ABC Television is a service of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation launched in 1956. As a public broadcasting broadcaster, the ABC provides four non-commercial channels within Australia, and a partially advertising-funded satellite channel overseas. ABC is one of five main free-to-air networks in Australia.

History[link]

The ABC's Sydney headquarters in Ultimo

The first ever broadcast of ABC Television - presented by Michael Charlton, 5 November 1956.

The history of the ABC's television operations can be traced back to 1953, when the federal Television Act was passed, providing the initial regulatory framework for both the ABC and commercial television networks.^[1][2] Over the next three years, planning for the introduction of a national television service was put in place—land for studios and transmitters in Sydney and Melbourne was acquired, and overseas tutors were brought to Australia to assist with training.^[1][2]

Commercial station TCN-9 Sydney was the first to broadcast in Australia, soon followed by the ABC's own ABN-2 Sydney and later ABV-2 in Melbourne.^[1][2] Six stations, three in Melbourne and three in Sydney, were in operation in time to cover the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne.^[1][2] The ABC's first television broadcast was inaugurated by Prime Minister Robert Menzies on 5 November, at the Gore Hill studios in Sydney, followed two weeks later by transmission in Melbourne.^[1][2] Outside broadcasting was also initiated on 5 November, from the ABC's first outside broadcast van. The van, now in the collection of the National Museum of Australia, was instrumental in the production of thousands of outside broadcasts. It was restored in time to be displayed at the Sydney Olympic Games and was used to film the visit of Queen Elizabeth II to the site of the National Museum in 2000.^[3]

Although radio programs could be broadcast nationally by landline, television relay facilities were not put in place until the early 1960s.^[1] This meant that news bulletins had to be sent to each capital city by teleprinter, to be prepared and presented separately in each city, with filmed materials copied manually and sent to each state.^[1][2] A purpose-built television studio was built in Sydney, and opened on 29 January 1958, replacing temporary sound studios used since the ABC's television services launched in 1956. In the same year, technical equipment was also moved to permanent locations, while main transmitters were introduced to Melbourne and Sydney in 1957 and 1958, respectively.^[4]

Direct relays between Sydney and Melbourne, as well as Canberra, were also established in 1961, replacing temporary microwave relays as a means of simultaneously airing programs across multiple stations.^[2][5] Videotape equipment, allowing the sharing of footage with much greater ease and speed, was installed in each state capital by 1962.^[1]

ABQ-2 Brisbane was the third ABC TV station to launch and was followed a year later by counterparts in Perth, Hobart, and Adelaide. ABC-3 Canberra opened a year later, with ABD-6 Darwin finally completing the ABC's coverage of every state in 1971.

Teletext services were introduced to ABC-TV in 1983 to allow hearing-impaired viewers access to closed captions.^[6] International television service Australia Television International was established in 1993.^[6][7] Australia Television was sold to the Seven Network in 1998, however the service continued to show content from ABC News up until its closure in 2001.^[6]

The ABC's television operations joined its radio and online divisions at the Corporation's Ultimo headquarters in 2000.^[8] In 2002, the ABC launched ABC Asia Pacific, the replacement for the defunct Australia Television channel operated previously by the Seven Network.^[6] Much like its predecessor, and companion radio network Radio Australia, the service provided a mix of programming targeted at audiences throughout the Asia-Pacific region.^[6] Funding cuts in 2003, meanwhile, led to the closure of Fly and the ABC Kid's Channel.^[6]

ABC2, a second attempt at a digital-only television channel, was launched on 7 March 2005, running on a budget of $3 million per year.^[6] Minister for Communications Helen Coonan inaugurated the channel at Parliament House three days later.^[9] Genre restrictions limiting the types of programming the channel could carry were lifted in October 2006—ABC2 was henceforth able to carry programming classified as comedy, drama, national news, sport and entertainment.^[10]

In the lead up to the 2007 federal election, the Australian Government endorsed a proposal submitted to the Australian Communications and Media Authority by the ABC to launch a second digital channel targeted at children.^[11] The new channel, titled ABC3 would aim to provide at least 50% Australian-made content.^[12]

At midnight on 1 January 2008, ABC Television was rebranded as ABC1, complementing the existing ABC2 digital-only channel launched on 7 March 2005.^[13][14]

ABC has 4 digital services:^[15]

As of 2009 ABC announced an Australia wide upgrade to their Digital service, provide a 7 day Electronic Program Guide and give new logical channel numbers for all of ABC’s television services. The new ABC logical channel numbers are below.

