1920s 1930s 1940s - 1950s - 1960s 1970s 1980s 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1950s - Events and trends. The 1950s in Western society was marked with a sharp rise in the economy for the first time in almost 30 years and return to the 1920s-type consumer society built on credit and boom-times, as well as the baby boom from returning GIs who went to college under the G.I. Bill and settled in suburban America. Most of the internal conflicts that had developed in earlie ...

Including:

• 1950s - Events and trends
• 1950s - Science
• 1950s - War, peace, and politics
• 1950s - Economics
• 1950s - Culture, religion
• 1950s - Others
• 1950s - People
• 1950s - World leaders
• 1950s - Entertainers
• 1950s - Sports figures

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British Comedy, in film, radio and television, is known for its consistently quirky characters, plots and settings, and has produced some of the most famous and memorable comic actors and characters in the last fifty years. British comedy - Film comedy. British comedy films are legion, but among the most notable are the Ealing comedies, the 1950s satires of the Boulting Brothers, and innumerable popular comedy series including the St Trinian's films, the "Doctor" series, and the long-running Carry On films. ...

Including:

• British comedy - Film comedy
• British comedy - Radio
• British comedy - Television

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Alvin and the Chipmunks are a fictional musical group, created by Ross Bagdasarian. The group consists of three singing chipmunks—Alvin, the mischievous troublemaker, who quickly became the star of the group, Simon, the tall bespectacled quiet one, and Theodore, the chubby, impressionable one—who are "managed" by their human "dad" and confidant, David "Dave" Seville. ...

Including:

• Alvin and the Chipmunks - History
• Alvin and the Chipmunks - The Witch Doctor
• Alvin and the Chipmunks - The Chipmunk Song
• Alvin and the Chipmunks - Imitations
• Alvin and the Chipmunks - The Alvin Show
• Alvin and the Chipmunks - A Chipmunk Christmas
• Alvin and the Chipmunks - Alvin and the Chipmunks
• Alvin and the Chipmunks - Direct-to-video Alvin
• Alvin and the Chipmunks - Alvin's future
• Alvin and the Chipmunks - Recording technique
• Alvin and the Chipmunks - Discography
• Alvin and the Chipmunks - Albums
• Alvin and the Chipmunks - Singles
• Alvin and the Chipmunks - Awards and nominations

Read more here: » Alvin and the Chipmunks: Encyclopedia - Alvin and the Chipmunks

In March 1957, John Lennon formed a skiffle group, The Blackjacks, who later became The Quarrymen. On 6 July of that year, Lennon met Paul McCartney through a mutual friend while playing at the Woolton Parish Church Garden Fete, and shortly afterwards, Lennon invited McCartney to join his fledgling group. The lineup that McCartney joined featured Lennon, Eric Griffiths on guitar, Len Garry on "tea-chest" bass, Pete Shotton on "washboard" and Colin Hanton on drums. In February 1958 the young guitarist George Harrison joined the group, which w ...

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The Beatles, The Beatles - History, The Beatles - Studio style evolution, The Beatles - In film, The Beatles - Influences and music, The Beatles - Discography, The Beatles - Early members, The Beatles - Song catalogue, The Beatles - Trivia, The Beatles - Song samples, The Beatles - Notes

Read more here: » The Beatles: Encyclopedia II - The Beatles - History

The 1950s in Western society was marked with a sharp rise in the economy for the first time in almost 30 years and return to the 1920s-type consumer society built on credit and boom-times, as well as the baby boom from returning GIs who went to college under the G.I. Bill and settled in suburban America. Most of the internal conflicts that had developed in earlier decades like women's rights, civil rights, imperialism, and war were relatively suppressed or neglected during this time as a returning world from the brink hoped to see a more con ...

