Parts of an umbrella[1]

Umbrella shop

Man sitting under a beach parasol

Collapsed umbrellas in a temple in Japan.

Traditional umbrella shop, James Smith & Sons, in London

Parasols in Wuhan, China

A Terracotta Army carriage with an umbrella securely fixed to the side, from Qin Shihuang's tomb, c. 210 BCE.

The parasol is one of the Eight Auspicious Symbols of Tibetan Buddhism.

An umbrella or parasol (also called a brolly, parapluie, rainshade, sunshade, gamp, bumbershoot, or umbrolly) is a canopy designed to protect against rain or sunlight. The term parasol usually refers to an item designed to protect from the sun; umbrella refers to a device more suited to protect from rain. Often the difference is the material; some parasols are not waterproof. Parasols are often meant to be fixed to one point and often used with patio tables or other outdoor furniture. Umbrellas are almost exclusively hand-held portable devices; however, parasols can also be hand-held. The collapsible (or folding) umbrella originated from China,^[2][3] and had sliding levers similar to those in use of today.^[4]

The word umbrella comes from the Latin word umbra, meaning shade or shadow (the Latin word, in turn, derives from the Ancient Greek ómbros [όμβρος].) Brolly is a slang word for umbrella, used often in Britain, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, and Kenya. Bumbershoot is a fanciful Americanism from the late 19th century.^[5]

Etymology[link]

"Parasol" from "para" meaning to stop or to shield and "sol" meaning sun. The word "umbrella" evolved from the Latin "umbella" (an "umbel" is a flat-topped rounded flower) or "umbra", meaning "shaded."

In Britain, umbrellas are sometimes called "gamps"^[6] after the character Mrs. Gamp in the Charles Dickens novel Martin Chuzzlewit. Mrs. Gamp's character was well known for carrying an umbrella.^[7]

History[link]

Middle East[link]

In the sculptures at Nineveh the parasol appears frequently.^[8] Austen Henry Layard gives a picture of a bas-relief representing a king in his chariot, with an attendant holding a parasol over his head.^[8] It has a curtain hanging down behind, but is otherwise exactly like those in use today.^[8] It is reserved exclusively for the monarch (who was bald), and is never carried over any other person.^[8]

In Persia the parasol is repeatedly found in the carved work of Persepolis, and Sir John Malcolm has an article on the subject in his 1815 "History of Persia."^[8] In some sculptures, the figure of a king appears attended by a servant, who carries over his head an umbrella, with stretchers and runner complete.^[8] In other sculptures on the rock at Taghe-Bostan, supposed to be not less than twelve centuries old, a deer-hunt is represented, at which a king looks on, seated on a horse, and having an umbrella borne over his head by an attendant.^[8]

Ancient Egypt[link]

In Egypt, the parasol is found in various shapes. In some instances it is depicted as a flagellum, a fan of palm-leaves or coloured feathers fixed on a long handle, resembling those now carried behind the Pope in processions.^[8] Gardiner Wilkinson, in his work on Egypt, has an engraving of an Ethiopian princess travelling through Upper Egypt in a chariot; a kind of umbrella fastened to a stout pole rises in the centre, bearing a close affinity to what are now termed chaise umbrellas.^[8] According to Wilkinson's account, the umbrella was generally used throughout Egypt, partly as a mark of distinction, but more on account of its useful than its ornamental qualities.^[8] In some paintings on a temple wall, a parasol is held over the figure of a god carried in procession.^[8]

Ancient Greece[link]

In Greece, the parasol (skiadeion), was an indispensable adjunct to a lady of fashion in the late 5th century BC.^[9] Aristophanes mentions it among the common articles of female use;^[10] they could apparently open and close.^[11] Pausanias describes a tomb near Triteia in Achaia decorated with a 4th-century BC painting ascribed to Nikias; it depicted the figure of a woman, "and by her stood a female slave, bearing a parasol".^[12] Its use seems to have been confined to women. For a man to carry one was considered a mark of effeminacy.^[13] In Aristophanes' Birds, Prometheus uses one as a comical disguise.^[14]

It had also its religious signification. In the Scirophoria, the feast of Athene Sciras, a white parasol was borne by the priestesses of the goddess from the Acropolis to the Phalerus. In the feasts of Dionysos the umbrella was used, and in an old bas-relief the same god is represented as descending ad inferos with a small umbrella in his hand. In the Panathenæa, the daughters of the Metics, or foreign residents, carried parasols over the heads of Athenian women as a mark of inferiority.

Ancient Rome[link]

From Greece it is probable that the use of the parasol passed to Rome, where it seems to have been commonly used by women, while it was the custom even for effeminate men to defend themselves from the heat by means of the Umbraculum, formed of skin or leather, and capable of being lowered at will. There are frequent references to the umbrella in the Roman Classics, and it appears that it was, not unlikely, a post of honour among maid-servants to bear it over their mistresses. Allusions to it are tolerably frequent in the poets. (Ovid Fast. lib. ii., 1. 31 I.; Martial, lib. xi., ch. 73.; lib. xiv, ch. 28, 130; Juvenal, ix., 50.; Ovid Ars. Am., ii., 209). From such mentions the umbrella does not appear to have been used as a defence from rain; this is curious enough, for it is known that the theatres were protected by the velarium or awning, which was drawn across the arena whenever a sudden shower came on. Possibly the expense bestowed in the decoration of the umbraculum was a reason for its not being applied to such use.

