name	Anthony Stewart Head
birth date	February 20, 1954
birth place	Camden Town, London, England
occupation	Actor
partner	Sarah Fisher (1984–present)
website	http://www.anthonyhead.org/ }}

Anthony Stewart Head (born 20 February 1954), usually credited as Anthony Head, is an English actor and musician. He rose to fame in the UK following his role in television advertisements for Nescafé Gold Blend (Taster's Choice in the U.S.), and is known for his roles as Rupert Giles in ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' and as Uther Pendragon in ''Merlin''.

Early life

Head was born in Camden Town, London. His father was Seafield Laurence Stewart Murray Head (1919–2009), a documentary filmmaker and the founder of Verity Films, and his mother was actress Helen Shingler (best remembered for her role as Mme. Maigret opposite Rupert Davies in the original television series), who married in 1944 in Watford. His older brother is actor and singer Murray Head. Both brothers have played the part of Freddy Trumper in the musical ''Chess'' at the Prince Edward Theatre, London, with Murray a part of the original cast in 1986, whilst Anthony was in the final cast in 1989.

Career

Head was educated at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA). His first role was in the musical ''Godspell''; this led to roles in television on both BBC and ITV, one of his earliest being an appearance in the series ''Enemy at the Door'' (ITV, 1978–1980). In the early 1980s he sang with the band Red Box. In the late 1980s, he appeared in a storyline series of twelve coffee commercials with Sharon Maughan for Nescafé Gold Blend. (A version made for the US featured the American brand name Taster's Choice.) The soap opera nature of the commercials brought him wider recognition, along with a part in the Children's ITV comedy drama ''Woof!''

Success on the stage and a number of brief appearances on American television, such as in the short-lived ''VR.5'', led to accepting the role of Rupert Giles in ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' in 1997. For this role he lived full-time in the United States during the late 1990s and early 2000s, although his family continued to live in the UK. Head left the regular cast of ''Buffy'' during the show's sixth season and subsequently appeared several times as a guest star through the conclusion of the series. In many interviews at the time, Head said he left the show in order to spend more time with his family, having realised that he had spent most of the year outside England, which added up to more than half his youngest daughter's life. He now lives in Bath, England with Sarah Fisher. They have two children, Emily Rose, born in December 1988, and Daisy, born in 1991.

Early to mid-2000s

In 2002, he co-starred in the BBC Two television series ''Manchild'', which concerned four fifty-something men who spend all of their time talking about sex. He also appeared in guest roles in various other dramas, such as ''Silent Witness'', ''Murder Investigation Team'', and ''Spooks''. He appeared in the 4th series of the British hit sitcom ''My Family'' in 2003 playing one of the main characters (Abi's) father in the episode "May the Best Man Win". He was featured as the Prime Minister in the popular BBC comedy sketch show ''Little Britain'' from 2003 to 2005, and guest starred in several episodes of the 2004 series of popular drama ''Monarch of the Glen''.

Outside of television work, he has released an album of songs with musician George Sarah entitled ''Music for Elevators''. Early in his career he provided vocals for some of the tracks on the Chris de Burgh album ''The Getaway'' and the reading from ''The Tempest'' on ''Don't Pay The Ferryman''.

In 2001, he appeared in a special webcast version of the popular British science fiction series ''Doctor Who'', a story called ''Death Comes to Time'', in which he played the Time Lord Valentine. He also guest starred in the ''Excelis Trilogy'', a series of ''Doctor Who'' audio adventures produced by Big Finish Productions, and in 2005 narrated the two-part documentary ''Project: WHO?'', detailing the television revival of the series, for BBC Radio 2 (and released to CD in 2006 by BBC Audio). In April 2006 he appeared as an alien school headmaster, Mr. Finch, in an episode of the 2006 season of the Tenth Doctor's adventures entitled "School Reunion". Soon after, he recorded an abridged audio book of the ''Doctor Who'' novel ''The Nightmare of Black Island'' by Mike Tucker. He narrated the third and fourth series of ''Doctor Who Confidential''. He also voiced the character Baltazar, Scourge of the Universe (an evil space pirate searching for the Infinite), in the first ever animated ''Doctor Who'' special, "The Infinite Quest". Head had previously auditioned for the role of the Eighth Doctor for the 1996 television movie, but lost out to Paul McGann.

In early 2006, he appeared in an episode of ''Hotel Babylon'', a BBC One drama set in a hotel, in which he played a suicidal man who recovers and lands a music deal. The same year he filmed a pilot for a new show entitled ''Him and Us'', loosely based on the life of openly gay rock star Elton John, for American TV channel ABC, co-starring Kim Cattrall. In July he appeared as Captain Hook at the ''Children's Party at the Palace'', a live pantomime staged in the grounds of Buckingham Palace as part of Queen Elizabeth II's 80th birthday celebrations. In October 2006, he voiced Ponsonby, leader of MI6, in ''Destroy All Humans! 2''.

Late 2000s

At Comic-Con International in 2007, Joss Whedon said talks were almost completed for a 90-minute ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' spin-off, ''Ripper'', as a BBC special, with both Head and the BBC on board.

He was originally to have a role in ''Sweeney Todd'', as a ballad soloist and one of Todd's murder victims, but, due to the ailing of Johnny Depp's daughter, the schedule became tight and Head's character, as well as the characters of 13 other actors, one of them Christopher Lee, were dropped from the film. Instead, Head made a cameo appearance as a character who asks whether Sweeney Todd has an establishment of his own.

In 2007, he portrayed Stockard Channing's gay brother in the English film ''Sparkle'' and appeared as Mr Colubrine in the ITV1 comedy drama ''Sold''. Head also appeared as Sir Walter Elliot in ''Persuasion''. Head also narrated a BBC behind-the-scenes programme for the American television series ''Heroes'', ''Heroes Unmasked''. He has also been seen as Maurice Riley in the BBC Drama ''The Invisibles'' alongside Warren Clarke.

After seeing Anthony Head in the Buffy musical episode, "Once More With Feeling", ''Saw'' director Darren Lynn Bousman cast him in his 21st century rock opera, "Repo! The Genetic Opera". Head plays the film's grim reaper, an organ repossession man doing the bidding of an out of control biotech company called GeneCo. "Anthony Head was my number one choice for Repo Man from the very beginning, " said Bousman in an interview Head plays King Uther Pendragon, the father of Prince Arthur. The programme completed its third series in December 2010.

Head also provides voice-over work in the Nintendo Wii video game, ''Flip's Twisted World'', developed by Frozen North Productions.

Personal life

Head lives near Bath, Somerset with his partner Sarah Fisher and has two daughters, Emily and Daisy. He also owns a home in Los Angeles. On ''Saturday Kitchen'', in September 2010, Head declared he is a pescetarian.

Filmography

colspan="4" style="background: LightSteelBlue;"	Film
! Year	! Film	! Role	! Other notes
1981		Anton
1987	''A Prayer for the Dying''	Rupert
1988	''La Collina del diavolo''	Michael Toyle
1992	''Woof Again! Why Me?''		Direct-to-Video Release
2003		Sam Gervasi
2004	''Fat Slags''	Victor
	''Framing Frankie''	Dennis Folley
''Imagine Me & You''	Ned
		Detective
''Little Britain Live''	Prime Minister	Direct-to-Video Release
		Tony
	George	Direct-to-Video Release
''Amelia and Michael''	Michael
	Ballad Ghost	Uncredited Role Cameo Appearance
2008	''Repo! The Genetic Opera''	Nathan Wallace/Repo Man
	''The Inbetweeners Movie''	Will's Father
''The Iron Lady''	Geoffrey Howe
Television
! Year	! Title	! Role	! Notes
	''Enemy at the Door''	Clive Martel
''Lillie''	William Le Breton	ITV
	Simon Lovell	Episode: The Figures Man
	''The Mallens''	Weir	Episode: 1.1 Episode: 1.2
	Hanslick
1980		Tony Kroesig	Thames Television
		Timothy Preston-Berry	Episode: Hen Party
	Bill
1984, 1988	''The Comic Strip Presents...''	Ricki Recording Studio Engineer	The Comic Strip Presents...#List of Comic Strip films
	''[[C.A.T.S. Eyes''	James Sinden
''Howards' Way''	Phil Norton	5 episodes
		Richard Rathbone	Episode: Day of the Yoke
	Dudley Fielding	Episode: The Price of Fame
1988	''Rockliffe's Babies''	Chris Patterson	Episode: A Trip to the Zoo
1991	''Woof!''	Bentley	Episode: 3.7 Episode: 3.8
	''The Detectives''	Simon
''Highlander: The Series''	Allan Rothwood
1994		Pitlock	Showtime (TV network)
	''[[VR.5''	Oliver Sampson	Episodes: 5–13
''Ghostbusters of East Finchley''	Terry	Episode: 1.5
''NYPD Blue''	Nigel Gibson
1996	''Roger Roger''	Jimmy Price
1997	''Jonathan Creek''	Adam Klaus
1997–2003		Rupert Giles	121 episodes; Saturn Award (nominated), (main 1997–2001, Special Guest 2002, 2003)
1999	''Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place''	Dr. Staretski
2000		Colin Truemans
2001	''Silent Witness''	Henry Hutton	Episode: Two Below Zero
	''Spooks''	Peter Salter	Episode: Traitor's Gate
''Fillmore!''	Professor Third	List of Fillmore! episodes
2002–2003		James	15 episodes
	''[[My Family''	Richard Harper
''And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself''	William Benton
''Reversals''	Mr. Andrew Barton
2003–2006	''Little Britain''
	''True Horror with Anthony Head''	Presenter	Episodes: 1–5
	Sir Tim
	Chester Grant	Episodes: 6.7–6.10
		Stewart Masters	Episode: 2.2
''Rose and Maloney''	Dr. David Terry	Episode: 2.2
	''Hotel Babylon''	Mr. Machin
''Doctor Who''
''Children's Party at the Palace''	Captain Hook
''Him and Us''	Max Flash
		Various
	Sir Walter Elliot
''Totally Doctor Who''	Baltazar	Voice Role in ''The Infinite Quest''
	Tom Paine	Episodes: The Signals Here I Am
	Mr. Colubrine	6 episodes
	''Doctor Who Confidential''	Narrator	30 episodes
''Little Britain	Prime Minister	23 episodes
	2008–present		Uther Pendragon	26 episodes
	2008	''The Invisibles (TV series)	The Invisibles''	Maurice Riley	BBC One series
	2009	''Free Agents''	Stephen	Channel 4 TV series
	2011	''Free Agents''	Stephen	NBC TV series (US Remake of the Channel 4 series of the same name)

Albums

''Music for Elevators'' (in collaboration with George Sarah, released 2002)

Singles

"Sweet Transvestite" (Chrysalis Records)

References

External links

Official website

BFI.org, Anthony Head at the British Film Institute

Articles and interviews

Who's Head of the class, BBC Where I Live: Somerset (December 2006)

