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Merman, Ethel

(Encyclopedia)Merman, Ethel, 1908–84, American musical comedy star, b. Astoria, N.Y., originally named Ethel Zimmerman. Merman's theater debut was in George and Ira Gershwin's Girl Crazy (1930). Noted for her bra...

Maes, Nicolaes

(Encyclopedia)Maes or Maas, Nicolaes both: nēˈkōläs mäs [key], 1632–93, Dutch genre and portrait painter. His earlier genre pictures bear, in their manner and coloring, a certain resemblance to those of his ...

Ammon, in the Bible

(Encyclopedia)Ammon ămˈən [key], in the Bible, people living E of the Dead Sea. Their capital was Rabbath-Ammon, the present-day Amman (Jordan). Their god was Milcom, to whom Solomon built an altar. A Semitic pe...

false imprisonment

(Encyclopedia)false imprisonment, complete restraint upon a person's liberty of movement without legal justification. Actual physical contact is not necessary; a show of authority or a threat of force is sufficient...

Plimsoll, Samuel

(Encyclopedia)Plimsoll, Samuel plĭmˈsəl [key], 1824–98, English reformer. Plimsoll was particularly interested in the welfare of sailors. As a member of Parliament (1868–80) he secured legislation limiting t...

Watanabe, Junya

(Encyclopedia)Watanabe, Junya, 1961–, Japanese fashion designer, b. Fukushima. He apprenticed at Rei Kawakubo's Comme des Garçons (1984), where he became a knitwear and menswear designer. Watanabe introduced his...

Bennett, Michael

(Encyclopedia)Bennett, Michael, 1943–87, American dancer and choreographer, b. Buffalo, N.Y. He appeared in West Side Story and Subways Are for Sleeping. During the 1970s, he was one of the most successful direct...

equestrianism

(Encyclopedia)equestrianism, art of riding and handling a horse. Horseback riding was practiced as far back as the Bronze Age and was thereafter adapted to commerce, industry, war, sport, and recreation. Diverse st...

LaLanne, Jack

(Encyclopedia)LaLanne, Jack ləlānˈ [key], 1914–2011, American fitness advocate and television personality, b. San Francisco as François Henri LaLanne. Widely regarded as the founder of the modern fitness move...

Kissimmee

(Encyclopedia)Kissimmee kĭsĭmˈē [key], city (1990 pop. 30,050), Osceola co., central Fla., on Lake Tohopekaliga. Located in an important agricultural area, it is a major processing, packaging, and shipping cent...