Character name	The Thing
Converted	y
Publisher	Marvel Comics
Debut	''The Fantastic Four'' #1 (Nov 1961)
Creators	Stan LeeJack Kirby
Alter ego	Benjamin Jacob Grimm
Species	Human Mutate
Alliances	Future FoundationFantastic FourUCWFWest Coast AvengersThunderidersYancy Street GangAvengersNew AvengersThe Worthy
Aliases	Blackbeard the PirateAngrir: Breaker of Souls
Powers	* Superhuman strength, stamina, and durability Rock-like skin Skilled in street-fighting and hand-to-hand combat Excellent dexterity and above-average reflexes Enhanced lung capacity }}

The Thing (Benjamin Jacob "Ben" Grimm) is a fictional character, a founding member of the superhero team known as the Fantastic Four in the Marvel Comics universe. He was created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee in ''The Fantastic Four'' #1 (Nov. 1961). His trademark orange rocky appearance, sense of humor, blue eyes, and his famous battle cry, "It's clobberin' time!" makes him one of comics' most recognizable and popular characters. The Thing's speech patterns are loosely based on those of Jimmy Durante.

Michael Chiklis portrayed The Thing in the 2005 film ''Fantastic Four'' and its 2007 sequel, ''Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer''.

In 2011 IGN ranked the Thing 18th in the Top 100 comic books heroes.

Publication history

In addition to appearing in the Fantastic Four, the Thing has been the star of ''Marvel Two-in-One'', ''Strange Tales'' (with his fellow Fantastic Four member the Human Torch), and two incarnations of his own eponymous series, not to mention many miniseries and one-shots. The Thing was named ''Empire'''s tenth (of fifty) greatest comic book characters.

''Strange Tales''

The Thing joined his Fantastic Four partner and frequent rival the Human Torch in #124 (1964) of ''Strange Tales'', which then featured solo adventures of the Human Torch and backup Doctor Strange stories. The change was intended to liven the comic through the always humorous chemistry between the Torch and the Thing. They were replaced with the "modern-day" version of Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., who was then already appearing in ''Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos'' in #135 (1965).

Marvel Two-in-One (1974–1983)

After a 1973 two issue try-out in issues 11 and 12 of ''Marvel Feature'', the Thing appeared in the long-running series ''Marvel Two-in-One'', which lasted 100 issues with seven annuals. In each issue Ben Grimm would be paired with another character from the Marvel Universe, frequently an obscure or colorful choice. The series was undoubtedly intended to introduce readers to new characters from Marvel's further reaches, by way of the more recognizable Thing's gruff, avuncular, and down-to-earth humor. In 1992, Marvel reprinted four Two-in-One stories (#50, 51, 77 and 80) as a miniseries under the title ''The Adventures of the Thing''.

The Thing (1983–1986)

The cancellation of ''Marvel Two-in-One'' led to the Thing's first completely solo series, which ran for thirty-six issues. It was originally written by John Byrne and then later by Mike Carlin, and drawn first by Ron Wilson and later by Paul Neary. It was notable for elaborating on Ben Grimm's poor childhood on Yancy Street in its first issue, as well as chronicling the Thing's adventures as a professional wrestler.

It also crossed over heavily with Marvel's Secret Wars event, after which the Thing elects to remain on the Beyonder's Battleworld when he discovers that the planet enables him to return to human form at will. A full third of the series' stories (issues 10 through 22) take place on Battleworld.

2002 - present

In 2002, Marvel released ''The Thing: Freakshow'', a four-issue miniseries starring the Thing, in which he takes time away from the Fantastic Four to ride the rails across America, inadvertently stumbling on a deformed gypsy boy he once ridiculed as a teenager – now the super-strong main attraction of a troupe of traveling circus freaks – and a town full of Kree and Skrull warriors fighting over a Watcher infant. The series was written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Scott Kolins.

In 2003, Marvel released another four-issue miniseries, ''The Thing: Night Falls on Yancy Street''. The story was of a less action-oriented and more character-driven and analytical type than is usual for the Thing. Some reviewers considered the story a nostalgic homage to Silver Age comics, while others found its noir-ish atmosphere "depressing". It was written by Evan Dorkin and illustrated by Dean Haspiel.

After the success of the ''Fantastic Four'' feature film and events in the ''Fantastic Four'' that resulted in Grimm becoming a millionaire, the Thing was once again given his own series in 2005, ''The Thing'', written by Dan Slott and penciled by Andrea Di Vito and, later, Kieron Dwyer. It was canceled with #8 in 2006. The Thing was a member of New Avengers, when that team debuted in their self-titled series in 2010.

Fictional character biography

Background

Born on Yancy Street in New York City's Lower East Side, to a Jewish family, Benjamin Jacob Grimm had an early life that was one of poverty and hardship, shaping young Grimm into a tough, streetwise scrapper. His older brother Daniel, whom Ben idolized, was killed in a street gang fight when Ben was eight years old. This portion of his own life is modeled on that of Jack Kirby, who grew up on tough Delancey Street, whose brother died when he was young, whose father was named Benjamin, and who was named Jacob at birth. Following the death of his parents, Ben was raised by his Uncle Jake (who had married a much younger wife, Petunia, who would become a frequent reference used by the character until her death). He comes to lead the Yancy Street gang at one point.

Excelling in football as a high school student, Ben received a full scholarship to Empire State University, where he first meets his eventual life-long friend in a teenaged genius named Reed Richards, as well as future enemy Victor von Doom. Despite them being from radically different backgrounds, science student Richards described his dream to Grimm to one day build a space rocket to explore the regions of space around Mars, and Grimm jokingly agrees to fly that rocket when the day comes.

After finishing college, having earned multiple advanced degrees in engineering, Grimm joins the United States Marine Corps, where he is trained as a test pilot (his exploits as a military aviator are chronicled to a limited extent in issue #7 of the ''Captain Savage and his Leatherneck Raiders'' comic, in a story entitled "Objective: Ben Grimm!"). While in the Air Force, Nick Fury orders him to serve as pilot during a top secret surveillance mission into Vladivostok in the Soviet Union, along with Logan (the future X-Man Wolverine) and Carol Danvers (the future Avenger Ms. Marvel). Following this, he becomes an astronaut for NASA.

The details of his life story have been modified over the years to keep the character current. In the earlier stories, up until the one published in the nineteen-seventies, Grimm had served in the air force during World War II and the space flight in which he was transformed into the Thing was an attempt to reach the Moon, occurring at a time before any manned space ship had escaped Earth's orbit. The Captain Savage story mentioned above was set during the Second World War.

Religion

In keeping with an early taboo in the comic superhero world against revealing a character's religion, the fact that Grimm was Jewish was not explicitly revealed until four decades after his creation, in the story, "Remembrance of Things Past" (in Fantastic Four, Vol. 3, #56, August 2002). In this story, Grimm returns to his old neighborhood to find Mr. Sheckerberg, a pawn shop owner he had known as a child. Flashbacks during this story reveal Grimm's Jewish heritage, and he even recites the Shema, the Jewish prayer often recited over the dead and dying, over the dying Sheckerberg, who eventually recovers. In a later story, Grimm even agrees to celebrate his Bar Mitzvah, since it has been 13 years (the age a Jewish boy celebrates his Bar Mitzvah) since he began his "second life" as the Thing. To celebrate the ceremony, Grimm organizes a poker tournament for every available superhero in the Marvel Universe.

The story of The Thing was unusual for another religious reason, as well: the fact that The Thing was actually brought back to life in one story not by science, magic, or alien power or technology, but by the hand of God.

The Thing

Some years later, Reed Richards, now a successful scientist, once again makes contact with Grimm. Richards has built his spaceship, and reminds Grimm of his promise to fly the ship. After the government denies him permission to fly the spaceship himself, Richards plots a clandestine flight piloted by Grimm and accompanied by his future wife Susan Storm, who had helped provide funding for the rocket, and her brother Johnny Storm, who helped the group gain access to the launch system. Although reluctant to fly the rocket, Ben is persuaded to do so by Sue, for whom he has a soft spot. During this unauthorized ride into the upper atmosphere of Earth and the Van Allen Belts, they are pelted by a cosmic ray storm and exposed to radiation against which the ship's shields are no protection. Upon crashing down to Earth, each of the four learn that they have developed fantastic superhuman abilities. Grimm's skin is transformed into a thick, lumpy orange hide, which gradually evolves into his now-familiar craggy covering of large rocky plates. Richards proposes the quartet band together to use their new abilities for the betterment of humanity, and Grimm, in a moment of self-pity, adopts the super-heroic sobriquet, ''The Thing''. The team clashes with the Mole Man in their first appearance.

Trapped in his monstrous form, Grimm is an unhappy yet reliable member of the team. He trusts in his friend Reed Richards to one day develop a cure for his condition. However, when he encounters blind sculptress Alicia Masters, Grimm develops an unconscious resistance to being transformed back to his human form. Subconsciously fearing that Masters prefers him to remain in the monstrous form of the Thing, Grimm's body rejects various attempts by Richards to restore his human form, lest he lose Masters' love. Grimm has remained a stalwart member of the Fantastic Four for years. The Thing first fought the Hulk early in his career, with many such further clashes over the years. Not long after that, he is first reverted to his human form, but is then restored to his Thing form to battle Doctor Doom.

