Profile on Wesley Snipes.

Wesley Trent Snipes (born July 31, 1962) is an American actor, film producer and martial artist. He has starred in action-adventures, thrillers, and dramatic feature films but is best known for his role as Blade in the Blade trilogy. In 1991, the actor formed a production company called Amen Ra Films and a subsidiary, Black Dot Media, to develop projects for film and television. Snipes has been training in martial arts since age twelve, earning the rank of fifth dan black belt in Shotokan Karate. He has also trained as a student of Capoeira under Mestre Jelon Vieira and in a number of other disciplines including various styles of Kung Fu. In 2008, Snipes was convicted on three misdemeanor counts of wilful failure to file federal income tax returns, and on April 24 sentenced to three years in prison. On May 22, the trial court ruled that Snipes may remain free while his appeal is being considered.

Early life.
Snipes was born July 31, 1962, in Chicago , the son of Marian, a teacher's aide, and an aircraft engineer father. He grew up in the Bronx, New York City and attended the famed John Hopkins School, but moved back to Florida before he could graduate. After graduating from Jones High School in Orlando,[1] Snipes returned to New York and attended the State University of New York at Purchase, before being asked to leave the prestigious Acting Conservatory his junior year.

Acting Career.
A 26-year-old Snipes was discovered by an agent while performing in a competition. He made his film debut in the Goldie Hawn vehicle Wildcats. In 1987, he appeared as Michael Jackson's nemesis in the Martin Scorsese directed music video "Bad" (he is seen in only the long version of the video) and the feature film Streets of Gold.

Snipes' performance in the music video "Bad" caught the eye of director Spike Lee. Snipes turned down a small role in Lee's Do the Right Thing for the larger part of Willie Mays Hayes in Major League, beginning a succession of box-office hits for Snipes. Lee would later cast Snipes as the jazz saxophonist Shadow Henderson in Mo' Better Blues and as the lead in the interracial romance drama Jungle Fever. Another important role for Snipes was the powerful drug lord Nino Brown in New Jack City, which was written specifically for him by Barry Michael Cooper. Another film in which his character was involved in drugs was the somber movie Sugar Hill.
Although Snipes is more known for his roles in action films like Passenger 57, Demolition Man (with Sylvester Stallone), Money Train, U.S. Marshals (a sequel of The Fugitive) and Rising Sun (with Sean Connery), he has also had success in comedies like White Men Can't Jump, and To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar where he played a drag queen together with Patrick Swayze and John Leguizamo. Snipes has also been critically acclaimed[citation needed] for his roles in dramas like The Waterdance and Disappearing Acts.

In 1997, he won the Best Actor Volpi Cup at the Venice Film Festival for his performance in New Line Cinema's One Night Stand. 1998 marked Snipes's largest commercial success with the opening of Blade, for New Line Cinema, which has grossed over $150 million worldwide. The film turned into a successful series. He also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and an honorary doctorate from his alma mater, SUNY/Purchase, for his outstanding achievements in film.

Most of his latest films have been released straight-to-DVD. His latest films are The Shooter (also known as The Contractor), filmed in Bulgaria and the UK, with Charles Dance, Lena Heady, Eliza Bennett, and the upcoming Gallowwalker, set to be released in 2009. Snipes was originally slated to play one of the four leads in Spike Lee's 2008 war film, Miracle at St. Anna but had to leave the film due to his widely-publicized tax problems, and his role eventually went to Derek Luke. Snipes made a comeback performance in Brooklyn's Finest as Caz, a supporting character.He also had to turn down the part of 'Hale Caesar' in The Expendables due to not being allowed to leave the United States without the court's approval

Other Ventures.
In the late 1990s, Snipes and his brother started a security firm called the Royal Guard of Amen-Ra, dedicated to providing VIPs with bodyguards trained in law enforcement and martial arts.

In 2000, the business was investigated for alleged ties to an extremist religious cult called the United Nuwaubian Nation of Moors. It turns out that Snipes had spotted 200 acres (0.81 km2) of land with the intention to buy and use for his business academy, which were close to the aforesaid religious cult compound in Putnam County, Georgia. Both Snipes's business and the religious cult had Egyptian motifs as their symbols, which prompted people to hypothesize ties between them.

Snipes and his brother ended up not buying the land and established their company in Florida, Antigua, and Africa, while the religious cult compound was raided in 2002 and their leader convicted.

In 2005, Snipes was in negotiations to fight Fear Factor star and UFC commentator Joe Rogan in an upcoming event.

