Boxing and Hong Kong entertainment lost two major icons this week - Joe Frazier and Ricky Hui.
Read all about them here. From Wikipedia.
JOE FRAZIER
Joseph William Frazier, (January 12, 1944 - November 7, 2011) was a former Olympic and Undisputed World Heavyweight boxing champion, whose professional career lasted from 1965 to 1976, with a brief comeback in 1981.
Frazier emerged as the top contender in the late 1960s, defeating the likes of Jerry Quarry, Oscar Bonavena, Buster Mathis, Eddie Machen, Doug Jones, George Chuvalo and Jimmy Ellis en route to becoming undisputed heavyweight champion in 1970, and followed up by defeating Muhammad Ali on points in the highly-anticipated Fight of the Century in 1971.
Two years later Frazier lost his title when he was knocked out by George Foreman. He fought on, beating Joe Bugner, losing a rematch to Ali, and beating Quarry and Ellis again.
Frazier's last world title challenge came in 1975, but he was beaten by Ali in their brutal rubbermatch. He retired in 1976 following a second loss to Foreman. He made a comeback in 1981, fighting just once, before retiring for good.
The International Boxing Research Organisation (IBRO) rates Frazier among the ten greatest heavyweights of all time. He is an inductee of both the International Boxing Hall of Fame and the World Boxing Hall of Fame.
After retiring Frazier made cameo appearances in several Hollywood movies, and two episodes of The Simpsons.
His son Marvis became a boxer - trained by Frazier himself - although was unable to emulate his father's success.
Frazier continued to train fighters in his gym in Philadelphia. His later years saw the continuation of his bitter rivalry with Ali, in which the two periodically exchange insults, interspersed with brief reconciliations.
Frazier died of cancer on November 7, 2011.
He hailed from Beaufort in South Carolina.
RICKY HUI
Ricky Hui Koon Ying (August 3, 1946 - November 8, 2011), who died of a heart ailment last Tuesday, will always be remembered as a gifted comedian from Hong Kong.
He was one third of the iconic Hui Brothers who also included comedian, producer and director Michael and singer, composer, lyricist and producer Samuel Hui.
Ricky was born in Guangdong and migrated to Hong Kong in 1950. His father was a violinist. In 1972, he joined Shaw Brothers productions as an actor and his early films included The Lizard, The Sugar Daddies and Hong Kong 73.
He later appeared with his brothers in The Private Eyes (1976). Other notable films he starred in were Games People Play (1979), The Contract (1978) [with his brothers], From Riches To Rags (1979) [directed by John Woo], Chicken And Duck Talk (1988) [with his brothers] and The Magic Touch (1992).
Ricky was also a talented singer who released 7 albums.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Farewell Mr Jobs. You Will Go Down In History As A Modern Day Al-Ghazali.
RIP Steve Jobs. You will go down in history as a modern day Al-Ghazali, Rumi, Ibnu Sina, Ibnu Rushd, Ibnu Khaldun, Ibnu Haytham and Al-Razi.
Monday, August 22, 2011
Azizi Abdullah - Prolific Novelist
Thanks, New Straits Times.
Novelist Azizi Abdullah, who passed away of a long illness at 69 on August 11, 2011, will always be remembered as a prolific writer of the Malay language.
The author from Kulim, Kedah is best remembered for penning the Malay novel Seorang Tua Di Kaki Gunung (The Old Man By The Hill) which was a brutally honest critique of the rural-urban divide in the country. The novel was also made into a mini series starring veteran actor Tamam Idris in the 1980s. It was also made into a Form Five text 20 years ago.
Novelist Azizi Abdullah, who passed away of a long illness at 69 on August 11, 2011, will always be remembered as a prolific writer of the Malay language.
The author from Kulim, Kedah is best remembered for penning the Malay novel Seorang Tua Di Kaki Gunung (The Old Man By The Hill) which was a brutally honest critique of the rural-urban divide in the country. The novel was also made into a mini series starring veteran actor Tamam Idris in the 1980s. It was also made into a Form Five text 20 years ago.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
About Klang.
From Wikipedia.
Klang is the royal town and former capital of Selangor.
It is the namesake of the Klang Valley (the metropolitan area of Kuala Lumpur) and the Klang River which separates Klang town into north and south sections.
Klang is also the main port of Malaysia.
Klang borders Shah Alam to the east, Kuala Selangor to the north, the Straits of Melaka to the west and Banting (Kuala Langat) to the south.
Klang was one of Malaysia's earliest tin mining regions.
In 1880 it was replaced as capital of Selangor by Kuala Lumpur.
