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Hélène de Saint-Père was born on 7 March 1960 in Brazzaville, Congo. She was an actress, known for Le conte d'hiver (1989), El invierno en Lisboa (1991) and Il est plus facile pour un chameau... (2003). She died on 4 May 2022 in Brussels, Belgium.

Born under the name Georges Remi on May 22, 1907 in Brussels, Belgium. As a child, Herge had a gift for drawing but never had any formal training in the visual arts. He attended both school and the boy scouts during the World War 1 and post-World War 1 Era. After he finished school Herge published his first ever cartoon: "The Adventures of Totor" for Le Boy-Scout Belge (a scouting magazine).

In 1928, he became in charge of the producing material for Le Petit Vingtieme (The Little Twentieth) a youth supplement newspaper. He began illustrating "The Adventures of Flup", "Nenesse", "Poussette", "Cochonnet", etc. January 10, 1929, Herge introduced a cartoon about a traveling Belgium reporter (Tintin) accompanied by his fox terrier (Snowy) traveling the Soviet Union. By 1930, Herge published the very first Tintin book: "Tintin in the Land of the Soviets". Tintin soon became Herge's "ligne claire" (French for clear line) legacy.

The later adventures of Tintin involved other locations of the world from China all the way to America. Within the next 50 years Tintin became one of the most popular European comics of the 20th century, due to its well-researched plots, appealing characters, humor, political thrillers, & real world settings. After completing 23 books, Herge passed away on March 3, 1983, leaving "Tintin and Alph-Art" (the 24th book) unfinished. Despite Herge not being able to give his Tintin series the proper end, all of his works along with Tintin will continue to inspire artists and enchant readers from the years to come.

Pierre Culliford (pen name:Peyo) was a Belgian comics writer and artist. He contributed to several series, but his main claim to fame is creating the sword-and-sorcery series "Johan and Peewit" (1947-2001) and its spin-off, the adventure comedy series "The Smurfs" (1963-). His works have received several animated adaptations.

In 1928, Peyo was born in Schaerbeek, a municipality within the Brussels-Capital Region. In the early 20th century, Schaerbeek was a booming suburb with a large middle-class population. Peyo's father was an Englishman, while his mother was Belgian. Peyo received his art training at the "Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts", an art school located in Brussels.

Early in his career, Peyo worked for the animation studio "Compagnie belge d'actualités" (CBA). The studio folded after World War II, and Peyo decided to seek work as a comics artist. He was hired by the sports-oriented newspaper "La Dernière Heure" (The Latest Hour, 1906-). His salary was meager, and he supplemented his income through providing artwork for advertisements.

In 1947, Peyo created the character Johan for the "La Dernière Heure". The character was a heroic page of the Middle Ages, skilled in swordsmanship and aspiring to become a knight. Peyo had the character involved in fantasy-style adventures. In 1949, Peyo was hired by the newspaper "Le Soir" ("The Evening", 1887-), transferring the Johan comic strip to it. He created for this newspaper the comic strip "Poussy" ("Pussy"), featuring a cute black cat as the protagonist. This comic strip developed in a typical gag-a-day format.

In 1952, Peyo was hired by the comics magazine "Spirou" (1938-). He was reportedly recommended for hiring by his old friend André Franquin (1924-1997), who already worked for the magazine. Peyo transferred Johan to this magazine, and started writing longer adventures for him.

In 1954, Peyo retooled the "Johan" series to "Johan and Peewit", by adding a comic-relief sidekick for Johan. Peewit was a dwarf, depicted as a reformed thief, a professional court jester, and an inept musician. Unlike Johan, Peewit was a reluctant hero. But his cunning, his capacity for outwitting opponents, and his fighting skills made him a useful companion for the hero.

In 1958, Peyo wrote an adventure story called "The Flute with Six Holes", where Johan and Peewit seek a magical flute which was stolen. They meet the flute's creators, a race of blue-skinned gnomes, called the Smurfs. Peyo designed them as wearing traditional Phrygian caps (conical cap used in antiquity by various peoples of Anatolia and the Balkans), a developed a peculiar language and habits for them.

