The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please improve this article and discuss the issue on the talk page. (March 2011)

Typical nature boardwalk, carrying walkers over wetlands on the Milford Track, New Zealand

Boardwalks are used in parks and protected areas to reduce negative effects of foot traffic on the environment.

Boardwalk to the Lambi Beach, Kos.

Boardwalks help walkers navigate difficult terrain as at Pyhä-Luosto National Park in Lapland, Finland

A boardwalk allows visitors to cross Horicon Marsh.

For the record label, see Boardwalk Records. for the former Las Vegas hotel, see Boardwalk Hotel and Casino.

A boardwalk, in the conventional sense, is a wooden walkway for pedestrians and sometimes vehicles, often found along beaches, but they are also common as paths through wetlands, coastal dunes, and other sensitive environments.

Boardwalks along intertidal zones are known as foreshoreways. A boardwalk along a river is often known as a riverwalk and a boardwalk along an oceanfront is often known as an oceanway. Aside from their obvious pedestrian usage, boardwalks have been used to create commercial districts and enable commerce along waterfronts where conventional streets would have been more expensive because of a beach or other waterfront feature. Although boardwalks can be found around the world, they are especially common along the East Coast of the United States in North America.

Many of the original boardwalks in the United States have developed to be so successful as commercial districts and tourist attractions that the simple wooden pathways have been replaced by esplanades made of concrete, brick or other construction, sometimes with a wooden facade on the surface and sometimes not. Indeed in many parts of the U.S. today the term boardwalk often carries more the connotation of a waterfront, pedestrian, entertainment district than the original meaning of a wooden path.^{[citation needed]} One of the earliest such boardwalks was designed in New Jersey and opened June 26, 1870, in Atlantic City.^[1]

Examples[link]

California[link]

[edit] Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, Santa Cruz, California

This boardwalk is the oldest amusement park in California and is the home to two national historic landmarks — the Looff Carousel and the Giant Dipper roller coaster. The boardwalk was opened in 1907. The Santa Cruz Boardwalk no longer actually has any wooden boardwalks. Rather, the entire area is covered in concrete.

[edit] Venice Beach, California

This 2.5 kilometer boardwalk has a bike path, rollerskaters and skateboard ramps, restaurants, sunglasses, and plenty of tourists. Venice Beach is famous for muscle beach, where body builders work out. California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger worked out on Muscle Beach and made Gold's Gym famous in the 1980s.

[edit] Newport Beach, California

Newport Beach's boardwalk is a concrete path running 2.9 miles from 36th Street to between E and F Streets on the Balboa Peninsula. It passes McFadden Square and Newport Pier, and Balboa Pier. Speed limit along the path is 8 MPH, to prevent conflicts between bicyclists and pedestrians, as well as skateboarders and rollerbladers.

Delaware[link]

[edit] Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

This mile-long long boardwalk connects summer tourists with Rehoboth Beach's main attractions during the summer months, including high-end resorts, numerous shops, arcades, eating establishments and family amusement center. The town's main street, Rehoboth Avenue, intersects with the boardwalk.

[edit] Bethany Beach, Delaware

Bethany Beach's boardwalk, while not as long as Rehoboth Beach's, connects the summer seaside resort's broad, sandy beach to motels, restaurants, and vacation homes. In 2011 Bethany Beach banned smoking on the beach and boardwalk.

Louisiana[link]

The Louisiana Boardwalk in Bossier City, Louisiana.

[edit] Bossier City, Louisiana

Maryland[link]

The boardwalk in Ocean City, Maryland.

[edit] Ocean City, Maryland

This three-mile (5 km) long boardwalk is at the heart of downtown Ocean City, Maryland. Located at the eastern end of U.S. Route 50, it supports two amusement parks, Ripley's Believe it or Not, as well as arcades, shops, restaurants, hotels, time-shares, and condominiums.

Massachusetts[link]

[edit] Sandwich, Massachusetts

This boardwalk does not, strictly speaking, lead along the beach. Instead, it begins in a parking lot and leads through the salt marshes and out to the beach. It was destroyed in 1991 by Hurricane Bob and was then rebuilt through donations made by the townspeople. In turn, family names were carved into the planks of the boardwalk, and it is still used to this day. The boardwalk crosses a creek, where at high tide, visitors can jump off the bridge into the water.

