Saturday, October 31, 2015

Rosa Parks

"At the time I was arrested I had no idea it would turn into this. It was just a day like any other day. The only thing that made it significant was that the masses of the people joined in." — Rosa Parks

Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Dick Martin


Dick Martin - A graphite pencil sketch on bristol paper by Greg Joens.

Thomas Richard "Dick" Martin (January 30, 1922 – May 24, 2008) was an American comedian and director. He was known for his role as the cohost of the sketch comedy program Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In from 1968 to 1973.


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Bruce Lee


Prints for Purchase....

Bruce Lee (November 27, 1940 – July 20, 1973)
was a Hong Kong American martial artist, Hong Kong action film actor,
martial arts instructor, philosopher, filmmaker, and the founder of Jeet Kune Do.
Lee was the son of Cantonese opera star Lee Hoi-Chuen. He is widely considered by commentators,
critics, media and other martial artists to be one of the most influential martial artists of all time,
and a pop culture icon of the 20th century. He is often credited with helping to change the way Asians were presented in American films.

Lee was born in Chinatown, San Francisco on November 27, 1940 to parents from Hong Kong
and was raised in Kowloon with his family until his late teens. He was introduced to the film industry
by his father and appeared in several films as a child actor. Lee moved to the United States at the age of 18 to receive his higher education, at the University of Washington, at Seattle[8] and it was during this time that he began teaching martial arts. His Hong Kong and Hollywood-produced films elevated the traditional Hong Kong martial arts film to a new level of popularity and acclaim, sparking a surge of interest in Chinese martial arts in the West in the 1970s. The direction and tone of his films changed and influenced martial arts and martial arts films in the United States, Hong Kong and the rest of the world.

He is noted for his roles in five feature-length films: Lo Wei's The Big Boss (1971)
and Fist of Fury (1972); Golden Harvest's Way of the Dragon (1972), directed and written by Lee;
Golden Harvest and Warner Brothers' Enter the Dragon (1973) and The Game of Death (1978),
both directed by Robert Clouse. Lee became an iconic figure known throughout the world,
particularly among the Chinese, as he portrayed Chinese nationalism in his films.
He trained in the art of Wing Chun and later combined his other influences from various sources,
in the spirit of his personal martial arts philosophy, which he dubbed Jeet Kune Do
(The Way of the Intercepting Fist). Lee held dual nationality of Hong Kong and the United States.
He died in Kowloon Tong on July 20, 1973 at the age of 32.

Source: Wikipedia

Saturday, October 24, 2015

Three Eagles

Three Eagles, a Nez Percé Indian - graphite pencil sketch by Greg Joens.

 Original for Sale...
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Red Cloud

Red Cloud - A graphite pencil sketch on bristol paper by Greg Joens. 
(Lakota: Maȟpíya Lúta) (1822 – December 10, 1909) was a war leader and a chief of the Oglala Lakota. He led as a chief from 1868 to 1909. One of the most capable Native American opponents the United States Army faced, he led a successful campaign in 1866–1868 known as Red Cloud's War over control of the Powder River Country in northeastern Wyoming and southern Montana.

After signing the Treaty of Fort Laramie (1868), Red Cloud led his people in the important transition to reservation life. Some of his US opponents mistakenly thought of him as overall chief of the Sioux (Dakota, Lakota, and Nakota). The large tribe had several major divisions and was highly decentralized. Bands among the Oglala and other divisions operated independently, even though some individual leaders such as Red Cloud were renowned as warriors and highly respected as leaders.  Source: Wikipedia

Original available for purchase
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Thursday, October 22, 2015

Sitting Bull


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Sitting Bull - A graphite pencil sketch on bristol paper by Greg Joens.

( c. 1831 – December 15, 1890)
was a Hunkpapa Lakota holy man who led his people as a tribal chief during years of resistance to United States government policies.
He was killed by Indian agency police on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation during an attempt to arrest him, at a time when authorities
feared that he would join the Ghost Dance movement.


Before the Battle of the Little Bighorn, Sitting Bull had a vision in which he saw the defeat
of the 7th Cavalry under Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer on June 25, 1876. Sitting Bull's
leadership inspired his people to a major victory. Months after their victory at the battle,
Sitting Bull and his group left the United States for Wood Mountain, North-West Territories
(now Saskatchewan), where he remained until 1881, at which time he and most of his band returned to
US territory and surrendered to U.S. forces. A small remnant of his band under Chief Waŋblí Ǧí decided to stay at Wood Mountain.

After working as a performer with Buffalo Bill's Wild West show, Sitting Bull returned to the Standing Rock Agency
in South Dakota. Because of fears that he would use his influence to support the Ghost Dance movement,
Indian Service agent James McLaughlin at Fort Yates ordered his arrest. During an ensuing struggle between Sitting Bull's
followers and the agency police, Sitting Bull was shot in the side and head by Standing Rock policemen Lieutenant Bull Head
(Tatankapah Lakota: Tȟatȟáŋka Pȟá) and Red Tomahawk (Marcelus Chankpidutah Lakota: "Čhaŋȟpí Dúta")
after the police were fired upon by Sitting Bull's supporters. His body was taken to nearby Fort Yates for burial.
In 1953, his Lakota family exhumed what were believed to be his remains, reburying them near Mobridge, South Dakota, near his birthplace.

