Blog Menu

Blog Archives

Blog Categories

Other Sections

CasinoMan Blog - Category Articles: biographies

Carlos Slim Helu Biography

Many people throughout the world have no idea who Carlos Slim Helu is, although he is undoubtedly one of the most famous men in Mexico’s history. With a net worth of $60-billion, Helu has for some time reigned supreme as the second-richest man in the world.

His transition upwards from this position is imminent, as the world’s number-one richest man, Warren Buffet, recently announced plans to give the majority of his fortune away. This will leave Carlos as the king of all things money. Carlos is a paradox on some levels. He is a jack of all trades, and seemingly a master at them all as well. His talent for making money defies logic, and his holdings continue to grow at an astounding rate.

Carlos Slim Helu was born January 28, 1940 in Mexico City, Mexico. Carlos isn’t of Mexican descent; his parents were Lebanese immigrants: Yusef Salim Haddad and Linda Helu.

Read the rest of this entry »

Following in the Footsteps, Damon Hill

The son of Formula One racing’s former legendary diver, Graham Hill, Damon Hill picked up where his father left off. Born in London, England on September 17, 1960, Damon’s life – unlike his father’s – seemed destined for the track. However, Damon wished to pursue a different type of racing, motorcycle racing.

He was a natural-born talent on the track, becoming a well respected motorcycle racer in his own right, but his true calling was with the single-seater Formula cars. Damon’s career wasn’t quite as successful as his father’s, but most familiar with the sport speculate this is due to the very short career: 1992 to 1999. In this 7-season span, Damon participated in 122 races, wining 22, appearing on the podium for 42, earning 20 Pole Positions, earning 19 fastest laps, and winning a Championship.

Damon came over to the Formula side for good in 1984, where he slowly raced his way up the rankings in Formula Three and Formula 3000. Although he showed the occasional flashes of brilliance, he was widely considered an average driver until he broke into Grand Prix racing in 1992 with a Brabham team that had seen better days.

Read the rest of this entry »

Peter Lawford Biography

Peter Lawford’s role in American celebrity history is a bit different from others like Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin – all members of the same entertainment troupe, The Rat Pack. Lawford was a British-born actor whose rise to fame in America was rumored to be more for his marriage to Patricia Kennedy, John F. Kennedy’s sister, and less for his actual talent. Nonetheless, Lawford was a key element in the Rat Pack during its inception, playing off the mega-fame of Sinatra, Martin and Davis, Jr.

Peter Sidney Lawford was born September 7, 1923 in London, England. His father was a knighted vet of the First World War and actor. A young Peter wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps, and at the age of 8, he got his chance in the film Poor Old Bill. As the years passed, Lawford grew from an awkward young boy to a suave and debonair young man. In Britain, his fame would skyrocket and during the ‘40s, MGM managed his career very well.

Lawford’s acting experience is something of legend in the business circle. He was the first actor to kiss the hard-to-keep Elizabeth Taylor. But as tragedy to the triumph, Lawford was also the last person to ever see screen idol Marilyn Monroe alive.

Read the rest of this entry »

Dean Martin Biography

Dean Martin, the man simply known as “Dino,” was a worldwide success. Martin starred in movies, sang Swing Era classics and also introduced America to Italian classics with a new-age twist, and even hosted a hugely popular variety show, The Dean Martin Show.

These are just a few things that Dino did in his entertainment life. He was “second in command” behind Frank Sinatra during the affluent years of the Rat Pack. Martin’s story is the true American dream.

“Dino,” contrary to popular belief, isn’t a nickname. Born to Italian immigrants in Steubenville, Ohio on June 17, 1917, Dean Martin was born Dino Paul Crocetti. Steubenville is directly on the Ohio-West Virginia line – not a lot of Italian immigrants had made the trek that far south from New York and New Jersey.

Dino stood out in this environment, only speaking Italian for a lot of his childhood, and quit school at the age of 16 to work in a steel mill. Dino ran liquor for bootleggers and worked as a croupier for the local speakeasy before deciding to follow in his idols’ – Bing Crosby’s – footsteps.

Read the rest of this entry »

Anil Ambani, India's second billionaire

If you think regular brothers get into heated fights, you should see two billionaires slugging it out. Anil Ambani and his brother Mukesh Ambani are two of the richest people in the world. They both crack the top ten list, and Anil’s fortune weighs in at approximately $40-billion.

As of 2008, his huge fortune tripled in size from 2007, but is fluctuating to date due to the financial crisis. His brother is famous for eccentric building projects, such as his 27-floor skyscraper home in Mumbai. Anil, on the other hand, is famous mostly for arguing with his brother over the direction their company is taking. Anil is Chairman of the Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group and is married to Tina Ambani, a well-known Indian actress throughout the 1980s.

Ambani’s father, Dhirubhai, started the family business and Anil and brother Mukesh were born into wealth. Anil quickly took to the family business and joined the Reliance Company that his father founded in 1983 as Co-Chief Executive Officer. Anil immediately succeeded in leaving his mark on Reliance.

Read the rest of this entry »

Bill Gates, Microsoft and his life

Everyone who’s ever used a computer knows exactly who Bill Gates is. Credited with “invented the internet,” Gates is the world’s third richest man, with a net worth of $58-billion. Until a few years ago, Gates’ fortune had a chokehold on the number-one position, but other fast movers manage to surpass the Microsoft founder.

Gates is also well known for dropping out of Harvard University and donating millions upon millions to a wide variety of charities around the world. He married wife Melinda Gates in 1994 and has four children. Gates has publicly stated that his children will only receive .01% of his fortune as an inheritance.

William Henry Gates III was born October 28, 1955 in Seattle, Washington. Even as a small child, a young Bill showed flashes of extreme intelligence. His father was a successful attorney and Gates enjoyed a well-to-do upbringing, attending the exclusive Lakeside School in the area.

