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Steven Naifeh

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Steven Naifeh (born June 19, 1952) is a Pulitzer Prize -winning American biographer of both Jackson Pollock and Vincent van Gogh . In addition to writing 18 books with Gregory White Smith, Naifeh is a businessman who founded several companies, including Best Lawyers that spawned an industry of professional rankings.

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69-520: He is also an artist whose geometric abstractions, many large in scale, have been exhibited widely throughout the world over a period of 45 years. Jackson Pollock: An American Saga was published on December 24, 1989. The Philadelphia Inquirer called the book "Brilliant and definitive … so absorbing in its narrative drive and so exhaustively detailed that it makes everything that came before seem like trial balloons." Van Gogh: The Life , which Michiko Kakutani of The New York Times called "magisterial,"

138-620: A Tony Award nomination in the Best Actor in a Play category for his role in George Furth 's Precious Sons . He also won the Theatre World Award and Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Play for his performance. Harris then portrayed William Walker , a 19th-century American who appointed himself President of Nicaragua , in Walker (1987). That same year, he played Harry Nash in

207-641: A Drama Series . Harris was born at Englewood Hospital in Englewood, New Jersey , and grew up in the New York City suburb of Tenafly, New Jersey , the son of Margaret ( née Sholl), a travel agent , and Robert L. "Bob" Harris (1922–2014), who sang with the Fred Waring chorus and worked at the bookstore of the Art Institute of Chicago . Ed has an older brother, Robert and a younger brother, Paul. Ed grew up in

276-514: A biography that justifies its length. Seldom have the history of an artist, the development of his imagination, and the fevers of his soul been more grandly yet intimately described." The book was adapted into an Academy Award-winning film by Ed Harris in 2000, Pollock . Harris said the biography was "the bible for the project and remained so until filming was completed." The biography also served as an inspiration for John Updike's Seek My Face . "It would be in vain," Updike wrote, "to deny that

345-516: A finalist for the National Book Award. Interview magazine said of the book, "For once, with this intense, engrossing, and indeed brilliant work, we have a biography that justifies its length. Seldom have the history of an artist, the development of his imagination, and the fevers of his soul been more grandly yet intimately described." The book was adapted into an Academy Award-winning film by Ed Harris in 2000, Pollock . Harris said

414-555: A large number of details come from the admirable, exhaustive 'Jackson Pollock: An American Saga.'" Naifeh and Smith also wrote Van Gogh: The Life , which was called "the definitive work for decades to come" by Leo Jansen of the Van Gogh Museum, in 2011. Time Magazine wrote: "Steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith, whose 1989 biography of Jackson Pollock won the Pulitzer Prize, have written this generation's definitive portrait of

483-672: A lifelong battle against a terrible disease and unending pain. ' " He graduated from Colby College in 1973, spent a year studying music in Europe on a Watson Fellowship , and then enrolled at the Harvard Law School . He graduated from the Law School in 1977, and received a master's degree in education, also from Harvard, in 1978. Smith was a singer and choral conductor. He founded the Colby Eight in 1972 and served as assistant conductor of

552-434: A middle-class Presbyterian family. His parents were from Oklahoma. He graduated from Tenafly High School in 1969, where he had played on the football team and served as the team's captain in his senior year. A star athlete in high school, Ed Harris played varsity football at Columbia University and was a teammate of future United States Attorney General Eric Holder . At Columbia, where he said he succumbed to

621-522: Is a rare happening," Barbara Hughes wrote in the U.A.E. News . "But an exhibition of work mainly created in Abu Dhabi is probably unique." Naifeh graduated summa cum laude from St. Andrew's School in Middletown , Delaware , in 1970. He then attended Princeton University and graduated summa cum laude with an A.B. in history in 1974 after completing a senior thesis titled "Culture Making: Money, Success and

690-431: Is being translated into Italian, Polish, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. Smith and Naifeh also wrote several how-to books to fund the writing of Pollock, including (with Michael Morgenstern), the best-seller How to Make Love to a Woman , which sold several million copies in 29 languages. He wrote several true crime books, including the bestseller The Mormon Murders in 1988 and Final Justice in 1993. The latter

