l
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Sean Lennon
Actor, Bassist, Songwriter, Guitarist, Pianist, Singer / 1975 -
Sean Lennon is an American musician and songwriter. He is the only son of John Lennon and Yoko.
See full bio
(1975-)
Actor, Bassist, Songwriter, Guitarist, Pianist, Singer
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Annie Lennox
Songwriter / 1954 -
Annie Lennox is a singer/songwriter known for her work with the Eurythmics and as a solo act. Her hits include “Sweet Dreams,” “Who’s That Girl?” and “Why.”
See full bio
(1954-)
Songwriter
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Jay Leno
Talk Show Host / 1950 -
Jay Leno is the late-night talk show host of The Tonight Show. Fallon announced plans to exit the long-running series in April 2013.
See full bio
(1950-)
Talk Show Host
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Melissa Leo
Actress / 1960 -
Melissa Leo is an American actress best known for her Academy Award-winning performance in the 2010 film The Fighter.
See full bio
(1960-)
Actress
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Elmore Leonard
Author / 1925 -
Many of the novels of author Elmore Leonard have been made into movies, including Out of Sight, Get Shorty, and 3:10 to Yuma.
See full bio
| Watch video
(1925-)
Author
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Sugar Ray Leonard
Boxer / 1956 -
Sugar Ray Leonard was a champion Olympic and professional welterweight boxer. He retired from the sport in 1997 and was inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame.
See full bio
| Watch video
(1956-)
Boxer
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Nathan Leopold
Murderer / 1904 - 1971
Nathan Leopold (1904–1971), along with Richard Loeb, killed a 14-year-old boy while trying to commit "the perfect crime." They were caught.
See full bio
(1904-1971)
Murderer
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Aldo Leopold
Environmental Activist, Journalist / 1887 - 1948
Environmentalist Aldo Leopold served as director of the Audubon Society in the mid-1930s. He also founded the Wilderness Society.
See full bio
(1887-1948)
Environmental Activist, Journalist
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Leopold I
Emperor / 1640 - 1705
Leopold I was Holy Roman emperor during whose lengthy reign Austria emerged from a series of struggles to become a great European power.
See full bio
(1640-1705)
Emperor
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Leopold II
Emperor / 1747 - 1792
Leopold II was Holy Roman emperor and one of the most capable of the 18th-century reformist rulers known as the “enlightened despots.”
See full bio
(1747-1792)
Emperor
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Marc Lepine
Mass Murderer / 1964 - 1989
Marc Lepine went on a shooting spree in 1989 that became known as the Montreal Massacre, which killed 14 people.
See full bio
(1964-1989)
Mass Murderer
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Alain LeRoy Locke
Educator, Philosopher, Scholar, Journalist / 1886 - 1954
American educator, writer, and philosopher Alain LeRoy Locke is best remembered as the leader and chief interpreter of the Harlem Renaissance.
See full bio
(1886-1954)
Educator, Philosopher, Scholar, Journalist
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Phil Lesh
Bassist, Songwriter / 1940 -
Phil Lesh is best known as being a founding member and bass player for the 1960s rock group Grateful Dead.
See full bio
(1940-)
Bassist, Songwriter
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Lisa Leslie
Basketball Player / 1972 -
Lisa Leslie was an All-Star basketball player, Olympic gold medalist and WNBA league MVP.
See full bio
(1972-)
Basketball Player
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Len Lesser
Film, Television / 1922 - 2011
Actor Len Lesser played Uncle Leo on the sitcom Seinfeld. He also co-starred with Hollywood legends Steve McQueen, Robert DeNiro and Clint Eastwood.
See full bio
(1922-2011)
Film, Television
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Doris Lessing
Author / 1919 -
Doris Lessing is a writer whose works have focused on people involved in the social and political upheavals of the 20th century.
See full bio
(1919-)
Author
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Mary Kay Letourneau
Educator, Criminal / 1962 -
Mary Kay Letourneau was sentenced to seven years in prison for statutory rape for having a sexual relationship with a 13-year-old boy in her class.
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| Watch video
(1962-)
Educator, Criminal
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David Letterman
Comedian, Talk Show Host / 1947 -
Comedian and late-night talk show host David Letterman is known for his irreverent sense of humor and cynical, mocking style.
