document_title: Noble gas

question_text: where did the noble gases get their name

text: Noble gas

text: History[edit]

text: Noble gas is translated from the German noun Edelgas, first used in 1898 by Hugo Erdmann[1] to indicate their extremely low level of reactivity. The name makes an analogy to the term "noble metals", which also have low reactivity. The noble gases have also been referred to as inert gases, but this label is deprecated as many noble gas compounds are now known.[2] Rare gases is another term that was used,[3] but this is also inaccurate because argon forms a fairly considerable part (0.94% by volume, 1.3% by mass) of the Earth's atmosphere due to decay of radioactive potassium-40.[4]

text: Pierre Janssen and Joseph Norman Lockyer discovered a new element on August 18, 1868 while looking at the chromosphere of the Sun, and named it helium after the Greek word for the Sun, ἥλιος (hḗlios).[5] No chemical analysis was possible at the time, but helium was later found to be a noble gas. Before them, in 1784, the English chemist and physicist Henry Cavendish had discovered that air contains a small proportion of a substance less reactive than nitrogen.[6] A century later, in 1895, Lord Rayleigh discovered that samples of nitrogen from the air were of a different density than nitrogen resulting from chemical reactions. Along with Scottish scientist William Ramsay at University College, London, Lord Rayleigh theorized that the nitrogen extracted from air was mixed with another gas, leading to an experiment that successfully isolated a new element, argon, from the Greek word ἀργός (argós, "idle" or "lazy").[6] With this discovery, they realized an entire class of gases was missing from the periodic table. During his search for argon, Ramsay also managed to isolate helium for the first time while heating cleveite, a mineral. In 1902, having accepted the evidence for the elements helium and argon, Dmitri Mendeleev included these noble gases as group 0 in his arrangement of the elements, which would later become the periodic table.[7]

text: Ramsay continued to search for these gases using the method of fractional distillation to separate liquid air into several components. In 1898, he discovered the elements krypton, neon, and xenon, and named them after the Greek words κρυπτός (kryptós, "hidden"), νέος (néos, "new"), and ξένος (ksénos, "stranger"), respectively. Radon was first identified in 1898 by Friedrich Ernst Dorn,[8] and was named radium emanation, but was not considered a noble gas until 1904 when its characteristics were found to be similar to those of other noble gases.[9] Rayleigh and Ramsay received the 1904 Nobel Prizes in Physics and in Chemistry, respectively, for their discovery of the noble gases;[10][11] in the words of J. E. Cederblom, then president of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, "the discovery of an entirely new group of elements, of which no single representative had been known with any certainty, is something utterly unique in the history of chemistry, being intrinsically an advance in science of peculiar significance".[11]

text: The discovery of the noble gases aided in the development of a general understanding of atomic structure. In 1895, French chemist Henri Moissan attempted to form a reaction between fluorine, the most electronegative element, and argon, one of the noble gases, but failed. Scientists were unable to prepare compounds of argon until the end of the 20th century, but these attempts helped to develop new theories of atomic structure. Learning from these experiments, Danish physicist Niels Bohr proposed in 1913 that the electrons in atoms are arranged in shells surrounding the nucleus, and that for all noble gases except helium the outermost shell always contains eight electrons.[9] In 1916, Gilbert N. Lewis formulated the octet rule, which concluded an octet of electrons in the outer shell was the most stable arrangement for any atom; this arrangement caused them to be unreactive with other elements since they did not require any more electrons to complete their outer shell.[12]

text:
In 1962, Neil Bartlett discovered the first chemical compound of a noble gas, xenon hexafluoroplatinate.[13] Compounds of other noble gases were discovered soon after: in 1962 for radon, radon difluoride (RnF
2),[14] which was identified by radiotracer techniques and in 1963 for krypton, krypton difluoride (KrF
2).[15] The first stable compound of argon was reported in 2000 when argon fluorohydride (HArF) was formed at a temperature of 40 K (−233.2 °C; −387.7 °F).[16]

text: In December 1998, scientists at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research working in Dubna, Russia bombarded plutonium (Pu) with calcium (Ca) to produce a single atom of element 114,[17] flerovium (Fl).[18] Preliminary chemistry experiments have indicated this element may be the first superheavy element to show abnormal noble-gas-like properties, even though it is a member of group 14 on the periodic table.[19] In October 2006, scientists from the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory successfully created synthetically oganesson (Og), the seventh element in group 18,[20] by bombarding californium (Cf) with calcium (Ca).[21]

text: Physical and atomic properties[edit]

text:
Property[9][22]
Helium
Neon
Argon
Krypton
Xenon
Radon

Density (g/dm3)
0.1786
0.9002
1.7818
3.708
5.851
9.97

Boiling point (K)
4.4
27.3
87.4
121.5
166.6
211.5

Melting point (K)
0.95
(at 25 bar)
24.7
83.6
115.8
161.7
202.2

Enthalpy of vaporization (kJ/mol)
0.08
1.74
6.52
9.05
12.65
18.1

Solubility in water at 20 °C (cm3/kg)
8.61
10.5
33.6
59.4
108.1
230

Atomic number
2
10
18
36
54
86

Atomic radius (calculated) (pm)
31
38
71
88
108
120

Ionization energy (kJ/mol)
2372
2080
1520
1351
1170
1037

Allen electronegativity[23]
4.16
4.79
3.24
2.97
2.58
2.60

text: The noble gases have weak interatomic force, and consequently have very low melting and boiling points. They are all monatomic gases under standard conditions, including the elements with larger atomic masses than many normally solid elements.[9] Helium has several unique qualities when compared with other elements: its boiling and melting points are lower than those of any other known substance; it is the only element known to exhibit superfluidity; it is the only element that cannot be solidified by cooling under standard conditions—a pressure of 25 standard atmospheres (2,500 kPa; 370 psi) must be applied at a temperature of 0.95 K (−272.200 °C; −457.960 °F) to convert it to a solid.[24] The noble gases up to xenon have multiple stable isotopes. Radon has no stable isotopes; its longest-lived isotope, 222Rn, has a half-life of 3.8 days and decays to form helium and polonium, which ultimately decays to lead.[9] Melting and boiling points generally increase going down the group.

text: The noble gas atoms, like atoms in most groups, increase steadily in atomic radius from one period to the next due to the increasing number of electrons. The size of the atom is related to several properties. For example, the ionization potential decreases with an increasing radius because the valence electrons in the larger noble gases are farther away from the nucleus and are therefore not held as tightly together by the atom. Noble gases have the largest ionization potential among the elements of each period, which reflects the stability of their electron configuration and is related to their relative lack of chemical reactivity.[22] Some of the heavier noble gases, however, have ionization potentials small enough to be comparable to those of other elements and molecules. It was the insight that xenon has an ionization potential similar to that of the oxygen molecule that led Bartlett to attempt oxidizing xenon using platinum hexafluoride, an oxidizing agent known to be strong enough to react with oxygen.[13] Noble gases cannot accept an electron to form stable anions; that is, they have a negative electron affinity.[25]

text: The macroscopic physical properties of the noble gases are dominated by the weak van der Waals forces between the atoms. The attractive force increases with the size of the atom as a result of the increase in polarizability and the decrease in ionization potential. This results in systematic group trends: as one goes down group 18, the atomic radius, and with it the interatomic forces, increases, resulting in an increasing melting point, boiling point, enthalpy of vaporization, and solubility. The increase in density is due to the increase in atomic mass.[22]

text: The noble gases are nearly ideal gases under standard conditions, but their deviations from the ideal gas law provided important clues for the study of intermolecular interactions. The Lennard-Jones potential, often used to model intermolecular interactions, was deduced in 1924 by John Lennard-Jones from experimental data on argon before the development of quantum mechanics provided the tools for understanding intermolecular forces from first principles.[26] The theoretical analysis of these interactions became tractable because the noble gases are monatomic and the atoms spherical, which means that the interaction between the atoms is independent of direction, or isotropic.

text: Chemical properties[edit]

text: The noble gases are colorless, odorless, tasteless, and nonflammable under standard conditions. They were once labeled group 0 in the periodic table because it was believed they had a valence of zero, meaning their atoms cannot combine with those of other elements to form compounds. However, it was later discovered some do indeed form compounds, causing this label to fall into disuse.[9]

text: Configuration[edit]

text: Like other groups, the members of this family show patterns in its electron configuration, especially the outermost shells resulting in trends in chemical behavior:

text:
Z
Element
No. of electrons/shell

2
helium
2

10
neon
2, 8

18
argon
2, 8, 8

36
krypton
2, 8, 18, 8

54
xenon
2, 8, 18, 18, 8

86
radon
2, 8, 18, 32, 18, 8

text: The noble gases have full valence electron shells. Valence electrons are the outermost electrons of an atom and are normally the only electrons that participate in chemical bonding. Atoms with full valence electron shells are extremely stable and therefore do not tend to form chemical bonds and have little tendency to gain or lose electrons.[27] However, heavier noble gases such as radon are held less firmly together by electromagnetic force than lighter noble gases such as helium, making it easier to remove outer electrons from heavy noble gases.

