2008 -- H 7190

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LC00829

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2008

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H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N

WELCOMING RICHARD GERE

TO THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND AND PROVIDENCE PLANTATIONS

     Introduced By: Representatives Murphy, Lima, E Coderre, Giannini, and Gallison

     Date Introduced: January 22, 2008

     Referred To: House read and passed

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     WHEREAS, Richard Gere is a man of extraordinary talents and abundant

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accomplishments. As an enormously gifted actor, a selfless humanitarian and environmentalist,

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and a true gentleman, Mr. Gere has given the world stage moments of joy and laughter, tears and

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enlightenment, and has compassionately endeavored to promote global peace, justice and

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understanding; and

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      WHEREAS, Born in the City of “Brotherly Love”, as the second of five children, Mr.

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Gere was athletic, artistic and musically inclined from an early age; and

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      WHEREAS, Mr. Gere’s first professional stage work was in “Rosencrantz and

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Guilderstern Are Dead” with the Provincetown Playhouse on Cape Cod in 1971. Two years later,

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he captured a role in the original London stage version of “Grease” and in 1977, co-starred in the

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thriller “Looking for Mr. Goodbar”; and

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     WHEREAS, In the 1980’s, Mr. Gere became a household name with his unforgettable

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roles in “American Gigolo” and “An Officer and a Gentleman” for which he earned a Best Drama

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Actor nomination from the Golden Globes; and

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      WHEREAS, In 1990, Mr. Gere made us all believe in living happily ever after with his

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endearing performance in the box office hit “Pretty Woman”, for which he was again nominated

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for a Best Actor Award by the Golden Globes; and

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      WHEREAS, Throughout the 1990’s, Mr. Gere starred in hit after hit, playing the leading

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man in “Sommersby”, “Primal Fear” and the “Runaway Bride”. In 2000, he was awarded the

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Golden Globe Best Musical/Comedy Actor for his portrayal of Billy Flynn in the acclaimed

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movie “Chicago”; and

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     WHEREAS, Proudly, Rhode Island was chosen as the site for Mr. Gere’s latest film,

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“Hachiko: A Dog Story”. This heart-warming family story is starring and being produced by Mr.

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Gere, and will be shot entirely in our beautiful Ocean State; and

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      WHEREAS, Richard Gere has achieved artistic successes that very few people would

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have even dared to imagine, and perhaps of equal impress, is the fact that throughout his dazzling

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career, he has remained grounded in his life and his religion, and has never lost sight of the needs

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of his fellow man and the global community; now, therefore be it

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      RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and

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Providence Plantations hereby warmly welcomes Mr. Richard Gere to the State of Rhode Island

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and Providence Plantations and extends our heartfelt wishes for his good health, much happiness

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and continued success; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to

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transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Mr. Richard Gere.

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LC00829

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