Harry Knowles facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Harry Knowles
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Knowles at July 2010 San Diego Comic-Con
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| Born |
Harry Jay Knowles
December 11, 1971 Austin, Texas, U.S.
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| Occupation | Film critic, writer |
| Years active | 1994-2017 |
| Spouse(s) |
Patricia Cho Jones
(m. 2007) |
Harry Jay Knowles (born December 11, 1971) is an American former film critic and writer. He is best known for creating his website, Ain't It Cool News (AICN). Knowles was a member of the Austin Film Critics Association.
Contents
Early Life and Beginnings
Harry Jay Knowles was born in Austin, Texas, on December 11, 1971. His parents were Jarrell Jay Knowles and Helen Jane (Harrison) Knowles. They married in 1970 and lived in Austin.
In 1983, his parents separated, and they divorced in 1984. Harry and his younger sister, Dannie, then lived with their mother. They moved to her family's ranch, the Portwood Ranch, in Seymour.
As a child, Harry was involved in the Boy Scouts of America. He achieved the highest rank, becoming an Eagle Scout.
A turning point happened on January 24, 1996. Knowles tripped at a show and partly hurt his legs. He later shared that this event helped him realize his goal. He decided he wanted to become an internet movie journalist.
A Career in Film Criticism
Harry Knowles' first job in media was reporting weekend box office numbers. He sent these reports to the Drudge Report.
In 1996, he started his own website, "Ain't It Cool News." The name came from a line in the movie Broken Arrow. This website quickly became very popular.
Media Appearances
Because his website was so well-known, Knowles was often asked to appear in the mainstream media. He was featured in magazines, newspapers, and on television news.
In 2000, Forbes magazine listed him among the top 100 celebrities. Knowles also made guest appearances on TV shows. These included Siskel & Ebert & the Movies and Politically Incorrect.
Knowles was also part of a documentary film. It was called For the Love of Movies: The Story of American Film Criticism. In this film, he spoke about the importance of film criticism on the internet. He also supported the films of directors like Michael Bay and Adam Green.
Special Film Events
Butt-Numb-a-Thon
From 1999 to 2016, Harry Knowles hosted a special event. It was called Butt-Numb-A-Thon. This event usually happened around his birthday, December 11.
Many people called it "Geek Christmas." It was a 24-hour movie marathon. The event showed new movies before their official release. It also featured old classic films and rare, unusual movies.
Movie fans and professionals came from all over the world to attend. The event took place in Austin at the South Lamar Alamo Drafthouse. People described BNAT as a very exclusive and hard-to-get-into film celebration.
Fantastic Fest
Knowles also helped start an annual film festival. It is called Fantastic Fest. This festival takes place every year in Austin.
It was founded in 2005 by Knowles and three others. These were Tim League of Alamo Drafthouse, Paul Alvarado-Dykstra, and Tim McCanlies. McCanlies wrote movies like The Iron Giant.
The festival focuses on specific types of movies. These include horror, science fiction, fantasy, action, Asian, and cult cinema. The festival is held in September at the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar.
Personal Life
Harry Knowles married Patricia Cho Jones on July 15, 2007. Their wedding took place at Green Pastures in Austin.
In April 2008, Knowles shared that he was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. In January 2011, he had emergency surgery on his spine. After the surgery, he said he could feel his legs again for the first time in over 15 years. He then began physical therapy to learn how to walk again.
Film Credits
Harry Knowles has been involved in several films:
- The Ballad of the Sad Café (1991)
- Colin Fitz Lives! (1997)
- The Faculty (1998)
- Monkeybone (2001)
- Ghosts of Mars (2001)
- The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)
- No Pain, No Gain (2005)
- Pathogen (2006)
- Zombie Girl: The Movie (2008)
- My Sucky Teen Romance (2011)
- Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan's Hope (2011)
Portrayals
In the 2009 movie Fanboys, actor Ethan Suplee played the role of Harry Knowles.
Images for kids
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Knowles at July 2010 San Diego Comic-Con
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Harry Knowles (center) with Tim League (left) and Cole Dabney at the 2010 Fantastic Fest
