Groups a to z

Republicans and Democrats alike are gearing up for the 2012 elections, with debates and campaigns in full swing. With a Democrat in the White House, the GOP is hoping to capitalize on Tea Party support for a big win. The race is far from clear-cut at this point, as several big names contend for the candidacy. Here are the people who are vying for the highest office in the land in 2012.

ABBA first gained attention when their single “Waterloo” won the Eurovision song contest in 1974. They are currently the fourth best-selling band in the history of pop music with 375 million albums sold.

During their courtship and marriage, John Adams and Abigail Smith Adams exchanged over 1,100 letters, many filled with intellectual discussions on government and politics considered an invaluable account of the Revolutionary War. Abigail, a fierce advocate of rights for women and African-Americans, was an important partner throughout John's political career. The couple lived on a farm in Quincy, Massachusetts, where they raised five children. Abigail died in 1818; John died in 1826, 16 months after their son, John Quincy Adams, was sworn in as the sixth President of the United States.

After years of on-screen success, many talented actors decide to take their chances on the other side of the camera—often to even greater acclaim. Here's our collection of performers who have made a new name for themselves as film and television directors.

Lot of actors play politicians on the big and small screens, but few have made the transition in real life. At every level of government, there are actors who have used their charisma, good looks, and personalities to get the policies they support enacted. Though Hollywood has a reputation as a city of liberals, many conservative actors have been members of the Republican party. From Ronald Reagan to Sonny Bono, here's a look at famous actors who went on to careers in politics.

Just as there's no shortage of Christmas-themed movies out each holiday season, there is no shortage of actors who have put on the red suit and white beard. Here's our group of actors who have played Santa Claus.

It's a rare person who is not only a good listener, but also a skilled problem solver. From suggestions on how to invest your money, to wise thoughts about child-rearing, here are the people who have made a career out of giving sage advice.

Many African-Americans left their country to escape the confines of racism, segregation and McCarthyism in the United States. As a result, an entirely new African-American subculture sprouted up in Europe, Africa and other countries abroad. A street in Paris is named after Josephine Baker, who found acceptance and fame in France that she couldn't achieve in the still-segregated United States. Marcus Garvey was a leader of the Back-to-Africa movement. And singer Nina Simone lived in several different countries, including Liberia, Switzerland, England and Barbados before eventually settling down in the South of France. Find out more about these African-American expats, and the new lives they made for themselves abroad, on Biography.com.

As the world becomes increasingly aware of the global impact of AIDS, many important figures have gotten involved in the fight against this deadly disease. Celebrities of all stripes have signed on for the cause, raising money for research, raising awareness, and speaking out for those affected by the virus. Here's our group of celebrity AIDS activists.

In the early days of the music industry, only a combination of hard work and luck could get musicians a recording contract—and even then, success was limited by the scope of a radio or record distribution deal. But thanks to the reality TV phenomenon, even an appearance on the American Idol competition can make you an instant superstar. Here are some of the show's most famous competitors and infamous judges.

Actresses Anne Heche and Ellen DeGeneres began dating in 1997, soon after DeGeneres publicly came out. They dated until 2000, when they had a reportedly tough breakup. Just after moving out of their shared home, Heche was picked up by police who found her wandering California's Central valley. Heche said she was looking for a spaceship to pick her up, and later released a memoir about living with her alter ego "Celestia." In 2001, Heche got married—to a cameraman.

Many African-Americans made their name performing at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, including Ella Fitzgerald, James Brown and Jimi Hendrix. The roster of talented artists who made their careers after a successful amateur night at the Apollo grew so large, that the venue earned a reputation as the place to jump-start the career of an ambitious hopeful. Other performers, like Aretha Franklin and Michael Jackson, came to the theater after experiencing big professional success, adding further credibility to the historic New York concert hall. Explore the biographies of some of the more notable African-Americans who stepped out onto the Apollo stage, making entertainment history.

Steve Jobs wasn't the only person in history to turn the apple into a significant cultural symbol. Somewhere in between the origin of the Adam and Eve story and the invention of the iPod, there were dozens of notable people who transformed the forbidden fruit into a significant statement.

