A Short Biography of Michael Bloomberg

04 February 2011

Want to expand your knowledge of some of the world’s most successful people? This short biography of Michael Bloomberg may well be of interest if you’re curious about how he came to be where he is today.

Born on 14th February 1942, Michael Rubens Bloomberg as he was named by his parents started out life in the Boston neighbourhood of Brighton. His father, a man with roots from Russia was a real estate agent. His mother was also the daughter of a Russian family and has lived past 100 years of age.

Until Michael was 2, the Bloombergs continued to live in their home in Boston before relocating to Brookline in the state of Massachusetts, and finally settling back in Boston, in the town of Medford. Michael Bloomberg lived here until after he completed college.

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Bio of Christy Walton

13 January 2011

Christy Walton is the widow of John Walton the Wal-Mart billionaire, When John died on the 27th June 2005 Christy inherited $15.7 billion.  In March of 2009 she was proclaimed the 12th richest person in the Forbes World’s Billionaires with a net worth of 17.6 billion.  Christy and her son, Lukas, currently live in Jackson, Wyoming.

The death of John Walton was unexpected as he flew and experimental ultra light aircraft from Jackson Hole Airport in Grand Teton National Park.  The aircraft experienced complications soon after takeoff and John crashed to his death at the age of 58 years.  Flying was a huge passion of Johns’ and he spent many hours in the air trying out different aircraft designs.

John also inherited the business of Wal-Mart from his father Sam Walton who opened his first variety store at the age of 26 after leaving the armed forces.  The first store was a franchise of the Butler Brother Chain for which he loaned $20,000 from his father-in-law to buy.  Sam’s store soon became the leader in the franchise because of the methods he used to secure saving for the customers.  It only took 4 years for Sam to quadruple the turnover of this small store with a net of $250,000 a year in 1950; this was the beginning of his legacy and the Wal-Mart Supermarket chain.

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Bio of Jacqueline Mars

12 January 2011

Jacqueline Mars, born in the United States and one of three siblings of the late Forrest Mars is the heiress to her Grandfather’s confectionary company. Whenever you bite into a Mars Bar, Milky Way, Twix or Snickers you can think of Jacqueline Mars grandfather Frank Mars who founded the company in 1911. When the siblings inherited the Mars Corporation there was talk that the three would sell the company and live a wealthy life off the proceeds.

Jacqueline Mars, who is now twice divorced with three children, took the bull by the horns with her brothers and continued the growth and development of the company. Although she could have lived happily on the sale of her inheritance, today she is worth an estimated $14 billion dollars from her own driving efforts. She was profiled by Forbes as being in the top 50 on the world’s rich list and at 68 years old the 4th richest woman in the world.

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A Short Biography of Sergey Brin

11 January 2011

This short biography of Sergey Brin follows his career and business ventures and triumphs.

On 21st August 1973, in the Russian capital of Moscow, a boy was born. His name was Sergey Mikhaylovich Brin, and he would in his later life help to transform the world of technology. Sergey was born in a time when the Soviet Union was still in existence.

Both of his parents were extremely intelligent people, both of Jewish faith. His father is a Professor of Mathematics at the University of Maryland just outside of Washington DC. His mother is a research scientist for NASA. It’s easy to see where his intelligence came from.

His family emigrated from Russia to the US in 1979 because at the time, communists did not allow Jewish people to enter into the universities in the Soviet Union, and it was therefore adamant for the wellbeing and education of the Brins’ son that they relocated.

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A Short Biography of Larry Page

10 January 2011

This is a short biography of Larry Page, co founder of Google Inc, now known as one of the world’s most powerful people due to his passionate technological endeavours.

Larry Page was born on 26th March 1973 to a Jewish family in Michigan, USA. He with the help of his class mate and friend would in later life help to transform the world of technology.

Both of his parents were professors of computer science at the Michigan State University in their home town. Because of their professions, Page recalls computer equipment and magazines cluttering their home when he was a boy.

Page has an older brother, who was apparently responsible for teaching the young Page how to disassemble things in their home and this further fuelled his interest in how everything works. He says that he had always had a strong interest in invention hence his later interest in technology.

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Bio of Lee Shau Kee

03 October 2010

Making it in the top 20 of the Forbes’ billionaires list is no small feat, and to be an actual businessperson to amass that wealth instead of simply inheriting it is just amazing. Lee Shau Kee, the second wealthiest man in Asia, is worth around $19 billion USD and holds many titles in Hong Kong, including a few nicknames like "Hong Kong’s Buffett."

The "Buffett" is in reference to the United States of America’s multi-billion-dollar investment guru Warren Buffett - currently the second-richest man in the world with an estimated net worth of around $47 billion USD. Kee’s wealth is still incredibly substantial, especially considering his humble beginnings.

Lee Shau Kee was born January 29, 1928 in Shunde, Guangdong, China. After World War Two, Kee was looking to start up a business like many other people in Asia at the time. This is when he met up with another famous billionaire, Kwok Tak-Seng, and began putting the pieces in place for what would eventually become Sun Hung Kai Properties Limited.

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Bio of Kwok Family

02 October 2010

The famous Kwok family has long been one of the richest families in the world. Although their fortune took a hit a few years ago, the Kwok’s are back up to over 17 billion (USD) in worth, even with inner turmoil, lawsuits and other problems with their real estate business. Still going strong, the Kwok’s continue to make big waves in today’s real estate market.

 The Kwok family now consists of Walter, Thomas, Raymond and their mother Kwong Siu-hing. The children inherited the family fortune with their father, Kwok Tak-Seng, died of a heart attack in 1990 at the age of 79.

Kwok was an entrepreneur in China and the mind behind developing Sun Hun Kai Properties (SHKP). This corporation eventually became the biggest property developer in Hong Kong, and to date is the among the largest real estate developers in all of Asia.

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A Biography of World-Renowned Bronze Sculptor Richard MacDonald

31 July 2010

Throughout the years, sculptures have been providing a very unique type of art. In the old days, some took their chisels and etched out a place in history using slabs of marble, limestone, granite and other large rocks. Metals eventually started taking their place, and bronze is one of the more popular metals used today.

One of the most widely recognized sculptors of this era is Richard MacDonald. Richard specializes in bronze sculptures, ranging in size and style, and his work is consistently flawless in terms of minor details and overall craftsmanship. One of MacDonald’s most impressive pieces, technically a series of sculptures, is The Gymnast.

MacDonald was always considered a talented American artist, but he never really broke out in the mainstream until the mid 1990s. When the Olympic Games were coming to Atlanta, Georgia in 1996, MacDonald was tasked with creating a sculpture for Centennial Park. He sculpted “Flair Across America,” a 26-foot tall bronze statue of an athlete.

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Biography of Cinema Legend Farrah Fawcett

24 July 2010

Actress and famous cancer spokesperson Farrah Fawcett was born February 2, 1947 in Corpus Christi, Texas. Farrah was famous around the world for her stunning good looks. She was one of America’s best known models in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and she will always be remembered as one of the original Charlie’s Angels.

Farrah was more of a reserved, smart girl in her younger years. She went to high school at W. B. Ray in Texas and was not surprisingly dubbed the most beautiful student for all four years she attended. After graduating in 1965, Farrah planned on studying microbiology and enrolled at The University of Texas.

By a chance meeting, Farrah crossed paths with a celebrity publicist. He convinced her to move out to California and to attempt modeling. Her parents were dead against this at the start, but after relenting, Farrah and her family made the trek to California in the summer of 1968. She landed modeling jobs immediately and was sought after for TV ads.

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All-time Icons of Cinema - Robert Redford

16 July 2010

Actor, director and mainstream political activist Robert Redford was born on August 18, 1936 in Santa Monica, California. Over the course of his long career, Redford has become increasingly generous with his charitable donations, and also increasingly political, famously standing directly against the latter Bush administration.

Redford was born Charles Robert Redford, Jr. and was an extremely talented baseball player when he was young. In fact, Redford landed a baseball scholarship and played at the University of Colorado in Boulder in 1955. Robert was one of the top college prospects in the nation until his mother died suddenly, leaving Robert shattered.

After being kicked off of the baseball team for drinking and an overall lack of performance, Redford set his sights on becoming a painter. He took a job at a Los Angeles oil field solely to fund his ambitions of moving to Paris and attending art school. He ended up studying with artists in Italy, but by 1958, Redford grew bored of the life.

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A Short Biography of Cinematic Legend Clint Eastwood

07 July 2010

World famous actor and director Clint Eastwood was born on May 31, 1930 in San Francisco, California. Acting in and directing feature films for over five decades, Eastwood is still working in the industry today. He is considered to be one of the greatest American actors ever and certainly one of the biggest stars in the Western genre.

Eastwood’s family was hit hard by the Great Depression. With an older sibling, his sister Jean, Clint had a relatively small family, and this worked in the family’s favor as they moved from San Fran to Oakland, California in the late 1930s. Clint attended and graduated from Oakland Technical High School in 1948.

Like many of the world’s most famous actors, Clint had no desire to act. In fact, it was the furthest thing from his mind as he worked a series of odd jobs. Eastwood tried his hands as a logger, a big-rig driver, a steel furnace worker, and even as a hay bailer. He continued to do odd jobs for nearly three years, until he was called to duty in 1950.

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Biography of Acting Legend Paul Newman

01 July 2010

World renowned actor Paul Leonard Newman was born in Cleveland, Ohio on January 26, 1925. Throughout Newman’s life, the talented performer tried various Hollywood roles on for size, but always managed to climb back into the “ladykiller” role that launched his career and made him famous.

Apart from being a celebrated actor, Newman was also an extremely charitable person. The successful food company he started, dealing primarily in salad dressings, earned millions of dollars annually. Paul donated every penny of his food company’s earnings to various charities around the globe.

Paul Newman never intended on being an actor. Growing up in an average family in Shaker Heights, Ohio, Newman wanted to be a professional athlete after falling in love with sports and spending days at his father’s sporting-goods store. He did act some as a child, however, in various school productions.

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Biography of Alfieri Maserati

28 June 2010

Alfieri Maserati is part of the famous Maserati Brothers. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Maserati’s were involved with automobiles and automotive parts. They would eventually revolutionize the Italian sports car through their collective efforts. The brothers, all seven of them, were born to Rodolfo and Carolina Maserati in Voghera, Lombardy, Italy.

Alfieri was named after his brother who died at the early age of one. Along with the oldest brother Carlo, as well as other brothers Bindo, Mario, Ettore and Ernesto, six of the Maserati boys lent their particular expertise to the now famous line of Italian luxury cars.

The younger Alfieri was born in 1903 and dreamed mostly of following his older brothers’ footsteps as an automotive enthusiast. While he was still a teenager, Alfieri began working with his older brother Bindo in Milan. The two worked for Isotta-Fraschini, a large Italian manufacturing company dealing with marine engines, luxury goods and luxury cars.

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Biography Of Screen and Stage Legend Fred Astaire

24 June 2010

Born on May 10, 1899 in Omaha, Nebraska, Fred Astaire is highly regarded as one of the earliest and most influential celebrity entertainers of the 20th century. His career, spanning Broadway, Hollywood and even the popular charts as a recording artist, is one of the most celebrated in American history.

Astaire was born Frederick Austerlitz to second-generation German and Jewish immigrants. The family had moved to Nebraska due to Astaire’s father landing a job with a brewing company. Fred’s mother prompted her children to perform as a way to escape the drab surroundings, and Fred and his sister Adele soon started performing their act.

The family returned to New York City soon after Fred’s father lost his job. In 1905, the brother-sister act started to use the name Astaire instead of Austerlitz and the duo soon became known as the best child act in the area. After Adele sprung up a few inches taller than Fred, the pair took a break.

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Biography Of The Singer And Film Star Liza Minelli

19 June 2010

Liza Minnelli was born on March 12th, 1946 in Hollywood, California to Judy Garland and Vincente Minnelli. Her parents were both active in the film industry her father was an acclaimed film director and her mother was successful in both film and music. While in High School she went to Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Performing Arts in New York.

At the young age of three Minnelli first appeared on film in a movie with her mother called In The Good Old Summertime. It wouldn’t be until 1963 that Minnelli would first start performing professionally on a regular basis. She won the Theatre World Award for her performance in The Best Foot Forward in 1963.

