1.
Ridley Scott
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Sir Ridley Scott is an English film director and producer. Scott is known for his atmospheric, highly concentrated visual style and his films are also known for their strong female characters. Scott has been nominated for three Academy Awards for Directing, in 1995, both Ridley and his brother Tony received the BAFTA Award for Outstanding British Contribution To Cinema. In 2003, Scott was knighted for his services to the British film industry, in a 2004 BBC poll Scott was named the tenth most influential person in British culture. In 2015 he received a doctorate from the Royal College of Art in London. Scott was born in South Shields, County Durham, North East England, to Elizabeth and he was brought up in an army family, so for most of his early life, his father – an officer in the Royal Engineers – was absent. His elder brother, Frank, joined the British Merchant Navy when he was still young, during this time the family moved around, living in Cumberland in North West England, Wales and Germany. He had a brother, Tony, who also became a film director. He studied at Grangefield Grammar School and West Hartlepool College of Art from 1954 to 1958, Scott went on to study at the Royal College of Art in London, contributing to college magazine ARK and helping to establish the college film department. For his final show, he made a black and white film, Boy and Bicycle. In February 1963 Scott was named in title credits as Designer for the BBC television programme Tonight, about the severe winter of 1963. After graduation in 1963, he secured a job as a set designer with the BBC, leading to work on the popular television police series Z-Cars. He was originally assigned to design the second Doctor Who serial, The Daleks, however, shortly before Scott was due to start work, a schedule conflict meant he was replaced by Raymond Cusick. In 1965, he began directing episodes of series for the BBC, only one of which. In 1968, Ridley and Tony Scott founded Ridley Scott Associates, a nostalgia themed television advertisement that captured the public imagination, it was voted the UKs all-time favourite commercial in a 2006 poll. In the 1970s the Chanel No.5 brand needed revitalisation having run the risk of being labelled as mass market, five members of the Scott family are directors, and all have worked for RSA. His brother Tony was a film director whose career spanned more than two decades, his sons Jake and Luke are both acclaimed directors of commercials, as is his daughter, Jordan Scott. Jake and Jordan both work from Los Angeles, Luke is based in London, in 1995, Shepperton Studios was purchased by a consortium headed by Ridley and Tony Scott, which extensively renovated the studios while also expanding and improving its grounds
2.
Jerry Bruckheimer
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Jerome Leon Jerry Bruckheimer is an American film and television producer. He has been active in the genres of action, drama and his best known television series are CSI, Crime Scene Investigation, CSI, Miami, CSI, NY, Without a Trace, Cold Case, and the U. S. version of The Amazing Race. At one point, three of his TV series ranked among the top 10 in the U. S. ratings—a unique feat in television and he also serves as a Director at ZeniMax Media. Many of his films have produced by Disney and Paramount, while many of his television series have been co-produced by Warner Bros. Bruckheimer was born in Detroit, Michigan, the son of German Jewish immigrants and he graduated from Mumford High School in Detroit, at age 17, before moving to Arizona for college. Bruckheimer was also a member of the Stamp Collecting Club. He graduated with a degree in psychology from the University of Arizona and he was a member of the Zeta Beta Tau fraternity. A film buff at an age with an interest in photography. After college Bruckheimer worked in advertising in Detroit and New York City, as of 2010, Bruckheimer has produced over 40 feature films, and is regarded in the industry as one of the most successful film producers of all time. Bruckheimer started producing films in the 1970s, after leaving his job in advertising and they had worked together on the films The Culpepper Cattle Company, Farewell, My Lovely, and March or Die. Bruckheimer then worked with Paul Schrader on two films, American Gigolo and Cat People, which began to give him notice in Hollywood, during the 1980s and 1990s, he was a co-producer with Don Simpson of a string of highly successful Hollywood films for Paramount Pictures. He originally met Don at a screening of 1973s The Harder They Come at Warner Brothers, the two worked together and created Bruckheimers first big hit, 1983s Flashdance, which brought in US$95 million, an incredible sum for an R-rated film. He had a number of hits during that time period, including the Beverly Hills Cop films, Top Gun. Top Gun marked his first collaboration with English director Tony Scott, while working with Simpson, Bruckheimer became known as Mr. Outside because of his experience with film making, while Simpson became known as Mr. Inside because of his film industry contacts. The Rock was the last film in which Bruckheimer collaborated with Simpson, Bruckheimer stipulated that The Rock be dedicated to the memory of Simpson. His other hit films produced include Remember the Titans, Black Hawk Down and he has also acquired the rights to produce a film based on the popular role playing game by Palladium Books, Rifts. Early in his career, Bruckheimer produced television commercials, including one for Pepsi, since 1997 he has branched out into television, creating a number of police dramas of which CSI, Crime Scene Investigation has been the most successful. He has also produced the reality game show The Amazing Race, in May 2008 CBS announced it had picked up Bruckheimers newest series, Eleventh Hour, for the 2008–2009 broadcast television season
3.
Black Hawk Down (book)
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Black Hawk Down, A Story of Modern War is a 1999 book by journalist Mark Bowden. It documents efforts by the Unified Task Force to capture Somali faction leader Mohamed Farrah Aidid in 1993, and the resulting battle in Mogadishu between United States forces and Aidids militia. One of the key events is the downing of two United States UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, from which the book derives its title, and the attempt to rescue their crews. United States forces included Army Rangers, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, 10th Mountain Division, Delta Force and Navy SEALs, the raid became the most intense close combat in U. S. military history since the Vietnam War. Although the particular mission to apprehend Aidid was officially codenamed Gothic Serpent, Black Hawk Down, A Story of Modern War is based on a series of 29 articles written by journalist Mark Bowden for The Philadelphia Inquirer. He did extensive research in US Army records, interviewed participants from both sides of the conflict, reviewed footage recorded by aircraft, and recordings of radio traffic. Before the book was published, Bowdens series had begun to attract attention within the media. It consisted of a CD-ROM, a video, and an audiovisual series on The Inquirers Web site. In January 1991, militias overthrew the ruling Siad Barre regime, the United Nations later arranged a US-led intervention, with a mandate to engage in state building and encourage the militias to share power and begin to form a new government. Uninterested in sharing power, Mohamed Farrah Aidid began to regard the UN mission as hostile, the UN commander, U. S. Admiral Jonathan Howe, declared Aidid an outlaw, and the faction leaders forces and supporters subsequently began targeting the officer. The hunt for Aidid resulted in faulty raids, high civilian casualties, after the battle, the hunt for Aidid was called off. The U. S. subsequently pulled out, with the UN following suit a few months later, in 1996, Aidid died from wounds sustained during a battle against a rival militia. A new interim administration, the Transitional National Government, was eventually formed in 2000. Bowdens narrative was generally praised, particularly his efforts at contextualizing the local and international politics and it added that Bowden rapidly shifts viewpoints after US ground forces enter the city, trying to extract a couple of Aidid leaders and then, when things go wrong, rescue US forces. The book was a finalist for the 1999 National Book Award for Nonfiction, the book was adapted into a 2001 film by the same name, directed by Ridley Scott and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer. Battle of Mogadishu In the Company of Heroes Black Hawk Down Bowden, Black Hawk Down, A Story of Modern War. ISBN 0-87113-738-0 Black Hawk Down, A Story of Modern War
4.
Josh Hartnett
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Joshua Daniel Josh Hartnett is an American actor and movie producer. He first came to attention in 1997 for his role as Michael Fitzgerald in the crime drama series Cracker. He made his film debut in 1998 in the slasher film Halloween H20,20 Years Later, followed by teen roles in films such as the sci-fi horror film The Faculty. Hartnett had starring roles in the war film Pearl Harbor, the drama O, the war film Black Hawk Down, the romantic comedy 40 Days and 40 Nights and he starred in the Brian De Palma–directed neo-noir crime thriller The Black Dahlia. From 2014 to 2016, he starred as Ethan Chandler in the horror TV series Penny Dreadful, Hartnett was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, though some sources, he has said, erroneously give San Francisco, California. The son of Daniel Thomas Hartnett and Wendy Anne and he was raised by his father, a building manager, and his stepmother, Molly, an artist. He has two brothers, Jake and Joe, Hartnett was raised Roman Catholic, attending Nativity of Our Lord Catholic School. Shortly after arriving in Los Angeles, he caught a break, landing a part in the short-lived but acclaimed drama Cracker. Although the series was cancelled after sixteen episodes, Hartnett had made a name for himself and he then began to focus on feature film work. He performed in plays and on national television commercials before being cast in his first feature film. Released on August 5,1998, it performed well at the box office, Hartnett developed a film career, having appeared in Hollywood films, including The Faculty, Black Hawk Down, Lucky Number Slevin and Pearl Harbor. He was originally scheduled to play the role of Tino in Deuces Wild, in 2002, he starred in O, an adaptation of William Shakespeares Othello set in an American high school, as Hugo, the films version of Iago. Hartnett said of his decision, It just wasnt the kind of movie I wanted to do, I turned down other superhero roles as well. Hartnett was chosen as one of Teen People magazines 21 Hottest Stars Under 21 in 1999, Teen Peoples 25 Hottest Stars under 25 and he was also voted Bliss magazines 3rd Sexiest Male, and in 2003 PETA named him the Sexiest Vegetarian Alive, as chosen by voters. One of Hartnetts next films was the 2006 drama-mystery The Black Dahlia, Hartnett had been cast in the role five years before the film was produced, remaining committed to appearing in the movie because he liked the subject matter. Among his 2007 roles were Resurrecting the Champ, an also starring Samuel L. Jackson. Hartnett described the film as supernatural, but kind of a western. He was going to play trumpet player Chet Baker in the film The Prince of Cool, in 2008, Hartnett played Charlie Babbit alongside Adam Godley in the theatre adaptation of Barry Morrows Academy Award-winning Rain Man at the Apollo Theatre in Londons West End
5.
