Coordinates	°′″N°′″N
name	Vic Willis
position	Pitcher
birth date	April 12, 1876
birth place	Cecil County, Maryland
death date	August 03, 1947
death place	Elkton, Maryland
bats	Right
throws	Right
debutdate	April 20
debutyear
debutteam	Boston Beaneaters
finaldate	September 5
finalyear
finalteam	St. Louis Cardinals
stat1label	Win-Loss record
stat1value	249-205
stat2label	Earned run average
stat2value	2.63
stat3label	Strikeouts
stat3value	1651
teams	Boston Beaneaters (-) Pittsburgh Pirates (-) St. Louis Cardinals ()
highlights	World Series champion: 1909 National League pennant: 1898 National League ERA champion: 1899 National League strikeout champion: 1902 2-time National League complete game leader 2-time National League shutout leader 8 20-win seasons Pitched no-hitter in 1899
hofdate
hofmethod	Veteran's Committee }}

Victor Gazaway Willis (April 12, 1876 – August 3, 1947) was a Major League Baseball player nicknamed "The Delaware Peach." He was a starting pitcher. He is a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, enshrined in 1995.

Willis was born in 1876 in Cecil County, Maryland and attended school in nearby Newark, Delaware.

Over a 13-year career, Willis played for three teams, the Boston Beaneaters (1898–1905), Pittsburgh Pirates (1906–1909) and St. Louis Cardinals (1910), compiling a 249-205 record with a 2.63 ERA. He was known as a workhorse and completed 388 of his 471 starts. Willis also holds the post-1900 record for complete games (45, in 1902) in a single season.

Despite being a Hall of Fame pitcher, Willis holds the post-1900 record for most losses in a single season (29, in 1905). For the three seasons from 1903 to 1905, Willis compiled a dismal record with the Boston Beaneaters of 42 wins against 72 losses. However, his ERA during those three years averaged 3.02 and in two of those years his ERA was under 3.00. Despite Willis' performance on the mound during those three seasons, the Boston offense could only muster a combined .238 batting average over those seasons. When he changed teams to the Pittsburgh Pirates for 1906, whose offense had a combined batting average of .256 over the four years Willis was with the team, Willis compiled a record of 88-46. His ERA for those four years was 2.08.

Prior to joining the major leagues, Willis played the 1897 season at the University of Delaware, and later coached the 1907 team and parts of the 1908 team.

Willis was on one World Series championship team, the 1909 Pirates. He lost one game during the Series, pitching against Ty Cobb's Detroit Tigers.

His final major league season was 1910, with the St. Louis Cardinals. Next season Willis pitched for a semipro team in his hometown Newark, Delaware.

After retirement, Willis purchased and operated the Washington House, a hotel in his hometown of Newark, Delaware. Willis died in 1947 and is interred in St. John Cemetery in Newark, Delaware.

The National Baseball Hall of Fame inducted Vic Willis in 1995, as the Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame had done in 1977.

He was the last pitcher to throw a no-hitter in the 19th century.

See also

List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins

List of Major League Baseball ERA champions

List of Major League Baseball saves champions

List of Major League Baseball strikeout champions

MLB All-Time Hit Batsmen List

List of Major League Baseball no-hitters

References

External links

UD Hall of Fame

Category:1876 births Category:1947 deaths Category:Baseball players from Maryland Category:Boston Beaneaters players Category:Delaware Fighting Blue Hens baseball coaches Category:Delaware Fighting Blue Hens baseball players Category:Harrisburg Senators players Category:Lynchburg Hill Climbers players Category:National Baseball Hall of Fame inductees Category:National League ERA champions Category:National League strikeout champions Category:Pittsburgh Pirates players Category:St. Louis Cardinals players Category:Syracuse Stars (minor league) players

ja:ビック・ウィリス

Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales to the north, South Australia to the west, and Tasmania to the south, on Boundary Islet.

Victoria is Australia's most densely populated state, and has a highly centralised population, with almost 75% of Victorians living in Melbourne, the state capital and largest city.

Etymology

Victoria, like Queensland, was named after Queen Victoria, the monarch at the time.

History

After the founding of the colony of New South Wales in 1788, Australia was divided into an eastern half named New South Wales and a western half named New Holland, under the administration of the colonial government in Sydney. The first European settlement in the area later known as Victoria was established in October 1803 under Lieutenant-Governor David Collins at Sullivan Bay, Victoria on Port Phillip. It consisted of 308 convicts, 51 marines, 17 free settlers, 12 civil officers, a missionary and his wife. They had been sent from England in HMS ''Calcutta'' under the command of Captain Daniel Woodriff, principally out of fear that the French, who had been exploring the area, might establish their own settlement and thereby challenge British rights to the continent.

Victoria's next settlement was at Portland, on the west coast of what is now Victoria. Melbourne was founded in 1835 by John Batman. From settlement the region around Melbourne was known as the Port Phillip District, a separately administered part of New South Wales. In 1851, the British Government separated the area from New South Wales, proclaiming a new Colony of Victoria.

In 1851 gold was discovered near Ballarat, and subsequently at Bendigo. Later discoveries occurred at many sites across Victoria. This triggered one of the largest gold rushes the world has ever seen. The colony grew rapidly in both population and economic power. In ten years the population of Victoria increased sevenfold from 76,000 to 540,000. All sorts of gold records were produced including the "richest shallow alluvial goldfield in the world" and the largest gold nugget. Victoria produced in the decade 1851–1860 20 million ounces of gold, one third of the world's output.

Immigrants arrived from all over the world to search for gold, especially from Ireland and China. Many Chinese miners worked in Victoria, and their legacy is particularly strong in Bendigo and its environs. Although there was some racism directed at them, there was not the level of anti-Chinese violence that was seen at the Lambing Flat riots in New South Wales. However, there was a riot at Buckland Valley near Bright in 1857. Conditions on the gold fields were cramped and unsanitary; an outbreak of typhoid at Buckland Valley in 1854 killed over 1,000 miners.

In 1854 at Ballarat there was an armed rebellion against the government of Victoria by miners protesting against mining taxes (the "Eureka Stockade"). This was crushed by British troops, but the discontents prompted colonial authorities to reform the administration (particularly reducing the hated mining licence fees) and extend the franchise. Within a short time, the Imperial Parliament granted Victoria responsible government with the passage of the Colony of Victoria Act 1855. Some of the leaders of the Eureka rebellion went on to became members of the Victorian Parliament.

The first foreign military action by the colony of Victoria was to send troops and a warship to New Zealand as part of the Māori Wars. Troops from New South Wales had previously participated in the Crimean War.

In 1901 Victoria became a state in the Commonwealth of Australia. As a result of the gold rush, Melbourne had by then become the financial centre of Australia and New Zealand. Between 1901 and 1927, Melbourne was the capital of Australia while Canberra was under construction. It was also the largest city in Australia at the time. Whilst Melbourne remains an important and influential financial centre, home to many national and international companies, it was slowly overtaken by Sydney in business importance around the 1970s and 1980s.

On Saturday 7 February 2009 ("Black Saturday"), the state was affected by the 2009 Victorian bushfires, resulting in 173 deaths.

Government

Parliament

Victoria has a parliamentary form of government based on the Westminster System. Legislative power resides in the Parliament consisting of the Governor (the representative of the Queen), the executive (the Government), and two legislative chambers. The Parliament of Victoria consists of the lower house Legislative Assembly, the upper house Legislative Council and the Queen of Australia.

Eighty-eight members of the Legislative Assembly are elected to four-year terms from single-member electorates.

In November 2006, the Victorian Legislative Council elections were held under a new multi-proportional representation system. The State of Victoria was divided into eight electorates with each electorate represented by five representatives elected by Single Transferable Vote proportional representation. The total number of upper house members was reduced from 44 to 40 and their term of office is now the same as the lower house members – four years. Elections for the Victorian Parliament are now fixed and occur in November every four years. Prior to the 2006 election, the Legislative Council consisted of 44 members elected to eight-year terms from 22 two-member electorates.

