Detail from The Procession of the Trojan Horse in Troy by Domenico Tiepolo (1773), inspired by Virgil's Aeneid

The Trojan Horse is a tale from the Trojan War about the stratagem that allowed the Greeks finally to enter the city of Troy and end the conflict. In the canonical version, after a fruitless 10-year siege, the Greeks constructed a huge wooden horse, and hid a select force of men inside. The Greeks pretended to sail away, and the Trojans pulled the horse into their city as a victory trophy. That night the Greek force crept out of the horse and opened the gates for the rest of the Greek army, which had sailed back under cover of night. The Greeks entered and destroyed the city of Troy, decisively ending the war.

The main ancient source for the story is the Aeneid of Virgil, a Latin epic poem from the time of Augustus. The event does not occur in Homer's Iliad, which ends before the fall of the city, but is referred to in the Odyssey. In the Greek tradition, the horse is called the "Wooden Horse" (Δούρειος Ἵππος, Doúreios Híppos, in the Homeric Ionic dialect).

Metaphorically a "Trojan Horse" has come to mean any trick or stratagem that causes a target to invite a foe into a securely protected bastion or space. It is also associated with "malware" computer programs presented as useful or harmless to induce the user to install and run them.

Literary accounts [link]

Sinon is brought to Priam, from folio 101r of the Roman Vergil

According to Quintus Smyrnaeus, Odysseus came up with the idea of building a great wooden horse (the horse being the emblem of Troy), hiding a select force inside, and fooling the Trojans into wheeling the horse into the city as a trophy. Under the leadership of Epeios, the Greeks built the wooden horse in three days. Odysseus' plan called for one man to remain outside of the horse; he would act as though the Greeks abandoned him, leaving the horse as a gift for the Trojans. A Greek soldier named Sinon was the only volunteer for the role. Virgil describes the actual encounter between Sinon and the Trojans: Sinon successfully convinces the Trojans that he has been left behind and that the Greeks are gone. Sinon tells the Trojans that the Horse is an offering to the goddess Athena, meant to atone for the previous desecration of her temple at Troy by the Greeks, and ensure a safe journey home for the Greek fleet. The Horse was built on such a huge size to prevent the Trojans from taking the offering into their city, and thus garnering the favor of Athena for themselves.

While questioning Sinon, the Trojan priest Laocoön guesses the plot and warns the Trojans, in Virgil's famous line "Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes" (I fear Greeks even those bearing gifts),^[1] which became known as 'beware of Greeks bearing gifts," Danaos being the ones who built the Trojan Horse. However, the god Poseidon sent two sea serpents to strangle him and his sons Antiphantes and Thymbraeus, before any Trojan believes his warning. According to Apollodorus it was Apollo who sent the two serpents since Laocoon had insulted Apollo by sleeping with his wife in front of the "divine image".^[2] Helen of Troy also guesses the plot and tries to trick and uncover the Greek men inside the horse by imitating the voices of their wives. Anticlus would have answered, but Odysseus shut his mouth with his hand.^[3] King Priam's daughter Cassandra, the soothsayer of Troy, insists that the horse would be the downfall of the city and its royal family. She too is ignored, hence their doom and loss of the war.^[4]

This incident is mentioned in the Odyssey:

What a thing was this, too, which that mighty man wrought and endured in the carven horse, wherein all we chiefs of the Argives were sitting, bearing to the Trojans death and fate! 4.271 ff

But come now, change thy theme, and sing of the building of the horse of wood, which Epeius made with Athena's help, the horse which once Odysseus led up into the citadel as a thing of guile, when he had filled it with the men who sacked Ilion . 8.487 ff (trans. Samuel Butler)

The most detailed and most familiar version is in Virgil's Aeneid, Book II [1] (trans. A. S. Kline).

After many years have slipped by, the leaders of the Greeks,
opposed by the Fates, and damaged by the war,
build a horse of mountainous size, through Pallas’s divine art,
and weave planks of fir over its ribs:
they pretend it’s a votive offering: this rumour spreads.
They secretly hide a picked body of men, chosen by lot,
there, in the dark body, filling the belly and the huge
cavernous insides with armed warriors.
[...]
Then Laocoön rushes down eagerly from the heights
of the citadel, to confront them all, a large crowd with him,
and shouts from far off: ‘O unhappy citizens, what madness?
Do you think the enemy’s sailed away? Or do you think
any Greek gift’s free of treachery? Is that Ulysses’s reputation?
Either there are Greeks in hiding, concealed by the wood,
or it’s been built as a machine to use against our walls,
or spy on our homes, or fall on the city from above,
or it hides some other trick: Trojans, don’t trust this horse.
Whatever it is, I’m afraid of Greeks even those bearing gifts.’

Book II includes Laocoön saying: "Equo ne credite, Teucri. Quidquid id est, timeo Danaos et dona ferentes." ("Do not trust the horse, Trojans! Whatever it is, I fear the Greeks, even bringing gifts.")

Well before Virgil, the story is also alluded to in Greek classical literature. In Euripides' play Trojan Women, written in 415 B.C., the god Poseidon proclaims, “For, from his home beneath Parnassus, Phocian Epeus, aided by the craft of Pallas, framed a horse to bear within its womb an armed host, and sent it within the battlements, fraught with death; whence in days to come men shall tell of 'the wooden horse,' with its hidden load of warriors.”^[5]

Men in the horse[link]

Thirty soldiers hid in the Trojan horse's belly and two spies in its mouth. Other sources give different numbers: The Bibliotheca 50;^[6] Tzetzes 23;^[7] and Quintus Smyrnaeus gives the names of thirty, but says there were more.^[8] In late tradition the number was standardized at 40. Their names follow:^[9]

Factual explanations [link]

Heinrich Schliemann

According to Homer, Troy stood overlooking the Hellespont – a channel of water that separates Asia Minor and Europe. In the 1870s, Heinrich Schliemann set out to find it.^[10] Following Homer's description, he started to dig at Hisarlik in Turkey and uncovered the ruins of several cities, built one on top of the other. Several of the cities had been destroyed violently, but it was not clear which, if any, was Homer's Troy. In his enthusiasm for digging down into the lowest (and therefore oldest) layer of settlement (Troy of 2500 B.C.)Schliemann actually destroyed a large portion of the preceding layers, including the Troy of the Homeric Iliad.

Pausanias, who lived in the 2nd century AD, wrote in his book Description of Greece "That the work of Epeius was a contrivance to make a breach in the Trojan wall is known to everybody who does not attribute utter silliness to the Phrygians"^[11] where, by Phrygians, he means the Trojans.