Minnelli was also active in the music industry when she was 19 she made her debut as a nightclub singer at the Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C. In the years to follow she would appear in stage performances in Las Vegas, Los Angeles and even New York City. It would be this success that would give her the opportunity to record a number of albums for Capitol Records including Liza! Liza.

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Biography Of Eccentric Nightclub Owner Peter Stringfellow

17 June 2010

The Stringfellows nightclubs and gentleman’s clubs in London and Paris are considered some of the top nightlife locations in the world. Many famous celebrities frequent the Stringfellows night spots, and there have even been reports of famous individuals, like Canadian actor Keifer Sutherland, being thrown out for unruly behavior.

These nightclubs are hot spots for the wealthy because of one man, Peter Stringfellow. Peter not only provides a place for the rich and famous to gather, but he himself leads an eccentric and extravagant lifestyle. The multi-millionaire businessman and nightclub magnate is constantly the butt of tabloid rumors and media bashing.

Peter Stringfellow has a Paris Hilton-like relationship with media, in that his outlandish behavior and famous spending sprees are always receiving ridicule from British media. The 69-year-old Stringfellow is berated for dressing and acting like a teenager. He is also a supporter of the UK’s Conservative Party - a position that frequently earns disrespect in the mainstream.

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Biography Of American Film Icon Faye Dunaway

15 June 2010

Academy Award-winning actress and American film icon Faye Dunaway was one of the most talented actresses working throughout the 1970s. She has starred in some iconic pictures, including Chinatown with Jack Nicholson and Bonnie and Clyde. Dunaway has managed to earn the respect of the establishment, even though she’s known for not always playing along.

The actress was born Dorothy Faye Dunaway on January 14, 1941 in Bascom, Florida. Dunaway’s life was unspectacular for the most part. Her mother was an average suburban housewife and her father was an Army NCO. After graduating from the University of Florida in 1962 having majored in theater, she joined the American National Theater and Academy.

Like most theater majors turned Hollywood star, Faye’s career took a natural path through Broadway. She earned a big role in 1962’s A Man for All Seasons, and she continued to act in on-state productions and in small screen roles over the next few years. Dunaway’s big break came in 1967 in The Happening. This is also the year she starred in Bonnie and Clyde - her first Oscar-nominated role.

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Biography of Mohamed Al-Fayed - Businessman and Philanthropist

11 June 2010

Mohamed Al-Fayed is a world-renowned businessman and philanthropist, heading up the AlFayed Foundation, the Fulham football club and, until last year, owning one of the world’s largest department stores for 25 years, Harrods. Al-Fayed has recently stepped down from his ownership of many ventures and decided to spend more time with his family at 81 years old.

Al-Fayed is one of the most successful businessmen to have ever come out of Egypt. He was born there in Alexandria in 1929 and lived in Egypt as a child with his family including two brothers, Ali Fayed and Salah Fayed.

Mohamed was born the oldest son of an Egyptian school teacher, and it didn’t take him long before finding the entrepreneurial spirit. While still in primary school, Al-Fayed started selling homemade lemonade to the other children. He began to show a knack for controlling money and making the right moves. This served him well after finishing school.

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A Short Biography of Charles Saatchi

05 June 2010

Along with his brother Maurice, Charles Saatchi was part of the world’s largest advertising agency for much of the late 1980s and early 90s. After the brothers were forced out of their business - Saatchi & Saatchi - in 1995, the duo formed a new agency called M&C Saatchi. To date, M&C is one of the top advertising agencies in Europe.

Maurice Saatchi is famous in his own right, but his brother Charles is a world recognized celebrity figure. Charles was born in Baghdad, Iraq in 1947. Like many Iraqi families of the era, the Saatchi’s were wealthy and thus ripe for persecution. They fled to London to avoid maltreatment, and Charles received a good education from Christ’s College.

Charles’ tastes were quite varied as a young man, taking a liking to U.S. pop culture, cards and comic collecting, and even art after seeing a painting by Jackson Pollock. With these interests in mind, Saatchi wanted a career that would make him rich and famous. He attended the London College of Communication and set out to form his own advertising agency after graduating.

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Biography Of David Beckham, the Footballer, Celebrity and Superstar

02 June 2010

World famous soccer star, model and socialite David Beckham has been a mainstay in the global mainstream for over a decade. His fame was sort of off-putting for many of his fellow athletes. Instead of becoming famous for being a world-class soccer (football) player, Beckham was more famous for being an attractive man - the Brad Pitt of English footy. Not to mention his marriage with a Spice Girl.

Genetic blessings aside, David Beckham was still - and still is, according to some - a legitimate soccer star. He was on the 2008 English World Cup team, and his unique style of play and powerful bending kick were even on display in a movie made evoking his name, Bend it Like Beckham.

The mid-fielder affectionately known as Becks was born David Robert Joseph Beckham on May 2, 1975 in Leytonstone, London, England. His talent for the game has been overshadowed by his success in other arenas, but Beckham was a stud of a footballer at a very young age. He made his professional debut in 1992 for Manchester United.

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A Short Biography of Motown Legend Diana Ross

27 May 2010

Known as one of R&B’s original divas, Diana Ross is a famous singer and actress who was instrumental in shaping the “Motown sound” in the 1960s and partly responsible for helping to change a country’s attitude about many social issues. As lead singer of the famous group The Supremes and as a solo artist, Ross has amassed over 100 million record sales across the globe.

Ross was born Diana Ernestine Earle Ross on March 26, 1944 in Detroit, Michigan. During the era, young black teenagers used to form into singing groups and perform on corners, in schools, or anywhere else they could showcase their music. Ross formed a group with some of her friends, including Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard. Barbara Martin was eventually added.

The group, known as The Supremes, was signed to Motown Records in 1961. Barbara Martin left the group in 1962, and instead of replacing her, the trio of girls powered on without a fourth member. Berry Gordy felt the set up was better this way. He also noticed that Diana stood out among the girls, and in 1963, Ross became the group’s lead vocalist.

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Legendary Folk-Rock Duo Simon and Garfunkel

23 May 2010

The widely successful American folk-rock group Simon & Garfunkel was formed in 1957 by singer-songwriters Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel. Although America’s mainstream might say otherwise, folk-rock and “cult concerts,” as they’re sometimes referred to, have an enormous following, as evidenced by bands like Phish and the Grateful Dead.

Simon & Garfunkel still won’t be certified by many with the credit they’re undoubtedly due, but the mainstream music scene has always been that way; and ever since the band’s first attempt at music in the late 1950s, the duo has had to settle for sometimes being misrepresented and even ignored by the pop-chart culture.

Paul Frederic Simon was born October 13, 1941 in Newark, New Jersey. He is the son of a musician and aspired to be a performer since a very young age. Arthur Ira Garfunkel was born November 5, 1941 in Forest Hills, New York. The two young men would meet and become fast friends while attending elementary school.

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A Short Biography of Actress And Philanthropist Audrey Hepburn

18 May 2010

Iconic actress and philanthropist Audrey Hepburn was born on May 4, 1929 in Brussels, Belgium. To this day, Audrey remains one of Hollywood’s most loved stars, and she’s sometimes credited as the first legitimate non-blonde movie star in cinema history. She was well known for her beauty and grace on the screen, but she also became loved for her generosity off screen.

As a young girl, Audrey moved to England when her father’s job as an insurance agent meant the family needed to relocate. Due to the growing tensions in the world because of Hitler and the Nazis, Hepburn’s parents divorced in 1935. Her father was a Nazi sympathizer and all but wrecked the family with his ideology.

Although she was only 6 years old at the time, Audrey carried this traumatic experience with her for the rest of her life. She was forced to move again when the Nazi’s threatened invasion in 1939. She relocated to the Netherlands with her mother. Unfortunately, the Netherlands fell to Nazi occupation in 1940, so the family made the best of their surroundings and didn’t flee.

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Biography of Singer and Actress Olivia Newton John

15 May 2010

World famous singer and actress Olivia Newton John was born September 26, 1948 in Cambridge, England. Although the star is mostly known for her singing talents around the globe, having earned four Grammy awards and five number-one Billboard hits, she is also considered to be a talented actress.

Olivia was born into a highly academic family; however, she sought the limelight and decided at an early age to forego any ambition of academia. She moved to Australia when she was 5, and after only 10 years on the continent, Olivia started an all-girl singing group known as The Sol Four.

In that same year, she entered into a talent quest television show called Sing, Sing, Sing. She won this contest easily and, by 1963, John was a regular fixture on daytime television in Australia. The following year, a young Olivia returned to England and frequented the London scene, performing with a friend, Pat, in nightclubs and in cabaret.

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The British Musical Sensation - Sir Elton John

09 May 2010

Legendary blues-rock singer Sir Elton John has been delivering timeless classics for decades. This British musical sensation burst onto the scene in the mid 1960s and is still performing today at some of the world’s biggest and most reputable venues. John was born Reginald Kenneth Dwight on March 25, 1947 in Pinner, Middlesex, England.

John was an exceptionally intelligent young man who left school at the age of 17 to follow his dreams of being a musician. Despite his father’s urging to become a banker or practically anything but a musician, the young man was eager to break away from his repressive childhood and let loose on stage with his own brand of music and personality.

Both of John’s parents were gifted musicians in their own right, and Elton was playing the piano by age 3 and was accepted into the Royal Academy of Music at only age 11. It was the gigs John landed as the pianist at local pubs that really developed his taste for music and performing. He went by the name Reggie and played popular classics.

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Stringfellow's - The Gentleman's Club That's A Cut Above The Rest

02 May 2010

Stringfellow’s is currently one of the most popular night clubs in the UK. Now with two locations in London in the UK, and one in Paris, France, this line of clubs started by Peter Stringfellow has stood the test of time and is recognized the world over for offering a classy gentleman’s atmosphere that still manages to get down and dirty with wild parties and nude girls.

Peter Stringfellow was born to a modest family in Sheffield, Yorkshire, England in 1940 and lived in London as a child. This is where he picked the location for his first Stringfellow’s club, the now-famous Stringfellow’s at Covent Garden.

Offering more than average nude clubs with classier dancers and high-end clientele, this table-dancing club quickly became legendary.It wasn’t long before Peter took the plunge and opened up another club in London, Stringfellow’s Angels, but the original club remains the most popular and is where it all started. Stringfellow was no stranger to the business having owned and managed clubs before, like King Mojo, and his experience shines through in his London hot spot.

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Legends of the 1960s - Minnie Riperton

01 May 2010

One of the original and only American pop stars to display a vocal range of more than five octaves, Minnie Riperton is undoubtedly best known for her smash hit Lovin’ You. Although Minnie passed away in 1979 at only 31 years of age, she left behind a strong musical legacy, and also a daughter, Maya, who is a successful comedian and actress.

Minnie Julia Riperton was born November 8, 1947 in Chicago, Illinois. Growing up in Chicago’s notoriously run down South Side, Minnie was the youngest of 8 children in a musically inclined family. She began at a young age with dancing, but after noticing her vocal talent, Riperton’s parents urged her to pursue a musical career.

Because of her unique octave range, Minnie’s opera music trainers taught her something unconventional and advised her to use her entire vocal range. However, Minnie didn’t last long in the opera world. She was drawn to rhythm and blues and other music with soul. By the time she was 15, Minnie was singing with a group named The Gems.

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A Short Biography of Dudley Moore

26 April 2010

Talented actor and comedian Dudley Moore was born April 19, 1935 in Dagenham, London. Dudley was only 5 foot 2 inches tall, but his impressive swagger and comedic talents made him a hit with the ladies and earned him the nickname “The Sex Thimble.” Moore was an active performer until his death in 2002 at the age of 66.

Dudley’s story has become something of a legend where the actor is from. Being born to a lower working class family and raised in the notoriously meager East London, Moore always showed great determination in his life, overcoming his status, his height and a deformed left foot to lead an extremely successful life.

Although Moore had developed a joking personality at an early age, he didn’t necessarily aspire to be a comedian. Instead, Dudley wanted to become a musician. He began at an early age as a chorister and organist at church before earning a degree in music composition from Oxford and becoming an accomplished pianist.

