Generally, a fishery is an entity engaged in raising and/or harvesting fish, which is determined by some authority to be a fishery. According to the FAO, a fishery is typically defined in terms of the "people involved, species or type of fish, area of water or seabed, method of fishing, class of boats, purpose of the activities or a combination of the foregoing features". The definition often includes a combination of fish and fishers in a region, the latter fishing for similar species with similar gear types.

A fishery may involve the capture of wild fish or raising fish through fish farming or aquaculture. Directly or indirectly, the livelihood of over 500 million people in developing countries depends on fisheries and aquaculture. Overfishing, including the taking of fish beyond sustainable levels, is reducing fish stocks and employment in many world regions.

The term "fish"

In biology – the term ''fish'' is most strictly used to describe any animal with a backbone that has gills throughout life and has limbs, if any, in the shape of fins. Many types of aquatic animals commonly referred to as ''fish'' are not fish in this strict sense; examples include shellfish, cuttlefish, starfish, crayfish and jellyfish. In earlier times, even biologists did not make a distinction — sixteenth century natural historians classified also seals, whales, amphibians, crocodiles, even hippopotamuses, as well as a host of aquatic invertebrates, as fish.

In fisheries – the term ''fish'' is used as a collective term, and includes mollusks, crustaceans and any aquatic animal which is harvested.

True fish – The strict biological definition of a fish, above, is sometimes called a true fish. True fish are also referred to as finfish or fin fish to distinguish them from other aquatic life harvested in fisheries or aquaculture.

Types

Fisheries are harvested for their value (commercial, recreational or subsistence). They can be saltwater or freshwater, wild or farmed. Examples are the salmon fishery of Alaska, the cod fishery off the Lofoten islands, the tuna fishery of the Eastern Pacific, or the shrimp farm fisheries in China. Capture fisheries can be broadly classified as industrial scale, small-scale or artisanal, and recreational.

Close to 90% of the world’s fishery catches come from oceans and seas, as opposed to inland waters. These marine catches have remained relatively stable since the mid-nineties (between 80 and 86 million tonnes). Most marine fisheries are based near the coast. This is not only because harvesting from relatively shallow waters is easier than in the open ocean, but also because fish are much more abundant near the coastal shelf, due to coastal upwelling and the abundance of nutrients available there. However, productive wild fisheries also exist in open oceans, particularly by seamounts, and inland in lakes and rivers.

Most fisheries are wild fisheries, but increasingly fisheries are farmed. Farming can occur in coastal areas, such as with oyster farms, but more typically occur inland, in lakes, ponds, tanks and other enclosures.

There are species fisheries worldwide for finfish, mollusks, crustaceans and echinoderms, and by extension, aquatic plants such as kelp. However, a very small number of species support the majority of the world’s fisheries. Some of these species are herring, cod, anchovy, tuna, flounder, mullet, squid, shrimp, salmon, crab, lobster, oyster and scallops. All except these last four provided a worldwide catch of well over a million tonnes in 1999, with herring and sardines together providing a harvest of over 22 million metric tons in 1999. Many other species are harvested in smaller numbers.

See also

Aquatic ecosystem

Fish farming

Fisheries management

Fisheries science

National Fish Habitat Initiative

Wild fisheries

Ocean fisheries

Overfishing

Tanka people

Population dynamics of fisheries

Sea Fish Industry Authority

Regional Fisheries Management Organisation

Notes

References

Cullis-Suzuki S and Pauly D (2010) "Failing the high seas: A global evaluation of regional fisheries management organizations" ''Marine Policy'', 34(5) pp 1036-1042.

FAO: Types of fisheries

Hart PJB and Reynolds JD (2002) ''Handbook of fish biology and fisheries'' Wiley-Blackwell. ISBN 9780632054121

External links

FAO Fisheries Department and its SOFIA report

The Fishery Resources Monitoring System (FIRMS)

The International Institute of Fisheries Economics and Trade (IIFET)

Dynamic Changes in Marine Ecosystems: Fishing, Food Webs, and Future Options (2006), U.S. National Academy of Sciences

UNEP/GEF South China Sea Project and its Fisheries Refugia Portal and National Reports on Fish Stocks and Habitats in the South China Sea

World Fisheries Day: Seafood for Thought and World Fisheries from Sea to Table slideshow on the Smithsonian Ocean Portal

da:Fiskeri et:Kalandus el:Αλιευτικό πεδίο es:Caladero fa:شیلات fr:Pêcherie hr:Ribarstvo id:Perikanan nl:Visserij ja:漁業 no:Fiskeri nds:Fischeree pl:Rybołówstwo pt:Pesca ru:Рыболовство se:Guolásteapmi sk:Rybárstvo tr:Balıkçılık th:ประมง uk:Рибне господарство zh-yue:漁業 zh:渔业

Name	Derek Fisher
Team	Los Angeles Lakers
Height ft	6
Height in	1
Weight lb	210
Number	2
Position	Point guard
Birth date	August 09, 1974
High school	Parkview Arts and Science Magnet
Birth place	Little Rock, Arkansas
College	Arkansas-Little Rock (1992–1996)
Nationality	American
Draft round	1
Draft pick	24
Draft team	Los Angeles Lakers
Draft year	1996
Career start	1996
Team1	Los Angeles Lakers
Years1	1996–2004
Team2	Golden State Warriors
Years2	–2006
Team3	Utah Jazz
Years3	2006–2007
Team4	Los Angeles Lakers
Years4	2007–present
Highlights	5× NBA Champion (2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010) }}

Derek Lamar Fisher (born August 9, 1974) is an American professional basketball point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). His NBA career has spanned more than 14 years, during which he has won 5 NBA Championships. He currently serves as the president of the National Basketball Players Association.

Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, Fisher started out his basketball career at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Selected with the twenty-fourth draft pick by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1996 NBA Draft, Fisher spent his first eight seasons with the franchise. During this time, he played a role in the Lakers' "three-peat", and was the third-leading scorer on the team behind Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal. After his success with Los Angeles, Fisher signed with the Golden State Warriors, but was later traded to the Utah Jazz, where he helped lead the team to the Western Conference Finals. Due to his daughter's health, he asked to be released from his contract and rejoined the Lakers in 2007. In 2010, he won his fifth NBA Championship with the Lakers. Only he and Kobe Bryant have played in all five of the Lakers' most recent championships.

As of 2010, Fisher had played in 199 career playoff games, the fifth highest total in NBA history. He ranks second all time in NBA Finals three-pointers made (43), behind former teammate Robert Horry. He has the highest three-point field goal percentage in NBA Finals history (42.6%). The NBA listed his "0.4 Shot" as the 18th-greatest playoff moment of all time.

Early life

The younger brother of former NBA player Duane Washington, Fisher attended the Parkview Arts and Science Magnet High School in Little Rock, where he was a letterman in basketball.

He went on to attend the University of Arkansas at Little Rock for four years, with a major in communications. Fisher concluded his collegiate career at Arkansas-Little Rock second on the school’s all-time lists in points (1,393), assists (472) and steals (189). He averaged 12.4 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists over 112 games and led the team in assists and steals every year. Fisher also set a school record for free throws made in a career (399) and ranked third among all-time UALR leaders in three-point field goals made (125). As a senior, he earned Sunbelt Conference Player of the Year honors after averaging 14.5 points, 5.2 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game.

In 2005, Fisher pledged $700,000 to UALR towards the construction of its Jack Stephens Center auxiliary gym, since named in his honor, and the establishment of the Fisher Fellows Life Skills program, a mentoring series for UALR student-athletes.

