name	Gay Byrne
alt	Gay Byrne speaking into a microphone in 2008
birth date	August 05, 1934
birth place	Dublin, Ireland
death date
resting place coordinates
residence	Sandymount
nationality	Irish
other names	Gaybo Uncle Gaybo
education	Rialto National School, Synge Street CBS, Honorary doctorate in literature from Trinity College Dublin (1988)
employer	RTÉ
notable works	''The Late Late Show'', ''The Gay Byrne Show'', ''The Meaning of Life'', ''For One Nigght Only''
occupation	Broadcaster of radio and television
years active	1958–present
boards	Chairman of the Road Safety Authority (2006–)
spouse	Kathleen Watkins (1964–present)
children	Suzy, Crona
misc	}}

Gabriel Mary "Gay" Byrne (born 5 August 1934; affectionately known as "Gaybo" or "Uncle Gaybo") is a veteran Irish presenter of radio and television. His most notable role was first host of ''The Late Late Show'' over a 37-year period spanning 1962 until 1999. His time working in Britain with Granada Television saw him become the first person to introduce The Beatles on screen.

From 1973 until 1998, Byrne presented ''The Gay Byrne Hour''—later ''The Gay Byrne Show'' when it expanded to two hours—on RTÉ Radio 1 each weekday morning. Since "retiring" from his long-running radio and television shows Byrne has presented several other shows, including ''Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?'', ''Big Class Reunion'', ''The Gay Byrne Music Show'', ''Make 'Em Laugh'', ''Gaybo's Grumpy Men'' and ''The Meaning of Life'' on RTÉ One and ''Sunday Serenade''/''Sunday with Gay Byrne'' on RTÉ lyric fm. In 2006 he was elected Chairman of Ireland's Road Safety Authority. Since retiring he has become the "Elder Lemon of Irish broadcasting".

Byrne is credited with being a catalyst in the transformation of Irish society since the 1960s. He has broken several Irish social taboos by discussing topics like contraception, homosexuality, and abortion and is considered "a catalyst for social change". When Barry Galvin, then as Cork's state solicitor, appeared on ''The Late Late Show'' with Gay Byrne in 1992 to speak of the increasing problems Ireland was experiencing with the illegal drug trade, he was subsequently given the post of first ever head of the important Criminal Assets Bureau. Byrne is, alongside Terry Wogan, one of Ireland's two most notable broadcasters, but also described as "the most famous Irish broadcaster in history", lauded by the media as "the man who changed Ireland".

According to the ''Irish Examiner'', Gay Byrne has "had more influence on changing life in this country than any of the political leaders", including Taoisigh W. T. Cosgrave, Éamon de Valera and John A. Costello as well as Ruairi O Bradaigh, John Charles McQuaid, the Catholic Archbishop of Dublin and Primate of Ireland for over 30 years. A 1998 poll found Byrne level with notorious former Taoiseach Charles Haughey as the most hated public figure in Ireland but Byrne was also named the most popular public figure in the same poll. In 2010 ''The Irish Times'' said Byrne was "unquestionably the most influential radio and television man in the history of the Irish State".

Background and early life

Byrne is the son of Edward Byrne. Edward Byrne joined the Irish volunteers in 1912, and subsequently joined the 19th Hussars, Infantry Division, when World War I (1914–1918) broke out. He later fought during the Irish War of Independence. He fought throughout most of the War, including at O'Connell Street. Shortly after the War, Edward Byrne was employed by Guinness' St. James's Gate Brewery where he worked for most of the rest of his life. He worked on the barges that operated on the river Liffey, transporting wooden casks from St. James's Gate Brewery to ships at the North Wall, Dublin. Edward Byrne was the son of Alexander Byrne, a coachman to the Earl of Meath, who lived at a lodge on the Earl's estate near Kilruddery, County Wicklow. He first lived with his family at 17 Rialto Street, Rialto, Dublin, before his parents moved to 124 (later renumbered 512) South Circular Road, Dublin, in 1944.

Byrne attended Rialto National School (since closed) and a number of other schools for short periods. Subsequently, he was educated by the Irish Christian Brothers at Synge Street CBS.

Byrne's mother, Annie, died in late 1964.

Career

Early career

Whilst young, Byrne was inspired by the broadcaster Eamonn Andrews, who had a successful career on British television, and "wanted to be what he was". Andrews was friendly with Byrne's eldest brother. In 1958 he moved over to broadcasting when he became a presenter on Radio Éireann. He also worked with Granada Television and the BBC in England. Whilst at Granada, Byrne became the first person to introduce The Beatles on television when they made their small screen debut on local news programme ''People and Places''.

In 1961, Telefís Éireann (later Radio Telefís Éireann and now Raidió Teilifís Éireann) was set up. He finally worked exclusively for the new Irish service after 1969. He introduced many popular programmes, with his most popular and successful programme being ''The Late Late Show''.

Radio career

Byrne began his broadcasting career on radio.

Radio Éireann gave him a 15-minute slot on Monday nights which he used to play Jazz, his first broadcast for the station being in 1958.

He is now best remembered for his two hour morning show, ''The Gay Byrne Hour'', which was later renamed ''The Gay Byrne Show'' (1972–1999). For many years the show was produced by John Caden. Joe Duffy was a reporter on ''The Gay Byrne Show'' and subsequently succeeded him as presenter.

He continues to play jazz on radio during his retirement.

Television career

''The Late Late Show''

On 5 July 1962, the first episode of ''The Late Late Show'' was aired on Irish television. Originally the show was scheduled as an eight-week summer filler. The programme, which is still broadcast, has become the world's longest running chat show. The show became a forum where controversial topics such as the influence of the Roman Catholic Church, contraception, AIDS, unemployment, homosexuality, abortion, divorce, and other hitherto taboo subjects were discussed openly in Ireland, alongside book reviews, celebrity visits, and music acts like The Boomtown Rats, U2, Sinéad O'Connor, Elkie Brooks, Boyzone, and Noel Gallagher. Other guests included Presidents of Ireland, successive Archbishops of Armagh, minor members of the British Royal Family, politicians, actors, authors and countless others.

The show had much to do in shaping the new Ireland that was emerging from the 1960s. Indeed it was famously said by politician and Papal Knight, Oliver J. Flanagan that, "there was no sex in Ireland until Teilifís Éireann went on the air". Bishop of Galway Michael Browne called him "a purveyor of filth" after he asked a woman what colour nightie she wore on her wedding night and she had replied that she believed she'd worn nothing. However, Byrne saw himself as a presenter, not a radical social reformer, though his style was more challenging and less deferential than the style of his successor as presenter of ''The Late Late Show'', Pat Kenny.

More than a decade after departing his role as host of ''The Late Late Show'' Byrne is remembered for conducting memorable interviews with former politician Pádraig Flynn and then Bishop of Galway Eamon Caseys lover Annie Murphy, among others. Another memorable moment to occur on ''The Late Late Show'' was when he called the winner of a prize car live on air only to discover the woman's daughter had died since she had entered.

During the early years of Byrne's time hosting ''The Late Late Show'', prior to about 1978 when the second national Irish TV channel was launched, he was employed by RTÉ on a continuously renewing 3-month contract, lest his employer might want to fire him any time they choose.

Byrne and ''The Late Late Show'' were central to the development of the careers of figures such as Mary Coughlan.

He was noted for wearing a "Bing Crosby sweater" when presenting ''The Late Late Toy Show''.

On 21 May 1999, Byrne presented his last edition of ''The Late Late Show''. He was presented with a Harley-Davidson motorcycle by Bono and Larry Mullen, Jr. Pat Kenny succeeded Byrne as presenter in September 1999, subsequently succeeded by Ryan Tubridy in September 2009. He gave Tubridy his blessing upon taking over the role, saying: "He has all the qualities required, the light deft touch together with a serious mind. I think it's a great adventure that he's setting off on". Byrne returned to ''The Late Late Show'' as a guest twice during Tubridy's first season as presenter, the latter appearance on the day of Gerry Ryan's death.

Other television work

Byrne compered the finals of the Castlebar Song Contest in 1966 and 1967. He also presented The Rose of Tralee festival for 17 years until 1994. Between 1988 and 2001, Byrne hosted the RTÉ People in Need Telethon several times.

Byrne was involved in a famous television moment with colleague Mike Murphy when a disguised Murphy conned him into believing he was a French tourist.

Retirement

Byrne published his autobiography co-written with Deirdre Purcell.

Byrne has not completely retired and continues to feature occasionally on radio and television. He hosted for one season, the Irish version of ''Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?''. He also hosted ''The Gay Byrne Music Show'' and ''Make 'Em Laugh'', a series about comedy in Ireland, ''Gaybo's Grumpy Men'', ''Class Reunion'' and ''For One Night Only''.