Source: Wikipedia

Thursday, October 8, 2015

Wally Cleaver

Wally Cleaver from the 50s TV sitcom "Leave it to Beaver" - Pencil sketch by Greg Joens.

Sunday, October 4, 2015

Red Buttons




Red Buttons

(born Aaron Chwatt; February 5, 1919 – July 13, 2006) was an American comedian and actor.

Early life: Red Buttons was born Aaron Chwatt on February 5, 1919, in New York City, to Jewish immigrants Sophie (née Baker) and Michael Chwatt.

At sixteen years old, Chwatt got a job as an entertaining bellhop at Ryan's Tavern in City Island, Bronx. The combination of his red hair and the large, shiny buttons on the bellhop uniforms inspired orchestra leader Charles "Dinty" Moore to call him "Red Buttons," the name under which he would later perform.

Later that same summer, Buttons worked on the Borscht Belt;[1] his straight man was Robert Alda. Red Buttons was working at the Irvington Hotel in South Fallsburg, New York, when the Master of Ceremonies became incapacitated, and he asked for the chance to replace him. In 1939, Buttons started working for Minsky's Burlesque; in 1941, José Ferrer chose Buttons to appear in a Broadway show The Admiral Had a Wife. The show was a farce set in Pearl Harbor, and it was due to open on December 8, 1941. It never did, as it was deemed inappropriate after the Japanese attack. In later years, Buttons would joke that the Japanese only attacked Pearl Harbor to keep him off Broadway.
Career

In September 1942, Buttons made his Broadway debut in Vickie with Ferrer and Uta Hagen. Later that year, he appeared in the Minsky's show Wine, Women and Song; this was the last classic Burlesque show in New York City history, as the Mayor La Guardia administration closed it down. Buttons was on stage when the show was raided.

Drafted into the United States Army Air Forces, Buttons in 1943 appeared in the Army Air Forces' Broadway show Winged Victory, along with several future stars, including Mario Lanza, John Forsythe, Karl Malden and Lee J. Cobb. A year later he appeared in Darryl F. Zanuck's movie version of Winged Victory, directed by George Cukor. Buttons also entertained troops in the European Theater in the same unit as Mickey Rooney.

After the war, Buttons continued to do Broadway shows. He also performed at Broadway movie houses with the Big Bands. In 1952, Buttons received his own variety series on television, The Red Buttons Show," which ran for three years, and achieved high levels of success. In 1953, he recorded and had a two-sided hit with Strange Things Are Happening/The Ho Ho Song, with both sides/songs essentially being the same.

His role in Sayonara was a dramatic departure from his previous work. In that film, co-starring with Marlon Brando, he played Joe Kelly, an American airman stationed in Kobe, Japan during the Korean War, who marries Katsumi, a Japanese woman (played by Miyoshi Umeki), but is barred from taking her back to the United States. His moving portrayal of Kelly's calm resolve not to abandon the relationship, and the touching reassurance of Katsumi, impressed audiences and critics alike; both he and Umeki won supporting actor and actress Academy Awards for the film.
Buttons as Henry Phyfe.

After his Oscar-winning role, Buttons performed in numerous feature films, including the Africa adventure Hatari! with John Wayne, the war epic The Longest Day, the biopic Harlow, the disaster film The Poseidon Adventure, the dance-marathon drama They Shoot Horses, Don't They?, the family comedy Pete's Dragon, the disaster film When Time Ran Out with Paul Newman and the age-reversal comedy 18 Again! with George Burns.

In 1966, Buttons again starred in his own TV series, a spy spoof called The Double Life of Henry Phyfe, which ran for one season. Buttons also made many memorable guest television appearances on programs including The Eleventh Hour, Little House on the Prairie, It's Garry Shandling's Show, ER and Roseanne. His last regular role was as a homeless man on CBS' Knots Landing.

He became a nationally recognizable comedian, and his "Never Got A Dinner" routine was a standard of The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast for many years. He was number 71 on Comedy Central's list of the 100 Greatest Stand-Ups of All Time.

Buttons received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for television, his star being located at 1651 Vine Street.
Pencil Sketch by Greg Joens  www.gregjoens.com

Thursday, October 1, 2015

Scott Caan

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Scott Andrew Caan (born August 23, 1976) is an American actor. He currently stars as Detective Danny "Danno" Williams in the CBS television series Hawaii Five-0, for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award. Caan is also known for his recurring role as manager Scott Lavin in the HBO television series Entourage. He was also a part of 1990s rap group The Whooliganz with The Alchemist. The duo went by the names Mad Skillz and Mudfoot, respectively.