b
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Subhas Chandra Bose
Military Leader, Political Leader / 1897 - 1945
Subhas Chandra Bose was a 20th century organizational and military leader who fought for India’s freedom from British rule.
See full bio
(1897-1945)
Military Leader, Political Leader
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Chadwick Boseman
Actor, Director, Screenwriter / 1982 -
Chadwick Boseman is an American actor known for his roles on the TV show Lincoln Heights and as baseball great Jackie Robinson in the biopic 42.
See full bio
(1982-)
Actor, Director, Screenwriter
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Tom Bosley
Film Actor, Theater Actor, Television Actor / 1927 - 2010
Tom Bosley was an award-winning American actor best known for playing Howard Cunningham in the 1970s hit TV sitcom Happy Days.
See full bio
(1927-2010)
Film Actor, Theater Actor, Television Actor
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Boston Strangler
Serial Killer
The Boston Strangler was a American serial killer who murdered at least 11 and as many as 13 women in the Boston area between 1962 and 1964.
See full bio
Serial Killer
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Kate Bosworth
Film Actress / 1983 -
Actress Kate Bosworth's first starring role was in the surf movie Blue Crush in 2002, followed by Beyond the Sea and Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!
See full bio
(1983-)
Film Actress
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Fernando Botero
Painter, Sculptor / 1932 -
Fernando Botero is a Colombian artist known for creating bloated, oversized depictions of people, animals and elements of the natural world.
See full bio
(1932-)
Painter, Sculptor
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P.W. Botha
World Leader, Prime Minister / 1916 - 2006
P.W. Botha was a former South African prime minister and president who maintained the racial caste system of apartheid.
See full bio
(1916-2006)
World Leader, Prime Minister
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Sandro Botticelli
Painter / 1445 - 1510
Sandro Botticelli was an Italian painter of the early Renaissance-era. He contributed to the frescoes in the Sistine Chapel and painted the immortal The Birth of Venus.
See full bio
(1445-1510)
Painter
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Nadia Boulanger
Educator, Conductor / 1887 - 1979
Composer and conductor Nadia Boulanger was the first woman to conduct the Boston and New York Philharmonic orchestras, among others.
See full bio
(1887-1979)
Educator, Conductor
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Louis Bourbon, Duke of Burgundy
Military Leader, Political Leader, Duke / 1682 - 1712
Louis Bourbon, Duke of Burgundy, was the grandson of Louis XIV. Incorrigible as a child, he grew up, married and fathered the next king of France.
See full bio
(1682-1712)
Military Leader, Political Leader, Duke
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Anthony Bourdain
Chef / 1956 -
Chef, TV host, author. Chef Anthony Bourdain moved out of the kitchen to become a bestselling author and TV personality, gaining wider fame with his unique culinary worldview.
See full bio
(1956-)
Chef
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Clara Bow
Film Actress / 1905 - 1965
American motion-picture actress Clare Bow personified the flapper of the 1920s. From 1927 to 1930 she was one of the top five Hollywood box-office attractions.
See full bio
(1905-1965)
Film Actress
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Thomas Bowdler
Medical Professional, Editor / 1754 - 1825
Thomas Bowdler was a physician and self-appointed editor of great literature. He published The Family Shakespeare, a family friendly version of Shakespearean works, in 1807, and gave rise to the term "Bowdlerized."
See full bio
(1754-1825)
Medical Professional, Editor
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Elizabeth Bowen
Author / 1899 - 1973
Elizabeth Bowen is the author of novels and short-story collections such as The House in Paris (1935), The Heat of the Day (1938) and The Demon Lover (1945).
See full bio
(1899-1973)
Author
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Crystal Bowersox
Songwriter, Singer, Television Personality / 1985 -
Crystal Bowersox landed a spot on the ninth season of American Idol and became the first runner-up.
See full bio
(1985-)
Songwriter, Singer, Television Personality
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Leigh Bowery
Artist, Fashion Designer / 1961 - 1994
Leigh Bowery was an Australian fashion designer, club promoter and performance artist, known as the proprietor of the hedonistic London nightclub Taboo.
