Celebrity families

Another example of celebrity is a family that has notable ancestors or is known nationally (or internationally) for their wealth and/or influence.

An example would be the Barrymore family.

The Barrymore family is an American acting family.

The Barrymores are also the inspiration of a Broadway and West End play called The Royal Family.

Herbert Arthur Chamberlayne Blyth aka Maurice Barrymore married Georgiana Emma Drew, and had three children: Lionel Barrymore, Ethel Barrymore, and John Barrymore

• Lionel Barrymore
  • Married Doris Rankin (first wife), and had two daughters Mary Barrymore (died at infancy) and Ethel Barrymore II (died at infancy). Marriage ended in divorce.
  • Married to Irene Fenwick (second wife, until her death)

• Ethel Barrymore
  • Married Russell Griswold Colt, and had:
    • Samuel Peabody Colt
    • Ethel Barrymore Colt
      • Married John Romeo Miglietta, and had John Drew Miglietta (born 10 September 1946)
    • John Drew Colt

• John Barrymore
  • Married to Katherine Corri Harris (first wife, divorced)
  • Married Blanche Oelrichs (second wife, divorced), and had:
    • Diana Blanche Barrymore
      • Married Bramwell Fletcher
      • Married John R. Howard
      • Married Robert Wilcox
  • Married Dolores Costello (third wife, divorced), and had:
    • Dolores Ethel Mae Barrymore (living)
      • Married Thomas Fairbanks, and had Hillary Klaradru Fairbanks (living))
    • John Drew Barrymore (Jr.)
      • Married Cara Williams (first wife, divorced), and had John Blyth Barrymore
      • Married Gabriella Palazzoli (second wife, divorced), and had Blyth Dolores Barrymore
      • Married Nina Wayne (third wife, divorced), and had Jessica Barrymore
      • Married Ildiko Jaid (fourth wife, divorced), and had Drew Barrymore
  • Married to Elaine Barrie née Jacobs. (fourth wife of John Barrymore, Sr., divorced)

Georgiana's family - parents John Drew and Louisa Lane Drew; brothers John Drew Jr. and Sidney Drew, know for the Mr. & Mrs. Sidney Drew comedy act; sister Louisa Drew - were all actors. Sidney's only child, Sidney Rankin Drew, left his acting career to join the Lafayette Escadrille, and was killed in action. John, Jr.'s daughter, Louisa, married performer Jack Devereaux; their son John Drew Devereaux was a Broadway stage manager.

Ethel's children also acted, primarily on the stage.

Except for John Drew, Diana, Drew, and John Blyth, none of the other members of John Barrymore's family have yet entered the entertainment industry.

Celebrity - American actor-politicians.

Celebrity may offer advantage in attaining high-ranked political offices that are elected among the public.

This offers a lateral entrance, in contrast to the general no need climb over the sealadder of starting at minor positions and then gradually ascend.

Actors have a considerable benefit from their celebrity, and to a less degree sports celebrities.

In contrast, businessman-celebrity doesn't give much advantage.

Celebrity - Fame based on one program

Individuals with their own television show (or sections of television shows) often become a celebrity, even when their profession would not normally lead to celebrity status: this can include doctors, chefs, gardeners, and conservationists on shows like Trading Spaces and The Crocodile Hunter.

However, fame based on one program may often prove short-lived after a programme is discontinued. In areas of the world where the relevant programme is not being broadcast, a such person is very likely not to be known.

In order to reserve themselves the possibility to have a private life, some local celebrities prefer to live in a part of the world where they are rather unknown; thus, an entertainer who is well known in the German-speaking world could chose to live his private life in the U.S. and fly into Germany to perform his shows (as Thomas Gottschalk actually does), and on the other hand, a U.S. celebrity could decide to privately live in Europe.

Celebrity - Who less notable than actors of equal professional importance.