Interview: Anthony Head, Helen Otter, BBC Where I Live: Somerset (April 2006)

Anthony Head Interview: King Arthur Screwed Up My Nintendo, TheTorchOnline.com (June 2009)

Biographies of Giles and Head at "Buffyguide"

Category:1954 births Category:English film actors Category:English television actors Category:English voice actors Category:Living people Category:People from Camden Town Category:Alumni of the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art

bg:Антъни Хед da:Anthony Head de:Anthony Head es:Anthony Stewart Head fr:Anthony Stewart Head it:Anthony Head nl:Anthony Stewart Head ja:アンソニー・スチュワート・ヘッド no:Anthony Stewart Head pl:Anthony Head pt:Anthony Head ru:Хэд, Энтони simple:Anthony Head fi:Anthony Head sv:Anthony Head tr:Anthony Head uk:Ентоні Гед

name	Craig Ferguson
birth date	May 17, 1962
birth place	Glasgow, Scotland
medium	Stand-up, television, film, music, books
nationality	Scottish, American
active	1980–present
genre	Observational comedy, satire/political satire/news satire
subject	Everyday life, popular culture, self-deprecation, politics
website	''The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson''
spouse	Anne Hogarth (1983–86) (divorced)Sascha Corwin (1998–2004) (divorced) 1 childMegan Wallace-Cunningham (2008–present) 1 child
notable work	Host of ''The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson''Nigel Wick on ''The Drew Carey Show''Glaswegian in ''One Foot in the Grave''Gobber in ''How to Train Your Dragon'' }}

Craig Ferguson (born 17 May 1962) is a Scottish American television host, stand-up comedian, writer, actor, director, author, and producer. He is the host of ''The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson'', an Emmy Award-nominated, Peabody Award-winning late-night talk show that airs on CBS. In addition to hosting that program and performing stand-up comedy, Ferguson has written two books: ''Between the Bridge and the River'', a novel, and ''American on Purpose'', a memoir. He became a citizen of the United States in 2008.

Before his career as a late-night television host, Ferguson was best known in the United States for his role as the office boss, Nigel Wick, on ''The Drew Carey Show'' from 1996 to 2003. After that, he wrote and starred in three films, directing one of them.

Early life

Ferguson was born in the Stobhill Hospital in the Springburn district of Glasgow, Scotland to Robert and Janet Ferguson, and raised in nearby Cumbernauld, growing up "chubby and bullied". When he was six months old, he and his family moved from their Springburn apartment to a council house in Cumbernauld. They lived there as Glasgow was re-housing many people following damage to the city from World War II. Ferguson attended Muirfield Primary School and Cumbernauld High School. At age sixteen, Ferguson dropped out of Cumbernauld High School and began an apprenticeship to be an electronics technician at a local factory of American company Burroughs Corporation.

His first visit to the United States was as a teenager to visit an uncle who lived on Long Island, near New York City. When he moved to New York City in 1983, he worked in construction in Harlem. Ferguson later became a bouncer at a nightclub, Save the Robots.

Career

British career

Ferguson's experience in entertainment began as a drummer in a rock band called Exposure. He then joined a punk band called The Bastards from Hell. The band, later renamed "Dreamboys", and fronted by vocalist Peter Capaldi, performed regularly in Glasgow from 1980 to 1982. Ferguson credits Capaldi for inspiring him to try comedy.

After a nerve-wrecking, knee-knocking first appearance, he decided to create a character that was a "parody of all the über-patriotic native folk singers who seemed to infect every public performance in Scotland." The character, "Bing Hitler" (actually coined by Capaldi as Ferguson started with the monogram of "Nico Fulton" but admittedly later stole the name for his "own nefarious ends"), premiered in Glasgow, and subsequently became a hit at the 1986 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. A recording of his stage act as Bing Hitler was made at Glasgow's Tron Theatre and released in the 1980s; a Bing Hitler monologue ("A Lecture for Burns Night") appears on the compilation cassette ''Honey at the Core.''

Ferguson's first television appearance was as Confidence on BBC sitcom ''Red Dwarf'' during the episode "Confidence and Paranoia".

Ferguson made his starring television debut in ''The Craig Ferguson Show'', a one-off comedy pilot for Granada Television, which co-starred Paul Whitehouse and Helen Atkinson-Wood. This was broadcast throughout the UK on 4 March 1990, but was not made into a full series.

He has also found success in musical theatre. Beginning in 1991, he appeared on stage as Brad Majors in the London production of ''The Rocky Horror Show'', alongside Anthony Head, who was playing Dr. Frank-N-Furter at the time. In 1994, Ferguson played Father MacLean in the highly controversial production of ''Bad Boy Johnny and the Prophets of Doom'' at the Union Chapel in London. The same year, he appeared again at the Edinburgh Fringe, as Oscar Madison in ''The Odd Couple'', opposite Gerard Kelly as Felix and Kate Anthony as Gwendolin Pidgeon, who is now much better known as Aunty Pam in ''Coronation Street''; the play, which was relocated to 1990s Glasgow, later toured Scotland.

After enjoying success at the Edinburgh Festival, Ferguson appeared on ''Red Dwarf'', STV's ''Hogmanay Show'', his own show ''2000 Not Out'', and the 1993 ''One Foot in the Grave'' Christmas special ''One Foot in the Algarve.''

In 1993, Ferguson presented his own series on Scottish archaeology for Scottish Television entitled ''Dirt Detective.'' He travelled throughout the country examining archaeological history, including Skara Brae and Paisley Abbey.

U.S. career

After cancellation of his show ''The Ferguson Theory'', Ferguson moved to Los Angeles in 1994. His first U.S. role was as baker Logan McDonough on the short-lived 1995 ABC comedy ''Maybe This Time'', which starred Betty White and Marie Osmond.

His breakthrough in the U.S. came when he was cast on ''The Drew Carey Show'' as the title character's boss, Mr. Wick, a role that he played from 1996 to 2003. He played the role with an over-the-top posh English accent "to make up for generations of English actors doing crap Scottish accents." In his comedy special "A Wee Bit O' Revolution", he specifically called out James Doohan's portrayal of Montgomery Scott on Star Trek as the foundation of his "revenge". (At the end of one episode, though, Ferguson broke the fourth wall and began talking to the audience at home in his regular Scottish accent.) His character was memorable for his unique methods of laying employees off, almost always "firing Johnson", the most common last name of the to-be-fired workers. Even after leaving the show in 2003, he remained a recurring character on the series for the last two seasons, and was part of the 2-part series finale in 2004.

During production of ''The Drew Carey Show'', Ferguson devoted his off-time as a cast member to writing, working in his trailer on set in-between shooting his scenes. He wrote and starred in three films: ''The Big Tease'', ''Saving Grace'', and ''I'll Be There'', which he also directed and for which he won the Audience Award for Best Film at the Aspen, Dallas and Valencia film festivals. He was named Best New Director at the Napa Valley Film Festival. These were among other scripts that, "... in the great tradition of the movie business, about half a dozen that I got paid a fortune for but never got made." His other acting credits in films include ''Niagara Motel'', ''Lenny the Wonder Dog'', ''Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events'', ''Chain of Fools'', ''Born Romantic'', ''The Ugly Truth'', ''How to Train Your Dragon'', ''Kick-Ass'' and ''Winnie the Pooh''.

Ferguson has been touring the United States and Canada with a stand-up comedy show, and performed at Carnegie Hall on 23 October 2010.

''The Late Late Show''

In December 2004, it was announced that Ferguson would be the successor to Craig Kilborn on CBS's ''The Late Late Show''. His first show as the regular host aired on 3 January 2005. By May 2008, Ben Alba, an American television historian and an authority on U.S. talk shows, said Ferguson "has already made his mark, taking the TV monologue to new levels with an underlying story. But he is only just starting ... He is making up his own rules: It's the immigrant experience."

''The Late Late Show'' averaged 2.0 million viewers in its 2007 season, compared with 2.5 million for ''Late Night with Conan O'Brien''. In April 2008, ''The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson'' beat ''Late Night with Conan O'Brien'' for weekly ratings (1.88 million to 1.77 million) for the first time since the two shows went head-to-head with their respective hosts.

By the end of 2009, Craig Ferguson topped Jimmy Fallon in the ratings with Ferguson getting a 1.8 rating/6 share and Fallon receiving a 1.6 rating/6 share.

Ferguson's success on the show has led at least one "television insider" to say he is the heir apparent to take over David Letterman's role as host of ''The Late Show''.

Television and appearances

Craig Ferguson has made guest appearances on ''The Tonight Show with Jay Leno'', ''Late Show with David Letterman'', ''Late Night with Conan O'Brien'', ''Rachael Ray'', ''Countdown with Keith Olbermann'', ''The Howard Stern Show'', ''The Daily Show'', ''The View'', ''Loveline'', ''Real Time with Bill Maher'', ''The Soup'', ''The Talk'' and ''The Dennis Miller Show''. He also co-hosted ''Live with Regis & Kelly'' with Kelly Ripa.

On 4 January 2009 Ferguson was a celebrity player on ''Million Dollar Password''.

thumb|272px|Ferguson in April 2008

In 2009, Ferguson made a cameo live-action appearance in the episode "We Love You, Conrad" on ''Family Guy''. Ferguson hosted the 32nd annual People's Choice Awards on 10 January 2006. ''TV Guide'' magazine printed a "Cheers" (Cheers and Jeers section) for appearing on his own show that same evening. From 2007 to 2010, Ferguson hosted the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular on 4 July, broadcast nationally by CBS. Ferguson was the featured entertainer at the 26 April 2008 White House Correspondents' Association dinner in Washington, DC.

Ferguson co-presented the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama with Brooke Shields in 2008. He has done voice work in cartoons, including being the voice of Barry's evil alter-ego in the "With Friends Like Steve's" episode of ''American Dad''; in ''Freakazoid!'' as Roddy MacStew, Freakazoid's mentor; and on ''Buzz Lightyear of Star Command'' as the robot vampire NOS-4-A2. Most recently, he was the voice of Susan the boil on ''Futurama'', which was a parody of Scottish singer Susan Boyle. He makes stand-up appearances in Las Vegas and New York City. He headlined in the Just for Laughs festival in Montreal and in October 2008 Ferguson taped his stand up show in Boston for a Comedy Central special entitled ''A Wee Bit o' Revolution'', which aired on 22 March 2009.

British television comedy drama ''Doc Martin'' was based on a character from Ferguson's film ''Saving Grace'' – with Ferguson getting writing credits for 12 episodes. On 6 November 2009 Ferguson appeared as himself in a ''SpongeBob SquarePants'' special titled ''SpongeBob's Truth or Square''. He hosted Discovery Channel's 23rd season of ''Shark Week'' in 2010. Ferguson briefly appeared in Toby Keith's ''"Red Solo Cup"'' music video released on 10 October 2011.