See full bio
(1961-1994)
Artist, Fashion Designer
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David Bowie
Singer / 1947 -
David Bowie is an English rock star known for dramatic musical transformations, including his character Ziggy Stardust. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.
See full bio
| Watch video
(1947-)
Singer
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Jim Bowie
Folk Hero, Warrior / 1796 - 1836
Jim Bowie was a fighter in Texas Revolution who died during the defense of the Alamo. He became an American folk hero and the "Bowie Knife" is named after him.
See full bio
(1796-1836)
Folk Hero, Warrior
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Camilla Parker Bowles
Duchess / 1947 -
Camilla Parker Bowles married Prince Charles in a civil service in 2005. The two had been romantically involved for more than 25 years.
See full bio
(1947-)
Duchess
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Barbara Boxer
U.S. Representative / 1940 -
Democrat Barbara Boxer served ten years in the House of Representatives before being elected Senator for the state of California.
See full bio
(1940-)
U.S. Representative
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Boy George
Singer / 1961 -
Boy George is a British singer, konwn for his flamboyant and androgynous image, who once fronted the band Culture Club.
See full bio
| Watch video
(1961-)
Singer
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Charles Boyer
Film Actor, Theater Actor / 1899 - 1978
Charles Boyer was an Oscar-nominated French actor of stage, film and television with a career that spanned almost six decades.
See full bio
(1899-1978)
Film Actor, Theater Actor
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Pappy Boyington
Military Leader, Journalist / 1912 - 1988
The U.S. government awarded Pappy Boyington a Medal of Honor for his service in World War II as a Marine Corps pilot. He shot down 28 Japanese planes.
See full bio
(1912-1988)
Military Leader, Journalist
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Otis Boykin
Inventor / 1920 - 1982
Otis Boykin’s noteworthy inventions include a wire precision resistor and a control unit for the pacemaker. When he died in 1982, he had 26 patents in his name.
See full bio
(1920-1982)
Inventor
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Danny Boyle
Director, Screenwriter / 1956 -
Danny Boyle is a British film director whose films include Trainspotting, Slumdog Millionaire, and 127 Hours.
See full bio
(1956-)
Director, Screenwriter
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Jimmy Boyle
Murderer / 1944 -
Scottish gang member Jimmy Boyle got a life sentence for killing Babs Rooney. After his release, Boyle became a businessman and worked with young offenders.
See full bio
(1944-)
Murderer
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Peter Boyle
Actor / 1935 - 2006
American actor Peter Boyle is best known as the grumpy dad on the CBS sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond, a role he held for eleven years.
See full bio
(1935-2006)
Actor
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Susan Boyle
Singer, Television Personality / 1961 -
Plucked from obscurity when she stunned the judges on the UK TV show Britain's Got Talent, Susan Boyle has gone on to great singing success.
See full bio
(1961-)
Singer, Television Personality
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Lorraine Bracco
Film Actress, Television Actress / 1954 -
Lorraine Bracco is an actress known for prominent roles in the film Goodfellas and the TV series The Sopranos.
See full bio
(1954-)
Film Actress, Television Actress
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Ray Bradbury
Author, Poet / 1920 - 2012
American fantasy and horror author Ray Bradbury is best known for his novels Fahrenheit 451, The Illustrated Man and The Martian Chronicles.
See full bio
(1920-2012)
Author, Poet
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James J. Braddock
Boxer / 1905 - 1974
James J. Braddock the American world heavyweight boxing champion from 1935 until 1937. His astonishing comeback in 1934 earned him the nickname, "The Cinderella Man."
See full bio
(1905-1974)
Boxer
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Benjamin Bradlee
Editor, Journalist / 1921 -
Benjamin Bradlee was the editor of the Washington Post during the publication of the Pentagon Papers and the breaking of the Watergate Scandal.
See full bio
(1921-)
Editor, Journalist
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Bill Bradley
Basketball Player, U.S. Representative / 1943 -
Bill Bradley is known for turning his basketball fame into a political career in the US Senate and as a candidate for the Presidency in 1999.