^[16]

These services are available nationally through digital terrestrial television, and all the digital TV services are also available through the VAST free-to-air satellite service. Only the primary ABC channel is available on the Optus Aurora satellite platform.

In June 2010, playout was moved to a new facility shared with WIN Television at Ingleburn.^[17]

Services[link]

Australia[link]

ABW digital studios in East Perth opened in 2005

Within Australia, the ABC currently operates four television channels, all of them non-commercial.

ABC1, the Corporation's original television service, receives the bulk of funding for television and shows first-run comedy, drama, documentaries, and news and current affairs. In each state and territory a local news bulletin is shown at 7.00pm nightly.

ABC2, launched in 2005, is a digital-only channel that between the hours of 7pm and 2am, shows content including news programmes, children's shows, animation, and music shows, in addition to some repeats from ABC1 of which the amount has decreased gradually since ABC2's inception. It is not a 24 hour channel, but is broadcast daily from 6:00am to around 2:00am the following morning. The channel shares airspace with the ABC 4 Kids programming block from 6am - 7pm.

ABC3 became a fully fledged channel on 4 December 2009, but has been part of the electronic guide line-up since 2008, broadcasting an ABC1 simulcast until 4 December 2009, then an ABC Radio simulcast and teaser graphic until its official launch. It is a digital-only channel which is broadcast from 6:00 to 21:00 daily. Its content consists of a broad range programmes aimed at a young audience aged 6–15, with a core demographic of 8–12.

ABC 4 Kids, (previously ABC For Kids on 2) is a new preschool children's block featuring children's programming aimed at the 0 to 5 age groups. ABC 4 Kids programs are broadcast on ABC2 between 6am and 7pm.

ABC News 24, a 24-hour news channel, featuring the programming from ABC News and Current Affairs, the BBC World News program, coverage of the Federal Parliament's Question Time, documentaries and factual, arts programming and state or national election coverage.

Although the ABC's headquarters in Sydney serve as a base for program distribution nationally, ABC Television network is composed of eight state- and territory-based stations, each based in their respective state capital:

The eight ABC stations carry opt outs for local programming. In addition to the nightly 7pm news, the stations also broadcast weekly state editions of 7.30 on Friday evenings, state election coverage and in most areas, live sport on Saturday afternoons.

Overseas[link]

The Australia Network is an international satellite television service operated by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, funded by advertising and grants from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Aimed at the Asia-Pacific region, the service broadcasts a mixture of English-language programming, including general entertainment, sport, and current affairs.

Other[link]

Between 2001 and 2003, the ABC operated two separate digital channels. The ABC Kids Channel and Fly TV, opened soon after the launch of digital terrestrial television in Australia, showed programs focussed mainly at children and teenagers. The two channels closed in 2003 when the ABC was unable to secure government funding.

The Australian government announced a proposal in September 2007 to launch a new digital-only children's channel, to be named ABC3.^[11] The proposal indicated that the channel would be aimed at children below the age of 15 years, with 50% of its programming derived from Australian sources. Unlike its predecessor, the ABC Kids Channel, ABC3 would run from 6am to 9pm each day, and feature drama, comedy, animation and music.^[12] The proposal received support from the Liberal Party of Australia during its election campaign. On 22 April 2009, the current Labor government announced its commitment to the proposal as part of its response to the Australia 2020 Summit conducted in 2008^[18] and ABC3 was duly launched on 4 December.^[19] On 21 January 2010, the ABC announced plans to launch a 24 Hour news channel before the end of the year.^[20] The ABC plans, if the funding is received, to increase the number of TV stations to six; this would result in ABC5 (education) and ABC6 (youth/best-of-overseas) being broadcast in addition to ABC1, ABC2, ABC3 and ABC News 24,^[21] making the ABC a leader in digital media services in Australia.

References[link]

External links[link]

Television in Australia portal

• Official Site
• Corporate Site
• Australian Broadcasting Corporation
• Australian Television Reviews
• National Museum of Australia: Australian Broadcasting Corporation collection no. 1

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Andy Gibb (5 March 1958 – 10 March 1988) was an English singer and teen idol, and the younger brother of Bee Gees Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb.

