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Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Harry Connick Jr.





Date of Birth
11 September 1967, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Birth Name
Joseph Harry Fowler Connick Jr.

Nickname
The Vice-Chairman of the Board

Height
6' 1" (1.85 m)

Mini Biography
Harry's parents were both lawyers (his father Harry became New Orleans District Attorney, his mother Anita, a judge, died of ovarian cancer when Harry Jr. was 13). They owned a record store and encouraged their son's interest in music - piano at age three, with a New Orleans jazz band aged ten. He won piano competitions while playing French Quarter clubs and attending the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts. At eighteen, he studied at New York's Hunter College and later on at the Manhatan School of Music. At nineteen, he released his first album for Columbia Records and began an extended run performing at the Algonquin's Oak Room, followed a year later by his second album. He wrote the score and sang several songs for Rob Reiner's When Harry Met Sally... (1989), the soundtrack for which went multi-platinum. So far, while bringing back swing and big band music, he has earned one gold, four platinum and three multi-platinum albums, plus two Grammies. His film acting debut was as B-17 tail-gunner Clay Busby in Memphis Belle (1990). He played mass-murderer Daryll Lee Cullum in the Sigourney Weaver and Holly Hunter film Copycat (1995) and Captain Jimmy Wilder ("Let's kick the tires and light the fires, big daddy!") in Independence Day (1996). Harry lives in Connecticut, is married to the former model Jill Goodacre, and has three daughters, Georgia Tatom, Sara Kate and Charlotte.

Spouse
Jill Goodacre (16 April 1994 - present) 3 children

Trade Mark
Jazzy style of singing
Rich, mellow voice

Trivia
Listed as one of twelve "Promising New Actors of 1990" in John Willis's Screen World, Vol. 42. [1990]
Son of Harry Connick Sr., recently retired New Orleans District Attorney
In the New York Big Band Concert video, Harry changes the lyrics of the song "It Had to Be You" from "I love you still" to "I love you Jill," which is his wife's name.
Three daughters: Georgia (b. 1996), Sara (b. September 1997) and Charlotte (b. June 26, 2002).
Father, Harry Connick Sr., was the District Attorney of Orleans Parish (New Orleans), a position he was elected to when Harry was a toddler and served for twenty-nine years until he retired in 2003.
Mother, Anita, a New Orleans City Court judge, died when Harry was 13 years old.
Has one sister.
Having grown up in New Orleans, Harry founded a Mardi Gras krewe in 1993. "orpheus" is the first New Orleans krewe to include male and female members of all races.
Harry was just voted "Best Dressed" in the September 14, 1998, People Magazine.
In 1973, his father, Harry Connick Sr., beat Jim Garrison for the position of Orleans Parish District Attorney. This was the same Jim Garrison who launched the investigation concerning the Kennedy assassination, and who is featured in Oliver Stone's 1993 film JFK (1991).
Because of his style of singing, so similar to Frank Sinatra, he was given the nickname "The Vice-Chairman of the Board." Sinatra had nothing but praise for Connick, and referred to him simply as The Kid.
Gave up smoking at the insistence of Mel Tormé.
Welcomed third daughter, Charlotte, on June 26, 2002.
Attended Jesuit High School, an all-boys school in New Orleans.
Was nominated for the 2006 Tony Award (New York City) for Actor in a Musical for "The Pajama Game".
Harry's childhood piano teacher was the mother of the famed Marsalis brothers.

Personal Quotes
I had an old man moment the other day. I went into Abercrombie & Fitch to get some jeans and the music was so loud I couldn't stay.
[on researching his role for 'Dolphin Tale'] I was just blown away by the humanity of these people. I did some research and found out about what these marine biologists go through, and it's deep, man. One veterinarian I talked to said to me, 'Yeah, if that dolphin were brought here to me, I would have euthanized it 'cause there's a million out there, and we need that money for endangered animals'. It's a pretty hard decision to make. When you have a limited amount of money, do you spend all of it on developing a prosthetic for an animal that is not endangered?

Where Are They Now
(February 2006) Starring in the revival of "The Pajama Game" on Broadway until June 2006.
(September 2008) 3rd Christmas Album "What a night!" set to come out November 2008
(September 2008) Lead in Lifetime movie "Living Proof" set to air October 2008
(January 2009) Starred with Renee Zellweger in romantic comedy "New In Town"
(September 2011) New York, USA: Scheduled to open in previews of Broadway musical 'On A Clear Day You Can See Forever' at St. James Theatre on Nov. 12.

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