In April 2009, RTÉ One began broadcasting a series called ''The Meaning of Life'' during which Gay Byrne interviewed public figures about issues of meaning and life. He prefers not to discuss his own faith:

In March 2006, Byrne was appointed as the Chairman of the Irish Road Safety Authority, a public body given the task of improving road safety in the Republic of Ireland. The role has seen him visit hospitalised survivors alongside President of Ireland Mary McAleese. In retirement Byrne has continued to make his political views known, including questioning Brian Cowen and "whether you can be Taoiseach and still sit up and have a pint in the local pub. You have to dignify the office". Bookmakers suggested he might become Mayor of Dublin.

In December 2009, Byrne returned to his old primary school on Dublin's Synge Street to launch an online children's book club.

Byrne has featured on radio occasionally during his retirement; in 2006 he began presenting a weekly Sunday afternoon show entitled ''Sunday Serenade'' on RTÉ lyric fm. In 2010 he can be heard playing Jazz on Sunday afternoons on lyric fm. This show began after an encounter with Head of lyric fm Aodán Ó Dubhghaill at the National Concert Hall. ''Sunday with Gay Byrne'' attracted 55,000 listeners through "word of mouth": no advertising and no mention in the ''RTÉ Guide''. Byrne once commented on the emptiness of RTÉ at this time of the week:

In August 2011, Byrne failed to confirm or deny rumours that he was being sought to run as the Fianna Fail presidential candidate in the forthcoming presidential election

Personal life

Byrne is married to Kathleen Watkins, formerly a well-known harpist. Byrne first met Kathleen Watkins in 1957. They married in 1964. The couple have two daughters (both adopted). They are called Suzy and Crona. The Byrne family lived on Howth Head in Dublin but have, in recent years, lived in Sandymount in Dublin.

Byrne became a grandfather on September 15, 2004 when Suzy gave birth to a boy at Holles Street Hospital.

Byrne's first cousin is Finbarr Flood, former managing director of Guinness and former chair of the Labour Court.

Byrne relied on an accountant friend, Russell Murphy, to manage his finances, and was personally distraught when upon the accountant's death in 1986, it was found that most of his savings had been squandered, and this had been hidden from him.

His interests include jazz. He is a qualified private pilot.

Honours and awards

In 1988, Byrne was awarded an honorary doctorate in letters from Trinity College, Dublin. In 1999 he was granted the Freedom of the City of Dublin. He received a Lifetime Achievement Award in February 2007 from Irish Film and Television Network. He holds the record for the greatest number of Jacob's Awards received, winning a total of six for his radio and television work. He was appointed chairman of the Road Safety Authority in Ireland in 2006. Outstanding Achievement PPI Radio Award (2009) "The only surprise is that it has taken so long for Gaybo to get it".

See also

List of people on stamps of Ireland

References

Category:1934 births Category:Living people Category:Hosts of Rose of Tralee Category:Jacob's Award winners Category:Irish television talk show hosts Category:Eurovision Song Contest commentators Category:People from County Dublin Category:People of the Year Awards winners Category:People educated at Synge Street CBS

Category:RTÉ Radio 1 presenters Category:RTÉ lyric fm presenters

ga:Gay Byrne fi:Gay Byrne

name	Dermot Morgan
birth name	Dermot John Morgan
birth date	March 03, 1952
birth place	Dublin, Republic of Ireland
death date	February 28, 1998
death place	Hounslow, London, England
death cause	Heart attack
resting place	Deansgrange Cemetery, South County Dublin
television	''Father Ted''
notable role	Father Ted Crilly in''Father Ted''
years active	1979-1998
spouse	Susanne Morgan
partner	Fiona Clarke
children	Three sons: 2 by Susanne, 1 by Fiona
baftaawards	Best Comedy Performance 1999 ''Father Ted''
nationality	Irish
religion	Christian, Roman Catholic
ethnicity	Irish
occupation	Actor, stand-up comedian
education	University College Dublin
alma mater	}}

Dermot John Morgan (3 March 1952 – 28 February 1998) was an Irish comedian, actor and former schoolteacher, who achieved international renown for his roles as Father Ted Crilly in the Channel 4 sitcom ''Father Ted'' and a strip club MC in Taffin.

Father Trendy and ''The Live Mike''

Born in Dublin and educated at Oatlands College, Stillorgan and University College Dublin, Morgan first came to prominence as part of the team of the highly successful RTÉ television show ''The Live Mike'', presented by Mike Murphy. Between 1979 and 1984 Morgan, previously a full-time teacher at St. Michael's College, Ailesbury Road, played a range of comic characters, who would appear between segments, including Father Trendy, an unctuous trying-to-be-''cool'' Roman Catholic priest given to drawing ludicrous parallels with non-religious life in two minute 'chats' to camera. He also played (among other characters) an intolerant GAA bigot, who would wave his hurley around aggressively while verbally attacking his pet hates. He lampooned the Wolfe Tones' song "A Nation Once Again" by singing of a dog who saves his Irish Republican Army master by eating a grenade during a search by the Black and Tans. When the dog farts and the grenade detonates, the British commented that, "It must have been something he ate." The song climaxed with the words, "I hope that I shall live to see Fido an Alsatian once again."

Morgan's success led him to quit teaching and become a full-time comedian.

''Kenny Live''

His relationship with RTÉ, however, became difficult, as the station tried without success to find some way of making use of what it saw as Morgan's considerable but undisciplined talent; a number of attempts in the form of 'pilot' shows never aired. Morgan returned to the screen in the late 1980s playing his past roles and new ones - initially on ''Kenny Live'', a new Saturday chat show presented by Pat Kenny which launched to fill the gap in the schedules left when the ''Late Late Show'' moved to a new Friday slot. However, the show axed its comedy slot when it changed its format in response to negative public responses to the show's structure.

Mr. Eastwood

Morgan moved into a new area when he released a comedy single in December 1985, called ''Thank you very very much, Mr. Eastwood'', a take on the fawning praise of his manager given after bouts by internationally successful Irish boxer Barry McGuigan, which 'featured' lines by McGuigan, Ronald Reagan, Bob Geldof and Ben Morgan.

''Scrap Saturday''

Morgan's biggest Irish broadcasting success occurred in the late 1980s in the Saturday morning radio comedy show, ''Scrap Saturday'', in which Morgan, co-scriptwriter Gerard Stembridge, Owen Roe and Pauline McLynn mocked Ireland's political, business and media establishment. In particular the relationship between then Taoiseach , the ever-controversial Charles Haughey and his press secretary, P. J. Mara became very popular, with Haughey's dismissive attitude towards the latter and Mara's adoring and grovelling attitude towards the "Boss . . . the greatest Leader, Man of Destiny, Statesman, Titan, a Colossus", winning critical praise.

Morgan pilloried Haughey's propensity for claiming a family connection to almost every part of Ireland he visited through the mocking use of a famous drinks advertisement for an Irish beer called Harp, which had played on the image of someone returning home and seeking friends, especially "Sally O'Brien, and the way she might look at you". In the Morgan skit version, Haughey's visits to somewhere in the world, from Dublin to Dubai and elsewhere, would invariably cue after a few seconds the traditional music of the real advertisement, at which Haughey would begin "did I tell you, PJ, about my cousins in . . . " And he would begin discussing "my cousin François Haughey" (France), "Helmut Haughey" (Germany), "Yassar Haughey" (Palestine), "Yitzak Haughey" (Israel) or wherever, to the increasingly despairing Mara, who would groan "Ah now Jaysus, Boss. Come on now, Ah Jaysus (sigh)!"

The Haughey/Mara "double act" became the star turn in a series that mocked all sides, from Haughey and his advisors to opposition Fine Gael TD Michael Noonan as a Limerick disk jockey called "Morning Noon'an Night" and a host of other characters. When RTÉ axed the show in the early 1990s a national outcry ensued. Morgan lashed the decision, calling it "a shameless act of broadcasting cowardice and political subservience". An RTÉ spokesman famously said "The show is not being axed, it's just not being continued!"

In 1991, Morgan received a Jacob's Award for his contribution to ''Scrap Saturday'' from the Irish national newspaper radio critics.

''Father Ted''

Although already a celebrity in Ireland, Morgan's big break came in the shape of the title-role in the Channel 4 sitcom ''Father Ted'', which ran for three series from 1995. Writers Arthur Mathews and Graham Linehan developed the series from a character featured in the former's stand-up comedy act. The writers saw many actors for the role of Father Ted, but Morgan's enthusiasm eventually won him the role.

''Father Ted'' centred on three disparate characters. Father Ted Crilly, played by Morgan, was living a frustrated life trapped on the island. Irish TV comedy actor Frank Kelly played the retired Father Jack Hackett, a foul-mouthed and apparently brain-damaged alcoholic, while child-minded Father Dougal McGuire was played by new Irish comedian Ardal O'Hanlon. In addition to the three priests was their housekeeper, Mrs Doyle, played by Pauline McLynn, with whom Morgan had worked on ''Scrap Saturday''.

BAFTA Award

''Father Ted's'' comic depiction of Irish Catholicism earned it wide popularity and critical acclaim. In 1998 the show won a BAFTA award for Best Comedy, while Morgan won a BAFTA for Best Actor, and McLynn the Best Actress award. Apart from the main characters, many other successful side characters featured, including the camp hyperactive Father Noel Furlong, played by Irish comedian and talk show host Graham Norton.