These individuals have etched their names into history by plotting and executing the murders of prominent people. Whether their motivation is political, obsessive, or just plain insane, their high-profile murders earn them fame, fear and revulsion from the public. John Wilkes Booth shocked the nation when he assassinated Abraham Lincoln at Ford's Theater, James Earl Ray's assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. was a tragic chapter in the Civil Rights struggle. These and other famous assassins have changed the course of history, in the most brutal ways.

James Dean, Princess Diana, Isadora Duncan, are among the notable people who lost their lives in automobile accidents or from injuries from car crashes.

See our group of celebrity aviation accident victims.

Like baseball cards and Cracker Jack, nicknames are an integral part of the culture of baseball. From Babe Ruth to the Ryan Express, nicknames often reflect a player's abilities, ethnicity, or personality. Here are the best nicknames from America's national pastime.

Actor Warren Beatty's romantic exploits were legendary before he took on the real-life role of family man opposite wife Annette Bening. His list of conquests reads like a Hollywood who's who, from Jane Fonda and Natalie Wood to Brigitte Bardot and Madonna. Although a full count of Warren's women would probably be impossible, here's a few of his most famous lovers.

Whether by sword, axe or guillotine, death by beheading was historically considered the most humane form of death sentence—as long as the executioner was swift, strong and good at hitting his mark. While the practice was never legally supported in the United States, we do give the method a nod in this country whenever we use the term "capital punishment"; the word "capital" is derived from the Latin "capitalis," which translates to "of the head." Here are some of the most famous victims of this gruesome form of execution.

Jennifer Lopez was married in 2002, when she met actor Ben Affleck on the set of box office bomb Gigli. Lopez got a divorce, and she and Ben Affleck got together. The famous duo earned the nickname "Bennifer" in the press, but in January 2004 they called it off. They blamed too much media attention for the breakup.

In the past, witches—or those alleged to be witches—were burned at the stake. They are a Halloween staple, portrayed as cackling, cauldron-stirring evil-doers. Far from such eerie depictions are the portrayals of witches in film and on television. Played by glamorous actresses, these witches have no warts on their faces, but rather ordinary lives and good intentions—with some supernatural powers to contend with. Here are some of the witches who have brought witchcraft into today's pop culture, on the big and small screens.

Since its emergence in the American South in the early 19th century, country music has evolved into one of the most popular mainstream musical genres. Modern-day country musicians, such as Tim McGraw, Faith Hill and Taylor Swift, maintain steadfast fan bases and turn huge profits with their albums. 

But country musicians weren’t always pop culture superstars; in the 1920s, U.S. immigrants formed the backbone of what was known as “hillbilly music.”  Their explorations of the rural experience, from the depths of poverty to the height of pastoral life, became the voice of a growing, but often ignored, American subculture. These relatively unknown musicians influenced the later standout stars of country music, including Johnny Cash, Dale Evans and Hank Williams.

And the rise of country music is far from over. Its ever-changing sound—an amalgam of folk, gospel, rockabilly, bluegrass, and even urban rock—continues to pave the way for new musical innovators.

Browse through notable black artists such as Augusta Savage, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and James Van Der Zee.

From the early comedy of Nipsey Russell and Richard Pryor to the contemporary routines of Mo'nique and Chris Rock, African-Americans have often used their wit to become the voice and face of the African-American experience. These legendary comedians also set a very high bar—not only for African-Americans, but for all comics trying to make it in show-business.

African-American history is filled with the tales of inspiring individuals—many of whom overcame great odds to leave their mark on the United States. In this group, we examine the lives of African-Americans who have made extraordinary achievements in their fields, including inventors such as George Washington Carver; activists like Malcolm X and Rosa Parks; athletes such as Willie Mays and Michael Jordan; and entertainers like Bessie Smith and Oprah Winfrey. Their names, and their stories, have become synonymous with the rich legacy that is African-American culture.

Browse through prominent figures in African-American literature such as Maya Angelou, Langston Hughes, and Toni Morrison.

In the 1940s and 1950s, the United States was in the grips of a "red scare." Many prominent individuals suspected of sympathizing with liberal or humanitarian causes were branded a communist threat, and even accused of espionage. Hollywood was a major focus of the accusations, and after 10 actors refused to testify in front of the House Committee on Un-American Activities, the blacklist was created. Hundreds of actors, actresses, directors, screenwriters and other entertainment professionals were barred from working. Here are some of the famous people who were on the Hollywood blacklist.

