Oprah Winfrey First Job Grocery Clerk

Oprah Winfrey First Job Grocery Clerk, Oprah Winfrey is one of those women who are in charge of their destiny – she just seems to get better and richer with everything she does. However, Winfrey got her start in an average menial job at the grocery store next to her father’s Nashville barber shop. She quickly made her move to broadcasting, reading the news for the local radio station by age 16, and moved her way up to the media powerhouse she is today.

Oprah Winfrey (born Orpah Gail Winfrey; January 29, 1954) is an American media proprietor, talk show host, actress, producer and philanthropist. Winfrey is best known for her self-titled, multi-award-winning talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history and was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2011. She has been ranked the richest African American of the 20th century, the greatest black philanthropist in American history, and was for a time the world’s only black billionaire. She is also, according to some assessments, the most influential woman in the world.

Winfrey was born into poverty in rural Mississippi to a teenage single mother and later raised in an inner-city Milwaukee neighborhood. She experienced considerable hardship during her childhood, claiming to be raped at age nine and becoming pregnant at 14; her son died in infancy. Sent to live with the man she calls her father, a barber in Tennessee, Winfrey landed a job in radio while still in high school and began co-anchoring the local evening news at the age of 19. Her emotional ad-lib delivery eventually got her transferred to the daytime-talk-show arena, and after boosting a third-rated local Chicago talk show to first place, she launched her own production company and became internationally syndicated.

JK Rowling Secretary

JK Rowling Secretary, J.K Rowling was born in Chipping Sodury, July 31st 1965. Her childhood was generally happy, although she does remember getting teased because of her name, “Rowling” – She recalls often getting called “Rowling pin” by her less than ingenious school friends.

J.K. Rowling says she never really warmed to her own name, although, she does remember having a fondness for the name Potter from quite an early age. J.K.Rowling studied at a school in Gloucestershire, before moving to Chepstow, South Wales at the age of nine.

From an early age, J.K. Rowling had an ambition to be a writer. She often tried her hand at writing, although little came from her early efforts. In her own autobiography she remembers with great fondness, when her good friend Sean became the first person to give her the confidence that one day she would be able to make a very good writer.

“he was also the only person who thought I was bound to be a success at it, which meant much more to me than I ever told him at the time” (1)

Sean was also the owner of a battered old Ford Anglia, which would later appear in one of the Harry Potter series as a flying car.

After finishing school, her parents encouraged her to study French at the University of Exeter. She slightly regretted choosing French, saying she would have preferred to study English. However, it was her parents wish that she study something “ more useful” than English.

After having spent a year in Paris, J.K.Rowling graduated from university and took various jobs in London. One of her favourite jobs was working for Amnesty International; the charity, which campaigns against human rights abuses throughout the world. Amnesty International, is one of the many charities, which J.K.Rowling has generously supported since she attained a new found wealth.

It was in 1990, that J.K.Rowling first conceived of the idea about Harry Potter. As she recalls, it was on a long train journey from London to Manchester when she began forming in her mind, the characters of the series. At the forefront, was a young boy, not aware that he was a wizard. The train was delayed for over four hours, but she didn’t have a pen and was too shy to ask for one nothing, so nothing was written down. But she remembers being very enthusiastic, and excited about the ideas which were filling her mind.

On arriving in Manchester, she began work on writing the book immediately, although, it would take several years to come to fruition. It was also in December of 1990 that J.K.Rowling lost her mother, who died of Multiple Sclerosis. J.K.Rowling was very close to her mother, and she felt the loss deeply. Her own loss gave an added poignancy to the death of Harry Potter’s mother in her book. She says her favourite scene in the Philosopher’s Stone is, The Mirror of Erised, where Harry sees his parents in the mirror.

In 1991, J.K.Rowling left England to get a job as an English teacher in Portugal. It was here that she met her first husband, and together they had a child Jessica. However, after a couple of years, the couple split after a fierce argument; where by all accounts J.K.Rowling was thrown out of the house. So she returned to England in 1994; still trying to finish her first book. She was also working full time, and bringing up her daughter as a single parent. Eventually, she finished her first copy, and sent it off to various agents. She found an agent, Christopher, who spent over a year trying to get a publisher. Eventually, a quite small publisher, Bloomsbury agreed to take the book on. The editor Barry Cunningham also agreed to pay her an advance of £1500. The decision to take on the book was, in large part, due to his eight year old daughters enthusiastic reception of the first chapter (However she was advised to continue teaching as writers of children’s books don’t tend to get very well paid.)

Within a few weeks of publication, (1996) the book sales really started to take off. The initial print run was of only 1,000 – 500 of these went to libraries. First editions are now said to be worth up to £25,000 each. She also received a grant from the Scottish arts council, which enabled her to write full time. After the books initial success in the UK, an American company Scholastic agreed to pay a remarkable £100,000 for the rights to publish in America. In 1998, Warner Bros secured the film rights for the books, giving a seven figure sum. The films have magnified the success of the books, making Harry Potter into one of the most recognisable media products. Under the close guidance of J.K.Rowling, the films have sought to stay close to the original plot; also at J.K.Rowling’s request all the actors are British.

