Post by Taxigirl on Oct 18, 2003 10:03:44 GMT
Birth name
Richard Tiffany Gere
Height
5' 10½" (1.79 m)
Humanitarian and actor, Richard Gere was born on August 31, 1949 in Philadelphia. The second of five children, his father was Homer, an insurance salesman, and his mother was Doris. Richard started early as a musician, playing a number of instruments in high school and writing music for high school productions. He graduated from North Syracuse Central High School in 1967. Richard won a gymnastics scholarship to the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, where he majored in philosophy. He left college after 2 years to pursue acting, landing a lead role in the London production of the rock musical "Grease" in 1973. The following year he would be in other plays such as "Taming of the Shrew." Onscreen he had a few roles, and gained recognition in "Looking for Mr. Goodbar" (1977). Offscreen, he spent 1978 meeting Tibetans when he traveled to Nepal, where he spoke to many monks and lamas. Returning to the USA, on Broadway Richard portrayed a concentration-camp prisoner in "Bent," for which he received the 1980 Theatre World Award. Back in Hollywood, he played the title role in "American Gigolo" (1980) establishing him as a major star; this status was reaffirmed by "An Officer and a Gentleman" (1982). In the early 1980s Richard went to Honduras, Nicaragua, and El Salvador (while the war was going on); he traveled with a doctor and visited refugee camps. It is said that Richard was romantically linked with lovely Brazilian painter, Sylvia Martins. In 1990, Richard teamed up with Julia Roberts to star in the blockbuster movie "Pretty Woman"; Richard's cool reserve was the perfect complement to Julia's bubbling enthusiasm. This movie captured the nation's heart, and won the People's Choice award for Best Movie. Fans clamored for years for a sequel to Pretty Woman, or at least another pairing of Julia and Richard. We fans got our wish with "Runaway Bride" which was a runaway success. (Richard got 12 million, Julia made 17 million, the box office was 152 million; so give the public what we want!) Offscreen, Richard and Cindy Crawford got married December 12, 1991 (they got divorced in 1995). Afterwards, Richard started dating actress Carey Lowell; they had a son Homer James Jigme Gere on February 6, 2000. Richard was picked by People magazine as one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the world in 1991, and as their Sexiest Man Alive in 1999. Richard is an accomplished pianist and music writer. Above all, Richard is a humanitarian. He's a founding member of "Tibet House," a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of Tibetan culture. Richard has been an active supporter of "Survival International" for several years; that's a worldwide organization supporting tribal peoples, affirming their right to decide their own future, and helping them protect their lives, lands and human rights. (These tribes are global, including the Indians of the Amazon, the Maasai of East Africa, the Wichi of Argentina, and others.) In 1994, Richard went to London to open Harrods' sale, donating his £50,000 appearance fee to Survival. And Richard has been prominent in their charity advertising campaigns. Humanitarian Richard says, "If people lose their land, they have nothing. You lose your land -- you lose your culture, you lose self." As for the duty of rich nations helping developing countries, Richard says, "This planet can't exist anymore unless all peoples are taken into account." (If one person suffers, ultimately all people suffer.) Richard says, "The suffering does not limit itself to one body; it goes through the entire body."
Spouse
Cindy Crawford (12 December 1991 - 1995) (divorced)
Carey Lowell (9 November 2002 - present) 1 child
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Trivia
Attended the University of Massachusetts. Dropped out to pursue acting.
Is the second of five children born to Homer and Doris Gere
People Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive [1999]
Graduated from North Syracuse Central High School; [1967]
Was a member of the student council, gymnastics team, lacrosse, and ski team
Won a gymnastics scholarship to the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he majored in philosophy; he dropped out in 1969 to pursue acting.
Listed as one of twelve "Promising New Actors of 1977" in John Willis' Screen World, Vol. 29. [1977]
A Buddhist for over a decade, Gere was banned from the Oscars once after making anti-China comments on the air at the 1993 ceremony.
Cindy and Richard were married 12 December 1991 by Rev. Wes McPherson at the Little Church of the West, Las Vegas
He appeared in the music video and sang in the choir on the song "Voices That Care."
Chosen by People magazine as one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the world. [1991]
An accomplished pianist and music writer.
His son, with actress Carey Lowell, Homer James Jigme Gere was born on 6th February 2000 in New York City weighing in at 8 pounds, 12 ounces.
When the Chinese Government asked Gere to one of their film festivals, Gere would go attend two conditions: 1. That he was allowed to bring his own interpretor and 2. That he would stay in Taipei, Taiwan during his visit. The government agreed and Gere went to the festival.
Named his son: Homer James Jigme. "Jigme" means "fearless" in Tibetan.
Turned down the lead role in Die Hard which went to Bruce Willis.
Richard Gere is referenced in a 2001 hit song called 'Crying at the Discothéque' by a swedish group called ALCAZAR
Irish-American
Gere trained for five months for the tap dance scene in Chicago (2002).
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Personal quotes
"I don't want to be a personality."
"When I am there [Tibet], I am very happy. The Tibetans radiate. They literally send out light. His Holiness [the Dalai Lama] generates love and compassion to every human being. He has committed himself to that. I haven't made that leap yet. I haven't given up self-aspiration. I still love making movies