The "high, lonesome" style that defines the bluegrass sound comes from the experiences of the music's original composers, the Scots-Irish immigrants of Appalachia. Early bluegrass musician Lester Flatt brought the sound of the genre into the popular lexicon in 1948, when he helped found The Foggy Mountain Boys. He was joined by fellow musician Earl Scruggs, who expertly picked his banjo in the three-finger style that is carried on in the music of bluegrass great Ricky Skaggs. In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, Alison Krauss snagged more than 26 Grammy awards for putting a contemporary twist on the music of her bluegrass predecessors—proof that the genre still resonantes with listeners.

Musical duo Bobby Brown and Whitney Houston married in 1992, and had one daughter, Bobby Kristina. In 2003, Brown was arrested for misdemeanor battery, for allegedly hitting Houston and shouting epithets. That didn't stop the family from starring in their own reality show, Being Bobby Brown, in 2005. Two years later Houston and Brown divorced.

Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow were the most famous gangster couple in history, made more so by the 1967 Oscar-winning film Bonnie and Clyde, starring Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway. From 1932 to 1934, during the height of the Great Depression, their gang evolved from petty theives to nationally-known bank robbers and murderers. Though a burgeoning yellow press romanticized their exploits, the gang was believed responsible for at least 13 murders, including two policemen, as well as several robberies and kidnappings. The spree ended when they were betrayed by a friend and shot dead at a police roadblock in Louisiana on May 23, 1934.

The 2012 Chinese New Year ushers in the Year of the Dragon, an earth sign that represents powerful leaders, big thinkers and large egos. Here are some of the most famous Dragons from history.

See our brat packers group.

In July 2004, after three months of dating, Britney Spears got engaged to backup dancer Kevin Federline. They married in September, and had two sons together. Spears filed for divorce in November 2006. In 2007, Federline was awarded custody of their children, as well as $20,000 a month in child support, after Spears experienced a breakdown. She's since cleaned up her act and has increased visitation rights.

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid led the Wild Bunch through a series of bank and train robberies across the American Old West.  Their exploits served as the basis for the 1967 Oscar-winning film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford.

In November 1998, Baywatch actress and Playboy model Carmen Electra wed eccentric basketball star (and sometime cross-dresser) Dennis Rodman in Las Vegas. Rodman filed for an annullment nine days later, claiming he was drunk at the ceremony. The couple had an on-and-off relationship until they divorced the next year, and in the meantime both were arrested for a domestic disturbance.

See our group of the Cast of Saturday Night Live.

Hollywood stars often get flack for their extravagant lifestyles, and sometimes they seem to be far removed from the rest of us. Not so for all celebrities, though—a surprising number of stars have taken on the big responsibility of serving in the United States Armed Forces. We know them as actors, athletes, musicians, and comedians, but these brave individuals have actually put their lives on the line for their country. Here's a look at celebrity enlistees.

Pop star Rihanna and rising star Chris Brown seemed like a golden couple. It all fell apart in February 2008, when Brown turned himself in for domestic violence charges. Leaked photos of a badly beaten Rihanna did major damage to Brown's career, and the relationship was over.

Long before the Internet, the feminine icons of the day were the pin-up queens. Sex symbols like Bettie Page and Rita Hayworth adorned the walls of boys' bedrooms and military barracks alike. Modern day icons like Farrah Fawcett and Raquel Welch are remembered for classic, risque photos that became the most popular posters in the country. Here's our group of famous pin-ups. 

Judging by the reported one billion people who tuned in to watch the royal wedding of commoner Kate Middleton to Prince William in April 2011, it's safe to say we have a collective fascination with pomp and circumstance—particularly when we feel the princess being feted is 'just like us.' The transformation of an ordinary person into a royal is the stuff of fairy tales, but it does come true for a few lucky mortals. Some of the most visible and well-liked royals are commoners who married into their regal title. Here are some of the individuals who made the ultimate transformation.

Meet Contemporary Country Stars.

Meet the stars who've contributed so much to making country music what it is today.

Meet Country Music Outlaws.