The early years[link]

Andrew Roy Gibb was born in Manchester, England, to Barbara (née Pass) and Hugh Gibb (d. 1992). At the age of six months, Gibb emigrated with his family to Queensland, Australia, settling on Cribb Island just north of Brisbane. He was the youngest of five children and had one older sister, Lesley (b. 1945), and three older brothers, Barry (b. 1946) and fraternal twins Robin (1949-2012) and Maurice (1949-2003). After moving several times around Brisbane and Sydney, Gibb returned to the United Kingdom in January 1967 as his three older brothers began to gain international fame as the Bee Gees.

As a young teenager, Andy began playing at tourist clubs around Spain's coastal Island of Ibiza, and later on the Isle of Man, the birth place of his older brothers, where his parents were living at the time. Andy formed his first group, Melody Fayre (named after a Bee Gees song) which included local island musicians John Alderson (guitar) and John Stringer (drums). The group was managed by Gibb's mother Barbara. The group had regular bookings on the small island's hotel circuit. His first recording (in early 1974) was a Maurice Gibb composition called "My Father Was a Reb" on which Maurice also produced and played. It was not released.

At the urging of his brother Barry, Andy returned to Australia in 1974. Barry's prompting was based on his belief that Australia had been a good training ground for the Bee Gees and would also help his youngest brother. The Gibb brothers' eldest sister Lesley had remained in Australia and had raised a family there with her husband. Both Alderson and Stringer followed Gibb to Australia with hope of forming a band in Australia. With Col Joye producing, Gibb, Alderson and Stringer recorded a number of Andy Gibb's own compositions. What may have separated "the training ground" aspect of Australia for Andy Gibb compared to his brothers was that Gibb was relatively financially independent, mainly because of his brothers' support and largesse, hence the group's sporadic work rate. Andy Gibb would disappear for periods of time, leaving Alderson and Stringer not working and consequently out of money. Despondent, Alderson and Stringer returned to the UK.

Andy Gibb's first single was the ballad "Words and Music" on the ATA label, owned by Joye. The single, backed by another Andy Gibb composition "Westfield Mansions", would eventually reach Top Twenty on the Sydney music charts in 1976. Then Gibb joined the band Zenta (including renowned drummer Trevor Norton) and supported international artists Sweet and the Bay City Rollers on the Sydney leg of their Australian tours. The planned follow-up single "Can't Stop Dancing" (a Ray Stevens song, later a US hit for The Captain and Tennille in May 1977) was not released, although Andy did perform it on television at least once on the revitalised Bandstand show hosted by Daryl Somers.

Robert Stigwood who, at the time, was also the Bee Gees' manager, signed Gibb to his label, RSO Records in early 1976, after he had heard some of Andy's demo tapes. Andy soon moved to Miami Beach, Florida, to begin working on songs with his brother Barry and co-producers Albhy Galuten and Karl Richardson.

Before leaving Australia, Gibb had married his girlfriend, Kim Reeder. They had one child, a daughter named Peta Jaye who was born 25 January 1978. The couple were already separated when Reeder found out she was pregnant and they would divorce later that year.

Number one hits[link]

In late 1976 in Miami, Andy Gibb, with older brother Barry producing and recording in the famed Criteria Studios, set about making his first album. The first release from the sibling combination, and Andy’s first single released outside Australia, was "I Just Want to Be Your Everything" which was written by Barry, who also provided backup vocals. That single reached number one in the United States and Australia and ended up being the most played record of the year. In Britain it was a lesser hit, just scraping into the Top 40. Of the ten tracks on the album, the other eight were Andy Gibb compositions, mostly songs written during his time in Australia. Amongst the eight songs was a re-recording of "Words and Music".

In September 1977, his album Flowing Rivers, with another number one single "(Love Is) Thicker Than Water" (co-written by Andy and Barry Gibb) to support it, quickly became a million selling album. That single broke in early 1978 during the time that the Bee Gees' contributions to the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack were dominating the world charts. In the US it replaced "Stayin' Alive" at the top of the charts, and then was surpassed by "Night Fever" when it reached number one in mid-March.

Andy then began work with the Gibb-Galuten-Richardson production team on his second album Shadow Dancing, which was released in April 1978. The title track, written by all four Gibb brothers, was released as a single in the US in April 1978, and in mid-June began a seven week run at number one, achieving platinum status. In the United States, Gibb became the first male solo artist to chart three consecutive number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100. Two further Top Ten singles, "An Everlasting Love" (which reached number five) and "(Our Love) Don't Throw It All Away" (which reached number nine), were released from the album, which became another million seller.

