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David Rappaport
David Stephen Rappaport (23 November 1951 – 2 May 1990) was an English actor with achondroplasia (a genetic disorder where the primary feature is dwarfism). He appeared in the films ''Time Bandits'' and '' The Bride'', and television series ''L.A. Law'', '' The Wizard'' and '' Captain Planet and the Planeteers''. He was in height. Early life Rappaport was born to Jewish taxi driver Mark and his wife Diana (née Schneiderman) in London. He was born with achondroplasia, a common form of dwarfism. As a child, he developed talents in playing the accordion and drums, the latter of which he played professionally during his life. Rappaport studied psychology at the University of Bristol from 1970, graduating with a degree while developing his skills as a semi-professional drummer, and acting skills at the college dramatical society. After six months in the United States, he returned to the United Kingdom to marry his college girlfriend Jane. They had a son, Joe, and Rappaport tried ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Western Europe, with a population of 14.9 million. London stands on the River Thames in southeast England, at the head of a tidal estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a major settlement for nearly 2,000 years. Its ancient core and financial centre, the City of London, was founded by the Roman Empire, Romans as Londinium and has retained its medieval boundaries. The City of Westminster, to the west of the City of London, has been the centuries-long host of Government of the United Kingdom, the national government and Parliament of the United Kingdom, parliament. London grew rapidly 19th-century London, in the 19th century, becoming the world's List of largest cities throughout history, largest city at the time. Since the 19th cen ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sylvester McCoy
Percy James Patrick Kent-Smith (born 20 August 1943), known professionally as Sylvester McCoy, is a Scottish actor. Gaining prominence as a physical comedian, he became best known for playing the seventh incarnation of the Doctor in the long-running science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'' from 1987 to 1989—the final Doctor of the original run—and briefly returning in a television film in 1996. He is also known for his work as Radagast in ''The Hobbit'' film series (2012–2014). Early life McCoy was born Percy James Patrick Kent-Smith in Dunoon, on the Cowal peninsula, to an Irish Catholic mother and an English father who had died in action during World War II a couple of months before McCoy was born; he met his father's family at the age of 17. His mother suffered a mental breakdown when McCoy was eight years old, and was institutionalised thereafter. Prior to adopting his stage name, McCoy was known as Kent Smith; he was unaware of his given names until he w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Frankenstein's Monster
Frankenstein's monster, commonly referred to as Frankenstein, is a fictional character that first appeared in Mary Shelley's 1818 novel '' Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus'' as its main antagonist. Shelley's title compares the monster's creator, Victor Frankenstein, to the mythological character Prometheus, who fashioned humans out of clay and gave them fire. In Shelley's Gothic story, Victor Frankenstein builds the creature in his laboratory through an ambiguous method based on a scientific principle he discovered. Shelley describes the monster as tall and emotional. The monster attempts to fit into human society but is shunned, which leads him to seek revenge against Frankenstein. According to the scholar Joseph Carroll, the monster occupies "a border territory between the characteristics that typically define protagonists and antagonists". Frankenstein's monster became iconic in popular culture, and has been featured in various forms of media, including films, te ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Thekla
''Thekla'' is a former cargo ship moored in the Mud Dock area of Bristol's Floating Harbour, England. The ship was built in Germany in 1958 and worked in the coastal trades. In 1982 the ship was bought by Ki Longfellow-Stanshall, the wife of Vivian Stanshall, refitted, and brought to Bristol in 1983 as the ''Old Profanity Showboat''. It was used as a theatre to showcase music of every sort, including cabaret, comedy, plays, musicals, and poetry events. The ship also contained an art gallery. The living quarters were home for Vivian, Ki, their daughter, Silky Longfellow-Stanshall, and Ki's daughter, Sydney Longfellow, as well as a few key personnel. During the 1990s, under new management, it was run as a rent-a-nightclub. The ship has now been returned to its original working name of ''Thekla'' and is run as a night club and venue for various bands by Daybrook House Promotions. Construction and working life Built in Yard No. 185, ''Thekla'' was launched on 12 July 1958 by ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vivian Stanshall
Vivian Stanshall (born Victor Anthony Stanshall; 21 March 1943 – 5 March 1995) was an English singer-songwriter, musician, author, poet and wit, best known for his work with the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, for his exploration of the British upper classes in ''Sir Henry at Rawlinson End'' (as a radio series for John Peel, as an audio recording, as a book and as a film), and for acting as Master of Ceremonies on Mike Oldfield's album ''Tubular Bells''. Early life and education Stanshall was born on 21 March 1943 at the Radcliffe Maternity Home Shillingford, Oxfordshire. His father, Victor George Stanshall (born Vivian), was, at the time of his son's birth an RAF corporal, later a company secretary, then company director ( FCIS). His mother was Eileen Monica Prudence (née Wadeson). He was christened Victor Anthony. He lived with his mother while his father served in the RAF during the Second World War. Stanshall described this early period as the happiest time of his childhood. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ki Longfellow-Stanshall
Ki Longfellow (born Baby Kelly, formerly Pamela Kelly; December 9, 1944 – June 12, 2022) was an American novelist, playwright, theatrical producer, theatre director and entrepreneur with dual citizenship in Britain. She is best known in the United States for her novel '' The Secret Magdalene'' (2005). This is the first of her works exploring the divine feminine. In England, she is likely best known as the widow of Vivian Stanshall, musician, lead singer of the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, songwriter, author, radio broadcaster and wit. The first of her novels to be published, ''China Blues'' (1989) and ''Chasing Women'' (1993) are mysteries and thrillers. In April 2013, the first of her ''Sam Russo Mysteries'' was published, part of a noir series set in and around New York City in the late 1940s. The fourth in the ''Sam Russo Mysteries'' was published in 2015. ''Walks Away Woman'', about a neglected Arizona housewife walking out into the Sonoran Desert to die, was published in Decem ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jason Connery