Literature

Ferguson's novel ''Between the Bridge and the River'' (ISBN 9780811853750) was published on 10 April 2006. Ferguson appeared at the Los Angeles Festival of Books, as well as other author literary events. "This book could scare them", Ferguson said. "The sex, the violence, the dream sequences and the iconoclasm. I think a lot of people are uncomfortable with that. I understand that. It was very uncomfortable to write some of it." ''Publishers Weekly'' called it "a ''tour de force'' of cynical humor and poignant reverie, a caustic yet ebullient picaresque that approaches the sacred by way of the profane." His novel ''Between the Bridge and the River'' is dedicated to his son and to his grandfather, Adam. Ferguson revealed in an interview that he is writing a sequel to the book, to be titled "The Sphynx of the Mississippi". He also stated in a 2006 interview with David Letterman that he intends for the book to be the first in a trilogy.

Ferguson signed a deal with HarperCollins to publish his memoirs. The book, entitled ''American on Purpose: The Improbable Adventures of an Unlikely Patriot'', focuses on "how and why [he] became an American" and covers his years as a punk rocker, dancer, bouncer and construction worker as well as the rise of his career in Hollywood as an actor and comic. It went on sale 22 September 2009 in the United States. On 1 December 2010 the audiobook version was nominated for a Best Spoken Word Album Grammy.

In July 2009, Jackie Collins was a guest on ''The Late Late Show'' to promote her new book ''Married Lovers''. Collins said that a character in her book, Don Verona, was based on Ferguson because she was such a fan of him and his show.

Personal life

As mentioned on ''The Late Late Show'' on 3 August 2009, Ferguson holds an FAA Private Pilot's License issued 31 July 2009. Ferguson announced on the 8 April 2011 broadcast that he is pursuing an instrument rating.

Ferguson is also a fan of Scottish football team Partick Thistle F.C. as well as the British television show Doctor Who.

Ferguson has three tattoos: his latest, the Join, or Die political cartoon on his right forearm; a Ferguson family crest with the Latin motto ''Dulcius ex asperis'' ("Sweeter out of [or from] difficulty") on his upper right arm in honour of his father; and the Ingram family crest on his upper left arm in honour of his mother. He has often stated that his ''Join, or Die'' tattoo is to signal his patriotism.

Family

In an episode of ''The Late Late Show'' that aired 8 December 2008, a sombre Ferguson talked about his mother, Janet (3 August 1933 – 1 December 2008). He ended the program by playing her favourite song, "Rivers of Babylon" by Boney M.

Ferguson has two sisters (one older and one younger) and one older brother. His elder sister's name is Janice and his brother's name is Scott. His younger sister, Lynn Ferguson Tweddle, is also a successful comedienne, presenter, and actress, perhaps most widely known as the voice of Mac in the 2000 stop-motion animation film ''Chicken Run''. She is currently a writer on ''The Late Late Show''.

Ferguson has married three times and divorced twice as a result of what he describes as "relationship issues". His first marriage was to Anne Hogarth from 1983 to 1986, during which time they lived in New York. From his second marriage (to Sascha Corwin, founder and proprietor of Los Angeles' SpySchool), he has one son, Milo Hamish Ferguson, born in 2001. He and Corwin share custody of Milo, and live near each other in Los Angeles. On 21 December 2008, Ferguson married art dealer Megan Wallace-Cunningham in a private ceremony on her family's farm in Chester, Vermont. Ferguson announced 14 July 2010 on Twitter that they were expecting a child. He wrote: "Holy crackers! Mrs F is pregnant. How did that happen? ... oh yeah I know how. Another Ferguson arrives in 2011. The world trembles." The child, a boy named Liam James, was born 31 January 2011.

Alcohol problems

A recovering alcoholic, Ferguson has been sober since 18 February 1992. Because of this, he declared he wouldn't mock Britney Spears' much-publicized alcohol problems in 2007. He said he had considered committing suicide on Christmas Day 1991, but when offered a drink by a friend for celebrating the holiday, he was distracted from jumping off Tower Bridge in London as he had planned.

Citizenship

Holding dual citizenship, Ferguson is both a naturalized citizen of the United States and a British citizen.

During 2007, Ferguson, who at the time held only British citizenship, used ''The Late Late Show'' as a forum for seeking honorary citizenship from every state in the U.S. He has received honorary citizenship from Nebraska, Arkansas, Virginia, Montana, North Dakota, New Jersey, Tennessee, South Carolina, South Dakota, Nevada, Alaska, Texas, Wyoming, Pennsylvania and Indiana, and was "commissioned" as an admiral in the tongue-in-cheek Nebraska Navy. Governors Jon Corzine (New Jersey), John Hoeven (North Dakota), Mark Sanford (South Carolina), Mike Rounds (South Dakota), Rick Perry (Texas), Sarah Palin (Alaska) and Jim Gibbons (Nevada) sent letters to him that made him an honorary citizen of their respective states. He received similar honors from various towns and cities, including Ozark, Arkansas; Hazard, Kentucky; and Greensburg, Pennsylvania.

Ferguson became an American citizen on 1 February 2008 and broadcast the taking of his citizenship test as well as his swearing in on ''The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson''.

Filmography

+ Film
! Year	! Title	! Role	Notes
1992	''The Bogie Man''
1998	''Modern Vampires''	Richard
1999	''The Big Tease''	Crawford Mackenzie	Writer
2000		Melander Stevens
2000	''Born Romantic''	Frankie
2000		Matthew Stewart	Writer
2002	''Life Without Dick''	Jared O'Reilly
2002	''Prendimi l'anima'' (''The Soul Keeper'')	Richard Fraser
2003		Paul Kerr	Director, Writer
2004	''Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events''	Person of Indeterminate Gender
2004	''Lenny the Wonder Dog''	Dr. Wagner
2005		Fisherman
2006	''Niagara Motel''	Phillie
2007		Ted Truman
2008	''Craig Ferguson: A Wee Bit O' Revolution''
2009		Himself
2010	''The Hero of Color City''
2010		Gobber	Voice only
2010		Himself
2011			Voice only
2011	''Totally Framed''	Jeffrey Stewart
2012		Lord Macintosh	Voice only
2012		David	Post-production
2014	''How to Train Your Dragon 2''	Gobber	Voice only

+Television
! Year	! Title	! Role	Notes
1988	''Red Dwarf''	Confidence
1989	''The Big Gig''	Himself	Regular Comic
1993	''One Foot in the Grave''	Glaswegian beach bully	Christmas Special "One foot in the Algarve"
1994	''The Dirt Detective: A History of Scotland''	Travel documentary series	Host
1994	''The Ferguson Theory''	Himself	Host
1995–1996	''Maybe This Time''	Logan McDonough	18 episodes
1995–1997	''Freakazoid!''	Roddy MacStew	7 episodes
1996–2004	''The Drew Carey Show''	Nigel Wick	170 episodes
2000	''Buzz Lightyear of Star Command''	NOS 4 A2	Voice only, 5 episodes
2005		Oliver Davies	1 episode
2005–present	''The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson''	Himself	Host
2006	''American Dad!''	Evil Barry	Voice only, Episode: ''With Friends Like Steve's''
2009	''Family Guy''	Himself	Episode: ''We Love You, Conrad''
2009	''SpongeBob's Truth or Square''	Himself	TV movie
2010	''Futurama''	Susan Boil	Episode: ''Attack of the Killer App''
2010	''Shark Week''	Himself	Host
2010	''Legend of the Boneknapper Dragon''	Gobber	Voice only, TV short film

Bibliography

''Between the Bridge and the River''. Chronicle Books, 2006. ISBN 0811853756, ISBN 0811858197.

''American on Purpose: The Improbable Adventures of an Unlikely Patriot''. HarperCollins, 2009. ISBN 0061719544.

Comedy specials

''A Wee Bit o' Revolution'' (Comedy Central) 2009

''Does This Need to Be Said?'' (EPIX, Comedy Central) 2011

Discography

''Live At The Tron'' (as Bing Hitler). Jammy Records, 1986. Catalogue number JRLP 861.

References

External links

Craig Ferguson on Twitter

Craig Ferguson Interview on The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos

Craig Ferguson and Megan Wallace Cunningham

''The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson''

Category:1962 births Category:American aviators Category:American comedians Category:American film actors Category:American memoirists Category:American novelists Category:American people of Scottish descent Category:American screenwriters Category:American television actors Category:American television talk show hosts Category:American voice actors Category:Living people Category:Naturalized citizens of the United States Category:People from Glasgow Category:People self-identifying as alcoholics Category:People with nocturnal enuresis Category:Scottish comedians Category:Scottish emigrants to the United States Category:Scottish memoirists Category:Scottish novelists Category:Scottish screenwriters Category:Scottish television actors Category:People from Cumbernauld Category:Actors from New York City Category:Actors from Los Angeles, California

de:Craig Ferguson es:Craig Ferguson fr:Craig Ferguson it:Craig Ferguson ja:クレイグ・ファーガソン no:Craig Ferguson pl:Craig Ferguson ru:Фергюсон, Крейг simple:Craig Ferguson fi:Craig Ferguson sv:Craig Ferguson zh:克雷格·费格斯

Name	Hugh Laurie
Birth name	James Hugh Calum Laurie
Birth date	June 11, 1959
Birth place	Oxford, England, UK
Alma mater	Cambridge University Eton College
Occupation	Actor, comedian, musician, writer
Years active	1981–present
Spouse	(2 sons, 1 daughter) }}

James Hugh Calum Laurie, OBE (born 11 June 1959), better known as Hugh Laurie , is an English actor, voice artist, comedian, writer, musician, recording artist, and director. He first became well known in the media as one half of the Fry and Laurie double act, along with his friend and comedy partner Stephen Fry, whom he joined in the cast of ''Blackadder'' and ''Jeeves and Wooster'' from 1987 until 1999. Since 2004, he has played Dr Gregory House, the protagonist of ''House'', for which he received two Golden Globe awards, two Screen Actors Guild awards and several Emmy nominations.

Laurie has also featured in films, including ''Sense and Sensibility'' (1995), adapted by and starring Emma Thompson, Disney's ''101 Dalmatians'' (1996), ''The Borrowers'' (1997), ''Flight of the Phoenix'' (2004), ''Monsters vs. Aliens'' (2009), and the three ''Stuart Little'' films.

As of August 2010, Laurie is the highest paid actor in a drama series on US television. He has been listed in the 2011 ''Guinness Book of World Records'' as the highest paid actor ever in a TV Drama—earning US$ 700,000 per episode in ''House''—and for being the most watched leading man on television.

Early life and education

Laurie was born in Oxford, Oxfordshire, England. The youngest of four children, Laurie has an older brother named Charles and two older sisters named Susan and Janet. He had a somewhat strained relationship with his mother, Patricia (née Laidlaw). His father, Ran Laurie, was a medical doctor who also won an Olympic gold medal in the coxless pairs (rowing) at the 1948 London Games.

