#65th National Film Awards

[wildfloweronwheels]

Taylor Swift’s 2023

Decided after yesterday’s shenanigans I’d keep track of all the surprises Blondie drops on us/content she gives us this year - will be updated as we go

January:

Performs Anti-Hero for the first time as a special guest at the 1975’s London show + a cover of their song “The City”

Is confirmed as a feature/collaborator on the National’s new album

Celebrates Anti Hero as her longest charting #1 (8 weeks) overtaking Blank Space

More details announced about The National collab. It’s called The Alcott and will be a track on the album First Two Pages of Frankenstein out April 28th.

Gives a quote to Billboard about longtime friendship with Hayley Williams and Paramore opening for her on the Eras tour

Lavender Haze music video is released 

February:

Attends the 65th Grammy Awards and wins her 12th Grammy for Best Music Video (the ATW Short Film) Also celebrates Viola Davis’s EGOT win on Twitter and hosts an afterparty

Gives quote to Rolling Stone about Gracie Abrams and her songwriting

Drops Lavender Haze remix

Announces folklore long pond studio sessions vinyl for Record Store Day 2023

Wins a Hollywood Association Critics Choice Award for the ATW short film

Lavender Haze BTS/remix released

March:

Announces release of Safe & Sound (Taylor’s Version), Eyes Open (Taylor’s Version), If This Was A Movie (Taylor’s Version) and new song “All The Girls You’ve Loved Before” ahead of Eras Tour opening night 

Kicks off the Eras tour with a mammoth 3 hour show and 44 song set list

[wikiuntamed]

Top 5 @Wikipedia pages from a year ago: Monday, 6th February 2023

Welcome, vitajte, nuqneH, bun venit 🤗 What were the top pages visited on @Wikipedia (6th February 2023) 🏆🌟🔥?

1️⃣: Kim Petras "Kim Petras (, German: [ˈpeːtʁas]; born 27 August 1992) is a German singer and songwriter based in Los Angeles, California. Between 2016 and 2020, she released music as an independent artist under her own imprint, BunHead Records, before signing with Amigo and Republic Records in 2021.Petras began..."

Image licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0? by Nokia621

2️⃣: 65th Annual Grammy Awards "The 65th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony was held at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on February 5, 2023. It recognized the best recordings, compositions, and artists of the eligibility year – October 1, 2021 to September 30, 2022 – as determined by the members of National Academy of Recording..."

3️⃣: Harry Styles "Harry Edward Styles (born 1 February 1994) is an English singer. His musical career began in 2010 as part of One Direction, a boy band formed on the British music competition series The X Factor after each member of the band had been eliminated from the solo contest. They became one of the..."

Image licensed under CC BY 2.0? by Raph_PH

4️⃣: The Last of Us (TV series) "The Last of Us is an American post-apocalyptic drama television series created by Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann for HBO. Based on the video game franchise developed by Naughty Dog, the series is set twenty years into a pandemic caused by a mass fungal infection, which causes its hosts to transform..."

5️⃣: Pathaan (film) "Pathaan (pronounced [pəʈʰaːn]) is a 2023 Indian Hindi-language action thriller film co-written and directed by Siddharth Anand and produced by Aditya Chopra under Yash Raj Films. The fourth installment in the YRF Spy Universe, it stars Shah Rukh Khan in the title role, alongside Deepika Padukone and..."

[heavenboy09]

Happy Birthday 🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈 🎁 🎊 To You

1 Of The Most Legendary Footloose Actors Of All Times In Cinema 🎥

Born On July 8th, 1958

He is an American actor. Known for his leading man and character roles, Bacon has received numerous accolades including Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award and a nomination for a Primetime Emmy Award. The Guardian named him one of the best actors never to have received an Academy Award nomination. In 2003, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

He made his feature film debut in National Lampoon's Animal House (1978) before his breakthrough role in the musical-drama film��Footloose (1984). 

.

He's since starred in critically acclaimed films such as Diner (1982), JFK (1991), A Few Good Men (1992), Apollo 13 (1995), Mystic River (2003), and Frost/Nixon (2008). Other notable roles include Friday the 13th (1980), The River Wild (1994), Sleepers (1996), Wild Things (1998), The Woodsman (2004), Flatliners (1990), Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011), X-Men: First Class (2011), Black Mass (2015), and Patriots Day (2016). Bacon has also directed the films Losing Chase (1996) and Loverboy (2005).

He is equally prolific on television, he starred in the Fox drama series The Following from 2013 to 2015. For his role as Lt. Col. Michael Strobl in HBO original film Taking Chance (2009), he received the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie. Bacon starred in the title role in Amazon Prime Video series I Love Dick from 2016 to 2017 for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award. From 2019 to 2022 he starred in the Showtime series City on a Hill.

Bacon's prolific career in a variety of genres has led him to become associated with the concept of interconnectedness among people, having been popularized by the trivia game "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon". In 2007, he created SixDegrees.org, a charitable foundation. He is a brand ambassador for British mobile network operator EE and has been featured in several ads for the company.

Please Wish This Legendary Actor Of Incredible Talent & Dancing Feet Of Legend

A Very Happy Birthday 🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈 🎁 🎊

You Know Him

You Love Him

& Every Time you hear his name it always reminds you of Food 😋

The 1

& The Only

MR. KEVIN NORWOOD BACON 🥓  

HAPPY 65TH BIRTHDAY 🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈 🎁 🎊 TO YOU MR. BACON 🥓 , & HERE'S TO MANY MORE YEARS TO COME

[garudabluffs]

Beyoncé Fans Aren't Crazy in Love with Ticketmaster

"Ticketmaster might find itself in need of a Renaissance as Beyoncé tickets go on sale today. Fans are already getting in Formation and hoping their efforts to purchase tickets won’t Break their Souls. Live Nation – the company that owns Ticketmaster – is still in the hot seat for the botched roll out of Taylor Swift tickets last winter. And executives from the company were called before the Senate Judiciary Committee to address the failure, and charges of the company existing as a monopoly. 

Ticketmaster reports demand for Beyoncé tickets already exceeds supply by 800-percent as fans and Congress watch and wait for the sale of Beyoncé concert tickets to unfold."

We speak with Makena Kelly, politics reporter at The Verge. 

LISTEN 9:18 https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/takeaway/segments/beyonce-fans-arent-crazy-love-ticketmaster

Demand for Beyoncé tickets more than 800% higher than supply, says Ticketmaster

"Many interested fans may not be able to get tickets because demand drastically succeeds supply," Ticketmaster says about Beyoncé's Renaissance tour

By

Savannah Olson

PublishedFriday 1:19PM

Comments (39)

If you haven’t fully recovered from the battle royale that was trying to get tickets for Taylor Swift’s upcoming Eras Tour, prepare for your soul to break once again with Beyoncé’s upcoming Renaissance tour.

While expectations were rightly low from fans in snatching a ticket for the “Break My Soul” singer (especially with Ticketmaster’s recent issues), a new statement from Ticketmaster warns that ticket demands exceed their own supply by “more than 800%.”

Related Content

-0:24

Beyoncé finally announces 40-stop Renaissance world tour

A bunch of senators used the Ticketmaster hearing to prove they know Taylor Swift all too well

“Fan demand already exceeds the number of tickets available by more than 800% based on the registration numbers in the Group A cities,” reads the online post from Ticketmaster. “It is expected that many interested fans may not be able to get tickets because demand drastically exceeds supply.”

With that much fan demand, Ticketmaster has already added secondary shows to existing stops in seven cities: Toronto, Chicago, Washington, D.C. Atlanta, Houston, Los Angeles, and East Rutherford. Of course, that will likely be a drop in the bucket for an 800% demand vs. actual ticket supply, still leaving many fans empty-handed.

This will come as foreboding news for those who’ve attempted to get tickets for well-known artists from Ticketmaster in the last few months. The dominant ticketing company came under intense scrutiny last year after canceling the general sale for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, resulting in a Congressional hearing full of Swiftie puns and questions over Ticketmaster and Live Nation’s practices. Tales of Ticketmaster’s follies even went straight to the White House, with President Joe Biden recently proposing limits on all those slapped-on fees seen on concert tickets.

As the BeyHive waits it out to see if even the nose-bleed seats are available, it’s likely we’ll see Queen Bey herself at this weekend’s 65th Annual Grammy Awards, where she has the chance to make history as the most-awarded artist in the show’s run.

The ultimate pop culture roundup. AV Club has you covered with the best in film, TV, music and celebrity.

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News

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READ MORE https://www.avclub.com/demand-beyonce-tickets-higher-than-supply-ticketmaster-1850071103#replies

[theswiftagency]

Taylor Swift at the 65th GRAMMY Awards

We’re singing in the car, Taylor Nation. The 65th GRAMMY Awards were Sunday night, February 5th. Attending the ceremony was the Midnight Songstress herself, Taylor Swift, recipient of Best Music Video for All Too Well: The Short Film. Unfortunately this award was not broadcasted with the main ceremony and was accepted by Saul Germaine, her video producer. The Enchantress did attend the main…

[breaking-news-portal]

Know why Manoj Muntashir, who received the Best Lyricist Award, boycotted the award show

Know why Manoj Muntashir, who received the Best Lyricist Award, boycotted the award show

National Film Awards 2022 : 68th National Film Awards (National Film Awards) In this, Famous Writer Manoj Muntashir has won the Best Lyricist Award. Two years ago, Manoj had boycotted all award shows and vowed that he would not attend any award shows now. It is a matter of 65th Filmfare held in Guwahati two years ago. Award When the song ‘Apna Time Aayega’ from the film Gully Boy got Filmfare.…

[only-johnny-deppp]

Johnny was awarded with the Sant Jordi Honor Award!

Last night (April 19), happened the 65th Sant Jordi Award for Cinematography (Premis Sant Jordi de Cinematografia), which is sponsored by the Catalan branch of the Spanish radio network Radio Nacional de España and rewards the most outstanding national and foreign movies. The winners were announced during a gala event at Cinemes Verdi in Barcelona, and Johnny was the first to be awarded with the special “Honor Award”. Although he couldn’t attend the event once he had already left the country on Sunday (April 17), a pre-recorded video made during the press conference of “Minamata” at the 5th Barcelona Sant Jordi International Film Festival on April 16, showing him receiving and thanking for the award was screened during the event and a snippet of the moment of the recording was released on the RTVE Catalunya Twitter.

