Kinder Surprise

Kinder Surprise,

Kinder Surprise (in the original Italian, Kinder Sorpresa), also known as a Kinder Egg (Kinder being the German word for "Children", as found in the loanword "kindergarten"), is a confection manufactured by Italian company Ferrero. Originally intended for children, it has the form of a chocolate egg containing a small toy, often requiring assembly.

Overview

Kinder Surprise originated in 1972. The toys are designed by both inside designers and external freelancers (for example the French artist André Roche based in Munich) and manufactured by many companies worldwide, such as Produzioni Editoriali Aprile, a small company based in Turin, Italy, run and founded by two brothers, Ruggero and Valerio Aprile.

Kinder Eggs are sold all over the world excluding the United States, where the 1938 Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act prohibits embedding "non-nutritive items" in confections. Additionally, the Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a recall on the eggs in 1997 (mostly via import shops), likely as a consequence of the introduction of the rival Nestlé Wonderball product featuring Disney characters, which was also quickly pulled under FDA pressure. Kinder Egg-like confections are available, but only in a plastic form filled with small candies and/or stickers. There are some stores in the United States that sell genuine Kinder Eggs, often in conjunction with other imported British or other European sweets, although their import is illegal due to the 1938 law and 1997 recall.

In Europe, their popularity has spread beyond their intended market, and they have become a minor cult phenomenon among adults. There is even a thriving collector's market for the toys. This is especially true in Germany, where the manufacturer includes higher-quality toys than those available elsewhere (more details below). There are many types of toys available, but some of the most popular with collectors include the ever-changing series of small hand-painted figures (some have to be assembled), which are said to be in every seventh egg (ad slogan: "Jetzt in jedem siebten Ei"); cartoon characters (sometimes called "stick figures", which is a mistranslation of the German "Steckfiguren"); metal figures and jigsaw puzzles. Seasonal eggs are introduced around the holidays, such as the limited-edition creche collections (featuring such characters as the three kings, baby Jesus, and assorted barnyard animals) found around Christmas, and the huge ones found at Easter (extremely popular in Italy).

A relatively new innovation, triggered by the advent of the Internet, is the introduction of "Internet surprises". Accompanying the toy is a small slip of paper containing a "Magicode". This code gives access to games at the Magic Kinder website, some for downloading, some for playing online.

Collection of Kinder Surprise toys

This section may contain original research. Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding references. Statements consisting only of original research may be removed. More details may be available on the talk page. (January 2010)

There are a number of different approaches that can be taken to collecting Kinder Surprise toys. It is important to realize that not just the toys are collectible, but also the instruction papers (which many Kinder Surprise collectors refer to by their German abbreviation of BPZ, which stands for Beipackzettel). Some novice collectors make the mistake of discarding the instruction papers. Consequently, "BPZs" tend to be rarer than the toys, which makes them more valuable to collectors. Other objects associated with Kinder Surprises (such as promotional posters, sales display boxes and dioramas) are also frequently sought after.

As with any collectible, it is possible to be a "completist", and attempt to collect every toy and paper ever made anywhere in the world, as well as any other Kinder-related items. However, most collectors prefer to specialize in a particular area, such as hand-painted figurines, metal figurines or jigsaws. Some collectors even choose to only collect Kinder-related advertising and promotional material.

Classification and identification

Classifying and identifying Kinder Surprise toys is a rather complex exercise. There are several different lines, and a number of different numbering systems have been used over the years. Until the 1990s, the toys were seldom numbered at all, which can make identification difficult (although some early toys, especially hand-painted figurines, have a Ferrero mark). Kinder history can be broadly split into two periods: pre-2004 and post-2004. The pre-2004 toys were made by Ferrero. But in 2004, a Luxembourg-based company called MPG (which stands for Magic Production Group) took over toy production, although Ferrero continues to make Kinder Surprise chocolate. Prior to 2004, but after 1990, three distinct lines emerge:

Pre-2004: German line

The German line of Kinder Surprise toys was sold only in Germany before 1997, and in Germany and Austria after 1997. In general, this line is regarded by Kinder aficionados as being superior in quality to other lines. The instruction papers for German toys are quite large and usually contain the name of the series on one side, and frequently, the name of the toy on the other side, which also has the assembly instructions. In addition, each German paper has a six-digit number that is unique to the specific toy. The toys themselves do not have these numbers, but almost always have a Ferrero mark. There does not appear to be any particular pattern to the German numbering system, but the first digit is always either 6 or 7.

Pre-2004: West European line

Until the early 2000s, this line (made by Ferrero Italy) was sold and distributed in all countries except Germany, Austria and countries where Kinder Surprise eggs are illegal (such as the USA) or simply not available. From about 2001 however, it was restricted mainly to Western Europe, Japan and Hong Kong. The main distinguishing feature of this line is the use of "K numbers" (e.g. K96 No. 1), which are found on both the toys and instruction papers. The two digits after the K represent the year of issue, while the subsequent number is the number of the specific toy. So K96 No. 1, for instance, would be toy No. 1 in the series issued in 1996. Toys with "K numbers" are sometimes referred to as "K toys". The toys tend to be less sophisticated than the ones in the German line. The papers are also a great deal more basic. They are essentially elongated strips that show the toys in the set on one side and have assembly instructions for the specific toy on the other. Unlike the German papers, they almost never have any writing on them. The "K" papers were accompanied by a separate white strip of paper with a standard safety warning in many languages. The first known "K" series was K91, while the last was K04, after which MPG introduced a brand-new numbering system.

In recent years, there have also been reproductions of older K toys, which Kinder collectors frequently refer to as "recasts". These "recasts" first appeared in Poland, but soon spread to other Eastern European countries and eventually to Canada, Mexico, South America, Australia and New Zealand. They have very similar papers to the original releases, but the numbering is slightly different. For example, a "recast" of K93 No. 81 is simply numbered "No. 81". Both the toys and papers have this altered numbering. Recasts are not very popular with collectors, but they are nevertheless sought after by completists.

Pre-2004: Argentine/Brazilian line

This line only began in the earliest years of the 21st Century after Ferrero Argentina became a much bigger player on the Kinder Surprise scene. "Argentine" toys, as they are generally known, are basically K toys, but with some significant differences from their West European counterparts. The Argentine line is distributed in South America, Mexico, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. It is also sold in Brazil, but Brazilian papers are different from the standard Argentine versions (see below). Although the "Argentine" line mostly resembles the West European line, there are often differences in how the toys are made. For instance, where a West European animal or character toy would have the eyes painted on, the Argentine equivalent would have eye stickers. Some Argentine toys have even been exclusive and never released in the West European line. For example, the jigsaw puzzle numbered K01 No. 122 was only ever released in the Argentine line and never issued in the West European line. It is consequently quite highly sought-after by European Kinder Surprise collectors. In more recent years, a series of jigsaw puzzles based on the Monster Hotel hand-painted series was also exclusive to the Argentine line.

Up to 2004, Argentine papers showed the toy series and assembly instructions on the same side, while the opposite side contained the multi-lingual safety warning that is printed on an entirely separate paper in the West European line. Initially, the papers were of rather poor quality and tore easily, but from the K02 series onwards, they were thickened up a bit, although they were still rather less robust than their European counterparts.

Post-2004: European MPG line

After MPG took over the production of Kinder Surprise toys, the German and European lines were merged so that the same toys were now distributed in all European countries. The numbering system was changed, as were the toys and papers. Instead of a "K" number or six-digit number, all toys now had a new type of number. In the first MPG year, toys were numbered C-x (e.g. C-1, C-2 etc.). In the second MPG season, the C was replaced by an S (so toys were now numbered S-1, S-2 and so forth). In the third and current season of MPG toys, S has been replaced by 2S (2S-1, 2S-2 etc.). The papers were made somewhat larger. The toys had the new numbering and an MPG mark instead of a Ferrero one.

But although the toy lines were merged, the papers have retained some significant regional differences. German papers still contain the series name, and often the toy name, in German. West European papers have no writing, but do contain a Magicode logo. East European papers are much the same as West European papers, but have no Magicode logo.

Post-2004: Argentine/Brazilian MPG line

Notwithstanding the merger of the German and European lines, there continues to be a separate Argentine line. MPG toys are included in this line, but sometimes have differences to their European counterparts, most notably in their stickers and the papers. The new Argentine papers are much bigger than before. In fact, they are the same size as the European papers. On one side, they show the toys in the series. The reverse side has two distinct parts: the assembly instructions (across the top) and the multi-lingual safety warning (bottom half). The Brazilian papers are much the same, but the safety warning section is yellow rather than white. Interestingly, some "K" toys (mainly from the K04 series, but also a set of speedboats from the K01 series) have been released in the Argentine/Brazilian line with MPG-style larger papers. Another curious feature of the Argentine line has been the release of a small number of "recasts" of old German toys. The papers are in the original Argentine pre-2004 style, but have the German six-digit numbers. The toys are much the same as the German originals, but in some cases, the colours have been changed.

Limited editions

In addition to the regular collectible toys, Kinder Surprise series generally contain special limited-edition sets. These sets tend to vary greatly between countries, with many variations in toys, but more especially papers, which tend to be unique to the specific countries in which the sets are released. Some sets are released in many countries, while others are only issued in one or two. A few types of limited editions are discussed below.

Hand-painted figurines

Hand-painted figurines are solid toys that generally don't require assembly. They are very popular with collectors. They can be broadly divided into two types: animal themes and cartoon characters. One of the earliest known hand-painted sets is the Super-Mini-Schlumpf-Parade (Super Mini Smurf Parade), issued in Germany in 1983. Hand-painted sets issued prior to 1990 tend to be very highly sought-after, especially if, as in the case with the Smurfs, other collector groups are also interested. The earliest sets were released only in Germany and Italy, but after about 1993, they were released in many different countries, with papers unique to those countries. Even so, a small number of sets were only released in Germany, while others (like the 1994 Panda Party) were issued in several European countries but not Germany. It is fair to say that some sets have seen wider distribution than others. Until the advent of the MPG era, hand-painted sets were not numbered. However, MPG limited-edition sets have MPG numbers on both the toys and papers.

"Steckfiguren"

The toys known in Germany as "Steckfiguren" are based primarily on cartoon characters. Some English-speaking collectors call them "stick figures", but this is not really a correct translation. A more accurate translation would be something like "put-together figurines" or "snap-together figurines". So unlike hand-painted figurines, they are not solid, but have to be assembled. As with hand-painted figurines however, they were originally issued in Germany only. In the European and Argentine lines, they were assigned K numbers, but tend to be harder to find than other "K" toys and can command a similar premium to hand-painted figurines. This is especially true of the early German releases, which were usually based on Disney characters like Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. Hanna-Barbera characters like The Flintstones and Yogi Bear tended to feature in the "K" series, although there were also two Peanuts sets (in the K94 and K00 series) and two Smurfs sets (in the K97 and K02 series).

Metal figures

There have been many sets of metal figures, the majority of them being soldiers, issued since late 1970. Most of these were put out in Germany, but some found their way to the West European line, where they were assigned "K" numbers. The last known metal figure set in the "K" line was a set of medieval figures released in the K98 series. There have been no metal figures issued since MPG took over the manufacture of Kinder Surprise toys.

Two Italian Kinder Merenderos (Kinder Joy).

Other Kinder Surprise egg types

In addition to the main line of Kinder eggs, giant-sized Kinder eggs known as "Maxi eggs" are also manufactured. They include toys bigger than the regular-sized ones.

(source:wikipedia)

Gary Coleman

Gary Wayne Coleman (February 8, 1968 – May 28, 2010) was an American actor, known for his childhood role as Arnold Jackson in the American sitcom Diff'rent Strokes (1978–1986) and for his small stature as an adult. He was described in the 1980s as "one of television's most promising stars." After a successful childhood acting career, Coleman struggled financially later in life. In 1993, he successfully sued his parents and business adviser over misappropriation of his assets.




Early life

Coleman was born in Zion, Illinois. He was adopted by Edmonia Sue, a nurse practitioner, and W.G. Coleman, a fork-lift operator. He suffered from a congenital kidney disease caused by focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (an autoimmune destruction and alteration of the kidney), which halted his growth at an early age, leading to a small stature (4 ft 8 in; 1.42 m) and a childlike appearance. He underwent two kidney transplants, one in 1973 and one in 1984, and required daily dialysis.



Career

While best known for his role on Diff'rent Strokes, Coleman had appeared earlier on The Jeffersons and on Good Times as Penny's friend Gary. He also appeared in a 1978 pilot for a revival of The Little Rascals as Stymie.