According to Gorius, the umbrella came to Rome from the Etruscans who came to Rome for protection, and certainly it appears not infrequently on Etruscan vases and pottery, as also on later gems and rubies. One gem, figured by Pacudius, shows an umbrella with a bent handle, sloping backwards. Strabo describes a sort of screen or umbrella worn by Spanish women, but this is not like a modern umbrella.

Very many curious facts are connected with the use of the umbrella throughout the East, where it was nearly everywhere one of the insignia of royalty, or at least of high rank.

China[link]

In written records, the oldest reference to a collapsible umbrella dates to the year 21 A.D., when Wang Mang (r. 9–23) had one designed for a ceremonial four-wheeled carriage.^[15] The 2nd century commentator Fu Qian added that this collapsible umbrella of Wang Mang's carriage had bendable joints which enabled them to be extended or retracted.^[16] A 1st century collapsible umbrella has since been recovered from the tomb of Wang Guang at Lelang Commandery in the Korean Peninsula, illustrated in a work by Harada and Komai.^[17] However, the Chinese collapsible umbrella is perhaps a concept that is yet centuries older than Qin's tomb. Zhou Dynasty bronze castings of complex bronze socketed hinges with locking slides and bolts—which could have been used for parasols and umbrellas—were found in an archeological site of Luoyang, dated to the 6th century BC.^[17]

An even older source on the umbrella is perhaps the ancient book of Chinese ceremonies, called Zhou Li (The Rites of Zhou), dating 2400 years ago, which directs that upon the imperial cars the dais should be placed. The figure of this dais contained in Zhou-Li, and the description of it given in the explanatory commentary of Lin-hi-ye, both identify it with an umbrella. The latter describes the dais to be composed of 28 arcs, which are equivalent to the ribs of the modern instrument, and the staff supporting the covering to consist of two parts, the upper being a rod 3/18 of a Chinese foot in circumference, and the lower a tube 6/10 in circumference, into which the upper half is capable of sliding and closing.

The Chinese character for umbrella is 傘 (sǎn) and is a pictograph resembling the modern umbrella in design. Some investigators have supposed that its invention was first created by tying large leaves to bough-like ribs (the branching out parts of an umbrella). Others assert that the idea was probably derived from the tent, which remains in form unaltered to the present day. However, the tradition existing in China is that it originated in standards and banners waving in the air, hence the use of the umbrella was often linked to high ranking (though not necessarily royalty in China). On one occasion at least, twenty-four umbrellas were carried before the Emperor when he went out hunting. In this case the umbrella served as a defense against rain rather than sun. The Chinese design was later brought to Japan via Korea and also introduced to Persia and the Western world via the Silk Road. The Chinese and Japanese traditional parasol, often used near temples, to this day remains similar to the original ancient Chinese design.

A late Song Dynasty Chinese divination book that was printed in about 1270 AD features a picture of a collapsible umbrella that is exactly like the modern umbrella of today's China.^[17]

Indian subcontinent[link]

Women holding Umbrella Gupta Empire CE 320

The Sanskrit epic Mahabharata (about 4th century) relates the following legend: Jamadagni was a skilled bow shooter, and his devoted wife Renuka would always recover each of his arrows immediately. One time however, it took her a whole day to fetch the arrow, and she later blamed the heat of the sun for the delay. The angry Jamadagni shot an arrow at the sun. The sun begged for mercy and offered Renuka an umbrella.^[18]

Jean Baptiste Tavernier, in his 17th century book "Voyage to the East", says that on each side of the Mogul's throne were two umbrellas, and also describes the hall of the King of Ava as decorated with an umbrella. The chháta of the Indian and Burmese princes is large and heavy, and requires a special attendant, who has a regular position in the royal household. In Ava it seems to have been part of the king's title, that he was "King of the white elephant, and Lord of the twenty-four umbrellas." In 1855 the King of Burma directed a letter to the Marquis of Dalhousie in which he styles himself "His great, glorious, and most excellent Majesty, who reigns over the kingdoms of Thunaparanta, Tampadipa, and all the great umbrella-wearing chiefs of the Eastern countries".

Siam[link]

Simon de la Loubère, who was Envoy Extraordinary from the French King to the King of Siam in 1687 and 1688, wrote an account entitled a "New Historical Relation of the Kingdom of Siam", which was translated in 1693 into English. According to his account the use of the umbrella was granted to only some of the subjects by the king. An umbrella with several circles, as if two or three umbrellas were fastened on the same stick, was permitted to the king alone, the nobles carried a single umbrella with painted cloths hanging from it. The Talapoins (who seem to have been a sort of Siamese monks) had umbrellas made of a palm-leaf cut and folded, so that the stem formed a handle.

Aztec Empire[link]

The Atzacoalco district of Tenochtitlan was reported to have used an umbrella made from feathers and gold as its pantli, an identifying marker that is the equivalent of a modern flag. The pantli was carried by the army general.^[19]

Europe[link]

The extreme paucity of allusions to umbrellas throughout the Middle Ages shows that they were not in common use. In an old romance, "The Blonde of Oxford", a jester makes fun of a nobleman for being out in the rain without his cloak. "Were I a rich man", says he, "I would bear my house about with me". It appears that people depended on cloaks, not umbrellas, for protection against storms.

17th century[link]

A painting of Chancellor Pierre Séguier with a parasol hoisted above his head, by Charles Le Brun, 1670.

