‘Sizzling Hot Actor’ Hall Of Fame Inductee

Hello, and welcome back!  Today here in Minnesota it is snowing, snowing and well…snowing!  I have the day off work, and haven’t been able to hardly get out of the house except to shovel snow and get my headlight replaced on my car.  We have probably got at minimum 10 inches of new snow since last night.  It white, it’s fluffy and it sucks!!  What I would give to fly down to Florida and have a sunny and warm Christmas this year. ☺

Anyway, enough about the cold, snowy weather, it’s time to move on to something hotter.  Congratulations are in order to my very first “sizzling hot actor” hall of fame inductee…Richard Gere.  Richard is one fine actor, and one heck of a hot man.  My partner Warren always gives me crap when we watch Richard’s films, as he knows how much I love to admire Mr. Gere.  One of the first days after we met, I had told Warren about my “Top 5” hot actor list; those actors whom I really loved to look at.   I thought that they were all “sizzling hotties” – actors who I thought were very attractive.  Richard was in my top five list at that time, over 9 years ago, and he remains there today.  He is definitely worthy of my first Hall of Fame induction.

Here is a little insight on Richard, some background and a brief look into some of his films…

Humanitarian and actor, Richard Gere was born on August 31, 1949, in Philadelphia. The second of five children, his father, Homer, was an insurance salesman, and his mother was Doris. Richard started early as a musician, playing a number of instruments in high school and writing music for high school productions. He graduated from North Syracuse Central High School in 1967, and won a gymnastics scholarship to the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, where he majored in philosophy. He left college after two years to pursue acting, landing a lead role in the London production of the rock musical “Grease” in 1973. The following year he would be in other plays, such as “Taming of the Shrew.” Onscreen, he had a few roles, and gained recognition in “Looking for Mr. Goodbar” in 1977. Offscreen, he spent 1978 meeting Tibetans when he traveled to Nepal, where he spoke to many monks and lamas. Returning to the US, on Broadway he portrayed a concentration-camp prisoner in “Bent,” for which he received the 1980 Theatre World Award. Back in Hollywood, he played the title role in “American Gigolo” in 1980, establishing himself as a major star; this status was re-affirmed by “An Officer and a Gentleman” in 1982. In the early 1980s, Richard went to Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador (amidst ongoing wars and political violence); he traveled with a doctor and visited refugee camps. It is said that he was romantically linked with lovely Brazilian painter Sylvia Martins. In 1990 Richard teamed up with Julia Roberts to star in the blockbuster “Pretty Woman” in 1990; his cool reserve was the perfect complement to Julia’s bubbling enthusiasm. The film captured the nation’s heart, and won the People’s Choice award for Best Movie. Fans clamored for years for a sequel, or at least another pairing of Julia and Richard. They got their wish with “Runaway Bride” in 1999, which was a runaway success (Richard got $12 million, Julia made $17 million, the box office was $152 million, which shows what happens when you give the public what it wants!). Offscreen, Richard and Cindy Crawford got married December 12, 1991 (they were divorced in 1995). Afterwards, Richard started dating actress Carey Lowell. They had a son, Homer James Jigme Gere, on February 6, 2000. Richard was picked by People magazine as one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the world in 1991, and as their Sexiest Man Alive in 1999. He is an accomplished pianist and music writer. Above all, Richard is a humanitarian. He’s a founding member of “Tibet House,” a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of Tibetan culture. He has been an active supporter of “Survival International” for several years, a worldwide organization supporting tribal peoples, affirming their right to decide their own future and helping them protect their lives, lands and human rights (these tribes are global, including the Indians of the Amazon, the Maasai of East Africa, the Wichi of Argentina, and others). In 1994 Richard went to London to open Harrods’ sale, donating his $50,000 appearance fee to Survival. He has been prominent in their charity advertising campaigns. He says, “If people lose their land, they have nothing. You lose your land, you lose your culture, you lose self.” As for the duty of rich nations helping developing countries, Richard says, “This planet can’t exist anymore unless all peoples are taken into account. The he suffering does not limit itself to one body; it goes through the entire body”.