759-579: The California Institute of the Arts , where he spent two years and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1975. Harris began his career on the stage. In 1976, he played an FBI agent in the world premiere of Thomas Rickman 's play Baalam at the Pasadena Repertory Theatre located at the historic The Hotel Carver . He followed that at the Pasadena Repertory Theatre in 1976 playing Lot in

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828-714: The Harvard Glee Club , where he helped prepare choruses for such conductors as Leonard Bernstein , Seiji Ozawa , and Mstislav Rostropovich , from 1974 to 1979. Smith received honorary doctorates from the University of South Carolina Aiken in 1998, the Juilliard School in 2012, and Colby College in 2013. In 1989, along with his partner Naifeh, he purchased the Joye Cottage in Aiken, South Carolina . Together, they restored

897-552: The Hollywood Walk of Fame , located at 6712 Hollywood Boulevard , for his work in motion pictures. Harris received an honorary degree from Muhlenberg College on May 17, 2015. New York magazine once described Harris as "the thinking woman's sex symbol". Harris has received numerous accolades including two Screen Actors Guild Awards and two Golden Globe Awards . He has also received nominations for four Academy Awards , two BAFTA Awards , three Primetime Emmy Awards and

966-592: The New York Art World." He graduated from the Harvard Law School in 1977, and received a master's degree in fine arts, also from Harvard, in 1979. His undergraduate thesis on the New York Art World was published by Princeton University in 1976. and his Ph.D. dissertation on the artist Gene Davis was published in 1982. Naifeh received honorary doctorates from the University of South Carolina Aiken in 1998 and

1035-635: The Robert Benton directed drama film Places in the Heart ; during production of this film, Harris met and married his wife Amy Madigan . Also in 1984 he co-starred along with Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell in the Jonathan Demme directed World War II biopic Swing Shift and in 1985 played abusive husband Charlie Dick to Jessica Lange 's Patsy Cline in the HBO film Sweet Dreams . In 1986, he received

1104-1149: The lead as motorcycler William "Billy" Davis, (a role modeled after King Arthur ), in Knightriders , directed by George A. Romero . The following year, he had a small role as Hank Blaine in Creepshow , also directed by Romero. From the mid-1970s to the mid-1980s, Harris found steady work on television. He had a role in one episode of Gibbsville (1975) , in one episode of Delvecchio (1977), in one episode of The Rockford Files (1978), in one episode of David Cassidy: Man Undercover (1978), two episodes of The Seekers (1979), one episode of Barnaby Jones (1979), one episode of Paris (1980), three episodes of Lou Grant (1979, 1980, and 1981), one episode of CHiPs (1981), one episode of Hart to Hart (1981), one episode of Cassie & Co. (1981), and one episode of American Playhouse (1984). In 1983, Harris became well known after portraying astronaut John Glenn in The Right Stuff . In 1984, he co starred in

1173-596: The " Morningside Heights blues" after two years, he was a resident in Carman Hall . When his family moved to New Mexico two years later, Harris followed, having discovered his interest in acting in various theater plays. He enrolled at the University of Oklahoma to study drama. After several successful roles in local theaters (such as the Jewel Box Theater in Oklahoma City ), he moved to Los Angeles and enrolled at

1242-475: The 2017 movie Kodachrome . His performance was widely regarded as one of the film's highlights. In 2019, Harris took over the role of Atticus Finch in Aaron Sorkin 's stage adaptation of To Kill a Mockingbird on Broadway. The role was previously played by original cast member Jeff Daniels . In 2022, Harris played Rear Admiral Chester "Hammer" Cain in the blockbuster film Top Gun: Maverick . Harris

1311-691: The British American drama film The Hours . In between the two Oscar nominated roles, he appeared in the biographical drama A Beautiful Mind (2001) and portrayed German sniper Major Erwin König in the war thriller Enemy at the Gates (2001). In 2002, he appeared in adverts for the Vauxhall Vectra in the United Kingdom. For his lead role as Miles Roby in the 2005 miniseries Empire Falls , Harris