Read the rest of this entry »

Sammy Davis Jr, the World's Greatest Entertainer

Earning the title of “World’s Greatest Entertainer” is no small feat, even in the 1950s. Sammy Davis, Jr., an unmistakable talent who would break down many walls for African-Americans in the entertainment world, earned and kept that title for nearly 30 years.

As a singer, dancer and actor, Davis was the quintessential showman. Even without the success of The Rat Pack in the 1960s, Davis’ solo shows drew in thousands of fans, eager to see him tap-dance his way through a song before breaking out into a comedy routine.

Sammy Davis, Jr. was born December 8, 1925 in Harlem, New York City. Davis would live with his father exclusively after his parents were divorced when he was only 3-years-old. Davis then began tap-dancing lessons and always inspired to be an entertainer.

Read the rest of this entry »

Lakshmi Mittal The Steel Billionaire

Philanthropists and the rich people of society go hand-in-hand. Very rarely will you find a person of average income acting as a charitable figure. Maybe this has to do with a person’s financial means as an ability to give. When you have millions or billions, what’s a few hundred thousand tossed at a random charity? But some philanthropists, like the multi-billionaire Lakshmi Mittal, give out of pride as well.

When India only managed one bronze and one silver medal in the 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympics, Mittal quickly set up a $9-million fund which supported and trained world-class Indian athletes. In 2008, Abhinav Bindra won India’s first Olympic gold medal in shooting. Mittal is worth $46-billion.

Read the rest of this entry »

Biography of Joey Bishop of the Rat Pack

Joey Bishop’s life can quite possibly read as a “how-to” manual when dealing with fame. Even though he was one of the least noted members of the famous Rat Pack, Bishop outlived the other members (Sinatra, Martin, Lawford, Davis, Jr,) by years.

The other men had been worn down by years of hard partying; Bishop made it to 89 years of age. Bishop was an accomplished comedian in his heyday. He also starred on the silver screen in some of Hollywood’s earliest knee-slapping classics.

Joseph Abraham Gottlieb was born February 3, 1918 in the Bronx, New York. His family would then move to South Philadelphia a few years later. Bishop, the son of Jewish parents, found humor in his family’s behavior compared to some other families in the neighborhood.

He developed a sense of humor a very young age, and was always performing. By the time Joey entered high school, he already knew comedy was the career for him. After graduating, he went on to experience minor success on the stand-up circuit; but like thousands of young Americans during the time, he enlisted in the Army during World War II.

Read the rest of this entry »

Biography of Graham Hill

Born February 15, 1929 in Hampstead, London, England, Norman Graham Hill, simply known as Graham, was a Formula One racecar driver. Until and long after his death in 1975, Hill was one of the most controversial inclusions on the sport’s “all time greatest” list.

Part of the reason some fans and critics wish to see his name included among the greats is the fabulous feat he pulled off during his career, the Triple Crown of Motorsport. Hill remained active in racing from 1958 to 1975, where he participated in 179 races, won 2 Championships, earned 14 victories, secured 36 podium finishes, recorded the fastest lap 10 times, and won 13 Pole Positions.

Graham Hill’s life didn’t seem destined for racing. In fact, at the age of 16, Hill joined Smiths, the instrument makers. He served a five-year apprenticeship with the craftsmen, and then was called into the navy at the age of 21.

Read the rest of this entry »

Karl Hans Albrecht - The Aldi Superman

Not every billionaire in the world is well-known for yacht parties and skydiving. Some of the world’s richest men like to live in seclusion, take care of their families, and donate their money and time to charitable causes. Karl Albrecht is among the latter. He’s the rarely seen mega-rich German, worth an estimated $27-billion.

This makes him the richest man in Germany, and among the top twenty richest in the world. Albrecht didn’t create super-processing computers or build his fortune in the Stock Market. He’s a “blue-collar” entrepreneur, earning his fortune from a chain of supermarkets, Aldi, which he opened with his brother Theo.

Karls Hans Albrecht was born February 20, 1920 in Essen, Germany. He and his brother Theo weren’t exactly dirt poor, but their small family also wasn’t well-off. Their father worked as a baker’s assistant, and it was their mother who provided the influence in the household.

Read the rest of this entry »

Richard Branson Biography

A plane that gives tours in outer space, a private island that has a list of celebrity visitors longer than the Four Seasons, and a taste for adventure that prompts him to leap from planes, cliffs, and occasionally pilot boats and hot air balloons – this is Richard Branson.

The multi-billionaire is the founder of the Virgin brand. Branson has an estimated worth of $4.4-billion, and he seems intent on spending every penny of it. Branson has been married twice – Kristen Tomassi and Joan Templeman – and has two children, Holly and Sam. Branson was knighted in 1999 for his contributions.

Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson was born July 18, 1950 in Blackheath, London, England. At a very young age, Branson had already decided that the music business was something he might want to venture into one day. By the time he was 16-years-old, Branson was already beginning his entrepreneurial ways by publishing a student magazine in high school.

Read the rest of this entry »

Ingvar Kamprad Biography

When you walk into a store to purchase some furniture, odds are you’re not thinking about the person behind the curtain who actually owns the store. Most of us are just looking for a good deal on a sofa, so the name Ingvar Kamprad doesn’t readily ring any bells. Kamprad is the founder of IKEA and is worth an estimated $31-billion.

IKEA is one of the world’s largest home furnishing retail chains, and with store locations all over the globe, the 7th wealthiest person in the world – according to Forbes magazine – continues to add onto the already stacked amount. Despite being associated with a pro-Nazi group, Kamprad still managed to earn a reputation as a kind and gentle humanitarian.

