Comedian 19??– All comedians want to be funny, but few can be described as truly hilarious. Bruce Bruce can claim the elusive ability to make audiences break into laughter not only during his performances, but also for hours afterwards as they recall the things he says. Bruce is irreverent and lovable at the same time, with a girth to match his huge personality and stage presence. Bruce arr…
1866–1949 Composer and singer A leading classical vocalist and composer, Henry Burleigh was influential in the process of establishing an "American School" in classical music. In particular he composed and arranged religious music in the African American tradition of spirituals and was a friend of Antonin Dvor̂ák, who consulted Burleigh about American folk and re…
1926–2005 Musician An era in American music ended when legendary blues guitarist R.L. Burnside passed away in 2005. A fixture on the Mississippi Delta blues scene for decades, Burnside and his gritty, growling musical style was a living link to the black musicians who originated the Delta blues back in the 1920s and from whom he first learned how to play. In the early 1990s Burnside gained …
Surname is pronounced "broon-awf"; born 1925, in Paris, France; immigrated to the United States, 1985; Education: Attended Lycee Pasteur and Academie de la Grande Chaumiere. Hobbies and other interests: Gardening, birdwatching, travelling, hiking, watercolor. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 100 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10011. Author and illustrator of children&…
(Ted Burn) Born 1940, in Lockhaven, PA; Education: Attended Atlanta School of Art, 1960-63. McDonald & Little, Atlanta, GA, advertising copywriter and artist, c. 1960-1976; senior art director for advertising agencies in San Francisco, CA, including Bottsford Thomas E. Burn Ketchum and Ogilvy & Mather; McDonald & Little, Atlanta, GA, vice president and executive art dir…
Born 1966, in Newark, OH; Education: Attended Columbus College of Art & Design. Office—753 South Third St., Columbus, OH 43206. Illustrator. Exhibitions: Society of Illustrators National Scholarship Competition & Exhibition, New York, 1988; Mazza Collection, University of Findlay, Ohio; James Thurber Center, Columbus, OH, 1995; Riffe Gallery, Columbus, OH, 1997; Museum of Nort…
Born 1974, in Lake Macquarie, New South Wales, Australia; Education: University of Newcastle, B.B.A., 1996. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Allen & Unwin, P.O. Box 8500, St. Leonards, New South Wales 1590, Australia. Writer. Worked variously as an after-school tutor for Aboriginal children, a business college instructor, an operations manager, and in public relations. Australian Society of A…
Born 1968, in Berkhamsted, England; Education: Watford College of Art, higher national diploma (in graphic design; with distinction). Politics: "Green." Hobbies and other interests: Environmental activism, travel, nature crafts, mural painting, cooking, country walks, and socializing with friends. Office—The Drawing Room, Panther House, 38 Mount Pleasant, London WCIX 40P, Engl…
Born 1954, in London, England; Education: Kent University, B.A., 1977, M.A., 1978. Politics: "Left." Religion: "Broad." Hobbies and other interests: "Running, reading, the theatre, my dog, long conversations, wine, and most of all, friends and family." Agent—Clare Conville, 2 Ganton Street, London WIF 7QL, England. Time Life Books, London, England, …
Born 1951, in Oberlin, OH; Education: Attended Occidental College; University of Oregon, B.F.A., 1975; attended School of Visual Concepts (Seattle WA), 1995. Office—Changing Light Art Works, P.O. Box 4190, Bellingham, WA 98227. Alaskan Silver & Ivory Company, Scrimshaw and advertising designer, 1976–80; portraitist, illustrator, and landscape artist, 1980–. Exhibitions: W…
wife's name Carina. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Roaring Brook Press, 2 Old New Milford Rd., Brookfield, CT 06804. Cartoonist and children's book author. Top-ten finalist, Dr. Seuss Picture-Book Contest, 1993. Boing, Roaring Brook Press (Brookfield, CT), 2004. Bad Kitty, Roaring Brook Press (New Milford, CT), 2005. Also author of How to Be a Real Good Cartoonist, 2003. Contributor …