There has been modern speculation that the Trojan Horse may have been a battering ram resembling, to some extent, a horse, and that the description of the use of this device was then transformed into a myth by later oral historians who were not present at the battle and were unaware of that meaning of the name. Assyrians at the time used siege machines with animal names; it is possible that the Trojan Horse was such.^[12]

It has also been suggested that the Trojan Horse actually represents an earthquake that occurred between the wars that could have weakened Troy's walls and left them open for attack.^[13] The deity Poseidon had a triple function as a god of the sea, of horses, and of earthquakes. Structural damage on Troy VI – its location being the same as that represented in Homer's Iliad and the artifacts found there suggesting it was a place of great trade and power – shows signs that there was indeed an earthquake. Generally, though, Troy VIIa is believed to be Homer's Troy (see below).

Some authors have suggested that the gift was not a horse with warriors hiding inside, but a boat carrying a peace envoy,^[14] and it has also been noted that the terms used to put men in the horse are those used when describing the embarkation of men on a ship.^[15]

Images[link]

This section requires expansion.

The Mykonos vase, with one of the earliest known renditions of the Trojan Horse

There are three known surviving classical depictions of the Trojan horse. The earliest is on a fibula brooch dated about 700 BC. The other two are on relief pithos vases from the adjoining Grecian islands Mykonos and Tinos, both usually dated between 675 and 650 BC, the one from Mykonos being known as the Mykonos Vase.^[16][17] Historian Michael Wood, however, dates the Mykonos Vase to the 8th century BC, some 500 years after the supposed time of the war, but before the written accounts attributed by tradition to Homer. Wood concludes from that evidence that the story of the Trojan Horse was in existence prior to the writing of those accounts.^[18]

• 

  At the Istanbul Archaeological Museum in Istanbul, Turkey

• 

  At the Schliemann Museum in Ankershagen, Germany

• 

  From the movie Troy

• 

  A modern interpretation at the Troja-Ausstellung (Troy Fair) in Stuttgart, Germany (May 2001)

Notes[link]

External links[link]

Media related to Trojan horse at Wikimedia Commons

The Chaser are an Australian satirical comedian group, known for their television programmes on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation channel. The group take their name from their production of satirical newspaper, a publication known to challenge conventions of taste. The group's motto is "Striving for Mediocrity in a World of Excellence".^[2]

The Chaser[link]

The Chaser's earliest foundations were Charles Firth, Dominic Knight, and Chas Licciardello who went to Sydney Grammar School together and produced a small satirical school magazine entitled The Tiger.^[3] Later on, Firth and Knight met Craig Reucassel and Julian Morrow at the University of Sydney. Firth, Knight, Reucassel, Morrow, Licciardello, and later Chaser members Chris Taylor and Andrew Hansen all went to the University of Sydney. Firth, Knight, Reucassel and Morrow began writing for the University of Sydney student newspaper entitled Honi Soit.^[4] In 1999 the four members began The Chaser and their first newspaper project entitled The Chaser.^[5] The Chaser members are:

• Charles Firth. Firth decided in 1999 that the founding members should produce a newspaper, in an attempt not to "grow up". Firth was the main person who got the project underway and was at the helm of the newspaper until its collapse in 2005.^[4][6] Firth appeared in The Chaser's television and radio productions until 2004. In 2005, Firth moved to the United States so his wife could finish her PhD.^[7] Firth, however, became The Chaser's American correspondent for the 2006 series of The Chaser's War on Everything and wrote a book titled American Hoax.^[8] Firth did some final stunts in America for the 2007 series in late 2006 and early 2007, before returning to Australia and going solo.^[9] Firth then began his own satirical newspaper The Manic Times in 2007, which collapsed soon after and now exists online.^[6]

• Dominic Knight was one of the founding members of the team. He appeared and starred in the 2001 series of The Election Chaser and the 2005 mini series Chaser News Alert. He also performed in the stage shows. He normally writes and does not perform for The Chaser's television shows.

• Julian Morrow. He became the executive producer of the television series after Andrew Denton left the role in 2004.^[10]

• Craig Reucassel was a founding member of the team.

• Chas Licciardello, who had attended Sydney Grammar School with Firth and Knight, started to work on The Chaser newspaper in 1999, but did not take any credit for his work. However when the newspaper started to go well, he was happy to put his name to his work. Licciardello refers to himself as a writer and not a performer, which is why he does the ‘edgier’ stunts in the television series. He states that he is not very talented and therefore does “lots of dodgy material”.^[11]

• Chris Taylor had gone to the University of Sydney but never personally knew the four founding members. He moved to Melbourne under a cadetship with the ABC doing journalism. Taylor approached The Chaser, based in Sydney, and asked if they took contributions and The Chaser accepted them. Taylor spent two years emailing his articles to The Chaser, and then quit his job to do a television series based on the 2001 Australian federal election with The Chaser and became a member of The Chaser.^[5][12] Taylor was the anchor with Reucassel in their television productions CNNNN, The Chaser Decides and The Chaser’s War on Everything and worked as the script editor for the television shows.^[13]

• Andrew Hansen worked with some of The Chaser members at the University of Sydney while studying literature and history, performing in their early revues. Hansen started working with the online Chaser website in 2000 writing columns for his shITe section, which looked at the worst of the internet. After two years, he was considered for a part in the Chaser’s 2002 television series, for the content on shITe. After The Election Chaser in 2001, The Chaser decided they needed a performer in the team. Hansen then joined in the group in 2002.^[4][14]

The Chaser projects[link]

[edit] The Chaser newspaper

The newspaper, first published in 1999, was The Chaser team's first enterprise. The Chaser only had a limited fan base, with the average sales numbers per issue well under 30,000. When their newspaper was shown as a lead story in all major Australian news broadcasts, not only was the headline widely spread, the concept and the popularity of the newspaper leapt dramatically.

Founding contributors to the newspaper include Gregor Stronach, Johanna Featherstone, Sholto Macpherson, Matt Taylor, David Stewart, and Arion McNicoll. Later contributors include Kara Greiner, Richard Cooke, Shane Cubis, and Tim Brunero. Cartoonists Fiona Katauskas and Andrew Weldon drew for the newspaper from its early days.^[15]

The Chaser and its writers had its first major controversy when their 21 February 2003 edition published Prime Minister John Howard’s private home number on its front page with the headline "Howard ignores the people. So call him at home on (02) 9922 6189". The release of the number comes after Howard’s attitude to half a million protesters recently marching for peace. Howard’s number was blocked by the afternoon after receiving many calls in the morning and federal police had been to The Chaser headquarters. The Chaser have stated they received the phone number via an SMS message in 2002.^[5][16]

The Chaser have released five annuals based on The Chaser newspaper:

• The Chaser Annual 2000: The Little-Read Book
• The Chaser Annual 2001: Bradman, The Cremated Years
• The Chaser Annual 2002: The War on Error
• Embedded with The Chaser: Annual 2003
• The Chaser Annual 2004: Intelligence Failures

After six years of publication The Chaser decided that, due to an inability to meet production costs and failing audiences, they would cease publication of the newspaper. The paper, which originally circulated fortnightly, was being released more sporadically and their 91st and final paper was released on 6 February 2005. The Chaser still planned to continue their writing online and to continue to write their annuals.^[16]