Ingvar Feodor Kamprad was born March 30, 1926 in Ljungby, Sweden. Even as a young boy, his business sense was evident. He would ride his bicycle around town selling matches to the boys in the neighborhood. He understood supply and demand before he understood basic grammar.

Read the rest of this entry »

Howard Hughes Biography

Howard Hughes is one of those American figures that will always live on in folklore. He was known to be everything from a little eccentric to full-blown crazy. People who got to know the rarely seen off-again-on-again billionaire described him as a tortured genius with no sense for the value of money.

However, Hughes managed to create a gigantic fortune in his time and he single handedly lifted the aviation industry to a higher stratosphere. Hughes was also a film producer/director, a sporadic socialite during his early years, and a renowned philanthropist. In 1958 at the height of his fortune, Hughes was worth around $13-billion – which is around $43-billion today.

Howard Robard Hughes was born December 24, 1905 in Houston, Texas. He was the only son of Alene and Howard – who was a millionaire inventor specializing in machinery for the oil industry. Hughes’ parents both died two years apart and he was an orphan at 18. He was left an estate worth $871k and a patent for a drill bit. Hughes seized control of his father’s company and used the revenue to finance his movie business. He produced such classics as Scarface, The Outlaw, and Hell’s Angels.

Read the rest of this entry »

Biography of Jim Clark F1 Driver

Jim Clark was born on March 4, 1936 in Scotland. He was a former successful Formula One racing driver. He was a dominating force in his respective era, winning two Championships in an eight year span. When he died in April of 1968, his 25 Grand Prix wins and 33 Pole Positions were more than any other driver. He also won the coveted Indianapolis 500 in 1965. 25 wins in his 73 races is a staggering percentage, not to mention 32 podium finishes and 28 fastest laps recorded.

Jim Clark grew up on a farm in Scotland with four sisters. As the only son in the family, his initial dive into the racing world was met with criticism from the family. Nevertheless, he continued to pursue his dream, racing in local rallies and other events. He later joined a racing team led by Jock McBain called the Border Reivers. In one of these races, Clark matched the famed Colin Chapman while driving a Lotus Elite. Chapman was highly impressed by the young Clark’s performance, and started to watch his future races.

However, it was Clark who shied away from the world of Formula racing after witnessing Graham Hill’s car lose a wheel during a race. Instead, Clark stuck with the sports cars, eventually graduating to an Aston Martin. He gained the attention of Reg Parnell, the Aston Martin manager. Reg was planning on entering into F1 racing and signed Clark after a test. Clark was also signed up with Chapman in a F2 contract at the same time. Things would work out for Clark. After the F1 Aston Martin proved to be a disaster, his F2 efforts with the Lotus earned the young driver immediate success. Clark then signed on with Lotus Formula One as well.

Read the rest of this entry »

You're Fired - Alan Sugar Biography

When it comes to billionaires, Alan Sugar notches himself on the list just above the “barely there” range. At only $1.25-billion (830-million GBP), Sugar isn’t exactly challenging Bill Gates’ Microsoft Empire or Donald Trump’s hotels and casinos. He is rivaling the Donald in popularity, however.

Fans of the UK’s knockoff to America’s “The Apprentice” know Alan Sugar for being the hard-nosed, take no prisoners boss-man who’s quick to let his next victim know where to find the door. Sugar’s main claim to wealth is his extensive property portfolio rather than his business ventures. Sugar has been married to his wife, Ann, since 1968 and they have three children.

Sir Alan Michael Sugar was born March 24, 1947 in Hackney, East London, England. As the youngest of four children born to Fay and Nathan Sugar, Alan’s life was the quintessential for that of the baby of the family. Teased by his older siblings and nicknamed “Mopsy” due to his curly hair, and catered to by his parents, Sugar began to develop a mean streak as he pulled away from childhood into adulthood.

Read the rest of this entry »

Oleg Deripaska Biography

As one of the youngest billionaires in the world, Oleg Deripaska has a fortune that rivals a lot of countries’ accumulated wealth. As the Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Basic Element Company, Oleg’s fortune weighs in at a whopping $28.6-billion. His company and claim to fame is in the aluminum industry.

The 41-year-old billionaire is a mystery to most. While most of Russia’s mega rich are out and about, making mind-numbing purchases at an alarming rate, Deripaska remains reclusive and out of the limelight. Oleg lives in Moscow with his wife and his two children.

Oleg Vladimirovich Deripaska was born January 2, 1968 in Dzerzhinsk, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Russia. Oleg was a gifted child from birth. He was among the brightest not only in his respective school, but all of Russia.

After graduating high school, he attended the School of Physics at Moscow State University where he graduated Summa Cum Laude. Oleg then attended the School of Economics at Plekhanov Academy of Economics and graduated with honors in 1996.

Read the rest of this entry »

Mukesh Ambani Biography

With a net worth of around $45-billion, Mukesh Ambani is the richest man in Asia and the fifth richest in the world. He was selected as the Businessman of the Year in 2007 and is the proud owner of the world’s most expensive private residence, Antilla, which he had built for a mind-blowing $2-billion.

The home is 27-stories high (actually 60-stories in true height, but only 27 floors) and features 7 separate floors for his car collection alone. Ambani is known worldwide for being one of the toughest and most savvy businessmen of the modern era. Although his position was inherited, his wealth wasn’t. Ambani worked hard and amassed one of the world’s largest fortunes.

Mukesh Ambani was born April 19, 1957 in Yemen, India. His father, a prominent businessman in his own right, Dhirubhai Ambani, was the founder of Reliance Industries. Ambani grew up surrounded by business. When he was only a child, he was already the next in line to keep the family company thriving not only in the area, but on a world scale.

