People a to z

Jean Vander Ply was an American actress on radio, television and film. He is best known as the voice of Wilma Flintstone from the cartoon The Flintstones.

American journalist Ernie Pyle was one of the most famous war correspondents of World War II. He won a Pulitzer Prize for reporting in 1944.

Howard Pyle was an American illustrator, author and teacher who produced dozens of classic illustrated volumes, including fables, fairy tales and adventure stories.

Thomas Pynchon is an award-winning novelist known for works like The Crying of Lot 49 and Gravity's Rainbow.

Jiang Qing was the wife of Chinese Communist leader Mao Tse-tung and implemented policies during the country’s Cultural Revolution.

Dennis Quaid is an actor known for a wide variety of films, from Breaking Away to Dreamscape to Postcards from the Edge.

Actor Randy Quaid is an “everyman” who has appeared in films ranging from dramas such as The Last Detail to comedies like National Lampoon’s Vacation.

Sir Anthony Quayle was a revered actor of stage and screen known for work that included Hamlet, Lawrence of Arabia and Anne of the Thousand Days.

Elizabeth I was the long-ruling queen of England, governing with relative stability and prosperity for 44 years. The Elizabethan era is named for her.

Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain was crowned in 1953. Her 60 years on the throne was celebrated in June 2012, with the Diamond Jubilee.

Mary Queen of Scots is one of the most fascinating and controversial monarchs of the 16th century who claimed the crowns of four nations in her lifetime.

Queen Elizabeth was the Queen consort of King George VI until his death in 1952. She is best known for her moral support to the British people during WWII and her longevity.

Queen Noor of Jordan, who was the consort of King Hussein, was trained as an urban planner and works as a philanthropist/world activist.

Queen Victoria was queen of Great Britain from 1837 to 1901—the longest reign of any other British monarch in history.

Manuel Quezon was leader of the Filipino independence movement and first president of the Philippine Commonwealth in 1935.

Anna Quindlen is the Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist and bestselling novelist who wrote the books One True Thing and Object Lessons.

Aidan Quinn is a film and television actor of Irish heritage who has found his niche playing sensitive, intelligent male characters, often in supporting roles.

Anthony Quinn was an Oscar-winning Mexican-American actor known for his roles in Viva Zapata!, Lust for Life and Zorba the Greek.

Panamanian-born U.S. theatrical director José Quintero was a founder of the Off-Broadway theatre Circle in the Square, where he directed regularly from 1950.

Zachary Quinto starred as the main villain on the popular supernatural television show Heroes, and has played Spock in J.J. Abrams's rebooted Star Trek film series.

Elpidio Quirino (1890–1956) was the second president of the Independent Republic of the Philippines.

Uruguayan writer Horacio Quiroga penned short stories inspired by the jungle before committing suicide in 1937. Anaconda is considered his greatest work.

Robin Quivers is a radio broadcaster best known for co-hosting The Howard Stern Show for more than three decades.

Experimental jazz pianist, songwriter, composer and bandleader Sun Ra formed the band Arkestra in the 1950s and played in it until his death in 1993.

Sergey Rachmaninov was a Russian musician known for his magnificent piano playing as well as his distinguished compositions and symphonies.

Daniel Radcliffe is an English actor who rose to international stardom as Harry Potter in the series of films based on the hugely popular books by J.K. Rowling.

British athlete Paula Radcliffe is one of the elite runners competing today, having set and broken her own record in the women's marathon.

British social anthropologist A.R. Radcliffe-Brown had a profound impact on British and American social anthropology through his version of Functionalism.

Known as the "BTK Killer"—which stands for "bind, torture, and kill"—Dennis Rader terrorized the Witchita, Kansas, area from the 1970s to the '90s.

Gilda Radner was an award-winning actress and comedian known for her work on Saturday Night Live. She was married to fellow comedian Gene Wilder.

World-ranked tennis pro Agnieszka Radwanska became the first Polish player in history to receive a WTA tour singles title—at the Nordea Nordic Light Open in Sweden.

Actress Charlotte Rae is best known for her role as Mrs. Garrett on the TV series Diff’rent Strokes and The Facts of Life.

Sir Henry Raeburn was a Scottish painter known for his full-scale portraiture from the late 18th to early 19th century.

Stamford Raffles was an English administrator and traveler who oversaw the establishment of Singapore.

Hashemi Rafsanjani, an ally of Ayatollah Khomeini during the Iranian Revolution, served as president of Iran from 1989 to 1997 before his defeat by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Sam Raimi has directed some of Hollywood's scariest movies and biggest blockbusters, such as Evil Dead 2 and Spider-man.

American gymnast Aly Raisman won two gold medals and a bronze at the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, held in London.

Bonnie Raitt is a singer, songwriter, and guitarist whose musical range encompasses blues, folk, rhythm and blues, pop, and country rock.

