The actor Peter O'Toole who found stardom in David Lean's masterpiece Lawrence of Arabia, has died aged 81, his family has annouced. The
acclaimed leading man who overcame stomach cancer in the 1970s passed
away at the Wellington hospital in London following a long illness. His
daughter Kate O'Toole said: "His family are very appreciative and
completely overwhelmed by the outpouring of real love and affection
being expressed towards him, and to us, during this unhappy time. Thank
you all, from the bottom of our hearts." O'Toole announced last year he was stopping acting saying: "I bid the profession a dry-eyed and profoundly grateful farewell." He
said his career on stage and screen fulfilled him emotionally and
financially, bringing him together "with fine people, good companions
with whom I've shared the inevitable lot of all actors: flops and hits." The
president of Ireland, Michael Higgins, was among the first to pay
tribute: "Ireland, and the world, has lost one of the giants of film and
theatre." "In a long list of leading roles on stage and in film,
Peter brought an extraordinary standard to bear as an actor," Higgins
said. "He had a deep interest in literature and a love of Shakespearean
sonnets in particular. While he was nominated as best actor for an Oscar
eight times, and received a special Oscar from his peers for his
contribution to film, he was deeply committed to the stage. Those who
saw him play leading roles on the screen from Lawrence in 1962, or
through the role of Henry II in Becket, and The Lion in Winter, or
through the dozens of films, will recognise a lifetime devoted to the
artform of the camera. Higgins, who knew O'Toole as a friend since
1969, said "all of us who knew him in the west will miss his warm
humour and generous friendship. "He was unsurpassed for the grace he brought to every performance on and off the stage," he said. The
O'Toole family announced there will be "a memorial filled with song and
good cheer, as he would have wished", but until then they would like to
be allowed to grieve privately. Early in his career O'Toole became emblematic of a new breed of hard-drinking Hollywood hellraiser. "We
heralded the '60s," he once said. "Me, [Richard] Burton, Richard
Harris; we did in public what everyone else did in private then, and
does for show now. We drank in public, we knew about pot." In the
1990s he found stage fame starring in Keith Waterhouse's play, Jeffrey
Bernard is Unwell, about a hard-drinking journalist who propped up bars
in Soho. O'Toole's version sold out the Old Vic theatre in 1999. Last
month it was reported he had been coaxed out of retirement to act in a
film about ancient Rome called Katherine of Alexandria in which he would
play Cornelius Gallus, a palace orator. It is believed he completed
filming on the project alongside Joss Ackland, Steven Berkoff and Edward
Fox and the movie is due to be released next year. O'Toole is
believed to have been born in Connemara in County Galway in Ireland, and
lived in London. He shot to stardom in the 1962 film of TE Lawrence's
life story and went on to take leading roles in Goodbye Mr Chips, The
Ruling Class, The Stunt Man and My Favourite Year. He received an
honorary Oscar in 2003 after receiving eight nominations and no wins –
an unassailed record. He considered turning it down and asking the
Academy to hold off until he was 80, on the basis that "I am still in
the game and might win the bugger outright." He finally accepted, saying: "Always a bridesmaid, never a bride, my foot". He
is survived by his two daughters, Pat and Kate O'Toole, from his
marriage to actress Siân Phillips, and his son, Lorcan O'Toole, by Karen
Brown. -The Guardian
Do You Realize?
Do You Realize - that you have the most beautiful face
Do You Realize - we're floating in space -
Do You Realize - that happiness makes you cry
Do You Realize - that everyone you know someday will die
And instead of saying all of your goodbyes - let them know
You realize that life goes fast
It's hard to make the good things last
You realize the sun doesn't go down
It's just an illusion caused by the world spinning round
Do You Realize - Oh - Oh - Oh
Do You Realize - that everyone you know
Someday will die -
And instead of saying all of your goodbyes - let them know
You realize that life goes fast
It's hard to make the good things last
You realize the sun doesn't go down
It's just an illusion caused by the world spinning round
Do You Realize - that you have the most beautiful face Do You Realize
Singer-songwriter Freddie Mercury was born Farookh Bulsara on September
5, 1946, in Zanzibar, Tanzania. He studied piano in boarding school in
India and befriended numerous musicians at London's Ealing College of
Art. The music of Mercury's band, Queen, reached the top of U.S. and
British charts. Mercury died of AIDS-related bronchial pneumonia on
November 24, 1991, at age 45.