By 1959, the Smurfs had become popular enough to inspire merchandising of their own. Peyo was asked to create a spin-off comic strip for them. The characters supplanted Johan and Peewit in popularity, though Peyo preferred writing the original series. In 1960, Peyo founded his own studio, allowing him to have trained assistants work on Smurf-inspired stories, and other comics projects (such as "Steven Strong" and "Jacky and Célestin"). Peyo's most notable assistant during the early 1960s was François Walthéry (1946-), who would later create a number of successful series of his own.

In 1963, the first comics album devoted to the Smurfs was published. It was the story "The Purple Smurfs", featuring an infectious disease which turns the affected Smurfs into "violent, irrational and uncontrolled" beings with an urge to bite others. The album was successful, and ensured the production of further albums. By the time of Peyo's death in 1992, 16 comics albums had been completed.

Peyo remained active in the 1970s, but his work output diminished. He did, however, provide a script for the animated film "The Smurfs and the Magic Flute" (1976). He also was tasked with overseeing production aspects of the film. In the 1980s, Peyo authorized an adaptation of his work by the American studio Hanna-Barbera. He served as a story supervisor for the animated series "The Smurfs" (1981-1989). A notable hit of its era, the series lasted for 9 seasons and introduced the Smurfs to a wider international audience.

Until 1989, all Smurf stories were published by Dupuis due to a long-standing contract with Peyo. In 1989, Peyo decided to terminate their business relationship and to establish his own publishing house, Cartoon Creation. It turned out to be a failed business venture. Peyo had been facing recurring health problems throughout the decade, and was unable to properly handle the affairs of the new company. Within a few years, the company folded "due to management problems".

In 1992, the publishing rights to the Smurfs were sold to Le Lombard, a publisher known for holding the rights to "Tintin" since 1946. Peyo tried working with his new publisher, but his career was ending. On Christmas Eve 1992, Peyo died of a heart attack in Brussels at the age of 64.

A number of Peyo's series have been continued by other writers and artists. New Smurfs-related comics albums were published into the 2020s, often with input by Peyo's son, Thierry Culliford. The popularity of the Smurfs has endured, decades after the demise of their creator.

After initial music training in his hometown, he began further studies at the Milan Conservatory under A. Bazzini and A. Ponchielli. In 1884 Puccini celebrated the performance of his first opera "Le Villi" in Milan. The success of the romantic piece earned him a contract with the publisher Giulio Ricordi. In 1989, his second, also romantic opera, "Edgar," was a failure. In contrast, "Manon Lescaut" was enthusiastically received by the Turin audience in 1893. The opera revealed Puccini's artistic touch for the first time. After this first masterpiece, the composer created "La Bohème", which premiered in 1896, a highly acclaimed piece that was internationally received as a prototype of Italian opera at the end of the 19th century. "Madame Butterfly" also became a success, first in Turin in 1904 and then worldwide. "La fanciulla del West" was performed in New York in 1910. Thanks to their outstanding originality, Puccini's operas founded a musical theater that conquered its place in international opera culture alongside those of Giuseppe Verdi and Richard Wagner and has retained it to this day. The master's final work remained unfinished.

Giacomo Puccini died on November 29, 1924 in Brussels. Shortly before that, the composer had been appointed to the Italian Senate. The opera "Turandot" was completed posthumously by the composer Franco Alfano and was first performed in Milan in 1926.

Richard Olivier was born on 9 August 1945 in Brussels, Belgium. He was a director and writer, known for Remember Marvin Gaye (2001), Strip School (1980) and Black Paris (1981). He was married to Shelly Marie Henrich. He died on 3 March 2021 in Brussels, Belgium.

Maurice De Bevere (pen name: Morris) was a Belgian comics writer and artist. He was best known for creating the long-running Western comedy series "Lucky Luke" (1946-), and serving as its main artist from 1946 to his death in 2001. Lucky Luke is one of the best-selling comics series in Europe, and has been translated into 23 languages.

