Whitney Houston
Born: 1963-08-09 in Newark, New Jersey, USA
Died: 2012-02-11
Known For: Acting
Biography
Whitney Elizabeth Houston (born August 9, 1963 - February 11, 2012) was an American R&B/pop singer, actress, and former fashion model. Houston is the most awarded female artist of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 2 Emmy Awards, 6 Grammy Awards, 16 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among a total of 415 career awards as of 2010. Houston is also one of the world's best-selling music artists, having sold over 170 million albums and singles worldwide. Inspired by several prominent soul singers in her extended family, including mother Cissy Houston and cousins Dionne Warwick and Dee Dee Warwick, as well as her godmother, Aretha Franklin, Houston began singing with New Jersey church's junior gospel choir at age 11. After she began performing alongside her mother in night clubs in the New York City area, she was discovered by Arista Records label head Clive Davis. As of 2011, Houston has released six studio albums and three movie soundtrack albums, all of which have had diamond, multi-platinum, platinum, or gold certification. Houston's 1985 debut album, Whitney Houston, became the best-selling debut album by a female act at the time of its release. Her second studio album, Whitney (1987), became the first album by a female artist to debut at number one on the Billboard 200 albums chart. Houston's crossover appeal on the popular music charts as well as her prominence on MTV, starting with her video for "How Will I Know", enabled several African-American female artists to follow in her success. Houston's first acting role was as the star of the feature film The Bodyguard (1992). The movie's original soundtrack won the 1994 Grammy Award for Album of the Year. Its lead single, "I Will Always Love You", became the best-selling single by a female artist in music history. The album makes her the only female act ranked in the list of the top-10 best-selling albums, at number four. Houston continued to star in movies and contribute to soundtracks, including with the films Waiting to Exhale (1995) and The Preacher's Wife (1996). Three years after the release of her fourth studio album, My Love Is Your Love (1998), she renewed her recording contract with Arista Records. She released her fifth studio album, Just Whitney, in 2002, and the Christmas-themed One Wish: The Holiday Album in 2003. Amid widespread media coverage of personal and professional turmoil, Houston ended her 14-year marriage to singer Bobby Brown in 2006. In 2009, Houston released her seventh studio album, I Look To You. Description above from the Wikipedia article Whitney Houston, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Filmography
2025
- Sean Combs: The Reckoning as Self (archive footage)
2024
- Whitney Houston: The Concert for a New South Africa (Durban) as Self (archive footage)
- Whitney Houston Born to Sing as Self (archive footage)
2023
- Commitment to Life as Self (archive footage)
- I Go to the Rock: The Gospel Music of Whitney Houston as Self (archive footage)
2022
- Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody as Self (archive footage)
- Il était une fois Champs-Élysées as Self (archive footage)
- 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony as Self (archive footage)
- Biography: Bobby Brown as Self (archive footage)
- Behind the Shield: The Power and Politics of the NFL as Self (archive footage)
- George Michael: Freedom Uncut as Self (archive footage)
- Cinderella: The Reunion, A Special Edition of 20/20 as Self (archive footage)
- Whitney, a Look Back as Self (archive footage)
2021
- This Is Pop as Self (archive footage)
- Superstar as Self (archive footage)
- You're Watching Video Music Box as Self (archive footage)
- Dionne Warwick: Don't Make Me Over as Self (archive footage)
- Whitney Houston & Bobbi Kristina: Didn't We Almost Have It All as Self (archive footage)
- Whitney Houston: As I Am as Self
- Fame Kills: Whitney Houston as Self (archive footage)
- Whitney Houston at the BBC as Self(archive footage)
2020
- The BRITs at 40 as Self (archive footage)
2019
- 90s Divas: Whitney, Mariah, Céline as Self (archive footage)
2018
- Whitney as Self (archive footage)
- Whitney Houston: Close Up as Self
- Whitney: The Last Great Diva as Self (archive footage)
2017
- The True Story of... as Self (archive footage)
- Whitney: Can I Be Me as Self (archive footage)
2016
- Do I Look Like a Lady? (Comedians and Singers) as Self (archive footage)
- Freedom : La Story de George Michael as Self (archive footage)
- Night Flight: Born Again as Self
2015
- Four Falls of Buffalo as Self (archive footage)
2014
2012
- Sparkle as Emma
- Whitney Houston: We Will Always Love You as Self (archive footage)
- Always Whitney Houston as Self (archive footage)
- Whitney Houston - The Greatest Love Of All as Self
- The Houstons Remember Whitney as Self
- Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody as Self - Vocals
- Whitney Houston: The Woman Behind the Voice as Self
2011
2009
- Glee ... (In Memory Of)
- O Melhor do Flash Back - 92 Clipes Para Recordar as Self (archive footage)
2006
- Web Junk 20
- The Cheetah Girls 2 ... (Executive Producer)
- George Michael - Twenty Five as Self
2005
- Dancing with the Stars ... (Thanks)
- The Reichen Show as Self
- Being Bobby Brown as Self
- WHITNEY HOUSTON - Live (Norfolk - USA) as Self
2004
- The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement ... (Producer)
- Nora's Hair Salon as Whitney Houston
- Retro Video Collection 1975-1999 vol3 as self
2003
- The Cheetah Girls ... (Executive Producer)
- 101 Most Shocking Moments in Entertainment as Self (archive footage)
2002
- It's Black Entertainment as Self
- VH1: Divas Las Vegas as Self - Performer
2001
- The Princess Diaries ... (Producer)
- Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration as Self
- A New Princess as Self
2000
- Boston Public as Self
- Arista Records' 25th Anniversary Celebration as Self
- Whitney Houston - The Ultimate Collection as Self (archive footage)
- Whitney Houston: The Greatest Hits as Self / Self - Various
1999
- VH1 Divas Live 2: An Honors Concert for VH1's Save the Music as Self - Performer
- Heartbreak Hotel as Whitney Houston
1998
- The Prince of Egypt as The Balladeer (voice) (uncredited)
1997
- The Wonderful World of Disney ... (Executive Producer)
- Cinderella as Fairy Godmother
- Scratch the Surface as Self
- Classic Whitney: Live from Washington, D.C. as Self
1996
- E! True Hollywood Story
- The Preacher's Wife as Julia Biggs
1995
- Waiting to Exhale as Savannah
- The Music Biz as Self
- Whitney Houston Live à Brunei as self
1994
1992
- The Bodyguard as Rachel Marron
- Whitney Houston: This is My Life as Self - Host
1991
- Whitney Houston - Live at the Yokohama Arena, Japan as Self
- Welcome Home Heroes with Whitney Houston as Self
- Whitney Houston: Live in Concert as Self
- The Star Spangled Basher as Self (archive footage)
1990
1989
- MTV Rockumentary as Self
1988
1987
- Sacrée soirée as Self
- Kids' Choice Awards as Self - Host
- Superstars and their Moms as Self
1986
- Barbra Streisand: One Voice as Self (Interviewee)
- Women in Rock as Self
1984
- MTV Video Music Awards as Self
1982
- Wogan as Self
- Champs-Elysées as Self
1981
- Wetten, dass..? as Self
- Entertainment Tonight as Self
1977
- The BRIT Awards as Self
1975
- Saturday Night Live as Self - Musical Guest
1964
- Top of the Pops as Self
1962
1959
- The Grammys as Self
1953
- The Oscars as Self
1948
- Bambi as Self