Although Laurie was brought up in the Presbyterian church as a child, he has declared: "I don't believe in God, but I have this idea that if there were a God, or destiny of some kind looking down on us, that if he saw you taking anything for granted he'd take it away." He was brought up in Oxford and attended the Dragon School. He later went on to Eton and then to Selwyn College, Cambridge, where he studied for a degree in archeology and social anthropology. While at Cambridge he was a member of Footlights, the university dramatic club that has produced many well known actors and comedians, and he was club president in 1981. He was also a member of the Hermes Club and the Hawks' Club.

Like his father, Laurie was an oarsman at school and university; in 1977, he was a member of the junior coxed pair that won the British national title before representing Britain's Youth Team at the 1977 Junior World Rowing Championships. In 1980, Laurie and his rowing partner, J. S. Palmer, were runners-up in the Silver Goblets coxless pairs for Eton Vikings rowing club. Later, he also achieved a Blue while taking part in the 1980 Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race. Cambridge lost that year by 5 feet. During this time Laurie was training for up to 8 hours a day and was on course to become an Olympic standard rower. Laurie is a member of Leander Club, one of the oldest rowing clubs in the world.

Forced to abandon rowing during a bout of glandular fever (mononucleosis), he joined the Cambridge Footlights, which has been the starting point for many successful British comedians. There he met Emma Thompson, with whom he had a romantic relationship; the two remain good friends. She introduced him to his future comedy partner, Stephen Fry. Laurie, Fry and Thompson later parodied themselves as the ''University Challenge'' representatives of "Footlights College, Oxbridge" in "Bambi", an episode of ''The Young Ones'', with the series' co-writer Ben Elton completing their team. In 1980–81, his final year at university, besides rowing, Laurie was also president of the Footlights, with Thompson as vice-president. They took their annual revue, ''The Cellar Tapes'', to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and won the first Perrier Comedy Award. The revue was written principally by Laurie and Fry, and the cast also included Thompson, Tony Slattery, Paul Shearer and Penny Dwyer.

Acting career

The Perrier Award led to a West End transfer for ''The Cellar Tapes'' and a television version of the revue, broadcast in May 1982. It resulted in Laurie, Fry and Thompson being selected, along with Ben Elton, Robbie Coltrane and Siobhan Redmond to write and appear in a new sketch comedy show for Granada Television, ''Alfresco'', which ran for two series.

Fry and Laurie went on to work together on various projects throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Among them were the ''Blackadder'' series, written by Ben Elton and Richard Curtis, starring Rowan Atkinson, with Laurie in various roles, but most notably Prince George and Lieutenant George. Other projects followed, of which one was their BBC sketch comedy series ''A Bit of Fry & Laurie''; another project was ''Jeeves and Wooster'', an adaptation of P. G. Wodehouse’s stories, in which Laurie played Jeeves’s employer, the amiable twit Bertie Wooster. He and Fry worked together at various charity stage events, such as ''Hysteria! 1, 2 & 3'' and Amnesty International’s ''The Secret Policeman’s Third Ball'', Comic Relief TV shows and the variety show ''Fry and Laurie Host a Christmas Night with the Stars''. They collaborated again on the film ''Peter's Friends'' and came together for a retrospective show in 2010 titled ''Fry and Laurie Reunited''.

Laurie starred in the Thames Television film "Letters from a Bomber Pilot" (1985) directed by David Hodgson. This was a serious acting role, the film being dramatised from the letters home of Pilot Officer J.R.A. "Bob" Hodgson, a pilot in RAF Bomber Command, who was killed in action in 1943.

Laurie appeared in the music videos for the 1986 single "Experiment IV" by Kate Bush, and the 1992 single "Walking on Broken Glass" by Annie Lennox, in full Georgian-period costume, a toned-down version of his Prince George character from ''Blackadder the Third'', opposite John Malkovich, similarly reprising his role of the Vicomte Valmont from ''Dangerous Liaisons''.

Laurie’s later film appearances include ''Sense and Sensibility'' (1995), adapted by and starring Emma Thompson; the Disney live-action film ''101 Dalmatians'' (1996), where he played Jasper, one of the bumbling criminals hired to kidnap the puppies; Elton’s adaptation of his novel ''Inconceivable'', ''Maybe Baby'' (2000); ''Girl From Rio''; the 2004 remake of ''The Flight of the Phoenix''; and the three ''Stuart Little'' films.

In 1996, Laurie’s first novel, ''The Gun Seller'', an intricate thriller laced with Wodehouseian humour, was published and became a best-seller. He has since been working on the screenplay for a movie version and on a second novel, ''The Paper Soldier''. In 1998, Laurie had a brief guest-starring role on ''Friends'' in "The One with Ross's Wedding, Part Two".

Since 2002, Laurie has appeared in a range of British television dramas, guest-starring that year in two episodes of the first season of the spy thriller series ''Spooks'' on BBC One. In 2003, he starred in and also directed ITV's comedy-drama series ''fortysomething'' (in one episode of which Stephen Fry appears). In 2001, he voiced the character of a bar patron in the ''Family Guy'' episode "One If by Clam, Two If by Sea". Laurie voiced the character of Mr. Wolf in the cartoon ''Preston Pig''. He was a panellist on the first episode of ''QI'', alongside Fry as host. In 2004, Laurie guest-starred as a professor in charge of a space probe called ''Beagle'', on ''The Lenny Henry Show''.

Laurie's fame expanded to the American public in 2004, when he first starred as the acerbic physician specialising in diagnostic medicine, Dr Gregory House in the popular Fox medical drama ''House''. For his portrayal, Laurie assumes an American accent. Laurie was in Namibia filming ''Flight of the Phoenix'' and recorded the audition tape for the show in the bathroom of the hotel, the only place he could get enough light. His US accent was so convincing that executive producer Bryan Singer, who was unaware at the time that Laurie is English, pointed to him as an example of just the kind of compelling American actor he had been looking for. Laurie also adopts the accent between takes on the set of ''House'', as well as during script read-throughs, although he used his native accent when directing the ''House'' episode "Lockdown".

Laurie was nominated for an ''Emmy Award'' for his role in ''House'' in 2005. Although he did not win, he did receive a Golden Globe in both 2006 and 2007 for his work on the series and the Screen Actors Guild award in 2007 and 2009. Laurie was also awarded a large increase in salary, from what was rumoured to be a mid-range five-figure sum to $350,000 per episode. Laurie was not nominated for the 2006 Emmys, apparently to the outrage of Fox executives, but he still appeared in a scripted, pre-taped intro, where he parodied his ''House'' character by rapidly diagnosing host Conan O'Brien and then proceeded to grope him as the latter asked him for help to get to the Emmys on time. He would later go on to speak in French while presenting an Emmy with Dame Helen Mirren, and has since been nominated in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010. Laurie's success on the show extends to the financial: in August 2010, ''TV Guide'' identified him as the highest-paid actor in a drama, saying he's paid over $400,000 per episode.

Laurie was initially cast as Perry White, the editor of the ''Daily Planet'', in Singer's film ''Superman Returns'' but had to bow out of the project because of his involvement in ''House''. In July 2006, Laurie appeared on Bravo!'s ''Inside the Actors Studio'', where he also performed one of his own comic songs, "Mystery", accompanying himself on the piano. He hosted NBC's ''Saturday Night Live'', in which he appeared in drag in a sketch about a man (Kenan Thompson) with a broken leg who accuses his doctor of being dishonest. Laurie played the man’s wife.

In August 2007, Laurie appeared on BBC Four's documentary ''Stephen Fry: 50 Not Out'', filmed in celebration of Fry’s 50th birthday.

In 2008, Laurie appeared as Captain James Biggs in ''Street Kings'', opposite Keanu Reeves and Forest Whitaker, and then in 2009 as the eccentric Dr. Cockroach, PhD in DreamWorks' ''Monsters vs. Aliens''. He also hosted ''Saturday Night Live'' for the second time on the Christmas show in which he sang a medley of three-second Christmas songs to close his monologue.

In 2009, Laurie returned to guest star in another ''Family Guy'' episode, "Business Guy", parodying Gregory House and himself assuming an American accent.

In 2010, Laurie filmed an independent feature called ''The Oranges'' and played piano on a track of ''Meat Loaf's'' CD ''Hang Cool Teddy Bear''.

In 2010, Laurie guest starred in ''The Simpsons'' "Treehouse of Horror XXI" as Roger, a castaway who is planning a murder scheme on a ship during Homer and Marge's second honeymoon.

Music career

From the age of six, Laurie took piano lessons with a Mrs. Hare. He plays the piano, guitar, drums, harmonica and saxophone. He has displayed his musical talents in episodes of several television series, most notably ''A Bit of Fry & Laurie'', ''Jeeves and Wooster'', ''House'' and when he hosted ''Saturday Night Live'' in October 2006. He is a vocalist and keyboard player for the Los Angeles charity rock group Band From TV. Additionally, following Meat Loaf's appearance in the ''House'' episode "Simple Explanation," Laurie played piano as a special guest on the song "If I Can't Have You" from Meat Loaf's 2010 album ''Hang Cool Teddy Bear''.

On episodes of ''House'' he has played several classic rock 'n roll instruments including Gibson Flying V and Les Paul guitars. His character has a Hammond B-3 organ in his home and on one episode performed the introduction to Procol Harum's classic "Whiter Shade of Pale". Laurie appears as a scientist/doctor in the pop video to accompany Kate Bush's song ''Experiment IV''. On 1 May 2011, Laurie and a jazz quintet closed the 2011 Cheltenham Jazz Festival to great acclaim.

On 15 May 2011 Laurie was the subject of the ITV series ''Perspectives'', explaining his love for the music of New Orleans and playing music, from his album ''Let Them Talk'', at studios and live venues in the city itself. He was the subject of PBS Great Performances ''Let them Talk'', also about New Orleans jazz, first broadcast on September 30, 2011.

Personal life

Laurie's mother, Patricia (née Laidlaw), died from motor neurone disease in Oxfordshire at the age of 73 in 1989, when Laurie was 30. According to Laurie, it took her two years to die, and she suffered "painful, plodding paralysis" while being cared for by Laurie's father, whom he called "the sweetest man in the whole world".

Laurie married theatre administrator Jo Green in June 1989 in Camden, London. They live in Belsize Park, London with sons Charlie and Bill and daughter Rebecca. They had planned to move the whole family to Los Angeles in 2008 due to the strain of being mostly separated for 9 months each year, but ultimately decided against it. Charlie had a cameo in ''A Bit of Fry & Laurie'' in the last sketch of the episode entitled ''Special Squad'', as baby William (whom Stephen and Hugh begin to "interrogate" about "what he's done with the stuff", calling him a scumbag and telling him that he's been a very naughty boy) during his infancy, while Rebecca had a role in the film ''Wit'' as five-year-old Vivian Bearing.