NBA career

Los Angeles Lakers (1996–2004)

Fisher was selected 24th overall in the 1996 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Lakers, and spent his first eight seasons with them.

He made his NBA debut in an early season game against the Phoenix Suns, tallying 12 points and five assists. Over the course of his rookie season, Fisher appeared in 80 games, averaging 3.9 points, 1.5 assists and 1.2 rebounds. He was selected to the Schick Rookie Game during the All-Star Weekend in Cleveland and had 16 points and six assists.

Due to a stress fracture in his right foot, Fisher missed 62 games out of the 2000–01 season. By the 2002–03 season, Fisher had firmly established himself as the Lakers' primary point guard, starting in all 82 games. But after the team was eliminated in the Western Conference Semifinals by the eventual champion Spurs that spring, followed by the signing of veteran point guard Gary Payton in the summer, Fisher was demoted back to the bench for the 2003–04 season.

The 0.4 shot

One of Fisher's finest playoff moments came in Game 5 (May 13, 2004) of the 2004 Western Conference semi-finals between the Lakers and the defending champion San Antonio Spurs. The series was tied 2–2, and Game 5 was a closely contested affair. With 11 seconds remaining, Kobe Bryant hit a jump shot to put the Lakers up 72–71. Tim Duncan then made an 18-foot shot in double coverage despite falling away from the basket to give the Spurs a 73–72 lead with 0.4 seconds on the clock.

To devise strategies, three consecutive time-outs were called: the first by the Lakers, the second by San Antonio to set up the defense, and the last by the Lakers to re-set up the offense. When the game resumed, Gary Payton inbounded the ball to Fisher, who managed to catch, turn, and shoot the game-winning basket all in 0.4 seconds. Fisher sprinted off the court, as he later admitted he was uncertain he beat the buzzer and wanted to exit before the play could be reviewed. The Spurs immediately filed a dispute regarding the shot and after reviewing video footage of the play, the referees concluded that the ball had indeed left Fisher's hands before the clock expired. The "0.4" shot counted and the Lakers won the game by a final score of 74–73.

The Lakers went on to close out the Spurs in Game 6. They proceeded to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves to clinch the Western Conference championship, but were upset in the NBA Finals by the Detroit Pistons 4 games to 1.

Golden State Warriors (2004–2006)

After the 2003–04 season, Fisher became a free agent. Although he was popular, the Lakers viewed him as a role player, and with the additions of veterans Gary Payton and Karl Malone the previous summer, Fisher had been removed from the starting lineup and saw his playing time reduced to 18–20 minutes a game. In addition, the Lakers team that Fisher was familiar with had disintegrated after the 2003–04 season. Head coach Phil Jackson retired and center Shaquille O'Neal had been traded to the Miami Heat, while Kobe Bryant threatened to opt out of his contract and most of the remaining Lakers squad was traded away in the opening phases of a rebuilding effort. During contract negotiations, the Lakers offered Fisher $15 million over three years. In contrast, the Golden State Warriors offered Fisher $37 million over six years and guaranteed him a role as the team's starting point guard.

On July 16, 2004, Fisher signed with the Golden State Warriors as a free agent. Fisher's two-season term with Golden State proved to be somewhat of a disappointment. While he was a reliable spot-up shooter, Fisher saw limited openings without a star player such as Bryant or O'Neal to command a double-team. The team as a whole continued to struggle mightily and languished near the bottom of the Western Conference standings.

Fisher had stated that his primary reason for joining the Warriors was the chance to run his own team as its starting point guard. However, Speedy Claxton started more games than he had in 2004–05 season, and then newly-acquired star Baron Davis soon replaced him in that capacity. Fisher came off the bench for the remainder of his time in Golden State. In the 2005–06 season, he was productive in his back-up role, averaging 13.3 points a game, the highest season scoring average of his career.

Utah Jazz (2006–2007)

Fisher was acquired by the Utah Jazz on July 12, 2006 in a trade that sent Keith McLeod, Andre Owens, and Devin Brown to the Golden State Warriors. He appeared in all 82 games of the 2006–07 season, averaging 10.1 points, 3.3 assists, and 1.01 steals while scoring in double figures 40 times.

In November 2006, Fisher was voted President of the NBA Players Association, succeeding Antonio Davis. Fisher had previously served as vice president. He has also been the color commentator for the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA since July 1, 2008.

2007 Playoffs

Several days before the Western Conference Semifinals between the Jazz and the Golden State Warriors began, Fisher stated that one of his four children was ill, avoiding going into further detail other than to say he needed to be with his family and his playing status was uncertain.

Fisher had asked head coach Jerry Sloan to leave him on the active list for Game 2, but could not guarantee he would make it in time to play. But with permission from their doctors, he and his family flew from New York after his daughter's surgery and landed in Salt Lake City with the game in progress. When they landed, Fisher found out starting point guard Deron Williams was in foul trouble and his backup Dee Brown had been injured. The Jazz had been using Andrei Kirilenko as a point guard and desperately needed Fisher. Given a police escort, Fisher arrived at the arena, suited up, and was given a standing ovation as he walked onto the floor. Not even given a chance to sit down, Fisher was put in the game in the middle of the third quarter. Late in the fourth, Fisher made a key defensive stop on Baron Davis that helped send the game into overtime. In the closing minutes, the Jazz held a three-point lead when Deron Williams found an open Fisher for a three-pointer that sealed the victory. After the game, a tearful Fisher was interviewed, where he revealed the situation involving his then-11-month-old daughter, Tatum. She had been diagnosed with retinoblastoma, a degenerative and rare form of eye cancer, which required an emergency three-hour surgery and chemotherapy at a New York hospital.

The Jazz eventually defeated the Warriors 4 games to 1, but fell to the eventual champion San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Finals in 5 games. Fisher's dramatic Game 2 entrance and performance against the Warriors was nominated for Best Moment in the 2007 ESPY Awards.

On July 2, 2007, Fisher asked the Jazz to release him from his contract so he could relocate to a team and city that would have the "right combination" of specialists that could help fight his daughter's retinoblastoma. The Jazz honored his request, but Jazz fans have taunted him while suspecting that he simply wanted to return to the Lakers.

Second run with Lakers (2007–present)

After much speculation, on July 19, 2007, Fisher officially rejoined the Los Angeles Lakers by signing a three-year contract worth roughly $14 million. He had given up roughly $8 million over three years, as he was due about $22 million over the next three years in his prior contract with the Jazz. When the 2007–08 season began, Fisher resumed his role as the Lakers' starting point guard. He contributed a solid season, shooting 40% from the three point range and 88% from the free throw line, the highest percentage of his career. He made a controversial defensive play in Game 4 of the Lakers-Spurs Western Conference Finals, when late in the game Fisher jumped into Brent Barry's path without a foul called, causing Barry to miss a potential game winning shot. The Lakers eventually ousted the Spurs 4–1, but lost the NBA Finals to Boston.