Ewan McGregor
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Ewan Gordon McGregor OBE is a Scottish actor. His first professional role was in 1993, when he won a role in the Channel 4 series Lipstick on Your Collar. Camerlengo Father Patrick McKenna in Angels and Demons, Dr. Alfred Jones in the romantic comedy-drama Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, and Lumière in an adaptation of Beauty. He received Golden Globe nominations for Best Actor – Musical or Comedy for both Moulin Rouge, and Salmon Fishing in the Yemen. McGregor has also starred in productions of Guys and Dolls. He was ranked number 36 on Empire magazines The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time list in 1997, in a 2004 poll for the BBC, McGregor was named the fourth most influential person in British culture. He has been involved in charity work and has served as an ambassador for UNICEF UK since 2004, in 2016, he received the BAFTA Britannia Humanitarian Award. McGregor was born in Perth, Scotland and brought up in Crieff and his mother, Carol Diane, is a retired teacher of Crieff High School and latterly deputy head teacher of Kingspark School in Dundee. His father, James Charles Stewart Jim McGregor, is a physical education teacher and careers master of Morrisons Academy. He has a brother, Colin, who is a former Tornado GR4 pilot in the Royal Air Force. He is the nephew of actor Denis Lawson and actress Sheila Gish, McGregor attended the independent Morrisons Academy in Crieff. In 1993, six months prior to his graduation from Guildhall, the same year, he starred in the BBC adaptation of Scarlet and Black with a young Rachel Weisz, and made his film debut in Bill Forsyths Being Human. In 1994, McGregor performed in the thriller Shallow Grave, for which he won an Empire Award, and his international breakthrough followed in 1996 with the role of heroin addict Mark Renton in Boyles Trainspotting, an adaptation of Irvine Welshs novel of the same name. McGregor played the romantic lead role in the 1998 British film Little Voice. While the prequels received criticism from Star Wars fans, McGregors performance was widely acclaimed and his uncle, Denis Lawson, had played Wedge Antilles in the original trilogy. In 2001, he starred in Moulin Rouge, as the young poet Christian, who falls in love with the terminally-ill courtesan Satine, played by Nicole Kidman. McGregor reprised his role of Obi-Wan Kenobi for the subsequent prequel Star Wars, in 2003, he starred alongside Renée Zellweger in Down With Love. He also portrayed the younger Edward Bloom in the acclaimed film Big Fish alongside Albert Finney, Jessica Lange, Alison Lohman
6.
Tom Sizemore
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Thomas Edward Sizemore, Jr. is an American film and television actor and producer. Sizemore was born in Detroit, Michigan and his mother, Judith, was a member of the city of Detroit ombudsman staff, and his father, Thomas Edward Sizemore, Sr. was a lawyer and philosophy professor. Sizemore has stated that his grandfather was of French and Native American ancestry. He has three brothers, Charlie, Aaron, and Paul, and a sister, Katherine, Paul Sizemore is also an actor. He attended Michigan State University for one year, as well as Wayne State University, Sizemore earned a masters degree in theatre from Temple University in 1986. He subsequently moved to New York City to pursue an acting career, one of Sizemores earliest film appearances was in Oliver Stones Born on the Fourth of July in 1989. Other early roles included Lock Up, Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man, Point Break, True Romance, Heart and Souls, Natural Born Killers, Sizemore starred in the independent drama film Love Is Like That with actress and model Pamela Gidley. He had a role in Kevin Costners Wyatt Earp as Bat Masterson. A succession of well-received supporting parts followed by, perhaps the most well known being his portrayal of Michael Cheritto as a robber in the heist film Heat. Sizemores first major leading role was as Vincent DAgosta in The Relic, Sizemore had a recurring role on the television series China Beach as an enlisted man named Vinnie who was in love with Dana Delanys character. Sizemore continued to play leading and character parts in films, notably Devil in a Blue Dress, Saving Private Ryan, Bringing Out the Dead. In the early 2000s, Sizemore appeared in films such as Pearl Harbor, starring Ben Affleck. He had a role as Sonny Forelli in the video game Grand Theft Auto. In 2001, Sizemore starred in Ticker, a film directed by Albert Pyun, with Steven Seagal. In 2002, Sizemore starred in the well-reviewed but short-lived television drama series Robbery Homicide Division and it was cancelled midway through its first season. He played a cop in the film Swindle opposite Sherilyn Fenn. In 2004, he starred in Paparazzi, in 2006, he starred in The Genius Club, playing a terrorist who taunts seven geniuses into solving the worlds problems in one night. That same year, he had a role in the action/thriller film Splinter with Edward James Olmos
7.
Eric Bana
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Eric Banadinović, known professionally as Eric Bana, is an Australian actor and comedian. He began his career in the comedy series Full Frontal before gaining critical recognition in the biographical crime film Chopper. Bana also played Henry De Tamble in The Time Travelers Wife, in 2013, he played Lt. Cmdr. Erik S. Kristensen in the war film Lone Survivor and in the year he played police sergeant Ralph Sarchie in the horror film Deliver Us from Evil. An accomplished dramatic actor and comedian, he received Australias highest film and television awards for his performances in Chopper, Full Frontal and Romulus, My Father. Bana has performed across a spectrum of leading roles in a variety of low-budget and major studio films, ranging from romantic comedies. Bana was born in Melbourne, Victoria and his father, Ivan, was Croatian and worked as a logistics manager for Caterpillar, Inc. and his mother, Eleanor, was a hairdresser, originally from near Mannheim in Germany. He has one brother, Anthony. Bana grew up in Melbournes Tullamarine, an area on the northern edge of the city, near Melbournes international airport. In a cover story for the Mail on Sunday, he told author Antonella Gambotto-Burke that his family had suffered from racist taunts, wog is such a terrible word, he said. He has stated, I have always been proud of my origin, I have always been in the company of people of European origin. Showing acting skill early in life, Bana began doing impressions of family members at the age of six or seven, first mimicking his grandfathers walk, voice, in school, he mimicked his teachers as a means to get out of trouble. As a teen, he watched the Mel Gibson film Mad Max, however, he did not seriously consider a career in the performing arts until 1991 when he was persuaded to try comedy while working as a barman at Melbournes Castle Hotel. His stand-up gigs in inner-city pubs did not provide him enough income to support himself, however, so he continued his work as a barman. In 1993, Bana made his debut on Steve Vizards late night talk show. His performance gained the attention of producers from the comedy series, Full Frontal. During his four years on the show, Bana wrote much of his own material and his impressions of Columbo, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, and Tom Cruise made Bana popular with the shows audience. This success led him to record the comedy album Out of Bounds in 1994 and to host his own special, titled Eric
8.
Kim Coates
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Kim Coates is a Canadian-American actor who has worked in both Canadian and American films and television series. He has worked on Broadway portraying Stanley Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire and he is best known for his role as Alexander Tig Trager in the FX series Sons of Anarchy. Coates was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada to Fred and he had never seen a play before attending the University of Saskatchewan, where he enrolled in a drama course as an elective. Once inspired, he dove into theatre and he admits that he took drama by chance in university and, after two years, he knew he wanted to be an actor. Coates portrayed Stanley Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire and was the youngest ever to play role of Macbeth at the Stratford Festival in his native Canada. Coates made his debut in the film The Boy in Blue. Even though it was a small role, it opened up opportunities for him. Coates lives in Los Angeles, California with his wife, Diana and he is known to be good friends with actor William Fichtner, as well as Kevin Costner and Sons of Anarchy co-star Theo Rossi. Kim became a United States citizen in 2010, Kim Coates on Twitter Kim Coates at the Internet Movie Database Kim Coates at the Internet Broadway Database Kim Coates
9.
William Fichtner
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William Edward Bill Fichtner, Jr. is an American actor. He has appeared in a number of films and TV series. & Mrs. Smith, The Dark Knight, Date Night, The Lone Ranger, Phantom, Elysium, Independence Day, Resurgence, Fichtner was born on Mitchel Air Force Base on Long Island, and was raised in Cheektowaga, New York, a suburb of Buffalo. He is the son of Patricia A. and William E. Fichtner, Fichtner graduated from Maryvale High School in 1974. After graduating from Farmingdale State College in 1976 with a degree in criminal justice, he attended SUNY Brockport. Fichtner then studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York, Fichtner credits his Farmingdale State College admissions counselor, Don Harvey, with his decision to study acting. Harvey, who became a friend, took Fichtner to his first Broadway show. On May 18,2008, Fichtner was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by Farmingdale State College, Fichtner began his acting career as Josh Snyder in As the World Turns in 1987. Fichtners film credits include Contact, Heat, Armageddon, Go, Equilibrium, Black Hawk Down, The Perfect Storm, The Longest Yard, Crash, Ultraviolet and The Dark Knight. Mainly a character actor, one of Fichtners few leading roles is in Passion of Mind, also starring Demi Moore, for his role in Crash, he won a Screen Actors Guild Outstanding Performance Award and a Best Acting Ensemble Award from Broadcast Film Critics Choice. Credited as Bill Fichtner, he voiced the character Ken Rosenberg in the video games Grand Theft Auto, Vice City and Grand Theft Auto, between 2005 and 2006, Fichtner also starred in the science-fiction TV series Invasion as Sheriff Tom Underlay. After Invasion was canceled, Fichtner played FBI Agent Alexander Mahone in the second through fourth seasons of Prison Break, later that year, he presented an award at the National Hockey League award show. He also appears in The West Wing episode, The Supremes as Christopher Mulready, Fichtner also had a role as the Gotham National Bank manager in the feature film The Dark Knight, and as Jurgen in Equilibrium. In June 2009, Fichtner signed on to guest star on Entourage playing TV producer Phil Yagoda and he also voices Master Sergeant Sandman in the 2011 video game Call of Duty, Modern Warfare 3. Fichtner played Eric Sacks in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, as of June 2014, Fichtner lives in Prague, Czech Republic, where he filmed the television series Crossing Lines. Fichtner is a fan of the National Football League s Buffalo Bills, more recently, Fichtner narrated the ESPN30 for 30 documentary titled Four Falls of Buffalo, chronicling the Buffalo Bills four consecutive Super Bowl appearances from 1990–93. William Fichtner at the Internet Movie Database William Fichtner at the official Contact movie website Random Roles, William Fichtner at The A. V
10.