Premier and cabinet

The Premier of Victoria is the leader of the political party or coalition with the most seats in the Legislative Assembly. The Premier is the public face of government and, with cabinet, sets the legislative and political agenda. Cabinet consists of representatives elected to either house of parliament. It is responsible for managing areas of government that are not exclusively the Commonwealth's, by the Australian Constitution, such as education, health and law enforcement. The current Premier of Victoria is Ted Baillieu.

Governor

Executive authority is vested in the Governor of Victoria who represents and is appointed by Queen Elizabeth II. The post is usually filled by a retired prominent Victorian. The governor acts on the advice of the premier and cabinet. The current Governor of Victoria is Alex Chernov.

Constitution

Victoria has a written constitution. Enacted in 1975, but based on the 1855 colonial constitution, it establishes the parliament as the state's law-making body for matters coming under state responsibility. The Victorian Constitution can be amended by the parliament of Victoria. Under new provisions to be enacted, changes to the Victorian Constitution will be subjected to a plebiscite of votes, voting in a referendum.

Politics

Premier Ted Baillieu leads a Liberal/National Coalition that won the November 2010 Victorian state election.

The centre-left Australian Labor Party (ALP), the centre-right Liberal Party of Australia and the rural-based National Party of Australia are Victoria's major political parties. Traditionally, Labor is strongest in Melbourne's inner, working class and western and northern suburbs, Morwell, Ballarat, Bendigo and Geelong. The Liberals' main support lies in Melbourne's more affluent eastern and outer suburbs, and some rural and regional centres. The Nationals are strongest in Victoria's North Western and Eastern rural regional areas.

Federal government

Victorian voters elect 49 representatives to the Parliament of Australia, including 37 members of the House of Representatives and 12 members of the Senate. Since 2010, the ALP has held 22 Victorian house seats, the Liberals 12, the Nationals two and the Greens one. As of 1 July 2008, the Liberals have held six senate seats, the ALP five and the Family First Party one.

Local government

Victoria is incorporated into 79 municipalities for the purposes of local government, including 39 shires, 32 cities, seven rural cities and one borough. Shire and city councils are responsible for functions delegated by the Victorian parliament, such as city planning, road infrastructure and waste management. Council revenue comes mostly from property taxes and government grants.

{|- | style="font-size:90%;" margin- left="5em"| Source: Victorian Parliamentary Library, Department of Victorian Communities, Australian Electoral Commission |}

Demographics

The 2006 Australian census reported that Victoria had 4,932,422 people resident at the time of the census, an increase of 6.2% on the 1996 figure. The Australian Bureau of Statistics estimates that in June 2010 the state's population reached 5,547,500, an increase of 1.8% from the previous year and may well reach 7.2 million by 2050.

Victoria's founding Anglo-Celtic population has been supplemented by successive waves of migrants from southern and eastern Europe, Southeast Asia and, most recently, the Horn of Africa and the Middle East. Victoria's population is ageing in proportion with the average of the remainder of the Australian population.

About 72% of Victorians are Australian-born. This figure falls to around 66% in Melbourne but rises to higher than 95% in some rural areas in the north west of the state. Around two-thirds of Victorians claim Australian, Scottish, English or Irish ancestry. Less than 1% of Victorians identify themselves as Aboriginal. The largest groups of people born outside Australia came from the British Isles, China, Italy, Vietnam, Greece and New Zealand.

More than 70% of Victorians live in Melbourne, located in the state's south. The greater Melbourne metropolitan area is home to an estimated 3.9 million people. Leading urban centres include Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, Shepparton, Mildura, Warrnambool, Wodonga and the Latrobe Valley.

Victoria is Australia's most urbanised state: nearly 90% of residents living in cities and towns. State Government efforts to decentralise population have included an official campaign run since 2003 to encourage Victorians to settle in regional areas, however Melbourne continues to rapidly outpace these areas in terms of population growth.

Age structure and fertility

The government predicts that nearly a quarter of Victorians will be aged over 60 by 2021. The 2006 census reveals that Australian average age has crept upward from 35 to 37 since 2001, which reflects the population growth peak of 1969–72. In 2007, Victoria recorded a TFR of 1.87, the highest after 1978.

Crime

The state of Victoria is divided into four geographical regions; North-West Metropolitan Region, Southern Metropolitan Region, Eastern Region, Western Region. In 2010-2011 there were 152 homicides within the state of Victoria.

Religion

About 60.5% of Victorians describe themselves as Christian. Roman Catholics form the single largest religious group in the state with 27.5% of Victorian population, followed by Anglicans and members of the Uniting Church. Catholics and Protestants (including Anglicans) in Victoria each form around 30% of the population. Buddhism, the state's largest non-Christian religion, is also the fastest growing with 132,634. Victoria is also home of 109,370 Muslims and 41,105 Jews. Around 20% of Victorians claim no religion, and even amongst those who declare a religious affiliation, church attendance is low.

In 2008, the levels of couples choosing to marry in a church had dropped to 36%; the other 64% chose to register their marriage with a civil celebrant.

Education

Primary and secondary

Victoria's state school system dates back to 1872, when the colonial government legislated to make schooling both free and compulsory. The state's public secondary school system began in 1905. Before then, only private secondary schooling was available. Today, a Victorian school education consists of seven years of primary schooling (including one preparatory year) and six years of secondary schooling.

The final years of secondary school are optional for children aged over 17. Victorian children generally begin school at age five or six. On completing secondary school, students earn the Victorian Certificate of Education. Students who successfully complete their secondary education also receive a tertiary entrance ranking, or ATAR score, to determine university admittance.

Victorian schools are either publicly or privately funded. Public schools, also known as state or government schools, are funded and run directly by the Victoria Department of Education . Students do not pay tuition fees, but some extra costs are levied. Private fee-paying schools include parish schools run by the Roman Catholic Church and independent schools similar to English public schools. Independent schools are usually affiliated with Protestant churches. Victoria also has several private Jewish and Islamic primary and secondary schools. Private schools also receive some public funding. All schools must comply with government-set curriculum standards. In addition, Victoria has four government selective schools, Melbourne High School for boys, MacRobertson Girls' High School for girls, the coeducational schools John Monash Science School, Nossal High School and Suzanne Cory High School, and The Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School. Students at these schools are exclusively admitted on the basis of a selective entry test.

As of August 2005, Victoria had 1,613 public schools, 484 Catholic schools and 208 independent schools. Just under 537,000 students were enrolled in public schools, and 289,000 in private schools. Nearly two-thirds of private students attend Catholic schools. More than 455,000 students were enrolled in primary schools and more than 371,000 in secondary schools. Retention rates for the final two years of secondary school were 77% for public school students and 90% for private school students. Victoria has about 60,200 full-time teachers.

Tertiary education

Victoria has nine universities. The first to offer degrees, the University of Melbourne, enrolled its first student in 1855. The largest, Monash University, has an enrolment of nearly 56,000 students—more than any other Australian university. Both the University of Melbourne and Monash University are purportedly ranked highly among the world's best universities requiring a fairly high entry score, passing of mature age entrance exams or direct payment for student admission into their courses.

The number of students enrolled in Victorian universities was 241,755 at 2004, an increase of 2% on the previous year. International students made up 30% of enrolments and account for the highest percentage of pre-paid university tuition fees. The largest number of enrolments were recorded in the fields of business, administration and economics, with nearly a third of all students, followed by arts, humanities, and social science, with 20% of enrolments.

Victoria has 18 government-run institutions of “technical and further education” (TAFE). The first vocational institution in the state was the Melbourne Mechanics' Institute (established in 1839), which is now the Melbourne Athenaeum. More than 1,000 adult education organisations are registered to provide recognised TAFE programs. In 2004, there were about 480,700 students enrolled in vocational education programs in the state.