Read the rest of this entry »

Perhaps the greatest all time race driver, Michael Schumacher

Famous Formula One racecar driver Michael Schumacher was born January 3, 1969 to parents Roth and Elisabeth. A young Michael became infatuated with racecars after the family’s move to Kerpin-Manheim, a town outside of Cologne, Germany. The entire family became involved in the sport of karting, and soon Michael would prove to have a knack for making hairpin turns on fast tracks. Only four-years-old at the time he was given his first kart, Michael slowly began to build what would later become a World Championship career.

Go-karts were an obsession for the entire family in the 1970s, and no one in the family loved it more than Michael. Rolf began work as a go-kart repairman, due to his mechanical talents, and Michael always had one of the best karts on the track. In 1980, Michael and his family make the trek to Belgium for the World Karting Championship. It is here that Schumacher first met his idol, Ayrton Senna. It wasn’t long after when Schumacher began making a name for himself, winning the German Junior Championship in 1984 and the European Championship in 87.

When Schumacher made the jump to Formula racing, he was in desperate need of sponsorship. He found sponsors in Germany, including Jurgen Dik, and thus began racing in the Formula series. His first year of competition and Michael had impressively won nine of ten rounds. Schumacher’s future manager, Willie Weber, was impressed with Michael’s abilities and gave him a test run in a Formula Three car.

Read the rest of this entry »

Biography of Sir Jackie Stewart from Formula 1

Born June 11, 1939 in Milton, West Dunbartonshire, Scotland, John Young Stewart – also known as “Jackie” – is a former Formula One racecar driver. Considered by most fans and fellow sportsmen to be a true legend of the track, Jackie is the winner of three World Drivers’ Championships, 27 races, 15 fastest laps, and 17 Pole Positions. His career spanned a short 8 years – where he only started 99 races – from 1965 to 1973, but Stewart etched out his own mantle in those few years. After racing, his fame grew as an announcer for the sport in the United States.

In his early life Jackie Stewart was involved with cars via his family’s business, Dumbuck Garage in Dumbarton. He worked as an apprentice mechanic, and eventually chose to follow in his brother Jimmy’s footsteps as a racecar driver. In 1953, Jackie’s brother drove in the British Grand Prix for Ecurie Ecosse. However, after his brother was injured in a severe car crash, Jackie’s parents urged him to take up shooting instead of driving. Stewart quickly displayed a talent for target shooting, finishing a competition a shot’s worth away from making it to the 1960 Olympics.

Read the rest of this entry »

Maybe Jack Nicklaus is the best all time golfer?

Born January 21, 1940, in Columbus, Ohio, Jack Nicklaus is a former professional golfer. Better known as “The Golden Bear,” Nicklaus is considered by many to be the greatest golfer to ever life. This is a title heavily disputed, as modern golf fans and enthusiasts single out Tiger Woods as the greatest to ever play.

As it stands now, Nicklaus has won more events and more majors than any other golfer in the world. So if anyone wishes to dispute his status as the best ever, they need to start topping his gargantuan numbers in order to disprove it.

Nicklaus picked up the golf clubs when he was just ten-years-old, and immediately people started to notice that he was a prodigy in the sport. The first he tournament he ever entered, the Scioto Country Club Juvenile Championship, he won easily. Shortly thereafter, Nicklaus began lessons with a local professional golfer named Jack Grout.

Read the rest of this entry »

The nastiest tennis player ever, John McEnroe?

Born February 16, 1959, in Wiesbaden, Germany, John McEnroe is a former professional player. Known as the bad boy of tennis, McEnroe was a hot-headed, quick-tempered player who was just as great as we was short-fused.

He is one of the most successful players in the history of tennis, and has won seventeen Grand Slam titles, seventy-seven career single titles, and seventy-seven double titles in his long and storied career. Since retiring from tennis, John has proven himself to be a very talented tennis broadcaster, and quite the funny man in various movies – where he always seems to poke fun at his hot temper.

John was the oldest of three sons and moved from Germany to Queens, New York in 1963 with his family. He showed tremendous hand-eye coordination and athletic ability at a young age. At only two years of age, John could strike a ball with a plastic bat. This uncanny coordination soon translated into talent on the tennis court.

Read the rest of this entry »

Biography on Nick Faldo

Nicholas “Nick” Alexander Faldo was born July 18, 1957 in Welwyn Garden City, England. He is a professional golfer on the European Tour, and is one of the most successful in all of Europe. During his long career, Faldo has won three US Masters titles and three Open Championships.

Official World Golf Rankings had Nick Faldo ranked as No. 1 for a total of 98 weeks. Faldo took on a new role in 2006, becoming the lead golf analyst for CBS Sports. Faldo has won 43 events in his professional career, including 9 PGA Tour victories and 27 Euro Tour wins.

In 1971, Faldo watched the Masters as Jack Nicklaus dominated the field. At only 13 years of age, Faldo was blown away at the sport, and decided to take up golfing instead of cycling. He borrowed some golf clubs and his mother began to set up golfing lessons for the boy.

Only two short years later, Faldo was winning golf tournaments. In 1974, Faldo won the English Amateur Championship in convincing fashion. And in 1975, he took the title of British Youth Champion. A young Faldo wasted no time and turned pro in 1976. His first European Tour victory came in 1977.

Read the rest of this entry »

The rise and fall of Elvis Presley

Of the billions of people born throughout history, only a select few will be remembered through the times. Of those select few, most will be forgotten in generations to come. But for the rest, a very small and select group, their legacy and names live on forever.

One of these names near the top of everyone’s list is Elvis Presley. Whether or not you are a fan of his music, his fame is undeniable. For millions of people worldwide, he was and always will be the King.

Elvis wasn’t born into fame or riches. Like so many of us, his beginnings are humble, to say the least. Born January 8, 1935, in Tupelo, Mississippi, Elvis Aaron Presley was one of two sons born that day to Gladys Presley.

