Nikola Tesla

Listed In: Inventors & Discoverers

Birth Year: 1856

Birthplace: Smiljan, Croatia

Died: 1943

Inventor, engineer and futurist, Nikola Tesla, is best remembered for his contribution to the development of the modern alternating current (AC) electricity supply system. A prolific inventor, he had around 300 patents for his inventions. Even though he earned a considerable amount of money, he had poor money management skills and died a poor man.

Sofia Vergara

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1972

Birthplace: Barranquilla, Colombia

Sofia Vergara is a Colombian-American actress, model, and TV producer. She is one of the highest-paid actresses in American TV. She rose to fame in the late 1990s as a TV host. She began gaining popularity as an actress in the 2000s and appeared in many TV shows and films. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including an NAACP Image Award.

Antonio Brown

Listed In: Sportspersons

Birth Year: 1988

Birthplace: Miami, Florida, United States

Antonio Brown is an American football player and one of the most popular wide receivers in the history of the National Football League (NFL). Controversy's favorite child, Brown is a testimony to the fact that one's personal behavior can have a major impact on their professional life; his off-the-field controversies have marred his otherwise illustrious playing career.

Isabela Moner

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 2001

Birthplace: Cleveland, Ohio, United States

Isabela Moner is an American actress who played the titular character in the movie Dora and the Lost City of Gold. Having started her career as a child actress, Moner’s determination alone has helped her grow into a prominent actress; she has shared stage and screen space with personalities like Ricky Martin, Mark Wahlberg, Rose Byrne, and Jason Momoa.

Jessica Simpson

Listed In: Business People

Birth Year: 1980

Birthplace: Abilene, Texas, United States

Jessica Simpson is an American singer, fashion designer, and actress. Her journey from being a teen idol to a sex symbol has been quite inspirational so far. Also a well-known philanthropist, Jessica Simpson has worked with several nonprofit organizations, such as Make-A-Wish Foundation. She has also performed at many benefit concerts.

Arthur Ashe

Listed In: Sportspersons

Birth Year: 1943

Birthplace: Richmond, Virginia, United States

Died: 1993

Tennis player Arthur Ashe is best remembered for his three Grand Slam singles wins. He became the first Black player to be named to the U.S. Davis Cup team. He contracted AIDS from a blood transfusion during a bypass surgery and devoted his final years to AIDS awareness campaigns.

Chiwetel Ejiofor

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1974

Birthplace: Forest Gate, London, England

Actor Chiwetel Ejiofor received scars on his forehead when he was just 11 as a result of an accident in which he lost his father. Although the scars might bring back terrible memories, they might have played a crucial role in Steven Spielberg selecting him for a role in Amistad, a film based on the events aboard a slave ship.

Fred Gwynne

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1926

Birthplace: New York City, New York, United States

Died: 1993

Best known for his towering height, Fred Gwynne was the perfect choice for the role of Herman Munster in The Munsters. The actor and singer was a Harvard alumnus. He excelled in swimming and had also served the U.S. Navy. He later also wrote and illustrated popular children’s books.

John Calvin

Listed In: Intellectuals & Academics

Birth Year: 1509

Birthplace: Noyon, France

Died: 1564

French theologian, pastor, and reformer John Calvin was a major figure during the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century. He was influential in the development of the system of Christian theology later called Calvinism. Originally trained as a humanist lawyer, he broke from the Roman Catholic Church to embrace Protestantism. As an apologetic writer, he generated much controversy.

Mahathir Mohamad

Listed In: Leaders

Birth Year: 1925

Birthplace: Alor Setar, Malaysia

Mahathir Mohamad is a Malaysian statesman, doctor, and author. He twice served as the prime minister of Malaysia and is widely regarded as one of the most popular Malaysian prime ministers of all time. Under his premiership, Malaysia underwent a period of rapid economic growth and modernization. Mahathir Mohamad is also credited with establishing strong foreign relations with many countries.

Gong Yoo

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1979

Birthplace: Busan, South Korea

South Korean actor Gong Yoo is best known for his role in the television drama Coffee Prince. Interested in pursuing an acting career from a young age, he earned a B.A. degree in theater. He began his career as a video jockey and soon debuted as an actor. The talented actor is the winner of many awards.

Fiona Shaw

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1958

Birthplace: Cobh, County Cork, Ireland

Height: 5'8" (173 cm)

Ronnie James Dio

Listed In: Lyricists & Songwriters

Birth Year: 1942

Birthplace: Portsmouth, New Hampshire, United States

Died: 2010

Height: 5'4" (163 cm)

Perrie Edwards

Listed In: Singers

Birth Year: 1993

Birthplace: South Shields, England, United Kingdom

English singer Perrie Edwards is famous for being part of the girl group Little Mix, which is one of the highest-selling girl groups ever, having sold more than 50 million records. Such is Edwards' popularity that she has been signed as the new face for brands like Superga and Nando's. She is also the first female ambassador for Supreme Nutrition.