The Chaser has since released six annuals and a "best of" annual which compiled the best of the five preceding annuals:

• The Chaser Annual 2005: By Dan Brown
• 50 Golden Years of The Chaser - 1955-2005
• The Chaser Annual 2006: Burqa's Backyard
• The Chaser Annual 2007: The Other Secret
• The Chaser Annual 2008: The Little Rudd Book
• The Chaser Annual 2009: The Email Eunuch
• The Chaser Annual 2010: Eat Pray Vomit

Current writers online are Richard Cooke, Shane Cubis, Dominic Knight, Chas Licciardello, Julian Morrow, and Craig Reucassel with additional material provided by Scott Dooley, Lisa Pryor, David Stewart, Gregor Stronach, and Chris Taylor.^[17]

The Chaser on television and radio[link]

After two years of their satirical newspaper, which also included various radio roles, The Chaser had attracted the attention of Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) star Andrew Denton. Denton signed them with ABC and stated "They've got the talent, the work ethic, the fearlessness, the desire". Denton then helped the Chaser to perform their first television program The Election Chaser, on ABC TV, which was to be based on the 2001 Australian federal election and in the format of the national tallyroom. Four episodes were broadcast and the show was nominated for the 2002 Logie for "Most Outstanding Comedy Program".^[18] Denton acted as executive producer and script editor for The Election Chaser and would also do so for CNNNN.^[10][19]

The Chaser team have gone on to create other television shows for ABC TV, including the Logie Award winning CNNNN in 2002-3 and The Chaser Decides in 2004. CNNNN was a satire of not only the popular American news networks CNN and Fox News, but also incorporated Australian and world current affairs into the programme. The Election Chaser inspired a similar programme covering the 2004 election, The Chaser Decides. The coverage, as with all the Chaser productions, was satirical, but a different view on the way the election was covered by the local media.

The Chaser Decides returned again in 2007 to cover the 24 November election. It purported to be broadcasting from Australian Electoral Commission's National Tally Room.

In 2004-5, Taylor and Reucassel hosted the Triple J radio drive programme Today Today. In 2005 the rest of the team produced Chaser News Alert (CNA), aired on ABC2. Episodes of this series were only a few minutes long. Between July 2006 and January 2007 Taylor and Reucassel returned to Triple J to host Bloody Sunday, filling the This Sporting Life time slot while Roy & HG were on leave from the station. Chas Licciardello and Knight also did a brief fill in show on Triple M called Chas and Dom from 'The Chaser'.

Cirque du Chaser[link]

In March 2005, The Chaser members, with the exception of Firth but with CNNNN collaborator Rebecca De Unamuno, wrote and performed a stage production for the Sydney Big Laugh Comedy Festival. Cirque du Chaser, the name a parody of Cirque du Soleil, was performed to eight sell-out audiences which performed stand up comedy, sketches, live music, and video satire. The Chaser then took the show on a national tour which was also sold out. Cirque du Chaser gave the team confidence to perform in front of a live audience in their new television show, which would be similar to the stage show.^[20][21] The Chaser filmed a pilot for ABC TV in mid 2005 under the working title Hey, Hey it’s the Chaser.^[22]

The Chaser's War on Everything[link]

The Chaser team signed a contract with the ABC to produce 27 half-hour episodes for 2006, which would be based on news reviews, studio monologues and confrontations with politicians, celebrities, and business leaders. The project would be performed in front of a live audience compared with their previous news format television productions and was named The Chaser's War on Everything.^[23] The first season of The Chaser's War on Everything premiered on ABC TV on 17 February 2006 at 9:45 pm.^[24] The series aired late on Friday evenings where it developed a cult following, getting an average national audience of between 591,000 and 821,000 viewers each episode.^[25] The last episode of the 2006 season was broadcast on 8 September 2006.

The first thirteen episodes of the first season were released on DVD on 17 August 2006. The release included commentary by The Chaser and the show's crew and included bonus features and unaired scenes.^[26][27] The second DVD for the first season contained the latter thirteen episodes. It was in the same format of the first DVD and was released on 1 November 2006.^[28]

The Chaser's War on Everything returned for a second season on Wednesday, 28 March 2007 at 9pm, moving from their Friday night timeslot. It regularly attracted more than a million viewers per episode.^[29]

After 20 June episode of season two, the Chaser team suspended the series for ten weeks, so the usual production run time of twenty-six episodes per year did not conclude before the 2007 Australian Federal Election.^[30] The second season returned on 5 September 2007.

The Chaser then announced^[31] that The Chaser's War On Everything was on hold during 2008, with a new (ten episode) series in 2009 which began airing on Wednesday, 27 May 2009. In 2008, the team (without Chris Taylor, but plus writer Dominic Knight) toured Australia with a stage show, The Chaser's Age of Terror Variety Hour, produced in conjunction with Laughing Stock.

On 29 July 2009, the final episode of The War was broadcast.

The Blow Parade[link]

The Blow Parade^[32] is a comedy series performed by Andrew Hansen, Chris Taylor, and Craig Schuftan, originally premiering on the radio station Triple J on 28 April 2010. This 5-part series satirises the music industry, music journalism and syndicated golden-oldie radio shows. Each episode, the host Captain Blow (Hansen) guides listeners through the making of a classic album from yesteryear, from bands that don’t actually exist. The series was written by Chris Taylor, with music by Andrew Hansen, and was produced by Craig Schuftan. It was released on CD and through the iTunes Store Australia with bonus tracks. The musicians included Triple J's Lindsay McDougall (guitar) and Chaser member Dominic Knight (bass).^[33] The CD of the series won the 2010 ARIA Award for Best Comedy Release.^[34]

Yes We Canberra![link]

The ABC confirmed reports in July 2010 that The Chaser would return with a new series covering the Australian federal election.^[35]

The new programme, entitled Yes We Canberra!, was formally announced on 12 July. The ABC said that the series would air weekly during the election campaign, with a further episode after the election.^[36] It purports to be an audience warm-up for the ABC's flagship current affairs program Lateline (which does not actually have a studio audience). After the Election date was announced (21 August), it was revealed that the show will premiere on 28 July. A DVD was released 15 September 2010.^[37] The Chaser - Election Collection containing all the election shows was released 2 December 2010.

