document_title: Joker (character)

question_text: who was the joker before he went crazy

question_tokens: who was the joker before he went crazy

text: Joker (character)

text: Creation and development

text: Concept

text: Bill Finger, Bob Kane, and Jerry Robinson are credited with creating the Joker, but their accounts of the character's conception differ, each providing his own version of events. Finger's, Kane's, and Robinson's versions acknowledge that Finger produced an image of actor Conrad Veidt in character as Gwynplaine (a man with a disfigured face, giving him a perpetual grin) in the 1928 film The Man Who Laughs as an inspiration for the Joker's appearance, and Robinson produced a sketch of a joker playing card (right).[2][3]

text: Robinson claimed that it was his 1940 card sketch that served as the character's concept, and which Finger associated with Veidt's portrayal.[2] Kane hired the 17-year-old Robinson as an assistant in 1939, after he saw Robinson in a white jacket decorated with his own illustrations.[4][5] Beginning as a letterer and background inker, Robinson quickly became primary artist for the newly created Batman comic book series. In a 1975 interview in The Amazing World of DC Comics, Robinson said he wanted a supreme arch-villain who could test Batman, but not a typical crime lord or gangster designed to be easily disposed. He wanted an exotic, enduring character as an ongoing source of conflict for Batman (similar to the relationship between Sherlock Holmes and Professor Moriarty), designing a diabolically sinister-but-clownish villain.[6][7][8] Robinson was intrigued by villains; his studies at Columbia University taught him that some characters are made up of contradictions, leading to the Joker's sense of humor. He said that the name came first, followed by an image of a playing card from a deck he often had at hand: "I wanted somebody visually exciting. I wanted somebody that would make an indelible impression, would be bizarre, would be memorable like the Hunchback of Notre Dame or any other villains that had unique physical characters."[9][10] He told Finger about his concept by telephone, later providing sketches of the character and images of what would become his iconic Joker playing-card design. Finger thought the concept was incomplete, providing the image of Veidt with a ghastly, permanent rictus grin.[6]

text: Kane countered that the Robinson's sketch was produced only after Finger had already shown the Gwynplaine image to Kane, and that it was only used as a card design belonging to the Joker in his early appearances.[3] Finger said that he was also inspired by an image in Steeplechase Park at Coney Island that resembled a Joker's head, which he sketched and later shared with future editorial director Carmine Infantino.[11] In a 1994 interview with journalist Frank Lovece, Kane stated his position:

text: Bill Finger and I created the Joker. Bill was the writer. Jerry Robinson came to me with a playing card of the Joker. That's the way I sum it up. [The Joker] looks like Conrad Veidt – you know, the actor in The Man Who Laughs, [the 1928 movie based on the novel] by Victor Hugo. ... Bill Finger had a book with a photograph of Conrad Veidt and showed it to me and said, 'Here's the Joker'. Jerry Robinson had absolutely nothing to do with it, but he'll always say he created it till he dies. He brought in a playing card, which we used for a couple of issues for him [the Joker] to use as his playing card.[12][13]

text: Robinson credited himself, Finger and Kane for the Joker's creation. He said he created the character as Batman's larger-than-life nemesis when extra stories were quickly needed for Batman #1, and he received credit for the story in a college course:[14]

text: In that first meeting when I showed them that sketch of the Joker, Bill said it reminded him of Conrad Veidt in The Man Who Laughs. That was the first mention of it ... He can be credited and Bob himself, we all played a role in it. The concept was mine. Bill finished that first script from my outline of the persona and what should happen in the first story. He wrote the script of that, so he really was co-creator, and Bob and I did the visuals, so Bob was also.[15]

text: Finger provided his own account in 1966:

text: I got a call from Bob Kane.... He had a new villain. When I arrived he was holding a playing card. Apparently Jerry Robinson or Bob, I don't recall who, looked at the card and they had an idea for a character ... the Joker. Bob made a rough sketch of it. At first it didn't look much like the Joker. It looked more like a clown. But I remembered that Grosset & Dunlap formerly issued very cheap editions of classics by Alexandre Dumas and Victor Hugo ... The volume I had was The Man Who Laughs — his face had been permanently operated on so that he will always have this perpetual grin. And it looked absolutely weird. I cut the picture out of the book and gave it to Bob, who drew the profile and gave it a more sinister aspect. Then he worked on the face; made him look a little clown-like, which accounted for his white face, red lips, green hair. And that was the Joker![16]

text: Although Kane adamantly refused to share credit for many of his characters (and refuted Robinson's claim until Kane's death), many comic historians credit Robinson with the Joker's creation and Finger with the character's development.[2][3][4][11] By 2011, Finger, Kane, and Robinson had died, leaving the story unresolved.[6][11][17]

text: Golden Age

text: The Joker debuted in Batman #1 (Spring 1940) as the eponymous character's first villain, shortly after Batman's debut in Detective Comics #27 (May 1939). The Joker initially appeared as a remorseless serial killer, modeled after a joker playing card with a mirthless grin, who killed his victims with "Joker venom": a toxin which left their faces smiling grotesquely.[18] The character was intended to be killed in his second appearance in Batman #1, after being stabbed in the heart. Finger wanted the Joker to die because of his concern that recurring villains would make Batman appear inept, but was overruled by then-editor Whitney Ellsworth; a hastily drawn panel, indicating that the Joker was still alive, was added to the comic.[2][19][20] The Joker went on to appear in nine of Batman's first twelve issues.[21]

text: The character's regular appearances quickly defined him as the archenemy of the dynamic duo, Batman and Robin; he killed dozens of people, and even derailed a train. By issue #13, Kane's work on the syndicated Batman newspaper strip left him little time for the comic book; artist Dick Sprang assumed his duties, and editor Jack Schiff collaborated with Finger on stories. Around the same time, DC Comics found it easier to market its stories to children without the more mature pulp elements that had originated many superhero comics. During this period, the first changes in the Joker began to appear, portraying him more as a prankster than threat; when he kidnaps Robin, Batman pays the ransom by check, meaning that the Joker cannot cash it without being arrested.[22] Comic book writer Mark Waid suggests that the 1942 story "The Joker Walks the Last Mile" was the beginning point for the character's transformation into a more goofy incarnation, a period that Grant Morrison considered lasted the following thirty years.[23]

text: The 1942 cover of Detective Comics #69, known as "Double Guns" (with the Joker emerging from a genie lamp, aiming two guns at Batman and Robin), is considered one of the greatest superhero comic covers of the Golden Age and is the only image of the character using traditional guns. Robinson said that other contemporary villains used guns, and the creative team wanted the Joker—as Batman's adversary—to be more resourceful.[9][24]

text: Silver Age

text: The Joker was one of the few popular villains continuing to appear regularly in Batman comics from the Golden Age into the Silver Age, as the series continued during the rise in popularity of mystery and romance comics. In 1951, Finger wrote an origin story for the Joker in Detective Comics #168, which introduced the characteristic of him formerly being the criminal Red Hood, and his disfigurement the result of a fall into a chemical vat.[25]

text: By 1954, the Comics Code Authority had been established in response to increasing public disapproval of comic book content. The backlash was inspired by Frederic Wertham, who hypothesized that mass media (especially comic books) was responsible for the rise in juvenile delinquency, violence and homosexuality, particularly in young males. Parents forbade their children from reading comic books, and there were several mass burnings.[2] The Comics Code banned gore, innuendo and excessive violence, stripping Batman of his menace and transforming the Joker into a goofy, thieving trickster without his original homicidal tendencies.[19][26]

text: The character appeared less frequently after 1964, when Julius Schwartz (who disliked the Joker) became editor of the Batman comics.[2][19][27] The character risked becoming an obscure figure of the preceding era until this goofy prankster version of the character was adapted into the 1966 television series Batman, in which he was played by Cesar Romero.[2][19] The show's popularity compelled Schwartz to keep the comics in a similar vein. As the show's popularity waned, however, so did that of the Batman comics.[2][27] After the TV series ended in 1968, the increase in public visibility had not stopped the comic's sales decline; editorial director Carmine Infantino resolved to turn things around, moving stories away from schoolboy-friendly adventures.[28] The Silver Age introduced several of the Joker's defining character traits: lethal joy buzzers, acid-squirting flowers, trick guns, and goofy, elaborate crimes.[29][30]

text: Bronze Age

text: In 1973, after a four-year disappearance,[2] the Joker was revived (and revised) by writer Dennis O'Neil and artist Neal Adams. Beginning with Batman #251's "The Joker's Five-Way Revenge", the character returns to his roots as an impulsive, homicidal maniac who matches wits with Batman.[31][32] This story began a trend in which the Joker was used, sparingly, as a central character.[33] O'Neil said his idea was "simply to take it back to where it started. I went to the DC library and read some of the early stories. I tried to get a sense of what Kane and Finger were after."[34] O'Neil's 1973 run introduced the idea of the Joker being legally insane, to explain why the character is sent to Arkham Asylum (introduced by O'Neil in 1974 as Arkham Hospital) instead of to prison.[35] Adams modified the Joker's appearance, changing his more average figure by extending his jaw and making him taller and leaner.[36]

text: DC Comics was a hotbed of experimentation during the 1970s, and in 1975 the character became the first villain to feature as the title character in a comic book series, The Joker.[37] The series followed the character's interactions with other supervillains, and the first issue was written by O'Neil.[38] Stories balanced between emphasizing the Joker's criminality and making him a likable protagonist whom readers could support. Although he murdered thugs and civilians, he never fought Batman; this made The Joker a series in which the character's villainy prevailed over rival villains, instead of a struggle between good and evil.[39] Because the Comics Code Authority mandated punishment for villains, each issue ended with the Joker being apprehended, limiting the scope of each story. The series never found an audience, and The Joker was cancelled after nine issues (despite a "next issue" advertisement for an appearance by the Justice League).[38][40][39] The complete series became difficult to obtain over time, often commanding high prices from collectors. In 2013, DC Comics reissued the series as a graphic novel.[41]