Lauries's best friend is long time comedy partner Stephen Fry, who was best man at his wedding and is godfather to his children. Laurie is good friends with his ''House'' co-star Robert Sean Leonard and continues his friendship with actress Emma Thompson.

On 23 May 2007 Laurie was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 2007 New Year Honours List, for his services to drama, by Queen Elizabeth II.

Laurie has periodically struggled with severe clinical depression, and continues to receive regular treatment from a psychotherapist. He stated in an interview that he first concluded he had a problem while driving in a charity demolition derby in 1996, during which he realised that driving around explosive crashes caused him to be neither excited nor frightened, but instead bored. "Boredom," he commented in an interview on ''Inside the Actors Studio'', "is not an appropriate response to exploding cars."

Laurie admires the writings of P.G. Wodehouse, explaining in a 27 May 1999 article in ''The Daily Telegraph'' how reading Wodehouse novels had saved his life.

Laurie is an avid motorcycle enthusiast. He has two motorcycles, one at his London home and one at his Los Angeles home. His bike in the United States is a Triumph Bonneville, his "feeble attempt to fly the British flag".

Discography

Albums

On 26 July 2010, it was announced that Laurie would be releasing a blues album after signing a contract with Warner Bros. The album, called ''Let Them Talk'', was released in France on 18 April 2011 and in Germany on 29 April. The album features collaborations from well known artists such as Tom Jones, Irma Thomas, and Dr. John.

Year

Album details

Peak chart positions

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2011

''[[Let Them Talk">Music recording sales certifications

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2011

''[[Let Them Talk''

* Released: 18 April 2011

* Label: Warner Bros.

Music download>digital download

Argentine Chamber of Phonograms and Videograms Producers>ARG: Gold

British Phonographic Industry>UK: Gold

Singles

Year	Single	Peak chartpositions	Album
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		164	47
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Other charting songs

Year	Single	Charts	Album
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	style="text-align:left;"	92	—	—
	—	58	39
	67	—	—

Appearances

Year	Song	Album

Filmography

{|class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | 1981 | '''' | various characters | also writer |- | 1983 | ''Alfresco'' | various characters | also writer |- | 1983 | '''' | Max Belhavenvarious characters | |- | 1984 | '''' | Lord Monty | episode: "Bambi" |- | 1985 | '''' | Pilot Officer Bob Hodgson | Thames Television film |- | 1985 | ''Plenty'' | Michael | |- | 1985 | ''Mrs. Capper's Birthday'' | Bobby | |- | 1985 | ''Happy Families'' | Jim | |- | 1986 | ''Blackadder II'' | Simon Partridge (also known as Mr Ostrich & Farters Parters)Prince Ludwig the Indestructible | |- | 1987 | ''Filthy Rich & Catflap'' | N'Bend | |- | 1987 | ''Blackadder the Third'' | George, Prince of Wales, The Prince Regent | |- | 1988 | ''Blackadder's Christmas Carol'' | Prince GeorgeLord Pigmot (future) | |- | 1989–1995 | '''' | various characters | also writer |- | 1989 | ''Blackadder Goes Forth'' | Lt. the Honourable George Colhurst St. Barleigh | |- | 1989 | ''Strapless'' | Colin | |- | 1989 | '''' | Waiter | |- | 1990–1993 | ''Jeeves and Wooster'' | Bertie Wooster | |- | 1992 | ''Peter's Friends'' | Roger Charleston | |- | 1993 | ''All or Nothing at All'' | Leo Hopkins | television film |- | 1993–1995 | '''' | Squire Trelawney | voice |- | 1994 | '''' | Uncle | television film |- | 1995 | ''Sense and Sensibility'' | Mr. Palmer | |- | 1996 | ''Tracey Takes On...'' | Timothy Bugge | season 1 |- | 1996 | ''101 Dalmatians'' | Jasper | |- | 1997 | ''Spiceworld'' | Poirot | |- | 1997 | '''' | Police Officer Oliver Steady | |- | 1997 | '''' | Tarquin | voice |- | 1998 | ''Friends'' | Gentleman on the Plane | Episode: "The One with Ross's Wedding", season 4 episode 23 |- | 1998 | '''' | Harrap, a Barrister | |- | 1998 | '''' | Pierre, The King's Advisor | |- | 1998 | ''Cousin Bette'' | Baron Hector Hulot | |- | 1999 | ''Blackadder: Back & Forth'' | Viscount George Bufton-Tufton/Georgius | |- | 1999 | ''Stuart Little'' | Mr. Frederick Little | |- | 2000 | ''Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased)'' | Dr. Lawyer | episode: "Mental Apparition Disorder" |- | 2000 | ''Maybe Baby'' | Sam Bell | |- | 2000 | ''Carnivale'' | Cenzo |Voice |- | 2001 | ''Chica de Río'' | Raymond Woods | alternate title: ''Girl from Rio'' |- | 2001 | ''Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows'' | Vincente Minnelli | |- | 2001 | ''Family Guy'' | Bar patron | voiceepisode: "One If by Clam, Two If by Sea" |- | 2001 | ''Discovering the Real World of Harry Potter'' | Narrator | voice |- |2001 | Second Star to the Left – A Christmas Tale |Archie | voicework |- | 2002 | ''The strange case of Penny Allison'' | Various characters | |- | 2002 | ''Stuart Little 2'' | Mr. Frederick Little | |- | 2002 | ''Spooks'' | Jools Siviter | |- | 2003 | ''The Young Visiters'' | Lord Bernard Clark | |- | 2003 | ''Fortysomething'' | Paul Slippery | |- | 2003 | ''Stuart Little: The Animated Series' | Mr. Frederick Little (Voice) | episode: "The Meatloaf Bandit" |- | 2004–present | ''House'' | Dr. Gregory House | lead actoralso directed episode: ''Lockdown'' |- | 2004 | ''Fire Engine Fred'' | | |- | 2004 | ''Flight of the Phoenix'' | Ian | |- | 2005 | ''Valiant'' | Wing Commander Gutsy | voice |- | 2005 | '''' | Doctor No. 5 | |- | 2006 | ''Stuart Little 3: Call of the Wild'' | Mr. Frederick Little | voice |- | 2006, 2008 | ''Saturday Night Live'' | Hostvarious characters | season 32, episode 4season 34, episode 11 |- | 2008 | ''Street Kings'' | Captain Biggs | |- | 2009 | ''Monsters vs. Aliens'' | Dr. Cockroach, PhD | voice |- | 2009 | ''Monsters vs. Aliens: Mutant Pumpkins from Outer Space'' | Dr. Cockroach, PhD | voice |- | 2010 | ''Family Guy'' | Gregory House/himself | voiceepisode: "Business Guy" |- | 2010 | '''' | Roger | voiceepisode: "Treehouse of Horror XXI" |- | 2010 | ''Fry and Laurie Reunited'' | himself | |- | 2011 | ''Hop'' | Mr. Bunny | voice |- | 2011 | ''The Oranges'' | David Walling | |- | 2011 | ''Later... with Jools Holland'' | himself | Performed "You Don't Know My Mind" and "Swanee River" (both from his album ''Let Them Talk'' ) |- | 2011 | ''Arthur Christmas'' | Steve | voice |}

Awards

All of the following are nominations or wins for Laurie's role on ''House'':

;Emmy Awards

2005 – Nominated – Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

2007 – Nominated – Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

2008 – Nominated – Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

2009 – Nominated – Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

2010 – Nominated – Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

2011 – Nominated – Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

;Golden Globe Awards 2005 – Winner – Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama

2006 – Winner – Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama

2007 – Nominated – Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama

2008 – Nominated – Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama

2009 – Nominated – Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama

2010 – Nominated – Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama

;Satellite Awards

2005 – Winner – Outstanding Actor in a Series, Drama

2006 – Winner – Outstanding Actor in a Series, Drama

2007 – Nominated – Outstanding Actor in a Series, Drama

;Screen Actors Guild Awards

2006 – Nominated – Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series

2007 – Winner – Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series

2008 – Nominated – Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series

2009 – Winner – Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series

2010 – Nominated – Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series

2011 – Nominated – Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series

;Television Critics Association

2005 – Winner – Individual Achievement in Drama

2006 – Winner – Individual Achievement in Drama

2007 – Nominated – Individual Achievement in Drama

;Teen Choice Award

2006 – Nominated – TV Actor: Drama

2007 – Winner – TV Actor: Drama

People's Choice Awards

2008 – Winner – Favorite Male TV Star

2009 – Winner – Favorite Male TV Star

2010 – Winner – Favorite TV Drama Actor

2011 – Winner – Favorite TV Drama Actor

2011 – Winner – Favorite TV Doctor

Other Awards

2011 - Winner – GQ Music Man Of The Year

Writing

Hugh Laurie has written one full-length novel, ''The Gun Seller'', which has undergone multiple printings from several publishers. His second novel, ''Paper Soldiers'' (US: ''The Paper Soldier''), was scheduled for September 2009, but has yet to appear.

''The Gun Seller'' UK (HB) (William Heinemann Ltd (May 1996)) ISBN 0-434-00297-6 (PB) (William Heinemann Ltd (May 1996)) ISBN 0-434-00375-1

* (PB) (Arrow Books Ltd (November 2000); New Ed (October 2004)) ISBN 0-09-941927-0 & ISBN 0-09-946939-1

''The Gun Seller'' US (HB) (Soho Press (May 1997)) ISBN 1-56947-087-1 (PB) (Mandarin (March 1997)) ISBN 0-7493-2385-X

* (PB) (Washington Square Press (November 1998)) ISBN 0-671-02082-X

''Paper Soldiers'' UK (PB) (Michael Joseph (24 September 2009)) ISBN 0-7181-4391-4

''The Paper Soldier'' US (HB) (Michael Joseph (27 September 2009)) ISBN 0-7181-4390-6

* (PB) (Penguin Books (28 September 2009)) ISBN 0-14-028210-6

References

External links

Hugh Laurie interview with the Guardian

Hugh Laurie Interview with the Daily Telegraph

Hugh Laurie interview with Time Out

Hugh "Laurie 'snubbed' after US success" – BBC News

Hugh Laurie at Emmys.com

Category:1959 births Category:Living people Category:English comedians Category:English film actors Category:English pianists Category:English atheists Category:English male singers Category:English blues singers Category:English blues musicians Category:English novelists Category:English screenwriters Category:English television actors Category:English voice actors Category:Alumni of Selwyn College, Cambridge Category:Cambridge University Boat Club rowers Category:Members of Leander Club Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire Category:Old Dragons Category:Old Etonians Category:Warner Bros. Records artists Category:People from Oxford Category:Best Drama Actor Golden Globe (television) winners Category:Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series Screen Actors Guild Award winners Category:British atheists

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name	Sarah Fisher
nationality	American
birth date	October 04, 1980
birth place	Columbus, Ohio, United States
current series	IRL IndyCar Series
first year	1999
last year	2010
former teams	Sarah Fisher RacingDreyer & Reinbold RacingKelley RacingWalker RacingTeam Pelfrey
starts	81
wins	0
poles	1
best finish	17th
year	2007
prev series	NASCAR West Series
prev series years	2004 - 2005
titles	WKA Grand National Championship
title years	1990
awards	WKA Grand Nat'l ChampionshipWKA Grand Nat'l ChampionshipWKA Grand Nat'l ChampionshipCircleville Points ChampionshipWKA Grand Nat'l ChampionshipDirt Track Rookie of the YearIndyCar Most Popular DriverIndyCar Most Popular DriverIndyCar Most Popular DriverNASCAR West Most Popular DriverScott Brayton Driver's trophy for the Indy 500Firestone Tireiffic Award
award years	199119921993199319941995200120022003200520092009 }}

Sarah Marie Fisher (born October 4, 1980) is a retired American professional racecar driver who competed in the IZOD IndyCar Series and Indianapolis 500. Born in Columbus, Ohio, and raised in Commercial Point, Ohio, Fisher runs Sarah Fisher Racing, which she started in 2008, becoming the first and only female team owner and the youngest owner in the IZOD IndyCar Series. In 2010, she competed in her 9th and final Indy 500, marking the most number of starts for a woman in the 94-year history of the event. Her first book, ''99 Things Women Wish They knew Before Getting Behind The Wheel of Their Dream Job'', was released in May 2010.