The Chaser's Royal Wedding Commentary[link]

Originally set to air on 29 April 2011 on ABC2, a Chaser special was to be shown based on the Wedding of Prince William of Wales and Kate Middleton featuring live commentary from the team members. However the ABC were advised by the BBC and APTN to pull the show from being aired. In response to the decision by the ABC, Julian Morrow from the Chaser said, "For a monarchy to be issuing decrees about how the media should cover them seems quite out of keeping with modern democratic times... but I suppose that's exactly what the monarchy is."^[38] APTN is a private enterprise. The BBC is a corporation, independent from direct government intervention, with its activities being overseen by the BBC Trust.^[39]

The Hamster Wheel[link]

In August 2011 the ABC confirmed a new 8-episode series called The Hamster Wheel to air later in the year.^[40] The series aims to "examine the contemporary media landscape, where everyone from journalists to political fixers is perpetually at risk of spinning out of control".^[41] The show premiered on ABC1 on October 5.^[42]

Members involved in projects[link]

The Chaser productions[link]

Other TV series featuring two or more members[link]

Public reactions[link]

In July 2006, Licciardello faced charges of "offensive conduct" from the New South Wales Police Force, after turning up at a rugby league football match between the Canterbury Bulldogs and the St George Illawarra Dragons on 14 July 2006 dressed up as a Bulldogs fan and attempting to sell fake knives, knuckledusters and balaclavas for a War on Everything sketch.^[46][47]

In April 2007, a 15 year old boy duped YouTube into deleting all clips posted from The Chaser's War On Everything by claiming to be a representative of the ABC.^[48] They were later reinstated.

At the 2007 Logie Awards some of the Chaser team were "manhandled" by Crown Casino security staff on the red carpet before being closely supervised for the rest of the evening.^[49]

During Dick Cheney's visit to Australia in 2007, members of The Chaser team were included on the official list of terrorists, anarchists, and protesters deemed to pose a threat to the US Vice-President.^[50]

The Chaser team gained notoriety and considerable media attention over "The Eulogy Song", written by Chris Taylor and performed by Andrew Hansen on the 17 October 2007 episode of The Chaser's War On Everything. The song satirised the media's posthumous praise of deceased celebrities, regardless of their behaviour in life, and mentioned among others John Lennon, Peter Brock, Stan Zemanek, Princess Diana, Steve Irwin, Donald Bradman, and Kerry Packer. The song attracted comment from both the media and politicians including Kevin Rudd and John Howard, the latter of whom used reference to the song in remarks during a sketch later aired on the programme.^[51]

APEC arrest[link]

Morrow and Licciardello were arrested by NSW Police on 6 September 2007 outside the InterContinental Hotel after driving a fake motorcade through the Sydney central business district and breaching an APEC security zone.^[52] The Chaser crew entered a secure area by masquerading as the motorcade of the Canadian delegation to APEC. They were arrested by police after Licciardello emerged from the car dressed as Osama bin Laden, near the hotel where U.S. President George W. Bush was staying.^[53] They were subsequently detained, taken to Surry Hills Police Station for questioning and charged with "entering a restricted area without special justification" under the APEC Meeting (Police Powers) Act 2007.^[54][55] Licciardello, Morrow and the nine other production members were released on bail to appear in court on 4 October 2007.^[56] If found guilty, they were liable to serve a maximum 6 months imprisonment, or a maximum 2 years imprisonment if they also had possession or control of a prohibited item with no special justification.^[57] The Chaser team issued a statement on 6 September that they had been given permission by police officers to enter the restricted area.^[58] Under section 37(2)(b) of the legislation a person has special justification to be in an area if "the person is required, authorised or permitted to be in the area by the Commissioner or a police officer". Subsequently, the hearing was adjourned until 5 December 2007 at the request of ABC lawyers.^[59] The charges were dropped near the end of April 2008.

The day after the APEC stunt, police questioned Craig Reucassel, Chris Taylor and Dominic Knight and a film crew from the Chaser after they were involved in a second stunt in central Sydney.^[60] The three were released by police after being briefly questioned for carrying around black cardboard boxes dressed up as limousines.

The 'Make a Realistic Wish Foundation' skit[link]

On 3 June 2009 episode, Taylor and Hansen were involved in a skit which was set in a terminally ill children's ward of a hospital, which centered around a spokesman (Taylor) portraying himself along with a doctor (Hansen), from the fictional 'Make a Realistic Wish Foundation' (a spoof of the real Make-a-Wish Foundation). The premise of the skit was that if the terminally ill children are only going to live for a few more months before passing away, it is not worth spending money on lavish gifts for them. The one minute long sketch featured Taylor giving one girl a pencil case instead of a trip to Disneyland. Then along the same lines, Hansen gave another girl a stick instead of a meeting with Zac Efron. The skit concluded with Taylor stating "Why go to any trouble, when they're only gonna die anyway". A similar skit had already been performed in sketch titled "A Reasonable Request Foundation" aired on comedy show The Mansion on Foxtel the previous year.

The reaction to the sketch from media commentators was mostly negative.^{[citation needed]} Then-Prime Minister Kevin Rudd stated that The Chaser team "should hang their heads in shame". He went on to say that "I didn't see that but it's been described to me...I actually don't mind The Chaser taking the mickey out of me or any other politician, at any time and any place....But having a go at kids with a terminal illness is really beyond the pale, absolutely beyond the pale."^[61] That morning, the Chaser team along with the ABC managing director, Mark Scott, apologised for airing the skit, with Scott stating that "We have unreservedly apologised for airing that skit,...It's very clear today from the reaction that it's caused considerable offence and distress, particularly to parents of children that are seriously ill....I've spoken to Julian Morrow from The Chaser and my understanding is that certainly wasn't the intention of the script, but that's the consequences of it." The ABC will now change their procedures for reviewing episode content which gets broadcast. Scott continued, "We're going to look at those processes ... I mean we all know that The Chaser push the edges and it's a tightrope that we walk, and I suppose there are many, many skits that they've put to air that have offended someone along the way - that's part of the nature of the satirical and black comedy that they do." The skit has also been cut from any further television airings.^[62] The ABC announced on Friday that The Chaser's War on Everything will be suspended for 2 weeks. This was relayed via a message by The Chaser on their website, who stated that whilst they disagree with the decision to suspend the show, they apologise for making the skit, acknowledging that it went too far.^[63]

ABC's Managing Director announced on 2009-06-10 that the ABC's Head of Comedy, Amanda Duthie, had been removed from her position after a review of the process which led to the skit being broadcast.^[64] He was quoted as saying, "The segment should not have been broadcast. We recognise that it caused unnecessary and unreasonable hurt and offence to our viewers and the broader community and we have apologised for this," adding, "This was an error of judgement." Ms Duthie will continue to be responsible for Arts and Entertainment programs.

In their first episode after being suspended, the Chaser team acknowledged they had made a mistake broadcasting the skit. Later on in the show, they recreated the skit, but instead of targeting sick kids, Kevin Rudd's anger-management issues is parodied. In the same episode Taylor is shown to be attacked by two boxers in another sketch for being "the guy from the Make a Wish sketch". In the closing credits of the show's finale, Taylor is said to have "died of cancer."

See also[link]

	Book: The Chaser
Wikipedia books are collections of articles that can be downloaded or ordered in print.