text: When Jenette Kahn became DC editor in 1976, she redeveloped the company's struggling titles; during her tenure, the Joker would become one of DC's most popular characters.[39] While O'Neil and Adams' work was critically acclaimed, writer Steve Englehart and penciller Marshall Rogers's eight-issue run in Detective Comics #471–476 (August 1977-April 1978) defined the Joker for decades to come[31] with stories emphasizing the character's insanity. In "The Laughing Fish", the Joker disfigures fish with a rictus grin resembling his own (expecting copyright protection), and is unable to understand that copyrighting a natural resource is legally impossible.[32][35][42][43] Englehart and Rogers' work on the series influenced the 1989 film Batman, and was adapted for 1992's Batman: The Animated Series.[35][44] Rogers expanded on Adams' character design, drawing the Joker with a fedora and trench coat.[36] Englehart outlined how he understood the character by saying that the Joker "was this very crazy, scary character. I really wanted to get back to the idea of Batman fighting insane murderers at 3 a.m. under the full moon, as the clouds scuttled by."[19]

text: Modern Age

text: Years after the end of the 1966 television series, sales of Batman continued to fall and the title was nearly canceled. Although the 1970s restored the Joker as an insane, lethal foe of Batman, it was during the 1980s that the Batman series started to turn around and the Joker came into his own as part of the "dark age" of comics: mature tales of death and destruction. The shift was derided for moving away from tamer superheroes (and villains), but comic audiences were no longer primarily children.[45][31] Several months after Crisis on Infinite Earths launched the era by killing off Silver-Age icons such as the Flash and Supergirl and undoing decades of continuity,[46] Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns (1986) re-imagined Batman as an older, retired hero[47] and the Joker as a lipstick-wearing celebrity[36][46] who cannot function without his foe.[48] The late 1980s saw the Joker exert a significant impact on Batman and his supporting cast. In the 1988–89 story arc "A Death in the Family", the Joker murders Batman's sidekick (the second Robin, Jason Todd). Todd was unpopular with fans; rather than modify his character, DC opted to let them vote for his fate and a 72-vote plurality had the Joker beat Todd to death with a crowbar. This story altered the Batman universe: instead of killing anonymous bystanders, the Joker murdered a core character in the Batman fiction; this had a lasting effect on future stories.[49][50] Written at the height of tensions between the United States and Iran, the story's conclusion had Iranian leader Ayatollah Khomeini appoint the Joker his country's ambassador to the United Nations (allowing him to temporarily escape justice).[51]

text: Alan Moore and Brian Bolland's 1988 graphic novel The Killing Joke expands on the Joker's origins, describing the character as a failed comedian who adopts the identity of Red Hood to support his pregnant wife.[25][52] Unlike The Dark Knight Returns, The Killing Joke takes place in mainstream continuity.[53] The novel is described by critics as one of the greatest Joker stories ever written, influencing later comic stories (including the forced retirement of then-Batgirl Barbara Gordon after she is paralyzed by the Joker) and films such as 1989's Batman and 2008's The Dark Knight.[54][55][56] Grant Morrison's 1989 Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth explores the psychoses of Batman, the Joker and other rogues in the eponymous facility.[57][58]

text: The 1992 animated series introduced the Joker's female sidekick: Harley Quinn, a psychiatrist who falls for—and ends up in an abusive relationship with—the Joker, becoming his supervillain accomplice. The character was popular, and was adapted into the comics as the Joker's romantic interest in 1999.[59] In the same year, Alan Grant and Norm Breyfogle's comic book Anarky concluded with the revelation that the titular character was the Joker's son. Breyfogle conceived the idea as a means to expand on Anarky's characterization, but O'Neil (by then the editor for the Batman series of books) was opposed to it, and only allowed it to be written under protest, and with a promise that the revelation would eventually be revealed incorrect. However, the Anarky series was cancelled before the rebuttal could be published.[60] The Joker's first major storyline in The New 52, DC Comics' 2011 reboot of story continuity, was 2012's "Death of the Family" by writer Scott Snyder and artist Greg Capullo. The story arc explores the symbiotic relationship between Joker and Batman, and sees the villain shatter the trust between Batman and his adopted family.[21][61] Capullo's Joker design replaced his traditional outfit with a utilitarian, messy, and disheveled appearance to convey that the character was on a mission; his face (surgically removed in 2011's Detective Comics #1) was reattached with belts, wires, and hooks, and he was outfitted with mechanics overalls.[62] The Joker's face was restored in Snyder's and Capullo's "Endgame" (2014), the concluding chapter to "Death of the Family".[63][64]

text: Character biography

text: The Joker has undergone many revisions since his 1940 debut. The most common interpretation of the character is that he is disguised as the criminal Red Hood, and pursued by Batman. The Joker falls into a vat of chemicals which bleaches his skin, colors his hair green and his lips red, and drives him insane. The reasons why the Joker was disguised as the Red Hood, and his identity before his transformation have changed over time.[19]

text: The character was introduced in Batman #1 (1940), in which he announces that he will kill three of Gotham's prominent citizens (including Mayor Henry Claridge). Although the police protect Claridge, the Joker had poisoned him before making his announcement and Claridge dies with a ghastly grin on his face; Batman eventually defeats him, sending him to prison.[65] The Joker commits whimsical, brutal crimes for reasons that, in Batman's words, "make sense to him alone".[42] Detective Comics #168 (1951) introduced the Joker's first origin story as Red Hood: a criminal who, during his final heist, vanishes after leaping into a vat of chemicals to escape Batman. His resulting disfigurement led him to adopt the name "Joker", from the playing card figure he came to resemble.[25] The Joker's Silver-Age transformation into a figure of fun was established in 1952's "The Joker's Millions". In this story the Joker is obsessed with maintaining his illusion of wealth and celebrity as a criminal folk hero, afraid to let Gotham's citizens know that he is penniless and was tricked out of his fortune.[66] The 1970s redefined the character as a homicidal psychopath. "The Joker's Five-Way Revenge" has the Joker taking violent revenge on the former gang members who betrayed him;[33] in "The Laughing Fish" the character chemically adds his face to Gotham's fish (hoping to profit from a copyright), killing bureaucrats who stand in his way.[32]

text: Batman: The Killing Joke (1988) built on the Joker's 1951 origin story, portraying him as a failed comedian pressured into committing crime as the Red Hood to support his pregnant wife. Batman's interference causes him to leap into a chemical vat, which disfigures him. This, combined with the trauma of his wife's earlier accidental death, causes him to go insane and become the Joker.[25] However, the Joker says that this story may not be true, as he prefers his past to be "multiple choice".[67] In this graphic novel, the Joker shoots and paralyzes Barbara Gordon and tortures her father, Commissioner James Gordon, to prove that it only takes one bad day to drive a normal man insane.[53] After Batman rescues Gordon and subdues the Joker, he offers to rehabilitate his old foe and end their rivalry. Although the Joker refuses, he shows his appreciation by sharing a joke with Batman.[68] Following the character's maiming of Barbara, she became a more important character in the DC Universe: Oracle, a data gatherer and superhero informant, who has her revenge in Birds of Prey by shattering the Joker's teeth and destroying his smile.[53]

text: In the 1988 story "A Death in the Family", the Joker beats Jason Todd with a crowbar and leaves him to die in an explosion. Todd's death haunts Batman, and for the first time he considers killing the Joker.[49] The Joker temporarily escapes justice when Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini appoints him the Iranian ambassador to the United Nations, giving him diplomatic immunity. However, when he tries to poison the UN membership, he is defeated by Batman and Superman.[31]

text: In the 1999 "No Man's Land" storyline, the Joker murders Commissioner Gordon's second wife, Sarah, as she shields a group of infants.[69] He taunts Gordon, who shoots him in the kneecap. The Joker, lamenting that he may never walk again, collapses with laughter when he realizes that the commissioner has avenged Barbara's paralysis.[70] This story also introduced the Joker's girlfriend, Harley Quinn.[59]

text: The 2000s began with the crossover story "Emperor Joker", in which the Joker steals Mister Mxyzptlk's reality-altering power and remakes the universe in his image (torturing and killing Batman daily, before resurrecting him). When the supervillain then tries to destroy the universe, his reluctance to eliminate Batman makes him lose control, and Superman defeats him.[71] Broken by his experience, Batman's experiences of death are transferred to Superman by the Spectre so he can heal mentally.[72]  In "Joker's Last Laugh" (2001), the doctors at Arkham Asylum convince the character that he is dying in an attempt to rehabilitate him. Instead, the Joker (flanked by an army of "Jokerized" supervillains) launches a final crime spree. Believing that Robin (Tim Drake) has been killed in the chaos, Dick Grayson beats the Joker to death (although Batman revives his foe to keep Grayson from being a murderer), and the villain succeeds in making a member of the Bat-family break their rule against killing.[31][65]

text: In "Under the Hood" (2005), a resurrected Todd tries to force Batman to avenge his death by killing the Joker. Batman refuses, arguing that if he allows himself to kill the Joker, he will not be able to stop killing other criminals.[73] The Joker kills Alexander Luthor in Infinite Crisis (2005) for excluding him from the Secret Society of Super Villains, which considers him too unpredictable for membership.[74][75] In Morrison's "Batman and Son" (2006), a deranged police officer who impersonates Batman shoots the Joker in the face, scarring and disabling him. The supervillain returns in "The Clown at Midnight" (2007) as a cruel, enigmatic force who awakens and tries to kill Harley Quinn to prove to Batman that he has become more than human.[76][31] In the 2008 story arc "Batman R.I.P." the Joker is recruited by the Black Glove to destroy Batman, but betrays the group, killing its members one by one.[65] After Batman's apparent death in "Final Crisis" (2008), Grayson investigates a series of murders (which leads him to a disguised Joker).[77] The Joker is arrested, and then-Robin Damian Wayne beats him with a crowbar, paralleling Todd's murder. When the Joker escapes, he attacks the Black Glove, burying its leader Simon Hurt alive after the supervillain considers him a failure as an opponent; the Joker is then defeated by the recently returned Batman.[78][79][80]