Sudden death and legacy

thumb|right|The 'Joker's Chair', a memorial to actor Dermot Morgan in Merrion Square, Dublin.After the recording of the third series of ''Father Ted'' had been completed, Morgan intended to work on a new comedy series, based around two retired football players living in a small flat together. However, 24 hours after finishing the recording of the last episode of ''Father Ted'', while hosting a dinner party at his south-west London home, Morgan had a heart attack, he was rushed to hospital but died soon after in Hounslow, London. In the commentary for the first series, writer Graham Linehan notes that Morgan was not a smoker and was uncomfortable during the smoking scenes, of which there were many. Morgan said in a ''Late Late Show'' interview in 1996 with Gay Byrne that his forthcoming screenplay was to be called ''Miracle of the Magyars'' and based on real-life circumstances in the 1950s when the Archbishop of Dublin forbade Catholics to attend a football match between Ireland and Yugoslavia on religious and spiritual grounds. Yugoslavia won the match 4-1. Morgan, however, planned to use Hungary as the opposing side to Ireland, hence the reason for the title.

Frank Kelly said of his acting colleague: "Dermot's mind was mercurial. I think he was a kind of comedic meteor. He burned himself out."

Morgan's Requiem Mass in St. Therese's Church in his native Mount Merrion, South Dublin, was attended by, among others, the President of Ireland Mary McAleese and her predecessor, Mary Robinson and by the leaders of Ireland's church and state, many of whom had been the victims of Morgan's humour in ''Scrap Saturday''. His cremated remains are buried in the family plot in Deansgrange Cemetery, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, south County Dublin.

Appearances

Television

''The Live Mike'' (1979–84)

''Father Ted'' (1995–98)

''Have I Got News for You'' (1996–97; episodes 11.02 and 14.03)

''Shooting Stars'' (1 episode, 1996)

''That's Showbusiness'' (1 episode, 1996)

Radio

''Scrap Saturday'' (1989–91)

Film

''Taffin'' (1988)

''The First Snow of Winter'' (1998, voice)

References

Category:1952 births Category:1998 deaths Category:20th-century actors Category:Burials at Deans Grange Cemetery Category:Cardiovascular disease deaths in England Category:Deaths from myocardial infarction Category:Father Ted Category:Irish comedians Category:Irish radio personalities Category:Irish satirists Category:Irish television actors Category:Jacob's Award winners Category:People from County Dublin

fr:Dermot Morgan ga:Dermot Morgan gv:Dermot Morgan no:Dermot Morgan pl:Dermot Morgan fi:Dermot Morgan

birth name	Ramón Antonio Gerard Estévez
birth date	August 03, 1940
birth place	Dayton, Ohio, United States
years active	1961–present
occupation	Actor, Activist
spouse	Janet Templeton (1961–present)
children	Emilio, Ramon, Carlos, Renée
signature	Martin Sheen signature.svg }}

Ramón Antonio Gerard Estévez (born August 3, 1940), better known by his stage name Martin Sheen, is an American film actor best known for his performances in the films ''Badlands'' (1973), ''Apocalypse Now'' (1979) and ''Wall Street'' (1987), and in the television series ''The West Wing'' from 1999 to 2006.

He is considered one of the best actors never to be nominated for an Academy Award despite his acclaimed performances. In film he has won the Best Actor award at the San Sebastián International Film Festival for his performance as Kit Carruthers in ''Badlands.'' His portrayal of Capt. Willard in ''Apocalypse Now'' earned a nomination for the BAFTA Award for Best Actor. Sheen has worked with a wide variety of film directors, such as Richard Attenborough, Francis Ford Coppola, Terrence Malick, David Cronenberg, Mike Nichols, Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg and Oliver Stone. He has had a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame since 1989. In television he has won both a Golden Globe and two Screen Actors Guild awards for playing the lead role of President Bartlet in ''The West Wing,'' and an Emmy for guest acting in the sitcom ''Murphy Brown.''

Born and raised in the United States from immigrant parents, a Galician father, Francisco Estévez from Salceda de Caselas in Galicia (Spain) and a first-generation Irish mother, Mary-Anne Phelan from Borrisokane in County Tipperary. He adopted the stage name Martin Sheen to help him gain acting parts. He is the father of actors Emilio Estevez, Ramon Estevez, Carlos Irwin Estevez (Charlie Sheen), and Renée Estevez. His younger brother Joe Estevez is also an actor.

Although known as an actor, he has also directed one film, ''Cadence'' (1990), appearing alongside sons Charlie and Ramon. He has also narrated, produced and directed in documentary television, earning two Daytime Emmy awards in the 1980s. In addition to film and television, Sheen has also become notable for his activism in liberal politics. He declined to run for President of Ireland in 2011, a role he qualified for by virtue of his Irish mother.

Early life

Sheen was born in Dayton, Ohio, the son of Spaniard Francisco Estévez (1898–1974) and his Irish wife, Mary-Ann Phelan (1903–1951). During birth, Sheen's left arm was crushed by forceps, giving him limited lateral movement of his left arm, which is three inches shorter than his right. Francisco Estévez was a factory worker/machinery inspector at the National Cash Register Company. Both of Sheen's parents were immigrants, his father from Parderrubias, Galicia, Spain and his mother from Borrisokane, County Tipperary, Ireland. After moving to Dayton in the 1930s, Estévez worked for the National Cash Register Company. Martin Sheen grew up on Brown Street in the South Park neighborhood, one of 10 children (nine boys and a girl). Due to his father's work, Sheen also spent part of his childhood in Bermuda, where the family lived on St. John's Road, Pembroke. He graduated from Chaminade High School (now Chaminade Julienne Catholic High School) and was raised Catholic. He was born Jewish and raised his four children Jewish due to the fact that his wife Janet Templeton is Jewish and she considered and consulted Martin to raise them Jewish which he accepted. Sheen was the first of the children born in the United States. At age 14, he organized a strike of golf caddies while working at a private golf club in Dayton, Ohio. He complained about the golfers: "They often used obscene language in front of us. . . . we were little boys and they were abusive . . . anti-Semitic . . . And they, for the most part, were upstanding members of the community."

Sheen was drawn to acting at a young age, but his father disapproved of his interest in the field. Despite his father's opposition, Sheen borrowed money from a Catholic priest and moved to New York City in his early 20s, hoping to make it as an actor. It was there that he met the legendary Catholic activist Dorothy Day. Working with her Catholic Worker Movement, he began his commitment to social justice, and would one day go on to play Peter Maurin, cofounder of the Catholic Worker Movement, in Entertaining Angels: The Dorothy Day Story. Sheen deliberately failed the entrance exam for the University of Dayton so that he could pursue his acting career.

He adopted his stage name, Martin Sheen, from a combination of the CBS casting director, Robert Dale Martin, who gave him his first big break, and the televangelist archbishop, Fulton J. Sheen. In a 2003 Inside the Actors Studio interview, Sheen explained, "Whenever I would call for an appointment, whether it was a job or an apartment, and I would give my name, there was always that hesitation and when I'd get there, it was always gone. So I thought, I got enough problems trying to get an acting job, so I invented Martin Sheen. It's still Estevez officially. I never changed it officially. I never will. It's on my driver's license and passport and everything. I started using Sheen, I thought I'd give it a try, and before I knew it, I started making a living with it and then it was too late. In fact, one of my great regrets is that I didn't keep my name as it was given to me. I knew it bothered my dad."

Career

Sheen has said he was greatly influenced by the actor James Dean. He developed a theatre company with other actors in hopes that a production would earn him recognition. In 1963, he made an appearance in ''Nightmare'', an episode of the television science fiction series ''The Outer Limits''. The following year, he starred in the Broadway play ''The Subject Was Roses'', reprising his role in the 1968 film of the same name. In 1969 ''Live Bait'' (''Mission: Impossible'') third season of the TV series, Sheen played Albert, assistant to the colonel interrogating an American agent that IM was tasked to free. He then played Dobbs in the film adaptation of ''Catch-22''. Sheen was then a co-star in the controversial Emmy Award-winning 1972 television movie ''That Certain Summer'', said to be the first television movie in America to portray homosexuality in a sympathetic light. His next important feature film role was in 1973, when he starred with Sissy Spacek in the crime drama ''Badlands'', which he has said is his best film. Also in 1973, Sheen appeared opposite David Janssen in "Such Dust As Dreams Are Made On", which was the first pilot for Harry O.

