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Nancy Reagan was an American actress who also served as the first lady of the US between 1981 and 1989. One of her major initiatives as the first lady was her role in founding a drug awareness campaign called Just Say No. She had a strong influence on President Ronald Reagan, having an impact on many of his diplomatic decisions.
A charming socialite, Angelica Schuyler Church was the daughter of Continental Army General, Philip Schuyler, and wife of British MP, John Barker Church. During her lifetime, she interacted with and created lasting friendship with numerous personalities, from revolutionaries to artists and politicians, like Edmund Burke, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson. She has been portrayed in the acclaimed Broadway musical Hamilton.
Ayn Rand was a Russian-American philosopher and writer. Apart from publishing two best-selling novels, Ayn Rand is credited with developing a philosophical system called Objectivism. Over the years, Ayn Rand has been a major influence among American conservatives and libertarians. Some of the famous personalities influenced by her include Amber Heard, Vince Vaughn, Jimmy Wales, Ayelet Shaked, and Mary Ruwart.
Nobel Prize- and Pulitzer Prize-winning American author Pearl Buck was raised in China by her missionary parents. She grew up to teach English literature in Chinese universities and later penned books such as East Wind, West Wind and The Good Earth, which were based on her experiences in China.
Teresa Wright was an American actress best remembered for her portrayal of Carol Beldon in the 1942 romantic war drama film Mrs. Miniver, which earned her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Teresa Wright worked with top directors like Alfred Hitchcock, who admired her professionalism.
Best known for his over two-decade-long stint as a Turner Classic Movies host, Robert Osborne also gained fame for his penning The Official History of the Academy Awards and the National Film Book Award-winning 50 Golden Years of Oscar. A qualified journalist, he also wrote columns for The Hollywood Reporter.
Gottlieb Daimler was a German engineer, industrialist, and industrial designer. A pioneer of automobile development and internal combustion engines, Daimler is credited with inventing the liquid petroleum-fueled engine. In 1978, Gottlieb Daimler was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame.
Renowned sociologist and cultural theorist Jean Baudrillard is remembered for introducing concepts of hyperreality and simulacrum. Initially a teacher of German literature in schools, he later taught sociology at Paris X Nanterre. He coined the phrase the desert of the real, which was later used in the film The Matrix.
A physiology professor’s son, Hans Bethe had shown immense talent in math as a child. The German-American theoretical physicist and Cornell professor was a pioneer of quantum physics and later won the Nobel Prize for Physics for his research on stellar nucleosynthesis, or the formation of energy in stars.
Maria Amalia Mercouri was a Greek actress, singer, politician, activist, and socialist. Mercouri had a profound acting career and is remembered for her portrayal of Ilya in the film Never on Sunday, which earned her a Cannes Film Festival Best Actress Award. As a politician, Mercouri served as the Minister of Culture and Sports, the first female to do so.
Hungarian composer and folk music legend Zoltan Kodaly pioneered what is known as the Kodály method of music education. His style reflected a fusion of Hungarian, Italian, and French tunes. His music originated from years of research on folk music in Hungarian villages, leading to his thesis on the same.
Michael Manley was a Jamaican politician best remembered for his service as the Prime Minister of Jamaica on two occasions between 1972 and 1992. An influential politician, he served as the prime minister from 1972 to 1980 and again from 1989 to 1992. Michael Manley is often counted among the most popular Jamaican prime ministers of all time.
Nelson Eddy was an American actor and singer. A classically trained baritone, Eddy was the world's highest paid singer at the peak of his career. During his illustrious career, which spanned 40 years, Nelson Eddy earned many prestigious awards including three stars on the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame. He is also credited with inspiring many Americans to pursue music.
Canadian country singer Stompin' Tom Connors is remembered for his legendary tracks such as Sudbury Saturday Night and The Hockey Song. His many accolades include a Governor's General Performing Arts Award and an honorary degree, though he sent back all his Juno Awards to protest against its qualification guidelines.
Initially a professor of theology, philosopher Rudolf Otto later contributed to some of the most significant works of theology, such as The Idea of the Holy. He was also a member of the Prussian Parliament and is remembered for his services to Christianity and his idea of numinous.
American orthopedic surgeon Frank Jobe is best remembered for pioneering the Tommy John surgery for baseball athletes, named after Los Angeles Dodgers player Tommy John, on whom the surgery was first performed. He also co-wote books such as Play Ball! and 30 Exercises for Better Golf.
Halford Mackinder was an English geographer, politician, and academic. He is considered one of the founding fathers of geostrategy as well as geopolitics. Mackinder’s work helped establish geography as a separate discipline in the UK. An influential academic, Halford Mackinder held important positions in popular universities, including the University Extension College and the London School of Economics.
Peruvian-American architect Bruce Graham was best known for his architectural works in Chicago. Hailed as the Burnham of his era, he also worked on buildings in places such as Hong Kong, Cairo, and London. The Willis Tower and the John Hancock Center were among his most iconic creations.
Part of the renowned Mayo family of doctors of the U.S., William Worrall Mayo played a key role in establishing the Mayo Clinic. He and his two sons built the St. Mary’s Hospital, along with the Sisters of St. Francis, after the deadly tornado of 1883 destroyed Rochester.