Throughout the 2009 NBA Playoffs, Fisher faced criticism about his age and lackluster defensive performances against younger, quicker opposing point guards. However, Fisher helped the Lakers win Game 4 over the Orlando Magic in the 2009 NBA Finals, hitting a three pointer over Jameer Nelson with 4.6 seconds remaining to send the game into overtime, and a tie-breaking three pointer with 31.3 seconds remaining in overtime to help send the Lakers to a 3–1 series lead and soon after, the franchise's 15th NBA title. Bill Plaschke of the ''Los Angeles Times'' described these shots by stating, "After his two jaw-flooring three-pointers led the Lakers to a 99–91 overtime victory against the Orlando Magic in Game 4 of the NBA Finals, you'll now officially be seeing him forever." Fisher's 11.0 points per game, 50% shooting average, and 44% three-point percentage over the course of the Finals were an improvement over his regular season numbers and a departure from his post-season struggles to that point. He had shot 23.5% from behind the three point line and 35.6% from the field in the three prior playoff series. This was Fisher's fourth NBA championship.

On September 8, 2009, Fisher released a book, ''Character Driven: Life, Lessons, and Basketball''. He is credited as the author of the book with Gary Brozek contributing. On February 3, 2010, Fisher made the 1,000th 3-pointer of his career against the Charlotte Bobcats. On February 10, 2010, Fisher played his 1,000th career game against his former team, the Utah Jazz, beating Kobe Bryant to the milestone by one game. On February 23, 2010, Fisher made the 9,000th point of his NBA career against the Memphis Grizzlies.

On June 8, 2010, in Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics, Fisher played a pivotal role down the stretch to help the Lakers take a 2–1 series lead. In the 4th quarter, he scored 11 of his 16 points, including a 3-point-play lay-up that helped the Lakers wrap up a 91–84 road victory. In Game 7, the Lakers came all the way back from a 13-point 3rd-quarter deficit when Fisher hit a critical 3-pointer to tie the game with 6:11 remaining. The Lakers ultimately defeated the Celtics 83–79, and Fisher went on to win his fifth NBA championship.

After his fifth Championship win, Fisher became a free agent, fielding offers from several teams, including the Miami Heat. On July 12, 2010, he announced he would continue to play with the Lakers, though their contract offer was considered less than lucrative by many news outlets and even Fisher himself, saying that playing for the Lakers was ultimately "the most valuable" option.

Player profile

Jackson said Fisher was "definitely the spokesman for [the Lakers] as far as leadership goes."

In a 2011 poll of NBA players by ''Sports Illustrated'', Fisher received the fourth most votes, six percent, for being the best flopper in the game. "Fish takes the contact. He does draw and sell offensive fouls," Jackson said. "We're happy he does what he does."

NBA career statistics

Regular season

|- | style="text-align:left;"| 1996–97 | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 80 || 3 || 11.5 || .397 || .301 || .658 || 1.2 || 1.5 || .5 || .1 || 3.9 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 1997–98 | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 82 || 36 || 21.5 || .434 || .383 || .757 || 2.4 || 4.1 || .9 || .1 || 5.8 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 1998–99 | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 50 || 21 || 22.6 || .376 || .392 || .759 || 1.8 || 3.9 || 1.2 || .0 || 5.9 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 1999–00 | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 78 || 22 || 23.1 || .346 || .313 || .724 || 1.8 || 2.8 || 1.0 || .0 || 6.3 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2000–01 | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 20 || 20 || 35.5 || .412 || .397 || .806 || 3.0 || 4.4 || 2.0 || .1 || 11.5 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2001–02 | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 70 || 35 || 28.2 || .411 || .413 || .847 || 2.1 || 2.6 || .9 || .1 || 11.2 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2002–03 | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 82 || 82 || 34.5 || .437 || .401 || .800 || 2.9 || 3.6 || 1.1 || .2 || 10.5 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2003–04 | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 82 || 3 || 21.6 || .352 || .291 || .797 || 1.9 || 2.3 || 1.3 || .1 || 7.1 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2004–05 | style="text-align:left;"| Golden State | 74 || 32 || 30.0 || .393 || .371 || .862 || 2.9 || 4.1 || 1.0 || .1 || 11.9 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2005–06 | style="text-align:left;"| Golden State | 82 || 36 || 31.6 || .410 || .397 || .833 || 2.6 || 4.3 || 1.5 || .1 || 13.3 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2006–07 | style="text-align:left;"| Utah | 82 || 61 || 27.9 || .382 || .308 || .853 || 1.8 || 3.3 || 1.0 || .1 || 10.1 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2007–08 | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 82 || 82 || 27.4 || .436 || .406 || .883 || 2.1 || 2.9 || 1.0 || .0 || 11.7 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2008–09 | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 82 || 82 || 29.8 || .424 || .397 || .846 || 2.3 || 3.2 || 1.2 || .1 || 9.9 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2009–10 | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 82 || 82 || 27.2 || .380 || .348 || .856 || 2.1 || 2.5 || 1.1 || .1 || 7.5 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2010–11 | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 82 || 82 || 28.0 || .389 || .396 || .806 || 1.9 || 2.7 || 1.2 || .1 || 6.8 |-class="sortbottom" | style="text-align:left;"| Career | style="text-align:left;"| | 1110 || 678 || 26.3 || .401 || .375 || .815 || 2.1 || 3.1 || 1.1 || .1 || 8.8

Playoffs

|- | style="text-align:left;"| 1997 | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 6 || 0 || 5.7 || .273 || .000 || 0.667 || .5 || 1.0 || 0.2 || .0 || 1.3 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 1998 | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 13 || 13 || 21.4 || .397 || .300 || .621 || 1.9 || 3.8 || 1.3 || .0 || 6.0 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 1999 | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 8 || 8 || 29.8 || .418 || .345 || .800 || 3.6 || 4.9 || 1.0 || .0 || 9.8 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2000 | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 21 || 0 || 15.3 || .430 || .414 || .760 || 1.0 || 2.0 || .5 || .0 || 4.7 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2001 | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 16 || 16 || 36.0 || .484 || .515 || .765 || 3.8 || 3.0 || 1.3 || .1 || 13.4 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2002 | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 19 || 19 || 34.2 || .357 || .358 || .786 || 3.3 || 2.7 || 1.0 || .0 || 10.2 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2003 | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 12 || 12 || 35.3 || .520 || .617 || .818 || 3.0 || 1.8 || 1.5 || .1 || 12.8 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2004 | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 22 || 0 || 23.0 || .405 || .418 || .657 || 2.5 || 2.2 || .8 || .0 || 7.5 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2007 | style="text-align:left;"| Utah | 16 || 14 || 27.8 || .405 || .375 || .933 || 1.6 || 2.6 || 1.0 || .1 || 9.5 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2008 | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 21 || 21 || 31.6 || .452 || .440 || .836 || 2.2 || 2.5 || 2.0 || .1 || 10.2 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2009 | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 22 || 22 || 28.9 || .394 || .284 || .861 || 2.0 || 2.2 || .9 || .0 || 8.0 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2010 | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 23 || 23 || 32.8 || .448 || .360 || .821 || 2.5 || 2.8 || 1.2 || .0 || 10.3 |- | style="text-align:left;"| 2011 | style="text-align:left;"| L.A. Lakers | 10 || 10 || 32.5 || .433 || .412 || .810 || 2.7 || 2.6 || 1.4 || .2 || 8.2 |-class="sortbottom" | style="text-align:left;"| Career | style="text-align:left;"| | 209 || 158 || 28.0 || .427 || .402 || .798 || 2.4 || 2.6 || 1.1 || .1 || 8.9