In 1974, Sheen portrayed a hot rod driver in the television movie ''The California Kid'', and that same year received an Emmy Awardnomination for Best Actor in a television drama for his portrayal of Pvt. Eddie Slovik in the television film ''The Execution of Private Slovik''. Based on an incident that occurred during World War II, the film told the story of the only U.S. soldier to be executed for desertion since the American Civil War. Sheen's performance ultimately led to Francis Ford Coppola choosing him for a starring role in 1979's ''Apocalypse Now'', a film that gained him wide recognition. Filming in the Philippine jungle, in the typhoon season of 1976, Sheen admitted he was not in the greatest shape and was drinking heavily. For the film’s legendary opening sequence in a Saigon hotel room Sheen didn’t have to act so much since it was his 36th birthday, and he was very drunk. After 12 months, Sheen reached breaking point, suffering a minor heart attack and he had to crawl out to a road for help. After his heart attack, his younger brother Joe Estevez stood in for him in a number of long shots and in some of the voice-overs. Sheen was able to resume filming a few weeks later. Sheen has played U.S. President John F. Kennedy (in the miniseries ''Kennedy — The Presidential Years''), Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy in the television special ''The Missiles of October,'' White House Chief of Staff A.J. McInnerney in ''The American President,'' sinister future president Greg Stillson in ''The Dead Zone,'' the President in the two-part TV movie, ''Medusa's Child,'' and fictional Democratic president Josiah "Jed" Bartlet in the acclaimed television drama, ''The West Wing.''

As of November 4, 2010, it has been confirmed that he had been cast as Uncle Ben in Sony's 2012 reboot of the Spider-Man series, directed by Marc Webb.

Sheen has performed voice-over work as the narrator for the ''Eyewitness'' series and as the "real" Seymour Skinner in the controversial episode of ''The Simpsons'' titled "The Principal and the Pauper." In addition, he played the role of the Illusive Man in the highly acclaimed RPG ''Mass Effect 2.''

Sheen recently travelled to Mexico City to star in ''Chamaco'' with Kirk Harris, Alex Perea, Gustavo Sanchez Parra and Michael Madsen. His next project will be ''Stella Days,'' which he is filming during November in Tipperary, Ireland, near the birthplace of his mother. Thaddeus O'Sullivan is directing and Irish actor Stephen Rea also stars.

Martin Sheen and son Ramon Estevez combined both their real and stage names to create the Warner Bros.-affiliated company, Estevez Sheen Productions. The company’s latest film is ''The Way,'' written and directed by his son Emilio Estevez who also stars in the film as Martin’s on-screen son, who dies while hiking the Camino de Santiago. His daughter, Renée, also has a part in the film. Driven by sadness, Martin’s character, an American doctor, leaves his Californian life and embarks on the 800-km pilgrimage from the French Pyrenees to Spain’s Santiago de Compostela himself, with his son’s ashes. It is set to be released in theaters on Easter 2011.

Martin will appear in a new Irish Film entitled ''Stella Days'' directed by Irish Director Thaddeus O'Sullivan and stars IFTA award winning actress Amy Huberman. The film sees Martin Sheen play parish priest, Daniel Barry, whose love for the cinema leads him on a path to help set up a local cinema in the town. Daniel comes up against opposition from doubtful local parishioners who question his faith and the Bishop Hegarty, played by Tom Hickey, who is more interested in raising funds for a new church.

Political activism

Although he did not attend college, Sheen credited the Marianists at University of Dayton as a major influence on his public activism. Sheen is known for his robust support of liberal political causes, such as opposition to United States military actions and a toxic-waste incinerator in East Liverpool, Ohio. Sheen has resisted calls to run for office, saying: "There's no way that I could be the president. You can't have a pacifist in the White House . . . I'm an actor. This is what I do for a living." Sheen is an honorary trustee of the Dayton International Peace Museum.

He supported the 1965 farm worker movement with Cesar Chavez in Delano, California. He is a proponent of the Consistent life ethic, which advocates against abortion, capital punishment and war. He also supports the Democrats for Life of America's Pregnant Women Support Act. In 2004 along with Rob Reiner, Sheen campaigned for Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean, and later campaigned for nominee John Kerry.

On May 16, 1995, Martin Sheen and Paul Watson from the non-profit environmental organization, Sea Shepherd, were confronted by a number of Canadian sealers in a hotel on Magdalen Islands over Sea Shepherd's history of attacks on sealing and whaling ships. Sheen negotiated with the sealers while Watson was escorted to the airport by police. In early 2003 Sheen signed the "Not in My Name" declaration opposing the invasion of Iraq (along with prominent figures such as Noam Chomsky and Susan Sarandon); the declaration appeared in the magazine ''The Nation.'' On August 28, 2005, he visited anti-Iraq War activist Cindy Sheehan at Camp Casey. He prayed with her and spoke to her supporters. He began his remarks by stating, "At least you've got the acting president of the United States," referring to his role as fictional president Josiah Bartlet on ''The West Wing.'' Cindy Sheehan had been demanding a second meeting with the President, George W. Bush.

Sheen endorsed marches and walkouts called by the civil rights group By Any Means Necessary (BAMN) to force the state of California to honor the Cesar Chavez holiday. On the day of the protests (March 30) thousands of students, primarily Latino from California and elsewhere, walked out of school in support of the demand. Sheen also stated that he participated in the large-scale immigration marches in Los Angeles in 2006 and 2007.

On April 10, 2006, the ''New York Times'' reported that members of the Democratic Party in Ohio had contacted Sheen, attempting to persuade him to run for the United States Senate in Ohio. Sheen declined the offer, stating, "I'm just not qualified. You're mistaking celebrity for credibility." On November 26, 2006, the Sunday Times in the Republic of Ireland, where Sheen was then living due to his enrolment in NUI Galway, reported on his speaking out against mushroom farmers exploiting foreign workers by paying them as little as €2.50 an hour in a country where the minimum wage was €7.65.

His latest activism includes attendances at meetings of the environmentalist group Earth First! and a speaking appearance at youth activism event We Day Sheen has also endorsed and supported Help Darfur Now, a student-run organization to help aid victims of the genocide in Darfur, the western region in Sudan. He also appears in the recent anti-fur documentary "Skin Trade."

Sheen has appeared in television and radio ads urging Washington State residents to vote no on Initiative 1000, a proposed assisted suicide law before voters in the 2008 election.

Sheen initially endorsed New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson in the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election, and helped raise funds for his campaign. After Richardson dropped out of the campaign, Sheen stated in a BBC Two interview that he was supporting Barack Obama.

Personal life

Family

Sheen married art student Janet Templeton on December 23, 1961, and they have four children, three sons and a daughter, all of whom are actors: Emilio, Ramón, Carlos, and Renée. All but one decided to keep their own names when they began acting - Carlos made the decision to use his father's stage name, and is known as Charlie Sheen.

His son, Charlie Sheen, also starred in a film about Vietnam, ''Platoon.'' Charlie Sheen once stated that he wanted to star in a film similar to one his father was in because he wanted to know what it feels like. They jointly parodied their respective previous roles in the 1993 movie ''Hot Shots Part Deux'': their river patrol boats passed each other, at which point they both shouted, "I loved you in ''Wall Street''!", a film they both starred in as father and son in 1987.

He has played the father of sons Emilio Estevez and Charlie Sheen in various projects: he played Emilio's father in ''The War at Home,'' ''In the Custody of Strangers'' and ''The Way,'' and Charlie's father in ''Wall Street,'' ''No Code of Conduct'' and two episodes of ''Spin City.'' He also appeared as a guest star in one episode of ''Two and a Half Men'' playing the father of Charlie's neighbor Rose (Melanie Lynskey), and another as guest star Denise Richards' father; at the time that episode aired, Richards was still married to Charlie. Martin also played a "future" version of Charlie in a VISA TV commercial. Martin has played other characters with his sons and his daughter. He starred in the film ''Bobby,'' which was directed by Emilio. Estevez also starred in the movie alongside his father. His daughter Renée had a supporting role in ''The West Wing,'' as one of President Josiah Bartlet's (Sheen) secretaries.

Sheen became a grandfather at age 43 when his son, Emilio, had a son named Taylor Levi with his girlfriend, Carey Salley. Sheen has six other grandchildren, Paloma Rae (from Emilio), Cassandra, Sam J, Lola Rose, Bob and Max (from Charlie).

He celebrated his 50th wedding anniversary in late 2011.

Alcohol problems

Sheen has struggled with alcoholism but has been sober since the mid-1980s.

Academic pursuits

After the end of filming of ''The West Wing,'' Sheen announced plans to further his education: "My plan is to read English literature, philosophy and theology in Galway, Ireland, where my late mother came from and where I'm also a citizen." Speaking after an honorary arts doctorate was conferred on him by the National University of Ireland, Sheen joked that he would be the "oldest undergraduate" at the National University of Ireland (NUI), Galway, when he started his full-time studies there in the autumn of 2006. Although expressing concern that he might be a "distraction" to other students at NUIG, he attended lectures like everyone else. Speaking the week after filming his last episode of ''The West Wing,'' he said, "I'm very serious about it." He once said, "I never went to college when I was young and am looking forward to giving it a try . . . at age 65!" On September 1, 2006, Sheen was among the first to register as a student at NUI Galway. He left the University after completing a semester.

Sheen maintains links with Galway and "heartily" supported Michael D. Higgins in the Irish presidential election, 2011, having become a "dear friend" of Higgins while studying there.