In 1979, Andy performed along with Bee Gees, ABBA, and Olivia Newton-John (duet with "Rest Your Love On Me"), at the Music for UNICEF Concert at the United Nations General Assembly which was broadcast worldwide.

He returned to the studio to begin recording sessions for his final full studio album, After Dark. In March 1980, the last of Gibb's Top Ten singles charted just ahead of the album's release. "Desire" (written by all four Gibb brothers), was recorded for Bee Gees' 1979 album Spirits Having Flown, and featured their original track complete with Andy's original "guest vocal" track. A second single, "I Can't Help It", a duet with family friend and fellow British and Australian expat Olivia Newton-John, reached the top 20.

Later in the year, Andy Gibb's Greatest Hits was released as a finale to his contract with RSO Records, with two new songs: "Time Is Time" (number 15 in January 1981) and "Me (Without You)" (Gibb's last top 40 chart entry) shipped as singles. "After Dark" and "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" were non-single songs added to the album, the latter of which was a duet with PP Arnold, who had previously worked with Barry Gibb, including singing uncredited backups on "Bury Me Down by the River" from Cucumber Castle.

Career decline[link]

During his relationship with actress Victoria Principal, Gibb worked on several projects outside the recording studio including performances in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat on Broadway and Gilbert & Sullivan's The Pirates of Penzance in Los Angeles, California. He also co-hosted the television music show, Solid Gold, from 1980 to 1982. Gibb was ultimately fired from both Dreamcoat and Solid Gold because of absenteeism caused by cocaine binges.^[1][2]

Broadway producer Zev Bufman who financed Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat said this of Gibb, "When Andy was at the theater, he was a joy. But he wasn't there enough", adding that of the five people to play Joseph up to that point, Gibb was the best actor.^[1] He also said after Gibb's death, "We'd lose him over long weekends. He'd come back on Tuesday, and he'd look beat. He was like a little puppy – so ashamed when he did something wrong. He was all heart, but he didn't have enough muscle to carry through."^[2] An unnamed co-star in Dreamcoat was quoted as saying, "I hear he spent most of his time in his hotel room in front of the TV. I guess he was frightened and insecure. That's what happens when you're the baby brother of the Bee Gees."^[1] Commenting after Gibb's death, Solid Gold producer Brad Lachman stated, "...[Andy] was a very charming, vulnerable and charismatic performer. He clearly meant well. He wasn't being difficult. He was going through [drug] problems he couldn't deal with. He wanted everyone to love him. He had so much going for him, and he just couldn't believe it."^[2]

His romance with Principal also ended shortly thereafter when she gave him an ultimatum to choose between her or drugs, but not before they recorded and released a duet of the Everly Brothers' "All I Have to Do Is Dream" in the summer of 1981. He reportedly heard her singing in the shower and convinced her to go into the studio with him.^[3] This would be Gibb's last official single, and his last US chart entry, peaking at number 51.

His family convinced him to seek treatment for his drug addiction which included a stay at the Betty Ford Clinic in the mid-1980s. It was during this time that Gibb began touring small venues with a stage show featuring his hits as well as covers. He also appeared in guest-starring roles on several television sitcoms including Gimme a Break! and Punky Brewster. Following an expansive tour of East Asia, he regularly performed shows in Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe. In 1984, he was the headline performer at the Viña del Mar Festival in Chile, performing two nights in a row. He also held a two-week engagement at San Francisco's historic Fairmont Hotel in March 1986.

Andy returned to work alongside his brothers Barry and Maurice. Their demo recordings with engineer, Scott Glasel, was heard by Clive Banks from the UK branch of Island Records. Gibb never formally signed a contract but the record label planned to release a single in Europe that Spring, followed by another single that summer with the album to follow.^[4]

One of the demo tracks, "Man on Fire", was released posthumously in 1991 on a Polydor Records anthology. Another track, "Arrow Through the Heart", was the final song Andy would ever record and was featured on an episode of VH1's series, Behind the Music, and released on Bee Gees Mythology 4-disc box set in November 2010.