{|- | style="font-size:90%;" margin- left="5em"| Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Department of Education and Training (Victoria), Department of Education, Science and Training (Commonwealth), National Centre for Vocational Education Research |}

Libraries

The State Library of Victoria is the State's research and reference library. It is responsible for collecting and preserving Victoria's documentary heritage and making it available through a range of services and programs. Material in the collection includes books, newspapers, magazines, journals, manuscripts, maps, pictures, objects, sound and video recordings and databases.

In addition, local governments maintain local lending libraries, typically with multiple branches in their respective municipal areas.

Economy

Victorian production andworkers by economic activities
!Economicsector	!GSPproduced	!Number ofworkers	!Percentageof workers
	30.5%	319,109	15.3%
	16.6%	562,783	27.4%
	15.4%	318,218	15.3%
	12.1%	423,328	20.3%
	10.6%	133,752	6.4%
	6.2%	136,454	6.6%
	4%	62,253	3%
	3.3%	72,639	3.5%
	1.3%	4,472	0.2%
	–	49,208	2%

The state of Victoria is the second largest economy in Australia after New South Wales, accounting for a quarter of the nation's gross domestic product. The total gross state product (GSP) at current prices for Victoria was at just over A$222 billion, with a GSP per capita of A$44,443. The economy grew by 3.4% in 2004, less than the Australian average of 5.2%.

Finance, insurance and property services form Victoria's largest income producing sector, while the community, social and personal services sector is the state's biggest employer. Despite the shift towards service industries, the troubled manufacturing sector remains Victoria's single largest employer and income producer. As a result of job losses in declining sectors such as manufacturing, Victoria has the highest unemployment rate in Australia as of September 2009.

Agriculture

During 2003–04, the gross value of Victorian agricultural production increased by 17% to $8.7 billion. This represented 24% of national agricultural production total gross value. As of 2004, an estimated 32,463 farms occupied around 136,000 square kilometres (52,500 sq mi) of Victorian land. This comprises more than 60% of the state's total land surface. Victorian farms range from small horticultural outfits to large-scale livestock and grain productions. A quarter of farmland is used to grow consumable crops.

More than 26,000 square kilometres (10,000 sq mi) of Victorian farmland are sown for grain, mostly in the state's west. More than 50% of this area is sown for wheat, 33% for barley and 7% for oats. A further 6,000 square kilometres (2,300 sq mi) is sown for hay. In 2003–04, Victorian farmers produced more than 3 million tonnes of wheat and 2 million tonnes of barley. Victorian farms produce nearly 90% of Australian pears and third of apples. It is also a leader in stone fruit production. The main vegetable crops include asparagus, broccoli, carrots, potatoes and tomatoes. Last year, 121,200 tonnes of pears and 270,000 tonnes of tomatoes were produced.

More than 14 million sheep and 5 million lambs graze over 10% of Victorian farms, mostly in the state's north and west. In 2004, nearly 10 million lambs and sheep were slaughtered for local consumption and export. Victoria also exports live sheep to the Middle East for meat and to the rest of the world for breeding. More than 108,000 tonnes of wool clip was also produced—one-fifth of the Australian total.

Victoria is the centre of dairy farming in Australia. It is home to 60% of Australia's 3 million dairy cattle and produces nearly two-thirds of the nation's milk, almost 6.4 million litres. The state also has 2.4 million beef cattle, with more than 2.2 million cattle and calves slaughtered each year. In 2003–04, Victorian commercial fishing crews and aquaculture industry produced 11,634 tonnes of seafood valued at nearly A$109 million. Blacklipped abalone is the mainstay of the catch, bringing in A$46 million, followed by southern rock lobster worth A$13.7 million. Most abalone and rock lobster is exported to Asia.

Manufacturing

Machinery and equipment manufacturing is the state's most valuable manufacturing activity, followed by food and beverage manufacturing and petroleum, coal and chemical manufacturing. More than 15% Victorian workers are employed in manufacturing industries. Victoria has 318,000 manufacturing workers. The state is marginally behind New South Wales in the value of manufacturing output.

Major industrial plants belong to the car manufacturers Ford, Toyota and Holden; Alcoa's Portland and Point Henry aluminium smelters; oil refineries at Geelong and Altona; and a major petrochemical facility at Laverton.

Victoria also plays an important role in providing goods for the defence industry. Melbourne is the centre of manufacturing in Victoria, followed by Geelong. Energy production has aided industrial growth in the Latrobe Valley.

Mining

Mining in Victoria contributes around A$3 billion to the gross state product (~1%) but employs less than 1% of workers. The Victorian mining industry is concentrated on energy producing minerals, with brown coal, petroleum and gas accounting for nearly 90% of local production. The oil and gas industries are centred off the coast of Gippsland in the state's east, while brown coal mining and power generation is based in the Latrobe Valley.

In the 2005/2006 fiscal year, the average gas production was over per day (M cuft/d) and represented 18% of the total national gas sales, with demand growing at 2% per year.

In 1985, oil production from the offshore Gippsland Basin peaked to an annual average of 450,000 barrels per day. In 2005–2006, the average daily oil production declined to 83,000 bbls/d, but despite the decline Victoria still produces almost 19.5% of crude oil in Australia.

Brown coal is Victoria's leading mineral, with 66 million tonnes mined each year for electricity generation in the Latrobe Valley, Gippsland. The region is home to the world's largest known reserves of brown coal.

Despite being the historic centre of Australia's gold rush, Victoria today contributes a mere 1% of national gold production. Victoria also produces limited amounts of gypsum and kaolin.

Service industry

The service industries sector is the fastest growing component of the Victorian economy. It includes the wide range of activities generally classified as community, social and personal services; finances, insurance and property services, government services, transportation and communication, and wholesale and retail trade. Most service industries are located in Melbourne and the state's larger regional centres.

As of 2004–05, service industries employed nearly three-quarters of Victorian workers and generated three-quarters of the state's GSP. Finance, insurance and property services, as a group, provide a larger share of GSP than any other economic activity in Victoria. More than a quarter of Victorian workers are employed by the community, social and personal services sector.

Geology and geography

Victoria's northern border is the southern bank of the Murray River. It also rests at the southern end of the Great Dividing Range, which stretches along the east coast and terminates west of Ballarat. It is bordered by South Australia to the west and shares Australian's shortest land border with Tasmania. The official border between Victoria and Tasmania is at 39°12' S, which passes through Boundary Islet in the Bass Strait for 85 metres. Victoria contains many topographically, geologically and climatically diverse areas, ranging from the wet, temperate climate of Gippsland in the southeast to the snow-covered Victorian alpine areas which rise to almost 2,000 metres (6,500 ft), with Mount Bogong the highest peak at 1,986 m; (6,516 ft). There are extensive semi-arid plains to the west and northwest.

There is an extensive series of river systems in Victoria. Most notable is the Murray River system. Other rivers include: Ovens River, Goulburn River, Patterson River, King River, Campaspe River, Loddon River, Wimmera River, Elgin River, Barwon River, Thomson River, Snowy River, Latrobe River, Yarra River, Maribyrnong River, Mitta River, Hopkins River, Merri River and Kiewa River.

The state symbols include the Pink Heath (state flower), Leadbeater's Possum (state animal) and the Helmeted Honeyeater (state bird).

The state's capital, Melbourne, contains approximately 70% of the state's population and dominates its economy, media, and culture. For other cities and towns, see List of localities (Victoria) and Local Government Areas of Victoria.

Transport

Victoria has the highest population density in any state in Australia, with population centres spread out over most of the state; only the far northwest and the Victorian Alps lack permanent settlement.

The Victorian road network services the population centres, with highways generally radiating from Melbourne and other major cities and rural centres with secondary roads interconnecting the highways to each other. Many of the highways are built to freeway standard ("M" freeways), while most are generally sealed and of reasonable quality.

Rail transport in Victoria is provided by several private and public railway operators who operate over government-owned lines. Major operators include: Metro Trains Melbourne which runs an extensive, electrified, passenger system throughout Melbourne and suburbs; V/Line which is now owned by the Victorian Government, operates a concentrated service to major regional centres, as well as long distance services on other lines; Pacific National, CFCLA, El Zorro which operate freight services; Great Southern Railway which operates The Overland Melbourne—Adelaide; and CountryLink which operates XPTs Melbourne—Sydney.

