  This is the introductory paper to the special issue of Topology and Its
Applications entirely dedicated to the theory of continuous selections of
multivalued mappings. Since the pioneering work of Ernest Michael from 1956 can
rightfully be considered as the year of birth of this theory, this issue of the
journal is in fact dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the theory of
continuous selections. At the same time the papers of this issue are all
dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the founder of this theory - Ernest
Michael.