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Legends of the 1970s - Tom Petty

23 April 2010

One of the most successful bands of the 1970s and most influential of the 1980s, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers are a platinum-selling rock band whose success is only bested by Tom Petty and his solo career. With a canon of classic hits, Petty remains one of rock’s greatest living legends and still dabbles in music after decades in the industry.

Petty was born Thomas Earl Petty on October 20, 1950 in Gainesville, Florida. Like many boys born in the 50s, Tom found his first real musical influence in Elvis Presley. And after seeing The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show, Petty was positive that he wanted to form a rock band and perform music.

In the 1970s, Tom wasted no time seeing his dream to fruition. He hooked up with a few other young musicians from the area and formed the Sundowners. Later, they switched their name to Mudcrutch and developed a local following. After no commercial success, Petty left to go solo, but would come back quickly to form Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers.

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Legends of Cinema - Diane Keaton

20 April 2010

Award-winning actress, producer and director Diane Keaton was born January 5, 1946 in Los Angeles California. Keaton wasn’t the typical Hollywood type in her younger years, and her acting talents were in question for some time. However, after a storied career packed with blockbuster movies, Diane is now considered one of the industry’s premier actresses.

Keaton was born Diane Hall in California and is the oldest of four children. She was raised in an affluent community by parents with flourishing careers. Diane’s story isn’t the rags-to-riches saga that most fawn over, but her grit and determination is something to be admired for aspiring actors and actresses of the world.

Keaton wasn’t sure what she wanted to do with her life. It wasn’t until Diane witnessed her mother win the Mrs. Los Angeles pageant that she decided on a life of fame. Diane attended Santa Ana High School and participated actively in the school’s acting clubs. She also went to Santa Ana and Orange Coast College, where she studied acting.

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Don McLean - Legend of the 70s Folk Era

17 April 2010

Known primarily for his gigantic smash hit American Pie, Don McLean is a legendary folksinger who got started with his music career in the 1960s. With musical idols like Buddy Holly, McLean crafted a style of music that no one had heard before. This singer-songwriter was born on October 2, 1945 and still produces music today at age 64.

Don McLean was a huge fan of lighthearted, folksy music from a very early age. Don picked up his first guitar when he was 16 years old and began to play songs for his family and friends. Don befriended other folk artists while still in high school and began to hone his talents before graduating.

After graduating from Iona Prep in 1963, Don entered into Villanova University for four months before deciding to drop out. While there, he met fellow singer-songwriter Jim Croce and began a tight friendship. McLean decided music was to be his life, and while earning a degree via night classes at Iona College, he was playing in many clubs around the area.

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Legends of Cinema - John Travolta

15 April 2010

Iconic actor, dancer and singer John Travolta was born February 18, 1954 in Englewood, New Jersey. Travolta is sometimes referred to as the comeback kid, due to his early career that all but fizzled out until a timeless role in an independent film brought him back into the mainstream bigger and better than ever.

Travolta has the “everyman” appeal that makes his story very alluring to people of all ages looking for inspiration. As the youngest of six children in a quintessential Irish neighborhood, a young John Joseph Travolta wished to follow in his father’s footsteps as a football player before settling on acting.

His mother Helen was a small-time actor and singer who went on to become a high school English and drama teacher. After graduating from high school, John decided that her career path was more to his liking, and he jumped across the Hudson to New York and eventually landed a role in Broadway’s production of Over Here.

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Story of Legendary Rock and Roll Band The Rolling Stones

12 April 2010

Legendary rock and roll band The Rolling Stones got their start in 1962 and they’re still performing on the road and releasing new music today after nearly five decades in the business. Most books written about the group cannot rightly sum up their entire career; it’s just been too storied and too drawn out to correctly quantify the magic behind the men.

The band’s front man Mick Jagger and guitarist Keith Richards were childhood friends growing up in England. After moving away from one another, the men reunited by chance in 1960 while respectively on their way to college. They shared eerily similar taste in music and formed a small band named Little Boy Blue and the Blue Boys.

After meeting and befriending other band mates Ian Stewart, Charlie Watts, Tony Chapman and Brian Jones, the guys christened their band and came up with the name by chance. Jones was in charge of the christening, and in a panic, he took a name from a Muddy Waters track titled Rollin’ Stone.

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Rod Stewart Biography

08 April 2010

Legendary singer Rod Stewart was born January 10, 1945 in London, England. Through a number of different bands and various solo projects, Rod has always managed to captivate most of his listeners with his incredibly unique voice and larger than life personality. After four decades in the music industry, Stewart is still going strong today.

Like many gravel-voiced, sultry singers, every breath of Rod’s life comes through in his vocals. Rod was born Roderick David Stewart to a working class family in Highgate, North London. In his younger years, Stewart was an impressive athlete. He was almost a professional football player and still wears his love for the sport on his sleeve.

Before music became Rod’s career, he worked at a variety of odd jobs. While still a teenager, Stewart even had a stretch working as a grave digger. However, it was becoming more and more apparent that singing and performing was what he wanted to do, and prompted by other popular music of the day, Rod set out to follow his dream.

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Bio of David Bowie - a True Rock Enigma

30 March 2010

Almost impossible to describe with any one adjective, rock enigma David Bowie has been a world famous singer and actor for nearly five decades. Born January 8, 1947 in London as David Robert Hayward Jones, Bowie is perhaps the most famous glam rock entertainer of all time, sharing the title with - and earning it because of - his alter ego Ziggy Stardust.

David grew up in Brixton, a poor part of London, and claims to have decided on his career at a very early age. Bowie would turn to music for an escape, but unlike many who share a similar story, David’s musical tastes were perhaps more eclectic than any other music star in history.

By the time Bowie was a teenager, he was already on the music scene and trying out different bands. He fronted such bands at the King Bees, Mannish Boys, the Konrads and the Lower Third. David was also acting in small stage roles and working in advertising, and this reflected in his varying musical tastes.

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The Story of Abba, Swedens Top pop Band

10 March 2010

ABBA is undoubtedly one of Swedens top known pop bands in the world to this day. It has been over 20 years since they released their last album and the band split up, however their songs are still heard on the radio today.

All of this success leads us to question, who was ABBA, and how did the whole thing begin?   All of the members of ABBA were fairly well established artists in the music scene in Sweden prior to forming the group.

The group itself consisted of two couples, Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad, and Bjrn Ulvaeus and Agnetha Fltskog. Andersson and Ulvaeus had worked together prior to meeting the girls and forming the band, while the girls had previously worked as solo artists.

The first song they released together as a band was People Need Love, which became a top hit in Sweden almost immediately after its release. At this point the band was simply called Bjrn & Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid. Later, in an effort to shorten the name of the band, while continuing to incorporate all of the members names, the abbreviation ABBA was decided upon.

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A biography of legend Harvey Keitel

28 February 2010

Harvey Keitel was born on May 13th, 1939 in Brooklyn New York. He made the decision at 16 to leave school to join the United States Marine Corps where he was stationed in Lebanon while serving his country. Upon his return to the United States he lived a modest but comfortable life working as a court reporter.

Harvey Keitel eventually caught the acting bug and had the opportunity to study at the HB Studio. This led him to roles in some off Broadway productions and eventually to his first appearance on film which was in Martin Scorseses production of Whos That Knocking At My Door.

This role was just the beginning of a working relationship between Keitel and Scorsese, who at the time was not a hugely well known producer.

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Stage and Screen Acting Legend - Ellen Burstyn

18 February 2010

Edna Rae Gillooly, better known as Ellen Burstyn was born in Detroit Michigan on December 7th, 1932. When Ellen Burstyn was in High School she spent a great deal of her time dancing, cheerleading and was even on the student council. She also spent some time modeling for a local department store. She knew from a very young age that she wanted to be an actress so she devoted a lot of her time to her craft.

Ellen Burstyn eventually decided that an academic education was not in the cards for her so she quit school in 1950 to get married. This marriage only lasted five years. When the marriage was over she began to pursue her dream of becoming an actress. She eventually found work in a Montreal Nightclub as a dancer and in 1957 she landed the leading role in a play called Fair Game.

Ellen Burstyn appeared to have a natural gift for acting, her role in Fair Game was granted many positive reviews. However, stage performing was not enough for her so she went on to conquer Hollywood next and she managed to land guest roles on a couple of television series using the name Ellen McCrae. She got married to Neil Burstyn during this time and had a son with him in 1962.

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Biography of Al Pacino

17 February 2010

Alfredo James Pacino better known simply as Al Pacino was born on April 25th, 1940. He is best known for his film work in the Godfather Trilogy and Scarface.

Life was not always easy for Al Pacino, his parents divorced when he was only two years old. His early years were a time of great struggle. He didnt do well in school and in fact dropped out when he was 17 because he was failing almost everything except English. His mother was not impressed with his decision and as a result of this he moved out of her house.

Al Pacino knew from early on that he wanted to be an actor and the only way he was going to succeed at this was to take acting lessons. He worked at many low paying public service positions in order to finance his dream. At this stage in his life it was not uncommon for him to be completely unemployed and at some points even homeless.

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Bio of Ferdinand Porsche - icon of automobile history

19 January 2010

No matter how you pronounce Porsche, Porsh or Por-sha, the overwhelming consensus is that it’s one of the greatest sports cars to ever surface on the planet. Of course, the car is only considered so great due to the man behind it all, Ferdinand Porsche.

The Austrian automotive genius was born September 3, 1875 in Vratislavice, Austria-Hungary and is responsible for the Volkswagen. Ferdinand’s son Ferry would be the Porsche to create the sports car, but one could have never happened without the other. The origins of Porsche are intertwined with the history of Volkswagen, the design of the former being based on that of the latter, and both car companies have a storied history.

From a young age, Ferdinand made it a point to work on various mechanical components, and at 18 years of age, his aptitude for mechanical engineering landing him a job at Bela Egger in Vienna. After five years with the company, Porsche decided to go his own way, entering into the automobile industry by way of Jakob Lohner & Co. Ferdinand joined the company in 1896, and by 1898, his name was already attached to a concept vehicle, the System Lohner-Porsche.

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Denny Hulme the F1 New Zealander

28 December 2009

Formula One Racing has seen more than its fair share of legends, many of whom have suffered a horrific fate at roughly 200 miles per hour. Denny Hulme’s legend, although rightfully belonging in the same breath with others of the famous sport, is somewhat of a paradox.

After an impressive F1 career, retiring and subsequently coming back to race, Hulme suffered a heart attack while driving his BMW M3 at the Bathurst 1000, making him the first F1 champion to die at the wheel due to natural causes. This instantly transformed the successful racer into a legend, and in his biography, Memories of the Bear, Hulme’s life is chronicled with the reverence of a deity.

Denis "Denny" Clive Hulme was born in New Zealand on June 18, 1936 on a small tobacco farm. After leaving school, Hulme went on to work in a garage, where his love for automobiles only intensified. Wanting badly to race, Denny saved up enough to purchase an MG TF and entered his pride and joy into hill climbing events, where he would experience enough success to move up in the world of racing with the purchase of a Cooper Climax. He was then chosen for the New Zealand drive to Europe program and worked as one of Jack Brabham’s mechanics while there.

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Legends of Formula 1 - Gilles Villeneuve

22 December 2009

Joseph Gilles Henri Villeneuve is perhaps one of the more unheralded Formula 1 drivers of his generation. The Canadian-born racer’s career was much shorter than other legends of the sport, but in his 68 career races (67 career starts), Villeneuve won 6 of them, finishing on 13 podiums, amassing over 100 career points and earning 2 poles.

His name isn’t mentioned much in the "winner" discussion due to the fact that Villeneuve never won an F1 Championship, but his 2nd place finish in 1979 alerted the racing world of the presence of a serious contender. Villeneuve’s career wasn’t cut short due to poor performance or a lack of love for the sport. He died after an on-track accident in 1982, making him one of the many tragic causalities of this fast-paced sport.