text: In DC's New 52, a 2011 relaunch of its titles following Flashpoint, the Joker has his own face cut off.[81] He disappears for a year, returning to launch an attack on Batman's extended family in "Death of the Family" so he and Batman can be the best hero and villain they can be.[82] At the end of the storyline, the Joker falls off a cliff into a dark abyss.[82][83] The Joker returns in the 2014 storyline "Endgame" in which he brainwashes the Justice League into attacking Batman, believing he has betrayed their relationship.[84][85] The story implies that the Joker is immortal—having existed for centuries in Gotham as a cause of tragedy after exposure to a substance the Joker terms 'dionesium'—and is able to regenerate from mortal injuries. "Endgame" restores the Joker's face, and also reveals that he knows Batman's secret identity.[63] The story ends with the apparent deaths of Batman and the Joker at each other's hands.[64]

text: Origins

text:
"They've given many origins of the Joker, how he came to be. That doesn't seem to matter—just how he is now. I never intended to give a reason for his appearance. We discussed that and Bill [Finger] and I never wanted to change it at that time. I thought—and he agreed—that it takes away some of the essential mystery."

– Jerry Robinson, the Joker's creator[86]

tag: div

text: Though a number of backstories have been given, a definitive one has not yet been established for the Joker. An unreliable narrator, the character is uncertain of who he was before and how he became the Joker: "Sometimes I remember it one way, sometimes another ... if I'm going to have a past, I prefer it to be multiple choice!"[7][67] A story about the Joker's origin appeared in Detective Comics #168 (February 1951), nearly a decade after the character's debut. Here, the character is a laboratory worker who becomes the Red Hood (a masked criminal) to steal a million dollars from his employer and retire. He falls into a vat of chemical waste when his heist is thwarted by Batman, emerging with bleached white skin, red lips, green hair and a permanent grin.[87][88]

text: This story was the basis for the most often-cited origin tale, Moore's one-shot The Killing Joke.[55] The Joker quits his job as a Lab assistant, becoming a stand-up comedian to support his pregnant wife. Unsuccessful, he agrees to help mobsters with a robbery and dons the Red Hood. The heist goes awry; the comedian leaps into a chemical vat to escape Batman, surfacing disfigured. This, combined with the earlier accidental death of his wife and unborn child, drives the comedian insane and he becomes the Joker.[25][31] This version has been cited in many stories, including Batman: The Man Who Laughs (in which Batman deduces that the Red Hood survived his fall and became the Joker), Batman #450 (in which the Joker dons the Red Hood to aid his recovery after the events in A Death in the Family, but finds the experience too traumatic) and "Death of the Family".[88] Other stories have expanded on this origin; "Pushback" explains that the Joker's wife was murdered by a corrupt policeman working for the mobsters,[89] and "Payback" gives the Joker's first name as "Jack".[88]

text: However, the Joker's unreliable memory has allowed writers to develop other origins for the character.[88] "Case Study", a Paul Dini-Alex Ross story, describes the Joker as a sadistic gangster who creates the Red Hood identity to continue the thrill of small-time criminality. He has his fateful first meeting with Batman, which results in his disfigurement. It is suggested that the Joker is sane, and feigns insanity to avoid the death penalty. In Batman Confidential (#7–12), the character, Jack, is a talented criminal who is bored with his work. He encounters (and becomes obsessed with) Batman during a heist, embarking on a crime spree to attract his attention. After Jack injures Batman's girlfriend, Batman scars Jack's face with a permanent grin and betrays him to a group of mobsters, who torture him in a chemical plant. Jack escapes, but falls into an empty vat as gunfire punctures chemical tanks above him. The flood of chemicals (used in anti-psychotic medication) alters his appearance and completes his transformation.[90] The superhero Atom sees the Joker's memory of burning his parents alive (after they find him killing animals) in The Brave and the Bold #31,[91] and Snyder's "Zero Year" (2013) suggests that the pre-disfigured Joker was a criminal mastermind leading a gang of Red Hoods.[84][92]

text: The Joker has claimed a number of origins, including being the child of an abusive father who broke his nose and the long-lived jester of an Egyptian pharaoh. As Batman says, "Like any other comedian, he uses whatever material will work".[93]

text: Alternative versions

text: A number of alternate universes in DC Comics publications allow writers to introduce variations on the Joker, in which the character's origins, behavior, and morality differ from the mainstream setting.[94] The Dark Knight Returns depicts the final battle between an aged Batman and Joker; others portray the aftermath of the Joker's death at the hands of a number of characters, including Superman.[71][95] Still others describe distant futures in which the Joker is a computer virus or a hero trying to defeat the era's tyrannical Batman.[96] In some stories, the Joker is someone else entirely; "Flashpoint" features Batman's mother Martha Wayne as the Joker in response to her son's murder,[97] and in Superman: Speeding Bullets Lex Luthor becomes the Joker in a world where Superman is Batman.[98]

text: Characterization

text: Renowned as Batman's greatest enemy,[99][100][101][102] the Joker is known by a number of nicknames, including the Clown Prince of Crime, the Jester of Genocide,[101] the Harlequin of Hate, and the Ace of Knaves.[103] During the evolution of the DC Universe, interpretations and versions of the Joker have taken two forms. The original, dominant image is that of an extreme psychopath,[104] with genius-level intelligence and a warped, sadistic sense of humor.[105][106] The other version, popular in comic books from the late 1940s to the 1960s and in the 1960s television series, is an eccentric, harmless prankster and thief.[107] Like other long-lived characters, the Joker's character and cultural interpretations have changed with time, however unlike other characters who may need to reconcile or ignore previous versions to make sense, more than any other comic book character, the Joker thrives on his mutable and irreconcilable identities.[108] The Joker is typically seen in a purple suit with a long-tailed, padded-shoulder jacket, a string tie, gloves, striped pants and spats on pointed-toe shoes (sometimes with a wide-brimmed hat). This appearance is such a fundamental aspect of the character that when the 2004 animated series The Batman placed the Joker in a straitjacket, it quickly redesigned him in his familiar suit.[107]

text: The Joker is obsessed with Batman, the pair representing a yin-yang of opposing dark and light force; although it is the Joker who represents humor and color and Batman who dwells in the dark.[109] Murder, theft, and terrorism, no crime is beyond the Joker, and his exploits are a theatrical performance that are funny to him alone. Spectacle is more important than success for the Joker, and if it is not spectacular it is boring.[110] Although the Joker claims indifference to everything, he secretly craves Batman's attention and validation.[111][32] The character was described as having killed over 2,000 people in The Joker: Devil's Advocate (1996). Despite this body count, he is always found not guilty by reason of insanity and sent to Arkham Asylum, avoiding the death penalty.[112][113] Many of the Joker's acts attempt to force Batman to kill; if the most orderly and self-controlled of humans can murder, anyone is capable of becoming a monster like the Joker. The villain displays no instinct for self-preservation, and is willing to die to prove his point.[114] The Joker is the "personification of the irrational", and represents "everything Batman [opposes]".[115]

text: Personality

text: The Joker's main characteristic is his apparent insanity, although he is not described as having any particular psychological disorder. Like a psychopath, he lacks empathy, a conscience, and concern over right and wrong. In A Serious House on Serious Earth, the Joker is described as capable of processing outside sensory information only by adapting to it. This enables him to create a new personality every day (depending on what would benefit him) and explains why, at different times, he is a mischievous clown or a psychopathic killer.[116] In "The Clown at Midnight" (Batman #663, 2007), the Joker enters a meditative state where he evaluates his previous selves to consciously create a new personality, effectively modifying himself for his needs.[117]

text: The Killing Joke (in which the Joker is the unreliable narrator) explains the roots of his insanity as "one bad day": losing his wife and unborn child and being disfigured by chemicals, paralleling Batman's origin in the loss of his parents. He tries (and fails) to prove that anyone can become like him after one bad day by torturing Commissioner Gordon, physically and psychologically.[29][53] Batman offers to rehabilitate his foe; the Joker apologetically declines, believing it too late for him to be saved.[68] Other interpretations show that the Joker is fully aware of how his actions affect others and that his insanity as merely an act.[109] Comics scholar Peter Coogan describes the Joker as trying to reshape reality to fit himself by imposing his face on his victims (and fish) in an attempt to make the world comprehensible by creating a twisted parody of himself. Englehart's "The Laughing Fish" demonstrates the character's illogical nature: trying to copyright fish which bear his face, and not understanding why threatening the copyright clerk cannot produce the desired result.[118][35]

text: The Joker is alternatively depicted as sexual and asexual.[119] In The Dark Knight Returns and Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth, the Joker is seductive toward Batman; it is uncertain if their relationship has homoerotic undertones or if the Joker is simply trying to manipulate his nemesis. Frank Miller interpreted the character as fixated on death and uninterested in sexual relationships, while Robinson believes that the Joker is capable of a romantic relationship.[119] His relationship with Harley Quinn is abusively paradoxical; although the Joker keeps her at his side, he heedlessly harms her (for example, throwing her out a window without seeing if she survives). Harley loves him but the Joker does not reciprocate her feelings, chiding her for distracting him from other plans.[120]