While some film and theatre directors, producers, fashion designers, artists, authors, trial lawyers, journalists and dancers have achieved celebrity status, in general they are less notable than actors of equal professional importance to the business.

Celebrity - Professional activities can be likely to confer celebrity status

Some professional activities, by the nature of being high-paid, highly exposed, and difficult to get into, are likely to confer celebrity status.

For example, movie stars and television actors with lead roles on prominently scheduled shows are likely to become celebrities. High-ranking politicians, national television reporters, daytime television show hosts, supermodels, successful athletes and chart-topping musicians are also likely to become celebrities.

A few humanitarian leaders such as Mother Teresa have even achieved fame because of their charitable work.

Some people have achieved fame online and thus are Internet celebrities.

Celebrity - niche market celebrities,

One may argue that all celebrities are niche market celebrities, some niches are simply much bigger than others and many celebrities gain fame apart from their niche market as well.

A good example can be seen among the numerous professional athletes that are well known even among people who do not follow sports.

Celebrity - American comic book creators

American comic book creators are, for the most part, unknown outside of fandom as most popular American comics are still identified by their owning company such as Marvel Comics or DC Comics, instead of with a particular writer or artist.

Stan Lee (best known as co-creator of the classic Marvel superheroes) is mostly known to comic book fans and while in recent years, he has become more well known, many outside fandom are still unsure of exactly who he is, other than being a spokesperson.

A regional or cultural celebrity

Just as one may become a regional or cultural celebrity, one may also become a celebrity in their niche market and have limited fame apart from it.

While Lisa Leslie is a WNBA player who has transcended her niche and has gained recognition even among those who do not follow women's basketball, a player such as Janeth Arcain is less likely to be well known among those who do not follow the WNBA.

Deitrick Haddon may be a popular gospel singer and considered a celebrity among gospel music fans however he may not be well known among those that do not listen to gospel music.

Celebrity Levels, Ranking

English-speaking media commentators and journalists will sometimes refer to celebrities as A-List, B-List, C-List, D-List or Z-List.

These informal rankings indicate a placing within the hierarchy. However, due to differing levels of celebrity in different regions, it is difficult to place people within one bracket. A Nicaraguan actor might be a B-list action film actor in the US, but be an A-list star in the Czech Republic.

An objective method of placing celebrities from any country into categories from A-List to H-List based on their number of Google hits has been proposed, but while this method is quantitative, it only works for individuals with distinctive names, e.g., Jason Mewes, not Kevin Smith.

Sarah Palin - A Celebrity gained international fame

Sarah Palin was once a celebrity almost strictly in Alaska has gained international fame.

Sarah Palin, after being thrust onto the world's stage as a candidate for Vice President of the United States.

Cultural or Unique Celebrity - Tehran Ghasri

Another example of celebrity can be merely cultural or unique to a particular diaspora. Tehran Ghasri has a highly celebrated Iranian television program accessible by Iranian satellite.

Tehran Ghasri's program is mostly in farsi restricting by nature most of his viewers to be of Iranian, Afghan, Turkish, Armenian, Assyrian or Kurdish descent.

Tehran Ghasri's celebrity is acclaimed in the diaspora of farsi speaking people spread through out the world, including the United States, Canada, Europe and Iran. While visibility of the show is worldwide understanding is limited to farsi speaking people.

Tehran Ghasri's recognition is mainly cultural or in this case restricted to those of a particular lingual identity. Therefore his celebrity maybe deemed worldwide it only reflects a small fraction of people.

Become global celebrities only after became Hollywood actors in English-speaking films.

In a smaller country, linguistic or cultural community, a figure will be less likely to gain a broader celebrity. Shakira and Daddy Yankee were known largely in the Spanish-speaking world before becoming popular in English-speaking communities, by performing English language songs.

Similarly, Spanish actors Penélope Cruz, Antonio Banderas, Elsa Pataki, Xoel Pamos and Javier Bardem who were country-level celebrities in their native Spain, were able to become global celebrities only after they became Hollywood actors in English-speaking films.