> Johnny Depp’s words:

“Thank you very much. I mostly thank you to all of you, to the people especially, for inviting me to Spain, to Barcelona, to inviting me to this wonderful festival and for honoring me with such a prestigious and a special award. It’s a beautiful piece of art, as well. So thank to you everyone for everything and we’ll see down on the road. Gracias”

[papermoonloveslucy]

EXECUTIVE SESSION

January 12, 1957

Lucille Ball was on the cover of TV Guide (volume 5; number 2) on January 12, 1957. This is Ball’s 7th (of 39) covers of the National TV Guide. Before 1957 is done, she will grace her 8th cover.  The close-up photo is by John Engstead (1909-83).  Engstead had photographed Lucille Ball for the cover of Time Magazine in 1952. 

Coincidentally, the previous week Arthur Godfrey was on the cover. In 1951, Arthur Godfrey’s "Talent Scouts” was the lead-in to “I Love Lucy,” airing just prior to the new sitcom, which he promoted on the air. Ball would later credit Godfrey for much of the show’s success. In 1957, “Talent Scouts” is still “Lucy’s” lead-in. 

The inside article was titled “Lucy and Desi’s Million Dollar Corporation”. 

DESI: (looking at his awards) “It’s ridiculous!  Just plain ridiculous!”

The article includes a list of the 1957 Desilu shows:

“I Love Lucy” (1951-57)

“December Bride” (1954-59)

“The Sheriff of Cochise" (1956-59)

“The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp” (1955-61)

“The Lineup” (1954-60)

“The Brothers” aka “The Box Brothers” (1956)

“The Danny Thomas Show” (1953-65)

“Wire Service” (1956-57)

“DuPont Theatre” aka “Cavalcade of America” (1952-57)

“The Adventures of Jim Bowie” (1956-58)

Partly Owned by Desilu:

“Willy” (1954-55)

“Those Whiting Girls” (1955-57)

Audition (aka Pilot) Films made by Desilu - as of January 12, 1957:

“Just Off-Broadway” (1955) - did not go to series

“Adventures of a Model” - did not go to series; pilot aired in 1960

“Country Doctor” (1954) - did not go to series

“Mr. Tutt” - did not go to series; pilot aired in 1958

“Mystery Theater” - anthology series pilot later aired under another title

“Orson Welles Theater” aka “The Fountain of Youth” (1956) - aired in 1958 

“Whirlybirds” (1957-60) - series premiered one month after article was published. 

Filmed at Desilu Studios:

“Our Miss Brooks” (1952-56)

“The Loretta Young Show” (1953-61)

“Ray Bolger Show” (1958)

“The Jimmy Durante Show” (1954-56)

“Red Skelton Show” (1951+)

“It’s Always Jan” (1955-56)

“My Favorite Husband” (1953-55)

“Hot Stove League”

“Date With the Angels” (1957-58)

“The George Gobel Show” (1954-60)

“The Jack Benny Program” (1950-65)

“A Christmas Carol” (1954)

“High Tor” (1956)

“Official Detective” (1957)

Audition (aka Pilot Films) made at Desilu Studios - as of January 12, 1957:

“The Aldrich Family” (1949-53)

“Father Duffy at Hell’s Kitchen” (1956)

“The Long Highway”

“The Web”

“Buckley” 

“Hart of Honolulu” (1956)

“Beesemeyer’s Bungalow” (1956)

The photo feature “Do You Remember?” includes a photo from the “I Love Lucy” pilot episode filmed in June 1951, despite the fact that the program was not aired until 1990!

This TV Guide contains the listing for “The Jackie Gleason Show: At 65" airing Saturday, January 12, 1957 - a tribute to Eddie Cantor on his 65th birthday (which is actually a few weeks later) in which Lucille Ball participates. 

This TV Guide contains the listing for “Lucy and Superman” (ILL S6;E13) ~ first aired on Monday, January 14, 1957.

On April 8, 2013 TV Guide’s 60th anniversary reprised this cover in a digital format, one of six commemorative covers.    

[insanityclause]

The 65th Annual Drama Desk Awards will be announced on "Stars in the House" tomorrow, Tuesday, April 21, at 2pm ET.

Seth Rudetsky and James Wesley, the hosts of the virtual daily series benefiting the Actors Fund, will announce the nominees. Tune in at www.starsinthehouse.com. Following the live stream, the complete list of nominees will be available on DramaDeskAwards.com.

Additional details about the 65th Annual Drama Desk Awards announcement on May 31st will be determined as the New York COVID-19 situation allows and announced at a later date.

Founded in 1955, the Drama Desk Awards honor outstanding achievement by professional theater artists on Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off-Broadway. The Drama Desk Awards are voted on and bestowed by theater critics, journalists, editors, publishers and broadcasters covering theater.

Sponsors for the 65th Annual Drama Desk Awards include The John Gore Organization, Jujamcyn Theatres, The Nederlander Organization, and The Shubert Organization.

The Drama Desk Awards are presented by the Drama Desk organization in partnership with Broadway Brands. Joey Parnes Productions will produce the ceremony, as it has since 2012.

"Stars in the House," which officially kicked off on March 16th, is a daily series that features stars of stage and screen singing and performing live (from home!) to promote support for The Actors Fund's services for those most vulnerable to the effects of Coronavirus (COVID-19). Joining Seth and James for the shows is Dr. Jon LaPook, chief medical correspondent for CBS News. Visit StarsIntheHouse.com to donate to The Actors Fund, watch previous episodes, learn about upcoming guests and more. Since the first show, "Stars in the House" has raised more than $218,780 to benefit The Actors Fund.

The Actors Fund is a national human services organization that fosters stability and resiliency and provides a safety net for performing arts and entertainment professionals over their lifespan. Through offices in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, The Fund serves everyone in film, theater, television, music, opera, radio and dance with programs including social services and emergency financial assistance, health care and insurance counseling, housing, and secondary employment training services.

Visit the Drama Desk Awards website for updated information as it becomes available.

[everything-lauramkelly]

A Look Back on LMK's 2010s

2010

Laura continues to play Mary Poppins on Broadway. On August 24, she is reunited with her original Bert, Gavin Lee, who replaces Christian Borle.

She performs at Broadway in Bryant Park and on America Celebrates July 4th, and attends a few galas.

Rumours about an involvement in the world premiere of Ghost The Musical arise.

2011

Laura leaves the Broadway production of Mary Poppins on March 6, and rejoins July 19 until October 9, which marks her final performance in the show.

During her time off, she's shooting the movie Goddess in Australia alongside Ronan Keating and Magda Szubanski. It is released in 2013.

She takes part in a reading of Amazing Grace in New York City.

2012

Goddess premieres at the 65th Cannes Film Festival.

Laura makes her Muny debut as Anna Leonowens in The King and I in August.

She returns to the UK to play Paula Tanqueray in The Second Mrs Tanqueray at the Rose Theatre in Kingston from September to October.

She attends film premieres, after parties and awards shows.

2013

On February 14, Laura performs alongside Michael Ball at the See You Soon concert in Shanghai. The concert is broadcast on TV.

Goddess is released in Australia on March 14.

On April 11, she's part of Dave Stewart's concert at the Troubadour.

She reprises the role of Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady for one night only on May 5 and is praised by critics.

Full of love for the Muny, she returns to St. Louis to play Ensign Nellie Forbush in South Pacific alongside Josh Young in July.

She performs in the concert Sondheim: Inside Out at London's Queen Elizabeth Hall on November 10.

2014

Laura returns to the Kennedy Center to play Guenevere in Camelot on May 4 alongside Brian Stokes Mitchell.

Shortly after, she's part of a reading of the new musical Republic. She was involved in either a workshop or reading of Carousel as well, playing Julie Jordan.

She originates the role of Sylvia Llewelyn-Davies in Finding Neverland alongside Jeremy Jordan at the American Repertory Theatre. The musical is confirmed to open on Broadway the following year.

2015

Livin' the Broadway Life™!

Laura opens Finding Neverland on Broadway with Matthew Morrison, Kelsey Grammer, Carolee Carmello and Teal Wicks.

She attends several awards shows (Tony Awards, Broadway.com Audience Choice Awards) and movie premieres.

She performs at Stars in the Alley, Broadway in Bryant Park, Gypsy of the Year, Broadway at the White House, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and records the cast album for Finding Neverland.

Her backstage vlogs called Never Grow Up get a ninth episode on Broadway.com.

2016

How does one even begin to summarize that year?

After several cast changes and a run of almost 15 months, Finding Neverland closes on August 21.

However, there's a new project just around the corner: she's cast as Anna Leonowens in the National Tour of The King and I alongside Jose Llana. She's delighted to get to explore the role even more from November onwards.

She's part of several concerts: My Fair Lady and Scott and Zelda at 54 Below, the Cinema Musical Concert in Tokyo and Ragtime on Ellis Island, to name a few.

She makes her solo concert debut at 54 Below with three concerts called All That Matters, with an encore at 42 West.

Laura gets to attend the Tony Awards once again, this time as an interviewer. She also makes another appearance at Broadway in Bryant Park.

2017

Continuing to play Anna in The King and I, Laura tours the US.

She takes some time off in November to perform another series of solo concerts, Both Sides Now, at 54 Below.

She is recorded singing Hello Young Lovers on multiple occasions.

2018

Laura leaves the King and I National Tour in March.

She returns to the Muny for a solo concert that's part of the series Muny Magic at the Sheldon.

In May, she reunites with Christian Borle for the New York City Center Encores production of Me and My Girl, and everyone's delighted.

From June to July, she originates Julie Cavendish in The Royal Family of Broadway in Pittsburgh.

Later in July, Laura and Matthew Morrison get to perform with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir for the Pioneer Day Concert. She announces her engagement to Sean Helleren.

The rest of the year is spent on wedding plans and throwbacks!

2019

On January 24, Laura marries Sean Helleren on Maui, Hawaii.

Preceding her return to the London stage, she is interviewed by many radio stations and magazines.