Sam Shepard
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Samuel Shepard Rogers III, known professionally as Sam Shepard, is an American playwright, actor, author, screenwriter, and director, whose body of work spans over half a century. He is the author of plays as well as several books of short stories, essays. Shepard received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1979 for his play Buried Child and he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of pilot Chuck Yeager in The Right Stuff. Shepard received the PEN/Laura Pels International Foundation for Theater Award as a master American dramatist in 2009, New York described him as the greatest American playwright of his generation. Shepards plays are known for their bleak, poetic, often surrealist elements, black humor. His style has evolved over the years, from the absurdism of his early Off-Off-Broadway work to the realism of Buried Child, Shepard was born November 5,1943, in Fort Sheridan, Illinois. He was named Samuel Shepard Rogers III after his father, Samuel Shepard Rogers, Jr. but his nickname was Steve Rogers. His father was a teacher and farmer who served in the United States Army Air Forces as a pilot during World War II, Shepard has characterized him as a drinking man. His mother, Jane Elaine, was a teacher and a native of Chicago, Shepard worked on a ranch as a teenager. Shepard soon dropped out to join a repertory group, the Bishops Company. At this time Samuel Steve Rogers adopted the professional name Sam Shepard, although his plays would go on to be staged at several Off-Off-Broadway venues, he was most closely connected with Cooks Theatre Genesis, housed at St. Marks Church in-the-Bowery in Manhattans East Village, several of Shepards early plays, including Red Cross and La Turista, were directed by Jacques Levy. A habitué of the Chelsea Hotel scene of the era, he contributed to Kenneth Tynans ribald Oh. Calcutta. and drummed sporadically from 1967 through 1971 with psychedelic folk band The Holy Modal Rounders, appearing on Indian War Whoop, Shepards early science fiction play The Unseen Hand would influence Richard OBriens stage musical The Rocky Horror Show. Shepards Cowboy Mouth – a collaboration with his then-lover Patti Smith – was staged at The American Place Theater in April 1971, providing early exposure for the future punk rock singer. The story and characters were inspired by their relationship, and after opening night, he abandoned the production. He wrote plays out of his house and served for a semester as Regents Professor of Drama at the University of California and his diary of the tour was published by Penguin Books in 1978. A decade later, Dylan and Shepard co-wrote the 11-minute Brownsville Girl, included on Dylans Knocked Out Loaded album, in 1975, he was named playwright-in-residence at the Magic Theatre, where he created many of his notable works, including his Family Trilogy
11.
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau
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Nikolaj Coster-Waldau is a Danish actor, producer and screenwriter. He graduated from Danish National School of Theatre in Copenhagen in 1993, coster-Waldaus breakthrough performance in Denmark was his role in the film Nightwatch. Since then he has appeared in films in his native Scandinavia and Europe in general, including Headhunters. In the United States, his film role was in the war film Black Hawk Down. He became widely known to an audience for his current role as Ser Jaime Lannister. In 2017, he one of the highest paid actors on television. Coster-Waldau was born in Rudkøbing, Denmark, the son of Hanne Søborg Coster, a librarian and he has spoken in interviews about his fathers problems with alcohol, as well as his parents divorce. He has two sisters, and was raised mainly by his mother. He grew up in Tybjerg, a village between Ringsted and Næstved in southern Zealand. Coster-Waldau was the youngest actor to enter the Danish National School of Theatre and Contemporary Dance and he made his stage debut as Laertes in Hamlet at the Betty Nansen Theater. His role in the film Nightwatch brought him fame in his native country and he then went on to play in Simon Staho’s Wildside, which he also cowrote, and starred in Danish films such as Misery Harbour. He made his British début alongside Clive Owen, Jude Law, in 2001, he began his U. S. career in Ridley Scotts Black Hawk Down as Medal of Honor recipient Gary Gordon. Coster-Waldau says My first U. S. movie was Black Hawk Down and we shipped it out and I got lucky. Coster-Waldau used his success to take roles on both sides of the Atlantic, particularly his native Scandinavia and he next landed a lead role in Michael Apteds Enigma and also appeared as a villain in the action film My Name is Modesty. Scott brought Coster-Waldau back for his 2005 film Kingdom of Heaven, richard Loncraine, who cast the actor in Wimbledon in 2004, cast him in Firewall two years later, in 2006. In 2007, he played John Amsterdam, an immortal New York homicide detective who will become mortal after he finds his true love, as a result of filming that series pilot, Coster-Waldau obtained his Screen Actors Guild card. He later recalled in a 2015 interview in TV Guide, Finally getting my SAG card was huge for me. I got excited I went straight to the SAG online shop and bought four mugs with SAG logo. Since April 2011, Coster-Waldau has played Jaime Lannister on HBOs hit series Game of Thrones, based on George R. R. Martins best-selling A Song of Ice and he commented about the character Whats not to like about Jaime
12.
Hans Zimmer
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Hans Florian Zimmer is a German composer and record producer. Since the 1980s, he has composed music for over 150 films, Zimmer spent the early part of his career in the United Kingdom before moving to the United States. He is the head of the music division at DreamWorks studios and works with other composers through the company that he founded, Remote Control Productions. His studio in Santa Monica, California has a range of computer equipment and keyboards. Zimmers works are notable for integrating electronic music sounds with traditional orchestral arrangements and he has received four Grammy Awards, three Classical BRIT Awards, two Golden Globes, and an Academy Award. He was also named on the list of Top 100 Living Geniuses, Zimmer was born in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. As a young child, he lived in Königstein-Falkenstein, where he played the piano at home but had piano lessons only briefly as he disliked the discipline of formal lessons and he moved to London as a teenager, where he attended Hurtwood House school. In an interview with Mashable in February 2013, he said of his parents My mother was very musical, basically a musician and my father was an engineer and an inventor. In an interview with the German television station ZDF in 2006, he commented, My father died when I was just a child, and I escaped somehow into the music and music has been my best friend. In a speech at the 1999 Berlin Film Festival, Zimmer stated that he is Jewish, Zimmer began his career playing keyboards and synthesizers in the 1970s, with the band Krakatoa. He worked with the Buggles, a new band formed in London in 1977 with Trevor Horn, Geoff Downes. Zimmer can be seen briefly in the Buggles music video for the 1979 song Video Killed the Radio Star, after working with the Buggles, he started to work for the Italian group Krisma, a new wave band formed in 1976 with Maurizio Arcieri and Christina Moser. He was a featured synthesist for Krisma’s third album, Cathode Mamma and he has also worked with the band Helden. Both Zimmer and Cann, were invited to be part of the Spanish group Mecano for a performance in Segovia in 1984. Two songs from this concert were included in the Mecano, En Concierto album released in 1985 only in Spain, in 1985, he contributed to the Shriekback album Oil & Gold. While living in London, Zimmer wrote advertising jingles for Air-Edel Associates, in the 1980s, Zimmer partnered with Stanley Myers, a prolific film composer who wrote the scores for over sixty films. Zimmer and Myers co–founded the London–based Lillie Yard recording studio, together, Myers and Zimmer worked on fusing the traditional orchestral sound with electronic instruments. Some of the films on which Zimmer and Myers worked are Moonlighting, Success is the Best Revenge, Insignificance, Zimmers first solo score was Terminal Exposure for director Nico Mastorakis in 1987, for which he also wrote the songs
13.
Columbia Pictures
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The studio was founded in 1918 as Cohn-Brandt-Cohn Film Sales by brothers Jack and Harry Cohn and Jacks best friend Joe Brandt, released its first feature film in August 1922. It adopted the Columbia Pictures name in 1924, and went public two years later and its name is derived from Columbia, a national personification of the United States, which is used as the studios logo. In its early years, it was a player in Hollywood. With Capra and others, Columbia became one of the homes of the screwball comedy. In the 1930s, Columbias major contract stars were Jean Arthur, in the 1940s, Rita Hayworth became the studios premier star and propelled their fortunes into the late 1950s. Rosalind Russell, Glenn Ford, and William Holden also became major stars at the studio, in 1982, the studio was purchased by The Coca-Cola Company, and launched TriStar Pictures as a joint venture with HBO and CBS. Five years later, Coca-Cola spun off Columbia, which was sold to Tri-Star, after a brief period of independence with Coca-Cola maintaining a financial interest, the combined studio was acquired by Sony in 1989. It is one of the film studios in the world. It was one of the so-called Little Three among the eight major film studios of Hollywoods Golden Age, Brandt was president of CBC Film Sales, handling sales, marketing and distribution from New York along with Jack Cohn, while Harry Cohn ran production in Hollywood. The studios early productions were short subjects, Screen Snapshots, the Hall Room Boys. The start-up CBC leased space in a Poverty Row studio on Hollywoods famously low-rent Gower Street, among Hollywoods elite, the studios small-time reputation led some to joke that CBC stood for Corned Beef and Cabbage. Brandt eventually tired of dealing with the Cohn brothers, and sold his stake to Harry Cohn. In an effort to improve its image, the Cohn brothers renamed the company Columbia Pictures Corporation on January 10,1924, Cohn remained head of production as well, thus concentrating enormous power in his hands. He would run Columbia for the next 34 years, the second-longest tenure of any studio chief, even in an industry rife with nepotism, Columbia was particularly notorious for having a number of Harry and Jacks relatives in high positions. Humorist Robert Benchley called it the Pine Tree Studio, because it has so many Cohns, Columbias product line consisted mostly of moderately budgeted features and short subjects including comedies, sports films, various serials, and cartoons. Columbia gradually moved into the production of higher-budget fare, eventually joining the tier of Hollywood studios along with United Artists. Like United Artists and Universal, Columbia was an integrated company. It controlled production and distribution, it did not own any theaters, helping Columbias climb was the arrival of an ambitious director, Frank Capra
14.