References[link]

External links[link]

• The Chaser official website
• The Chaser's War on Everything
• The Chaser Forum

v t e The Chaser Charles Firth Andrew Hansen Dominic Knight Chas Licciardello Julian Morrow Craig Reucassel Chris Taylor Literary productions Satirical newspaper Annual Television productions The Election Chaser / The Chaser Decides / Yes We Canberra! CNNNN News Alert War on Everything (episodes) The Hamster Wheel Radio productions Today Today / Bloody Sunday Chas and Dom The Race Race The Blow Parade Stage productions Cirque du Chaser Dead Caesar Age of Terror Variety Hour Related articles APEC pranks Book:The Chaser

Steve Reeves
Steve Reeves with bodybuilder Melissa Palmer
Born	(1926-01-21)January 21, 1926[1] Glasgow, Montana, USA
Died	May 1, 2000(2000-05-01) (aged 74) Escondido, California, USA[1]
Occupation	Athlete, Actor, Philanthropist. Bodybuilder Legend.
Spouse	Sandra Smith (1955–1956) Aline Czartjarwicz[1] (1963–1989) (her death)

Stephen L. Reeves (January 21, 1926 – May 1, 2000^[1]) was an American bodybuilder and actor. At the peak of his career, he was the highest-paid actor in Europe.^[2]

Childhood[link]

Born in Glasgow, Montana,^[2] Steve Reeves moved to California at age 10 with his mother Goldie Reeves, after his father Lester Dell Reeves died in a farming accident.^[1] Reeves developed an interest in bodybuilding in high school and trained at Ed Yarick's gym in Oakland. By the time he was 17, he had developed a Herculean physique, long before the general interest in bodybuilding. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the Army during World War II, and served in the Pacific.

Acting[link]

After his military service, Reeves invested in an acting career. In 1954 he had a small role in his first major motion picture, the musical Athena^[1] playing the boyfriend of Jane Powell's character. The same year Reeves had a small role as a cop in the Ed Wood film Jail Bait. These two films are the only ones Reeves made where his own voice was used — for the remainder of his career, Reeves acted in Italian-made films where all dialogue and sound effects were added in post-production.

On December 17, 1954, Reeves guest starred in the ABC sitcom with a variety show theme, The Ray Bolger Show. Ray Bolger portrayed Raymond Wallace, a song-and-dance man repeatedly barely on time for his performances. Reeves played a well-built office employee whom Wallace sees in the company of Wallace's girlfriend, Susan, played by Marjie Millar. Others on the series were Richard Erdman, Allyn Joslyn, Betty Lynn, Sylvia Lewis, Gloria Winters, and Verna Felton.^[3]

In 1957, Reeves went to Italy and played the lead character in Pietro Francisci's Hercules, a relatively low-budget epic based loosely on the tales of Jason and the Argonauts, though inserting Hercules into the lead role.^[1] The film was a major box-office success, grossing $5m in the United States alone in 1959.^[4] Its commercial success led to a 1959 sequel Hercules Unchained.

From 1959 through 1964, Reeves went on to appear in a string of sword and sandal movies shot on relatively small budgets,^[1] and although he is best known for his portrayal of Hercules, he played the character only twice: in the 1958 film and its 1959 sequel Hercules Unchained (released in the US in 1960). He played a number of other characters on screen, including Sir Edward Bulwer-Lytton's Glaucus of Pompeii; Goliath, the bane of the barbarians (actually called Emiliano in the Italian version); Tatar hero Hadji Murad; Romulus, the legendary founder of Rome (opposite Gordon Scott as his twin brother Remus); Pheidippides, the famous war-time messenger of the Battle of Marathon; pirate and self-proclaimed governor of Jamaica, Captain Henry Morgan; and Karim, the fabled Thief of Baghdad. Twice he played Aeneas of Troy and twice he played Emilio Salgari's Malaysian hero, Sandokan.

After the box office success of Hercules, Reeves turned down the role that finally went to Clint Eastwood in A Fistful of Dollars (1964) because he could not believe that "Italians could make a western".^[2] He also claimed to have turned down the James Bond role in Dr. No (1962).^[2] Mr. Reeves mentions in an interview that he was offered only $100,000 to play Secret Agent 007, whereas he was earning $250,000 per film in Italy, and as such was tied with Sophia Loren as the highest paid actor in Europe at the time; thus he turned down the role of James Bond to continue making pepla in Italy.

During the filming of The Last Days of Pompeii, Reeves dislocated his shoulder when his chariot slammed into a tree.^[1][2] Swimming in a subsequent underwater escape scene, he re-injured his shoulder. The injury would be aggravated by his stunt work in each successive film, ultimately leading to his retirement from filmmaking and weightlifting.^[1]

In 1968 Reeves appeared in his final film, a spaghetti western that imitated the Sergio Leone epics, which he also co-wrote, titled I Live For Your Death! (later released as A Long Ride From Hell).^[1] His last screen appearance was in 2000 when he appeared as himself in the made-for-television A&E Biography: Arnold Schwarzenegger - Flex Appeal.

In July 1997, Steve was interviewed by freelance writer, Rod Labbe. Entitled "Demi-god on Horseback," it ran as the cover story in "Films of the Golden Age" magazine #65, dated Summer 2011.

Death[link]

Later in his life, Reeves promoted drug-free bodybuilding and bred horses.^[1][2] The last two decades of his life were spent in Valley Center, California, near Escondido. He bought a ranch with his savings and lived there with his second wife Aline until her death in 1989.^[1][2] On May 1, 2000, Reeves died from complications of lymphoma.^[1][2]

Filmography in chronological order[link]

Films are listed in order of production, by their American theatrical release titles; translation of the original Italian titles are in parentheses following the date....

• Athena (1954) Hollywood film directed by Richard Thorpe
• Jail Bait (1954) Hollywood film directed by Ed Wood
• Hercules (1958) (The Labors of Hercules) released in USA 1959
• Hercules Unchained (1959) (Hercules and the Queen of Lydia) released in USA 1960
• Goliath and the Barbarians (1959) (Terror of the Barbarians)
• The Giant of Marathon (1959) (The Battle of Marathon)
• The Last Days of Pompeii (1959) (The Last Days of Pompeii)
• The White Warrior (1959) (Hadji Murad, The White Devil) directed by Riccardo Freda
• Morgan, the Pirate (1960) (Morgan, the Pirate)
• The Thief of Baghdad (1960) (The Thief of Baghdad)
• The Trojan Horse (1961) (The Trojan War)
• Duel of the Titans (1961) (Romulus And Remus)
• The Slave (1962) (Son of Spartacus)
• The Avenger (1962) (The Legend Of Aeneas) a.k.a. The Last Glory of Troy (sequel to "The Trojan Horse" (1961))
• Sandokan the Great (1964) (Sandokan, the Tiger of Mompracem) directed by Umberto Lenzi
• Sandokan, the Pirate of Malaysia (1964) (The Pirates of Malaysia) a.k.a. Pirates of the Seven Seas, directed by Umberto Lenzi
• A Long Ride from Hell (1967) (I Live for Your Death) directed by Camillo Brazzoni, produced and co-written by Steve Reeves

Reference in other Films[link]

• The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Lyrics to "Sweet Transvestite" performed by Tim Curry.