Singer-songwriter and musician Freddie Mercury was born
Farookh Bulsara on September 5, 1946, in Zanzibar, Tanzania. As the
frontman of Queen, Freddie Mercury was one of the most talented and
innovative singers of the rock era. He spent time in a boarding school
in Bombay (now Mumbai), India, where he studied piano. It was not long
before this charismatic young man joined his first band, the Hectics. Moving to London with his family in the 1960s, Mercury attended the
Ealing College of Art. He befriended a number of musicians around this
time, including future bandmates, drummer Roger Taylor and guitarist Brian May.
In 1969, Mercury joined up with a group called Ibex as their lead
singer. He played with a few other bands before joining forces with
Taylor and May. They met up with bassist John Deacon in 1971, and the quartet—who Mercury dubbed Queen—played their first gig together that June.
In 1973, the band released their first self-titled album, but
it took two more recordings for Queen's music to really catch on. Their
third record, Sheer Heart Attack (1974), featured their first
hit, "Killer Queen," a song about a high-class call girl. The single hit
No. 2 on the U.K. charts, and peaked at No. 12 in the U.S. With a sound that has been described as a fusion of hard rock and
glam rock, Queen had an even bigger hit the following year with their
album, A Night at the Opera (1975). Mercury wrote the song
"Bohemian Rhapsody," a seven-minute rock operetta, for the album.
Overdubbing his voice, Mercury showed off his impressive four-octave
vocal range on this innovative track. The song hit the top of the charts
in Britain and became a Top 10 hit in the United States. In addition to his talents as a singer and songwriter, Mercury was
also a skilled showman. He knew how to entertain audiences and how to
connect with them. He liked to wear costumes—often featuring skintight
spandex—and strutted around the stage, encouraging fans to join in the
fun. Artistic in nature, Mercury was also actively involved in designing
the art for many of the group's albums. Queen's popularity continued to soar through the late 70s and early 80s. "We Are the Champions," off of News of the World
(1978), became a Top 10 hit in the United States and in Britain. It was
featured on a single with "We Will Rock You"—both songs have taken on a
life of their own as popular anthems played at sporting events. Always
exploring new and different sounds, Queen also tried their hand at the
big music trend of the time, with the disco-flavored "Another Bites the
Dust" in 1980. Off that same album, The Game (1980), Mercury and
the rest of the band showed their range as performers with the
rockabilly-influenced hit "Crazy Little Thing Called Love," which
Mercury penned.
The following year, the members of Queen collaborated with
David Bowie to create "Under Pressure." A No. 1 hit in Britain, the
song's distinctive bass line was later reportedly used by Vanilla Ice for his 1990 rap hit "Ice, Ice Baby." Their abilities to sell albums began to wane by the mid-1980s after The Works (1984), which featured the minor hit "Radio Ga Ga." As a live act,
Queen continued to draw huge crowds around the world. One of their
most notable performances was in 1985 at the Live Aid charity concert.
Simply dressed in a tank top and jeans, Mercury led the crowd through
some of the band's greatest hits with great energy and style. He got
the thousands of music fans at London's Wembley Stadium to chant along
to "We Will Rock You." For many who watched the event live or on
television, Queen gave one of the top performances of the day-long
event, which was organized by singer and activist Bob Geldof
and songwriter Midge Ure to raise money for victims of famine in
Africa. Inspired by the event, the band wrote the hit "One Vision." In addition to his work with Queen, Mercury released several solo albums, including 1985's Mr. Bad Guy. He also collaborated with opera singer Montserrat Caralle for 1988's Barcelona.
Offstage, Mercury was open about his bisexuality, but he kept
his relationships private. He also lived a lavish lifestyle. He loved
champagne and liked to collect art, once spending more than $400,000 on a
set of hand-painted china. Always one for a party, Mercury threw
himself elaborate celebrations; for one particular birthday he flew a
group of friends to the island of Ibiza. The occasion was marked by
fireworks and flamenco dancing. By 1989, Mercury largely retreated from public life. He did not promote or tour for Queen's next album, Innuendo
(1991), and rumors about possible health problems began to circulate.