See also

List of National Basketball Association career 3-point scoring leaders

List of National Basketball Association career playoff steals leaders

List of National Basketball Association career playoff 3-point scoring leaders

List of National Basketball Association players with 1000 games played

References

Further reading

External links

Official Web Site of Derek Fisher

NBA.com Profile

Category:1974 births Category:Living people Category:African American basketball players Category:Arkansas–Little Rock Trojans men's basketball players Category:Golden State Warriors players Category:Los Angeles Lakers draft picks Category:Los Angeles Lakers players Category:People from Little Rock, Arkansas Category:Utah Jazz players Category:Point guards Category:Basketball players from Arkansas Category:American labor leaders

ca:Derek Fisher de:Derek Fisher es:Derek Fisher fa:درک فیشر fr:Derek Fisher gl:Derek Fisher hr:Derek Fisher it:Derek Fisher he:דרק פישר lv:Dereks Fišers mn:Дерек Фишер ja:デレック・フィッシャー pl:Derek Fisher pt:Derek Fisher ru:Фишер, Дерек sr:Дерек Фишер sh:Derek Fisher tr:Derek Fisher zh:德里克·费舍尔

Name	Climie Fisher
Background	group_or_band
Origin	London, England
Genre	Pop
Years activ e	1987–1990
Label	EMICapitol Records (US)
Associated acts	Naked Eyes
Past members	Simon ClimieRob Fisher }}

Climie Fisher were a UK pop duo formed by vocalist Simon Climie (born 7 April 1957) and former Naked Eyes keyboardist Rob Fisher (5 November 1956 - 25 August 1999). In 1987-8, they had two international hit singles.

Career

Simon Climie met Rob Fisher at Abbey Road Studio, where they were both performing as session musicians. The duo is best known for the 1987 hit single "Love Changes (Everything)" which reached Number 2 in the UK and in South Africa (on re-release), Number 7 in Germany, Number 8 in Switzerland, Number 15 in Austria and Number 23 in the US, all in 1988. The hip hop-styled remix of "Rise to the Occasion" had also previously reached Number 10 in the UK Singles Chart and reached later Number 1 in South Africa, Number 14 in Germany, Number 17 in Sweden and Number 19 in Austria. Their last hit single was "Love Like A River" in 1989, which reached Number 18 in Austria, Number 22 in the UK and Number 54 in Germany. They wrote most of their own material together with Dennis Morgan, who Climie had previously worked with; and hired Steve Lillywhite and Stephen Hague as producers. Although their first album ''Everything'' charted in both the UK(#14)and US(#120), their second album ''Coming In for the Kill'' (UK #45) was less successful and they split up shortly after its release.

Fisher later co-wrote Rick Astley's song, "Cry for Help" single (UK #7 in 1991). He also contributed as songwriter to Astley's albums ''Free'' (1991) and ''Body & Soul'' (1993). He died on 25 August 1999 during surgery for bowel cancer. Simon Climie had, before the success of Climie Fisher, co-written (with Dennis Morgan) the George Michael/Aretha Franklin single "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" in 1986. He worked as a producer for recording artists such as Louise, MN8 and Five Star and as a co-songwriter and musician for Eric Clapton, including the album with J.J. Cale (featuring Derek Trucks and Billy Preston) ''The Road to Escondido''. Climie released a solo album and single, both titled "Soul Inspiration" in 1992. He also worked with former Doobie Brothers member Michael McDonald on his Motown albums. He produced the 2009 album by the ''American Idol'' winner Taylor Hicks, titled ''The Distance''.

Discography

Albums

''Everything'' (EMI - 1987) (#14 UK, #7 Germany, #10 Switzerland, #14 Sweden, #120 USA, #1 South Africa)

''Coming In for the Kill'' (EMI - 1989) (#35 UK, #36 Sweden, #6 South Africa)

Singles

"This Is Me" - 1986

"Love Changes (Everything)" - 1987 - #67 UK; #30 Netherlands

"Keeping The Mystery Alive" - 1987 - #35 Germany

"Rise To The Occasion" - 1987 - #10 UK; #1 Netherlands; #1 South Africa; #14 Germany; #17 Sweden; #19 Austria

"Love Changes (Everything)" (re-mix) - 1988 - #2 UK; #2 South Africa; #7 Germany; #8 Switzerland; #15 Austria; #23 Australia; #23 USA

"This Is Me" (re-release) - 1988 - #22 UK; #34 Netherlands; #60 Germany

"I Won't Bleed For You" - 1988 - #35 UK

"Love Like A River" - 1988 - #22 UK; #18 Austria; #54 Germany

"Facts Of Love" - 1989 - #50 UK; #54 Germany

"Fire On The Ocean" - 1989

"It's Not Supposed To Be That Way" - 1990

References

External links

Entry on Discogs

Climie Fisher songwriting credits

Charts-Surfer homepage

Category:Musical groups established in 1987 Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1990 Category:English pop music groups Category:Musical duos

de:Climie Fisher es:Climie Fisher it:Climie Fisher nl:Climie Fisher ja:クライミー・フィッシャー sv:Climie Fisher

birth date	October 21, 1956
birth place	Beverly Hills, California, U.S.
birth name	Carrie Frances Fisher
spouse	Paul Simon (1983–84)
partner	Bryan Lourd (1991–94)
occupation	Actress, novelist, screenwriter, lecturer
years active	1975–present }}

Carrie Frances Fisher (born October 21, 1956) is an American actress, novelist, screenwriter, and lecturer. She is most famous for her portrayal of Princess Leia Organa in the original ''Star Wars'' trilogy, her bestselling novel ''Postcards from the Edge,'' for which she wrote the screenplay to the film of the same name, and her autobiography ''Wishful Drinking''.

Early life

Fisher was born in Beverly Hills, California, the daughter of singer Eddie Fisher and actress Debbie Reynolds. She was raised Protestant; however, her paternal grandparents were Russian Jewish immigrants. Her younger brother is Todd Fisher and her half-sisters are actresses Joely Fisher and Tricia Leigh Fisher. Joely and Tricia's mother is the singer/actress Connie Stevens.

When Carrie Fisher was two, her parents divorced. Her father married his ex-wife's friend, actress Elizabeth Taylor. The following year, her mother married shoe store chain owner Harry Karl, who secretly spent her life savings. It was assumed from an early age that Carrie would go into the family show business, and she began appearing with her mother in Las Vegas, Nevada at the age of 12. She attended Beverly Hills High School, but she left to join her mother on the road. She appeared as a debutante and singer in the hit Broadway revival ''Irene'' (1973), starring her mother.

Career

1970s

In 1973, Fisher enrolled at London's Central School of Speech and Drama, which she attended for 18 months. She made her film debut in the Columbia comedy ''Shampoo'' (1975) starring Warren Beatty, Julie Christie and Goldie Hawn, with Lee Grant and Jack Warden. In 1977, Fisher starred as Princess Leia Organa in George Lucas' science fiction film ''Star Wars'' (later retitled ''Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope'') opposite Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford, a part she sarcastically claims to have obtained by sleeping "with some nerd."

In May 1978, she appeared alongside John Ritter in the ABC-TV film ''Leave Yesterday Behind'' as a horse trainer who helps Ritter's character after an accident leaves him a paraplegic.

The huge success of ''Star Wars'' made her internationally famous. The character of Princess Leia became a merchandising triumph; there were small plastic action figures of the Princess in toy stores across the United States. She appeared as Princess Leia in the 1978 made-for-TV film, ''The Star Wars Holiday Special''. At this time, Fisher appeared with Laurence Olivier and Joanne Woodward in the anthology series ''Laurence Olivier Presents'' in a television version of the William Inge play ''Come Back, Little Sheba''.