His twin brother, Jesse Garon Presley, was stillborn. Elvis spent his youth in a rundown shack with only one electrical outlet. Rather than let their son starve, Vernon and Gladys Presley worked hard to ensure that Elvis wanted for nothing. Elvis lived the quintessential Southern-American life. He went to church, respected his elders, and began singing and playing instruments in church.

Read the rest of this entry »

Master golfer Fred Couples mini bio

Fred Couples was born October 3, 1959, in Seattle, Washington. Nicknamed “Boom Boom” and “Freddie Cool,” Couples is one of professional golf’s calmest customers. Couples is also known as “King of the Silly Season,” a nickname he earned after winning 5 Skins Games and a host of other playful golf events.

On the serious side of the sport, Couples took a Masters victory in 1992, the same year he earned honors of PGA Player of the Year, and has a total of 46 professional Tour victories. He was also the PGA Tour Player of the Year in 1991 and ’92, and won both the Vardon Trophy and Byron Nelson Award the same years.

Couples grew up around golf in Seattle. His father worked for the city’s Parks and Recreation Department, and a young Freddie was a caddy for local players. In fact, it was a local golfer who gave Couples his first set of golf clubs: a small set of irons, a putter and a driver.

Read the rest of this entry »

Doyle Brunson, the legendary Poker Player

Very few men can put the fear of God into a person while sitting in a chair, wearing a cowboy hat with a smile on their face. A throwback to the Wild West, gun slinging legends, Doyle “Texas Dolly” Brunson commands respect at a poker table. At 72 years of age, Doyle has been playing poker for over 50 years, and is showing no signs of slowing down.

Born in Longworth, Texas in 1933, Doyle Brunson grew up a gifted athlete. He played baseball and ran track for his school, but it was basketball at which he excelled. He was a member of the All-State Texas basketball team, and was actually drafted by the Minneapolis Lakers of the NBA.

But after suffering a severe accident at work, Doyle’s basketball career was cut short. After the sporting days were over, Doyle turned the focus on his education. He earned a Master’s degree in Administrative Education. It was in college where Doyle started gambling to support himself and pay tuition. After realizing he could make good money gambling, he made it a full-time job.

Read the rest of this entry »

The Number One Illusionist of all time is David Copperfield

Before Chris Angel and David Blaine came along with their edited for TV magic, David Copperfield reigned supreme as the top illusionist in the world. This master magician has made the Statue of Liberty disappear – enough said.

He plays 500 shows a year and constantly tries to top himself. David has been playing Las Vegas for years, and his magic show always prevails as one of the top entertainment destinations, not only in Las Vegas, but in all of America.

He is hailed by both fans and critics alike as the greatest illusionist of all time. If you’ve never seen David Copperfield perform, there’s no better time than right now. The man has walked through the Great Wall of China, flown through the air, and even made audience members disappear. He’s truly one of a kind.

Of course, he can’t recreate every televised trick for the Vegas audience, but he does demonstrate similar and equally impressive illusions by using objects a bit more suitable for a stage setting. For example, Copperfield pays homage to his Great Wall walk-through by using a large sheet of metal and effortlessly walking through it.

Read the rest of this entry »

Can anyone serve 5 Aces like Boris Becker

Boris Franz Becker was born November 22, 1967, in Leimen, West Germany. He is a former World No. 1 ranked professional tennis player. Becker is a six-time Grand Slam singles champion, as well as an Olympic gold medalist.

Becker also held the record for the youngest tennis player to ever win Wimbledon, at 17 years of age. Becker has secured an impressive number of career titles with 49, and is heralded for his exciting one-handed backhand play. Upon his retirement in June of 1999, Boris Becker had accumulated over $25-million in prize money.

Becker is the only son of his architect father. Skilled at his profession, Boris’ father built the Blau-Weiss Tennisklub in Leimen, where Boris learned the game. His childhood years were spent on the courts, perfecting his game. And in 1984, Becker turned professional and won his first doubles title in Munich the same year.

Read the rest of this entry »

Biography of Alain Prost, The Professor

Born February 24, 1955 in Loire, France, Alain Prost is a former Formula One racecar driver. Prost is a four-time F1 Drivers’ Champion, and held the record for most Grand Prix victories from 1987 until 2001 when Schumacher passed the total of 51 victories. In 1999, Prost received the World Sports Awards of the Century in the category of motor sports.

During his career, Prost competed in 202 Formula One races, starting 199. His four championships dominated the mid-80s and early 90s, winning in 85, 86, 89, and 93. Prost also held pole position 33 times, earned 106 podium finishes, and accomplished all of this in a 13-year career (1980-1993). Like the majority of successful F1 drivers, Prost honed his talent for driving at a very young age.

During a family holiday when Prost was 14-years-old, he discovered karting. Seeming to have a natural talent behind the wheel, Prost created a buzz among his age group, and proceed through the junior ranks of motor sports, winning the European and French Formula Three championships.

Read the rest of this entry »

Bernie Ecclestone Biography

Born October 28, 1930 in Suffolk, England, Bernard “Bernie” Ecclestone is the president and CEO of Formula One (F1) Management and Formula One Administration. He also owns a healthy stake in Alpha Prema, the parent company of the Formula One Group of companies.

Because of this, Ecclestone is often considered to be the primary authority in F1 racing. The tabloids commonly address him as “F1 Supremo.” Ecclestone also co-owns the Queens Park Rangers Football Club. In his early years, Ecclestone was a racing competitor and manager of drivers Stuart Lewis-Evans and Jochen Rindt.

At the end of WWII, Ecclestone went into business for himself, trading spare parts for motorcycles. He eventually formed the Compton & Ecclestone motorcycle dealership with Fred Compton, and even entered the 500cc Formula 3000 series. He limited himself to few events, but had to give up racing all together after a serious accident in 1951 at the Brands Hatch circuit.