Legal troubles

In an Actors Studio interview with James Lipton, Sheen admitted to being arrested 64 times for protests. "I don't look forward to being arrested and I don't go anywhere to get arrested, I really don't. I never know what's gonna happen at the time and sometimes... you have to do it because you cannot not do it and be honest with yourself," Sheen said in the interview. Since then, Sheen has been arrested two more times for protests.

On April 1, 2007, Sheen was arrested, with 38 other activists, for trespassing at the Nevada Test Site at a Nevada Desert Experience event protesting the site.

Religion and beliefs

Sheen is a devout Roman Catholic, having had his faith restored by a series of meaningful conversations in Paris in 1981 with Terrence Malick, the director of Sheen’s breakthrough film, ''Badlands'' (1973).

Sheen is pro-life. He discussed his views in a 2011 interview with Raidió Teilifís Éireann in which he said his wife was conceived through a rape and he says had her mother aborted her, or dumped her in the Ohio River as she considered, his wife would not exist. He also talked about three of his grandchildren whose parents were unmarried when they were born, saying his sons "were not happy at the time but they came to love these children. We have three grown grandchildren, two of them are married, they’re some of the greatest source of joy in our lives."

Awards & honors

In the spring of 1989, Sheen was named honorary mayor of Malibu, California. He promptly marked his appointment with a decree proclaiming the area "a nuclear-free zone, a sanctuary for aliens and the homeless, and a protected environment for all life, wild and tame". Some local citizens were angered by the decree, and the Malibu Chamber of Commerce met in June of that year to consider revoking his title, but voted unanimously to retain him.

While Sheen claims he deliberately failed the entrance exam for the University of Dayton so that he could pursue his acting career, he still has an affinity for UD, and is seen drinking from a "Dayton Flyers" coffee mug during several episodes of ''The West Wing.'' Sheen also developed an ongoing relationship with Wright State University, where he performed ''Love Letters'' as a benefit for scholarships in the Department of Theatre, Dance and Motion Pictures, and hosted a trip of donors to the set of ''The West Wing'' with the department's chair, W. Stuart McDowell, in September, 2001. The Sheen/Estevez & Augsburger Scholarship Fund has since attracted over $100,000 in scholarships in the arts for students in need at WSU since its inception in 2000. Sheen also has a great affinity for the University of Notre Dame and in 2008 was awarded the Laetare Medal, the highest honor bestowed on American Catholics, in May 2008 at the school's commencement.

Sheen received six Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his performance on ''The West Wing,'' for which he won a Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in TV-Drama, as well as two SAG Awards for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series, and was part of the cast that received two SAG Awards for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series.

In his acting career, Sheen has been nominated for ten Emmy Awards, winning one. He has also earned eight nominations for Golden Globe Awards. Sheen has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, at 1500 Vine Street.

In 2001 Sheen won a TV Guide Award for Actor of the Year in a Drama Series for ''The West Wing''. In the animated Nickelodeon movie, TV show and TV spin-off of ''The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron'', there was a character named Sheen Estevez which is Sheen's original last name, Estevez and working last name, Sheen.

Sheen was the 2003 recipient of the Marquette University Degree of Doctor of Letters, honoris causa for his work on social and Catholic issues.

Filmography

Artie Connors ''The Subject Was Roses'' ''Catch-22 (film) ''No Drums, No Bugles'' Les Maj. Holliford Gary McClain ''When the Line Goes Through'' Kit Carruthers Father Kinsella ''The Legend of Earl Durand'' Michael McCord Robert F. KennedyEddie Slovik ''The Last Survivors'' Leonard Hatch ''The Cassandra Crossing'' Frank Hallet ''Apocalypse Now'' Pike ''The Final Countdown (film) ''Loophole (1981 film) ''Gandhi (film) Tom Daley Frank ''Enigma (1983 film) Judge Samuel Salus II Robert Beckwith Greg Stillson ''Firestarter (film) ''The Fourth Wise Man'' ''A State of Emergency'' Lyle Mollencamp ''The Believers'' Del Carl Fox ''Da (film)Herbert Jay Stern ''Marked for Murder'' John Hyde Dr. Jeffrey Miller Dr. Alexander Brown Paul Andrews ''Cadence (film) ''Touch and Die'' Anthony Wayne Narrator ''Running Wild (1992 film) Joe ''When the Bough Breaks (1993 movie) Narrator Gen. Haworth Francis Labeck Lt. Brock Robert E. Lee Jack Brown ''Guns of Honor'' Kelly General Jesse James Montgomery ''The American President'' Father Andrew Kanvesky John Dillinger Jeff Snyder Himself Gil Robbins The Judge father Jozo Zovko ''The War at Home (film)Peter Maurin ''Project ALF'' ''Truth or Consequences, N.M'' NarratorJason Wynn ''Family Attraction'' Sigurd Moulton The Stranger Hanlon Narrator Michael's Father New Warden Bill Peterson ''Thanks'' ''Ninth Street'' Millstone General James Roberts Grandpa Sparta ''O (film) ''Catch Me if You Can'' ''Mercy of the Sea'' Dep. Atty. Gen. Nicholas Katzenbach ''Jerusalemski sindrom'' ''The Departed'' Jack Stevens ''Talk to Me (2007 film) George Morgan Arthur Square ''A Single Woman (film) ''Echelon Conspiracy'' Burke's Father-in-Law Dante D'Enzo ''The Way (film) ''Broken Dreams'' Daniel Barry Tom Highland ''The Amazing Spider-Man (2012 film) Warren Anderson