Thomas Wright, in his "Domestic Manners of the English", gives a drawing from the Harleian MS., No. 604, which represents an Anglo-Saxon gentleman walking out attended by his servant, the servant carrying an umbrella with a handle that slopes backwards, so as to bring the umbrella over the head of the person in front.^[20] It probably could not be closed, but otherwise it looks like an ordinary umbrella, and the ribs are represented distinctly.^[20]

The general use of the umbrella in France and England was adopted, probably from China,^[20] about the middle of the seventeenth century.^[20] At that period, pictorial representations of it are frequently found, some of which exhibit the peculiar broad and deep canopy belonging to the large parasol of the Chinese Government officials, borne by native attendants.^[20]

John Evelyn, in his Diary for June 22, 1664, mentions a collection of rarities shown to him by "Thompson", a Roman Catholic priest, sent by the Jesuits of Japan and China to France.^[20] Among the curiosities were "fans like those our ladies use, but much larger, and with long handles, strangely carved and filled with Chinese characters", which is evidently a description of the parasol.^[20]

In Thomas Coryat's "Crudities", published in 1611, about a century and a half prior to the general introduction of the umbrella into England,^[20] is a reference to a custom of riders in Italy using umbrellas:

"And many of them doe carry other fine things of a far greater price, that will cost at the least a duckat, which they commonly call in the Italian tongue umbrellas, that is, things which minister shadowve to them for shelter against the scorching heate of the sunne. These are made of leather, something answerable to the forme of a little cannopy, & hooped in the inside with divers little wooden hoopes that extend the umbrella in a pretty large compasse. They are used especially by horsemen, who carry them in their hands when they ride, fastening the end of the handle upon one of their thighs, and they impart so large a shadow unto them, that it keepeth the heate of the sunne from the upper parts of their bodies."^[20]

In John Florio's "A WORLD of Words" (1598), the Italian word Ombrella is translated

"a fan, a canopie. also a testern or cloth of state for a prince. also a kind of round fan or shadowing that they vse to ride with in sommer in Italy, a little shade. Also a bonegrace for a woman. Also the husk or cod of any seede or corne. also a broad spreding bunch, as of fenell, nill, or elder bloomes."^[20]

In Randle Cotgrave's "Dictionary of the French and English Tongues" (1614), the French Ombrelle is translated

"An umbrello; a (fashion of) round and broad fanne, wherewith the Indians (and from them our great ones) preserve themselves from the heat of a scorching sunne; and hence any little shadow, fanne, or thing, wherewith women hide their faces fro the sunne."^[20]

In Fynes Moryson's "Itinerary" (1617) is a similar allusion to the habit of carrying umbrellas in hot countries "to auoide the beames of the sunne." Their employment, says the author, is dangerous, "because they gather the heate into a pyramidall point, and thence cast it down perpendicularly upon the head, except they know how to carry them for auoyding that danger."^[20]

18th and 19th centuries[link]

Woman with a parasol, by Édouard Manet, 1881.

Kersey's Dictionary (1708) describes an umbrella as a "screen commonly used by women to keep off rain."

Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe constructs his own umbrella in imitation of the ones he had seen used in Brazil. "I covered it with skins", he says, "the hair outwards, so that it cast off the rain like a pent-house, and kept off the sun so effectually, that I could walk out in the hottest of the weather with greater advantage than I could before in the coolest." From this description the original heavy umbrellas obtained the name of "Robinson", which they retained for many years, both in England and France.

Captain James Cook, in one of his voyages, sees some of the natives of the South Pacific Islands, with umbrellas made of palm leaves.

That the use of the umbrella or parasol—though not unknown—was not very common during the earlier half of the eighteenth century, is evident from the fact that General (then Lieut.-Colonel) James Wolfe, writing from Paris in 1752, speaks of the people there using umbrellas for the sun and rain, and wonders that a similar practice does not obtain in England. Just about the same time they seem to have come into general use, and that pretty rapidly, as people found their value, and got over the shyness natural to a first introduction. Jonas Hanway, the founder of the Magdalen Hospital, has the credit of being the first man who ventured to dare public reproach and ridicule by carrying one habitually in London. As he died in 1786, and he is said to have carried an umbrella for thirty years, the date of its first use by him may be set down at about 1750. John Macdonald relates that in 1770, he used to be greeted with the shout, "Frenchman, Frenchman! why don't you call a coach?" whenever he went out with his umbrella. By 1788 however they seem to have been accepted: a London newspaper advertises the sale of 'improved and pocket Umbrellas, on steel frames, with every other kind of common Umbrella.'^[21]

Since this date, however, the umbrella has come into general use, and in consequence numerous improvements have been effected in it. In China people learned how to waterproof their umbrellas by waxing and lacquering their paper Parasols. The transition to the present portable form is due, partly to the substitution of silk and gingham for the heavy and troublesome oiled silk, which admitted of the ribs and frames being made much lighter, and also to many ingenious mechanical improvements in the framework. Victorian era umbrellas had frames of wood or baleen, but these devices were expensive and hard to fold when wet. Samuel Fox invented the steel-ribbed umbrella in 1852; however, the Encyclopédie Méthodique mentions metal ribs at the end of the eighteenth century, and they were also on sale in London during the 1780s.^[21] Modern designs usually employ a telescoping steel trunk; new materials such as cotton, plastic film and nylon often replace the original silk.