In November 1978, Fisher was the guest host for ''Saturday Night Live'' with musical guests The Blues Brothers and special guest Don Novello as Father Guido Sarducci. Dressed in a gold bikini, she reprised her Princess Leia character from ''Star Wars'' in "Beach Blanket Bimbo from Outer Space", a parody sketch of 1960s beach party films. Bill Murray and Gilda Radner imitated the Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello characters. John Belushi played biker Eric Von Zipper, and Dan Aykroyd, with whom Fisher was romantically involved, portrayed Vincent Price.

Fisher appeared in the music video for Ringo Starr's cover of "You're Sixteen" as the love interest in 1978 on his TV special of that year.

1980s

Fisher later appeared in ''The Blues Brothers'' film in a cameo role as Joliet Jake's vengeful ex-lover, listed in the credits as "Mystery Woman". She appeared on Broadway in ''Censored Scenes from King Kong'' in 1980. That year, she appeared again as Princess Leia in ''Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back''. She made her third and final appearance as Leia in ''Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi'', for which she became a sex symbol for a short period due to her appearance wearing a golden metal bikini (the slave girl outfit which almost immediately rose to pop culture icon status). She is one of the few actors or actresses to star in films with both John and James Belushi, later appearing with the latter in the film ''The Man with One Red Shoe''. She also was a replacement in the Broadway production of ''Agnes of God'' (1982). She appeared in the Woody Allen film ''Hannah and her Sisters'' in 1986.

In 1987, Fisher published her first novel, ''Postcards from the Edge''. The book was semi-autobiographical in the sense that she fictionalized and satirized real life events such as her drug addiction of the late 1970s. It became a bestseller, and she received the Los Angeles Pen Award for Best First Novel. Also during 1987, she was in the Australian film ''The Time Guardian''. In 1989, Fisher played a major supporting role in ''When Harry Met Sally'', and in the same year, she appeared opposite Tom Hanks as his wife in ''The 'Burbs''.

1990s

In 1990, Columbia Pictures released a film version of ''Postcards from the Edge'', adapted for the screen by Fisher and starring Meryl Streep, Shirley MacLaine, and Dennis Quaid. She also appeared in the fantasy comedy film ''Drop Dead Fred'' in 1991. In 1997, Fisher appeared as a therapist in ''Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery''. During the 1990s, Fisher also published the novels ''Surrender the Pink'' (1991) and ''Delusions of Grandma'' (1993).

2000s

In the film ''Scream 3'' (2000), Fisher played an actress mistaken for Carrie Fisher. Director's commentary on the ''Scream 3'' DVD suggests that the sequence was in fact penned by Fisher herself.

In 2001, Fisher played a nun in the Kevin Smith comedy ''Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back''. The title spoofs ''The Empire Strikes Back'' and the film, which includes Mark Hamill, satirizes many Hollywood movies, including the ''Star Wars'' series.

She also co-wrote the TV comedy film ''These Old Broads'' (2001), of which she was also co-executive producer. It starred her mother, Debbie Reynolds, as well as Elizabeth Taylor, Joan Collins and Shirley MacLaine. In this, Taylor's character, an agent, explains to Reynolds' character, an actress, that she was in an alcoholic blackout when she married the actress's husband, "Freddy".

Besides acting and writing original works, Fisher was one of the top script doctors in Hollywood, working on the screenplays of other writers. She has done uncredited polishes on movies starting with ''The Wedding Singer'' and ''Sister Act'', and was hired by the creator of ''Star Wars'', George Lucas, to polish scripts for his 1992 TV series ''The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles''. Her expertise in this area was why she was chosen as one of the interviewers for the screenwriting documentary ''Dreams on Spec'' in 2007. However, during an interview in 2004 she said that she no longer does much script doctoring.

Fisher also voices Peter Griffin's boss Angela on the animated sitcom ''Family Guy'' and appeared in a book of photographs titled ''Hollywood Moms'' (2001) for which she wrote the introduction. Fisher published a sequel to ''Postcards'', ''The Best Awful There Is'' in 2004. In August 2006, Fisher appeared prominently in the audience of the ''Comedy Central's Roast of William Shatner''.

Fisher wrote and performed in her one-woman play ''Wishful Drinking'' at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles from November 7, 2006, to January 14, 2007. Her show played at the Berkeley Repertory Theater through April, 2008, followed by performances in San Jose, California in July 2008, Hartford Stage in August 2008 before moving on to the Arena Stage in Washington, DC in September 2008 and Boston in October 2008. In December, 2008 Fisher published her autobiographical book called ''Wishful Drinking'' based on her successful play and embarked on a media tour. On April 2, 2009, Fisher returned to the stage with her play at the Seattle Repertory Theatre with performances through to May 9, 2009. On October 4, 2009, ''Wishful Drinking'' then opened on Broadway in New York at Studio 54 and played an extended run until January 17, 2010. In December 2009, Fisher's bestselling memoir ''Wishful Drinking'' earned her a nomination for a 2010 Grammy Award in the Best Spoken Word Album category.

In 2007, she was a full-time judge on FOX's filmmaking-competition reality television series ''On the Lot''.

Fisher joined Turner Classic Movies host Robert Osborne on Saturday evenings for ''The Essentials'' with informative and entertaining conversation on Hollywood's best films. She guest-starred in the episode titled "Sex and Another City" from season 3 of ''Sex and the City'' with Sarah Jessica Parker. This episode also featured Vince Vaughn, Hugh Hefner and Sam Seder in a guest role. On October 25, 2007, Fisher guest-starred on ''30 Rock'' for the "Rosemary's Baby" Episode 4 of Season 2 for which she received an Emmy Award nomination. She starred as Rosemary Howard. Her last line in the show was a spoof from ''Star Wars'': "Help me Liz Lemon, You're my only hope!". On April 28, 2008, she was a guest on ''Deal or No Deal''. In 2008, she also had a cameo as a doctor in the Star Wars related comedy ''Fanboys''.

Fisher's ''Wishful Drinking'' will air as a feature-length documentary on HBO.

Fisher will appear on the seventh season of ''Entourage'' in the summer of 2010.

Personal life

Fisher was briefly engaged to the actor and comedian Dan Aykroyd, who proposed on the set of their film ''The Blues Brothers'' in 1980. She has stated: "We had rings, we got blood tests, the whole shot. But then I got back together with Paul Simon."

Fisher dated musician Paul Simon from 1977 until 1983, then was married to him from August 1983 to July 1984, and they dated again for a time after their divorce. During their marriage, she appeared in Simon's music video for the song "Rene and Georgette Magritte with Their Dog after the War". She is referenced in many of Simon's songs, including "Hearts and Bones", "Graceland", "She Moves On" and "Allergies".

Subsequently, she had a relationship with Creative Artists Agency principal and casting agent Bryan Lourd. They had one child together, Billie Catherine Lourd (born July 17, 1992). The couple's relationship ended when Lourd left to be in a homosexual relationship. Though Fisher has described Lourd as her second husband in interviews, according to a 2004 profile of the actress and writer, she and Lourd were never legally married.

Fisher also had a close relationship with James Blunt. While working on his album ''Back to Bedlam'' in 2003, Blunt spent much of his time at Fisher's residence. ''Vanity Fair'''s George Wayne wanted Fisher to explain if their relationship was sexual. Fisher dismissed the suggestion: "Absolutely not, but I did become his therapist. He was a soldier. This boy has seen awful stuff. Every time James hears fireworks or anything like that, his heart beats faster, and he gets 'fight or flight'. You know, he comes from a long line of soldiers dating back to the 10th century. He would tell me these horrible stories. He was a captain, a reconnaissance soldier. I became James’s therapist. So it would have been unethical to sleep with my patient."

