Frank Oz

1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). 1944 - Events. January 4 - The Battle of Monte Cassino begins. January 5 - Murder of Danish playwright Kaj Munk. January 14 - The Soviet troops start the offensive at Leningrad and Novgorod. January 17 - British forces, in Italy, cross the Garigliano River. January 17 - Meat Rationing ends in Australia. January 20 - The Royal Air Force drops 2,300 to ...

Including:

• 1944 - Events
• 1944 - Other events
• 1944 - Unknown dates
• 1944 - Ongoing events
• 1944 - Births
• 1944 - January
• 1944 - February
• 1944 - March
• 1944 - April
• 1944 - May
• 1944 - June-October
• 1944 - November-December
• 1944 - Deaths
• 1944 - January-May
• 1944 - July-August
• 1944 - September-December
• 1944 - Date unknown
• 1944 - Nobel Prizes

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Children's Fairyland, U.S.A. was the first theme park created to cater to families with young children. Located in Oakland, California on the shore of Lake Merritt, Fairyland includes 10 acres (40,000 m²) of play sets, small rides, and animals. The park is also home to the Open Storybook Puppet Theater, the oldest continuously operating puppet theater in the United States. Fairyland was built in 1950 by the Oakland Lake Merritt Breakfast Club. The sets were designed by artist and architect William Russell Everritt. The park wa ...

Including:

• Children's Fairyland - Origins of the park
• Children's Fairyland - The original park

Read more here: » Children's Fairyland: Encyclopedia - Children's Fairyland

A confidence trick, confidence game, also known as a con or scam, is an attempt to intentionally mislead a person or persons (known as the "mark") usually with the goal of financial or other gain. The confidence trickster, con man, scam artist or con artist often works with one or more accomplices called shills, who try to encourage the mark by pretending to believe the trickster. In a traditional con, the mark is encouraged to believe that they will obtain money dishonestly by c ...

Including:

• Confidence trick - Origin of the term
• Confidence trick - Well-known confidence tricks
• Confidence trick - Extra finesse
• Confidence trick - Famous convicted and alleged con artists
• Confidence trick - Confidence tricks in the movies and television
• Confidence trick - Confidence tricks in literature
• Confidence trick - Quotations

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Oz has several meanings: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a children's story written by L. Frank Baum; its deep political meanings are explored at The Wonderful Wizard of Oz--Sources and Meaning, and The Wizard of Oz is the title of various works derived from it. The Land of Oz is the fictional empire in the Oz books. "Oz" (from "Australia") is also a colloquial term for Australia. Oz (from "Oswald", pronounced /» Oz: Encyclopedia - Oz

The Jedi Master known as Yoda (896 BBY–4 ABY), voiced by Frank Oz, is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe. He appears in all of the franchise's installments except for Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. Like many names in Star Wars, the name "Yoda" has been supposed to be etymologically derived from some ancient language - in this case possibly from the Sanskrit yoddha ("warrior") and/or the Hebrew yodea ("one who knows"). Yoda's character is believed by some to have been inspired by the ...

Including:

• Yoda - History
• Yoda - Early Years
• Yoda - The Phantom Menace
• Yoda - Attack of the Clones
• Yoda - Revenge of the Sith
• Yoda - A New Hope
• Yoda - The Empire Strikes Back
• Yoda - Return of the Jedi
• Yoda - Powers and abilities
• Yoda - Personality and traits
• Yoda - Bringing the character to life
• Yoda - Parody songs

Read more here: » Yoda: Encyclopedia - Yoda

Bert and Ernie are two Muppets on the long-running PBS children's television show Sesame Street. The two appear together in numerous skits, forming a comic duo that is one of the centerpieces of the program. In the tradition of many movie comic duos, notably Abbott and Costello, the interplay forms between the mischievous innocent (Ernie) and the world-weary partner (Bert). Bert and Ernie - History of the duo. Ernie and Bert were built by Don Sahlin from a simple design scribbled by Mup ...

Including:

• Bert and Ernie - History of the duo
• Bert and Ernie - Rumors and myths
• Bert and Ernie - Comedy routines
• Bert and Ernie - Internationally

Read more here: » Bert and Ernie: Encyclopedia - Bert and Ernie

Aughra is one of the supporting characters in Jim Henson's imaginative 1982 fantasy classic film The Dark Crystal. In the movie, she is portrayed primarily by Frank Oz in a costume. Oz also voiced Aughra originally (making her sound very similar to a hybrid of Fozzie Bear and Yoda), but later her lines were re-dubbed by Billie Whitelaw. Aughra - About Aughra. A horned, one-eyed, wild-haired Seer, Aughra is the sole member of her race. She is known as the Watcher of the Heavens and the ...