Personal Life.
Snipes has been linked to a number of women including Jada Pinkett Smith, Sanaa Lathan, Halle Berry, and Jennifer Lopez. He has been married twice; first, to April Snipes from 1985-1990 with whom he has a son, Jelani Asar Snipes, born in 1988. Jelani had a cameo role in Snipes' 1990 film Mo' Better Blues.

In 2003, Snipes wed painter Nakyung "Nikki" Park, who is the mother of his four youngest children: son Akhenaten Kihwa-T Snipes; daughter Iset Jua-T Snipes (born July 31, 2001); son Alaafia Jehu-T Snipes (born May 26, 2004); and son Alimayu Moa-T Snipes (born March 26, 2007). Snipes spends a lot of time in Park's home country of South Korea, which he calls his "second home."

Snipes has a younger half brother A.D. Snipes, a comedian residing in San Antonio, TX, who has appeared in the TNT Classics films Rough Riders and Buffalo Soldiers, and has appeared on BET's Comicview and HBO's Def Comedy Jam.

Snipes is a former Muslim, having converted from Christianity to Islam in 1978. He later left Islam in 1988.

Snipes's apartment was destroyed by the collapse of the World Trade Center's Twin Towers during the September 11 attacks on 2001. He happened to have been delayed at the gym where he was working out, otherwise he would have been home at that moment.
A September 24, 2002 Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee press release listed Wesley Snipes as an "artist who is supporting" a $6 million fundraiser with tickets ranged from $500 to $250,000."

Daniel Craig doesnt cut it as Bond.

When Daniel Craig was pinned to be the new James Bond - I just new I wasn't going to be a fan anymore. Firstly he comes out saying he doesn't like Bond - and hates guns. Not that I condone firearms, but how can they have such an actor play Bond. In my books, only two actors played bond successfully - Sean Connery and Pierce Brosnan. Not because of who they are as actors but because of the charisma and believability they brought to the character. They were Bond - full stop. They played the role like they were born to it. I know it would be hard for any other actor to walk in those shoes - but Daniel Craig looks more like he belongs in soap than Bond. When peeps told me of the new Bond movie - I was totally disinterested. Casino Royal is a great story by Fleming - unfortunately Daniel Craig played Bond. Frankly I think he's bullshit as Bond. Of course this is my opinion.

However check out this article:

Daniel Craig will have a problem playing the new James Bond - because he hates guns.

The actor will wield 007's famous Walther PPK in the movie Casino Royale.

But he revealed in OK! magazine: "I hate handguns. Handguns are used to shoot people and as long as they are around, people will shoot each other.

"That's a simple fact. I've seen a bullet wound and it was a mess. It was on a shoot and it scared me. Bullets have a nasty habit of finding their target and that's what's scary about them."

Nor does the 37-year-old share Bond's love of Martinis shaken and stirred.

"I love a Martini straight up. I don't think anybody makes a Martini stirred any more," he said.

Craig was unveiled earlier this month as the successor to Pierce Brosnan.

He will play a tougher, grittier 007 in Casino Royale, which is based on Ian Fleming's first Bond book.

Craig is not the first Bond to reveal a hatred of guns.

Roger Moore, who played the superspy from 1973 to 1985, said after quitting the role that he hated "that awful pose" of Bond with his gun which has become an iconic movie image.

The actor later became an ambassador for children's charity Unicef and declared: "Today I am completely opposed to small arms and what they can do to children. I played every role tongue-in-cheek because I don't really believe in that sort of hero. I don't like guns."

More:

Daniel Craig, the new James Bond, wants critics to give him a chance.

"If I went onto the internet and started looking at what some people were saying about me - which, sadly, I have done - it would drive me insane," the British actor says in an interview in Entertainment Weekly magazine.

"They hate me. They don't think I'm right for the role. It's as simple as that. They're passionate about it, which I understand, but I do wish they'd reserve judgment."

A group of James Bond fans have launched a website, www.craignotbond.com, to protest Craig replacing Pierce Brosnan in the 007 film franchise, and to boycott the upcoming Casino Royale.

While filming Casino Royale, the 38-year-old actor was uneasy about uttering those famous words: "The name is Bond, James Bond."

"People kept asking, 'Have you done the line yet?'" Craig tells the magazine.

"But honestly, I didn't rehearse it at all. I didn't practice it in the mirror every morning or anything like that. I didn't want to even think about saying it because I didn't want it to be this weight around my neck. I just wanted to get on with it and not blow it."