See full bio
| Watch video
(1947-)
Comedian, Talk Show Host
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Oscar Levant
Film Actor, Comedian, Pianist, Author / 1906 - 1972
Oscar Levant was a talented pianist, comic actor and writer. His films include the 1951 movie An American in Paris.
See full bio
(1906-1972)
Film Actor, Comedian, Pianist, Author
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Denise Levertov
Anti-War Activist, Poet / 1923 - 1997
Denise Levertov was an English-born poet, essayist and political activist who wrote matter-of-fact verse on both personal and political themes.
See full bio
(1923-1997)
Anti-War Activist, Poet
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Rene Levesque
Political Leader / 1922 - 1987
Canadian reporter René Lévesque is best known for being the first Quebec politician since Confederation to attempt to negotiate political separation for Quebec.
See full bio
(1922-1987)
Political Leader
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Primo Levi
Chemist, Journalist, Poet / 1919 - 1987
Italian Jewish chemist Primo Levi survived a year at Auschwitz against all odds. He is best known his moving memoir, If This Is a Man.
See full bio
(1919-1987)
Chemist, Journalist, Poet
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Rita Levi-Montalcini
Educator, Medical Professional, Neurologist, Academic Author / 1909 - 2012
Rita Levi-Montalcini shared the 1986 Nobel Prize for physiology or medicine for her part in the discovery of a protein that stimulates nerve cell growth.
See full bio
(1909-2012)
Educator, Medical Professional, Neurologist, Academic Author
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Ira Levin
Author, Playwright / 1929 - 2007
Author Ira Levin wrote some of the gripping novels of the 1960s and 1970s, including Rosemary's Baby and The Boys from Brazil.
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| Watch video
(1929-2007)
Author, Playwright
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Adam Levine
Songwriter, Singer / 1979 -
Adam Levine is the Grammy Award-winning frontman of Maroon 5, known for such pop hits as "This Love" and "Moves Like Jagger." He has also appeared as a judge/coach on The Voice.
See full bio
| Watch video
(1979-)
Songwriter, Singer
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Jack Levine
Painter / 1915 - 2010
American artist Jack Levine is best remembered for his American Social Realist paintings, including "Gangster Funeral," which satirized corruption in the modern world.
See full bio
(1915-2010)
Painter
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James Levine
Conductor, Pianist / 1943 -
James Levine is a renowned pianist, violinist and conductor who has served as music director of the Metropolitan Opera since 1971.
See full bio
(1943-)
Conductor, Pianist
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Barry Levinson
Director / 1942 -
Film director Barry Levinson earned acclaim for Diner (1982) and The Natural (1984), and won an Oscar for Rain Man (1988).
See full bio
(1942-)
Director
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Helen Levitt
Photographer, Filmmaker / 1913 - 2009
Helen Levitt was a photographer, film editor and director known for her captivating portraits of New York urban life.
See full bio
(1913-2009)
Photographer, Filmmaker
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Al Lewis
Film Actor, Television Actor, Entrepreneur / 1923 - 2006
Al Lewis was an entertainer who was best known for his role as Grandpa, the elderly vampire in a family of monsters, in the 1964 sitcom The Munsters.
See full bio
(1923-2006)
Film Actor, Television Actor, Entrepreneur
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C.S. Lewis
Journalist, Author / 1898 - 1963
C.S. Lewis was a prolific Irish writer and scholar best known for his Chronicles of Narnia fantasy series as well as his pro-Christian texts.
See full bio
(1898-1963)
Journalist, Author
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Carl Lewis
Track and Field Athlete / 1961 -
Track and field athlete Carl Lewis qualified for five Olympic Games and competed in four of them. He won numerous gold and silver medals.
See full bio
(1961-)
Track and Field Athlete
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Damian Lewis
Actor / 1971 -
Damian Lewis is a British actor best known for his role in Steven Spielberg’s miniseries Band of Brothers, and starring roles on the series Life and Homeland.
See full bio
(1971-)
Actor
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Jerry Lewis
Film Actor, Theater Actor, Television Actor, Comedian, Philanthropist / 1926 -
Jerry Lewis rose to fame as Dean Martin's comedic partner. The two performed on stage before their film career began in 1949.