There are also several smaller freight operators and numerous tourist railways operating over lines which were once parts of a state-owned system. Victorian lines mainly use the broad gauge. However, the interstate trunk routes, as well as a number of branch lines in the west of the state have been converted to standard gauge. Two tourist railways operate over narrow gauge lines, which are the remnants of five formerly government-owned lines which were built in mountainous areas.

Melbourne has the world's largest tram network, currently operated by Yarra Trams. As well as being a popular form of public transport, over the last few decades trams have become one of Melbourne's major tourist attractions. There are also tourist trams operating over portions of the former Ballarat and Bendigo systems. There are also tramway museums at Bylands and Haddon.

Melbourne Airport is the major domestic and international gateway for the state. Avalon Airport is the state's second busiest airport, which is complements Essendon and Moorabbin Airports to see the remainder of Melbourne's air traffic. Hamilton Airport, Mildura Airport, Mount Hotham and Portland Airport are the remaining airports with scheduled domestic flights. There are no fewer than 27 other airports in the state with no scheduled flights.

The Port of Melbourne is the largest port for containerised and general cargo in Australia, and is located in Melbourne on the mouth of the Yarra River, which is at the head of Port Phillip. Additional seaports are at Westernport, Geelong, and Portland.

Utilities

Energy

Victoria's major utilities include a collection of brown-coal-fired power stations, particularly in the LaTrobe Valley. One of these is Hazelwood Power Station, which is number 1 in the worldwide List of least carbon efficient power stations.

Water

Victoria's water infrastructure includes a series of dams and reservoirs, predominantly in Central Victoria, that hold and collect water for much of the state. The water collected is of a very high quality and requires little chlorination treatment, giving the water a taste more like water collected in a rainwater tank. In regional areas however, such as in the west of the state, chlorination levels are much higher.

The Victorian Water Grid consists of a number of new connections and pipelines being built across the State. This allows water to be moved around Victoria to where it is needed most and reduces the impact of localised droughts in an era thought to be influenced by climate change. Major projects already completed as part of the Grid include the Wimmera Mallee Pipeline and the Goldfields Superpipe.

Climate

Victoria has a varied climate despite its small size. It ranges from semi-arid and hot in the north-west, to temperate and cool along the coast. Victoria's main land feature, the Great Dividing Range, produces a cooler, mountain climate in the centre of the state.

Victoria's southernmost position on the Australian mainland means it is cooler and wetter than other mainland states and territories. The coastal plain south of the Great Dividing Range has Victoria's mildest climate. Air from the Southern Ocean helps reduce the heat of summer and the cold of winter. Melbourne and other large cities are located in this temperate region.

The Mallee and upper Wimmera are Victoria's warmest regions with hot winds blowing from nearby deserts. Average temperatures top 30 °C (86 °F) during summer and 15 °C (59 °F) in winter. Victoria's highest maximum temperature of 48.8 °C (119.9 °F) was recorded in Hopetoun on 7 February 2009, during the 2009 southeastern Australia heat wave.

The Victorian Alps in the northeast are the coldest part of Victoria. The Alps are part of the Great Dividing Range mountain system extending east-west through the centre of Victoria. Average temperatures are less than 9 °C (48 °F) in winter and below 0 °C (32 °F) in the highest parts of the ranges. The state's lowest minimum temperature of −11.7 °C (10.9 °F) was recorded at Omeo on 13 June 1965, and again at Falls Creek on 3 July 1970.

Rainfall

Victoria is the wettest Australian state after Tasmania. Rainfall in Victoria increases from north to south, with higher averages in areas of high altitude. Median annual rainfall exceeds 1,800 millimetres (71 in) in some parts of the northeast but is less than 250 millimetres (10 in) in the Mallee.

Rain is heaviest in the Otway Ranges and Gippsland in southern Victoria and in the mountainous northeast. Snow generally falls only in the mountains and hills in the centre of the state. Rain falls most frequently in winter, but summer precipitation is heavier. Rainfall is most reliable in Gippsland and the Western District, making them both leading farming areas. Victoria's highest recorded daily rainfall was 375 millimetres (14.7 in) at Tanybryn in the Otway Ranges on 22 March 1983.

{|- | style="font-size:90%;" margin- left="5em"| Source: Bureau of Meteorology, Department of Primary Industries, Australian Natural Resources Atlas |}

Tourism

Some major tourist destinations in Victoria are:

The metropolis of Melbourne, particular its inner city suburbs (known also for shopping tourism) and the attractions of the city centre such as Crown Casino, Melbourne Zoo, Melbourne Museum, the Melbourne Aquarium, ScienceWorks, Healesville Sanctuary, Werribee Open Range Zoo, tourism precincts such as Melbourne Docklands, Southbank and St Kilda as well as cultural and sporting tourist icons such as The Arts Centre, National Gallery of Victoria, the Melbourne Cricket Ground, also known as the MCG, and the Eureka Tower, tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere, with its Skydeck 88.

Victoria has more than 2000 kilometres of coastline with hundreds of beaches.

The Goldfields region featuring the historic cities of Ballarat, Beechworth, Bendigo, Castlemaine, Maldon and Daylesford.

Natural attractions, such as The Twelve Apostles, Wilsons Promontory, The Grampians, the Fairy Penguins (particularly at Phillip Island and St Kilda), the Buchan Caves and the Gippsland Lakes.

The Dandenong Ranges (in particular the Puffing Billy Railway).

Towns along the Murray River and Riverina including Echuca and Mildura including waterskiing.

Geelong and the Australian International Airshow

The Bellarine Peninsula which features historic resort towns such as Queenscliff.

The Surf Coast which features famous beaches such as Bells Beach, Torquay and Lorne

Mornington Peninsula, particularly for its wineries and secluded beaches, Arthur's Seat and the coastal attractions of Portsea and Sorrento.

Yarra Valley (in particular Healesville Sanctuary and wineries).

Great Ocean Road, which features The Twelve Apostles, historic towns of Port Fairy and Portland, cliffs and whale watching and resort towns such as Lorne.

The Victorian Alpine Region, part of the Australian Alps, particularly for skiing

The Central Victorian Highlands, 'Highcountry' are very well known for winter sports and bushwalking

Wine regions across the entire state.

Other popular tourism activities are gliding, hang-gliding, hot air ballooning and scuba diving.

Major events also play a big part in tourism in Victoria, particularly cultural tourism and sports tourism. Most of these events are centred around Melbourne, but others occur in regional cities, such as the V8 Supercars and Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix at Phillip Island, the Grand Annual Steeplechase at Warrnambool and the Australian International Airshow at Geelong and numerous local festivals such as the popular Port Fairy Folk Festival, Queenscliff Music Festival, Bells Beach SurfClassic and the Bright Autumn Festival.

Sport

Victoria is the home of Australian rules football, with ten of the seventeen clubs of the Australian Football League based in Victoria, and the traditional Grand Final held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground usually on the last Saturday in September.

Victoria's cricket team, the Victorian Bushrangers play in the national Sheffield Shield cricket competition. Victoria is represented in the National Rugby League by the Melbourne Storm and in Super Rugby by the Melbourne Rebels. It is also represented in Football (soccer) by Melbourne Victory and Melbourne Heart in the A-League.

Melbourne has held the 1956 Summer Olympics, 2006 Commonwealth Games, FINA World Swimming Championship, and is home to the Australian Open tennis tournament in January each year, the first of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, and the Australian Formula One Grand Prix.

Victoria is also home to Bells Beach, which is the home of the world's longest-running surfing competition, the Bells Beach SurfClassic, which is part of The ASP World Tour.

Netball is a big part of sport in Victoria. The Melbourne Vixens represent Victoria in the ANZ Championship. Some of the worlds best netballers such as Sharelle McMahon, Renae Hallinan, Madison Browne, Julie Corletto and Bianca Chatfield come from Victoria.

