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St. Martin's Press is a book publisher headquartered in the Flatiron Building in New York City. Currently, St. Martin's Press is one of the United States' largest publishers,^{[citation needed]} bringing to the public some 700 titles a year under eight imprints, which include St. Martin's Press (mainstream and bestseller books), St. Martin's Griffin (mainstream paperback books, including science fiction and romance), Minotaur (mystery, suspense, and thrillers), Picador (specialty books), Thomas Dunne Books (suspense and mainstream), and Truman Talley Books (business and speciality books). St. Martin's Press's current editor in chief is George Witte.

History[link]

Macmillan Publishers of the United Kingdom founded St. Martin's in 1952 and named it for St. Martin's Lane in London, where associated press Macmillan Publishers was headquartered. It was privately held until the late 1990s when it was sold to Holtzbrinck Publishers, LLC, a group of publishing companies held by Verlagsgruppe Georg von Holtzbrinck, a family-owned publishing concern based in Stuttgart, Germany, which still owns St. Martin's as well as other U.S. publishers, including Farrar, Straus and Giroux (primarily a publisher of literary fiction), Holt Publishers (literary non-fiction), and Tor-Forge Books (science fiction, fantasy, and thrillers).

Recognized for the breadth of its list, St. Martin's publishes such authors as Sherrilyn Kenyon, M. K. Asante, Charlotte Bingham, John Bingham, Dan Brown, Barbara Taylor Bradford, Ken Bruen, Augusten Burroughs, Stephen J. Cannell, Jackie Collins, Jennifer Crusie, Charles Cumming, Janet Evanovich, Diane Fanning, Julian Fellowes, Amanda Filipacchi, Joseph Finder, Lauren Fix, Frederick Forsyth, Brigitte Gabriel, James Herriot, Murry Hope, Simon Kernick, Lisa Kleypas, Thomas Lakeman, Robert Ludlum, Gayle Lynds, Joseph Olshan, Michael Palmer, Robin Pilcher, Patrick Quinlan, Cathy Scott, Susan Arnout Smith, Wilbur Smith, Erica Spindler, Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez, Shannon Delany and Darryl Wimberley. It also publishes the New York Times crossword puzzle books.

Its textbook division, Bedford-St. Martin's, was founded in 1981. In 1984, St. Martin's became the first major trade-book publisher to release its hardcover books by its in-house mass-market paperback company,^{[citation needed]} St. Martin's Mass Market Paperback Co., Inc., founded by current President and Publisher Sally Richardson under the stewardship of then-President Thomas McCormack (with the assistance of entertainment consultant Maura E. Lynch).

Imprints[link]

• St. Martin's Press (mainstream and bestseller books),
• St. Martin's True Crime Library (true crime paperback books)
• St. Martin's Griffin (mainstream trade paperback books, including romance),
• Minotaur (Mystery, suspense, and thrillers),
• Picador (specialty books),
• Thomas Dunne Books (suspense and mainstream), and
• Truman Talley Books (business and speciality books).

External links[link]

• Official website

Will Smith
Smith in 2011
Born	Willard Christopher Smith, Jr. (1968-09-25) September 25, 1968 (age 43) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Other names	The Fresh Prince
Occupation	Actor, producer, rapper
Years active	1985–1993, 1997–2005 (rapping), 1990–present (acting)
Spouse	Sheree Zampino (m. 1992–1995) «start: (1992)–end+1: (1996)»"Marriage: Sheree Zampino to Will Smith" Location: (linkback:http://en-wiki.pop.wn.com/index.php/Will_Smith) Jada Pinkett Smith (m. 1997) «start: (1997)»"Marriage: Jada Pinkett Smith to Will Smith" Location: (linkback:http://en-wiki.pop.wn.com/index.php/Will_Smith)
Children	Trey Smith Jaden Smith Willow Smith
Website
www.willsmith.com

Willard Christopher "Will" Smith, Jr. (born September 25, 1968),^[1] also known by his stage name The Fresh Prince, is an American actor, producer, and rapper. He has enjoyed success in television, film and music. In April 2007, Newsweek called him the most powerful actor in Hollywood.^[2] Smith has been nominated for four Golden Globe Awards, two Academy Awards, and has won multiple Grammy Awards.