After the events of the first Secret Wars, Grimm leaves the team when he opts to remain on an alien planet where he can control his transformation to and from his rocky super-powered form. Upon returning to Earth, he learns that Alicia had become romantically involved with his teammate Johnny Storm during his absence (it is eventually revealed that this Alicia was actually the Skrull impostor Lyja). An angry Grimm wallows in self-pity for a time, later on joining the West Coast Avengers, and hanging out at the West Coast mansion. Eventually, he returns to his surrogate family as leader of the Fantastic Four when Mr. Fantastic and Invisible Woman leave the team to raise their son Franklin. Ben invites Crystal and Ms. Marvel II (Sharon Ventura) to fill their slots. Soon after Sharon and Ben are irradiated with cosmic rays, Sharon becomes a lumpy Thing much like Ben was in his first few appearances while Ben mutates into a new rocky form.

After being further mutated into the more monstrous rocky form, Ben was briefly changed back to his human form, and returned leadership of the Fantastic Four to Reed Richards. Grimm once more returned to his traditional orange rocky form, out of love for Ms. Marvel. He remains a steadfast member of the Fantastic Four.

Despite his unquestioned loyalty to the Fantastic Four, Grimm has been temporarily replaced on the team twice. First, after Grimm temporarily lost his powers and reverted to human form, Reed Richards hired Luke Cage (then using the code name "Power Man") to take his place. Years later, after Grimm chose to remain on Battleworld in the aftermath of the "Secret Wars", he asked the She-Hulk to fill in for him.

In the 21st century

In a ''Fantastic Four'' comic published in 2005, Ben learns he is entitled to a large sum of money, his share of the Fantastic Four fortune, which Reed Richards had never touched, as he had the shares of the other teammates (who were family members) in order to pay off various debts of the group. The following year, spurred by the success of the ''Fantastic Four'' feature film (of which much of the press was centered on the portrayal of the Thing) under writer Dan Slott, Ben began starring in his first solo title in more than 20 years. Slott's series, though a critical success, suffered from low sales, and was canceled after the eighth issue.

The Thing uses his newfound wealth to build a community center in his old neighborhood on Yancy Street, the "Grimm Youth Center." Thinking the center is named after the Thing himself, the Yancy Street Gang plans to graffiti the building exterior, but discovers the building was actually named after Daniel Grimm, Ben's deceased older brother and former leader of the gang. The relationship between the Yancy Streeters and the Thing is then effectively reconciled, or at least changed to a more good-natured, playful rivalry (as exemplified by the comic ending, with Yancy Streeters spray-painting the sleeping Thing).

Some personality traits of the cantankerously lovable, occasionally cigar-smoking, Jewish native of the Lower East Side are popularly recognized as having been inspired by those of co-creator Jack Kirby, who in interviews has said he intended Grimm to be an alter ego of himself.

Civil War/The Initiative

Initially in the superhero Civil War Ben is a reluctant member at Iron Man's side, until he witnesses a battle on Yancy Street in which Captain America's forces try to rescue captured allies held by Iron Man's forces. Old Fantastic Four foes the Mad Thinker and the Puppet Master try to escalate the battle, using a mind-controlled Yancy Streeter to deliver a bomb. The young man dies and the Thing verbally blasts both sides for not caring about the civilians caught in the conflict. He announces that while he thinks the registration is wrong, he is also not going to fight the government and is thus leaving the country for France. While in France he meets ''Les Héros de Paris'' (The Heroes of Paris).

Ben returns to New York as both sides of the SHRA battle in the city. Oblivious to whichever side gets in his way, Ben makes it his job to protect civilians from harm.

In ''Fantastic Four'' #543 (March 2007), Ben celebrates the Fantastic Four's 11th anniversary along with the Human Torch, and late-comers Reed and Sue. The aftermath of the Civil War is still being felt in this issue, as Ben and Johnny (and even Franklin) consider the future of the team and Reed and Sue's marriage. When Reed and Sue arrive near issue's end, they announce they are taking a break from the team and have found two replacement members: Black Panther, and Storm of the X-Men. The title of the story in this issue is a quote from Ben, "Come on, Suzie, don't leave us hangin'."

Ben has been identified as Number 53 of the 142 registered superheroes who appear on the cover of the comic book ''Avengers: The Initiative'' #1.

World War Hulk

Ben once again tries to take on the Hulk within the events of World War Hulk in order to buy Reed Richards the time he needs to complete his plans for the Hulk. Ben gives his best shots, but the Hulk takes his punches without slowing down. The Hulk proceeds to knock out Ben by punching both sides of his head simultaneously. He is later seen captive in Madison Square Garden, which the Hulk has turned into a gladiatorial arena, with an obedience disk fitted on him.

Released from his imprisonment, Ben, Spider-Man, and Luke Cage attack the Warbound, with Ben fighting Korg. Their battle is brought to an abrupt end when Hiroim repairs the damage to Manhattan Island, drawing the energy to do so from Ben and Korg.

Secret Invasion

In the ''Secret Invasion: Fantastic Four'' miniseries, the Skrull Lyja, posing as Sue, sends the Baxter Building, with Ben, Johnny, Franklin, and Valeria inside, into the Negative Zone. Not long after their arrival, Ben has to protect Franklin and Valeria from an impending onslaught of giant insects. With the aid of the Tinkerer, who Ben broke out of the Negative Zone Prison, they, with the exception of Lyja who stayed behind, were able to return to the regular Marvel Universe just after the invasion was over.

Heroic Age

Following the Siege of Asgard, Luke Cage asks Ben to serve on his Avengers team. Although Ben states that his loyalty will always be to the Fantastic Four, Cage confirms that he is not asking Ben to resign from his original team, merely suggesting that Ben split his time between the two teams like Wolverine divides his time between the X-Men and the Avengers.

Fear Itself

During the return of the God of Fear, Ben lifts one of the seven fallen hammers of the god and becomes Angir: Breaker of Souls. He then destroys Yancy Street while the Future Foundation tries to stop him, but he defeats them. The Red Hulk attempts to stop Angir, who proceeds to destroy Avengers Tower. Angir defeats Red Hulk, sending him flying out of New York while he destroyed the Avengers Tower. Later, the Serpent summons Angir and the Hulk possessed Worthy to fight Thor. During the battle, Thor mortally wounds the possessed Angrir by sending Mjolnir flying through him. Franklin and Valeria come to his aid and, upon seeing them, Ben takes control of himself, saying that because of all the atrocities he committed as Angrir, he deserves to die. Franklin then uses his powers to restore Ben to his normal appearance, free from the Serpent's possession.

Relationships

Grimm's relationship with his teammates has been a close but occasionally edgy one given his temper. He and the Torch (aka Johnny Storm) are always arguing and have often clashed, causing no end of mayhem in the Fantastic Four headquarters. When Johnny started a relationship of his own with Alicia Masters and they became engaged, Grimm was upset. However, he had to concede that, unlike himself and his stone-covered body, Johnny could "be a man". He even agreed to act as best man at their wedding.

The relationship between Alicia and Johnny was vehemently disliked by many fans, and was later retconned and explained that the Alicia that Johnny fell in love with was actually Lyja, a member of the shape-changing Skrull race. The real Alicia, who was kept in suspended animation, was soon rescued by the Fantastic Four and reunited with the Thing.

Ben began dating a teacher named Debbie Green. Their relationship went so well that, after only six weeks, Ben asked Debbie to marry him, which she accepted. He later left her at the altar when he realizes the dangers of the wives of superheroes.

Grimm calls Reed Richards "Stretch", as appropriate to the fact that he is naturally tall and can literally stretch his body. However, Grimm also holds Reed responsible for his condition since he had dismissed the potential danger of the cosmic rays that gave them their powers, although Grimm had taken them very seriously. At times of real frustration towards Reed, Grimm refers to him simply as "Richards".

Grimm is the godfather of Reed and Sue's son Franklin, who affectionately calls him "Uncle Ben".

Powers and abilities

As a result of a mutagenic effect due to exposure to cosmic radiation, the Thing possesses high levels of superhuman strength, stamina, and resistance to physical injury. His strength has continued to increase over the years due to a combination of further mutation and special exercise equipment designed for him by Reed Richards.

He is capable of surviving impacts of great strength and force without sustaining injury, as his body is covered with an orange, flexible, rock-like hide. He is also able to withstand gunfire from high caliber weapons as well as armor piercing rounds. It is possible to breach his exterior, however, and he does bleed as a result. The Thing's highly advanced musculature generates fewer fatigue toxins during physical activity, granting him superhuman levels of stamina.

Aside from his physical attributes, the Thing's senses can withstand greater levels of sensory stimulation than an ordinary human, with the exception of his sense of touch. His lungs possess greater efficiency and volume than those of an ordinary human. As a result, the Thing is capable of holding his breath for much greater periods of time.

Despite his brutish, even monstrous form, the Thing suffers no change in his personality nor his level of intelligence. Despite his greatly increased size, the Thing's agility and reflexes remain at the same level they had been prior to his transformation.

The Thing is an exceptionally skilled pilot, due to his time spent as a test pilot in the United States Air Force and as a member of the Fantastic Four. He is also a formidable and relentless hand to hand combatant. His fighting style incorporates elements of boxing, wrestling, judo, jujutsu, and street-fighting techniques, as well as hand to hand combat training from the military.

After an encounter with the Grey Gargoyle, the Thing seemed to have gained the ability to shift between his human and rock forms at will. That ability has since been lost after it was revealed that he spawned clones in an alternate reality every time he changed.

On occasion, when Ben Grimm regained his human form and lost his Thing powers, he used a suit of powered battle armor designed by Reed Richards that simulated the strength and durability of his mutated body, albeit to a weaker degree. Wearing the suit, which was designed to physically resemble his rocky form, Ben continued to participate in the Fantastic Four's adventures. The first exo-skeletal Thing suit was destroyed after Galactus restored Ben's natural powers and form. A second suit was built (presumably by Richards) and used sporadically when Ben had been returned to his human form.