Diff'rent Strokes
Coleman was cast in the role of Arnold Jackson in the television sitcom Diff'rent Strokes, portraying one of two young African-American brothers adopted by a wealthy Caucasian widower in Manhattan. The successful show was broadcast from 1978 to 1986.
Coleman became the most popular fixture of the show, enhanced by his character's catchphrase "What'choo talkin' 'bout, Willis?" At the height of his fame on Diff'rent Strokes, he earned as much as $100,000 per episode. A Biography Channel documentary estimated he was left with a quarter of the original amount after paying his parents, advisers, lawyers, and taxes. He later successfully sued his parents and his former advisers for misappropriation of his finances and was awarded $1.3 million.
Later character appearances
Coleman became a popular figure, starring in a number of feature films and made-for-TV movies including On the Right Track and The Kid with the Broken Halo. The latter eventually served as the basis for the Hanna-Barbera-produced animated series The Gary Coleman Show in 1982.
Candidacy for Governor of California

Coleman was a candidate for governor in the 2003 California recall election. This campaign was sponsored by the free newsweekly East Bay Express as a satirical comment on the recall. After Arnold Schwarzenegger announced his candidacy, Coleman stated that he would be voting for Schwarzenegger. Coleman placed 8th in a field of 135 candidates, receiving 14,242 votes.



Avenue Q

Coleman is parodied in the hit 2003 Broadway musical Avenue Q, which won the 2004 Tony Award for best musical. A character presented as Coleman works as the superintendent of the apartment complex where the musical takes place. In the song, "It Sucks to be Me", he laments his fate. On Broadway, the role was originally played by Natalie Venetia Belcon.
The show's producers have said they originally considered asking Coleman himself to play the Gary Coleman role, and he expressed interest in doing so. However, he never showed up for a meeting scheduled to discuss it.
In 2005, Coleman announced his intention to sue the producers of Avenue Q for their depiction of him, although the lawsuit never materialized. At the 2007 New York Comic Con, Coleman said, "I wish there was a lawyer on Earth that would sue them for me."
The off-Broadway cast of Avenue Q announced that the May 28, 2010 show would be dedicated to Coleman, following his death. They released a statement saying, "The creators, producers, and company of Avenue Q are terribly saddened to hear of the death of Gary Coleman, whose tremendous gifts brought delight and inspiration to audiences around the world. While everything in life may be only for now, we suspect that Gary's legacy will live on for many years to come. Gary's memory will certainly endure in the hearts and minds of those of us who live on Avenue Q. When the show concludes tonight at 10pm at New World Stages, Danielle K. Thomas, who portrays Mr. Coleman in the musical, will pay a tribute to him from the stage."



Personal life

Coleman secretly wed his girlfriend of five months, Shannon Price, 22, on August 28, 2007. They met on the set of the 2006 comedy film Church Ball. On May 1 and 2, 2008, Coleman and his wife appeared on the show Divorce Court to air their differences in front of Judge Lynn Toler. Unlike regular Divorce Court participants, they appeared on the show with the intent to save their marriage rather than adjudicate a separation.



Legal struggles
Financial matters
In 1989, Coleman sued his parents and former business adviser over misappropriation of his $3.8 million trust fund. He won a $1,280,000 ruling on February 23, 1993. Coleman later filed for bankruptcy in 1999; he attributed his financial problems to mismanagement of his trust.



Assault
Coleman was charged with assault in 1998 after he punched a woman. He was working as a security guard, and bus driver Tracy Fields requested his autograph while he was shopping for a bulletproof vest in a California mall. The two argued about the autograph, and Fields mocked Coleman's lackluster career as an adult actor. Coleman testified that "I was getting scared, and she was getting ugly"; he said that he thought Fields was going to hit him, so he punched her. Coleman pleaded no contest and received a suspended sentence. He was also ordered to pay Fields $1,665 for hospital bills resulting from the fight.
Citation for disorderly conduct
On July 26, 2007, Coleman was cited for misdemeanor disorderly conduct by a Provo, Utah, police officer after Coleman was seen having a "heated discussion" with his wife, Shannon Price.
On July 3, 2009, Coleman and his wife were involved in a domestic dispute in which Coleman's wife was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence, and both parties were cited for disorderly conduct.
Automobile accident
Coleman was involved in an automobile accident in Payson, Utah on September 6, 2008. According to Payson police, Coleman was backing up his truck in a Payson bowling alley parking lot when he allegedly hit 24-year-old Colt Rushton. According to a witness, the tire of Coleman's truck hit Rushton's knee and pulled him under the truck. Coleman's vehicle then hit another car. Rushton was transported to a local hospital, where he was treated and released with minor injuries. Police said Coleman's driving speed was not excessive. Witnesses told police the incident stemmed from an argument that started in the bowling alley after Rushton photographed Coleman. Coleman objected to Rushton taking his picture and the two men started arguing, according to witnesses. There was no citation or arrest for either man. Police said neither man would make a statement at the scene.
On December 2, 2008, Coleman pleaded no contest to charges of disorderly conduct and reckless driving. The court ordered him to pay a $100 fine for disorderly conduct. The reckless driving charge was to be waived in one year if Coleman did not commit any further violations. On January 14, 2010, Coleman settled a civil suit related to the incident for an undisclosed amount.
Domestic violence assault
On January 24, 2010, Coleman was arrested on a domestic violence assault warrant in Santaquin, Utah. Coleman was subsequently booked into the Utah County Jail  and released on January 25, 2010.



Death

Wikinews has related news: US actor Gary Coleman dies aged 42
On May 26, 2010, Coleman was admitted to Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo, Utah, after falling and hitting his head and suffering an epidural hematoma at his home in Santaquin, Utah. He was announced to be in critical condition. According to a hospital spokesman, Coleman was 'conscious and lucid' on the morning of Thursday May 27, but his condition subsequently worsened.  By mid-afternoon on May 27, 2010, Coleman was unconscious and on life support. He died at 12:05 p.m. MDT (18:05 UTC) on May 28, 2010.
The off-Broadway cast of Avenue Q dedicated the May 28, 2010, production of the show to Coleman, with Danielle K. Thomas, who portrays Coleman in the musical, paying tribute to him from the stage at the show's end. In the hours following his death, Gary Coleman's name became the top trending topic on social networking site Twitter. His catchphrase “What you talkin bout Willis” also made it on to the trending list as well.
Ranking Among Child Stars

United States Cable Television Channel VH1 rated Coleman first on a list of 'the 100 greatest child stars' on television.
Filmography

Film
Year Film Role Notes
1979 The Kid from Left Field Jackie Robinson "J.R." Cooper Television film
1980 Scout's Honor Joey Seymour Television film
1981 On the Right Track Lester
1982 The Kid with the Broken Halo Andy LeBeau Television film
Jimmy the Kid Jimmy
1983 The Kid with the 200 I.Q. Nick Newell Television film
1984 The Fantastic World of D.C. Collins D.C. Collins Television film
1985 Playing with Fire David Phillips Television film
1994 Party The Liar Short film
Associate producer
S.F.W. Cameo
1996 Fox Hunt Murray Lipschitz, Jr.
1997 Off the Menu: The Last Days of Chasen's Himself Documentary
1998 Dirty Work Cameo
Like Father, Like Santa Ignatius Television film
1999 Shafted!
2000 The Flunky
2002 Frank McKlusky, C.I. Cameo
2003 Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star Himself Cameo
A Carol Christmas Christmas Past Television film
2004 Chasing the Edge Cameo
Short film
Save Virgil Himself/The Devil
2005 A Christmas Too Many
2006 Church Ball
2008 An American Carol Bacon Stains Malone
2009 Midgets vs. Mascots Gary Last film appearance
Television
First appeared in a commercial for Harris Bank. His line, after the announcer says "You should have a Harris banker" was "You should have a Hubert doll". "Hubert" was a stuffed lion representing the Harris bank logo.
The Jeffersons (1977, guest)
Good Times (1977, guest)
Diff'rent Strokes (1978–1986)
The Facts of Life (1980)
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (episode "The Cosmic Wizz-Kid", also has a cameo in a later episode)
The Gary Coleman Show (1982) (voice)
Amazing Stories (1986) Season 1: Episode 13 – "The Sitter"
227 (1990)
Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (guest) (as Arnold Jackson, with Conrad Bain as Phillip Drummond) (1996)
The Ben Stiller Show (1993) as himself
The Wayans Bros. (Pilot Episode: "Goop, Hair-It-Is" - January 11, 1995, guest; as himself)
The Simpsons, "Grift of the Magi" (December 19, 1999)
The Drew Carey Show, "What's Wrong with this Episode? IV" (March 28, 2001)
Drake and Josh (guest)
My Wife and Kids (guest)
The Jamie Foxx Show (guest as Cupid)
Married… with Children (guest)
The Surreal Life (guest)
Unscrewed with Martin Sargent (2003–2004, guest)
Simon & Simon, "Like Father, Like Son"
The Parkers as himself
Penn & Teller: Bullshit! "The Apocalypse" as himself (July 16, 2009, guest)
Source:wikipedia
Sponsor:ez2.in

Kelly Bensimon

Kelly Killoren Bensimon is an author, model, jewelry designer, and former editor of Elle Accessories. She currently appears on Bravo The Real Housewives of New York City.

Personal life

Kelly Jean Killoren, was born on May 1, 1968 and raised in Rockford, Illinois. She began working as a model at the age of 15. Killoren was the third wife of French fashion photographer Gilles Bensimon, who is 24 years older. He is an internationally renowned photographer and former International Creative Director of Elle magazine. The couple have two daughters: Sea Louise Bensimon (born in 1998) and Thaddeus Ann "Teddy" Bensimon (born in 2000). The couple divorced in July 2007. The former Mrs. Bensimon now resides in New York City and East Hampton.
Education

Killoren Bensimon initially attended Trinity College, Connecticut as a member of the Class of 1990, but left after a year. She later enrolled at the Columbia University School of General Studies, majoring in English,  in 1998
Career

Killoren began her modeling career in New York City. She has appeared in magazines such as ELLE, Cosmopolitan, and Harper's Bazaar. She was also the face of Clarins. She is the editor at large for Hamptons Magazine and Gotham Magazine. She is the founding editor Elle Accessories Magazine. She has authored several books including In The Spirit of the Hamptons, American Style, and The Bikini Book. Kelly also wrote a column in Page Six Magazine called The Socializer: Kelly Killoren Bensimon.
Killoren-Bensimon has been host of the IMG (business) fashion week, and of the IMG swim shows in Miami. She was a spokesperson in 2006 for Wool  as part of their Test Marketing Productions (TMP;) however, a current search of the Wool website indicates no 2009 relationship or representation . Bensimon has hosted menswear events with GQ magazine. She was also an "ambassador" for Spring 2007 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week  in New York City. Killoren Bensimon launched her jewelry line "Kelly" at Bloomingdale's in fall 2007.
Killoren Bensimon appears on Bravo's popular reality show The Real Housewives of New York City.
Bensimon appeared in a six-page pictorial in the March 2010 edition of Playboy magazine.
Lawsuit

Designer Celeste Greenberg, founder of jewelry line Tuleste Market, claims that the owl design that Bensimon displays and promotes on The Real Housewives of New York City was not designed by Bensimon, but by herself. Greenberg initiated a legal case for copyright infringement and breach of contract.
Arrest

Killoren Bensimon was arrested on 5 March 2009 and charged with assaulting her boyfriend Nicholas Stefanov. Stefanov filed an in-person criminal complaint with the NYPD and was photographed as part of the complaint with visible facial wounds.. The criminal complaint stated that Bensimon hit Stefanov "with a closed fist, thereby causing informant to suffer a laceration below informant's left eye and substantial pain."
Source:wikipedia

Thierry Henry

Thierry Daniel Henry, (French pronunciation: [tjɛʁi ɑ̃ʁi]; born 17 August 1977) is a French footballer who plays for Spanish La Liga club Barcelona and the French national team. Henry was born in Les Ulis, Essonne (a suburb of Paris) where he played for an array of local sides as a youngster and showed great promise as a goal-scorer. He was spotted by AS Monaco in 1990 and signed instantly, making his professional debut in 1994. Good form led to an international call-up in 1998, after which he signed for the Serie A defending champions Juventus. He had a disappointing season playing on the wing, before joining Arsenal for £10.5 million in 1999.
It was at Arsenal that Henry made his name as a world-class footballer. Despite initially struggling in the Premier League, he emerged as Arsenal's top goal-scorer for almost every season of his tenure there. Under long-time mentor and coach Arsène Wenger, Henry became a prolific striker and Arsenal's all-time leading scorer with 226 goals in all competitions. The Frenchman won two league titles and three FA Cups with the Gunners; he was twice nominated for the FIFA World Player of the Year, was named the PFA Players' Player of the Year twice, and the Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year three times. Henry spent his final two seasons with Arsenal as club captain, leading them to the UEFA Champions League final in 2006. In June 2007, after eight years with Arsenal, he transferred to Barcelona for a fee of €24 million. His first honours with the Catalan club came in 2009 when they won the league, cup and Champions League treble. Later he would go on to achieve an unprecedented sextuple by also winning the Spanish Supercup, the UEFA Supercup and the Club World Cup. Henry has been named in the UEFA Team of the Year five times.
Henry has enjoyed similar success with the French national squad, having won the 1998 World Cup, Euro 2000 and 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup. In October 2007, he surpassed Michel Platini's record to become France's top goal-scorer of all time. Off the pitch, as a result of his own experience, Henry is an active spokesperson against racism in football. He married English model Nicole Merry in 2003 and had a daughter with her, but they divorced in 2007. Henry is also one of the top commercially marketed footballers; he was ranked ninth in the world in 2006.