New Hampshire[link]

[edit] Hampton Beach, New Hampshire

This boardwalk is largely a tourist attraction. In fact, it is widely used for common shops where tourists can purchase souvenirs and trinkets to remember their trip.

New Jersey[link]

New Jersey is the location of most of the boardwalks in the U.S., with nearly every town and city along the shore having one. The first and longest boardwalk in the world is in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

The boardwalk in Asbury Park, New Jersey.

[edit] Asbury Park, New Jersey

Asbury Park's boardwalk is in the process of revitalization and has recently been connected to the neighboring town of Ocean Grove, New Jersey.

[edit] Atlantic City, New Jersey

The Boardwalk starts at Absecon Inlet and runs along the beach for four miles (six kilometers) to the city limit. An additional one and one half miles (two kilometers) of the Boardwalk extend into Ventnor City. Casino/hotels front the boardwalk, as well as retail stores, restaurants, and amusements. Several piers extend the boardwalk over the Atlantic Ocean. Garden Pier houses the Atlantic City Historical Museum and the Atlantic City Art Center. The four story "Pier at Caesars" entertainment complex opened in July 2006. This boardwalk gained fame due to the board game Monopoly, which was based upon the trading and dealing of real estate in Atlantic City; in the game, Boardwalk is the most expensive property to purchase and develop, but also yields the greatest rent payoffs to its owner. In the fall of 2010 HBO launched the drama series Boardwalk Empire, which is named after and constantly returns to the Atlantic City Boardwalk.

[edit] Keansburg, New Jersey

Keansburg, New Jersey is regarded locally as a boardwalk town, with one of America's oldest shoreside amusement parks housing vintage rides dating back to the 1920s, but the amusement area fairway is now asphalt.

[edit] Ocean City, New Jersey

The 2.5 mile (4 kilometers) boardwalk in Ocean City has classic attractions and many newer additions. The 140-foot (42 m) Ferris Wheel can be seen from miles around, with views of Ocean City and the surrounding communities from the top. Other rides include roller coasters, bumper cars, water rides, and 11 miniature golf courses. Shops sell souvenirs and snacks, such as cotton candy, popcorn, pizza, and ice cream. Other boardwalk activities include enjoying the sunrise with a leisurely walk, a brisk jog, a bike tour, a ride on a surrey cart, or a meal at one of the many ocean front cafes.

[edit] Seaside Heights, New Jersey

This 1-mile (1.6 km) long promenade is full of game stands, pizzerias, souvenir shops, beach gear stores, arcades and ice cream parlors drawing families, teenagers and adults alike. The Seaside Heights boardwalk is bookended by two 300-foot-long (91 m) piers that feature amusement rides, carousels, log flumes, roller coasters, Ferris wheels and more. One of these piers is the world-famous Casino Pier, home to a 1913 circa merry-go-round, the Niagara Falls log flume and the Jet Star roller coaster. The other is the Funtown Amusement Pier home to the Tower of Fear, Seaside's tallest Ferris wheel and a go-kart track. Across from Casino Pier is the redeveloped Jenkinson's Breakwater Beach waterpark (formerly WaterWorks). Many of the businesses are still family-owned and operated and have been almost as long as the boardwalk has been around.

[edit] Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey

About seven miles (11 km) from Seaside Heights, the Point Pleasant Beach boardwalk (frequently known as Jenkinson's Boardwalk) is similar to the boardwalk found in Seaside Heights, but is a bit more subdued. The promenade extends from the Manasquan Inlet in the northern end of the borough to the border with Bay Head in the south. Right in the middle is the Jenkinson's Amusements/Jenkinson's Boardwalk area brimming with rides, games, carnival food, miniature golf, fun houses, souvenir shops, and Jenkinson's Aquarium.