See also[link]

• List of male professional bodybuilders

References[link]

• Chapman, David. "On The Cover: Steve Reeves", Hardgainer, November 1992.

External links[link]

• An Interview with Steve Reeves by Roy Frumkes, from The Perfect Vision Magazine, Volume 6, Issue #22, July 1994
• How Steve Reeves Trained by John Grimek, Muscular Development November 1964, account of how Reeves trained to prepare for the 1950 Mr. Universe competition at the York Barbell Club gym
• http://www.briansdriveintheater.com/hercules.html
• Steve Reeves at the Internet Movie Database
• Steve Reeves at the Internet Broadway Database
• Steve Reeves at Find a Grave
• Feature Films: Hercules
• Feature Films: Hercules Unchained
• Steve Reeves Gallery

This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (April 2009)

John Drew Barrymore (born John Blyth Barrymore; June 4, 1932 – November 29, 2004) was a member of the Barrymore family of actors, which included his father, John Barrymore, and his father's siblings, Lionel and Ethel. He was the father of four children, including John Blyth Barrymore and Drew Barrymore.

Early life[link]

Barrymore was born in Los Angeles, California to John Barrymore and Dolores Costello. His parents divorced when he was around three years old in 1935, and Barrymore claimed to have met his father only once. He also stated that he and his cousin, Dirk Drew Davenport, enlisted in the United States Navy during World War II. As both were tall for their age, the military did not discover until several weeks later that the boys were below the minimum enlistment age. Barrymore ran away when he was 17 years old and signed a film contract, but repeatedly abandoned leading roles and had no major film career.^[2]

Career[link]

In 1958, he changed his middle name to Drew, although he had previously been credited in past works as Blyth. This was followed by a brief resurgence in Italian movies, as he appeared in several leading roles. He also appeared several times in the TV series Gunsmoke However, Barrymore's social behavior obstructed any professional progress. In the 1960s, he was occasionally incarcerated for drug use, public drunkenness, and spousal abuse.^[3][4]

In 1966, Barrymore accepted a major guest role as Lazarus in the Star Trek episode "The Alternative Factor". However, he failed to show up (and was ultimately replaced at the last minute by actor Robert Brown), resulting in a SAG suspension of six months. ^[5] He did appear as Stacey Daggart in the 1966-1967 NBC series The Road West, starring Barry Sullivan.

Death[link]

Although he continued to appear occasionally on screen, he became more and more reclusive. Suffering from the same problems that had destroyed his father, John Drew became a derelict. Estranged from his family, including his children, his lifestyle continued to worsen and his physical and mental health deteriorated.^[6][7]

In 2003, daughter Drew Barrymore moved him near her home despite their estrangement, paying his medical bills until his death from cancer. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his contributions to television.

Marriage and children[link]

Drew Barrymore

John Drew Barrymore married four times, with each marriage producing one child, and all four marriages ending in divorce. His third child, Drew Barrymore, became a successful cinema actress:

1. Cara Williams - married 1952, divorced 1959;
son John Blyth Barrymore, born May 15, 1954

2. Gabriella Palazzoli - married October 11, 1960, divorced 1970;
daughter Blyth Dolores Barrymore

3. Ildiko Jaid Mako - married 1971, divorced 1984;
daughter Drew Barrymore, born February 22, 1975

4. Nina Wayne - married 1985, divorced 1994;
daughter Brahma (Jessica) Blyth Barrymore

Filmography[link]

• The Sundowners (1950)
• High Lonesome (1950)
• Quebec (1951)
• The Big Night (1951)
• Thunderbirds (1952)
• While the City Sleeps (1956)
• The Shadow on the Window (1957)
• High School Confidential (1958)
• Never Love a Stranger (1958)
• 'Desilu Playhouse' episode - "Silent Thunder" (1958)
• Wagon Train episode - "The Ruttledge Munroe Story " (1958)
• Night of the Quarter Moon (1959)
• Ti aspetterò all'inferno (1960)
• The Night They Killed Rasputin (1960)
• The Cossacks (1960)
• The Pharaoh's Woman (1960)
• The Trojan Horse (1961)
• Pontius Pilate (1962)
• The Centurion (1962)
• Invasion 1700 (1963)
• Weapons of War (1963)
• The Keeler Affair (1963)
• Death on the Four Poster (1964)
• War of the Zombies (1964) aka Rome Against Rome
• 'Rawhide' episode - "The Haunted Hills" (1959)
• The Wild Wild West episode - "The Night of the Double-Edged Knife" (1965)
• Crimine a due (1965)
• Gunsmoke TV episodes - "One Killer on Ice" (aired 1/23/1965) - "Seven Hours to Dawn" (9/18/1965)
• The Clones (1973)
• Kung Fu TV episode - "A Dream Within a Dream" (1974)
• Baby Blue Marine (1976)

References[link]

External links[link]

• John Drew Barrymore at the Internet Movie Database
• John Drew Barrymore at AllRovi
• John Drew Barrymore at Find a Grave
• Desilu Playhouse "Silent Thunder" John Drew Barrymore plays lead role. Complete 52min episode from 16mm film - aired Nov. 24, 1958.

Drew Barrymore
Barrymore at the premiere for He's Just Not That Into You in 2009
Born	Drew Blyth Barrymore (1975-02-22) February 22, 1975 (age 37)[1] Culver City, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actress, film director, screenwriter, producer, model
Years active	1978–present
Spouse	Jeremy Thomas (1994) Tom Green (2001–2002)
Partner	Will Kopelman (2011–present; engaged)
Parents	John Drew Barrymore Jaid Barrymore
Relatives	Barrymore family John Barrymore Lionel Barrymore Ethel Barrymore
Website
www.drewbarrymore.com

Drew Blyth Barrymore (born February 22, 1975) is an American actress, film director, screenwriter, producer and model. She is a member of the Barrymore family of American actors and granddaughter of John Barrymore. She first appeared in an advertisement when she was 11 months old. Barrymore made her film debut in Altered States in 1980. Afterwards, she starred in her breakout role in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. She quickly became one of Hollywood's most recognized child actresses, going on to establish herself in mainly comic roles.

Following a turbulent childhood which was marked by drug and alcohol abuse and two stints in rehab,^[1][2] Barrymore wrote the 1990 autobiography, Little Girl Lost. She successfully made the transition from child star to adult actress with a number of films including Poison Ivy, Bad Girls, Boys on the Side, and Everyone Says I Love You. Subsequently, she established herself in romantic comedies such as The Wedding Singer and 50 First Dates.

