h
-
Rita Hayworth
Film Actress, Dancer, Pin-up / 1918 - 1987
American film actress Rita Hayworth is best known for her stunning explosive sexual charisma on screen in films throughout the 1930s and 1940s.
See full bio
(1918-1987)
Film Actress, Dancer, Pin-up
-
Martin Heidegger
Philosopher / 1889 - 1976
Though his reputation was scarred by his affiliation with the Nazi party, Martin Heidegger is one of the most influential philosophers of the 20th century.
See full bio
(1889-1976)
Philosopher
-
H. J. Heinz
Entrepreneur / 1844 - 1919
H.J. Heinz founded the Heinz Corporation in 1876. To this day, his company remains one of the top prepared food manufacturers in America.
See full bio
(1844-1919)
Entrepreneur
-
Al Held
Educator, Painter / 1928 - 2005
Painter, Al Held was know for his painting complex cube-like structures in the 1960s, and his precise and brightly colored geometric forms in the 1980s.
See full bio
(1928-2005)
Educator, Painter
-
Jesse Helms
U.S. Representative / 1921 - 2008
Republican, Jesse Helms was a United States Senator from North Carolina who served for five terms (1973-2003). He was known for his right-wing politics and opposition to civil rights legislation.
See full bio
(1921-2008)
U.S. Representative
-
Jim Henson
Filmmaker, Inventor, Screenwriter / 1936 - 1990
Jim Henson was an American puppeteer best known for creating TV characters, including the Muppets, and for his work on the popular children's show Sesame Street.
See full bio
| Watch video
(1936-1990)
Filmmaker, Inventor, Screenwriter
-
Orlando Hernández
Baseball Player / 1965 -
Orlando Hernández fled Cuba for America after being banned from baseball in 1997. He signed with the New York Yankees and helped them win three World Series.
See full bio
(1965-)
Baseball Player
-
James Herriot
Medical Professional, Author / 1916 - 1995
James Herriot was a British veterinarian and author best known for his books detailing life as a country vet. Two films and a TV series were based on his book All Creatures Great and Small.
See full bio
(1916-1995)
Medical Professional, Author
-
Charlton Heston
Film Actor / 1923 - 2008
Charlton Heston was an American film actor best known for his roles in Antony and Cleopatra, The Ten Commandments, Ben Hur and Planet of the Apes (1968).
See full bio
(1923-2008)
Film Actor
-
Thor Heyerdahl
Archaeologist, Explorer, Writer / 1914 - 2002
Norwegian adventurer Thor Heyerdahl made a celebrated journey aboard a raft called Kon-Tiki in 1947, and later wrote an international best-seller about his amazing expedition.
See full bio
(1914-2002)
Archaeologist, Explorer, Writer
-
Taylor Hicks
Songwriter, Guitarist, Singer / 1976 -
Taylor Hicks is an American singer-songwriter who rose to fame after his win on the fifth season of American Idol.
See full bio
(1976-)
Songwriter, Guitarist, Singer
-
Heinrich Himmler
Military Leader / 1900 - 1945
Heinrich Himmler was commander of Hitler's Schutzstaffel, and later of the Gestapo in Nazi Germany. After World War II, he committed suicide to escape capture.
See full bio
(1900-1945)
Military Leader
-
Lewis Hine
Photographer / 1874 - 1940
Lewis Hines was a photographer known for his documentation of exploited child workers and government projects.
See full bio
(1874-1940)
Photographer
-
Martina Hingis
Tennis Player / 1980 -
Teenage Martina Hingis was the top women's tennis player in the world in the late 1990s, but ankle injuries and a cocaine scandal cut her career short.
See full bio
(1980-)
Tennis Player
-
Paul Hogan
Film Actor, Television Actor, Television Personality / 1939 -
Australian-born actor Paul Hogan is best known for his role as Michael "Crocodile" Dundee from the Crocodile Dundee film series.
See full bio
(1939-)
Film Actor, Television Actor, Television Personality
-
Natalee Holloway
1986 -
Alabama teenager Natalee Holloway disappeared during a trip to Aruba in 2005.
See full bio
(1986-)
-
Evander Holyfield
Boxer / 1962 -
Boxer Evander Holyfield fought in the Olympics and reigned as the world heavyweight champion from 1990 to 1992, and again from 1993 to 1994. In an infamous bout in 1996, Holyfield's ear was bitten by Mike Tyson.