Records

Sarah became the youngest woman to compete in the Indianapolis 500 at age 19 in 2000, becoming the third female to compete in the Indianapolis 500 behind Janet Guthrie and Lyn St. James. That same year, she became the first woman to stand on the podium (1st, 2nd, or 3rd place finish) with her third place finish at Kentucky Speedway. In 2001, she became the first woman to run a full IndyCar Series schedule. During that season, she became the first woman to finish runner-up in a major-league open-wheel race when she placed second at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

In 2002, she not only became the first woman in North American motorsports history to win the pole position for a major-league open-wheel race, doing so at Kentucky Speedway, but set the track qualifying record there when she won the pole position with a qualifying speed of 221.390 mph (lap time of 24.0661 seconds), a record that still holds.

Fisher made history by becoming the first female driver in the 21st century to drive a Formula One car when testing in 2002 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway; a test arranged by her personal sponsor, TAG Heuer. In 2003, she set the record as the fastest woman to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 with a four-lap average of .

She has won the Most Popular Driver (MPD) award three consecutive times (2001–2003) in the IndyCar Series, an award she would also win later while competing in the NASCAR West Series (2005).

She also holds the record for the most number of starts by a female in the history of the Indy 500 (with nine), the most starts of any female in IndyCar Series history (69 as of August 9, 2008) and has the most career earnings for a female in IndyCar Series history ($3,413,600 as of August 9, 2008).

Sarah Fisher became the first female owner/driver in IndyCar Series history in 2008 and is the second female owner/driver in the Indy 500 after Janet Guthrie.

Racing career

As a child, she raced quarter midgets and karts until she was a teenager, winning the 1991, 1993 & 1994 World Karting Association Grand National Championships, the 1993 Circleville Points Championship and the 1994 WKA Grand National Championship. From 1995–99, she raced in the sprint car and midget ranks, winning the 1995 Dirt Track Racing Round-Up Rookie of the Year award. She had a very successful career racing in the World of Outlaws. In 1997, she was named to the 62-race All-Stars Circuit of Champions series, earning a second place finish at Eldora Speedway. She held the track record at historic Winchester Speedway until it was broken by current NASCAR driver, Ryan Newman.

In 1998, Fisher and her father and then-crew chief, Dave Fisher, sought new challenges in the world of asphalt racing. She raced in ARCA, NAMARS and USAC sanctioned events, a competitive schedule that helped prepare her for life in the IRL IndyCar Series.

1999 IndyCar Series

In 1999, after a successful season competing in three different midget car series, where she picked up two track records and five feature wins, Fisher set her sights on the IndyCar Series. At the time, she was the youngest person ever to pass the IndyCar Series Rookie Test in August at Las Vegas and went on to race in her first IndyCar Series event later that year at Texas Motor Speedway starting 17th and finishing 25th due to a timing chain failure that ended her day at Lap 66.

2000 IndyCar Series

The following season, Fisher drove for open-wheel veteran Derrick Walker's IndyCar Series team, Walker Racing, running eight races in the IndyCar Series. In May 2000, she became just the third woman, following Janet Guthrie and Lyn St. James, and one of the youngest drivers ever to compete in the Indianapolis 500, starting 19th and finishing 31st after an accident. Later in the season, she made history again at Kentucky Speedway, becoming the youngest person to lead laps during an IndyCar Series event and the youngest woman to ever stand on a podium with her third-place finish in that event after starting fourth.

With sponsorship from Kroger and associates, Gain, Olay, Always, Pantene, Mead, Lexmark, Iams, Bounty, Folgers and Crest, Walker Racing earned an Advertising Age Marketing 100 award for its Sarah Fisher Kroger sponsorship campaign which generated over $44 Million in off-track media surrounding the Indy 500 and produced over 195 million off-track impressions in 45 days according to Joyce Julius and Associates.

2001 IndyCar Series

In 2001, Fisher claimed a second-place finish at the IRL's inaugural race at Homestead-Miami Speedway the best result ever by a woman in Indy-style racing until Danica Patrick claimed victory in the 2008 Indy Japan 300. She earned two top-10 finishes in her second year with Walker Racing. In her second Indianapolis 500, she started 15th and finished 31st, because of an accident on Lap 7. She was also voted the IRL Crew Most Popular Driver in crew and fan balloting throughout the season.

2002 IndyCar Series

Fisher began the season without a ride after requesting to be released from her three-year contract with Walker Racing, as Derrick Walker's IndyCar Series team was heading back to the Champ Car World Series. She substituted for the injured Robbie Buhl at Nazareth Speedway which would be her first race of the 2002 season. She started in the #24 Purex/Aventis car in the 19th position and finished fourth for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, her best finish that season.

Fisher teamed with Buhl at the Indianapolis 500 in a second Dreyer & Reinbold Racing entry. She qualified ninth, posting the fastest four-lap average speed of 229-plus miles per hour by a woman in Indianapolis 500 history. She finished 24th in her third start at Indy.

From her solid runs at Nazareth and Indy, Fisher was hired for the remainder of the 2002 season with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing as a teammate to Buhl for the final eight races of the season, starting with SunTrust Indy Challenge in June at Richmond International Raceway. Later that year, she became the first woman in North American motorsports history to win the pole position for a major-league open-wheel race, earning the MBNA Pole for the Belterra Casino Indy 300 at Kentucky Speedway. She led the first 26 laps and finished eighth. As the season went on, she continued to run up front and lead Laps 185 and 187-189 at Michigan before falling to eighth place at finish, the first woman driver to take the contested lead in any Indy car race. Despite competing in 10 of 15 races, she tied her career best finish in the IndyCar Series Championship finishing 18th in the point standings. At the end of the season, she was voted the IndyCar Series Most Popular Driver for the second consecutive year.

She was also given the chance to drive a McLaren Formula One car that year, around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road-course, in between Friday practice sessions for the 2002 United States Grand Prix on September 29.

2003 IndyCar Series

The 2003 season started with uncertainty as Dreyer & Reinbold Racing struggled to fund a second entry for Sarah Fisher, after Robbie Buhl was funded by Purex for the 2003 season. A last minute deal was inked to run Fisher at Homestead-Miami Speedway after WeGotGear signed on board for the one-race deal. GM Upromise and Raybestos Brand Brakes stepped up to fund Fisher's Phoenix International Raceway entry, where she finished eighth.

For the 87th Indianapolis 500, Fisher was funded by AOL, Checkers/Rally's, Raybestos, ATA and TAG Heuer. Fisher started 24th and finished 31st, completing only 14 laps before making contact with the Turn 3 wall after engine problems plagued her day. She was also without radio communication from her crew during the race. She ended the season 18th in the standings in her second season with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing. Despite her struggle on the track, her fans stuck by her side and voted her the IndyCar Series Most Popular Driver for the third consecutive year.

2004 IndyCar Series

On February 24, 2004, it was announced that Sarah Fisher would drive for Kelley Racing in the 88th Indianapolis 500. The Team Cure Autism Now (CAN) Foundation car was sponsored by Bryant Heating and Cooling, TrimSpa and Checker's/Rally's. Fisher started 19th and finished 21st for Kelley Racing. She completed 177 laps, of 180 laps run, in the rain-shortened race won by Buddy Rice.

2004 NASCAR West Series

After Fisher was unable to convince sponsors to fund her IndyCar Series efforts, and unable to get out of her contract with uncompetitive Kelly Racing, sponsors stood in line to fund a NASCAR effort. Bill McAnally Racing signed Fisher to the a three-year contract the first of which she would compete under the radar in the NASCAR West Series. McAnally, a veteran car owner in the NASCAR Grand National Division, West Series with three consecutive series championships (1999, 2000 and 2001) to his credit. She would make her stock car debut in the race at Phoenix International Raceway on October 3. she drove the No. 20 NASCAR Select by NAPA Filters Chevrolet in the Subway 150. Fisher will join BMR at Phoenix as a teammate to Austin Cameron, who was second in the championship standings at that time. The event was the 10th in a 13-race schedule for the series that year. Fisher qualified 14th but, during the race, was forced to give up her position in the 28-car field to fix an inoperative radio. Even though she started last, she worked her way into ninth place before car problems beset her, and the crew pushed it into the garage on Lap 120. She finished 21st.

2005 NASCAR West Series

In 2005, Fisher captured four top-ten finishes in her first full season in the NASCAR West Series in 2005, capturing the stock car racing series' Rookie of the Year title. She finished the season running in 12th in the chase for the NASCAR Camping World West Series title which made her eligible to compete in the 3rd Annual NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown at Irwindale Speedway. She finished 11th in the race. She was also voted the Most Popular Driver in that series, making her a four-time Most Popular Driver Award winner.

2006 IndyCar Series

After Fisher was unable to put together a full NASCAR program, Fisher decided to move back to Indianapolis and refresh her name in the IndyCar Series and prepare for a full-time 2007 program. Though her desire to run the 2006 Indianapolis 500 went unfulfilled, she participated in a match race at Stafford Speedway in Connecticut on July 11, 2006. This marked Fisher's first race in 9 months.

On August 3, 2006 Dreyer & Reinbold Racing gave Fisher a new opportunity when she landed a two race deal to drive in the August 13 race at Kentucky Speedway and in the September 10 race at Chicagoland Speedway. With the entry of Danica Patrick for the race, it marked only the second time two women have competed in the same IRL race. The first time was the 2000 Indianapolis 500 where both Fisher and Lyn St. James competed. Fisher finished in 12th place, out of 19 cars, at Kentucky and 16th at Chicago for the low-budget Dreyer & Reinbold Racing team.