Including:

• Aughra - About Aughra
• Aughra - Character Information

Read more here: » Aughra: Encyclopedia - Aughra

The fictional universe of Star Wars is a multilingual one, in which it is common to have either a passive or active understanding of many multiple languages from numerous alien races and cultures. Languages in Star Wars - Common languages. The spoken language most often heard in the Star Wars films is Galactic Basic (shortened to Basic) although this name itself is never explicitly mentioned in the films themselves. Basic is a universal language, used for communication between many different species in the ...

Including:

• Languages in Star Wars - Common languages
• Languages in Star Wars - Droids and computers
• Languages in Star Wars - Non-humans
• Languages in Star Wars - Writing
• Languages in Star Wars - Language building
• Languages in Star Wars - Reference

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This film, directed by Frank Oz with a screenplay by Paul Rudnick, stars Nicole Kidman, Bette Midler, Matthew Broderick, Christopher Walken, Faith Hill, Glenn Close and Jon Lovitz. This film is a departure from other versions of The Stepford Wives in that it is a comedy and its feminist themes, if any, are muted. The only real moral to be gleaned from this film is perhaps that both gynocratic superfeminism and old-fashioned male chauvanism are inappropriate extremes. The majority of the film ...

See also:

The Stepford Wives 2004 film, The Stepford Wives 2004 film - Description, The Stepford Wives 2004 film - Plot

Read more here: » The Stepford Wives 2004 film: Encyclopedia II - The Stepford Wives 2004 film - Description

Powers is set in a world where superpowers are relatively common, but not mundane. It follows two detectives, Christian Walker and Deena Pilgrim, police officers in a homicide department devoted to cases that involve "Powers" (people with superpowers). Walker himself used to be a costumed superhero under the name Diamond, becoming a police officer after he lost his superpowers. However, he still leverages his contacts in the superhero community in his everyday job, even becoming engaged to ...

See also:

Powers comics, Powers comics - Story, Powers comics - Collected editions, Powers comics - Others, Powers comics - Awards & Recogntion

Read more here: » Powers comics: Encyclopedia II - Powers comics - Story

Newton Davis (Martin) is an up-and-coming architect. After building his dream house for himself and his longtime girlfriend (Delany), he is crushed when she refuses to marry him. Subsequently, unable to bring himself to live in the house, he is stuck with a house and debt he cannot afford. One night at a Hungarian restaurant, he meets Gwen Phillips (Hawn), a waitresss at the restaurant. He spills out his sob story and draws a picture of the house on a napkin. He is so open at this point because he believes she cannot speak English. La ...

See also:

HouseSitter, HouseSitter - Plot, HouseSitter - External link

Read more here: » HouseSitter: Encyclopedia II - HouseSitter - Plot

Yoda - Early Years. Yoda, standing only 2' 2" (66cm) tall, is one of the senior members of the Jedi Council and arguably the wisest and most powerful character in the Star Wars Universe, even toward his demise, though the toll of his great age is noticeable. Over his lifetime, Yoda trains several notable Jedi, including Count Dooku, Mace Windu, Obi-Wan Kenobi (partially, before Qui-Gon Jinn took over with Obi-Wan's training), Ki-Adi-Mundi and Luke Skywalker. Moreover, he has trained almost every Jedi in the Galaxy since he instructs all younglings in the Jedi Temple before they are assigned to ...

See also:

Yoda, Yoda - History, Yoda - Early Years, Yoda - The Phantom Menace, Yoda - Attack of the Clones, Yoda - Revenge of the Sith, Yoda - A New Hope, Yoda - The Empire Strikes Back, Yoda - Return of the Jedi, Yoda - Powers and abilities, Yoda - Personality and traits, Yoda - Bringing the character to life, Yoda - Parody songs

Read more here: » Yoda: Encyclopedia II - Yoda - History

The Dark Crystal was made in the era between traditionally animated feature films and later movies produced by computer-generated techniques. All characters in the movie are muppets, and none are based on humans or any other specific Earth creature. Originally, members of one of the factions, the Skeksis, were meant to speak in their own constructed language. The Skeksis dialogue was subtitled in English. This was dropped after screen test audiences found the subtitling too distracting, but the original effect can be obs ...

See also:

The Dark Crystal, The Dark Crystal - Technical Notes, The Dark Crystal - Plot, The Dark Crystal - Characters, The Dark Crystal - Synopsis

Read more here: » The Dark Crystal: Encyclopedia II - The Dark Crystal - Technical Notes

The Grover character appeared in the following memorable skits: 'Fuzzy and Blue' 'Over and Under and Through' 'Sharing', with Grover and Prairie Dawn Grover takes the stairs, while Kermit takes the elevator Grover and Herry Monster as policemen singing the alphabet (may only be shown on Plaza Sesamo.) 'Professor Grover's Tub Tips' with his mother. The Super Grover series Various Professor Grover skits Various skits at Charlie's Restaurant, commonly as a waiter messing up situations for the Fat Blue Muppet character Lena Horne ...