Modern use[link]

In 1928, Hans Haupt's pocket umbrellas appeared.^[22] In 1969, Bradford E Phillips, the owner of Totes Incorporated of Loveland, Ohio obtained a patent for the first "working folding umbrella".^[23]

Umbrellas have also been fashioned into hats as early as 1880 and as recently as 1987.^[24]

Umbrellas are now a consumer product with a large global market. As of 2008, most umbrellas worldwide are made in China, mostly in the Guangdong, Fujian and Zhejiang provinces. The city of Shangyu alone had more than a thousand umbrella factories. In the US alone, about 33 million umbrellas, worth $348 million, are sold each year.^[25]

Testing a Senz storm umbrella in Rotterdam, using a high-powered fan.

Umbrellas continue to be actively developed. In the US, so many umbrella-related patents are being filed that the U.S. Patent Office employs four full-time examiners to assess them. As of 2008, the office registered three thousand active patents on umbrella-related inventions. Nonetheless, Totes, the largest American umbrella producer, has stopped accepting unsolicited proposals. Its director of umbrella development was reported as saying that while umbrellas are so ordinary that everyone thinks about them, "it's difficult to come up with an umbrella idea that hasn’t already been done."^[25]

In 2005 Gerwin Hoogendoorn,^[26] a Dutch industrial design student of the Delft University of Technology^[27] in the Netherlands, invented an aerodynamically streamlined storm umbrella (with a similar shape as a stealth plane)^[28][29] which can withstand wind force 10 (winds of up to 100 km/h or 70 mp/h)^[29][30] and won't turn inside-out like a regular umbrella^[27] as well as being equipped with so-called ‘eyesavers’ which protect others from being accidentally wounded by the tips.^[27] Hoogendoorn's storm umbrella was nominated for and won several design awards^[31] and was featured on Good Morning America.^[28] The umbrella is sold in Europe as the Senz umbrella and is sold under license by Totes in the United States.^[32]

Alan Kaufman's "Nubrella" and Greg Brebner's "Blunt" are other contemporary designs.^[30]

Uses other than weather protection[link]

In religious ceremony[link]

Grand Procession of the Doge of Venice (16th century).

Umbraculum from Saint Servatius Basilica in Maastricht.

As a canopy of state, umbrellas were generally used in southern and eastern Europe, and then passed from the imperial court into church ceremony. They are found in the ceremonies of the Byzantine Church, were borne over the Host in procession, and form part of the Pontifical regalia.

Catholic Church[link]

The ombrellino or umbraculum is a part of the papal regalia. Although the popes no longer use it personally, it is displayed on the coat of arms of a sede vacante (the papal arms used between the death of a pope and the election of his successor). This umbraculum is normally made of alternating red and gold fabric, and is usually displayed in a partially unfolded manner. The popes have traditionally bestowed the use of the umbraculum as a mark of honor upon specific persons and places. The use of an umbraculum is one of the honorary symbols of a basilica and may be used in the basilica's coat of arms, and carried in processions by the basilica's canons.

A large umbrella is displayed in each of the Basilicas of Rome, and a cardinal bishop who receives his title from one of those churches has the privilege of having an umbrella carried over his head in solemn processions. It is possible that the galero (wide-brimmed cardinal's hat) may be derived from this umbrella.^{[citation needed]} Beatiano, an Italian herald, says that "a vermilion umbrella in a field argent symbolises dominion."

Ethiopian Orthodox clergymen lead a procession in celebration of Saint Michael. The priests carry ornately covered Tabota around the church's exterior, assisted by deacons holding liturgical umbrellas.

An umbrella, also known as the umbraculum or ombrellino, is used in Roman Catholic liturgy as well. It is held over the Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist and its carrier by a server in short processions taking place indoors, or until the priest is met at the sanctuary entrance by the bearers of the processional canopy or baldacchino. It is regularly white or golden (the colours reserved for the Holy Sacrament) and made of silk.

Oriental Orthodox Churches[link]

In several Oriental Orthodox Churches, such as the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, umbrellas are used liturgically to show honor to a person (such as a bishop) or a holy object. In the ceremonies of Timkat (Epiphany), priests will cary a model of the Ark of the Covenant, called a Tabot, on their heads in procession to a body of water, which will then be blessed. Brightly-colored embroidered and fringed liturgical parasols are carried above the Tabota during this procession. Such processions also take place on other major feast days.

In photography[link]

Umbrellas with a reflective inside are used by photographers as a diffusion device when employing artificial lighting, and as a glare shield and shade, most often in portrait situations.^[33] Some umbrellas are shoot-through umbrellas, meaning the light goes through the umbrella and is diffused, rather than reflecting off the inside of the umbrella.^[34] Photographic umbrellas, like all umbrellas, tend to catch the wind, so any umbrella on a lightstand has to be well secured, especially when used outdoors, lest a breeze topple it, possibly destroying the umbrella and/or other equipment on the lightstand.

For protection against attackers[link]

In January 1902, an article in The Daily Mirror instructed women on how they can defend themselves from ruffians with an umbrella or parasol.

In March 2011 media outlets reveled that French president Nicolas Sarkozy has started using a £10,000 armor-plated umbrella to protect him from attackers. Para Pactum (Latin for "Prepare for peace") is a Kevlar-coated device made by The Real Cherbourg. It will be carried by a member of Sarkozy's security team.^[35]

As a weapon of attack[link]

In 1978 Bulgarian dissident writer Georgi Markov was killed in London by a dose of ricin injected via a modified umbrella. The KGB is widely believed to have developed a modified umbrella that could deliver a deadly pellet.