[edit] Wildwood, New Jersey

The 2 mile (3 kilometer) long boardwalk has a total of three amusement piers plus a myriad of other carnival games, souvenir shops, food stands, waterparks, and world-class roller coasters. The Boardwalk started out as a mere 150 feet (45 m). It has actually been moved closer to the ocean twice. Today, the boardwalk stretches from 38 blocks from 16th Ave in North Wildwood to Cresse Ave in Wildwood Crest. The Wildwood Boardwalk is said to have more rides than Disneyland. Kiddie rides include a convoy of airplanes, trucks, dune buggies, boats, and trains. Flying elephants, teacups, bouncing giraffes, mini-Ferris wheels, and a traditional carousel round out the mix. The Boardwalk piers boast several waterparks and four major roller coasters.^[2] In 2008-2009 a section of the boardwalk was rebuilt using ipe tropical hardwood, even though the town pledged to use domestic black locust.^[3]

Rockaway boardwalk, 1903

New York[link]

[edit] Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York

Riegelmann Boardwalk, located along the southern shore of Brooklyn along the Atlantic Ocean, Coney Island is known for the amusement parks along the 2.51 mile boardwalk. Many of its most famous parks no longer exist, but the boardwalk still hosts the Cyclone roller coaster and the Wonder Wheel Ferris wheel, as well as the New York Aquarium. A recent addition to the boardwalk is KeySpan Park, home of the minor-league Brooklyn Cyclones baseball team.

[edit] Rockaway, Queens, New York

The Rockaway Boardwalk is 5.5 miles long running from Beach 9th St. in Far Rockaway to Beach 126th St. in Rockaway Park at the edge of Belle Harbor.^[4] While several unconnected sections were first built at the end of the 19th century, the entire length was completed in the 1930s. Today, a few sections have been rebuilt in concrete. Some sections of the boardwalk such as Edgemere and Arverne offer access to mostly uncrowded beaches. Other sections include playgrounds and bathroom facilities and tend to be very crowded, such as Far Rockaway and especially Rockaway Beach with its many eateries and bars. The sections of Beach 67th to 69th in Arverne and Beach 87th to 91st in Hammels are designated as surfing beaches. The boardwalk and its 170 acres of beaches is maintained by the NYC Parks Department and policed by the NYC Parks Enforcement Patrol. The Rockaway Boardwalk and beaches are notable in that their entire length is accessible to beach-goers by subway.

[edit] South Beach, Staten Island, New York

The F.D.R. Boardwalk along South Beach is two and one-half miles long, which is the fourth largest in the world. Visitors enjoy strolling and bicycling throughout the year. From October to May, fishing is also permitted.

Ontario[link]

[edit] Toronto, Ontario, Canada

The Beaches neighbourhood has a boardwalk along its scenic Lake Ontario shoreline. It runs 3 kilometres from Ashbridge's Bay in the west to the R. C. Harris Water Treatment Plant in the east.^[5]

South Carolina[link]

[edit] Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

The 1.2 mile Myrtle Beach Boardwalk, finished in 2010, was recognized later that year by National Geographic as the nations's #3 boardwalk behind the ones at Atlantic City and Coney Island.^[6]

Texas[link]

[edit] Kemah, Texas

The Kemah Boardwalk is a hotel and restaurant destination in Kemah, Texas, USA, which also features a small selection of amusement rides. The main attractions of the 35-acre (140,000 m²) complex, which opened in 2001, are its many restaurants overlooking Galveston Bay, recreational sailing, and rides. The area was developed by Landry's, which owns all of the restaurants on the boardwalk. Activities include shopping and midway games, as well as a miniature train that traverses the entire area. Additional attractions include a 36-foot (11 m) carousel a 65-foot (20 m) Ferris wheel and a new wooden roller coaster.

Virginia[link]

[edit] Virginia Beach, Virginia

Virginia Beach, Virginia's 3-mile (4.8 km) boardwalk features restaurants, entertainment, and many sporting events.

Marsh boardwalk in Point Pelee, Ontario, Canada

Other examples[link]

Gold Coast Oceanway[link]

Gold Coast, Queensland Australia has a 36 km foreshoreway stretching from the Gold Coast Seaway to Point Danger on the Queensland and New South Wales state border known as the Gold Coast Oceanway. The Oceanway has become so popular that extensions are gradually emerging in the neighbouring Tweed Shire. The Logo depicts a family group of pedestrians and a cyclist enjoying a sustainable and healthy journey past green dunes along golden beaches.

An isolated village in rural southwest Alaska.