text: Snyder's "Death of the Family" describes the Joker as in love with Batman, although not in a traditionally romantic way. The Joker believes that Batman has not killed him because he makes Batman better, and he loves the villain for that.[61][121] Batman comic book writer Peter Tomasi concurred, stating that the Joker's main goal is to make Batman the best that he can be.[122] The Joker and Batman represent opposites: the extroverted Joker wears colorful clothing and embraces chaos, while the introverted, monochromatic Batman represents order and discipline. The Joker is often depicted as defining his existence through his conflict with Batman. In 1994's "Going Sane", the villain tries to lead a normal life after Batman's (apparent) death, only to become his old self again when Batman reappears; in "Emperor Joker", an apparently omnipotent Joker cannot destroy Batman without undoing himself. Since the Joker is simply "the Joker", he believes that Batman is "Batman" (with or without the costume) and has no interest in what is behind Batman's mask, ignoring opportunities to learn Batman's secret identity.[123][71] Given the opportunity to kill Batman, the villain demurs; he believes that without their game, winning is pointless.[111] The character has no desire for typical criminal goals like money or power; his criminality is designed only to continue his game with Batman.[81]

text: The Joker is portrayed as having no fear; when fellow supervillain Scarecrow doses him with fear toxin in Knightfall (1993), the Joker merely laughs and says, "Boo!".[124] The villain has been temporarily rendered sane by several means, including telepathic manipulation by the Martian Manhunter[68] and being resurrected in a life-restoring Lazarus Pit (an experience typically inducing temporary insanity in the subject). At these moments, the Joker is depicted as expressing remorse for his acts;[125][126] however, during a medically induced period of partial sanity in Batman: Cacophony he tells his opponent: "I don't hate you 'cause I'm crazy. I'm crazy 'cause I hate you," and confirms that he will only stop murdering when Batman is dead.[127][128]

text: Skills and equipment

text: The Joker has no inherent superhuman abilities.[129] He commits crimes with a variety of weaponized thematic props such as a deck of razor-tipped playing cards, rolling marbles, Jack-in-the-boxes with unpleasant surprises and exploding cigars capable of leveling a building. The flower in his lapel sprays acid, and his hand often holds a lethal joy buzzer conducting a million volts of electricity, although both items were introduced in 1952 as harmless joke items.[130][30] However, his chemical genius provides his most-notable weapon: Joker venom, a liquid or gaseous toxin which sends its targets into fits of uncontrollable laughter; higher doses can lead to paralysis, coma or death, leaving its victim with a ghoulish, pained rictus grin. The Joker has used venom since his debut; only he knows the formula, and is shown to be gifted enough to manufacture the toxin from ordinary household chemicals. Another version of the venom (used in "Joker's Last Laugh") makes its victims resemble the Joker, susceptible to his orders.[32][65][131][132] The villain is immune to venom and most poisons; in Batman #663 (2007), Morrison writes that being "an avid consumer of his own chemical experiments, the Joker's immunity to poison concoctions that might kill another man in an instant has been developed over years of dedicated abuse."[133][107]

text: The character's arsenal is inspired by his nemesis' weaponry, such as batarangs. In "The Joker's Utility Belt" (1952), he mimicked Batman's utility belt with non-lethal items, such as Mexican jumping beans and sneezing powder.[130] In 1942's "The Joker Follows Suit" the villain built his versions of the Batplane and Batmobile, the Jokergyro and Jokermobile (the latter with a large Joker face on its hood), and created a Joker signal with which criminals could summon him for their heists.[134] The Jokermobile lasted for several decades, evolving with the Batmobile. His technical genius is not limited by practicality, allowing him to hijack Gotham's television airwaves to issue threats, transform buildings into death traps, launch a gas attack on the city and rain poisoned glass shards on its citizens from an airship.[135][136]

text: The Joker is portrayed as skilled in melee combat, from his initial appearances when he defeats Batman in a sword fight (nearly killing him), and others when he overwhelms Batman but declines to kill him.[137] He is talented with firearms, although even his guns are theatrical; his long-barreled revolver often releases a flag reading "Bang", and a second trigger-pull launches the flag to skewer its target.[130][138] Although formidable in combat, the Joker's chief asset is his mind.[96]

text: Relationships

text: The Joker's unpredictable, homicidal nature makes him one of the most feared supervillains in the DC Universe; the Trickster says in the 1995 mini-series Underworld Unleashed, "When super-villains want to scare each other, they tell Joker stories".[139][140] Gotham's villains also feel threatened by the character; depending on the circumstances, he is as likely to fight with his rivals for control of the city as he is to join them for an entertaining outcome.[141] The Joker interacts with other supervillains who oppose Batman, whether he is on the streets or in Arkham Asylum. He has collaborated with criminals like the Penguin, the Riddler and Two-Face, although these partnerships rarely end well due to the Joker's desire for unbridled chaos, and uses his stature to lead others (such as Killer Croc and the Scarecrow).[142] The Joker's greatest rival is the smartest man in the world, Lex Luthor. Although they have a friendly partnership in 1950's World's Finest Comics #88, later unions emphasized their mutual hostility and clashing egos.[143]

text: Despite his tendency to kill subordinates on a whim, the Joker has no difficulty attracting henchmen with a seemingly infinite cash supply and intimidation: they are too afraid of their employer to refuse his demands that they wear red clown noses or laugh at macabre jokes.[135] Even with his unpredictability and lack of superhuman powers, the 2007 limited series Salvation Run sees hundreds of villains fall under his spell because they are more afraid of him than the alternative: Luthor.[144] Batman #186 (1966) introduced the Joker's first sidekick: the one-shot character, Gaggy Gagsworth, who is short, and dressed like a clown; the character was later resurrected as an enemy of his replacement, Harley Quinn.[145][146] Introduced in the 1992 animated series, Quinn is the Joker's former Arkham psychiatrist who develops an obsessive infatuation with him and dons a red-and-black harlequin costume to join him in the 1999 graphic novel Batman: Harley Quinn. Although Quinn loves the Joker, he is obsessed with Batman and uses her to achieve his goals at her expense. Despite violent abuse, she returns to him.[147][146] The Joker is sometimes shown to keep hyenas as pets; this trait was introduced in the 1977 animated series The New Adventures of Batman.[135] A 1976 issue of Batman Family introduced Duela Dent as the Joker's daughter, though her parentage claim was later proven to be false.[39]

text: Although his chief obsession is Batman, the character has occasionally ventured outside Gotham City to fight Batman's superhero allies. In "To Laugh and Die in Metropolis" (1987) the character kidnaps Lois Lane, distracting Superman with a nuclear weapon. The story is notable for the Joker taking on a (relative) god and the ease with which Superman defeats him—it took only 17 pages. Asked why he came to Metropolis, the Joker replies simply: "Oh Superman, why not?"[148] In 1995, the Joker fought his third major DC hero: Wonder Woman, who drew on the Greek god of trickery to temper the Joker's humor and shatter his confidence.[149] The character has joined supervillain groups like the Injustice Gang and the Injustice League, to take on superhero groups like the Justice League.[150][151]

text: Cultural impact

text: The Joker is considered one of, if not, the most-recognizable and iconic fictional characters in popular culture (Batman's arguable equal),[152][153][154] one of the best comic villains, and one of the greatest villains of all time.[155][156] The character was well-liked following his debut, appearing in nine out of the first twelve Batman issues, and remained one of Batman's most popular foes throughout his publication.[157] The character is considered one of the four top comic book characters, alongside Batman, Superman, and Spider-Man.[154] Indeed, when DC Comics released the original series of Greatest Stories Ever Told (1987–1988) featuring collections of stories about heroes like Batman and Superman, the Joker was the only villain included alongside them.[158] The character has been the focus of ethical discussion on the desirability of Batman (who adheres to an unbreakable code forbidding killing) saving lives by murdering the Joker (a relentless dealer of death). These debates weigh the positive (stopping the Joker permanently) against its effect on Batman's character and the possibility that he might begin killing all criminals.[114][159][160]

text: In 2006, the Joker was number one on Wizard magazine's "100 Greatest Villains of All Time".[161] In 2008 Wizard's list of "200 Greatest Comic Book Characters of All Time" placed the Joker fifth,[162] and the character was eighth on Empire's list of "50 Greatest Comic Book Characters" (the highest-ranked villain on both lists).[163] In 2009 the Joker was second on IGN's list of "Top 100 Comic Book Villains",[164] and in 2011 Wired named him "Comics' Greatest Supervillain".[165] Complex, CollegeHumor and WhatCulture named the Joker the greatest comic book villain of all time[153][129][166] while IGN listed him the top DC Comics villain in 2013,[167] and Newsarama as the greatest Batman villain.[99]

text: The Joker's popularity (and his role as Batman's enemy) has involved the character in most Batman-related media, from television to video games.[2][7] These adaptations of the character have been received positively[21] on film,[168][169] television,[170] and in video games.[171] As in the comics, the character's personality and appearance shift; he is campy, ferocious or unstable, depending on the author and the intended audience.[21]

text: The character inspired theme-park roller coasters (The Joker's Jinx,[172][173] The Joker in Mexico and California,[174][175] and The Joker Chaos Coaster),[176] and featured in story-based rides such as Justice League: Battle for Metropolis.[176] The Joker is one of the few comic book supervillains to be represented on children's merchandise and toys, appearing on items including action figures, trading cards, board games, money boxes, pajamas, socks, and shoes.[177][154] The Jokermobile was a popular toy; a Corgi die-cast metal replica was successful during the 1950s, and in the 1970s a Joker-styled, Flower power-era Volkswagen microbus was manufactured by Mego.[135] In 2015, "The Joker: A Serious Study of the Clown Prince of Crime" became the first academic book to be published about a supervillain.[154]