Death[link]

In early February 1988, Robin Gibb in an interview said Andy was healthy and ready to begin recording again. ^[5] Three weeks before Andy died, Robin said "he just went downhill so fast", saying "he was in a terrible state of depression". He got over the drugs but the depression remained. ^[5] On 5 March 1988, Andy Gibb celebrated his 30th birthday in London, England, while working on the new album. Soon after, he entered John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford complaining of chest pains and died five days later on 10 March 1988, as a result of myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle caused by a recent viral infection which was exacerbated by his years of cocaine abuse.^[6] Robin Gibb said "he was also not eating properly and the lack of nutrition also damaged his heart." Robin said the paranoia associated with cocaine abuse "shattered his confidence and he became scared of people." ^[5]

The Gibb family would also maintain it was not an overdose which killed Andy - as some papers have suggested - but natural causes after years of drug and alcohol abuse.^[5]

Gibb's body was returned to the United States where he was interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills) in Los Angeles.

Discography[link]

Studio albums[link]

Compilations[link]

Singles[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Biography portal

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Andy Gibb

• Andy Gibb at Allmusic
• The Brothers Gibb
• Andy Gibb at the Internet Movie Database
• Andy Gibb at the Internet Broadway Database
• Andy Gibb at Find a Grave

Nikolas Wallenda, known as Nik Wallenda born January 24, 1979 is an American high wire artist, acrobat, daredevil and Guinness Book of Records world record-holder. A direct descendant of Karl Wallenda (founder of the The Flying Wallendas), Nik is known for performing death-defying stunts on highwire without a safety net. On October 15, 2008, during a live broadcast of Today, Wallenda walked and then bicycled across a suspended highwire 13 and 1/2 stories above the ground off the roof of the Prudential Center in Downtown Newark, New Jersey for a Guinness Book of Records world record for longest and highest bicycle on a highwire.^[1]

Early life[link]

Wallenda, born in Sarasota, Florida, began performing with his family at an early age. As the seventh generation of the Wallenda Family, he first performed at the age of two (dressed as a clown), began walking the wire at age 4 and had his first professional wire performance at 13. In 1998, while 19 years old, he participated in the re-creation of Karl Wallenda's seven-person pyramid on the highwire in Detroit, Michigan by his father Terry and mother Delilah and decided to make a career of it.^[2]

Personal life[link]

In 1999, Wallenda proposed to his future wife Erendira, on bended knee on a wire 30 feet (9.1 m) high during a performance in Montreal, Quebec, Canada before a packed house of 18,000 people.^[3]

Wallenda and his wife own and operate Wallendas Inc., a premier entertainment company that produces thrill shows around the world. They also have three children - Yanni, Amadaos and Evita.

Career[link]

Upon establishing himself as a highwire entertainer, Wallenda continued to perform with his family and eventually convinced them to attempt their next monumental feat. In 2001, he appeared at Japan's Kurashiki Tivoli Park in a family troupe that set the Guinness World Record for an eight-person pyramid on the high wire—a feat practiced intensely for over five months.^[4] He cited his great-grandfather Karl Wallenda as his primary inspiration for the stunt, stating, "It was a landmark experience for our profession, as well as our family and me personally."

In recent years, he has developed many broad scale productions for amusement parks and similar venues all over the world, including water stunts, diving and other daredevil exploits, often featuring him and his wife. They have worked with their respective families on acts including sway poles, the highwire, skywalks, the wheel of death, incline motorcycles, silks, lyras, the cloud swing, motorcycles in a cage, and even a dog act.

In 2007 and 2008, Wallenda was a featured performer in the Ringling Brothers' production Bellobration, performing with Bello Nock on a newly contrived, double version of the Wheel of Steel. The double wheel of steel was invented, designed, and constructed by Wallenda and Nock.^[5]

On June 4, 2011, he completed a high-wire crossing between the two towers of the ten-story Condado Plaza Hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on a wire stretched 37 metres (121 ft) above the pavement; this was the crossing that killed his great-grandfather, Karl Wallenda. The younger Wallenda cited the pioneer as his "biggest hero in life".^[6]

Future plans[link]

Wallenda intends to honor the memory of his great-grandfather Karl, and walk across the Grand Canyon on high wire. He has already secured the permits.^[7]