How about some facts and trivia about Richard…

- Is the second of five children born to Homer and Doris Gere
- People Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive in 1999
- Graduated from North Syracuse Central High School in 1967
- Was a member of the student council, gymnastics team, lacrosse team, and ski team
- Won a gymnastics scholarship to the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he majored in philosophy; he dropped out in 1969 to pursue acting.
- Listed as one of twelve “Promising New Actors of 1977″ in John Willis’ Screen World, Vol. 29
- A Buddhist for over a decade, Gere was banned from the Oscars once after making anti-China comments on the air at the 1993 ceremony
- Cindy Crawford and Richard were married in December 1991 by Rev. Wes McPherson at the Little Church of the West, Las Vegas
- He appeared in the music video and sang in the choir on the song “Voices That Care”
- Chosen by People magazine as one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the world in 1991
- An accomplished pianist and music writer; in fact, he composed and performed the piano solo featured in Pretty Woman
- His son, with actress Carey Lowell, Homer James Jigme Gere, was born on February 6th, 2000 in New York City weighing in at 8 pounds, 12 ounces
- When the Chinese Government asked Gere to one of their film festivals, Gere would attend two conditions: 1) That he was allowed to bring his own interpreter and 2) That he would stay in Taipei, Taiwan during his visit – the government agreed and Gere went to the festival
- Named his son: Homer James Jigme – “Jigme” means “fearless” in Tibetan
- Turned down the lead role in “Die Hard” which went to Bruce Willis
- Is referenced in the 2001 hit song “Crying at the Discothéque” by Swedish dance group Alcazar
- Is Irish-American
- He trained for five months for the tap dance scene in “Chicago”
- Some of his earliest photos, known as “head shots” were taken by a boyhood friend and struggling photographer Herb Ritts – the people handling Gere were so impressed with the photos, they began hiring Ritts for other assignments and he is now a top photographer
- Agreed to a small role in the HBO film “And the Band Played On” in 1993 despite the prevalent belief in the film industry it would be detrimental to his career – subsequently, stars like Steve Martin, Alan Alda, Phil Collins and Anjelica Huston were willing to appear
- Visited Kosovo’s fugitives in Macedonia, during the Kosovo’s crisis in 1999
- On the November 16, 2007 episode of “Live with Regis and Kathie Lee” in 1989, he cleared up the fact he is not vegetarian but has not eaten red meat for 30 years
- Is President of The Gere Foundation, founded in 1991 – the non-profit organization focusing on international humanitarian issues, with emphasis on Tibet
- In the three films that made him a star, “Days of Heaven”, “American Gigolo”, and “An Officer and a Gentleman” his role had been turned down by John Travolta
- In a London Evening Standard interview to promote “Chicago”, he claimed to have brought a 750cc Triumph T140V Bonneville from Triumph’s Meriden factory with his first paycheck while touring with the stage production of “Grease” – he also rode the same updated model, a 1978 T140E, in “An Officer and a Gentleman” and an even earlier model, a 1960s 650cc T120R Bonneville in “Mr. Jones”
- Harvard University’s Hasty Pudding Theatricals’ 2006 Man of the Year
- Turned down the role of Gordon Gekko in “Wall Street” – has since said that is the role he regrets passing on the most
- For his role as Clifford Irving in “The Hoax”, Gere shaved back his hairline, got a perm, and even altered the appearance of his nose to fit the part
- In 1993, People Magazine didn’t name a “Sexiest Man Alive”, but named Richard and his then-wife Cindy Crawford as Sexiest Couple’
- Was among the guests at Tom Cruise’s and Katie Holmes’s wedding
- Was a Boy Scout
- He is very active in AIDS fundraising
- Worked with Nina Van Pallandt in “American Gigolo”, and then played her lover Clifford Irving in “The Hoax”, in which she was played by Julie Delpy

Instead of a normal “top five” list, I wanted to provide you a look at my “Top 7” Richard Gere films.  Here they are in order of importance to me, and a quick look synopsis for each film.

