by Jennie Wood Related Links Academy AwardsMovie TimelineMore Movie Awards In 1999's award-winning film, American Beauty, real estate agent Carolyn Burnham repeatedly slaps…
(Encyclopedia) Webster, Margaret, 1905–72, American actress, producer, and director, b. New York City; daughter of Ben Webster and Dame May Whitty. Webster made her formal acting debut in 1924. After…
(Encyclopedia) Gautier, ThéophileGautier, Théophiletāôfēlˈ [key]Gautier, Théophile gōtyāˈ [key], 1811–72, French poet, novelist, and critic. He was a leading exponent of “art for art's sake”—the…
(Encyclopedia) vaudevillevaudevillevôdˈvĭl [key], originally a light song, derived from the drinking and love songs formerly attributed to Olivier Basselin and called Vau, or Vaux, de Vire. Similar…
(Encyclopedia) Lloyd Webber, Andrew, 1948–, British theatrical composer. A member of a successful musical family, he began composing musicals as a teenager; Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor…
Bottom Line The IMF is under attack and in danger of losing its funding. Conservatives complain that its policies interfere with free markets; liberals cite the cut in social programs that IMF…