See also[link]

• Brumbrella
• Cocktail umbrella
• Oil-paper umbrella
• Umbraculum
• Umbrella Hat
• Umbrella Worldwide Corporation

References[link]

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Umbrellas

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Umbrellas

Tyler Ray Ward (born March 12, 1989), is a singer/songwriter and producer known for his covers of hit songs by artists including Adele, Maroon 5, Justin Bieber, and Katy Perry.^[1][2] Tyler is also well known for his original songs such as Everything, The Hardest Thing, The Rescue, Paper Heart and Our Story's Told.^[3][4] Although Ward often sings and produces his own music, he also works with his backing band on many projects and on tour, members include his instrumental band whom he met during a small gig in 2007 along with rapper Eppic, singer/songwriter Alex G and rapper and brother Derek Ward... He has also worked and produced music for many people across Youtube including Boyce Avenue, Megan Nicole and Katy McAllister..

YouTube recognition[link]

Tyler Ward is best known for his cover with fellow YouTubers, Megan Nicole and Eppic of Eminem's "Love the Way You Lie" which has had more than 17 million views as of July 1, 2012.^[5] His first video was a mix of the current top 40 songs of 2008 which has 600 thousand views to date.^[6] Since then, Ward has amassed over 900,000 subscribers and more than 250 million views on his channel.^[7][8]

Career[link]

Before Tyler Ward had an interest in music, he was focused on sports. After graduating from high school, Tyler enrolled in the United States Air Force Academy to begin a college football career. Tyler Ward was not able to adjust to the different lifestyle and decided to move on with his life. After leaving the Air Force Academy, Ward was accepted into the University Of Northern Colorado and started to write songs while seeking a journalism degree.^[9][10][11] Tyler is also a devoted christian and has witten songs to express his faith.

Tyler Ward was once number five on Billboard's Top 100 Uncharted List and was also ranked on Billboard's Social 50 Chart for several weeks.^[12][13]

In 2011, Ward performed a duet with The Band Perry, celebrating the Academy of Country Music Awards.^[14] Later that year, Ward performed with Christina Grimmie live on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Their performance aired nationwide on October 10, 2011.^[15]

Tyler is currently working towards the release of his first official original album which will be released in two parts, one half being released in September 18th, 2012 and will feature 6 songs. The second half is then scheduled to be released complete with the last 6 songs on February 12, 2013. The album has been described as an "Album for the Fans, By the Fans" and will be funded by the fans themselves.

Songs covered[link]

Singles[link]

Top 10 most viewed videos[link]

As of 27th July 2012, the 10 most viewed videos uploaded by Tyler Ward are:

References[link]

Mandy Moore
Moore at 83rd Academy Awards, February 27, 2011
Background information
Birth name	Amanda Leigh Moore
Born	(1984-04-10) April 10, 1984 (age 28) Nashua, New Hampshire, U.S.
Origin	Orlando, Florida, U.S.
Genres	Pop, dance,[1] folk pop, pop rock[2]
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, actress, model, fashion designer
Years active	1999–present
Labels	Epic, Sire, The Firm Music, EMI, Storefront Recordings, RED Distribution
Website	www.mandymoore.com

Amanda Leigh "Mandy" Moore (born April 10, 1984) is an American singer-songwriter, actress and fashion designer. Moore became famous as a teenager in the late 1990s, after the release of her teen pop albums So Real, I Wanna Be with You, and Mandy Moore. In 2007, she took an adult pop-folk direction with the release of Wild Hope. Her most recent album, Amanda Leigh, was released on May 26, 2009.^[3] Moore has sold more than 10 million records worldwide.^[4] Moore subsequently branched out into film, starring in 2002's A Walk to Remember and later in other movies, such as Chasing Liberty, Saved! and License to Wed. Most recently Moore provided the voice of Rapunzel in Tangled. In April 2011, she ranked 5th in People's annual Most Beautiful issue.^[5]

Early life[link]

Moore was born in Nashua, New Hampshire. Her mother, Stacy (née Friedman), is a former news reporter who once worked for the Orlando Sentinel, and her father, Donald "Don" Moore, is a pilot for American Airlines.^[6][7][8] Moore's father is of Irish and Cherokee descent, and her mother is of half-English and half-Jewish ancestry.^[9][10] Moore, who has an older brother Scott and a younger brother Kyle, grew up in Longwood, Florida, outside of Orlando, where the family moved shortly after her birth because of her father's job as an airline pilot.^[11] She was raised Catholic (though she is no longer practicing),^[12] and attended Bishop Moore High School,^[13] in Orlando, as well as Lake Brantley High School in Altamonte Springs.