Possibly Victoria's most famous island, Phillip Island, is home of the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit which hosts the Australian motorcycle Grand Prix which features MotoGP (the world's premier motorcycling class), as well as the Australian round of the World Superbike Championship and the domestic V8 Supercar racing, which also visits Sandown Raceway and the rural Winton Motor Raceway circuit.

Australia's most prestigious footrace, the Stawell Gift, is an annual event.

Victoria is also home to the Aussie Millions poker tournament, the richest in the Southern hemisphere.

The Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival is one of the biggest horse racing events in the world and is one of the world's largest sporting events. The main race is for the $6 million Melbourne Cup, and crowds for the carnival exceed 700,000.

See also

2003 Melbourne thunderstorm

Atlas of Victorian Birds

Geography:

Goombala Road

Victorian Alps

Vicmap Topographic Map Series

Lists:

List of highways in Victoria

List of localities (Victoria)

Protected areas of Victoria (Australia)

References

External links

State Government of Victoria website

Official Government tourism website

Tourism Victoria's Online Image Library

Category:Former British colonies Category:States and territories of Australia Category:States and territories established in 1851

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Coordinates	°′″N°′″N
name	Bruce Willis
birth name	Walter Bruce Willis
birth date	March 19, 1955
birth place	Idar-Oberstein, West Germany
occupation	Actor, Comedian, Producer, Musician
genres	Jazz, Rock
years active	1980–present
other names	W.B. WillisBruno
spouse	Demi Moore (1987–2000)Emma Heming (2009–present)
children	Rumer, Scout, Tallulah
partner	Brooke Burns (2004) }}

Walter Bruce Willis (born March 19, 1955), better known as Bruce Willis, is an American actor, producer, and musician. His career began in television in the 1980s and has continued both in television and film since, including comedic, dramatic, and action roles. He is well known for the role of John McClane in the ''Die Hard'' series, which were mostly critical and uniformly financial successes. He has also appeared in over sixty films, including box office successes like ''Pulp Fiction'', ''Sin City'', ''12 Monkeys'', ''The Fifth Element'', ''Armageddon'', and ''The Sixth Sense''.

Motion pictures featuring Willis have grossed US$2.64 billion to 3.05 billion at North American box offices, making him the ninth highest-grossing actor in a leading role and twelfth highest including supporting roles. He is a two-time Emmy Award-winning, Golden Globe Award-winning and four-time Saturn Award-nominated actor. Willis was married to actress Demi Moore and they had three daughters before their divorce in 2000, following thirteen years of marriage.

Early life

Willis was born in Idar-Oberstein, West Germany. His mother, Marlene K., was German and born in Kassel, and his father, David Willis, was an American soldier of German descent. Willis is the eldest of four children: he has a sister, Florence, and a brother, David. His brother Robert died of pancreatic cancer in 2001, aged 42. After being discharged from the military in 1957, Willis's father took his family back to Carneys Point, New Jersey. Willis has described himself as having come from a "long line of blue collar people"; his mother worked in a bank and his father was a welder, master mechanic, and factory worker. Willis attended Penns Grove High School in his hometown, where he encountered issues with a stutter. He was nicknamed ''Buck-Buck'' by his schoolmates. Finding it easy to express himself on stage and losing his stutter in the process, Willis began performing on stage and his high school activities were marked by such things as the drama club and student council president.

After high school, Willis took a job as a security guard at the Salem Nuclear Power Plant and also transported work crews at the DuPont Chambers Works factory in Deepwater, New Jersey.

After working as a private investigator (a role he would play in the television series ''Moonlighting'' as well as in the 1991 film, ''The Last Boy Scout''), Willis returned to acting. He enrolled in the drama program at Montclair State University, where he was cast in the class production of ''Cat on a Hot Tin Roof''. Willis left school in his junior year and moved to New York City.

After multiple auditions, Willis made his theater debut in the off-Broadway production of ''Heaven and Earth''. He gained more experience and exposure in ''Fool for Love'', and in a Levi's commercial.

Career

Early career

Willis left New York City and headed to California to audition for several television shows. In 1984, he appeared in an episode of the TV series Miami Vice, titled "No Exit." He auditioned for the role of David Addison Jr. of the television series ''Moonlighting'' (1985–89), competing against 3,000 other actors for the position. The starring role, opposite Cybill Shepherd, helped to establish him as a comedic actor, with the show lasting five seasons. During the height of the show's success, beverage maker Seagram hired Willis as the pitchman for their Golden Wine Cooler products. The advertising campaign paid the rising star between $5–7 million over two years. In spite of that, Willis chose not to renew his contract with the company when he decided to stop drinking alcohol in 1988.

One of his first major film roles was in the 1987 Blake Edwards film ''Blind Date'', with Kim Basinger and John Larroquette. Edwards would cast him again to play the real-life cowboy actor Tom Mix in ''Sunset'' (1988). However, it was his then-unexpected turn in the film ''Die Hard'' that catapulted him to movie star status. He performed most of his own stunts in the film, and the film grossed $138,708,852 worldwide. Following his success with ''Die Hard'', he had a supporting role in the drama ''In Country'' as Vietnam veteran Emmett Smith and also provided the voice for a talking baby in ''Look Who's Talking'', as well as its sequel ''Look Who's Talking Too''.

In the late 1980s, Willis enjoyed moderate success as a recording artist, recording an album of pop-blues titled ''The Return of Bruno'', which included the hit single "Respect Yourself", promoted by a Spinal Tap-like rockumentary parody featuring scenes of him performing at famous events including Woodstock. Follow-up recordings were not as successful, though Willis has returned to the recording studio several times. See Discography below.

1990s

Willis acquired major personal success and pop culture influence playing John McClane in 1988's ''Die Hard''. This film was followed up by ''Die Hard 2: Die Harder'' in 1990 and ''Die Hard With a Vengeance'' in 1995. These first three installments in the ''Die Hard'' series grossed over US$700 million internationally and propelled Willis to the first rank of Hollywood action stars.

In the early 1990s, Willis's career suffered a moderate slump starring in flops such as ''The Bonfire of the Vanities'', ''Striking Distance'', and a film he co-wrote titled ''Hudson Hawk'', among others. He starred in a leading role in the highly sexualized thriller ''Color of Night'' (1994), which was very poorly received by critics, but did well in the home video market and became one of the Top 20 most-rented films in the United States in 1995. However, in 1994, he had a supporting role in Quentin Tarantino's acclaimed ''Pulp Fiction'', which gave a new boost to his career. In 1996, he was the executive producer of the cartoon ''Bruno the Kid'' which featured a CGI representation of himself.

He went on to play the lead roles in ''Twelve Monkeys'' (1995) and ''The Fifth Element'' (1997). However, by the end of the 1990s, his career had fallen into another slump with critically panned films like ''The Jackal'', ''Mercury Rising'', and ''Breakfast of Champions'', saved only by the success of the Michael Bay-directed ''Armageddon'' which was the highest grossing film of 1998 worldwide. The same year his voice and likeness were featured in the PlayStation video game ''Apocalypse''. In 1999, Willis then went on to the starring role in M. Night Shyamalan's film, ''The Sixth Sense''. The film was both a commercial and critical success and helped to increase interest in his acting career.

2000s - 2010s

In 2000, Willis won an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for his work on ''Friends'' (in which he played the father of Ross Geller's much-younger girlfriend). He was also nominated for a 2001 American Comedy Award (in the Funniest Male Guest Appearance in a TV Series category) for his work on ''Friends''. Also in 2000, Willis played Jimmy "The Tulip" Tudeski in ''The Whole Nine Yards'' alongside Matthew Perry. Willis was originally cast as Terry Benedict in ''Ocean's Eleven'' (2001) but dropped out to work on recording an album. In ''Ocean's Twelve'' (2004), he makes a cameo appearance as himself. In 2007, he appeared in the ''Planet Terror'' half of the double feature ''Grindhouse'' as the villain, a mutant soldier. This marks Willis's second collaboration with director Robert Rodriguez, following ''Sin City''.