On November 23, 1991, Mercury released a statement: "I wish to confirm
that I have been tested HIV-positive and have AIDS. I felt it correct to
keep this information private to date to protect the privacy of those
around me. However, the time has come now for my friends and fans around
the world to know the truth and I hope that everyone will join with my
doctors and all those worldwide in the fight against this terrible
disease." The next day, he died from AIDS-related bronchial pneumonia at
his London mansion. Mercury was only 45 years old. Longtime friend and bandmate Roger Taylor
provided some insight to Mercury's decision to keep his battle with
AIDS private. "He didn't want to be looked at as an object of pity and
curiosity, and he didn't want circling vultures over his head," Taylor
said, according to a report in Entertainment Weekly. The rock world mourned the loss of one of its most versatile and engaging performers. To honor his memory, the Freddie Mercury Tribute: Concert for AIDS
Awareness was held in April 1992 at Wembly Stadium. A diverse range of
rock acts—from Def Leppard to Elton John—performed to celebrate Mercury and advance the fight against the disease that took his life.
That same year, Mercury's mock operatic masterpiece, "Bohemian
Rhapsody" made a return to the pop charts, illustrating its timeless
appeal. Before his death, Mercury had done some work in the studio with Queen. These efforts were released in 1995 on Made In Heaven,
the group's last album with all the original members. Gone but clearly
not forgotten, this collection of Mercury's final performances reached
the top of the British charts. In 2001,
Mercury and rest of the band received special recognition for their
contributions to American music history when they were inducted into the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Nelson Mandela, South Africa's first black president, dies aged 95
Nelson Mandela, the towering figure of Africa's struggle for freedom and a hero to millions around the world, has died at the age of 95.
South Africa's first black president died in the company of his family at home in Johannesburg after years of declining health that had caused him to withdraw from public life.
The news was announced to the country by the current president, Jacob Zuma, who in a sombre televised address said Mandela had "departed" around 8.50pm local time and was at peace.
"This is the moment of our deepest sorrow," Zuma said. "Our nation has lost its greatest son … What made Nelson Mandela great was precisely what made him human. We saw in him what we seek in ourselves.
"Fellow South Africans, Nelson Mandela brought us together and it is together that we will bid him farewell."
Zuma announced that Mandela would receive a state funeral and ordered that flags fly at half-mast.
Early on Friday morning Archbishop Desmond Tutu led a memorial service in Capetown where he called for South Africa to become as a nation what Mandela had been as a man.
Mandela's two youngest daughters were at the premiere of the biopic Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom in London last night. They received the news of their father's death during the screening in Leicester Square and immediately left the cinema.
Barack Obama led tributes from world leaders, referring to Mandela by his clan name – Madiba. The US president said: "Through his fierce dignity and unbending will to sacrifice his own freedom for the freedom of others, Madiba transformed South Africa – and moved all of us.
"His journey from a prisoner to a president embodied the promise that human beings – and countries – can change for the better. His commitment to transfer power and reconcile with those who jailed him set an example that all humanity should aspire to, whether in the lives of nations or our own personal lives."
David Cameron said: "A great light has gone out in the world" and described Mandela as "a hero of our time".
FW de Klerk – the South African president who freed Mandela, shared the Nobel peace prize with him and paved the way for him to become South Africa's first post-apartheid head of state – said the news was deeply saddening for South Africa and the world.
"He lived reconciliation. He was a great unifier," De Klerk said.
Throughout Thursday night and into Friday morning people gathered in the streets of South Africa to celebrate Mandela's life.
In Soweto people gathered to sing and dance near the house where he once lived. They formed a circle in the middle of Vilakazi Street and sang songs from the anti-apartheid struggle. Some people were draped in South African flags and the green, yellow and black colours of Mandela's party, the African National Congress.
"We have not seen Mandela in the place where he is, in the place where he is kept," they sang, a lyric anti-apartheid protesters had sung during Mandela's long incarceration.
Several hundred people took part in lively commemorations outside Mandela's final home in the Houghton neighbourhood of Johannesburg. A man blew on a vuvuzela horn and people made impromptu shrines with national flags, candles, flowers and photographs.