Wallenda also intends to walk across the Niagara Falls on high wire crossing New York to Ontario on June 15, 2012, (ABC is going to require him to wear a safety harness http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/2012/05/22/abc-orders-wallenda-to-wear-harness-for-falls-walk ), a stunt that has not been allowed for over 100 years. In February, 2012, Nik Wallenda received official approval of the New York state and Ontario provincial governments and their respective parks department to do the stunt. The plan is to cross the Niagara River and its 200 feet (61 m) deep gorge from the American side at Goat Island or at the smaller Luna Island and make his way across the river to land at the Canadian side near the site of Table Rock. The American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls would be behind him and to his right while the Canadian Falls will be on his immediate left and behind. As part of his contract with the Discovery Channel, the network will have near exclusive rights on showcasing the event on cable television. The event is highly anticipated around the world, and permission for such a stunt could be given theoretically only once every 20 years. In preparation for the event and to dispel myths about the stunt’s short-term effects on the sagging local economy, municipal authorities on both sides of the border are meeting to discuss the longer-term economic impact of the stunt, and to efficiently capitalize on the large draw of tourists who will gather in record numbers at the falls. Above all safety is the number one priority, and Wallenda’s manager and team have made arrangements with water rescue officials and security to ensure the event goes as planned. Nik Wallenda plans to eventually make the Niagara Falls region a centerpiece for his business. ^[8] On May 11, 2012, ABC and Lincoln Square Productions announced they had secured universal broadcasting rights for the stunt. Some readers of a local Niagara paper have already spoken in opposition to the requirement for Nik to wear a safety harness. With this disclosure the potential huge tourist draw may see interest decline. Nik could request hotels charging fees for VIP access to cover ABC's fees and then proceed without a harness, or hotels and others profiting from the event could offer refunds for this now, less than death defying stunt. NPC could revoke approval if ABC insists on a harness since the Niagara Parks Commission indicated it was unaware of such a requirement when they were considering approval of the stunt. Now such events will be allowed once every 20 years. Death defying? Now, not so much.^[9]

References[link]

Hayden Panettiere
Panettiere attending "The 6th Annual Hollywood Style Awards" in Beverly Hills, California on October 10, 2009
Born	Hayden Leslie Panettiere (1989-08-21) August 21, 1989 (age 22) Palisades, New York, U.S.
Occupation	Actress, singer, model
Years active	1994–present

Hayden Leslie Panettiere (pronounced /ˌpænɨtiˈɛər/; born August 21, 1989)^[1] is an American actress, singer and model. She began her acting career by playing Sarah Roberts on One Life to Live (1994–1997), and Lizzie Spaulding on Guiding Light (1996–2000), before starring at age 10 as Sheryl Yoast in the Disney feature film Remember the Titans. Her most notable role to date is that of cheerleader Claire Bennet on the NBC series Heroes (2006–2010), for which she won several awards. Her most recent roles include her portrayal of the title character in true crime drama Amanda Knox: Murder on Trial in Italy and Kirby Reed in the slasher film Scream 4.

Early life[link]

Panettiere was born in and partly raised in Palisades, New York, the daughter of Lesley R. Vogel, a former soap opera actress, and Alan Lee "Skip" Panettiere, a fire department lieutenant.^[2][3][4] Panettiere has Italian ancestry, and her surname means "baker" in Italian.^[5][6] Her mother's family is from Indiana.^[7][8] She has one younger brother, fellow actor Jansen Panettiere.^[9]

Although Panettiere attended South Orangetown Middle School in New York, she was homeschooled from grade nine to the completion of high school.^[10] For now, Panettiere is postponing higher education in favor of an acting career.^[11]

Career[link]

Acting[link]

Television[link]

Panettiere first appeared in commercials at 11 months, beginning with an advertisement for Playskool.^[12] She landed a role as Sarah Roberts on the ABC soap opera One Life to Live (1994–1997), and she followed that up by playing the part of Elizabeth "Lizzie" Spaulding on the CBS soap opera Guiding Light (1997–2000). While on Guiding Light, Panettiere's character Lizzie battled leukemia. For drawing the attention of daytime viewers to the disease, and for improving national awareness, the Leukaemia & Lymphoma Society gave her its Special Recognition Award.^[13]

For her performance in Lifetime Television's 1999 TV movie If You Believe, she was nominated for the Young Artist Award for Young Actress Age Ten or Under in the category of Best Performance in a TV Movie or Pilot.^[14] Panettiere appeared on Fox's Ally McBeal as the title character's daughter, had a recurring guest role on Malcolm in the Middle and guest starred in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

Panettiere with Heroes co-star Milo Ventimiglia

Panettiere became most prominent as Claire Bennet in the NBC series Heroes, which was created by Tim Kring, as a high school cheerleader with regenerative healing powers. Thanks to her role on Heroes, she became a regular on the science fiction convention circuit, invited to attend conventions around the world in 2007, including Gen Con, New York Comic Con, and Fan Expo Canada. Panettiere has complained that her acting options are sometimes limited because "people look at [her] as either the 'popular cheerleader' type or just 'the blonde.'"^[15]

In early 2007, Panettiere appeared on the MTV show, Punk'd. The appearance was engineered by her mother and involved a male "fan" discussing her work with her, instigating a jealous reaction from the man's spouse. In April 2012 she hosted an episode of the new series.

