People a to z

Joseph P. Kennedy is best known as the father of three political leaders: President John F. Kennedy, U.S. Representative Ted Kennedy and Robert Kennedy, who served as a U.S. senator and attorney general.

A part of the famed American political dynasty, Joseph P. Kennedy became the latest member of his family to win public office in 2012. He won a seat to the U.S. House of Representatives, taking over for the retiring Barney Frank.

Mary (Richardson) Kennedy, an architect focusing on philanthropy and the environment, was the estranged wife of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is the son of former New York senator and U.S. attorney general Robert F. Kennedy, and nephew of former U.S. president John F. Kennedy.

Robert Kennedy was Attorney General during his brother JFK's administration. He later served as a U.S. Senator and was assassinated during his run for the presidency.

The matriarch of the Kennedy clan, Rose Kennedy saw three of her sons, Robert, John, and Edward, elected to public office and two of them killed by assassins.

Known as the “Lion of the Senate,” Democrat Ted Kennedy was a staunch liberal who was elected to Congress 9 times, spearheading many legislative reforms.

A successful lawyer, Victoria Kennedy became a well-known figure in Washington, D.C., when she married Senator Ted Kennedy in 1992.

Stan Kenton was an American pianist, composer and bandleader associated with the swing movement in jazz.

American composer Jerome Kern penned the scores to several wildly successful Broadway musicals including Show Boat, which was later performed by the New York Philharmonic.

Jack Kerouac was an American writer best known for the novel On the Road, which became an American classic, pioneering the Beat Generation in the 1950s.

Deborah Kerr was a Scottish actress known for the poise and serenity she exhibited in portraying complex, prim characters.

Senator John Kerry has supported free trade, expansive foreign and military policy and education spending. In 2004, he was a democratic presidential nominee.

Imre Kertész is a Hungarian writer who survived the Holocaust and went on to win the 2002 Nobel Prize in Literature.

Novelist Ken Kesey wrote One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest, which in the U.S. became one of the most widely read books of the 1960s.

Ke$ha is and American singer-songwriter whose big break came from an uncredited and unpaid cameo on rapper Flo Rida's 2009 No. 1 hit "Right Round."

Jennifer Kessy is a beach volleyball player, who, along with teammate April Ross, won a silver medal at the 2012 Olympic Games.

Jack Kevorkian was a U.S.-based physician who assisted in patient suicides, sparking increased talk on hospice care and "right to die" legislative action.

Francis Scott Key was an attorney and poet who wrote the lyrics to "The Star-Spangled Banner," the U.S. national anthem.

Alicia Keys is a multiple Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter whose debut album, Songs in A Minor, went platinum five times over.

Terrorist. Born March 1, 1964 or April 14, 1965 in the Baluchistan region of Pakistan. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was raised in Kuwait and joined the Muslim Brotherhood at age 16. He pursued his education in the United States, earning a degree in mechanical

Imran Khan is a champion cricketer and a Pakistani politician.

Mongolian general and statesman Kublai Khan was the grandson of Genghis Khan. He conquered China, founding and becoming the first emperor of the country's Yuan Dynasty.

Ayatollah Khomeini became the supreme religious leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran in 1979, following many years of resistance to Shah Pahlavi.

Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev publicized Stalin's crimes, initiated the Cuban Missile Crisis and established a more open form of Communism in the USSR.

Professional basketball player Jason Kidd is one of the top point guards in the sport. He helped the Dallas Mavericks win the NBA Championship in 2011.

William Kidd is one of the most famous pirates in history, remembered for his execution for piracy on the Indian Ocean.

Academy Award–winning actress Nicole Kidman starred in Dead Calm, Moulin Rouge and The Hours, and was married to Tom Cruise for ten years.

Anthony Kiedis is the lead singer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Their 1991 alternative rock album BloodSugarSexMagik sold more than 4 million copies.

Anselm Kiefer is an internationally acclaimed German painter and sculptor whose work looks at his country’s political past.

Søren Kierkegaard was a 19th century Danish philosopher who wrote about Christian belief systems and helped birth existentialism.

Jack Kilby was an American physicist and electrical engineer who co-created the integrated circuit.

The Zodiac Killer is believed to be responsible for at least five killings between 1968 and 1969 in and around the San Francisco area.

Jean-Claude Killy is a French former champion alpine skier who won three gold medals at the 1968 Winter Olympics.

Val Kilmer is an actor known for such films as Batman Forever, The Doors and Top Gun.