In the late 1980s, Smith achieved modest fame as a rapper under the name The Fresh Prince. In 1990, his popularity increased dramatically when he starred in the popular television series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. The show ran for nearly six years (1990–1996) on NBC and has been syndicated consistently on various networks since then. In the mid-1990s, Smith moved from television to film, and ultimately starred in numerous blockbuster films. He is the only actor to have eight consecutive films gross over $100 million in the domestic box office and the only one to have eight consecutive films in which he starred open at #1 spot in the domestic box office tally.^[3]

Fourteen of the nineteen fiction films he has acted in have accumulated worldwide gross earnings of over $100 million, and four took in over $500 million in global box office receipts. As of 2011, his films have grossed $5.7 billion in global box office.^[4] His most financially successful films have been Bad Boys, Bad Boys II, Independence Day, Men in Black, Men in Black II, I, Robot, I Am Legend, Hancock, Wild Wild West, Enemy of the State, Shark Tale, Hitch and Seven Pounds. He also earned critical praise for his performances in Six Degrees of Separation, Ali and The Pursuit of Happyness, receiving Best Actor Oscar nominations for the latter two.

Family and early life[link]

Born and raised in the Wynnefield section of West Philadelphia, Smith also lived in Germantown in Northwest Philadelphia. His mother, Caroline (née Bright), was a school administrator who worked for the Philadelphia school board, and his father, Willard Christopher Smith, Sr., was a refrigeration engineer.^[5][6] He was raised Baptist.^[7] His parents separated when he was thirteen,^[8] and did not actually divorce until around 2000.^[9]

It is untrue, though widely reported, that Smith turned down a scholarship to attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); he never applied to the school,^[10] although he was admitted to a "pre-engineering program" there.^[9] According to Smith, "My mother, who worked for the School Board of Philadelphia, had a friend who was the admissions officer at MIT. I had pretty high SAT scores and they needed black kids, so I probably could have gotten in. But I had no intention of going to college."^[11]

Recording and acting career[link]

Smith at the Emmy Awards in 1993

Early work (1985–1995)[link]

Smith started as the MC of the hip-hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, with his childhood friend Jeffrey "DJ Jazzy Jeff" Townes as turntablist and producer,^[12] as well as Ready Rock C (Clarence Holmes) as the human beat box. The trio was known for performing humorous, radio-friendly songs, most notably "Parents Just Don't Understand" and "Summertime".^[12] They gained critical acclaim and won the first Grammy awarded in the Rap category (1988).^[12]

Smith had a line in "Voices That Care", a 1991 Persian Gulf War song by a celebrity group. Smith spent money freely during his early career and underpaid his income taxes.^[12] The Internal Revenue Service eventually assessed a $2.8 million tax debt against Smith, took many of his possessions, and garnished his income.^[13] Smith was nearly bankrupt in 1990, when the NBC television network signed him to a contract and built a sitcom, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, around him.^[12]

The show was successful and began his acting career. Smith set for himself the goal of becoming "the biggest movie star in the world," studying box office successes' common characteristics.^[8] His first major roles were in the drama Six Degrees of Separation (1993) and the action film Bad Boys (1995) which he starred opposite of Martin Lawrence.

Breakthrough (1996–2000)[link]

In 1996, Smith starred as part of an ensemble cast in Roland Emmerich's Independence Day. The film was a massive blockbuster, becoming the second highest grossing film in history at the time and establishing Smith as a prime box office draw.^[14] He later struck gold again in the summer of 1997 alongside Tommy Lee Jones in the summer hit Men in Black playing Agent J. In 1998, Smith starred with Gene Hackman in Enemy of the State.^[12]

He turned down the role of Neo in The Matrix in favor of Wild Wild West (1999). Despite the disappointment of Wild Wild West, Smith has said that he harbors no regrets about his decision, asserting that Keanu Reeves's performance as Neo was superior to what Smith himself would have achieved.^[15] Though in interviews subsequent to the release of Wild Wild West he stated that he "made a mistake on Wild Wild West. That could have been better."^[16]

2001–present[link]

Smith in September 2009

In 2005, Smith was entered into the Guinness Book of World Records for attending a record breaking three premieres in a 24-hour time span.^[17]

He has planned to star in a feature film remake of the television series It Takes a Thief.^[18]

On December 10, 2007, Smith was recognized at Grauman's Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard. Smith left an imprint of his hands and feet outside the world renowned theater in front of many fans.^[19] Later that month, Smith starred in the film I Am Legend, released December 14, 2007. Despite marginally positive reviews,^[20] its opening was the largest ever for a film released in the United States during December. Smith himself has said that he considers the film to be "aggressively unique".^[21] A reviewer said that the film's commercial success "cemented [Smith's] standing as the number one box office draw in Hollywood."^[22] On December 1, 2008, TV Guide reported that Smith has been selected as one of America’s top ten most fascinating people of 2008 for a Barbara Walters ABC special that aired on December 4, 2008.^[23]

