We Can Do Anything: From sports to innovation, art to politics, meet over 200 women who got there first. Chuck Gonzales. Читать онлайн. Newlib. NEWLIB.NET

Автор: Chuck Gonzales
Издательство: HarperCollins
Серия:
Жанр произведения: Справочная литература: прочее
Год издания: 0
isbn: 9780008213459
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Katherine McMath

      BORN: JULY 16, 1911, INDEPENDENCE, MISSOURI, U.S.A.

      DIED: APRIL 25, 1995, RANCHO MIRAGE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A.

      NATIONALITY: AMERICAN

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      THE MAKING OF A STAR

      Born Virginia McMath, the young star-to-be began using her nickname of “Ginger” early, because a cousin couldn’t pronounce “Virginia.” As a child, Ginger acted on stage. She won a Charleston dance contest and was awarded her own vaudeville tour, with her mother as manager. From there, she landed her first Broadway production.

      Ginger did film work during the day and live stage work at night, before moving to Hollywood in 1931. Her first big movie was the 1933 musical classic, 42nd Street. The same year, she was cast in Flying Down to Rio—her first movie with Fred Astaire, with whom she would be forever linked. Their amazing dance chemistry dazzled studio bosses, and as the ultimate dance partnership of movie history, they went on to be cast together in a total of nine films, including Top Hat and Swing Time. Ginger starred in non-dancing roles, too, alongside such screen icons as Marilyn Monroe (see here), Cary Grant, and Katharine Hepburn (see here).

      BACKWARDS IN HIGH HEELS

      Ginger starred in more than 70 movies and won a leading actress Oscar for her role in the 1941 movie Kitty Foyle. For a time, she was the highest-paid woman in America. But it was for her incredible footwork with Fred Astaire for which she remains best known. Both Fred and Ginger looked stunning, but in any photographs you’ll see that Ginger is often wearing flowing, trip-hazard dresses and high heels—often dancing backwards. While each of the pair was a phenomenal dancer, Ginger is said to have made the comment that she did everything Astaire did, but “backwards in high heels.” The expression became famous and has come to describe the extra work women often need to put in to make their way in a male-dominated world just to achieve the same success as men. In 2007, a play called Backwards in High Heels, representing the life of Ginger Rogers, premiered in West Palm Beach, Florida.

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      JOAN RIVERS

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      WHOOPI GOLDBERG

      Phyllis Diller became the first female stand-up, and Lucille Ball the first female creator of a TV comedy—and today, the world of female comedians is wonderfully rich and varied.

      With a career spanning six decades, Carol Burnett is one of the most respected TV humorists in history, alongside the incredible and audacious Gilda Radner, a Saturday Night Live stalwart. Joan Rivers became a household name for her biting humor and self-deprecating style. At the other end of the spectrum, Ellen DeGeneres is loved for a more kind-hearted brand of comedy. Wacky impressionist Maria Bamford ranks top among fellow comedians. Star of stage and screen, Lily Tomlin is renowned for her outrageous personas, which have already influenced several generations of comedians. Best known today for the talk show The View, Whoopi Goldberg is a tremendous comedian who has enjoyed crossover success in stand-up, film, TV, and on the stage. Another TV great, the beloved Betty White has had the longest TV career of any female entertainer. Contemporary stars such as Sarah Silverman, Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, and Kristen Wiig are not afraid to use their humor to speak their mind on subjects including sexism and ageism. One such comedian, Amy Schumer, has used her comic platform to highlight gender inequality and social injustice. In recognition of this, Time magazine named her as one of their “100 Most Influential People.”

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      BETTY WHITE

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      LILY TOMLIN

      FULL NAME: Lucille Désirée Ball

      BORN: AUGUST 6, 1911, JAMESTOWN, NEW YORK, U.S.A.

      DIED: APRIL 26, 1989, BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A.

      NATIONALITY: AMERICAN

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      U.S. postage stamp, circa 2009, to commemorate the much-loved T.V. series, I Love Lucy

      QUEEN OF COMEDY

      Lucille Désirée Ball had many nicknames: Queen of the B Movie, First Lady of Television, Queen of Comedy, and, simply, “Lucy.” In a packed career, Lucille was a model, comedian, actress, producer—and the first woman to run a major television studio. Her larger-than-life screen presence ensured that, in spite of the black-and-white TV sets of the time, her vibrant red hair and incredible talent shone through. Lucille had an impressively long career in television, lasting over 65 years.

      FROM STAGE TO SCREENS, BOTH BIG AND SMALL

      After starting work as a model under the name Diane Belmont, Lucille began performing on Broadway. This was followed by bit parts for RKO Radio Pictures, where she was a “contract player” (a step up from an extra). During that time, Lucille earned the nickname of “Queen of the B Movie” for the sheer number of films she appeared in—72 in all. In spite of her beauty and incredible screen presence, her big break came in the unexpected form of a radio show called My Favorite Husband. It was there that Lucille, soon to be known as one of America’s best-loved comedians, would find her niche. She had a contract from CBS and the world of TV laid out at her feet.

AMAZING ACHIEVEMENTS
images FIRST WOMAN TO RUN A MAJOR TV STUDIO
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In everything from content to cinematography, Desilu Productions was groundbreaking.

      MODERN LIFE

      In 1940, Lucille married Desi Arnaz, a Cuban bandleader she met on set. Together, the pair would go on to create and co-own both the Desilu Production Company and the I Love Lucy show: one of the most iconic shows in television history. I Love Lucy debuted in 1951 and was an instant success. Ahead of its time, the show dealt with modern issues: women in the workplace, marital strife, troubled suburbia—all through the lens of Lucille’s incredible gift for humor and outlandish mischief. The show also broke new ground by showing Lucy and Desi as an interracial couple, as well as Lucy’s onscreen pregnancy. Generations of comedians have been inspired by her work, including Carole Burnett and Robin Williams. For the majority of its run, I Love Lucy was the number-one show in the country, receiving incredible viewer ratings. In 1962, Lucille took sole control of Desilu Productions—the first time a woman had been in charge of a major TV studio. Desilu was also a pioneer of the live studio audience and the use of multiple cameras.

      THE LEGACY OF LUCY

      Lucille won four Emmys and was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1984. After her death, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, in 1989, and in 1990