Topic

Biography & Personal Stories

A collection of 199 issues

From the Schoolyard to the Stratosphere: Billie Eilish's Forgotten Life as a Movie Extra

Before she was a global pop icon, Billie Eilish was an uncredited extra in films like 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid' and 'Ramona and Beezus.' It was a brief foray into acting that she found so unenjoyable it solidified her true passion for music.

Music Entertainment & Media Biography & Personal Stories

The Dictator on the CIA's Payroll: Manuel Noriega's Betrayal and the US Invasion of Panama

Manuel Noriega, the Panamanian dictator captured in a US invasion, was a long-time CIA asset. For years, he received up to $200,000 annually from the US for intelligence while simultaneously collaborating with drug cartels. This tangled web of convenience and crime ultimately led to his downfall.

History Wars, Conflict & Heroes Biography & Personal Stories

The Man Who Lived the Escape but Wasn't 'Heroic Enough' for the Movie

WWII POW Peter Butterworth helped orchestrate the famous 'Wooden Horse' escape from Stalag Luft III. When auditioning for the 1950 film adaptation, he was rejected for a part because the casting director felt he didn't look 'heroic or athletic enough' for the role.

Biography & Personal Stories Wars, Conflict & Heroes Entertainment & Media

The Unspeakable Tragedy: How the 2004 Tsunami Shattered Richard Attenborough's Family

The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami brought unimaginable grief to beloved actor Richard Attenborough. While on holiday in Thailand, the disaster tragically claimed the lives of his eldest daughter, Jane Holland, her daughter Lucy, and her mother-in-law, a personal story within a global catastrophe.

Biography & Personal Stories Science & Nature History

The Man Who Made 'Airplane!' Fly and 'Ghost' Cry: How a Parody King Directed a Classic Romance

Director Jerry Zucker (Airplane!) almost didn't direct Ghost. Writer Bruce Joel Rubin feared he'd make it a parody and refused. But after a dinner where Rubin found Zucker 'deeply philosophical,' he realized the master of deadpan was the perfect choice for his supernatural romance.

Entertainment & Media Biography & Personal Stories

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