Year			! Role	! Director	! Notes
1967	The Incident (1967 film)>The Incident''	|	Larry Peerce
1968	|	Timmy Cleary	Ulu Grosbard	Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture
1970	Catch-22'' ||	List of characters in Catch-22#Other characters>1st Lt. Dobbs	Mike Nichols
rowspan="4">1972	|	Ashby Gatrell	Clyde Ware
''Pickup on 101''	|	John Florea
''Rage (1972 film)	Rage''	|	George C. Scott
''That Certain Summer''	|	Lamont Johnson
rowspan="3"	1973	|	Bluff Jackson	Clyde Ware
''Badlands (film)	Badlands''	|	Terrence Malick
''Catholics''	|	Jack Gold
rowspan="4"	1974	|	Luther Sykes	John Patterson (director)>John Patterson
''The California Kid''	|	Richard T. Heffron
''The Missiles of October''	|	Anthony Page
''The Execution of Private Slovik''	|	Lamont Johnson
rowspan="2"	1975	|	Alexander William Holmes	Lee H. Katzin
''Sweet Hostage''	|	Lee Phillips
rowspan="2"	1976	|	Robby Navarro	George P. Cosmatos
''The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane''	|	Nicolas Gessner
rowspan="2"	1979	|	Captain (land)>Captain Benjamin L. Willard	Francis Ford Coppola	Nominated—American Movie Awards
''[[Eagle's Wing''	|	Anthony Harvey
1980	The Final Countdown'' ||	Warren Lasky	Don Taylor (actor)>Don Taylor
1981	Loophole'' ||	Stephen Booker	John Quested
rowspan="3"	1982	Gandhi'' ||	Vince Walker	Richard Attenborough
''That Championship Season (1982 film)	That Championship Season''	|	Jason Miller (playwright)>Jason Miller
''In the Custody of Strangers''	|	Robert Greenwald
rowspan="4"	1983	Enigma'' ||	Alex Holbeck	Jeannot Szwarc
''In the King of Prussia''	|	Emile de Antonio
''Man, Woman and Child''	|	Dick Richards
''The Dead Zone (film)	The Dead Zone''	|	David Cronenberg
1984	Firestarter'' ||	Captain Hollister	Mark L. Lester
1985	|	Artaban	Michael Ray Rhodes
rowspan="2"	1986	|	Dr. Alex Carmody	Richard C. Bennett
''Shattered Spirits''	|	Robert Greenwald
rowspan="3"	1987	|	Cal Jamison	John Schlesinger
''Siesta (film)	Siesta''	|	Mary Lambert
''Wall Street (1987 film)	Wall Street''	|	Oliver Stone
rowspan="2"	1988	Da'' ||	Charlie	Matt Clark (actor)>Matt Clark
''Judgment in Berlin''	|	Leo Penn
rowspan="5"	1989	|	Man in park	Rick Sloane
''Cold Front''	|	Allan A. Goldstein
''Beverly Hills Brats''	|	Jim Sotos
''Nightbreaker''	|	Peter Markle
''Beyond the Stars''	|	David Saperstein
1990	Cadence'' ||	MSgt. Otis V. McKinney	Martin Sheen
rowspan="3"	1991	|	Frank	Piernico Solinas
''The Maid (1991 film)	The Maid''	|	Ian Toynton
''JFK (film)	JFK''	|	Oliver Stone
rowspan="2"	1992	Running Wild'' ||	Dan Walker	Duncan McLachlan
''Original Intent''	|	Robert Marcarelli
rowspan="8"	1993	When the Bough Breaks'' ||	Captain Swaggert	Michael Cohn
''My Home, My Prison''	|	Susana Blaustein Muñoz
''Ghost Brigade'' (aka ''The Killing Box'')	|	George Hickenlooper
''Fortunes of War''	|	Thierry Notz
''Hear No Evil (film)	Hear No Evil''	|	Robert Greenwald
''Hot Shots	Part Deux''	Capt. Benjamin L. Willard	Jim Abrahams
''Gettysburg (1993 film)	Gettysburg''	|	Ronald F. Maxwell
''A Matter of Justice''	|	Michael Switzer
rowspan="4"	1994	|	Jackson Baines Hardin	David Lister
''Hits	''	|	William R. Greenblatt
''Grey Knight''	|	George Hickenlooper
''Boca''	|	Walter Avancini, Zalman King
rowspan="8">1995	|	Chief of Staff A.J. McInnerney	Rob Reiner
''Sacred Cargo''	|	Aleksandr Buravsky
''Dillinger and Capone''	|	Jon Purdy
''Captain Nuke and the Bomber Boys''	|	Charles Gale
''A Hundred and One Nights''	|	Agnès Varda
''The Break''	|	Lee H. Katzin
''Dead Presidents''	| Albert Hughes, Allen Hughes ||
''Gospa''	|	Jakov Sedlar
rowspan="2"	1996	The War at Home'' ||	Bob Collier	Emilio Estevez	Nominated—ALMA Award for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Crossover Role in a Feature Film
''Entertaining Angels: The Dorothy Day Story''	|	Michael Ray Rhodes
1996	|	Colonel Gilbert Milfoil	Dick Lowry
rowspan="3"	1997	|	Sir	Kiefer Sutherland
''An Act of Conscience''	|	Robbie Leppzer
''Spawn (film)	Spawn''	|	Mark A.Z. Dippé
rowspan="9"	1998	|	President	Brian Hecker
''Stranger in the Kingdom''	|	Jay Craven
''Gunfighter''	|	Christopher Coppola
Monument Ave.	''Monument Ave.'' (aka ''Snitch'')	|	Ted Demme
''Shadrach (film)	Shadrach''	|	Susanna Styron
''A Letter from Death Row (film)	A Letter from Death Row''	|	Marvin Baker, Bret Michaels
''Free Money (film)	Free Money''	|	Yves Simoneau
''No Code of Conduct''	|	Bret Michaels
''The Thin Red Line (1998 film)	The Thin Red Line''	|	Terrence Malick
rowspan="4"	1999	|	Father Frank	Tim Rebman, Kevin Willmott
''Lost & Found (1999 film)	Lost & Found''	|	Jeff Pollack
''Storm''	|	Harris Done
''A Texas Funeral''	|	William Blake Herron>W. Blake Herron
2001	O'' ||	Coach Duke Goulding	Tim Blake Nelson
2002	|	Roger Strong	Steven Spielberg
rowspan="2"	2003	|	Frederik	Dominik Sedlar, Jakov Sedlar
''The Commission''	|	Mark Sobel
2004	|		Dominik Sedlar, Jakov Sedlar
rowspan="2"	2006	|	Oliver Queenan (The Departed)>Capt. Oliver "Charlie" Queenan	Martin Scorsese
''Bobby (2006 film)	Bobby''	|	Emilio Estevez
rowspan="3"	2007	Talk To Me'' ||	E.G. Sonderling	Kasi Lemmons
''Bordertown (2007 film)	Bordertown''	|	Gregory Nava
''Flatland: The Movie''	|	Dano Johnson, Jeffrey Travis
2008	A Single Woman'' ||	voice	Kamala Lopez
rowspan="3"	2009	|	Raymond Burke	Greg Marcks
''Love Happens''	|	Brandon Camp
''Imagine That (film)	Imagine That''	|	Karey Kirkpatrick
2010	The Way'' ||	Thomas Avery	Emilio Estevez
rowspan="3"	2011	|	''Special Thanks''	Kaleb Wilson
''Stella Days''<		|	Thaddeus O'Sullivan	Irish Film and Television Awards>Irish Film and Television Award for Actor in a Lead Role – Film
''The Double (film)	The Double''	|	Michael Brandt
rowspan='2'>2012	The Amazing Spider-Man'' ||	Uncle Ben Parker>Ben Parker	Marc Webb
''Bhopal: Prayer for Rain''	|	Ravi Kumar

Documentaries

''Broken Rainbow (film) ''Secrets of the Titanic'' ''Walking After Midnight'' ''Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse'' ''Eyewitness (TV) ''187: Documented'' ''Taylor's Campaign'' ''The Papp Project'' ''Cuba: The 40 Years War'' ''Hidden in Plain Sight'' ''Learning to Sea'' ''On the Line: Dissent in an Age of Terrorism'' ''Who Killed the Electric Car?'' ''Searching for George Washington'' Flower in the Gun Barrel (2008 film) ''One Water (documentary) ''PAX AMERICANA and the Weaponization of Space'' ''Curiosity (TV series)

Year			! Role	! Director
1968	''Pat Neal Is Back''	Himself
rowspan="3">1985	Broken Rainbow'' ||	Narrator	Maria Florio, Victoria Mudd
''In the Name of the People (1985 film)	In the Name of the People''	Narrator
''Spaceflight (TV series)	Spaceflight''	Narrator
1986	|	Narrator	Robert Ballard
1988	|	Himself	Jonathon Kay
1991	|	Himself	Fax Bahr / George Hickenlooper
1994–1996	Eyewitness'' ||	Narrator (U.S. version)
rowspan="2"	1997	|	Narrator	Timothy Fong
''Tudjman''	Narrator
rowspan="2"	1998	|	Narrator	Richard Cohen
''Holes in Heaven''	Narrator
rowspan="4"	2001	|	Himself	Tracie Holder, Karen Thorsen
''SOA: Guns and Greed''	Himself
''Stockpile''	Narrator
''Inside The Vatican	Narrator
rowspan="4"	2002	|	Narrator	Peter Melaragno
''The Making of Bret Michaels''	Himself
''Tibet: Cry of the Snow Lion''	Narrator
''Straight Up: Helicopters in Action''	Narrator
rowspan="2"	2003	|	Narrator	John Smihula
''All the Presidents' Movies''	Narrator
rowspan="3"	2004	|	Narrator	Ziggy Livnat
''Winning New Hampshire''	Himself
''Tell Them Who You Are''	Narrator
rowspan="2"	2005	|	Himself	Peter Glenn, Jason A. Schmidt
''James Dean: Forever Young''	Narrator
rowspan="2"	2006	|	Narrator	Chris Paine
''Between Iraq and a Hard Place''	Narrator
2007	|	George Washington (voice)
rowspan="2"	2008	''Flower in the Gun Barrel'' ||	Narrator	Gabriel Cowan
''They Killed Sister Dorothy''	Narrator
rowspan="2"	2009	One Water'' ||	Narrator	Sanjeev Chatterjee and Ali Habashi
''The End of Poverty?''	Narrator
rowspan="4"	2010	|	Himself	Denis Delestrac
''Return to El Salvador''	Narrator
''The Spirit''	"The Octopuss"
''The Kennedy Detail''	Narrator
2011	Curiosity'' ||	Host

Television and video

''The Naked City'' "And the Cat Jumped Over the Moon" "Nightmare (1963 The Outer Limits) "Flipper and the Seal" "Live Bait" "Then came Bronson" "Cry, Lie" "The Devil's Playground" "Lovely But Lethal" ''Circle of Fear'' All The Guardian ''News at Eleven'' ''Alex Haley's Queen'' "Angst for The Memories" Roswell (film) ''The Crystal Cave: Lessons from The Teachings of Merlin'' "The Principal and the Pauper" ''Babylon 5: The River of Souls'' (TV film) "Virtual Justice" Seasons 1–7 "Sleep Tight, Puddin' Pop" "K&R; - Part III" Season 2, episode 7

Year			! Series Title	! Role	! Director
1960	"The Night the Saints Lost Their Halos"	|	Phil Kasnick
1961	|	Route 66 (TV series)>Route 66''	gang leader Packy	Elliot Silverstein
1963	Nightmare" ||	The Outer Limits (1963 TV series)>The Outer Limits''	Private Arthur Dix	John Erman
1966	|	''Flipper(1964 TV Series)''	Philip Adams
rowspan="2">1969	|	''Mission: Impossible''	Albert, assistant to the Col. interrogating an America Agent that IM was tasked to free
"Pilot episode"	|	"Nick Oresko"
1970	|	''Hawaii Five-O''	Eddie Calhao	Paul Stanley (director)>Paul Stanley
1972	|	''Cannon''	Jerry
1973	|	Columbo (TV series)>Columbo''	Karl Lessing, a chemist who became the murder victim	Jeannot Szwarc
"Dark Vengeance"	|	Frank	Herschel Daugherty
1983	|	Kennedy (TV miniseries)>Kennedy''	John F. Kennedy	Jim Goddard
1984	|	HBO Movie	Charles Hyatt	David Greene
1986	|	TV movie	Frank Kenley, a well-respected senior anchorperson at a fictional San Diego TV station	Mike Robe
1993	|	Mini-Series	James Jackson Sr., a wealthy plantation owner and grandfather to the shows main character, Queen, played Halle Berry	John Erman
1993	|	"Murphy Brown"	Nick Brody, former 60s radical
1994	Roswell ||	TV Movie	Townsend	Jeremy Kagan
1996	|	Video	King Arthur	(Created by Deepak Chopra)
1997	|	''The Simpsons''	Seymour Skinner
1998	|	''Babylon 5''	Soul Hunter (Babylon 5)>Soul Hunter	Janet Greek
1999	|	''Total Recall 2070''	Praxis	Mark Sobel
1999–2006	|	''The West Wing''	Josiah Bartlet>President Josiah Bartlet	Various(Created by Aaron Sorkin)
2005	|	''Two and a Half Men''	Harvey, Rose's Father	Gary Halvorson
2007	|	''Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip''	Radio Host (voice, uncredited)	Timothy Busfield
2009	|	''The Sunday Night Project''	Guest Host	Steve Smith

Radio

''A Prairie Home Companion''

Year	! Date	! Show Title	! Role	! Director
2004–2009	November 11, 2004,September 29, 2007,June 7, 2008,June 6, 2009	|

First appearing on ''A Prairie Home Companion'' on November 11, 2004, Sheen has since become a frequent guest performer, with over a dozen episodes since 2007.

