George Clooney embodies one of Hollywood's most formidable renaissance men. As a remarkably intelligent and capable actor, and a director of surprising skill and intuition, Clooney has almost completely exempted himself from criticism. In light of these qualities, the thespian's formidable charm and devastating physical appeal seem, astonishingly, to be almost incidental.

As the son of broadcast journalist Nick Clooney and the nephew of chanteuse Rosemary Clooney, George Clooney entered the world with show business coursing through his veins. Born May 6, 1961 in Lexington, Kentucky, the future E.R. headliner appeared at the tender age of five on his father's Cincinnati talk program, The Nick Clooney Show. This spot represented an anomaly, however, and George remained off-camera until his post-adolescent years. In lieu of acting, Clooney acquired and honed a sharp interest in sports - particularly baseball - and sought a career as a major leaguer with the Cincinnati Reds. When ousted from the tryout roster, Clooney launched himself as an onscreen presence, seemingly without effort. He first auditioned for (and landed) a string of television commercials, then signed with Warner Brothers Entertainment as a supporting player. It took time for Clooney's recognition to build, and a series of permanent roles on short-lived sitcoms and brief roles on hit series dramas ensued. The failed efforts included a characterization as Ace, a neophyte physician on the prime-time series E/R…  » Read more