Other versions

In other media

Television

1960s

The Thing is a regular character in the 1967 ''Fantastic Four'' cartoon, voiced by Paul Frees.

1970s

The Thing is a regular character in the 1978 ''Fantastic Four'' cartoon, voiced by Ted Cassidy.

Although The Thing has always been closely identified with the Fantastic Four, he did appear as a solo character in a bizarre and short-lived 1979 spin-off of the animated series ''The Flintstones'', entitled ''Fred and Barney Meet the Thing''. This incarnation of the Thing was a scrawny, teenaged "Benjy" Grimm, who could transform into his heroic identity with his "Thing rings", one worn on each hand, by bringing his fists together to connect the rings (with the cry, "Thing rings, do your thing!").

In an episode of ''Saturday Night Live'', Thing was a guest at a party hosted by Superman (Bill Murray) and Lois Lane (Margot Kidder).

1990s

The Thing is a regular character in the 1994 ''Fantastic Four'' cartoon, voiced by Chuck McCann.

Thing later appears in the '90s ''Spider-Man'' cartoon (voiced by Patrick Pinney) during the "Secret Wars" storyline, along with the rest of the Fantastic Four, and he plays a major role in the final conflict with Doctor Doom. Doom captures the Thing, reverts him back into his human form, uses the information he gives Ben to steal the Beyonder's power, and is only defeated when he turns his own weapon on him.

The Thing also makes a single episode appearance in the '90s ''Incredible Hulk'' cartoon, with Chuck McCann reprising Thing. The episode seems to place this show in the same continuity with the ''Fantastic Four'' cartoon of the same decade as this episode plays off the Hulk's appearance in the other show. She-Hulk flirted with him, but Ben chose to rekindle his relationship with Alicia Masters.

2000s

Thing appears in ''Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Heroes'', voiced by Brian Dobson. He is seen with the Fantastic Four symbol spray painted onto his chest.

Dave Boat voices Thing on ''The Super Hero Squad Show'' series on Cartoon Network. He makes a cameo appearance with the other Fantastic Four members in the show's pilot episode, and has a much bigger role on the third episode where he helps save the Silver Surfer.

Ben Grimm/Thing appeared in ''The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes'' in the episode "The Casket of Ancient Winters", voiced by Fred Tatasciore, where he and Human Torch help the Avengers fight ice monsters.

Film

Michael Bailey Smith plays Ben Grimm (with Carl Ciarfalio portraying The Thing) in the 1994 Roger Corman produced The Fantastic Four. Created to secure copyright to the property, the producers never intended it for release although the director, actors, and other participants were not informed of this fact.

The Thing is featured in the 2005 film released by 20th Century Fox, in which he is portrayed by Golden Globe-winner Michael Chiklis. In this film, a small explanation is given for why his physical alterations are the most severe, as he is exposed to the cosmic cloud with the least amount of protection, being outside the space station carrying out surveys while the rest of the team were inside. Although he is briefly cured of his 'condition' when Victor von Doom perfects a chamber that can negate the cosmic radiation that transforms him, after he learns that Doom perfected the process so that he could drain the power of the Thing and use it to enhance his own, he subjects himself to the chamber again so that he can turn himself back into the Thing. In this film, the Thing is from Brooklyn, rather than the Lower East Side.

Chiklis reprises his role as The Thing in the sequel, ''Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer''.

On 31 August 2009 Fox announced a reboot of the ''Fantastic Four'' franchise.

Video games

The Thing's first video game appearance was in 1984 in the Scott Adams adventure game Questprobe ''featuring the Human Torch and the Thing'' which was released for the following 8-bit platforms: Amstrad CPC, Apple II, Atari 8-bit, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, and a DOS version for the PC.

The Thing's first console appearance was a cameo in the ''Spider-Man'' game based on the ''Spider-Man 1994 animated series'' for Sega Mega Drive and the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. After reaching certain levels of the game, the player can call the Thing a limited number of times for assistance against enemies.

An evil doppelganger of the Thing appears as an enemy in Marvel Super Heroes: War of the Gems for the SNES.

The Thing is a playable character in the ''Fantastic Four'' game for the PlayStation.

The Thing is also playable in the game based on the 2005 film. The game was released on several consoles and the Thing was voiced by Michael Chiklis in the main game- including one level featuring him returned to his usual Ben Grimm identity and having to avoid Doom's robots to reactivate the chamber to restore him to the Thing- and by Fred Tatasciore in the bonus levels.

The Thing and the Human Torch are playable characters in the fighting game ''Marvel Nemesis: Rise of the Imperfects''.

The Thing is also a playable hero in the game ''Marvel: Ultimate Alliance'' voiced by Gregg Berger. He has special dialogue with Rhino, Human Torch, Karnak, Black Bolt, Lockjaw, Crystal, Uatu, and the Vision. The costumes available for him are his Classic costume, his Ultimate costume, his Original costume, and his Modern costume. A simulation disk has Thing protecting Mr. Fantastic from Rhino on the S.H.I.E.L.D. Omega Base.

The Thing is a playable character in ''Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer'' voiced by Joey Camen.

The Thing appears in ''Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2'', in which Fred Tatasciore reprised the role. Like in the comics, Thing tries to stay netural regarding the Superhero Registration Act, becoming unavailable in Act 2 of the game as the Act goes into effect, although he becomes available again during a mission involving a superhuman prison convoy moving through New York; if the player is Anti-Registration, the Thing will agree to help them after witnessing the Pro-Registration side's use of nanite-controlled supervillains as agents, and if the player is Pro-Registration he sides with them after the White Star- renegade S.H.I.E.L.D. agents working with Captain America's forces- endanger civilians while trying to put the team down.

The Thing appears in the ''Marvel Super Hero Squad'' video game, in which Dave Boat reprised his role as voice actor.

Action figures

The Thing is the fourth figurine in the Classic Marvel Figurine Collection.

Popular culture

In ''The Simpsons'' episode "I Am Furious (Yellow)", a senile/insane version of Stan Lee (Comic Book Guy says that Lee's brain is no longer in "near-mint" condition) tries to cram a Thing action figure into a Batmobile toy. Also in the "Treehouse of Horror XIV" story "Stop the World, I Want to Goof Off", there is a quick moment where the Simpson family members are turned into members of the Fantastic Four. Homer is the Thing. In "Sex, Pies and Idiot Scrapes" the Thing is shown fighting the Hulk in the middle of an Irish riot (between Orangemen Loyalists and Green Irish Nationalists - the Hulk and Thing taking this conflict to its ultimate illogical conclusion). They are both later shown on the front page of the Springfield newspaper beating up on Homer.

He is also mentioned in the movie ''Reservoir Dogs'', where Mr. Orange in a conversation with Holdaway states that Joe Cabot (played by Lawrence Tierney) "looks just like the Thing".

The Thing's genitalia, along with that of fellow Fantastic Four member Mister Fantastic, is discussed in the film ''Mallrats'' in a scene guest-starring Stan Lee.

Xzibit references The Thing in his song "X" with the line "Niggas be weak, I'm concrete like Benjamin Grimm".

In the ''Family Guy'' episode "Bill and Peter's Bogus Journey", Lois sets up a gag about the Thing being married to Lorena Bobbitt. It then cuts away to a forest, where the Thing is searching for his penis. A man holds up an orange rock and asks "Is this what you're looking for?"

Michael Chiklis voices Thing in the ''Robot Chicken'' episode "Monstourage." He ends up being swapped with Vic Mackey and attacks the bad guys causing Vic's fellow officers to wonder if Vic looks different to them.|

WWE wrestler CM Punk often uses the Thing's catch-phrase "It's clobberin' time!" which occasionally leads commentators to sarcastically refer to him as "Ben Grimm."

Footnotes

References

BeliefNet article on Ben Grimm and Jewish comic book writers

Website dedicated to the comic book series ''Marvel Two-in-One'', starring the Thing

The Greatest Thing on Earth - Fansite for The Thing.

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el:Το Πράγμα es:Thing (cómic) fr:La Chose (comics) id:The Thing it:Cosa (fumetto) hu:Lény (Marvel Comics) nl:Het Ding pl:Ben Grimm / Rzecz pt:Coisa (Marvel Comics) ru:Существо (Marvel Comics) fi:Möykky sv:Big Ben (seriefigur) zh:石頭人

name	Vicente C. Sotto III
office	Senator of the Philippines
term start	June 30, 2010
term start2	June 30, 1992
term end2	June 30, 2004
office3	Majority leader of the Senate of the Philippines
president3	Benigno Aquino III
term start3	July 26, 2010
predecessor3	Juan Miguel Zubiri
office4	Vice Mayor of Quezon City
term start4	June 30, 1988
term end4	June 30, 1992
predecessor4	Ismael Mathay, Jr.
successor4	Charito Planas
birth date	August 24, 1948
birth place	Manila, Philippines
party	NPC (2007-Present)LDP (1987-2007)
spouse	Helen Gamboa
children	Romina SottoDiorella SottoGian SottoCiara Sotto
residence	Quezon City, Metro Manila
alma mater	Colegio de San Juan de Letran
occupation	Actor, Comedian, Musician, Television presenter, Politician
religion	Roman Catholicism
footnotes	}}

Vicente Castelo Sotto III (born August 24, 1948 in Manila, Philippines), also known as Tito Sotto, is an actor, comedian, musician, television presenter, and politician in the Philippines. He served two terms in the Senate, from 1992 to 2004; he is reelected in the Senate in 2010.