Early years

Henry is of Antillean heritage: his father, Antoine, is from Guadeloupe (La Désirade island), and his mother, Maryse, is from Martinique. He was born and raised in Les Ulis district of Paris which, despite sometimes being seen as a tough neighbourhood, provided good footballing facilities. As a seven-year-old, Henry showed great potential, prompting Claude Chezelle to recruit him to the local club CO Les Ulis. His father pressured him to attend training, although the youngster was not particularly drawn to football.He joined US Palaiseau in 1989, but after a year his father fell out with the club, so Henry moved to ES Viry-Châtillon for two years. US Palaiseau coach Jean-Marie Panza, Henry's future mentor, followed him there.



Club career

Monaco (1992–1999) and Juventus (1999)
In 1990, Monaco sent scout Arnold Catalano to watch Henry in a match. Henry scored all six goals as his side won 6–0. Catalano asked him to join Monaco without even attending a trial first. Catalano requested that Henry complete a course at the elite Clairefontaine academy, and despite the director's reluctance to admit Henry due to his poor school results, he was allowed to complete the course and joined Arsène Wenger's Monaco as a youth player. Subsequently, Henry signed professional forms with Monaco and made his professional debut in 1994. Wenger put Henry on the left wing because he believed that his pace, natural ball control and skill would be more effective against full-backs than centre-backs. In his first season with Monaco, Henry scored three goals in 18 appearances.
Wenger continued to search for the perfect playing position for Henry, and suspected that he should be deployed as a striker instead, but he was unsure. Under the tutelage of his manager, Henry was named the French Young Footballer of the Year in 1996, and in the 1996–97 season, his solid performances helped the club win the Ligue 1 title. During the 1997–98 season, he was instrumental in leading his club to the UEFA Champions League semi-final, setting a French record by scoring seven goals in the competition. By his third season, he had received his first cap for the national team, and was part of the winning team in the 1998 World Cup. He continued to impress at his tenure with Monaco, and in his five seasons with the French club, the young winger scored 20 league goals in 105 appearances.
Henry left Monaco in January 1999, one year before his friend and teammate David Trézéguet, and moved to Italian Serie A club Juventus for £10.5 million. He played on the wing, but he was ineffective against the Serie A defensive discipline in a position uncharacteristic for him, and scored just three goals in 16 appearances.

Arsenal (1999–2007)

Henry was made captain following the departure of fellow Frenchman Patrick Vieira to Juventus in 2005
Unsettled in Italy, Henry transferred from Juventus in August 1999 to Arsenal for £10 million, reuniting with his former manager Arsène Wenger.It was at Arsenal that Henry made his name as a world-class footballer, and although his transfer was not without controversy, Wenger was convinced he was worth the transfer fee. Brought in as a replacement for fellow French forward Nicolas Anelka, Henry was immediately moulded into a striker by Wenger, a move that would pay rich dividends in years to come. However, doubts were raised about his ability to adapt to the quick and physical English game when he failed to score in his first eight games.After several difficult months in England, Henry even conceded that he had to "be re-taught everything about the art of striking." These doubts were dispelled when he ended his first season at Arsenal with an impressive goal tally of 26. Arsenal finished second in the league behind Manchester United, and lost in the UEFA Cup final against Turkish side Galatasaray.
Coming off the back of a victorious Euro 2000 campaign with the national side, Henry was ready to make an impact in the 2000–01 campaign. Despite recording fewer goals and assists than his first season, Henry's second season with Arsenal proved to be a breakthrough, as he became the club's top goal-scorer.Armed with one of the league's best attacks, Arsenal closed in quickly on perennial rivals Manchester United for the league title. Henry remained frustrated however by the fact that he had yet to help the club win honours, and frequently expressed his desire to establish Arsenal as a powerhouse.
Success finally arrived during the 2001–02 season. Arsenal finished seven points above Liverpool to win the league title, and defeated Chelsea 2–0 in the FA Cup Final. Henry became the league's top goal-scorer and netted 32 goals in all competitions as he led Arsenal to a double and his first silverware with the club. There was much expectation that Henry would replicate his club form for France during the 2002 World Cup, but the defending champions suffered a shock exit at the group stage.
2002–03 proved to be another productive season for Henry, as he scored 32 goals in all competitions while contributing 23 assists—remarkable returns for a striker. In doing so, he led Arsenal to another FA Cup triumph, although Arsenal failed to retain their Premier League crown. Throughout the season, he competed with Manchester United's Ruud van Nistelrooy for the league scoring title, but the latter edged Henry to the title by a goal. Nonetheless, Henry was named both the PFA Players' Player of the Year and Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year. His rising status as one of the world's best footballers was affirmed when he emerged runner-up for the 2003 FIFA World Player of the Year award.



Henry in a game against Charlton Athletic in 2006

Entering the 2003–04 season, Arsenal were determined to reclaim the Premier League crown. Henry was again instrumental in Arsenal's exceptionally successful campaign; together with the likes of Dennis Bergkamp, Patrick Vieira and Robert Pirès, Henry ensured that the Gunners became the first team in more than a century to go through the entire domestic league campaign unbeaten, claiming the league title in the process. Apart from being named for the second year running as the PFA Players' Player of the Year and Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year, Henry emerged once again as the runner-up for 2004 FIFA World Player of the Year award. With 39 goals scored in all competitions, the Frenchman led the league in goals scored and won the European Golden Boot. However, as was the case in 2002, Henry was unable to lead the national side to honours during Euro 2004.
This dip in success was compounded when Arsenal failed again to secure back-to-back league titles when they lost out to Chelsea in the 2004–05 season, although the club did win the FA Cup (the final of which Henry missed through injury).Henry maintained his reputation as one of Europe's most feared strikers as he led the league in scoring, and with 31 goals in all competitions, he was the co-recipient (with Diego Forlán) of the European Golden Boot, and is currently the only player to have officially won the award twice in a row (Ally McCoist also had two Golden Boots in a row, but both were deemed unofficial). The unexpected departure of compatriot Vieira in mid-2005 led to Henry being awarded club captaincy, a role which many felt was not naturally suited for him; the captaincy is more commonly given to defenders or midfielders, who are better-placed on the pitch to read the game. Along with being chief goal-scorer, he was responsible for leading a very young team which had yet to gel fully.


After the retirement of Dennis Bergkamp, Henry regularly partnered Robin van Persie up front in the Arsenal attack
The 2005–06 season proved to be one of remarkable personal achievements for Henry. On 17 October 2005, Henry became the club's top goal-scorer of all time; two goals against Sparta Prague in the Champions League meant he broke Ian Wright's record of 185 goals. On 1 February 2006, he scored a goal against West Ham, bringing his league goal tally up to 151, breaking Arsenal legend Cliff Bastin's league goals record. Henry scored his 100th league goal at Highbury, a feat unparalleled in the history of the club, and a unique achievement in the Premier League. He completed the season as the league's top goal-scorer, and for the third time in his career, he was voted the Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year.
Nevertheless, Arsenal failed to win the league title again, but hopes of a trophy were revived when Arsenal reached the 2006 UEFA Champions League Final. The Gunners eventually lost 2–1 to Barcelona, and Arsenal's inability to win the Premier League for two consecutive seasons combined with the relative inexperience of the Arsenal squad caused much speculation that Henry would leave for another club. However, he declared his love for the club and accepted a four-year contract, and said he would stay at Arsenal for life. Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein later claimed the club had turned down two bids of £50 million from Spanish clubs for Henry before the signing of the new contract. Had the transfer materialized, it would have surpassed the world record £47 million paid for Zinédine Zidane.
Henry's 2006–07 season was marred by injuries. Although he scored 10 goals in 17 domestic appearances for Arsenal, Henry's season was cut short in February. Having missed games due to hamstring, foot, and back problems, he was deemed fit enough to come on as a late substitute against PSV in a Champions League match, but began limping shortly after coming on. Scans the next day revealed that he would need at least three months to heal from new groin and stomach injuries, missing the rest of the 2006–07 season. Wenger attributed Henry's injuries to a protracted 2005–06 campaign, and reiterated that Henry was keen on staying with the Gunners to rebuild for the 2007–08 season.



Barcelona (2007–present)

Henry greets the Camp Nou supporters at his introduction.
On 25 June 2007, in an unexpected turn of events, Henry was transferred to Barcelona for €24 million. He signed a four-year deal for a reported €6.8 (£4.6) million per season. It was revealed that the contract included a release clause of €125 (£84.9) million. Henry cited the departure of Dein and continued uncertainty over Wenger's future as reasons for leaving, and maintained that "I always said that if I ever left Arsenal it would be to play for Barcelona." Despite their captain's departure, Arsenal got off to an impressive start for the 2007–08 campaign, and Henry admitted that his presence in the team might have been more of a hindrance than a help. He stated: "Because of my seniority, the fact that I was captain and my habit of screaming for the ball, they would sometimes give it to me even when I was not in the best position. So in that sense it was good for the team that I moved on." Henry left Arsenal as the club's leading all-time league goal-scorer with 174 goals and leading all-time goal-scorer in Europe with 42 goals; in July 2008, Arsenal fans voted him as Arsenal's greatest player ever in Arsenal.com's Gunners' Greatest 50 Players poll.


Henry takes on Rio Ferdinand inside the Manchester United penalty area during the 2009 UEFA Champions

League Final.
At Barcelona, Henry was given the number 14 jersey, the same as he had worn at Arsenal. He scored his first goal for his new club on 19 September 2007 in a 3–0 Champions League group stage win over Lyon,and he recorded his first hat-trick for Barça in a league match against Levante ten days later. But with Henry mostly deployed on the wing throughout the season, he was unable to reproduce the goal-scoring form he achieved with Arsenal. He expressed dissatisfaction with the move to Barcelona in the initial year, amidst widespread speculation of a return to the Premier League. In an interview with Garth Crooks on BBC Football Focus, Henry described missing life "back home" and even "the English press". However, Henry concluded his debut season as the club's top scorer with 19 goals in addition to nine league assists, second behind Lionel Messi's ten.
Henry went on to surpass this tally in a more integrated 2008–09 campaign, winning the first trophy of his Barcelona career on 13 May 2009 when Barcelona defeated Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey final. Barcelona won the league and Champions League soon after, completing a treble for the Frenchman, who had combined with Lionel Messi and Samuel Eto'o to score 100 goals between them that season. The trio was also the most prolific trio in Spanish league history, scoring 72 goals and surpassing the 66 goals of Real Madrid's Ferenc Puskas, Alfredo di Stefano and Luis del Sol of the 1960–61 season. Later in 2009, Henry started on the pitch as he helped Barcelona win an unprecedented sextuple, consisting of the aforementioned treble, the Spanish Supercup, the UEFA Supercup and the FIFA Club World Cup.