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If there's a an Ian Fleming book where Bond dies - I hope its Craig. Tougher Bond - fo sure! - but how do you play a character you don't like? There's a reason why Bond fans - don't dig you man - you don't like Bond cause you could never be him - and you're acting - no matter how good the script is - shows that!

Samuel Leroy Jackson (born December 21, 1948) is an American film and television actor. Jackson came to fame in the early 1990s, after a series of well-reviewed performances, and has since become a major film star and cultural icon, having appeared in a large number of high-grossing films.

Jackson is married to Latanya Richardson and has a daughter named Zoe. He is a huge sports fan and an avid golfer. Jackson has won multiple awards for his film performances and has been portrayed in various forms of media including films, television series, and lyrics. Jackson is currently working on five films that will debut between 2008 and 2009.

Jackson has noted that he chooses roles that are "exciting to watch" and have an "interesting character inside of a story", and that in his roles he wanted to "do things [he hasn't] done, things [he] saw as a kid and wanted to do and now [has] an opportunity to do".

Jackson was born in Washington, D.C. He grew up as an only child in Chattanooga, Tennessee with his mother, Elizabeth Jackson ( Montgomery), who was a factory worker and later a supplies buyer for a mental institution, and his maternal grandparents and extended family.
His father lived away from the family in Kansas City, Missouri and later died from alcoholism; Jackson had only met his father twice during his life. Jackson attended Riverside High (now Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences), a segregated school where, between the third and twelfth grades, he played the French horn and trumpet in the school orchestra.He later attended Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, where he co-founded the "Just Us Theatre". He graduated in 1972.

Civil Rights Movement involvement:
After the 1968 assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., Jackson attended the funeral in Atlanta as one of the ushers. Jackson then flew to Memphis to join an equal rights protest march. In a Parade interview Jackson revealed: "I was angry about the assassination, but I wasn’t shocked by it. I knew that change was going to take something different—not sit-ins, not peaceful coexistence." In 1969, Jackson and several other students held members of the Morehouse College board of trustees (including a nearby Martin Luther King, Sr.) hostage on the campus, demanding reform in the school's curriculum and governance. The college eventually agreed to change its ways, but Jackson was charged with and eventually convicted of a second degree felony (unlawful confinement). Jackson was then suspended for two years for his criminal record and his actions (although he would later return to the college to earn his Bachelor of Arts in Drama in 1972). Jackson decided to remain in Atlanta, where he met with Stokely Carmichael, H. Rap Brown, and others active in the Black Power movement. Jackson revealed in the same Parade interview that he began to feel empowered with his involvement in the movement, especially when the group began buying guns. However, before Jackson could become involved with any significant armed confrontation, his mother sent him to Los Angeles after the F.B.I. told her that he would die within a year if he remained with the Black Power movement.

Acting Career:

1970s - 1980s
Jackson initially went to Morehouse College to major in Architecture, but decided to change his major to Drama after taking a public speaking class and appearing in a version of The Threepenny Opera. Jackson began acting in multiple plays including Home and A Soldier's Play. He landed himself in several TV films, and his first feature film was in Together for Days (1972). After these initial roles, Jackson proceeded to move from Atlanta to New York City in 1976 and spent the next decade appearing in stage plays such as The Piano Lesson and Two Trains Running which both premiered at the Yale Repertory Theater.At this point in his early career, Jackson developed alcohol and cocaine addictions, resulting in him being unable to proceed with the two plays as they continued to Broadway (actors Charles S. Dutton and Anthony Chisholm took his place).

Throughout his early film career, mainly in minimal roles in films such as Coming to America (as a criminal robbing a fast food joint) and various TV films, Jackson was mentored by Morgan Freeman. After a 1981 performance in the play A Soldier's Play, Jackson was introduced to beginning director Spike Lee who would later include him in small roles for the films School Daze (1988) and Do the Right Thing (1989). He also played a minor role in the 1990 Martin Scorsese film Goodfellas as real-life Mafia associate Stacks Edwards and also worked as a stand-in on The Cosby Show for Bill Cosby.

1990's:
After completing these films, Jackson's cocaine addiction continued to increase to the point where he overdosed, and his family entered him into a New York rehab clinic.When he successfully completed rehab, Jackson acted in Jungle Fever, as the crack cocaine addict brother to the relatively new actor Wesley Snipes, a role which Jackson called cathartic as he was recovering from his addiction. The film was so acclaimed that the 1991 Cannes Film Festival awarded a special "Supporting Actor" award just for him.After this role, Jackson became involved with multiple film requests, including Strictly Business, Juice, Patriot Games, and then moved on to two comedies: National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1 and Amos & Andrew. After rapid involvement in these films, Jackson worked with director Steven Spielberg in Jurassic Park. He played a major role in Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction. The film was Jackson's most notable role, mainly for his monologues and one-liners along with co-star John Travolta. The film earned Jackson an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor as well as a Golden Globe nomination and a BAFTA Best Supporting Actor award win.