Willis has appeared on ''The Late Show with David Letterman'' several times throughout his career. He filled in for an ill David Letterman on his show February 26, 2003, when he was supposed to be a guest. On many of his appearances on the show, Willis stages elaborate jokes, such as wearing a day-glo orange suit in honor of the Central Park gates, having one side of his face made up with simulated buckshot wounds after the Harry Whittington shooting, or trying to break a record (parody of David Blaine) of staying underwater for only twenty seconds.

On April 12, 2007, he appeared again, this time wearing a Sanjaya Malakar wig. His most recent appearance was on June 25, 2007 when he appeared wearing a mini-turbine strapped to his head to accompany a joke about his own fictional documentary titled ''An Unappealing Hunch'' (a wordplay of ''An Inconvenient Truth''). Willis also appeared on Japanese Subaru Legacy television commercials. Tying in with this, Subaru did a limited run of Legacys, badged "Subaru Legacy Touring Bruce", in honor of Willis.

Willis has appeared in four films with Samuel L. Jackson (National Lampoon's ''Loaded Weapon 1'', ''Pulp Fiction'', ''Die Hard with a Vengeance'', and ''Unbreakable'') and both actors were slated to work together in ''Black Water Transit'', before dropping out. Willis also worked with his eldest daughter, Rumer, in the 2005 film ''Hostage''. In 2007, he appeared in the thriller ''Perfect Stranger'', opposite Halle Berry, the crime/drama film ''Alpha Dog'', opposite Sharon Stone, and marked his return to the role of John McClane in ''Live Free or Die Hard''. Recently he appeared in the films ''What Just Happened'' and ''Surrogates'', based on the comic book of the same name.

Willis was slated to play U.S. Army general William R. Peers in director Oliver Stone's ''Pinkville'', a drama about the investigation of the 1968 My Lai Massacre. However, due to the 2007 Writers Guild of America strike, the film was cancelled. Willis appeared on the 2008 Blues Traveler album ''North Hollywood Shootout'', giving a spoken word performance over an instrumental blues-rock jam on the track "Free Willis (Ruminations from Behind Uncle Bob's Machine Shop)". In early 2009, he appeared in an advertising campaign to publicize the insurance company Norwich Union's change of name to Aviva. He also appeared in the music video for the song "I Will Not Bow" by Breaking Benjamin. The song is from his 2009 science fiction film ''Surrogates''.

Willis starred with Tracy Morgan in the comedy ''Cop Out'', directed by Kevin Smith and about two police detectives investigating the theft of a baseball card. The film was released in February 2010. Willis appeared in the music video for the song "Stylo" by Gorillaz. Also in 2010, he appeared in a cameo with former Planet Hollywood co-owners and '80s action stars Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger in the film ''The Expendables''. Bruce Willis played the role of "Mr. Church". This was the first time these three legendary action stars appeared on screen together. Although the scene featuring the three was short, it was one of the most highly anticipated scenes in the film. The trio filmed their scene in an empty church on October 24, 2009. His most recent project was ''Red'', an adaptation of the comic book mini-series of the same name, in which he portrayed Frank Moses. The film was released on October 15, 2010.

Upcoming films

Willis will star in the movie adaptation of the video game ''Kane & Lynch: Dead Men'', named ''Kane & Lynch''. He will also star in the upcoming movies ''Catch .44'', ''The Cold Light of Day'', ''Moonrise Kingdom'', and ''Looper''.

On May 5, 2010, it was announced that ''Die Hard 5'' would be made and that Willis was on board to play his most famous role of John McClane for a fifth time.

Sylvester Stallone revealed that he is talking to Willis about returning for ''The Expendables'' sequel. Stallone has said that he wants to expand Willis' role and that he wants Willis to play the villain in the next Expendables. They have talked about Willis' schedule and possible actors that could join the sequel.

Filming for a new movie, ''Moonrise Kingdom'', starring Bruce Willis alongside Bill Murray, Edward Norton and Frances McDormand, is expected to begin in the first half of 2011. Filming will take place in Rhode Island under the direction of Wes Anderson.

Willis will team up with 50 Cent in a new film directed by David Barrett called ''Fire with Fire'', about a fireman who must save the love of his life. Willis will also join Vince Vaughn and Catherine Zeta-Jones in ''Lay the Favorite'', directed by Stephen Frears, about a Las Vegas cocktail waitress who becomes an elite professional gambler. The two films will be distributed by Lionsgate Entertainment.

Business activities

Willis owns property in Los Angeles, rents an apartment in the Trump Tower in New York City, and Trump Place, as well as a home in Malibu, California, a ranch in Montana, a beach home on Parrot Cay in Turks and Caicos, and multiple properties in Sun Valley, Idaho.

Willis started his own motion picture production company called Cheyenne Enterprises, which he started with his business partner Arnold Rifkin in 2000. He left the company to be run solely by Rifkin in 2007 after Live Free or Die Hard. He also owns several small businesses in Hailey, Idaho, including The Mint Bar and The Liberty Theater and is a co-founder of Planet Hollywood, with actors Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone. In 2009 Willis signed a contract to become the international face of Belvedere SA's Sobieski Vodka in exchange for 3.3% ownership in the company.

Personal life

Willis' acting role models are Gary Cooper, Robert De Niro, Steve McQueen, and John Wayne.

Marriages and family

At the premiere for the film ''Stakeout'', Willis met actress Demi Moore. Willis married Moore on November 21, 1987 and had three daughters: Rumer Willis (b. August 16, 1988), Scout LaRue Willis (b. July 20, 1991) and Tallulah Belle Willis (b. February 3, 1994) before the couple divorced on October 18, 2000. The couple gave no public reason for their breakup. Regarding the divorce, Willis stated, "I felt I had failed as a father and a husband by not being able to make it work." He credited actor Will Smith for helping him cope with the situation. After their breakup, rumors persisted that the couple planned to re-marry, until Moore married the actor Ashton Kutcher. Willis has maintained a close relationship with both Moore and Kutcher, even attending their wedding. Willis and Moore currently share custody of their daughters.

Willis was engaged to Brooke Burns until they broke up in 2004 after ten months together. He married Emma Heming in Turks and Caicos on March 21, 2009; guests included his three daughters, Moore, and Kutcher. The ceremony was not legally binding, so the couple wed again in a civil ceremony in Beverly Hills six days later. Willis has expressed interest in having more children.

Political views

In 1988, he and Moore actively campaigned for Massachusetts Governor Michael S. Dukakis's Presidential bid. Four years later, he supported President George H.W. Bush for reelection and he was a vocal critic of Bill Clinton. However, in 1996, he declined to endorse Clinton's Republican opponent Bob Dole, because Dole had criticized Moore for her role in the film ''Striptease''. Willis was an invited speaker at the 2000 Republican National Convention, and actively supported George W. Bush that year. He did not make any contributions or public endorsements in the 2008 presidential campaign. In several June 2007 interviews, he declared that he still maintains some Republican ideologies.

In 2006, he proposed that the United States should invade Colombia, in order to end the drug trafficking. In several interviews Willis has said that he supports large salaries for teachers and police officers, and says that he is disappointed in the United States' foster care and treatment of Native Americans. Willis also stated that he is a big supporter of gun rights:

}}

In February 2006, Willis appeared in Manhattan to talk about ''16 Blocks'' with reporters. One reporter attempted to ask Willis about his opinion on current events, but was interrupted by Willis in mid-sentence: "I'm sick of answering this fucking question. I'm a Republican only as far as I want a smaller government, I want less government intrusion. I want them to stop shitting on my money and your money and tax dollars that we give 50 percent of... every year. I want them to be fiscally responsible and I want these goddamn lobbyists out of Washington. Do that and I'll say I'm a Republican... I hate the government, OK? I'm apolitical. Write that down. I'm not a Republican."

Willis's name was in an advertisement in the ''Los Angeles Times'' on August 17, 2006, that condemned Hamas and Hezbollah and supported Israel in the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict.

