- published: 19 Sep 2013
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Dame Julia Elizabeth Andrews, DBE (née Wells; born 1 October 1935) is an English film and stage actress, singer, and author. She is the recipient of Golden Globe, Emmy, Grammy, BAFTA, People's Choice Award, Theatre World Award, Screen Actors Guild and Academy Award honours.
Andrews is a former child actress and singer who made her Broadway debut in a 1954 production of The Boy Friend, and rose to prominence starring in musicals such as My Fair Lady and Camelot, both of which earned her Tony Award nominations. In 1957, she made her television debut with the title role in Cinderella, which was seen by over 100 million viewers.
Andrews made her feature film debut in Mary Poppins (1964), for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress. She received her second Academy Award nomination for The Sound of Music (1965). Adjusted for inflation, these two films are the 25th and 3rd highest grossing films of all time, respectively. From 1964 to 1967, Andrews was the biggest film star in the world, with the additional box office successes of her films The Americanization of Emily, Hawaii, Torn Curtain, and Thoroughly Modern Millie.
James Garner (born James Scott Bumgarner; April 7, 1928) is an American film and television actor, one of the first Hollywood actors to excel in both media. He has starred in several television series spanning a career of more than five decades. These included his roles as Bret Maverick, in the popular 1950s western-comedy series, Maverick; Jim Rockford, in the popular 1970s detective drama, The Rockford Files; and the father of Katey Sagal's character on 8 Simple Rules following the death of John Ritter. He has starred in more than fifty movies, including The Great Escape (1963), Paddy Chayefsky's The Americanization of Emily (1964), Blake Edwards' Victor Victoria (1982), Murphy's Romance (1985), for which he received an Academy Award nomination, and The Notebook (2004).
Garner, the youngest of three children, was born in Norman, Oklahoma, the son of Mildred Scott (née Meek) and Weldon Warren Bumgarner, a carpet layer. His two older brothers were actor Jack Garner (1926–2011) and Charles Bumgarner, a school administrator who died in 1984. His family was Methodist. His mother, who was said to be of part Cherokee descent, died when he was five years old. After their mother's death, Garner and his brothers were sent to live with relatives. Garner was reunited with his family in 1934, when Weldon remarried.
Paolo Villaggio (30 December, 1932) is an Italian actor, writer, director and comedian. He is noted for the characters he created with paradoxical and grotesque characteristics: Professor Kranz, the ultra-timid Giandomenico Fracchia, and the obsequious and meek accountant Ugo Fantozzi, perhaps the favorite character in Italian comedy. He has written several books, usually of satirical character. He has also acted in dramatic roles, and has appeared in several movies.
Paolo Villaggio was born in Genoa, with a twin brother, Piero. His father was Ettore Villaggio (1905-1992), a surveyor originally from Palermo. His mother, Maria, originally from Venice, was a language teacher (German).
Villaggio attended the classic school "Liceo ginnasio Andrea D'Oria" and initially studied Law, but did not finish that study. His jobs included being a clerk for the Italsider steel works, which inspired his character "Il ragioniere Fantozzi Ugo", "the accountant Ugo Fantozzi". Maurizio Costanzo discovered his artistic potential and in 1967 he advised Villaggio to play in a cabaret in Rome. From there, Villaggio was hired for the TV programme Quelli della domenica (Those guys of Sunday), in which Fantozzi made his first appearance, introducing his characters the aggressive "Professor Kranz" and the hypocritical "Giandomenico Fracchia".
(W.H. Auden)
Victor was a little baby, into this world he came:
His father took him on his knee and said:' Don't dishonour the family
name.' Victor looked up at his father- loked up with big round eyes:
His father said:' Victor, my only son, don't you ever tell lies.'
It was a frosty December, it wsn't the season for fruits;
His father fell dead of heart disease while lacing up his boots.
It was a frosty December when into his grave he sank;
His uncle found Victor a post as a cashier in the Midlands Counties
bank.
It was a frosty December Victor was only eighteen.
But his figures were neat and his margins straight and his cuffs were
always clean.
He took a room at the Peveril, a respectableboarding-house: And Time
watched Victor day after day as a cat willwatch a mouse.
Victor went up to his bedroom, set the alarm bell;
Climbed into his bed, took his bible and read of happend to Jezebel.
It was the First of April, Anna to the Peveril came;
Her eyes, her lips, her breasts, her hips and her smile set men
aflame. It was the Second of April, she was wearing a coat of fur;
Victor met her upon the stairs and fell in love with her.
The first time he made his proposal, she laughed, said:' I'll never
wed':
The second time there was a pause, then she shook her head. Anna
looked at the mirror, pouted and gave a frown; Said;'Victor's as dull
as a wet afternoon but I've got to settle down.'
The third time hemade his proposal, as they walked by the Reservoir,
She gave him a kiss like a blowon the head, said,'You are my heart's
desire.'
They married early in August, she said;'Kiss me, you funny
boy':
Victor took her in his arms and said:'O my Helen of Troy.'
The clerks were talking of Anna, the door was just ajar:
One said:'Poor old Victor, but where ignorance is bliss, etcetera.'
Victor looked up at the sunset as he stood there all alone; Cried:'Are
you in Heaven, Father ?', but the sky said'Address not known.'
Victor looked up at the mountains, the mountains all covered with
snow;
Cried:'Are you pleased with me, Father ?' and the answer came
back,No.
Victor came to the forest, cried:'Father, will she ever be
true ?'
And the oaks and the beeches shook their heads and they
answered:' Not to you.'
Victor came to the meadow where the wind went
sweeping by: Cried:' O Father, I love her so,' but the wind said:' She
must die.'
Victor came to the river running so deep and so still;
Crying:' O Father, what shall I do ?' and the river answered:' Kill.'
Anna was sitting at table, drawing cards from a pack;
Anna was sitting at table waiting for her husband to come back.
Victor stood in the doorway, he didn't utter a word;
She said:'What's the matter, darling ?' he behaved as if he hadn't
heard.
There was a voice in his left ear, there was a voice in the
right,
There was a voice at the base of his skull saying:'She must die
tonight.'
Victor picked up a carving knife, his features were set and
drawn, Said;'Anna, it would have been better for you if you had not
been born.'
Anna jumped up from the table, Anna started to scream,
But Victor cam slowly after her like a horror in a dream.
She dodged behind the sofa, she tore down a curtain rod,
But Victor came slowly after her, said' Prepare to meet Thy God.'
He stood there above the body, he stood there holding the knife;
And the blood ran down the stairs and sang; ' I am the Resurrection
and the Life.'
They tapped Victor on the shoulder, they took him away
in a van;
He sat as quiet as a lump of moss saying; ' I am the Son of
Man.'
Victor sat in a corner
Making a woman of clay.
Saying:' I am Alpha and Omega, I shall come