1380-466: The Gates (2001), Radio (2003), A History of Violence (2005), Gone Baby Gone (2007), National Treasure: Book of Secrets (2007), Snowpiercer (2013), Mother! (2017), The Lost Daughter (2021), and Top Gun: Maverick (2022). In addition to directing Pollock , Harris also directed the Western film Appaloosa (2008). In television, Harris is notable for his roles as Miles Roby in

1449-642: The HBO television thriller film The Last Innocent Man . In 1988, he acted in Agnieszka Holland 's To Kill a Priest , starring Christopher Lambert , based on Jerzy Popiełuszko and his murder under the Polish communist regime . It was well received by critics. In 1989, his role as David "Dave" Flannigan in Jacknife earned him his first Golden Globe Award nomination, for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture . Also in 1989, he portrayed Virgil "Bud" Brigman in

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1518-861: The Juilliard School in 2012. In 1989, along with Gregory White Smith, he purchased the Joye Cottage in Aiken, South Carolina in 1989. Together, they restored the historic Whitney-Vanderbilt house, a creation of both Stanford White and Carrère and Hastings. The story of that renovation is told in their book, On a Street Called Easy, In a Cottage Called Joye , which The New York Times called "wry and gentle … house-and-garden renovations gone delectably awry." From 2009 until 2014, Naifeh served as co-chairman of Juilliard in Aiken Festival, an annual performing arts festival in Aiken. The 2014, Festival culminated in an early-music performance of Bach's St. Matthew Passion that

1587-793: The Juilliard in Aiken Festival, a performing arts festival that brings dozens of artists to Aiken each year for performances and has provided educational outreach to more than 16,000 students in an area covering parts of Georgia and South Carolina. The year Smith died, the Festival culminated in an early-music performance of Bach 's St. Matthew Passion that was presented not only in Aiken but in Spivey Hall in Atlanta and Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center . James R. Oestreich wrote in The New York Times that

1656-504: The U.S., he lived with his parents during their postings in Baghdad, Iraq; Baida, Libya; Benghazi, Libya; Lagos, Nigeria; Karachi, Pakistan; Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; Muscat, Oman; and Amman, Jordan. He began painting at age ten in Libya, studying with a Dutch-born artist, Catharina Baart Stephan. He later studied, at age fifteen, with Bruce Onobrakpeya, one of the leading Nigerian artists of

1725-406: The Van Gogh Museum, in 2011. Time wrote: "Steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith, whose 1989 biography of Jackson Pollock won the Pulitzer Prize, have written this generation's definitive portrait of the great Dutch post-Impressionist. ... Their most important achievement is to produce a reckoning with van Gogh's occasional 'madness' that doesn't lose sight of the lucidity and intelligence –

1794-455: The West Coast premiere of Tennessee Williams ' play Kingdom of Earth (aka The Seven Descents of Myrtle ). Harris' first film role came in 1978 with a minor part in the suspense film Coma , starring Geneviève Bujold and Michael Douglas . His first major role in a film came two years later with Borderline (1980), in which he starred alongside Charles Bronson . In 1981, Harris played

1863-426: The author—all, except for the first book, co-authored with Smith—of many books including five New York Times bestsellers. He published Jackson Pollock: An American Saga in 1989, which won the 1991 Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography and was also a finalist for the National Book Award. Interview Magazine said of the book, "For once, with this intense, engrossing, and indeed brilliant work, we have

1932-415: The best medicine anywhere in the world. Although they sold the company in 2000, it continues to serve more than 30 million members worldwide. Smith died of a brain tumor in 2014 at the age of 62. His brain tumor, which was diagnosed in 1975, led to 13 brain surgeries as well as radiation and nuclear medicine treatments and experimental chemotherapeutic regimens. His search for cutting-edge medical care

2001-459: The biography was "the bible for the project and remained so until filming was completed." The biography also served as an inspiration for John Updike 's Seek My Face . "It would be in vain", Updike wrote, "to deny that a large number of details come from the admirable, exhaustive 'Jackson Pollock: An American Saga. ' " Smith and Naifeh also wrote Van Gogh: The Life , which was called "the definitive work for decades to come" by Leo Jansen of