On February 24, Laura makes her London solo concert debut at Cadogan Hall. Two concerts at the Green Room 42 scheduled for March are cancelled.

She takes the stage as Sally Bowles in Cabaret at the Connecticut Repertory Theatre July 4-21.

Next up: Matilda at the Muny as Miss Honey in August. Unfortunately, the last performance is rained out.

In October, she originates the role of Jane Austen in Austen's Pride at the Fifth Avenue Theatre in Seattle.

Due to her pregnancy and health issues, she is forced to take several performances off. Shortly before the end of the run, her first child Raphael Benjamin is born.

Congratulations on an incredibly successful decade, Laura Michelle Kelly! May the 2020s be kind to you and your family.

[charlotte222]

Coming Soon! The awards ceremony is December 10! You can watch on ESPN 3.

The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame announced that former UCLA quarterback Mark Harmon has been named the 2019 recipient of the NFF Gold Medal in recognition of his exceptional accomplishments, unblemished reputation and for reflecting the values of amateur football. He will be honored for his achievements during the 62nd NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 10 at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York City, which will also celebrate the 150th anniversary of college football. Harmon will become the 65th recipient of the NFF Gold Medal.

"As we prepare to celebrate the 150th anniversary of college football, Mark Harmon captures exactly what we hope to inspire in future generations of young football players, making him the perfect recipient for the NFF's highest honor," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. "An NFF National Scholar-Athlete at UCLA in the early 1970s, Mark took that same relentless drive to succeed, applying it to his career as an actor and unequivocally becoming one of the most successful stars of his generation. He has earned this honor many times over, and we are extremely proud to add his name to the esteemed list of past NFF Gold Medal recipients."

"Having achieved the highest levels of success, Mark Harmon has always remained humble and focused on the things that really matter in life, which is hard work, perseverance and teamwork," said NFF Awards Committee Chairman Jack Ford. "His success on the gridiron as a student-athlete and his subsequent icon status in film and television make him exceptionally well-qualified as our 2019 Gold Medal recipient. We look forward to welcoming him back to the NFF's stage in December, poetically 46 years after his being honored as an NFF National Scholar-Athlete during an event when another famous actor, John Wayne, accepted the NFF Gold Medal."

Harmon was born and raised in Southern California; the son of actress Elyse Knox and Heisman Trophy winner Tom Harmon, a 1954 College Football Hall of Fame inductee from Michigan. He attended The Harvard School (now known as Harvard-Westlake) in Los Angeles, playing football, baseball and rugby. On the gridiron, he mostly took the field as a running back and safety, only appearing in four games at quarterback. He broke his elbow as a junior, and did not play varsity football as a senior.

Not recruited out of high school, Harmon headed to Pierce Junior College in Woodland Hills, California, and he quarterbacked the team to a 7-2 record in 1971, earning All-America laurels. His performance earned him multiple scholarship offers, including Oklahoma in an effort led by Barry Switzer, the offensive coordinator at the time and a future College Football Hall of Fame coach, to recruit him. Harmon opted to stay in his hometown of Los Angeles, playing for UCLA head coach Pepper Rodgers and assistant coaches Homer Smith, Lynn Stiles and Terry Donahue, also a future College Football Hall of Fame coach.

Playing alongside future College Football Hall of Fame inductees Randy Cross and John Sciarra, Harmon helped orchestrate a UCLA turnaround, quarterbacking the Bruins, which had finished 2-7-1 at eighth-place in the Pac-8 in 1971, to a combined 17-5 record in 1972 and 1973. In his first game ever as a Bruin, which opened the 1972 season, Harmon led an underdog UCLA to a dramatic 20-17 win against two-time defending national champion Nebraska, snapping the Huskers' 32-game-unbeaten streak.

A Wishbone-T quarterback who could run, pass, fake and mix plays, Harmon rushed for more yards and touchdowns than he did passing, amassing 1,504 yards rushing and 14 touchdowns versus passing for 845 yards and 9 touchdowns during his tenure in Westwood. The offensive coordinator Homer Smith's wishbone offense forced Harmon to make multiple decisions in very short time periods, distributing the ball to running backs Kermit Johnson and James McAlister. The combination created the top running game in the nation in 1973, and UCLA set school records for total yards gained (4,403), average yards per game (400) and rushing touchdowns (56).

A Communications major who aspired to become a doctor, Harmon excelled in the UCLA classrooms, carrying a 3.45 GPA and graduating cum laude. His accomplishments earned him Second Team CoSIDA Academic All-America honors as well as an NFF National Scholar-Athlete Award, which led to his trip to New York City where he was honored at the NFF Annual Awards Dinner the same night that John Wayne accepted the NFF Gold Medal.

"In today's society, the scholar-athlete is indeed a rare breed," Harmon said in responding for the NFF Scholar-Athlete Class in 1973. "Not only does he excel on the field, but he competes in the classroom as well…. As we gather here tonight to pay our respects to the men who made the great American game of football what it is today, we hope that one day in the future some of us from the Class of '74 might be fortunate enough to carry on the great tradition that has been passed down by the distinguished men in this room. If we do, it is because our universities gave us the chance and the game of football has given us the principles."

After UCLA, Harmon declined professional football offers to instead pursue acting. He worked in advertising, as a shoe company rep and as a carpenter between acting gigs and appearing in Coors beer commercials. His hard work eventually paid off with a big break on NBC's St. Elsewhere and the leading role of Dr. Robert Caldwell. His success continued on NBC's police drama Reasonable Doubts starring as detective Dickey Cobb and CBS's Chicago Hope where he appeared as Dr. Jack McNeil.

He also had memorable arcs on the hit shows Moonlighting and The West Wing before landing the lead role of Leroy Jethro Gibbs, a special agent with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, on CBS' global favorite NCIS series, which has become part of television history, approaching its 400th episode and recently inking a deal for its 17th season. The most-watched-scripted show on American television today and consistently ranked among the five highest-rated TV shows each year, NCIS is a TV juggernaut, attracting more than 15 million viewers each week throughout most of its run.

In 2011, Harmon became an executive producer on NCIS, and in 2014 an idea he co-developed became the spinoff NCIS: New Orleans which premiered on CBS with Harmon as an executive producer alongside Gary Glasberg. His big-screen credits include Freaky Friday, Wyatt Earp, The Presidio, Summer School and Stealing Home. He has worked with Elizabeth Taylor, Michael Caine, Sean Connery, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jodie Foster, Allison Janney, Karl Malden, Patricia Arquette and Denzel Washington among countless other Hollywood notables.

Harmon has received numerous accolades and award nominations during his career, including being honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Oct. 1, 2012, but he has always remained humble with an appreciation for the efforts of others. Quietly giving back, Harmon's charitable work includes Saving Bristol Bay, Stand Up To Cancer, Ronald McDonald House Charities, Kids Wish Network, Clothes Off Our Back, Entertainment Industry Foundation, Oklahoma Kidz Charities Foundation, Oklahoma City Indian Clinic and The Children's Center OKC.

From his time as a quarterback at UCLA until now, as an executive producer and star of the CBS hit series NCIS, Harmon has always treated teammates and production crews with familial respect and loyalty.

"I look at the show as a team," Harmon said during a previous interview. "I've always been a team guy. I'm not in [acting] for the personal part of this, and I wasn't as an athlete either. It's about the work and we all work together."

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VICIS

Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl

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NYAC

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Goodyear

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VICIS

Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl

Herff Jones

NYAC

SportsBusiness Journal

CFB150

Delta Air Lines

ETT

Fidelity Investments

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[markharmonparadise]

Football 5/16/2019 9:59:00 AM

Mark Harmon Named 2019 NFF Gold Medal Recipient

On Dec. 10, the NFF will present its highest honor to Harmon in recognition of his roots as a football scholar-athlete and subsequent accomplishments as a leader in the field of entertainment. IRVING, Texas (May 16, 2019) – The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame announced today that former UCLA quarterback Mark Harmon has been named the 2019 recipient of the NFF Gold Medal in recognition of his exceptional accomplishments, unblemished reputation and for reflecting the values of amateur football. He will be honored for his achievements during the 62nd NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 10 at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York City, which will also celebrate the 150th anniversary of college Football.

"As we prepare to celebrate the 150th anniversary of college football, Mark Harmon captures exactly what we hope to inspire in future generations of young football players, making him the perfect recipient for the NFF's highest honor," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. "An NFF National Scholar-Athlete at UCLA in the early 1970s, Mark took that same relentless drive to succeed, applying it to his career as an actor and unequivocally becoming one of the most successful stars of his generation. He has earned this honor many times over, and we are extremely proud to add his name to the esteemed list of past NFF Gold Medal recipients."

The highest and most prestigious award presented by the National Football Foundation, the Gold Medal recognizes an outstanding American who has demonstrated integrity and honesty; achieved significant career success; and has reflected the basic values of those who have excelled in amateur sport, particularly football. First presented to President Dwight D. Eisenhower at the NFF Annual Awards Dinner in 1958, the Gold Medal boasts an impressive list of past recipients, including seven presidents, four generals, three admirals, one Supreme Court Justice, 29 corporate CEOs and chairmen, actor John Wayne and baseball immortal Jackie Robinson. Harmon will become the 65th recipient of the NFF Gold Medal. (See below for the full list of past recipients.)

"Having achieved the highest levels of success, Mark Harmon has always remained humble and focused on the things that really matter in life, which is hard work, perseverance and teamwork," said NFF Awards Committee Chairman Jack Ford. "His success on the gridiron as a student-athlete and his subsequent icon status in film and television make him exceptionally well-qualified as our 2019 Gold Medal recipient. We look forward to welcoming him back to the NFF's stage in December, poetically 46 years after his being honored as an NFF National Scholar-Athlete during an event when another famous actor, John Wayne, accepted the NFF Gold Medal."

Harmon was born and raised in Southern California; the son of actress Elyse Knox and Heisman Trophy winner Tom Harmon, a 1954 College Football Hall of Fame inductee from Michigan. He attended The Harvard School (now known as Harvard-Westlake) in Los Angeles, playing football, baseball and rugby. On the gridiron, he mostly took the field as a running back and safety, only appearing in four games at quarterback. He broke his elbow as a junior, and did not play varsity football as a senior. 