On February 26, 2005, R. Gregory "Greg" Stevens, a lobbyist and advisor for the Republican Party, was found dead in Fisher's California home due to an overdose of OxyContin compounded by obstructive sleep apnea. In an interview, Fisher claimed that Stevens' ghost haunted her mansion. Fisher was unsettled by this: "I was a nut for a year," she explained, "and in that year I took drugs again."

Fisher has described herself as an "enthusiastic agnostic who would be happy to be shown that there is a God." She was raised Protestant, but often attends Jewish services, the faith of her father, with Orthodox friends.

Bipolar disorder and drug problems

Fisher has publicly discussed her problems with drugs, her struggle with bipolar disorder, and her overcoming an addiction to prescription medication, most notably on ABC's ''20/20'' and ''The Secret Life of the Manic Depressive'' with Stephen Fry for the BBC. She discussed her new memoir ''Wishful Drinking'' and various topics in it with Matt Lauer on NBC's ''Today'' on December 10, 2008. This interview was followed by a similar appearance on ''The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson'' on December 12, 2008 where she discussed her electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) treatments. She has said that she receives ECT every six weeks to "blow apart the cement" in her brain. Fisher spoke about ''Wishful Drinking'' on NPR's ''Talk of the Nation'' on December 16, 2008. She also spoke about her life and troubles on the NPR quiz show ''Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!'' on January 31, 2009.

Weight problems

In recent years she has been battling weight gain since touring with her one-woman show, topping out at 180 pounds. She's currently the new spokesperson for Jenny Craig, Inc.. Television ads began airing in late January, 2011.

Cocaine addiction

While in Sydney, Australia, Fisher revealed in another interview that she had a cocaine addiction during filming of ''Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back'', and also survived an overdose. "Slowly I realized I was doing a bit more drugs than other people and losing my choice in the matter" she said in an interview.

Filmography

+ Film, television and video games
! Year	! Title	! Role	Notes
1975		Lorna Carp
1977	''Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope''	Princess Leia Organa
1977		Marie	Videotaped TV drama
1978	''Ringo''	Marquine	TV movie
1978	''Leave Yesterday Behind''	Marnie Clarkson	TV movie
1978	''''	Princess Leia Organa	TV movie
1980	''Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back''	Princess Leia Organa
1980	''''	Mystery Woman
1981	''Under the Rainbow''	Annie Clark
1982	''Laverne & Shirley''	Cathy	TV series, episode: "The Playboy Show"
1983	''Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi''	Princess Leia Organa
1984	''Faerie Tale Theatre''	Thumbelina	TV series, episode: "Thumbelina"
1984	''Garbo Talks''	Lisa Rolfe
1984	''Frankenstein''	Elizabeth	TV movie
1985	''From Here to Maternity''	Veronica	TV short
1985	''''	Paula
1985	''George Burns Comedy Week''		TV series, episode: "The Couch"
1985	''Happily Ever After''	Alice Conway	Voice only, TV movie
1986	''Hannah and Her Sisters''	April
1986	''Hollywood Vice Squad''	Betty Melton
1986	''Liberty''	Emma Lazarus	TV movie
1986	''Sunday Drive''	Franny Jessup	TV movie
1987		Laurie McNamara	TV series, episode: "Gershwin's Trunk"
1987	''Paul Reiser Out on a Whim		TV movie
1987	''Amazon Women on the Moon''	Mary Brown	segment "Reckless Youth"
1987	''''	Petra
1988		Nadine Boynton
1989	''The 'burbs	Carol Peterson
1989		Monica Delancy
1989	''Two Daddies''	Alice Conway	Voice only, TV movie
1989	''She's Back''	Beatrice
1989	''When Harry Met Sally...''	Marie
1989	''Trying Times''	Enid	TV series, episode: "Hunger Chic"
1990	''Sweet Revenge''	Linda
1990		Iris Turner-Hunter
1991	''Drop Dead Fred''	Janie
1991	''Soapdish''	Betsy Faye Sharon
1991		Woman kissing on bridge	Uncredited role
1992		Claudia Curtis
1994	''Super Star Wars: Return of the Jedi''	Princess Leia Organa	Video game
1995	''Present Tense, Past Perfect''		TV short
1995	''Frasier''	Phyllis	TV series, episode "Phyllis", voice only
1997	''Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery''	Therapist	Uncredited role
1997	''Gun''	Nancy	TV series, episode: "The Hole"
1998	''Dr, Katz, Professional Therapist''	Roz Katz	TV series, episode: "Thanksgiving"
1999	''Return of the Ewok''		short subject, filmed in 1983
2000	''Scream 3''	Bianca
2001	''These Old Broads''	Hooker	TV movie
2001		Ms. Surpin
2001	''Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back''	Nun
2002	''''
2002	''''	Ellen Tenzer
2003	''Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle''	Mother Superior
2003		Sally Hansen
2003	''Good Morning, Miami''	Judy Silver	TV series, episode: "A Kiss Before Lying"
2003	''Sex and the City''	Herself	TV series, episode: "Sex and Another City"
2004		Mrs. Dubois
2004	''Jack & Bobby''	Madison Skutcher	TV series, episode: "The First Lady"
2005	''Undiscovered''	Carrie
2005	''Smallville''	Pauline Kahn	TV series, episode: "Thirst"
2005	''Romancing the Bride''	Edwina	TV movie
2005-present	''Family Guy''
2007	''Suffering Man's Charity''	Reporter
2007	''Cougar Club''	Glady Goodbey
2007	''Odd Job Jack''	Dr. Finch	TV series, episode: "The Beauty Beast"
2007		Celia's attorney	TV series, episode: "The Brick Dance"
2007	''Side Order of Life''	Dr. Gilbert	TV series, episode:" Funeral for a Phone"
2007	''30 Rock''	Rosemary Howard
2008	''''	Bailey Smith
2009			Cameo appearance
2008		Princess Leia Organa, Mon Mothma, Krayt Dragon's Mother	TV movie, voice only
2009	''White Lightnin'''	Cilla
2009	''Sorority Row''	Mrs. Crenshaw
2010	''Wright vs. Wrong''	Joan Harrington	TV movie
2010		Anna Fowler	TV series, episode "Tequila and Coke"
2010	''Family Guy''	Mon Mothma	TV series, episode: It's a Trap, voice only
2010	''A Quiet Word With ...''	Herself	Australian TV conversation series, season 1, episode 2

Bibliography

;Novels

''Postcards from the Edge'', 1987, ISBN 0-7434-6651-9

''Surrender the Pink'', 1990, ISBN 0-671-66640-1

''Delusions of Grandma'', 1993, ISBN 0-684-85803-7

''Hollywood Moms'', 2001, (introduction)

''The Best Awful There Is'', 2004, ISBN 0-7434-7857-6

;Non-fiction

''Wishful Drinking'', 2008, ISBN 1-4391-0225-2

;Screenplays

''Postcards from the Edge'', 1990

''These Old Broads'', 2001

''E-Girl'' (2007)

''doctored screenplays for "Hook" (1991), "Sister Act" (1992) and "The Wedding Singer" (1998),