See full bio
(1962-)
Boxer
-
bell hooks
Scholar, Academic Author, Journalist / 1952 -
Bell hooks is an American scholar whose best known work focuses on perceptions of black women in the United States.
See full bio
(1952-)
Scholar, Academic Author, Journalist
-
Francis Hopkinson
Lawyer, Judge, Songwriter, Writer, Government Official / 1737 - 1791
An ardent supporter of the American Revolution, Francis Hopkinson signed the Declaration of Independence and may have designed the U.S. flag.
See full bio
(1737-1791)
Lawyer, Judge, Songwriter, Writer, Government Official
-
Roy Horn
Magician / 1944 -
Roy Horn is half of the headlining Las Vegas magical duo Siegfried & Roy who survived severe injuries after an onstage tiger attack.
See full bio
(1944-)
Magician
-
Vladimir Horowitz
Pianist / 1903 - 1989
Vladimir Horowitz was a Russian pianist who gained an international reputation because of his stunning technique.
See full bio
(1903-1989)
Pianist
-
Félix Houphouët-Boigny
Doctor, World Leader, Prime Minister / 1905 - 1993
Politician and physician Félix Houphouët-Boigny was president of Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) from its independence in 1960 until his death in 1993.
See full bio
(1905-1993)
Doctor, World Leader, Prime Minister
-
E. Howard Hunt
Spy, Writer / 1918 - 2007
E. Howard Hunt was a CIA agent and PR consultant before he teamed up with G. Gordon Liddy to organize the Watergate break-in.
See full bio
(1918-2007)
Spy, Writer
-
Collis P. Huntington
Business Leader / 1821 - 1900
Collis Huntington is best known for his work in planning and building the transcontinental railroad in the United States.
See full bio
(1821-1900)
Business Leader
-
Josh Hutcherson
Film Actor, Television Actor / 1992 -
Josh Hutcherson is an American actor best known for his role in The Hunger Games. He’s worked with luminaries such as Robin Williams, Annette Bening and Tom Hanks.
See full bio
(1992-)
Film Actor, Television Actor
i
-
Lee Iacocca
Business Leader / 1924 -
Automobile executive Lee Iacocca worked for Ford Motor Co. and promoted the Mustang, but later moved to Chrysler Corp. where he helped achieve record profits.
See full bio
(1924-)
Business Leader
-
Gwen Ifill
News Anchor, Journalist / 1955 -
Distinguished journalist and television news correspondent Gwen Ifill is one of the most successful female African-American reporters of all time.
See full bio
(1955-)
News Anchor, Journalist
-
Julio Iglesias
Singer / 1943 -
Singer Julio Iglesias's was highly success during the 1970s and 1980s. Among his best-known songs is his duet "To All the Girls I've Loved Before."
See full bio
(1943-)
Singer
-
Charles Ives
Entrepreneur, Songwriter, Pianist / 1874 - 1954
Charles Ives is a significant American composer known for a number of innovations that anticipated most of the later musical developments of the 20th century.
See full bio
(1874-1954)
Entrepreneur, Songwriter, Pianist
j
-
Hugh Jackman
Film Actor, Producer / 1968 -
Australian actor and producer Hugh Jackman is best known for playing Wolverine in the X-Men series. He's also known for parts in the films The Prestige, Australia and Les Miserables.
See full bio
| Watch video
(1968-)
Film Actor, Producer
-
Alan Jackson
Singer / 1958 -
Country singer Alan Jackson won a Grammy Award for his song commemorating the 9/11 terror attacks, "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning."
See full bio
(1958-)
Singer
-
Jesse Jackson
Civil Rights Activist, Minister, Journalist / 1941 -
Jesse Jackson is an American civil rights leader, Baptist minister and politician who twice ran for U.S. president.
See full bio
| Watch video
(1941-)
Civil Rights Activist, Minister, Journalist
-
Tito Jackson
Guitarist / 1953 -
Musician Tito Jackson was lead guitarist for The Jackson 5 and later the Jacksons. He has since reinvented himself as blues musician.
See full bio
(1953-)
Guitarist
-
Wanda Jackson
Singer / 1937 -
Singer Wanda Jackson's hit songs climbed both the country and rock charts in the 1950s and 1960s, earning her the "Queen of Rockabilly" title.
See full bio
| Watch video
(1937-)
Singer
-
Janet Jagan
Activist, Nurse, World Leader, Prime Minister / 1920 - 2009
Janet Jagan co-founded the People's Progressive Party. She was the first woman to become prime minister of Guyana and was also Guyana’s first female president.
