Biography: Humanitarian and actor, Richard Gere was born on August 31, 1949 in Philadelphia. The second of five children, his father was Homer, an insurance salesman, and his mother was Doris. Richard started early as a musician, playing a number of instruments in high school and writing music for high school productions. He graduated from North Syracuse Central High School in 1967. Richard won a gymnastics ... show all Humanitarian and actor, Richard Gere was born on August 31, 1949 in Philadelphia. The second of five children, his father was Homer, an insurance salesman, and his mother was Doris. Richard started early as a musician, playing a number of instruments in high school and writing music for high school productions. He graduated from North Syracuse Central High School in 1967. Richard won a gymnastics scholarship to the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, where he majored in philosophy. He left college after 2 years to pursue acting, landing a lead role in the London production of the rock musical "Grease" in 1973. The following year he would be in other plays such as "Taming of the Shrew." Onscreen, he had a few roles, and gained recognition in "Looking for Mr. Goodbar (1977)". Offscreen, he spent 1978 meeting Tibetans when he traveled to Nepal, where he spoke to many monks and lamas. Returning to the USA, on Broadway Richard portrayed a concentration-camp prisoner in "Bent," for which he received the 1980 Theatre World Award. Back in Hollywood, he played the title role in "American Gigolo (1980)" establishing him as a major star; this status was reaffirmed by "Officer and a Gentleman, An (1982)". In the early 1980s, Richard went to Honduras, Nicaragua, and El Salvador (while the war was going on); he traveled with a doctor and visited refugee camps. It is said that Richard was romantically linked with lovely Brazilian painter, Sylvia Martins. In 1990, Richard teamed up with Julia Roberts to star in the blockbuster movie "Pretty Woman (1990)"; Richard's cool reserve was the perfect complement to Julia's bubbling enthusiasm. This movie captured the nation's heart, and won the People's Choice award for Best Movie. Fans clamored for years for a sequel to Pretty Woman, or at least another pairing of Julia and Richard. We fans got our wish with "Runaway Bride (1999)" which was a runaway success. (Richard got 12 million, Julia made 17 million, the box office was 152 million; so give the public what we want!) Offscreen, Richard and Cindy Crawford got married December 12, 1991 (they got divorced in 1995). Afterwards, Richard started dating actress Carey Lowell; they had a son Homer James Jigme Gere on February 6, 2000. Richard was picked by People magazine as one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the world in 1991, and as their Sexiest Man Alive in 1999. Richard is an accomplished pianist and music writer. Above all, Richard is a humanitarian. He's a founding member of "Tibet House," a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of Tibetan culture. Richard has been an active supporter of "Survival International" for several years; that's a worldwide organization supporting tribal peoples, affirming their right to decide their own future, and helping them protect their lives, lands and human rights. (These tribes are global, including the Indians of the Amazon, the Maasai of East Africa, the Wichi of Argentina, and others.) In 1994, Richard went to London to open Harrods' sale, donating his £50,000 appearance fee to Survival. And Richard has been prominent in their charity advertising campaigns. Humanitarian Richard says, "If people lose their land, they have nothing. You lose your land -- you lose your culture, you lose self." As for the duty of rich nations helping developing countries, Richard says, "This planet can't exist anymore unless all peoples are taken into account." (If one person suffers, ultimately all people suffer.) Richard says, "The suffering does not limit itself to one body; it goes through the entire body". hide |