Sotto is the brother of Marvic (Vic), Marcelino (Maru), and Valmar (Val) Sotto and a grandson and grandnephew of former Senators (Vicente Y. Sotto and Filemon Sotto).

Early Life and Career

Vicente C. Sotto III, or “Tito” to many, was born on August 24, 1948, to Marcelino Ojeda Sotto and Dr. Herminia Castelo Sotto, who was a staunch women's rights activist and the first Medical Commissioner of Workmen's Compensation Commission and President Emeritus of the Kababaihang Rizalista ng Pilipinas. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in English at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran. He embarked in an Executive Program for Leaders in Development at the Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government that he completed in June 2000. He is married to Ms. Helen Gamboa of Pampanga, a beauty titlist and multi-awarded actress and singer. They have four children: Romina, Diorella, Gian and Ciara and two grandsons Romino and Victorio. A very well-versed actor but not a politician.

Entertainment Career

Prior to his entry into public service, Senator Sotto was a well-known composer, actor and musical artist. He was a prime mover in the irreversible trend toward the popularity of the Filipino singers and local compositions during the 1970s and the 1980s when he was the Vice-President for production of the Vicor Group of Companies. Among his popular compositions is the song Magkaisa, considered the anthem of the 1986 People Power Revolution.

Senator Sotto's television and movie career spans three decades starting in the 1970s to the present. Among his many television programs, he co-hosted the longest running program in Philippine history Eat Bulaga. The Senator also hosted Brigada Siete, a public affairs program that has garnered citations and trophies from renowned award-giving bodies.

An accomplished sportsman and a member of the Philippine Bowling Team, Senator Sotto has brought home gold medals and honors to the country. He won the National Finals to represent the country at the Bowling World Cup held in Bogota, Colombia, and in Sydney, Australia. At present, as an avid golfer, he has won several tournaments and is a consistent Class A player.

Political Career

Vice Mayor of Quezon City (1988-1992)

The destined rise of Senator Vicente C. Sotto III from the Vice-Mayoralty position of Quezon City to the Philippine Senate began in 1988 when he ran and won in a landslide victory unprecedented in the history of Quezon City. As Vice-Mayor, he was the presiding officer of the Quezon City Council. He founded the Vice-Mayors League of the Philippines and became its first President and was eventually elected President Emeritus of the League. It was during this term that his pursuit of a drug-free Philippines took form. Because of his crusade to protect the youth against illegal drugs from its pernicious effects, Senator Sotto was named National Vice-Chairman of the Citizen's Drugwatch. He was likewise awarded twice the International Award of Honor by the International Narcotics Enforcement Officers Association in Florida and California, U.S.A.

Senator of the Philippines (1992-2004)

1992 marked the year when he entered national politics by overwhelmingly topping the Senatorial Elections. He acquired a total of 11,792,121 votes, a phenomenal achievement for a political neophyte. He is the third Sotto in the family to become part of the Philippine Senate. Before him were his granduncle Senator Filemon Sotto, acknowledged during his time as one of the Seven (7) Wise Men of the Philippine Assembly who served from 1916–1922 and his grandfather Senator Vicente Yap Sotto of Cebu, a maverick senator and author of the Press Freedom Law, who served from 1946-1953.

During his first term, Senator Vicente C. Sotto III served as Assistant Majority Floor Leader and Chairman of the Senate Committees on Local Government and Tourism. He also assumed the Chairmanship of the Senate Committees on Youth and Sports Development; Illegal Drugs; and Rural Development. He was also a member of the Commission on Appointments.

Senator Sotto has successfully sponsored and steered the passage of sixty-one (61) Senate bills as principal sponsor during the Ninth (9th) Tenth (10th) Congress.

These measures include the conversion of a total of twenty-five (25) municipalities into cities such as the cities of Makati, Marikina, Pasig, Parañaque, Muntinlupa and others located in various parts of the Philippines. The increase of cityhood bills after the delivery of Republic Act No. 7160, otherwise known as the Local Government Code of 1991, confirmed the effectiveness of the concept of local autonomy as a viable strategy and vehicle towards progress and development. It is expected that the conversion of municipalities into cities will bring in more income to the local government units through greater share in the internal revenue allotment (IRA), and new sources of revenues as new cities' endeavor meet the growing demands for a better and more efficient delivery of basic public services.

Senator Sotto was also responsible for the passage of several bills, which provided for the establishment of tourist zones in the Philippines, considered vital to the promotion and advancement of our tourism industry towards international standards.

With much needed reforms in the Philippines' electoral process, Senator Sotto also filed a bill on absentee voting, which is one of the mandates of the Constitution left unheeded. This bill seeks to provide the mechanism for the registration of qualified Filipinos abroad in order for them to exercise their right to vote.

A conscientious lawmaker, Senator Sotto was one of the only five senators who voted against the ratification of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) amidst strong pressures from various sectors.

His genuine concern for the welfare of the Filipino youth expanded the horizon of Senator Sotto when he authored two books " Vision for a Drug-Free Philippines" and "The Filipino: Values and Vision", reflecting his dream and aspirations in building a better society. The two books clearly revealed the visionary character of Senator Sotto an his sincere desire to have a better Philippines for the future generation.

Senator Sotto's legislative record shows a deep commitment to the youth and the underprivileged, as well as, to the upliftment of the basic public services and the progress and development of the country.

In 1998, the Filipino people gave Senator Vicente C. Sotto III a fresh mandate when they elected him number one among the re-electionist senators. This gave Senator Sotto the opportunity to pursue and continue his commitment to the people to address and actively act on the problems confronting the country within the scope of his duty and influence as a senator.

At the onset of the 11th Congress, Senator Sotto was assigned the Chairmanship of the Senate Committees on Public Services which handles all matters affecting public services and utilities; communications; land, river, and sea transportation including railroads; inter-island navigation; and lighthouses; and the grant or amendment of legislative franchises. He also chaired the Senate Committee on Science and Technology, which handles all matters relating to science and technology including scientific and technological, development and advancement. Senator Sotto filed a total of one hundred ninety (190) legislative bills encompassing a wide range of concerns that affect the nation.

As Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Services, Senator Sotto tackled major issues assigned to his Committee. One of the first legislation enacted into law in the 11th Congress, Republic Act No. 8750, also known as the Seats Belts Use Act of 1999,” also emanated from his Committee. The Senate Committee on Public Services conducted a total of thirty-six (36) public hearing addressing major issues like the Princess of the Orient maritime tragedy, the Philippine Airlines controversy, interconnection, the cable industry, and issues confronting the telecommunications industry, among others. These came side by side with the tedious deliberations of legislative franchises applications. The Senate Committee on Public Services has approved a total of thirty-nine (39) legislative franchises vital to the Philippines' industrialization and attempt for modernization.

Senator Sotto during his tenure as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Science and Technology, filed Philippine Senate Resolution No. 86 directing the appropriate Senate Committees to make an inquiry, in aid of legislation, the impact on the computer industry and possible problems arising from the 'millennium bug' or 'Y2K bug' and the preparations which are being undertaken in anticipation thereof with the coming of the year 2000. He then co-authored and led the Committee to deliberate on Senate Bill No. 1505 that led to the enactment of Republic Act Number 8747, entitled “An Act requiring disclosure of Year 2000 statements and readiness of computer-based systems and products, providing funds therefore, for other purposes” that prepared the country to cope with the Y2K bug threat.

In spite of his busy schedule as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Services, Senator Sotto continued his advocacy against the proliferation of illegal drugs by filing a number of bills addressing this menace plaguing the country. He filed several bills covering the different aspects to curb the drug problem. Senate Bill No. 383 entitled “An Act creating a Presidential Drug Enforcement Agency” is an organizational approach to control and eventually eliminate the drug problem by creating an agency that will focus on the coordination of the different anti-drug entities and the implementation of government policies addressing the drug problem. Senate Bill No. 384 entitled “An Act providing for the inclusion of “methamphetamine hydrochloride” commonly known as “shabu” under the classification of dangerous and prohibited drugs,” on the other hand, is a direct approach to ban certain substances prone to abuse.

Senator Sotto is a proactive advocate for the modernization of the telecommunications sector in the country. He filed a number of Senate Bills addressing the common problems besetting the telecommunications sector today like Senate Bill No. 1660 entitled “An Act mandating interconnection between and among public telecommunications entities” and Senate Bill No. 2084 entitled "An Act providing a service area scheme to all internet service providers (ISPs), liberalizing the granting of its operational license to offer expanded services and deploy internet broadband infrastructure and for other purposes."

A pragmatic nationalist who envisions a country free from the dictates of violence and internal threats, Senator Sotto voted for the approval of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), opening a new era of military cooperation between the Philippines and the United States of America. At the height of the issue concerning the proposal of some sectors to change the Philippine National Anthem, Senator Sotto delivered a privilege speech in defense of the existing anthem citing it as a fundamental symbol of our sovereign nation.

To further enhance his knowledge and competency in public governance, Senator Sotto embarked in an Executive program for Leaders in Development at the Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government and completed it in June 2000.

Senator Sotto likewise served as Vice-Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance and handled the deliberations of the annual budget of the Office of the President, Congress of the Philippines and the Department of Health. As a member of the majority party in the 11th Congress, he was also kept busy as the Assistant Majority Leader guiding and facilitating the deliberations and debates in the august Chamber.

2007 Senatorial candidate

Tito Sotto run as a Senator again for the 2007 elections under the administration's Team Unity party. Despite his popularity to many Filipinos, Tito Sotto like most of TEAM Unity's Senatorial candidates suffered a defeat.