7. Primal Fear: In Chicago, an Archbishop has been brutally murdered, and a sweet-faced altar boy named Aaron — who was seen fleeing the scene of the crime and whose clothes were soaked in blood — is charged with the crime. Aaron claims he was present when the murder occurred, but that he is not the killer. Coming to Aaron’s rescue in this high-profile case is Martin Vail, a cocky lawyer who loves the media’s spotlight as much as he loves his job. The legal road ahead of Martin and Aaron is filled with many obstacles, including a very determined prosecuting attorney (who’s Martin’s ex-lover), revelations about the Archbishop’s “relationship” with the altar boys, and Aaron himself, who has a very violent, repugnant second personality named Roy. Is Aaron/Roy guilty? Or is he taking the fall for someone else?

Powerful, media-hungry Chicago defense attorney Martin Vail (Richard Gere) gets in over his head when he takes the case of an altar boy (Edward Norton making his film debut) accused of murdering an archbishop. His opponent for the prosecution is his former protege and lover Janet Venable (Laura Linney), who’s out to make this her watershed case. A suspenseful courtroom with a truly unexpected ending, this drama is based on the novel by William Diehl.

6. First Knight: On the way to meet King Arthur, her future husband and ally, Lady Guenevere and her retinue are attacked by Arthur’s mortal enemy, the malicious Malagant. Prince Malagant wants possession of Guinevere’s land, which lies between Arthur’s kingdom and his own. However, the daring Lancelot intercedes and foils the attack. In return, this roaming-sword-for-hire asks for a kiss from the lovely Lady — a request that Guinevere coldly refuses. They meet again when Lancelot turns up at one of Camelot’s public tournaments, and proves to Arthur that he deserves to become the King’s first knight. So when Malagant strikes again, kidnapping Queen Guinevere, Lancelot once more serves as her rescuer. But now, Guinevere’s reaction is no longer chilly — and the two proceed to fall in love, betraying Arthur’s trust and friendship.

Lancelot (Richard Gere) is a rogue with no ties, no enemies, and no fear- until he meets Lady Guinevere of Leonesse (Julia Ormond). She has promised to marry King Arthur (Sean Connery), not only because his armies can protect her country, but because she truly loves him. But her chance encounter with Lancelot as she prepared to enter Camelot stirs conflicting and powerful emotions within her. Arthur welcomes both into his city with open heart, little foreseeing how his great capacity for love and trust opens the doors for his own betrayal.

5. An Officer And A Gentlemen: In this popular romance, Richard Gere plays Zack Mayo, a self-serving, cynical loner desperately hoping to earn a naval commission to become a jet pilot. His single-minded focus on getting though Officer Candidate School is unexpectedly waylaid by his involvement with a local girl (Debra Winger) and his newfound friendships in the ranks, so Zack finds that achieving his dreams may not be a solo pursuit after all. Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warren sing the memorable Academy Award-winning theme song “Up Where We Belong.”

Zack Mayo (Richard Gere) has nothing–the son of an alcoholic, indifferent military father, he’s grown up in the Philippines living on top of a brothel. But after college he decides he wants more and, despite his father’s mockery, enrolls in the navy’s Officer Candidate School to become a jet pilot. His sergeant, brilliantly played by Louis Gossett Jr., makes his life a living hell from day one, but Zack won’t quit. The candidates are warned to stay away from the local girls looking for naval husbands, but Zack and his bunkmate, Sid (David Keith), find themselves falling for two friends, Paula (Debra Winger) and Lynette (Lisa Blount), who work at the local paper mill. Zack fights his feelings for Paula, determined to let nothing sway him from his goals. But as the hellish weeks of training go by, Zack begins to see that maybe he can’t do it alone–and that what’s getting him through are his friends in the ranks, and the girl he’s been pushing away. Widely acclaimed at the time of its release, director Taylor Hackford’s inspiring film is a romance for the ages.

4. Final Analysis: Set in San Francisco, this psychological thriller pits a smart and determined psychiatrist (Richard Gere) against two beautiful, inscrutable, and potentially dangerous sisters (Uma Thurman and Kim Basinger). After soliciting the help of a patient’s older sister in order to help him understand her past, he begins an illicit affair that lures him into treacherous waters. The resulting triangle explodes into murder, a trial, and numerous double-crosses.