On the 21st December 2006, J.K.Rowling finished her final book of the Harry Potter Series – “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows”. The book was released in July 2007, becoming one of the fastest selling books of all time. J.K.Rowling has said the book is her favourite, and it makes her both happy and sad. She has said she will continue writing but there is little chance of continuing the Harry Potter Series. She however, may release a dictionary of things related to Hogwarts and Harry Potter, that were never published in other books.

Since the end of her Harry Potter series, she says she has finished some short stories, she also hinted on the Oprah Winfrey Show in 1st October, 2010, that an 8th book in the Harry Potter series is a possibility.

Demi Moore Worked As Debt Collector

Demi Moore Worked As Debt Collector, Born Demetria Guynes on November 11, 1962, in Roswell, New Mexico, Demi Moore established herself as one of the leading actresses of the 1980s and early 1990s. After her marriage to Bruce Willis ended in divorce, she turned to producing films, including all three Austin Powers movies. Moore later married actor Ashton Kutcher, but she filed for divorce in 2011.

Born Demetria Guynes on November 11, 1962, in Roswell, New Mexico. With her trademark husky voice and striking beauty, Demi Moore established herself as one of the leading actresses of the early 1990s. She had a challenging childhood. Her parents split up before she was born, and she was raised by her mother and stepfather, Virginia and Danny Guynes, both of whom drank heavily.

Moore had moved more than 30 times by the time she turned 14, eventually settling in Los Angeles. Moore later explained in Interview magazine that “By moving around a lot, I learned to assimilate into whatever new surroundings I had and to become very comfortable with people quickly. I think that was one of the strongest contributing factors to my becoming an actor.”

Dropping out of high school at 16, Moore worked as a debt collector for a time and tried modeling. She also developed an interest in acting. In 1981, Moore had landed a role on the popular television soap opera General Hospital. She played journalist Jackie Templeton for two years. That same year, Moore made her film debut in the independent drama Choices.

During her stint on General Hospital, Moore found time for a few film projects. She appeared in the 3-D science fiction horror flick Parasite (1982) with her musician husband Freddie Moore, who she married the previous year. Moore also had a bit part in the soap opera spoof Young Doctors in Love (1982).

After leaving her soap opera role, Moore struggled to build a career in film. She played Michael Caine’s daughter in Blame it on Rio (1984), which attracted little attention from critics or movie-goers. Taking on a leading role, Moore played Jon Cryer’s love interest in No Small Affair (1984), but she did not really capture the public’s attention until her performance in St. Elmo’s Fire (1985). This film told the story of a group of friends as they confront post-college life. The cast also included a number of other young stars on the rise, such as Rob Lowe, Andrew McCarthy, Judd Nelson, Ally Sheedy, and Emilio Estevez. Many of these performers were becoming equally famous for their off-screen antics and partying lifestyle, earning them the nickname “the Brat Pack” by the media.

In her personal life, Moore divorced her first husband in 1984. She started dating Emilio Estevez, and the two became engaged in 1985. The couple starred together in 1986’s Wisdom, which Estevez also wrote and directed. That same year, Moore starred opposite Rob Lowe in About Last Night, a look at young singletons in Chicago. Critic Roger Ebert praised both of their performances, saying the film “gives them the best acting opportunities either one has ever had, and they make the most of them.” He also singled out Moore, writing that she “is especially impressive. There isn’t a romantic note she isn’t required to play in this movie, and she plays them all flawlessly.”

Nancy Grace First Job Candy Counter Sears

Nancy Grace First Job Candy Counter Sears, First Job: Nancy Grace
Interviewed by Tom Van Riper 05.23.06, 3:00 PM ET

What was your first job?

It was at Sears Roebuck, working the candy counter during Christmas break, when I was in high school in Macon [Ga.]. Later, they put me into home appliances, which didn’t work out so well. A little later, I was a hike master at Indian burial grounds in Georgia. That was a tough time.

How old were you?

I was 16 when I started at Sears.

How much did you make?

I don’t remember exactly; a few bucks an hour.

What did you learn?

I learned how to deal with all sorts of people. Kids at White Eagle spoke several different languages, and many had disabilities. I had to listen to what they had to say, which really helped me once I became a trial lawyer. Also, I learned the value of the discipline of getting up every morning and going to work. I had no choice; I had to work every day, just as my parents did. You see, some lawyers have the talent, have the charisma, but no discipline. They come into court unprepared, without having done their research.

Who was your best, or worst, boss and why?

My worst boss was a federal judge I worked for when I was first out of law school, because he had stopped caring about his cases. The best boss I had was Lewis Slayton, the district attorney of Fulton County [Ga.]. It was the early ’80s, and few women and minorities were allowed to be trial lawyers. Most were confined to handling child-support recovery, which meant chasing down deadbeat dads, plus writing appeals. Lewis gave me the chance to be a litigator. He gave me the wings to fly and the legs to run.