See full bio
(1943-)
Basketball Player, U.S. Representative
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Ed Bradley
News Anchor / 1941 - 2006
Journalist Ed Bradley spent 26 years on TV as a member of the 60 Minutes team, winning 19 Emmy Awards along the way.
See full bio
(1941-2006)
News Anchor
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Milton Bradley
Entrepreneur / 1836 - 1911
Milton Bradley was a businessman and a manufacturer of toys and board games. He founded Milton Bradley Co.
See full bio
(1836-1911)
Entrepreneur
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Omar Bradley
General / 1893 - 1981
The first chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, Omar Bradley, commanded the Twelfth Army Group in World War II, which helped the Allied victory.
See full bio
(1893-1981)
General
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Timothy Bradley
Boxer / 1983 -
Timothy Bradley is an American boxing champion, who has won WBO and WBC titles. In June 2012, Bradley won a bout against multi-title champion Manny Pacquia, spurring disbelief among thousands of fans and wide media speculation.
See full bio
(1983-)
Boxer
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Tom Bradley
Police Officer, Lawyer, Mayor / 1917 - 1998
Tom Bradley was a lawyer and police officer who became the first African-American mayor of Los Angeles, serving from 1973 to 1993.
See full bio
(1917-1998)
Police Officer, Lawyer, Mayor
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Terry Bradshaw
Football Player, Television Personality / 1948 -
One of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history, Terry Bradshaw has spent much of his life playing, reporting, and commenting on football.
See full bio
(1948-)
Football Player, Television Personality
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Anne Bradstreet
Author, Poet / 1612 - 1672
Anne Bradstreet was a 17th century writer who is credited as being one of the first English poets in the colonies.
See full bio
(1612-1672)
Author, Poet
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Ian Brady
Serial Killer / 1938 -
Ian Brady was a Scottish serial killer who murdered multiple children with his girlfriend, Myra Hindley.
See full bio
(1938-)
Serial Killer
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Mathew Brady
Photographer, Entrepreneur / 1823 - 1896
Mathew Brady was a 19th-century photographer best known for his Civil War photography and portraits.
See full bio
(1823-1896)
Photographer, Entrepreneur
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Tom Brady
Football Player / 1977 -
The winner of three Super Bowls, Tom Brady is one of the top players in the NFL. He is married to model Gisele Bündchen.
See full bio
(1977-)
Football Player
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Wayne Brady
Television Actor, Comedian, Game Show Host, Talk Show Host / 1972 -
Wayne Brady is a comedian and actor known for his work on TV's Whose Line Is It Anyhow, The Wayne Brady Show and Don't Forget the Lyrics.
See full bio
(1972-)
Television Actor, Comedian, Game Show Host, Talk Show Host
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Zach Braff
Film Actor, Television Actor / 1975 -
Zach Braff is an American actor known chiefly for his role on TV's Scrubs and in the big-screen film Oz the Great and Powerful.
See full bio
(1975-)
Film Actor, Television Actor
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Billy Bragg
Musician / 1957 -
Billy Bragg is best known for his progressive folk rock music, making several hit albums in Britain.
See full bio
(1957-)
Musician
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Braxton Bragg
General / 1817 - 1876
Braxton Bragg was a Confederate Army Major General under President Jefferson Davis in the US Civil War who found as much defeat as success.
See full bio
(1817-1876)
General
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Tycho Brahe
Astronomer / 1546 - 1601
Tycho Brahe was a Danish astronomer whose work paved the way for future discoveries.
See full bio
(1546-1601)
Astronomer
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Johannes Brahms
Songwriter, Pianist / 1833 - 1897
Johannes Brahms was a German composer and pianist who wrote symphonies, concerti, chamber music, piano works, and choral compositions.
See full bio
(1833-1897)
Songwriter, Pianist
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Louis Braille
Educator, Inventor / 1809 - 1852
Louis Braille was a French educator who developed the Braille system of printing and writing for the blind.
See full bio
(1809-1852)
Educator, Inventor
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Kenneth Branagh
Film Actor / 1960 -
Kenneth Branagh is an Irish-born English stage and motion-picture actor, director and writer who is best known for his film adaptations of Shakespearean plays.