3. American Gigolo: Richard Gere is Julian Kay, a slick emotionally and spiritually deprived L.A. hustler in AMERICAN GIGOLO. While servicing an upscale clientele in the Hollywood area, he becomes involved with a rich senator’s wife (Lauren Hutton), their relationship extending beyond Julian’s normal encounters. Little does he know he is about to be framed for murder, forcing him to rely on alibis from Madame Anne (Nina Van Pallandt), a crooked pimp (Bill Duke), or the senator’s wife herself. A stylishly sleazy look at moral decay and redemption, director Paul Schrader combines a European cinematic sensibility with his usual themes of moral drift and emotional alienation in this vivid portrait of early 1980s chic Hollywood decadence.

2. Pretty Woman: While driving back to his Beverly Hills hotel, millionaire corporate raider Edward Lewis takes a wrong turn and ends up on Hollywood Boulevard, where he meets prostitute Vivian Ward. She steers him back to his hotel, charming him along the way, and he decides to hire her for the rest of the evening. In the morning, Edward realizes that he could use an escort for the week, so he hands Vivian $3000 to stay — and sends her on a fantasy shopping spree. What begins as a purely business transaction develops into something more, but can a poor prostitute and a rich businessman really live happily ever after?

In the Cinderella story that made Julia Roberts a star, a corporate raider hires a hooker to pose as his girlfriend for a week… and falls in love. Meanwhile, she wonders if the straight life – with him – might be a dream come true. Academy Award Nominations: Best Actress–Julia Roberts.

1. The Jackal: The United States is trying to help the New Russia in the war against organized crime in that country. Presently, they are after Terek Murad, a deadly crime boss. When they raid one of his establishments, Murad’s brother is killed. Murad seeks revenge against the ones who killed his brother, FBI agent Carter Preston and Russian Major Valentina Koslova, but most of all, he wants to send a message to the Americans about interfering in matters that don’t concern them, so he hires an international assassin to kill the head of the FBI. When the assassin advises Murad to go into hiding until the job is done, he does. Desperate to know what Murad is doing, Preston allows the Russians to abduct Murad’s errand boy and torture him to find out, and he utters the word “Jackal” which Preston recognizes as the name of an international assassin. They have to find him but unfortunatly, there is noone who knows who he is except for one person, whom they have to find and the only person who knows where that person is, is Declan Mulqueen, an IRA man, who is in prison, they offer to reduce his sentence is he helps them but refuses because all he wants is to be freed, so they decide to leave but he tells them that he knows who the Jackal is. So they release him and together they try to find the Jackal before he makes his move which won’t be easy because he is very wily.

Well there you have it, my favorite Richard Gere films, and my top pick “The Jackal” starring Richard Gere and Bruce Willis – I love this movie!   Richard also has the honor of becoming my very first inductee into the “Sizzling Hot Actor Hall of Fame”.  Which Richard Gere film is your favorite, one from my list, or another from his wonderful career?  Maybe you enjoyed one of these films: “Shall We Dance”, “Chicago”, “Red Corner”, “Breathless”, “Bee Season”,  “The Cotton Club”, “The Hoax”, “Internal Affairs”, “The Mothman Prophecies”, “Mr. Jones”, “No Mercy”, “Runaway Bride”, or “Unfaithful”.

No matter what Richard stars in, it’s worthy of watching.  Not only to see him act, as he is an exceptional actor, but to just “check him out”.  Richard, you are admired by this blogger; never stop doing what you’re doing!

Everyone have a great weekend.  Warren and I are heading out of town early tomorrow morning, while battling the snow in the process.  We are heading down to Minneapolis, and will be doing a little shopping and probably hitting the town on Saturday night…maybe we will see you at the Eagle and Bolt!  Sunday we are having Christmas with my family, so the gifts will be in abundance.  Sunday night after eating far too much food, opening too many gifts, and watching the Vikings win…we will head back home.

I will talk to you again next week.  Take care and enjoy your weekend!

Steve