Klang is home to several museums and the famous fishing island Pulau Ketam. Its famous cusine includes Bak Kut Teh (pork ribs soup) and Chee Cheong Fun (fettucini-like noodles coated in mushroom sauce and sprinkled with fried shallots) and Cendol (green rice noodles soaked in a coconut milk and brown sugar soup).
Famous personalities from Klang include former Cabinet Ministers Datuk Seri Harun Idris and Tengku Adnan Mansor, singers Ahmad Jais, Azri Abdullah, Ellyana Emrizal and Guy Sebastian, actors Norlia Ghani, Hamid Gurkha, Rusdi Ramli and Eja, entertainment journalist Joe Lee and businessman Datuk Jason Goh.
Klang is the royal town and former capital of Selangor.
It is the namesake of the Klang Valley (the metropolitan area of Kuala Lumpur) and the Klang River which separates Klang town into north and south sections.
Klang is also the main port of Malaysia.
Klang borders Shah Alam to the east, Kuala Selangor to the north, the Straits of Melaka to the west and Banting (Kuala Langat) to the south.
Klang was one of Malaysia's earliest tin mining regions.
In 1880 it was replaced as capital of Selangor by Kuala Lumpur.
Klang is home to several museums and the famous fishing island Pulau Ketam. Its famous cusine includes Bak Kut Teh (pork ribs soup) and Chee Cheong Fun (fettucini-like noodles coated in mushroom sauce and sprinkled with fried shallots) and Cendol (green rice noodles soaked in a coconut milk and brown sugar soup).
Famous personalities from Klang include former Cabinet Ministers Datuk Seri Harun Idris and Tengku Adnan Mansor, singers Ahmad Jais, Azri Abdullah, Ellyana Emrizal and Guy Sebastian, actors Norlia Ghani, Hamid Gurkha, Rusdi Ramli and Eja, entertainment journalist Joe Lee and businessman Datuk Jason Goh.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Shammi Kapoor - Bollywood Idol.
From Wikipedia.
Shammi Kapoor, who passed away on Aug 14, 2011 will always be remembered as one of the screen gods of Bollywood.
The Punjabi actor and director was an icon of Hindi language cinema from the 1950s to the 1970s.
Born in Mumbai on Oct 21, 1931, he debuted in Bollywood in 1953 with the film Jeevan Jyoti, and went on to deliver hits like Tumsa Nahin Dekha, Dil Deke Dekho, Junglee, Dil Tera Diwana, Professor, China Town, Rajkumar, Kashmir Ki Kali, Janwar, Teesri Manzil, An Evening In Paris, Bramhachari, Andaz and Vidhaata.
He received the Filmfare Best Actor Award in 1968 for his performance in Brahmachari and Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor for Vidhaata in 1982.
Shammi was the second of the three sons born to Prithviraj Kapoor (the other two being Raj Kapoor and Shashi Kapoor), both successful Bollywood actors.
Though born in Mumbai, he spent a major portion of his childhood in Kolkata, where his father was involved with New Theatres Studios, acting in films.
Shammi was married twice.
His first wife was Geeta Bali (a Punjabi actress) whom he wed in 1955. They had two children. She died in 1965 of smallpox.
In 1969, he wed Neela Devi of Gujarat.
Shammi was also a businessman and the founder of the Internet Users Community Of India.
Shammi Kapoor, who passed away on Aug 14, 2011 will always be remembered as one of the screen gods of Bollywood.
The Punjabi actor and director was an icon of Hindi language cinema from the 1950s to the 1970s.
Born in Mumbai on Oct 21, 1931, he debuted in Bollywood in 1953 with the film Jeevan Jyoti, and went on to deliver hits like Tumsa Nahin Dekha, Dil Deke Dekho, Junglee, Dil Tera Diwana, Professor, China Town, Rajkumar, Kashmir Ki Kali, Janwar, Teesri Manzil, An Evening In Paris, Bramhachari, Andaz and Vidhaata.
He received the Filmfare Best Actor Award in 1968 for his performance in Brahmachari and Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor for Vidhaata in 1982.
Shammi was the second of the three sons born to Prithviraj Kapoor (the other two being Raj Kapoor and Shashi Kapoor), both successful Bollywood actors.
Though born in Mumbai, he spent a major portion of his childhood in Kolkata, where his father was involved with New Theatres Studios, acting in films.
Shammi was married twice.
His first wife was Geeta Bali (a Punjabi actress) whom he wed in 1955. They had two children. She died in 1965 of smallpox.
In 1969, he wed Neela Devi of Gujarat.