2070-433: The book Making Miracles Happen , which Phil Donahue called "an inspiring gift to all of us who remain one cell away from the pathologies that would kill us ... Greg Smith's relentless and successful effort to save his own life is a medical story for the twenty-first century." With Naifeh, he also founded Best Doctors , a company dedicated to helping others with undiagnosed or seemingly untreatable medical illnesses find

2139-424: The company partnered with U.S. News to produce rankings of law firms and in 2014 it gave out 61,138 rankings to 11,681 law firms in 120 practice areas. Best Lawyers was acquired by Levine Leichtman Capital Partners in 2018. Naifeh returned to painting and sculpting in 1998, creating works of geometric abstraction based on geometric formulas from medieval art from southern Spain to northern India but closely related to

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2208-502: The cover of the New England Journal of Medicine . Uncertain that he could survive the disease – in 1987, he was given three months to live – Smith, together with Naifeh, spent the rest of his life finding doctors around the world who could perform operations or improvise treatments to keep him alive long enough for the next lifesaving treatment to emerge. Smith's survival was featured on a segment of CBS's 60 Minutes in 1997. He

2277-509: The drama biopic Pollock , in which he also starred as artist Jackson Pollock . He was nominated for his first Academy Award for Best Actor (his third Oscar nomination overall,) for his performance. To prepare for the role, he built a small studio in which to copy the painter's techniques . Two years later, Harris was nominated for his fourth Academy Award (third in the Best Supporting Actor category) for his role as Richard Brown in

2346-831: The great Dutch post-Impressionist. … Their most important achievement is to produce a reckoning with van Gogh's occasional 'madness' that doesn't lose sight of the lucidity and intelligence – the profound sanity – of his art." The Boston Globe wrote: "Now, at last, with 'Van Gogh: The Life' by Steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith, we have what could very well be the definitive biography … And how pleased we should be that Naifeh and Smith have rendered so exquisitely and respectfully van Gogh's short, intense, and wholly interesting life." In addition to English, Van Gogh: The Life has been published in Chinese, Dutch, German, French, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, and Vietnamese. Naifeh and Smith also wrote several how-to books to fund

2415-449: The historic Whitney-Vanderbilt house, a creation of both Stanford White and Carrère and Hastings. The story of that renovation is told in their book, On a Street Called Easy, In a Cottage Called Joye , which The New York Times called "wry and gentle ... house-and-garden renovations gone delectably awry." They are leaving the house to be a residence for artists in music, drama, and dance. In 2009, with Sandra Field, Smith co-founded

2484-508: The law firm of Morrison & Foerster and as an editor at the Free Press , where he published the Encyclopedia of Crime and Justice in 1983. He was the author, all with Naifeh, of many books including five New York Times bestsellers. Smith and Naifeh published Jackson Pollock: An American Saga in 1990, which won the 1991 Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography and was also

2553-503: The lead role of Kyle Bodine in the neo noir film China Moon (1994). In 1995, Harris portrayed Watergate figure E. Howard Hunt in the Oliver Stone biopic Nixon . He received his first Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as NASA Apollo Mission Control Director Gene Kranz in Apollo 13 . In 1996, Harris starred in and was executive producer for

2622-628: The legal publishing company Best Lawyers in 1981, which published The Best Lawyers in America , a peer-review list, in 1983. That list went on to become Best Lawyers®, a global network linking lawyers and clients. In 2013, Best Lawyers ranked 74,965 lawyers representing 18,034 law firms in 75 countries. In 2009, the company partnered with U.S. News to produce rankings of law firms and in 2014 it gave out 61,138 rankings to 11,681 law firms in 120 practice areas. In 1997, Smith told his story, as well as those of other patients conquering critical illnesses, in

2691-403: The merger and sued SAG President Ken Howard and several SAG Vice Presidents, seeking to have the merger undone. They were unsuccessful. The lawsuit was dismissed on May 22, 2012. Harris has a reputation for being serious on the film set. He told a journalist in 2006, "I don't like bullshittin' ... so, I guess that comes across as serious." On March 13, 2015, he was honored with a star on