Golshifteh Farahani

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1983

Birthplace: Tehran, Iran

Golshifteh Farahani is an Iranian actress renowned for her achievements on the international stage. She is one of the few Iranian actresses to have worked in Hollywood films and many of her films have received international recognition. Farahani has also been advocating for the eradication of tuberculosis in her home country and often gets involved in environmental causes as well.

Phyllis Smith

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1951

Birthplace: St. Louis, Missouri, United States

Phyllis Smith is an American actress best known for portraying Phyllis Vance in the popular mockumentary TV series, The Office, for which she received a couple of Screen Actors Guild Awards. Also known for her skills as a voice actress, Smith was honored with the prestigious Annie Award for voicing Sadness in the 2015 computer-animated comedy film, Inside Out.

Urban Meyer

Listed In: Sportspersons

Birth Year: 1964

Birthplace: Toledo, Ohio, United States

Urban Meyer is an American football coach who is currently serving as the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars which competes in the NFL. He has also coached college football teams like the Ohio State Buckeyes, helping the team win its maiden Big Ten Conference title. He has also worked as an analyst for popular TV networks like Fox Sports.

Marcel Proust

Listed In: Writers

Birth Year: 1871

Birthplace: Neuilly-Auteuil-Passy, France

Died: 1922

Marcel Proust was a French novelist, essayist, and critic best known for writing the world-renowned novel In Search of Lost Time, which was published between 1913 and 1927 in seven parts. Many writers and critics regard him as one of the 20th century's most influential and important authors.

Adrian Grenier

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1976

Birthplace: Santa Fe, New Mexico, United States

Adrian Grenier is an American actor, musician, producer, director, and environmentalist. Although he is best known for playing Vincent Chase in the comedy-drama TV series Entourage, Grenier has also played important roles in films like Drive Me Crazy and The Devil Wears Prada. Also known for his philanthropic efforts, Grenier advocates for the protection of marine species.

Katie Pavlich

Listed In: Media Personalities

Birth Year: 1988

Birthplace: Phoenix, Arizona, United States

Katie Pavlich is an American author, podcaster, blogger, and conservative commentator. A Fox News contributor, Pavlich has been an alternate co-host for shows like The Five and has appeared on local and national radio shows on channels, such as CNN, CNBC, and Fox News. In 2014, she was named Woman of the Year by the Clare Boothe Luce Policy Institute.

Morgan Ortagus

Listed In: Miscellaneous

Birth Year: 1982

Birthplace: Auburndale, Florida, United States

Robert Pine

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1941

Birthplace: New York, New York, United States

Robert Pine is an American actor best known for playing Sgt. Joseph Getraer in the popular crime drama television series, CHiPs. Apart from acting, Robert Pine also enjoyed riding horses, which he learnt upon his arrival to Hollywood in 1964 as he was often cast in Western movies at that time.

Solomon Northup

Listed In: Activists

Birth Year: 1807

Birthplace: Minerva, New York

Died: 1863

Abolitionist Solomon Northup had authored the memoir Twelve Years a Slave, which was later adapted into the Academy Award-winning film 12 Years a Slave. Northup was abducted and sold as a slave to a planter in Louisiana. He was eventually freed with the help of the governor New York.

Eunice Kennedy Shriver

Listed In: Miscellaneous

Birth Year: 1921

Birthplace: Brookline, Massachusetts, United States

Died: 2009

Eunice Shriver, sister of American president John F. Kennedy and wife of diplomat Sargent Shriver, was an avid philanthropist. Motivated by her mentally challenged sister Rosemary’s condition, she began working for the disabled and eventually founded the Special Olympics. She received the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her philanthropic work.

Ron Glass

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1945

Birthplace: Evansville, Indiana, USA

Died: 2016

Height: 5'11" (180 cm)

Elijah Blue Allman

Listed In: Musicians

Birth Year: 1976

Birthplace: Beverly Hills, California, United States

Elijah Blue Allman is an American musician. The son of Gregg Allman and Cher, Allman followed in the footsteps of his parents to establish himself in the American music industry. Elijah Blue Allman is credited with founding the popular industrial rock/industrial metal band Deadsy for which he serves as the lead vocalist and guitarist.

Sue Lyon

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1946

Birthplace: Davenport, Iowa, United States

Died: 2019

Sue Lyon began her career as a model at 13. She then soared to fame with her controversial and Golden Globe-winning titular role in Stanley Kubrick's 1962 version of Lolita. She had also been part of cult films such as The Night of the Iguana and Alligator.

Wyatt Russell

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1986

Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States

Wyatt Russell was a professional ice-hockey player before he stepped into acting. He is best known for his roles in the films 22 Jump Street, Shimmer Lake, and Overlord and the series Lodge 49. He has been cast as John Walker/U.S. Agent in an upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe movie.