In 1995, she and business partner Nancy Juvonen formed the production company Flower Films,^[3] with its first production the 1999 Barrymore film Never Been Kissed. Flower Films has gone on to produce the Barrymore vehicle films Charlie's Angels, 50 First Dates, and Music and Lyrics, as well as the cult film Donnie Darko. Barrymore's more recent projects include He's Just Not That into You, Beverly Hills Chihuahua, Everybody's Fine and Going the Distance. A recipient of a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Barrymore appeared on the cover of the 2007 People magazine's 100 Most Beautiful issue.

Barrymore was named Ambassador Against Hunger for the UN World Food Programme (WFP). Since then, she has donated over US$1 million to the program. In 2007, she became both CoverGirl's newest model and spokeswoman for the cosmetic and the face for Gucci's newest jewelry line. In 2010, she was awarded the Screen Actors Guild Award and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Miniseries or Television Film for her portrayal of Little Edie in Grey Gardens.

Early life[link]

Barrymore was born in Culver City, California, the daughter of American actor John Drew Barrymore and Jaid Barrymore (née Makó),^[1][4] an aspiring actress. Barrymore's mother was born in a Displaced Persons camp in Brannenburg, West Germany, to Hungarian World War II refugees. Barrymore's father was of mainly English, and Irish, ancestry.^[5] Her parents divorced in 1984, when she was nine years old.^[1] She has one half-brother, John Blyth Barrymore,^[6] also an actor, and two half-sisters, Blyth Dolores Barrymore and (Brahma) Jessica Blyth Barrymore.

Barrymore was born into acting: her great-grandparents Maurice Barrymore and Georgie Drew Barrymore, Maurice Costello and Mae Costello (née Altschuk)^[7] and her grandparents John Barrymore and Dolores Costello, were all actors;^[7] John Barrymore was arguably the most acclaimed actor of his generation.^[1][8] She is the niece of Diana Barrymore and the grandniece of Lionel Barrymore, Ethel Barrymore and Helene Costello,^[9] the great-great-granddaughter of John Drew and actress Louisa Lane Drew, and the great grandniece of Broadway idol John Drew, Jr. and silent film actor/writer/director Sidney Drew.^[10] She is also the god-daughter of director Steven Spielberg,^[2] and Sophia Loren.^[11]

Her first name, Drew, was the maiden name of her paternal great-grandmother, Georgie Drew Barrymore; her middle name, Blyth, was the original surname of the dynasty founded by her great-grandfather, Maurice Barrymore.^[2]

Career[link]

Early career[link]

With President Reagan, 1984

Barrymore's career began when she was auditioned for a dog food commercial at 11 months old.^[2] When she was bitten by her canine co-star, the producers were afraid she would cry, but she merely laughed, and was hired for the job.^[2] She made her film debut in Altered States (1980), in which she had a small part.^[1] A year later, she landed the role of Gertie, the younger sister of Elliott, in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, which made her one of the most famous child stars of the time and earned her the Young Artist Award as Best Young Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture in 1982.^[2][12] She received a Golden Globe nomination as Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture in 1984 for her role in Irreconcilable Differences, in which she starred as a young girl divorcing her parents.^[2][13] In a review in the Chicago Sun-Times, Roger Ebert states: "Barrymore is the right actress for this role precisely because she approaches it with such grave calm."^[14]

Rebellious era[link]

In the wake of this sudden stardom, Barrymore endured a notoriously troubled childhood. She was already a regular at the famed Studio 54 when she was a little girl, smoking cigarettes at age nine, drinking alcohol by the time she was 11, smoking marijuana at 12, and snorting cocaine at 13.^[1][2] Her nightlife and constant partying became a popular subject with the media.^[1] She was in rehab at age 13.^[1][2] A suicide attempt at age 14 put her back in rehab, followed by a three-month stay with singer David Crosby and his wife.^[8] The stay was precipitated, Crosby said, because she "needed to be around some people that were committed to sobriety."^[8] Barrymore later described this period of her life in her autobiography, Little Girl Lost. The next year, following a successful juvenile court petition for emancipation, she moved into her own apartment.^[8]

Barrymore with Corey Feldman at the 61st Academy Awards, March 29, 1989

In her late teens, her rebelliousness played itself out on screen and in print. Barrymore forged an image as a manipulative teenage seductress, beginning with the film Poison Ivy (1992), which was a box office failure, but was popular on video and cable.^[1][15] That same year, at the age of 17, she posed nude for the cover of the July issue of Interview magazine with her then-fiancé, actor Jamie Walters, as well as appearing nude in pictures inside the issue.^[16] She also underwent breast reduction surgery in 1992, and has said on the subject:

In 1993, Barrymore earned a second Golden Globe nomination, this time for the film Guncrazy.^[13] Barrymore would go on to pose nude at age 19 for the January 1995 issue of Playboy.^[18][19] Steven Spielberg, who directed her in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial when she was a child and was her godfather, gave her a quilt for her 20th birthday with a note that read, "Cover yourself up".^[2] Enclosed were copies of her Playboy pictures, with the pictures altered by his art department so that she appeared fully clothed.^[20] During a 1995 appearance on Late Show with David Letterman, Barrymore climbed onto David Letterman's desk and bared her breasts to him, her back to the camera, in celebration of his birthday.^[8] She modeled in a series of Guess? jeans ads during this time.^[21]

Return to prominence[link]

In 1995, Barrymore starred in Boys on the Side opposite Whoopi Goldberg and Mary-Louise Parker,^[22] and had a cameo role in Joel Schumacher's film Batman Forever, in which she portrayed a moll to Tommy Lee Jones' character, Two-Face.^[23][24] The following year, she made a cameo in the successful horror film Scream. Barrymore has continued to be highly bankable, and a top box office draw.^[1][25] She was frequently cast in romantic comedies such as Wishful Thinking (1997), The Wedding Singer (1998),^[26] and Home Fries (1998).^[27] Barrymore's role in the costume drama Ever After (1998) offered a modern take on the classic fairy tale of Cinderella and served as a reminder, according to Roger Ebert, of how well Drew Barrymore "can hold the screen and involve us in her characters".^[28]

Besides a number of appearances in films produced by her company, Flower Films, including Charlie's Angels, Barrymore had a dramatic role in the comedy/drama Riding in Cars with Boys (2001), playing a teenage mother in a failed marriage with the drug-addicted father (based on the real-life story of Beverly D'Onofrio).^[1] In 2002, Barrymore appeared in Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, alongside Sam Rockwell and Julia Roberts.^[29]

Flower Films and later work[link]

Barrymore at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival

In 1995, Barrymore formed Flower Films, a production company, with business partner Nancy Juvonen.^[30] The first film produced by the company was 1999's Never Been Kissed.^[31] The second offering from the company was Charlie's Angels (2000), a major box office success in 2000 that helped solidify the standing of both Barrymore and the company.^[2][32] When the production of Richard Kelly's debut film, Donnie Darko, was threatened, Barrymore stepped forward with financing from Flower Films and took the small role of Karen Pomeroy, the title character's English teacher.^[33] Although the film was less than successful at the box office in the wake of 9/11, it reached cult film status after the DVD release, inspiring numerous websites devoted to unraveling the plot twists and meanings.^[33]