Moore's interest in singing grew after seeing the musical Oklahoma!.^{[citation needed]} She was also encouraged to perform by her English-born maternal grandmother, who was her inspiration.^[10] Some of Moore's first public exposure occurred when she sang the national anthem at several Florida sporting events.^{[citation needed]} She subsequently came to the attention of the head of the artists and repertoire department at Epic Records after his friend, a FedEx employee, overheard her as she sang at a recording studio.^[14]

Music career[link]

1999–2002[link]

[edit] So Real

Moore toured with N'SYNC throughout the first half of 1999.^[11] Her debut album, So Real, was released in December 1999 and reached No.31 on the U.S. Billboard 200 album charts.^[15] Unfortunately for her image, at the time of the album's release, reviewers considered Moore the latest in a series of heavily-marketed female teen singers described as "pop princesses," akin to Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera.^[16] Entertainment Weekly Magazine's review of So Real, written by Elizabeth Vincentelli, accused Moore's songs of revolving around "not-yet-experienced love," of having been performed with "suffocating professionalism," and called the album's ballads "nauseating."^[17]

Moore reached mainstream radio later, and at a younger age, than Aguilera and Spears had, and she was initially not as successful as they were. However, So Real was still certified platinum in the U.S. in early 2000 and sold nearly one million copies.^[18] Moore's debut teen-oriented pop hit single "Candy," which Yahoo! Movies described as "strangely provocative,"^[7] peaked just outside the top 40 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100^[19] charts, and was certified gold.^[15] The single was more successful in Europe, especially in the UK, where it reached number 6.^{[citation needed]} Allmusic called the single "mediocre" and "typical," containing lyrics that described love "in terms of sugar treats."^[20]

[edit] I Wanna Be with You

Moore released I Wanna Be with You in May 2000.^[21] The album, which was mostly completed with synthesizers, bass, guitar, and drums^[22] comprised new songs alongside tracks and remixes from So Real. Several reviewers criticized it on the basis that it was a remix album and not a true follow-up,^[23][24] with Allmusic accusing its style of being "trashier, flashier, gaudier, and altogether more disposable" than that of So Real.^[25] It peaked at No.21 on the Billboard 200, was certified gold in the U.S., selling nearly 1,000,000 copies.^[18] The title track, "I Wanna Be with You," was the album's only single and reached No.24 on the Hot 100,^[19] Moore's highest peak to date.^{[citation needed]} It was also featured on the soundtrack of the film Center Stage in 2000.^[26]

[edit] Mandy Moore

In June 2001, Moore released her second full-length album, her third overall, the self-titled album Mandy Moore. She promoted the album with her first headlining concert, "Mandy Moore Live@ShoutBack."^{[citation needed]} The album contained uptempo tracks and influences from Eastern music,^[27] and Allmusic described it as a "lush, layered production."^[28] It received mixed reviews from other critics.^[29] The album debuted at No.35 on the Billboard 200, and was later certified gold in the U.S., selling 443,000 copies.^[18] The lead single was "In My Pocket," which Entertainment Weekly said contained "pumping, Indian influenced Euro disco."^[30] The album's follow-up single was titled "Crush." The early 2002 release of the final single, "Cry", tied in with the film A Walk to Remember, Moore's debut as a lead actress.^{[citation needed]}

In 2006, Moore commented on her early albums, noting that although she believed that her first album was appropriate for her age at the time when she released it,^[10][31] she felt it "sucked"^[32] and that her first albums were "just awful."^[16] Moore also said that she "would give a refund to everyone who bought my first two albums" if she could;^[33] during a radio interview in April 2006, the show's co-host—who had seen her comments—asked her for a refund on the first album, a request that Moore fulfilled.^[32]

2003–2006[link]

In October 2003, Moore released her fourth album Coverage,^[34] which Allmusic characterized as a "leap to musical maturity"^[35] and which Entertainment Weekly called an "effort to shed her bubblegum-blond image".^[36] The album peaked at No.14 on the Billboard 200;^[15] but "Have a Little Faith in Me" and "Senses Working Overtime", its only two singles, did not perform well on the charts.^[15] Moore's cover of "I Feel the Earth Move" appeared on Love Rocks, a compilation CD of songs from gay rights supporters.^[37]

Due to creative differences between Moore and her label, a split was announced.^{[citation needed]} The company released the hits compilation album The Best of Mandy Moore, which reached No.148 on the Billboard 200^[38] in November 2004 as a final obligation to Moore's contract.^[39] Another compilation, Candy, followed in 2005. During this time period, the only music Moore had recorded was a song demo, "Hey!", written by James Renald, and a cover version of Lori McKenna's "Beautiful Man".^{[citation needed]} Moore also voiced the character "Nita" in the 2006 film, Brother Bear 2.

2007–2009[link]

In early 2006, Moore stated that she missed her music career and that singing is what she was the "most passionate about."^[16] Moore had signed to Sire Records after her contract with Epic Records ended, but she left the company in May 2006.^{[citation needed]} She signed with a new EMI Music-owned record company, The Firm, in July that year, describing her new contract as "especially exciting,"^[40] and adding that she left Sire Records because she did not want to "follow the mainstream," but rather have "complete control and freedom" over her work.^[41] Moore's new album, Wild Hope, was released on June 19, 2007,^[42] and includes collaborations with artists Chantal Kreviazuk, Rachael Yamagata, Lori McKenna and The Weepies.^[43] Moore stayed alone in a house in Woodstock in Upstate New York while recording the album in late 2006.^[44] She performed new material from Wild Hope at the Sundance Film Festival;^{[citation needed]} her first single, "Extraordinary," premiered on her MySpace profile on January 29, 2007.^{[citation needed]} Moore performed the song at the Brick Awards on April 12, 2007^[45] and launched a tour in the summer of 2007.^[46]