text: As a result of a full shell, the noble gases can be used in conjunction with the electron configuration notation to form the noble gas notation. To do this, the nearest noble gas that precedes the element in question is written first, and then the electron configuration is continued from that point forward. For example, the electron notation of phosphorus is 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p3, while the noble gas notation is [Ne] 3s2 3p3. This more compact notation makes it easier to identify elements, and is shorter than writing out the full notation of atomic orbitals.[28]

text: Compounds[edit]

text: The noble gases show extremely low chemical reactivity; consequently, only a few hundred noble gas compounds have been formed. Neutral compounds in which helium and neon are involved in chemical bonds have not been formed (although there is some theoretical evidence for a few helium compounds), while xenon, krypton, and argon have shown only minor reactivity.[29] The reactivity follows the order Ne < He < Ar < Kr < Xe < Rn.

text:
In 1933, Linus Pauling predicted that the heavier noble gases could form compounds with fluorine and oxygen. He predicted the existence of krypton hexafluoride (KrF
6) and xenon hexafluoride (XeF
6), speculated that XeF
8 might exist as an unstable compound, and suggested that xenic acid could form perxenate salts.[30][31] These predictions were shown to be generally accurate, except that XeF
8 is now thought to be both thermodynamically and kinetically unstable.[32]

text:
Xenon compounds are the most numerous of the noble gas compounds that have been formed.[33] Most of them have the xenon atom in the oxidation state of +2, +4, +6, or +8 bonded to highly electronegative atoms such as fluorine or oxygen, as in xenon difluoride (XeF
2), xenon tetrafluoride (XeF
4), xenon hexafluoride (XeF
6), xenon tetroxide (XeO
4), and sodium perxenate (Na
4XeO
6). Xenon reacts with fluorine to form numerous xenon fluorides according to the following equations:

text:
Some of these compounds have found use in chemical synthesis as oxidizing agents; XeF
2, in particular, is commercially available and can be used as a fluorinating agent.[34] As of 2007, about five hundred compounds of xenon bonded to other elements have been identified, including organoxenon compounds (containing xenon bonded to carbon), and xenon bonded to nitrogen, chlorine, gold, mercury, and xenon itself.[29][35] Compounds of xenon bound to boron, hydrogen, bromine, iodine, beryllium, sulphur, titanium, copper, and silver have also been observed but only at low temperatures in noble gas matrices, or in supersonic noble gas jets.[29]

text: In theory, radon is more reactive than xenon, and therefore should form chemical bonds more easily than xenon does. However, due to the high radioactivity and short half-life of radon isotopes, only a few fluorides and oxides of radon have been formed in practice.[36]

text: Krypton is less reactive than xenon, but several compounds have been reported with krypton in the oxidation state of +2.[29] Krypton difluoride is the most notable and easily characterized. Under extreme conditions, krypton reacts with fluorine to form KrF2 according to the following equation:

text: Compounds in which krypton forms a single bond to nitrogen and oxygen have also been characterized,[37] but are only stable below −60 °C (−76 °F) and −90 °C (−130 °F) respectively.[29]

text: Krypton atoms chemically bound to other nonmetals (hydrogen, chlorine, carbon) as well as some late transition metals (copper, silver, gold) have also been observed, but only either at low temperatures in noble gas matrices, or in supersonic noble gas jets.[29] Similar conditions were used to obtain the first few compounds of argon in 2000, such as argon fluorohydride (HArF), and some bound to the late transition metals copper, silver, and gold.[29] As of 2007, no stable neutral molecules involving covalently bound helium or neon are known.[29]

text: The noble gases—including helium—can form stable molecular ions in the gas phase. The simplest is the helium hydride molecular ion, HeH+, discovered in 1925.[38] Because it is composed of the two most abundant elements in the universe, hydrogen and helium, it is believed to occur naturally in the interstellar medium, although it has not been detected yet.[39] In addition to these ions, there are many known neutral excimers of the noble gases. These are compounds such as ArF and KrF that are stable only when in an excited electronic state; some of them find application in excimer lasers.

text: In addition to the compounds where a noble gas atom is involved in a covalent bond, noble gases also form non-covalent compounds. The clathrates, first described in 1949,[40] consist of a noble gas atom trapped within cavities of crystal lattices of certain organic and inorganic substances. The essential condition for their formation is that the guest (noble gas) atoms must be of appropriate size to fit in the cavities of the host crystal lattice. For instance, argon, krypton, and xenon form clathrates with hydroquinone, but helium and neon do not because they are too small or insufficiently polarizable to be retained.[41] Neon, argon, krypton, and xenon also form clathrate hydrates, where the noble gas is trapped in ice.[42]

text:
Noble gases can form endohedral fullerene compounds, in which the noble gas atom is trapped inside a fullerene molecule. In 1993, it was discovered that when C
60, a spherical molecule consisting of 60 carbon atoms, is exposed to noble gases at high pressure, complexes such as He@C
60 can be formed (the @ notation indicates He is contained inside C
60 but not covalently bound to it).[43] As of 2008, endohedral complexes with helium, neon, argon, krypton, and xenon have been obtained.[44] These compounds have found use in the study of the structure and reactivity of fullerenes by means of the nuclear magnetic resonance of the noble gas atom.[45]

text:
Noble gas compounds such as xenon difluoride (XeF
2) are considered to be hypervalent because they violate the octet rule. Bonding in such compounds can be explained using a three-center four-electron bond model.[46][47] This model, first proposed in 1951, considers bonding of three collinear atoms. For example, bonding in XeF
2 is described by a set of three molecular orbitals (MOs) derived from p-orbitals on each atom. Bonding results from the combination of a filled p-orbital from Xe with one half-filled p-orbital from each F atom, resulting in a filled bonding orbital, a filled non-bonding orbital, and an empty antibonding orbital. The highest occupied molecular orbital is localized on the two terminal atoms. This represents a localization of charge which is facilitated by the high electronegativity of fluorine.[48]

text: The chemistries of the heavier noble gases, krypton and xenon, are well established. The chemistry of the lighter ones, argon and helium, is still at an early stage, while a neon compound is yet to be identified.

text: Occurrence and production[edit]

text: The abundances of the noble gases in the universe decrease as their atomic numbers increase. Helium is the most common element in the universe after hydrogen, with a mass fraction of about 24%. Most of the helium in the universe was formed during Big Bang nucleosynthesis, but the amount of helium is steadily increasing due to the fusion of hydrogen in stellar nucleosynthesis (and, to a very slight degree, the alpha decay of heavy elements).[49][50] Abundances on Earth follow different trends; for example, helium is only the third most abundant noble gas in the atmosphere. The reason is that there is no primordial helium in the atmosphere; due to the small mass of the atom, helium cannot be retained by the Earth's gravitational field.[51] Helium on Earth comes from the alpha decay of heavy elements such as uranium and thorium found in the Earth's crust, and tends to accumulate in natural gas deposits.[51] The abundance of argon, on the other hand, is increased as a result of the beta decay of potassium-40, also found in the Earth's crust, to form argon-40, which is the most abundant isotope of argon on Earth despite being relatively rare in the Solar System. This process is the basis for the potassium-argon dating method.[52] Xenon has an unexpectedly low abundance in the atmosphere, in what has been called the missing xenon problem; one theory is that the missing xenon may be trapped in minerals inside the Earth's crust.[53] After the discovery of xenon dioxide, research showed that Xe can substitute for Si in quartz.[54] Radon is formed in the lithosphere by the alpha decay of radium. It can seep into buildings through cracks in their foundation and accumulate in areas that are not well ventilated. Due to its high radioactivity, radon presents a significant health hazard; it is implicated in an estimated 21,000 lung cancer deaths per year in the United States alone.[55]

text:
Abundance
Helium
Neon
Argon
Krypton
Xenon
Radon

Solar System (for each atom of silicon)[56]
2343
2.148
0.1025
5.515 × 10−5
5.391 × 10−6
–

Earth's atmosphere (volume fraction in ppm)[57]
5.20
18.20
9340.00
1.10
0.09
(0.06–18) × 10−19[58]

Igneous rock (mass fraction in ppm)[22]
3 × 10−3
7 × 10−5
4 × 10−2
–
–
1.7 × 10−10

text:
Gas
2004 price (USD/m3)[59]

Helium (industrial grade)
4.20–4.90

Helium (laboratory grade)
22.30–44.90

Argon
2.70–8.50

Neon
60–120

Krypton
400–500

Xenon
4000–5000

text: For large-scale use, helium is extracted by fractional distillation from natural gas, which can contain up to 7% helium.[60]

text: Neon, argon, krypton, and xenon are obtained from air using the methods of liquefaction of gases, to convert elements to a liquid state, and fractional distillation, to separate mixtures into component parts. Helium is typically produced by separating it from natural gas, and radon is isolated from the radioactive decay of radium compounds.[9] The prices of the noble gases are influenced by their natural abundance, with argon being the cheapest and xenon the most expensive. As an example, the adjacent table lists the 2004 prices in the United States for laboratory quantities of each gas.