A uniquely American genre, country music got its start in the South in the early 19th century, when immigrants blended their Old World sounds with African-American musical styles. But it was the lives of the musicians, as told in their songs, that turned country into one of the best-loved musical styles in the United States. Listeners could relate to Jimmie Rodgers' stories of the railroad in "The Brakeman's Blues"; Hank Williams' struggle with depression in tunes such as "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry"; and the promise of finding someone to rely on in George Jones' "Walk Through This World With Me." And its the universal struggles of love, loss, joy and longing found in each country song that keeps this music—and its performers—relevant throughout time.

During the 1930s, partly to avoid the hillbilly image and partly owing to Hollywood's romance with the West, country music headed to the range. Western fringe and cowboy hats turned up on many singers onstage, while Gene Autry and Roy Rogers hit the country charts as "The Singing Cowboy" and the "King of the Cowboys," respectively. Autry made it big in Hollywood and on the radio, singing favorites like "Here Comes Santa Claus" and "Frosty the Snowman." Rogers and his wife, "Queen of the West" Dale Evans, also straddled the worlds of music and movies with their Wild West personas.

The association of country music with the wide open spaces of the western United States made such a deep impact on popular culture during this time that it never quite faded from the public perception of the country genre. To this day, Cowboy Country music serves as a reminder of our continued yearning for a life that's beautiful, pastoral and—ultimately—more simple.

They can be chainsaw wielding maniacs, creatures from another dimension, or supernatural presences. Horror film monsters frighten, haunt and shock us. They personify our biggest nightmares. And the actors that truly make those characters come to life on the big screen often give performances so convincing that—for just a minute—you forget they’re only imaginary. Here are some of the actors and actresses who gave performances that felt so real, you thought twice about turning off the lights at night.

Combine a charismatic personality with fringe beliefs and an appetite for violence, and you get some of history's most notorious cult leaders. Charles Manson terrorized frightened Americans in the late 1960s, convincing his followers to commit heinous murders in his name. David Koresh led the Branch Davidian cult in Waco, Texas, leading to a standoff with the federal government in 1993 that resulted in the death of Koresh and 75 of his believers. Learn about these leaders, and many more, who inspired hundreds to follow their unconventional philosophies—often with tragic results.

Whether it was discovered or proven through DNA testing, these men all faced very public paternity battles after their dalliances resulted in a love child. From John Edwards to Eddie Murphy, here is a list of dads in denial.

Some went where no man had gone before. Others held the torch for women to follow. All faced risks and overcame them. Take a look at our Top Women Adventurers!

The younger siblings of the Osmond family, Donny and Marie Osmond started performing at an early age.  Donny first entered the public eye when he joined his older brothers' singing group,"The Osmonds," and appeared regularly on"The Andy Williams  Show."  Donny and Marie both recorded solo albums before joining forces to star on the 70s TV variety show "Donny & Marie." In the late 1990s, the duo co-hosted their own talk show. Donny and Marie both enjoyed newfound popularity after separately appearing on the hit reality competition show, "Dancing with the Stars."  In 2008, they announced an exclusive engagement of concerts at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas.

Incorporated in 1910, the Boy Scouts of America was founded with the aim of instilling ethics and morals into the lives of young boys. A Scout is a "trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent," boy who, above all, strives to "be prepared" and "do his best." The highest order of these Boy Scouts are the Eagle Scouts, a rare group of young men who rise through the scouting ranks to earn 21 merit badges, serve for six months in a troop leadership position, and successfully complete a strict Eagle Scout board of review, among other requirements.

The first Eagle Scout to complete this training was 17-year-old Arthur R. Eldred, on September 2, 1912. Since then, more than 2 million Boy Scouts have earned the coveted rank. Here are some of the most famous of the honorable young men who made it to the top of the Boy Scouts program.

Their creative visions unsettle, shock and haunt us—then leave us begging for more. Meet some of the biggest horror-film directors in Hollywood; the ones who not only sent chills down our spines and thrilled us with their suspenseful work, but who also made films so good, it became fun to be a little afraid.

An acronym was born the day actor Philip Michael Thomas (a.k.a. Detective Rico Tubbs of Miami Vice fame) announced his aspiration to win an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony within five years. But it was his gold EGOT medallion, which he had made as a reminder of his aims, that really solidified the term in Hollywood history. Sadly, Thomas still hasn't achieved his 1984 goal but, to be fair, only a small group of performers ever has. Here are the notable few who have made awards history.