Gilles Villeneuve was born January 18, 1950 in Berthierville, Quebec, Canada. In his younger years, Gilles raced snowmobiles and was always interested in the sport. Eventually, Gilles found his niche in the single-seat style of formula racing, and he quickly won the US and Canadian Formula Atlantic championships in 1976. Soon after, the McLaren team of Formula One came knocking at his door, and Gilles was suited up and ready to go at the British Grand Prix in 1977.

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Sean Connery - The Quintessential James Bond

21 December 2009

Sir Thomas Sean Connery, or Sean Connery as most know him, was born on August 25th, 1930, in Fountainbridge, Edinburgh, Scotland. As one of the world’s most celebrated actors, Connery has acted in numerous films over the years, including the James Bond series.

Though he is officially retired from acting now at the age of 77, Connery is often considered the best to ever don the title of 007. Connery has appeared in seven Bond films: Dr. No, From Russia with Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball, You Only Live Twice, Diamonds Are Forever, and Never Say Never Again.

This daunting actor was discovered by Harry Saltzman and Albert R. Broccoli after other aspirants to the Bond role were eliminated. Cary Grant and James Mason, each a very popular actor respectively, refused to sign on to star in a series of films due to the studio’s low budget. Because of this, the producers were forced to hire an unknown.

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Biography of Jude Law

16 December 2009

Although the "Hollywood" culture is decidedly American, British actors and actresses have always been more than welcome into the elite California club; moreover, Britain has a large enough market for celebrities to thrive in as is, even without help from the west. Jude Law, what many would describe as a crossover, experiences the best of both worlds.

The English actor has been a star in his home country and over in the States for over a decade now, and though his career has slowed down a bit, it certainly hasn’t tapered off completely. Jude graces the covers of magazines and pops up in films as regular as the rain. Of course, these days it’s more like the California rain - a bit rarer than the UK’s.

David Jude Law was born December 29, 1972 in Lewisham, London, England. Jude would start his on-stage career early in life. His parents were both schoolteachers, and at only 13 years of age, he began acting in productions such as Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat.

Unlike many young aspiring actors who graduate, attend drama school, and then claw their way through the ranks until that big break arrives, Jude was plucked out of school, barely a teenager, to act on the British soap Families. After this role garnered some success, Jude quit school altogether at 16.

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Damien Hirst - the richest artist alive today

09 December 2009

When most people think of artists, they think of Picasso or Michelangelo - classic artists, long gone and forever famous. However, art has never stopped being created, and one of today’s most popular artists is Damien Hirst.

Unlike the paintings of a bygone era, Damien’s art is much more modern, consisting of textural and visual stimulation, risqu� "sculptures," and a unique flair for understated drama that warps and bends the overactive imagination. Hirst is reported to be the richest artist alive, and is famously known for selling his entire show at a Sotheby’s auction for an estimated $198 million (USD).

There’s a continuous theme throughout Hirst’s work, one that makes him an extremely controversial figure to purists and traditionalists, but also a risk-taking godsend to the enthusiasts of all things modern and taboo. Damien deals in death, simply put.

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Frank Sinatra - An Entertainer for 6 Decades

18 November 2009

Ol’ Blue Eyes, the Chairman of the Board, and the man everyone could recognize as simply "The Voice": That was Francis Albert Sinatra. Born on December 12, 1915 in Hoboken, New Jersey, Sinatra was the son of a fire-fighting boxer and a politically-driven mother.

To anyone examining Frank’s legacy, it seems his career spanned the entire 1900s - a accolade that isn’t far off the truth at all. Sinatra was a singer, award-winning actor, and a director and producer of both film and music. When he died in 1998, the world lost one its most famous and most talented icons.

Sinatra started out his life wanting to be a professional sportswriter. It wasn’t until hearing Bing Crosby on the radio that a young Sinatra decided to give singing a try. Around the time WWII started, Sinatra’s singing career began to take off.

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Niki Lauda - A Formula 1 legend in his own time

16 November 2009

Formula One Racing has more than its fair share of legendary drivers, but very few have dominated as much in their short time on the track as Andreas Nikolaus Lauda. Simply known by his friends, family and many fans as "Niki," Lauda was born on February 22, 1949 in Vienna, Austria.

In a total of nearly 11 seasons (1971-79, 82-85), Niki started in 171 traces, won 25 of them, stood on the podium 54 times, claimed 24 poles, and took the Championship an impressive 3 times (1975, 77, 84). He was a racing legend before his first retirement, but came back again to prove his talent.

Lauda was born to a very wealthy family who frowned on his decision to start racing. Nevertheless, Niki was determined to be a driver, and he would spend the better part of his youth chasing his need for speed. In 1968, a young Niki would get a chance to prove his worth, but it wasn’t until 1973 that he finally broke through and received a chance to race with Formula 1, via the March team.

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Sienna Miller - truly one of Hollywood's �it� girls

13 November 2009

The movie industry seems to always have room for the blondes. In Sienna Miller’s case, she doesn’t fit the archetype mid-1900s voluptuous, glam blonde bombshell, but Hollywood does have a soft spot for her innocent charm and drop-dead gorgeous looks.

Unfortunately, as Miller’s career started, she was known simply as Jude Law’s girlfriend. As the two met and planned on getting married while starring together in the 2004 film Alfie, Law and Miller made tabloid headlines, first for their seemingly perfect relationship, and then again after news leaked about Jude’s philandering. Nevertheless, Miller survived this onslaught of bad publicity and her career is still pushing forward today.

Born December 28, 1981 in New York City, Sienna Rose Miller moved to England as a child with her family. She went to the Heathfield School in Ascot and studied for a while at the Lee Strasberg Institute.

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Biography of Brad Pitt

04 November 2009

There aren’t many men in the world who wouldn’t love to be Brad Pitt. The actor has led somewhat of a charmed life since becoming a movie star. He was with Friends beauty Jennifer Aniston for years before getting together with Angelina Jolie. He’s a perennial threat to win the Sexiest Man Alive award.

To top all this off, Pitt’s a selfless humanitarian who’s planning on running for the Mayor of New Orleans - where he and Jolie moved their family to be closer to Katrina victims. Add to that the fact that he’s paid in excess of 20 million dollars to shoot a film and you have the makings of a dream life.

But Brad wasn’t always Brad. Born William Bradley Pitt on December 18, 1963 in Shawnee, Oklahoma, Brad and his family soon moved to Springfield, Missouri where the child was raised as a Southern Baptist. From a young age, Pitt displayed a flair for the spotlight.

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Angelina Jolie - One of the biggest stars in cinema today

20 October 2009

With a superstar husband who is literally the envy of most women in the world, Angelina Jolie could be famous for just that. Instead, the eccentric daughter of actor Jon Voight takes a more brazen approach. She is one of the most highly respected female actors of the current generation, and when it comes to humanitarian acts, few people in the world put more time and effort into helping people’s lives than Angelina Jolie.

Although she’s had her fair share of controversy, mostly stemming from her Mrs. Billy Bob Thornton days, Angelina has come out on the other side smelling like roses. She’s a top movie star with an extremely impressive resume.

Angelina Jolie Voight was born June 4, 1975 in Los Angeles, California. Jolie was born into celebrity. Her father is award-winning actor Jon Voight and her god-mother is Jacqueline Bisset. In 1976, while young Angelina was only a year old, Jon and Marcheline divorced and Marcheline took Angelina to the Palisades in New York to raise her.

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Jack Nicholson - one of the best actors in history

30 September 2009

Jack Nicholson is one of the most revered actors in Hollywood’s long and illustrious history. Starring in classics, like The Shining, Chinatown, and The Postman Always Rings Twice, early on in his career, Jack set the stage for a classic on-screen demeanor that he would carry on through mega-hits like The Witches of Eastwick, Wolf and The Bucket List.

Nicholson’s mere presence in A Few Good Men made the movie a smash hit. His famous line, "You can’t handle the truth!" is one of the most-repeated movie lines of all time. At 72 years of age, Nicholson is still going strong.

The man we know as "Jack" was born John Joseph Nicholson on April 22, 1937 in Neptune, New Jersey. A child of the Great Depression, Nicholson’s early life was typical Americana, and he got by on very little. Jack wanted to be an actor by the time he was finished with school, and shortly after he graduated at age 17, he moved out west to Los Angeles to try to break into the business.

Nicholson’s true life story is much like a Hollywood tale, and many actors have tried his approach since. He was working as an office boy at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and eventually caught a break and landed a role in The Cry-Baby Killer, a 1958 horror film by Roger Corman.

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Steve McQueen - One of America's best-loved actors

23 September 2009

Many say that if he was from the UK, Steve McQueen could have easily been the quintessential James Bond. Others claim that he was the original on-screen tough guy, the "King of Cool," and during the 1960s and 70s, McQueen’s roles as the antithesis of a hero made him one of the top box office draws of the day.

Fans of McQueen respected his humble roots. When Steve’s star was shining bright, America was going through a massive culture shift. Steve’s life reminded some that the American dream was still possible. He was a small-town boy from a broken home, with a poor education, but still managed to become one of the highest-paid actors in the business.

Elvis and The Beatles had an uber-fan following, but they were musicians primarily. McQueen had the same amount of fanfare for simply acting in movies. The only real difference was the primary gender of the fans. Every guy around wanted to be Steve. McQueen embodied what it meant to be your own person for many.

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Rafael Nadal - A Spectacular Tennis Champion

22 September 2009

Known by many simply as "Rafa," Rafael Nadal is one of the top-ranked tennis players in the world today. His strengths are numerous and can easily be compared to greats like Pete Sampras and John McEnroe. His weaknesses are few, and at only 23-years-old, Nadal is in prime position to be one of the all-time greats before he retires.

His only competition in the sport today is Roger Federer, perhaps the player to go down as the greatest ever. However, Nadal has been fine-tuning his game, and in recent tournaments, especially on clay, Rafael is even money against the living legend.

Rafael Nadal was born June 3, 1986, in Manacor, Mallorca, Spain. Some say Nadal’s sporting prowess is genetic, as his uncle was a top footballer for FC Barcelona. Nadal is known as somewhat of a freak. Naturally right-handed, the tennis star grew up playing left-handed, defying logic.

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Sir Michael Caine biography, one of England's finest actors

13 September 2009

Sir Michael Caine, one of England’s finest actors, has been part of a string of Hollywood blockbusters recently. With his work in Children of Men, Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, and The Prestige, Caine proves that older actors still make quite an impression on the silver screen.

Currently, Caine is busy working on the latest Batman sequel with fellow Englishman Christian Bale. The 76-year-old actor is showing no signs of slowing down, and with multiple movies in the works, Caine’s latter years are shaping up to be much busier than his early ones.

Michael Caine was born Maurice Joseph Micklewhite, Jr. on March 14, 1933 in Rotherhithe, Southeast London, England. Caine grew up in Camberwell and was moved to North Runcton during WWII. In 1944, Caine earned a scholarship to Hackney Downs Grocers School, and in 1952, Caine served two years in the British Army. He would see combat in the Korean War.

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Yves Saint Laurent - the man and the brand he created

09 September 2009

Yves Saint Laurent has become one of the most popular fashion brands in the modern world. Taking inspiration from turn-of-the-century attire and constantly modernizing it with a "today" look, YSL is a consistent contender for every major fashion award in the land.

The company’s namesake, Yves Saint Laurent, was born in Oran, Algeria in 1936. He intended on becoming a fashion designer from a young age, showing his drawings to the famous director of Vogue, Michel de Brunhoff, at only 17 years of age. Laurent was immediately published and introduced to a hotshot designer named Christian Dior. Laurent and Dior worked closely until Christian’s death in 1957.

Laurent turned tragedy into triumph by taking over as lead art director for Dior, and subsequently launching his first collection for the Ligne Trapeze Company that year. Surprisingly, the success of the line rivaled Dior’s, and Laurent won a Neiman Marcus Oscar.

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Stefan Edberg is one of professional tennis's greatest legends

05 September 2009

Born in Vastervik, Sweden on January 19, 1966, Stefan Edberg is one of professional tennis’s greatest legends. Throughout the course of his illustrious career, Edberg accumulated over $20-million (USD) in prize money. He accomplished this large sum by holding a career record of 806-270, for a winning percentage of 74%, and winning 42 titles, including 6 Grand Slam singles and 3 Grand Slam doubles. Edberg was one of the foremost advocates of the serve-and-volley style in the game; a style which is popular in today’s tennis.