International career

Henry has had a successful career with the France national team. His international career began in June 1997, when his good form for Monaco was rewarded with a call-up to the Under-20 French national team, where he played in the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship alongside future teammates William Gallas and David Trézéguet.Within four months, France head coach Aimé Jacquet called Henry up to the senior team. The 20-year-old made his senior international debut on 11 October 1997 in a 2–1 win against South Africa. Jacquet was so impressed with Henry that he took him to the 1998 World Cup. Although Henry was a largely unknown quantity at international level, he ended the tournament as France's top scorer with three goals. He was scheduled to appear as a substitute in the final, where France beat Brazil 3–0, but Marcel Desailly's sending off forced a defensive change instead. In 1998, he was made Chevalier (Knight) of the Légion d'honneur, France's highest decoration.
Henry was a member of France's Euro 2000 championship squad, again scoring three goals in the tournament, including the equalizer against Portugal in the semi-final, and finishing as the country's top scorer. France later won the game in extra time following a converted penalty kick by Zinédine Zidane. France went on to defeat Italy in extra time in the final, earning Henry his second major international medal. During the tournament, Henry was voted man-of-the-match in three games, including the final against Italy.
The 2002 FIFA World Cup featured a stunning early exit for both Henry and France as the defending champions were eliminated in the group stage after failing to score a goal in all three games. France lost their first match in group play and Henry was red carded for a dangerous sliding challenge in their next match against Uruguay.In that game, France played to a 0–0 draw, but Henry was forced to miss the final match due to suspension; France lost 2–0 to Denmark.
Henry returned to form for his country at the 2003 Confederations Cup. Despite playing without team stalwarts Zidane and Patrick Vieira, France won, in large part owing to Henry's outstanding play, for which he was named Man of the Match by FIFA's Technical Study Group in three of France's five matches. In the final, he scored the golden goal in extra time to lift the title for the host country after a 1–0 victory over Cameroon. Henry was awarded both the adidas Golden Ball as the outstanding player of the competition and the adidas Golden Shoe as the tournament's top goal-scorer with four goals.In Euro 2004, Henry played in all of France's matches and scored two goals.France beat England in the group stages but lost to the eventual winners Greece 1–0 in the quarter-finals. During the 2006 FIFA World Cup Henry remained as one of the automatic starters in the squad. He played as a lone striker, but despite an indifferent start to the tournament, became one of the top players of the World Cup. He scored three goals, including the winning goal from Zidane's free kick against defending champions Brazil.However, France subsequently lost to Italy on penalties (5–3) in the final. Henry did not take part in the penalty shootout, having been substituted in extra time after his legs had cramped.Henry was one of 10 nominees for the Golden Ball award for Player of the Tournament, an award which was ultimately presented to his teammate, Zidane and was named a starting striker on the 2006 FIFPro World XI team.
On 13 October 2007, Henry scored his 41st goal against the Faroe Islands, joining Michel Platini as the country's top goal-scorer of all time. Four days later at the Stade de la Beaujoire, he scored a late double against Lithuania, thereby setting a new record as France's top goal-scorer. On 3 June 2008, Henry made his 100th appearance for national team in match against Colombia, becoming the sixth French player ever to reach that milestone.
Henry missed the opening game of France's short-lived Euro 2008 campaign, where they were eliminated in the group stages after being grouped together with Italy, the Netherlands and Romania. He scored France's only goal in the competition in a 4–1 loss to the Netherlands.
The French team struggled during the 2010 World Cup qualifiers and finished second in their group behind Serbia. During the playoffs against Ireland, Henry was involved in a controversy in the second leg in the game in the Stade de France on 18 November 2009. With the aggregate score tied at 1–1 and the game in extra time, he used his hand twice to control the ball before delivering a cross to William Gallas who scored the winner. This sparked a barrage of criticism against the Frenchman, while national team coach Raymond Domenech and Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger defended him.The Football Association of Ireland lodged a formal complaint with FIFA, seeking a replay of the game, which FIFA declined. Henry said that he contemplated retiring from international football after the reactions to the incident, but maintained that he was not a "cheat"; hours after FIFA had ruled out a replay, he stated that "the fairest solution would be to replay the game". FIFA President Sepp Blatter described the incident as "blatant unfair play" and announced an inquiry into how such incidents could be avoided in future, and added that the incident would be investigated by the Disciplinary Committee. Blatter also said Henry told him that his family had been threatened in the aftermath of the incident. In January 2010, FIFA announced that there was no legal basis to sanction Henry.



Style of play

Henry was the first-choice free kick taker for Arsenal
Although Henry played up front as a striker during his youth, he spent his time at Monaco and Juventus playing on the wing. When Henry joined Arsenal in 1999, Wenger immediately changed this, switching Henry to his childhood position, often pairing him with Dutch veteran Dennis Bergkamp. During the 2004–05 season, Wenger switched Arsenal's formation to 4-5-1. This change forced Henry to adapt again to fit into the Arsenal team, and he played many games as a lone striker. Still, Henry remained Arsenal's main offensive threat, on many occasions conjuring spectacular goals. Wenger once said of his fellow Frenchman: "Thierry Henry could take ball in the middle of park and score a goal that no one else in the world could score".
One of the reasons cited for Henry's impressive play up front is his ability to calmly score from one-on-ones. This, combined with his exceptional pace, means that he can get in behind defenders regularly enough to score.When up front, Henry is occasionally known to move out wide to the left wing position, something which enables him to contribute heavily in assists: between 2002–03 and 2004–05, the striker managed almost 50 assists in total and this was attributed to his unselfish play and creativity. Henry would also drift offside to fool the defence then run back onside before the ball is played and beat the offside trap, although he never provided Arsenal a distinct aerial threat. Given his versatility in being able to operate as both a winger and a striker, the Frenchman is not a prototypical "out-and-out striker", but he has emerged consistently as one of Europe's most prolific strikers. In set pieces, Henry was the first-choice penalty and free kick taker for Arsenal, having scored regularly from those positions.



Awards and honours

Henry has received many plaudits and awards in his football career. He was runner-up for the 2003 and 2004 FIFA World Player of the Year award; in those two seasons, he also won back-to-back PFA Players' Player of the Year titles. Henry is the only player ever to have won the Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year three times (2003, 2004, 2006), and the French Player of the Year on a record four occasions. Henry was voted into the Premier League Overseas Team of the Decade in the 10 Seasons Awards poll in 2003, and in 2004 he was named by football legend Pelé as one of the top 125 greatest living footballers.
In terms of goal-scoring awards, Henry was the European Golden Boot winner in 2004 and 2005 (sharing it with Villarreal's Diego Forlán in 2005) and is the first ever player to retain the award. Henry has also been the top goal-scorer in the Premier League for four seasons (2002, 2004, 2005, 2006).In 2006, he became the first player to score more than 20 goals in the league for five consecutive seasons (2002 to 2006). Henry is currently third in the list of all-time English Premier League goal-scorers, behind Alan Shearer and Andy Cole. Given his accomplishments, France's all-time goal-scorer is today regarded by many coaches, footballers and pundits as one of the best footballers in the world.Rendium for "Greatest Ever Footballers". Arsenal fans honoured their former player in 2008, declaring Henry the greatest Arsenal player. In another 2008 survey, Henry emerged as the favourite Premier League player of all time among 32,000 people surveyed in the Barclays 2008 Global Fan Report.



Monaco
Ligue 1: 1996–97
French Super Cup: 1997
Arsenal
FA Premier League: 2001–02, 2003–04
FA Cup: 2001–02, 2002–03, 2004–05
FA Community Shield: 2002, 2004
Barcelona
La Liga: 2008–09, 2009–10
Copa del Rey: 2008–09
UEFA Champions League: 2008–09
Supercopa de España: 2009
UEFA Super Cup: 2009
FIFA Club World Cup: 2009
International
FIFA World Cup: 1998
UEFA European Football Championship: 2000
FIFA Confederations Cup: 2003
Individual
UEFA Football Championship Team of the Tournament: 2000
Confederations Cup top goalscorer: 2003
Confederations Cup Golden Ball: 2003
FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 2006
Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year: 1996–97
PFA Players' Player of the Year: 2002–03, 2003–04
European Golden Boot: 2004, 2005
Premier League Golden Boot: 2001–02, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06.
Onze d'Or: 2003, 2006
PFA Team of the Year: 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006
FWA Footballer Of The Year: 2002–03, 2003–04, 2005–06
World XI Striker: 2006
UEFA Team of the Year: 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006
French Player of the Year: 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006
English Football Hall of Fame: 2008
Goal of the Season (UK): 2003
Barclays Player of the Month: April 2000, September 2002, January 2004, April 2004
FIFA 100
Time 100: 2007
Overseas Team of the Decade: Premier League 10 Seasons Awards (1992–93 to 2001–02)
Orders
Légion d'Honneur: 1998
Career statistics

Club
Club Season League Cup Europe Total
Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists
Monaco 1994–95 8 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 3 1
1995–96 18 3 5 3 0 1 1 0 0 22 3 6
1996–97 36 9 8 3 0 1 9 1 4 48 10 13
1997–98 30 4 9 5 0 2 9 7 1 44 11 12
1998–99 13 1 3 1 0 0 5 0 2 19 1 5
Total 105 20 26 12 0 4 24 8 7 141 28 37
Juventus 1998–99 18 3 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 20 3 2
Total 18 3 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 20 3 2
Arsenal 1999–00 31 17 9 5 1 0 11 8 2 47 26 11
2000–01 35 17 3 4 1 0 14 4 0 53 22 3
2001–02 33 24 5 5 1 2 11 7 0 49 32 7
2002–03 37 24 23 6 1 0 12 7 1 55 32 24
2003–04 37 30 9 4 4 2 10 5 3 51 39 14
2004–05 32 25 15 2 0 1 8 5 1 42 30 17
2005–06 32 27 7 2 1 0 11 5 2 45 33 9
2006–07 17 10 6 3 1 1 7 1 0 27 12 7
Total 254 174 77 31 10 6 84 42 9 369 226 92
Barcelona 2007–08 30 12 9 7 4 0 10 3 2 47 19 11
2008–09 29 19 8 1 1 0 12 6 4 42 26 12
2009–10 19 4 2 3 0 0 5 0 1 27 4 3
Total 78 35 19 11 5 0 27 9 7 116 49 26
International
(Correct as of 19 November 2009)[83]
National team Season Apps Goals Assists
France 1997–98 10 3 1
1998–99 1 0 0
1999–00 11 5 2
2000–01 8 2 1
2001–02 9 2 1
2002–03 13 10 7
2003–04 12 5 6
2004–05 7 2 1
2005–06 15 7 3
2006–07 6 3 3
2007–08 10 6 1
2008–09 9 3 1
2009–10 7 3 2
Total 118 51 29



Outside football

Personal and family life
Henry married English model Nicole Merry on 5 July 2003.The ceremony was held at Highclere Castle, and on 27 May 2005 the couple celebrated the birth of their first child, Téa. Henry dedicated his first goal since Téa's birth to her by holding his fingers in a "T" shape and kissing them after scoring in a match against Newcastle United. When Henry was still at Arsenal, he also purchased a home in Hampstead, North London. However, shortly after his transfer to Barcelona, it was announced that Henry and his wife would divorce; the decree nisi was granted in September 2007. Their separation concluded in December 2008 when Henry paid Merry a divorce settlement close to her requested sum of £10 million. Henry is now dating Bosnian model Andrea Rajačić.
As a fan of the National Basketball Association (NBA), Henry is often seen with his friend Tony Parker at games when not playing football. Henry stated in an interview that he admires basketball, as it is similar to football in pace and excitement. Having made regular trips to the NBA Finals in the past, he went to watch Parker and the San Antonio Spurs in the 2007 NBA Finals;[90] and in the 2001 NBA Finals, he went to Philadelphia to help with French television coverage of the Finals as well as to watch Allen Iverson, whom he named as one of his favourite players.
Social causes



UNICEF
Henry is a member of the UNICEF-FIFA squad, where together with other professional footballers he appeared in a series of TV spots seen by hundreds of millions of fans around the world during the 2002 and 2006 World Cups. In these spots, the players promote football as a game that must be played on behalf of children.



Stand Up Speak Up
Having being subjected to racism in the past, Henry is an active spokesperson against racism in football. The most prominent incident of racism against Henry was during a training session with the Spanish national team in 2004, when a Spanish TV crew caught coach Luis Aragonés referring to Henry as "black shit". The incident caused an uproar in the British media, and there were calls for Aragonés to be sacked.Henry and Nike started the Stand Up Speak Up campaign against racism in football as a result of the incident. Subsequently, in 2007, Time featured him as one of the "Heroes & Pioneers" on "The Time 100" list.



Other work
Along with 45 other football players, Henry took part in FIFA's "Live for Love United" in 2002. The single was released in tandem with the 2002 World Cup and its proceeds went towards AIDS research. Henry also supports the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and Cystic Fibrosis Trust.


Endorsements

In 2006, Henry was valued as the ninth most commercially marketable footballer in the world,as well as being the eighth richest Premier League player, with £21 million.


Renault
Henry featured in the Renault Clio advertisements in which he popularised the term va-va-voom, meaning "life" or "passion". His romantic interest in the commercial was his then-wife, Claire "Nicole" Merry. "Va-va-voom" was subsequently added to the Concise Oxford English Dictionary.


Nike
In 2004, Henry signed with sneaker giant Nike. In one of the advertisements, Henry pits his wits against football stars such as Claude Makélélé, Edgar Davids and Freddie Ljungberg in locations such as his bedroom and living room. The advertisement was partly inspired by Henry himself, who revealed that he always has a football nearby, even at home. Henry was also featured in Nike's "Secret Tournament" advertisement along with 24 superstar football players including Ljungberg, Ronaldinho, and Francesco Totti. In tandem with the 2006 World Cup, Henry also featured in Nike's Joga Bonito campaign, Portuguese for "play beautifully".