Shammi was also a businessman and the founder of the Internet Users Community Of India.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Bubba Smith - Footballer Turned Actor
Charles Aaron "Bubba" Smith (February 28, 1945 – August 3, 2011) was an American actor and athlete. He was a professional football player in the 1960s and 1970s who became an actor in the late 1970s. He was well known for his height of 2 metres.
Smith was born in Beaumont, Texas. He played football at Michigan State University. After leaving professional football, Smith began his acting career in small movie and television roles in the late 1970s and early 1980s. His notable TV shows included Tales Of The Golden Monkey, Good Times and Blue Thunder. His best known film series was Police Academy where he played Moses Hightower. His brother Todd Smith was with the Dallas Cowboys, Houston Oilers and Buffalo Bills. From Wikipedia.
Smith was born in Beaumont, Texas. He played football at Michigan State University. After leaving professional football, Smith began his acting career in small movie and television roles in the late 1970s and early 1980s. His notable TV shows included Tales Of The Golden Monkey, Good Times and Blue Thunder. His best known film series was Police Academy where he played Moses Hightower. His brother Todd Smith was with the Dallas Cowboys, Houston Oilers and Buffalo Bills. From Wikipedia.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Amy Winehouse - A Beautiful Voice Cut Short
It is sad to hear that the brilliant British singer Amy Winehouse passed away on July 23, 2011.
A beautiful voice she was, but she failed to face up to her inner demons and the perils of drug addiction.
Read all about her here.
Thanks, Wikipedia.
Amy Jade Winehouse (September 14, 1983 – July 23, 2011) was a British singer-songwriter known for her powerful contralto vocals and her eclectic mix of musical genres including R&B, soul and jazz.
Winehouse's 2003 debut album, Frank, was critically successful in the UK and was nominated for the Mercury Prize.
Her 2006 follow-up album, Back To Black, led to six Grammy Award nominations and five wins, tying the record for the most wins by a female artist in a single night, and made Winehouse the first British singer to win five Grammys, including three of the "Big Four": Best New Artist, Record Of The Year and Song Of The Year.
On February 14, 2007, she won a BRIT Award for Best British Female Artist.
She won the Ivor Novello Award three times, one in 2004 for Best Contemporary Song (Musically And Lyrically) for Stronger Than Me, one in 2007 for Best Contemporary Song for Rehab and one in 2008 for Best Song Musically And Lyrically for Love Is A Losing Game.
The album was the third biggest seller of the 2000s in the United Kingdom.
Winehouse was credited as an influence in the rise in popularity of female musicians and soul music, and also for revitalising British music.
Winehouse's distinctive style made her a muse for fashion designers such as Karl Lagerfeld.
The singer's problems with drug and alcohol abuse, as well as self-destructive behaviour, were regular tabloid news from 2007 until her death.
She and her former husband, Blake Fielder-Civil, were plagued by legal troubles that left him serving prison time.
Winehouse died at the age of 27 on July 23, 2011 at her home in London.
Winehouse was born in the Southgate area of north London to a Jewish family who were the source of her interest in jazz.
Winehouse was the younger of two children (elder brother Alex) of Mitchell Winehouse, a taxi driver and Janis Winehouse Seaton, a pharmacist.
Mitchell often sang Frank Sinatra songs to young Amy.
When Winehouse was 10, she founded a short-lived rap group called Sweet N Sour with childhood friend Juliette Ashby.
Winehouse received her first guitar when she was 13 and began writing music a year later.
She began working soon after, including as a showbiz journalist for the World Entertainment News Network, in addition to singing with local group the Bolsha Band.
Winehouse signed to Simon Fuller's 19 Management in 2002.
Winehouse's greatest love was 1960s girl groups.
She borrowed her "instantly recognisable" Beehive hairdo and Cleopatra makeup from The Ronettes.
Winehouse's debut album, Frank, was released on October 20, 2003.
Produced mainly by Salaam Remi, many songs were influenced by jazz and, apart from two covers, every song was co-written by Winehouse.
The album entered the upper levels of the UK album chart in 2004 when it was nominated for BRIT Awards in the categories of British Female Solo Artist and British Urban Act.
It went on to achieve platinum sales.
Later in 2004, she won the Ivor Novello Songwriting Award for Best Contemporary Song, alongside Salaam Remi, with her contribution to the first single, Stronger Than Me.
The singer won the 2008 Grammy Awards in the categories of Record Of The Year, Song Of The Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for the single Rehab, while her album Back To Black was nominated for Album Of The Year and won the Best Pop Vocal Album award.
Producer Mark Ronson's work with her won the Grammy Award for Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical category.
The singer also earned a Grammy in the Best New Artist category.
This earned Winehouse an entry in the 2009 edition of the Guinness Book Of World Records for Most Grammy Awards won by a British Female Act.