See also:

1950s, 1950s - Events and trends, 1950s - Technology, 1950s - Science, 1950s - War peace and politics, 1950s - Economics, 1950s - Culture religion, 1950s - Others, 1950s - People, 1950s - World leaders, 1950s - Entertainers, 1950s - Sports figures

Read more here: » 1950s: Encyclopedia II - 1950s - Events and trends

Music Hall in London had its beginnings in the entertainments provided at summer fairs such as the Bartholomew Fair from the 17th century onward. Many of these were suppressed under the strict puritan rule of the Commonwealth. Upon the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660, restrictions on public entertainment were relieved by patents for play-acting granted to Thomas Killigrew and William Davenant by Charles II. The fairs, much cheaper entertainment within the reach of poor working people, were also tolerated again. The patentees had commodio ...

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Music Hall, Music Hall - Origins, Music Hall - History of the songs, Music Hall - The two eras, Music Hall - Music Hall songwriters, Music Hall - Music hall comedy, Music Hall - Speciality Acts, Music Hall - Music Hall performers, Music Hall - Music Hall in literature drama and screen, Music Hall - Surviving Music Halls

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Lennon contributed five songs on the album. "And Your Bird Can Sing" and "She Said, She Said" are two guitar-laden tracks with swirling melodies. Lennon later explained that "She Said, She Said" had been inspired by remarks he recalled from an LSD trip he had taken in Los Angeles with other musician friends and young film star Peter Fonda. According to Lennon, under the influence of the drug, Fonda had been repeating over and over "I know what it's like to be dead," to which Lennon acerbically replied, "Who put all that shit in your head?" This exchange, with min ...

See also:

Revolver album, Revolver album - American release, Revolver album - Songs, Revolver album - Drug culture, Revolver album - Cover, Revolver album - Track listing, Revolver album - Side one, Revolver album - Side two, Revolver album - Clips, Revolver album - Release history

Read more here: » Revolver album: Encyclopedia II - Revolver album - Songs

List of comedians - A. Bud Abbott (1895-1974) Roger Abbott (1946-) Russ Abbott (1947-) Chris Addison (19??-) Joe Alaskey (1949-) Carlos Alazraqui (1962-) Jack Albertson (1907-1981) Jason Alexander (1959-) Dave Allen (1936-2005) Gracie Allen (1902?-1964) Steve Allen (1921-2000) Tim Allen (1953-) Woody Allen (1935-) Eddie Anderson (1905-1977) Louie Anderson (1953-) Tom Arnold ...

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List of comedians, List of comedians - Comedians English language, List of comedians - A, List of comedians - B, List of comedians - C, List of comedians - D, List of comedians - E, List of comedians - F, List of comedians - G, List of comedians - H, List of comedians - I, List of comedians - J, List of comedians - K, List of comedians - L, List of comedians - M, List of comedians - N, List of comedians - O, List of comedians - P, List of comedians - Q, List of comedians - R, List of comedians - S, List of comedians - T, List of comedians - U, List of comedians - V, List of comedians - W, List of comedians - Y, List of comedians - Z, List of comedians - Groups of comedians, List of comedians - Comedy writers

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Harrison was a fluent, inventive and highly accomplished lead and rhythm guitarist, whose influences included Chuck Berry, Carl Perkins and Chet Atkins. Although he was a creative soloist, several of his famous Beatles guitar solos were recorded under specific directions from Paul McCartney, who on occasion demanded that Harrison play what he envisioned virtually note-for-note. Other Harrison solos were directed or modified by producer George Martin, who also vetoed several of Harrison's song and instrument offerings; Martin admitte ...

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George Harrison, George Harrison - Early years, George Harrison - Role in The Beatles, George Harrison - 1970s, George Harrison - 1980s, George Harrison - 1990s, George Harrison - Death, George Harrison - Personal and family life, George Harrison - Pseudonyms, George Harrison - Discography

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The 1950s in Western society was marked with a sharp rise in the economy for the first time in almost 30 years and return to the 1920s-type consumer society built on credit and boom-times, as well as the baby boom from returning GIs who went to college under the G.I. Bill and settled in suburban America. Most of the internal conflicts that had developed in earlier decades like women's rights, civil rights, imperialism, and war were relatively suppressed or neglected during this time as a returning world from the brink hoped to see a m ...