Sri Lankan billionaire Raj Rajaratnam was arrested for insider trading in 2009 as part of the largest ever SEC case against a hedge fund.

Indian cult leader Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh created the spiritual practice of dynamic meditation. He started the Rancho Rajneesh commune in Oregon in the 1980s.

Sir Walter Raleigh was an English adventurer and writer who established a colony near Roanoke Island, now known as Virginia. He was imprisoned in the Tower of London and eventually put to death for treason.

Manny Ramirez is a Dominican-American baseball player who helped the Red Sox win the World Series after an 86-year losing streak.

Santiago Ramón y Cajal was a Spanish histologist and professor whose work led to the discovery of neurons.

Hot-tempered chef Gordon Ramsay owns a number of successful restaurants but is best known as the star of television series Hell's Kitchen.

Ramses III was the second Pharaoh of the Twentieth dynasty in Egypt. He is best known for defending his country against invaders in three great wars.

JonBenet Ramsey was a 6-year-old beauty queen who was found murdered in her parents' Boulder, Colorado, home on December 26, 1996.

Terrorist. Born May 1, 1972 in the Yemini province of Hadhramaut. Binalshibh worked as a clerk for the International Bank of Yemen from 1987-1995. He moved to Hamburg, Germany, in 1997 where he met Mohamed Atta and joined the al Qaeda cell. Binalshibh

Tony Randall was an actor who played popular television character Felix Unger on the hit series The Odd Couple.

Magician James Randi, known as "The Amazing Randi," has spent much of his career debunking the claims of self-proclaimed psychics and paranormalists.

A. Philip Randolph was a labor leader and social activist who fought for the rights of African-American laborers, including better wages and working conditions.

Queen Rania of Jordan is best known for her advocacy work in public health, education and as an outspoken opponent of the practice of "honor killings."

J. Arthur Rank was a British film producer and magnate who also owned two large movie chains.

Jeannette Rankin was the first woman to serve in the U.S. Congress. She helped pass the 19th Amendment, giving women the right to vote, and was a committed pacifist.

A leading figure of Italian High Renaissance classicism, Raphael is best known for his "Madonnas," including the Sistine Madonna, and for his large figure compositions in the Palace of the Vatican in Rome.

Sally Jesse Raphael is an American talk show host best known for TV’s Sally Jesse Raphael and her trademark red glasses.

James T. Rapier served in Congress as a U.S. Representative from Alabama. He was one of only three black congressmen during Reconstruction and helped to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1875.

Rasputin is best known for his role as a mystical adviser in the court of Czar Nicholas II of Russia.

Dan Rather is one of America’s most well-known journalists, having worked for CBS News for more than four decades.

American actor John Ratzenberger, best known as mailman Cliff Clavin from the television series Cheers, has also contributed voice-acting to every animated Pixar feature film.

Johannes Rau was a member of the Social Democratic Party Executive and chair of the party state organization before serving as president of Germany (1999-2004).

American artist Robert Rauschenberg is best known for paving the way for pop art of the 1960's with fellow artist Jasper Johns.

Maurice Ravel was a 19th and early 20th century French composer of classical music. His best known works are Bolero and Daphnis et Chloé.

Jerry John Rawlings ruled Ghana twice, first in 1979 after a military coup, and then again from 1981 until 2001, as the result of free elections.

Lou Rawls was a singer and songwriter known for his baritone voice and the small acting roles he took on the side.

Charlotte E. Ray was the first female African-American lawyer in the United States.

James Earl Ray is best known for assassinating civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., in 1968.

Man Ray was primarily known for his photography, which spanned both the Dada and Surrealism movements.

Sam Rayburn was an American politician best known for his roles as Speaker of the House, Majority Leader to Congress and Chairman of the National Democratic Convention.

Irish actor Stephen Rea is well-known for his roles in V for Vendetta, Interview with the Vampire and The Crying Game.

Nancy Reagan is a former first lady of the United States, the widow of Ronald Reagan, who founded the "Just Say No" drug awareness campaign.

President Ronald Reagan helped redefine the purpose of government and pressured the Soviet Union to end the Cold War. He solidified the conservative agenda for decades after his presidency.

Elizabeth Reaser is an American actress best known for her roles on the show Grey's Anatomy and in the Twilight film series.

Madame de Récamier was a Parisian hostess who attracted her time's literary and political big wigs and inspired the wrath of Napoleon.

Robert Redford is a Hollywood legend, starring in several blockbuster films in his day, and producing and directing many others. He also helped start the Sundance Film Festival in the late 1970s.

British thespian Michael Redgrave is acclaimed for his theater and film roles. He has also sired two generations of acting luminaries.

Called “the greatest actress of our time” by Tennessee Williams, Vanessa Redgrave is an acclaimed actress of stage and screen.

One of the greatest women's beach volleyball players of all-time, Gabrielle Reece is also a successful model, actress, writer and fitness expert.