What was your big break?

It was getting the chance to become a prosecutor in one of the most violent districts in the country, inner-city Atlanta. Also, there was the time I was invited to sit on a panel of so-called experts for a televised discussion on a rape case. I sat right between Roy Black, who was just off the William Kennedy Smith rape trial, and Johnny Cochrane. I got into a huge fight with both of them in good nature. That led to Cochrane & Grace. I moved to New York with two boxes of clothes and $200 in my wallet.

What has been your biggest failure?

I often get too emotionally involved in my cases. I take it as a huge disappointment when I lose. Then again, that’s what keeps me going.

How many hours do you work in an average week now?

More than 60.

What is the worst thing about work?

Dealing with lawyers all the time. You get some real buttheads.

What is the best thing about work?

It’s the chance to be the voice of people who don’t have a voice in our system–children, minorities, women–who are the most common victims of crime.

Nancy Grace hosts CNN Headline News’ legal analysis program Nancy Grace .

Whoopi Goldberg Bricklayer

Whoopi Goldberg Bricklayer, In the time-honoured tradition of treading the boards a period of ‘resting’ is almost a prerequisite for any self-respecting, aspiring young actor. Whoopi Goldberg was no exception. ‘Needs must,’ she says pragmatically. ‘I was young, homeless and addicted to heroin. I’d dropped out of high school and into drugs. Simple as that.

I was a child of the Sixties so I ingested as many mind-altering substances as I could. It was a rite of passage. And when I got clean I was convinced I wanted to be an actor. I just needed a bit of time to convince the acting profession. So, in between, I needed a job.’

A regal Whoopi Goldberg presenting the 1999 Academy Awards show
But a bricklayer? It isn’t exactly cachet laden. Think big dungarees, grubby nails, lots of sloppy cement and men showing wedges of builder’s bottom and beer belly. ‘Well, I needed money and I needed to work,’ she shrugs. ‘So I figured I would rather lay bricks than lay men for money,’ Goldberg grins.

Actually, she became quite good at it. So good that she was invited to join the bricklayer’s union. Something of an honour, she tells me, for a novice brickie building walls around the San Diego Zoo.

Can she still do it? If I wanted a wall could Whoopi build it? ‘Well, I could,’ she says, staring intently down her nose – the only way she can see out of her purple-framed glasses that seem to perch perpetually on the bridge of her nose. ‘But you wouldn’t want it. I’m kinda rusty now. But I was good then. And I could have been great. See that?’ she says, poking a polished finger nail into the cement between the bricks on the back wall of the London Palladium. (Should you be wondering why we are lounging against a wall, next to the wheelie bins, down an alleyway at the back of the theatre, it’s because we were both desperate for a cigarette.) ‘Good, even work,’ she says. ‘I notice these things.’

Wall building, though, wasn’t the only skill Goldberg acquired while she was waiting for the acting fraternity to discover her genius. ‘I did a course in beauty therapy, still have my beautician’s licence too.’ But, in typical Goldberg fashion, her work wasn’t quite conventional.

‘I did people’s make-up. Dead people’s, actually,’ she says diffidently. ‘I was good at that too. I learned the trade and the first job that came up was with a mortician.’

Crunching her Marlboro light beneath the sole of her black and white Converse sneakers (the only shoes she will wear) Goldberg giggles and says: ‘Here’s the story of my first day making up the dead. I got a call saying I was wanted in the boss’s office. Which just happened to be where the bodies were kept in drawers. I went down and there was no one there. So I sat down and waited. A few minutes later I heard sort of creaking. I turned round and one of the drawers was slowly opening. Then someone sat up and waved at me. Someone who should have been dead.

‘Man, I was totally freaked out. Turns out it was the boss. He jumped out and said: “That’s the worst thing that could ever happen to you here, and it won’t. So there’s nothing to be scared of. Just think of the bodies as big dolls whose face and hair you are going to fix.” I was fine after that.’

Back inside the Palladium Goldberg is still shaking with laughter as she settles down in a deep, velvet chair and pours a bottle of mineral water. ‘It wasn’t such a bad job,’ she shrugs. ‘And things could only get better.’

They did, of course. So much so that during the Nineties, after her Oscar-winning role as a psychic in Ghost, Goldberg was Hollywood’s highest paid woman actor. Though she hasn’t been setting the silver screen alight of late, her foray into political commentary and her success as host of The View, Hollywood’s rather po-faced version of British television’s Loose Women, have plunged her back into the limelight.

Today Goldberg – winner of not just an Oscar, but also a Golden Globe and an Emmy – is in town for rehearsals of Sister Act, the £7 million stage version of the 1992 film in which she plays Deloris, the brassy nightclub singer who witnesses a mob murder and is forced to hide out in a convent – transforming the nuns’ choir while she’s there and learning about life, love and loyalty when she isn’t falling foul of Mother Superior (Maggie Smith) and Monsignor Howard (Ian Lavender, Pike from Dad’s Army.)

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