Alaska[link]

Eskimo villages of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska — Today, 10 feet (3.05 m) wide heavy-duty boardwalks are common in villages throughout this part of Bush Alaska. Tuntutuliak was the first village to receive them in the mid 1990s by way of a government funded program to determine whether they would be a worthwhile investment elsewhere. Before the existence of these boardwalks, a much narrower, lower, and less extensive system of boards and boardwalks served delta villages. [1]

See also[link]

• Duckboards
• Footbridge
• Plank road
• Riverfront
• Under the Boardwalk (hit pop song from the 60s)

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Boardwalks

• Maydencroft Rural-Boardwalk construction - UK National Service
• Asbury Park Press feature on Jersey Shore boardwalks
• The Asbury Park Boardwalk - A current and past look at the boardwalk, events and more
• The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
• Travel Channel — Best American Boardwalks
• Ocean County Boardwalks
• The Star Ledger — Photograph Gallery "New Jersey Boardwalks"
• Walk with board in Switzerland

Bette Midler
Midler backstage at the Grammy Awards, February 1990
Background information
Also known as	The Divine Miss M
Born	(1945-12-01) December 1, 1945 (age 66)
Origin	Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S. Territory
Genres	Vocal, pop, adult contemporary, comedy
Occupations	Singer, actress, comedian, author, producer
Instruments	Vocals-mezzo soprano, ukulele
Years active	1965–present
Labels	Atlantic (1972–1997) Warner Bros. (1998–2001) Columbia (2002–present)
Associated acts	Barry Manilow
Website	bettemidler.com

Bette Midler (born December 1, 1945) is an American singer, actress, and comedian, also known by her informal stage name, The Divine Miss M. She became famous as a cabaret and concert headliner, and went on to star in successful and acclaimed films such as The Rose, Ruthless People, Beaches, and For The Boys. During her more than forty-year career, Midler has been nominated for two Academy Awards, and won three Grammy Awards, four Golden Globes, three Emmy Awards, and a special Tony Award. She has sold over 30 million albums worldwide.^[1] Her voice type is categorized as deep mezzo soprano.^[2]

Early life and family[link]

Midler was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. Her parents moved from Paterson, New Jersey to Honolulu before she was born, and hers was one of the few Jewish families in a mostly Asian neighborhood.^[3] Her mother, Ruth (née Schindel), was a seamstress and housewife, and her father, Fred Midler, worked at a Navy base in Hawaii as a painter.^[4] She was named after actress Bette Davis, though Davis pronounced her first name in two syllables, and Midler uses one, /ˈbɛt/.^[5] She was raised in Aiea and attended Radford High School, in Honolulu.^[6] She was voted "Most Talkative" in the 1961 school Hoss Election, and in her Senior Year (Class of 1963), "Most Dramatic".^[7] Midler majored in drama at the University of Hawaii, but left after three semesters.^[8] She earned money in the 1966 film Hawaii as an extra,^[5] playing an uncredited seasick passenger named Miss David Buff.

Midler married Martin von Haselberg on December 16, 1984, about six weeks after their first meeting. Their daughter, Sophie Frederica Alohilani Von Haselberg, was born on November 14, 1986.^[9]

Career[link]

Theater work[link]

In the summer of 1965, Midler relocated to New York City, using the money from her work in the film Hawaii. She landed her first professional onstage role in Tom Eyen's Off-Off-Broadway plays in 1965, Miss Nefertiti Regrets and Cinderella Revisited, a children's play by day and an adult show by night.^[10] From 1966 to 1969, she played the role of Tzeitel in Fiddler on the Roof on Broadway.^[5] After Fiddler, she joined the original cast of Salvation in 1969.^[11]

In the summer of 1970, Midler began singing in the Continental Baths, a gay bathhouse in the city.^[5] During this time, she became close to her piano accompanist, Barry Manilow, who produced her first album in 1972, The Divine Miss M.^[10] It was during her time at the Continental Baths that she built up a core following. In the late 1990s, during the release of her album Bathhouse Betty, Midler commented on her time performing there, "Despite the way things turned out [with the AIDS crisis], I'm still proud of those days. I feel like I was at the forefront of the gay liberation movement, and I hope I did my part to help it move forward. So, I kind of wear the label of 'Bathhouse Betty' with pride".^[12]

In 1971, Midler starred in the first professional production of The Who's rock opera Tommy, with director Richard Pearlman and the Seattle Opera.^[13] It was during the run of Tommy that Midler first appeared on The Tonight Show.

