King George V of the United Kingdom. He often tried to bully his royal relatives. Wilhelm with his father in 1862 A traumatic breech birth left him with a withered left arm due to Erb's palsy , which he tried with some success to conceal. In many photos he carries a pair of white gloves in his left hand to make the arm seem longer, holds his left hand with his right, or has his crippled arm on the hilt of a sword or holding a cane to give the effect of a useful limb posed at a dignified angle. Historians have suggested that this disability affected his emotional development Early years Wilhelm, from six years of age, was tutored and heavily influenced by the 39-year old teacher Georg Hinzpeter. As a teenager he was educated at Kassel at the Friedrichsgymnasium and the University of Bonn , where he became a member of Corps Borussia Bonn. Wilhelm possessed a quick intelligence, but unfortunately this was often overshadowed by a cantankerous temper. As a scion of the Royal house of Hohenzollern , Wilhelm was exposed from an early age to the military society of the Prussian aristocracy. This had a major impact on him and, in maturity, Wilhelm was seldom seen out of uniform. The hyper-masculine military culture of Prussia in this period did much to frame his political ideals and personal relationships. Crown Prince Freder