After the accident, Ecclestone began a lucrative career in real estate and loan financing, and managed the Weekend Car Auctions firm. In 1957, Ecclestone returned to racing and managed Lewis-Evans and purchased the F1 Connaught team.

Read the rest of this entry »

Pierce Brosnan Mr Remington Steele as James Bond

Actor, film producer and environmentalist Pierce Brendan Brosnan was born May 16, 1953 in Castletown, Co. Meath, Ireland. After leaving school at the age of 16, Brosnan began training in commercial illustration. Years later, Brosnan attended drama school in London for three years, and landing a leading role in the popular television series Remington Steele following his brief on-state career.

Brosnan is a very well-known actor, appearing in notable movies such as The Thomas Crown Affair, Dante’s Peak, Mars Attacks, Mrs. Doubtfire, and The Lawnmower Man, among many others. Though these are popular movies and undoubtedly cemented Brosnan’s role as a leading man in Hollywood, it wasn’t until Brosnan took over the role as super-agent James Bond that the world stood up and took notice.

Brosnan’s early years were spent in the modest area of Drogheda, Ireland, where he as raised as a Catholic. After Brosnan’s father abandoned the family, his mother moved to London to work as a nurse.

Read the rest of this entry »

King of serve and volley Pete Sampras

Born August 12, 1971 in Washington, D.C., Pete Sampras is a former professional tennis player. Sampras is the third son of Sam and Georgia Sampras, Greek immigrants, and often considered to be the greatest tennis player in history. From a very early age, Sampras displayed signs of outstanding athletic ability.

A young Sampras would discover a tennis racquet in his parents’ basement, and spend hours a day hitting the balls against the wall. At only 7 years of age, Sam and Georgia moved the entire family to Palos Verdes, California, so their son could develop his talent for tennis in a warmer climate.

Shortly after the move in 1978, The Sampras’ joined the Peninsula Racquet Club, where young Pete’s talents would become evident to everyone. At the ripe young age of 11, Sampras had already learned the solid serve and the volley tactic, which would become the trademark of his tennis game.

Read the rest of this entry »

The legendary Italian racer Riccardo Patrese

Born April 17, 1954 in Padua, Italy, Riccardo Patrese is a former racing driver who raced in Formula One from 1977 to 1993. Patrese became the first Formula One driver to achieve over 200 Grand Prix starts when he made an appearance at the 1990 British Grand Prix, and the first to accomplish 250 starts at the 1993 German Grand Prix.

All together, Patrese entered in 257 F1 World Championship Grand Prix races, and started 256, making him the second most experienced F1 driver, behind Rubens Barrichello.

Patrese made his racing debut in 1977 with the Shadow Racing team at the Monaco Grand Prix. He received the nod after the team was forced to switch drivers in the middle of the season. Later that year, Jackie Oliver took Patrese with him when he left Shadow to form the Arrows team.

Read the rest of this entry »

What gave the roar to Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods was born on December 30, 1975, in Cypress, California. Earl Woods, Tiger’s father, began teaching him the game when he was just 1-year-old. At only 2 years of age, Tiger’s skills were so evident that he was featured on the Mike Douglas show in 1978. Woods appeared alongside Bob Hope in a putting contest. At only 3-years-old, he shot an impressive 48 over 9 holes at a hometown golf course and eventually appeared on the TV show “That’s Incredible” and was featured in Golf Digest Magazine when he was 5.

After winning 6 junior championships between the age of 8 and 15, Woods went on to become the youngest U.S. Junior Athlete Champion in the country’s history. He repeated the following year, making him the only player to ever receive the honor twice. The following year, he won it for an unprecedented third time.

At age 16, Woods competed in the Nissan Los Angeles Open, his first PGA Tour event. And at 18, Tiger won the U.S. Amateur Championship, becoming the youngest player to accomplish this feat. He went on to win the Amateur Championship for 2 more years, winning 3 consecutive.

Read the rest of this entry »

The new James Bond Daniel Craig has proven himself

English actor Daniel Wroughton Craig was born March 2, 1968 and Chester, England. He is the son of Olivia Williams, an art teacher, and Timothy John Wroughton Craig, who was a midshipman in the Merchant Navy, working in various capacities when he came ashore. His cousin is the novelist Joe Craig. Daniel was raised on the Wirral, Merseyside where his father was landlord of the Ring ‘O Bells and The Boot pubs.

He attended Hilbre High School and Calday Grange Grammar School in West Kirby. Craig also played for the Hoylake Rugby Club. He moved to London when he was sixteen, joining the National Youth Theatre after a brief stay at Calday.

Craig studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, graduating in 1991, then going on to appear in several minor roles including Sharpe’s Eagle, and an episode of Drop The Dead Donkey. Our Friends in the North, a BBC Television serial, offered Craig his first leading role. He continued to work with the BBC, and starred in the 1997 Francis Bacon biopic Love is the Devil: Study for a Portrait of Francis Bacon, playing Bacon’s lover George Dyer. Craig also played D.S. Andy McLoughlin in the TV drama The Ice House.

Read the rest of this entry »

A quick run down on George Lazenby as James Bond

Australian actor George Robert Lazenby was born September 5, 1939 in Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia. Lanzenby worked as a salesman at a Morris Motor Company dealership in Canberra after leaving school early. He also worked as a ski instructor and won several skiing competitions. In an Australian band called The Corvettes, George played bass guitar.

He proudly served in the Australian Army Special Forces, reaching the rank of Sergeant, and becoming an unarmed combat instructor. In 1964, he moved to London, England to become a model, and then later landed a job as an advertizing actor. Lazenby’s time as a model made him the highest grossing male model in the world, earning over a million dollars after inflation. Lazenby may be recognizable to some from his job as the European Marlboro Man.