Dangerous Drugs Board

Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on July 4, 2008 appointed Sotto III as member of the Board of Directors and acting chairman of the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB), succeeding retired Secretary Anselmo Avenido. He was involved in a 1997 drug controversy, but he vehemently denied the charge.

Senator of the Philippines (2010-present)

He won a position in the Senate in the 2010 Philippine general election. He re-assumed office on June 30, 2010. On July 26, 2010 he was elected as Senate Majority Leader, with the economic and political issues of the Philippines resolved, he now appears as a regular host on the variety show Eat Bulaga, where he is nicknamed ''Tito Sen'' (Uncle Sen), a pun involving his name, his seniority among the show hosts, and his position as a senator.

Filmography

TV shows

! Title	! Year	! Role	! Network
Discorama	1975–1976	host	GMA Network
Student Canteen	1976–1977	host	GMA Network
Iskul Bukol	1977–1991	Tito Escalera
Eat Bulaga	1979–present	host
TVJ: Television Jesters	1989–1991
TVJ on 5	1992–1993
Rock and Roll 2000	1994–1995
Mixed N.U.T.S. (Numero Unong Terrific Show!)	1994–1997		GMA Network
Brigada Siete	1994–2000	Host/Anchor	GMA Network

Awards

Winner, Ading Fernando Lifetime Achievement Award - 2000 PMPC Star Awards for TV

*Tito Vic & Joey

Winner, Best Male TV Host 1987-2008 PMPC Star Awards for TV

External links

Tito Sotto Website

Eat Bulaga! website

Official Senate Biography of Vicente C. Sotto III

Voltes V Theme TVJ Version

References

Category:1948 births Category:Filipino actor-politicians Category:Colegio de San Juan de Letran alumni Category:ABS–CBN Corporation Category:Associated Broadcasting Company Category:Living people Category:Filipino male singers Category:Filipino musicians Category:Filipino songwriters Category:Filipino television actors Category:Filipino television personalities Category:Filipino Roman Catholics Category:De La Salle University alumni Category:Filipino comedians Category:Minority leaders of the Senate of the Philippines Category:People from Cebu Category:People from Quezon City Category:Members of the Senate of the Philippines Category:Radio Philippines Network Category:National Broadcasting Network Category:Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation Category:GMA Network Category:Cebuano Category:Visayan people Category:Filipino people of Chinese descent Category:Nationalist People's Coalition politicians Category:Struggle/Fight of Democratic Filipinos politicians

de:Vicente Sotto III ilo:Tito Sotto nl:Vicente Sotto III tl:Vicente Sotto III

Name	Barney Frank
Birth date	March 31, 1940
Birth place	Bayonne, New Jersey
State	Massachusetts
District	4th
Term start	January 3, 1981
Preceded	Robert Drinan
Succeeded	Incumbent
Party	Democratic
Office2	Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee
Term start2	January 4, 2007
Term end2	January 3, 2011
Preceded2	Mike Oxley
Succeeded2	Spencer Bachus
Office3	Member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives
Term start3	1973
Term end3	1981
Religion	Judaism
Alma mater	Harvard CollegeHarvard Law School
Occupation	Attorney, United States Representative
Residence	Newton, Massachusetts
Partner	Jim Ready
Committees	House Financial Services Committee
Website
Relations	Sister: Ann Lewis }}

Barney Frank (born March 31, 1940) is the U.S. Representative for (1981–present). A member of the Democratic Party, he is the former chairman of the House Financial Services Committee (2007–2011) and is considered the most prominent gay politician in the United States.

Born and raised in New Jersey, Frank graduated from Harvard College and Harvard Law School. He worked as a political aide before winning election to the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 1972. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1980 with 52 percent of the vote. He has been re-elected ever since by wide margins. In 1987 he came out as gay, becoming the first member of Congress to do so voluntarily. From 2007 to 2011, Frank served as chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, where he remains the ranking Democrat.

Early life

Frank was born Barnett Frank to a Jewish family in Bayonne, New Jersey, one of four children of Sam and Elsie. Frank's father ran a Jersey City truck stop — a place Frank describes as "totally corrupt" — and served a year in prison, when Frank was 6 or 7, for refusing to testify to a grand jury against Frank's uncle. Frank was educated at Harvard College, where he resided in Matthews Hall his first year and then in Kirkland House and Winthrop House, graduating in 1962. Frank's undergraduate studies were interrupted by the death of his father, and Frank took a year off to help resolve the family's affairs prior to his graduation. He taught undergraduates at Harvard while studying for a Ph.D., but left in 1968 before completing the degree, to become Boston mayor Kevin White's Chief Assistant, a position he held for three years. He then served for a year as Administrative Assistant to Congressman Michael J. Harrington. Frank later graduated from Harvard Law School, in 1977, while serving as Massachusetts State Representative.

Career

In 1972 Frank was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives where he served for eight years. Frank made a name for himself in the mid-1970s as a political defender of the Combat Zone, Boston's notorious red light district. Neighborhoods in Frank's district bordered the Combat Zone. As a means of dealing with crime in the area (including violence, police corruption and the infiltration by organized crime), Frank introduced a bill into the Massachusetts General Court that would have legalized the sex-for-hire business but kept it quarantined in a red light district, which would have been moved to Boston's Financial District. The bill, which had the support of Boston's Police Commissioner, never came up for a vote. Later, when Frank was running for Congress, opponents erroneously portrayed him having attempted to permit red light districts in all Bay State communities.

While in state and local government, Frank taught part time at the University of Massachusetts Boston, the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard and at Boston University. He published numerous articles on politics and public affairs, and in 1992 he published ''Speaking Frankly'', an essay on the role the Democratic Party should play in the 1990s.

In 1979, Frank was admitted to the bar in Massachusetts. A year later, he ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in the 4th congressional district, hoping to succeed Father Robert Drinan, who had left Congress following a call by Pope John Paul II for priests to withdraw from political positions. In the Democratic primary held on September 16, 1980, Frank won 51.3 percent of the vote in a four-candidate field. His nearest opponent, Arthur J. Clark, won 45.9 percent and finished almost 4,500 votes behind. As the Democratic nominee, Frank faced Republican Richard A. Jones in the general election and won narrowly, 51.9 percent to 48.1 percent.

For his first term, Frank represented a district in the western and southern suburbs of Boston, anchored by Brookline and Newton, Massachusetts. However, in 1982, redistricting forced him to run against Republican Margaret Heckler, who represented a district centered on the South Coast, including Fall River and New Bedford. Although the newly configured district retained Frank's district number — the 4th — it was geographically more Heckler's district. Frank focused on Heckler's initial support for President Ronald Reagan's tax cuts, and won by twenty percentage points. He has not faced significant opposition since, and has been reelected fifteen times.

In 1985 Frank was still closeted. That year he hired Steve Gobie for sex, a male prostitute, and they became friends more than sexual partners. Frank housed Gobie and hired him with personal funds as an aide, housekeeper and driver and paid for his attorney and court-ordered psychiatrist. In 1987 Frank kicked Gobie out after he was advised by his landlord that Gobie kept escorting despite the support and was doing so in the residence. Later that year Gobie's friends convinced him he had a gay male version of ''Mayflower Madam'', a TV movie they had been watching. In 1989 Gobie tried to initiate a bidding war for the story between WUSA-TV (Channel 9), the ''Washington Times'', and ''The Washington Post''. He then gave the story to ''The Washington Times'' for nothing, in hopes of getting a book contract. Amid calls for an investigation Frank asked the House Ethics Committee to investigate his relationship "in order to insure that the public record is clear." The Committee found no evidence that Frank had known of or been involved in the alleged illegal activity and dismissed all of Gobie's more scandalous claims; they recommended a reprimand for Frank using his congressional office to fix 33 of Gobie's parking tickets and for misstatements of fact in a memorandum relating to Gobie's criminal probation record. The House voted 408–18 to reprimand Frank. The attempts to censure and expel Frank were led by Republican Larry Craig, whom Frank later criticized for hypocrisy after Craig's own arrest in 2007 for lewd conduct while soliciting gay sex in an airport bathroom. Frank won re-election that year with 66 percent of the vote, and has won by larger margins until the 2010 Mid-term elections when Frank only won by eleven points.

Committee assignments

Committee on Financial Services (Ranking Member)

Public perception

Frank is known for his quick wit. In one famous quip he said he was unable to complete his review of the Starr Report detailing President Bill Clinton's relationship with Monica Lewinsky, complaining that it was "too much reading about heterosexual sex". In 2004 and again in 2006, a survey of Capitol Hill staffers published in ''Washingtonian'' gave Frank the title of the "brainiest", "funniest", and "most eloquent" member of the House. In 2008 the same survey named him "brainiest", and runner up for "workhorse", and "most eloquent", in 2010 he was named "brainiest", "workhorse", and "funniest". He is also widely considered to be one of the most powerful members of Congress. In his book ''Ripples of Hope: Great American Civil Rights Speeches'', Democratic speech writer Josh Gottheimer describes Frank as "one of the brightest and most energetic defenders of civil rights issues."

Political initiatives and positions

Domestic issues

Civil rights

In 1987, Frank was the Chair of the important House Judiciary Subcommittee on Administrative Law and Governmental Relations in the 100th Congress. In this position, he was one of the staunchest supporters of redress and reparations for Japanese American internment during World War II. In 2001 Frank co-sponsored an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to apply equal rights based on gender differences. In 2002 he co-sponsored the "Federal Agency Protection of Privacy Act" (H.R.4561) to require a "Privacy Impact Statement" on new federal rules. In 2002 he was scored at 93% by the American Civil Liberties Union on civil rights issues indicating a pro-civil rights voting record.