With a succession of unsuccessful films such as Kiss of Death, The Great White Hype, and Losing Isaiah, Jackson began to receive poor reviews from critics who had praised his performance in Pulp Fiction. This ended with his involvement in the two successful box office films A Time To Kill, where he depicted a father who is put on trial for killing two men who raped his daughter, and Die Hard with a Vengeance, co-starring along side Bruce Willis in the third installment of the Die Hard series. For A Time to Kill, Jackson earned a NAACP Image for Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture and a Golden Globe nomination for a Best Supporting Actor.

Quickly becoming a box office star, Jackson continued with three starring roles in 1997. In 187 he played a teacher, dedicated to educating students in a Los Angeles high school but with a terrible secret. He received an Independent Spirit award for Best First Feature alongside first-time writer/director Kasi Lemmons in the drama film Eve's Bayou, for which he also served as executive producer. He joined up again with director Quentin Tarantino and received a Berlin Film Festival Silver Bear for Best Actor and a fourth Golden Globe nomination for his portrayal of arms merchant Ordell Robbie in Jackie Brown. In 1998, he worked with other established actors such as Sharon Stone and Dustin Hoffman in Sphere and Kevin Spacey in The Negotiator, playing a hostage negotiator who resorts to taking hostages himself when he is falsely accused of murder and embezzlement. In 1999, Jackson starred in a shark horror film, Deep Blue Sea, and as Jedi Master Mace Windu in George Lucas's Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. In an interview, Jackson claimed that he did not have a chance to read the script for the film and did not learn he was playing the character Mace Windu until he was fitted for his costume (it is said that he was eager to accept any role, just for the chance to be a part of the Star Wars saga).

On June 13, 2000, Jackson was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame which can be found at 7018 Hollywood Blvd. He began the next decade in his film career as a Marine colonel put on trial in Rules of Engagement, co-starred with Bruce Willis for a third time in the supernatural thriller Unbreakable, and starred in the 2000 remake of the 1971 film Shaft.

Jackson's sole film in 2001 was The Caveman's Valentine, where he plays a homeless musician in a murder thriller. The film was directed by Kasi Lemmons, who previously worked with Jackson in Eve's Bayou. In 2002, he played a recovering alcoholic attempting to keep custody of his kids while dealing with a mishap with Ben Affleck's character in Changing Lanes. He returned for Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, increasing his role from a small role to a supporting role. Mace Windu's purple lightsaber in the film was the result of Jackson's suggestion; he wanted to be sure that his character would stand out in a crowded battle scene.Jackson then acted as an NSA agent alongside Vin Diesel in xXx and a drug dealer wearing a kilt in The 51st State. In 2003, Jackson portrayed another character in a military role, working with John Travolta again in Basic and then as a police sergeant alongside Colin Farrell in the television show remake S.W.A.T. In 2004, Jackson played a mentor to Ashley Judd in the thriller Twisted, and lent his voice to the computer-animated film The Incredibles as the superhero Frozone. Jackson once again appeared in a Tarantino film, by cameoing in Kill Bill, Vol. 2.

Jackson as Jedi Master Mace Windu in the Star Wars prequel trilogy
In 2005, he began with the sports drama, Coach Carter, where he played a coach (based on the actual coach Ken Carter) dedicated to teaching his players that education is more important than basketball. Jackson also returned for two sequels: XXX: State of the Union, this time commanding Ice Cube, and the final prequel George Lucas installment, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. His last film for 2005 was The Man alongside comedian Eugene Levy. On November 4, 2005, he was presented with the Hawaii International Film Festival Achievement in Acting Award.

On January 30, 2006, Jackson was honored with a hand and footprint ceremony at Grauman's Chinese Theater; he is the seventh African American and 191st actor to be recognized in this manner.[20] He next starred opposite of actress Julianne Moore in the box office bomb Freedomland, where he depicted a police detective attempting to help a mother find her abducted child, while quelling a city racial riot. Jackson's second film of the year, Snakes on a Plane, gained cult interest months before the film was released based on its title and cast. Jackson's decision to star in the film was solely based on the title. To build anticipation for the film, he also cameoed in the 2006 music video Snakes on a Plane (Bring It) by Cobra Starship. On December 2, Jackson won the German Bambi Award for International Film, based on his many film contributions. On December 15, 2006, Jackson starred in Home of the Brave, as a doctor returning home from the Iraq War, resorting to alcohol to cope with his feelings after the war.