text: Literary analysis

text: Since the Bronze Age of Comics, the Joker has been interpreted as an archetypal trickster, displaying talents for cunning intelligence, social engineering, pranks, theatricality, and idiomatic humor. Like the trickster, the Joker alternates between malicious violence and clever, harmless whimsy.[179] He is amoral and not driven by ethical considerations, but by a shameless and insatiable nature, and although his actions are condemned as evil, he is necessary for cultural robustness.[180] The trickster employs amoral and immoral acts to destabilize the status quo and reveal cultural, political, and ethical hypocrisies that society attempts to ignore.[181] However, the Joker differs in that his actions typically only benefit himself.[182] The Joker possesses abnormal body imagery, reflecting an inversion of order. The trickster is simultaneously subhuman and superhuman, a being that indicates a lack of unity in body and mind.[183] In Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth, the Joker serves as Batman's trickster guide through the hero's own psyche, testing him in various ways before ultimately offering to cede his rule of the Asylum to Batman.[184]

text: Rather than the typical anarchist interpretation, others have analysed the character as a Marxist (opposite to Batman's capitalist), arguing that anarchism requires the rejection of all authority in favor of uncontrolled freedom.[185] The Joker rejects most authority, but retains his own, using his actions to coerce and consolidate power in himself and convert the masses to his own way of thinking, while eliminating any that oppose him.[186] In The Killing Joke, the Joker is an abused member of the underclass who is driven insane by failings of the social system.[187] The Joker rejects material needs, and his first appearance in Batman #1 sees him perpetrate crimes against Gotham's wealthiest men and the judge who had sent him to prison.[188] Batman is wealthy, yet the Joker is able to triumph through his own innovations.[189]

text: Ryan Litsey described the Joker as an example of a "Nietzschean Superman", arguing that a fundamental aspect of Friedrich Nietzsche's Superman, the "will to power", is exemplified in all of the Joker's actions, providing a master morality to Batman's slave morality.[190] The character's indomitable "will to power" means he is never discouraged by being caught or defeated and he is not restrained by guilt or remorse.[191] Joker represents the master, who creates rules and defines them, who judges others without needing approval, and for whom something is good because it benefits him.[192] He creates his own morality and is bound only by his own rules without aspiring to something higher than himself, unlike Batman, the slave, who makes a distinction between good and evil, and is bound to rules outside of himself (such as his avoidance of killing), in his quest for justice.[193] The Joker has no defined origin story that requires him to question how he came to be, as like the Superman he does not regret or assess the past and only moves forward.[194]

text: The Joker's controlling and abusive relationship with Harley Quinn has been analysed as a means of the Joker reinforcing his own belief in his power in a world where he may be killed or neutralized by another villain or Batman.[195] Joker mirrors his identity through Harley in her appearance, and even though he may ignore or act indifferent towards her, he continues to try and subject her to his control.[195] When Harley successfully defeats Batman in Mad Love (1994), the Joker, emasculated by his own failure, severely injures her out of fear of what the other villains will think of him. However, while Harley recovers, the Joker sends her flowers which she accepts, reasserting his control over her.[196]

text: Harley's co-creator, Paul Dini, describes their relationship as Harley being someone who makes the Joker feel better about himself, and who can do the work that he does not want to do himself.[197] In the 1999 one-shot comic Batman: Harley Quinn, the Joker decides to kill Harley, after admitting that he does care for her, that their relationship is romantic, and that these feelings prevent him from fulfilling his purpose.[198] Removing the traditional male-female relationship, such as in the Batman: Thrillkiller storyline where the Joker (Bianca Steeplechase) is a female and involved in a lesbian relationship with Harley, their relationship lacks any aspects of violence or subjugation.[199]

text: In other media

text: The Joker has appeared in a variety of media, including television series, animated and live-action films. WorldCat (a catalog of libraries in 170 countries) records over 250 productions featuring the Joker as a subject, including films, books, and video games,[177] and Batman films featuring the character are typically the most successful.[122] The character's earliest on-screen adaptation was in the 1966 television series Batman and its film adaptation Batman, in which he was played as a cackling prankster by Cesar Romero (reflecting his contemporary comic counterpart).[152][200][201] The Joker then appeared in the animated television series The Adventures of Batman (1968, voiced by Larry Storch),[202] The New Adventures of Batman (1977, voiced by Lennie Weinrib)[203] and The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians (1985, voiced by Frank Welker).[204][205]

text: A darker version of the Joker (played by Jack Nicholson) made his film debut in 1989's Batman, which earned over $400 million at the worldwide box office. The role was a defining performance in Nicholson's career and was considered to overshadow Batman's, with film critic Roger Ebert saying that the audience must sometimes remind themselves not to root for the Joker.[206][207] Batman's success led to the 1992 television series, Batman: The Animated Series. Voiced by Mark Hamill, the Joker retained the darker tone of the comics in stories acceptable for young children.[208][209] Hamill's Joker is considered a defining portrayal, and he voiced the character in spin-off films (1993's Batman: Mask of the Phantasm and 2000's Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker), video games (2001's Batman: Vengeance), related series (1996's Superman: The Animated Series, 2000's Static Shock and 2001's Justice League), action figures, toys and amusement-park voiceovers.[210][211][212][213] A redesigned Joker, voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson, appeared in 2004's The Batman; Richardson was the first African-American to play the character.[214][215]

text: After Christopher Nolan's successful 2005 Batman film reboot, Batman Begins, which ended with a teaser for the Joker's involvement in a sequel, the character appeared in 2008's The Dark Knight, played by Heath Ledger as an avatar of anarchy and chaos.[216][217] While Batman Begins earned a worldwide total of $370 million;[218] The Dark Knight earned over $1 billion and was the highest-grossing film of the year, setting several box-office records (including highest-grossing midnight opening, opening day and opening weekend).[219][220] Ledger won a posthumous Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance, the first acting Oscar ever won for a superhero film.[221][222] The Joker has featured in a number of animated projects, such as 2009's Batman: The Brave and the Bold (voiced by Jeff Bennett)[223] and 2011's Young Justice (voiced by Brent Spiner),[224] and comic book adaptations (including 2010's Batman: Under the Red Hood, in which he is voiced by John DiMaggio). In 2012, Michael Emerson voiced the character in a two-part animated adaptation of The Dark Knight Returns.[225][226] Jared Leto portrayed the Joker in Suicide Squad (2016),[227] and Zach Galifianakis voiced the character in The Lego Batman Movie (2017).[228]

text: The Joker has also been featured in video games. Hamill returned to voice the character in 2009's critically acclaimed Batman: Arkham Asylum, its equally praised 2011 sequel Batman: Arkham City and the multiplayer DC Universe Online.[229] Hamill was replaced by Troy Baker for the 2013 prequel, Batman: Arkham Origins, and the Arkham series' animated spin-off Batman: Assault on Arkham,[210][230][231][232] while Hamill returned for the 2015 series finale, Batman: Arkham Knight.[233] Richard Epcar voiced the Joker in the 2008 fighting game, Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe,[234] 2013's Injustice: Gods Among Us,[235] and 2017's Injustice 2.[236] The character also appeared in Lego Batman: The Videogame (2008), Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes (2012) and its animated adaptation, and Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham (2014) (the latter three voiced by Christopher Corey Smith).[237][238][239] Anthony Ingruber voices the Joker in Batman: The Telltale Series (2016)[240] and Batman: The Enemy Within (2017).[241]


question_text: who wrote just dropped in to see what condition

root

text: This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (August 2008) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

tag: table

text:
"Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)"Single by Mickey Newburyfrom the album Harlequin MelodiesGenre
Psychedelic pop[1]Songwriter(s)
Mickey Newbury

text: "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)" is a counterculture era song written by Mickey Newbury and, in 1968, a chart hit for Kenny Rogers and the First Edition. Said to reflect the LSD experience, the song was intended to be a warning about the dangers of using the drug. First recorded on October 10, 1967, by Teddy Hill & the Southern Soul as a single on Rice Records (Rice 5028 b/w "Stagger Lee") and produced by Norro Wilson, Jerry Lee Lewis covered the song on his album Soul My Way released November 1, 1967.

tag: p

text: "Just Dropped In ..." by Kenny Rogers and the First Edition (with Kenny Rogers on lead vocals) peaked at number five [2] on the   Billboard charts. It was Rogers' first top ten hit. The song captures the short-lived psychedelic era of the late 1960s, stands apart from the country folk harmonies that characterized most of the First Edition's catalog,[3] and got the group their first national TV audience on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.

text: It was the group's second single from their eponymous album, The First Edition. Producer Mike Post reversed a few riffs to create the intro; the solo played by Glen Campbell was heavily compressed and a tremolo effect was used to achieve its sound. Another studio guitarist, Mike Deasy, provided the acoustic lead guitar parts.

text: When Rogers signed with United Artists Records, in the mid-1970s after the group split, he re-recorded the track for his Ten Years of Gold album.

text: Covers[edit]

text:
Bettye LaVette, Karen Records (KA 1544), 1968, flip side to "Get Away". On that release it is called "What Condition My Condition Is In"
Styvar Manor, British group, 1970, issued as single on Polydor.
Jim Turner of comedy troupe Duck's Breath Mystery Theatre performed (as his character Randee of the Redwoods) a surprisingly faithful version on the Ducks' 1986 album Born To Be Tiled.
Die Haut, 1988, with Nick Cave as guest singer.
Supergrass as a B-Side to their 1995 single Alright/Time
Tinsley Ellis, 1997, on his 1997 album 'Fire It Up (Tinsley Ellis album)'
The Raymen, Death-Country/Goth-Americana-Billy band, 1998
Willie Nelson, on his 2001 album "Rainbow Connection" and his 2002 album The Great Divide
Mojo Nixon, 2001
Children of Bodom, melodic death metal band, on the Japanese release of their "Blooddrunk" album as a bonus track and on their 2009 cover album "Skeletons in the Closet"
Tom Jones, on the Deluxe Edition of "Spirit in the Room" in 2012
Murder by Death, Americana band, 2012
the Launderettes, Norwegian rock group, 2013, [4]
The Fantastics, Donegal-based band, 2014.
Sinister Dexter, San Francisco soul/funk group, 2014
White Denim exclusively for the black comedy–crime drama television series Fargo, which played over the credits of the "Did you do this? No, you did it!" episode of the second season in 2015.[5]
Abe Diddy and The Krautboys on the album Follow in 2016
Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, on the original motion picture soundtrack for the film Soul Men
Reef for their compilation album Together.[6]
Jeff Walker Und Die Fluffers (former lead singer of Carcass), on album Welcome to Carcass Cuntry
Sam Feldt, in his 2017 album Sunrise, with Girls Love DJs and Joe Cleere.