Not recruited out of high school, Harmon headed to Pierce Junior College in Woodland Hills, California, and he quarterbacked the team to a 7-2 record in 1971, earning All-America laurels. His performance earned him multiple scholarship offers, including Oklahoma in an effort led by Barry Switzer, the offensive coordinator at the time and a future College Football Hall of Fame coach, to recruit him. Harmon opted to stay in his hometown of Los Angeles, playing for UCLA head coach Pepper Rodgers and assistant coaches Homer Smith, Lynn Stiles and Terry Donahue, also a future College Football Hall of Fame coach.

Playing alongside future College Football Hall of Fame inductees Randy Cross and John Sciarra, Harmon helped orchestrate a UCLA turnaround, quarterbacking the Bruins, which had finished 2-7-1 at eighth-place in the Pac-8 in 1971, to a combined 17-5 record in 1972 and 1973. In his first game ever as a Bruin, which opened the 1972 season, Harmon led an underdog UCLA to a dramatic 20-17 win against two-time defending national champion Nebraska, snapping the Huskers' 32-game-unbeaten streak.   A Wishbone-T quarterback who could run, pass, fake and mix plays, Harmon rushed for more yards and touchdowns than he did passing, amassing 1,504 yards rushing and 14 touchdowns versus passing for 845 yards and 9 touchdowns during his tenure in Westwood. The offensive coordinator Homer Smith's wishbone offense forced Harmon to make multiple decisions in very short time periods, distributing the ball to running backs Kermit Johnson and James McAlister. The combination created the top running game in the nation in 1973, and UCLA set school records for total yards gained (4,403), average yards per game (400) and rushing touchdowns (56).   A Communications major who aspired to become a doctor, Harmon excelled in the UCLA classrooms, carrying a 3.45 GPA and graduating cum laude. His accomplishments earned him Second Team CoSIDA Academic All-America honors as well as an NFF National Scholar-Athlete Award, which led to his trip to New York City where he was honored at the NFF Annual Awards Dinner the same night that John Wayne accepted the NFF Gold Medal.   "In today's society, the scholar-athlete is indeed a rare breed," Harmon said in responding for the NFF Scholar-Athlete Class in 1973. "Not only does he excel on the field, but he competes in the classroom as well…. As we gather here tonight to pay our respects to the men who made the great American game of football what it is today, we hope that one day in the future some of us from the Class of '74 might be fortunate enough to carry on the great tradition that has been passed down by the distinguished men in this room. If we do, it is because our universities gave us the chance and the game of football has given us the principles."   After UCLA, Harmon declined professional football offers to instead pursue acting. He worked in advertising, as a shoe company rep and as a carpenter between acting gigs and appearing in Coors beer commercials. His hard work eventually paid off with a big break on NBC's St. Elsewhere and the leading role of Dr. Robert Caldwell. His success continued on NBC's police drama Reasonable Doubts starring as detective Dickey Cobb and CBS's Chicago Hope where he appeared as Dr. Jack McNeil.   He also had memorable arcs on the hit shows Moonlighting and The West Wing before landing the lead role of Leroy Jethro Gibbs, a special agent with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, on CBS' global favorite NCIS series, which has become part of television history, approaching its 400th episode and recently inking a deal for its 17th season. The most-watched-scripted show on American television today and consistently ranked among the five highest-rated TV shows each year, NCIS is a TV juggernaut, attracting more than 15 million viewers each week throughout most of its run.   In 2011, Harmon became an executive producer on NCIS, and in 2014 an idea he co-developed became the spinoff NCIS: New Orleans which premiered on CBS with Harmon as an executive producer alongside Gary Glasberg. His big-screen credits include Freaky Friday, Wyatt Earp, The Presidio, Summer School and Stealing Home. He has worked with Elizabeth Taylor, Michael Caine, Sean Connery, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jodie Foster, Allison Janney, Karl Malden, Patricia Arquette and Denzel Washington among countless other Hollywood notables.   Harmon has received numerous accolades and award nominations during his career, including being honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Oct. 1, 2012, but he has always remained humble with an appreciation for the efforts of others. Quietly giving back, Harmon's charitable work includes Saving Bristol Bay, Stand Up To Cancer, Ronald McDonald House Charities, Kids Wish Network, Clothes Off Our Back, Entertainment Industry Foundation, Oklahoma Kidz Charities Foundation, Oklahoma City Indian Clinic and The Children's Center OKC.   From his time as a quarterback at UCLA until now, as an executive producer and star of the CBS hit series NCIS, Harmon has always treated teammates and production crews with familial respect and loyalty. "I look at the show as a team," Harmon said during a previous interview. "I've always been a team guy. I'm not in [acting] for the personal part of this, and I wasn't as an athlete either. It's about the work and we all work together."   Harmon will be honored during the 62nd NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 10 at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York City. Harmon will accept his award alongside the yet-to-be-announced recipients of the NFF Outstanding Contribution to Amateur Football Award, NFF John L. Toner Award for excellence in athletics administration and NFF Chris Schenkel Award for excellence in broadcasting.   In addition to the presentation of the NFF Major Awards, the 62nd NFF Annual Awards Dinner will provide the stage for the induction of the 2019 College Football Hall of Fame Class; the presentation of the 2019 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Awards; and the bestowing of the 30th NFF William V. Campbell Trophy® to the nation's top football scholar-athlete.   The 2019 College Football Hall of Fame Class includes Terrell Buckley (Florida State), Rickey Dixon (Oklahoma), London Fletcher (John Carroll [OH]), Jacob Green (Texas A&M), Torry Holt (North Carolina State), Raghib "Rocket" Ismail (Notre Dame), Darren McFadden (Arkansas), Jake Plummer (Arizona State), Troy Polamalu (Southern California), Joe Thomas (Wisconsin), Lorenzo White (Michigan State), Patrick Willis (Mississippi), Vince Young (Texas) and coaches Dennis Erickson (Idaho, Wyoming, Washington State, Miami [FL], Oregon State, Arizona State) and Joe Taylor (Howard, Virginia Union, Hampton, Florida A&M).   On Oct. 30, the NFF will announce the members of the 2019 NFF National Scholar-Athlete Class, who will vie as finalists for The William V. Campbell Trophy®. They will be honored at the NFF Annual Awards Dinner on Dec. 10, where one will be named the recipient of the Campbell Trophy® as the nation's top football scholar-athlete.   For ticket information at the 62nd NFF Annual Awards Dinner, please contact Will Rudd at 972.556.1000 or wrudd@footballfoundation.com.

Recipients of the NFF Gold Medal include:

2019 – Mark Harmon 2018 – Aaron Feis 2018 – Jason Seaman 2016 – Archie Manning 2015 – Dr. Condoleezza Rice 2014 – Dr. Tom G. Catena 2014 – George M. Weiss 2013 – Roger Goodell 2012 – Roscoe C. Brown, Jr. 2011 – Robert M. Gates 2009 – Bill Bowerman 2009 – Phil Knight 2008 – Sen. John Glenn 2007 – Gen. Pete Dawkins 2007 – Roger Staubach 2006 – Bobby Bowden 2006 – Joseph V. Paterno  2005 – Jon F. Hanson 2004 – William V. Campbell 2003 – Gen. Tommy R. Franks 2002 – George Steinbrenner III 2001 – Billy Joe "Red" McCombs 2000 – F.M. Kirby 1999 – Keith Jackson 1998 – John H. McConnell 1997 – Jackie Robinson 1996 – Eugene F. Corrigan 1995 – Harold Alfond 1994 – Thomas S. Murphy 1993 – Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf 1992 – Donald R. Keough 1991 – Pres. George H. Bush 1990 – Adm. Thomas H. Moorer 1989 – Paul Brown 1988 – Clinton E. Frank 1987 – Gen. Charles R. Meyer 1986 – William H. Morton 1985 – William I. Spencer 1984 – John F. McGillicuddy 1983 – Sen. Jack Kemp 1982 – Silver Anniversary (All Past Honorees Recognized) 1981 – Justin W. Dart 1980 – Walter J. Zable 1979 – Adm. William P. Lawrence 1978 – Vincent dePaul Draddy 1977 – Gen. Louis H. Wilson 1976 – Edgar B. Speer 1975 – David Packard 1974 – Gerald B. Zornow 1973 – John Wayne 1972 – Pres. Gerald R. Ford 1971 – Pres. Ronald W. Reagan 1970 – Adm. Thomas J. Hamilton 1969 – Pres. Richard M. Nixon 1968 – Chester J. LaRoche 1967 – Frederick L. Hovde 1966 – Earl H. "Red" Blaik  1965 – Juan T. Trippe 1964 – Donold B. Lourie 1963 – Roger M. Blough 1962 – Byron "Whizzer" White 1961 – Pres. John F. Kennedy 1960 – Pres. Herbert C. Hoover 1960 – Amos Alonzo Stagg 1959 – Gen. Douglas A. MacArthur 1958 – Pres. Dwight D. Eisenhower

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Colin Powell

Colin Luther Powell (born April 5, 1937) is an American politician and retired four-star general in the United States Army. During his military career, Powell also served as National Security Advisor (1987–1989), as Commander of the U.S. Army Forces Command (1989) and as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (1989–1993), holding the latter position during the Persian Gulf War. Powell was the first, and so far the only, Jamaican American to serve on the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He was the 65th United States Secretary of State, serving under U.S. President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2005, the first black person to serve in that position.

Powell was born in New York City in 1937 and was raised in the South Bronx. His parents, Luther and Maud Powell, immigrated to the United States from Jamaica. Powell was educated in the New York City public schools, graduating from the City College of New York (CCNY), where he earned a bachelor's degree in geology. He also participated in ROTC at CCNY and received a commission as an Army second lieutenant upon graduation in June 1958. His further academic achievements include a Master of Business Administration degree from George Washington University.

Powell was a professional soldier for 35 years, during which time he held many command and staff positions and rose to the rank of 4-star general. His last assignment, from October 1, 1989, to September 30, 1993, was as the 12th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the highest military position in the Department of Defense. During this time, he oversaw 28 crises, including Operation Desert Storm in the 1991 Persian Gulf War. He also formulated the Powell Doctrine.