Jackson in 2008:
On January 30, 2007, Jackson was featured as narrator in Bob Saget's direct-to-DVD Farce of the Penguins. The film was a spoof of the box office success March of the Penguins (which was narrated by Morgan Freeman). His most recent films, released in 2007, were Black Snake Moan, where he portrays a blues player who imprisons a young woman (Christina Ricci) addicted to sex, and the horror film 1408, which casts him alongside John Cusack in an adaptation of the Stephen King short story. In Cleaner, Jackson portrayed an obsessive crime scene cleaner who discovers a covered-up murder.

In 2008, Jackson reprised his role of Mace Windu in the CGI film, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, followed by Lakeview Terrace where he played a racist cop who has problems with his married interracial neighbors. In November of the same year, he starred along with Bernie Mac and Isaac Hayes (who both died prior to the film's release) in Soul Men. He portrays the villain, the Octopus, in the film The Spirit in 2008.

Throughout Jackson's career, he has appeared in many films alongside mainstream rappers. These include Tupac Shakur (Juice), Queen Latifah (Juice), Method Man (One Eight Seven), LL Cool J (Deep Blue Sea/S.W.A.T.), Busta Rhymes (Shaft), Eve (xXx), Ice Cube (xXx: State of the Union), Xzibit (xXx: State of the Union), David Banner (Black Snake Moan), and 50 Cent (Home of the Brave). Additionally, Jackson has appeared in four films with actor Bruce Willis (National Lampoon's Loaded Weapon 1, Pulp Fiction, Die Hard with a Vengeance, and Unbreakable) and the actors were slated to work together in Black Water Transit before both dropped out.

Upcoming films:
Jackson has three upcoming film projects between 2009 and 2011. In 2009 he will provide his voice for the animated science fiction film, Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey. Jackson's uncredited appearance in the post-credit scene of Iron Man has given him the role of Nick Fury for Iron Man 2, (predicted to release in April 2010), and in The Avengers film set for release in July 2011. On October 30, 2008, TV Guide reported that Jackson is due to star as Sho’nuff in a remake of the 1985 cult martial arts classic, The Last Dragon.

Box office performance:
In motion pictures that feature him as a leading actor or supporting co-star, his films have grossed a total of $2.31 to $4.34 billion at the North American box office, placing him as the ninth (as strictly lead) or the second highest-grossing movie star (counting supporting roles) of all time; behind only that of voice actor, Frank Welker. In August 2007, Jackson stated in an interview that he wanted to play a small role in George Lucas's Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull so that he could keep his box office position over Harrison Ford. The 2009 edition of The Guinness World Records, which uses a different calculation to determine film grosses, stated that Jackson is the world's highest grossing actor, having earned $7.42 billion in 68 films.

Appearances and references in pop culture:
Ultimate Nick Fury, based on Samuel L. Jackson's appearance
Jackson gave his consent for Marvel Comics to design their "Ultimate" version of the character Nick Fury after his likeness. Jackson had a cameo as the character in the 2008 Iron Man film. Jackson has also had a song named after him, entitled Sammy L. Jackson by Hot Action Cop. The song was featured on the soundtrack for the 2003 film S.W.A.T, in which Jackson appeared.

Jackson has been parodied multiple times in various television shows and films. He was parodied twice on Chappelle's Show where he was played by comedian Dave Chappelle in sketches involving Mace Windu and a fake commercial peddling "Samuel Jackson" beer (a parody of Samuel Adams). He has also been spoofed in the film Team America: World Police, where he was portrayed as a villainous member of the Film Actors Guild, and the 2007 film Epic Movie, poking fun at his role in Snakes on a Plane.

Jackson also guest-starred as himself in an episode of the BBC/HBO sitcom Extras, voiced the main antagonist, Officer Frank Tenpenny, of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, the lead role in a current anime series, Afro Samurai, and has a recurring part as the voice of Gin Rummy in several episodes of the animated series The Boondocks. In one episode, he paid tribute to his Pulp Fiction character, Jules Winnfield, by reenacting the "What?" scene from the film.
Jackson also provided the voice of Go for a New Testament audio book version of the Bible entitled The Bible Experience, which was released in November 2006. He was given the lead role because producers felt his deep, authoritative voice was perfect for the role.
Jackson is also a sought after host. Thus far, he has hosted the MTV Movie Awards (1998), the ESPYs (1999, 2001, 2002), and the Spike TV Video Game Awards (2005, 2006, 2007).
Jackson is currently the voice of Virgin Media television adverts in the United Kingdom.