[edit] 1972–1980: The Divine Miss M and success

Midler released her debut album, The Divine Miss M, on Atlantic Records, in December 1972. It reached Billboard's Top 10 and became a million-selling Platinum-certified album,^[14] earning Midler the 1973 Grammy Award for Best New Artist.^[15] It featured three hit singles, with "Do You Want To Dance?", "Friends", and "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy", which became Midler's first No. 1 Adult Contemporary hit. "Bugle Boy" became a very successful rock cover of the classic swing tune originally introduced and popularized in 1941 by the famous Andrews Sisters, of whom Midler has repeatedly referenced as her idols and inspiration, as far back as her first appearances on The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson. Midler told Carson in an interview that she always wanted to move like the sisters, and Patty Andrews once remembered, "When I first heard the introduction on the radio, I thought it was our old record. When Bette opened at the Amphitheater in Los Angeles, Maxene and I went backstage to see her. Her first words were, 'What else did you record?'"^[16] During another one of Midler's concerts, Maxene went on stage and presented her with an honorary bugle. Bette recorded other Andrews Sisters hits, including "In the Mood" and "Lullaby of Broadway."^[16]

Her self-titled follow-up album was released at the end of 1973. It reached Billboard's Top 10 and eventually sold close to a million copies in the United States alone.^[17] Midler returned to recording with the 1976 and 1977 albums, Songs for the New Depression and Broken Blossom.

Midler at the premiere of The Rose, 1979

In 1974, she received a Special Tony Award for her contribution to Broadway,^[18] with Clams on the Half Shell Revue playing at the Minskoff Theater. From 1975–1978, she also provided the voice of Woody the Spoon on the PBS educational series Vegetable Soup. In 1977, Midler's first television special, Ol' Red Hair is Back, premiered, featuring guest stars Dustin Hoffman and Emmett Kelly. It went on to win the Emmy Award^[19] for Outstanding Special — Comedy-Variety or Music.^[20]

In 1979, Midler made her first motion picture, starring in the 1960s-era rock and roll tragedy The Rose, as a drug-addicted rock star modeled after Janis Joplin.^[5] That year, she also released her fifth studio album, Thighs and Whispers. Midler's first foray into disco was a commercial and critical failure and went on to be her all-time lowest charting album, peaking at No. 65 on the Billboard album chart.^[21] Soon afterward, she began a world concert tour, with one of her shows in Pasadena being filmed and released as the concert film Divine Madness (1980).

In 1979, she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for The Rose, a role for which she won the Golden Globe for Best Actress (Comedy or Musical).^[5] The film's acclaimed soundtrack album sold over two million copies in the United States alone, earning a Double Platinum certification.^[14] The single version of the song held the No. 1 position on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart for five consecutive weeks and reached No. 3 on Billboard's Hot 100. It earned Midler her first Gold single^[14] and won the Grammy award for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female.^[15]

[edit] 1981–89: Wind Beneath My Wings and Beaches

In 1981, Midler worked on the troubled comedy project Jinxed!. However, during production, there was friction with co-star Ken Wahl and the film's director, Don Siegel.^{[citation needed]} Released in 1982, the film was a major flop.^{[citation needed]} Midler did not appear in any other films until 1986. During those four years, she concentrated on her music career and in 1983, released the album No Frills, produced by Chuck Plotkin, who was best known for his work with Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen. The album included three single releases: the ballad "All I Need To Know", a cover of Detroit native Marshall Crenshaw's "You're My Favorite Waste of Time" – which Midler fell in love with after flipping his 45 of "Someday Someway"^{[citation needed]} – and Midler's take on the Rolling Stones cover "Beast of Burden". The rock and New Wave album became Midler's third lowest charting album in the U.S.