Reebok
Henry's deal with Nike ended after the 2006 World Cup, when he signed a deal with Reebok to appear in their "I Am What I Am" campaign. As part of Reebok Entertainment's "Framed" series, Henry was the star of a half-hour episode that detailed the making of a commercial about Henry directed by Spanish actress Paz Vega.


Gillette
In February 2007, Henry was named as one of the three ambassadors of Gillette's "Champions Program," which purported to feature three of the "best-known, most widely respected and successful athletes competing today" and also showcased Roger Federer and Tiger Woods in a series of television commercials, though Henry was later replaced by Derek Jeter in subsequent spots broadcast in the United States. In reaction to the handball controversy following the France-Ireland 2010 World Cup qualifier, Gillette faced a boycott and accusations of doctoring French versions of their Champions poster, but subsequently released a statement backing Henry.
Pepsi
Henry was part of Pepsi's "Dare For More" campaign in 2005, alongside the likes of David Beckham and Ronaldinho. In the 2008 version, Henry appeared in the Pepsi Universe advertisement along with Ljungberg, Beckham, Cesc Fàbregas, Steven Gerrard and Lionel Messi.
Source:wikipedia

Housefull (2010 film)

Housefull is a 2010 Bollywood comedy film directed by Sajid Khan and starring Akshay Kumar as the lead protagonist role while Deepika Padukone, Lara Dutta, Jiah Khan, Ritesh Deshmukh and Arjun Rampal feature in supporting roles. Boman Irani and Randhir Kapoor also play important supporting roles in the film. Jacqueline Fernandez has a special appearance in the film. The film was shot over several months in London and Italy. The film is said to be a remake of 1998 Tamil film Kaathala Kaathala. and also it is roughly based on the 2007 movie The Heart Break Kid. It also borrows elements from the Hollywood movies "Meet the Parents" and "The Cooler". The film was released across more than 1275 screens in India.

Synopsis

The first half spends considerable time developing the character of Aarush (Akshay Kumar), whom we see leaving his job to go back to stay with his best buddy Bob (Ritesh Deshmukh) and his wife Heetal (Lara Dutta), two casino employees in London. Aarush's unwelcome gatecrash turns the life of the couple upside down with his bad luck rubbing off into their home.
Bob and Hazel set him up with their boss's daughter Devika (Jiah Khan), and it seemed like the perfect match of a traditional Indian boy and girl. However, a surprise emerges while the newlyweds travel to an Italian resort for their honeymoon. A final plea to God leads to Aarush meets up with his One True Love with Saundariya Bhagyalakshmi Venkateshwari Baassappa Rao, aka Sandy (Deepika Padukone). (Chunky Pandey), playing the hotel owner Akhri Pasta, adds to the farcical comedy with a penchant of lying and construing them as jokes, with one key lie being the cause for a running gag for Aarush being hurried away from the scene by Bob and Hetal each time Devika is sighted.
The story is about pretenses, and how in the name of saving one's face and reputation, lies lead to bigger lies, stemming from wanting to impress family members. For Hazel, she has consistently told that she's married to a rich boy and living it up in a big mansion, doing so to impress her dad (Boman Irani) who has frowned upon her decision to stay in London with Bob. For Sandy, her lie involves something similar to her brother Major Krishna Rao (a stoic faced Arjun Rampal) whom she thinks will frown upon her relationship with the loser Aarush, and hence both couples have set the tone for the second half after the interval, playing on the theme and rationale of being perfectly OK to lie if it's done for a noble cause, the definition of noble being quite narrow and for personal benefit.


Cast

Actor/Actress Role
Akshay Kumar Aarush
Deepika Padukone Sandy (Sandhya)
Ritesh Deshmukh Babu Rao (Bob)
Lara Dutta Heetal Patel
Jiah Khan Devika Samtani
Arjun Rampal Major Krishna Rao
Chunkey Pandey Aakhri Pasta
Vega Tamotia Shanti
Malaika Arora Pooja
Boman Irani Batuk Patel
Randhir Kapoor Kishore Samtani
Lilette Dubey Zulekha Ma'am
Jacqueline Fernandez Dhanno (Cameo)


Reception

Reviews
 Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Bollywood Hungama
NDTV [7]
CNN-IBN
Indiatimes
Housefull received mixed to negative reviews from critics. Rajeev Masand of CNN-IBN trashed the movie, saying 'Housefull' makes you cringe in embarrassment and disgust for what passes off as 'entertainment' and 'cinema' these days..Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama gave the film a rating of 4/5 in his review, saying; "Housefull is a complete laugh-riot, and is an entertainer all the way, targeted at the masses".
Anupama Chopra of NDTV said that it was impossible to take the characters seriously, and gave the movie a raing of 2/5. . Rediff gave it a 1/5, calling it's humor 'lame'.
Noyon Jyoti Parasara of AOL India gave it a 2 and said, "What annoys most about ‘Housefull’ is the fact that Sajid Khan claims this to be his tribute to greats like Manmohan Desai and Hrishikesh Mukherjee. Both have been great filmmakers and had their respective domains and Sajid’s attempt at combining both ends up has him falling flat on his face."
Gaurav Malani from IndiaTimes gave it 2/5 and said "Housefull is a slap on your senses as the film sticks to the slapstick genre in every literal sense.There are some genuinely funny moments in the second half esp. Boman Irani sleepwalking through his portrayal of Gujarati Sholay . Unfortunately it fails to salvage the harm caused by the bland, boring and banal first half. Housefull ends up being a painful experience."


Box office
Upon release, the film had a record-breaking "all-time opening weekend" of INR 315 million, ahead of My Name Is Khan 's INR 300 million opening weekend. This gave Kumar his biggest opening till date, beating Singh Is Kinng.Housefull's opening weekend was the second-highest opening weekend collection of all time, behind 3 Idiots.By the end of the first week, the film collected INR 471.3 million, the third-highest first week collection - behind 3 Idiots and Ghajini. It also broke the 2010 record of biggest first week, previously held by My Name Is Khan.
[edit]Overseas
Housefull debuted in United Kingdom at number eleven and collected Rs 1.82 crores on 55 screens in it's opening weekend. In the United States, the film collected Rs. 2.86 crores on 82 screens in it's opening weekend.


Controversy

P L Thenappan the producer of the 1998 Tamil film, Kaathala Kaathala starring Kamal Hassan, Prabhudeva, Rambha, Soundarya filed a complaint with the Tamil Film Producers Council alleging that producer Sajid Nadiadwala and director Sajid Khan had remade his film into Hindi without proper permission.
In his complaint, Thenappan said, "I was shocked when I watched the Hindi film as nearly 60 per cent of the scenes from Kadhala Kadhala are there,”. Also Stating that he was in talks with Nadiadwala about selling the remake rights more than a year ago and the deal did not go through.
The film also face the court problem because of remixed version of the song Apni toh jaise taise, original song from 1981 blockbuster Laawaris. So according to Mehra's sons the song has to be delete up to 2nd May,2010.


Home video release

Shajid Khan's confirms that the Housefull will be released in Blu-Ray Disc and in DVD also. Shahid said that "I’ve just met the team from Eros. I don’t know when would they want to bring out the home-videos, but I hope it’s soon."  Pranad Kapadia also stated that "We intend to bring out the DVD and the Blu-Ray discs within the next 12-14 weeks. We haven’t decided the prices, but we’d like to keep them within average costs." Kapadia confirms: "We signed the deal with Star prior to the release. We were confident that Housefull would have a successful box office run and it was mutually beneficial to engage in a deal before its global theatrical release." He adds that "That might take four to six months because we plan to bring out the home-videos first."
[edit]Soundtrack

The film's soundtrack is composed by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. The lyrics are penned by Sameer and Amitabh Bhattacharya..
Housefull

Studio album by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Released
16 March 2010 (India)
Genre Feature film soundtrack
Length 30:32
Label T-Series
Producer Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Professional reviews
Bollywood Hungama link
rediff.com link
Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy chronology
Hum Tum Aur Ghost
(2010) Housefull
(2010)



Tracklist
Track Song Singer(s) Duration
1 "Oh Girl You're Mine" Loy Mendonsa, Tarun Sagar, Alyssa Mendonsa 3:56
2 "Papa Jaag Jayega" Neeraj Shridhar, Amitabh Bhattacharya , Ritu Pathak 3:17
3 "I Don't Know What To Do" Shabbir Kumar, Sunidhi Chauhan 3:20
4 "Aap Ka Kya Hoga (Dhanno)" Mika Singh, Sunidhi Chauhan, Shankar Mahadevan, Sajid Khan and Arun Ingle 5:08
5 "He's Such A Loser" Vivinenne Pocha, Amitabh Bhattacharya 3:17
6 "Oh Girl You're Mine (O Boy What A Girli Mix)" Loy Mendonsa 3:39
7 "Papa Jag Jayega (Insane Insomaniac Mix)" Neeraj Shridhar, Amitabh Bhattacharya 3:44
8 "I Don'T Know What To Do - Shabbirs Sexy 70s Mix (Remix)" Shabbir Kumar, Sunidhi Chauhan 4:03


Reception
The soundtrack met with positive reviews. Abid of Glamsham said "Summing up, the album is another fun ride as we encounter one chartbuster after another, and hats off to the trio Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, who have once again shown that they have the potential to compose as per the demand of the makers and the script" and gave the album 4 stars..
Samir Dave of Planet Bollywood gave 7.5 stars out of 10, stating - "SEL deliver a fun ‘n’ frothy soundtrack that serves up a whole heaping spoonful of happiness."[26] Joginder Tuteja of Bollywood Hungama gave the album 3.5 stars and stated - "Housefull is a fun album and never takes itself too seriously to turn into a landmark affair that would be remembered for years to come.
The songs are meant to be entertaining enough to fit in well with the film's narrative and not allow any full moment whatsoever to come in."Rudhir Barman of Sampurn Wire awarded the album 3.5 out of possible 5 stars saying - "The fast paced journey that everything is taking currently, it’s the survival of what works 'today'. In that aspect, 'Housefull' works and ensures that there won’t be any dull moment once the songs play on screen.
Source:wikipedia

Whitney Houston

Whitney Elizabeth Houston, (born August 9, 1963) is an American singer, actress, and former fashion model. A relative of several prominent soul singers, including her mother Cissy Houston, cousins Dee Dee and Dionne Warwick and godmother Aretha Franklin, Houston began singing at her New Jersey church as a member of a junior gospel choir at age eleven. After she began performing alongside her mother at night clubs in the New York City area, she was discovered by Arista Records label head Clive Davis.
Houston released her debut album Whitney Houston in 1985, which became the best-selling debut album by a female artist at the time of release.Her second studio album Whitney (1987) became the first album by a female artist to debut at number one on the Billboard 200 albums chart. Houston's crossover appeal on the popular music charts as well as her prominence on MTV enabled several African-American women to follow in her success.
Following her marriage to singer Bobby Brown, Houston appeared in her first starring role in the feature film The Bodyguard in 1992. The film's original soundtrack won the 1994 Grammy Award for Album of the Year. Its lead single, Houston's cover version of the 1974 Dolly Parton song "I Will Always Love You", became one of the best-selling singles in music history. Houston continued to star in feature films and contributed to soundtracks including Waiting to Exhale (1995) and The Preacher's Wife (1996). After the release of her fourth studio album My Love Is Your Love (1998), she renewed her recording contract with Arista Records in 2001 for a historic $100 million. She subsequently released her fifth studio album, Just Whitney the following year with One Wish: The Holiday Album being released in 2003. Amidst widespread media coverage of personal and professional turmoil, Houston's marriage to Brown ended in 2006.
Houston is one of the world's best-selling music artists, having sold over 170 million albums and singles worldwide. She is ranked as the fourth best-selling female artist in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America, with 55 million certified albums.She has been listed by Rolling Stone magazine as one of The 100 Greatest Singers of All Time.

Biography

Early life
Whitney Houston was born in what was then a middle income neighborhood of Newark, New Jersey, their home was near the St. Antoninus parish. Like many residents of the middle class, the Houstons moved following the race riots of July, 1967. The third and youngest child of John and gospel singer Cissy Houston. Her mother, along with cousins Dionne Warwick and Dee Dee Warwick and godmother Aretha Franklin were all notable figures in the gospel, rhythm and blues, pop, and soul genres. Houston was raised a Baptist, but was also exposed to the Pentecostal church. After the 1967 Newark riots, the family moved to a middle class area in East Orange, New Jersey when she was four. At the age of eleven, Houston began to follow in her mother's footsteps and started performing as a soloist in the junior gospel choir at the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, where she also learned to play the piano. Her first solo performance in the church was "Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah". When Houston was a teenager, she attended a Catholic single-sex high school, Mount Saint Dominic Academy, where she met her best friend Robyn Crawford, whom she describes as the "sister she never had." While Houston was still in school, her mother continued to teach her how to sing. In addition to her mother, Franklin, and Warwick, Houston was also exposed to the music of Chaka Khan, Gladys Knight, and Roberta Flack, most of whom would have an impact on her as a singer and performer.