Military pursuits

Throughout his film career, Willis has depicted several military characters in films such as ''The Siege'', ''Hart's War'', ''Tears of the Sun'', and ''Grindhouse''. Growing up in a military family, Willis has publicly sold Girl Scout cookies for the United States armed forces. In 2002, Willis's youngest daughter, Tallulah, suggested that he purchase Girl Scout cookies to send to troops. Willis purchased 12,000 boxes of cookies, and they were distributed to sailors aboard USS ''John F. Kennedy'' and other troops stationed throughout the Middle East at the time. In 2003, Willis visited Iraq as part of the USO tour, singing to the troops with his band, The Accelerators. Willis considered joining the military to help fight the second Iraq war, but was deterred by his age. It was believed he offered US$1 million to any non combatant who turns in terrorist leaders Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri, or Abu Musab al-Zarqawi; in the June 2007 issue of ''Vanity Fair'', however, he clarified that the statement was made hypothetically and not meant to be taken literally. Willis has also criticized the media for its coverage of the war, complaining that the press were more likely to focus on the negative aspects of the war:

}}

Willis stated in 2005 that he wanted to "make a pro-war film in which American soldiers will be depicted as brave fighters for freedom and democracy." The film would follow members of Deuce Four, the 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry, who spent considerable time in Mosul and were decorated heavily for it. The film is to be based on the writings of blogger Michael Yon, a former United States Army Special Forces soldier who was embedded with Deuce Four and sent regular dispatches about their activities. Willis described the plot of the film as "these guys who do what they are asked for very little money to defend and fight for what they consider to be freedom."

Controversy

Comments at playoffs

Willis, an avid New Jersey Nets fan, made controversial comments on April 29, 2007 during a live broadcast of a Nets home playoff game on TSN by saying a catch phrase from his ''Die Hard'' films, "Yippee-Ki-Yay, Motherfucker", at the end of the interview. Reacting to the backlash, he later blamed his actions on jet lag, stating: "Sometimes I overestimate my ability to function under duress with less than enough sleep".

"Walter_B"

On May 5, 2007, someone using the screen name "Walter_B" started posting detailed responses onto Ain't it Cool News, where people were discussing the fact that ''Live Free or Die Hard'' received a PG-13 rating, instead of an R rating like the earlier three ''Die Hard'' films. The responses included detailed information on ''Live Free or Die Hard'', which was yet to be released; the theme of the ''Die Hard'' film series, direct criticisms of other film crews and casts, and many film trivia answers. Many people were skeptical that "Walter_B" was indeed Willis, but on May 9, Willis revealed his identity on a video chat session (using iChat).

Cultural references

In 1996, Roger Director, a writer and producer from ''Moonlighting'' wrote a roman à clef on Willis titled ''A Place to Fall''. Cybill Shepherd wrote in her 2000 autobiography, ''Cybill Disobedience'', that Willis was angry at Director, because the character was written as a "neurotic, petulant actor."

In 1998, Willis participated in ''Apocalypse'', a PlayStation video game. The game was originally announced to feature Willis as a sidekick, not as the main character. The company reworked the game using Willis's likeness and voice and changed the game to use him as the main character.

In an early episode of ''Code Lyoko'' season one episode "Holiday in the Fog" aired in 2003, Jim Morales assures Sissi that Jeremie will come to their aide when the two are trapped in an air-tight closet with toxic smoke outside. Sissi sarcastically remarks how nice it is that "the closest thing to Bruce Willis is coming to rescue" them.

Filmography

+ Film
! Year	! Title	! Role	Notes
1980	''''	Man Entering Diner	(uncredited)
1982	''''	Courtroom Observer	(uncredited)
1985	''''	Extra	(uncredited)
1987		Walter Davis
1988	''''	Bruno Radolini
1988		Tom Mix
1988	''Die Hard''	John McClane
1989	''That's Adequate''	Himself
1989	''In Country''	Emmett Smith	Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture
1989	''Look Who's Talking''	Mikey	Voice Only
1990	''Die Hard 2''	John McClane
1990	''Look Who's Talking Too''	Mikey	Voice Only
1990	''''	Peter Fallow
1991	''Mortal Thoughts''	James Urbanski
1991	''Hudson Hawk''	Eddie 'Hudson Hawk' Hawkins	Writer
1991		Bo Weinberg
1991	''''	Joseph Cornelius 'Joe' Hallenbeck
1992	''''	Himself
1992	''Death Becomes Her''	Dr. Ernest Menville	Nominated—Saturn Award for Best Actor
1993	''Loaded Weapon 1''	John McClane	Uncredited
1993	''Striking Distance''	Tom 'Tommy' Hardy
1994		Narrator
1994	''Color of Night''	Dr. Bill Capa
1994			Nominated — Chlotrudis Award for Best Supporting Actor
1994		Carl Roebuck	Nominated — Chlotrudis Award for Best Supporting Actor
1995	''Die Hard with a Vengeance''	John McClane
1995	''Four Rooms''	Leo	Uncredited
1995	''Twelve Monkeys''	James Cole	Nominated — Saturn Award for Best Actor
1996		John Smith
1996	''Beavis and Butt-Head Do America''	Muddy Grimes	Voice Only
1997	''''	Korben Dallas
1997	''''	The Jackal
1998	''Mercury Rising''	Art Jeffries
1998		Harry S. Stamper	Nominated — Saturn Award for Best Actor
1998	''''	Major General William Devereaux
1999	""	Himself	Short subject
1999		Dwayne Hoover
1999	''''	Dr. Malcolm Crowe	Nominated—Saturn Award for Best Actor
1999	''''	Ben Jordan
2000	''''	Jimmy "The Tulip" Tudeski
2000	''Disney's The Kid''	Russell 'Russ' Duritz
2000		David Dunn
2001	''Bandits''	Joe Blake
2002	''Hart's War''	Col. William A. McNamara
2002	''Grand Champion''	Mr. Blandford
2003	''Tears of the Sun''	Lieutenant A.K. Waters
2003	''Rugrats Go Wild''	Spike	Voice Only
2003	''Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle''	William Rose Bailey	Uncredited
2004	''''	Jimmy "The Tulip" Tudeski
2004	''Ocean's Twelve''	Himself
2005		Jeff Talley	Also Producer
2005		John Hartigan
2006	''Alpha Dog''	Sonny Truelove
2006	''16 Blocks''	Jack Mosley	Also Producer
2006		Harry Rydell
2006	''Lucky Number Slevin''	Mr. Goodkat
2006		RJ	Voice Only
2007	''''	Colonel Doug Masterson	Uncredited
2007		Harrison Hill
2007		Lt. Muldoon
2007		Himself	Uncredited
2007	''Live Free or Die Hard''	John McClane	Also Producer. Named 'Die Hard 4.0' outside North America
2008	''What Just Happened''	Himself
2008	''Assassination of a High School President''	Principal Kirkpatrick
2009		Agent Tom Greer
2010		Jimmy Monroe
2010	''''	Mr. Church	Cameo
2010		Frank Moses
2011	''Catch .44''	Mel	''post-production''
2011		Biggs	''in production''
2012	''''	Martin	''filming''
2012	''Lay the Favorite''	Dink Heimowitz	''filming''
2012	''G.I. Joe 2: Retaliation''	General Joseph Colton	''in production''
2012		Older Joe	''in production''
2012		Kane	''in production''

+ Television
Year	! Title	! Role	Notes
1984	''Miami Vice''	Tony Amato
1985	''''	Peter Jay Novins	Episode: "Shatterday"
1985–89		David Addison Jr.	67 episodes
1996–97	''Bruno the Kid''	Bruno the Kid	Voice
1997	''Mad About You''	Amnesia patient	Episode: "The Birth Part 2"
1999	''Ally McBeal''	Dr. Nickle	Episode: "Love Unlimited"
2000	''Friends''	Paul Stevens	Three episodes
2002		Lee	Television film
2005	''That '70s Show''	Vic	Episode: "Misfire"