See also:

1950s, 1950s - Events and trends, 1950s - Technology, 1950s - Science, 1950s - War peace and politics, 1950s - Economics, 1950s - Culture religion, 1950s - Others, 1950s - People, 1950s - World leaders, 1950s - Entertainers, 1950s - Sports figures

Read more here: » 1950s: Encyclopedia II - 1950s - Events and trends

British comedy films are legion, but among the most notable are the Ealing comedies, the 1950s satires of the Boulting Brothers, and innumerable popular comedy series including the St Trinian's films, the "Doctor" series, and the long-running Carry On films. Some of the best known British film comedy stars include Will Hay, George Formby, Norman Wisdom, Peter Sellers and the Monty Python team. Other actors associated with British comedy films include Ian Carmichael, Terry-Thomas, Margare ...

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British comedy, British comedy - Film comedy, British comedy - Radio, British comedy - Television

Read more here: » British comedy: Encyclopedia II - British comedy - Film comedy

There is a clear line of influence from the Hoosier Hotshots and the Marx Brothers to Spike Jones and to Stan Freberg, Gerard Hoffnung, Peter Schickele's P.D.Q. Bach, The Goons, Frank Zappa, The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, The Roto Rooter Goodtime Christmas Band and to "Weird Al" Yankovic. Billy Barty even appeared in a video by "Weird Al" Yankovic. Some other well-known tracks included: "Cocktails for Two" "I Went to Your Wedding" "That Old Black Magic" "The Blue Danube" "The Sheik ...

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Spike Jones, Spike Jones - Der Fuehrer's Face, Spike Jones - Murdering The Classics, Spike Jones - Soundies, Spike Jones - The Fifties, Spike Jones - Radioland Murders, Spike Jones - Misleading biographies, Spike Jones - Influence, Spike Jones - External link, Spike Jones - Sources

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Alvin and the Chipmunks - The Witch Doctor. In early 1958, Ross Bagdasarian released a novelty song, under his stage name David Seville, about being unlucky at love until he found a Witch Doctor who told him the "magic words" to woo his woman. The entire song was done by Bagdasarian in his normal voice, except for the "magic" words, done first in Bagdasarian's sped-up, pre-Chipmunk voice, then in a duet between his sped-up voice and his normal voice. The words, of course, are nonsense: "O ...

See also:

Alvin and the Chipmunks, Alvin and the Chipmunks - History, Alvin and the Chipmunks - The Witch Doctor, Alvin and the Chipmunks - The Chipmunk Song, Alvin and the Chipmunks - Imitations, Alvin and the Chipmunks - The Alvin Show, Alvin and the Chipmunks - A Chipmunk Christmas, Alvin and the Chipmunks - Alvin and the Chipmunks, Alvin and the Chipmunks - Direct-to-video Alvin, Alvin and the Chipmunks - Alvin's future, Alvin and the Chipmunks - Recording technique, Alvin and the Chipmunks - Discography, Alvin and the Chipmunks - Albums, Alvin and the Chipmunks - Singles, Alvin and the Chipmunks - Awards and nominations

Read more here: » Alvin and the Chipmunks: Encyclopedia II - Alvin and the Chipmunks - History

Meta-reference - Examples in television. The Simpsons features meta-references quite frequently, and the Usenet group alt.tv.simpsons features a Meta reference watch for each episode. A classic example is when Homer Simpson — in the style of a Road Runner cartoon — gets stuck in a hole in the ground of a narrow ledge jutting from the edge of a tall cliff. Homer declares "If this were a cartoon, this cliff would break off now." Sure enough, after a pause for comic effect, it does, but not t ...

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Meta-reference, Meta-reference - Early uses of meta-reference, Meta-reference - Other examples, Meta-reference - Examples in television, Meta-reference - Examples in cinema, Meta-reference - Examples in theatrical drama, Meta-reference - Examples in written media, Meta-reference - Examples in interactive entertainment

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The lightest track on the album is "Yellow Submarine," which was deliberately written as a psychedelic children's song by McCartney for Ringo; it includes uncredited songwriting and vocal contributions by Donovan, who had become a close friend of the group. Faithful Beatles roadie Mal Evans also sang on the track, which made use of a number of stock sound effects the group found in the Abbey Road taped sound effects library, many of which had been collected by George Martin for his production of comedy recordings by The Goons. In addition, Rolling Stones guitarist Brian Jones c ...