Stefan Edberg first caught the world’s attention in 1983. Still a teenager, Edberg was a force on the junior circuit. He won all four major Grand Slam events that year, and immediately decided to turn pro. Throughout his young career, Edberg had taken a liking to playing doubles as well as singles. Not many tennis players are accomplished at both games, but Edberg was intent on playing both the singles and doubles bracket in tennis. This paid off immediately after Edberg won his first doubles title in 1983, the same year he turned pro.

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Bio of Movie Legend Bo Derek

27 August 2009

Bo Derek is perhaps the only actress in the history of Hollywood to be given a number as a nickname. During her heyday, people simply referred to Bo Derek as "10," complimenting her physical prowess as one of the most gorgeous starlets of the day; and not to mention the fact that she starred in a movie of the same name.

The 52-year-old actress is still appearing in the occasional role today, but her past films have almost all become instant classics, though for reasons other than acting. Movie buffs have an affinity for the Hollywood beauties of old, and Bo Derek is about as beautiful as they come.

Like a lot of actresses of the time, the name "Bo" was chosen for stage purposes; "Derek" was the last name of her former husband. She was born Mary Cathleen Collins in Long Beach, California on November 20, 1956.

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Bio of Tennis Superstar, Bjorn Borg

18 August 2009

The sport of tennis is chock full of stars and mega stars. Most burn out before their late 20s, but for the lucky few, their name will live on forever. Born June 6, 1956 in Sodertalje, Sweden, Bjorn Borg, known affectionately as the Ice Man, is undoubtedly one of those lucky few.

Borg’s story isn’t at all unlike many other athletes. As a young child, he fell in love with a golden tennis racquet that his father procured as a prize. Later on in life, Bjorn’s father gave him that racquet he so much admired, and thus began a tennis career.

Borg was a very good tennis player, well accomplished by the age of 12. Then at the age of 14, Borg left school and devoted his entire time to the sport. At only 15 years of age, this move paid off as Borg was selected to participate in the Swedish Davis Cup.

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Biography of Business Magnate Kushal Pal Singh

06 August 2009

When it comes to multi-billion-dollar real estate moguls, Donald Trump pretty much wins the popularity contest. However, if people knew the story behind Kushal Pal Singh, they would be amazed to learn that this soft-spoken magnate blew more money in a year than Trump has made in his entire life - 5-times over.

2007 started out as a good year for Singh. He was worth an estimated $35-billion, and the sky was the limit on how much his upcoming deal would earn. Kushal lost a great deal of money on bad deals, so attempted to boost his share prices to make it up. This resulted in losing $27.2-billion in a single year. His current net worth is around $8-billion.

Kushal Pal Singh was born August 15, 1931 at Bulandshahar in Uttar Pradesh. He was a gifted student with a knack for business and a taste for money. He was also interested in science and space, and went to college to pursue a more astronomical experience

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Biography of Donald Trump

28 July 2009

Donald Trump is the world’s most recognizable billionaire. With a net worth of three-billion, Trump is low on the list of the world’s richest men, but he would quickly sue you for saying that. He’s famous for his outlandish character, horrific hairpiece, bouts with Rosie, and trying to build a structure on any piece of land he sees.

Through his quirkiness and eccentric behavior, Donald Trump is still one of the world’s foremost businessmen. He is single handedly responsible for bringing Atlantic City back to life, and his hotels are among the world’s finest. Trump has been married three times and has five children.

Donald John Trump was born June 14, 1946 in New York City, New York. Fred Trump, Donald’s father, was a successful property developer who helped him form a business sense and a taste for the lifestyle.

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Warren Buffett, the worlds richest man, for now!

13 July 2009

How could you possibly amass a $62-billion fortune with a salary of $100,000 per year? It would take you 620,000 years to do that. Well, Warren Buffett isn’t quite that old, but he is the world’s richest man, surpassing the 10+ year title holder Bill Gates. And the most amazing thing about Buffett is that he really does live off of a $100k annual salary.

Instead of buying record-setting yachts and immersing himself in the finest luxuries, Buffett admittedly feels guilty about traveling via a private jet. This humble investor still lives in the same house he purchased in 1958 for $31,000. Buffett has been married twice and has three children.

Warren Edward Buffett was born August 30, 1930 in Omaha, Nebraska. His father was a stockbroker who went on to become an influential member of the United States Congress. Warren is rumored to have shown his affinity for entrepreneurship at a very young age. He was involved with financial dealings as a child, buying bottles of Coke and reselling for a profit.

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Carlos Slim Helu Biography

02 July 2009

Many people throughout the world have no idea who Carlos Slim Helu is, although he is undoubtedly one of the most famous men in Mexico’s history. With a net worth of $60-billion, Helu has for some time reigned supreme as the second-richest man in the world.

His transition upwards from this position is imminent, as the world’s number-one richest man, Warren Buffet, recently announced plans to give the majority of his fortune away. This will leave Carlos as the king of all things money. Carlos is a paradox on some levels. He is a jack of all trades, and seemingly a master at them all as well. His talent for making money defies logic, and his holdings continue to grow at an astounding rate.

Carlos Slim Helu was born January 28, 1940 in Mexico City, Mexico. Carlos isn’t of Mexican descent; his parents were Lebanese immigrants: Yusef Salim Haddad and Linda Helu.

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Following in the Footsteps, Damon Hill

29 June 2009

The son of Formula One racing’s former legendary diver, Graham Hill, Damon Hill picked up where his father left off. Born in London, England on September 17, 1960, Damon’s life - unlike his father’s - seemed destined for the track. However, Damon wished to pursue a different type of racing, motorcycle racing.

He was a natural-born talent on the track, becoming a well respected motorcycle racer in his own right, but his true calling was with the single-seater Formula cars. Damon’s career wasn’t quite as successful as his father’s, but most familiar with the sport speculate this is due to the very short career: 1992 to 1999. In this 7-season span, Damon participated in 122 races, wining 22, appearing on the podium for 42, earning 20 Pole Positions, earning 19 fastest laps, and winning a Championship.

Damon came over to the Formula side for good in 1984, where he slowly raced his way up the rankings in Formula Three and Formula 3000. Although he showed the occasional flashes of brilliance, he was widely considered an average driver until he broke into Grand Prix racing in 1992 with a Brabham team that had seen better days.

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Peter Lawford Biography

24 June 2009

Peter Lawford’s role in American celebrity history is a bit different from others like Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin - all members of the same entertainment troupe, The Rat Pack. Lawford was a British-born actor whose rise to fame in America was rumored to be more for his marriage to Patricia Kennedy, John F. Kennedy’s sister, and less for his actual talent. Nonetheless, Lawford was a key element in the Rat Pack during its inception, playing off the mega-fame of Sinatra, Martin and Davis, Jr.

Peter Sidney Lawford was born September 7, 1923 in London, England. His father was a knighted vet of the First World War and actor. A young Peter wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps, and at the age of 8, he got his chance in the film Poor Old Bill. As the years passed, Lawford grew from an awkward young boy to a suave and debonair young man. In Britain, his fame would skyrocket and during the �40s, MGM managed his career very well.

Lawford’s acting experience is something of legend in the business circle. He was the first actor to kiss the hard-to-keep Elizabeth Taylor. But as tragedy to the triumph, Lawford was also the last person to ever see screen idol Marilyn Monroe alive.

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Dean Martin Biography

18 June 2009

Dean Martin, the man simply known as "Dino," was a worldwide success. Martin starred in movies, sang Swing Era classics and also introduced America to Italian classics with a new-age twist, and even hosted a hugely popular variety show, The Dean Martin Show.

These are just a few things that Dino did in his entertainment life. He was "second in command" behind Frank Sinatra during the affluent years of the Rat Pack. Martin’s story is the true American dream.

"Dino," contrary to popular belief, isn’t a nickname. Born to Italian immigrants in Steubenville, Ohio on June 17, 1917, Dean Martin was born Dino Paul Crocetti. Steubenville is directly on the Ohio-West Virginia line - not a lot of Italian immigrants had made the trek that far south from New York and New Jersey.

Dino stood out in this environment, only speaking Italian for a lot of his childhood, and quit school at the age of 16 to work in a steel mill. Dino ran liquor for bootleggers and worked as a croupier for the local speakeasy before deciding to follow in his idols’ - Bing Crosby’s - footsteps.

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Anil Ambani, India's second billionaire

16 June 2009

If you think regular brothers get into heated fights, you should see two billionaires slugging it out. Anil Ambani and his brother Mukesh Ambani are two of the richest people in the world. They both crack the top ten list, and Anil’s fortune weighs in at approximately $40-billion.

As of 2008, his huge fortune tripled in size from 2007, but is fluctuating to date due to the financial crisis. His brother is famous for eccentric building projects, such as his 27-floor skyscraper home in Mumbai. Anil, on the other hand, is famous mostly for arguing with his brother over the direction their company is taking. Anil is Chairman of the Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group and is married to Tina Ambani, a well-known Indian actress throughout the 1980s.

Ambani’s father, Dhirubhai, started the family business and Anil and brother Mukesh were born into wealth. Anil quickly took to the family business and joined the Reliance Company that his father founded in 1983 as Co-Chief Executive Officer. Anil immediately succeeded in leaving his mark on Reliance.

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Bill Gates, Microsoft and his life

04 June 2009

Everyone who’s ever used a computer knows exactly who Bill Gates is. Credited with "invented the internet," Gates is the world’s third richest man, with a net worth of $58-billion. Until a few years ago, Gates’ fortune had a chokehold on the number-one position, but other fast movers manage to surpass the Microsoft founder.

Gates is also well known for dropping out of Harvard University and donating millions upon millions to a wide variety of charities around the world. He married wife Melinda Gates in 1994 and has four children. Gates has publicly stated that his children will only receive .01% of his fortune as an inheritance.

William Henry Gates III was born October 28, 1955 in Seattle, Washington. Even as a small child, a young Bill showed flashes of extreme intelligence. His father was a successful attorney and Gates enjoyed a well-to-do upbringing, attending the exclusive Lakeside School in the area.

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Sammy Davis Jr, the World's Greatest Entertainer

30 May 2009

Earning the title of "World’s Greatest Entertainer" is no small feat, even in the 1950s. Sammy Davis, Jr., an unmistakable talent who would break down many walls for African-Americans in the entertainment world, earned and kept that title for nearly 30 years.

As a singer, dancer and actor, Davis was the quintessential showman. Even without the success of The Rat Pack in the 1960s, Davis’ solo shows drew in thousands of fans, eager to see him tap-dance his way through a song before breaking out into a comedy routine.

Sammy Davis, Jr. was born December 8, 1925 in Harlem, New York City. Davis would live with his father exclusively after his parents were divorced when he was only 3-years-old. Davis then began tap-dancing lessons and always inspired to be an entertainer.

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Lakshmi Mittal The Steel Billionaire

24 May 2009

Philanthropists and the rich people of society go hand-in-hand. Very rarely will you find a person of average income acting as a charitable figure. Maybe this has to do with a person’s financial means as an ability to give. When you have millions or billions, what’s a few hundred thousand tossed at a random charity? But some philanthropists, like the multi-billionaire Lakshmi Mittal, give out of pride as well.

When India only managed one bronze and one silver medal in the 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympics, Mittal quickly set up a $9-million fund which supported and trained world-class Indian athletes. In 2008, Abhinav Bindra won India’s first Olympic gold medal in shooting. Mittal is worth $46-billion.

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Biography of Joey Bishop of the Rat Pack

14 May 2009

Joey Bishop’s life can quite possibly read as a "how-to" manual when dealing with fame. Even though he was one of the least noted members of the famous Rat Pack, Bishop outlived the other members (Sinatra, Martin, Lawford, Davis, Jr,) by years.

The other men had been worn down by years of hard partying; Bishop made it to 89 years of age. Bishop was an accomplished comedian in his heyday. He also starred on the silver screen in some of Hollywood’s earliest knee-slapping classics.

Joseph Abraham Gottlieb was born February 3, 1918 in the Bronx, New York. His family would then move to South Philadelphia a few years later. Bishop, the son of Jewish parents, found humor in his family’s behavior compared to some other families in the neighborhood.