Smith is currently developing a film entitled The Last Pharaoh, in which he will star as Taharqa.^[24]

President Barack Obama has stated that if a film were to ever be made about his life, he would have Smith play his part, because "he has the ears". Obama stated that the two have discussed a possibility of a film based on the 2008 election, but this may not happen until the end of the Obama presidency.^[25]

Men in Black III opened on May 25, 2012. In it, Smith will play Agent J for the third time, being one of his more popular earlier roles coincides with the fact that it will be his first major starring role in four years.

On August 19, 2011, it was announced^[26] that Smith had returned to the studio with producer La Mar Edwards to make a new album. Edwards has worked with artists such as T.I., Chris Brown, and Game.

Smith and his son, Jaden, are currently filming After Earth, which is set for a 2013 release.

Personal life[link]

Nobel Peace Prize Concert December 11, 2009, in Oslo, Norway: Smith with wife Jada and children Jaden and Willow

Smith was raised by his parents in West Philadelphia. Smith credits his father's dedication when discussing his involvement in the lives of his own children: "I look at my father and how he was able to keep four kids fed and clothed and still managed to find time to spend with us."^[27] Smith married Sheree Zampino in 1992. They had a son, Willard Christopher Smith III, also known as "Trey", but divorced in 1995. Trey appeared in his father's music video for the 1998 single "Just the Two of Us".

Smith married actress Jada Pinkett in 1997. Together they have had two children: Jaden Christopher Syre (born 1998), his co-star in The Pursuit of Happyness, and Willow Camille Reign (born 2000), who appeared as his daughter in I Am Legend. Along with his brother, Harry Smith, he owns Treyball Development Inc.,^[28] a Beverly Hills-based company named after his first son. Smith and his family reside on Star Island in Miami Beach, Florida and in Los Angeles, Stockholm, Sweden^[29] and Philadelphia.

Smith was consistently listed in Fortune Magazine's "Richest 40" list of the forty wealthiest Americans under the age of 40. He donated $4,600 to the presidential campaign of Democrat Barack Obama.^[30] On December 11, 2009, Smith and his wife hosted the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Oslo, Norway, when Obama had won the prize.^[31]

Smith has said he has studied multiple religions, including Scientology, and he has said many complimentary things about Scientology and other faiths. Despite his praise of Scientology, Smith said "I just think a lot of the ideas in Scientology are brilliant and revolutionary and non-religious"^[32][33] and "Ninety-eight percent of the principles in Scientology are identical to the principles of the Bible.... I don't think that because the word someone uses for spirit is 'thetan' that the definition becomes any different."^[34] He has denied having joined the Church of Scientology, saying "I am a Christian. I am a student of all religions, and I respect all people and all paths."^[35]

Smith gave $1.3 million to charities in 2007, of which $450,000 went to two Christian ministries, and $122,500 went to three Scientology organizations; the remaining beneficiaries included "a Los Angeles mosque, other Christian-based schools and churches, and [...] the Yitzhak Rabin Memorial Center in Israel".^[36] Smith and his wife have also founded a private elementary school in Calabasas, California, the New Village Leadership Academy, which uses Study Technology, a teaching methodology developed by L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology.^[37] Federal tax filing showed that Will Smith donated $1.2 million to the school in 2010.^[38]

In 2012 he expressed support for the legalizing of same-sex marriage, in an endorsement of president Barack Obama's declaration to adopt this stance on the issue.^[39]

Discography[link]

With DJ Jazzy Jeff[link]

• Rock the House (1987)
• He's the DJ, I'm the Rapper (1988)
• And in This Corner... (1989)
• Homebase (1991)
• Code Red (1993)

Solo[link]

• Big Willie Style (1997)
• Willennium (1999)
• Born to Reign (2002)
• Lost and Found (2005)

Filmography[link]

Television[link]

Film[link]

Box office grosses[link]

References[link]

Further reading[link]

• Iannucci, Lisa (2009). Will Smith: A Biography. Greenwood. ISBN 0-313-37610-7. 