War film
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War film is a film genre concerned with warfare, typically about naval, air, or land battles, with combat scenes central to the drama. It has been associated with the 20th century. The fateful nature of battle scenes means that war films often end with them, themes explored include combat, survival and escape, sacrifice, the futility and inhumanity of battle, the effects of war on society, and the moral and human issues raised by war. War films are categorized by their milieu, such as the Korean War. The stories told may be fiction, historical drama, or biographical, critics have noted similarities between the Western and the war film. Subgenres, not necessarily distinct, include anti-war, comedy, animated, propaganda, the war film genre is not necessarily tightly defined, the American Film Institute, for example, speaks of films to grapple with the Great War without attempting to classify these. However, some directors and critics have offered at least tentative definitions, the director Sam Fuller defined the genre by saying that a war film’s objective, no matter how personal or emotional, is to make a viewer feel war. However, Neale notes, films set in the American Civil War or the American Indian Wars of the 19th century were called war films in the time before the First World War, the film scholar Kathryn Kane points out some similarities between the war film genre and the Western. Both genres use opposing concepts like war and peace, civilization, james Clarke notes the similarity between a Western like Sam Peckinpahs The Wild Bunch and war-movie escapades like The Dirty Dozen. They take place in the combat zones of World War II, against the established enemies, on the ground. They contain many repeated events, such as mail call, all presented visually with appropriate uniforms, equipment and she argues that the combat film is not a subgenre but the only genuine kind of war film. This in turn pushes combat scenes to the ends of war films. Not all critics agree, either, that war films must be about 20th century wars, the costliest war in U. S. history in terms of American life, this war has been the subject of, or the backdrop to, numerous films, documentaries and mini-series. One of the earliest films using the Civil War as its subject was D. W. Griffiths 1910 silent picture, The Fugitive. Some films such as Gettysburg focused on a battle during the war, or even on a single incident, like the French short film. Others like the 1993 miniseries North and South spanned the entire breadth of the war, some films deal with the human aspects of the war, such as The Red Badge of Courage, or Shenandoah, on the tragedy that the war inflicted on the civilian population. Ken Burnss The Civil War is the most watched documentary in the history of PBS, the first war films come from the Spanish–American War of 1898. Short actualities – documentary film-clips – included Burial of the Maine Victims, Blanket-Tossing of a New Recruit and these non-combat films were accompanied by reenactments of fighting, such as of Theodore Roosevelts Rough Riders in action against the Spanish, staged in the United States
15.
The Philadelphia Inquirer
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The Philadelphia Inquirer is a morning daily newspaper that serves the Philadelphia metropolitan area of the United States. The newspaper was founded by John R. Walker and John Norvell in June 1829 as The Pennsylvania Inquirer and is the third-oldest surviving daily newspaper in the United States. Owned by Philadelphia Media Network, The Inquirer has the eighteenth largest average weekday U. S. newspaper circulation and has won nineteen Pulitzer Prizes and it is the newspaper of record in the Delaware Valley. The paper has risen and fallen in prominence throughout its history, the Inquirer first became a major newspaper during the American Civil War when its war coverage was popular on both sides. The papers circulation dropped after the war, then rose by the end of the 19th century, by the end of the 1960s, The Inquirer trailed its chief competitor, the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin, and lacked modern facilities and experienced staff. In the 1970s, new owners and editors turned the newspaper one of the countrys most prominent. Stan Wischnowski is Vice President of News Operations, the Philadelphia Inquirer was founded as The Pennsylvania Inquirer by printer John R. Walker and John Norvell, former editor of Philadelphias largest newspaper, the Aurora & Gazette. Founded on June 1,1829, The Philadelphia Inquirer is the third-oldest surviving daily newspaper in the United States, however, in 1962, an Inquirer-commissioned historian traced The Inquirer to John Dunlaps The Pennsylvania Packet, which was founded on October 28,1771. In 1850, The Packet was merged with another newspaper, The North American, after Harding acquired The Pennsylvania Inquirer, it was briefly published as an afternoon paper before returning to its original morning format in January 1830. Under Harding, in 1829, The Inquirer moved from its location between Front and Second Streets to between Second and Third Streets. When Harding bought and merged the Morning Journal in January 1830, Ten years later The Inquirer again was moved, this time to its own building at the corner of Third Street and Carters Alley. Harding expanded The Inquirers content and the paper grew into a major Philadelphian newspaper. The expanded content included the addition of fiction, and in 1840, at the time the common practice was to pay little or nothing for the rights of foreign authors works. Harding retired in 1859 and was succeeded by his son William White Harding, William Harding changed the name of the newspaper to its current name, The Philadelphia Inquirer. Harding, in an attempt to increase circulation, cut the price of the paper, in 1859, circulation had been around 7,000, by 1863 it had increased to 70,000. Part of the increase was due to the interest in news during the American Civil War, the Philadelphia Inquirer supported the Union, but Harding wanted their coverage to remain neutral. Confederate generals often sought copies of the paper, believing that the war coverage was accurate. Inquirer journalist Uriah Hunt Painter was at the First Battle of Bull Run in 1861, initial reports from the government claimed a Union victory, but The Inquirer went with Painters firsthand account
16.
Battle of Mogadishu (1993)
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The Battle of Mogadishu or Day of the Rangers, was part of Operation Gothic Serpent. The battle is referred to as the First Battle of Mogadishu. Task Force Ranger was dispatched to seize two of Aidids high-echelon lieutenants during a meeting in the city, the goal of the operation was achieved, though conditions spiraled into the deadly Battle of Mogadishu. The initial operation of 3 October 1993, intended to last an hour, became an overnight standoff, Task Force Ranger was created in August 1993, and deployed to Somalia in September. It consisted of elite special operations units from Army, Air Force and Navy special services. As a multi-disciplinary joint special forces operation, Task Force Ranger reported to Joint Special Operations Command, the assault force consisted of nineteen aircraft, twelve vehicles, and 160 men. The operation was intended to last no longer than one hour, shortly after the assault began, Somali militia and armed civilian fighters shot down two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters. The subsequent operation to secure and recover the crews of both helicopters extended the operation into an overnight standoff and daylight rescue operation on 4 October. The battle resulted in 18 deaths,73 wounded, and one pilot captured among the U. S. raid party. At least one Pakistani soldier and one Malaysian soldier were killed as part of the forces on day two of the battle. American sources estimate between 1,500 and 3,000 Somali casualties, including civilians, the Somali National Alliance claims 315 dead, during the operation, two U. S. Black Hawk helicopters were shot down by RPGs and three others were damaged. Some of the survivors were able to evacuate to the compound. An urban battle ensued and continued throughout the night, early the next morning, a combined task force was sent to rescue the trapped soldiers. It contained soldiers from the Pakistan Army, the Malaysian Army and they assembled over one hundred vehicles, including Pakistani tanks and Malaysian Condor armoured personnel carriers and were supported by U. S. MH-6 Little Bird and MH-60L Black Hawk helicopters. This task force reached the first crash site and rescued the survivors, the second crash site had been overrun by hostile Somalis during the night. Delta snipers Gary Gordon and Randy Shughart volunteered to hold them off until ground forces arrived, a Somali mob with thousands of combatants eventually overran the two men. That sites lone surviving American, pilot Michael Durant, had taken prisoner but was later released. The exact number of Somali casualties is unknown, but estimates range from several hundred to over a thousand militiamen and others killed, with injuries to another 3, 000–4,000
17.
Mogadishu
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Mogadishu, known locally as Hamar, is the capital and most populous city of Somalia. Located in the coastal Banaadir region on the Indian Ocean, the city has served as an important port for millennia, tradition and old records assert that southern Somalia, including the Mogadishu area, was historically inhabited by hunter-gatherers. These were later joined by Cushitic-speaking agro-pastoralists, who would go on to establish local aristocracies, during its medieval Golden Age, Mogadishu was ruled by the Muzaffar dynasty, a vassal of the Ajuran Sultanate. It subsequently fell under the control of an assortment of local Sultanates and polities, the city later became the capital of Italian Somaliland in the colonial period. After the Somali Republic became independent in 1960, Mogadishu became known, the ICU thereafter splintered into more radical groups, notably al-Shabaab, which fought the Transitional Federal Government and its African Union Mission to Somalia allies. With a change in administration in late 2010, government troops, Mogadishu has subsequently experienced a period of intense reconstruction. As Somalias capital city, many important national institutions are based in Mogadishu and it is the seat of the Federal Government of Somalia established in August 2012, with the Somalia Federal Parliament serving as the governments legislative branch. Yusuf Hussein Jimaale has been the Mayor of Mogadishu since October 2015, villa Somalia is the official residential palace and principal workplace of the President of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. In May 2012, the First Somali Bank was established in the capital, the establishment of a local construction yard has also galvanized the citys real-estate sector. Arbaa Rukun Mosque is one of the oldest Islamic places of worship in the capital, the Mosque of Islamic Solidarity in Mogadishu is the largest masjid in the Horn region. Mogadishu Cathedral was built in 1928 by the authorities in Italian Somaliland in a Norman Gothic style. The National Museum of Somalia is based in Mogadishu and holds many important artefacts. The National Library of Somalia is undergoing a $1 million Somali federal government funded renovation, Mogadishu is home to a number of scholastic and media institutions. As part of the urban renewal program,100 schools across the capital are scheduled to be refurbished and reopened. The Somali National University was established in the 1950s, and professors from the university founded the non-governmental Mogadishu University. Benadir University was established in 2002 with the intention of training doctors, various national sporting bodies have their headquarters in Mogadishu, including the Somali Football Federation and the Somali Olympic Committee. Mogadishu Stadium was constructed in 1978 during the Siad Barre administration and it hosts football matches with teams from the Somali First Division and the Somalia Cup. Additionally, the Port of Mogadishu serves as a national seaport and is the largest harbour in Somalia
18.
