Neil Diamond

Seriously considered "Eyce Charry" and "Noah Kaminsky" for his professional name.

Screen-tested for the lead in the movie Lenny , based on the life of famed comedian Lenny Bruce , but turned it down.

When he and Barbra Streisand had a smash hit in 1978 with "You Dont Bring Me Flowers", it was not the first time that the Brooklyn-born superstars had sung together. While students at New York Citys Erasmus High School, they both sang in the school choir.

Was a pre-med student, interested in Biology, at New York University, but left with less than a year left, due to his dislike of organic chemistry. He was at New York University on a fencing scholarship.

His soundtrack to the film Jonathan Livingston Seagull grossed more than the movie itself.

Penned hits for other pop groups before making it on his own, including The Monkees "Im a Believer".

For his role in The Jazz Singer , Diamond became the first ever "Winner" of a Worst Actor Razzie Award.

Father-in-law of actress Sheryl Lee.

Was a top fencer during his time at New York University.

In 1981, his screen "acting" debut in The Jazz Singer beat out Kirk Douglas ( Saturn 3 ), Anthony Hopkins ( A Change of Seasons ), Richard Dreyfuss ( The Competition ), Michael Caine ( The Island ), Robert Blake ( Coast to Coast ) and four others to "win" the first-ever Worst Actor Razzie Award for 1980.

Was forced to pay $150,000,000 to former wife Marcia Murphey in their divorce settlement. This holds the record as the most expensive divorce in history.

Suggested for the lead role in Taxi Driver , which went to Robert De Niro.

His 1982 Burt Bacharach /Carole Bayer Sager -penned hit "Heartlight" was inspired by the movie E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial .

Originally denied Quentin Tarantino permission to use his hit song "Girl, Youll Be a Woman, Soon" for the famous scene in Pulp Fiction in which Uma Thurman lip syncs the words to the song. Diamond eventually relented after his agent assured him that Tarantino was an up and coming director.

Inducted into the American Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1984.

Father of musician-turned-photographer Jesse Diamond.

Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 14, 2011. The other inductees were Darlene Love , Alice Cooper , Leon Russell , Tom Waits and Dr. John.

Ran away from his home in Brooklyn at age 13 and went to the Midwest where he formed a musical group called The Roadrunners. They performed in coffeehouses for two years, after which Neil went home.

Recipient of the 2011 Kennedy Center Honors, along with Barbara Cook , Yo-Yo Ma , Sonny Rollins and Meryl Streep.

Winner of the inaugural Billboard Icon Award, from Billboard magazine .

In an interview in 2009, he revealed that his inspiration for his 1969 song "Sweet Caroline" was Caroline Kennedy , the daughter of the late President John F. Kennedy.

He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 1750 North Vine Street in Hollywood, California on August 10, 2012.

Inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame in 2007.

I want to know what marathon runners do. Because I do the same thing. I,run a two-hour marathon every time onstage. So I have my electrolytes,kept at a certain level, and I do my carb-loading after the shows for,the next night.

Love is the elixir of eternal youth.