In 1923, Morris was born in the city of Kortrijk, located in West Flanders. It is an on old city, starting out as the Gallo-Roman settlement of Cortoriacum. It has served as a center for the flax and wool industry since the Middle Ages. Morris was educated at a Jesuit school in Aalst, East Flanders. He was bored there, and liked to draw doodles while in class.

After gaining a college degree, Morris was hired by the animation studio "Compagnie Belge d'Actualités" (CBA). Several other stars of Belgian comics started out as staff for this studio. The studio shut down following World War II. Morris then found work as an illustrator for the newspaper "Het Laatste Nieuws" (1888-), and the magazine "Moustique" (1924-). He specialized in drawing caricatures of then-famous movie stars.

In 1946, Morris created the "Lucky Luke" series for the comics magazine "Spirou" (1938-). It is a long-running Franco-Belgian comics magazine, that publishes stories in anthology format. The eponymous character of Morris' new series was a solitary cowboy and gunslinger who traveled across the 19th-century Wild West, persistently helping those in need. The series typically combines adventure themes with humorous situations, and a satirical view of Western tropes.

Early in his work for "Spirou", Morris became closely associated with the magazine's leading artists of this period. They were Jijé (Joseph Gillain, 1914-1980), André Franquin (1924-1997), and Will (Willy Maltaite, 1927-2000). Together, they became known as "La bande des quatre" ("Gang of Four").

In 1948, Morris temporarily moved to the United States, along with Jijé and Franquin. He was interested in finding out what remained of the Wild West, and he also wanted to meet and interact with American comics artist. Morris remained in the United States until 1954. He befriended the American artists Jack Davis (1924 - 2016), and Harvey Kurtzman (1924-1993). He helped his new pals launch the humor magazine "Mad" (1952-2018) for the publisher EC Comics.

During his stay in the United States, Morris became acquainted with the French expatriate comics writer René Goscinny (1926-1977). Following their return to Europe, they decided to collaborate in the "Lucky Luke" series. Goscinny served as the series' main writer from 1955 to his death in 1977. He developed a supporting cast for the main character, which helped the series in gaining popularity.

Until 1968, nearly all Lucky Luke adventures and comic albums were printed by the publishing house Dupuis, the parent company of "Spirou". The company had a series of financial difficulties in the late 1960s, and Morris decided to switch publishers. In 1967, the "Lucky Luke" series started being printed in the comics magazine "Pilote" (1959-1989), the flagship publication of the publisher Dargaud.

In 1984, Morris allowed the adaptation of the "Lucky Luke" series into an English-language animated series by the studio Hanna-Barbera. Though it was not the first adaptation of the series in animation, it helped introduce the series to an American audience. It was released in syndication in the United States.

Until the 1980s, Morris focused all his efforts in the "Lucky Luke" series. In 1987, he launched the spin-off comic book series "Rantanplan" (1987-2011), focusing on a dimwitted, accident-prone, and gluttonous guard dog that had served as a supporting character for Lucky Luke since 1960. The character is a spoof of Rin Tin Tin. The spin-off series had the guard dog traveling the world, getting involved in misadventures, and always misunderstanding the world surrounding him.

In 2001, Morris suffered an accidental fall while trying to repair the roof of his residence. He was hospitalized, but suffered a pulmonary embolism while he was bedridden. He died in July 2001, at the age of 77. The "Lucky Luke" series has since continued under other writers and artists. Several of Morris' key characters have remained popular over the decades, and have starred in an ever-increasing number of adaptations.

Åsleik Engmark was born on 27 December 1965 in Oslo, Norway. He was an actor and director, known for Twigson (2009), Brødrene Dal og mysteriet med Karl XIIs gamasjer (2005) and Twigson Ties the Knot (2010). He was married to Helle Engmark. He died on 12 February 2017 in Brussels, Belgium.

Tsilla Chelton was born on 21 June 1919 in Jerusalem, Palestine [now Israel]. She was an actress, known for Auntie Danielle (1990), Pandora's Box (2008) and The Musketeer (2001). She was married to Jacques Noël. She died on 15 July 2012 in Brussels, Belgium.