In March 2012 it was announced Panettiere had been cast on the upcoming ABC musical drama pilot Nashville and will portray Juliette Barnes.^[16][17] In May 2012 ABC bought the pilot as a series.^[18]

Films[link]

Panettiere has appeared in over a dozen full-length feature films.

In 1998, she provided the voice for Dot in A Bug's Life.^[19] She played the role of Coach Yoast's daughter, Sheryl, in the 2000 Disney film Remember the Titans. She also starred in Bring It On: All or Nothing as a cheerleader and had a supporting role as Adelaide Bourbon in the independent film Shanghai Kiss. In 2004, she appeared in the Disney Channel film Tiger Cruise, and in Raising Helen as Kate Hudson's adolescent niece. In 2005, she was the title character's rival in a skating contest in Ice Princess. In the same year she starred in the film Racing Stripes where she played the character Channing Walsh.

In June 2007, she signed with the William Morris Agency, after previously being represented by United Talent Agency.^[20] Forbes estimated that she earned $2 million in 2007.^[21]

Panettiere in London

In 2008, Panettiere appeared in the drama Fireflies in the Garden as a younger version of Emily Watson's character, Jane Lawrence. In September 2008, she appeared in a satirical video, a mock-PSA (public service announcement) on funnyordie.com entitled "Hayden Panettiere PSA: Your Vote, Your Choice."^[22] Again, in October, Panettiere appeared in another satirical PSA video on funnyordie.com entitled "Vote for McCain: He's just like George Bush, except older and with a worse temper."^[23]

In July 2009, Panettiere starred in the teen comedy I Love You, Beth Cooper. In September 2010, Panettiere was signed to star as Amanda Knox in the controversial Amanda Knox: Murder on Trial in Italy.^[24] Panettiere also provided the voice of Kate, along side Justin Long in 2010's Alpha and Omega.^[25]

In 2011, she replaced Anne Hathaway as the voice of Red for the animated sequel Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil. In April 2011, Panettiere appeared in the sequel of the Scream franchise, Scream 4. She played Kirby Reed, alongside Emma Roberts and Rory Culkin.

Video games[link]

Panettiere voiced Kairi in the Kingdom Hearts series created by Square Enix, but was replaced by Alyson Stoner for Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories and Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days. In Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, and Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance, she also voiced Xion.

Singing[link]

Panettiere was nominated for a Grammy in 1999 for A Bug's Life Read-Along (2000).^[26] In 2004, she recorded a song entitled "My Hero Is You" with a video for the Disney Channel film she starred in, Tiger Cruise. The next year she recorded a song entitled "I Fly" for the Disney film Ice Princess in which she also co-starred. She recorded a song for the Hollywood Records compilation Girl Next (2006) and another song entitled "Go to Girl" for Girl Next 2 (2007). Also in 2007, She also recorded a cover for "Cruella De Vil" for DisneyMania 5, "Try" for the Bridge to Terabithia soundtrack and a ballad called "I Still Believe" for Cinderella III: A Twist in Time.

Panettiere's first single, "Wake Up Call", was digitally released on August 5, 2008. The clothing brand Candie's announced that it was premiering an ad campaign for the single in late July. Similarly, Candie's would also provide additional promotion for the single with a television advertisement and a music video.^[27]

Commercial-product endorser[link]

In late 2006, Neutrogena made Panettiere the cover girl for their new worldwide ad campaign;^[28] following in the footsteps of actresses Kristin Kreuk, Josie Bissett, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Mandy Moore, Mischa Barton, Gabrielle Union and Jennifer Freeman.