tag: ul

text: Jacob Needham & The Blue Trees, a Southern Rock Group from Nashville,TN released "Just Dropped In" with Spectra Music Group on their debut album Procrastinated Memoirs" April of 2018. Their version of the song brings out a hard more grungy sound while adding touches of mainstream influence to build and bring back a classic song that had such impact for its time. Their version of the song has already been making and name while reaching a new audience in the new millennial generation.

text: In popular culture (First Edition version)[edit]

text: The song is featured in a dream sequence from the Coen Brothers' 1998 film The Big Lebowski. Additionally, it plays during the end credits of the 2000 video game Driver 2, the title screen and end credits of the 2013 video game Stick It To The Man, and is featured in the 2010 action movie Faster. It is also used is season 3, episode 1 of Chuck: "Chuck Versus the Pink Slip". A short clip is heard in the 2015 HBO documentary Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief. It is also on the TV series Fargo, season 2 episode 7.


document_title: Masonry veneer

question_text: what is the difference between masonry and masonry veneer

text: Masonry veneer

text: Support[edit]

text: Because the masonry veneer is non-structural, it must be tied back to the building structure to prevent movement under wind and earthquake loads. Brick ties are used for this purpose, and may take the form of corrugated metal straps nailed or screwed to the structural framing, or as wire extensions to horizontal joint reinforcement in a fully masonry veneer or cavity wall. Although the veneer is vertically self-supporting, shelf angles are often used in multi-story buildings, typically at floor edges, to provide a horizontal expansion joint that allows expansion of the brick and potential shrinkage of the frame. In multi-story buildings, such a system may be called a curtain wall. Adhered masonry veneer is bonded to the backing so it does not typically need a shelf angle.

text: Materials[edit]

text: Masonry veneers can be made of brick, concrete, natural stone or manufactured stone product. Typically, masonry refers to individual units that are placed in a mortar bed, making a distinction with panelized products.

text: Rain screens[edit]

text: A variant on masonry veneer is the rain screen veneer. Rain screens are ventilated at the top and bottom of the cavity to prevent wind-driven rain from being driven into the building by unbalanced pressure. Such systems are typically encountered in areas where blowing rain is a significant concern.

text: Thermal performance[edit]

text: Masonry has high thermal mass, so masonry is slower to heat up, and can continue to release heat long into the night; without insulation half of that heat will be released into the building. Masonry with a dark external surface absorbs more heat than with a lighter external surface, especially if exposed to sunlight. Reverse masonry veneer walls have the brickwork inside and the lightweight frame and cladding outside; this has the advantage of providing the thermal mass on the inside of a building.

text: Masonry itself provides very little insulation, however:

text:
a masonry veneer construction using one or more reflective foil surfaces next to a sufficiently thick cavity of still air can provide substantial insulation
insulating material inserted between the framework studs can also provide substantial insulation.

text: Different configurations of such foil(s), air-space(s), and/or insulating material(s) can perform significantly better at excluding heat during summer and/or retaining heat during winter; these configurations often perform in counter-intuitive ways. Because of the enormous long-term potential for reducing energy requirements and improving occupant comfort, building designers should consult engineers or adopt configurations with known performances.


document_title: Half court

question_text: who has made the most half court shots in the nba

text: Half court

text: This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (December 2009) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

text: Half court is a term used in basketball for the middle line of the basketball court. A shot taken from half court, referred to as a half court shot, is a shot taken from beyond the line at center circle. Anything beyond the half court line is considered a full court shot. It is most commonly used as a buzzer beater. It is also a streetball term where the teams only use half of the full court. The most common backcourt shot style is known as "the Runner". If the shooter has a few seconds to spare, "the Runner" can be used to shorten the distance to the rim while also adding extra power to the shot. Other backcourt shot styles include: "the Sheed" (named after Rasheed Wallace); "the Contested Prayer"; and "the Zoran". Since an NBA game court is 94 feet long, the midcourt line is 47 feet away from each baseline.

text: Half court shots are widely considered to be the lowest percentage shot in basketball.[1] Collectively, NBA players try shots from beyond half-court a few hundred times each season; approximately 1 in 100 of those shots are made. A half-court shot is attempted roughly 25 percent of the time to finish the first, second or third quarter; though, its much rarer in the fourth. In some instances, NBA players will intentionally avoid shooting a half court shot before the buzzer. Such players are more interested in protecting their field goal percentage than providing an opportunity (though unlikely) for the team to acquire 3 more points. Since field goal percentage is accounted for during contract negotiations, some players think it is an intelligent business decision to refuse to toss a low percentage shot at the rim.[1][2][3] As a result, some believe that half court shots should not be included in field goal percentage.

text: Andre Miller may have attempted over his career the most half court shots of any player. During his first 13 seasons in the NBA, Miller went 3-for-102 from beyond half court. Jason Williams and Andre Miller each attempted 12 half court shots in 2001. Take the half court misses away and Miller’s three-point percentage goes from roughly 26 to 32%.

text: The record for most half-court shots made in a single NBA season - by all NBA players combined - was set in the 2014 season at 13. The longest successful shot in NBA history was 89 feet by Baron Davis on February 17, 2001. He shot it with 0.7 seconds remaining in the third quarter as a defender closely guarded him. Baron Davis is the only player to have hit a shot from at least 85 feet in a game; since the year 2000, it has been attempted at least a total of 40 times.[4] During his career, Baron Davis went 2-for-43 from beyond half court.

text: 2010 and 2012 are the only NBA seasons when two half court shots were made on the same night.

text: During Jason Kidd's career, he has made 4 of 44 (roughly 10%) from beyond half-court.

text: Notable half-court shots[edit]

text:
In November 2013, Harlem Globetrotters Thunder set the Guinness World Record for longest basketball shot at 109 feet 9 inches.[5]
Harlem Globetrotters Thunder has the Guinness World Record for longest backward shot at 82 feet 2 inches.[5]
Vince Carter entered the Guinness Book of World Records for hitting an 86-foot shot while sitting down.[6][7][8] A week earlier, Dwight Howard set the record by making the shot at 52 feet and 6 inches.
The current record holder for most half-court shots in a minute is Green Bay point guard Eric Valentin, with eight shots scored in 60 seconds.[9] Though, a kid named Adam Beatrice has released a video of him making ten half-court shots in a minute.[10]
On January 22, 2010, during a winter sports pep rally, students of Olathe Northwest High School wanted to play a prank on coach Joel Branstrom, a former University of Kansas walk-on, and promised him tickets of the Final Four game if he scores a shot from half court while blindfolded - the catch was that the crowd was instructed to cheer regardless whether he scored the shot or not. Branstrom did, however, score the shot.[11][12] The students didn't have any tickets to offer. It was widely reported in the media;[13] while filming a teaser for WDAF-TV, reporter Rob Low jokingly attempted to recreate the shot by standing in the same court with his back to the hoop and throwing the ball - he also scored the shot, much to his surprise.[14] According to Low, when he later interviewed Branstrom, and asked him to repeat the blindfolded feat, he, again, scored it.[15] Branstrom attended the 2010 NCAA Men’s Final Four as a guest of the NCAA.[16]
In 2014, during an out-of-game competition, Fresno State's Guard Cezar Guerrero made five consecutive half-court shots.[17][18]
During a half-court shooting contest in the West All-Star Game Practice, Stephen Curry hit three half-court shots in a row.[19][20]
Harlem Globetrotter Buckets Blakes has the Guinness World record for most underhanded half-court shots made in one minute, dropping 6.[21]
Harlem Globetrotter Big Easy Lofton has the Guinness World record for farthest basketball hook shot made at 61 feet 4 inches.[21]
Gonzaga's Kyle Wiltjer set the record for the farthest behind the back shot, which he made at half-court. Previously, Guinness Book of World Record recognized Kenneth Sorvang of Norway with the farthest behind-the-back shot at 23 feet 9 inches.[22]
NBA legend and basketball hall of fame member Moses Malone notably made a half court shot during the last game of his career, when his San Antonio Spurs faced the Charlotte Hornets in 1995.[23]
During the 1999 WNBA Championship, which was played in a best of three games format, the New York Liberty trailed the Houston Comets one game to zero heading to Houston for game 2 and, if necessary, game 3. Trailing 68-66 with only 2.4 seconds left in the game, New York's Teresa Weatherspoon received the ball about 50 feet away from her team's basket, launched it and made it to give the Liberty a 69-68 win and force a decisive game 3. Houston ultimately won the series, but the play, which has become known as "The Shot", was named the best moment in WNBA playoff history by ESPN.[24]

text: Jerry West hit the 60 ft shot in the 1970 NBA Finals tying the game and making the overtime.

text: NBA half-court statistics[edit]

text:
Season-by-season breakdown of shots from beyond half-court[25]

Season
FGM
FGA
Heave%

2001
10
258
3.876%

2002
6
284
2.113%

2003
7
319
2.194%

2004
8
299
2.676%

2005
2
331
0.604%

2006
8
343
2.332%

2007
9
343
2.624%

2008
9
422
2.133%

2009
8
404
1.980%

2010
12
426
2.817%

2011
10
417
2.398%

2012
6
256
2.344%

2013
7
361
1.939%

2014
13
331
3.927%

Total
115
4794
2.399%

text:
Longest shots made in NBA history[26]