1977–84: Early career
Houston spent some of her teenage years touring nightclubs where her mother Cissy was performing, and she would occasionally get on stage and perform with her. In 1977, at age 14, she back up singer on the Michael Zager Band's single "Life's a Party" (the group is known for their 1978 hit "Let's All Chant"). Zager subsequently offered to obtain a recording contract for the young singer, but Cissy declined, wanting her young daughter to finish school first. Then in 1978, at age 15, Houston sang background vocals on Chaka Khan's hit single "I'm Every Woman", a song she would later turn into a hit for herself on her monster-selling soundtrack album The Bodyguard. She also sang back-up on albums by Lou Rawls and Jermaine Jackson. In the early 1980s, Houston started working as a fashion model after a photographer saw her at Carnegie Hall singing with her mother. She appeared as a lead vocalist on a Paul Jabara (famous for writing songs for Donna Summer and Barbra Streisand) album, entitled Paul Jabara and Friends: featuring The Weather Girls, Leata Galloway & Whitney Houston (CBS Records, 1983). She appeared in Seventeen Magazineand became one of the first women of color to grace the cover of Seventeen magazine. She was also featured in layouts in the pages Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Young Miss and appeared in a Canada Dry soft drink TV commercial. Her striking looks and girl-next-door charm made her one of the most sought after teen models of that time. While modeling, she continued her burgeoning recording career by working with producers Ben Dover, Bill Laswell and Martin Bisi on an album they were spearheading called One Down, which was credited to the group Material. For that project, Houston contributed the ballad "Memories". Robert Christgau of the The Village Voice called her contribution "one of the most gorgeous ballads you've ever heard".
Houston had previously been offered several recording agencies (Michael Zager in 1980 and Elektra Records in 1981). In 1983, Gerry Griffith, an A&R representative from Arista Records saw her performing with her mother in a New York City nightclub and was impressed. He convinced Arista's head Clive Davis to make time to see Houston perform. Davis too was impressed and offered a worldwide recording contract which Houston signed. Later that year, she made her national televised debut alongside Davis on the The Merv Griffin Show.
Houston signed with Arista in 1983 but did not begin work on her album immediately. Davis wanted to ensure he had the right material and producers for Houston's debut album. Some producers had to pass on the project due to prior commitments. Houston first recorded a duet with Teddy Pendergrass entitled "Hold Me" which appeared on his album, Love Language.The single was released in 1984 and gave Houston her first taste of success, becoming a Top 5 R&B hit. It would also appear on her debut album in 1985.


1985–86: rise to prominence
With production from Michael Masser, Kashif, Jermaine Jackson and Narada Michael Walden, Houston's self-titled debut album was released in February 1985. Rolling Stone Magazine praised the new talent, calling her "one of the most exciting new voices in years" while The New York Times called the album "an impressive, musically conservative showcase for an exceptional vocal talent."After the dance-funk single "Someone For Me" failed to chart in both the US and UK, the album initially sold modestly and failed to make an impact. The release of the next single, the soulful ballad "You Give Good Love", peaked at #3 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 while going #1 on the R&B Charts. As a result, the album began to sell strongly before topping the R&B Album chart while Houston continued promoting the album while touring nightclubs in the US. She also began performing on popular night shows not usually accessible to black acts. The jazzy ballad "Saving All My Love for You" was released next and it would become Houston's first #1 hit single in both the US and the UK. She was now an opening act for singer Jeffrey Osborne on his nationwide tour. At the time, MTV had received harsh criticism for not playing enough videos by African-American artists while favoring rock acts. The next single, "How Will I Know", peaked at #1 and introduced Houston to the MTV audience thanks to its video. This would make the singer one of the first African-American female artists to receive rotation on the network. By 1986, a year after its initial release, Whitney Houston topped the Billboard 200 album chart and stayed there for 14 non-consecutive weeks. The final single, "Greatest Love of All," became Houston's biggest hit at the time after peaking #1 and remaining there for three weeks. At the time, Houston had released the best-selling debut album by a female artist, although Britney Spears has since taken that title. Houston then embarked on her world tour, Greatest Love Tour. The album had become an international success, and was certified 13x Platinum (diamond) in the United States alone.
At the 1986 Grammy Awards, Houston was nominated for three awards including Album of the Year. She was ineligible for the Best New Artist category due to her previous duet recording with Teddy Pendergrass in 1984. She won her first Grammy award for 'Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female' for "Saving All My Love for You". At the same award show, she performed that Grammy-winning hit, the performance later winning her an Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program. Houston won seven American Music Awards in total in 1986 and 1987, and an MTV Video Music Award.The album's popularity would also carry over to the 1987 Grammy Awards when "Greatest Love of All" would receive a Record of the Year nomination. Houston's debut is currently listed as one of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time and on The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame's Definitive 200 list.[40] Whitney Houston's grand entrance into the music industry is considered one of the 25 musical milestones of the last 25 years, according to USA Today. Following Houston's breakthrough, other African-American female artists such as Janet Jackson and Anita Baker were able to find notable success in popular music.
[edit]1987–91: Whitney, I'm Your Baby Tonight, and "The Star Spangled Banner"
Houston’s second album, Whitney, was released in June 1987. The album again featured production from Masser, Kashif and Walden as well as Jellybean Benitez. Many critics complained that the material was too similar to her previous album. Rolling Stone said, "the narrow channel through which this talent has been directed is frustrating." Still, the album was an enormous success. Houston became the first female artist in music history to debut at number one on the US and UK album chart while also hitting number one in several other countries around the world. The album's first four singles, "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)", "Didn't We Almost Have It All", "So Emotional", and "Where Do Broken Hearts Go" all peaked at number one on the US Hot 100, which gave her a total of seven consecutive number one hits, breaking the record of six previously shared by The Beatles and The Bee Gees. The album's fifth, and final single, "Love Will Save the Day" also became a Top 10 hit on the Hot 100. Whitney has been certified 9x Platinum in the US for shipments of over 9 million copies.
At the Grammy Awards in 1988, Houston was nominated for three awards, including Album of the Year, winning her second Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)". Also Houston won two American Music Awards in 1988 and 1989 respectively. Following the release of the album, Houston embarked on the Moment of Truth World Tour which was one of the ten highest grossing concert tours of 1987. The success of the tour and Houston's albums helped make her to rank #8 of the top 10 highest earning entertainers list according to Forbes Magazine. She was the highest earning African-American woman and the third highest entertainer after Bill Cosby and Eddie Murphy. The list included her concert grosses during 1986 and 1987.
Houston was a supporter of Nelson Mandela and the anti-apartheid movement. During her modeling days, the singer refused to work with any agencies who did business with the then apartheid South Africa. In June 1988, during the European leg of her tour, Houston joined other musicians to perform a set at Wembley Stadium in London to celebrate a then imprisoned Nelson Mandela's 70th birthday. Over 72,000 people filled Wembley Stadium, and over a billion people tuned in worldwide as the rock concert raised over $1 million for charities while bringing awareness to apartheid. Houston then flew back to the US for a concert at Madison Square Garden in New York City in August. The show was a benefit concert that raised a quarter of a million dollars for the United Negro College Fund. In the same year, she recorded a song for NBC's coverage of the 1988 Summer Olympics, "One Moment in Time", which became a Top 5 hit in the U.S., while reaching number one in the UK and Germany. With her current world tour continuing overseas, Houston was still one of the top 20 highest earning entertainers for 1987–1988 according to Forbes Magazine.
In 1989, Houston formed The Whitney Houston Foundation For Children, a non-profit organization that has raised funds for the needs of children around the world. The organization cares for homelessness, children with cancer and AIDS, and other issues of self-empowerment.
With the success of her first two albums, Houston was undoubtedly an international crossover superstar, the most prominent since Michael Jackson, appealing to all demographics. However, some black critics reasoned she was "selling out". They felt her singing on record lacked the soul that was present during her live concerts. At the 1989 Soul Train Music Awards, when Houston's name was called out for a nomination, a few in the audience jeered. Houston defended herself against the criticism, stating, "If you're gonna have a long career, there's a certain way to do it, and I did it that way. I'm not ashamed of it." Still, Houston took a more urban direction with her third studio album, I'm Your Baby Tonight, released in November 1990. She produced and chose producers for this album and as a result, it featured production and collaborations with L.A. Reid and Babyface, Luther Vandross, and Stevie Wonder. The album showed Houston's versatility on a new batch of tough rhythmic grooves, soulful ballads and up-tempo dance tracks. Reviews were mixed. Rolling Stone felt it was her "best and most integrated album". while Entertainment Weekly, called Houston's shift towards an urban direction "superficial". The album peaked at number three on the Billboard 200 and went on to be certified four times platinum in America while selling twelve million total worldwide. The first two singles, the new jack swing "I'm Your Baby Tonight" and the gospel-tinged "All The Man That I Need", each hit number one on both the Hot 100 and R&B singles charts. The third and fourth singles, "Miracle"; and "My Name Is Not Susan" peaked at numbers nine and twenty, respectively. A fifth single, "I Belong to You", peaked in the Top 10 on the R&B charts, while yet a sixth single, the duet with Stevie Wonder entitled, "We Didn't Know", made the R&B Top 20.
With America at war, Houston performed "The Star Spangled Banner" at Super Bowl XXV in January 1991. VH1 listed the performance as the 12th greatest moment that rocked TV. Her recording of the song was released as a commercial single, and reached the Top 20 on the US Hot 100, making her the only act to turn the national anthem into a pop hit of that magnitude (Jose Feliciano's version reached #50 in November 1968). Houston donated her share of the proceeds to the Red Cross. As a result, the singer was named to the Red Cross Board of Governors for her efforts. Later that year, Houston put together her Welcome Home Heroes concert with HBO for the soldiers fighting in the Gulf War and their families. The free concert took place at Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Virginia in front of 3,500 serviceman and women. HBO descrambled the concert so that it was free for everyone to watch.Houston's concert gave HBO its highest ratings ever. She then embarked on the I'm Your Baby Tonight World Tour.



1992–94: marriage to Bobby Brown and The Bodyguard
Throughout the 1980s, Houston was romantically linked to American football star Randall Cunningham and actor Eddie Murphy, whom she dated.[74] She then met R&B singer Bobby Brown (formerly of New Edition) at the 1989 Soul Train Music Awards. After a three year courtship, the two were married on July 18, 1992. Nearly a year later, Houston gave birth to their daughter Bobbi Kristina Houston Brown, her first (and as it turned out, only) child, his fourth, on March 4. Brown would go on to have several run-ins with the law, including some jail time. With the huge successes of her albums, movie offers poured in, including offers to work with Robert De Niro, Quincy Jones, and Spike Lee; but Houston felt the time wasn't right. Houston’s first film role was in The Bodyguard, released in 1992 and co-starring Kevin Costner. Houston plays Rachel Marron, a star who is stalked by a crazed fan and hires a bodyguard to protect her. USA Today listed it as one of the 25 most memorable movie moments of the last 25 years. The movie is also notable for not mentioning or needing to explain its interracial aspect. Houston's mainstream appeal allowed people to look at the movie color-blind. Still, controversy arose as some felt the film's ads intentionally hid Houston's face to hide the film's interracial aspect. In an interview with Rolling Stone Magazine in 1993, the singer commented that "people know who Whitney Houston is—I'm black. You can't hide that fact."Houston received a Razzie Award nomination for Worst Actress. The Washington Post said Houston is "doing nothing more than playing Houston, comes out largely unscathed if that is possible in so cockamamie an undertaking", and The New York Times said she lacked passion with her co-star. Despite the film's mixed reviews, it was hugely successful at the box office, grossing more than $121 million in the U.S. and $410 million worldwide, making it one of the top 100 grossing films domestically at its time of release, though it has since lost this standing.
The film's soundtrack was also a worldwide success. Houston executive produced and contributed six songs for the motion picture's adjoining soundtrack album. It featured production from David Foster. Entertainment Weekly said the two cover songs are "artistically satisfying". Rolling Stone said it is "nothing more than pleasant, tasteful and urbane". The soundtrack's lead single was "I Will Always Love You", written and originally recorded by Dolly Parton in 1974. Some, including Foster and radio programmers, were skeptical that the song would fare well on radio due to Houston's a capella intro. Still, the record company took the risk and released it as the first single and it became a massive international hit. The single peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for a then-record-breaking 14 weeks, number one on the R&B chart for a then-record-breaking 11 weeks, and number one on the Adult Contemporary charts for five weeks, thus becoming the first single to top those three charts simultaneously for five weeks. The song also hit number-one in nearly every other country worldwide. The soundtrack debuted at #1 and remained there for twenty non-consecutive weeks and became one of the fastest selling albums ever. At one point the soundtrack sold over a million copies within a week, becoming the first album to do so. With the follow-up singles "I'm Every Woman", a Chaka Khan cover, and "I Have Nothing" both peaking in the top five, Houston became the first female artist to ever have three singles in the Top 20 simultaneously. The album was certified 17x platinum in the United States with worldwide sales of 42 million. Houston won three Grammys for the album, including two of the Academy's highest honors, Album of the Year and Record of the Year. In addition, Houston won 8 American Music Awards, including the Award of Merit, and a BRIT award. Following the success of the project, Houston embarked on another expansive global tour in 1993 and 1994. Her concerts, movie, and recording grosses made her the third highest earning female entertainer of 1993–1994, just behind Oprah Winfrey and Barbra Streisand according to Forbes Magazine. Houston placed in the top five of Entertainment Weekly's annual "Entertainer of the Year" ranking and was labeled by Premier Magazine as one of the 100 most powerful people in Hollywood.
In October 1994, Houston was invited to perform at a state dinner at the White House honoring newly elected South African president Nelson Mandela. At the end of her world tour, Houston performed three concerts in South Africa to honor President Mandela, playing to over 200,000 people. This would make the singer the first major musician to visit the newly unified and apartheid free nation following Mandela's winning election. The event was considered the nation's "biggest media event since the inauguration of Nelson Mandela".