Jason Joseph Connery (born 11 January 1963) is a British actor and director. He is the son of Sean Connery and Diane Cilento. On screen, he is best known for appearing in the third series of the ITV (TV channel), ITV drama series ''Robin of Sherwood'' in 1986. He took over the main role after Michael Praed's character was killed off at the end of the second series. Early life Connery was born 11 January 1963 in Rome and raised in London. He is the son of Australian actress Diane Cilento and Scottish actor Sean Connery. He attended Millfield School, a co-educational Private schools in the United Kingdom, private school in the town of Street, Somerset, Street, in Somerset, England, and later the independent Gordonstoun School in Moray, Scotland. He was later accepted into the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. Career Connery performed many roles in theatre and subsequently had parts in several B-films. His film début was in ''The Lords of Discipline (film), The Lords of Discipline' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
ITV Wales & West
ITV Wales and West, previously known as Harlech Television (HTV), was an ITV (TV network), ITV franchisee in the United Kingdom until 31 December 2013, licensed to broadcast by the regulator Ofcom. There is no channel, past or present, named "ITV Wales and West". The licence relates to a "dual region", meaning that the franchise area was divided into two sub-regions, Wales and the West of England, each of which had to be served by distinct and separate ITV programme services, as more fully defined within the licence. From January 2014, the dual-region licence was split in two, with ITV Cymru Wales for Wales and ITV West Country covering both the West of England sub-region and South West England. Both licences remain held by ITV plc through its subsidiary ITV Broadcasting Ltd, and the legal names of the former HTV companies have not yet been changed again, [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Terry Gilliam
Terrence Vance Gilliam ( ; born 22 November 1940) is an American-British filmmaker, comedian, collage film, collage animator, and actor. He gained stardom as a member of the Monty Python comedy troupe alongside John Cleese, Eric Idle, Michael Palin, Terry Jones, and Graham Chapman. Together they collaborated on the sketch comedy, sketch series ''Monty Python's Flying Circus'' (1969–1974) and the films ''Monty Python and the Holy Grail'' (1975, also co-directed), ''Monty Python's Life of Brian, Life of Brian'' (1979) and ''Monty Python's The Meaning of Life, The Meaning of Life'' (1983). In 1988, they received the British Academy Film Awards, BAFTA Award for BAFTA Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema Award, Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema. In 2009, Gilliam received the BAFTA Fellowship for lifetime achievement. Gilliam transitioned to directing serious films with themes exploring imagination and oppositions to bureaucracy and authoritarianism. His films are some ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tiswas
''Tiswas'' (; an acronym of "Today Is Saturday: Watch And Smile") was a British children's television series that originally aired on Saturday mornings from 5 January 1974 to 3 April 1982 and was produced for the ITV network by ATV. It was created by ATV continuity announcer Peter Tomlinson (later to become a regular presenter on the show) following a test period in 1973 when he tried out a few competitions and "daft stuff" between the programmes. Overview ''Tiswas'' began life as a 'links' strand between many 'filler' programmes, such as cartoons and old films. The popularity of the presenters' links soon eclipsed the staple diet of filler. The correct meaning of the Tiswas initials – ''Today Is Saturday: Watch And Smile'' – was confirmed by host Chris Tarrant on the ''Tiswas Reunited'' special of 2007, although '' Today Is Saturday: Wear A Smile'' had also been often cited, albeit incorrectly. "Tiswas", as a word meaning "A state of nervous agitation or confusion .. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Not The Nine O'Clock News
''Not the Nine O'Clock News'' is a British television sketch comedy show that was broadcast on BBC2 from 16 October 1979 to 8 March 1982. Originally shown as a comedy alternative to the '' Nine O'Clock News'' on BBC1, the show features satirical sketches on news stories and popular culture of the early 1980s, as well as parody songs, comedy sketches, re-edited videos, and spoof television formats. The programme features Rowan Atkinson, Pamela Stephenson, Mel Smith, and Griff Rhys Jones, as well as Chris Langham in the first series. Format The format was a deliberate departure from the stream-of-consciousness comedy pioneered by ''Monty Python's Flying Circus'', returning to a more conventional sketch format. Sketches were mostly self-contained, lasting from a few seconds to a few minutes, and often had a degree of naturalism in performance. The series launched the careers of several high-profile actors and writers, and also led to other comedic series including ''Blackadder ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Secret Policeman's Ball (1979)
''The Secret Policeman's Ball'' was the third of the benefit shows staged by Amnesty International to raise funds for its research and campaign work in the human rights field. In later years, other Amnesty benefit shows also bore the ''Secret Policeman's'' title. They are informally referred to as ''The Secret Policeman's Balls''. ''The Secret Policeman's Ball'' took place over four consecutive nights in London on 27–30 June 1979. It was a successor to the 1976 show ''A Poke in the Eye (With a Sharp Stick)'' (the film of which was titled ''Pleasure at Her Majesty's'') and the 1977 show ''The Mermaid Frolics''. The show was directed by Monty Python alumnus John Cleese and producers Martin Lewis and Peter Walker. It subsequently yielded a one-hour TV special, a full-length film, and two record albums (one each of comedy and music performances). One of the sketches in the show was Peter Cook's nine-minute parody of the biased judge's instructions to the jury in the recently c ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