Midler performed on USA for Africa's 1985 fund-raising single "We Are the World", and participated at the Live Aid event at JFK Stadium in Philadelphia.^[22] Also in 1985, she signed a multi-picture deal with Touchstone Pictures. She was subsequently cast by director Paul Mazursky in Down and Out in Beverly Hills, beginning a successful comedic acting career.^[5] She followed that role with Ruthless People (1986), Outrageous Fortune (1987), and Big Business (1988).^[5] Later in 1988, Midler lent her voice to the animated character Georgette, a snobbish poodle, in Disney's Oliver & Company, and had a hit with the tearjerker Beaches, co-starring Barbara Hershey.^[5] The accompanying soundtrack remains Midler's all-time biggest selling disc, reaching No. 2 on Billboard's album chart and with U.S. sales of four million copies. It featured her biggest hit, "Wind Beneath My Wings", which went to No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100, achieved Platinum status,^[14] and won Midler her third Grammy Award – for Record of the Year – at the 1990 telecast.^[15]

1990–2000: Chart comeback[link]

Midler in Los Angeles, 1990

In 1990, Midler's single "From A Distance" topped the charts and achieved platinum status. The next year, Midler co-starred with Woody Allen in Scenes from a Mall, again for Mazursky. She earned another Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for 1991's For the Boys, directed by Mark Rydell, who also directed The Rose. For the latter, she was awarded another Golden Globe for Best Actress (Comedy or Musical).^[20] She turned down the lead role in 1992's Sister Act, which instead went to Whoopi Goldberg.^[23] In 1993, she starred with Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy in the movie, Hocus Pocus, as Winifred "Winnie" Sanderson, the head witch of the Sanderson Sisters.^[5][24]

Midler's other films include Stella (1990), The First Wives Club (1996), and The Stepford Wives (2004).^[5] Her television work includes an Emmy-nominated version of the stage musical Gypsy and a guest appearance as herself in Fran Drescher's The Nanny. In 1997, Midler, along with her co-stars from The First Wives Club, Goldie Hawn, and Diane Keaton, was a recipient of the Women in Film Crystal Award, which honors "outstanding women who, through their endurance and the excellence of their work, have helped to expand the role of women within the entertainment industry".^[25]

Midler won an Emmy Award in 1992 for her performance on the next-to-last episode of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in May 1992, during which she sang an emotion-laden "One for My Baby (and One More for the Road)" to Johnny Carson. That night, Midler began singing "Here's That Rainy Day", Carson's favorite song; Carson joined in a few lyrics later.^[26] She appeared on Seinfeld in the episode "The Understudy", which was the season finale of that show's sixth season in 1995.

Her 1997 HBO special Diva Las Vegas earned her a third Emmy Award, for Outstanding Performance in a Variety or Music Program.^[20]

In 1995 and 1999, she reached the top of the US Dance Charts with remixes of her hits "To Deserve You"^[27] on Atlantic and "I'm Beautiful"^[28] on Warner Brothers Records. "To Deserve You" reached No. 2 and "I'm Beautiful" reached No. 1.

2000–01[link]

Midler has guest-starred in various sitcoms over the years, including The Simpsons in the episode "Krusty Gets Kancelled" (she is first seen traversing a highway picking up trash when she is approached by Bart and Lisa with a request for Midler to appear on a show to revive Krusty's dying career). In 2000, Midler starred in her own sitcom, Bette. Airing on CBS, initial ratings were high but soon declined and the show did not last a full season, being cancelled in early 2001. During the show's short lifespan, Bette's daughter (played by Lindsay Lohan in the pilot, then by Marina Malota starting with the third episode) and her husband were recast (Robert Hays succeeded Kevin Dunn in the final episode aired). The show was also reportedly rocked by backstage turmoil. Also in 2001, Bette or Bust, a book chronicling Midler's "Divine Miss Millennium Tour", was released.

Music[link]

Midler has won three Grammy Awards.,^[29] Best New Artist, Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for "The Rose" and Record of the Year for "Wind Beneath My Wings". Two of her recordings, "Wind Beneath My Wings" and "From a Distance" won the Grammy Award for Song of the Year. "From a Distance" became her longest running No. 1 – six consecutive weeks – on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart. When the American Film Institute announced "The 100 Years of the Greatest Songs" on June 22, 2004, two of Midler's recordings were selected by the board: "Wind Beneath My Wings" (No. 44) and "The Rose" (No. 83). However, after years of erratic record sales, Midler was dropped from the Warner Brothers label in 2001, after nearly three decades with Warner Music Group.