See full bio
| Watch video
(1926-)
Film Actor, Theater Actor, Television Actor, Comedian, Philanthropist
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Jerry Lee Lewis
Singer / 1935 -
Jerry Lee Lewis is a piano-playing rock 'n roll pioneer famous for his high energy stage presence and controversial life.
See full bio
| Watch video
(1935-)
Singer
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John Lewis
Songwriter, Pianist / 1920 - 2001
American jazz pianist and composer John Lewis was a member of the Modern Jazz Quartet, one of the longest-lived and best-received groups in jazz history.
See full bio
(1920-2001)
Songwriter, Pianist
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Lennox Lewis
Boxer / 1965 -
Lennox Lewis was the first British boxer to hold the undisputed world heavyweight title since Bob Fitzsimmons (who won the title in 1899). Lewis won Olympic gold in 1988.
See full bio
(1965-)
Boxer
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Edmonia Lewis
Sculptor / 1844 - 1911
The first professional African-American and Native-American sculptor, Edmonia Lewis earned critical praise for work that explored religious and classical themes.
See full bio
(1844-1911)
Sculptor
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Meriwether Lewis
Explorer / 1774 - 1809
Meriwether Lewis teamed up with William Clark to form the historic expedition pairing Lewis and Clark, who together explored the lands west of the Mississippi.
See full bio
(1774-1809)
Explorer
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Ray Lewis
Football Player / 1975 -
NFL linebacker Ray Lewis is a two-time Defensive Player of the Year, Super Bowl MVP and played his entire 17-year career with the Baltimore Ravens.
See full bio
(1975-)
Football Player
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Richard Lewis
Actor, Comedian, Journalist / 1947 -
Angst-ridden and neurotic, Richard Lewis turned his private pain into a comic persona that served him as a standup comedian and versatile actor, adding author to his credits when he penned a memoir of struggling with sobriety.
See full bio
(1947-)
Actor, Comedian, Journalist
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Shari Lewis
Television Personality / 1933 - 1998
Shari Lewis was the host of Lamb Chop's Play-Along, which aired on PBS from 1992 to 1997, and received several Emmy Awards.
See full bio
(1933-1998)
Television Personality
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Sinclair Lewis
Journalist, Author / 1885 - 1951
Sinclair Lewis was a journalist and Nobel Prize winning novelist known for 20th century works like Main Street, Elmer Gantry and Babbitt.
See full bio
(1885-1951)
Journalist, Author
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Sol Lewitt
Painter, Sculptor / 1928 - 2007
Sol Lewitt was an American artist best known for helping to launch Conceptual Art and Minimalism of the Post-War era.
See full bio
(1928-2007)
Painter, Sculptor
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Danell Leyva
Gymnast / 1991 -
American gymnast Danell Leyva is best known for being the first Cuban-American and Miami resident to make it to the United States Olympic men's gymnastics team, and for winning a bronze medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
See full bio
(1991-)
Gymnast
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Jet Li
Film Actor, Martial Arts Expert / 1963 -
Jet Li is an actor and martial artist who has starred in a number of Chinese and English-language action films.
See full bio
(1963-)
Film Actor, Martial Arts Expert
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I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby
Lawyer, Government Official / 1950 -
I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby was former adviser to American Vice President Dick Cheney, later indicted by a federal grand jury for leaking top-secret information.
See full bio
(1950-)
Lawyer, Government Official
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Willard Libby
Chemist / 1908 - 1980
Willard Libby was a chemist whose technique of carbon-14 dating provided an extremely valuable tool for a variety of scientists.
See full bio
(1908-1980)
Chemist
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Liberace
Pianist / 1919 - 1987
Liberace was a flamboyant pianist who twice had his own TV show and frequently performed in Las Vegas.
See full bio
| Watch video
(1919-1987)
Pianist
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Roy Lichtenstein
Illustrator, Painter / 1923 - 1997
Roy Lichtenstein was an American pop artist best known for his boldly-colored parodies of comic strips and advertisements.