Mandela was taken to hospital in June with a recurring lung infection and slipped into a critical condition, but returned home in September where his bedroom was converted into an intensive care unit.
His death sends South Africa deep into mourning and self-reflection, nearly 20 years after he led the country from racial apartheid to inclusive democracy.
But his passing will also be keenly felt by people around the world who revered Mandela as one of history's last great statesmen, and a moral paragon comparable with Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi and Martin Luther King.
It was a transcendent act of forgiveness after spending 27 years in prison, 18 of them on Robben Island, that will assure his place in history. With South Africa facing possible civil war, Mandela sought reconciliation with the white minority to build a new democracy.
He led the African National Congress to victory in the country's first multiracial election in 1994. Unlike other African liberation leaders who cling to power, such as Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe, he then voluntarily stepped down after one term.
Mandela was awarded the Nobel peace prize in 1993.
At his inauguration a year later, the new president said: "Never, never, and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another … the sun shall never set on so glorious a human achievement. Let freedom reign. God bless Africa!"
Born Rolihlahla Dalibhunga in a small village in the Eastern Cape on 18 July 1918, Mandela was given his English name, Nelson, by a teacher at his school.
He joined the ANC in 1943 and became a co-founder of its youth league. In 1952, he started South Africa's first black law firm with his partner, Oliver Tambo.
Mandela was a charming, charismatic figure with a passion for boxing and an eye for women. He once said: "I can't help it if the ladies take note of me. I am not going to protest."
He married his first wife, Evelyn Mase, in 1944. They were divorced in 1957 after having three children. In 1958, he married Winnie Madikizela, who later campaigned to free her husband from jail and became a key figure in the struggle.
When the ANC was banned in 1960, Mandela went underground. After the Sharpeville massacre, in which 69 black protesters were shot dead by police, he took the difficult decision to launch an armed struggle. He was arrested and eventually charged with sabotage and attempting to overthrow the government.
Conducting his own defence in the Rivonia trial in 1964, he said: "I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities.
"It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die."
He escaped the death penalty but was sentenced to life in prison, a huge blow to the ANC that had to regroup to continue the struggle. But unrest grew in townships and international pressure on the apartheid regime slowly tightened.
Finally, in 1990, FW de Klerk lifted the ban on the ANC and Mandela was released from prison amid scenes of jubilation witnessed around the world.
In 1992, Mandela divorced Winnie after she was convicted on charges of kidnapping and accessory to assault.
His presidency rode a wave of tremendous global goodwill but was not without its difficulties. After leaving frontline politics in 1999, he admitted he should have moved sooner against the spread of HIV/Aids in South Africa.
His son died from an Aids-related illness. On his 80th birthday, Mandela married Graça Machel, the widow of the former president of Mozambique. It was his third marriage. In total, he had six children, of whom three daughters survive: Pumla Makaziwe (Maki), Zenani and Zindziswa (Zindzi). He has 17 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who headed the truth and reconciliation committee after the fall of apartheid, said: "He transcended race and class in his personal actions, through his warmth and through his willingness to listen and to emphasise with others. And he restored others' faith in Africa and Africans."
Mandela was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2001 and retired from public life to be with his family and enjoy some "quiet reflection". But he remained a beloved and venerated figure, with countless buildings, streets and squares named after him. His every move was scrutinised and his health was a constant source of media speculation.
Mandela continued to make occasional appearances at ANC events and attended the inauguration of the current president, Jacob Zuma. His 91st birthday was marked by the first annual "Mandela Day" in his honour.
He was last seen in public at the final of the 2010 World Cup in Johannesburg, a tournament he had helped bring to South Africa for the first time. Early in 2011, he was taken to hospital in a health scare but he recovered and was visited by Michelle Obama and her daughters a few months later.
In January 2012, he was notably missing from the ANC's centenary celebrations due to his frail condition. With other giants of the movement such as Tambo and Walter Sisulu having gone before Mandela, the defining chapter of Africa's oldest liberation movement is now closed.
"I have known the joy and pain of friendship. I have served and been served. I have made some good enemies for which I am not a bit sorry. I have loved unselfishly, and I have fondled hatred with the red-hot tongs of Hell. That's living."
— Zora Neale Hurston