After a reported long-standing feud with Barry Manilow, the two joined forces after many years in 2003 to record Bette Midler Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook. Of the project, Manilow said he'd had a dream that he was recording with Midler again, so he called her up with the idea and she agreed that it was due time to work together again. Manilow duetted with Midler on the song "(I'd Like to Get You on a) Slow Boat to China", after a little dialogue between the two artists at the start of the track. Now signed to Columbia Records, the album was an instant success, being certified gold in only a few weeks. One of the Clooney Songbook selections, "This Ole House", became Midler's first Christian radio single shipped by Rick Hendrix and his positive music movement. The album was nominated for a Grammy the following year.^[30]

In 2003–04, Midler toured the U.S. in her new show, Kiss My Brass, to sell-out audiences. In early 2005, an Australian tour, Kiss My Brass Down Under, was equally successful. Midler joined forces again with Manilow for another tribute album, Bette Midler Sings the Peggy Lee Songbook. Released in October 2005, the album sold 55,000 copies the first week of release, returned Midler to the Top 10,^[31] and was nominated for a Grammy Award.^[32]

Grammy Awards[link]

• The year given is the year of the ceremony.
• In 1981 the album In Harmony: A Sesame Street Record won the Grammy for Best Recording for Children, Midler was one of the various artists featured. This Grammy was awarded to the producers, David Levine and Lucy Simon.
• "Wind Beneath My Wings" also won the Grammy for Song of the Year. This Grammy was awarded to the songwriters, Larry Henley and Jeff Silbar.
• In 1990 Midler's version of "From a Distance" won the Grammy for Song of the Year. This Grammy was awarded to the songwriter, Julie Gold.

Ongoing work[link]

In 2006, Midler released a new Christmas album, Cool Yule, featuring the title song (written by Steve Allen) and a duet of "Winter Wonderland"/"Let It Snow" with Johnny Mathis. Midler starred in the 2007 film Then She Found Me, directed by Helen Hunt and starring Hunt, Matthew Broderick, and Colin Firth, and appeared on the American Idol season 6 finale, singing "Wind Beneath My Wings" live at the Kodak Theatre.

On December 6, 2007, Midler's album Cool Yule received a Grammy nomination for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album.^[33]

Midler had a Vegas show entitled Bette Midler: The Showgirl Must Go On at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace. The show comprised The Staggering Harlettes, 20 female dancers called The Caesar Salad Girls and a 13-piece band. The show debuted on February 20, 2008, and played its final performance on January 31, 2010, after a two-year run.^[34] The show was nominated for an Emmy for outstanding variety,music or comedy special in 2011.^[35]

A new "best of" album, Jackpot: The Best Bette, was released in 2008 and reached No. 66 on the U.S. charts, and No. 6 in the UK, where it was certified Platinum for sales of over 300,000 copies.^[36]

In June 2009, Midler appeared on the Bravo TV show My Life on the D-List with Kathy Griffin. In December 2009, Midler appeared in the Royal Variety Performance, an annual British charity event attended by Queen Elizabeth II. She performed "In My Life" and "Wind Beneath My Wings" as the closing act.^[37]

In 2010, Midler voiced the character Kitty Galore in the animated film Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore. The film was a modest success, grossing $112 million worldwide.^[38] In November 2010, Midler released Memories of You, another compilation of lesser known tracks from her catalog. She promoted the album to her UK fans on Daybreak and The Graham Norton Show, on the latter of which she also performed "Dreamland" from For the Boys.^{[citation needed]}

Midler is one of the producers of the Broadway production of the musical Priscilla Queen of the Desert which opened in February 2011.^[39]

Midler will be co-starring alongside Billy Crystal in the movie Parental Guidance due to be released in 2012. Midler also auctioned her outfits and achievements from her 40-year career in November 2011 in order to raise money for the New York Restoration Project.