In September 2007, Panettiere appeared in a Heroes-themed Got Milk? ad for which the photographs were shot by Annie Leibovitz.^[29]

In February 2008, Kohl's announced that Panettiere would be their next Candie's spokesperson.^[30]

Personal life[link]

Panettiere dated her Heroes co-star Milo Ventimiglia from December 2007 to February 2009.^[31][32] She has dated heavyweight boxer Wladimir Klitschko. She was ringside for his knockout victory over Samuel Peter on September 11, 2010.^[33] The actress confirmed on May 12, 2011 that she and Klitschko had broken up amicably after two years together. Both cited the long-distance nature of their relationship as the reason, and said they would remain close friends.^[34]

She is currently dating NFL player Scotty McKnight.^[35]

Panettiere has a tattoo of the Italian words Vivere senza rimipianti [sic] running down her left side. The word rimpianti is misspelled in what otherwise would mean "Live Without Regrets".^[36]

Activism[link]

Panettiere at the Fan Expo 2011 in Toronto

In 2007, Panettiere became an official supporter of Ronald McDonald House Charities and is a member of their celebrity board, called the Friends of RMHC.^[37]

On October 31, 2007, Panettiere joined with The Whaleman Foundation to try to disrupt the annual dolphin hunt in Taiji, Wakayama, Japan. She was involved in a confrontation between Japanese fishermen and five other surfers from Australia and the United States (including former Home and Away star Isabel Lucas) of the group. The confrontation lasted more than 10 minutes before the surfers were forced to return to the beach, after which they left the country.^[38] Parts of the confrontation can be seen on the award-winning Sundance Film Festival documentary film, The Cove. The fishermen consider the condemnation as an attack on their culture.^[39]

Panettiere told E! News that an arrest warrant has been issued in Japan for her interference in the dolphin hunt, but her claim was later dismissed by the Japanese Fisheries Agency.^[40][41] In November 2007, she was awarded the "Compassion in Action Award" from the animal rights group PETA for her efforts to stop the dolphin hunt in Japan.^[42] She is also a vegetarian.^[43][44]

On January 28, 2008, Panettiere handed a letter of protest to the Norwegian ambassador in the United States arguing that Norway should stop its hunt for whales. She also delivered a letter to the Japanese ambassador calling for the end of Japan's hunting of whales. At a 2007 Greenpeace event in Anchorage, Alaska, Panettiere defended aboriginal whaling, saying that there is a difference between commercial whaling and the whaling practiced by aboriginal tribes in the United States.^[45]

In May 2008, Panettiere was involved in an eBay auction to benefit Save The Whales Again, a campaign of The Whaleman Foundation. The auction included tickets to a fundraising dinner hosted at the Hollywood restaurant Beso, owned by Eva Longoria, and a whale watching tour, with Panettiere, off the coast of Santa Barbara.^[46] The same month, during an interview with Teen Vogue, Hayden explained how her fame gives her a platform for her activism: "The show [Heroes] put me in a place to speak for things that I'm passionate about."^[47]

In September 2008, Panettiere launched her own line of calfskin leather bags for the company Dooney & Bourke.^[48]

In October 2008, Panettiere delved into the presidential election, releasing a public service announcement through the website Funny or Die. In this video Panettiere mocked Republican candidate John McCain for his age and temper.^[49] She subsequently made clear her intention to vote for Barack Obama, and urged other young people to vote.^[50]

Panettiere also appeared in a public service announcement with DC Shadow Senator Paul Strauss endorsing voting rights for the District of Columbia.^[51]

Panettiere is a teen ambassador for the Candie's Foundation, whose mission is to fight teen pregnancy. On May 6, 2009, she participated in a town hall meeting in New York City alongside Bristol Palin and then-Tampa Bay Rays and current Chicago Cubs pitcher Matt Garza on the issue of teen pregnancy.^[52]

Filmography[link]

Awards[link]

• Newport Beach Film Festival – Feature Film Award for Acting – Shanghai Kiss (2007)
• Saturn Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Television Series – Heroes (2007)
  • Teen Choice Award
• 2007: Choice TV Actress: Drama – Heroes
• 2008: Choice TV Actress: Action Adventure – Heroes
• 2009: Choice TV Actress: Action Adventure – Heroes
  • Teen Film/TV Series International Awards
• Best Film Actress, Support Role – Ice Princess (2005)
• Outstanding Casting for a Film (shared with cast) – Ice Princess
• Outstanding Casting for a Film Comedy or Drama (shared with cast) – Ice Princess
• Vail Film Festival Rising Star Award (2007)
  • Young Artist Award
• 2001: Best Performance in a Feature Film – Supporting Young Actress – Remember the Titans
• 2006: Best Performance in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama) – Lead Actress – Heroes

Discography[link]

Singles[link]

Soundtracks and compilations[link]

References[link]