Chris Gardner is a stockbroker and philanthropist whose rise to prominence provided the basis for both his memoir, The Pursuit of Happyness, and a successful Hollywood film of the same name. From a poor background, Gardner endured a year on the streets of San Francisco as a homeless single father and came out the other side a multimillionaire financial manager.
However, he insists the meaning of his life is no mere fulfillment of the American dream of financial success. In an interview included on the DVD release of The Pursuit of Happyness, he said, "My story has been portrayed in certain media outlets as a rags-to-riches story. That ain't important. The important thing is the commitment to my children, to be there."