Born 1963, in Washington, DC; Education: University of California, Berkeley, B.A. (English), 1985; Radcliffe Publishing Course, certificate, 1985. Religion: Roman Catholic. Office—Shoreline Publishing Group, 125 Santa Rosa Pl., Santa Barbara, CA 93109. East West Network, New York, NY, senior editor, 1988–89; Sports Illustrated, New York, NY, editorial project manager, 1989–93…
1946— Casting agent Cannon, Reuben, photograph. Ana Elisa Fuentes/Getty Images. Despite growing up in an inner-city Chicago housing project, Reuben Cannon knew his future lay in the entertainment industry. With luck, pluck, and a lot of hard work, Cannon broke into the competitive field and became the first African-American casting director in Hollywood—and one of the most suc…
Nationality: British. Born: Lagos, Nigeria, 1944. Education: Methodist Girls' High School, Lagos; University of London, B.Sc. (honors) in sociology 1972. Career: Librarian, 1960-64; library officer, British Museum, London, 1965-69; youth worker and resident student, Race, 1974-76; community worker, Camden Council, London, 1976-78; visiting lecturer at 11 universities in the United States, 1…
Born 1934, in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, England; Education: Attended St. Joseph's Convent. Politics: Conservative. Religion: Church of England (Anglican). Hobbies and other interests: Music, swimming, walking, travel, reading. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Little Tiger Press, 1 The Coda Ctr., 189 Munster Rd., London SW6 6AW, England. Leeds General Infirmary, Leeds, England, state-regist…
Born 1956, in Madison, WI. Ethnicity: "Arab-American." Education: A.M.L.S. (library science). Hobbies and other interests: Fossilized insects, martial arts films, swimming, running, exploring, music, making art out of seeds and toy robots out of "junk." Agent—c/o Author Mail, Simon & Schuster, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020. Librarian and…
Louis Caldera: 1956—: Educational administrator. Louis Caldera made a surprise return to his first career when U.S. President Bill Clinton appointed him to serve as secretary of the Army in 1998. A West Point graduate and former army captain, Caldera proved both an enthusiastic and somewhat maverick leader, stressing the need for this branch of the military to provide better educational…
Fernando Cardoso: 1931—: Sociologist, politician. Fernando Henrique Cardoso became the first reelected president of Brazil, based on the strides he made in modernizing the nation. During his terms, he emphasized economic reform, privatization, foreign investment, and funding for social services and education, and did so without a hint of the corruption that had plagued Brazil's f…
Gisele Bundchen: 1980—: Model. The rise of Brazilian beauty Gisele Bundchen in the late 1990s startled many in the world of fashion. Bundchen's robust, voluptuous looks seemed to mark the end of the era for the so-called "waif look" en vogue at the time, and her tanned, curvy figure was said to have sparked a search for copycat models. Bundchen's stardom was …
Hector Camacho: 1962—: Boxer. Starting out in life as a street fighter and car thief on the tough streets of New York's Spanish Harlem, Hector "Macho" Camacho became one of boxing's most flamboyant and entertaining showmen in the 1980s and 1990s. In his younger days, Camacho had phenomenal speed and quickness and, at five-foot five inches tall, won six titles…
Cruz M. Bustamante is a Democrat who became the first Latino to hold a statewide office in California in over 100 years when he was elected lieutenant governor in 1998. Prior to that position, Bustamante served as a California assemblyman and he was the first Latino speaker of the state assembly. Throughout his career Bustamante has supported the agricultural and immigrant communities of Californi…
Sila María Calderón: 1942—: Governor of Puerto Rico. As the former mayor of San Juan, and as Puerto Rico's first woman governor, Sila María Calderón has set goals to ally Puerto Rico with other Latin American nations and to establish national autonomy. To reduce poverty among 3.8 million mostly Hispanic citizens, she sought tax breaks for investors and…
