1.
John Hay
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John Milton Hay was an American statesman and official whose career in government stretched over almost half a century. Beginning as a secretary and assistant to Abraham Lincoln, Hays highest office was United States Secretary of State under Presidents William McKinley. Hay was also an author and biographer and wrote poetry and other literature throughout much of his life, born in Indiana to an anti-slavery family that moved to Illinois when he was young, Hay showed great potential, and his family sent him to Brown University. After graduation in 1858, Hay read law in his uncles office in Springfield, Illinois, Hay worked for Lincolns successful presidential campaign and became one of his private secretaries at the White House. Throughout the American Civil War, Hay was close to Lincoln, in addition to his other literary works, Hay co-authored with John George Nicolay a multi-volume biography of Lincoln that helped shape the assassinated presidents historical image. After Lincolns death, Hay spent several years at posts in Europe, then worked for the New-York Tribune under Horace Greeley. Yet, Hay remained active in politics, and from 1879 to 1881 served as Assistant Secretary of State, afterward, he remained in the private sector, until President McKinley, for whom he had been a major backer, made him Ambassador to the United Kingdom in 1897. Hay became Secretary of State the following year, Hay served for almost seven years as Secretary of State under President McKinley, and after his assassination, under Theodore Roosevelt. Hay was responsible for negotiating the Open Door Policy, which kept China open to trade with all countries on an equal basis, John Milton Hay was born in Salem, Indiana, on October 8,1838. He was the son of Dr. Charles Hay and the former Helen Leonard. Charles Hay, born in Lexington, Kentucky, hated slavery, a doctor, he practiced in Salem and married there in 1831. Helens father, David Leonard, had moved his family west from Assonet, Massachusetts, in 1818, but died en route to Vincennes, Indiana, Charles was not successful in Salem, and moved, with his wife and children, to Warsaw, Illinois, in 1841. John attended the schools, and in 1849 his uncle Milton Hay invited John to live at his home in Pittsfield, Pike County, and attend a well-regarded local school. Milton was a friend of Springfield attorney Abraham Lincoln and had read law in the firm Stuart, in Pittsfield, John first met John Nicolay, who was at the time a 20-year-old newspaperman. Once John Hay completed his studies there, the 13-year-old was sent to live with his grandfather in Springfield and his parents and uncle Milton sent him to Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, alma mater of his late maternal grandfather. Hay enrolled at Brown in 1855, although he enjoyed college life, he did not find it easy, his Western clothing and accent made him stand out, he was not well prepared academically and was often sick. Hay gained a reputation as a student and became a part of Providences literary circle that included Sarah Helen Whitman. He wrote poetry and experimented with hashish, Hay received his Master of Arts degree in 1858, and was, like his grandfather before him, Class Poet
2.
Robert Carlyle
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Robert Carlyle, OBE is a Scottish actor. His film work includes Trainspotting, The Full Monty, The World Is Not Enough and he has been in the television shows Hamish Macbeth, Stargate Universe, and Once Upon a Time. He won the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for The Full Monty, Carlyle was born in Maryhill, Glasgow, the son of Elizabeth, a bus company employee, and Joseph Carlyle, a painter and decorator. He was brought up by his father after his left when Carlyle was four years old. Carlyle became involved in drama at the Glasgow Arts Centre at the age of 21, in 1991, he and four friends founded a theatre company, Raindog. The same year he guest starred in The Bill and also starred in his first movie, Riff-Raff, in 1994, he played the gay lover of Father Greg in the film Priest. Carlyles first high-profile role came as murderer Albert Albie Kinsella in an October 1994 episode of Cracker opposite Robbie Coltrane and this highly acclaimed role showcased Carlyles pure intensity. Shortly after his appearance in Cracker, he landed the role of Highland policeman Hamish Macbeth in the BBC comedy-drama Hamish Macbeth, the series ran for three seasons from 1995 to 1997. The latter earned Carlyle a BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role and he also starred with Ray Winstone in the 1997 film Face. Carlyle appeared in the 2002 Oasis music video for Little By Little and he played Adolf Hitler in the 2003 miniseries Hitler, The Rise of Evil. In 2006 he played the villain Durza in Eragon, in 2007 Carlyle played one of the main characters in the film 28 Weeks Later. He also played the role as a marine engineer attempting to save London from total devastation in the disaster film Flood. That year he also portrayed Father Joseph Macavoy in the film The Tournament, in 2008 Carlyle narrated a BBC audiobook version of The Cutting Room. In 2008, he was cast as Dr. Nicholas Rush in the television series Stargate Universe. His role in the series has been described thus, As to survive, Dr. Rush works to unlock the mysteries of the ship and return the group home and his was touted by the studio as the leading role in Universe. In December 2008, Carlyle appeared in 24, Redemption, a movie based on the popular TV series 24. In 2009, Carlyle appeared in a commercial for Johnnie Walker whisky. Carlyle was shown walking down a path and talking for six minutes in a long take
3.
Ben Miller
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Bennet Evan Ben Miller is an English comedian, actor and director. He is best known as one half of comedy double act Armstrong and Miller, Miller and Armstrong wrote and starred in the Channel 4 sketch show Armstrong and Miller, as well as the BBC sketch show The Armstrong & Miller Show. Miller was born in London, England and grew up in Nantwich and his paternal grandfather was a Lithuanian Jewish tailor who emigrated to the UK and lived in Londons East End. Bens father Michael Miller was a lecturer in American Literature at the City of Birmingham Polytechnic and she taught English at South Cheshire College. He has two sisters, Leah and Bronwen. Miller was educated at Malbank School and Sixth Form College, his local school in Nantwich. He studied Natural Sciences at St Catharines College, Cambridge, as an undergraduate, he participated in theatre with Rachel Weisz, and also dated her. He remained at Cambridge to study for a PhD in solid state physics and he abandoned completion of his thesis to pursue a career in comedy. Millers interest in comedy began when a friend asked him to ferry around the judges of the National Student Drama Festival. Having already finished his degree, he joined the Footlights in 1989, working with Andy Parsons, David Wolstencroft and Sue Perkins. Miller moved to London to pursue a career in comedy and he was introduced to fellow Cambridge graduate Alexander Armstrong in 1992, at the TBA Sketch Comedy Group, a comedy club which ran at the Gate Theatre Studio, Notting Hill throughout the 1990s. They performed their first full-length show together at the Edinburgh Fringe in 1994 and returned in 1996, when they were nominated for the Perrier Comedy Award. Their success resulted in the commission of the television series Armstrong and Miller, in 1998, the duo also had their own radio show with the same name on BBC Radio 4, which featured many of the sketches and characters from their TV series. After a six-year break, the show was recommissioned for Hat Trick Productions as The Armstrong, in 2008, they also had a second radio show, Childrens Hour with Armstrong and Miller. Miller also started acting in films, starring in Steve Coogans first feature film, in 2003 he played the role of Bough, sidekick to Rowan Atkinsons title character, in the film Johnny English. In 2004 he co-starred in The Prince and Me, in 2004 and 2005, he starred in two series of the BBC television series The Worst Week of My Life, with Sarah Alexander. In 2006 he took part in a three-part Christmas special, The Worst Christmas of My Life and he starred as James Lester in ITVs 2007 sci-fi drama Primeval and as Mr Jonathan in the Australian film Razzle Dazzle, A Journey into Dance. Miller provided the voice for the ITV Digital and now PG Tips Monkey in a series of television advertisements featuring Johnny Vegas