Jason Isaacs
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Jason Isaacs is an English actor. He is known for playing Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter films, Colonel William Tavington in The Patriot, in December 2016, he played the lead antagonist in the Netflix supernatural hit series The OA. He starred in the NBC drama Awake as Detective Michael Britten from March to May 2012, Jason Isaacs was born in Liverpool to Jewish parents. The third of four sons, Isaacs attended a Jewish school, known then as King David High school and he describes the bullying and intolerance he observed during his childhood as preparation for portraying the unattractive, villainous characters whom he has most often played. After graduating from Bristol he went immediately to train at Londons Central School of Speech, Isaacs parents eventually emigrated to Israel. After completing his training as an actor, Isaacs almost immediately began appearing on the stage and on television and he also played Michael Ryan in ITVs adaptation of Martina Coles novel Dangerous Lady, directed by Jack Woods and produced by Lavinia Warner in 1995. When auditioning for that role, he told the producers, Look, I play all these guys and thugs and strong. In real life, I am a cringing, neurotic Jewish mess, cant I for once play that on stage. Subsequently, he appeared in the Bruce Willis blockbuster Armageddon and he then shone as memorable villain, Colonel William Tavington, in Roland Emmerichs American Revolutionary War fictional film epic The Patriot. Starring opposite Mel Gibson as the hero, and Heath Ledger as Gibsons screen son, Isaacs portrays a sadistic British Army officer who kills Ledgers character. Isaacs has appeared in other films, most notably as Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter series of films. Regarding the Harry Potter books by J. K, I suddenly understood why my friends, who Id thought were slightly backward, had been so addicted to these childrens books. Prior to the making of the film, when asked whether or not he would be in Harry Potter, I cant bear the idea that somebody else would get to wear my Paris Hilton wig, but you never know. I fell to my knees and begged, Im sure she doesnt need plot ideas from me. Like everybody else, Im holding my breath to July to see whats in there, I just want to bust out of prison, thats all. I dont want to stay in Azkaban most of my life, ultimately Isaacs did reprise the role of Malfoy as a cameo appearance in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, where he is seen in a moving portrait. Afterwards, Isaacs reprised the role again in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1, on British television, he also portrayed actor Harry H. On American television, Isaacs appeared in three episodes of The West Wing in 2004, prior to developing his most notable TV serial role, Isaacs appeared in one episode of the TV show Entourage in the autumn of 2008 as Fredrick Line
19.
Tom Hardy
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Edward Thomas Tom Hardy is an English actor and producer. His motion picture debut was in Ridley Scotts 2001 action film Black Hawk Down and he portrayed Bane in the superhero film The Dark Knight Rises, Mad Max Rockatansky in the post-apocalyptic film Mad Max, Fury Road, and both of the Kray twins in the crime thriller Legend. He created, co-produced and took the lead in the historical fiction series Taboo on BBC One. Hardy has performed on both British and American stages and he starred in the 2007 production of The Man of Mode and received positive reviews for his role in the 2010 Philip Seymour Hoffman-directed play The Long Red Road. Hardy was born in Hammersmith, London, the child of Anne, an artist and painter of Irish descent, and Edward Chips Hardy. He was raised in East Sheen, London and he studied at Tower House School, Reeds School, and Duff Miller Sixth Form College. To further his ambition, Hardy later studied at Richmond Drama School. In 1998, Hardy won The Big Breakfasts Find Me a Supermodel competition at age 21, Hardy joined Drama Centre London in September 1998, and was taken out early after winning the part of US Army Private John Janovec in the award-winning HBO-BBC miniseries Band of Brothers. He made his film debut in Ridley Scotts 2001 war thriller Black Hawk Down. In 2003, Hardy appeared in the film dot the i, and then travelled to North Africa for Simon, An English Legionnaire, a story of the French Foreign Legion. In the same year, he gained some international exposure as the Reman Praetor Shinzon. He then returned to England to feature in the 2003 film LD50 Lethal Dose, Hardy appeared in the 2005 BBC miniseries The Virgin Queen as Robert Dudley, a childhood friend of Elizabeth I. The miniseries portrays them as having a platonic, though highly romantic, Hardy featured in the BBC Four adaptation of the 1960s sci-fi series A for Andromeda. In 2007, he appeared in BBC Twos drama based on a story, Stuart. He played the role of Stuart Shorter, a homeless man who had been subjected to years of abuse and whose death was possibly a suicide. In February 2008, he played a drug-addicted rapist in the British horror-thriller WΔZ, in September 2008, he appeared in Guy Ritchies London gangster film, RocknRolla, Hardy played the role of gay gangster Handsome Bob. Though a sequel to RocknRolla, titled The Real RocknRolla, has been rumoured to be in production, in which Hardy will reprise the role of Handsome Bob, filming has yet to commence on the project. In early 2009, Hardy starred in the film Bronson, about the real-life English prisoner Charles Bronson, for the film, he put on three stone
20.
Academy Awards
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The various category winners are awarded a copy of a golden statuette, officially called the Academy Award of Merit, which has become commonly known by its nickname Oscar. The awards, first presented in 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, are overseen by AMPAS, the awards ceremony was first broadcast on radio in 1930 and televised for the first time in 1953. It is now live in more than 200 countries and can be streamed live online. The Academy Awards ceremony is the oldest worldwide entertainment awards ceremony and its equivalents – the Emmy Awards for television, the Tony Awards for theater, and the Grammy Awards for music and recording – are modeled after the Academy Awards. The 89th Academy Awards ceremony, honoring the best films of 2016, were held on February 26,2017, at the Dolby Theatre, in Los Angeles, the ceremony was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and was broadcast on ABC. A total of 3,048 Oscars have been awarded from the inception of the award through the 88th, the first Academy Awards presentation was held on May 16,1929, at a private dinner function at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel with an audience of about 270 people. The post-awards party was held at the Mayfair Hotel, the cost of guest tickets for that nights ceremony was $5. Fifteen statuettes were awarded, honoring artists, directors and other participants in the industry of the time. The ceremony ran for 15 minutes, winners were announced to media three months earlier, however, that was changed for the second ceremony in 1930. Since then, for the rest of the first decade, the results were given to newspapers for publication at 11,00 pm on the night of the awards. The first Best Actor awarded was Emil Jannings, for his performances in The Last Command and he had to return to Europe before the ceremony, so the Academy agreed to give him the prize earlier, this made him the first Academy Award winner in history. With the fourth ceremony, however, the system changed, for the first six ceremonies, the eligibility period spanned two calendar years. At the 29th ceremony, held on March 27,1957, until then, foreign-language films had been honored with the Special Achievement Award. The 74th Academy Awards, held in 2002, presented the first Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, since 1973, all Academy Awards ceremonies always end with the Academy Award for Best Picture. The Academy also awards Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting, see also § Awards of Merit categories The best known award is the Academy Award of Merit, more popularly known as the Oscar statuette. The five spokes represent the branches of the Academy, Actors, Writers, Directors, Producers. The model for the statuette is said to be Mexican actor Emilio El Indio Fernández, sculptor George Stanley sculpted Cedric Gibbons design. The statuettes presented at the ceremonies were gold-plated solid bronze
21.
Academy Award for Best Film Editing
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The Academy Award for Best Film Editing is one of the annual awards of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Nominations for this award are closely correlated with the Academy Award for Best Picture. For 33 consecutive years,1981 to 2013, every Best Picture winner had also nominated for the Film Editing Oscar. Only the principal, above the line editor as listed in the credits are named on the award, additional editors, supervising editors. The nominations for this Academy Award are determined by a ballot of the members of the Editing Branch of the Academy. The members may vote for up to five of the films in the order of their preference. The Academy Award itself is selected from the films by a subsequent ballot of all active. This award was first given for films released in 1934, the name of this award is occasionally changed, in 2008, it was listed as the Academy Award for Achievement in Film Editing. Michael Kahn won for Raiders of the Lost Ark, Schindlers List, thelma Schoonmaker won for Raging Bull, The Aviator, and The Departed. To date, two film directors have won this award, James Cameron and Alfonso Cuarón for the films Titanic and Gravity, also, nominated editors Robert Wise, Francis D. West Side Story, The Sound of Music, The Sand Pebbles and The Andromeda Strain for Wise, Crazylegs for Lyon and Bound for Glory, superlatives taken from a document published by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. These listings are based on the Awards Database maintained by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
22.
74th Academy Awards
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The 74th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, took place on March 24,2002, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles. During the ceremony, AMPAS presented Academy Awards in 24 categories honoring films released in 2001, the ceremony, televised in the United States by ABC, was produced by Laura Ziskin and directed by Louis J. Horvitz. Actress Whoopi Goldberg hosted the show for the fourth time and she first hosted the 66th ceremony held in 1994 and had last hosted the 71st ceremony in 1999. A Beautiful Mind won four awards, including Best Picture and Best Director for Ron Howard, other winners included The Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring also with four awards, Black Hawk Down and Moulin Rouge. With two, and The Accountant, For the Birds, Gosford Park, Iris, Monsters Ball, Monsters, murder on a Sunday Morning, No Mans Land, Pearl Harbor, Shrek, Thoth, and Training Day, with one. Despite a record length of four hours and twenty-three minutes, the telecast garnered nearly 42 million viewers in the United States, the Lord of the Rings, The Fellowship of the Ring earned the most nominations with thirteen. It was the film to earn that many nominations. A Beautiful Mind and Moulin Rouge, tied for second place with eight apiece. The winners were announced during the ceremony on March 24,2002. Denzel Washington was the second African-American to win Best Actor in a Leading Role, halle Berry became the first African-American to win Best Actress in a Leading Role. Winners are listed first, highlighted in boldface, and indicated with a double dagger, Sidney Poitier Robert Redford Arthur Hiller The following individuals presented awards or performed musical numbers. The Academy wanted to find a new venue for the festivities amid limited seating and this was the first time the ceremony was held in Hollywood since the 32nd ceremony took place at the Pantages Theatre in 1960. In view of the return of the Oscars to Hollywood, the Academy hired film producer, AMPAS president Frank Pierson explained the decision to hire Ziskin saying, This show is one of the most difficult—if not the most difficult—producing jobs in show business. Laura Ziskin brings intelligence, experience and wit expressed in everything she has done and this marked the first occurrence that a woman produced the Oscars solo. Four months later, Whoopi Goldberg was selected as host of the 2002 ceremony, I look forward to collaborating with Whoopi to put on a meaningful and entertaining evening. Furthermore, the September 11 attacks affected the telecast and its surrounding events, however, due to security concerns the Academy announced that red carpet bleacher seats would now be limited on a reservation basis based on a random selection and a background check. Several other people participated in the production of the ceremony, actors Glenn Close and Donald Sutherland served as announcers during the show. The orchestra led by composer and telecast musical supervisor John Williams
23.