;Plays

''Wishful Drinking'', 2006

''Wishful Drinking'', 2008

''A Spy in the House of Me'', 2008

References

External links

Personal Website at CarrieFisher.com

Working the Edge, a 1990 ''Entertainment Weekly'' cover story profiling Fisher

Category:1956 births Category:Actors from California Category:Alumni of the Central School of Speech and Drama Category:American agnostics Category:American film actors Category:American novelists Category:American screenwriters Category:American stage actors Category:American television actors Category:Living people Category:People from Beverly Hills, California Category:People with bipolar disorder Category:Sarah Lawrence College alumni Category:American people of Russian-Jewish descent Category:Women screenwriters Category:Writers from California Category:Children of Entertainers

bg:Кари Фишър cy:Carrie Fisher da:Carrie Fisher de:Carrie Fisher es:Carrie Fisher fa:کری فیشر fr:Carrie Fisher it:Carrie Fisher he:קארי פישר la:Carrie Fisher hu:Carrie Fisher nl:Carrie Fisher ja:キャリー・フィッシャー no:Carrie Fisher nds:Carrie Fisher pl:Carrie Fisher pt:Carrie Fisher ru:Фишер, Кэрри simple:Carrie Fisher sr:Кари Фишер fi:Carrie Fisher sv:Carrie Fisher tl:Carrie Fisher tr:Carrie Fisher

Name	George Lucas
Birth date	May 14, 1944
Birth place	Modesto, California, U.S.
Residence	Marin County, California, U.S.
Nationality	American
Education	Modesto Junior College
Alma mater	University of Southern California (B.A. and B.S.)
Occupation	Chairman & CEO of LucasfilmFilm director, film producer, screenwriter
Years active	1965–present
Influences	*Frank Herbert Joseph Campbell
Net worth	US$3.2 billion (2011)
Home town	Central Valley, California, U.S.
Spouse	Marcia Lucas (1969–1983)
Partner	Mellody Hobson (2007–present) }}

George Walton Lucas, Jr. (born May 14, 1944) is an American film producer, screenwriter, and director, and the founder, chairman and chief executive of Lucasfilm. He is best known as the creator of the space opera franchise ''Star Wars'' and the archaeologist-adventurer character Indiana Jones. Lucas is one of the American film industry's most financially successful directors/producers, with an estimated net worth of $3.2 billion as of 2011.

Early life and education

George Lucas was born in Modesto, California, the son of Dorothy Ellinore (née Bomberger) and George Walton Lucas, Sr. (1913–1991), who owned a stationery store.

Lucas grew up in the Central Valley town of Modesto and his early passion for cars and motor racing would eventually serve as inspiration for his USC student film ''1:42.08'', as well as his Oscar-nominated low-budget phenomenon, ''American Graffiti''. Long before Lucas became obsessed with film making, he wanted to be a race-car driver, and he spent most of his high school years racing on the underground circuit at fairgrounds and hanging out at garages. However, a near-fatal accident in his souped-up Autobianchi Bianchina on June 12, 1962, just days before his high school graduation, quickly changed his mind. Instead of racing, he attended Modesto Junior College and later got accepted into a junior college to study anthropology. While taking liberal arts courses, he developed a passion for cinematography and camera tricks. George Lucas graduated from USC in California.

As a child, Lucas never learned to swim, which became a source of embarrassment and frustration as he became older. Lucas has expressed in several interviews that his inability to swim was "the passion that drove me to succeed in filmmaking... [It] gave me the chip on my shoulder that I think was critical to my later success"

During this time, an experimental filmmaker named Bruce Baillie tacked up a bedsheet in his backyard in 1960 to screen the work of underground, avant-garde 16 mm filmmakers like Jordan Belson, Stan Brakhage and Bruce Conner. For the next few years, Baillie's series, dubbed Canyon Cinema, toured local coffeehouses. These events became a magnet for the teenage Lucas and his boyhood friend John Plummer. The 19-year-olds began slipping away to San Francisco to hang out in jazz clubs and find news of Canyon Cinema screenings in flyers at the City Lights bookstore. Already a promising photographer, Lucas became infatuated with these abstract films.

"That's when he [George] really started exploring" Plummer recalled. "We went to a theater on Union Street that shows art films, we drove up to San Francisco State for a film festival, and there was an old beatnik coffeehouse in Cow Hollow with shorts that were really out there." It was a season of awakening for Lucas, who had been an uninterested slacker in high school. At an autocross track, Lucas met his first mentor in the film industry — famed cinematographer Haskell Wexler, a fellow aficionado of sleek racing machines. Wexler was impressed by the way the shy teenager handled a camera, cradling it low on his hips to get better angles. "George had a very good eye, and he thought visually," Wexler recalls.

Lucas then transferred to the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts. USC was one of the earliest universities to have a school devoted to motion picture film. During the years at USC, George Lucas shared a dorm room with Randal Kleiser. Along with classmates such as Walter Murch, Hal Barwood and John Milius, they became a clique of film students known as The Dirty Dozen. He also became very good friends with fellow acclaimed student filmmaker and future ''Indiana Jones'' collaborator, Steven Spielberg. Lucas was deeply influenced by the Filmic Expression course taught at the school by filmmaker Lester Novros which concentrated on the non-narrative elements of Film Form like color, light, movement, space, and time. Another huge inspiration was the Serbian montagist (and dean of the USC Film Department) Slavko Vorkapich, a film theoretician comparable in historical importance to Sergei Eisenstein, who moved to Hollywood to make stunning montage sequences for studio features at MGM, RKO, and Paramount. Vorkapich taught the autonomous nature of the cinematic art form, emphasizing the unique dynamic quality of movement and kinetic energy inherent in motion pictures.

Lucas saw many inspiring films in class, particularly the visual films coming out of the National Film Board of Canada like Arthur Lipsett's 21-87, the French-Canadian cameraman Jean-Claude Labrecque's cinéma vérité ''60 Cycles'', the work of Norman McLaren, and the documentaries of Claude Jutra. Lucas fell madly in love with pure cinema and quickly became prolific at making 16 mm nonstory noncharacter visual tone poems and cinéma vérité with such titles as ''Look at Life'', ''Herbie'', ''1:42.08'', ''The Emperor'', ''Anyone Lived in a Pretty (how) Town'', ''Filmmaker'', and ''6-18-67''. He was passionate and interested in camerawork and editing, defining himself as a filmmaker as opposed to being a director, and he loved making abstract visual films that create emotions purely through cinema.

''Star Wars'' quickly became the highest-grossing film of all-time, displaced five years later by Spielberg’s ''E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial''. During the filming of ''Star Wars'', Lucas waived his up-front fee as director and negotiated to own the licensing rights (for novelizations, T-shirts, toys, etc.) —rights which the studio thought were nearly worthless . This decision earned him hundreds of millions of dollars , as he was able to directly profit from all the licensed games, toys, and collectibles created for the franchise. This accumulated capital enabled him to finance the sequel himself.

Over the two decades after the first ''Star Wars'' film, Lucas worked extensively as a writer and/or producer, including the many Star Wars spinoffs made for film, TV, and other media. He acted as executive producer for the next two ''Star Wars'' films, assigning the direction of ''The Empire Strikes Back'' to Irvin Kershner and ''Return of the Jedi'' to Richard Marquand, while receiving a story credit on the former and sharing a screenwriting credit with Lawrence Kasdan on the latter. Lucas also acted as executive producer and story writer on all four of the ''Indiana Jones'' films, which he convinced his colleague and good friend, Steven Spielberg, to direct. Other notable projects as a producer or executive producer in this period include Kurosawa's ''Kagemusha'' (1980), Lawrence Kasdan's ''Body Heat'' (1981), Jim Henson's ''Labyrinth'' (1986), Godfrey Reggio's ''Powaqqatsi'' (1986) and the animated film ''The Land Before Time'' (1988). There were also some less successful projects, however, including ''More American Graffiti'' (1979), the ill-fated ''Howard the Duck'' (1986), which was arguably the biggest flop of his career; ''Willow'' (1988, which Lucas also wrote); and Coppola's ''Tucker: The Man and His Dream'' (1988). Between 1992 and 1996, Lucas served as executive producer for the television spinoff ''The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles''. In 1997, for the 20th anniversary of ''Star Wars,'' Lucas went back to his trilogy to enhance and add certain scenes using newly available digital technology. These new versions were released in theaters as the Star Wars Trilogy: Special Edition. For DVD releases in 2004, this series has received further revisions to make them congruent with the prequel trilogy. Besides the additions to the Star Wars franchise, Lucas released Special Edition director's cuts of THX 1138 and American Graffiti containing a number of CGI revisions.