Kim Jong Il's dominating personality and complete concentration of power has come to define the country North Korea.

New Zealand–born singer Kimbra is known for her fusion of musical styles and for her vocals on Gotye's hit "Somebody That I Used to Know."

Criminal Kenny Kimes and his mother, con artist Sante Kimes, jointly murdered lawyer Elmer Golmgren, banker Sayed Bilal Ahmed and businessman David Kazdin.

Sante Kimes is a convicted murderer who killed socialite Irene Silverman in a scheme to seize property.

Television personality and comedian Jimmy Kimmel hosted Comedy Central's game show, Win Ben Stein's Money, and the late night talk show late Jimmy Kimmel Live.

A gifted mathematician, Ada Lovelace is considered to have written instructions for the first computer program in the mid-1800s.

"King of the Blues" B.B. King began as a disc jockey in Memphis before finding fame as an R&B guitarist, with hits like "The Thrill Is Gone."

Billie Jean King is best known for her long and successful tennis career.

American singer and songwriter Carole King has written or co-written over 400 songs that have been recorded by more than 1,000 artists.

Coretta Scott King was an American civil rights activist and the wife of 1960s civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.

In addition to his career of talk show host on Larry King Live, Larry King has appeared as himself in several movies and television shows.

Martin Luther King Jr. was a Baptist minister and social activist, who led the Civil Rights Movement in the United States from the mid-1950s until his death by assassination in 1968.

When a mostly white jury acquitted the police officers who were caught on video beating Rodney King, it set off the L.A. riots of 1992.

Rufus King was an American lawyer and politician from Massachusetts best known as one of the framers and signers of the constitution.

Stephen King is a New York Times-bestselling novelist who made his name in the horror and fantasy genres. Much of his work has been adapted into films.

Legendary King Arthur formed the Knights of the Round Table and defended ancient Wales from encroaching Saxons.

King Tut is chiefly known for his intact tomb, discovered in Egypt's Valley of the Kings in 1922. Since then, his remains have held millions in awe over the mystery of his life and death.

King Yellowman is a Jamaican dancehall reggae performer whose stage name references his white skin due to albinism, a genetic defect causing an absence of the pigment melanin.

Ben Kingsley is an Academy Award-winning actor known for his work in films like Gandhi, Bugsy and Schindler’s List.

American novelist and social activist Barbara Kingsolver wrote the best-selling novel The Poisonwood Bible. She was awarded the National Humanities Medal.

Alex Kingston is a British actress best known internationally for her role as Dr. Elizabeth Corday on the American hit TV show ER, and for playing the title role in the 1996 U.K. miniseries The Fortunes and Misfortunes of Moll Flanders.

Sam Kinison was an American comedian best known for his crass humor and trademark scream. The Grammy-nominated comedian received his first break from fellow comedian Rodney Dangerfield.

Biologist Alfred Kinsey wrote Sexual Behavior in the Human Male, which was based on research he and his colleagues conducted at the Institute for Sex Research.

Actor Klaus Kinski made his mark in such films as Aguirre (1972), Nosferatu (1979) and Fitzcarraldo (1982).

Rudyard Kipling was an English author, famous for his works: Just So Stories, The Jungle Book and "Gunga Din." He received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1907.

Gelsey Kirkland joined the New York City Ballet at age 15, becoming its youngest member. In 1984, she left the spotlight for several years due to physical and emotional issues.

Chris Kirkpatrick was the eldest member of the popular boy band N'Sync, not to mention the only one with dreadlocks. Now he plays now in the group Nigels 11.

Henry Kissinger is an American political scientist and diplomat who won the Nobel Peace Prize for efforts to broker a peaceful settlement of the Vietnam War.

Tawny Kitaen is best known for appearing in music videos in the 1980s, including Whitesnake's "Here I Go Again" video. She later starred on reality televison series like The Surreal Life and Celebrity Rehab.

Singer and actress Eartha Kitt is best known for her holiday song "Santa Baby," and for playing Catwoman in the 1960's TV show Batman.

Along with Eric Harris, Dylan Klebold shot and killed 13 people and injured 20 at Columbine High School on April 20, 1999.

Paul Klee was a prolific Swiss and German artist best known for his large body of work, influenced by cubism, expressionism and surrealism.

Fashion designer Calvin Klein is known for his line of menswear and womenswear. He also designs home collections, fragrances and cosmetics.

Thomas Klestil was an Austrian statesman and the 10th president of Austria.