text: Applications[edit]

text: Noble gases have very low boiling and melting points, which makes them useful as cryogenic refrigerants.[61] In particular, liquid helium, which boils at 4.2 K (−268.95 °C; −452.11 °F), is used for superconducting magnets, such as those needed in nuclear magnetic resonance imaging and nuclear magnetic resonance.[62] Liquid neon, although it does not reach temperatures as low as liquid helium, also finds use in cryogenics because it has over 40 times more refrigerating capacity than liquid helium and over three times more than liquid hydrogen.[58]

text: Helium is used as a component of breathing gases to replace nitrogen, due its low solubility in fluids, especially in lipids. Gases are absorbed by the blood and body tissues when under pressure like in scuba diving, which causes an anesthetic effect known as nitrogen narcosis.[63] Due to its reduced solubility, little helium is taken into cell membranes, and when helium is used to replace part of the breathing mixtures, such as in trimix or heliox, a decrease in the narcotic effect of the gas at depth is obtained.[64] Helium's reduced solubility offers further advantages for the condition known as decompression sickness, or the bends.[9][65] The reduced amount of dissolved gas in the body means that fewer gas bubbles form during the decrease in pressure of the ascent. Another noble gas, argon, is considered the best option for use as a drysuit inflation gas for scuba diving.[66] Helium is also used as filling gas in nuclear fuel rods for nuclear reactors.[67]

text: Since the Hindenburg disaster in 1937,[68] helium has replaced hydrogen as a lifting gas in blimps and balloons due to its lightness and incombustibility, despite an 8.6%[69] decrease in buoyancy.[9]

text: In many applications, the noble gases are used to provide an inert atmosphere. Argon is used in the synthesis of air-sensitive compounds that are sensitive to nitrogen. Solid argon is also used for the study of very unstable compounds, such as reactive intermediates, by trapping them in an inert matrix at very low temperatures.[70] Helium is used as the carrier medium in gas chromatography, as a filler gas for thermometers, and in devices for measuring radiation, such as the Geiger counter and the bubble chamber.[59] Helium and argon are both commonly used to shield welding arcs and the surrounding base metal from the atmosphere during welding and cutting, as well as in other metallurgical processes and in the production of silicon for the semiconductor industry.[58]

text: Noble gases are commonly used in lighting because of their lack of chemical reactivity. Argon, mixed with nitrogen, is used as a filler gas for incandescent light bulbs.[58] Krypton is used in high-performance light bulbs, which have higher color temperatures and greater efficiency, because it reduces the rate of evaporation of the filament more than argon; halogen lamps, in particular, use krypton mixed with small amounts of compounds of iodine or bromine.[58] The noble gases glow in distinctive colors when used inside gas-discharge lamps, such as "neon lights". These lights are called after neon but often contain other gases and phosphors, which add various hues to the orange-red color of neon. Xenon is commonly used in xenon arc lamps which, due to their nearly continuous spectrum that resembles daylight, find application in film projectors and as automobile headlamps.[58]

text: The noble gases are used in excimer lasers, which are based on short-lived electronically excited molecules known as excimers. The excimers used for lasers may be noble gas dimers such as Ar2, Kr2 or Xe2, or more commonly, the noble gas is combined with a halogen in excimers such as ArF, KrF, XeF, or XeCl. These lasers produce ultraviolet light which, due to its short wavelength (193 nm for ArF and 248 nm for KrF), allows for high-precision imaging. Excimer lasers have many industrial, medical, and scientific applications. They are used for microlithography and microfabrication, which are essential for integrated circuit manufacture, and for laser surgery, including laser angioplasty and eye surgery.[71]

text: Some noble gases have direct application in medicine. Helium is sometimes used to improve the ease of breathing of asthma sufferers.[58] Xenon is used as an anesthetic because of its high solubility in lipids, which makes it more potent than the usual nitrous oxide, and because it is readily eliminated from the body, resulting in faster recovery.[72] Xenon finds application in medical imaging of the lungs through hyperpolarized MRI.[73] Radon, which is highly radioactive and is only available in minute amounts, is used in radiotherapy.[9]

text: Discharge color[edit]

text:
Colors and spectra (bottom row) of electric discharge in noble gases; only the second row represents pure gases.

Helium
Neon
Argon
Krypton
Xenon

text: The color of gas discharge emission depends on several factors, including the following:[74]

text:
discharge parameters (local value of current density and electric field, temperature, etc. – note the color variation along the discharge in the top row);
gas purity (even small fraction of certain gases can affect color);
material of the discharge tube envelope – note suppression of the UV and blue components in the bottom-row tubes made of thick household glass.


document_title: List of National Football League annual sacks leaders

question_text: who has the most sacks in a season

question_tokens: who has the most sacks in a season

root

text: This is a list of National Football League players who have led the regular season in sacks each year. Sacks became an official statistic in 1982. Michael Strahan of the New York Giants holds the record with 22.5, which he had during the 2001 season. In 2013, the NFL created the Deacon Jones Award to recognize the season leader in sacks. There have only been two players lead in sacks with 2 different teams, Jared Allen (2007 with the Chiefs and 2011 with the Vikings) and Kevin Greene (1994 with the Steelers and 1996 with the Panthers). The Chiefs and the Vikings have had the most players lead the NFL in sacks with 4.

tag: p

text: Sack leaders[edit]

text:
Year
Player
Sacks
Team

1982
Doug Martin
11.5
Minnesota Vikings

1983
Mark Gastineau
19.0
New York Jets

1984
Mark Gastineau
22.0
New York Jets

1985
Richard Dent
17.0
Chicago Bears

1986
Lawrence Taylor
20.5
New York Giants

1987
Reggie White
21.0
Philadelphia Eagles

1988
Reggie White
18.0
Philadelphia Eagles

1989
Chris Doleman
21.0
Minnesota Vikings

1990
Derrick Thomas
20.0
Kansas City Chiefs

1991
Pat Swilling
17.0
New Orleans Saints

1992
Clyde Simmons
19.0
Philadelphia Eagles

1993
Neil Smith
15.0
Kansas City Chiefs

1994
Kevin Greene
14.0
Pittsburgh Steelers

1995
Bryce Paup
17.5
Buffalo Bills

1996
Kevin Greene
14.5
Carolina Panthers

1997
John Randle
15.5
Minnesota Vikings

1998
Michael Sinclair
16.5
Seattle Seahawks

1999
Kevin Carter
17.0
St. Louis Rams

2000
La'Roi Glover
17.0
New Orleans Saints

2001
Michael Strahan
22.5
New York Giants

2002
Jason Taylor
18.5
Miami Dolphins

2003
Michael Strahan
18.5
New York Giants

2004
Dwight Freeney
16.0
Indianapolis Colts

2005
Derrick Burgess
16.0
Oakland Raiders

2006
Shawne Merriman
17.0
San Diego Chargers

2007
Jared Allen
15.5
Kansas City Chiefs

2008
DeMarcus Ware
20.0
Dallas Cowboys

2009
Elvis Dumervil
17.0
Denver Broncos

2010
DeMarcus Ware
15.5
Dallas Cowboys

2011
Jared Allen
22.0
Minnesota Vikings

2012
J. J. Watt
20.5
Houston Texans

2013
Robert Mathis
19.5
Indianapolis Colts

2014
Justin Houston
22.0
Kansas City Chiefs

2015
J. J. Watt
17.5
Houston Texans

2016
Vic Beasley
15.5
Atlanta Falcons

tag: table


document_title: San Diego County Fair

question_text: when did the del mar fair change its name

text: San Diego County Fair

text: History[edit]

text: The fair began in 1880 as an agricultural fair. The location moved from place to place for several years, finally settling on the Del Mar Fairgrounds when it opened in 1936.

text: In 1954, the fair's name was changed to the Southern California Exposition and San Diego County Fair. In 1970, this was shortened to the Southern California Exposition. The fair was again renamed in 1984 to the Del Mar Fair, which lasted until 2002 when the name San Diego County Fair was reinstated. It is sometimes still referred to as the "Del Mar Fair" by locals.

text: Fairest of the Fair[edit]

text: From 1936 through 2003 the fair included a beauty pageant. The winner was originally called Queen of the Fair; in 1947 the title was changed to Fairest of the Fair. The winner and her "court of lovelies" were featured at the fair and in public appearances throughout the year. In 2004 the pageant was discontinued due to high costs and legal wrangling over a disqualified entry in 2003. Most Memorable Contestant was 1979 Marlene Rosas of El Cajon, and the best known winner of the Fairest of the Fair pageant was the 1958 winner, a La Jolla High School student named Raquel Tejada, better known as actress Raquel Welch. [2]

text: Don Diego[edit]

text: For decades the official greeter and host of the fair was Don Diego, a smiling caballero portrayed by Spanish actor Tommy Hernandez from 1947 until his death in 1984. The character was based on a real person, Don Diego Alvarado, whose family had a large land grant in the Del Mar area during the late 1800s; Alvarado was known for his grand parties and was regarded as the local symbol of a gracious host. Dressed in a huge sombrero, embroidered tunic and trousers, and boots, and toting a guitar, Hernandez promoted the fair as its goodwill ambassador. He escorted the Fairest of the Fair and other celebrities, and personally greeted ordinary fairgoers with a "Bienvenidos Amigos!" ("Welcome, Friends)".[3]

text: After Hernandez' death the fair board decided to retire the character rather than try to replace Hernandez, who they felt had been uniquely qualified for the role of Don Diego. A 16-foot bronze statue of Hernandez as Don Diego, created by artist Maher Morcos,[4] now stands at the fair's main entrance. The fair established a scholarship fund in 1986, the Don Diego fund, in his honor.[5] Each year the statute is dressed in garb that is appropriate to the theme of that year's fair.