See full bio
(1920-2009)
Activist, Nurse, World Leader, Prime Minister
-
Wyclef Jean
Songwriter, Guitarist, Singer / 1969 -
Wyclef Jean is a Haitian musician whose band, the Fugees, hit it big in the mid-1990s with The Score.
See full bio
(1969-)
Songwriter, Guitarist, Singer
-
Blind Lemon Jefferson
Guitarist, Singer / 1893 - 1929
Blind Lemon Jefferson was best known for his singing and song writing as a blues guitarist.
See full bio
(1893-1929)
Guitarist, Singer
-
Elfriede Jelinek
Writer / 1946 -
Austrian novelist and playwright Elfriede Jelinek won the 2004 Nobel Prize for Literature with her satirical studies of gender oppression and female sexuality.
See full bio
(1946-)
Writer
-
Mae C. Jemison
Astronaut, Doctor, Scientist / 1956 -
Doctor Mae C. Jemison is the first African-American woman ever to be a U.S. astronaut. In 1992, she flew into space aboard the Endeavour.
See full bio
| Watch video
(1956-)
Astronaut, Doctor, Scientist
-
Calvin Johnson
Football Player / 1985 -
A massive wide receiver with explosive speed and game-breaking abilities, Calvin Johnson has developed into one of the NFL's most dominant players.
See full bio
(1985-)
Football Player
-
Eliza Johnson
U.S. First Lady / 1810 - 1876
Eliza Johnson became First Lady when her husband Andrew assumed the presidency after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.
See full bio
(1810-1876)
U.S. First Lady
-
Lonnie G. Johnson
Engineer, Inventor / 1949 -
Lonnie G. Johnson is an engineer and inventor who worked on the Cassini mission to Jupiter and invented the Super Soaker.
See full bio
(1949-)
Engineer, Inventor
-
Jo Jones
Drummer / 1911 - 1985
Musician Jo Jones, considered one of the most influential of all jazz drummers, noted for his swing and finesse, played with Count Basie’s Kansas City band.
See full bio
(1911-1985)
Drummer
-
Marion Jones
Basketball Player, Track and Field Athlete / 1975 -
Marion Jones is an American athlete who, at the 2000 Olympic Games, became the first woman to win five track-and-field medals at a single Olympics.
See full bio
(1975-)
Basketball Player, Track and Field Athlete
-
Spike Jonze
Film Actor, Director, Producer, Television Producer / 1969 -
Spike Jonze is best known for his films Being John Malkovich, Adaptation and Where the Wild Things Are. He produced MTV's Jackass.
See full bio
(1969-)
Film Actor, Director, Producer, Television Producer
-
Luc Jouret
Cult Leader / 1947 - 1994
Luc Jouret was a homeopathic doctor who founded the New Age cult Solar Templar in the 1980s.
See full bio
(1947-1994)
Cult Leader
k
-
Madeline Kahn
Actress / 1942 - 1999
Madeleine Kahn was an actress of stage and screen known for her roles in Mel Brooks' comedies such as Blazing Saddles and High Anxiety.
See full bio
(1942-1999)
Actress
-
A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
Engineer, World Leader, Scientist / 1931 -
A.P.J. Abdul Kalam is an Indian scientist and politician who served his country as president from 2002 to 2007.
See full bio
(1931-)
Engineer, World Leader, Scientist
-
Donna Karan
Fashion Designer / 1948 -
American fashion designer Donna Karan is one of the most influential designers in the world today.
See full bio
(1948-)
Fashion Designer
-
Kim Kardashian
Reality Television Star / 1980 -
Kim Kardashian is a model, actress, entrepreneur, socialite and star of the reality show Keeping Up with the Kardashians.
See full bio
| Watch video
(1980-)
Reality Television Star
-
Buster Keaton
Film Actor, Comedian / 1895 - 1966
Comedian and director Buster Keaton was popular for his pioneering silent comedies in the 1920s.
See full bio
(1895-1966)
Film Actor, Comedian
-
Joseph P. Kennedy III
Lawyer, U.S. Representative / 1980 -
A part of the famed American political dynasty, Joseph P. Kennedy became the latest member of his family to win public office in 2012. He won a seat to the U.S. House of Representatives, taking over for the retiring Barney Frank.