2760-706: The miniseries Empire Falls (2005) and as United States Senator John McCain in the television movie Game Change (2012); the latter earning him the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film . He starred as the Man in Black in the HBO science fiction - Western series Westworld (2016–2022), for which he earned a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in

2829-497: The nature of abstraction, how art and math intersect, and insights into the cultural expressions of" the Middle East. "This is, simply, a very important exhibition that deserves much more attention." Naifeh's partner Smith was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor in 1975, which led to 13 brain surgeries as well as radiation and nuclear medicine treatments and experimental chemotherapeutic regimens. His search for cutting edge medical care

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2898-399: The performance contained "flashes of brilliance, all right. But what made the event so deeply satisfying was mainly the consistent excellence of all its parts." In 1975, a few months after beginning Harvard Law School, Smith began experiencing unexplained skeletal pain. After six months of clinical investigation, he was diagnosed with a hemangiopericytoma , a tumor so rare it landed him on

2967-533: The profound sanity – of his art." The Boston Globe wrote: "Now, at last, with 'Van Gogh: The Life' by Steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith, we have what could very well be the definitive biography ... And how pleased we should be that Naifeh and Smith have rendered so exquisitely and respectfully van Gogh's short, intense, and wholly interesting life." In addition to English, Van Gogh: The Life has been published in Dutch, German, French, Spanish, and Portuguese and

3036-534: The renovation of Joye Cottage, was well-received: "Page after belly-ticking page," wrote The Washington Post . "Numerous adventures bordering on slapstick. … A delightful read." Together with Smith, Naifeh founded the legal publishing company Best Lawyers in 1981 which published The Best Lawyers in America , a peer-review list, in 1983. That list went on to become Best Lawyers, a global network linking lawyers and clients. In 2013, Best Lawyers ranked 74,965 lawyers representing 18,034 law firms in 75 countries. In 2009,

3105-417: The same thought, clarifying the idea and giving the words more character and force. It was the beginning of a lifelong love of and gift for words." "Also at age eight, Smith began dictating short novels into a Dictaphone his father used in business, which his mother transcribed. 'They were only 25 or 30 pages long,' Smith said, 'and the work of a child. But I was so thrilled that my mother typed them. There

3174-495: The sci fi film The Abyss , directed by James Cameron . In 1992, Harris co starred as Dave Moss in the drama film Glengarry Glen Ross , based on the play of the same name by David Mamet . He won the Valladolid International Film Festival Award for Best Actor for his performance in the film. He next appeared in the films The Firm (1993) and Needful Things (1993), before portraying

3243-659: The television adaptation of Riders of the Purple Sage . That same year, he returned to Broadway as Major Steve Arnold in the Ronald Harwood play Taking Sides . In 1998, his co starring role in The Truman Show earned him a second nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor , and won him a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture . Harris made his directorial debut in 2000 with

3312-560: The television documentary film The Armenian Genocide as American diplomat Leslie Davis . He next appeared alongside Casey Affleck and Morgan Freeman in the Ben Affleck directed neo noir mystery film Gone Baby Gone (2007). Harris then co-starred as antagonist Mitch Wilkinson in National Treasure: Book of Secrets (2007), alongside Nicolas Cage . In 2008, he co wrote, directed and starred along with Viggo Mortensen in

3381-403: The thriller film Man on a Ledge for Summit Entertainment . He then won the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film and was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie for his performance as Senator John McCain in the HBO made for television drama Game Change . In 2013, he appeared in

3450-602: The twentieth century, who received the Living Human Treasure Award from UNSCO in 2006. Naifeh had exhibitions in both Kano and Kaduna, Nigeria, and in Karachi, Pakistan. In 1974, he had an exhibition at McCormick Hall, site of the Princeton University Art Museum , and, in 1975, he had an exhibition in Abu Dhabi, the first exhibition of art created there in the city's history. "An Exhibition in Abu Dhabi