text: Features[edit]

text: The fair features many musical and talent performances from artists of varying notability, from nationally known acts on the infield stage to local professionals to amateur groups. There are dozens of contests ranging from agricultural efforts to cooking to flower arranging.

text: As with many county fairs, animal exhibits are abundant. There are also two buildings full of commercial exhibits. There are exhibits featuring San Diego County's heritage, as well as exhibits specially designed for the fair's theme, which changes annually, making the fair somewhat different each year. The themes were: 2010, "Taste the Fun"; 2011, "Race to the Fair."; 2012, "Out of this World," 2013; "Game On"; 2014, "The Fab Fair"; 2015, "A Fair to Remember: Remember: Celebrate The World's Fairs & Balboa Park"; 2016, "Mad About the Fair"; and 2017, "Wild West/American Frontier".

text: Children and students are honored in the Kids' Best and Student Showcase displays, which feature artwork created by students ranging from kindergarten through community college. School yearbooks are displayed as well as woodworking, photography, and art projects constructed by high school students. All ages can display their talents in exhibits such as Design in Wood, photo and art shows, and Home and Hobby. Each day features a particular city or town in San Diego County.

text: Food also is a feature of the fair, with more than 100 food booths. There are many fair classics as well as other interesting or outrageous creations such as beef sundaes, fried Twinkies, and apple fries. Something new is added every year, such as fried cola in 2007, chocolate bacon in 2009, and fried butter in 2010.[6] In 2015 the new Fair fare is an ecelectic mix of pork and bacon to sweets and spice - and much more. From Wasabi Bacon Bombs to Sriracha Corn Dogs, Deep-fried Slimfast Bars, and a Fireball Donut, there is a lot to eat and see at the San Diego County Fair.

text: The Fourth of July brings events celebrating the United States' independence, including a parade and a large fireworks display in the evening.

text: With an average daily attendance of more than 60,000 in 2014, it is the fourth largest fair in North America, surpassed in attendance only by the State Fair of Texas, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, and the Minnesota State Fair.

text: Date and location[edit]

text: The fair is generally held from the first weekend in June through the Fourth of July weekend, and is closed every Monday and the first two Tuesdays.

text: The fair is held at the Del Mar Fairgrounds in Del Mar, California, off the Via De La Valle exit (Exit 36) on the Interstate 5 Freeway. The address is 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar, CA 92014.

text: Parking[edit]

text: The Del Mar Fairgrounds charges $13 for parking in their main lots during the San Diego Fair.

text: There are multiple free options for parking during the fair that includes free shuttle service to help combat traffic and parking problems.

text:
Torrey Pines High School, 3710 Del Mar Heights Rd., Del Mar Saturdays and Sundays
MiraCosta College's San Elijo Campus, 3333 Manchester Ave., Cardiff Saturdays and Sundays
Del Mar Horsepark (just east of the fair), 14550 El Camino Real, Del Mar everyday fair is open[7][8]

tag: ul

text: Themes[edit]

text: Since 1998 the San Diego County Fair has adopted a theme.

text:
1998 - Camping
1999 - Baseball
2000 - California
2001 - Surfing
2002 - Elvis Presley
2003 - Ocean/Beach
2004 - Dr. Seuss
2005 - Classical Film
2006 - Ocean/Beach
2007 - American Veterans
2008 - Sports
2009 - Music Mania
2010 - Taste the Fun
2011 - Race to The Fair
2012 - Out of This World
2013 - Game On
2014 - The FAB Fair
2015 - A Fair to Remember
2016 - Mad About the Fair
2017 - Wild West/American Frontier


document_title: The Best Is Yet to Come

question_text: who sang the best is yet to come

question_tokens: who sang the best is yet to come

text: The Best Is Yet to Come

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. (March 2007) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

text:
"The Best Is Yet to Come"

Song by Frank Sinatra

from the album It Might as Well Be Swing

Released
August 1964

Recorded
June 9, 1964

Genre
Traditional pop

Length
3:10

Label
Reprise Records

Composer(s)
Cy Coleman

Lyricist(s)
Carolyn Leigh

Producer(s)
Sonny Burke

It Might as Well Be Swing track listing

"I Wanna Be Around"
(7)
"The Best Is Yet to Come"
(8)
"The Good Life"
(9)

text: "The Best is Yet to Come" is a 1959 song composed by Cy Coleman, with lyrics written by Carolyn Leigh. It is generally associated with Frank Sinatra, who recorded it on his 1964 album It Might as Well Be Swing, accompanied by Count Basie, under the direction of Quincy Jones. It was the last song Sinatra sang in public, on February 25, 1995, and the words "The Best is Yet to Come" are etched on Sinatra's tombstone. Though Sinatra made it popular, the song was actually written for and introduced by Tony Bennett.[1]

text: Notable recordings[edit]

text: Notable recordings include:

text:
Tony Bennett (I Left My Heart in San Francisco) (1962)[2]
Peggy Lee (Sugar 'N' Spice) (1962)[3]
Sarah Vaughan (You're Mine You) (1962)[4]
Nancy Wilson (Yesterday's Love Songs/Today's Blues) (1963)
Frank Sinatra (It Might As Well Be Swing) (1964)[5]
Blossom Dearie (May I Come In?) (1964)
Ella Fitzgerald (The Best Is Yet to Come) (1982)
Diane Schuur (In Tribute) (1992)
James Darren (This One's from the Heart) (1999)
Lisa Stansfield (Swing: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (1999)
Andrew Dice Clay (Filth) (1999)[6]
Stacey Kent (The Boy Next Door) (2003)
Chaka Khan (ClassiKhan) (2004)
Tony Bennett and Diana Krall (Duets: An American Classic) (2006)
Matt Dusk (Back in Town) (2006)
Michael Bublé (Call Me Irresponsible) (2007)
Sophie Milman (Take Love Easy) (2009) (feat. Michael Kaeshammer)
Cherry Poppin' Daddies (Please Return the Evening) (2014)
Bob Dylan (Triplicate) (2017)

text: In popular culture[edit]

text:
The Peggy Lee recording was featured in the film Bernard and Doris (2006).
In February 1999, James Darren and Avery Brooks sang the song in the final scene of "Badda-Bing Badda-Bang", a seventh season episode of the syndicated science fiction television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.[7]
The song was played as a wake-up call for the crew of Apollo 10 on May 22, 1969. The historic day marked the first time that the Lunar Module flew solo in lunar orbit as it made man's closest approach to the lunar surface to date.[8]
American gospel singer and television talk show host Lexi Allen used the song as the opening theme music for The Lexi Show, hosted by The Word Network.


document_title: Pee-wee's Playhouse

question_text: who played cowboy curtis on pee wee herman

text: Pee-wee's Playhouse

text: Show creation and format[edit]

text: The Pee-wee Herman character was developed by Reubens into a live stage show entitled The Pee-wee Herman Show in 1980. It featured many characters that would go on to appear in Playhouse, including Captain Carl, Jambi the Genie, Miss Yvonne, Pterri the Pterodactyl and Clocky. While enjoying continuous popularity with the show, Reubens teamed with young director Tim Burton in 1985 to make the comedy film Pee-wee's Big Adventure. It became one of the year's surprise hits, costing a relatively modest $6 million to make but taking in $45 million at the box office.

text: After seeing the success of Pee-wee's Big Adventure, the CBS network approached Reubens with an ill-received cartoon series proposal.[4] In 1986, CBS agreed to sign Reubens to act, produce and direct his own live-action Saturday morning children's program, Pee-wee's Playhouse, with a budget of $325,000 per episode, (comparable to that of a half-hour prime-time sitcom)[5] and full creative control (although CBS did request a few minor changes over the years).[6]

text: Reubens assembled a supporting troupe that included ex-Groundlings and cast members from The Pee-wee Herman Show, including Phil Hartman, John Paragon, Lynne Marie Stewart, Laurence Fishburne and S. Epatha Merkerson. Production began in New York City in the summer of 1986 in a converted loft on Broadway, which one of the show's writers, George McGrath, described as a "sweatshop". Reubens moved the production to Los Angeles for season two in 1987, resulting in a new set and a more relaxed work atmosphere.[7]

text: Playhouse was designed as an educational yet entertaining and artistic show for children, and its conception was greatly influenced by 1950s shows Reubens had watched as a child, like The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show, The Mickey Mouse Club, Captain Kangaroo, and Howdy Doody. The show quickly acquired a dual audience of kids and grownups.[8][9][10] Reubens, always trying to make of Pee-wee a positive role model, sought to make a significantly moral show that would teach children the ethics of reciprocity.[10] Reubens believed that children liked the Playhouse because it was fast-paced, colorful and "never talked down to them", while parents liked the Playhouse because it reminded them of the past.[10]

text: Plot[edit]

text: The premise of the show was that host Pee-wee Herman went to play in a fantastic house (situated in Puppetland) known as the Playhouse, which was filled with toys, gadgets, talking furniture and appliances (e.g., Magic Screen and Chairy) and puppet characters such as Conky The Robot, Pterri the baby Pteranodon and Jambi the Genie (John Paragon), a disembodied genie's head who lives in a jeweled box. The Playhouse was also visited by a regular cast of human characters, including Miss Yvonne (Lynne Marie Stewart), Reba The Mail Lady (S. Epatha Merkerson), Captain Carl (Phil Hartman), Cowboy Curtis (Laurence Fishburne) and a small group of children, The Playhouse Gang.

