Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Losey, Joseph lōˈzē [key], 1909–84, American film director, b. La Crosse, Wis. Among his Hollywood works, many of which dealt with social issues, are The Boy With Green Hair (1948) and M (1951). ...

(Encyclopedia) Laughton, Charles, 1899–1962, Anglo-American actor, b. Scarborough, England. A large, versatile character actor, Laughton was successful both in films and on the stage. In The Private Life of Henry ...

(Encyclopedia) Meissonier, Juste Aurèle māsônyāˈ [key], 1695–1750, French designer, b. Turin. At first a goldsmith, in 1724 he was appointed designer to the king under Louis XV, a position he held until his ...

(Encyclopedia) Pinski, David pĭnˈskē [key], 1872–1959, Yiddish dramatist and novelist, b. Russia. He wrote stories and plays in Yiddish about the ghetto and assisted in editing a Yiddish periodical in Moscow. A...

(Encyclopedia) Inglis, Charles ĭngˈglĭs, ĭngˈgəlz [key], 1734–1816, Anglican clergyman in America, b. Ireland. He emigrated to America in 1755. While assistant rector (1765–77) of Trinity Church, New York ...

(Encyclopedia) Jewett, Sarah Orne, 1849–1909, American novelist and short-story writer, b. South Berwick, Maine. Her studies of small-town New England life are perceptive, sympathetic, and gently humorous. After c...

(Encyclopedia) Washington, Walter Edward, 1915–2003, American political figure, first African-American mayor of Washington, D.C. (1975–79) and of a major American city, b. Dawson, Ga., grad. Howard Univ. (A.B., ...

(Encyclopedia) Williams, Ephraim, 1715–55, American soldier, founder of Williams College, b. Newton, Mass. After several years as a sailor, he lived in Massachusetts and took part in defending the frontier against...

(Encyclopedia) Alfonso I, 1109?–1185, first king of Portugal, son of Henry of Burgundy. After his father's death (1112), his mother, Countess Teresa, ruled the county of Portugal with the help of her Spanish lover...

(Encyclopedia) Alexander III, 1241–86, king of Scotland (1249–86), son and successor of Alexander II. He married a daughter of Henry III of England and quarreled with Henry, and later Henry's son Edward I, over ...