Personal life:

Jackson and his wife Latanya Richardson during a tour of Naval Station Pearl Harbor
Jackson married actress Latanya Richardson in 1980, whom he met while attending Morehouse College. The couple, who live in Los Angeles, California, have a daughter, Zoe, born in 1982.
Jackson is a keen basketball fan, and especially favors the Toronto Raptors and the Harlem Globetrotters. He also became a keen Liverpool F.C. fan after filming the movie The 51st State in Liverpool, England. Jackson enjoys playing golf, a game he has been reported to have become very proficient at. He has stated that if he had to choose any other career, he would be "on the PGA [tour] playing golf" and that it is the only place where he "can go dressed as a pimp and fit in perfectly".

Jackson and his daughter Zoe Jackson promoting The 1 Second Film
Jackson has also stated in an interview that he has a clause in his film contracts that allows him to play golf twice a week. Jackson is an active chess player and has won regional tournaments in Chicago,IL (1994), Madison, WI (1998) and Los Angeles, CA (2005).

Jackson has revealed in an interview that he sees every one of his movies in theaters with paying customers claiming that "Even during my theater years, I wished I could watch the plays I was in—while I was in them! I dig watching myself work." He also enjoys collecting the action figures of the characters he portrays in his films including Jules Winnfield, Shaft, Mace Windu, and Frozone.

Jackson is bald in real life, but enjoys wearing unusual wigs in his films. For the film Black Snake Moan, he was allowed to choose the hairstyle he wanted for his character. He is a comic book and anime fan.

Al Pacino: Short Biography.

Date of Birth: 25 April 1940, New York City, New York, USA

Birth Name: Alfredo James Pacino
Nickname: Sonny
Height5' 7" (1.70 m)

One of the greatest actors in all of film history, Al Pacino established himself during one of film's greatest decades, the 1970s, and has become an enduring and iconic figure in the world of American movies. Born on April 25, 1940, in the Bronx, New York, Pacino's parents (Salvatore and Rose) divorced when he was young. His mother moved them into his grandparents' house. Pacino found himself often repeating the plots and voices of characters he had seen in the movies, one of his favorite activities. Bored and unmotivated in school, the young Al Pacino found a haven in school plays, and his interest soon blossomed into a full-time career. Starting on the stage, he went through a lengthy period of depression and poverty, sometimes having to borrow bus fare to make it to auditions. He made it into the prestigious Actors Studio in 1966, studying under legendary acting coach Lee Strasberg, creator of the Method Approach that would become the trademark of many '70s-era actors. After appearing in a string of plays in supporting roles, he finally hit it big with "The Indian Wants the Bronx", winning an Obie award for the 1966-67 season.
That was followed by a Tony Award for "Does the Tiger Wear a Necktie?".

His first feature films made little departure from the gritty realistic stage performances that earned him respect: he played a junkie in The Panic in Needle Park (1971) after his film debut in Me, Natalie (1969). What came next would change his life forever. The role of Michael Corleone in The Godfather (1972) was one of the most sought-after of the time: Robert Redford, Warren Beatty, Jack Nicholson, 'Ryan O'Neal', Robert De Niro and a host of others either wanted it or were mentioned for it, but director Francis Ford Coppola had his heart set on the unknown Italian Pacino for the role, although pretty much everyone else--from the studio to the producers to some of te cast members--didn't want him. Though Coppola won out through slick persuasion, Pacino was in constant fear of being fired during the hellish shoot. Much to his (and Coppola's) relief, the film was a monster hit that did wonders for everyone's career, including Pacino's, and earned him his first Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

Instead of taking on easier projects for the big money he could now command, however, Pacino threw his support behind what he considered tough but important films, such as the true-life crime drama Serpico (1973) and the tragic real-life bank robbery film Dog Day Afternoon (1975). He opened eyes around the film world for his brave choice of roles, and he was nominated three consecutive years for the "Best Actor" Academy Award. He faltered slightly with Bobby Deerfield (1977), but regained his stride with ...And Justice for All. (1979), for which he received another Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. This would, unfortunately, signal the beginning of a decline in his career, which produced such critical and commercial flops as Cruising (1980) and Author! Author! (1982). He took on another vicious gangster role and cemented his legendary status in the ultra-violent cult hit Scarface (1983), but a monumental mistake was about to follow. Revolution (1985) endured an endless and seemingly cursed shoot in which equipment was destroyed, weather was terrible, and Pacino became terribly ill with pneumonia. Constant changes in the script also further derailed a project that seemed doomed from the start anyway. The Revolutionary War film is considered one of the worst films ever, not to mention one of the worst of his career, resulted in his first truly awful reviews and kept him off the sceen for the next four years.