text: Although primarily a live-action comedy, each episode included segments featuring puppetry, video animation and prepared sequences using Chroma-key and stock footage, e.g., when Pee-wee jumps into the Magic Screen, as well as inserted clay animation sequences (some made by Aardman Animations, who would late make Wallace & Gromit) and excerpts from cartoons from the Golden Age of American animation, usually presented by the character "The King of Cartoons".[4] Each episode also featured specially written soundtrack music by noted rock/pop musicians such as Mark Mothersbaugh (Devo), Todd Rundgren, Mitchell Froom and The Residents. The show's theme song performance was credited to "Ellen Shaw", though in her autobiography, Cyndi Lauper admits to being the actual singer.[11]

text: Each episode usually contained a running gag particular to that episode, and/or a specific event or dilemma that would send Pee-wee into an emotional frenzy. The show had many recurring gags, themes, and devices. For example, at the beginning of each episode, viewers were told the day's "secret word" (often issued by Conky the Robot) and were instructed to "scream real loud" every time a character on the show said the word. Pee-wee would often say the word himself at the end of the episode, just before launching himself and his little scooter out of the playhouse through a hidden exit. During the closing credits, images of him were chroma-keyed together with footage of various roads and highways to make it appear that he was traveling along them.

text: CBS and Reubens mutually agreed to end the show at the end of the 1990-91 season after 5 seasons and 45 episodes.[12] The last original episode aired on November 17, 1990. In July 1991, Reubens was arrested for exposing himself in a Sarasota, Florida adult movie theater, prompting CBS to immediately stop airing its Playhouse re-runs, which were originally intended to air until Fall of that year.[13][14] The show was replaced by reruns of The Adventures of Raggedy Ann and Andy.

text: The art of the playhouse[edit]

text: The creative design of the show was concocted by a troupe of artists including Wayne White, Gary Panter, Craig Bartlett, Richard Goleszowski, Gregory Harrison, Ric Heitzman, and Phil Trumbo. The first day of production, right as Panter began reading the scripts to find out where everything would be situated, set workers hurriedly asked him, "Where's the plans? All the carpenters are standing here ready to build everything." Panter responded, "You just have to give us 15 minutes to design this thing!"[15] When asked about the styles that went into the set design, Panter said, "This was like the hippie dream...It was a show made by artists ... We put art history all over the show. It's really like ... I think Mike Kelley said, and it's right, that it's kind of like the Googie style - it's like those LA types of coffee shops and stuff but kind of psychedelic, over-the-top."[16] Several artistic filmmaking techniques were featured on the program including chroma key, stop-motion animation, and clay animation.

text: Soundtracks[edit]

text: The music for the show was provided by a diverse set of musicians, including Mark Mothersbaugh, The Residents, Todd Rundgren, Danny Elfman (who provided the score for both of the Pee-wee movies), Mitchell Froom, Van Dyke Parks, George S. Clinton and Dweezil Zappa with Scott Thunes (spelled 'Tunis' in the credits).

text: Mothersbaugh, who later went on to become a fixture in composing music for children's shows like Rugrats, joined the show on hiatus from recording with Devo:[17]

text:
“
Paul Reubens asked me to do Pee-wee's Playhouse, and I had some time, so I was like, yeah, let's do it.
Pee-wee's Playhouse was really chaotic. They'd send me the tape from New York on Tuesday. I'd watch it Tuesday night; Wednesday I'd write the music. Thursday I'd record the music, it'd go out Thursday night to them, they'd have Friday to cut it into the picture, and then Saturday we'd watch it on TV. And it was like really fast, and instead of writing an album once a year I was writing an album's worth of music once a week, and it was really exciting. It was a new experience and it was a different creative process.

”

text: The opening prelude theme is an interpretation of Les Baxter's "Quiet Village". The theme song, which originally followed the prelude, was performed by Cyndi Lauper (credited as "Ellen Shaw"), imitating Betty Boop.[11]

text: For the final season in 1990, a new version of the prelude theme was recorded, and the opening theme was slightly edited. This plastered the season 2 opening on the season 4 episodes in all post-1990 airings and video releases.

text: Cast and crew[edit]

text: Many now-well-known TV and film actors appeared on the show, including Sandra Bernhard, Laurence Fishburne, Phil Hartman, Natasha Lyonne, S. Epatha Merkerson, Jimmy Smits, and Lynne Stewart. Future heavy metal musician and filmmaker Rob Zombie was also a production assistant, and future filmmaker John Singleton was a security guard.

text: Season 3 (which consisted of only three episodes) included an all-star Christmas special featuring the regular cast, with appearances by Annette Funicello, Frankie Avalon, Magic Screen's Cousin played by Magic Johnson, Dinah Shore, Joan Rivers, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Oprah, Whoopi Goldberg, Little Richard, Cher, Charo, k.d. lang, the Del Rubio triplets, and Grace Jones.

text: Human characters[edit]

text:
Character
Played by
Description

Pee-wee Herman
Paul Reubens
The childlike "Host". Pee-wee is portrayed as an impatient and fun-loving child with dainty, effeminate mannerisms and quirky facial expressions. While the character is typically cheerful and flamboyant, he occasionally threw childish tantrums.

Cowboy Curtis
Laurence Fishburne
A "cowboy" in the 1950s' pop culture sense with a jheri curl mullet.

Captain Carl (first season)
Phil Hartman
A gritty, unshaven sea captain with a gruff voice, but a somewhat shy demeanor, he came by the playhouse to show Pee-wee interesting things from the ocean. His tolerance for Pee-wee's antics was often tested whenever he stopped by. Captain Carl was more adult-oriented in the HBO special and Miss Yvonne appeared to have deep feelings for him.

Miss Yvonne
Lynne Marie Stewart
A woman obsessed with beauty and cosmetics, who often flirted with Pee-wee and many of the other male characters on the show, she was given the title "the most beautiful woman in Puppetland" by the puppet characters (especially Mr. Window, who would usually introduce her). Yvonne wore a large brown bouffant-style wig, gaudy dresses and heels, and her appearance was always accompanied by some sort of theme music. She, like Ricardo, also has a medical background, as evidenced by her nurse get-up and actions in "Pee-wee Catches a Cold". Unlike many regulars, Yvonne appeared in almost every Playhouse episode, and in a few episodes, she even danced with Pee-wee herself. Pee-wee appeared to have a slight crush on Miss Yvonne in some episodes, and most of the time commented on how beautiful she looked upon greeting her.

Reba the Mail Lady
S. Epatha Merkerson
A mail carrier who was often confused by the rules of the playhouse, over time, she gets really annoyed at having to be screamed at in her ears. She also had a pet dog which Pee-wee recovered when she lost him. She rarely acknowledged the viewing audience.

The King of Cartoons
Gilbert Lewis (first season);
William H. Marshall (subsequent seasons)

He showed a brief cartoon clip during his segment. His catch phrase was "Let the cartoon begin!" The original King of Cartoons used a film projector to show the cartoons (which he would aim at the lens of the camera shooting the actual show). On later seasons, the King would turn on a television set with a remote control. The king sometimes appeared unsure of what to do, and people like Pee-wee would have to remind him it was time to show a cartoon.

Tito
(first season only)

Roland Rodriguez
The playhouse lifeguard, he usually came into the house during snack time or during a gathering.

Ricardo
Vic Trevino
The soccer star with an apparent medical background, he replaced Tito after the first season.

Mrs. Steve (first season only; mentioned in "Fire in the Playhouse" of season 4)
Shirley Stoler
A frequent visitor to the playhouse during the first season, she enjoyed eating and "snooping around" when Pee-wee was not seen.

Ms. Rene
Suzanne Kent
A neighbor of Pee-wee's, she replaced Mrs. Steve after the first season. She is the polar opposite of Mrs. Steve, being much more tolerant and fun-loving.

Dixie (first season only)
Johann Carlo
A taxi driver, she introduced the King of Cartoons in the first season by playing her trumpet (frequently referring to him as "King Cartoon").

The Playhouse Gang (first season)
Natasha Lyonne (Opal);
Shaun Weiss (Elvis);
Diane Yang (Cher)
Three children who interacted with Pee-wee during the first season, they were replaced by three other children for the subsequent second season.