See full bio
(1923-1997)
Illustrator, Painter
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Eric Liddell
Track and Field Athlete, Missionary / 1902 - 1945
British runner Eric Lidell won a gold medal in the 1924 Olympic Games. The movie Chariots of Fire (1981) tells the story of his triumph.
See full bio
(1902-1945)
Track and Field Athlete, Missionary
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Joseph Lieberman
Environmental Activist, Lawyer, U.S. Representative / 1942 -
Joseph Lieberman was Connecticut's Attorney General 1983–1988. He won his first election to the U.S. Senate in 1988, and twice more in 1994 and 2000.
See full bio
(1942-)
Environmental Activist, Lawyer, U.S. Representative
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Judith Light
Theater Actress, Television Actress / 1949 -
Actress Judith Light has successfully tackled daytime dramas, prime time sitcoms and the New York stage. She played Angela Bower on the sitcom Who’s the Boss? and a witty alcoholic in the Broadway production Other Desert Cities.
See full bio
(1949-)
Theater Actress, Television Actress
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Candy Lightner
Activist / 1946 -
Candy Lightner founded one of the country's largest activist organizations, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, after her daughter died in a drunk driving accident.
See full bio
(1946-)
Activist
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Lil Wayne
Rapper / 1982 -
Lil Wayne is a Grammy Award-winning rapper known for his hit albums, mixtapes and singles, including "A Milli" and "Lollipop."
See full bio
| Watch video
(1982-)
Rapper
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Liliuokalani
Queen / 1838 - 1917
Liliuokalani was the queen of the Hawaiian Islands from 1891 to 1895.
See full bio
(1838-1917)
Queen
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Matthew Lillard
Film Actor, Theater Actor, Television Actor / 1970 -
Matthew Lillard is an American actor who became popular in the 1990s. He starred in Wes Craven's Scream.
See full bio
(1970-)
Film Actor, Theater Actor, Television Actor
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Rush Limbaugh
Radio Talk Show Host / 1951 -
Conservative Rush Limbaugh hosts the syndicated and controversial radio talk show, The Rush Limbaugh Show. He was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame.
See full bio
(1951-)
Radio Talk Show Host
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José Limón
Ballet Dancer, Choreographer / 1908 - 1972
José Limón was a Mexican-born American modern dancer and choreographer, and was the founder-director of the José Limón Dance Company.
See full bio
(1908-1972)
Ballet Dancer, Choreographer
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Jeremy Lin
Basketball Player / 1988 -
With a string of wins in early 2012, New York Knicks guard Jeremy Lin has become one of basketball's most famous players.
See full bio
(1988-)
Basketball Player
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Maya Lin
Educator, Architect, Sculptor / 1959 -
Maya Lin is an American architect and sculptor, best known for her design of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.
See full bio
(1959-)
Educator, Architect, Sculptor
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Abraham Lincoln
Civil Rights Activist, Lawyer, U.S. President, U.S. Representative / 1809 - 1865
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president of the United States. He preserved the Union during the U.S. Civil War and brought about the emancipation of slaves.
See full bio
| Watch video
(1809-1865)
Civil Rights Activist, Lawyer, U.S. President, U.S. Representative
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Robert Todd Lincoln
Lawyer, Political Leader / 1843 - 1926
Robert Todd Lincoln was an American lawyer and secretary of war best known as the first-born son of President Abraham Lincoln.
See full bio
(1843-1926)
Lawyer, Political Leader
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Jenny Lind
Singer / 1820 - 1887
Opera singer, teacher and philanthropist Jenny Lind, a.k.a. the "Swedish Nightingale,” was the prima donna at the Royal Opera in Stockholm during the 1800s.
See full bio
(1820-1887)
Singer
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Anne Morrow Lindbergh
Pilot, Journalist, Author / 1906 - 2001
Writer and aviation pioneer Anne Morrow Lindbergh was married to aviator Charles Lindbergh. The couple’s child was kidnapped for ransom and murdered in 1932.
See full bio
| Watch video
(1906-2001)
Pilot, Journalist, Author
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Charles Lindbergh
Inventor, Pilot, Writer / 1902 - 1974
Aviator Charles Lindbergh became famous for making the first solo transatlantic airplane flight in 1927.