José Canseco: 1964—: Baseball player. As the American League's Rookie of the Year in 1986 and the first player to hit forty home runs and steal forty bases in a single season, José Canseco was one of the outstanding baseball players of his day. Named the Most Valuable Player in the American League in 1988 during his first stint with the Oakland Athletics (A's…
Ernesto Cardenal: 1925—: Poet. It is nearly impossible to separate Nicaraguan poet Ernesto Cardenal from his country, or his poetry from his politics. He rose to prominence during the dark days of the four-decade-long dictatorship of the Somoza family. Cardenal used his pen as a sword to help undermine the Somoza regime, exposing its atrocities to the world. Some of his most renowned wo…
1965- Gospel singer, praise leader Cage, Byron, photograph. © Laura Farr/Zuma/Corbis. Known as the "Prince of Praise," celebrated gospel singer Byron Cage has been performing and recording songs since the 1980s and has become known for a self-described "cross-cultural, mass-appeal praise and worship" style that has kept his albums in the Billboard Gospel Top Ten …
Born 1946, in Feilding, New Zealand; Ethnicity: "Caucasian." Education: Trained as a school dental nurse. Hobbies and other interests: Traveling, flying her small aircraft, reading, sponsoring an African family in Kenya, being with friends and family. Illustrator, author, and wildlife artist. Formerly worked as a dental nurse. Exhibitions: Artwork exhibited in Napier, New Zealand, 19…
Surname pronounced Bee-ner; born 1963, in St. George, UT; Education: Attended University of Utah, 1981-83, and Utah State University, 1983-85. Religion: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon). Agent—c/o Lisa Sandick, Dial Press, 375 Hudson St., New York, NY 10014. Writer. Children's Choice Award, Children's Book Council, 1994, and Utah Children's Choice Aw…
Josefina G. Carbonell: 1950—: Head of U.S. Administration on Aging. The top U.S. official serving the elderly, Josefina G. Carbonell has become a national leader in innovative community services. When she accepted this position in 2001, she became the highest-ranking Hispanic-American appointee to the Department of Health and Human Services. Carbonell has earned respect from Republicans…
Name pronounced Bee-ner; born 1959, in Salt Lake City, UT; Education: Attended University of Utah, 1981-82; Utah State University, B.S., 1985. Religion: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon). Hobbies and other interests: Interior and landscape design. Agent—c/o Lisa Sandick, Dial Press, 375 Hudson St., New York, NY 10014. Illustrator of children's books. Performs volun…
Born 1946, in Kingsbury, North London, England; Hobbies and other interests: Skiing, watching television, visiting bookshops. Agent—c/o Author Mail, HarperCollins Publishers, 77-85 Fulham Palace Rd., Hammersmith, London W6 8JB, England. Author and illustrator of children's books. Graphics and typographic designer; TV AM (England), presenter for "Rub-a-Dub-Tub" children&…
Born 1928, in Charlotte, NC; Education: Attended Furman University, 1946-48; Queens College, Charlotte, NC, B.A., 1950. Hobbies and other interests: Gliding, flying airplanes, reading, traveling, music, needlepoint, crosswords. Children's book author. Book of the Year selection, Child Study Association of America, 1968, for The Midnight Fox, 1969, for Trouble River, 1970, for The Summer of …
Born in Salt Lake City, UT; Education: Brigham Young University, B.A. (English literature), M.A. (English literature). Hobbies and other interests: Gardening, traveling, cooking, knitting, collecting antique dolls. Agent—Adams Literary, 295 Greenwich St., No. 260, New York, NY 10007. Children's book author and journalist. Authors Guild. Delacorte Press Prize for Outstanding First Yo…
Born 1957, in Brooklyn, NY; Education: Sarah Lawrence College, B.A. Agent—Liza Voges, Kirchoff/Wohlberg, 866 U.N. Plaza, New York, NY 10017. Dancer, teacher, and author. Currently teaches writing at Sarah Lawrence College, Bronxville, NY. Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, Authors Guild, Authors League. American Booksellers Association Pick of the Lists designation…