See full bio
(1960-)
Film Actor
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Russell Brand
Actor, Comedian, Writer / 1975 -
Comedian Russell Brand is famous for his controversial comments and stunts, past struggles with addiction and his short-lived marriage to singer Katy Perry.
See full bio
(1975-)
Actor, Comedian, Writer
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Louis Brandeis
Supreme Court Justice / 1856 - 1941
Louis Brandeis was the first Jew to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court. His decisions affirmed individual liberty and privacy and opposed unchecked governmental power.
See full bio
(1856-1941)
Supreme Court Justice
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Christian Brando
Artist, Murderer / 1958 - 2008
Christian Brando was the eldest son of Hollywood legend Marlon Brando. He was convicted of voluntary manslaughter for killing his half-sister’s boyfriend.
See full bio
(1958-2008)
Artist, Murderer
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Marlon Brando
Film Actor / 1924 - 2004
Legendary screen presence Marlon Brando performed for more than 50 years and is famous for such films as A Streetcar Named Desire and The Godfather.
See full bio
| Watch video
(1924-2004)
Film Actor
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Willy Brandt
Political Leader / 1913 - 1992
Willy Brandt was a German statesman, leader of the German Social Democratic Party and chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany (1969–74).
See full bio
(1913-1992)
Political Leader
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Brandy
Actress, Singer / 1979 -
R&B singer Brandy rose to fame as a 15-year-old with her No. 1 hit, "I Wanna Be Down."
See full bio
(1979-)
Actress, Singer
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Richard Branson
Entrepreneur / 1950 -
Entrepreneur Richard Branson launched Virgin Records in 1973. Today Virgin Group holds more than 200 companies in more than 30 countries.
See full bio
(1950-)
Entrepreneur
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Joseph Brant
Military Leader, Missionary / 1742 - 1807
Mohawk Indian chief Joseph Brant was a spokesman for his people and a Christian missionary and British military officer during the American Revolution.
See full bio
(1742-1807)
Military Leader, Missionary
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Georges Braque
Painter / 1882 - 1963
Georges Braque, the French painter who invented Cubism, with Pablo Picasso, and became the first living artist to be exhibited at The Louvre in 1961.
See full bio
(1882-1963)
Painter
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Donnie Brasco
Police Officer / 1939 -
Donnie Brasco was the alias of Joseph Pistone, an undercover FBI agent that infiltrated the Bonanno crime family.
See full bio
(1939-)
Police Officer
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Brassaï
Photographer, Sculptor, Poet / 1899 - 1984
Brassaï was a Hungarian-born French photographer, poet, and sculptor who became known for his photographs of Paris nightlife in the 1930s.
See full bio
(1899-1984)
Photographer, Sculptor, Poet
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Benjamin Bratt
Actor / 1963 -
Benjamin Bratt is known for his television and film roles, including his selection as one of People magazine's "50 Most Beautiful" in 1999.
See full bio
(1963-)
Actor
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Carol Moseley Braun
Civil Rights Activist, Women's Rights Activist, U.S. Representative / 1947 -
A leading African American political figure, Carol Moseley Braun was the first African American woman to be elected to the US Senate.
See full bio
(1947-)
Civil Rights Activist, Women's Rights Activist, U.S. Representative
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Eva Braun
Model / 1912 - 1945
Eva Braun was the mistress and later the wife of Adolf Hitler. Braun and Hitler killed themselves on April 30, 1945, the day after their wedding—an decided alternative to falling into the hands of enemy troops.
See full bio
| Watch video
(1912-1945)
Model
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Ferdinand Braun
Inventor, Physicist / 1850 - 1918
German physicist Ferdinand Braun was the co-recipient of the 1909 Nobel Prize in Physics for his developments with wireless technology.
See full bio
(1850-1918)
Inventor, Physicist
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Nicolás Bravo
World Leader / 1786 - 1854
Nicolás Bravo (1786–1854) helped Mexico achieve independence from Spain, and served as its president in the 1830s and 40s.