See full bio
| Watch video
(1902-1974)
Inventor, Pilot, Writer
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Delroy Lindo
Actor / 1952 -
Delroy Lindo is an actor who has played both good guys and bad guys in his three-decade career in film, theater and television.
See full bio
(1952-)
Actor
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John Lindsay
Lawyer, Mayor / 1921 - 2000
John Lindsay was a U.S. congressman and was the mayor of New York City during the 1960s. He is known for his "ghetto walks" and clashes with labor groups.
See full bio
(1921-2000)
Lawyer, Mayor
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Ding Ling
Author / 1904 - 1986
Ding Ling was a Chinese writer who was acclaimed by the literary establishment but condemned by the Nationalist Party in her homeland.
See full bio
(1904-1986)
Author
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James Ling
Business Leader / 1922 - 2004
James Ling was the former head of the Ling-Temco-Vought corporation, or LTV.
See full bio
(1922-2004)
Business Leader
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Laura Ling
Journalist / 1976 -
In June 2009, journalist Laura Ling, along with Euna Lee, was convicted by the North Korean government for illegal entry and hostile acts" against the country.
See full bio
(1976-)
Journalist
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Lisa Ling
Talk Show Host, Journalist / 1973 -
Lisa Ling became a television journalist at the age of 16 on a nationally syndicated newsmagazine. She was a war correspondent and a co-host on The View.
See full bio
(1973-)
Talk Show Host, Journalist
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Art Linkletter
Radio Personality, Television Personality, Author / 1912 - 2010
Art Linkletter was a family-friendly radio and television personality who incorporated ordinary people into his broadcasts with comic results.
See full bio
(1912-2010)
Radio Personality, Television Personality, Author
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Laura Linney
Film Actress, Television Actress / 1964 -
Laura Linney is an American actress known for performances in such films as Lorenzo's Oil and Hyde Park on Hudson, and for her starring role on the television series The Big C.
See full bio
(1964-)
Film Actress, Television Actress
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Sol Myron Linowitz
Business Leader, Lawyer, Diplomat / 1913 - 2005
Sol Myron Linowitz was an American diplomat, lawyer and businessman known as a presidential adviser and as a co-founder of Xerox.
See full bio
(1913-2005)
Business Leader, Lawyer, Diplomat
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Ray Liotta
Film Actor, Television Actor, Television Personality / 1954 -
American actor Ray Liotta is best known for his on-the-edge tough-guy characterizations in films like Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas (1992) and No Escape (1994).
See full bio
(1954-)
Film Actor, Television Actor, Television Personality
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Filippino Lippi
Painter / 1457 - 1504
Renaissance painter Filippino Lippi influenced Tuscan Mannerists in the 16th century. His most famous work was “The Vision of St. Bernard.”
See full bio
(1457-1504)
Painter
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Fra Filippo Lippi
Painter, Monk / - 1406
Italian painter Fra Filippo Lippi painted frescoes in monasteries and cathedrals in the 1400s. His work is noted for its color and narrative quality.
See full bio
(-1406)
Painter, Monk
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Gabriel Lippmann
Physicist / 1845 - 1921
French physicist Gabriel Lippmann created the first color photographic plate. The creation earned him the 1908 Nobel Prize for Physics.
See full bio
(1845-1921)
Physicist
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James Lipton
Educator, Actor, Radio Talk Show Host, Television Producer, Writer / 1926 -
Actor, writer and producer James Lipton founded the Actors Studio Drama School and has hosted Bravo TV's Inside the Actors Studio since 1994.
See full bio
(1926-)
Educator, Actor, Radio Talk Show Host, Television Producer, Writer
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El Lissitzky
Artist / 1890 - 1941
Russian painter, typographer and designer El Lissitzky was a major contributor to the modern Constructivist movement.
See full bio
(1890-1941)
Artist
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Friedrich List
Economist, Journalist / 1789 - 1846
German economist Friedrich List believed tariffs on imported goods would stimulate the economy. He wrote The National System of Political Economy.
See full bio
(1789-1846)
Economist, Journalist
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Joseph Lister
Doctor, Scientist / 1827 - 1912
British surgeon and medical scientist Joseph Lister is regarded as the founder of antiseptic medicine, which he implemented with amputee patients.