Henri Storck was born on 5 September 1907 in Oostende, West Flanders, Belgium. He was a director and cinematographer, known for Rubens (1948), Le banquet des fraudeurs (1952) and Boerensymfonie (1944). He died on 17 September 1999 in Brussels, Belgium.

Toots Thielemans was born on 29 April 1922 in Brussels, Belgium. He was a composer and actor, known for The Getaway (1972), French Kiss (1995) and Midnight Cowboy (1969). He was married to Huguette Tuytschaever and Netty de Greef. He died on 22 August 2016 in Brussels, Belgium.

Édouard Mathé was born in 1886 in Australia. He was an actor, known for Les Vampires (1915), The Vampires: The Terrible Wedding (1916) and The Vampires: Satanas (1916). He died in 1934 in Brussels, Belgium.

Arno Hintjens was born in Ostend, Belgium on the 21 May 1949. When discussing the acting career of Arno, one can be brief. His acting has been limited to three movies. He played his first part in Skin (1987), a Belgian movie directed by Guido Henderickx for which he also composed the music. Ten years later he also appeared in Camping Cosmos (1996), directed by Jan Bucquoy, the terror of the Belgian movie scene and in _Alors voilà (1997)_, directed by Michel Piccoli. It is no surprise that his filmography as an actor is so limited, since Arno is basically a rock musician. So he deserves more credits as a composer.

He wrote his first soundtrack for the Belgian movie Le concert d'un homme seul in 1978. Later, he composed soundtracks for some French movies such as Merci La Vie (1991) and Personne ne m'aime (1994).

In 1996 Arno also sang the Flemish versions of the main tracks of the Disney animation movie Toy Story (1995). But he is most famous as a singer. He joined his first group 'Freckle Face' in 1970 and later formed a duo with Paul Decoutere as 'Tjens-Couter'.

In 1980 he formed the famous band 'TC Matic', which was very influential in Europe. Classic TC Matic songs include 'Oh la la la', 'Putain putain' and 'Elle adore le noir'. The band split in 1986 after releasing four albums. In 1988 he released his first solo album. During the following years he launched several records, including 'Ratata' (1990) and 'Idiots savants' (1993). He became very famous in France after the release of 'Arno à la française' (1995) and 'A poil commercial' (1999). 'Charles Ernest', his latest record released in 2002, contains a duet with French singer Jane Birkin and a cover of the Rolling Stones song 'Mother's little helper'. In 2002 he received the very prestigious French decoration of the Legion d'Honneur for his whole career. Recently he has been given a honorary citizenship of his native city Ostend.

Hélène Lapiower was born on 11 September 1957. She was an actress and director, known for A Little Family Conversation (2000), Elle et lui (1987) and En souvenir de nous (2007). She died on 12 September 2002 in Brussels, Belgium.

Sjarel Branckaerts was born on 11 September 1947 in Turnhout, Belgium. He was an actor, known for Alfa Papa Tango (1990), Buiten de Zone (1994) and Witse (2004). He died on 10 June 2007 in Brussels, Belgium.

Nand Buyl was born on 12 February 1923 in Antwerpen, Belgium. He was an actor and director, known for Stille waters (2001), Het hemelbed (1960) and Het zwaard van Ardoewaan (1972). He was married to Chris Lomme and Jeanne De Backer. He died on 24 March 2009 in Brussels, Belgium.

John Ringling North was the nephew of John Ringling, one of the five Ringling brothers. John Ringling was born Johann Nicholas Rungling in 1866 in MacGregor, Iowa - the family Americanized the name to Ringling - and with his four brothers, founded what was to become the world's most successful circus in 1884.

John Ringling traveled throughout Europe searching for new acts and forging global show business connections. In 1907, the Ringling brothers bought Barnum & Bailey Circus in London, after it had completed a European tour. Possessed of shrewd business skills, he was deeply involved in both the management of the circus and in its finances.