+ Late Show with David Letterman Appearances
! Date	! Costume, Product, or Skit
Feb 2006	Coffee (Starbruce)
Sept 2006	Robotic Mop (Robo Bruce)
Sept 2007	Wind-powered Turbine Helmet, Illegal Fireworks (Ka-Bruce), "Roof Jump" skit
Nov 2008	Sarah Palin wig, Turkey Deep Fryer (Fry Hard with a Vengeance)
May 2009	Rubber Band Helmet (Bruce Willis' Concussion-Buster), "'Obsessed' Movie Cameo" skit
Sept 2009	Blanket w/Hairpiece (Bruce Willis' Skanket)
Dec 2009	"Bruce the Late Show Intern" skit
Feb 2010	Jets Fan outfit, "Olympic Skier" skit, Underwear (Bruce Willis' Amazing Exploding Underpants)
Oct 2010	Meat Hairpiece

+ Producer
! Year	! Title	Notes
1988		Co-executive producer
2002	''''	Producer
2007	''''	Executive producer

Discography

Solo albums ''The Return of Bruno'', 1987, Motown, ''If It Don't Kill You, It Just Makes You Stronger'', 1989, Motown / Pgd, . ''Classic Bruce Willis: The Universal Masters Collection'', 2001, Polygram Int'l, .

Compilations / Guest appearances

''Moonlighting'' soundtrack, 1986; track "Good Lovin'"

''Hudson Hawk'' soundtrack, 1991; tracks "Swinging on a Star" and "Side by Side", both duets with Danny Aiello

''Rugrats Go Wild'' soundtrack, 2003; "Big Bad Cat" with Chrissie Hynde and "Lust for Life"

Blues Traveler, ''North Hollywood Shootout'', 2008; track "Free Willis (Ruminations from Behind Uncle Bob's Machine Shop)"

Singles Chart

In 1987, Bruce Willis released sang a number of tracks on the soundtrack of the film "The Return of Bruno" including:

''Respect Yourself'', reached number 5 in the US and number 7 in the UK

''Under The Boardwalk'', reached number 59 in the US and number 2 in the UK

''Young Blood'', reached number 62 in the US

In the UK the following singles also charted:

"Secret Agent Man - James Bond is Back", number 43 (September 1987)

"Comin' Right Up", number 73 (January 1988)

Awards and honors

Willis has won a variety of awards and has received various honors throughout his career in television and film.

For his work on the television show ''Moonlighting'' he won an Emmy ("Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series") and a Golden Globe ("Best Performance by an Actor in a TV-Series — Comedy/Musical") plus received additional nominations for the show.

He was nominated for a Golden Globe for "Best Supporting Actor" for his role in the film ''In Country''

Maxim magazine had named his sex scenes in ''Color of Night'' (1994) as the best sex scenes ever in film history. In the 1999 drama/thriller film, ''The Sixth Sense'', Willis won the Blockbuster Entertainment Award ("Favorite Actor — Suspense") and the People's Choice Award ("Favorite Motion Picture Star in a Drama"). He was also nominated for the Saturn Award for Best Actor and received two nominations for the MTV Movie Awards for "Best Male Performance" and "Best On-Screen Duo".

In 2000, Willis won an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for his work on Friends.

In February 2002, Willis was awarded the Hasty Pudding Man of the Year award from Harvard's Hasty Pudding Theatricals. According to the organization, the award is given to performers who give a lasting and impressive contribution to the world of entertainment. Also in 2002, Willis was appointed as national spokesman for Children in Foster Care by President George W. Bush. Willis wrote online: "I saw Foster Care as a way for me to serve my country in a system by which shining a little bit of light could benefit a great deal by helping kids who were literally wards of the government." In April 2006, he was honored by French government for his contributions to the film industry. Willis was named "Officier Dans L'ordre Des Arts Et Des Lettres" (Officer in the Order of Arts and Letters) in a ceremony in Paris. The French Prime Minister stated "This is France's way of paying tribute to an actor who epitomizes the strength of American cinema, the power of the emotions that he invites us to share on the world's screens and the sturdy personalities of his legendary characters." On October 16, 2006, Willis was honored with a star of the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The star is located at 6915 Hollywood Boulevard and it was the 2,321st star awarded in its history. Willis, reacting to his reception of the star, stated "I used to come down here and look at these stars and I could never quite figure out what you were supposed to do to get one...time has passed and now here I am doing this, and I'm still excited. I'm still excited to be an actor."

References

External links

BruceWillis.com (Way Back Machine) Official website – shutdown since Thanksgiving 2005. Link refers to the cached homepages of the site at Archive.org.

Bruce Willis interview on ''The Tavis Smiley Show''

Category:1955 births Category:Actors from Idaho Category:Actors from New Jersey Category:American bloggers Category:American film actors Category:American people of German descent Category:American television actors Category:American video game actors Category:American voice actors Category:Best Musical or Comedy Actor Golden Globe (television) winners Category:Emmy Award winners Category:Living people Category:Military brats Category:Montclair State University alumni Category:People from Salem County, New Jersey Category:People from the District of Birkenfeld

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Vic Fangio is an American football coach. He is the current defensive coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers. Prior to being named the 49ers Defensive Coordinator, Fangio was defensive coordinator for the Stanford Cardinal, linebackers coach for the Baltimore Ravens and defensive coordinator for the Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, and Carolina Panthers.

References

Category:Living people Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Stanford Cardinal football coaches Category:National Football League defensive coordinators

Coordinates	°′″N°′″N
Name	Matt Corby
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Matthew John Corby
Birth date	November 07, 1990
Instrument	VocalsGuitarPianoBanjoHarmonicaGlokenspielKeyboard
Genre	AcousticFolkBluesIndie
Occupation	MusicianSinger-songwriter
Label	Scorpio Music (independent)
Years active	2007 - present
Website	Official Site }}

Matthew John "Matt" Corby (born 7 November 1990, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia) is an Australian singer-songwriter, who was the runner-up to Natalie Gauci on the fifth season of ''Australian Idol'' in 2007.

2007

Corby was 16 when he auditioned for Australian Idol, and placed as the runner-up to Natalie Gauci.

2008 - present

Corby signed with Scorpio Music Management in 2008 and under their guidance headed to London and New York late in 2008, where a series of gigs were played at iconic London venues including The Regal Room and The Bedford.

On 5 June 2009 Matt's debut independent EP, ''Song For...'', was released to ITunes with a limited number of physical copies also released to CD retailers in Australia on 19 June 2009. The 4 track EP received broad critical acclaim and featured the debut single, Letters.

Matt returned to London in July 2009 for three months. He played numerous gigs at a variety of London venues, and whilst in the U.K. wrote and recorded his next EP (also in the folk genre), due for release in April 2010. He was in the final 12 in the inaugural Vanda and Young Songwriting Competition in 2009.

Corby spent the UK summer of 2010 recording his new EP ‘Transition to Colour’ with indie label and production team Communion. It was recorded over a three week period in a London studio with Ian Grimble (The Libertines, Seasick Steve). It was released in Australia and UK in October 2010. The EP has reached #6 on the Top 20 Australasian Singles Chart, after lead single 'Made of Stone' received significant airplay during the summer of 2011.

Discography

EP

2009: Song For... Independent release via Scorpio Music

2010: My False : Released on 28 May

2010: Transition To Colour : Released 22 October

Awards and nominations

Nominated

2009: Vanda and Young Songwriting Competition - Final 12

External links

http://www.mattcorby.com.au

http://www.myspace.com/mattcorbyau

http://www.facebook.com/mattcorbymusic?ref=ts

http://www.youtube.com/MattCorbyau

http://www.mattcorby.org

http://www.communionmusic.co.uk/

References

Category:1990 births Category:Living people Category:Australian male singers Category:Australian child singers Category:Australian guitarists Category:Australian pianists Category:Australian keyboardists Category:Australian Idol participants Category:Idol series runners-up Category:Australian singer-songwriters