After working in television advertizing and an Italian B-movie, Lazenby’s first real acting role was as James Bond in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service in 1969. Lazenby was the second Bond, immediately following Connery whose portrayal of the character was always in question.

Read the rest of this entry »

A short bio on Lewis Hamilton

Born July 1, 1985, in Great Britain, Lewis Hamilton is electrifying fans of F1 racing with his caution-to-the-wind style, cat-like moves, and freakishly fast speeds. At 23 years of age, this youngster has already scored 8 wins, and looks to do much more damage to the circuit now that he’s right at home with team McLaren.

Like many other racers on the circuit, Hamilton started his career with karts in 1995. He took top honors in the Masters at Bercy in 2000, followed by a move to single-seaters in ’01. Hamilton took part in the Formula Renault Winter Series that year and finished 5th overall. He would return to Renault the following year and finish 3rd in the championship standings.

His talent quickly rising, Hamilton took the championship in 2003. More wins in the F3 Euroseries before claiming the championship followed in 2005 with ASM. Hamilton’s leap to GP2 didn’t daunt him at all, as he won the title from Nelson Piquet Jr. with ART Grand Prix. Showcasing his natural racing ability, Hamilton pulled off the pass of the season with his aggressive and daring move from third to first at the Becketts complex at Silverstone.

Read the rest of this entry »

Roger Federer is probably the worlds greatest ever tennis player

Born on August 8, 1981, Roger Federer is a Swiss tennis player. This 6 foot 1 inch prodigy has some of the most impressive stats you’ll ever find on an athlete. Not only is he compared to greats of the game like Pete Sampras, Bjorn Borg, Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, Boris Becker, and Arthur Ashe, he’s considered better than the lot.

There’s no way to properly explain the natural ability showcased by Federer on a match-by-match basis. His dominance is something of legend. At only 26 years of age, he may in fact be the youngest man in history to reach greatness of this magnitude. The only athlete who comes close to Federer’s skill on a world level is professional golfer Tiger Woods. You can find the two featured together in commercials. Tennis isn’t the most popular sport out there, but Federer is undoubtedly its most popular participant.

Federer started playing tennis at six years of age. He also played football for a while. The grueling practices of dual-sports seemed to fuel his drive and natural ability, and by the age of 14, he stuck true with tennis and became the Swiss champion for all age groups and was hand-selected to train as the prestigious Ecublens’ Swiss National Tennis Center.

Read the rest of this entry »

Sean Connery and his James Bond journey

Sir Thomas Sean Connery was born August 25, 1930, in the Fountainbridge region of Edinburgh, Scotland. He grew up in an impoverished environment as the son of a truck driver. Connery left school and ultimately joined the Royal Navy.

After serving for a while, Connery has to be released to do medical issues with ulcers. He held many jobs before finding his calling. He’s worked as a laborer, lifeguard, a model, a lorry driver, and a coffin polisher. In 1953, Connery represented Scotland at the Mr. Universe Contest and took home 3rd place.

After his bodybuilding career, Connery landed a job in the chorus with the touring company of South Pacific, where he went on to start in various stage productions, and finally making a television debut in 1956.

Most know Connery as the quintessential James Bond, but upon his audition, Ian Fleming, the author of the James Bond novels, described Connery as the anti-Bond, stating that Connery was nothing like the character he created. Despite Fleming’s opinions, Connery was cast as the first James Bond in Dr. No in 1962.

Read the rest of this entry »

A short biography on Nigel Mansell

Nigel Ernest James Mansell was born August 8, 1953 in Upton-upon-Severn, Worcestershire. He spent most of his childhood and early adult years in Hall Green, Birmingham. When he was just 15 years old, he began to get a feel for racing in karting. He took a part-time job as an engineer, but never lost the ambition and drive to race, which ended up costing him the majority of his income when he began to compete in the British Formula Ford 1600 competition in the 1970s.

Mansell won his first-ever race at Mellory Park in 1976. In one short year, Mansell had the opportunity to win his first championship, after winning 32 of the 42 races he participated in. In a horrible accident, Mansell broke his back and most thought his racing days were over before they ever really got started. In a miraculous turnaround, Nigel returned to claim his championship against medical advice.

Mansell and his wife sold their property in 1979 to pay for their Formula 3 races with the March team. The March wasn’t anything impressive, but Mansell’s performance still attracted the attention of Lotus Formula 1 boss Colin Chapman. Chapman was convinced of Mansell’s talents, and invited him to test a Formula 1 car.

Read the rest of this entry »

A little story of a Bond called Roger Moore

Sir Roger George Moore was born October 14, 1927, in Stockwell, south London, England. He is the son of a noted policeman. At the age of 15, Moore entered an art school with aspirations or becoming a painter, later becoming an apprentice at an animation studio.

In the mid 1940s, Moore appeared as an extra in crowd scenes in movies. Studying at the Royal Academy of Drama, Moore appeared in various plays in the West End, before ultimately being inducted into the British Army. He served in the rank of 2nd Lieutenant with a Combined Services Entertainment Unit in Germany near the end of WWII. Moore worked in theater, radio, television, and as a model after his military career ended.

In 1953, Moore went to the United States and landed a film contract with MGM. He would go on to act in several films. His biggest role was as the charming Simon Templar in the television series The Saint.

Read the rest of this entry »

A little history on Ayrton Senna the great formula one driver

Ayrton Senna Da Silva was born on March 21, 1960 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Senna lived in Monte Carlo and Sao Paula is his latter years, and was divorced from his wife but was involved in a relationship. He had no children of his own, having chosen to make racing his life, hoping to save family for a later date when the wheels stopped rolling.

Senna started racing go-karts at the age of 4, and his first run in a real racecar came at the age of 21 in a Formula Ford 1600 van Diemen. In 1981, he became the British Formula Ford 1600 Champion. In 82, he repeated as British Champion, and also won the European title in the Formula Ford 2000 class. And in 83, he won the British F3 Championship.

