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Cleaver, Eldridge

(Encyclopedia)Cleaver, Eldridge (Leroy Eldridge Cleaver), 1935–98, African-American social activist, b. Wabbaseka, Ark. Growing up in Los Angeles, he spent much of 1954–66 in prison for various crimes including...

Palm Springs

(Encyclopedia)Palm Springs, city (1990 pop. 40,181), Riverside co., S Calif.; founded 1876, inc. 1938. It is a verdant desert oasis and a resort with classic mid-20th cent. architecture (known as Mid-Century Modern...

Chamberlain, John

(Encyclopedia)Chamberlain, John, 1927–2011, American sculptor, b. Rochester, Ind. In the late 1950s, Chamberlain became known for his welded abstract assemblages of smashed automobile parts and colored scrap meta...

Felix, Allyson Michelle

(Encyclopedia)Felix, Allyson Michelle, 1985–, American sprinter, b. Los Angeles. She is a six-time Olympic champion, winning the 200-m (2012), the 4×100-m (2012, 2016), and the 4×400-m races (2008, 2012, 2016),...

Horton, Lester

(Encyclopedia)Horton, Lester, 1906–53, American modern dancer, choreographer, and teacher, b. Indianapolis. Moving to California in 1928, Horton formed his own company in Los Angeles and also performed in theater...

Gwynn, Tony

(Encyclopedia)Gwynn, Tony (Anthony Keith Gwynn), 1960–2014, American baseball player and coach, b. Los Angeles. He played baseball and basketball at San Diego State Univ., and had a record 590 career assists as a...

Slatkin, Leonard

(Encyclopedia)Slatkin, Leonard slătˈkĭn [key], 1944–, American conductor, b. Los Angeles. Slatkin is known for his interpretations of 20th-century American music as well as of the standard classical repertory....

Wright, Willard Huntington

(Encyclopedia)Wright, Willard Huntington, pseud. S. S. Van Dine, 1888–1939, American art critic and mystery story writer, b. Charlottesville, Va. He attended college in California and later studied art in Paris a...

Noll, Chuck

(Encyclopedia)Noll, Chuck (Charles Henry Noll), 1932–2014, American professional football coach, b. Cleveland, B.S. Univ. of Dayton, 1953. A guard and linebacker in college and with the Cleveland Browns (1953–5...

Libby, Willard Frank

(Encyclopedia)Libby, Willard Frank, 1908–80, American chemist, b. Grand Valley, Colo., grad. Univ. of California (B.S., 1931; Ph.D., 1933). He taught (1933–45) at the Univ. of California and was a chemist (1941...