2007 IndyCar Series

On January 30, 2007, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing announced that they had signed Fisher to drive for the full season along with new teammate 2004 Indianapolis 500 winner, Buddy Rice.

Fisher qualified eighth and finished 11th for the season-opener at Homestead-Miami Speedway on March 24, 2007. She placed 15th in her first ever road-course race of her racing career at the Streets of St. Petersburg race the following weekend.

Fisher qualified for her sixth Indianapolis 500 on May 13, 2007. After starting on the outside of Row 7, she finished in 18th place after struggling for much of the race, seven positions ahead of her teammate Buddy Rice. Along with Danica Patrick and Milka Duno, Fisher made "500" history by being part of the first trio of women drivers to start at Indy. On May 12, 2007, the first photograph featuring Fisher, Patrick and Duno surfaced out of Gasoline Alley which also included former racer Lyn St. James and tennis legend, Billie Jean King on the yard of bricks at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

During the 2007 season, Fisher's best qualifying effort was eighth at Homestead-Miami Speedway on March 23, 2007, and her best finish was seventh at Iowa Speedway on June 24, 2007. After the final race of the season, Fisher said, “You know, it was a tough year for us. We never quite got it together to be competitive, week in and week out. We never quite established a means of communication between my engineer and I, and that's critical for success. I would really like to thank the crew for their dedication and hard work they offered throughout this tough year. Despite the ups and downs, I’m looking forward to my wedding this next weekend. I have really enjoyed returning to IndyCar racing this year. And with that, I’m looking forward to 2008.”

According to an article posted in the New York Times, Fisher looked at 2007 as an opportunity to resurrect her career, and the IndyCar Series buzzed about a potential rivalry with Danica Patrick. Instead, Fisher's team, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing struggled to find a package that put her and her teammate Buddy Rice near the front of the pack. Fisher went on, “We’re not getting the most of what we can out of a two-car team at the end of the day, and I wish we could. I don’t know what to change to fix that and I wouldn’t even say if I did know. It’s just not working as healthfully as I thought it would, and that disappoints me. I can only help to a certain extent to what the car is doing and what I would rather it do, and then they’ve got to take it from there,” she said. Fellow IndyCar Series competitor, Helio Castroneves, noted, “She’s got a lot of attention, a lot of fans. She is a talent, she’s fast. Right now I just feel her car is not very competitive."

After a season-long slide co-piloted by her teammate, Buddy Rice, Fisher's 2007 racing struggles have not hurt her relationship with her crew Chief, Andy O'Gara, whom she married on September 15, 2007. Fisher called the wedding, “the bright light at the end of the tunnel” in an otherwise disappointing season. Her husband, Andy O'Gara, along with the Team Manager for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing (her father-in-law/Andy O'Gara's father) and her-then agent/manager Klint Briney all resigned from Dreyer & Reinbold Racing at the end of the 2007 season.

Published reports began to surface at the end of September 2007, stating that Fisher might start her own race team. Along with her teammate Buddy Rice, both were signed to a one-year contract at the struggling Dreyer & Reinbold Racing for the 2007 racing season. Fisher told the Indianapolis Star it wasn't likely she would return to Dreyer & Reinbold Racing and that she would consider starting her own team if it could be done right. "We said we'd talk about an opportunity if there was one, but there's none right now," she said of her attempts to find the funds to remain at D&R.; "There are people interested in selling [the Sarah Fisher Racing] story but, again, it depends on sponsorships."

Sports Illustrated named Fisher in their Top 10 Female Race Car Drivers in the World in 2007.

2008 IndyCar Series

On January 27, 2008, Fisher announced the introduction of her own team, Sarah Fisher Racing. The team, which would be run in tandem with her husband Andy O'Gara and father-in-law John O'Gara, would make its IndyCar Series debut in May at the 92nd running of the Indianapolis 500. The squad would also be supported by the Indy 500's first two female participants, Janet Guthrie and Lyn St. James. The car featured the number 67, a number Fisher used during her career in midgets and non-wing sprint cars. After having trouble with the first announced sponsor Gravity Entertainment failing to fulfill contractual obligations, while apparently misusing the trademark RESQ, Sarah Fisher racing announced that they had inked a last minute deal with tex4cars.com to serve as the primary sponsor along with downtown Indianapolis college IUPUI. The Indianapolis Star also revealed that Sarah Fisher and her husband had mortgaged their home to compete in this year's 2008 Indy 500. Additionally, Catalyst PDG, Inc., an Indianapolis based product development company, joined SFR as an associate sponsor.

In the 92nd running of the Indianapolis 500, Fisher was taken out of the race when Tony Kanaan spun in front of her on Lap 106, ending her seventh attempt at the checkered flag. She became just the second female owner/driver, the first being Janet Guthrie, to compete in the race and tied Lyn St. James for the most number of starts for a woman at seven apiece. After she was knocked from the field, a highly emotional Fisher told ESPN's Jamie Little that she was unsure if they would have the money to compete at the two additional races they had planned to compete at, Kentucky and Chicagoland Speedway's, due to Gravity Entertainment failing to make payment on sponsorship dollars.

On Wednesday, July 16, 2008, it was announced that the Dollar General Corporation would serve as Fisher's primary sponsor at Kentucky Speedway on August 9, 2008 and Chicagoland Speedway on September 7, 2008. The effort would be also funded by associate sponsors, Arm & Hammer, Lysol, Slim Jim, Clorox, Reese's, Band-Aid, Craft and Colgate. This handful of sponsors joined AAA Hoosier Insurance, TAG Heuer, Direct Supply and Hartman Oil in sponsoring Fisher.

Fisher tested at Kentucky Speedway on July 31 and August 1, 2008, her first appearance back on the race track since the 2008 Indy 500 on May 25, 2008. She turned 300 flawless miles around the track where she owns the track record in preparation for the race on August 9. She qualified 16th for the race at Kentucky Speedway on August 8, 2008, ran as high as 10th in the race and was running 11th when on the final lap of the race, while running side-by-side with Danica Patrick, her right rear suspension broke, sending her coasting to the finish line and losing four positions to finish 15th.

Fisher returned to the track at Chicagoland Speedway on September 7, 2008, when she qualified 19th for the PEAK Indy 300. She ran as high as 13th in the race before a right-rear shock broke on her car on Lap 118 sending her into the Turn 4 wall making heavy contact with the SAFER Barrier. She bruised her ankle but was quickly released from the infield medical center. She would finish 24th.

2009 IndyCar Series

Fisher has retained Dollar General to fund her 2009 efforts in the IndyCar Series for 6 races: the RoadRunner Turbo Indy 300 @ Kansas Speedway, the Indianapolis 500 @ Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Bombardier Learjet 550 @ Texas Motor Speedway, the Meijer Indy 300 @ Kentucky Speedway, the Peak Antifreeze & Motor Oil Indy 300 @ Chicagoland Speedway, and the GAINSCO Auto Insurance Indy 300 @ Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Sarah qualified 21st for the 2009 Indianapolis 500 and finished 17th on the lead lap.

2010 IZOD IndyCar Series

Fisher's 2010 season began with the news that her longtime agent was resigning his position with her team to start a talent agency. While she was scheduled to compete in nine events in 2010, Fisher replaced herself for her only scheduled road course events; St. Pete and Barber with fellow American racer Graham Rahal.

For the first time in her career, Fisher served as just a "Team Owner" for the races at St. Pete and Barber and put her driving gloves on to compete in her first race of the 2010 season at Kansas Speedway where she finished 17th. Fisher qualified 29th on Bump Day and finished 26th. Her best finish results of the season was 15th at both Texas and Chicago, where she led her first laps since 2002, but later went two-laps down. Fisher closed the 2010 season at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the 22nd position, three laps down, and what is believed to be her last event before retiring from a career as a professional race car driver.

Fisher announced her retirement on Monday, November 29, 2010 after 25 years of racing.

Fisher's book

Fisher began writing ''99 Things Women Wish They knew Before Getting Behind The Wheel of Their Dream Job'' in mid-2009 with her then-Agent/Manger Klint Briney and author Lindsey Gobel and was released on May 10, 2010. The book was released by Beaufort Books, named the fastest growing independent publisher of 2007 by Publishers Weekly. Her book, part of the 99 Series’ revolutionary and pioneering series of self-help books, is peppered with quotes from other female pioneers, including Ashley Judd (actress), Bea Perez (Coca-Cola), Angela Braly (WellPoint) Ashley Force (NHRA Funny Car driver), Jill McGill (LPGA golfer), Candy Coburn (National Performing Artist and Susan G. Komen for the Cure Ambassador) and Lyn St. James (retired race car driver). The book offers success stories and tips aimed at creating opportunities for a new generation of women leaders as a guide to harness the horsepower of their own potential. The foreword was written by Janet Guthrie.

Media work

Fisher has been a guest or profiled on a variety of television programs including, ''The Tonight Show with Jay Leno'', ''Live with Regis and Kelly'', ''Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel'', ''NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw'', ''Good Morning America'', ''The Today Show'' and ''CBS This Morning''.

She has also appeared in the pages of ''People'', ''Teen People'', ''Cosmo Girl'', ''Seventeen'', ''Glamour'', ''Mademoiselle'', ''Sports Illustrated'', ''Time'', ''Newsweek'', ''U.S. News & World Report'', YM and ''ESPN The Magazine''.

Endorsements

AAA – Fisher signed a three year deal with AAA on March 7, 2007. Fisher will represent AAA Hoosier Insurance through television ads, billboards and other promotional materials while touting the AAA tagline, "Insure with someone you Trust." Additionally, Fisher will make a limited number of personal appearances on behalf of AAA Hoosier Motor Club.

Dollar General – Dollar General signed on to sponsor Fisher on July 17, 2008, for two races during the 2008 IndyCar Series season. They would also end up serving as Fisher's primary sponsor during the 2009 and 2010 seasons.

Personal life

Sarah Fisher, an only child, was born in Columbus, Ohio on October 4, 1980. She grew up in Commercial Point, Ohio and was exposed to life at the track at an early age. Her parents would take their young daughter to the track to watch her father drive sprint cars. Her first racing experience came as a five year-old when her parents fitted her for her first race car – a quarter-midget. Fisher graduated from Teays Valley High School in 1999, seventh in her class with honors and a 4.178 grade point average. She enrolled at Ohio State University in order to pursue an undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering but before the school year began, Fisher received a call to race in the IndyCar Series. She later attended Butler University on a part-time basis pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering, but due to the demands of her schedule, left the university. She also attended Ellis College for a short time.