When 1984 rolled around, Senna found himself with Toleman-Hart and was driving a F1 car. He never won a race that year and had a bad accident when he crashed during practice. When the season finished, Senna was ranked 8th with 13 points. The 1985 season brought much-needed improvements. Senna led in races at Imola, Monaco, Nurburgring, Detroit, Silverstone, Brands Hatch, and Adelaide. He finished the 85 season in 4th place with 38 points. In 1986, Senna won his first 2 F1 races and won pole position 8 times.

Read the rest of this entry »

Biography of James Bond creator Ian Fleming

Born in Mayfair, London, 1908, Ian Lancaster Fleming was a British author, journalist, and World War II Navy Commander. Though, in popular culture, Fleming is best known for creating the James Bond character, chronicling his adventures in twelve novels and nine short stories.

Also accredited to Fleming are the children’s story, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and two other non-fiction books. Fleming died in 1964, but his timeless character James Bond continues to live on with numerous movies, the more recent movies being throwbacks to the first book, Casino Royale, and its sequel, Quantum of Solace.

Fleming was born to Valentine Fleming, a Member of Parliament, and his wife Evelyn Ste Croix Fleming. He was the younger brother of travel writer Peter Fleming and the older brother of Michael and Richard Fleming. Fleming was educated at Sunningdale School in Berkshire, Eton College, and at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.

Read the rest of this entry »

A Brief Bio on Sheldon Adelson

Born August 1, 1933, Sheldon Gary Adelson is an American billionaire businessman and property developer. As the third richest person in the United States, Adelson’s net worth of 26-billion dollars has earned this CEO the respect and admiration of millions who wish to follow in his footsteps.

Adelson is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Las Vegas Sands Corp., which is the parent company of Venetian Macao Limited, which also operates The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino and the Sands Expo and Convention Center. Adelson’s biggest increase in wealth came when he sold 10% of his casino shares to the public.

Adelson has recently bore the brunt of rumor and scandal. He has come under fire for his involvement with right-wing lobbying groups. The allegations suggest that Adelson has financed several unsuccessful Republican congressional candidates and has attempted to raise as much as $250 million to attack Senator Barack Obama’s presidential campaign.

Read the rest of this entry »

Who is Sol Kerzner

Solomon Kerzner was born on August 23rd, 1935. He is best known for being a South African hotel and gambling tycoon. Born in Troyeville, Johannesburg, Kerzner was the youngest of four children. His parents were Jewish Russian immigrants, wishing to capitalize on the times with their entrepreneur spirit.

His family successfully started a hotel chain. After Kerzner graduated as a Chartered Accountant, he took over the running of the hotels and eventually went on to create the most successful hotel group in South Africa: Sun International. Sol Kerzner is currently Chairman of the Board of Kerzner International, which is located on Paradise Island in the Bahamas.

Playing off of the Sun City resort success, Kerzner got involved in international hotel and gambling resorts; with his most notable role being the innovative developer behind the famous Atlantis resort in the Bahamas. Kerzner quickly scored a hit with this beautiful resort.

Read the rest of this entry »

A mini-bio on Steve Wynn

Stephen Alan Wynn was born on January 27th, 1942 in New Haven, Connecticut, and is best known for being an American casino developer. He was thought to be responsible for the efforts of reestablishing Las Vegas in the 90s, spearheading the resurgence and expansion of the Vegas strip.

His companies refurbished and built some of the most widely recognized resorts in Las Vegas to date, such as the Golden Nugget, The Mirage, Treasure Island, Bellagio, and Wynn. Wynn currently lives with his wife in a suite at Wynn Las Vegas, awaiting completion of their Highlands Golf Club home. He has two daughters, Kevyn and Gillian. Wynn suffers from retinitis pigmentosa, which affects his peripheral vision.

Wynn’s father Michael Weinberg ran a host of bingo parlors in the United States. In the late 40s, he changed his name to “Wynn”, a marketing strategy and an attempt to counter anti-Jewish bias.

Read the rest of this entry »

Who is Stanley Ho?

Stanley Ho, also known as Ho Hung-sun, was born November 25th, 1921. He is an entrepreneur in Hong Kong and Macau. Ho picked up the nickname “The King of Gambling”, which reflects the government-granted monopoly he held for over 35 years in the Macau gaming industry. Ho is by far the wealthiest person in all of Macau, and one of the wealthiest in all of Asia. Ho’s estimated net worth is around 7-billion-dollars, according to Forbes magazine.

He’s tied for the 104th rank of wealthiest person in the entire world. Ho owns many properties in both Hong Kong and Macau and has taken part in all kinds of business ventures including entertainment, shipping, real estate, tourism, air transport, and banking.

Read the rest of this entry »

Latest Blogs

Carlos Slim Helu Biography
Date: 02 July 2009

World’s Top Watchmakers - IWC
Date: 01 July 2009

World’s Most Expensive Properties - Antilla
Date: 30 June 2009

Following in the Footsteps, Damon Hill
Date: 29 June 2009

Top Fashion Brand Overview of Dolce & Gabbana
Date: 25 June 2009

Peter Lawford Biography
Date: 24 June 2009

Top US Restaurant Review - Durgin-Park
Date: 23 June 2009

The Aston Martin Vanquish S
Date: 22 June 2009

Dean Martin Biography
Date: 18 June 2009

World’s Top Watchmakers - Bulgari
Date: 17 June 2009

Blog Tags

jock mcbain cosmonaute reliance industries caracciola the bluegrass region 50s henry poole & co on her majesty’s secret service playtech world sports awards world series of poker king of the silly season russian amethyst villa mexico city belmont stakes wap kruger national park believe amsair doorn van steyn

Casino of the Month

Blog Tools