See full bio
(1980-)
Lawyer, U.S. Representative
-
Deborah Kerr
Film Actress / 1921 - 2007
Deborah Kerr was a Scottish actress known for the poise and serenity she exhibited in portraying complex, prim characters.
See full bio
(1921-2007)
Film Actress
-
Nancy Kerrigan
Ice Skater / 1969 -
Olympic figure skater Nancy Kerrigan won a silver medal at the 1994 Olympics despite being hit in the knee earlier in the year.
See full bio
(1969-)
Ice Skater
-
Kublai Khan
General, Political Leader, Emperor / 1215 - 1294
Mongolian general and statesman Kublai Khan was the grandson of Genghis Khan. He conquered China, founding and becoming the first emperor of the country's Yuan Dynasty.
See full bio
(1215-1294)
General, Political Leader, Emperor
-
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
(1948-1997)
Songwriter, Singer
-
Mohammad Khatami
World Leader / 1943 -
Mohammad Khatami is an Iranian political leader and was President of Iran from 1997 to 2005.
See full bio
(1943-)
World Leader
-
Klaus Kinski
Film Actor / 1926 - 1991
Actor Klaus Kinski made his mark in such films as Aguirre (1972), Nosferatu (1979) and Fitzcarraldo (1982).
See full bio
(1926-1991)
Film Actor
-
Chris Kirkpatrick
Singer, Reality Television Star / 1971 -
Chris Kirkpatrick was the eldest member of the popular boy band N'Sync, not to mention the only one with dreadlocks. Now he plays now in the group Nigels 11.
See full bio
(1971-)
Singer, Reality Television Star
-
Evel Knievel
Actor, Athlete / 1938 - 2007
Evel Knievel was an American daredevil who became an icon in the 1970s for his incredible motorcycle stunts.
See full bio
(1938-2007)
Actor, Athlete
-
Lee Konitz
Saxophonist / 1927 -
Lee Konitz is an American jazz musician, a leading figure in cool jazz, and is known as one of the most distinctive alto saxophonists.
See full bio
(1927-)
Saxophonist
-
Jane Krakowski
Theater Actress, Television Actress / 1968 -
Film, TV and theater actress Jane Krakowski is known for having played Elaine on Ally McBeal and Jenna on 30 Rock. She also starred in the London production of Guys and Dolls.
See full bio
(1968-)
Theater Actress, Television Actress
-
Ray Kroc
Entrepreneur / 1902 - 1984
Ray Kroc was an American entrepreneur best known for expanding McDonald’s from a local chain to the world’s most profitable restaurant franchise operation.
See full bio
(1902-1984)
Entrepreneur
-
Dennis Kucinich
U.S. Representative / 1946 -
Democrat Dennis Kucinich is a member of the U.S. House of Representatives known for his 2004 and 2008 presidential bids.
See full bio
(1946-)
U.S. Representative
-
Fela Kuti
Civil Rights Activist, Songwriter, Drummer, Pianist / 1938 - 1997
Musician and activist Fela Kuti pioneered Afrobeat music and was repeatedly arrested and beaten for writing lyrics that questioned the Nigerian government.
See full bio
(1938-1997)
Civil Rights Activist, Songwriter, Drummer, Pianist
l
-
Emeril Lagasse
Chef / 1959 -
Emeril Lagasse is a celebrity chef best known as the host of the television show Emeril Live, his lines of products and restaurants, and his catchphrases.
See full bio
(1959-)
Chef
-
Jack LaLanne
Athlete, Entrepreneur, Inventor, Television Personality / 1914 - 2011
The "godfather of fitness," Jack LaLanne, is known for his 1950s TV fitness program and for his endorsement of a power juicer in 2002.
See full bio
(1914-2011)
Athlete, Entrepreneur, Inventor, Television Personality
-
Floyd Landis
Cyclist / 1975 -
Cyclist Floyd Landis won the 2006 Tour de France. Urine tests later revealed that he was using performance-enhancing drugs, and he was banned from the sport for two years.
See full bio
(1975-)
Cyclist
-
Angela Lansbury
Actress / 1925 -
Actress Angela Lansbury has entertained audiences in a variety of ways, including her 12-year stint as Jessica Fletcher on the 1984 series Murder, She Wrote.
See full bio
(1925-)
Actress
-
Ralph Lauren
Entrepreneur, Fashion Designer / 1939 -
Ralph Lauren is an American clothing designer best known for his sportswear line, Polo Ralph Lauren, which is the centerpiece of his fashion empire.