The animation studio Pixar was founded as the Graphics Group , one third of the Computer Division of Lucasfilm. Pixar's early computer graphics research resulted in groundbreaking effects in films such as ''Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan'' and ''Young Sherlock Holmes'', and the group was purchased in 1986 by Steve Jobs shortly after he left Apple after a power struggle at Apple Computer. Jobs paid U.S. $5 million to Lucas and put U.S. $5 million as capital into the company. The sale reflected Lucas' desire to stop the cash flow losses from his 7-year research projects associated with new entertainment technology tools, as well as his company's new focus on creating entertainment products rather than tools. A contributing factor was cash-flow difficulties following Lucas' 1983 divorce concurrent with the sudden dropoff in revenues from ''Star Wars'' licenses following the release of ''Return of the Jedi''.

The sound-equipped system, THX Ltd, was founded by Lucas and Tomlinson Holman . The company was formerly owned by Lucasfilm, and contains equipment for stereo, digital, and theatrical sound for films, and music. Skywalker Sound and Industrial Light & Magic, the sound and visual effects subdivisions of Lucasfilm, respectively, have become among the most respected firms in their fields . Lucasfilm Games, later renamed LucasArts, is well respected in the gaming industry .

In 1994, Lucas began work on the screenplay for the prequel ''The Phantom Menace'', which would be the first film he had directed in over two decades. ''The Phantom Menace'' was released in 1999, beginning a new trilogy of Star Wars films. Lucas also directed ''Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones'' and ''Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith'' which were released in 2002 and 2005, respectively. Numerous critics considered these films inferior to the previously released ''Star Wars'', ''The Empire Strikes Back'', and ''Return of the Jedi''.

In 2008, he reteamed with Spielberg for ''Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull''.

Lucas currently serves as executive producer for ''Star Wars: The Clone Wars'', an animated television series on Cartoon Network, which was preceded by a feature film of the same name. He is also working on a so-far untitled Star Wars live-action series.

For the film ''Red Tails'' (2010), Lucas serves as story-writer and executive producer. He also took over direction of reshoots while director Anthony Hemingway worked on other projects. Lucas is working on his first musical, an untitled CGI project being produced at Skywalker Ranch. Kevin Munroe is directing and David Berenbaum wrote the screenplay.

Awards

In 1991, The George Lucas Educational Foundation was founded as a nonprofit operating foundation to celebrate and encourage innovation in schools. The Foundation's content is available under the brand Edutopia, in an award-winning web site and via documentary films. Lucas, through his foundation, was one of the leading proponents of the E-rate program in the universal service fund, which was enacted as part of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. On June 24, 2008, Lucas testified before the United States House of Representatives subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet as the head of his Foundation to advocate for a free wireless broadband educational network.

The American Film Institute awarded Lucas its Life Achievement Award on June 9, 2005. This was shortly after the release of ''Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith'', about which he joked stating that, since he views the entire ''Star Wars'' series as one film, he could actually receive the award now that he had finally "gone back and finished the movie."

On June 5, 2005, Lucas was named among the 100 "Greatest Americans" by the Discovery Channel.

Lucas was nominated for four Academy Awards: Best Directing and Writing for ''American Graffiti'', and Best Directing and Writing for ''Star Wars''. He received the Academy's Irving G. Thalberg Award in 1991. He appeared at the 79th Academy Awards ceremony in 2007 with Steven Spielberg and Francis Ford Coppola to present the Best Director award to their friend Martin Scorsese. During the speech, Spielberg and Coppola talked about the joy of winning an Oscar, making fun of Lucas, who has not won a competitive Oscar.

In 2005, Lucas gave US$1 million to help build the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial on the National Mall in Washington D.C. to commemorate American civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. On September 19, 2006, USC announced that George Lucas had donated $175–180 million to his alma mater to expand the film school. It is the largest single donation to USC and the largest gift to a film school anywhere. Previous donations led to the already existing George Lucas Instructional Building and Marcia Lucas Post-Production building.

On January 1, 2007 George Lucas served as the Grand Marshal for the 2007 Tournament of Roses Parade, and made the coin toss at the 2007 Rose Bowl.

On August 25, 2009, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver announced that Lucas would be one of 13 California Hall of Fame inductees in The California Museum's yearlong exhibit. The induction ceremony was on December 1, 2009 in Sacramento, California.

On September 6, 2009, Lucas was in Venice to present to the Pixar team the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement during the 2009 Biennale Venice Film Festival.

Personal life

In 1969, Lucas married film editor Marcia Lou Griffin, who went on to win an Academy Award for her editing work on the original ''Star Wars'' film. George and Marcia adopted a daughter, Amanda, in 1981, and divorced in 1983. Lucas has since adopted two more children: Katie, born in 1988, and Jett, born in 1993. All three of his children have appeared in the three ''Star Wars'' prequels, as has Lucas himself. Lucas had been in a long relationship with and engaged to singer Linda Ronstadt. He has been dating Mellody Hobson, president of Ariel Investments, since 2006 and she has accompanied him to several events including the 79th Academy Awards ceremony in February 2007, an American Film Institute event in October 2007, the 2008 Cannes Film Festival held in May, and the 2010 Golden Globes.

Lucas was born and raised in a strong Methodist family. The religious and mythical themes in ''Star Wars'' were inspired by Lucas' interest in the writings of mythologist Joseph Campbell, and he would eventually come to identify strongly with the Eastern religious philosophies he studied and incorporated into his films, which were a major inspiration for "the Force." Lucas eventually came to state that his religion was "Buddhist Methodist". Lucas resides in Marin County.

Lucas has said that he is a fan of Seth MacFarlane's hit TV show ''Family Guy''. MacFarlane has said that Lucasfilm was extremely helpful when the ''Family Guy'' crew wanted to parody their works.

Lucas has pledged to give half of his fortune to charity as part of an effort called The Giving Pledge led by Bill Gates and Warren Buffett to persuade America's richest individuals to donate their financial wealth to charities.

Filmography

References

Sources

Rinzler, J.W. "The Making of Star Wars, The Definitive Story Behind the Original Film", Ebury Press, 2007.

Silberman, Steve "Life After Darth" Wired, November, 2005

"George Lucas: Interviews" University Press of Mississippi (February 16, 2007)

The Cinema of George Lucas (Hardcover) by Marcus Hearn, Publisher: Harry N. Abrams (March 1, 2005)

Michael Rubin, "Droidmaker: George Lucas and the Digital Revolution" (2005) [ISBN 0937404675]

External links

George Lucas biography at Lucasfilm.com

George Lucas biography at World Business Forum where Lucas is a featured speaker for the 2009 event

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