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Revolver album, Revolver album - American release, Revolver album - Songs, Revolver album - Drug culture, Revolver album - Cover, Revolver album - Track listing, Revolver album - Side one, Revolver album - Side two, Revolver album - Clips, Revolver album - Release history

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Meta-reference can be traced back to traditional asides to the audience in theatrical productions, a feature of dramatic presentation which dates back at least to the time of William Shakespeare. These asides are an early form of the technique of "breaking the fourth wall", of which meta-reference is a major form. Several of Shakespeare's plays begin or end with references to the actors and the play itself, most famously A Midsummer Night's Dream, in which Puck concludes with a speech which includes the lines: If we sh ...

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Meta-reference, Meta-reference - Early uses of meta-reference, Meta-reference - Other examples, Meta-reference - Examples in television, Meta-reference - Examples in cinema, Meta-reference - Examples in theatrical drama, Meta-reference - Examples in written media, Meta-reference - Examples in interactive entertainment

Read more here: » Meta-reference: Encyclopedia II - Meta-reference - Early uses of meta-reference

Revolver album - Side one. "Taxman" (Harrison) "Eleanor Rigby" "I'm Only Sleeping" "Love You To" (Harrison) "Here, There and Everywhere" "Yellow Submarine" "She Said She Said" Revolver album - Side two. "Good Day Sunshine" "And Your Bird Can Sing" "For No One" "Docto ...

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Revolver album, Revolver album - American release, Revolver album - Songs, Revolver album - Drug culture, Revolver album - Cover, Revolver album - Track listing, Revolver album - Side one, Revolver album - Side two, Revolver album - Clips, Revolver album - Release history

Read more here: » Revolver album: Encyclopedia II - Revolver album - Track listing

In 1963 The Beatles gave their song publishing rights to Northern Songs, a company created by Brian Epstein and music publisher Dick James. Northern Songs went public in 1965 with Lennon and McCartney each holding 15% of the company's shares while Dick James and the company's chairman, Charles Silver held a controlling 37.5%. In 1969, following a failed attempt by Lennon and McCartney to buy back the company, James and Silver sold Northern Songs to British TV company Associated TeleVision (ATV), ...

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The Beatles, The Beatles - History, The Beatles - Studio style evolution, The Beatles - In film, The Beatles - Influences and music, The Beatles - Discography, The Beatles - Early members, The Beatles - Song catalogue, The Beatles - Trivia, The Beatles - Song samples, The Beatles - Notes

Read more here: » The Beatles: Encyclopedia II - The Beatles - Song catalogue

The Beatles had a limited but largely successful film career, beginning with A Hard Day's Night (1964), a loosely scripted comic farce, sometimes compared to the Marx Brothers in style. It focused on Beatlemania and their hectic touring lifestyle, and was directed in a quasi-documentary style in black-and-white by an up-and-coming Richard Lester, who was known for having directed a television version of the successful BBC radio series The Goon Show as well as the offbeat short film "The Run ...

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The Beatles, The Beatles - History, The Beatles - Studio style evolution, The Beatles - In film, The Beatles - Influences and music, The Beatles - Discography, The Beatles - Early members, The Beatles - Song catalogue, The Beatles - Trivia, The Beatles - Song samples, The Beatles - Notes

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Many observers have noted that understanding the success of The Beatles and their music begins and ends with an appreciation for the diverse ways in which they (especially Lennon and McCartney) blended their voices as instruments. The role of producer George Martin is often cited as a crucial element in the success of The Beatles. He used his experience to bring out the potential in the group, recognizing and nurturing their creativity rather than imposing his views. His earlier production experience, ranging from acts such as Jimmy S ...

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The Beatles, The Beatles - History, The Beatles - Studio style evolution, The Beatles - In film, The Beatles - Influences and music, The Beatles - Discography, The Beatles - Early members, The Beatles - Song catalogue, The Beatles - Trivia, The Beatles - Song samples, The Beatles - Notes

Read more here: » The Beatles: Encyclopedia II - The Beatles - Studio style evolution