He developed a sense of humor a very young age, and was always performing. By the time Joey entered high school, he already knew comedy was the career for him. After graduating, he went on to experience minor success on the stand-up circuit; but like thousands of young Americans during the time, he enlisted in the Army during World War II.

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Biography of Graham Hill

12 May 2009

Born February 15, 1929 in Hampstead, London, England, Norman Graham Hill, simply known as Graham, was a Formula One racecar driver. Until and long after his death in 1975, Hill was one of the most controversial inclusions on the sport’s "all time greatest" list.

Part of the reason some fans and critics wish to see his name included among the greats is the fabulous feat he pulled off during his career, the Triple Crown of Motorsport. Hill remained active in racing from 1958 to 1975, where he participated in 179 races, won 2 Championships, earned 14 victories, secured 36 podium finishes, recorded the fastest lap 10 times, and won 13 Pole Positions.

Graham Hill’s life didn’t seem destined for racing. In fact, at the age of 16, Hill joined Smiths, the instrument makers. He served a five-year apprenticeship with the craftsmen, and then was called into the navy at the age of 21.

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Karl Hans Albrecht - The Aldi Superman

05 May 2009

Not every billionaire in the world is well-known for yacht parties and skydiving. Some of the world’s richest men like to live in seclusion, take care of their families, and donate their money and time to charitable causes. Karl Albrecht is among the latter. He’s the rarely seen mega-rich German, worth an estimated $27-billion.

This makes him the richest man in Germany, and among the top twenty richest in the world. Albrecht didn’t create super-processing computers or build his fortune in the Stock Market. He’s a "blue-collar" entrepreneur, earning his fortune from a chain of supermarkets, Aldi, which he opened with his brother Theo.

Karls Hans Albrecht was born February 20, 1920 in Essen, Germany. He and his brother Theo weren’t exactly dirt poor, but their small family also wasn’t well-off. Their father worked as a baker’s assistant, and it was their mother who provided the influence in the household.

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Richard Branson Biography

24 April 2009

A plane that gives tours in outer space, a private island that has a list of celebrity visitors longer than the Four Seasons, and a taste for adventure that prompts him to leap from planes, cliffs, and occasionally pilot boats and hot air balloons - this is Richard Branson.

The multi-billionaire is the founder of the Virgin brand. Branson has an estimated worth of $4.4-billion, and he seems intent on spending every penny of it. Branson has been married twice - Kristen Tomassi and Joan Templeman - and has two children, Holly and Sam. Branson was knighted in 1999 for his contributions.

Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson was born July 18, 1950 in Blackheath, London, England. At a very young age, Branson had already decided that the music business was something he might want to venture into one day. By the time he was 16-years-old, Branson was already beginning his entrepreneurial ways by publishing a student magazine in high school.

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Ingvar Kamprad Biography

08 April 2009

When you walk into a store to purchase some furniture, odds are you’re not thinking about the person behind the curtain who actually owns the store. Most of us are just looking for a good deal on a sofa, so the name Ingvar Kamprad doesn’t readily ring any bells. Kamprad is the founder of IKEA and is worth an estimated $31-billion.

IKEA is one of the world’s largest home furnishing retail chains, and with store locations all over the globe, the 7th wealthiest person in the world - according to Forbes magazine - continues to add onto the already stacked amount. Despite being associated with a pro-Nazi group, Kamprad still managed to earn a reputation as a kind and gentle humanitarian.

Ingvar Feodor Kamprad was born March 30, 1926 in Ljungby, Sweden. Even as a young boy, his business sense was evident. He would ride his bicycle around town selling matches to the boys in the neighborhood. He understood supply and demand before he understood basic grammar.

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Howard Hughes Biography

30 March 2009

Howard Hughes is one of those American figures that will always live on in folklore. He was known to be everything from a little eccentric to full-blown crazy. People who got to know the rarely seen off-again-on-again billionaire described him as a tortured genius with no sense for the value of money.

However, Hughes managed to create a gigantic fortune in his time and he single handedly lifted the aviation industry to a higher stratosphere. Hughes was also a film producer/director, a sporadic socialite during his early years, and a renowned philanthropist. In 1958 at the height of his fortune, Hughes was worth around $13-billion - which is around $43-billion today.

Howard Robard Hughes was born December 24, 1905 in Houston, Texas. He was the only son of Alene and Howard - who was a millionaire inventor specializing in machinery for the oil industry. Hughes’ parents both died two years apart and he was an orphan at 18. He was left an estate worth $871k and a patent for a drill bit. Hughes seized control of his father’s company and used the revenue to finance his movie business. He produced such classics as Scarface, The Outlaw, and Hell’s Angels.

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Biography of Jim Clark F1 Driver

23 March 2009

Jim Clark was born on March 4, 1936 in Scotland. He was a former successful Formula One racing driver. He was a dominating force in his respective era, winning two Championships in an eight year span. When he died in April of 1968, his 25 Grand Prix wins and 33 Pole Positions were more than any other driver. He also won the coveted Indianapolis 500 in 1965. 25 wins in his 73 races is a staggering percentage, not to mention 32 podium finishes and 28 fastest laps recorded.

Jim Clark grew up on a farm in Scotland with four sisters. As the only son in the family, his initial dive into the racing world was met with criticism from the family. Nevertheless, he continued to pursue his dream, racing in local rallies and other events. He later joined a racing team led by Jock McBain called the Border Reivers. In one of these races, Clark matched the famed Colin Chapman while driving a Lotus Elite. Chapman was highly impressed by the young Clark’s performance, and started to watch his future races.

However, it was Clark who shied away from the world of Formula racing after witnessing Graham Hill’s car lose a wheel during a race. Instead, Clark stuck with the sports cars, eventually graduating to an Aston Martin. He gained the attention of Reg Parnell, the Aston Martin manager. Reg was planning on entering into F1 racing and signed Clark after a test. Clark was also signed up with Chapman in a F2 contract at the same time. Things would work out for Clark. After the F1 Aston Martin proved to be a disaster, his F2 efforts with the Lotus earned the young driver immediate success. Clark then signed on with Lotus Formula One as well.

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You're Fired - Alan Sugar Biography

11 March 2009

When it comes to billionaires, Alan Sugar notches himself on the list just above the "barely there" range. At only $1.25-billion (830-million GBP), Sugar isn’t exactly challenging Bill Gates’ Microsoft Empire or Donald Trump’s hotels and casinos. He is rivaling the Donald in popularity, however.

Fans of the UK’s knockoff to America’s "The Apprentice" know Alan Sugar for being the hard-nosed, take no prisoners boss-man who’s quick to let his next victim know where to find the door. Sugar’s main claim to wealth is his extensive property portfolio rather than his business ventures. Sugar has been married to his wife, Ann, since 1968 and they have three children.

Sir Alan Michael Sugar was born March 24, 1947 in Hackney, East London, England. As the youngest of four children born to Fay and Nathan Sugar, Alan’s life was the quintessential for that of the baby of the family. Teased by his older siblings and nicknamed "Mopsy" due to his curly hair, and catered to by his parents, Sugar began to develop a mean streak as he pulled away from childhood into adulthood.

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Oleg Deripaska Biography

03 March 2009

As one of the youngest billionaires in the world, Oleg Deripaska has a fortune that rivals a lot of countries’ accumulated wealth. As the Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Basic Element Company, Oleg’s fortune weighs in at a whopping $28.6-billion. His company and claim to fame is in the aluminum industry.

The 41-year-old billionaire is a mystery to most. While most of Russia’s mega rich are out and about, making mind-numbing purchases at an alarming rate, Deripaska remains reclusive and out of the limelight. Oleg lives in Moscow with his wife and his two children.

Oleg Vladimirovich Deripaska was born January 2, 1968 in Dzerzhinsk, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Russia. Oleg was a gifted child from birth. He was among the brightest not only in his respective school, but all of Russia.

After graduating high school, he attended the School of Physics at Moscow State University where he graduated Summa Cum Laude. Oleg then attended the School of Economics at Plekhanov Academy of Economics and graduated with honors in 1996.

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Mukesh Ambani Biography

06 February 2009

With a net worth of around $45-billion, Mukesh Ambani is the richest man in Asia and the fifth richest in the world. He was selected as the Businessman of the Year in 2007 and is the proud owner of the world’s most expensive private residence, Antilla, which he had built for a mind-blowing $2-billion.

The home is 27-stories high (actually 60-stories in true height, but only 27 floors) and features 7 separate floors for his car collection alone. Ambani is known worldwide for being one of the toughest and most savvy businessmen of the modern era. Although his position was inherited, his wealth wasn’t. Ambani worked hard and amassed one of the world’s largest fortunes.

Mukesh Ambani was born April 19, 1957 in Yemen, India. His father, a prominent businessman in his own right, Dhirubhai Ambani, was the founder of Reliance Industries. Ambani grew up surrounded by business. When he was only a child, he was already the next in line to keep the family company thriving not only in the area, but on a world scale.

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Perhaps the greatest all time race driver, Michael Schumacher

27 January 2009

Famous Formula One racecar driver Michael Schumacher was born January 3, 1969 to parents Roth and Elisabeth. A young Michael became infatuated with racecars after the family’s move to Kerpin-Manheim, a town outside of Cologne, Germany. The entire family became involved in the sport of karting, and soon Michael would prove to have a knack for making hairpin turns on fast tracks. Only four-years-old at the time he was given his first kart, Michael slowly began to build what would later become a World Championship career.

Go-karts were an obsession for the entire family in the 1970s, and no one in the family loved it more than Michael. Rolf began work as a go-kart repairman, due to his mechanical talents, and Michael always had one of the best karts on the track. In 1980, Michael and his family make the trek to Belgium for the World Karting Championship. It is here that Schumacher first met his idol, Ayrton Senna. It wasn’t long after when Schumacher began making a name for himself, winning the German Junior Championship in 1984 and the European Championship in 87.

When Schumacher made the jump to Formula racing, he was in desperate need of sponsorship. He found sponsors in Germany, including Jurgen Dik, and thus began racing in the Formula series. His first year of competition and Michael had impressively won nine of ten rounds. Schumacher’s future manager, Willie Weber, was impressed with Michael’s abilities and gave him a test run in a Formula Three car.

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Biography of Sir Jackie Stewart from Formula 1

13 January 2009

Born June 11, 1939 in Milton, West Dunbartonshire, Scotland, John Young Stewart - also known as "Jackie" - is a former Formula One racecar driver. Considered by most fans and fellow sportsmen to be a true legend of the track, Jackie is the winner of three World Drivers’ Championships, 27 races, 15 fastest laps, and 17 Pole Positions. His career spanned a short 8 years - where he only started 99 races - from 1965 to 1973, but Stewart etched out his own mantle in those few years. After racing, his fame grew as an announcer for the sport in the United States.

In his early life Jackie Stewart was involved with cars via his family’s business, Dumbuck Garage in Dumbarton. He worked as an apprentice mechanic, and eventually chose to follow in his brother Jimmy’s footsteps as a racecar driver. In 1953, Jackie’s brother drove in the British Grand Prix for Ecurie Ecosse. However, after his brother was injured in a severe car crash, Jackie’s parents urged him to take up shooting instead of driving. Stewart quickly displayed a talent for target shooting, finishing a competition a shot’s worth away from making it to the 1960 Olympics.

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Maybe Jack Nicklaus is the best all time golfer?

08 December 2008

Born January 21, 1940, in Columbus, Ohio, Jack Nicklaus is a former professional golfer. Better known as "The Golden Bear," Nicklaus is considered by many to be the greatest golfer to ever life. This is a title heavily disputed, as modern golf fans and enthusiasts single out Tiger Woods as the greatest to ever play.

As it stands now, Nicklaus has won more events and more majors than any other golfer in the world. So if anyone wishes to dispute his status as the best ever, they need to start topping his gargantuan numbers in order to disprove it.

Nicklaus picked up the golf clubs when he was just ten-years-old, and immediately people started to notice that he was a prodigy in the sport. The first he tournament he ever entered, the Scioto Country Club Juvenile Championship, he won easily. Shortly thereafter, Nicklaus began lessons with a local professional golfer named Jack Grout.