Born 1960, in Hartford, CT; Education: University of Connecticut, B.A., 1983; attended Emerson College, 1987–88. Politics: Democrat. Religion: Unitarian-Universalist. Hobbies and other interests: Playwriting, films, music, travel, cooking, sports. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Compass Point Books, Compass Point Books, 3109 W. 50th St., No. 115, Minneapolis, MN 55410. Weekly Reader Corp., M…
1939— Advertising executive Tom Burrell was first directed toward a career in advertising by a high school aptitude test. However, it was his own independent spirit, creativity, and courage that guided him from a working-class childhood on the south side of Chicago to a position as chairman and chief executive officer of the company that would bear his name, Burrell Communications. Though f…
1980— Actor, writer, musician A promising young actor who has demonstrated box-office appeal to both black and white audiences, Nick Cannon has been called the Tom Cruise of his generation. In addition to performing, he has also written and produced material for television and film and has written and recorded an album. Attractive, charming, and a self-described workaholic, Cannon "h…
Born 1956, in Boston, MA; father a pediatrician, mother a nurse practitioner; Education: Graduated from college. Hobbies and other interests: Watching birds, gardening, reading, going for walks, rooting for the Boston Red Sox. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Farrar Straus & Giroux, Children's Marketing Department, 19 Union Square W., New York, NY 10003. Former newspaper journalist; li…
Born 1936, in Farnham, Surrey, England; Education: Central School of Art (London, England), national diploma in design, 1959. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Jonathan Cape Ltd., 30 Bedford Sq., London WC1B 3EL, England. Author, illustrator, and freelance designer. Worked at farming, slum-clearance, forestry, in the Friend's Ambulance Unit, and at school building as an alternative to military …
Born 1965, in Fairmont, MN; Education: Attended Bemidji State University, 1983–85, University of Minnesota, 1985–86, and Hamline University, 1986–87. Hobbies and other interests: Reading, hiking, playing the piano, Scrabble, biking, learning to juggle. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Albert Whitman, 6340 Oakton St., Morton Grove, IL 60053-2723. Freelance writer. Friends of the …
Born 1944, in Fort Worth, TX; (second marriage) Christopher Noble. Education: Harvard University, B.A., 1966; University of Massachusetts at Amherst, M.Ed., 1973. Politics: Democrat. Religion: Christian. Hobbies and other interests: Tennis, travel, skiing, running, billiards, reading, guitar. Agent—Bonnie Solow, New Media Marketing, 1007 Montana Ave., Ste. 133, Santa Monica, CA 90403. Motiv…
(Evelyn Bolton, A. E. Bunting) Born 1928 in, Maghera, Northern Ireland; came to United States, 1960; became U.S. citizen; Education: Graduated from Methodist College, Belfast, 1945; also attended Queen's University, Belfast. Politics: Democrat Religion: Protestant Agent—c/o Author Mail, Harcourt Brace, 525 B. St., San Diego, CA 92101. Freelance writer, 1969—. University of Cal…
Born 1942, in Atlantic City, NJ; Education: Attended Trenton Junior College, 1963; Philadelphia Museum College of Art, B.F.A., 1966. Graphic Artists Guild, Philadelphia Children's Reading Round Table, Philadelphia College of Art Alumni Association. Children's Book Showcase, Children's Book Council, 1975, for The Pinchpenny Mouse; Citation of Merit, Society of Illustrators, 197…
Born 1953, in Atlanta, GA; Ethnicity: "Caucasian." Education: Attended Hampshire College and Cae College. Politics: "Bleeding-heart liberal." Hobbies and other interests: Singing. Office—Pomegranate Communications, Box 808022, Petaluma, CA 94975. Writer and publisher. Pomegranate Communications, Petaluma, CA, owner, 1975–. Lightning Bug Thunder, Firefly B…
1928– Corrections official, poet Marjorie Laura Burgess had a long career in the State of New York corrections department. She began work after her children were mostly out of the house and steadily advanced in rank. She became a middle-aged college student, earned several degrees, and continued to further her career. Yet these accomplishments alone might not have earned Burgess her listing…