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Will Smith

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Will Smith

• Official website
• Will Smith at the Internet Movie Database
• Will Smith at Yahoo! Movies
• Will Smith on Charlie Rose in 2002
• Will Smith at People.com
• Will Smith discography at MusicBrainz

Kate Nash
Kate Nash in 2010.
Background information
Birth name	Kate Marie Nash
Born	(1987-07-06) 6 July 1987 (age 24) Harrow, London, England[1]
Genres	Indie pop, indie rock
Occupations	Singer-songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, synth, keyboard, bass, drums
Years active	2006–present
Labels	Fiction Island Def Jam Ireland Moshi Moshi Universal-Island
Associated acts	The Receeders Ryan Jarman SUPERCUTE!, Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players Jason Trachtenburg, Kano
Website	www.katenash.co.uk

Kate Marie Nash^[2] (born 6 July 1987) is an English^[3] singer, songwriter and musician.^[4] She had a UK number-2 hit "Foundations" in 2007, followed by the platinum-selling UK number-1 album Made of Bricks. She was named Best Female Artist at the 2008 BRIT Awards.

Her second studio album, entitled My Best Friend Is You, was released in the United Kingdom on 19 April 2010 and in the U.S. on 11 May 2010. It spawned her second biggest chart hit to date, the single "Do-Wah-Doo".^[5]

Nash is currently signed to The Island Def Jam Motown Ireland Group.

Early life[link]

Nash was born on 6 July 1987 in Harrow, London^[1][6] to an English father, Steven Nash, and an Irish mother, Marie (née Walsh). Marie is a nurse in a hospice.^[1][7][8][9] Nash learned to play the piano while at at Sandbach School. She was raised as a Roman Catholic and attended St. John Fisher School, Pinner, before moving onto the St Joan of Arc Catholic School, Rickmansworth. She was also taught guitar by Saskia van Berkel and studied Theatre at the BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology in South London. She auditioned at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, but was rejected. Soon afterward, she fell down a flight of stairs, breaking her foot. During her recovery, she was housebound and unable to move, so her mother bought her an electric guitar. Nash used this time to focus on her songwriting: she began to write some new songs, finish old ones and decided that she would book a gig at a local bar ("Trinity") in Harrow to showcase her songs.^{[citation needed]}

Music career[link]

Nash in 2006.

"Caroline's a Victim" (2005-2006)[link]

Nash started her career in 2005. After several gigs, she uploaded her music to MySpace, found a manager and then producers for her music.

Nash's debut was a single, "Caroline's a Victim"/"Birds", produced and recorded in Iceland by Valgeir Sigurðsson and released through Moshi Moshi Records in February 2007. The release was limited to 1,000 copies and available only on 7" vinyl. Due to demand, another 1,000 copies were made and these also sold out. CD-promo copies were produced for distribution to the press and DJs and are occasionally available for sale. The single is featured on the CD Moshi Moshi Singles Compilation. A video for the song, directed by Kinga Burza, was released and received airplay on MTV2. The single's B-side, "Birds", later featured on her début album Made of Bricks. Both tracks have also been released as MP3 downloads.

[edit] Made of Bricks (2007-2009)

In April 2007, Nash was signed to the Polydor offshoot Fiction Records.^[10] Her second single "Foundations", which she co-wrote with producer Paul Epworth, was released by Fiction on 18 June 2007 and reached number two in the official UK Singles Chart. Following this success, Fiction announced plans to bring forward the release of Nash's début album Made of Bricks to 6 August 2007. The album, also produced by Paul Epworth, included many of the tracks she had been performing during her two nationwide tours.

Made of Bricks was leaked to filesharing networks a few days before its official commercial release and subsequently received mixed reviews, with The Independent describing it as being in "pole position for worst album of the year."^[11] It proved, however, to be successful and reached number 1 in the UK album charts.^[12]

During mid-2007, Nash performed at numerous festivals, including the Wireless Festival, Bestival, Electric Gardens, Glastonbury, Latitude, Reading and Leeds, Oxegen and T in the Park. She made her official TV performance début on Later with Jools Holland.

Throughout late 2007 and early 2008, Nash released three more singles from the Made of Bricks. "Mouthwash" and "Pumpkin Soup" both made the Top 40 in the UK Singles Chart. Although her fifth single "Merry Happy" didn't chart well in the UK, the song enjoyed some success in other countries, including the USA and Canada. The album topped out at number 36 on the United States Billboard 200 chart on 26 January 2008.^[13] In 2010, Made of Bricks was certified Gold in Germany.^[14]