See full bio
(1786-1854)
World Leader
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Bertolt Brecht
Playwright, Poet / 1898 - 1956
Bertolt Brecht is best known for his plays and poems, in which he embraced anti-bourgeois themes and being forced from his native Germany.
See full bio
(1898-1956)
Playwright, Poet
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Drew Brees
Football Player / 1979 -
NFL quarterback Drew Brees plays for the New Orleans Saints. In 2009 he led the franchise to victory in Super Bowl XLIV, earning the game's MVP honors.
See full bio
(1979-)
Football Player
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Anders Behring Breivik
Murderer, Terrorist / 1979 -
Anders Behring Breivik is the admitted perpetrator of the July 2011 attacks in Norway that killed 77 people.
See full bio
(1979-)
Murderer, Terrorist
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Maeve Brennan
Journalist, Author / 1917 - 1993
Maeve Brennan was an Irish short story writer and journalist known for her wit, charm and tragic end.
See full bio
(1917-1993)
Journalist, Author
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Walter Brennan
Film Actor, Television Actor / 1894 - 1974
Walter Brennan was an actor best known for his portrayals of western sidekicks and lovable or irascible old codgers.
See full bio
(1894-1974)
Film Actor, Television Actor
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William J. Brennan, Jr.
Supreme Court Justice / 1906 - 1997
William J. Brennan was an attorney who rose to the U.S. Supreme Court, where he served for 34 years.
See full bio
(1906-1997)
Supreme Court Justice
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Amy Brenneman
Film Actress, Television Actress / 1964 -
Amy Brenneman is an actress best known for her portrayal of a juvenile court judge and divorced mother on the hit drama Judging Amy.
See full bio
(1964-)
Film Actress, Television Actress
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Sydney Brenner
Biologist / 1927 -
Sydney Brenner is a Nobel Prize-winning molecular biologist and a science writer.
See full bio
(1927-)
Biologist
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Abigail Breslin
Film Actress, Television Actress / 1996 -
Abigail Breslin is one of the youngest actresses to receive an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the film Little Miss Sunshine.
See full bio
(1996-)
Film Actress, Television Actress
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Jimmy Breslin
Journalist, Author / 1930 -
Self-described ‘street reporter’ Jimmy Breslin wrote columns for a sequence of New York papers. Also a novelist, he won a 1986 Pulitzer Prize for commentary.
See full bio
(1930-)
Journalist, Author
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André Breton
Philosopher, Artist, Literary Critic, Editor, Publisher, Journalist, Author, Poet / 1896 - 1966
André Breton was a French writer, editor and critic who was a key figure in the Dada and Surrealist art movements.
See full bio
(1896-1966)
Philosopher, Artist, Literary Critic, Editor, Publisher, Journalist, Author, Poet
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Jeremy Brett
Film Actor, Theater Actor, Television Actor / 1933 - 1995
Jeremy Brett was a British actor and singer known for his roles in My Fair Lady and The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.
See full bio
(1933-1995)
Film Actor, Theater Actor, Television Actor
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William Brewster
Political Leader, Pastor / 1566 - 1644
A leader of the Puritan Separatist movement, William Brewster was one of the pilgrims who traveled aboard the Mayflower to America.
See full bio
(1566-1644)
Political Leader, Pastor
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Stephen Breyer
Judge / 1938 -
Stephen Breyer is a justice for the U.S. Supreme Court, having been nominated by President Bill Clinton.
See full bio
(1938-)
Judge
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Leonid Ilich Brezhnev
Government Official / 1906 - 1982
Leonid Brezhnev was a Soviet statesman and Communist Party official who was, in effect, the leader of the Soviet Union for 18 years.
See full bio
(1906-1982)
Government Official
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Fanny Brice
Film Actress, Comedian, Singer, Radio Personality / 1891 - 1951
Fanny Brice was a popular American singing comedienne who was long associated with the Ziegfeld Follies. She was portrayed by Barbara Streisand in Funny Girl.
See full bio
| Watch video
(1891-1951)
Film Actress, Comedian, Singer, Radio Personality
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Sandra Bridewell
White Collar Criminal / 1944 -
Con artist Sandra Bridewell, known as the "Black Widow," collected hundreds of thousands of dollars from lovers and friends, and was suspected of being connected to several mysterious deaths.