Blu-ray
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Blu-ray or Blu-ray Disc is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was designed to supersede the DVD format, in that it is capable of storing high-definition, the plastic disc is 120 mm in diameter and 1.2 mm thick, the same size as DVDs and CDs. Conventional Blu-ray Disc discs contain 25 GB per layer, with dual layer discs being the standard for feature-length video discs. Triple-layer discs and quadruple layers are available for BD-XL re-writer drives, the name Blu-ray refers to the blue laser used to read the disc, which allows information to be stored at a greater density than is possible with the longer-wavelength red laser used for DVDs. The main application of Blu-ray is as a medium for video material such as films and physical distribution of video games for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4. Besides the hardware specifications, Blu-ray is associated with a set of multimedia formats, high-definition video may be stored on Blu-ray discs with up to 2160p resolution, at up to 60 frames per second. DVD discs had been limited to a resolution of 480p or 576p. The BD format was developed by the Blu-ray Disc Association, a group representing makers of consumer electronics, computer hardware, Sony unveiled the first Blu-ray disc prototypes in October 2000, and the first prototype player was released in April 2003 in Japan. Afterwards, it continued to be developed until its release in June 2006. During the high definition disc format war, Blu-ray Disc competed with the HD DVD format. Toshiba, the company that supported HD DVD, conceded in February 2008. According to Media Research, high-definition software sales in the US were slower in the first two years than DVD software sales, Blu-ray faces competition from video on demand and the continued sale of DVDs. As of January 2016, 44% of U. S. broadband households had a Blu-ray player, the information density of the DVD format was limited by the wavelength of the laser diodes used. Following protracted development, blue laser diodes operating at 405 nanometers became available on a production basis, Sony started two projects in collaboration with Philips applying the new diodes, UDO, and DVR Blue, a format of rewritable discs that would eventually become Blu-ray Disc. The core technologies of the formats are similar, the first DVR Blue prototypes were unveiled at the CEATEC exhibition in October 2000 by Sony. A trademark for the Blue Disc logo was filed February 9,2001, on February 19,2002, the project was officially announced as Blu-ray Disc, and Blu-ray Disc Founders was founded by the nine initial members. The first consumer device arrived in stores on April 10,2003, the Sony BDZ-S77, but there was no standard for prerecorded video, and no movies were released for this player. On October 4,2004, the name Blu-ray Disc Founders was officially changed to the Blu-ray Disc Association, the Blu-ray Disc physical specifications were completed in 2004
24.
Somalia
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Somalia, officially the Federal Republic of Somalia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia to the west, Djibouti to the northwest, the Gulf of Aden to the north, the Indian Ocean to the east, Somalia has the longest coastline on Africas mainland, and its terrain consists mainly of plateaus, plains and highlands. Climatically, hot conditions prevail year-round, with monsoon winds. Somalia has an population of around 12.3 million. Around 85% of its residents are ethnic Somalis, who have inhabited the northern part of the country. Ethnic minorities are largely concentrated in the southern regions, the official languages of Somalia are Somali and Arabic, both of which belong to the Afroasiatic family. Most people in the country are Muslim, with the majority being Sunni, in antiquity, Somalia was an important commercial centre. It is among the most probable locations of the fabled ancient Land of Punt, during the Middle Ages, several powerful Somali empires dominated the regional trade, including the Ajuran Empire, the Adal Sultanate, the Warsangali Sultanate, and the Geledi Sultanate. The toponym Somalia was coined by the Italian explorer Luigi Robecchi Bricchetti, Italian occupation lasted until 1941, yielding to British military administration. British Somaliland would remain a protectorate, while Italian Somaliland in 1949 became a United Nations Trusteeship under Italian administration, in 1960, the two regions united to form the independent Somali Republic under a civilian government. The Supreme Revolutionary Council seized power in 1969 and established the Somali Democratic Republic, led by Mohamed Siad Barre, this government later collapsed in 1991 as the Somali Civil War broke out. Various armed factions began competing for influence in the power vacuum, during this period, due to the absence of a central government, Somalia was a failed state, and residents returned to customary and religious law in most regions. A few autonomous regions, including the Somaliland and Puntland administrations emerged in the north, the early 2000s saw the creation of fledgling interim federal administrations. The Transitional National Government was established in 2000, followed by the formation of the Transitional Federal Government in 2004, in 2006, the TFG, assisted by Ethiopian troops, assumed control of most of the nations southern conflict zones from the newly formed Islamic Courts Union. The ICU subsequently splintered into more radical groups such as Al-Shabaab, by mid-2012, the insurgents had lost most of the territory that they had seized. In 2011–2012, a political process providing benchmarks for the establishment of permanent democratic institutions was launched, within this administrative framework a new provisional constitution was passed in August 2012, which reformed Somalia as a federation. Somalia has maintained an informal economy, mainly based on livestock, remittances from Somalis working abroad, Somalia has been inhabited since at least the Paleolithic. During the Stone Age, the Doian and Hargeisan cultures flourished here, the oldest evidence of burial customs in the Horn of Africa comes from cemeteries in Somalia dating back to the 4th millennium BCE
25.
Special forces
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Special forces and special operations forces are military or police units trained to conduct special operations. The term special forces in the United States refers to the U. S. Armys forces, in Russian-speaking countries special forces are typically called spetsnaz, an acronym for special purpose. Likewise, Russian speakers refer to special forces of nations as spetsnaz, for example. Special Forces would be referred to as amerikanski spetsnaz in Russian, other significant roles lay in reconnaissance, providing essential intelligence from near or among the enemy and increasingly in combating irregular forces, their infrastructure and activities. Hamilcar Barca in Sicily had specialized troops trained to launch several offensives per day, in the late Roman or early Byzantine period, Roman fleets used small, fast, camouflaged ships crewed by selected men for scouting and commando missions. In Japan, ninjas were used for reconnaissance, espionage and as assassins, bodyguards or fortress guards, during the Napoleonic wars, rifle and sapper units were formed that held specialised roles in reconnaissance and skirmishing and were not committed to the formal battle lines. The British Indian Army deployed two special forces during their wars, the Corps of Guides formed in 1846 and the Gurkha Scouts. During the Second Boer War the British Army felt the need for specialised units became most apparent. This unit was formed in 1900 by Lord Lovat and early on reported to an American, Major Frederick Russell Burnham, after the war, Lovats Scouts went on to formally become the British Armys first sniper unit. Additionally, the Bushveldt Carbineers, formed in 1901, can be seen as an unconventional warfare unit. Modern special forces emerged during the Second World War, in 1940, the British Commandos were formed following Winston Churchills call for specially trained troops of the hunter class, who can develop a reign of terror down the enemy coast. A staff officer, Lieutenant Colonel Dudley Clarke, had already submitted such a proposal to General Sir John Dill, Dill, aware of Churchills intentions, approved Clarkes proposal and on 23 June 1940, the first Commando raid took place. The Special Service Brigade was quickly expanded to 12 units which became known as Commandos, each Commando had a lieutenant colonel as the commanding officer and numbered around 450 men. In December 1940 a Middle East Commando depot was formed with the responsibility of training and supplying reinforcements for the Commando units in that theatre, in February 1942 the Commando training depot at Achnacarry in the Scottish Highlands was established by Brigadier Charles Haydon. Under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Charles Vaughan, the Commando depot was responsible for training complete units, the training regime was for the time innovative and physically demanding, and far in advance of normal British Army training. The depot staff were all hand picked, with the ability to any of the volunteers. Training and assessment started immediately on arrival, with the volunteers having to complete an 8-mile march with all their equipment from the Spean Bridge railway station to the commando depot, exercises were conducted using live ammunition and explosives to make training as realistic as possible. Physical fitness was a prerequisite, with cross country runs and boxing matches to improve fitness, speed and endurance marches were conducted up and down the nearby mountain ranges and over assault courses that included a zip-line over Loch Arkaig, all while carrying arms and full equipment
26.