Following his military retirement, Powell wrote his best-selling autobiography, My American Journey. In addition, he pursued a career as a public speaker, addressing audiences across the country and abroad. Prior to his appointment as Secretary of State, Powell was the chairman of America's Promise – The Alliance for Youth, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to mobilizing people from every sector of American life to build the character and competence of young people. He was nominated by President Bush on December 16, 2000, as Secretary of State. After being unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate, he was sworn in as the 65th Secretary of State on January 20, 2001.

Powell is the recipient of numerous U.S. and foreign military awards and decorations. Powell's civilian awards include the Presidential Medal of Freedom (twice), the President's Citizens Medal, the Congressional Gold Medal, the Secretary of State Distinguished Service Medal, and the Secretary of Energy Distinguished Service Medal. Several schools and other institutions have been named in his honor and he holds honorary degrees from universities and colleges across the country. Powell is married to the former Alma Vivian Johnson of Birmingham, Alabama. The Powell family includes son Michael (ex-chairman of the Federal Communications Commission); daughters Linda and Anne; daughter-in-law Jane; and grandsons Jeffrey and Bryan.

In 2016, while not a candidate for that year's election, Powell received three electoral votes for the office of President of the United States.

Early life and education

Powell was born on April 5, 1937, in Harlem, a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, to Jamaican immigrants, Maud Arial (née McKoy) and Luther Theophilus Powell. His parents were both of mixed African and Scottish ancestry. Luther worked as a shipping clerk and Maud as a seamstress. Powell was raised in the South Bronx and attended Morris High School, from which he graduated in 1954. (This school has since closed.)

While at school, Powell worked at a local baby furniture store, where he picked up Yiddish from the eastern European Jewish shopkeepers and some of the customers. He also served as a Shabbos goy, helping Orthodox families with needed tasks on the Sabbath. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology from the City College of New York in 1958 and has said he was a 'C average' student. He later earned an MBA degree from the George Washington University in 1971, after his second tour in Vietnam.

Despite his parents' pronunciation of his name as , Powell has pronounced his name since childhood, after the World War II flyer Colin P. Kelly Jr. Public officials and radio and television reporters have used Powell's preferred pronunciation.

Military career

Powell was a professional soldier for 35 years, holding a variety of command and staff positions and rising to the rank of general.

Training

Powell described joining the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) during college as one of the happiest experiences of his life; discovering something he loved and could do well, he felt he had "found himself." According to Powell:

It was only once I was in college, about six months into college when I found something that I liked, and that was ROTC, Reserve Officer Training Corps in the military. And I not only liked it, but I was pretty good at it. That's what you really have to look for in life, something that you like, and something that you think you're pretty good at. And if you can put those two things together, then you're on the right track, and just drive on.

Cadet Powell joined the Pershing Rifles, the ROTC fraternal organization and drill team begun by General John Pershing. Even after he had become a general, Powell kept on his desk a pen set he had won for a drill team competition.

Upon graduation, he received a commission as an Army second lieutenant. After attending basic training at Fort Benning, Powell was assigned to the 48th Infantry, in West Germany, as a platoon leader.

Vietnam War

In his autobiography, Powell said he is haunted by the nightmare of the Vietnam War and felt that the leadership was very ineffective.

Captain Powell served a tour in Vietnam as a South Vietnamese Army (ARVN) advisor from 1962 to 1963. While on patrol in a Viet Cong-held area, he was wounded by stepping on a punji stake. The large infection made it difficult for him to walk, and caused his foot to swell for a short time, shortening his first tour.

Powell returned to Vietnam as a major in 1968, serving as assistant chief of staff of operations for the in the 23rd (Americal) Infantry Division. During the second tour in Vietnam he was decorated with the Soldier's Medal for bravery after he survived a helicopter crash and single-handedly rescued three others, including division commander Major General Charles M. Gettys, from the burning wreckage.

Powell was charged with investigating a detailed letter by 11th Light Infantry Brigade soldier Tom Glen, which backed up rumored allegations of the My Lai Massacre. He wrote: "In direct refutation of this portrayal is the fact that relations between American soldiers and the Vietnamese people are excellent." Later, Powell's assessment would be described as whitewashing the news of the massacre, and questions would continue to remain undisclosed to the public. In May 2004 Powell said to television and radio host Larry King, "I was in a unit that was responsible for My Lai. I got there after My Lai happened. So, in war, these sorts of horrible things happen every now and again, but they are still to be deplored."

After the Vietnam War

Powell served a White House Fellowship under President Richard Nixon from 1972 to 1973. During 1975–1976 he attended the National War College, Washington, D.C.

In his autobiography, My American Journey, Powell named several officers he served under who inspired and mentored him. As a lieutenant colonel serving in South Korea, Powell was very close to General Henry "Gunfighter" Emerson. Powell said he regarded Emerson as one of the most caring officers he ever met. Emerson insisted his troops train at night to fight a possible North Korean attack, and made them repeatedly watch the television film Brian's Song to promote racial harmony. Powell always professed that what set Emerson apart was his great love of his soldiers and concern for their welfare. After a race riot occurred, in which African American soldiers almost killed a White officer, Powell was charged by Emerson to crack down on black militants; Powell's efforts led to the discharge of one soldier, and other efforts to reduce racial tensions. During 1976–1977 he commanded the 2nd Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division.

A "political general"

In the early 1980s, Powell served at Fort Carson, Colorado. After he left Fort Carson, Powell became senior military assistant to Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger, whom he assisted during the 1983 invasion of Grenada and the 1986 airstrike on Libya.

In 1986, Powell took over the command of V Corps in Frankfurt, Germany, from Robert Lewis "Sam" Wetzel.

Following the Iran–Contra scandal, Powell became, at the age of 49, Ronald Reagan's National Security Advisor, serving from 1987 to 1989 while retaining his Army commission as a lieutenant general.

In April 1989, after his tenure with the National Security Council, Powell was promoted to four-star general under President George H. W. Bush and briefly served as the Commander in Chief, Forces Command (FORSCOM), headquartered at Fort McPherson, Georgia, overseeing all Army, Army Reserve, and National Guard units in the Continental U.S., Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. He became the third general since World War II to reach four-star rank without ever serving as a division commander, joining Dwight D. Eisenhower and Alexander Haig.

Later that year, President George H. W. Bush selected him as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Powell's last military assignment, from October 1, 1989, to September 30, 1993, was as the 12th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the highest military position in the Department of Defense. At age 52, he became the youngest officer, and first Afro-Caribbean American, to serve in this position. Powell was also the first JCS Chair who received his commission through ROTC.

During this time, he oversaw responses to 28 crises, including the invasion of Panama in 1989 to remove General Manuel Noriega from power and Operation Desert Storm in the 1991 Persian Gulf War. During these events, Powell earned his nickname, "the reluctant warrior." He rarely advocated military intervention as the first solution to an international crisis, and instead usually prescribed diplomacy and containment.

As a military strategist, Powell advocated an approach to military conflicts that maximizes the potential for success and minimizes casualties. A component of this approach is the use of overwhelming force, which he applied to Operation Desert Storm in 1991. His approach has been dubbed the "Powell Doctrine." Powell continued as chairman of the JCS into the Clinton presidency but as a dedicated "realist" he considered himself a bad fit for an administration largely made up of liberal internationalists. He clashed with then-U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Madeleine Albright over the Bosnian crisis, as he opposed any military interventions that didn't involve US interests.

During his chairmanship of the JCS, there was discussion of awarding Powell a fifth star, granting him the rank of General of the Army. But even in the wake of public and Congressional pressure to do so, Clinton-Gore presidential transition team staffers decided against it.

Dates of rankAwards and decorationsBadges

Potential presidential candidate

Powell's experience in military matters made him a very popular figure with both American political parties. Many Democrats admired his moderate stance on military matters, while many Republicans saw him as a great asset associated with the successes of past Republican administrations. Put forth as a potential Democratic Vice Presidential nominee in the 1992 U.S. presidential election or even potentially replacing Vice President Dan Quayle as the Republican Vice Presidential nominee, Powell eventually declared himself a Republican and began to campaign for Republican candidates in 1995. He was touted as a possible opponent of Bill Clinton in the 1996 U.S. presidential election, possibly capitalizing on a split conservative vote in Iowa and even leading New Hampshire polls for the GOP nomination, but Powell declined, citing a lack of passion for politics. Powell defeated Clinton 50–38 in a hypothetical match-up proposed to voters in the exit polls conducted on Election Day. Despite not standing in the race, Powell won the Republican New Hampshire Vice-Presidential primary on write-in votes.

In 1997 Powell founded America's Promise with the objective of helping children from all socioeconomic sectors. That same year saw the establishment of The Colin L. Powell Center for Leadership and Service. The mission of the Center is to "prepare new generations of publicly engaged leaders from populations previously underrepresented in public service and policy circles, to build a strong culture of civic engagement at City College, and to mobilize campus resources to meet pressing community needs and serve the public good."

Powell was mentioned as a potential candidate in the 2000 U.S. presidential election, but again decided against running. Once Texas Governor George W. Bush secured the Republican nomination, Powell endorsed him for president and spoke at the 2000 Republican National Convention. Bush won the general election and appointed Powell as Secretary of State.

In the electoral college vote count of 2016, Powell received three votes for President from faithless electors from Washington.

Secretary of State (2001–2005)

As Secretary of State in the Bush administration, Powell was perceived as moderate. Powell was unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate. Over the course of his tenure he traveled less than any other U.S. Secretary of State in 30 years.

On September 11, 2001, Powell was in Lima, Peru, meeting with President Alejandro Toledo and US Ambassador John Hamilton, and attending the special session of the OAS General Assembly that subsequently adopted the Inter-American Democratic Charter. After the September 11 attacks, Powell's job became of critical importance in managing America's relationships with foreign countries in order to secure a stable coalition in the War on Terrorism.