See full bio
(1939-)
Entrepreneur, Fashion Designer
-
Avril Lavigne
Songwriter, Singer / 1984 -
Mixing rock, punk and a rebellious style, Canadian singer Avril Lavigne's first album sold 15 million copies, thanks to hit singles "Complicated" and "Sk8er Boi."
See full bio
(1984-)
Songwriter, Singer
-
John Le Carré
Author / 1931 -
Author John Le Carré’s first published novel, Call for the Dead, introduced his ‘anti-hero’ George Smiley, who appears in most of his stories.
See full bio
(1931-)
Author
-
Ursula K. Le Guin
1929 -
Ursula Le Guin is a writer known for her science fiction and high fantasy works and her various essays.
See full bio
(1929-)
-
Timothy Leary
Psychologist / 1920 - 1996
Timothy Leary was an American psychologist and author who was a leading advocate for the use of LSD and other psychoactive drugs.
See full bio
(1920-1996)
Psychologist
-
Tommy Lee
Songwriter, Drummer / 1962 -
Tommy Lee is the drummer and co-founder of heavy metal band Mötley Crüe. He has two children with actress Pamela Anderson.
See full bio
(1962-)
Songwriter, Drummer
-
Annie Leibovitz
Photographer / 1949 -
Annie Leibovitz, considered one of America's best portrait photographers, developed her trademark use of bold colors and poses while at Rolling Stone.
See full bio
(1949-)
Photographer
-
John Lennon
Songwriter, Singer / 1940 - 1980
John Lennon, pop star, composer, songwriter and recording artist, founded the Beatles, a band that impacted the music scene like no other before or since.
See full bio
| Watch video
(1940-1980)
Songwriter, Singer
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
Heather Locklear
Television Actress, Pin-up / 1961 -
Actress Heather Locklear was on the television series C.H.I.P.S, Dynasty, T.J. Hooker, Melrose Place and Sin City. She was also in the movie Firestarter.
See full bio
(1961-)
Television Actress, Pin-up
-
Carole Lombard
Film Actress, Pin-up / 1908 - 1942
Carole Lombard starred in comedic films during the 1930s. She married actor Clark Gable in 1939, but died in a tragic plane accident a few years later.
See full bio
(1908-1942)
Film Actress, Pin-up
-
Bobby Joe Long
Serial Killer / 1953 -
Tampa Bay serial killer Bobby Joe Long confessed to killing 10 women, and raping more than 50, in the 1980s.
See full bio
| Watch video
(1953-)
Serial Killer
-
Mario Lopez
Theater Actor, Television Actor, Game Show Host / 1973 -
Mario Lopez is a television host and actor who has appeared chiefly on various television series, such as Saved by the Bell, Extra and America's Best Dance Crew.
See full bio
(1973-)
Theater Actor, Television Actor, Game Show Host
-
Louis XIII
King / 1601 - 1643
Louis XIII was king of France from 1610 to 1643 and under his reign made France a leading European power.
See full bio
(1601-1643)
King
-
Louis-Philippe
King / 1773 - 1850
Louis-Philippe was king of the French from 1830 to 1848 but fell from power because he could not win the allegiance of the new industrial classes.
See full bio
(1773-1850)
King
-
Chris Lowe
Musician / 1959 -
Chris Lowe is a British musician best known as half of the electronic dance music duo the Pet Shop Boys.
See full bio
(1959-)
Musician
-
Joseph Lowery
Civil Rights Activist, Minister / 1921 -
Civil rights leader, social activist and minister Joseph Lowery has fought against prejudice and discrimination against African-Americans for more than 50 years.
See full bio
(1921-)
Civil Rights Activist, Minister
-
Bela Lugosi
Actor / 1882 - 1956
Count Dracula was Actor Bela Lugosi's most famous role. Lugosi played him in stage productions and in the 1931 Universal Pictures film Dracula.
See full bio
| Watch video
(1882-1956)
Actor
-
Mario Luzi
Educator, Poet / 1914 - 2005
Born in Tuscany in 1914, Italian writer Mario Luzi is famous for his poetry. He was nominated for a Nobel Prize in Literature in 1991.
See full bio
(1914-2005)
Educator, Poet
m
-
Yo-Yo Ma
Musician / 1955 -
Yo-Yo Ma is an acclaimed cellist and songwriter who has produced dozens of albums and won more than 15 Grammy Awards.
See full bio
(1955-)
Musician