The 11W Heart of It All Classic: The Arts Region Voting

By D.J. Byrnes on March 17, 2014 at 2:00 pm
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We now move on to The Arts region, lorded over by Bob Hope, Steven Spielberg, Paul Newman, Dean Martin, Clark Gable, Dave Chappelle and other stars.

If you need a refresher, you can read up on the full rules and seedings for the 11W Heart of It All Classic. Here's your printable bracket (PDF).

Winners will be announced on Friday night with the second round of voting opening up Saturday morning.

#1 Bob Hope vs. #16 R.L. Stine

Bob Hope: Hope was born in southeastern London in 1903, but would earn his birthright into this tournament by immigrating to Cleveland in 1908. He is also one of the few non-Ohio State band members to dot the "i," the highest award that can be bestowed upon a non-band member by the Best Damn Band in the Land.

From humble beginnings as a butcher's apprentice and a lineman, Hope would go on to build a media empire and become one of the most recognizable figures of his generation.

Hope's accolades include actor, singer, dancer, comedian, emcee, vaudevillian, and dancer while appearing on television, the radio and movies.  On top of hosting the Academy Awards 14 times, he also did numerous United Service Organization shows and authored 14 books. 

R.L. Stine: Born, raised and educated in Columbus (Ohio State, 1965), Stine's Ohio roots are unquestioned. While Stein has authored quite a few book series, his crowning literary achievement was the deliciously-90s Goosebumps.

He was named USA Today's Best Selling Author three consecutive years during the 1990s and was estimated to have sold over 400 million books by 2008. The Guinness Book of World Records named Stine as the Best Selling Children's Author of All-Time in 2003.

#2 Steven Spielberg vs. #15 Annie Oakley

Steven Spielberg: Spielberg, born in Cincinnati in December 1946, has risen from southwestern Ohio to cobble together a media empire rivaled only by that of Bob Hope's.

The movie tycoon has directed such works as E.T., Jaws, Jurassic Park, Saving Private Ryan and Schindler's List. He won the Academy Award for Best Director for Saving Private Ryan and Schindler's ListJaws, E.T., and Jurassic Park all set then-box office records. His net-worth has been pegged at a staggering $3.3 billion.

Annie Oakley: You did not want to mess with Annie Oakley.

Oakley was born in North Star in 1860 and died in Greenville in 1926. In between, she became a premiere American sharpshooter and entertainer after hitching her wagon to the star of Wild Bill's Wild West Show in 1885. Her most famous trick was to "repeatedly split a playing card, edge-on, and put several more holes in it before it could touch the ground, while using a .22 caliber rifle, at 90 feet."

She was also a proponent of the service of women in combat situations for the U.S. military, going so far as to petition William McKinley in 1889 in case the U.S. went to war with Spain.

#3 Paul Newman vs. #14 Bootsy Collins

Pal Newman: A product of Shaker Heights, nobody's jacket in this region is as versatile as Paul Newman's. When Newman shuffled off our mortal coil in 2008, his credits included World War II veteran, movie director, actor, philanthropist, race car driver/team owner and entrepreneur.

His biggest moment was in Martin Scorsese's The Color of Money (for which he won an Academy Award for Best Actor), but Newman said the first thing he ever found grace in was auto racing. Due to his Ohio blood, it was no surprise he excelled in that arena as well.

This space would be remiss, however, if it failed to single out Newman's humanitarian efforts. Newman's food company Newman's Own has raised over $380 million in profits and royalties for charity. Newman's SeriousFun Children's Network has served over 290,000 seriously ill children since 1988.

Bootsy Collins: Funk singer-songwriter Bootsy Collins began his life in Cincinnati in 1951. Bootsy got his break when his band, The Pacemakers, was hired as a backing band for James Brown.

In his storied musical career, Bootsy has laid down tracks with everyone from James Brown to Snoop Dogg Lion. He is known for songs such as "I'd Rather Be With You," "Munchies for Love," and "The Name is 'Bootsy,' Baby."

His greatest honor, however, came in 1997 when Boosty was enshrined in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the awesomely-named Parliament-Funkadelic.

#4 Dean Martin vs. #13 Wes Craven

Dean Martin: The King of Cool was born in Steubenville in 1917. After alleged mafia connections jump-started his career, the Italian-American icon would become known as a singer, actor, film producer and comedian. 