3519-655: The universe some sort of rationale for the bad that I've never demanded for the good?" Smith married Steven Naifeh , his co-author and partner of 40 years, in 2011. "It took enormous grit and determination to stage this heroic ongoing battle against his brain tumor", Naifeh said to the Aiken Standard . "Yet, it never robbed him of his passion for life. Or his sweetness. He was so unassuming about his intellectual gifts, so guileless, that he had an extraordinary capacity to help people understand how special they were in their own ways." Smith worked as an associate attorney at

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3588-674: The western thriller Sweetwater , and starred opposite Annette Bening in the romantic drama film The Face of Love . Harris then voiced Mission Control in Alfonso Cuarón 's space epic Gravity (2013), starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney . In 2015, he portrayed the title character in the film version of the Shakespeare tragedy Cymbeline . In 2016, he appeared alongside Madigan and Taissa Farmiga in The New Group 's revival of Sam Shepard 's Buried Child , for which he

3657-576: The western, Appaloosa . In 2010, he and wife Amy Madigan appeared together in Ash Adams' independent crime drama Once Fallen . Later that same year Harris starred in the survival drama The Way Back as Mr. Smith. His performance received much critical praise, and he was suggested by critics to receive a fifth Oscar nomination. Also in 2010, he portrayed the role of Jason Hudson in Call of Duty: Black Ops . In 2012, he co-starred alongside Sam Worthington in

3726-570: The works of such twentieth-century western masters as Frank Stella and Sol Lewitt. He has had numerous exhibitions, including one at the Columbia Museum of Art in the summer of 2013. Humanities Magazine noted that Naifeh's "tessellating works explore the threads weaving together traditional Islamic art and the Geometric Abstraction movement." The Free Times wrote that the exhibition offered "many rich ideas for exploration: formal beauty,

3795-464: The writing of Pollock, including (with Michael Morgenstern), the best-seller How to Make Love to a Woman , which sold several million copies in 29 languages. They wrote three true crime books, including the bestseller The Mormon Murders in 1988 and Final Justice in 1993. The latter was nominated for the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Fact Crime. Naifeh and Smith's one book of humor, detailing

3864-582: Was an American biographer of both Jackson Pollock and Vincent van Gogh . In addition to writing 18 books with Steven Naifeh , Smith was an accomplished musician, historic preservationist, art collector, philanthropist, attorney, and businessman who founded several companies including Best Lawyers, which spawned an entire industry of professional rankings . His brain tumor, which was diagnosed in 1975, led to 13 brain surgeries as well as radiation and nuclear medicine treatments and experimental chemotherapeutic regimens. His search for cutting-edge medical care

3933-441: Was asked by Morley Safer , "Everyone must ask the question when given what appears to be a death sentence, 'Why me? ' " Smith answered, "I've been very, very lucky in my life. I had a great family – have a great family. I have Steve. I've been endowed with some talents. I've had a chance to write a book that I'm very proud of. I have great friends. And never once in all those things, I never once said, 'Why?' So how can I demand from

4002-839: Was due to Kazan's testimony before the House Un-American Activities Committee in 1952, naming his friends from the Group Theatre as communists resulting in their being blacklisted , for which Kazan had never given an apology. On March 20, 2012, the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) merged to form a new union, SAG-AFTRA . Harris, along with others including Edward Asner , Martin Sheen , Valerie Harper , Michael Bell , and Wendy Schaal , were opposed to

4071-464: Was in the film Love Lies Bleeding as Lou Sr. in 2024. Harris married actress Amy Madigan on November 21, 1983, while they were filming Places in the Heart together. They have one daughter, Lily Dolores Harris (born May 3, 1993). On March 21, 1999, during the 71st Academy Awards , Harris along with Amy Madigan openly showed disdain for Elia Kazan , who had received an Academy Honorary Award , by staying in their seats and not applauding. This

4140-593: Was my name at the top of the first page, 'By Gregory White Smith. ' " "As editor of his high school newspaper, he once wrote an editorial about the French experience in Vietnam and its lessons for the United States. When the headmaster burned all of the copies of the paper, Smith called on the headmaster to resign. 'Greg was already showing his fiercely combative spirit,' Naifeh said, 'the same spirit that would get him through