The album was released in the USA in June 2007 to positive reviews.^{[citation needed]} It fared moderately well on the charts, debuting at number thirty on the Billboard 200 (Moore's third highest charting album in the U.S.), and at number 84 in Canada.^{[citation needed]} In August 2007, Moore toured with Paula Cole, and Rachael Yamagata, playing at mid-size venues in the United States and Canada.^{[citation needed]} Wild Hope was placed at number 10 on Entertainment Weekly's "The Must List" and also named Reader's Choice for that August 10 issue, two months after its release.^{[citation needed]} Moore surprised many with a free concert in Boston on July 18, 2007.^[47]

On February 23, 2008, Moore released Wild Hope in Australia, and subsequently toured with Ben Lee and the West Australian Symphony Orchestra in Western Australia, supporting Kelly Clarkson on her tour.^{[citation needed]} In October 2008, Moore posted on her website blog live videos of three new songs she's been working on, along with singer-songwriter, pianist and guitarist Mike Viola. It was at first expected to a be a duo album between the two, but then in January 2009, it was revealed it would be a solo album with a collaboration with him, slated for release in April 2009.^[48]

On June 2009, Moore performed 5 tracks of her new Amanda Leigh album, including “Nothing Everything” and “Love To Love Me Back,” at the Walmart Soundcheck show.^[49]

In May 2009, she released her latest album, Amanda Leigh, to generally positive reviews. Rolling Stone said about the album: "the title is taken from the singer's real first and middle names, the acoustic instrumentation emits a cozy campfire glow, and the album was recorded in a modest basement home studio. Message: This is real music, not computerized starlet pop."^{[citation needed]} Time Magazine said that the album was "impeccably recorded."^{[citation needed]} An article on the album by Paper Magazine said, "Mandy (in the album)... shows real thoughtful and emotional depth." Paper concluded that "Moore is a far better musician than she's often given credit for."^[50][51][52]

Moore has a total of singles sales in Australia of more than 241,000 copies, and was ranked at # 281 on the 1000 artists chart of ARIA Music Decade Charts (1980–2010).^[53]

2010–present[link]

In 2010, Moore voiced Rapunzel in Disney animation film Tangled and recorded several songs for the soundtrack,^[54] including I See the Light,^[55] which she performed live during the Oscar presentation in February 2011.

Acting career[link]

2000–2002[link]

During the summer of 2000, Moore hosted a half-hour MTV talk show, The Mandy Moore Show, which was renamed Mandy a year later.^[56] Moore was also a Neutrogena spokesperson, appearing in commercials and print ads for the product.^[7] She has modelled for Penshoppe in the Philippines,^{[citation needed]} Coach handbags in Japan,^[57] and was a spokesperson for the School and Youth Programs of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.^[58] Her first acting role was in the straight-to-video children's film Magic Al and the Mind Factory in which she plays the character of Brittany Foster.^{[citation needed]}

In 2001, Moore appeared in a small part as the mean and popular cheerleader Lana Thomas opposite actresses Anne Hathaway and Julie Andrews in the film The Princess Diaries. During the film, Moore's character performs "Stupid Cupid," a song from the film's soundtrack. She also had a voiceover role in Dr. Dolittle 2 as the Girl Bear Cub. In 2002, Moore had her first starring role in a major feature film in A Walk to Remember, which co-starred Shane West. Based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks, the film revolved around the developing romance between a Protestant minister's daughter Jamie Sullivan (Moore) and an unruly teenager Landon Carter (West). The film was moderately successful, bringing in $41 million in the United States,^[59] and establishing Moore's status as a lead actress. Although the film received mainly negative reviews,^[60] Moore received several positive notices for her performance, with critic Roger Ebert calling her "quietly convincing".^[61] At that summer's MTV Movie Awards, Moore won an award for "Breakthrough Female Performance" for the role.^[62] The same year, she voiced the Final Fantasy VII character Aerith Gainsborough in the Square-Disney crossover video game Kingdom Hearts, was featured in the music video for Elton John's "Original Sin", and was ranked number sixty-seven in Stuff magazine's "102 Sexiest Women in the World".^[63]

2003–2005[link]

In 2003, Moore starred in the romantic comedy film How to Deal, which failed to draw in teenage crowds in the U.S. and grossed a total of $14 million domestically.^[59] Her next film was 2004's Chasing Liberty, a romantic comedy that grossed approximately $12 million.^[59] Both films received negative reviews;^[64] however, Ebert once again singled Moore's performances out, noting in his review of How to Deal that Moore has "an unaffected natural charm" and "almost makes the movie worth seeing,"^[65] and adding in his Chasing Liberty review that she has "undeniable screen presence and inspires instant affection."^[66] Other critics described her as an "actress of limited range,"^[67] though one review of Chasing Liberty noted that she was the "most painless of former pop princesses."^[68] Later in 2004, Moore appeared in a lead role in the religion satire Saved! in which she played Hilary Faye, a proper and popular girl at a Christian school. The film was positively reviewed,^[69] though it did not receive a wide release. Moore received praise for her performance,^[70] with one critic calling her a "demented delight"^[71] and another naming it her best performance to date.^[72] She sang a cover version of The Beach Boys 1966 hit "God Only Knows", with Michael Stipe, that bookended the movie.

