George Timothy Clooney was born on May 6, 1961 in Lexington, Kentucky, to parents Nick (TV talk show host) and Nina. His father was emceeing the “1959 Miss Kentucky Beauty Pageant” and his mother was the first runner-up. That’s how the couple met. Older sister Ada rounded out the Clooney family. Read this interesting article and learn some more little known facts about actor George Clooney you’re sure to find entertaining!
His Education
Since Clooney was born into a “show biz” family, you’d think he would have planned right from the start to become an actor. His father had “The Nick Clooney Show”; his aunt was singer Rosemary Clooney (1928 – 2002), and his uncle was actor Jose Ferrer (1912 – 1992). But that wasn’t George’s plan. A little known fact about actor George Clooney is that he tried out for the Cincinnati Reds team in 1977. He didn’t make it. So, he finished attending Augusta High School where Clooney focused more on sports than on the curriculum.
George Clooney considered following his father’s tracks into journalism. Short stints at the Northern Kentucky University and the University of Cincinnati followed his high school graduation in 1979.
His Career
Then, Clooney finally decided to become an actor. It was a long, dry spell before he got his first recurring role. That was playing handyman “George Burnett” on NBC’s “The Facts of Life” sitcom from 1985 to 1987.
From 1988 to 1989 Clooney played the role of “Booker Brooks”, Roseanne Barr’s boss on her sit com, “Roseanne.”
When NBC’s hospital drama “ER” hit the airwaves in 1994, Clooney had won the part of “Dr. Doug Ross.” Ironically, he was just one of the little known names. The cast included Anthony Edwards, Sherry Stringfield and Noah Wyle, among others. The five-foot-eleven-inch dark-haired “heartthrob” made the show’s female viewers swoon until 1999. That’s when Clooney left the show to pursue movie acting.
Movies
Since that time, George Clooney has acted in movies like “One Fine Day” (1996), “Batman & Robin” (1997), “Ocean’s Eleven” (2001) and “Syriana” (2005). “Ocean’s Eleven” earned Clooney a $20,000,000 salary. He won an Oscar and a Golden Globe Award for his starring role in the latter.
He has even produced and directed several movies.
A little known fact about actor George Clooney is that he had an accident during the making of “Syriana.” He had surgery on his back, but he still was wearing a back brace two years later.
Romance
A little known fact about actor George Clooney is that he has vowed never to marry again. Or even father children! He dated actress Kelly Preston (who is now Mrs. John Travolta) in the late 1980’s; actress Krista Allen in the early years of the New Millenium; and British model Lisa Snowdon after that. After romancing Preston, but before snagging Allen, Clooney married actress Talia Balsam- daughter of Martin Balsam and Joyce Van Patten- in 1989. The couple divorced in 1993.
A little known fact about actor George Clooney is that actresses Nicole Kidman and Michelle Pfeiffer once bet him that he’d father a child before his fortieth birthday. Both ladies lost.
Being that Clooney is still single is surprising. He was voted “#1 Dream Date” on Match.com in 2006. People Magazine’s chose him to be on their annual list of the “100 Most Beautiful People in the World” in May of 2007. He was also listed as “Most Eligible Bachelor” by Forbes.com in August of the same year.
Other Interests
George Clooney is an ex-smoker, but he still loves his beer. He loves the animated “South Park” television show, and he’s also an outspoken environmentalist. A little known fact about actor George Clooney is that he bought a “Tango” in 2005. This electric sports car cost about $85,000 at that time. He purchased it as a way to help promote vehicles that don’t pollute the air.