In 2006, Frank was one of three Representatives to oppose the Respect for America's Fallen Heroes Act, which restricted protests (notably those of Fred Phelps' Westboro Baptist Church) at soldiers' funerals. He opposed the bill, which passed unanimously in the Senate, on civil liberties and constitutional grounds. Frank said of the vote, "I think it's very likely to be found unconstitutional. It's true that when you defend civil liberties you are typically defending people who do obnoxious things... You play into their hand when you let them provoke you into overdoing it. I don't want these thugs to [make the] claim [that] America is hypocritical." The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People scored him at 100% in 2006 indicating a pro-affirmative-action stance.

In 2007 Frank co-sponsored the "Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act" (S.2521/H.R.4838) to "provide benefits to domestic partners of Federal employees". The same year he co-sponsored the "Equal Rights Amendment" (S.J.RES.10/H.J.RES.40) to "strengthen the ongoing efforts of women across the country to obtain equal treatment." In 2009 he signed bills recognizing the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots and the 100th anniversary of the NAACP.

Drug issues and medical marijuana

In 2001 Frank authored of the States' Rights to Medical Marijuana Act (H.R. 2592), an attempt to stop federal government from preempting states' medical marijuana laws. He has consistently voted for the bipartisan Hinchey-Rohrabacher amendment, annually proposed by Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) and Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), that would prohibit the United States Department of Justice from prosecuting medical marijuana patients. In March 2008, he proposed the Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults Act of 2008 (HR 5843), which would have decriminalized small amounts of the drug but died in committee during the 110th Congress. On June 18, 2009 he re-introduced the bill as the Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults Act of 2009 (HR 2943). Commenting on legislation to remove federal criminal penalties for possession of small amounts of marijuana for personal use, Frank stated "In a free society a large degree of human activity is none of the government's business. We should make criminal what's going to hurt other people and other than that we should leave it to people to make their own choices." In 2003 he was rated "A" by Vote Hemp, indicating a pro-hemp voting record. In 2006 he was rated "+30" by NORML, indicating a pro-drug-reform stance. In 2007 he co-sponsored the "Drug Sentencing Reform & Kingpin Trafficking Act" ((S.1711) 07-S1711) to "target cocaine kingpins and address sentencing disparity between crack and powder cocaine". In 2008 Frank sponsored "Removing Impediments to Students Education" (RISE) ((H.R.5157) 08-HR5157) to allow rehabilitated drug offenders to get student loans.

In 2009 Frank signed the "Community AIDS and Hepatitis Prevention Act" (HR 179 2009-H179) to "use Federal funds for syringe exchange programs for purposes of reducing the transmission of bloodborne pathogens, including HIV and viral hepatitis" and the Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2009 (H.R.1866 2009-H1866) to "grant each state regulating authority for the growing and processing of industrial hemp."

Crime

In 2000 Frank was rated at 89% by Citizens United for Rehabilitation of Errants indicating pro-rehabilitation crime votes. He co-sponsored "Innocence Protection Act of 2001" (H.R. 912, S.486) to "reduce the risk that innocent persons may be executed [by examining DNA evidence more thoroughly]" and the "National Death Penalty Moratorium Act of 2001" (H.R.1038, S.233) to limit capital punishment until the National Commission on the Death Penalty reviewed the "fairness of the imposition of the death penalty". In 2001 he also co-sponsored the "Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act" (01-HR1343) to "provide Federal assistance to States and local jurisdictions to prosecute hate crimes." Frank co-sponsored the "Recidivism Reduction and Second Chance Act of 2007" to reducing recidivism. (this became Public Law No: 110-199).

Environment

In 1993 he co-sponsored "Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments" (H.R.3392) to regulate more contaminants under the Clean Water Act. In 2001 Frank co-sponsored the "National Forest Protection and Restoration Act" (H.R.1494) to "prohibiting commercial logging on Federal public lands". In 2003 he was rated 95% by the League of Conservation Voters indicating pro-environment votes. In 2007 he co-sponsored the "Great Cats and Rare Canids Act" (H.R.1464) to "provide financial resources and to foster international cooperation for promoting conservation of rare felids & canids". In the same year he co-sponsored the "Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act" (S.261/H.R.137) to "strengthen prohibitions against animal fighting".

Economic issues

Technology

Frank is a member of the Congressional Internet Caucus established in 1996 to "promoting growth and advancement of the Internet and advance the United States' world leadership in the digital world". In 2001 he co-sponsored the "Anti-Spamming Act" (01-HR718) to protect people and businesses from "unsolicited and unwanted electronic mail". In 2006 Frank voted for the "Communications, Opportunity, Promotion, and Enhancement Act" (Bill HR 5252 Amendment 987) to "establish "network neutrality" (non-tiered Internet)." In 2008 Frank voted against the "FISA Amendments Act" (Bill HR6304) which would give retroactive immunity for those involved in the NSA warrantless surveillance controversy. The same year he co-sponsored overturning FCC approval of media consolidation (S.J.RES.28&H.J.RES.79 2008-SJR28).

===Social issues===

LGBT issues

Frank has been outspoken on many civil rights issues, including lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights. In 1987, he publicly came out as gay. In 1990, Frank was instrumental in crafting the 1990 Immigration Act, which restated the reasons for which a person could be denied entry into the country. The act did not include "sexual preference exclusion[s]", reforming earlier immigration law which allowed persons to be excluded for a sexual deviance "afflict[ion]". He said in a 1996 interview: "I'm used to being in the minority. I'm a left-handed gay Jew. I've never felt, automatically, a member of any majority." In 1995, then-Republican House Majority Leader Dick Armey famously referred to Frank as "Barney Fag" in a press interview. Armey apologized and said it was "a slip of the tongue". Frank did not accept Armey's explanation, saying "I turned to my own expert, my mother, who reports that in 59 years of marriage, no one ever introduced her as Elsie Fag." In 1998, Frank founded the National Stonewall Democrats, the national LGBT Democratic organization.

In 2006, Frank and incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi were accused by Rep. John Hostettler (R-IN) of having a "radical homosexual agenda"; Frank responded "I do have things I would like to see adopted on behalf of LGBT people: they include the right to marry the individual of our choice; the right to serve in the military to defend our country; and the right to a job based solely on our own qualifications. I acknowledge that this is an agenda, but I do not think that any self-respecting radical in history would have considered advocating people's rights to get married, join the army, and earn a living as a terribly inspiring revolutionary platform." Frank's stance on outing gay Republicans has been called the "Frank Rule" whereby a closeted person who uses their power, position, or notoriety to hurt LGBT people can be outed. The issue became relevant during the Mark Foley scandal of 2006, during which Frank clarified his position on HBO's ''Real Time with Bill Maher'': "I think there's a right to privacy. But the right to privacy should not be a right to hypocrisy. And people who want to demonize other people shouldn't then be able to go home and close the door and do it themselves."

In February 2009, Frank was one of three openly gay members of Congress, along with Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin and Jared Polis of Colorado. In April 2009 Frank was named in the LGBT magazine ''Out'''s "Annual Power 50 List", landing at the top spot.

In 2006 the Human Rights Campaign scored him at 100% indicating a pro-gay-rights stance.

Online gambling

Frank has partnered with Ron Paul in support of online gambling rights. In 2006, both strongly opposed H.R. 4777, the Internet Gambling Prohibition and Enforcement Act, and H.R. 4411, the Goodlatte-Leach Internet Gambling Prohibition Act. To restore online gambling rights, in 2007 Frank sponsored H.R. 2046, the Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act. This bill would have established licensing and regulation of online gaming sites. It provided for age verification and protections for compulsive gamblers. In 2008, he and Paul introduced H.R. 5767, the Payment Systems Protection Act, a bill that sought to place a moratorium on enforcement of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 while the United States Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve defined "unlawful Internet gambling". As a result of these efforts, Frank (who does not gamble) has been praised by poker players and online gamblers, including many Republicans.

Abortion

In 2009 Frank had a 100% rating from NARAL Pro-Choice America indicating a pro-choice voting record. He voted against the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act, against the Unborn Victims of Violence Act and against restrictions on the transportation of minors across state lines by non-family members to circumvent local abortion laws. In 1993 Frank co-sponsored the "Freedom of Choice Act" (H.R.25) (1993-H25) to "protect the reproductive rights of women". In 2006 he co-sponsored the "Compassionate Assistance for Rape Emergencies Act" (S.3945) 06-S3945), a bill for "emergency contraception for rape victims". In 2007 his co-sponsored the "Compassionate Care for Servicewomen Act" (S.1800 & HR.2064) (07-HR2064) to "providing emergency contraception at military facilities"; the "Prevention First Act" (S.21&H.R.463 2009-S21) to "expand access to preventive health care services that help reduce unintended pregnancy, reduce abortions, and improve access to women's health care".