Upon the death of his brother Charles in 1926, John took full control of the circus. As an individual, John Ringling invested widely in the booming early 20th Century American economy, and was listed as one of the richest men in the world in 1925. Unfortunately, the stock market crash of October 1929 almost wiped him out, though he retained a substantial art collection. He used it as a basis for a museum in Sarasota, Florida, where the circus wintered each year since 1909.

John Ringling died in 1936 in New York City, bequeathed his museum, its art collection and his Sarasota mansion to the state of Florida. Control of the circus eventually passed to his nephew, John Ringling North, who possessed the same sharp business sense as his uncle.

John Ringling North, who was born in Wisconsin in 1903, worked in the financial industry before joining tingling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey Circus after the Great Depression. The circus had gone into debt, and when North assumed control of the family business in 1947, he shrewdly used its business skills to get the company out of debt. In his 20 year tenure as circus boss, John North oversaw the evolution of Ringling Brothers from a train-transported to a truck-borne operation. The circus expanded its operations into the western United States, and with the demise of many of its rival circuses, truly lived up to its billed title as "The Greatest Show on Earth."

Georges Pradez was an actor, known for The Smurfs and the Magic Flute (1975), À tort ou à raison (2009) and Boule et Bill (1975). He died on 1 September 2014 in Brussels, Belgium.

Suzy Falk was born on 23 November 1922 in Dusseldorf, Germany. She was an actress, known for The Triplets of Belleville (2003), Les brigades du Tigre (1974) and If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium (1969). She died on 6 July 2015 in Brussels, Belgium.

André Vandernoot was born on 2 June 1927 in Brussels, Belgium. André is known for The Music Teacher (1988) and Le sacre du printemps (1970). André was married to Duska Sifnios. André died on 6 November 1991 in Brussels, Belgium.

Ivan Govar's name is completely forgotten today. Not that it has ever been famous... And yet this Belgian filmmaker is definitely out of the ordinary. Didn't he proclaim himself (and quite rightly so) the youngest director in Europe? As a matter of fact, he was only nineteen made his first short Nous n'irons plus au bois (1955) and twenty at the time of his first feature film Le toubib, médecin du gang (1956). Wasn't he the only Belgian director to make seven films during the 1955-1965 decade? Didn't he manage to hire such big names as Albert Préjean, Blanchette Brunoy, Madeleine Robinson, Maurice Clavel, Alain Cuny, Alain Cavalier, Pierre Brasseur, Michel Simon or Bernard Dimey ? And wasn't he the youngest retired director in Europe since he quit the director's chair at the early age of thirty? Maybe because none of this films (mostly crime movies or thrillers) ever scored a real success... Agreed, Ivan Govar's films are far from cinematic masterpieces but they have their moments. That is the reason why unindentified filmed objects such as Cross of the Living (1962), Agent of Doom (1963) and Deux heures à tuer (1966) would benefit from being shown again and reappraised.

Mehmet Ali Akpinar was born on 10 April 1929 in Tunceli, Turkey. He was an actor, known for A Lame Joke (1965), Alpago: Alpaslanin fedaisi (1967) and Cilali Ibo: Avrupada (1970). He died on 26 February 2015 in Brussels, Belgium.

René Magritte was born on 21 November 1898 in Lessines, Belgium. He is known for Between Earth and the End of Time (1995), Quality Content (2017) and Illusion of Seeing (1990). He was married to Georgette Magritte. He died on 15 August 1967 in Brussels, Belgium.

Pierre Quérut was a producer and actor, known for Red Hot Zorro (1972), Marchands de femmes (1969) and Cecilia (1983). He died in 2021 in Brussels, Belgium.

Maurane was born on 12 November 1960 in Ixelles, Belgium. She was an actress, known for Me and My Victim (2024), He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not (2002) and Palais royal! (2005). She died on 7 May 2018 in Schaerbeek, Brussels, Belgium.

Patrice Vivancos was a director and writer, known for Xenia (1989), Zoi harisameni (1993) and Ta genethlia tis Tilemahis (1985). He died on 17 January 2025 in Brussels, Belgium.