1995-97: Waiting to Exhale, The Preacher's Wife, and Cinderella
In 1995, Houston starred alongside Angela Bassett, Loretta Devine, and Lela Rochon in her second film Waiting to Exhale; a motion picture about four African-American women struggling with relationships. Houston plays the lead character Savannah Jackson, a TV producer in love with a married man. She chose the role because she saw the film as "a breakthrough for the image of black women because it presents them both as professionals and as caring mothers". After opening at number one and grossing $67 million in the US at the box office and $81 million worldwide, it proved that a movie primarily targeting a black audience can cross over to success, while paving the way for other all-black movies such as How Stella Got Her Groove Back and the Tyler Perry movies that have become popular in the 2000s. The film is also notable for its portrayal of black women as strong middle class citizens as opposed to stereotypes. The reviews were mainly positive for the ensemble cast. The New York Times said "Ms. Houston has shed the defensive hauteur that made her portrayal of a pop star in 'The Bodyguard' seem so distant." Houston was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for "Outstanding Actress In A Motion Picture," but lost to her co-star Bassett.
Like Houston's previous project, the film's accompanying soundtrack was also a huge hit.Houston co-produced, with Babyface, the soundtrack, Waiting to Exhale: Original Soundtrack Album. Though Babyface originally wanted Houston to record the entire album, she declined. Instead, she "wanted it to be an album of women with vocal distinction", and thus gathered several African-American female artists for the soundtrack, to go along with the film's strong women message. As a result, the album featured a range of contemporary R&B female recording artists along with Houston, such as Mary J Blige, Aretha Franklin, Toni Braxton, Patti Labelle, and Brandy. Houston's "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" peaked at #1, and then spent a record eleven weeks at the #2 spot and eight weeks on top of the R&B Charts. "Count On Me", a duet with CeCe Winans, hit the US Top 10; and Houston's third contribution, "Why Does It Hurt So Bad", made the Top 30. The album debuted at #1, and was certifed 7x Platinum in the United States, denoting shipments of 7 million copies. The soundtrack received strong reviews.[citation needed] Entertainment Weekly said "the album goes down easy, just as you'd expect from a package framed by Whitney Houston tracks.... the soundtrack waits to exhale, hovering in sensuous suspense" and has since ranked it as one of the 100 Best Movie Soundtracks. Newsday called it "the most significant R&B record of the decade." Later that year, Houston's children's charity organization was awarded a VH1 Honor for all the charitable work
In 1996, Houston starred in the holiday comedy The Preacher's Wife, with Denzel Washington. She plays a gospel-singing wife of a pastor (Courtney B. Vance). Houston earned $10 million for the role, making her one of the highest paid actress in Hollywood at the time and the highest earning African American actress in Hollywood. The movie, with its all African-American cast, was a moderate success, earning approximately $50 million at the U.S. box offices. The movie gave Houston her strongest reviews so far. The San Francisco Chronicle said Houston "is rather angelic herself, displaying a divine talent for being virtuous and flirtatious at the same time" and that she "exudes gentle yet spirited warmth, especially when praising the Lord in her gorgeous singing voice." Houston was again nominated for an NAACP Image Award and won for Outstanding Actress In A Motion Picture.
Houston recorded and co-produced, with Mervyn Warren, the film's accompanying gospel soundtrack. The Preacher's Wife: Original Soundtrack Album. included six gospel songs with Georgia Mass Choir that were recorded at the Great Star Rising Baptist Church in Atlanta. Houston also duetted with gospel legend Shirley Caesar. The album sold six million copies worldwide and scored hit singles with "I Believe in You and Me" and "Step by Step", becoming the largest selling gospel album of all time. The album received mainly positive reviews. Some critics, like USA Today, noted the presence of her emotional depth, while The UK Times said "To hear Houston going at full throttle with the 35 piece Georgia Mass Choir struggling to keep up is to realise what her phenomenal voice was made for."
In 1997, Houston's production company changed its name to BrownHouse Productions and was joined by Debra Martin Chase. Their goal was "to show aspects of the lives of African-Americans that have not been brought to the screen before" while improving how African-Americans are portrayed in film and television. Their first project was a made-for-television remake of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella. In addition to co-producing, Houston starred in the movie as the Fairy Godmother along with Brandy, Jason Alexander, Whoopi Goldberg, and Bernadette Peters. Houston was initially offered the role of Cinderella in 1993, but other projects intervened. The film is notable for its multi-racial cast and nonstereotypical message. An estimated 60 million viewers tuned into the special giving ABC its highest TV ratings in 16 years. The movie received seven Emmy nominations including Outstanding Variety, Musical or Comedy, while winning Outstanding Art Direction in a Variety, Musical or Comedy Special.
Houston and Chase then obtained the rights to the story of Dorothy Dandridge. Houston was to play Dandridge, who was the first African American actress to be nominated for an Oscar. She wanted the story told with dignity and honor. However, Halle Berry also had rights to the project and she got her version going first. Later that year, Houston paid tribute to her idols such as Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, and Billie Holliday by performing their hits during the three night HBO Concert Classic Whitney, live from Washington, D.C.. The special raised over $300,000 for the Children's Defense Fund.


1998–2000: My Love Is Your Love and Whitney: The Greatest Hits
After spending much of the early and mid 1990s working on motion pictures and their adjacent soundtrack albums, Houston's first studio album in eight years, the critically acclaimed My Love Is Your Love, was released in November 1998. Though originally slated to be a greatest hits album with a handful of new songs, recording sessions were so fruitful, enough material was produced for a new full-length studio album. Recorded and mixed in only six weeks, it featured production from Rodney Jerkins, Wyclef Jean and Missy Elliott. The album had a funkier and edgier sound than past releases and saw Houston handling urban dance, hip hop, reggae, mid-tempo R&B, torch songs, and ballads all with great dexterity.[citation needed] The album's first single, "When You Believe" (a duet with Mariah Carey for 1998s The Prince of Egypt soundtrack), became an international hit as it peaked in the Top 10 in several countries, the Top 20 in the U.S. and won an Academy Award. The soundtrack to the film debuted at number thirteen in the United States. The next three singles would all reach the Top Five. "Heartbreak Hotel", which featured Faith Evans and Kelly Price reached number 2 on the Hot 100, while topping the R&B chart for seven weeks. "It's Not Right but It's Okay", which won Houston her sixth Grammy Award; and "My Love Is Your Love" both reached number four and also became international hits as did the previous two singles. The album's fifth single, "I Learned from the Best", became a moderate hit, peaking at number twenty-seven in the United States. All singles, except "When You Believe", also became number one hits on the U.S. Dance/Clubplay Chart. The album went on to be certified four times platinum in the U.S, The album gave Houston some of her strongest reviews ever. Rolling Stone said Houston was singing "with a bite in her voice" and The Village Voice called it "Whitney's sharpest and most satisfying so far". In 1999, Houston participated in VH-1's Divas’ Live '99, alongside Mary J. Blige, Tina Turner, Cher. The same year, Houston hit the road with her 70 date My Love Is Your Love worldwide tour. The European leg was Europe's highest grossing arena tour of the year.
In May 2000, Whitney: The Greatest Hits was released. The double disc set peaked at number five in the United States and reached number one in the United Kingdom. While ballad songs were left unchanged, the album is notable for featuring house/club remixes of many of Houston's up-tempo hits, in place of their original version. Also included on the album were four new songs: "Could I Have This Kiss Forever" (a duet with Enrique Iglesias), "Same Script, Different Cast" (a duet with Deborah Cox), "If I Told You That" (a duet with George Michael), and "Fine", all of which failed to break the American Top 40, but were hits in the UK and several European countries. Along with the album, an accompanying DVD was also released of the music videos to Houston's greatest hits. The greatest hits album was certified triple platinum in the U.S., with worldwide sales of ten million. Houston and Chase, along with Warner Brothers, were then set to produce a remake of the 1976 film Sparkle about a 1960s singing group of three sisters in Harlem. Aaliyah, who was to star in the remake, was killed in a plane crash in 2001 before production began.
[edit]2000–05: Just Whitney, drug allegations, and personal struggles
Though Houston was seen as a "good girl" with a perfect image in the '80s and early '90s, during the late '90s her behavior changed. She was often hours late for interviews, photo shoots and rehearsals, and canceling concerts and talk-show appearances. With the missed performances and weight loss, rumors about Houston using drugs with her husband circulated. On January 11, 2000, airport security guards discovered marijuana in both Houston's and husband Bobby Brown's luggage at a Hawaiian airport, but the two boarded the plane and departed before authorities could arrive. Charges were later dropped against her and Brown, but rumors of drug usage between the couple would continue to surface. Two months later, Clive Davis was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Houston had been scheduled to perform at the event, but did not attend. Shortly thereafter, Houston was scheduled to perform at the Academy Awards but was fired from the event by musical director and long time friend Burt Bacharach. Though her publicist cited throat problems as the reason for the cancellation, many speculated it was drugs. In his book The Big Show: High Times And Dirty Dealings Backstage At The Academy Awards, author Steve Pond revealed that "Houston's voice was shaky, she seemed distracted and jittery, and her attitude was casual, almost defiant," and that while Houston was to sing "Over The Rainbow", she would start singing a different song. Houston later admitted to having been fired. Later that year, Houston's long-time executive assistant and friend, Robyn Crawford, resigned from Houston's management company.
In August 2001, Houston signed the biggest record deal in music history with Arista/BMG. She renewed her contract for $100 million to deliver six new albums, on which she would also earn royalties.She later made an appearance on Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Special. Her extremely thin frame further spurred rumors of drug use. Houston's publicist said, "Whitney has been under stress due to family matters, and when she is under stress she doesn't eat." The singer was scheduled for a second performance the following night but canceled. Within weeks, Houston's rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner" would be re-released after the terrorist attacks of September 11. The song peaked at #6 this time on the US Hot 100. Houston donated her portion of the proceeds.
In 2002, Houston became involved in a legal dispute with John Houston Enterprise. Although the company was started by her father to manage her career, it was now actually run by company president Kevin Skinner. He filed a breach-of-contract lawsuit and sued for $100 million (but lost), stating that Houston owed his company previously unpaid compensation for helping to negotiate her $100 million contract with Arista Records and for sorting out legal matters. Houston claimed that her 81-year-old father had nothing to do with the lawsuit. Although Skinner tried to claim otherwise, John Houston never appeared in court.Houston's father was ill at the time, and he died in February 2003. The lawsuit was dismissed on April 5, 2004, and Skinner was awarded nothing.
Also in 2002, Houston did an interview with Diane Sawyer to promote her upcoming album. During the prime-time special, Houston spoke on topics including rumored drug use and marriage. She was asked about the ongoing drug rumors and replied, "First of all, let's get one thing straight. Crack is cheap. I make too much money to ever smoke crack. Let's get that straight. Okay? We don't do crack. We don't do that. Crack is wack." The line would become infamous. Houston did, however, admit to using various substances at times.
In December 2002, Houston released her fifth studio album, Just Whitney. The album included productions from then-husband Bobby Brown, as well as Missy Elliott and Babyface, while marking the first time Houston did not produce with Clive Davis. It received mixed reviews upon release. Rolling Stone said the album "only shows an artist vainly trying to reach for what her future once could have been," while The San Francisco Chronicle said the album did "show signs of life, but not enough to declare a resurrection."[ The album debuted at #9 on the Billboard Hot 200 chart and had the highest first week sales of any album she had released. However, all the singles—"Whatchulookinat", "One of Those Days", and "Try It on My Own"—failed to reach the top 40 on the Hot 100 chart. (One of Those Days became a Top 40 hit on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles and Tracks.) All three singles (along with "Love That Man") would also become Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart, with two of the four hitting #1. Just Whitney was certified platinum in the United States.
In late 2003, Houston released her first holiday album One Wish: The Holiday Album, with a track listing of traditional Christmas songs. Houston produced the album with Gorden Chambers and Mervyn Warren. The album received positive reviews. The The New York Times praised the "lavish swoops, the sultry whispers, the gospelly asides and the meteoric crescendos." USA Today also gave the album a positive review, stating, "she finds satisfying ways to bring new life to old classics." The single "One Wish (for Christmas)" reached the Top 20 on the Adult Contemporary chart.
Houston spent most of 2004 touring Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Russia. In September 2004, she gave a surprise performance at the World Music Awards, in tribute to long time friend Clive Davis. Houston received a standing ovation for her performance. After the show, Davis and Houston announced plans to go into studio to work on her new album.
In early 2004, husband Bobby Brown starred in his own reality TV program, Being Bobby Brown (on the Bravo network), which provided a view into the domestic goings-on in the Brown household. Though it was Brown's vehicle, Houston was a prominent figure throughout the show. The series, which aired in 2005, featured Houston at, what some say, her lowest moments; many wondered why she took part in it. The Hollywood Reporter said it was "undoubtedly the most disgusting and execrable series ever to ooze its way onto television." Despite the perceived train-wreck nature of the show, it gave Bravo its highest ratings in its time slot. The show was not renewed for a second season after Houston stated she would no longer appear on it, and Brown and Bravo could not come to an agreement for another season.
In a 2009 interview with Oprah Winfrey, Houston admitted to using drugs with Brown. She said, "My mom came to my house and she told me, 'You have to go to rehab now.'"
[edit]2006–present: Return to music, I Look To You and tour