See full bio
(1944-)
White Collar Criminal
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Jeff Bridges
Film Actor / 1949 -
Jeff Bridges is an American actor best known for his film roles in The Last Picture Show, TRON, The Big Lebowski and Crazy Heart.
See full bio
(1949-)
Film Actor
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Lloyd Bridges
Film Actor, Television Actor / 1913 - 1998
Lloyd Bridges was a film and TV actor known for roles in such diverse projects as East of Eden and Airplane!
See full bio
(1913-1998)
Film Actor, Television Actor
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Ruby Bridges
Civil Rights Activist / 1954 -
Ruby Bridges was the first African-American child to attend an all-white public elementary school in the American South.
See full bio
| Watch video
(1954-)
Civil Rights Activist
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Todd Bridges
Film Actor, Television Actor / 1965 -
American actor Todd Bridges is best known for playing Willis Jackson on the hit TV sitcom Diff’rent Strokes.
See full bio
(1965-)
Film Actor, Television Actor
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Sergey Brin
Entrepreneur, Computer Programmer, Engineer / 1973 -
Sergey Brin created Google, the world's most popular search engine. Brin and Larry Page, Google's co-creator, still manage the company and are billionaires.
See full bio
(1973-)
Entrepreneur, Computer Programmer, Engineer
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Christie Brinkley
Children's Activist, Model / 1954 -
Model Christie Brinkley embodies the all-American look that dominated the fashion industry in the 1980s, during which she appeared on over 200 magazine covers.
See full bio
(1954-)
Children's Activist, Model
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Don Brinkley
Television Producer, Screenwriter / 1921 - 2012
Don Brinkley is known for his work on several TV programs, including Wanted: Dead or Alive, The Untouchables and The Fugitive. He is the legal father of supermodel Christie Brinkley.
See full bio
(1921-2012)
Television Producer, Screenwriter
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Connie Britton
Actress / 1967 -
Acting since college, Connie Britton finally found real fame on television in her mid-30s with Friday Night Lights, American Horror Story and Nashville.
See full bio
(1967-)
Actress
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Jim Broadbent
Actor / 1949 -
Jim Broadbent is an Academy Award-winning British actor known for his work with Mike Leigh, Woody Allen and Terry Gilliam. His film credits include Topsy-Turvy, Iris and Moulin Rouge!.
See full bio
(1949-)
Actor
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Paula Broadwell
Journalist / 1972 -
Author Paula Broadwell made headlines in 2012, when her extramarital affair with U.S. General David Petraeus was uncovered.
See full bio
(1972-)
Journalist
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Matthew Broderick
Film Actor, Theater Actor, Television Actor, Director / 1962 -
Matthew Broderick is an American actor who became a star with his role in Ferris Bueller's Day Off. He's also known for Broadway role in The Producers.
See full bio
(1962-)
Film Actor, Theater Actor, Television Actor, Director
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Joseph Brodsky
Poet / 1940 - 1994
Russian-born American poet Joseph Brodsky was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1987 for his important lyric and elegiac poems.
See full bio
(1940-1994)
Poet
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Adam Brody
Film Actor, Television Actor / 1979 -
Adam Brody played the role of geeky teenager Seth Cohen on the popular hit Fox series The O.C.
See full bio
(1979-)
Film Actor, Television Actor
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Adrien Brody
Film Actor / 1973 -
At age 29, Adrien Brody became the youngest person to win the Academy Award for best actor in 2003, for his role in Roman Polanski's The Pianist.
See full bio
(1973-)
Film Actor
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Tom Brokaw
News Anchor, Journalist / 1940 -
Television journalist Tom Brokaw was the anchor of NBC Nightly News from 1982 until 2004.
See full bio
(1940-)
News Anchor, Journalist
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Josh Brolin
Film Actor / 1968 -
Josh Brolin made his film debut as the older brother in The Goonies in 1985. He is also played a corrupt detective in 2007’s American Gangster.
See full bio
(1968-)
Film Actor