1953(?)– Minister From his base in Houston, Texas, Pastor Kirbyjon Caldwell runs an impressive church outreach program that has attracted national attention, and made him an unofficial advisor to U.S. President George W. Bush. Caldwell has turned his Windsor Village United Methodist Church from a struggling congregation of just two dozen members into one of Houston's most dynamic com…
1957(?)— Police chief Bully-Cummings, Ella, photograph. AP/Wide World Photos. Reproduced by permission. Detroit Police Department veteran Ella Bully-Cummings became the first woman to serve as chief of police in her city, long known for its high crime rate. Bully-Cummings was named to the post in November of 2003 after a spate of recent troubles on the force, and immediately won high…
1949— Educator, university administrator When Dr. Mickey L. Burnim was appointed chancellor of North Carolina's Elizabeth City State University, the 105-year-old campus was struggling with auditing problems, slipping enrollment, and an aging infrastructure. Burnim immediately set about turning the historically black university around. He hired three new vice chancellors who helped hi…
Nationality: American. Born: New York City, 1926. Education: Lawrenceville School, New Jersey, graduated 1943; Princeton University, New Jersey, A.B. in English 1947; Union Theological Seminary, New York, B.D. 1958: ordained a Minister of the United Presbyterian Church, 1958. Military Service: Served in the United States Army, 1944-46. Career: English Master, Lawrenceville School, 1948-53; Instruc…
Nationality: American. Born: Lois McMaster in Columbus, Ohio, 1949. Education: Attended Ohio State University, 1968-72. Career: Pharmacy technician, Ohio State University Hospitals, 1972-78. Awards: Nebula Award (Science Fiction Writers of America), best novel, 1988, best novella, 1989, best novel, 1995; Hugo Award (World Science Fiction Society), best novella, 1989, best novel, 1990, 1991, 1995; …
Nationality: American. Born: Houston, 1936. Education: University of Southwest Louisiana, Lake Charles, 1955-1957; University of Missouri, B.A. 1959, M.A. 1960. Career: Social worker, Los Angeles, 1962-64; reporter, Lafayette, Louisiana, 1964; U.S. Forest Service, Kentucky, 1965-66; English instructor, University of Southern Louisiana, Lafayette, Louisiana; English instructor, University of Montan…
Nationality: Canadian. Born: Stratford, Ontario, Canada, 1945. Career: Teacher, Sage Hill, Humber School of Writing; writer-in-residence, University of Western Ontario. Lives in London, Ontario, Canada. Awards: Commonwealth Best Book award, 1989; Saskatchewan Book of the Year, 1994; Periodical Publishers award, 1994; Marian Engel award, 1995; Giller prize for Canadian Literature, 1999. Establishi…
Nationality: British. Born: London, 1929. Education: The Merchant Taylors' School, London; Middle Temple, London: called to the bar, 1956. Military Service: Served in the Royal Army Education Corps, 1949-51. Career: Barrister in London, 1956-59; research assistant, London School of Economics, 1959; assistant legal manager, Beaverbrook Newspapers, London, 1959-62; Henfield fellow, University…
Nationality: American. Born: Tucson, Arizona, 1936. Education: The University of Arizona, Tucson, 1954-55; Barnard College, New York, B.A. (cum laude) in English, 1958; Cambridge University, B.A. (honours) in English 1960, M.A. 1965; Yale School of Drama, New Haven, Connecticut, 1960-61. Career: Supply teacher and music director, Binghamton public schools, New York, 1961-63; costume designer, Belg…
Nationality: American. Born: Brooklyn, New York, 1941. Education: Muhlenberg College, Allentown, Pennsylvania, 1958-62, A.B. 1962; Columbia University, New York (Woodrow Wilson fellow, 1962), 1962-63, M.A. 1967. Career: Writer and editor, North American Précis Syndicate, New York, 1964-65, and School Management magazine, Greenwich, Connecticut, 1965-66. Instructor, 1966-67, assistant professo…
Nationality: American. Born: Pasadena, California, 1947. Education: Pasadena City College, A.A. 1968. Awards: Fifth prize, Writer's Digest Short Story Contest, 1967; Creative Arts Achievement award (Los Angeles YWCA), 1980; Hugo award (World Science Fiction Convention), 1984, 1985; Nebula award (Science Fiction Writers of America), 1985; Locus award (Locus magazine), 1985; Best novelette aw…