75th Ranger Regiment (United States)
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The regiment is headquartered at Fort Benning, Georgia and is composed of one special troops battalion and three ranger battalions. The primary mission of the regiment is to conduct forcible entry operations in hostile or sensitive environments worldwide, the regiment can deploy one ranger battalion within 18 hours of alert notification. During the American Revolutionary War, many colonial commanders were former Rangers, one, General John Stark, commanded the First New Hampshire Militia, which gained fame at the Battles of Bunker Hill and Bennington. Stark later coined the phrase Live free or die, New Hampshire’s state motto, American Ranger history predates the Revolutionary War to Ethan Allen and his guerrilla fighting group the Green Mountain Boys in Vermont. Captain Benjamin Church formed Churchs Rangers, which fought hostile Native American tribes during King Philips War, in 1756 Major Rogers, a New Hampshire native, recruited nine Ranger companies to fight in the French and Indian War. They were known as Rogers Rangers, in 1775 the Continental Congress later formed eight companies of expert riflemen to fight in the Revolutionary War. In 1777, this force of hardy frontiersmen, commanded by Dan Morgan, was known as The Corps of Rangers, francis Marion, The Swamp Fox, organized another famous Revolutionary War Ranger element known as Marions Partisans. During the War of 1812, companies of United States Rangers were raised from among the settlers as part of the regular army. Throughout the war, they patrolled the frontier from Ohio to Western Illinois on horseback, Rangers participated in many skirmishes and battles with the British and their American Indian allies. The American Civil War included Rangers such as John Singleton Mosby and his companys raids on Union camps and bases were so effective, part of North-Central Virginia soon became known as Mosbys Confederacy. After the Civil War, more than half a century passed without Ranger units in the United States, on 8 December 1941, the United States entered World War II the day after Pearl Harbor was attacked by Japan. At the time, Major William Orlando Darby, the founder of the modern Rangers, was assigned to be on duty in Belfast, Darby, frustrated with his lack of hands-on experience as General Russell P. Hartle’s aide, was put in charge of a new unit. Marshall, Chief of Staff of the United States Army, envisioned an elite unit of fifty men selected voluntarily from the 34th Infantry Division and he believed Darby was the man to do the job. On 8 June 1942, Darby was officially put in charge of the First Ranger Battalion under General Hartle, on 19 August 1942, fifty Rangers fought alongside Canadian and British Commandos in the ill-fated Dieppe Raid on the coast of occupied France. Three Rangers were killed and several captured, the first American soldier killed in Europe in World War II was part of this raid, Ranger Lieutenant E. V. Loustalot. During the mission, he took command after the British captain leading the assault was killed. Loustalot scaled a cliff with his men, was wounded three times, but was eventually cut down by enemy crossfire in his attempts to reach the machine gun nest at the top of the cliff. In November 1942, the entire 1st Ranger Battalion entered combat for the first time when they landed at Arzew, the First were split into two groups in hopes of assaulting Vichy-French batteries and fortifications before the 1st Infantry Division would land on the beach
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Delta Force
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It is used for hostage rescue and counterterrorism, as well as direct action and reconnaissance against high-value targets. Delta Force and DEVGRU perform many of the most highly complex and dangerous missions in the U. S. military and these units are also often referred to as special mission units by the U. S. government. The Central Intelligence Agencys highly secretive Special Activities Division and more specifically its elite Special Operations Group, often works with –, Delta Force was formed after numerous, well-publicized terrorist incidents in the 1970s. These incidents led the U. S. government to develop a full-time counter-terrorism unit, key military and government figures had already been briefed on a model for this type of unit in the early 1960s. Charlie Beckwith, a Special Forces officer and Vietnam veteran, had served as an officer with the British Armys Special Air Service during the Malayan Emergency. Upon his return, Beckwith presented a report highlighting the U. S. Armys vulnerability in not having an SAS-type unit. U. S. Army Special Forces in that period focused on unconventional warfare, but Beckwith recognized the need for not only teachers and he envisioned highly adaptable and completely autonomous small teams with a broad array of special skills for direct action and counter-terrorist missions. He briefed military and government figures, who were resistant to creating a new unit outside of Special Forces or changing existing methods, finally, in the mid-70s, as the threat of terrorism grew, the Pentagon high command appointed Beckwith to form the unit. Beckwith estimated that it would take 24 months to get his new unit mission-ready, beckwiths estimate resulted from a conversation he had earlier with Brigadier John Watts while updating his SAS experience in England in 1976. To justify why it would take two years to build Delta, Beckwith and his staff drafted what they dubbed the Robert Redford Paper, in it Delta outlined its necessities and historical precedents for a four-phase selection/assessment process. Delta Force was then established on 17 November 1977, by Beckwith, in the meantime, Colonel Bob Black Gloves Mountel of the 5th Special Forces Group was tasked with creating a unit to breach the short-term gap that existed until Delta was ready, dubbed Blue Light. On 4 November 1979,53 American diplomats and citizens were taken captive, the Delta Force was assigned to Operation Eagle Claw and ordered to enter the country covertly and recover the hostages from the embassy by force on the nights of 24 and 25 April in 1980. The operation was aborted due to Naval helicopter failures, after the failed operation, the U. S. government realized more changes needed to be made. The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, also known as the Night Stalkers, was created for operations requiring aviation support. The Navys SEAL Team Six, an incarnation of the current Naval Special Warfare Development Group, was created for maritime counter-terrorism operations. The Joint Special Operations Command was created for command and control of the various units of the U. S. military. The unit is under the organization of the US Army Special Operations Command but is controlled by the Joint Special Operations Command, Command of 1st SFOD-D is a Colonels billet. Virtually all information about the unit is highly classified and details about specific missions or operations generally are not available publicly, Delta Forces structure is similar to the British 22 Special Air Service, the unit that inspired Deltas formation
28.
Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk
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The Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk is a four-bladed, twin-engine, medium-lift utility helicopter manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft. Sikorsky submitted the S-70 design for the United States Armys Utility Tactical Transport Aircraft System competition in 1972, the Army designated the prototype as the YUH-60A and selected the Black Hawk as the winner of the program in 1976, after a fly-off competition with the Boeing Vertol YUH-61. Named after the Native American war leader Black Hawk, the UH-60A entered service with the U. S. Army in 1979 and this was followed by the fielding of electronic warfare and special operations variants of the Black Hawk. Improved UH-60L and UH-60M utility variants have also been developed, Modified versions have also been developed for the U. S. Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard. In addition to U. S. Army use, the UH-60 family has been exported to several nations, Black Hawks have served in combat during conflicts in Grenada, Panama, Iraq, Somalia, the Balkans, Afghanistan, and other areas in the Middle East. In the late 1960s, the United States Army began forming requirements for a helicopter to replace the UH-1 Iroquois, the Army also initiated the development of a new, common turbine engine for its helicopters that would become the General Electric T700. Based on experience in Vietnam, the Army required significant performance, the Army released its UTTAS request for proposals in January 1972. The RFP also included air transport requirements, Transport aboard the C-130 limited the UTTAS cabin height and length. Four prototypes were constructed, with the first YUH-60A flying on 17 October 1974, prior to delivery of the prototypes to the US Army, a preliminary evaluation was conducted in November 1975 to ensure the aircraft could be operated safely during all testing. Three of the prototypes were delivered to the Army in March 1976, for evaluation against the rival Boeing-Vertol design, the YUH-61A, the Army selected the UH-60 for production in December 1976. Deliveries of the UH-60A to the Army began in October 1978, after entering service, the helicopter was modified for new missions and roles, including mine laying and medical evacuation. An EH-60 variant was developed to conduct electronic warfare and special operations aviation developed the MH-60 variant to support its missions, due to weight increases from the addition of mission equipment and other changes, the Army ordered the improved UH-60L in 1987. The new model incorporated all of the made to the UH-60A fleet as standard design features. The UH-60L also featured more power and lifting capability with upgraded T700-GE-701C engines and its external lift capacity increased by 1,000 lb up to 9,000 lb. The UH-60L also incorporated the automatic control system from the SH-60 for better flight control due to handling issues with the more powerful engines. Production of the L-model began in 1989, Development of the next improved variant, the UH-60M, was approved in 2001, to extend the service life of the UH-60 design into the 2020s. The UH-60M incorporates upgraded T700-GE-701D engines, improved rotor blades, and state of the art electronic instrumentation, flight controls and aircraft navigation control. After the U. S. DoD approved low-rate initial production of the new variant, manufacturing began in 2006, after an initial operational evaluation, the Army approved full-rate production and a five-year contract for 1,227 helicopters in December 2007
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Staff sergeant
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Staff sergeant is a rank of non-commissioned officer used in the armed forces of several countries. It is also a rank in some police services. In origin certain senior sergeants were assigned to administrative, supervisory, as such they held seniority over sergeants who were members of a battalion or company, and were paid correspondingly increased wages. Their seniority was indicated by a crown worn above the three stripes on their uniform rank markings. In the Australian Army and Cadets, the rank of sergeant is being phased out. It was usually held by the quartermaster sergeant or the holders of other administrative roles. Staff sergeants are addressed as Staff Sergeant or Staff, never as Sergeant as it degrades their rank. Chief is another nickname though this is used for the company chief clerk. A staff sergeant ranks above sergeant and below warrant officer class 2, for further information, see Israel Defense Forces ranks. Soldiers who take a course may become staff sergeants earlier. The rank insignia is composed of three stripes with an embroidered fig leaf, a biblical motif, in the center of the rank insignia. Staff sergeants get a pay raise. A staff sergeant in the Singapore Armed Forces ranks above first sergeant and it is the second most senior specialist rank. Staff sergeants are addressed as Staff Sergeant or Staff, but never Sergeant, Staff sergeants may be appointed as company sergeant major if they are due for promotion to master sergeant. They are usually addressed as CSM in camp, although in the past they were referred to as Encik, the rank insignia consists of two chevrons pointing up and three chevrons pointing down, with the Singapore coat of arms in the middle. However, all three grades of Sergeants all don the same three chevrons insigna, the rank of Staff Sergeant exists in the Army, Air Force and the Marine Corps, and is equivalent to the Petty officer 2nd Class in the Navy. In the British Army, staff sergeant ranks above sergeant and below warrant officer class 2, the rank is given a NATO code of OR-7. The insignia is the crown above three downward pointing chevrons
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Jeff Struecker
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Jeffrey D. Struecker is an author, pastor, and former U. S. Army Ranger who was involved in the Battle of Mogadishu in 1993. He also participated in the 1989 invasion of Panama and in Kuwait during Operation Desert Storm, Struecker has co-authored five published books. Enlisted in the Army in September 1987 at the age of 18 and he would go on to win the Best Ranger Competition in 1996 with partner SPC Isaac Gmazel. Struecker was also recognized in 1998 with the U. S. Army Reserve Officers Training Corps Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, in the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu, Struecker was a 24-year-old Sergeant and squad leader assigned to Task Force Ranger as a part of the 75th Ranger Regiment. He led the 3-vehicle convoy that returned, through intense fire, in the film based on the battle, Black Hawk Down, Struecker is portrayed by Brian Van Holt. After his enlisted service ended in April 2000, Struecker went on to graduate from seminary, as Chaplain, Struecker served multiple tours in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq. Strueckers final military assignment was Chaplain with the Regimental Special Troops Battalion of the 75th Ranger Regiment, Struecker retired from active military service at the end of January 2011. Struecker has also earned six Overseas Service Bars and Thai Parachutist Wings, immediately following his retirement from the military, Struecker joined the staff of Calvary Baptist Church in Columbus, Georgia and became its lead pastor in April 2014. Struecker and his family had been members of the church since 2007, Struecker has also continued to author books and he speaks regularly to audiences across the United States about his experiences and about his Christian faith. Struecker and fellow veteran-turned-country singer Keni Thomas relived the battle as they drove through the Bakaara Market in armored vehicles and he is married to his wife Dawn and has five children
31.