See also:

Grover, Grover - Appearances, Grover - Behind the scenes, Grover - International

Read more here: » Grover: Encyclopedia II - Grover - Appearances

As with many televised episodes of Sesame Street, Follow That Bird raises some important cultural issues, doing so in a way that children can relate to, while parents can use the benefit of their life experiences to draw a deeper meaning from it. Racism, the value of diversity and the nature of family are all explored in the movie. Though Miss Finch is one of the "villains" of the story, in fact her intentions are good; she wants what she thinks is best for Big Bird (even though what she thinks is best for Big Bir ...

See also:

Sesame Street presents Follow That Bird, Sesame Street presents Follow That Bird - Plot, Sesame Street presents Follow That Bird - Morals of the story, Sesame Street presents Follow That Bird - Cast and characters

Read more here: » Sesame Street presents Follow That Bird: Encyclopedia II - Sesame Street presents Follow That Bird - Morals of the story

According to the book Sesame Street Unpaved, Big Bird's nest contains: a bubble gum dispenser, a clock with no hands, a feather duster, a football helmet, a golf bag with one club, a hurricane lamp, a megaphone, a picture of Mr. Hooper, a Roman bust, a tricycle wheel, a watering can, an old record player, an umbrella, a mailbox, and a pair of snowshoes. In addition, it contains at least four books: March of Democracy, Preface to Philosophy, Principles ...

See also:

Big Bird, Big Bird - Big Bird's Nest, Big Bird - Discussion on Big Bird's family, Big Bird - Performing Big Bird, Big Bird - Big Bird around the world, Big Bird - Trivia

Read more here: » Big Bird: Encyclopedia II - Big Bird - Big Bird's Nest

The Dark Crystal - Characters. Jen - A male Gelfling urSu, Jen's Master - A Mystic Aughra - An astrologer of unknown species Kira - A female Gelfling Fizzgig - Kira's pet SkekSo, the Emperor - A Skeksis SkekSil, the Chamberlain - A Skeksis SkekUng, the Garthim Master and later the new Emperor - A Skeksis SkekTek, the Skeksis Scientist - A Skeksis SkekNa, the Skeksis Slavemaster - A Skeksis Ydra, Kira's adoptive mother, ...

See also:

The Dark Crystal, The Dark Crystal - Technical Notes, The Dark Crystal - Plot, The Dark Crystal - Characters, The Dark Crystal - Synopsis, The Dark Crystal - Trivia

Read more here: » The Dark Crystal: Encyclopedia II - The Dark Crystal - Plot

Film producer Bobby Bowfinger (Steve Martin) is extremely eager to make a film, he's saved up for it his entire life. Now with a script penned by an accountant (Adam Alexi-Malle), a camera operator (Jamie Kennedy) with access to studio-owned equipment, and several actors who are hungry for work (Christine Baranski, Heather Graham, Kohl Sudduth) he needs access to a studio in order to get his movie made. He manages to extract a promise from a film studio executive (Robert Downey Jr.) that the executive will distribute the film if it in ...

See also:

Bowfinger, Bowfinger - Plot, Bowfinger - Trivia, Bowfinger - External link

Read more here: » Bowfinger: Encyclopedia II - Bowfinger - Plot

Jim Henson's Designs and Doodles explains Cookie Monster's early life: "In 1966, Henson drew three monsters that appeared in a General Foods commercial that featured three crunch snack foods: Wheels, Crowns and Flutes. Each snack was represented by a different monster. The Wheel-Stealer was a short, fuzzy monster with wonky eyes and sharply pointed teeth. The Flute-Snatcher was a speed demon with a long, sharp nose and windblown hair. The Crown-Grabber was a hulk of a monster with a Boris Karloff accent and tee ...

See also:

Cookie Monster, Cookie Monster - Origin, Cookie Monster - History and evolution, Cookie Monster - International, Cookie Monster - Books, Cookie Monster - Cultural references and parodies

Read more here: » Cookie Monster: Encyclopedia II - Cookie Monster - Origin

A humor website "Bert is Evil" hosted digitally manipulated images and satiric articles as "evidence" of Bert being evil. The site depicted the Muppet consorting with Adolf Hitler, Osama bin Laden, and the Ku Klux Klan. It drew worldwide attention in 2001 when a photo of a Bangladeshi street protest was distributed by the Reuters news agency; the photo included a protest sign that depicted Bert with Osama bin Laden, an image that had been inadvertently placed there by the owner of a poster shop in Dhaka.[2] The website owner then took down ...

See also:

Bert, Bert - Bert's sexuality, Bert - Bert in culture, Bert - International

Read more here: » Bert: Encyclopedia II - Bert - Bert in culture