The Playhouse Gang (second season)
Vaughn Tyree Jelks (Fabian);
Alisan Porter (Li'l Punkin);
Stephanie Walski (Rapunzel)
Three children who interacted with Pee-wee, but only in two episodes of the second season, their only notable personality trait is that Li'l Punkin never spoke out loud by herself, instead whispering in Pee-wee's or other characters' ears. She spoke occasionally, but only in unison with the other two, and once she sang a song.

text: Puppet and object characters[edit]

text:
Character
Voiced by
Description

Jambi
John Paragon
A blue-faced (later green) genie who lived in a jeweled box, he usually appeared once per show to grant Pee-wee a wish, often with unexpected results. Sometimes, he appeared more than once per show or not at all. His head was the only feature that always showed. His catchphrases included "Wish? Did somebody say 'Wish'?", and the magic words "Mecca lecca hi, mecca hiney ho" (which grew more complicated as the show progressed).

Chairry
Alison Mork
A bluish-green armchair with eyes on the chair back, a mouth between the seat cushions, and armrests that flapped around, she occasionally hugged Pee-wee when he sat on her.

Magic Screen
Alison Mork
A screen on wheels that slightly resembled an Etch-A-Sketch, it flashed in an array of colors when not in use; it also showed films, and Pee-wee would frequently jump into the screen itself to interact with a fantasy land inside, usually to "connect the dots" (see below). Magic Screen once mentioned having a relative, Movie Screen. In the Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special, Magic Johnson stated that Magic Screen and he were cousins. Magic Screen is addressed as "she" and "her" in the puppeteers' commentary, indicating that Magic Screen is actually female.

Pterri
John Paragon (seasons 1, 3 — 5);
George McGrath (season 2)
A green Pteranodon and one of Pee-wee's closest friends, he usually acted like a young child. Pterri was afraid of thunderstorms (as revealed in "Rainy Day") and was very sensitive. He was often picked on by Randy and sometimes hung out with Globey. In the HBO special, The Pee-wee Herman Show, he worked for Captain Carl as a sort of "talking parrot" element.

Mr. Window
Ric Heitzman
The window to the left of the playhouse door when inside the playhouse, he had googly eyes and talked by moving his yellow window pane up and down. His role on the show was to introduce other characters (usually Miss Yvonne), and occasionally serve as a means for Pterri to enter and exit the playhouse (though Mr. Window would only open up his "mouth" about half to two-thirds of the time).

Clockey
Kevin Carlson
A yellow and red clock shaped like a map of the United States, he often introduced "Penny" cartoons and the like by asking Pee-wee, "Do you know what time it is?... Time for a Penny cartoon (etc.)!." He originated in the HBO special acting in a similar manner.

Conky 2000
Gregory Harrison (Season 1);
Kevin Carlson (subsequent seasons)
The playhouse robot, he gave Pee-wee the "secret word" each week and served as a "brain" element in the show. He spoke with a stutter, and was made from various parts of old electronics, including old camera attachments (eyes), a boombox (chest), phonograph (torso), and a cash register with no keys (head), and a vacuum cleaner hood as the top skull. The robot referred to himself as "Conky 2000" (after the first season, though he used this in episode #3 in the first season) when Pee-wee turned him on. According to evidence suggested in the episode "Conky's Breakdown", there may be more than one Conky robot. Further evidence of this is that Pee-Wee has a different model of Conky in the 2010 Broadway show based on the series, which has an updated design and refers to himself this time as "Conky 3000".

Globey
George McGrath
A spinning globe with a pair of arms at the base and a large face in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, Globey spoke with a French-sounding accent and often helped Pee-wee out with geography, language, astronomy, or history questions. He sometimes hung out with Pterri, and, like Pterri, acted in the manner typical of a young child.

Puppet Band
Wayne White (Dirty Dog);
Ric Heitzman (Cool Cat);
Alison Mork (Chicky Baby)
Three animal puppets who comprise a 1950s'-style jazz combo, they live in a corridor of the Playhouse designed to resemble an alley. They normally spoke in rhyme, parodying Beat generation poetry.

Mr. Kite
Wayne White
A pink kite, he occasionally appeared in one of the playhouse windows. Pee-wee would ask for weather reports and Mr. Kite would tell Pee-wee what the weather was going to be like.

Randy
Wayne White
A red-headed marionette who served as the playhouse bully, usually making life miserable for Pee-wee and the playhouse characters, he once talked Pee-wee into prank-calling a woman (Alison Mork) who was the wife of the police officer "Daryl" (George McGrath) on the Picturephone, suggesting that he might be a juvenile delinquent.

Billy Baloney
Paul Reubens
A ventriloquist dummy, he slightly resembled Randy in appearance (but blonde), which Pee-wee himself operated on occasion.

Dog Chair
George McGrath
A white chaise longue, which was similar to Chairry but resembling the face of a dog, he sat next to Chairry, but was used and referred to much less often.

The Ants
Miscellaneous
Occasionally, Pee-wee would check to see what the ants were up to; a short close-up animated sequence would follow depicting the ants engaged in some "human" activity. On one occasion, they actually managed to get out of the farm.

The Dinosaur Family
George McGrath (Red);
Alison Mork (Light Blue);
Ric Heitzman (Blue);
Kevin Carlson (Pink)
A den of miniature, clay-animation dinosaurs, they lived in a mouse hole in the playhouse. The camera view frequently zoomed in on the dinosaurs to see what they were doing. In the Christmas special, they are revealed to be Jewish, as they are shown celebrating Hanukkah.

Food
Miscellaneous
The contents of Pee-wee's refrigerator, these clay-animation food items included pizzas, vegetables, french fries and others that would dance and juggle to Pee-wee and friends' amusement.

Flowers
Ric Heitzman;
George McGrath
Wayne White
These were three flowers living in a flowerbed in the window to the right of the playhouse door. After Dixie left the show, they introduced the King of Cartoons. They originally had distorted and robotic voices, but they were replaced with normal-sounding falsetto voices, beginning with season 2. Casting rotated.

Fish
Ric Heitzman (Purple);
George McGrath (Yellow)
The fish lived in the playhouse aquarium. Their trademark was that often when something happened, the purple fish would make a snide remark regarding the situation, which the yellow fish would follow up with a witty comment. Both fish would then cackle, an act reminiscent of Muppets Statler & Waldorf.

Penny
Avriel Hillman[18]
A clay animation short featuring a blonde girl with pennies for eyes, who described some situations in her life and daily activities. She reappeared later outside the show on public service commercials. About 37 different clay-animation shorts were featured on this show.

Knucklehead
Gregory Harrison (season 1);
Kevin Carlson (season 2)
A large image of a side view of a fist, with "googly eyes" and lipstick who told bad knock-knock jokes, and then would cackle, reminiscent of Muppets Statler & Waldorf. He had a bit part in the HBO special, The Pee-wee Herman Show, but as a sock puppet who acted and sounded differently.

Cowntess
George McGrath
A life-sized, talking cow that spoke in an elegant accent. In one episode she shows "home movies" of her visit to Venice Italy, and a long shot of her riding in a gondola shows her to actually be a bull.

Salesman
Ric Heitzman
A tacky salesman, dressed in a tacky suit and a humongous head, he rang the doorbell and shouted "I'm going door to door to make you this incredible offer!" (occasionally he could be heard starting another sentence, "I'm sure by now you have realized-") while a horror movie-style effect played in the background. This caused Pee-wee to slam the door and scream occasionally frustratedly saying, "Salesman!" This character was retired after season 1. Pee-wee once let him in during a party, saying, "What's your incredible offer?", to which the salesman replied "Free foil!", which Pee-wee gladly accepted for his foil ball, he only appeared in season 1 for unknown reasons.

Floory
Kevin Carlson
A section of the playhouse floor that stood up and talked, for the first season, he was covered by Pee-wee's tepee. After Pee-wee and his friends remodeled the playhouse, though, he emerged and the tepee was placed in a different part of the playhouse.

Chandelier
Alison Mork
A talking chandelier with a French accent, she appeared in later seasons.

Exercise Belt
Ric Hetizman
A vintage vibrating belt exercise machine, Pee-wee would sometimes get on it, turn it on, then get stuck on it. Conky would usually have to get him out.

Toys
Miscellaneous
These are Pee-wee's strange toys he keeps in a smiley face-shaped window, with movable shelves inside. For the season two redecorating of the playhouse, their space on the wall was taken over by Clocky, and they were relocated to the back wall of the playhouse behind a door that looked like a tire.

El Hombre
Tito Larriva
A Spanish language cartoon, it was shown toward the later run of the series; it is about a superhero who stops crime, thwarts strangers, saves people's lives, and rights any other wrongs. Six different clay animation shorts were featured on this show, and were usually used as a substitute for the Penny cartoon, but two episodes ("Miss Yvonne's Visit" and "Mystery") featured both.

text: One-time characters[edit]

text:
Character
Played by
Description

Roger
Wayne White
A large, green monster that invaded the playhouse, he resembled a giant eyeball, had two mouths and one leg, and spoke in a language incomprehensible to Pee-wee until he wished he could understand the monster (at which point he learned his name in English). During this episode, Roger talked to his mother on the Picturephone; during the conversation, Roger's mother said the Secret Word in their language, at which point they both screamed while a bunch of symbols appeared on the screen. At the end of the episode, Roger left the playhouse with Pee-wee on the back of Pee-wee's scooter. Roger made his second appearance in the "Pajama Party" episode.