Peter Serafinowicz

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1972

Birthplace: Liverpool, England

Height: 6'4" (193 cm)

Arlo Guthrie

Listed In: Singers

Birth Year: 1947

Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York City, United States

Folk singer Arlo Guthrie is known for his songs that have prominent social themes and talk about his anti-war sentiments or about social injustice. Two of his most popular tracks are Alice's Restaurant Massacree, Massachusetts, and City of New Orleans. He has also starred in films such as Alice's Restaurant.

Françoise Bettencourt Meyers

Listed In: Business People

Birth Year: 1953

Birthplace: Neuilly-sur-Seine

L'Oréal heiress Françoise Bettencourt Meyers, the world’s richest woman as of 2020, made headlines when she sued her mother, trying to prove she was mentally incompetent. In spite of being born into luxury, she often ditched parties, and took to writing books on Greek mythology and religious commentaries.

Camille Pissarro

Listed In: Artists & Painters

Birth Year: 1830

Birthplace: Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands

Died: 1903

Camille Pissarro was a Danish-French painter best remembered for his contributions to Impressionism, Neo-Impressionism, and Post-Impressionism. He is credited with establishing a group of 15 aspiring artists, for which he served as a pivotal figure. He was regarded as a father figure to several important painters, including Vincent Willem van Gogh.

Jake LaMotta

Listed In: Sportspersons

Birth Year: 1922

Birthplace: Manhattan, New York, United States

Died: 2017

Height: 5'8" (173 cm)

Mary McLeod Bethune

Listed In: Miscellaneous

Birth Year: 1875

Birthplace: Mayesville, South Carolina, United States

Died: 1955

Mary McLeod Bethune was an American civil rights activist, educator, womanist, humanitarian, and philanthropist. She is credited with founding the National Council of Negro Women. Bethune also played a key role in the creation of the Black Cabinet while serving as an adviser to Franklin Roosevelt. In 1973, Bethune was made an indutee of the National Women's Hall of Fame.

Nick Adams

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1931

Birthplace: Nanticoke, Pennsylvania, United States

Died: 1968

Thomas Ian Nicholas

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1980

Birthplace: Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Height: 5'7" (170 cm)

Trent Richardson

Listed In: Sportspersons

Birth Year: 1990

Birthplace: Pensacola, Florida, United States

Height: 5'9" (175 cm)

Mavis Staples

Listed In: Singers

Birth Year: 1939

Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States

Mario Gómez

Listed In: Sportspersons

Birth Year: 1985

Birthplace: Riedlingen, Germany

Mario Gómez is a German former footballer who played for the Germany national football team between 2007 and 2018, during which he represented Germany in two FIFA World Cups and three UEFA European Championships. He was also an important member of the popular club Bayern Munich as he helped the team secure several trophies, such as the UEFA Champions League.

Carl Orff

Listed In: Musicians

Birth Year: 1895

Birthplace: Munich, Germany

Died: 1982

German composer Carl Orff is remembered for his work in operas and his innovative music education system, which relied on group exercises and playing percussion instruments. A man who had started training in music at 5, Orff later co-founded the Günther School to impart lessons in dance, music, and gymnastics.

Sandy West

Listed In: Musicians

Birth Year: 1959

Birthplace: Long Beach, California, United States

Died: 2006

Seth Godin

Listed In: Business People

Birth Year: 1960

Birthplace: New York

Sunil Gavaskar

Listed In: Sportspersons

Birth Year: 1949

Birthplace: Mumbai, India

Sunil Gavaskar is an Indian former professional cricket player who represented the national team during the 1970s and 1980s. Considered one of the greatest batsmen in Test cricket history, Sunil Gavaskar was the first batsman to score over 10,000 runs in Test cricket. He also set many world records and held the record for most Test centuries for nearly 20 years.

Lili Damita

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1904

Birthplace: Blaye, France

Died: 1994

Height: 5'3" (160 cm)

David Brinkley

Listed In: Media Personalities

Birth Year: 1920

Birthplace: Wilmington, North Carolina, United States

Died: 2003

Jason Orange

Listed In: Singers

Birth Year: 1970

Birthplace: Manchester, England

Jason Orange is an English singer, actor and dancer. He achieved popularity after joining the popular boy band Take That in 1989. He stayed with the group until 1996 and rejoined later to release the group's fourth studio album Beautiful World. Jason Orange left the band for good in 2014. 

Sixto Rodriguez

Listed In: Musicians

Birth Year: 1942

Birthplace: Detroit, Michigan, United States

Alice Munro

Listed In: Writers

Birth Year: 1931

Birthplace: Wingham, Canada

Died: 2024

Her mother’s struggle with Parkinson's disease pushed Alice Munro into reading as an escape route. Munro later became a housewife, but soon soared to fame for her short story collections such as Too Much Happiness. The Canadian author later won the Nobel Prize and the Man Booker Prize, too.

Lee Morgan

Listed In: Musicians

Birth Year: 1938

Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Died: 1972

Gary LeVox

Listed In: Musicians

Birth Year: 1970

Birthplace: Columbus, Ohio, United States

Height: 6'0" (183 cm)