When Edward Regan Murphy was in high school, he predicted that he would become famous by the time he was 19, and a millionaire by 22. And Eddie was right. He shot to stardom in the popular TV comedy show Saturday Night Live when he was 19. He began making movies in 1982 and quickly became a star and a millionaire. Audiences loved the hip, sassy characters he played in hits such as 48 Hrs. , Trading Places , and Beverly Hills Cop . He remained one of Hollywood 's top box-office attractions throughout the 1980s. Murphy's star dimmed in the early 1990s. He appeared in a series of films that disappointed his fans and failed financially, and it seemed that his days as a top star were over for good. But then, in the summer of 1996, Murphy came back when The Nutty Professor became a huge hit. Murphy played two leading roles: an overweight, painfully shy professor who invents a formula that transforms him into a thin and smooth-talking ladies' man. But those w...
For much of his career, Arnold Schwarzenegger was known as a champion bodybuilder, a movie star, and a successful businessman. Then in 2003, he took on a new career—politics. Schwarzenegger was elected governor of California. He served as governor until 2011. Born in Austria, Schwarzenegger moved to the United States in 1968. He earned a bachelor's degree in marketing from the University of Wisconsin–Superior in 1979. He became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1983. As a bodybuilder, he won 13 championships; his titles included Mr. Universe, Mr. Olympia, and Mr. World. His leading role in the 1977 documentary Pumping Iron brought him to Hollywood's attention. It also helped to popularize bodybuilding competitions. Schwarzenegger soon became a top box-office attraction. He made his mark as an action star in Conan the Barbarian (1982), The Terminator (1984), Predator (1987), and Total Recall (1990). He also displayed a talent for comedy in Twins (1988), Kindergarten...
Good looks, great dance moves, and a golden voice made Ricky Martin the undisputed king of pop in 1999. Already a Latin-music star, Martin burst into the mainstream in February 1999 with a high-voltage performance at the GRAMMY Awards. Suddenly, Martin's name was on everyone's lips. Enrique Martin Morales began his career in television commercials as a boy in San Juan , Puerto Rico. At age 12, he joined the Latin pop group Menudo. He struck out on his own after five years, and his first solo albums, cut in Mexico, were hits. In 1994, Martin moved to Los Angeles and landed a role on the television soap opera General Hospital . He also appeared on Broadway in Les Misérables . Meanwhile, his recording career took off. Martin's 1998 album Vuelve showcased his signature blend of rock and Latin stylings and won the GRAMMY for Best Latin Pop Performance. In May 1999, the singer released Ricky Martin , his first English-language album. It included "Livin...