Nationality: American. Born: Granite City, Illinois, 1945. Education: Northwestern University, B.S. 1967; University of Iowa, M.A. 1969; postgraduate study at the New School for Social Research, 1979-81. Military Service: Military intelligence, U.S. Army, 1969-72: served in Vietnam, became sergeant. Career: Reporter/editor, Electronic News, New York, 1972-73; high school teacher, Granite City, Il…
Nationality: American. Born: New York City, 1911. Education: Hunter College High School, New York; Barnard College, New York, A.B. in philosophy 1932. Career: Adjunct professor of English, Barnard College, 1956-57; visiting professor, University of Iowa, Iowa City, 1957, 1959-60, Stanford University, California, 1958, Sarah Lawrence College, Bronxville, New York, 1962, and Brandeis University, Wal…
Nationality: British. Born: Birmingham, 1924. Education: Coventry Technical College, 1937-39; St. Luke's College, Exeter, Devon, 1968-70, Teacher's Certificate 1970. Career: Engineering apprentice and toolmaker, Coventry Gauge and Tool Company, 1940-48; clerk, Ministry of Works and Minstry of Supply, 1949-51; clerical assistant, South West Electricity Board, Plymouth, 1951-66; Arts C…
Nationality: Australian. Born: Sydney, 1948. Marion Campbell is one of Australia's most powerful intellectual and postmodern writers and has an impressive reputation on the basis of three novels. Her first novel, Lines of Flight, is a work of luminous and startling intelligence, both elegant and playful. Through rival narrative modes, it is the story of Rita Finnerty, a young Australian ar…
Born 1955, in New York, NY; Ethnicity: "Caucasian." Education: Attended City College of New York. Politics: "Independent." Agent—Author Mail, Scholastic Educational Publishing, 557 Broadway, New York, NY 10012. Writer. Children's Book of the Year, Book Sense, 2000, for The Quiltmaker's Gift; Logos Book Award; Publishers Weekly Cuffy Award; Parent&#…
Born 1945, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; Education: University of Manitoba, received degree, 1967, certificate in education, 1976. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Kids Can Press Ltd., 29 Birch Ave., Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4V 1E2. Hudson's Bay Co., Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, illustrator, 1968–70; Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg, painting instructor, 1974–75; River East Schoo…
Born 1958, in New York, NY. Education: Cornell University, B.A.; University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography, M.S.; Southern Connecticut State University, M.S.W. Hobbies and other interests: Hiking, bicycling, cross-country skiing, scuba diving, pottery, knitting, reading, eating chocolate. Agent—Moon Mountain Publishing, Inc., P.O. Box 188, West Rockport, ME 04865-0188. Chi…
Born in England; Education: Attended Slade School (London, England). Hobbies and other interests: Reading, gardening, walking. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Dutton/Penguin Putnam, 375 Hudson St., New York, NY 10014. Writer and illustrator. Designer of Web sites, greeting cards, and animation. The Cat's Pajamas, Doubleday (New York, NY), 1990. One Little Teddy Bear, Collins (London, England…
Born 1970, in Key West, FL; father a military dentist. Education: Colorado State University, B.A. (magna cum laude), 1991; University of Michigan, M.A. (political science) and J.D., both 1994. Hobbies and other interests: Family activities, rose gardening, playing softball, travel. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Jenny Bent, Harvey Klinger, Inc., 301 W. 53rd St., New York, NY 10019. Writer. Also wo…
Born 1949, in Orange, CA; Education: Attended University of California, Berkeley, and San Francisco State University. Agent—Katharine Kidde, Kidde, Hoyt, and Picard, 335 E. 51st St., New York, NY 10022. Writer. Worked for a suicide prevention help-line. Creative writing fellowship, National Endowment for the Arts; Helen Bullis Prize, Poetry Northwest; Owl Creek Book Award; finalist, Los Ang…