Video games

''Mass Effect 3''

Year	! Game	! Role	! Notes
2010	''Mass Effect 2''	Illusive Man
2012	|	Illusive Man

References

External links

Martin Sheen at MartinSheen.Net Actor's Photo Gallery focusing on over 100 film and television roles and Library of articles and interviews.

''The Mac Weekly'' interview about Sheen's fears of an Obama assassination attempt, his views about the causes of Sept. 11th, and his opposition to an initiative in Washington state that would legalize physician assisted suicide.

Martin Sheen: Catholic President on Prime Time article at AmericanCatholic.org

PBS interview with audio clips: Martin Sheen on Poverty, Faith and Social Activism

2001 NPR Interview about his experiences filming ''Apocalypse Now''

Video and audio of Sheen reading "My Country Awake" by Rabindranath Tagore

''The Alligator'' Interview about Apocalypse Now, meeting Barack Obama and whether ''The West Wing'' changed America (along with Richard Schiff), May 6, 2009 on The Alligator; 6 minutes. (Flash player)

"Exclusive Video: Martin Sheen Speaks Out for Farm Workers", ''Huffington Post'', June 6, 2009

Martin Sheen at Emmys.com

Category:1940 births Category:Living people Category:Actors from Ohio Category:American anti–nuclear weapons activists Category:American anti-war activists Category:American Christian pacifists Category:American film actors Category:American Roman Catholics Category:American television actors Category:Best Drama Actor Golden Globe (television) winners Category:California Democrats Category:Estevez family Category:American people of Galician descent Category:Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series Screen Actors Guild Award winners Category:Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Screen Actors Guild Award winners Category:People from Dayton, Ohio Category:People from Malibu, California Category:People from Staten Island Category:People self-identifying as alcoholics Category:Roman Catholic activists Category:Hispanic and Latino American actors Category:American people of Irish descent

ar:مارتن شين bg:Мартин Шийн cs:Martin Sheen co:Martin Sheen cy:Martin Sheen da:Martin Sheen de:Martin Sheen et:Martin Sheen es:Martin Sheen eo:Martin Sheen fr:Martin Sheen ga:Martin Sheen gl:Martin Sheen hr:Martin Sheen id:Martin Sheen it:Martin Sheen he:מרטין שין la:Martinus Sheen hu:Martin Sheen mr:मार्टिन शीन nl:Martin Sheen ja:マーティン・シーン no:Martin Sheen pl:Martin Sheen pt:Martin Sheen ro:Martin Sheen ru:Мартин Шин simple:Martin Sheen sr:Мартин Шин sh:Martin Sheen fi:Martin Sheen sv:Martin Sheen tl:Martin Sheen tr:Martin Sheen zh:馬田·辛

name	Dustin the Turkey
background	solo_singer
born	13 November 1989
origin	Dublin, Ireland
nationality	Irish
occupation	Singer, TV presenter
years active	1989–present
website	}}

Dustin the Turkey is a puppet, "television presenter" and star of RTÉ television's ''The Den'' since 1989. A "turkey vulture" with a strong Dublin accent, Dustin is voiced by John Morrison, brother of Ciaran Morrison who was one of the creators of Zig and Zag. Dustin first appeared on ''The Den'' with Zig and Zag in 1990, but remained with the show after their 1994 departure to Channel 4. He also outlasted four human co-hosts, all of whom moved to radio, Ian Dempsey, Ray D'Arcy, Damien McCaul and Francis Boylan Jr. Dustin's achievements include a musical career with chart-topping singles. Dustin won the public vote to represent Ireland at the Eurovision Song Contest 2008 with the song ''Irelande Douze Pointe'' but failed to progress past the first semi-final stage. In 2008 he made an appearance on ITV talent contest X factor's extra show.

Music

He released his Greatest Hits album in 2001. On November 4, 2005, he released his first new single for 4 years, "Patricia the Stripper", a duet with Chris de Burgh aka Christy Burger. On November 11, 2005, he then released a new album, also his first for 4 years, called ''Bling When You're Minging''.

These albums have featured backing vocals from many Irish stars including Bob Geldof, Boyzone and the late Joe Dolan. Many of his songs are parodies of either folk songs or well known chart hits from across the decades. He made the news in Britain in December 1996 when he was number one in Ireland with his songs "Christmas Tree" and "Rat Trap" (a cover version of The Boomtown Rats song which he sang with Bob Geldof, and made fun of him throughout), when in just about every other country the Christmas number one spot went to the Spice Girls with their song "2 Become 1".

Singles

(1990) "The Christmas No. 1" (Zig and Zag feat. Dustin the Turkey) (IE #1)

(1993) "Numb"

(1994) "Spanish Lady" (feat. Ronnie Drew and The Saw Doctors) (IE #1)

(1996) "Rat Trap" (with Bob Geldof) (IE #1)

(1996) "Christmas Tree"

(1997) "Mary" feat Mary Robinson

(1997) "Good Lookin' Woman" (with Joe Dolan) (IE #1)

(1997) "Fairytale of New York" (with Dervla Kirwan)

(1999) "32 Counties" (IE #1)

"Christmas in Dublin"

(2001) "Sweet Caroline" (IE #1)

(2005) "Patricia the Stripper" (with Chris de Burgh) (IE #3)

"True Christmas"

"Fields of Athenry"

"Harrell is a Lonely Dustin"

(2008) "Irelande Douze Pointe" (IE #5)

Albums

''Not Just A Pretty Face''

''Unplucked''

''Faith Of Our Feathers''

''Poultry In Motion''

''Dustin's Greatest Hits''

''Bling When You're Minging''

Eurosong and Eurovision 2008

Originally the favourite to win, Dustin was chosen by the Irish viewers at Eurosong to represent Ireland in the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest, becoming the first puppet to do so. Though it was not announced on the Eurosong show how many votes Dustin won, an RTÉ radio show later revealed that the second place had an average of 15 points, while Dustin had 23, so the public really did want to send a puppet to Eurovision. Despite it being a public vote, there was a mixed reaction from the live studio audience when the result was announced, including many audible boos. A panellist on the programme, former Eurovision winner Dana, stated that Ireland would be better withdrawing from the competition than sending Dustin. Despite her lack of support, past Irish Eurovision entries Dickie Rock and Maxi stated their beliefs that Dustin could win.

Dustin performed his song in the first semi-final on 20 May and "brought down the house". Dustin failed to progress beyond the Eurovision semi-final.

Political career

Dustin has often declared his interest in politics. He has campaigned in two presidential elections. He competed as ''Dustin Hoffman'' in the 1997 presidential election as both forename and surname were necessary to register. Returning Officers received votes spoiled with his name in more recent elections. He received some support but many of those ballots were also spoiled. In his mock campaigns, he ran as a representative of "Fianna Fowl" (a play on Ireland's former largest political party Fianna Fáil) and also of the 'Poultry Party'. His campaign manifestos have included promising "to bring the DART to Dingle", as well as making sure every young boy in Ireland got to go on a date with the Spice Girl of their choice (later Pussycat Doll). He has recently showed interest in becoming the president of America.

He is a UNICEF ambassador.

Personal life

Dustin is a fan of the Dublin GAA team and Manchester United. Dustin's favourite band is Republic of Loose.

Dustin has been an Ambassador for UNICEF Ireland since late 2009 and visited the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa, where he found out at firsthand the impact of HIV/AIDS on communities and children and ways that UNICEF is working to help very young children cope.

Movies and documentaries

Dustin made a film titled 'Dustin in Fowl Play' in 2002. In this film, he and his friend, Snotser, put together a boyband called Mankind.

Dustin was also the subject of the documentary Dustin: 20 Years a Pluckin'.

References

External links

RTÉ Entertainment: Dustin is among Eurosong finalists

Eurovision.tv: Dustin the Turkey in Irish national final?