Returning to the stage, Pacino has done much to give back and contribute to the theatre, which he considers his first love. He directed a film, The Local Stigmatic (1990), but it remains unreleased. He lifted his self-imposed exile with the striking Sea of Love (1989) as a hard-drinking cop. It marked the second phase of Pacino's career, being the first to feature his now famous dark, owl eyes and hoarse, gravelly voice. Returning to the Corleones, he made The Godfather: Part III (1990) and earned raves for his first comedic role in the colorful Dick Tracy (1990). This earned him another Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor, and two years later he was nominated for Glengarry Glen Ross (1992). He went into romantic mode for Frankie and Johnny (1991). In 1992 he finally won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his amazing performance in Scent of a Woman (1992). A mixture of technical perfection (he plays a blind man) and charisma, the role was tailor-made for him, and remains a classic. The next few years would see Pacino becoming more comfortable with acting and movies as a business, turning out great roles in great films with more frequency and less of the demanding personal involvement of his wilder days. Carlito's Way (1993) proved another gangster classic, as did the epic crime drama Heat (1995) directed by Michael Mann and co-starring Robert De Niro, although they only had a few scenes together.

He returned to the director's chair for the highly acclaimed and quirky Shakespeare adaptation Looking for Richard (1996). City Hall (1996), Donnie Brasco (1997) and The Devil's Advocate (1997) all came out in this period. Reteaming with Mann and then Oliver Stone, he gave two commanding performances in The Insider (1999) and Any Given Sunday (1999).

In his personal life, Pacino is one of Hollywood's most enduring and notorious bachelors, having never been married. He has a daughter, Julie Marie, with acting teacher Jan Tarrant, and a new set of twins with longtime girlfriend Beverly D'Angelo. His romantic history includes a long-time romance with "Godfather" co-star Diane Keaton. With his intense and gritty performances, Pacino was an original in the acting profession. His Method approach would become the process of many actors throughout time, and his unbeatable number of classic roles has already made him a legend among film buffs and all aspiring actors and directors. His commitment to acting as a profession and his constant screen dominance has established him as one of the movies' true legends.

Coolest white actor?

Seems to be some debate as to whether he was the coolest actor of his era - or the coolest white dude ever...

Hmmm... we'd appreciate your comments.

Also Check out: http://www.jamesdean.com/

Coolest 60's era brother?

From the football field to the big screen, this dude was the embodiment of cool. Our viewpoint is that he was the greatest football running back. Not just skill wise or stats - but also personality, image and reputation. If you ever got the chance to see one of his old Slaughter movies - or any other for that matter - very few come close to him.

Apart from the fellow creators of this blog - I rate him as one of the true definitions of cool.

Here's a short biography:

"5.2 yards per carry, never missed game, won the rushing title every year but one when he was in the league, there was a lot of contenders but if you have to select one, you have to pick Jim as the greatest running back in history."
- Bob Costas

After being tackled, he would pick himself up off the grass painfully and slowly, looking like a man who had been hit by a bus. He would trudge ever so deliberately back to the huddle. Then, on the next play, he would burst through the line again, shrugging off would-be tacklers.
Jim Brown is to running backs what Superman is to cartoon heroes. Standing 6-foot-2 and packing 230 hard pounds on his square-shouldered frame, he was an explosive fullback, combining outstanding speed with awesome power.

Brown played only nine seasons for the Cleveland Browns -- and led the NFL in rushing eight times. He averaged 104 yards a game, a record 5.2 yards a pop. He ran for at least 100 yards in 58 of his 118 regular-season games (he never missed a game). He ran for 237 yards in a game twice, scored five touchdowns in another game and four times scored four touchdowns. He rushed for more than 1,000 yards in seven seasons, scorching opponents for 1,527 yards in one 12-game season and 1,863 in a 14-game season.

"For mercurial speed, airy nimbleness, and explosive violence in one package of undistilled evil, there is no other like Mr. Brown," wrote Pulitzer Prize winning sports columnist Red Smith.
Unlike most athletes, Brown retired when he was on top. At age 30, he decided he'd rather star in movies than on a football field. When he left the game before the 1966 season, no player had ever ran for as many yards (12,312) or scored more touchdowns (126) or rushing touchdowns (106). "And he played at a time when defenses were set against the run first and the pass second," said Hall of Fame running back Gale Sayers.