Eleanor Roosevelt began courting her father's fifth cousin, 20-year-old Harvard student Franklin Delano Roosevelt, in 1903. The couple got engaged in November, married on St. Patrick's Day 1905, and produced six children, five of whom survived infancy. In 1921, while vacationing in Campobello Island, New Brunswick, FDR contracted an illness that resulted in permanent paralysis of his legs. Another blow followed: FDR's affair with Eleanor's social secretary, Lucy Mercer. The marriage endured, however, and as President and First Lady, they used their influence to promote New Deal policies and advocate for civil rights.

Although one could argue that these famous folks’ personalities are otherworldly, it’s a fact that their names are generally down to earth. From the conventionally monikered Natalie Wood to the very original Muddy Waters, here’s our list of famous people whose names give homage to the elements and beyond.

We usually think of sex and rock stars, but lately it seems as though politicians are the culprits in most sex scandals in the news. Many powerful politicians, with careers and reputations to lose, have been caught carrying on with the wrong person. From a French presidential hopeful and a New York City chambermaid, to a rising star of Congress and his cell phone, these famous individuals have gotten themselves in trouble by being elite and indiscreet.

Hollywood's leading lady Elizabeth Taylor was married eight times—and two of them were to Richard Burton. The two fell in love on the set of the 1963 film Cleopatra, and though both were married at the time, by March 1964 they divorced their previous spouses and married each other. Their turbulent relationship kept them in the papers, and they divorced in 1974 and remarried in 1975, only to split again a year later.

Elvis Presley met Priscilla Beaulieu when she was just 14 years old. He was 10 years older, and already a rock 'n' roll superstar. The two married in 1967 after a nearly eight-year courtship. The King of Rock was known to carry on affairs with women, including his Hollywood co-stars. In 1968 Priscilla gave birth to their only child, Lisa Marie. By 1973 Elvis' drug dependency and infidelity led to the couple's divorce. The only marriage Elvis ever entered, the story of Elvis and Priscilla continues to fascinate the public long after Elvis' death in 1977.

Ruthless, corrupt, and crazy. Many of the world's dicators started out as charismatic young leaders, with a large measure of support from their countrymen—only to become bloated with power and abandon the principles they had pledged to uphold. These leaders held on to power by rigidly enforcing control, intimidating opposition and instilling fear among citizens. With access to unlimited power and riches, many developed secretive personal lives and bizarre habits. These dictators terrorized their people, and mesmerized the world, with their bizarre sayings, styles, and actions. Biography.com looks at some of the most erratic, and autocratic, leaders.

Political assassinations are an all-too-common occurrence, and they often become major landmark events. Luckily, many attempts to murder a political figure don't succeed, and a life is spared. Even those events, though, become important events in our history. In one of the most famous incidents, John Hinckley, Jr. tried to assassinate President Reagan in 1981.The president suffered a puntured lung, but survived the shooting. Here's a look at some of the most famous failed assassination attempts.

Browse notable activists such as Pink, Quincy Jones, and Robert Kennedy.

Browse notable actors such as Woody Allen, John Belushi, and Steve Buscemi.

These adoptees found their path to fame and fortune as entertainers, inventors, authors, politicians, and athletes. While most may have found long-lasting success in their respective fields, some were unable to handle their celebrity. From the revolutionary technophile Steve Jobs to the actress-turned-U.S. First Lady Nancy Regan, explore our group of Famous Adoptees.

These adoptive parents are a testament that fame and wealth can't fill the emotional void that little, innocent rugrats can. While some of these famous parents find love and satisfaction through the adoption of one child, others catch—what we like to call—the We Are the World Syndrome, adopting multiple children from across borders. Explore our group of Famous Adoptive Parents and see how they're changing the world—one child at a time.

These days, many celebrities take on causes and raise awareness of issues they care about. Some stars choose to speak on behalf of those who can't speak for themselves— animals, that is. From Pamela Anderson to Betty White, here are some famous animal rights activists.

Browse notable anthropologists such as Margaret Mead, Katherine Dunham, and Michel Foucault.

Browse notable antiwar activists such as Queen Rania, Coretta Scott King, and Jane Fonda.

Browse notable archaeologists such as Mary Leakey, Robert Ballard, and Arthur Evans.