An advertisement for Houston's Nothing but Love world tour. This ad is for a concert in Paris.
After years of controversy and turmoil, Houston separated from Bobby Brown in September 2006, filing for divorce the next month. On February 1, 2007, Houston asked the court to fast track their divorce The divorce was finalized on April 24, 2007, with Houston granted custody of the couple's daughter. Less than a month later, Brown sued Houston in Orange County, California court in an attempt to change the terms of their custody agreement. Brown also sought child and spousal support from Houston. In the lawsuit, Brown claimed that financial and emotional problems prevented him from properly responding to Houston's divorce petition. Brown lost at his court hearing as the judge dismissed his appeal to overrule the custody terms, leaving Houston with full custody and Brown with no spousal support.
In March 2007, Clive Davis of Arista Records announced that Houston would begin recording a new album.In October 2007, Arista released The Ultimate Collection. Houston released her new album, I Look To You, on August 2009. The album's first two singles are "I Look To You" and "Million Dollar Bill". The album entered the Billboard 200 at #1, with Houston's best opening-week sales of 305,000 copies, marking Houston's first number one album since The Bodyguard , and Houston's first studio album to reach number one since 1987's Whitney. Houston gave her first interview in seven years, appearing on Oprah Winfrey's season premiere on September 2009. The interview was billed as "the most anticipated music interview of the decade". Houston has also appeared on European television programs to promote the album. She performed the song "I Look To You" on the German television show Wetten Dass. Three days later, she performed the worldwide first single from I Look To You, Million Dollar Bill, on the French television show Le Grand Journal. Houston appeared as guest mentor on the The X Factor in the United Kingdom. She performed "Million Dollar Bill" on the following day's results show, completing the song even as a strap in the back of her dress popped open two minutes into the performance. She later commented that she "sang [herself] out of [her] clothes". The performance was poorly received by the British media, and was variously described as "weird" and "ungracious" "shambolic" and a "flop". Despite this reception, "Million Dollar Bill" jumped to its peak from 14 to number 5 (her first UK top 5 for over a decade), and three weeks after release "I Look To You" went gold. Houston redeemed herself by appearing on the Italian version of X Factor performing the same song "Million Dollar Bill" to good reviews. She was awarded the Gold Certificate for achieving over 50,000 CD sales of "I Look To You" in Italy. In November, Houston performed "I Didn't Know My Own Strength" at the 2009 American Music Awards in Los Angeles, California. The performance had one of the best, if not the best reviews on the night. Two days later, Houston performed both songs on the Dancing With The Stars season 9 finale. As of December 2009, "I Look to You" has been certified platinum by the RIAA for sales that exceed of one million copies, in the United States. However, the album did not receive any Grammy nominations. On January 26, 2010, Houston re released her 25th anniversary edition of her debut album, entitled Whitney Houston – The Deluxe Anniversary Edition.
Jan 2010, Houston was nominated for 2 NAACP Image Awards, one for Best Female Artist and one for Best Music Video. She won the award for best Music Video for her single I Look to You. On January 16, she received the BET Honors Award for Entertainer citing her lifetime achievements spanning over 25 years in the industry. The 2010 BET Honors was held at the Warner Theatre in Washington, DC and aired Feb 1, 2010. Jennifer Hudson and Kim Burrell performed in honor of her, garnering positive reviews. Houston also received a nomination from the Echo Awards, Germany's version of the Grammys, for Best International Artist.
In 2009, Houston embarked on a world tour, entitled the Nothing but Love tour. It is her first world tour for over ten years and was announced as a triumphant comeback. However, poor reviews and cancelled concerts have brought negative media interest with questions of whether Houston is able to continue performing.
In April 2010, UK newspaper The Mirror reported that Houston is already thinking about recording her seventh studio album and would like to collaborate with will.i.am (of the Black Eyed Peas) who is top of the singer's first list of people she would like to collaborate with.


Legacy

Voice and influence
See also: List of Whitney Houston awards
During the 1980s, MTV was coming into its own and received harsh criticism for not playing enough videos by black artists. With Michael Jackson breaking down the color barrier for black male artists, Houston did the same for black female artists. She became one of the few black female artists to receive heavy rotation on the network following the success of the "How Will I Know" video. Following Houston's breakthrough, other African-American female artists, such as Janet Jackson and Anita Baker, were successful in popular music. Baker commented that "Because of what Whitney did, there was an opening for me... For radio stations, black women singers aren't taboo anymore". The New York Times stated that "Houston was a major catalyst for a movement within black music that recognized the continuity of soul, pop, jazz and gospel vocal traditions". Mary J. Blige commented that Houston's inviting her onstage during VH1's Divas Live show in 1999 "opened doors for [her] all over the world".
Houston's debut is currently listed as one of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time by Rolling Stone magazine[ and is on Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's Definitive 200 list. Houston's entrance into the music industry is considered one of the 25 musical milestones of the last 25 years, according to USA Today. In 1997, the Franklin School in East Orange, New Jersey was renamed to The Whitney E. Houston Academy School of Creative and Performing Arts. In 2001, Houston was awarded the first annual Lifetime Achievement Award by BET.
Houston is a mezzo-soprano. Her vocal range extends from G below middle C (G3) to high B-flat (B♭5), she can belt to high F(F5). She came in third on MTV's 22 Greatest Voices, sixth on Online Magazine COVE's list of the 100 Best Pop Vocalists with a score of 48.5/50, and thirty-fourth on Rolling Stone 100 Greatest Singers list.
Houston's vocal stylings have had a significant impact on the music industry. She is commonly referred to as "The Voice," in reference to her exception vocal talent. According to The New York Times, Houston has "revitalized the tradition of strong gospel-oriented pop-soul singing". Ann Powers of the Los Angeles Times referred to the singer as a "national treasure". She is what many consider to be a "singer's singer" who has influenced countless other vocalists, both female and male. A number of artists have acknowledged Houston as an influence. Mariah Carey, who was often compared to Houston, said, "Houston has been a big influence on me." She later told USA Today that "none of us would sound the same if Aretha Franklin hadn't ever put out a record, or Whitney Houston hadn't". Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson cites Houston as her biggest musical influence. She told Newsday that she learned from Houston the "difference between being able to sing and knowing how to sing". Leona Lewis, who also has been compared to Houston, cites her as an influence. Lewis has stated that she idolized Houston as a little girl. Beyoncé Knowles told the Globe and Mail that Houston "inspired [her] to get up there and do what [she] did." Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears, Alicia Keys, P!nk, Robin Thicke,Jennifer Hudson and Destiny's Child have all cited Houston as a musical inspiration. In 2009, Rolling Stone listed Houston as one of the 100 greatest singers of the rock era.


Discography

Whitney Houston discography
Studio albums
1985: Whitney Houston
1987: Whitney
1990: I'm Your Baby Tonight
1998: My Love Is Your Love
2002: Just Whitney
2003: One Wish: The Holiday Album
2009: I Look to You
Soundtrack albums
1992: The Bodyguard
1995: Waiting to Exhale
1996: The Preacher's Wife
Compilation and other albums
2000: Whitney: The Greatest Hits
2001: Love, Whitney
2007: The Ultimate Collection


Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes and Awards
1992 The Bodyguard Rachel Marron Main Role / nominated for Best Female Performance, Best Breakthrough Performance, and Best On-Screen Duo with co-star Kevin Costner at The 2nd MTV Movie Awards in 1993, as well as for a Razzie Award for "Worst Actress" in 1992.
1995 Waiting to Exhale Savannah Jackson Main Role / nominated for NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture in 1996.
1996 The Preacher's Wife Julia Biggs Main Role / won for NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture in 1997and nominated for Favorite Movie Actress at 1997 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards.
2004 Nora's Hair Salon As Herself Cameo Appearance
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1984 Gimme a Break! Rita "Katie's College" (Season 3, Episode 20)
1985 Silver Spoons As Herself "Head Over Heels" (Season 4, Episode 1)
1997 Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella Fairy Godmother Made for television and premiered on ABC's Wonderful World of Disney November 2, 1997.
2003 Boston Public As Herself Cameo Appearance (Season 3, Episode 22)
TV Commercial
Year Company Promoting Country Notes
1983 Dr Pepper/Seven Up Canada Dry
(soft drink beverage) United States Houston appeared on this commercial before debut as a professional singer and sang the praises of sugar free Canada Dry Ginger Ale.
1986 Coca-Cola Diet Coke
(soft drink beverage) United States Houston sang the Diet Coke theme song, "Just for the Taste of It."
1988 Coca-Cola Diet Coke
(soft drink beverage) United States Houston sang other version of the Diet Coke theme song.
1990 SANYO Electronics
(the stereo, TV) Japan Houston sang theme song, "Takin' A Chance" produced by Keith Thomas. It was released as a single CD in Japan and included the Japanese version of the "I'm Your Baby Tonight" album.
1994–1995 AT&T Telephone services United States Houston sang the theme song, "True Voice".
Production
Year Title Director Notes
1997 Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella Robert Iscove Executive Producer
2001 The Princess Diaries Garry Marshall Producer
2003 The Cheetah Girls Oz Scott Producer
2004 The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement Garry Marshall Producer
2006 The Cheetah Girls 2: When in Spain Kenny Ortega Co-Executive Producer

Tours and concerts

Main article: List of Whitney Houston tours and concerts
World tours
1986: Greatest Love Tour
1987–1988: Moment of Truth World Tour
1991: I'm Your Baby Tonight World Tour
1993–1994: The Bodyguard World Tour
1999: My Love Is Your Love World Tour
2009–2010: Nothing But Love World Tour
Regional tours
1990: Feels So Right Tour (Japan Only)
1997: The Pacific Rim Tour
1998: The European Tour
2004: Soul Divas Tour
Notable concerts
1991: Welcome Home Heroes with Whitney Houston
1994: The Concert for a New South Africa
1997: Classic Whitney Live from Washington, D.C.

Further reading

Bowman, Jeffrey (1995). Diva: The Totally Unauthorized Biography of Whitney Houston. Harpercollins. ISBN 978-0061008535.
Ammons, Kevin (1996). Good Girl, Bad Girl: An Insider's Biography of Whitney Houston. Citadel Press. ISBN 978-1559723794.
Parish, James Robert (2003). Whitney Houston: The Biography. Aurum Press. ISBN 978-1854109217.

Whitney Houston chart records and achievements
List of Whitney Houston awards
Grammy nominations for Whitney Houston
List of artists by total number of USA number one singles
American Music Award nominations for Whitney Houston
List of best-selling music artists
List of artists who reached number one on the Hot 100 (U.S.)
List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance chart
Source:wikipedia