Local celebrity can be more of a household name...

A local celebrity can be more of a household name than a national celebrity and may often experience the same type of attention from the public as a national celebrity albeit in the confines of their particular region.

For example, while journalist Lin Sue Cooney is a well known television reporter in Arizona, she is little known outside the Southwestern US.

Celebrity systems

Subnational entities or regions, or cultural communities (linguistic, ethnic, religious) also have their own 'celebrity systems', especially in linguistically or culturally-distinct regions such as Quebec (a French-speaking province in Canada) and Wales (a constituent country of the UK).

Regional radio personalities, newscasters, politicians or community leaders can be considered as local or regional celebrities.

Regional or cultural celebrities - diaspora

Each culture and region has its own independent celebrity system, with a hierarchy of popular film, tv, and sports stars. Celebrities who are very popular might be unknown abroad, except with culturally-related groups, such as within a diaspora.

In some cases, a country-level celebrity might command some attention outside their native country, but not to the degree that they can be considered a global celebrity. For example, singer Lara Fabian is widely-known in the French-speaking world, but only had a couple of Billboard hits in the U.S., whereas singer Celine Dion is well-known in both communities.

Central Celebrities

The rise of international celebrities in acting and popular music is due in large part to the massive scope and scale of the media industries, enabling celebrities to be viewed more often and in more places.

The reach of entertainment products is further extended by large-scale illegal copying of movies and music, which makes inexpensive pirated versions of DVDs and CDs available throughout even less economically developed countries.

Celebrities - Global

A small number of celebrities can be considered 'global', in that their fame has spread across the world, even across linguistic and cultural boundaries.

These celebrities are often prominent political figures, actors, globally successful artists, musicians and stars of global sports.

B-grade celebrity

In some places, someone that somehow achieves a small amount of transient fame through hype or mass media, is stereotyped as a B-grade celebrity. Often the stereotype extends to someone that falls short of mainstream or persistent fame but seeks to extend or exploit it.

In the 20th Century, the insatiable public fascination for celebrities and appetite for celebrity gossip has seen the rise of the gossip columnist, tabloid, paparazzi and celebrity blogging.

Instant celebrity

There are a wide range of ways people can become celebrities, from their profession, appearances in the mass media, beauty or even by complete accident or infamy.

Instant celebrity is the term that is used when someone becomes a celebrity in very short period of time.

Is this way what you want?

I don't think so

:)

Reluctant celebrity, Media tart and Media whore

Generally speaking, a celebrity is someone who seeks media attention and most frequently have extroverted personalities. The desire to be notable is implied by some to be a part of western culture and more specifically the American Dream as a measure of success. Celebrities that shy away from the public eye or keep a very separate private life are called a reluctant celebrity.

A notable example is Kurt Cobain. On the oher end of the spectrum, those that seek out publicity for themselves are often called a media tart whereas those that use their private life as a vehicle for enhanced celebrity status, sometimes desperately, are referred to as a media whore. Examples of this are fake or planned relationships, reality television appearances, celebrity nudity and in extreme cases, scandal or celebrity sex tape.

A global celebrity

A global celebrity on the other hand is someone who is known by most people or is a mainstream celebrity. Such celebrities are also known as either a household name or superstar.

For example, Virgin Director Richard Branson was notable as a CEO, but he did not become a global celebrity until he attempted to circumnavigate the globe in a hot air balloon and generate publicity for himself. Another high profile categorisation of celebrity status is the A-list, based on the marketability of celebrities.

A celebrity

A celebrity is a widely-recognized or notable person who commands a high degree of public and media attention. The word stems from the Latin verb "celebrere" but they may not become a celebrity unless public and mass media interest is piqued.

There are degrees of celebrity status which vary based on an individual's region or field of notoriety. While someone might be a celebrity to some people, to others they may be completely unknown.