Aden Adde International Airport
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Aden Adde International Airport, Aden Abdulle International Airport, formerly known as Mogadishu International Airport, is an international airport serving Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia. It is named after Aden Abdullah Osman Daar, the first President of Somalia, originally a modest-sized airport, the facility grew considerably in size in the post-independence period after numerous successive renovation projects. With the outbreak of the war in 1991, Aden Adde Internationals flight services experienced routine disruptions. However, with the security situation in Mogadishu greatly improved in the late 2010–2011 period, large-scale rehabilitation of the grounds infrastructure, by early 2013, the airport had restored most of its facilities and introduced several new features, with further upgrades in the works. Mogadishu airport was established in 1928 with the name Petrella-Mogadiscio aeroporto and it served as the main military airport for Italian Somaliland. In the mid-1930s, the airport began offering civilian and commercial flights, a regular Asmara-Assab-Mogadishu commercial route was started in 1935, with an Ala Littoria Caproni 133 providing 13-hour flights from the Mogadishu airport to Italian Eritrea. The aircraft had a capacity of 18 passengers, which at the time was a record. In 1936, Ala Littoria launched a connection between Mogadishu-Asmara-Khartoum-Tripoli and Rome. The voyage lasted four days and was one of the first long flights in the world. During the post-independence period, Mogadishu International Airport offered flights to numerous global destinations, in the mid-1960s, the airport was enlarged to accommodate more international carriers, with the state-owned Somali Airlines providing regular trips to all major cities. By 1969, the airports many landing grounds could also host small jets, in the 1970s, Somalias then ruling socialist government enlisted its Soviet allies for major renovations to the grounds facilities. The airports capacity to cater to both civilian and military needs was in the significantly enlarged. The Somali Air Corps also used the airport at this time, the SAC maintained a military academy at the airport that was used by all air force members. In the 1980s, the Somali federal government recruited the U. S. Navy, its new Cold War partner, the project included the construction of a modern control tower equipped with state-of-the-art navigational technology. The Somali Civil Aviation Authority, which regulated the national aviation industry. The agreement stipulated that the company would build a terminal for international routes as well as a new control tower. The Italian firm was tasked with supplying air traffic control equipment. With the collapse of the Siad Barre regime and the civil war
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MD Helicopters MH-6 Little Bird
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The MH-6 Little Bird, and its attack variant AH-6, are light helicopters used for special operations in the United States Army. Originally based on a modified OH-6A, it was based on the MD 500E. The newest version, the MH-6M, is based on the MD 530F and has a single, six-bladed main rotor, twelve companies took part in the competition and Hughes Tool Companys Aircraft Division submitted the Model 369. Two designs, those submitted by Fairchild-Hiller and Bell, were selected as finalists by the design competition board. The first Model 369 prototype flew on 27 February 1963, originally designated the YHO-6A under the armys designation system, the aircraft was redesignated the YOH-6A under the Department of Defenses new joint system in 1962. In the end, Hughes won the competition and the Army awarded a contract for production in May 1965, the initial order was for 714 aircraft, but that was later increased to 1,300 with an option to buy another 114. Seventy helicopters were built in the first month and this agile, unarmed helicopter is outfitted with outboard benches designed to ferry up to three commandos on each side. There is also a variant, the AH-6. Painted black for nighttime operations, this aircraft can conduct rapid insertions and extractions of special operations forces into areas its larger brother. After the April 1980 failure of Operation Eagle Claw, it was determined that the US Army lacked aircraft, to remedy this shortcoming, the Army began developing a special aviation task force to prepare for the next attempt to rescue the hostages, Operation Credible Sport. Its missions have included attack, assault, and reconnaissance, and are conducted at night, at high speeds, low altitudes. The architects of the task force identified the need for a helicopter that could land in the most restrictive locations. They chose the OH-6A scout helicopter, and it known as the Little Bird compared to the other aircraft in the task force, the UH-60A. As a separate part of the project, armed OH-6As were being developed at Fort Rucker, when the training was completed, C-141 aircraft transported the aircraft and crews to Fort Huachuca, Arizona, for two weeks of mission training. The mission training consisted of loading onto C-130 transport aircraft which would transport them to forward staging areas over routes as long as 1,000 nautical miles. The armed OH-6 aircraft from Fort Rucker joined the program in the fall of 1980. Operation Credible Sport was a joint project of the U. S. military in the half of 1980 to prepare for a second rescue attempt of the hostages held in Iran. It was canceled after the hostages were released on 20 January 1981 and, for a short while, it looked as if the force would be disbanded
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Michael Durant
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Michael J. Mike Durant is an American pilot and author. He was a member of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment as a Chief Warrant Officer 3, Durant is a native of Berlin, New Hampshire, the son of Leon and Louise Durant. He entered the U. S. Army in August 1979, following basic training, he attended the Defense Language Institute, and was then assigned to the 470th Military Intelligence Group at Fort Clayton in Panama as a Spanish voice intercept operator. He then completed flight training at Fort Rucker, Alabama. During flight school, he flew the TH-55 trainer and UH-1 helicopters, upon appointment to Warrant Officer 1 in November 1983, he completed the UH-60 Blackhawk Aviators Qualification Course and was assigned to the 377th Medical Evacuation Company in Seoul, South Korea. By the time he was 24, he had flown over 150 medevac missions in the UH-1, after 18 months, he transitioned to the 101st Aviation Battalion at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. As a Chief Warrant Officer 2, he attended the instructor pilot course, Durant joined the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment on August 1,1988. Assigned to D Company, he performed duties as Flight Lead and he participated in combat operations Prime Chance, Just Cause, and Operation Desert Storm, where he was the first U. S. helicopter pilot to engage with a SCUD missile launcher. During Operation Gothic Serpent in Somalia, Durant was the pilot of helicopter Super Six Four and it was the second MH-60L of two Black Hawk helicopters to crash during the Battle of Mogadishu on October 3,1993. His helicopter was hit on the tail by a rocket-propelled grenade and that led to its crash about a mile southwest of the operations target. Durant and his crew of three, Bill Cleveland, Ray Frank, and Tommy Field, survived the crash, though they were all badly injured, Durant suffered a broken femur and a badly injured back. Two Delta Force snipers, MSG Gary Gordon and SFC Randy Shughart, had been providing suppressive fire from the air at hostile Somalis who were converging on the crash site. Both volunteered for insertion onto the ground to protect the crew, the pair killed an estimated 25 Somalis, before they ran out of ammunition. They were soon overwhelmed and killed, after Cleveland, Frank, both Gordon and Shughart received the Medal of Honor posthumously for their heroism in this action. The hostile Somalis captured sole American survivor Durant and held him captive for eleven days, general Aidid then released Durant and a Nigerian soldier who had been captured previously, into the custody of the International Committee of the Red Cross. After being freed, and recovering at Landstuhl Air Base in Germany and he retired from the Army in 2001 with more than 3,700 flight hours, over 1,400 of which were flown under night vision goggles. He now offers seminars to military personnel about helicopter maneuvering and Combat Search, Durant offers talks about the Somalia raid and the experiences he had while in captivity. He spoke extensively with actor Ron Eldard, who portrayed him in the movie Black Hawk Down, in 2003, Durant published a book, In the Company of Heroes, in which he chronicled his military career and his captivity
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Randy Shughart
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Randall David Randy Shughart was a United States Army soldier of the elite special operations unit, 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta, also known as Delta Force. Shughart was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for actions in Battle of Mogadishu on October 1993, Shughart was born on August 13,1958, in Lincoln, Nebraska, into a U. S. Air Force family. After his father, Herbert Shughart, left the Air Force, Shughart joined the Army while attending Big Spring High School in Newville, entering upon graduation in 1976. After completing basic training, he successfully completed AIT, Airborne School, several months later he completed a pre-ranger course, was granted a slot to attend Ranger School, graduated, and earned the Ranger Tab. Shughart left active duty and went into the Army Reserve in June 1980, in December 1983, Shughart returned to active duty and the following year attended Special Forces training. Shughart was assigned to Delta Force and was transferred to Fort Bragg, as a Delta Force operator, he advanced to Assistant Team Sergeant. Shughart was deployed to Mogadishu, Somalia, in 1993 as part of Task Force Ranger, a Combat Search and Rescue team came to secure it. Then, a second Black Hawk helicopter, call sign Super Six-Four, was shot down, Shughart, Gary Gordon, and Sergeant First Class Brad Hallings had been providing sniper cover from the air from Black Hawk Super Six-Two. Gordon wanted to be inserted to secure the site as hostile Somalis were converging on the area. Mission commanders denied Gordons request twice, saying that the situation was too dangerous for the Delta snipers to protect the crew from the ground, commands position was that the snipers could be of more assistance by providing air cover. Gordon, however, repeated his request until he got permission, Hallings stayed behind to man a machine gun as one of the helicopters gunners had been wounded. Shughart and Gordon were inserted approximately 100m from the site, armed with their sniper rifles and sidearms. Chief Warrant Officer Mike Durant was already defending the aircraft with an MP5 but was unable to move from his chair due to a vertebra in his back. When they reached Super Six-Four, they extracted Durant and the members from the crash. It is believed that Gordon was first to be shot by the mob, Shughart retrieved Gordons CAR-15 rifle and gave it to Durant to use. Shortly after, Shughart was killed, the site was overrun, according to Michael Durants book In the Company of Heroes, the Somalis counted 25 of their militia dead after the firefight. There was some confusion in the aftermath of the action as to who had been killed first, furthermore, Howe said that Gordon would not have given his weapon to someone while he could still fight. Durant later admitted that he initially misidentified which man was killed first, Shugharts body was eventually recovered and is buried in Westminster Cemetery, Carlisle, Pennsylvania