Player
Distance (ft)
Date
Team
Opponent

Baron Davis
89
Feb. 17, 2001
Charlotte Bobcats
Milwaukee Bucks

Norm Van Lier
84
Jan. 19, 1977
Chicago Bulls
San Antonio Spurs

LeBron James
83
Jan. 3, 2007
Cleveland Cavaliers
Boston Celtics

Vince Carter [27]
82
Feb. 19, 2016
Memphis Grizzlies
Minnesota Timberwolves

Herb Williams
81
Jan. 8, 1986
Indiana Pacers
Sacramento Kings

Zoran Planinic
77
Nov. 9, 2005
New Jersey Nets
Utah Jazz

Jae Crowder
95
Nov 4, 2015
Boston Celtics
Indiana Pacers
References[edit]

^ Jump up to: a b http://dailythunder.com/2013/02/to-heave-or-not-heave/
Jump up ^ http://www.magicbasketball.net/2012/03/14/hoopidea-nba-players-protecting-their-shooting-percentages/
Jump up ^ https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/kevin-durant-sometimes-doesn-t-want-chuck-low-220357263--nba.html
Jump up ^ http://www.sbnation.com/2013/2/20/4003860/halfcourt-shots-stats
^ Jump up to: a b http://www.harlemglobetrotters.com/news/another-world-record-thunder
Jump up ^ https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/Video-Vince-Carter-hits-85-foot-shot-sitting-do?urn=nba,221671
Jump up ^ http://www.pbh2.com/sports/vince-carter-nails-a-86-foot-shot-sitting-down/
Jump up ^ http://mashable.com/2010/02/23/vince-carter-sinks-record-breaking-shot/
Jump up ^ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/21/eric-valentin-half-court-shot-record_n_812348.html
Jump up ^ https://www.buzzfeed.com/jpmoore/kid-breaks-the-world-record-for-most-half-court-sh#.mbg8KY4Dr
Jump up ^ http://videos.kansascity.com/vmix_hosted_apps/p/media?id=9726823
Jump up ^ http://www.kansascity.com/sports/story/1707302.html
Jump up ^ https://news.google.com/news/more?pz=1&cf=all&ned=us&cf=all&ncl=dIzvbD1-Cj5UooMXqq60tUnPOkNNM
Jump up ^ http://www.fox4kc.com/wdaf-rob-low-makes-impossible-shot,0,4018624.story
Jump up ^ http://deadspin.com/5456697/it-appears-everyone-can-now-make-half+court-shots-at-olathe-northwests-gym
Jump up ^ Kansas high school coach on Road to the Final Four, The NCAA News, January 28, 2010
Jump up ^ http://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/article/2014-10-23/fresno-states-cezar-guerrero-makes-five-consecutive-half
Jump up ^ http://ftw.usatoday.com/2014/10/fresno-state-cezar-guerrero
Jump up ^ http://www.nba.com/video/channels/allstar/2014/02/15/20140215-as-practice-half-court-curry.nba/
Jump up ^ http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1961552-stephen-curry-makes-3-half-court-shots-at-all-star-game-practice
^ Jump up to: a b http://www.harlemglobetrotters.com/news/big-easy-and-buckets-break-world-records
Jump up ^ http://collegebasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/10/10/gonzagas-kyle-wiltjer-shatters-world-record-for-behind-the-back-shot-twice-video/
Jump up ^ http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2015/09/13/nba-legend-former-spur-moses-malone-dies-at-60/
Jump up ^ http://www.espn.com/espnw/news-commentary/article/11515859/no-1-playoff-moment-wnba-history
Jump up ^ http://chickennoodlehoop.com/tag/half-court-shots/
Jump up ^ http://www.allaboutbasketball.us/basketball-records/longest-shots-in-nba-history-2.html
Jump up ^ https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2016/02/20/memphis-grizzlies-vince-carter-casually-drains-full-court-buzzer-beater/

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document_title: Jack Ryan (TV series)

question_text: who is the lead actor in upcoming jack ryan prime series

text: Jack Ryan (TV series)

text: Premise[edit]

text: Jack Ryan follows the titular CIA analyst as he is wrenched from the security of his desk job into the field after discovering a string of dubious bank transfers. His search for answers leads him across Europe and the Middle East as he uncovers a growing terrorist threat bent on carrying out an attack on the United States.

text: Cast and characters[edit]

text: Main[edit]

text:
John Krasinski as Jack Ryan, an analyst working for the Central Intelligence Agency. Krasinski's interpretation of the character is said to be inspired by Ford's portrayal in Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger. Director and executive producer Daniel Sackheim said:  “What was so great about the Harrison Ford movies was that they were about an everyman hero. He was a guy who wasn’t a superhero. He was heroic, but he was vulnerable. He wasn’t afraid to be scared. He was a regular man and a hero.”[3]
Abbie Cornish as Cathy Muller, a doctor specializing in infectious diseases and Ryan's fiancee.
Wendell Pierce as James Greer, Ryan's boss and former case officer for the CIA.
Ali Suliman as Suleiman, an Islamic activist.
Dina Shihabi as Hani, Suleiman's wife.
Amir El-Masry as Ibrahim, the most trusted member of Suleiman’s sect.
John Hoogenakker as Matice (season 2, recurring season 1), a Black Ops operative for the CIA
Noomi Rapace as Harriet "Harry" Baumann (season 2), an agent in Germany’s Secret Intelligence.
Michael Kelly as Mike November (season 2), a field officer in the CIA.
Jovan Adepo as Marcus (season 2), a former special crewman in the Navy now repairing boats.
Jordi Molla as Nicolas Reyes (season 2), the leader of a South American country.
Cristina Umaña as Gloria Bonalde (season 2), a politician and mother.
Francisco Denis as Ubarri (season 2), a senior government official in a South American country.

text: Recurring[edit]

text:
Peter Fonda as Joe Muller, Cathy's father.
Mena Massoud as Tarek Kassar, Ryan's friend and colleague.
Timothy Hutton as Singer, CIA's Deputy Director of Operations.
Al Sapienza as Lt. Gen. Marcus Trent, associate director for military affairs.

text: Episodes[edit]

text: No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date [4]U.S. viewers(millions)1TBAMorten Tyldum[5]Carlton Cuse & Graham Roland[6]August 31, 2018 (2018-08-31)TBD

text: Production[edit]

text: Development[edit]

text: On September 22, 2015, it was announced by Deadline that Paramount Television's new TV series project Jack Ryan is in development, to be created by former Lost showrunner Carlton Cuse and writer Graham Roland. The new series was described by Deadline to be "a new contemporary take on the character using the novels as source material". Paramount TV teamed up with Michael Bay's production company Platinum Dunes for the project, as well as Skydance Media.[7] A week later, after a bidding war among multiple television networks, it was announced on September 29, 2015 that streaming service Amazon had picked up the rights to the series.[6]

text: Amazon proceeded to put the production into development during which time they ordered three scripts written by Cuse and Roland. On August 16, 2016, it was announced that the production had been given a straight-to-series order for a first season consisting of ten episodes.[8]

text: In January 2017, it was announced that Morten Tyldum will direct the pilot[5] and Daniel Sackheim will direct multiple episodes and produce the series.[9]

text: On April 24, 2018, it was reported that Amazon had renewed the series. The second season will be set in South America, where Ryan takes on "a dangerous, declining democratic regime."[10]

text: Casting[edit]

text: On April 29, 2016, it was announced that John Krasinski had been cast in the series' title role.[11] On November 3, 2016, it was reported that Abbie Cornish had been cast as Ryan's fiancee Cathy Muller.[12] On December 16, 2016, it was announced that Wendell Pierce, Ali Suliman, and Dina Shihabi had been cast in series regular roles.[13] In March 2017, it was announced that Peter Fonda, Mena Massoud, Timothy Hutton, and Al Sapienza had been cast in recurring roles.[14][15][16][17] On June 5, 2017, it was reported that Amir El-Masry had joined the series in a supporting role.[18] Alongside the announcement of the series' renewal, it was confirmed that Krasinski and Pierce would return for the second season.[10] On May 4, 2018, it was reported John Hoogenakker had been promoted to a series regular for season two after previously appearing in season one in a recurring capacity.[19] On July 20, 2018, it was announced during Amazon's San Diego Comic-Con panel that Noomi Rapace had joined the main cast for season two.[20] In August 2018, it was announced that Michael Kelly, Jovan Adepo, Jordi Molla, Cristina Umaña, and Francisco Denis had joined the cast of season two as series regulars.[21][22]

text: Filming[edit]

text: Jack Ryan was filmed in multiple locations. On May 10, 2017, Krasinski was spotted filming his scenes in Washington, D.C.[23] For the next several days the TV series was also shot in Maryland, Virginia,[24] Quebec,[25] and Morocco.[26] Production for season two is set to begin in the summer of 2018 in Europe, South America, and the United States.[10]

text: Release[edit]

text: Marketing[edit]

text: During September 2017, a series of promotional teasers were uploaded across the TV series's official social media accounts,[27] culminating with the final teaser showing first footage of John Krasinski as Jack Ryan which was released on October 3, 2017.[28] On October 7, 2017, the series made its debut at the New York Comic Con coinciding with the release of a new teaser trailer. Krasinski, Cornish and creators Cuse and Roland attended the NYCC panel, where they also debuted the first seven minutes of the pilot episode.[29]

text: On January 30, 2018, the Super Bowl trailer for the series was released online, five days before the football event and marking the first time that Prime Video has released a Super Bowl ad for one of its original shows. In a statement, Amazon Studios' head of marketing Mike Benson said, “Given the colossal scope and scale of the series coupled with the popularity of Tom Clancy’s novels, we knew Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan would be a natural fit for Prime Video’s first Super Bowl ad. The global nature of the audience provides us with a unique opportunity to give viewers a look at this thrilling new series coming to Prime.” It also announced the show's release date for August 31.[30] On June 11, 2018, the official trailer for the series was released.[31] On July 4, 2018, a trailer entitled "Presidents", featuring quotes from U.S. Presidents Bill Clinton and John F. Kennedy, was released in tandem with U.S. Independence Day.[32]

text: Premiere[edit]

text: On June 16, 2018, the series held its world premiere at the 58th Annual Monte-Carlo Television Festival at the Grimaldi Forum in Monte Carlo, Monaco. The event included a screening of the series' pilot episode that was attended by cast members John Krasinski, Dina Shihabi and Wendell Pierce, alongside series creators, showrunners and executive producers Carlton Cuse and Graham Roland.[33][34]


document_title: Four Weddings and a Funeral

question_text: where was the funeral filmed in four weddings and a funeral

text: Four Weddings and a Funeral

text: Plot[edit]

text: The film follows the adventures of a group of friends through the eyes of Charles, a good-natured but socially awkward man living in London, who becomes smitten with Carrie, an American whom Charles keeps meeting at four weddings and a funeral.