Rusty
Calvert DeForest
A strange old man, he hung out with the Playhouse Gang in the first season - and acted exactly like them, if not more childish. Oddly enough, he wears a "Playboy" pin on his hat, among others.

Yvona
Lynne Marie Stewart
An alien, she was captured by Zyzzybalubah and locked in a cage as his personal slave. She bears a striking facial and bodily resemblance to Miss Yvonne and has similar theme music. It is implied by her in "Playhouse in Outer Space" that Zyzzy has kept Yvona as his slave for years (when she says "It's always been like this."). Pee-wee seems to develop feelings for her, probably due to her similarities to Miss Yvonne, for whom he also had apparent feelings.

Zyzzybalubah
George McGrath
A malevolent alien, he hypnotized Conky into making his own name the secret word and launched the playhouse into space. He calls anyone he captures his "friend", but Pee-wee sets him straight.

Dr. Jinga Janga
Bernard Fox
The genie doctor whom Pee-wee called when Jambi fell ill, he helped Pee-wee learn to appreciate Jambi and others.

Authorized Conky Repairman Johnny Wilson
Jimmy Smits
He fixed problems with Conky, the playhouse robot.

Rhonda
Sandra Bernhard
The Picturephone operator, she has a crush on Pee-wee.

Derek
Steve James
Reba's boyfriend, a fireman, he was going to take Reba to the firemen's ball, but after it got canceled because of a fire at the ballroom itself, they do not know where else to go. So, Pee-wee allows Derek and Reba to have their date right there at the playhouse; they played "drive-in", with Magic Screen as the screen and Pee-wee and Miss Yvonne as Derek and Reba's chaperones (possibly for a double date).

text: Production[edit]

text: At the start of season two, the show moved from its New York City warehouse studio to facilities at the Hollywood Center Studios, creating changes in personnel and a change to the set that allowed the show to take advantage of the additional space. The show changed production facilities again in 1989 during its fourth season, this time at the Culver Studios, also in Los Angeles.

text: Critical praise[edit]

text: As soon as it first aired, Pee-wee's Playhouse fascinated media theorists and commentators, many of whom championed the show as a postmodernist hodgepodge of characters and situations which appeared to soar in the face of domineering racist and sexist presumptions.[19][20] For example, Pee-wee's friends, both human and not, were of diverse cultural and racial origins. In its entire run, Pee-wee's Playhouse won 15 Emmys, as well as other awards.[21] Captain Kangaroo's Bob Keeshan hailed the show's "awesome production values". Adding, "with the possible exception of the Muppets, you can't find such creativity anywhere on TV."[22]

text: "I'm just trying to illustrate that it's okay to be different — not that it's good, not that it's bad, but that it's all right. I'm trying to tell kids to have a good time and to encourage them to be creative and to question things," Reubens told an interviewer in Rolling Stone.[23]

text: On November 1, 2011, in commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the show, a book by Caseen Gaines called Inside Pee-wee's Playhouse: The Untold, Unauthorized, and Unpredictable Story of a Pop Phenomenon, was released by ECW Press.[24][25]

text: Awards and nominations[edit]

text:
14th Daytime Emmy Awards - 1987

Outstanding Makeup - Sharon Ilson (won)
Outstanding Hairstyling - Sally Hershberger and Eric Gregg (won)
Outstanding Art Direction/Set Decoration/Scenic Design - Gary Panter, Sydney J. Bartholomew Jr., Nancy Deren, Wayne White, and Ric Heitzman (won)
Outstanding Film Sound Mixing - Rolf Pardula and Ken Hahn
Outstanding Videotape Editing - Paul Dougherty, Doug Jines, Joe Castellano, Les Kaye, and Howard Silver
Outstanding Graphics and Title Design - Prudence Fenton and Phil Trumbo (won)

15th Daytime Emmy Awards - 1988

Outstanding Art Direction/Set Decoration/Scenic Design - Gary Panter, Wayne White, Ric Heitzman, Jeremy Railton, James Higginson, and Paul Reubens (won)
Outstanding Makeup - Ve Neill (won)
Outstanding Videotape Editing - John Ward Nielson for "Playhouse in Outer Space"

16th Daytime Emmy Awards - 1989

Outstanding Hairstyling - Yolanda Toussieng Jerry Masone for "To Tell The Tooth" (won, tied with The Oprah Winfrey Show)
Outstanding Videotape Editing - Charles Randazzo, Peter W. Moyer, David Pincus, and Steve Purcell for "To Tell The Tooth" (won)
Outstanding Film Sound Editing - Steve Kirklys, Steve Michael, Peter Cole, Ken Dahlinger, Greg Teall, and John Walker for "To Tell The Tooth" (won, tied with Muppet Babies)

18th Daytime Emmy Awards - 1991

Outstanding Graphics and Title Design - Paul Reubens, Prudence Fenton, and Dorne Huebler (won)
Outstanding Film Sound Editing - Peter Cole, Chris Trent, Glenn A. Jordan, Steve Kirklys, Ken Dahlinger, and John Walker (won)
Outstanding Film Sound Mixing - Bo Harwood, Peter Cole, Chris Trent, and Troy Smith (won)

text: Episodes[edit]

text:
Season
Episodes
Originally aired

First aired
Last aired

1
13
September 13, 1986 (1986-09-13)
December 6, 1986 (1986-12-06)

2
10
September 19, 1987 (1987-09-19)
November 21, 1987 (1987-11-21)

3
2 + Special
September 17, 1988 (1988-09-17)
December 21, 1988 (1988-12-21)

4
10
September 16, 1989 (1989-09-16)
November 18, 1989 (1989-11-18)

5
10
September 15, 1990 (1990-09-15)
November 17, 1990 (1990-11-17)

text: Golden Age cartoons[edit]

text: During the show's run, many cartoons were shown from the "Golden Age" of animation, usually courtesy of the King of Cartoons. However, they were not featured with their respective titles, nor credited, and generally only brief clips were shown. As Reubens stated in a 2004 radio interview, almost all of the cartoons they obtained were in the public domain.

text:
First Season: 1986
Title
Year
Director

1
Fresh Vegetable Mystery
1939
Dave Fleischer

2
Ants in the Plants
1940
Dave Fleischer

3
Summertime
1934
Ub Iwerks

4
Smile, Darn Ya, Smile!
1931
Rudolf Ising

5
Old Mother Hubbard
1935
Ub Iwerks

6
The Three Bears
1935
Ub Iwerks

7
Molly Moo-Cow and the Butterflies
1935
Burt Gillett, Tom Palmer

8
Flip the Frog: Puddle Pranks
1931
Ub Iwerks

9
Jack Frost
1934
Ub Iwerks

10
Mary's Little Lamb
1935
Ub Iwerks

11
Somewhere in Dreamland
1936
Dave Fleischer

12
Smile, Darn Ya, Smile!
1931
Rudolf Ising

13
Bunny Mooning
1937
Dave Fleischer

Second Season: 1987
Title
Year
Director

1 / 14
Philips Broadcast of 1938
1938
George Pal

2 / 15
To Spring
1936
Bill Hanna

3 / 16
Making 'Em Move
1931
Harry Bailey, John Foster

4 / 17
The Sunshine Makers (44 sec)
1935
Ted Eshbaugh

5 / 18
Piano Tooners
1932
John Foster, George Rufle

6 / 19
Philips Broadcast of 1938
1938
George Pal

7 / 20
Pagan Moon
1932
Rudolf Ising

8 / 21
Svatba v korálovém moři
1943
Horst von Möllendorff

9 / 22
Ship of the Ether
1934
George Pal

10 / 23
Musical Memories
1935
Dave Fleischer

Third Season: 1988
Title
Year
Director

1 / Special
Christmas Comes But Once a Year
1936
Dave Fleischer

2 / 24
Farm Foolery
1949
Seymour Kneitel

3 / 25
An Elephant Never Forgets
1935
Dave Fleischer

Fourth Season: 1989
Title
Year
Director

1 / 26
Hunky and Spunky
1938
Dave Fleischer

2 / 27
The Stork Market
1949
Seymour Kneitel

3 / 28
Spring Song
1949
Isadore Sparber

4 / 29
To Spring
1936
Hugh Harman, Rudolf Ising

5 / 30
None

6 / 31
The Kids In the Shoe
1935
Dave Fleischer

7 / 32
The Song of the Birds
1935
Dave Fleischer

8 / 33
None

9 / 34
Little Lambkins
1940
Dave Fleischer

10 / 35
None

Fifth Season: 1990
Title
Year
Director

1 / 36
One More Time
1931
Rudolf Ising

2 / 37
Farm Frolics
1941
Bob Clampett

3 / 38
The Little Red Hen
1934
Ub Iwerks

4 / 39a*
Freddy the Freshman
1932
Rudolf Ising

4 / 39b*
Humpty Dumpty
1935
Ub Iwerks

5 / 40
Fin'n Catty
1943
Chuck Jones

6 / 41
Sinkin' in the Bathtub
1930
Hugh Harman, Rudolf Ising

7 / 42
Freddy the Freshman
1932
Rudolf Ising

8 / 43a*
Allegretto
1936
Oskar Fischinger

8 / 43b*
Balloon Land
1935
Ub Iwerks

9 / 44
None

10 / 45
None

text: * These episodes had more than one classic cartoon each

text: Later airings and home video releases[edit]