Powell came under fire for his role in building the case for the 2003 Invasion of Iraq. In a press statement on February 24, 2001, he had said that sanctions against Iraq had prevented the development of any weapons of mass destruction by Saddam Hussein. As was the case in the days leading up to the Persian Gulf War, Powell was initially opposed to a forcible overthrow of Saddam, preferring to continue a policy of containment. However, Powell eventually agreed to go along with the Bush administration's determination to remove Saddam. He had often clashed with others in the administration, who were reportedly planning an Iraq invasion even before the September 11 attacks, an insight supported by testimony by former terrorism czar Richard Clarke in front of the 9/11 Commission. The main concession Powell wanted before he would offer his full support for the Iraq War was the involvement of the international community in the invasion, as opposed to a unilateral approach. He was also successful in persuading Bush to take the case of Iraq to the United Nations, and in moderating other initiatives. Powell was placed at the forefront of this diplomatic campaign.

Powell's chief role was to garner international support for a multi-national coalition to mount the invasion. To this end, Powell addressed a plenary session of the United Nations Security Council on February 5, 2003, to argue in favor of military action. Citing numerous anonymous Iraqi defectors, Powell asserted that "there can be no doubt that Saddam Hussein has biological weapons and the capability to rapidly produce more, many more." Powell also stated that there was "no doubt in my mind" that Saddam was working to obtain key components to produce nuclear weapons.

Most observers praised Powell's oratorical skills. However, Britain's Channel 4 News reported soon afterwards that a UK intelligence dossier that Powell had referred to as a "fine paper" during his presentation had been based on old material and plagiarized an essay by American graduate student Ibrahim al-Marashi.A 2004 report by the Iraq Survey Group concluded that the evidence that Powell offered to support the allegation that the Iraqi government possessed weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) was inaccurate.

In an interview with Charlie Rose, Powell contended that prior to his UN presentation, he had merely four days to review the data concerning WMD in Iraq.

A Senate report on intelligence failures would later detail the intense debate that went on behind the scenes on what to include in Powell's speech. State Department analysts had found dozens of factual problems in drafts of the speech. Some of the claims were taken out, but others were left in, such as claims based on the yellowcake forgery. The administration came under fire for having acted on faulty intelligence, particularly what was single-sourced to the informant known as Curveball. Powell later recounted how Vice President Dick Cheney had joked with him before he gave the speech, telling him, "You've got high poll ratings; you can afford to lose a few points." Powell's longtime aide-de-camp and Chief of Staff from 1989–2003, Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson, later characterized Cheney's view of Powell's mission as to "go up there and sell it, and we'll have moved forward a peg or two. Fall on your damn sword and kill yourself, and I'll be happy, too."

In September 2005, Powell was asked about the speech during an interview with Barbara Walters and responded that it was a "blot" on his record. He went on to say, "It will always be a part of my record. It was painful. It's painful now."

Wilkerson said that he inadvertently participated in a hoax on the American people in preparing Powell's erroneous testimony before the United Nations Security Council.

Because Powell was seen as more moderate than most figures in the administration, he was spared many of the attacks that have been leveled at more controversial advocates of the invasion, such as Donald Rumsfeld and Paul Wolfowitz. At times, infighting among the Powell-led State Department, the Rumsfeld-led Defense Department, and Cheney's office had the effect of polarizing the administration on crucial issues, such as what actions to take regarding Iran and North Korea.

After Saddam Hussein had been deposed, Powell's new role was to once again establish a working international coalition, this time to assist in the rebuilding of post-war Iraq. On September 13, 2004, Powell testified before the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee, acknowledging that the sources who provided much of the information in his February 2003 UN presentation were "wrong" and that it was "unlikely" that any stockpiles of WMDs would be found. Claiming that he was unaware that some intelligence officials questioned the information prior to his presentation, Powell pushed for reform in the intelligence community, including the creation of a national intelligence director who would assure that "what one person knew, everyone else knew."

Additionally, Powell has been critical of other aspects of U.S. foreign policy in the past, such as its support for the 1973 Chilean coup d'état. From two separate interviews in 2003, Powell stated in one about the 1973 event "I can't justify or explain the actions and decisions that were made at that time. It was a different time. There was a great deal of concern about communism in this part of the world. Communism was a threat to the democracies in this part of the world. It was a threat to the United States." In another interview, however, he also simply stated "With respect to your earlier comment about Chile in the 1970s and what happened with Mr. Allende, it is not a part of American history that we're proud of."

Powell announced his resignation as Secretary of State on November 15, 2004. According to The Washington Post, he had been asked to resign by the president's chief of staff, Andrew Card. Powell announced that he would stay on until the end of Bush's first term or until his replacement's confirmation by Congress. The following day, Bush nominated National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice as Powell's successor. News of Powell's leaving the Administration spurred mixed reactions from politicians around the world — some upset at the loss of a statesman seen as a moderating factor within the Bush administration, but others hoping for Powell's successor to wield more influence within the cabinet.

In mid-November, Powell stated that he had seen new evidence suggesting that Iran was adapting missiles for a nuclear delivery system. The accusation came at the same time as the settlement of an agreement between Iran, the IAEA, and the European Union.

On December 31, 2004, Powell rang in the New Year by pressing a button in Times Square with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg to initiate the ball drop and 60 second countdown, ushering in the year 2005. He appeared on the networks that were broadcasting New Year's Eve specials and talked about this honor, as well as being a native of New York City.

Life after diplomatic service

After retiring from the role of Secretary of State, Powell returned to private life. In April 2005, he was privately telephoned by Republican senators Lincoln Chafee and Chuck Hagel, at which time Powell expressed reservations and mixed reviews about the nomination of John R. Bolton as ambassador to the United Nations, but refrained from advising the senators to oppose Bolton (Powell had clashed with Bolton during Bush's first term). The decision was viewed as potentially dealing significant damage to Bolton's chances of confirmation. Bolton was put into the position via a recess appointment because of the strong opposition in the Senate.

On April 28, 2005, an opinion piece in The Guardian by Sidney Blumenthal (a former top aide to President Bill Clinton) claimed that Powell was in fact "conducting a campaign" against Bolton because of the acrimonious battles they had had while working together, which among other things had resulted in Powell cutting Bolton out of talks with Iran and Libya after complaints about Bolton's involvement from the British. Blumenthal added that "The foreign relations committee has discovered that Bolton made a highly unusual request and gained access to 10 intercepts by the National Security Agency. Staff members on the committee believe that Bolton was probably spying on Powell, his senior advisors and other officials reporting to him on diplomatic initiatives that Bolton opposed."

In July 2005, Powell joined Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers, a well-known Silicon Valley venture capital firm, with the title of "strategic limited partner."

In September 2005, Powell criticized the response to Hurricane Katrina. Powell said that thousands of people were not properly protected, but because they were poor rather than because they were black.

On January 5, 2006, he participated in a meeting at the White House of former Secretaries of Defense and State to discuss United States foreign policy with Bush administration officials. In September 2006, Powell sided with more moderate Senate Republicans in supporting more rights for detainees and opposing President Bush's terrorism bill. He backed Senators John Warner, John McCain and Lindsey Graham in their statement that U.S. military and intelligence personnel in future wars will suffer for abuses committed in 2006 by the U.S. in the name of fighting terrorism. Powell stated that "The world is beginning to doubt the moral basis of [America's] fight against terrorism."

Also in 2006, Powell began appearing as a speaker at a series of motivational events called Get Motivated, along with former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani. In his speeches for the tour, he openly criticized the Bush Administration on a number of issues. Powell has been the recipient of mild criticism for his role with Get Motivated which has been called a "get-rich-quick-without-much-effort, feel-good schemology."

In 2007 he joined the board of directors of Steve Case's new company Revolution Health. Powell also serves on the Council on Foreign Relations Board of directors.

Powell, in honor of Martin Luther King Day, dropped the ceremonial first puck at a New York Islanders ice hockey game at Nassau Coliseum on January 21, 2008. On November 11, 2008, Powell again dropped the puck in recognition of Military Appreciation Day and Veterans Day.

Recently, Powell has encouraged young people to continue to use new technologies to their advantage in the future. In a speech at the Center for Strategic and International Studies to a room of young professionals, he said, "That's your generation...a generation that is hard-wired digital, a generation that understands the power of the information revolution and how it is transforming the world. A generation that you represent, and you're coming together to share; to debate; to decide; to connect with each other." At this event, he encouraged the next generation to involve themselves politically on the upcoming Next America Project, which uses online debate to provide policy recommendations for the upcoming administration.

In 2008, Powell served as a spokesperson for National Mentoring Month, a campaign held each January to recruit volunteer mentors for at-risk youth.

Soon after Barack Obama's 2008 election, Powell began being mentioned as a possible cabinet member. He was not nominated.

In September 2009, Powell advised President Obama against surging US forces in Afghanistan. The president announced the surge the following December.

On March 14, 2014, Salesforce.com announced that Powell had joined its board of directors.

Political views

A liberal Republican, Powell is well known for his willingness to support liberal or centrist causes. He is pro-choice regarding abortion, and in favor of "reasonable" gun control. He stated in his autobiography that he supports affirmative action that levels the playing field, without giving a leg up to undeserving persons because of racial issues. Powell was also instrumental in the 1993 implementation of the military's don't ask, don't tell policy, though he later supported its repeal as proposed by Robert Gates and Admiral Mike Mullen in January 2010, saying "circumstances had changed."

The Vietnam War had a profound effect on Powell's views of the proper use of military force. These views are described in detail in the autobiography My American Journey. The Powell Doctrine, as the views became known, was a central component of U.S. policy in the Persian Gulf War (the first U.S. war in Iraq) and U.S. invasion of Afghanistan (the overthrow of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan following the September 11 attacks). The hallmark of both operations was strong international cooperation, and the use of overwhelming military force.

Powell was the subject of controversy in 2004 when, in a conversation with British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, he reportedly referred to neoconservatives within the Bush administration as "fucking crazies." In addition to being reported in the press (although the expletive was generally censored in the U.S. press), the quotation was used by James Naughtie in his book, The Accidental American: Tony Blair and the Presidency, and by Chris Patten in his book, Cousins and Strangers: America, Britain, and Europe in a New Century.

In a September 2006 letter to Sen. John McCain, General Powell expressed opposition to President Bush's push for military tribunals of those formerly and currently classified as enemy combatants. Specifically, he objected to the effort in Congress to "redefine Common Article 3 of the Geneva Convention." He also asserted: "The world is beginning to doubt the moral basis of our fight against terrorism."