British singer Adele credited Winehouse's success in the United States for making her and fellow British singer Duffy's journey to the United States "a bit smoother".
American singer Lady Gaga credited Winehouse with paving the way for her rise to the top of the charts.
Winehouse's last public appearance took place at Camden's Roundhouse, London on July 20, 2011, when she made a surprise guest appearance on stage to support her god daughter Dionne Bromfield.
Winehouse married on-off boyfriend Blake Fielder-Civil (born August 1978), a former video production assistant, on May 18, 2007, in Miami, Florida.
They divorced in 2009.
A beautiful voice she was, but she failed to face up to her inner demons and the perils of drug addiction.
Read all about her here.
Thanks, Wikipedia.
Amy Jade Winehouse (September 14, 1983 – July 23, 2011) was a British singer-songwriter known for her powerful contralto vocals and her eclectic mix of musical genres including R&B, soul and jazz.
Winehouse's 2003 debut album, Frank, was critically successful in the UK and was nominated for the Mercury Prize.
Her 2006 follow-up album, Back To Black, led to six Grammy Award nominations and five wins, tying the record for the most wins by a female artist in a single night, and made Winehouse the first British singer to win five Grammys, including three of the "Big Four": Best New Artist, Record Of The Year and Song Of The Year.
On February 14, 2007, she won a BRIT Award for Best British Female Artist.
She won the Ivor Novello Award three times, one in 2004 for Best Contemporary Song (Musically And Lyrically) for Stronger Than Me, one in 2007 for Best Contemporary Song for Rehab and one in 2008 for Best Song Musically And Lyrically for Love Is A Losing Game.
The album was the third biggest seller of the 2000s in the United Kingdom.
Winehouse was credited as an influence in the rise in popularity of female musicians and soul music, and also for revitalising British music.
Winehouse's distinctive style made her a muse for fashion designers such as Karl Lagerfeld.
The singer's problems with drug and alcohol abuse, as well as self-destructive behaviour, were regular tabloid news from 2007 until her death.
She and her former husband, Blake Fielder-Civil, were plagued by legal troubles that left him serving prison time.
Winehouse died at the age of 27 on July 23, 2011 at her home in London.
Winehouse was born in the Southgate area of north London to a Jewish family who were the source of her interest in jazz.
Winehouse was the younger of two children (elder brother Alex) of Mitchell Winehouse, a taxi driver and Janis Winehouse Seaton, a pharmacist.
Mitchell often sang Frank Sinatra songs to young Amy.
When Winehouse was 10, she founded a short-lived rap group called Sweet N Sour with childhood friend Juliette Ashby.
Winehouse received her first guitar when she was 13 and began writing music a year later.
She began working soon after, including as a showbiz journalist for the World Entertainment News Network, in addition to singing with local group the Bolsha Band.
Winehouse signed to Simon Fuller's 19 Management in 2002.
Winehouse's greatest love was 1960s girl groups.
She borrowed her "instantly recognisable" Beehive hairdo and Cleopatra makeup from The Ronettes.
Winehouse's debut album, Frank, was released on October 20, 2003.
Produced mainly by Salaam Remi, many songs were influenced by jazz and, apart from two covers, every song was co-written by Winehouse.
The album entered the upper levels of the UK album chart in 2004 when it was nominated for BRIT Awards in the categories of British Female Solo Artist and British Urban Act.
It went on to achieve platinum sales.
Later in 2004, she won the Ivor Novello Songwriting Award for Best Contemporary Song, alongside Salaam Remi, with her contribution to the first single, Stronger Than Me.
The singer won the 2008 Grammy Awards in the categories of Record Of The Year, Song Of The Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for the single Rehab, while her album Back To Black was nominated for Album Of The Year and won the Best Pop Vocal Album award.
Producer Mark Ronson's work with her won the Grammy Award for Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical category.
The singer also earned a Grammy in the Best New Artist category.
This earned Winehouse an entry in the 2009 edition of the Guinness Book Of World Records for Most Grammy Awards won by a British Female Act.
British singer Adele credited Winehouse's success in the United States for making her and fellow British singer Duffy's journey to the United States "a bit smoother".
American singer Lady Gaga credited Winehouse with paving the way for her rise to the top of the charts.
Winehouse's last public appearance took place at Camden's Roundhouse, London on July 20, 2011, when she made a surprise guest appearance on stage to support her god daughter Dionne Bromfield.
Winehouse married on-off boyfriend Blake Fielder-Civil (born August 1978), a former video production assistant, on May 18, 2007, in Miami, Florida.
They divorced in 2009.
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