Amazingly, football might not have been Brown's best sport. Some say he was a more talented lacrosse player, and he is the only person to be inducted into the halls of fame for pro football, college football and lacrosse.

Brown was born Feb. 17, 1936 on St. Simons Island off the southern coast of Georgia. He was abandoned by his father about two weeks after his birth, and his mother left when he was 2 to take a job as a maid on Long Island, N.Y. His great-grandmother raised Brown, and they shared a house with his grandmother, who was an alcoholic. When he was 4, he attended school in a segregated two-room shack. At 8, his mother sent for him; it was the first time they had seen each other in six years.

At mostly white Manhasset High School, Brown earned 13 letters playing football, basketball, baseball, lacrosse and running track. As a senior, he averaged 14.9 yards a carry in football and 38 points a game in basketball. While in high school, Brown and several other athletes created a gang called "The Gaylords," and Brown was elected president. He said the gang got involved in fistfights but nothing too dangerous, and nobody ever did jail time.

As a sophomore at Syracuse University, Brown was the second leading rusher on the team. That winter, he was Syracuse's second leading scorer in basketball, averaging 15 points. He also earned a letter in track that spring.

As a junior, he rushed for 666 yards (5.2 per carry), averaged 11.3 points in basketball and was named a second-team All-American in lacrosse. In his senior year, Brown was first-team All-American in both football and lacrosse (43 goals in 10 games to tie for the national scoring championship). He averaged 6.2 yards in running for 986 yards -- third most in the country despite Syracuse playing only eight games -- and scored 14 touchdowns.

In the regular-season finale, a 61-7 rout of Colgate, he rushed for 197 yards, scored six touchdowns and kicked seven extra points for 43 points. Then in the Cotton Bowl, he rushed for 132 yards, scored three touchdowns and kicked three extra points. But a blocked extra point after Syracuse's third touchdown was the difference as TCU won 28-27.

Brown, Cleveland's first-round draft choice at No. 6 overall, was the league's Rookie of the Year in 1957, leading all running backs with 942 yards. "When you have a thoroughbred," coach Paul Brown said, "you run him."

The next year, the fullback was named MVP after leading the league in rushing with 1,527 yards and touchdowns with 18. But his season ended in disappointment when the Browns lost the regular-season finale 13-10 to the New York Giants, leaving the teams tied for first in the East, and then 10-0 the following Sunday. Brown was held to eight yards on seven carries in the playoff game.
Brown's 1,329 and 1,257 yards in 12-game seasons led NFL rushers the next two seasons. In 1961, in the first 14-game season, Brown led the league for the fifth straight season, with 1,408 yards. But the Browns again failed to make the postseason. In 1962, for the only time in his career, Brown failed to win the rushing title, gaining just 996 yards. Growing differences with Paul Brown worsened as Cleveland fell to 7-6-1. After the season, the outspoken fullback headed a players revolt and told owner Art Modell "either Paul Brown goes or I quit." Paul Brown was fired.

In his first season under new coach Blanton Collier, Brown became the first back to run for more than a mile with his 1,863-yard total. He led the league with 1,446 yards in 1963 as the Browns won the NFL championship, routing Baltimore 27-0 in the title game with Brown rushing for a game-high 114 yards. In 1965 -- in what would be his final season -- Brown won his second MVP after leading the league in rushing with 1,544 yards and scoring 21 touchdowns (17 running). The Browns made it back to the title game, but this time they lost, 23-12 to the Packers.

While working on the movie "The Dirty Dozen" in London during the offseason, Brown stunned the sports world by announcing his retirement. He said he wanted to devote more time to his movie career and race relations. Brown went on to appear in some 32 movies, with "The Dirty Dozen" and "Ice Station Zebra" being the best.

In the 1960s, Brown helped form the Negro Industrial Economic Union to assist black-owned businesses. In 1988, he created the Amer-I-Can program, an effort to turn gang members from destructive to productive members of society. Today, Amer-I-Can is successfully operating in 12 U.S. cities and promoting a skills curriculum that is designed to teach inmates how to empower themselves to turn their lives around with positive self-esteem and self-determination. Brown and his program were closely involved with the development of a cease-fire between two of Los Angeles' most violent rival gangs, the Bloods and Crips. Brown continues to work in the community to create better lives for his fellow citizens.
Text Courtesy ofESPN.com (Larry Swartz)

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