See full bio
(1827-1912)
Doctor, Scientist
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Sonny Liston
Boxer / 1932 - 1970
Sonny Liston was introduced to boxing while serving time in a Missouri State penitentiary. He became a professional fighter in 1953.
See full bio
(1932-1970)
Boxer
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Franz Liszt
Educator, Songwriter, Pianist / 1811 - 1886
Franz Liszt was a Hungarian pianist and composer of enormous influence and originality. He was renowned in Europe during the Romantic movement.
See full bio
| Watch video
(1811-1886)
Educator, Songwriter, Pianist
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John Lithgow
Actor / 1945 -
Equally versed in comedy and drama, John Lithgow has won raves for his work in World According to Garp, 3rd Rock from the Sun, and Dexter.
See full bio
(1945-)
Actor
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Little Eva
Singer / 1943 - 2003
Little Eva was a singer best known for the overnight stardom brought to her through her #1 smash "The Loco-Motion."
See full bio
(1943-2003)
Singer
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Little Walter
Singer / 1930 - 1968
Little Walter was a blues singer and harmonica virtuoso, one of the most influential harmonica improvisers of the late 20th century.
See full bio
(1930-1968)
Singer
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Lucy Liu
Actress / 1968 -
Lucy Liu is a TV and film actress known for her work on Ally McBeal and in the Charlie's Angels films.
See full bio
(1968-)
Actress
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Nastia Liukin
Gymnast / 1989 -
Anastasia Valeryevna Liukin, better known as Nastia Liukin, is a world-renowned gymnast and Olympian who was named the Olympic individual all-around Champion in 2008.
See full bio
(1989-)
Gymnast
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Viola Gregg Liuzzo
Civil Rights Activist / 1925 - 1965
Viola Gregg Liuzzo was an activist in the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s. She was murdered by members of the Ku Klux Klan for her efforts.
See full bio
(1925-1965)
Civil Rights Activist
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Blake Lively
Film Actor, Television Actor / 1987 -
Blake Lively is an actress notable for her role as Serena van der Woodsen on the CW network's teen drama Gossip Girl.
See full bio
(1987-)
Film Actor, Television Actor
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Mary Livermore
Women's Rights Activist, Editor, Journalist / 1820 - 1905
Mary Livermore was an American and social reformer who devoted her life to women's suffrage and the temperance movement.
See full bio
(1820-1905)
Women's Rights Activist, Editor, Journalist
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Robert R Livingston
Lawyer, Political Leader / 1746 - 1813
Robert R Livingston was a politician, lawyer and diplomat from New York and is best known as one of the Founding Fathers of the United States.
See full bio
(1746-1813)
Lawyer, Political Leader
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David Livingstone
Explorer, Missionary / 1813 - 1873
David Livingstone was a Scottish missionary, abolitionist and physician known for his explorations of Africa, having crossed the continent during the mid-19th century.
See full bio
(1813-1873)
Explorer, Missionary
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Mario Vargas Llosa
Author / 1936 -
Winner of the 2010 Nobel Prize in Literature, novelist Mario Vargas Llosa has written many novels that reflect on Peruvian society and politics.
See full bio
(1936-)
Author
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Christopher Lloyd
Actor / 1938 -
Christopher Lloyd is an American actor best known for his role as the eccentric "Doc" Brown in the successful Back to the Future films.
See full bio
(1938-)
Actor
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Harold Lloyd
Film Actor, Comedian / 1893 - 1971
Comedian Harold Lloyd was a star of silent film era, appearing in notable movies Just Nuts, Girl Shy and The Freshman.
See full bio
(1893-1971)
Film Actor, Comedian
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Willie Lloyd
Drug Dealer
Willie Lloyd was the leader of one of Chicago's street gangs, The Almighty Vice Lord Nation. He changed his focus in 2002, working for anti-gang peace efforts.
See full bio
Drug Dealer
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Meat Loaf
Film Actor, Theater Actor, Singer / 1947 -
Meat Loaf is a multi-platinum musician, made famous for his rock opera, Bat Out of Hell. He's acted in cult-hit films, Rocky Horror Picture Show and Fight Club.
See full bio
(1947-)
Film Actor, Theater Actor, Singer