Category:Irish television personalities Category:Puppets Category:Irish Eurovision Song Contest entrants Category:Eurovision Song Contest entrants of 2008 Category:Fictional flightless birds

de:Dustin the Turkey et:Dustin the Turkey es:El pavo Dustin ga:Dustin Turcaí it:Dustin the Turkey he:דסטין תרנגול ההודו nl:Dustin the Turkey pl:Dustin the Turkey pt:Dustin the Turkey ru:Dustin the Turkey fi:Dustin the Turkey sv:Dustin the Turkey tr:Hindi Dustin

Name	Tommy Tiernan
birth date	June 16, 1969
birth place	Donegal, Ireland
occupation	Actor, Comedian, Writer
yearsactive	1992–present
spouse	Yvonne Tiernan (2009-present)
website	http://www.tommytiernan.com }}

Tommy Tiernan (born 16 June 1969) is an Irish comedian, actor and writer.

Background

Tiernan was born in Carndonagh, a town in Inishowen, County Donegal. His father is a native of County Meath while his mother is from County Tipperary. He moved, with his family, from County Donegal as a child. After spells living in Zambia and London, he attended the same school as Irish television presenter Hector Ó hEochagáin and Dylan Moran, in St. Patrick's Classical School, Navan, Co Meath, a former Roman Catholic junior seminary. He later attended a boarding school, Garbally College, in Ballinasloe, County Galway.

Comedic style

When he started out he had an ambition to be like Lenny Bruce. He doesn't regard himself as being, like Lenny Bruce, a comedian with a message. Tommy Tiernan admits that his sense of humour is controversial, but claims that it is based on instinct and denies there is any malice or meanness in it.

Criticism of style

In 2007 some families of people with Down Syndrome complained about a routine about people with Down Syndrome in his act. It had caused some surprise to some of the families as Tiernan has run a marathon in support of Down Syndrome Ireland. The Chief Executive of Down Syndrome Ireland, John Lindsay, National Secretary, Ingrid Murphy, National Executive member Caroline Courtney and President of Down Syndrome Ireland Mary O'Reilly attended the Tommy Tiernan show, Bovinity at Vicar Street and released the following statement: 'We all agreed that the section of the show devoted to Down Syndrome was not offensive in any way to individuals with Down Syndrome, one of whom was in attendance, or to their parents/siblings/friends, many of whom were in the audience. If the sketch is viewed in its totality and pieces not taken out of context it can only be interpreted as hilarious'.

An appearance on The Late Late Show in 2008 led to complaints about his jokes involving a methadone user, eastern European immigrant accents, buying a motorbike from an injured biker, and a film idea about gay Traveller spacemen seeking a cure for gayness, eight of which were upheld by the Broadcasting Complaints Commission. Previous routines which went largely without remark included a comic reference to disproportionate American reaction to 9/11 and a long comic repetition on the indifferent Israeli attitude to foreign criticism of Israeli occupations of surrounding land .

Controversy over Holocaust remarks

In September 2009 Tommy responded to a question concerning antisemitism at a pre performance public question and answer session at the Electric Picnic by making remarks about the Holocaust and comments about Jews and the death of Christ while he was interviewed by Olaf Tyaransen. He was responding to an audience member who asked if he had ever been accused of antisemitism.

The response of the audience was criticised by Alan Shatter as "disappointing" and also said "I would regard it as particularly sad that people found that sort of outburst in any way amusing".

Tommy Tiernan released a statement that said he had not meant to cause offence and that his words has been taken out of context. He said that the comments were part of an attempt to explain his belief that comedians have a duty to be irresponsible and reckless, to allow "whatever lunacy is within you to come out" and that they should never be taken out of context. He added that the statements that had caused controversy had been preceded by a statement not to take the rant seriously.

Archbishop Diarmuid Martin also criticised the remarks, describing them as "offensive to the Jewish community", "offensive to all who feel revulsion concerning the Holocaust, one of the most horrific events in human history” and “I can only decry the comments as insensitive and hurtful to the suffering of the victims and to a memory which is sacred”.

Holocaust Education Trust Ireland condemned Tiernans' statements as "appalling". Ruairi Quinn, chairman of the Trust, said that "as someone in the public eye, he has to take responsibility for his racist comments. We are equally concerned about the report of the audience’s reaction, which appears to have endorsed, sustained and enjoyed his comments. We would hope that the Irish public will choose to stay away from such racist ‘entertainment’ in future”. The Trust also said it "utterly condemns Mr Tiernan’s anti-Semitic outburst and calls upon him to repudiate completely and apologise unreservedly for the comments about the Holocaust and the Jews he is reported to have made" and "This incident highlights the necessity and relevance of the role of Holocaust education in order to educate and inform people in Ireland about the Holocaust, intolerance and anti-Semitism.”

Louis Lentin said Tiernan should be denied a visa for his shows in the U.S. in October. Lentin said Tiernan's comments at the Electric Picnic festival in County Laois were "disgraceful," and “extraordinarily racist." "He doesn’t realise what he has said. He doesn’t realise the seriousness of it. You can’t make a joke about the Holocaust and just because you say it is a joke does not make it funny or acceptable".

Rabbi Robert Alper who is also a comedian said that Tommy Tiernans' statement on the subject was an attempt to weasel out of the situation. Rabbi Alper also said about Tiernans claim that comedians have a duty to be irresponsible: "To me that’s really stupid. I don’t think that comedians should be reckless or irresponsible. Comedians should be concerned about the feelings of other human beings. It’s hurtful. Comedians (in America) don’t do anti-semitic things. I’ve rarely heard of it. There are plenty of tasteless comedians out there but none of them pick on a group of people." He also did not consider Tiernans' statement to be an apology, suggesting that Tiernan should say "I'm sorry". The Editor of Hot Press magazine, Niall Stokes later said that "To interpret it as anti-Semitism, is wrongheaded in the extreme. The way I see it, he is satirising anti-Semitism, while making a more general point that we should all be able to laugh at ourselves."

Olaf Tyaransen wrote that neither he nor Tommy Tiernan had anticipated the subsequent response to unreserved comments made by the comedian during an afternoon interview hosted by Hot Press magazine at the Electric Picnic — an end-of-season arts & music festival. Tyaransen said the last question asked from the floor (by an audience member readily identifiable by a green 'Palestina' t-shirt) about a dogged charge of anti-Semitism led to the comments at issue, and part of Tiernan's response recounted criticism of his routine by a Jewish couple after a show in New York. Olaf Tyaransen claimed Tiernan's subsequent ideas — focusing on a Noah's Ark "two-at-a-time" efficiency concerning the systematic murder of millions of Jews — had been taken out of context, though he personally held the comedian's monologue as 'very funny' and said as much on Marian Finucane's RTÉ Radio 1 show of the 26th September 2009.

Personal life

Tommy married Yvonne, his partner and manager, on 9 August 2009 in County Monaghan. Guests included Ardal O'Hanlon, Gay Byrne and Dylan Moran. The ceremony took place at Castle Leslie which had previously held the wedding of Paul McCartney and Heather Mills.

He has three children from a previous relationship with Jayme Street.

Tiernan is a supporter of Liverpool F.C..

Former World Record Holder

In 2009, Tiernan set the Guinness World Record for the longest stand-up comedy show by an individual achieving 36 hours and 15 minutes at Nuns Island in Galway (12 April 2009). Later in 2009 that record was broken by Australian Comedian Lindsay Webb. However, the new record now stands at 40 hours, and was set on 23 September 2010 by the American Comedian Bob Marley.

Appearances

Tiernan has appeared several times on the ''Late Show with David Letterman''.. Recently he appeared on the Michael McIntyre Comedy Roadshow, Lee Mack Show, DAVE's One NIght Stand and joined comedic legends Eddie Izzard and Ross Noble at Laughs in the Park.

Awards

In 1996 Tiernan won the Channel 4 "So You Think you're Funny" award. Two years later he was awarded the Perrier Comedy Award, at the 1998 Edinburgh Festival Fringe and won the Best Stand-Up Award at the British Comedy Awards. 2003 he won the Nokia Best of the Fest Award and the Orange People Choice Award at the Edinburgh Comedy Festival. In 2006 Tommy won Ireland's Funniest Living Person Award on the People of the Year Awards.

Television and film career

Tiernan played a priest in an episode of ''Father Ted''.

Radio

In 2008, Tommy and Hector Ó hEochagáin formed as a radio duo on "The Tommy and Hector Show" on i102-104FM after hinting at a desire to be on the radio, months before on The Late Late Show. Speaking about his new role, Tommy says “I’ve always wanted to have loads of craic on the radio. What better way to have a mountain of devilment than to do a show with my best friend.” Following the success of their show on iRadio Northwest, the show has now moved to the nationwide slot of Saturday 10am-12pm on 2FM.

References

External links

Official website

Controversial anti semitic comments

Category:1969 births Category:Irish comedians Category:Irish stand-up comedians Category:Living people Category:People from County Meath Category:People of the Year Awards winners Category:RTÉ 2fm presenters

ga:Tommy Tiernan