Midler has an estimated net worth of $175 million.^[40]

In June 2012, she is slated to receive the Sammy Cahn Lifetime Achievement Award at the Songwriters Hall of Fame in New York in recognition of her having "captivated the world" with her "stylish presentation and unmistakable voice".^[41]

Charity work[link]

In 1995, Midler founded the New York Restoration Project (NYRP), a non-profit organization with the goal of revitalizing neglected neighborhood parks in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods of New York City.^[5] These include Highbridge Park, Fort Washington Park, and Fort Tryon Park in upper Manhattan and Roberto Clemente State Park and Bridge Park in the Bronx.^[42]

In 1999, the city planned to auction 114 community gardens for commercial development. Midler led a coalition of greening organizations to save them. NYRP took ownership of 60 of the most neglected plots. Today, Midler and her organization work with local volunteers and community groups to ensure that these gardens are kept safe, clean and vibrant. In 2003, Midler opened Swindler Cove Park, a new 5-acre (20,000 m²) public park on the Harlem River shore featuring specially designed educational facilities and the Peter Jay Sharp Boathouse, the first community rowing facility to be built on the Harlem River in more than 100 years. The organization offers free in-school and after-school environmental education programming to students from high-poverty Title I schools.^[42]

Discography[link]

• 1972: The Divine Miss M
• 1973: Bette Midler
• 1976: Songs for the New Depression
• 1977: Live at Last
• 1977: Broken Blossom
• 1979: Thighs and Whispers
• 1983: No Frills
• 1990: Some People's Lives
• 1995: Bette of Roses
• 1998: Bathhouse Betty
• 2000: Bette
• 2003: Bette Midler Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook
• 2005: Bette Midler Sings the Peggy Lee Songbook
• 2006: Cool Yule

Tours[link]

Filmography[link]

Film[link]

Television[link]

See also[link]

• List of number-one hits (United States)
• List of artists who reached number one on the Hot 100 (U.S.)
• List of number-one dance hits (United States)
• List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance chart

References[link]

Further reading[link]

• A View From A Broad 1981
• The Saga of Baby Divine (Crown Publishers, 1984), ISBN 978-0-517-55040-3
• Bette: An Intimate Biography of Bette Midler by George Mair (Birch Lane Press, 1995), ISBN 1-55972-272-X

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Bette Midler

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Bette Midler

• Official Website
• Bette Midler: Bootleg Betty
• Bette Midler: Fan-Forum
• Bette on the Boards
• Bette Midler at the Internet Movie Database
• Bette Midler at the Internet Broadway Database
• Bette Midler at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
• Bette Midler at TVGuide.com
• Bette Midler bio, photos, stories and blogs in the Las Vegas Sun
• Bette Midler on Muppet Wiki
• Bette Midler at Emmys.com

Erik Weiner (born June 7, 1977) is an American actor, comedian, and writer best known for co-creating the play The Bomb-itty of Errors and his role as Agent Sebso on HBO's Boardwalk Empire.

Biography[link]

Erik was born and raised in San Francisco. He graduated from New York University. In 1999 he co-created and starred in The Bomb-itty of Errors, an adaptation of Shakespeare's Comedy of Errors, blending hip-hop and Shakespeare. The show has been performed in New York (Off-Broadway), London (West End), Chicago, Los Angeles, Amsterdam, Edinburgh, Dublin, Florida, Philadelphia, St. Louis, and continues to play around the world.^[1]

Erik was invited to be a fellow at the Sundance Institute's Screenwriting Lab in 2002.

In 2002 Erik co-created and starred in the MTV sketch comedy series, Scratch & Burn. Erik made his feature film debut in the 20th Century Fox romantic comedy, Brown Sugar (2002 film). The film stars Taye Diggs, Mos Def & Queen Latifah.

In 2005 Erik acted on HBO's Unscripted, directed and executive produced by George Clooney.

Erik's music video "Shawshank In A Minute", directed by John Landis, won Jib-Jab's Great Sketch Experiment in 2006.^[2]

His musical comedy, NERDS, written with collaborator Jordan Allen-Dutton and music composed by Hal Goldberg, won Barrymore Awards for Outstanding New Play and Outstanding Original Music in 2007.^[3]

Erik received two Emmy Award nominations in 2007 and 2008 for writing on Robot Chicken.^[4]

Erik has produced such shows as America's Best Dance Crew, Snoop Dogg's Fatherhood, The Sing-Off, and served as the Head Writer on the MTV Movie Awards in 2010 and 2011. He was Creative Producer of the 2011 Emmy Awards.