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The nastiest tennis player ever, John McEnroe?

20 November 2008

Born February 16, 1959, in Wiesbaden, Germany, John McEnroe is a former professional player. Known as the bad boy of tennis, McEnroe was a hot-headed, quick-tempered player who was just as great as we was short-fused.

He is one of the most successful players in the history of tennis, and has won seventeen Grand Slam titles, seventy-seven career single titles, and seventy-seven double titles in his long and storied career. Since retiring from tennis, John has proven himself to be a very talented tennis broadcaster, and quite the funny man in various movies - where he always seems to poke fun at his hot temper.

John was the oldest of three sons and moved from Germany to Queens, New York in 1963 with his family. He showed tremendous hand-eye coordination and athletic ability at a young age. At only two years of age, John could strike a ball with a plastic bat. This uncanny coordination soon translated into talent on the tennis court.

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Biography on Nick Faldo

07 November 2008

Nicholas "Nick" Alexander Faldo was born July 18, 1957 in Welwyn Garden City, England. He is a professional golfer on the European Tour, and is one of the most successful in all of Europe. During his long career, Faldo has won three US Masters titles and three Open Championships.

Official World Golf Rankings had Nick Faldo ranked as No. 1 for a total of 98 weeks. Faldo took on a new role in 2006, becoming the lead golf analyst for CBS Sports. Faldo has won 43 events in his professional career, including 9 PGA Tour victories and 27 Euro Tour wins.

In 1971, Faldo watched the Masters as Jack Nicklaus dominated the field. At only 13 years of age, Faldo was blown away at the sport, and decided to take up golfing instead of cycling. He borrowed some golf clubs and his mother began to set up golfing lessons for the boy.

Only two short years later, Faldo was winning golf tournaments. In 1974, Faldo won the English Amateur Championship in convincing fashion. And in 1975, he took the title of British Youth Champion. A young Faldo wasted no time and turned pro in 1976. His first European Tour victory came in 1977.

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The rise and fall of Elvis Presley

23 October 2008

Of the billions of people born throughout history, only a select few will be remembered through the times. Of those select few, most will be forgotten in generations to come. But for the rest, a very small and select group, their legacy and names live on forever.

One of these names near the top of everyone’s list is Elvis Presley. Whether or not you are a fan of his music, his fame is undeniable. For millions of people worldwide, he was and always will be the King.

Elvis wasn’t born into fame or riches. Like so many of us, his beginnings are humble, to say the least. Born January 8, 1935, in Tupelo, Mississippi, Elvis Aaron Presley was one of two sons born that day to Gladys Presley.

His twin brother, Jesse Garon Presley, was stillborn. Elvis spent his youth in a rundown shack with only one electrical outlet. Rather than let their son starve, Vernon and Gladys Presley worked hard to ensure that Elvis wanted for nothing. Elvis lived the quintessential Southern-American life. He went to church, respected his elders, and began singing and playing instruments in church.

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Master golfer Fred Couples mini bio

11 October 2008

Fred Couples was born October 3, 1959, in Seattle, Washington. Nicknamed "Boom Boom" and "Freddie Cool," Couples is one of professional golf’s calmest customers. Couples is also known as "King of the Silly Season," a nickname he earned after winning 5 Skins Games and a host of other playful golf events.

On the serious side of the sport, Couples took a Masters victory in 1992, the same year he earned honors of PGA Player of the Year, and has a total of 46 professional Tour victories. He was also the PGA Tour Player of the Year in 1991 and ’92, and won both the Vardon Trophy and Byron Nelson Award the same years.

Couples grew up around golf in Seattle. His father worked for the city’s Parks and Recreation Department, and a young Freddie was a caddy for local players. In fact, it was a local golfer who gave Couples his first set of golf clubs: a small set of irons, a putter and a driver.

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Doyle Brunson, the legendary Poker Player

07 October 2008

Very few men can put the fear of God into a person while sitting in a chair, wearing a cowboy hat with a smile on their face. A throwback to the Wild West, gun slinging legends, Doyle "Texas Dolly" Brunson commands respect at a poker table. At 72 years of age, Doyle has been playing poker for over 50 years, and is showing no signs of slowing down.

Born in Longworth, Texas in 1933, Doyle Brunson grew up a gifted athlete. He played baseball and ran track for his school, but it was basketball at which he excelled. He was a member of the All-State Texas basketball team, and was actually drafted by the Minneapolis Lakers of the NBA.

But after suffering a severe accident at work, Doyle’s basketball career was cut short. After the sporting days were over, Doyle turned the focus on his education. He earned a Master’s degree in Administrative Education. It was in college where Doyle started gambling to support himself and pay tuition. After realizing he could make good money gambling, he made it a full-time job.

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The Number One Illusionist of all time is David Copperfield

04 October 2008

Before Chris Angel and David Blaine came along with their edited for TV magic, David Copperfield reigned supreme as the top illusionist in the world. This master magician has made the Statue of Liberty disappear - enough said.

He plays 500 shows a year and constantly tries to top himself. David has been playing Las Vegas for years, and his magic show always prevails as one of the top entertainment destinations, not only in Las Vegas, but in all of America.

He is hailed by both fans and critics alike as the greatest illusionist of all time. If you’ve never seen David Copperfield perform, there’s no better time than right now. The man has walked through the Great Wall of China, flown through the air, and even made audience members disappear. He’s truly one of a kind.

Of course, he can’t recreate every televised trick for the Vegas audience, but he does demonstrate similar and equally impressive illusions by using objects a bit more suitable for a stage setting. For example, Copperfield pays homage to his Great Wall walk-through by using a large sheet of metal and effortlessly walking through it.

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Can anyone serve 5 Aces like Boris Becker

02 October 2008

Boris Franz Becker was born November 22, 1967, in Leimen, West Germany. He is a former World No. 1 ranked professional tennis player. Becker is a six-time Grand Slam singles champion, as well as an Olympic gold medalist.

Becker also held the record for the youngest tennis player to ever win Wimbledon, at 17 years of age. Becker has secured an impressive number of career titles with 49, and is heralded for his exciting one-handed backhand play. Upon his retirement in June of 1999, Boris Becker had accumulated over $25-million in prize money.

Becker is the only son of his architect father. Skilled at his profession, Boris’ father built the Blau-Weiss Tennisklub in Leimen, where Boris learned the game. His childhood years were spent on the courts, perfecting his game. And in 1984, Becker turned professional and won his first doubles title in Munich the same year.

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Biography of Alain Prost, The Professor

30 September 2008

Born February 24, 1955 in Loire, France, Alain Prost is a former Formula One racecar driver. Prost is a four-time F1 Drivers’ Champion, and held the record for most Grand Prix victories from 1987 until 2001 when Schumacher passed the total of 51 victories. In 1999, Prost received the World Sports Awards of the Century in the category of motor sports.

During his career, Prost competed in 202 Formula One races, starting 199. His four championships dominated the mid-80s and early 90s, winning in 85, 86, 89, and 93. Prost also held pole position 33 times, earned 106 podium finishes, and accomplished all of this in a 13-year career (1980-1993). Like the majority of successful F1 drivers, Prost honed his talent for driving at a very young age.

During a family holiday when Prost was 14-years-old, he discovered karting. Seeming to have a natural talent behind the wheel, Prost created a buzz among his age group, and proceed through the junior ranks of motor sports, winning the European and French Formula Three championships.

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Bernie Ecclestone Biography

25 September 2008

Born October 28, 1930 in Suffolk, England, Bernard "Bernie" Ecclestone is the president and CEO of Formula One (F1) Management and Formula One Administration. He also owns a healthy stake in Alpha Prema, the parent company of the Formula One Group of companies.

Because of this, Ecclestone is often considered to be the primary authority in F1 racing. The tabloids commonly address him as "F1 Supremo." Ecclestone also co-owns the Queens Park Rangers Football Club. In his early years, Ecclestone was a racing competitor and manager of drivers Stuart Lewis-Evans and Jochen Rindt.

At the end of WWII, Ecclestone went into business for himself, trading spare parts for motorcycles. He eventually formed the Compton & Ecclestone motorcycle dealership with Fred Compton, and even entered the 500cc Formula 3000 series. He limited himself to few events, but had to give up racing all together after a serious accident in 1951 at the Brands Hatch circuit.

After the accident, Ecclestone began a lucrative career in real estate and loan financing, and managed the Weekend Car Auctions firm. In 1957, Ecclestone returned to racing and managed Lewis-Evans and purchased the F1 Connaught team.

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Pierce Brosnan Mr Remington Steele as James Bond

18 September 2008

Actor, film producer and environmentalist Pierce Brendan Brosnan was born May 16, 1953 in Castletown, Co. Meath, Ireland. After leaving school at the age of 16, Brosnan began training in commercial illustration. Years later, Brosnan attended drama school in London for three years, and landing a leading role in the popular television series Remington Steele following his brief on-state career.

Brosnan is a very well-known actor, appearing in notable movies such as The Thomas Crown Affair, Dante’s Peak, Mars Attacks, Mrs. Doubtfire, and The Lawnmower Man, among many others. Though these are popular movies and undoubtedly cemented Brosnan’s role as a leading man in Hollywood, it wasn’t until Brosnan took over the role as super-agent James Bond that the world stood up and took notice.

Brosnan’s early years were spent in the modest area of Drogheda, Ireland, where he as raised as a Catholic. After Brosnan’s father abandoned the family, his mother moved to London to work as a nurse.

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King of serve and volley Pete Sampras

11 September 2008

Born August 12, 1971 in Washington, D.C., Pete Sampras is a former professional tennis player. Sampras is the third son of Sam and Georgia Sampras, Greek immigrants, and often considered to be the greatest tennis player in history. From a very early age, Sampras displayed signs of outstanding athletic ability.

A young Sampras would discover a tennis racquet in his parents’ basement, and spend hours a day hitting the balls against the wall. At only 7 years of age, Sam and Georgia moved the entire family to Palos Verdes, California, so their son could develop his talent for tennis in a warmer climate.

Shortly after the move in 1978, The Sampras’ joined the Peninsula Racquet Club, where young Pete’s talents would become evident to everyone. At the ripe young age of 11, Sampras had already learned the solid serve and the volley tactic, which would become the trademark of his tennis game.

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The legendary Italian racer Riccardo Patrese

08 September 2008

Born April 17, 1954 in Padua, Italy, Riccardo Patrese is a former racing driver who raced in Formula One from 1977 to 1993. Patrese became the first Formula One driver to achieve over 200 Grand Prix starts when he made an appearance at the 1990 British Grand Prix, and the first to accomplish 250 starts at the 1993 German Grand Prix.

All together, Patrese entered in 257 F1 World Championship Grand Prix races, and started 256, making him the second most experienced F1 driver, behind Rubens Barrichello.

Patrese made his racing debut in 1977 with the Shadow Racing team at the Monaco Grand Prix. He received the nod after the team was forced to switch drivers in the middle of the season. Later that year, Jackie Oliver took Patrese with him when he left Shadow to form the Arrows team.

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What gave the roar to Tiger Woods

01 September 2008

Tiger Woods was born on December 30, 1975, in Cypress, California. Earl Woods, Tiger’s father, began teaching him the game when he was just 1-year-old. At only 2 years of age, Tiger’s skills were so evident that he was featured on the Mike Douglas show in 1978. Woods appeared alongside Bob Hope in a putting contest. At only 3-years-old, he shot an impressive 48 over 9 holes at a hometown golf course and eventually appeared on the TV show "That’s Incredible" and was featured in Golf Digest Magazine when he was 5.

After winning 6 junior championships between the age of 8 and 15, Woods went on to become the youngest U.S. Junior Athlete Champion in the country’s history. He repeated the following year, making him the only player to ever receive the honor twice. The following year, he won it for an unprecedented third time.

At age 16, Woods competed in the Nissan Los Angeles Open, his first PGA Tour event. And at 18, Tiger won the U.S. Amateur Championship, becoming the youngest player to accomplish this feat. He went on to win the Amateur Championship for 2 more years, winning 3 consecutive.