4209-407: Was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film . Also that year, he played a vengeful mobster in David Cronenberg 's A History of Violence (2005) starring Viggo Mortensen . In 2006, he portrayed composer Ludwig van Beethoven in the film Copying Beethoven , and starred in

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4278-502: Was nominated for the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Fact Crime. Smith's one book of humor, detailing the renovation of Joye Cottage, was well-received: "Page after belly-ticking page", wrote The Washington Post . "Numerous adventures bordering on slapstick. ... A delightful read." Smith also wrote two television series, one for PBS on the history of the Supreme Court with Archibald Cox and one for NBC on human behavior with Phil Donahue . Together with Naifeh, Smith founded

4347-804: Was nominated for the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play . In 2016, he also began playing the villainous Man in Black in HBO's sci-fi thriller series Westworld , and had a co-starring role in the ensemble cast of Warren Beatty 's romantic comedy drama Rules Don't Apply , with Lily Collins and Alden Ehrenreich . In 2017, he appeared in Dean Devlin 's sci-fi film Geostorm , alongside Gerard Butler and Andy García . Harris had been previously set to star in Alejandro González Iñárritu 's Starz drama series The One Percent with Hilary Swank and Ed Helms . Harris co-starred in Darren Aronofsky 's horror film Mother! (2017), alongside Jennifer Lawrence , Javier Bardem , Michelle Pfeiffer , and Domhnall Gleeson . Harris also starred in

4416-399: Was presented not only in Aiken but in Spivey Hall in Atlanta and Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center. Naifeh married Gregory White Smith , his co-author and partner of 40 years, in 2011. Naifeh worked as an intern in the office of Congressman Charlie Wilson, as a docent at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and as an associate attorney at the law firm of Milbank Tweed. He was

4485-757: Was profiled on CBS 's 60 Minutes and recounted in his book Making Miracles Happen . Ed Harris Edward Allen Harris (born November 28, 1950) is an American actor and filmmaker. His performances in Apollo 13 (1995), The Truman Show (1998), Pollock (2000), and The Hours (2002) earned him critical acclaim and Academy Award nominations. Harris has appeared in numerous leading and supporting roles, including in Creepshow (1982), The Right Stuff (1983), The Abyss (1989), State of Grace (1990), Glengarry Glen Ross (1992), The Firm (1993), Needful Things (1993), Nixon (1995), The Rock (1996), Stepmom (1998), The Truman Show (1998), A Beautiful Mind (2001), Enemy at

4554-471: Was profiled on CBS 's "60 Minutes" and recounted in their book Making Miracles Happen . With Smith, he also founded Best Doctors, a company dedicated to helping others with undiagnosed or seemingly untreatable medical illnesses find the best medicine anywhere in the world. Although they sold the company in 2000, it continues to serve more than 30 million members worldwide. Gregory White Smith Gregory White Smith (October 4, 1951 – April 10, 2014)

4623-531: Was profiled on CBS's 60 Minutes and recounted in his book Making Miracles Happen . Jackson Pollock: An American Saga was published in 1990, winning the 1991 Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography . The Philadelphia Inquirer called the book "Brilliant and definitive ... so absorbing in its narrative drive and so exhaustively detailed that it makes everything that came before seem like trial balloons." Van Gogh: The Life , which Michiko Kakutani of The New York Times called "magisterial",

4692-413: Was published in 2011 with a companion website hosting over 6,000 pages of notes. Smith was born in Ithaca, New York , on October 4, 1951, and was raised in Columbus, Ohio , where he attended the Columbus Academy . "Walking to school beginning at an early age", Naifeh said, "he would think of a sentence. Then, talking out loud, as he did for the rest of his life, he would try different ways to articulate

4761-419: Was published in 2011 with a companion website hosting over 6,000 pages of notes. His co-author, partner, and husband, Gregory White Smith , died in 2014 at the age of 62, having lived with a rare brain tumor for four decades. Naifeh was born to U.S. diplomats George Naifeh and Marion Naifeh in Tehran, Iran, on June 19, 1952. His father is of Jordanian and Lebanese descent. In addition to several cities in

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