Fisher's mother Reba (née Grindell) was profiled along with Fisher in the made-for-television film, ''Apple Pie''. Reba was born minutes after her twin sister, Robin. The girls' mother was one of the first female aviators in Ohio. As a child, Reba raced go-karts in a backyard race pit built by her father. She met her husband-to-be at a Commercial Point, Ohio go-kart race, in which she beat him. Reba holds a bachelor's degree from Ohio State University and is a middle-school teacher.

Fisher's father Dave holds a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Ohio State University and works in the family business, Fisher Fabrication.

Fisher met her future husband, Andy O'Gara, in 2002 at Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, where O'Gara was Fisher's left tire changer. During an interview on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart on May 18, 2009, Fisher claimed to have run over O'Gara. The two began dating in 2004 and became engaged on October 4, 2005––Fisher's 25th birthday. O'Gara was Fisher's Crew Chief at Dreyer & Reinbold Racing in 2007. The couple married at St. Roch Catholic Church in Indianapolis, Indiana, on Saturday, September 16, 2007. Among those in attendance were Lyn St James, Ed Carpenter and Tony George.

Motorsports career results

American open wheel results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)

IndyCar

Year

! Team

! 1

! 2

! 3

! 4

! 5

! 6

! 7

! 8

! 9

! 10

! 11

! 12

! 13

! 14

! 15

! 16

! 17

! 18

! 19

! Rank

! Points

1999 IndyCar Series season

1999

Team Pelfrey>Pelfrey

WDW

PHX

TXS

PPIR

ATL

DOV

PPI2

LVS

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

Walker Racing>Walker

WDWDNP

bgcolor="#EFCFFF"

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

!

Walker Racing>Walker

bgcolor="#EFCFFF"

!

!

!

!

!

!

Dreyer & Reinbold Racing>Dreyer & Reinbold

HMS

PHX

FON

bgcolor="#CFCFFF"

TXS

PPIR

!

!

!

!

Dreyer & Reinbold Racing>Dreyer & Reinbold

bgcolor="#EFCFFF"

!

!

!

! Kelley Racing

HMS

PHX

MOT

bgcolor="#CFCFFF"

TXS

RIR

KAN

NSH

MIL

MIS

KTY

PPIR

NZR

CHI

FON

TX2

!

!

!

Dreyer & Reinbold Racing>Dreyer & Reinbold

HMS

STP

MOT

WGL

TXS

RIR

KAN

NSH

MIL

MIS

SNM

!

!

!

!

!

Dreyer & Reinbold Racing>Dreyer & Reinbold

bgcolor="#CFCFFF"

!

!

Sarah Fisher Racing>Fisher

HMS

STP

MOT1

LBH1

KAN

bgcolor="#EFCFFF"

MIL

TXS

IOW

RIR

WGL

NSH

MDO

EDM

SNM

DET

SRF2

Sarah Fisher Racing>Fisher

STP

LBH

bgcolor="#CFCFFF"

KAN13

bgcolor="#CFCFFF"

MIL

bgcolor="#CFCFFF"

TXS17

IOW

RIR

WGL

TOR

EDM

bgcolor="#CFCFFF"

KTY12

MDO

SNM

MOT

!

!

Sarah Fisher Racing>Fisher

bgcolor="#CFCFFF"

bgcolor="#EFCFFF"

bgcolor="#CFCFFF"

bgcolor="#EFCFFF"

bgcolor="#CFCFFF"

bgcolor="#EFCFFF"

bgcolor="#CFCFFF"

!

!

: * 2010 season in progress : ''¹ Run on same day.'' : ''² Non-points-paying, exhibition race.''

	! Years	! Teams	! Races	! Poles	! Wins	! Podiums(Non-win)	! Top 10s(Non-podium)	! Indianapolis 500Wins	! Championships
11	5	83	1	0	2	8	0	0

Indy 500 results

! Year	! Chassis	! Engine	! Start	! Finish	! Team
	Dallara	Oldsmobile
	Dallara	Oldsmobile
		Infiniti
	Dallara	Chevrolet
	Dallara	Toyota
	Dallara	Honda
	Dallara	Honda
	Dallara	Honda
	Dallara	Honda

References

External links

Official site

Category:1980 births Category:Living people Category:American racecar drivers Category:Indianapolis 500 drivers Category:Female Indy 500 drivers Category:Indy Racing League drivers Category:Indy Racing League owners Category:New York Institute of Technology alumni Category:People from Columbus, Ohio Category:World of Outlaws drivers Category:Butler University alumni

de:Sarah Fisher fr:Sarah Fisher it:Sarah Fisher nl:Sarah Fisher ja:サラ・フィッシャー pl:Sarah Fisher pt:Sarah Fisher sv:Sarah Fisher

name	Nicholas Brendon
birth date	April 12, 1971
birth place	Los Angeles, California, United States
spouse	Tressa di Figlia (2001–2007)
occupation	Actor
birth name	Nicholas Brendon Schultz
website	http://www.nickbrendon.com/ }}

Nicholas Brendon (born April 12, 1971, as Nicholas Brendon Schultz in Los Angeles, California), is an actor best known for his character Xander Harris in the television series ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' (1997–2003).

Early life

Brendon has an identical twin brother named Kelly Donovan. When Brendon was young, he had aspirations to be a professional baseball player, but was forced to give up the dream after an arm injury. At the age of 20 he decided to try his hand at acting and overcome his stuttering problem, but gave up after two years because he "couldn't stand the politics in Hollywood." He decided instead to go back to school and study medicine, but this did not work out. He also tried his hand at a variety of other jobs, including plumber's assistant, veterinary janitor, day care counselor, waiter, and production assistant for the television show ''Dave's World''. After these jobs, he gave acting another try. It only took four days of auditioning before he landed the role of Xander Harris on ''Buffy''.

Career

Brendon's role as Xander Harris was initially that of the occasional comic relief and plucky sidekick to the lead female character, but in later seasons fewer comedic lines were given to the part. Brendon's twin brother, Kelly Donovan played Xander's sinister double "Suave Xander Harris". When the series ended in 2003, Brendon joined the cast of a new Fox sitcom, ''Kitchen Confidential'', based on the book by chef Anthony Bourdain. Thirteen episodes were made, but the series was cancelled on December 9 of the same year, after the fourth episode aired with low ratings.

In 2006, he voiced Huntsboy #89 for season 2 of the animated series ''American Dragon: Jake Long''. The series ended on September 1, 2007. His character's final appearance was in the episode "Shaggy Frog", which aired on April 28, 2007.

From July 26 through August 30, 2006, Brendon co-starred with Noah Wyle in the play ''Lobster Alice'', in Los Angeles.

That same year, Brendon reunited with his former ''Buffy'' on-screen sweetheart, Charisma Carpenter, in the ABC Family TV movie ''Relative Chaos''.

Brendon appeared in the recurring role of FBI technical analyst Kevin Lynch on the TV series Criminal Minds.

He played the role of Crumpet the Elf in David Sedaris’ one man show, The Santaland Diaries, which ran from November 20-December 20, 2009 at the The Blank Theatre's 2nd Stage in Hollywood, CA.

He was in the 2010 Blank Theatre production of Christopher Durang's play, ''Why Torture Is Wrong, And The People Who Love Them'' at the Stella Adler Theater in Hollywood.

On September 29, 2010 he premiered his web comic 'Very Bad Koalas' co-created with animation director/producer Steve Loter. The web comic will run 52 weeks at www.verybadkoalas.com. The comic includes some references to ''Buffy'', including one of the characters having a crush on Xander.

On October 28, 2010, Brendon began a 3-episode arc on ABC's ''Private Practice'' playing Lee McHenry, a mentally disturbed man who assaults Charlotte King.

Personal life

Brendon has played a major part in the Stuttering Foundation of America. He was the first person to serve the role of honorary chairperson of the Stuttering Foundation of America's Stuttering Awareness Week for three consecutive years, from 2000 to 2003.

On April 25, 2004, at a ''Buffy'' fan convention in Cleveland, Ohio, he announced that he had voluntarily entered rehab for alcoholism.

Brendon was tasered and arrested by police in Los Angeles in the early morning of March 17, 2010. The police were responding to a call about an intoxicated individual, and confronted Brendon who allegedly swung his fists at the officers and attempted to run away. The police used a taser to stop him and arrested him for felony vandalism. Brendon was initially held on $20,000 bail.

Brendon was later charged with four misdemeanors, including one count of resisting arrest, two counts of battery against a police officer, and one count of vandalism. In May 2010, Brendon checked himself into the SOBA Recovery Center in Malibu due to use of alcohol and sleeping pills. On June 19, 2010, Brendon pleaded no contest to all four charges and received a one-year suspended jail sentence, was placed on probation for 36 months, and was required to perform 10 days of community service.

Filmography

Film
! Year	! Film	! Role	! Notes
1995	''Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest''	Basketball Player One
2000	''Psycho Beach Party''	Starcat
2002	''Demon Island''	Kyle
2007		Lucas
2008	''Blood on the Highway''	Chase Sinclair
2009	''The Portal''	Paul
2009	''A Golden Christmas''	Michael
2009	''My Neighbor's Secret''	Brent Keller
Television
! Year	! Title	! Role	! Notes
1993	''Married… with Children''	Guy In Ray-Ray's Gang
1995	''Dave's World''		Episode: Do the Write Thing
1997–2003		Xander Harris	143 episodes
2003	''The Pool at Maddy Breaker's''
2004	''Celeste in the City''	Dana Blodgett/Harrison
2005–2006		Seth Richman	13 episodes
2006	''Relative Chaos''	Gil Gilbert
2006–2007	''American Dragon: Jake Long''	Huntsboy #89	Voice Role6 episodes
2007	''Fire Serpent''	Jake Relm
2007–2011	''Criminal Minds''		11 episodes
2009	''Without a Trace''	Edger	Undertow
2010–2011		Lee McHenry	4 episodes: "All In The Family" (Only for a short time), "Did you hear what happened to Charlotte King?", "Can't Find My Way Back Home" and "Blind Love". (All In Season 4)
Video games
! Year	! Title	! Role	! Notes
2002			Voice
2003	''Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Chaos Bleeds''	Voice

Awards and nominations

Saturn Awards

1998: Nominated, "Best Genre TV Actor" - ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer''

1999: Nominated, "Best Genre TV Actor" - ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer''

2000: Nominated, "Best Genre TV Supporting Actor" - ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer''

References

External links

Nicholas Brendon's site

Very Bad Koalas

Stuttering Foundation site

Category:1971 births Category:American television actors Category:Identical twins Category:Identical twin actors Category:Living people Category:People from Los Angeles, California Category:Actors from California Category:People self-identifying as alcoholics Category:Twin people from the United States

de:Nicholas Brendon es:Nicholas Brendon fa:نیکولاس براندن fr:Nicholas Brendon it:Nicholas Brendon nl:Nicholas Brendon no:Nicholas Brendon pl:Nicholas Brendon pt:Nicholas Brendon ru:Брендон, Николас fi:Nicholas Brendon sv:Nicholas Brendon tr:Nicholas Brendon