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The new James Bond Daniel Craig has proven himself

31 August 2008

English actor Daniel Wroughton Craig was born March 2, 1968 and Chester, England. He is the son of Olivia Williams, an art teacher, and Timothy John Wroughton Craig, who was a midshipman in the Merchant Navy, working in various capacities when he came ashore. His cousin is the novelist Joe Craig. Daniel was raised on the Wirral, Merseyside where his father was landlord of the Ring �O Bells and The Boot pubs.

He attended Hilbre High School and Calday Grange Grammar School in West Kirby. Craig also played for the Hoylake Rugby Club. He moved to London when he was sixteen, joining the National Youth Theatre after a brief stay at Calday.

Craig studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, graduating in 1991, then going on to appear in several minor roles including Sharpe’s Eagle, and an episode of Drop The Dead Donkey. Our Friends in the North, a BBC Television serial, offered Craig his first leading role. He continued to work with the BBC, and starred in the 1997 Francis Bacon biopic Love is the Devil: Study for a Portrait of Francis Bacon, playing Bacon’s lover George Dyer. Craig also played D.S. Andy McLoughlin in the TV drama The Ice House.

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A quick run down on George Lazenby as James Bond

24 August 2008

Australian actor George Robert Lazenby was born September 5, 1939 in Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia. Lanzenby worked as a salesman at a Morris Motor Company dealership in Canberra after leaving school early. He also worked as a ski instructor and won several skiing competitions. In an Australian band called The Corvettes, George played bass guitar.

He proudly served in the Australian Army Special Forces, reaching the rank of Sergeant, and becoming an unarmed combat instructor. In 1964, he moved to London, England to become a model, and then later landed a job as an advertizing actor. Lazenby’s time as a model made him the highest grossing male model in the world, earning over a million dollars after inflation. Lazenby may be recognizable to some from his job as the European Marlboro Man.

After working in television advertizing and an Italian B-movie, Lazenby’s first real acting role was as James Bond in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service in 1969. Lazenby was the second Bond, immediately following Connery whose portrayal of the character was always in question.

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A short bio on Lewis Hamilton

14 August 2008

Born July 1, 1985, in Great Britain, Lewis Hamilton is electrifying fans of F1 racing with his caution-to-the-wind style, cat-like moves, and freakishly fast speeds. At 23 years of age, this youngster has already scored 8 wins, and looks to do much more damage to the circuit now that he’s right at home with team McLaren.

Like many other racers on the circuit, Hamilton started his career with karts in 1995. He took top honors in the Masters at Bercy in 2000, followed by a move to single-seaters in ’01. Hamilton took part in the Formula Renault Winter Series that year and finished 5th overall. He would return to Renault the following year and finish 3rd in the championship standings.

His talent quickly rising, Hamilton took the championship in 2003. More wins in the F3 Euroseries before claiming the championship followed in 2005 with ASM. Hamilton’s leap to GP2 didn’t daunt him at all, as he won the title from Nelson Piquet Jr. with ART Grand Prix. Showcasing his natural racing ability, Hamilton pulled off the pass of the season with his aggressive and daring move from third to first at the Becketts complex at Silverstone.

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Roger Federer is probably the worlds greatest ever tennis player

11 August 2008

Born on August 8, 1981, Roger Federer is a Swiss tennis player. This 6 foot 1 inch prodigy has some of the most impressive stats you’ll ever find on an athlete. Not only is he compared to greats of the game like Pete Sampras, Bjorn Borg, Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, Boris Becker, and Arthur Ashe, he’s considered better than the lot.

There’s no way to properly explain the natural ability showcased by Federer on a match-by-match basis. His dominance is something of legend. At only 26 years of age, he may in fact be the youngest man in history to reach greatness of this magnitude. The only athlete who comes close to Federer’s skill on a world level is professional golfer Tiger Woods. You can find the two featured together in commercials. Tennis isn’t the most popular sport out there, but Federer is undoubtedly its most popular participant.

Federer started playing tennis at six years of age. He also played football for a while. The grueling practices of dual-sports seemed to fuel his drive and natural ability, and by the age of 14, he stuck true with tennis and became the Swiss champion for all age groups and was hand-selected to train as the prestigious Ecublens’ Swiss National Tennis Center.

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Sean Connery and his James Bond journey

24 July 2008

Sir Thomas Sean Connery was born August 25, 1930, in the Fountainbridge region of Edinburgh, Scotland. He grew up in an impoverished environment as the son of a truck driver. Connery left school and ultimately joined the Royal Navy.

After serving for a while, Connery has to be released to do medical issues with ulcers. He held many jobs before finding his calling. He’s worked as a laborer, lifeguard, a model, a lorry driver, and a coffin polisher. In 1953, Connery represented Scotland at the Mr. Universe Contest and took home 3rd place.

After his bodybuilding career, Connery landed a job in the chorus with the touring company of South Pacific, where he went on to start in various stage productions, and finally making a television debut in 1956.

Most know Connery as the quintessential James Bond, but upon his audition, Ian Fleming, the author of the James Bond novels, described Connery as the anti-Bond, stating that Connery was nothing like the character he created. Despite Fleming’s opinions, Connery was cast as the first James Bond in Dr. No in 1962.

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A short biography on Nigel Mansell

21 July 2008

Nigel Ernest James Mansell was born August 8, 1953 in Upton-upon-Severn, Worcestershire. He spent most of his childhood and early adult years in Hall Green, Birmingham. When he was just 15 years old, he began to get a feel for racing in karting. He took a part-time job as an engineer, but never lost the ambition and drive to race, which ended up costing him the majority of his income when he began to compete in the British Formula Ford 1600 competition in the 1970s.

Mansell won his first-ever race at Mellory Park in 1976. In one short year, Mansell had the opportunity to win his first championship, after winning 32 of the 42 races he participated in. In a horrible accident, Mansell broke his back and most thought his racing days were over before they ever really got started. In a miraculous turnaround, Nigel returned to claim his championship against medical advice.

Mansell and his wife sold their property in 1979 to pay for their Formula 3 races with the March team. The March wasn’t anything impressive, but Mansell’s performance still attracted the attention of Lotus Formula 1 boss Colin Chapman. Chapman was convinced of Mansell’s talents, and invited him to test a Formula 1 car.

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A little story of a Bond called Roger Moore

19 July 2008

Sir Roger George Moore was born October 14, 1927, in Stockwell, south London, England. He is the son of a noted policeman. At the age of 15, Moore entered an art school with aspirations or becoming a painter, later becoming an apprentice at an animation studio.

In the mid 1940s, Moore appeared as an extra in crowd scenes in movies. Studying at the Royal Academy of Drama, Moore appeared in various plays in the West End, before ultimately being inducted into the British Army. He served in the rank of 2nd Lieutenant with a Combined Services Entertainment Unit in Germany near the end of WWII. Moore worked in theater, radio, television, and as a model after his military career ended.

In 1953, Moore went to the United States and landed a film contract with MGM. He would go on to act in several films. His biggest role was as the charming Simon Templar in the television series The Saint.

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A little history on Ayrton Senna the great formula one driver

13 July 2008

Ayrton Senna Da Silva was born on March 21, 1960 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Senna lived in Monte Carlo and Sao Paula is his latter years, and was divorced from his wife but was involved in a relationship. He had no children of his own, having chosen to make racing his life, hoping to save family for a later date when the wheels stopped rolling.

Senna started racing go-karts at the age of 4, and his first run in a real racecar came at the age of 21 in a Formula Ford 1600 van Diemen. In 1981, he became the British Formula Ford 1600 Champion. In 82, he repeated as British Champion, and also won the European title in the Formula Ford 2000 class. And in 83, he won the British F3 Championship.

When 1984 rolled around, Senna found himself with Toleman-Hart and was driving a F1 car. He never won a race that year and had a bad accident when he crashed during practice. When the season finished, Senna was ranked 8th with 13 points. The 1985 season brought much-needed improvements. Senna led in races at Imola, Monaco, Nurburgring, Detroit, Silverstone, Brands Hatch, and Adelaide. He finished the 85 season in 4th place with 38 points. In 1986, Senna won his first 2 F1 races and won pole position 8 times.

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Biography of James Bond creator Ian Fleming

04 July 2008

Born in Mayfair, London, 1908, Ian Lancaster Fleming was a British author, journalist, and World War II Navy Commander. Though, in popular culture, Fleming is best known for creating the James Bond character, chronicling his adventures in twelve novels and nine short stories.

Also accredited to Fleming are the children’s story, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and two other non-fiction books. Fleming died in 1964, but his timeless character James Bond continues to live on with numerous movies, the more recent movies being throwbacks to the first book, Casino Royale, and its sequel, Quantum of Solace.

Fleming was born to Valentine Fleming, a Member of Parliament, and his wife Evelyn Ste Croix Fleming. He was the younger brother of travel writer Peter Fleming and the older brother of Michael and Richard Fleming. Fleming was educated at Sunningdale School in Berkshire, Eton College, and at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.

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A Brief Bio on Sheldon Adelson

15 June 2008

Born August 1, 1933, Sheldon Gary Adelson is an American billionaire businessman and property developer. As the third richest person in the United States, Adelson’s net worth of 26-billion dollars has earned this CEO the respect and admiration of millions who wish to follow in his footsteps.

Adelson is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Las Vegas Sands Corp., which is the parent company of Venetian Macao Limited, which also operates The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino and the Sands Expo and Convention Center. Adelson’s biggest increase in wealth came when he sold 10% of his casino shares to the public.

Adelson has recently bore the brunt of rumor and scandal. He has come under fire for his involvement with right-wing lobbying groups. The allegations suggest that Adelson has financed several unsuccessful Republican congressional candidates and has attempted to raise as much as $250 million to attack Senator Barack Obama’s presidential campaign.

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Who is Sol Kerzner

11 June 2008

Solomon Kerzner was born on August 23rd, 1935. He is best known for being a South African hotel and gambling tycoon. Born in Troyeville, Johannesburg, Kerzner was the youngest of four children. His parents were Jewish Russian immigrants, wishing to capitalize on the times with their entrepreneur spirit.

His family successfully started a hotel chain. After Kerzner graduated as a Chartered Accountant, he took over the running of the hotels and eventually went on to create the most successful hotel group in South Africa: Sun International. Sol Kerzner is currently Chairman of the Board of Kerzner International, which is located on Paradise Island in the Bahamas.

Playing off of the Sun City resort success, Kerzner got involved in international hotel and gambling resorts; with his most notable role being the innovative developer behind the famous Atlantis resort in the Bahamas. Kerzner quickly scored a hit with this beautiful resort.

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A mini-bio on Steve Wynn

30 May 2008

Stephen Alan Wynn was born on January 27th, 1942 in New Haven, Connecticut, and is best known for being an American casino developer. He was thought to be responsible for the efforts of reestablishing Las Vegas in the 90s, spearheading the resurgence and expansion of the Vegas strip.

His companies refurbished and built some of the most widely recognized resorts in Las Vegas to date, such as the Golden Nugget, The Mirage, Treasure Island, Bellagio, and Wynn. Wynn currently lives with his wife in a suite at Wynn Las Vegas, awaiting completion of their Highlands Golf Club home. He has two daughters, Kevyn and Gillian. Wynn suffers from retinitis pigmentosa, which affects his peripheral vision.

Wynn’s father Michael Weinberg ran a host of bingo parlors in the United States. In the late 40s, he changed his name to "Wynn", a marketing strategy and an attempt to counter anti-Jewish bias.

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Who is Stanley Ho?

22 April 2008

Stanley Ho, also known as Ho Hung-sun, was born November 25th, 1921. He is an entrepreneur in Hong Kong and Macau. Ho picked up the nickname "The King of Gambling", which reflects the government-granted monopoly he held for over 35 years in the Macau gaming industry. Ho is by far the wealthiest person in all of Macau, and one of the wealthiest in all of Asia. Ho’s estimated net worth is around 7-billion-dollars, according to Forbes magazine.

He’s tied for the 104th rank of wealthiest person in the entire world. Ho owns many properties in both Hong Kong and Macau and has taken part in all kinds of business ventures including entertainment, shipping, real estate, tourism, air transport, and banking.

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