In 2005, Moore lent her voice to the film Racing Stripes as Sandy the white horse and appeared on the television series Entourage; she was also originally scheduled to star in the films Cursed, Havoc, and The Upside of Anger, all of which were eventually released in 2005 without Moore's involvement.^[13]

2006–2007[link]

In 2006, Moore guest-starred in two episodes of Scrubs: "My Half-Acre" and "Her Story II". The same year, she lent her voice to The Simpsons, playing Tabitha Vixx in the episode "Marge and Homer Turn a Couple Play".^[73]

Moore also appeared in the film American Dreamz, which was released in April 2006. In the film, she played a deranged contestant on a television series modeled after American Idol. Director Paul Weitz stated that he had Moore in mind for the role before she was cast, explaining that "there's something inherently sweet about Mandy; it makes it all the more interesting to see her in a villainess role".^[74] Moore has said that she enjoys playing mean-spirited characters but fears being typecast as a villain.^[75] American Dreamz opened at number nine at the U.S. box office,^[76] eventually totaling barely $7 million,^[77] and received mixed reviews;^[78] critic Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly, however, wrote that Moore and co-star Hugh Grant have a "wicked barbed chemistry" in their roles,^[79] while Variety's Robert Koehler said Moore's role was a "pitch-perfect study of a woman for whom a reality show is reality".^[80]

Later that year, in what ComingSoon.net's review described as a "surprisingly good performance", Moore voiced Nita, the heroine of the Disney animated sequel Brother Bear 2, which was released directly-to-DVD on August 29.^[81] She was also originally cast to appear in that year's ensemble film Bobby, but was replaced by Mary Elizabeth Winstead.^[82]

Moore, citing her conservative upbringing, has expressed dissatisfaction with her appearance on a May 2006 cover of Cosmopolitan; the magazine's headline is "orgasms unlimited", which refers to an article unrelated to her.^[83] In her movie following this, Because I Said So, co-starring Gabriel Macht, Lauren Graham and Diane Keaton, Moore's character describes in detail the feeling of an orgasm to her mother. It was released on February 2, 2007 and received mixed reviews.^[84] In License to Wed, Moore portrays a young bride-to-be who has to complete a three-week prenup course before her wedding. Co-starring John Krasinski as her fiance and Robin Williams as a priest, the film was released on July 3, 2007 to mostly negative reviews. Nevertheless, Variety described Moore's performance as "appealing."^[85][86][87] In 2007, Moore returned to the small screen in an episode of How I Met Your Mother entitled "Wait for It".

2009–present[link]

After a break of almost two years from big screen roles, Moore filmed the romantic comedy Swinging with the Finkels in the United Kingdom in 2009 for a 2011 release.^[88] Moore also starred with actor Kellan Lutz in the 2010 film, Love, Wedding, Marriage.^[89][90] She was a guest star on the sixth season finale of Grey's Anatomy on May 20, 2010, her first television role since 2007.^[91] She returned in a guest role for an episode of the show's seventh season.^{[citation needed]} Also that year, Moore voiced Princess Rapunzel in the CGI animated film Tangled. Moore, alongside Zachary Levi, performed the film's theme song, "I See the Light" at the 83rd Academy Awards where it was nominated for Best Original Song.^[92]

In October 2011, it was announced that she is set to star in an ABC comedy titled Us and Them.^[93] The series was eventually not picked up by ABC.^[94]

Along with her voice role in the upcoming 2012 Tron: Uprising animated series, she is also set to be the title character voice in the Disney Junior series Oki’s Oasis.^[95]

Fashion career[link]

Moore branched into the fashion world in 2005 with her own fashion line named Mblem., a brand of contemporary knitwear and cashmere. One of her aims was to provide clothing for taller women (Moore herself is 5'10).^[96] In February 2009, Moore announced that the line would be shutting down, but that she hoped to reenter the fashion world again under different circumstances in the future.^[3]

Philanthropy[link]

According to a press release from her own official website, Moore was involved in teaming up with nonprofit organization Population Services International (PSI), and its subsidiary, Five & Alive, which addresses health crises facing children under the age of five and their families.^[97][98]

According to USA Today, Moore was also involved in serving as the Honorary Chairperson of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's division on awareness for youth. She served as a spokesperson by helping young people be aware of the seriousness of leukemia and lymphoma.^[99] She also serves as the spokesperson for Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, held every January.^[100] In addition, to increase cervical cancer awareness, Moore teamed up with Dr. Yvonne Collins, The Gynecologic Cancer Foundation (GCF), and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).^[101]

Personal life[link]

Her relationships with Adam Goldstein aka DJ AM, singer Billy Crawford, tennis player Andy Roddick,^[102] and actors Wilmer Valderrama^[103] and Zach Braff,^[104] as well as her marriage to singer Ryan Adams, have become the subject of media coverage. Moore and Adams were married on March 10, 2009, in Savannah.^[105][106]

Moore has become a fan of mixed martial arts, often attending UFC events.^[107]

As to her religious beliefs, Moore considers herself spiritual, and has said that she does not think of herself as Christian.^[12]

Reporters have mentioned that Moore has a slight lisp in her performances,^[108] but Moore denied having one when asked by a fan on her official blog.^[109]

Social networking[link]

Moore is the ambassador for the UN Foundations’s “Nothing But Net’s” campaign. The campaign launched a mass distribution of mosquito nets, ensuring that young children, women and newborn babies are not infected with malaria.^[110] Through her use of social networking she has brought awareness to the cause. In August 2011, the campaign used the Town hall function on Facebook for the first time ever. Almost $5,000 was raised immediately. With nearly two million twitter followers, Moore continues to tweet about fundraising for the foundation.^[110] For further awareness of the cause she created a page on the commonly used site, crowdrise.com.

Discography[link]

Filmography[link]