text:
On August 15, 1998, the show returned in reruns on Fox Family, but stopped airing on the Fox Family in May 1999.
Cartoon Network's Adult Swim programming block began airing the show Monday through Thursday on July 10, 2006. Adult Swim originally slated to end airings on the weekdays on October 19, 2006 and move the show to Sundays at 10 PM.[26] In late December 2006, Adult Swim moved the show to Sunday nights, returning it to the schedule at 1:30 AM, but was eventually removed from the schedule permanently due to their age demographics. It stopped airing on adult swim on February 13, 2009.
Several episodes were initially released by Hi-Tops Video, the "children's imprint" of Media/Heron Communications, from 1988 to 1990. The first 8 tapes were released in 1988, followed by 7 more in 1989, and 2 more in 1990. They were then reissued on video by MGM/UA Home Entertainment in 1996, along with several episodes that were not released on video the first time. Finally, all 45 episodes were released on DVD by Image Entertainment in 2004. It should also be noted that the Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special was released during each of these three times.

text: VHS, Betamax, and laserdisc releases[edit]

text:
Hi-Tops Video releases
Vol. 1 - Ice Cream Soup
Vol. 2 - Luau for Two
Vol. 3 - Rainy Day/Now You See Me, Now You Don't/Cowboy Fun (Just Another Day)
Vol. 4 - Beauty Makeover
Vol. 5 - Restaurant
Vol. 6 - Ants in Your Pants
Vol. 7 - Monster in the Playhouse
Festival of Fun - The Gang's All Here/Stolen Apples/Party/The Cowboy and the Cowntess/Monster in the Playhouse
Vol. 8 - Open House
Vol. 9 - Puppy in the Playhouse
Vol. 10 - Pajama Party
Vol. 11 - Pee-wee's Store
Vol. 12 - Pee-wee Catches a Cold
Vol. 13 - Tons of Fun
Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special
Vol. 14 - School
Vol. 15 - Why Wasn't I Invited?

text:
Hi-Tops Video laserdisc releases
Fun-o-Rama - Ice Cream Soup/Luau for Two/Rainy Day/Now You See Me, Now You Don't
Potpurri - Just Another Day/Beauty Makeover/The Restaurant/Ants in Your Pants
Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special (Also released by MGM/UA Home Video in 1996)

text:
MGM/UA Home Video Releases
Vol. 1 - Open House/Pee-wee Catches a Cold
Vol. 2 - I Remember Curtis/Conky's Breakdown
Vol. 3 - Store/Playhouse in Outer Space
Vol. 4 - Pajama Party/To Tell the Tooth
Vol. 5 - The Gang's All Here/Party
Vol. 6 - Luau for Two/Now You See Me, Now You Don't
Vol. 7 - Fire in the Playhouse/Love That Story
Vol. 8 - Sick? Did Somebody Say Sick?/Miss Yvonne's Visit
Pee-wee's Playhouse Christmas Special
Vol. 9 - Dr. Pee-wee and the Del Rubios/Rebarella
Vol. 10 - Let's Play Office/Mystery
Vol. 11 - Front Page Pee-wee/Tango Time
Vol. 12 - Playhouse Day/Accidental Playhouse
Vol. 13 - Ice Cream Soup/Puppy in the Playhouse
Vol. 14 - The Cowboy and the Cowntess/Reba Eats and Pterri Runs
Vol. 15 - Tons of Fun/School
Vol. 16 - Why Wasn't I Invited?/Ants in Your Pants

text: DVD releases[edit]

text: Image Entertainment has released all 45 episodes of Pee-wee's Playhouse on DVD as NTSC Region 0 discs.

text:
DVD name
Ep #
Release Date
Notes

Pee-wee's Playhouse #1
23
November 16, 2004
Includes all episodes from Seasons 1 and 2

Pee-wee's Playhouse #2
22
November 16, 2004
Includes all episodes from Seasons 3-5

Pee Wee's Playhouse Christmas Special
1
October 19, 2004

Pee Wee's Playhouse - The Complete Collection
45 + 1
October 19, 2010
Includes all episodes from Seasons 1-5 plus the Christmas Special

Pee-wee's Playhouse Seasons 1 and 2 (Special Edition)
23
October 21, 2014
Includes all episodes from Seasons 1 and 2 (Remastered)

Pee-wee's Playhouse Seasons 3-5
22
March 10, 2015
Includes all episodes from Seasons 3-5 (Remastered)

text: Blu-ray releases[edit]

text: On July 3, 2013, Shout! Factory announced that they had acquired the rights to the entire series from Paul Reubens, which was released on Blu-ray on October 21, 2014. In addition, the entire series was digitally remastered from the original 35mm film elements and original audio tracks.[27][28][29][30]

text:
Blu-ray name
Ep #
Release Date
Notes

Pee-wee's Playhouse The Complete Series
45 + Special
October 21, 2014
Includes all 45 episodes plus the Christmas Special (Remastered)


document_title: MasterChef India

question_text: who is the first master chef of india

question_tokens: who is the first master chef of india

text: MasterChef India

text: Format[edit]

text: MasterChef India initial rounds consist of a large number of contestants from across India individually auditioning by presenting a dish before the three judges to gain one of 50 semi-final places.

text: The semi-finalists then compete in several challenges which test their food knowledge and preparation skills. In Season 1 and 2, the top 50 competed until 12 were left, with the final 12 progressing to the main stage of the show. The winner competes for a prize that includes their own cookery show, the chance to have their own cookbook published, and ₹ 10,000,000 in cash.

text: Broadcasting[edit]

text: Season 1 (2010)[edit]

text: Season 1 of the show started airing on STAR Plus Saturday and Sunday evenings.[1] The first episode aired on 16 October 2010, and the season one finale was broadcast on 25 December 2010. The first winner of MasterChef India was Pankaj Bhadouria, a 38-year-old teacher from Lucknow. Season 1 was hosted by actor Akshay Kumar who worked as a chef in Bangkok before his acting career, along with chef Ajay Chopra who is working as an executive chef at Goa Marriott Resort, and chef Kunal Kapur an executive chef at Leela Kempinski, Gurgaon.

text: Season 2 (2011/12)[edit]

text: Season 2 of MasterChef India premiered on 22 October 2011. The second season aired on every Saturday and Sunday evenings and was hosted by chef Vikas Khanna with Ajay Chopra and Kunal Kapur as judges. On 1 January 2012 Shipra Khanna from Shimla[2] Nita Mehta also participated in the program.[3] Chef Kunal Kapur was invited to MasterChef USA Season 2 as a guest judge in the semifinal.

text: Shipra Khanna was the winner in the second season of MasterChef India.[4]

text: Season 3 (2013)[edit]

text: The third season premiered on 11 March 2013 on Star Plus.[5] Chef Vikas Khanna and Kunal Kapur however Chef Sanjeev Kapoor replaced Chef Ajay Chopra.[5] Ripudaman Handa was declared the winner of this season.[6]

text: Season 4 (2015)[edit]

text: The fourth season premiered on Star Plus on 26 January 2015. Chefs Vikas Khanna, and Sanjeev Kapoor remained judges from the previous Season, while Ranveer Brar replaced Kunal Kapur. [7]

text: Finalists Nikita Gandhi became the winner, with Neha Deepak Shah as first runner-up, and Bhakti Arora as second runner up. [8]

text: Season 5 (2016)[edit]

text: The auditions for the fifth season of MasterChef India began from 5 June 2016, with the first auditions taking place in Kolkata on 5 June. The auditions in New Delhi will take place on 18 & 19 June and in Mumbai on 25 & 26 June 2016 respectively. There will be auditions taking place outside India too, with the first auditions taking place in London on 2 July and in Dubai on 8 July.

text: MasterChef India 2016 is being premiered on 1 October 2016. In 5th season judges are Vikas Khanna, Kunal Kapoor, and Zorawar Karla. Kriti Bhoutika is first finalist of MasterChef India. Aashima Arora is the second finalist of MasterChef India. Dinesh Patel is third finalist of MasterChef India. Mirvaan Vinayak is fourth finalist of MasterChef India. Kirti and Aashima cleared the semifinal and became the finalists of Masterchef India Season 5. Kirti wins this season.Kirti Bhoutika is the winner of MasterChef India 5.

text: Kirti Bhoutika is winner of season 5 MasterChef India.[9]

text: Junior MasterChef India[edit]

text: India's own Junior MasterChef started on 17 August 2013 and aired on Saturdays and Sundays at 9:00 pm IST. It was called Junior Masterchef Swaad Ke Ustaad. The winner of the show was Sartak Bharatwaj with Sakshi Triphathi as the 1st runner up and Emmanuel Chauhan as 2nd runner up.