A member of the infamous Rat Pack, he hosted The Dean Martin Show and the Dean Martin Celebrity Roast. He's also well known crooner for his classic songs such as "Everybody Loves Somebody," Memories Are Made of This," and "You're Nobody Until Somebody Loves You." 

Wes Craven: Cleveland's most famous horror film writer/director/producer (not named the Cleveland Browns), Wes Craven, was born the Forest City in 1939. He has written, directed and acted (sometimes a combination of all three) in such films as The Nightmare on Elm Street, the Scream series and The Hills Have Eyes.

In 2008, Craven became the second celebrity to take over the Youtube homepage on Halloween.

#5 Clark Gable vs. #12 James Thurber

Clark Gable: Clark Gable was born in Cadiz in 1901. He began his career as a stage actor before venturing into silent films and securing supporting acting jobs at the emerging MGM Studios. When he finally earned his breakthrough, Gable would go onto star in over 60 movies such as Mutiny on the Bounty and It All Happened One Night.

His most-remembered moment, however, came as Rhett Butler in 1939's Gone with the Wind. He would receive an Academy Award nomination, but he also delivered one of the classic, most-recognizable lines in American motion picture history.

James Thurber: Cartoonist/Author James Thurber was born in Columbus in 1894. When he died in New York in 1961, Thurber was well respected for his cartoons, short stories and wit. He also created the 1939 Broadway hit, The Male Animal. He has influenced everybody from Keith Olbermann to comedian Larry Miller.

In 2008, The Library of America selected Thurber’s story, "A Sort of Genius," for inclusion in its two-century retrospective of American True Crime.

#6 Dave Chappelle vs. #11 Drew Carey

Dave Chappelle: Chappelle is a comedian and actor who got his big break by writing, producing and starring in the 1998 stoner cult hit Half-Baked. He didn't break into mainstream until 2003 by starring in his own Chappelle's Show.

Considered by many to be one of the sharpest wits of his generation, Chappelle rode his mainstream success to point of mental degradation and shocked the comedic world when he walked away from his show and hefty contract in 2004 before returning to Yellow Springs. Since then, Chappelle has returned to standup comedy, doing impromptu shows all across the country.

Drew Carey: Drew Carey is a former Marine, actor, comedian and game-show host from Cleveland, Ohio. 

After serving in the Marines, Carey cut his teeth in comedy before earning his own sitcom, The Drew Carey Show and hosting Whose Line is It Anyway? 

He is now the host of The Price is Right, a role he's had since 2007, but is also a minority owner of the MLS' Seattle Sounders and a member of the WWE Hall of Fame.

#7 Roy Rogers vs. #10 "Macho Man" Randy Savage

Roy Rogers: Born in Cincinnati in 1911, Rogers became one of the most recognizable faces and brands of the 20th century as an American cowboy, actor and singer.

He appeared in over 100 movies, was the namesake of the Roy Rogers Restaurants chain, and also hosted The Roy Rogers Show. His famous songs include "Don't Fence Me In" and "Hold That Critter Down."

Randy "Macho Man" Savage: The Macho Man, born in Columbus, is a sports entertainment legend who appeared in both the WWE and WCW and is known for his iconic off-the-top-rope flying elbow and catch-phrase of "Ohhh yeah! Can you dig it?"

He is a six-time world champion and held over 20 titles throughout his prestigious career. He also won the 1987 WWF King of the Ring, 1995's WCW World War 3 and was a member of the New World Order and a founding member of its branch-off, the Wolf Pac.

#8 Halle Berry vs. #9 Woody Harrelson

Halle Berry: Cleveland's Halle Berry was named "Most Attractive Entrant" by a preseeding poll by tens of heterosexual males. She is one of the most famous actresses in the world and a former fashion model.

She won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in 2001's Monster's Ball. She's appeared in X-MenSwordfish and as a Bond Girl in Die Another Day. She also won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress for her role in Introducing Dorothy Dandridge.

Woody Harrelson: Harrelson is an actor who was born in Texas but raised in Lebanon. A graduate of Lebanon High School, Harrelson started as a woodworker at Kings Island before heading to Indiana for college.

After a life epiphany, he graduated in theater and arts from Hanover College. He got his big break as Cheers bartender Woody Boyd. He's appeared in such films as White Men Can't Jump, Natural Born Killaz and Kingpin. He also co-starred in HBO's 2014 mini-series True Detective.

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