Military issues

In 1996 Frank co-sponsored the "Federal Law Enforcement Dependents Assistance Act" (H.R.4111. Became Public Law No: 104-238.) to "to provide educational assistance to the dependents of Federal law enforcement officials who are killed or disabled in the performance of their duties." In 2001 Frank co-sponsored "the MX Missile Stand-Down Act" (01-HR2718) to take fifty peacekeeper missiles off of high-alert status and he co-sponsored the Landmine Elimination and Victim Assistance Act (01-HR948). As of December 2003 Frank has a 89% rating by Peace Action, indicating a pro-peace voting record. In 2005 he co-sponsored "Rail Security Act" (S.1379/H.R.153) (05-S1379) giving higher priority to rail transportation security. In 2008 he co-sponsored the "Veterans Suicide Study Act" ( (S.2899/H.R.4204) 08-S2899) designed to study and address suicides among veterans. As of the 111th Congress, Frank is advocating a 25 percent reduction in the overall Military budget of the United States. "The math is compelling: if we do not make reductions approximating 25 percent of the military budget starting fairly soon, it will be impossible to continue to fund an adequate level of domestic activity...," wrote Frank. He claimed that such a significant reduction would have no effect on the United States' ability to defend itself. "If," he said, "beginning one year from now, we were to cut military spending by 25 percent from its projected levels, we would still be immeasurably stronger than any combination of nations with whom we might be engaged." Frank supports having fewer F-35 Joint Strike Fighter planes, but also supports a $3 billion backup engine project that the Pentagon does not want. Frank told MSNBC's Keith Olbermann that he actually wanted to cut the entire F-35 program, but as long as military spending continued he would fight for his district's share of it.

House Financial Services Committee

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac

In 2003, while the ranking Democrat on the Financial Services Committee, Frank opposed a Bush administration proposal, in response to accounting scandals, for transferring oversight of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from Congress and the Department of Housing and Urban Development to a new agency that would be created within the Treasury Department. The proposal, supported by the head of Fannie Mae, reflected the administration's belief that Congress "neither has the tools, nor the stature" for adequate oversight. Frank stated, "These two entities ...are not facing any kind of financial crisis ... The more people exaggerate these problems, the more pressure there is on these companies, the less we will see in terms of affordable housing." In 2003, Frank also stated what has been called his "famous dice roll": "I do not want the same kind of focus on safety and soundness [in the regulation of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac] that we have in the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Office of Thrift Supervision. I want to roll the dice a little bit more in this situation towards subsidised housing."

Frank was criticized by conservative organizations for campaign contributions totaling $42,350 between 1989 and 2008. Bill Sammon, the Washington managing editor for Fox News Channel, claimed the donations from Fannie and Freddie influenced his support of their lending programs, and said that Frank did not play a strong enough role in reforming the institutions in the years leading up to the Economic crisis of 2008. In 2006 a Fannie Mae representative stated in SEC filings that they "did not participate in large amounts of these non-traditional mortgages in 2004 and 2005." In response to criticism, Frank said, "In 2004, it was Bush who started to push Fannie and Freddie into subprime mortgages, because they were boasting about how they were expanding homeownership for low-income people. And I said at the time, 'Hey — (a) this is going to jeopardize their profitability, but (b) it's going to put people in homes they can't afford, and they're gonna lose them.'"

In 2009 Frank responded to what he called "wholly inaccurate efforts by Republicans to blame Democrats, and [me] in particular" for the subprime mortgage crisis, which is linked to the financial crisis of 2007–2009. He outlined his efforts to reform these institutions and add regulations, but met resistance from Republicans, with the main exception being a bill with Republican Mike Oxley that died because of opposition from President Bush. The 2005 bill included Frank objectives, which were to impose tighter regulation of Fannie and Freddie and new funds for rental housing. Frank and Mike Oxley achieved broad bipartisan support for the bill in the Financial Services Committee, and it passed the House. But the Senate never voted on the measure, in part because President Bush was likely to veto it. "If it had passed, that would have been one of the ways we could have reined in the bowling ball going downhill called housing," Oxley told Frank. In an op-ed piece in the Wall Street Journal, Lawrence B. Lindsey, a former economic adviser to President George W. Bush, wrote that Frank "is the only politician I know who has argued that we needed tighter rules that intentionally produce fewer homeowners and more renters." Once control shifted to the Democrats, Frank was able to help guide both the Federal Housing Reform Act (H.R. 1427) and the Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Act (H.R. 3915) to passage in 2007. Frank also said that the Republican-led Gramm–Leach–Bliley Act of 1999, which repealed part of the Glass–Steagall Act of 1933 and removed the wall between commercial and investment banks, contributed to the financial meltdown. Frank further stated that "during twelve years of Republican rule no reform was adopted regarding Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. In 2007, a few months after I became the Chairman, the House passed a strong reform bill; we sought to get the [Bush] administration's approval to include it in the economic stimulus legislation in January 2008; and finally got it passed and onto President Bush's desk in July 2008. Moreover, "we were able to adopt it in nineteen months, and we could have done it much quicker if the [Bush] administration had cooperated."

Chair of the House Financial Services Committee

[[Image:Congressmen Ellison & Frank at Financial Services Field Hearing on Home Foreclosures in Minneapolis.jpg|thumb|Congressmen

Ellison & Frank at Financial Services Field Hearing on Home Foreclosures in Minneapolis.]] As former chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, beginning in 2007, Frank was "at the center of power". Frank has been a critic of aspects of the Federal Reserve system, partnering with some Republicans in opposition to some policies. Frank says that he and Republican Congressman Ron Paul "first bonded because we were both conspicuous nonworshipers at the Temple of the Fed and of the High Priest Alan Greenspan."

Frank has been involved in mortgage foreclosure bailout issues. In 2008 Frank supported passage of the American Housing Rescue & Foreclosure Prevention Act, intended to protect thousands of homeowners from foreclosure. This law, , is considered one of the most important and complex issues on which he worked. In an August 2007 op-ed piece in ''Financial Times'', Frank wrote, "In the debate between those who believe in essentially unregulated markets and others who hold that reasonable regulation diminishes market excesses without inhibiting their basic function, the subprime situation unfortunately provides ammunition for the latter view." Frank was also instrumental in the passage of , the Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights Act of 2008, a measure that drew praise from editorial boards and consumer advocates. In 2007 Frank co-sponsored legislation to reform the Section 202 refinancing program, which is for affordable housing for the elderly, and Section 811 disabled programs. Frank has been a chief advocate of the National Housing Trust Fund, which was created as part of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 and was the first affordable housing program to be enacted by the Congress since 1990.

During the subprime mortgage crisis, Frank was characterized as "a key deal-maker, an unlikely bridge between his party's left-wing base and [...] free market conservatives" in the Bush administration. Hank Paulson, the U.S. Treasury Secretary for the Bush administration, said he enjoyed Frank's penchant for brokering deals, "he is looking to get things done and make a difference, he focuses on areas of agreement and tries to build on those."

''The New York Times'' noted that the Federal Housing Administration's crucial role in the nation's housing market, providing low-down-payment mortgages during the crisis of 2007–2010 when no mortgages would otherwise have been available, "helped avert full-scale disaster" by helping people purchase or refinance homes and thereby putting a floor under falling home prices. However, due to the tighter flow of credit from the banks, total FHA loans in 2009 were four times that of 2006, raising concern that year that if the economy were to dip back into recession, more Fed funds could be required to keep those loans afloat. Frank's response was that the additional defaults — 2.2% more of the total portfolio in 2009 than the year before — were worth the economic stabilization of the broader policy, noting "It was an effort to keep prices from falling too fast." In that context, he opined, "I don't think it's a bad thing that the bad loans occurred." In fact, the unprecedented number of loans made since 2008 were noted to be performing far better than those in the prior two years.

Personal life

According to Stuart Weisberg's 2009 biography ''Barney Frank: The Story of America's Only Left-Handed, Gay, Jewish Congressman'', Frank dated women in an effort to deny his homosexuality. His last romance with a woman was a nearly two-year long affair with Irish-American Catholic Kathleen Sullivan, the daughter of New England Patriots owner Billy Sullivan, that began in 1974. When the two split up, at Frank's instigation, he admitted to her that he was gay. He was still closeted publicly.

According to Frank, he "realized it was crazy" to try to have a romance with someone he cared for but was not compatible with due to his homosexuality. "That was the last effort to avoid being gay," Weisber quotes Frank as saying. Frank never again dated a woman.

Frank started coming out as gay to friends before he ran for Congress and came out publicly in 1987, "prompted in part by increased media interest in his private life" and the death of Stewart McKinney, "a closeted bisexual Republican representative from Connecticut"; Frank told ''The Washington Post'' after McKinney's death there was "An unfortunate debate about 'Was he or wasn't he? Didn't he or did he?' I said to myself, I don't want that to happen to me." Frank's announcement had little impact on his electoral prospects. Shortly after coming out, Frank met and began dating Herb Moses, an economist and LGBT activist; their relationship lasted for eleven years until an amicable break-up in July 1998. Moses, who was an executive at Fannie Mae from 1991 to 1998, was the first partner of an openly gay member of Congress to receive spousal benefits and the two were considered "Washington's most powerful and influential gay couple." , Frank's net worth is estimated by the Center for Responsive Politics at $1.88 to $4.74 million. His sister, Ann Lewis, served as a senior adviser in Hillary Clinton's 2008 presidential campaign.

Books

Weisberg, Stuart ''Barney Frank: The Story of America's Only Left-handed, Gay, Jewish Congressman'', University of Massachusetts Press (2009), ISBN 978-1558497214

Bibliography

''Financing Foreign Aid: A Case Study in the Budgetary Process.'' (1962)

''Budget for a Strong America'' (1989)

''Speaking Frankly: What's Wrong with the Democrats and how to Fix it'' (1992)

Notes

References

External links

Congressman Barney Frank ''official U.S. House site''

Barney Frank for Congress ''official campaign site''

Profile at SourceWatch

Articles

Johansson, Warren & Percy, William A. ''Outing: Shattering the Conspiracy of Silence.'' Harrington Park Press, 1994. pp. 106, 139, 143, 154, 157, 188–9, 228, 231, 235, 291

A Liberal Wit Builds Bridges To the G.O.P., ''The New York Times'', May 13, 2008.