Powell endorsed President Obama in 2008 and again in 2012. When asked why he is still a Republican on Meet the Press he said, "I'm still a Republican. And I think the Republican Party needs me more than the Democratic Party needs me. And you can be a Republican and still feel strongly about issues such as immigration, and improving our education system, and doing something about some of the social problems that exist in our society and our country. I don't think there's anything inconsistent with this."

While Powell was wary of a military solution, he supported the decision to invade Iraq after the Bush administration concluded that diplomatic efforts had failed. After his departure from the State Department, Powell repeatedly emphasized his continued support for American involvement in the Iraq War.

At the 2007 Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado, Powell revealed that he had spent two and a half hours explaining to President Bush "the consequences of going into an Arab country and becoming the occupiers." During this discussion, he insisted that the U.S. appeal to the United Nations first, but if diplomacy failed, he would support the invasion: "I also had to say to him that you are the President, you will have to make the ultimate judgment, and if the judgment is this isn't working and we don't think it is going to solve the problem, then if military action is undertaken I'm with you, I support you."

In a 2008 interview on CNN, Powell reiterated his support for the 2003 decision to invade Iraq in the context of his endorsement of Barack Obama, stating: "My role has been very, very straightforward. I wanted to avoid a war. The president [Bush] agreed with me. We tried to do that. We couldn't get it through the U.N. and when the president made the decision, I supported that decision. And I've never blinked from that. I've never said I didn't support a decision to go to war."

Powell's position on the Iraq War troop surge of 2007 has been less consistent. In December 2006, he expressed skepticism that the strategy would work and whether the U.S. military had enough troops to carry it out successfully. He stated: "I am not persuaded that another surge of troops into Baghdad for the purposes of suppressing this communitarian violence, this civil war, will work." Following his endorsement of Barack Obama in October 2008, however, Powell praised General David Petraeus and U.S. troops, as well as the Iraqi government, concluding that "it's starting to turn around." By mid-2009, he had concluded a surge of U.S. forces in Iraq should have come sooner, perhaps in late 2003. Throughout this period, Powell consistently argued that Iraqi political progress was essential, not just military force.

Powell donated the maximum allowable amount to John McCain's campaign in the summer of 2007 and in early 2008, his name was listed as a possible running mate for Republican nominee McCain's bid during the 2008 U.S. presidential election. However, on October 19, 2008, Powell announced his endorsement of Barack Obama during a Meet the Press interview, citing "his ability to inspire, because of the inclusive nature of his campaign, because he is reaching out all across America, because of who he is and his rhetorical abilities", in addition to his "style and substance." He additionally referred to Obama as a "transformational figure." Powell further questioned McCain's judgment in appointing Sarah Palin as the vice presidential candidate, stating that despite the fact that she is admired, "now that we have had a chance to watch her for some seven weeks, I don't believe she's ready to be president of the United States, which is the job of the vice president." He said that Obama's choice for vice-president, Joe Biden, was ready to be president. He also added that he was "troubled" by the "false intimations that Obama was Muslim." Powell stated that "[Obama] is a Christian—he's always been a Christian... But the really right answer is, what if he is? Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country? The answer's no, that's not America." Powell then mentioned Kareem Rashad Sultan Khan, a Muslim American soldier in the U.S. Army who served and died in the Iraq War. He later stated, "Over the last seven weeks, the approach of the Republican Party has become narrower and narrower [...] I look at these kind of approaches to the campaign, and they trouble me." Powell concluded his Sunday morning talk show comments, "It isn't easy for me to disappoint Sen. McCain in the way that I have this morning, and I regret that [...] I think we need a transformational figure. I think we need a president who is a generational change and that's why I'm supporting Barack Obama, not out of any lack of respect or admiration for Sen. John McCain." Later in a December 12, 2008, CNN interview with Fareed Zakaria, Powell reiterated his belief that during the last few months of the campaign, Palin pushed the Republican party further to the right and had a polarizing impact on it.

In a July 2009 CNN interview with John King, Powell expressed concern over President Obama growing the size of the federal government and the size of the federal budget deficit. In September 2010, he criticized the Obama administration for not focusing "like a razor blade" on the economy and job creation. Powell reiterated that Obama was a "transformational figure." In a video that aired on CNN.com in November 2011, Colin Powell said in reference to Barack Obama, "many of his decisions have been quite sound. The financial system was put back on a stable basis."

On October 25, 2012, 12 days before the presidential election, he gave his endorsement to President Obama for re-election during a broadcast of CBS This Morning. He cited success and forward progress in foreign and domestic policy arenas under the Obama Administration, and made the following statement: "I voted for him in 2008 and I plan to stick with him in 2012 and I'll be voting for he [sic] and for Vice President Joe Biden next month."

As additional reason for his endorsement, Powell cited the changing positions and perceived lack of thoughtfulness of Mitt Romney on foreign affairs, and a concern for the validity of Romney's economic plans.

In an interview with ABC's Diane Sawyer and George Stephanopoulos during ABC's coverage of President Obama's second inauguration, Powell criticized members of the Republican Party who "demonize[d] the president." He called on GOP leaders to publicly denounce such talk.

Powell has been very vocal on the state of the Republican party. Speaking at a Washington Ideas forum in early October 2015, he warned the audience that the Republican party had begun a move to the fringe right, lessening the chances of a Republican White House in the future. He also remarked on Republican presidential contender Donald Trump's statements regarding immigrants, noting that there were many immigrants working in Trump hotels.

In March 2016, Powell denounced the "nastiness" of the 2016 Republican primaries during an interview on CBS This Morning. He compared the race to reality television, and stated that the campaign had gone "into the mud."

In August 2016, Powell accused the Clinton campaign of trying to pin Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's email controversy on him. Speaking to People magazine, Powell said, "The truth is, she was using [the private email server] for a year before I sent her a memo telling her what I did."

On September 13, 2016, emails were obtained that revealed Powell's private communications regarding both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. Powell privately reiterated his comments regarding Clinton's email scandal, writing, "I have told Hillary's minions repeatedly that they are making a mistake trying to drag me in, yet they still try," and complaining that "Hillary's mafia keeps trying to suck me into it" in another email. In another email discussing Clinton's controversy, Powell noted that she should have told everyone what she did "two years ago", and said that she has not "been covering herself with glory." Writing on the 2012 Benghazi attack controversy surrounding Clinton, Powell said to then U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice, "Benghazi is a stupid witch hunt." Commenting on Clinton in a general sense, Powell mused that "Everything [Clinton] touches she kind of screws up with hubris", and in another email stated "I would rather not have to vote for her, although she is a friend I respect."

Powell referred to Donald Trump as a "national disgrace", with "no sense of shame." He wrote of Trump's role in the birther movement, which he referred to as "racist." Powell suggested that the media ignore Trump, saying, "To go on and call him an idiot just emboldens him." The emails were obtained by the media as the result of a hack.

Powell endorsed Clinton on October 25, 2016, stating it was "because I think she's qualified, and the other gentleman is not qualified."

Despite not running in the election, Powell received three electoral votes for president from faithless electors in Washington who had pledged to vote for Clinton, coming in third overall. After Barack Obama, Powell was only the second Black person to receive electoral votes in a presidential election. He was also the first Republican since 1984 to receive electoral votes from Washington in a presidential election, as well as the first Republican Black person to do so.

In an interview in October 2019, Powell warned that the GOP needed to “get a grip" and put the country before their party, standing up to President Trump rather than worrying about political fallout. “When they see things that are not right, they need to say something about it because our foreign policy is in shambles right now, in my humble judgment, and I see things happening that are hard to understand,” Powell said.

Personal life

Powell married Alma Johnson on August 25, 1962. Their son, Michael Powell, was the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from 2001 to 2005. His daughters are Linda Powell, an actress, and Annemarie Powell. As a hobby, Powell restores old Volvo and Saab cars. In 2013, he faced questions about a relationship with a Romanian diplomat, after a hacked AOL email account had been made public. He acknowledged a "very personal" email relationship but denied further involvement.

Civilian awards and honors

Powell's civilian awards include two Presidential Medals of Freedom (the second with distinction), the President's Citizens Medal, the Congressional Gold Medal, the Secretary of State Distinguished Service Medal, the Secretary of Energy Distinguished Service Medal, and the Ronald Reagan Freedom Award. Several schools and other institutions have been named in his honor and he holds honorary degrees from universities and colleges across the country.

In 1988, Powell received the Academy of Achievement's Golden Plate Award.

In 1990, Powell received the U.S. Senator John Heinz Award for Greatest Public Service by an Elected or Appointed Official, an award given out annually by Jefferson Awards.

In 1991, Powell was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George H. W. Bush.

In 1991, Powell was awarded the Spingarn Medal from the NAACP.

In 1991, Powell was inducted into the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, which "honors the achievements of outstanding individuals in U.S. society who have succeeded in spite of adversity and of encouraging young people to pursue their dreams through higher education."

On April 23, 1991, Powell was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal "in recognition of his exemplary performance as a military leader and advisor to the President in planning and coordinating the military response of the United States to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and the ultimate retreat and defeat of Iraqi forces and Iraqi acceptance of all United Nations Resolutions relating to Kuwait."

On September 30, 1993, Powell was awarded his second Presidential Medal of Freedom with distinction by President Bill Clinton.

On November 9, 1993, Powell was awarded the second Ronald Reagan Freedom Award, by President Ronald Reagan. Powell served as Reagan's National Security Advisor from 1987–1989.

On December 15, 1993, Colin Powell was created an honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath by Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.

In 1998, he was awarded the prestigious Sylvanus Thayer Award by the United States Military Academy for his commitment to the ideals of "Duty, Honor, Country."

The 2002 Liberty Medal was awarded to Colin Powell on July 4 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In his acceptance speech, Powell reminded Americans that "It is for America, the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave, to help freedom ring across the globe, unto all the peoples thereof. That is our solemn obligation, and we will not fail."