In 2003, she reprised her role as Dylan Sanders in Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle,^[1][32] was nominated for an Emmy Award^[34] for her performance in Olive, the Other Reindeer^[35] and appeared with Ben Stiller in Duplex in 2003. Flower Films produced 50 First Dates with co-star Adam Sandler's Happy Madison company in 2004.^[36][37] Summing up Barrymore's appeal, Roger Ebert, in his review of 50 First Dates, described Barrymore as having a "smiling, coy sincerity," describing the film as "ingratiating and lovable."^[38] 50 First Dates was followed by Fever Pitch (2005), and in 2007, Music and Lyrics and Lucky You.^[39][40] Barrymore's more recent projects include Beverly Hills Chihuahua in 2008, and 2009's He's Just Not That into You, Grey Gardens and Everybody's Fine. Barrymore's directorial debut film Whip It, was released in October 2009. Whip It starred Ellen Page and Marcia Gay Harden and centered on an obsession with beauty pageants and the Austin, Texas, Hurl Scouts roller derby team. Barrymore also co-starred in the film.^[41]

In 2010, Barrymore reunited with former partner Justin Long on the set of Going the Distance, directed by Nanette Burstein. A R-rated romantic comedy about a couple dealing the ups and downs of a long distance relationship while commuting between New York City and San Francisco, the largely improvised film garnered generally mixed reviews by critics,^[42] who summed it as "timelier and a little more honest than most romantic comedies."^[43] Budgeted at US$32 million,^[44] the film became a moderate financial success at a worldwide box office total of US$40 million.^[45]

In 2011, it was announced that Barrymore had been cast alongside John Krasinski in Ken Kwapis's Big Miracle (2012), a romantic drama based on the 1989 book Freeing the Whales, which covers Operation Breakthrough, the 1988 international effort to rescue gray whales from being trapped in ice near Point Barrow, Alaska.^[46]

On August 2, 2011, Drew directed the music video for a song "Our Deal", for band Best Coast, with features Chloë Moretz, Miranda Cosgrove, Tyler Posey, Donald Glover, Shailene Woodley and Alia Shawkat.^[47]

Other career highlights[link]

In 1999, Barrymore was honored by the Young Artist Foundation with its Former Child Star "Lifetime Achievement" Award commemorating her outstanding achievements within the film industry as a child actress.^[48] In 2005, she began a recurring role in the animated comedy Family Guy as Brian Griffin's simple-minded girlfriend, Jillian.^[49] She has since appeared in a total of eleven episodes.^{[49][50][51][52]} She was the subject of the 2005 documentary My Date with Drew. In it, an aspiring filmmaker and a fan of Barrymore's, uses his limited resources in an attempt to gain a date with her.^[53] On February 3, 2004, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.^[54]

Barrymore signing autographs

Barrymore's films have a worldwide box office gross that stands at over US$2.3 billion. According to The Hollywood Reporter's annual Star Salary Top 10, she was tied for eighth place on the top ten list of actresses' salaries, commanding 10 to 12 million dollars per movie for 2006.^[55] On February 3, 2007, Barrymore hosted Saturday Night Live (SNL) for the fifth time,^[32] making her the second female host (after Candice Bergen) in the show's history to do so. She hosted again on October 10, 2009, becoming the first female to host six times. Barrymore still holds the record as the youngest celebrity ever to host the show (1982, at age seven).^[56][57] In March 2012, Barrymore is set to co-host the twelfth season of The Essentials, a film showcase on Turner Classic Movies which spotlights significant classic films.^[58] She will be hosting alongside TCM regular, Robert Osborne.

Barrymore became a CoverGirl Cosmetics' model and spokeswoman in 2007.^[59] Today, Drew Barrymore is still one of the faces for CoverGirl, alongside Queen Latifah and Taylor Swift. The company partnered up with Drew because "she emulates the iconic image of CoverGirl with her fresh, natural beauty and energetic yet authentic spirit" said Esi Eggleston Bracey, Vice President and General Manager of CoverGirl Cosmetics North America. She has brought not only her personality into this endorsement but also her creative side, as she is also a co-creator of the ads.^[60] She was No. 1 in People's annual 100 Most Beautiful People list in 2007.^[61] Also in 2007, she was named the new face for the Gucci jewelry line.^[62][63] Barrymore is signed to IMG Models New York City.

In May 2007, Barrymore was named Ambassador Against Hunger for the United Nations World Food Programme^[64][65] and later donated $1 million to the cause.^[32][66] In September 2010, Barrymore was confirmed to play the role of Ganga in the Indian Bollywood film The Lifestyle – In Generation Next to be directed by Santosh Kumar Jain, to be released in 2012. ^[67] Several articles and interviews reported Barrymore's taste for photography. As a guest photographer for a magazine series called "They Shoot New York," she appeared on the cover holding a Pentax K1000 film camera.^[68] She hopes to expose her work in a gallery one day, as she documented the last decade of her life with a Pentax camera.^[69]

Personal life[link]

Barrymore at the Music and Lyrics London premiere, 2007

In 1991, at the age of 16, Barrymore became engaged to Leland Hayward, grandson of Hollywood producer Leland Hayward.^[70] After a few months, this engagement was called off.^[71] Barrymore was engaged to and lived with musician/actor Jamie Walters in 1992–93.^[72]

Barrymore is the godmother of Kurt Cobain's daughter, Frances Bean Cobain.

She was married to British bartender turned Los Angeles bar owner Jeremy Thomas on March 20, 1994, and filed for divorce less than two months later.^[1][8] Barrymore married Canadian comedian Tom Green in July 2001.^[1] Green filed for divorce in December 2001.^[73] The divorce was finalized on October 15, 2002.^[73][74]

In 2002, Barrymore began dating The Strokes' drummer Fabrizio Moretti, soon after they met at a concert.^[1][32] Their five year relationship ended on January 10, 2007.^[32][75] She dated actor Justin Long,^[76] but they confirmed their split in July 2008.^[77] The couple reunited in 2009 and co-starred in the 2010 film Going the Distance. The two then reportedly split again in 2010.^[78] In early 2011, Barrymore began dating art consultant Will Kopelman, the son of former Chanel CEO Arie Kopelman.^[79] The couple announced their engagement in January 2012.^[80][81]

In 2004, she was quoted as saying, "A woman and a woman together are beautiful, just as a man and a woman together are beautiful. Being with a woman is like exploring your own body, but through someone else. When I was younger I used to go with lots of women. Totally. I love it".^[82] In March 2007, former magazine editor Jane Pratt claimed on her Sirius Satellite Radio show that she had a romance with Barrymore in the mid-1990s.^[83]

Filmography[link]

References[link]