text: The first wedding is in Somerset and is that of Angus and Laura, at which Charles is the best man. Charles and his single friends wonder whether they will ever get married. Charles meets Carrie and spends the night with her. Carrie pretends that, now they have slept together, they will have to get married, to which Charles endeavours to respond before realising she is joking. Carrie observes that they may have missed an opportunity and then returns to America.

text: The second wedding is that of Bernard and Lydia, a couple who became romantically involved at the previous wedding. Charles encounters Carrie again, but she introduces him to her fiancé, Sir Hamish Banks, a wealthy politician. At the reception, Charles finds himself seated with several ex-girlfriends who relate embarrassing stories about his inability to be discreet and afterwards bumps into Henrietta, known among Charles' friends as "Duckface", with whom he had a particularly difficult relationship. Charles retreats to an empty hotel suite, seeing Carrie and Hamish leave in a taxicab, only to be trapped in a cupboard after the newlyweds stumble into the room to have sex. After Charles awkwardly exits the room, Henrietta confronts him about his habit of "serial monogamy", telling him he is afraid of letting anyone get too close to him. Charles then runs into Carrie, and they end up spending another night together.

text: A month later, Charles receives an invitation to Carrie's wedding. While shopping for a present, he coincidentally encounters Carrie and ends up helping her select her wedding dress. Carrie lists her more than thirty sexual partners. Charles later awkwardly tries confessing his love to her and hinting that he would like to have a relationship with her, to no avail.

text: The third wedding is that of Carrie and Hamish. Charles attends, depressed at the prospect of Carrie marrying Hamish. At the reception, Gareth instructs his friends to seek potential mates; Fiona's brother, Tom, stumbles through an attempt to connect with a woman until she reveals that she is the minister's wife, while Charles's flatmate, Scarlett, strikes up a conversation with an American named Chester. As Charles watches Carrie and Hamish dance, Fiona deduces his feelings about Carrie. When Charles asks why Fiona is not married, she confesses that she has loved Charles since they first met years earlier. Charles is appreciative and empathetic but does not requite her love. During the groom's toast, Gareth dies of a heart attack.

text: At Gareth's funeral, his partner Matthew recites the poem "Funeral Blues" by W. H. Auden, commemorating his relationship with Gareth. Charles and Tom discuss whether hoping to find your "one true love" is just a futile effort and ponder that, while their clique have always viewed themselves as proud to be single, Gareth and Matthew were a "married" couple all the while.

text: The fourth wedding is ten months later. Charles has decided to marry Henrietta. However, shortly before the ceremony, Carrie arrives, revealing to Charles that she and Hamish are separated. Charles has a crisis of confidence, which he reveals to his deaf brother David and Matthew. During the ceremony, when the vicar asks whether anyone knows a reason why the couple should not marry, David, who was reading the vicar's lips, asks Charles to translate for him, and says in sign language that he suspects the groom loves someone else. The vicar asks whether Charles does love someone else, and Charles replies, "I do." Henrietta punches Charles and the wedding is halted.

text: Carrie visits Charles to apologise for attending the wedding. Charles confesses that, while standing at the altar, he realised that for the first time in his life he totally and utterly loved one person, "and it wasn't the person standing next to me in the veil." Charles makes a proposal of lifelong commitment without marriage to Carrie, who accepts.

text: Henrietta marries an officer in the Grenadier Guards; David marries his girlfriend Serena; Scarlett marries Chester; Tom marries his distant cousin Deirdre (whom he met, for the second time in 25 years, at Charles's wedding); Matthew finds a new partner; Fiona marries Prince Charles; and Charles and Carrie have a young son.

text: Cast[edit]

text:
Hugh Grant as Charles
Andie MacDowell as Carrie
James Fleet as Tom
Simon Callow as Gareth
John Hannah as Matthew
Kristin Scott Thomas as Fiona
David Bower as David
Charlotte Coleman as Scarlett
Timothy Walker as Angus
Sara Crowe as Laura
Rowan Atkinson as Father Gerald
David Haig as Bernard
Sophie Thompson as Lydia
Corin Redgrave as Sir Hamish Banks
Anna Chancellor as Henrietta

text: Production[edit]

text: The film was shot mainly in London and the Home Counties, including Hampstead, Islington where the final moments take place on Highbury Terrace, Greenwich Hospital, Betchworth in Surrey, Amersham in Buckinghamshire, St Bartholomew-the-Great (wedding number four) and West Thurrock in Essex.[4] Exterior shots of guests arriving for the funeral were filmed in Thurrock, Essex overlooking the River Thames with the backdrop of the Dartford River Crossing and at stately homes in Bedfordshire (Luton Hoo for wedding two's reception) and Hampshire.[5]

text: Music[edit]

text: The original score was composed by British composer Richard Rodney Bennett. The movie also featured a soundtrack of popular songs, including a cover version of The Troggs' "Love Is All Around" performed by Wet Wet Wet that remained at number 1 on the UK Singles Chart for fifteen weeks and was then the ninth (now twelfth) biggest selling single of all time in Britain. This song would later be adapted into "Christmas Is All Around" and sung by the character of Billy Mack in Richard Curtis' 2003 film Love Actually, in which Grant also stars.

text: Reception[edit]

text: Critical response[edit]

text: The film was very well received with critics, currently holding a 95% "Certified Fresh" approval on reviews aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, with the site's consensus stating, "While frothy to a fault, Four Weddings and a Funeral features irresistibly breezy humor, and winsome performances from Hugh Grant and Andie MacDowell."[6] Film critic Roger Ebert gave the film three-and-a-half stars out of four, calling it "delightful and sly", and directed with "light-hearted enchantment" by Newell. He praised Grant's performance, describing it as a kind of "endearing awkwardness".[7]

text: The film had its detractors. Writing for the Chicago Reader, Jonathan Rosenbaum called the film "generic" and "standard issue", stating that the audience shouldn't "expect to remember it ten minutes later".[8] Time magazine writer Richard Corliss was less scathing, but agreed that it was forgettable, saying that people would "forget all about [the movie] by the time they leave the multiplex," even joking at the end of his review that he had forgotten the film's name.[9] The character of Carrie was voted one of the most annoying film characters of all time in a British online poll.[10]

text: Box office[edit]

text: The film earned £27.8 million in the United Kingdom.[11] Upon its North American limited release on 11 March 1994, Four Weddings and a Funeral opened with $138,486 in five theatres.[12] But upon its wide release on 15 April 1994, the film topped the box office with $4,162,489.[13] The film would continue to gross $52.7 million in North America with an additional $193 million internationally, earning $245.7 million worldwide.[1]

text: Accolades[edit]

text: Wins[edit]

text:
Best Film
Best Direction (Mike Newell)
Best Actor (Hugh Grant)
Best Supporting Actress (Kristin Scott Thomas)

text: Best Foreign Film

text: Best Comedy Film

text: César Award for Best Foreign Film

text: Most Promising Actor (Hugh Grant)

text:
Best Actress (Kristin Scott Thomas)
Best Screenplay (Richard Curtis)

text: Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy (Hugh Grant)

text:
British Film of the Year
British Director of the Year (Mike Newell)
British Producer of the Year (Duncan Kenworthy)
British Screenwriter of the Year (Richard Curtis)

text: Best Original Screenplay (Richard Curtis)

text: Film – Screenplay (Richard Curtis)

text: Nominations[edit]

text:
Best Picture (lost to Forrest Gump)
Best Original Screenplay – Richard Curtis (lost to Quentin Tarantino and Roger Avary for Pulp Fiction)

text:
Best Film Music – Richard Rodney Bennett (lost to Backbeat)
Best Original Screenplay – Richard Curtis (lost to Quentin Tarantino and Roger Avary for Pulp Fiction)
Best Supporting Actor – Simon Callow (lost to Samuel L. Jackson for Pulp Fiction)
Best Supporting Actor – John Hannah (lost to Samuel L. Jackson for Pulp Fiction)
Best Supporting Actress – Charlotte Coleman (lost to Kristin Scott Thomas for this film)

text: Outstanding Directoring – Feature Film – Mike Newell (lost to Robert Zemeckis for Forrest Gump)

text:
Best Musical or Comedy (lost to The Lion King)
Best Screenplay – Richard Curtis (lost to Quentin Tarantino and Roger Avary for Pulp Fiction)
Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy – Andie MacDowell (lost to Jamie Lee Curtis for True Lies)

text: Recognition[edit]

text: The film was voted the 27th greatest comedy film of all time by readers of Total Film in 2000. In 2004, the same magazine named it the 34th greatest British film of all time. It is number 96 on Bravo's "100 Funniest Movies".

text: Television series[edit]

text: It was reported in November 2017 that writer/director Richard Curtis was developing an anthology television series based upon the film with producers including Mindy Kaling and Matt Warburton for streaming service Hulu.[14]