The coat of arms of Colin Powell was granted by the Lord Lyon in Edinburgh on February 4, 2004. Technically the grant was to Powell's father (a British subject) to be passed on by descent. Scotland's King of Arms is traditionally responsible for granting arms to Commonwealth citizens of Scottish descent. Blazoned as

Azure, two swords in saltire points downwards between four mullets Argent, on a chief of the Second a lion passant Gules. On a wreath of the Liveries is set for Crest the head of an American bald-headed eagle erased Proper. And in an escrol over the same this motto, "DEVOTED TO PUBLIC SERVICE."

The swords and stars refer to the former general's career, as does the crest, which is the badge of the 101st Airborne (which he served as a brigade commander in the mid-1970s). The lion may be an allusion to Scotland. The shield can be shown surrounded by the insignia of an honorary Knight Commander of the Most Honorable Order of the Bath (KCB), an award the General received after the first Gulf War.

In 2005 Powell received the Bishop John T. Walker Distinguished Humanitarian Service Award for his contributions to Africa.

AARP honored Powell with the 2006 AARP Andrus Award, the Association's highest honor. This award, named in honor of AARP's founder, Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus, is presented biennially to distinguished individuals who have generated positive social change in the world, and whose work and achievements reflect AARP's vision of bringing lifetimes of experience and leadership to serve all generations.

In 2005 Colin and Alma Powell were awarded the Woodrow Wilson Award for Public Service by the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars of the Smithsonian Institution.

Colin Powell was initiated as an honorary brother in Sigma Phi Epsilon.

Powell is a recipient of the Silver Buffalo Award, the highest adult award given by the Boy Scouts of America.

A street in Gelnhausen, Germany was named after him: "General-Colin-Powell-Straße."

In 2002, scholar Molefi Kete Asante listed Colin Powell on his list of 100 Greatest Blacks in America.

In 2009, an elementary school named for Colin Powell opened in El Paso. It is in the El Paso Independent School District, located on Fort Bliss property, and serves a portion of Fort Bliss. There is also a street in El Paso named for Powell, Colin Powell Drive.

Powell is an Honorary Board Member of the humanitarian organization Wings of Hope

Since 2006, he is the chairman of the Board of Trustees for Eisenhower Fellowships

In 2006, The Harry S. Truman Research Institute for the Advancement of Peace at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem awarded Colin Powell with the Truman Peace Prize for his efforts to conduct the "war against terrorism", through diplomatic as well as military means, and to avert regional and civil conflicts in many parts of the world.

In September 2012 Union City, New Jersey opened Colin Powell Elementary School, which was named after Powell, and dedicated the school on February 7, 2013, with governor Chris Christie in attendance. Powell himself visited the school on June 4, 2013.

In 2014, Colin Powell was named to the National Board of Advisors for High Point University.

[milliondollarbaby87]

2020 is the 15th anniversary of the BAFTA having the Rising Star Award which is voted for by the public. Starting in 2006 known as the Orange Rising Star Award and then since 2013 the EE Rising Star Award, this is due to sponsorship and pretty much helps the award with publicity and getting the public involved in the voting for the winner. 

SELFIE BOOTH trying out the “Selfie Booth” during dinner at Grosvenor House Hotel after the EE British Academy Film Awards on Sunday 16 February 2014.

Over the years as I have become more and more obsessed with films I know more about the nominees which in all honesty makes me feel very special and at times very geeky. Which I personally love and am very proud of, I felt coming up to the 15th year it was very important to take a look back at not only the winners from each year but the other nominees as well. The list is very impressive and it feels as though someone at BAFTA can certainly pick out rising stars in the best possible way, the nominees are chosen regardless of gender, nationality and whether they have made a breakthrough in television, film or both.

I guess at times the outcome could be influenced by the fan base which that actor has and if they are in a franchise they will probably be more known than others. But the important thing I want to look at here is the high level of not only winners but nominees and looking at where so many of them are now, so even being picked as the five can certainly be seen as a massive positive.

Year

Winner

Nominated

2006

(59th)

James McAvoy

Chiwetel Ejiofor

Gael García Bernal

Rachel McAdams

Michelle Williams

2007

(60th)

Eva Green

Emily Blunt

Naomie Harris

Cillian Murphy

Ben Whishaw

2008

(61st)

Shia LaBeouf

Sienna Miller

Ellen Page

Sam Riley

Tang Wei

2009

(62nd)

Noel Clarke

Michael Cera

Michael Fassbender

Rebecca Hall

Toby Kebbell

2010

(63rd)

Kristen Stewart

Jesse Eisenberg

Nicholas Hoult

Carey Mulligan

Tahar Rahim

2011

(64th)

Tom Hardy

Gemma Arterton

Andrew Garfield

Aaron Taylor-Johnson

Emma Stone

2012

(65th)

Adam Deacon

Chris Hemsworth

Tom Hiddleston

Chris O’Dowd

Eddie Redmayne

2013

(66th)

Juno Temple

Elizabeth Olsen

Andrea Riseborough

Suraj Sharma

Alicia Vikander

2014

(67th)

Will Poulter

Dane DeHaan

George MacKay

Lupita Nyong’o

Léa Seydoux

2015

(68th)

Jack O’Connell

Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Margot Robbie

Miles Teller

Shailene Woodley

2016

(69th)

John Boyega

Taron Egerton

Dakota Johnson

Brie Larson

Bel Powley

2017

(70th)

Tom Holland

Laia Costa

Lucas Hedges

Ruth Negga

Anya Taylor-Joy

2018

(71st)

Daniel Kaluuya

Florence Pugh

Josh O’Connor

Tessa Thompson

Timothée Chalamet

2019

(72nd)

Letitia Wright

Jessie Buckley

Cynthia Erivo

Barry Keoghan

Lakeith Stanfield

2020

(73rd)

TBD

Awkwafina

Jack Lowden

Kaitlyn Dever

Kelvin Harrison Jr.

Micheal Ward

Now you have had a lovely recap on not only the winners each year but the nominees as well it really is great to see that whoever BAFTA have working on this award they really do find the breakouts very early on. The prime example of this is Florence Pugh, her breakout role was Lady Macbeth yet for some reason not many people seem to have seen that film or remember it so saying 2019 was her breakout year which is very wrong in my opinion! So going forward pay close attention to this award and it will help highlight some very talented young performers that you can find current film or tv work and then also looking out for them in the future as well.

My love for film is huge and I love an award which appreciates fans views as well, as I mentioned earlier if the breakout is in a franchise it really could help with winning the vote. The nominees are all very impressive and some years it is now amazing to see how far some of these amazingly talented actors have come, the big majority still putting in great performances to this day in film, tv and even on stage as well.

I guess as well as looking at the history of this award it is also a small way of saying thank you to Orange and now EE for sponsoring this award for BAFTA. For this years nominees only Kelvin Harrison Jr and Micheal Ward are the two that I have not seen very many things for, so I am happy with the other three being rather well known to myself. I see that as reward for watching a love of film/tv. It does also make me want to catch up with the current work for those two though.

Do you pay much attention to this award? If not, I really would recommend that going forward you see the amazing talented young actors that will be looking to push forward in the next few years and have promising careers. It is certainly something I have been paying a lot more attention to in the past couple of years.

BAFTA Rising Star Award: A History 2020 is the 15th anniversary of the BAFTA having the Rising Star Award which is voted for by the public.

[starfriday]

All you need to know about Kamal Haasan’s 7 time connection with the Oscar Awards

Some notable films over the years have managed to transcend borders through their brilliance and appeal to an audience which recognizes the diamond in the rough. There are actors who have been a part of one or maximum two projects that have been selected as India’s official entry to the phenomena of Oscars. But we all know that actor Kamal Haasan has never been part of the proverbial, usual box and made a trend to step out of it on a regular basis. The actor has not one or two, but seven films to his credit which have been selected as India’s Oscar entries. In his 60 year long career, Kamal Haasan has given some monumental hits but some works of his have been so refined that these films carried the pride of the nation across the oceans. The films that made it to the Oscar entries are: Saagar: The film where Kamal Haasan plays the much-in-love youngster, is one of the romantic classics of the Hindi film industry. For its strong performances, powerful dialogues and melodious music, the film was submitted as the Best Foreign Language Film from India in 1985. Swati Mutyam: The 1986 Telugu language film which tells the story of an autistic man and his relationship with a young widow. The drama in the film was so touching that it was selected for the Oscar Awards along with getting appreciation from all over the world through many other international film festivals. Nayakan: Kamal Haasan knows how to bring forth the subtlest emotions with panache and that is exactly what he did in the film Nayakan. The Tamil language gangster drama became a huge hit in 1987 and went international due to the relatable, familial themes it is based on. The film has garnered much accolades and was also on Time Magazine lists of 100 Best Films of all times. Thevar Magan: Bringing out the duality in one character with such ease, Kamal Haasan received many praises for the film and the acknowledgment of it being remade into several other languages and all of them becoming huge successes. Thevar Magan was sent for 65th Oscar Awards in 1993 as India’s official entry. Kuruthipunal: The 1995 action thriller became a game changer for the industry. It showed everyone that Kamal Haasan is an actor beyond anyone’s versatile imagination and even action-packed films, especially with such a stellar performer as the lead, can be considered for the Academy Awards. Indian: Also known as Hindustani, the film shows Kamal Haasan expertly sliding into the skin of two pole-apart characters at the same time. This kind of brilliance is unseen and unheard of in Indian cinema and hence the multilingual film came out as a winner when the Oscar entries were sent in 1996. Hey Ram: And finally, last but surely not the least in the actor’s expansive filmography, comes the film Hey Ram. The film got standing ovations from audiences worldwide and by adding a unique twist to this period drama which was based on true events, writer, director and lead actor, Kamal Haasan rightly deserved to be the man to be selected for the Oscar race. As the legendary actor Kamal Haasan continues to churn out films that leave us in awe, we are sure that the accolades will be ever-increasing.

[rkbahuja]

Playing a transgender in ‘Nagarkirtan’ has been a life-changing experience for me: Riddhi Sen

Playing a transgender in ‘Nagarkirtan’ has been a life-changing experience for me: Riddhi Sen

Watching a film at IFFI may take only a little bit of your time in the form of registration, ticket booking and standing in a queue. But when you enter the theatre and see those handpicked movies from around the world, have you ever thought of the time and effort the film makers have put in making these films a reality?

Two national film award winners who came together for a press conference at…