Congressman Frank defends trans-exclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act, ''The Bilerico Project'', September 28, 2007.

The Republicans' Democracy Disorder, ''In These Times'', 2006-02-04

Congressman Barney Frank: A Buzzflash Interview, ''Buzzflash'', July 22, 2003

Monumentally Frank: Interview with Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank ''Metro Weekly'', March 20, 2003.

Frank Discusses U.S. Policy, Attitude Regarding Gay Rights, ''The Hoya'', October 19, 2001.

Category:1940 births Category:Living people Category:People from Bayonne, New Jersey Category:Jewish members of the United States House of Representatives Category:Massachusetts Democrats Category:Censured or reprimanded United States Representatives Category:Gay politicians Category:Harvard Law School alumni Category:Harvard University alumni Category:LGBT Jews Category:LGBT members of the United States Congress Category:LGBT state legislators of the United States Category:LGBT rights in Massachusetts Category:Members of the Massachusetts House of Representatives Category:Members of the United States House of Representatives from Massachusetts

da:Barney Frank de:Barney Frank es:Barney Frank he:ברני פרנק no:Barney Frank pl:Barney Frank pt:Barney Frank ro:Barney Frank sh:Barney Frank fi:Barney Frank sv:Barney Frank

Name	American McGee
Birth name	American James McGee
Birth date	December 13, 1972
Known for	American McGee's Alice, Doom II, Quake
Occupation	Game designer
Website	www.americanmcgee.com }}

American James McGee (born December 13, 1972) is an American game designer.

Career

McGee began his career at id Software, working on level design, music production, sound effects development, and programming in such games as ''Doom'', ''Doom II'', ''Quake'', and ''Quake II''. In 1998, he moved to Electronic Arts, where he worked as creative director on several projects, including ''American McGee's Alice''. After finishing ''Alice'', McGee left EA to found his first company, The Mauretania Import Export Company.

Partnering with Enlight Software, McGee released the games ''Scrapland'' in 2004 and ''Bad Day L.A.'' in 2006. The planned ''American McGee's Oz'', which was to be produced in conjunction with Ronin Games, was canceled over financial difficulties at Atari. ''American McGee's Grimm'', developed by his Shanghai-based game development studio Spicy Horse for the online service GameTap, was released in twenty-three weekly episodic segments, starting in 2007.

At the 2009 D.I.C.E. Summit, Electronic Arts CEO John Riccitiello announced that a sequel to ''American McGee's Alice'' is in development for PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 by American McGee's Spicy Horse studio. In July 2010, at the EA Showcase in San Francisco, Spicy Horse and EA announced that sequel's title, ''Alice: Madness Returns'', released less than one year after its announcement, on June 14th 2011.

More recently, McGee's Spicy Horse expanded to include another brand, Spicy Pony, to produce digital mobile media games for the iPhone platform. Their first title, ''DexIQ'', was released in early December 2009, and its follow-up, ''Crooked House'', was released in March 2010 (both had iPad versions released in June 2010).

Films

McGee has written a script for his interpretation of L. Frank Baum's Oz for Jerry Bruckheimer and Disney (seemingly displaced amid pre-production of "Oz: The Great and Powerful", written by Mitchell Kapner and being directed by Sam Raimi.)

The film rights to ''Alice'' were sold to Miramax and Dimension in 2004, before being passed onto 20th Century Fox and then to Universal Pictures the following year. McGee maintains credit as creator and producer of the film project.

Personal life

McGee has stated his mission is "to create a unified production method for story telling across the interactive and film industries" and of himself, he says, "I want to be the next Walt Disney, only a little more wicked."

Upon inquiry about his unusual name: "My mom was a hippie. I'm not sure how else to put that... She claims a woman she knew in college, who named her daughter 'America', inspired the name. She also tells me that she was thinking of naming me 'Obnard'. She was and always has been a very eccentric and creative person."

In 2005, McGee left the United States and resided first in the city of Hong Kong, then on Lamma Island, and currently settling in Shanghai. Once in China, he created Spicy Horse, now the largest independent game development house in the nation, and helped found Blade (formerly Vykarian), a game outsourcing company. They produced ''American McGee's Grimm'' for GameTap (now owned by Metaboli) and worked on the sequel to his original ''Alice'' game, ''Alice: Madness Returns''.

Works

1994 - ''Wolfenstein 3D'', Tester (Atari Corporation)

1994 - ''Doom II: Hell on Earth'', Level Designer (id Software)

1994 - ''Doom'', Level Designer (Sega)

1995 - ''The Ultimate Doom'', Level Designer (GT Interactive Software)

1995 - ''Doom'', Tester (WMS Industries)

1996 - ''Quake'', Level Designer, Sound Designer, Tools Programmer (id Software)

1996 - ''H!Zone'', Co-Producer (WizardWorks Software)

1996 - ''Hexen: Beyond Heretic'', Co-Producer (GT Interactive Software)

1996 - ''Final Doom'', Level Designer (id Software and Atari, Inc.)

1997 - ''Quake Mission Pack 1: Scourge of Armagon'', Level Designer (id Software)

1997 - ''Quake Mission Pack 2: Dissolution of Eternity'', Level Designer (id Software)

1997 - ''Quake II'', Level Designer, Sound Designer, Tools Programmer (Activision)

1997 - ''Doom 64'', Level Designer (Midway Games)

1998 - ''Dominion: Storm Over Gift 3'', Sound Designer (Eidos Interactive)

2000 - ''Timeline'', Co-Designer, Co-Writer (Eidos Interactive)

2000 - ''American McGee's Alice'', Creative Director, Co-Writer, Designer (Electronic Arts)

2004 - ''American McGee Presents: Scrapland'', Producer (Enlight Software)

2006 - ''American McGee Presents: Bad Day L.A.'', Creative Director, Writer, Co-Designer (Enlight Software)

2008 - ''American McGee's Grimm'', Project Leader, Creative Director, Co-Writer, Co-Designer (Turner Broadcasting System)

2009 - ''DexIQ'', Project Leader, Creative Director (Spicy Horse)

2011 - ''Alice: Madness Returns'', Creative Director, Co-Writer, Designer (Spicy Horse) (Electronic Arts)

See also

''Alice'', game-derived film

dredg, "Same Ol' Road" music video directed by McGee

References

External links

Category:American video game designers Category:American expatriates in China Category:Living people Category:1972 births

de:American McGee fr:American McGee it:American McGee pl:American McGee ru:Макги, Америкэн uk:Амерікен Макгі zh:亚美利坚·麦基

James Simon Rolfe (b. 1961, Ottawa, Canada) is one of Canada's leading composers of contemporary music. He studied composition with John Beckwith at the University of Toronto and Jo Kondo in Japan. Rolfe is currently the President of the Canadian League of Composers and has won numerous awards for his music, most recently the 2006 Jules Léger Prize for New Chamber Music and the 2009 SOCAN Jan V. Matejcek New Classical Music Award.

Operas

Although James Rolfe's chamber, vocal, orchestral, and piano works are widely performed, he has become most noted for his operas. ''Beatrice Chancy'', an opera set in Nova Scotia during the 19th century (libretto by George Elliott Clarke), was produced in 1998 by Toronto's Queen of Puddings Music Theatre Company and was subsequently filmed for television by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in 2000. Rolfe has since composed the children’s opera ''Elijah’s Kite'' (libretto by Camyar Chai), which explores bullying among children, and was co-produced by Tapestry New Opera Works and the Manhattan School of Music in New York City in 2006; ''Rosa'' (libretto by Camyar Chai), produced by Tapestry in Toronto in 2004; ''Swoon'' (libretto by Anna Chatterton), produced by the Canadian Opera Company in 2006; ''Orpheus and Euridice'' in 2003 (libretto by André Alexis) and ''Aeneas and Dido'' in 2007 (libretto by André Alexis). The last two works were both commissioned and produced by Toronto Masque Theatre as companion pieces to Marc-Antoine Charpentier's ''Descent of Orpheus to the Underworld'' and Henry Purcell’s ''Dido and Aeneas''. In February 2009 Rolfe's opera ''Inês'' (with libretto by Paul Bentley) was produced and performed in Toronto by the

Queen of Puddings Music Theatre Company. Based on the story of the 14th century Galician Inês de Castro, it featured fado singer Inês Santos as the lead character. Rolfe is currently composing a new opera for the Canadian Opera Company with librettist Anna Chatterton for the 2012 season.

Awards

Guggenheim Fellowship (2000)

K. M. Hunter Music Award (2003)

Louis Applebaum Composers Award (2005)

Jules Léger Prize (2006)

Other selected compositions

''Idiot Sorrow'' (1990)

''Simon & Garfunkel & The Prophets of Rage'' (1993)

''Ears, Nose and Throat'', (1994)

''Revenge! Revenge!! Revenge!!!'' (1995)

''Squeeze'' (1997)

''Mechanical Danny'' (2000)

''Six Songs (text by Walt Whitman)'' (2001)

''Worry'' (2001)

''raW'' (2003)

''Flourish'' (2005)

Further reading

Steenhuisen, Paul. "Interview with James Rolfe". In ''Sonic Mosaics: Conversations with Composers''. Edmonton: University of Alberta Press, 2009. ISBN 978-0888644749

References

External links

The Canadian Music Centre

Queen of Puddings Music Theatre Company

Jules Léger Prize

Tapestry New Opera Works

Category:1961 births Category:Canadian composers Category:Living people Category:Opera composers Category:People from Ottawa Category:Guggenheim Fellows Category:Jules Léger Prize for New Chamber Music winners