Famous People Of The 20th Century

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The 20th century was a highly dynamic period in the human history. The period saw tremendous growth in scientific accomplishments, explorations of new regions, discovery of new elements and minerals, advancement in technology, and the emergence of several social justice movements. Many great souls were born in the 20th century in different parts of the world which helped in giving a new direction to world history through their contributions. In world politics, one of the most influential figures to emerge was Nelson Mandela, former president of South Africa and an anti-apartheid activist, revolutionary and politician. The recipient of more than 100 awards and honors, he was indeed one of the most influential people in the 20th century. Talking of science and technology, the 20th century saw the invention of the most revolutionary concept in human history: the internet. Tim Berners Lee, the man who is credited with inventing the World Wide Web (WWW) is another major figure born in this era. Martin Luther King, Elvis Presley, Desmond Tutu, Mother Teresa, Muhammad Ali, and Richard Attenborough are among the other famous figures of the 20th century. Read on to discover more about these amazing people and their contributions to the world.
Vote for Your Favourite People Of The 20th Century
 1 
Dwayne Johnson
(One of the Greatest Professional Wrestlers of All Time & One of the World's Highest-Grossing Actors)
Dwayne Johnson
391
Birthdate: May 2, 1972
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Hayward, California, United States
Height: 6'5" (196 cm)
 2 
Johnny Depp
(Actor and Producer Best Known for His Role in the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' Film Series)
Johnny Depp
385
Birthdate: June 9, 1963
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Owensboro, Kentucky, United States
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 3 
Michael Jackson
(One of the Most Significant Cultural Figures of the 20th Century Popularly Known as the 'King of Pop')
Michael Jackson
342
Listed In: Dancers
Birthdate: August 29, 1958
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Gary, Indiana, United States
Died: June 25, 2009
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
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 4 
Michael Jordan
( The Greatest Basketball Player of All Time)
Michael Jordan
149
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: February 17, 1963
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, United States
Height: 6'6" (198 cm)
 5 
Queen Elizabeth II
(Queen of the United Kingdom from 1952 to 2022)
Queen Elizabeth II
316
Birthdate: April 21, 1926
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Mayfair, London, England
Died: September 8, 2022
Height: 5'4" (163 cm)
 6 
Barack Obama
(44th President of the United States (2009-2017))
Barack Obama
283
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: August 4, 1961
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 7 
Muhammad Ali
(The Greatest Heavyweight Boxer of All Time)
Muhammad Ali
190
Listed In: Activists
Birthdate: January 17, 1942
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Louisville, Kentucky, United States
Died: June 3, 2016
Height: 6'3" (190 cm)
 8 
Freddie Mercury
(One of the Greatest Rock Singers and the Lead Vocalist of the Rock Band 'Queen')
Freddie Mercury
203
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: September 5, 1946
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Stone Town, Tanzania
Died: November 24, 1991
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 9 
Albert Einstein
(One of the Greatest Physicists of All Time, Best Known for Developing the Theory of Relativity)
Albert Einstein
178
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: March 14, 1879
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Ulm, Germany
Died: April 18, 1955
 10 
Elvis Presley
(One of the Most Significant Cultural Icons of the 20th Century and 'The King of Rock and Roll')
Elvis Presley
144
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: January 8, 1935
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Tupelo, Mississippi, United States
Died: August 16, 1977
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 11 
Tupac Shakur
( 100 Greatest Artists of All Time by Rolling Stone)
Tupac Shakur
256
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: June 16, 1971
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: New York City, New York, United States
Died: September 13, 1996
 12 
Stephen Hawking
(Theoretical Physicist - First to Set Out a Theory of Cosmology)
Stephen Hawking
212
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: January 8, 1942
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Oxford, England
Died: March 14, 2018
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
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 13 
Princess Diana
(First Wife of Charles, Prince of Wales)
Princess Diana
99
Listed In: Activists
Birthdate: July 1, 1961
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Norfolk, England, United Kingdom
Died: August 31, 1997
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 14 
Robin Williams
(Actor & Comedian Best Known for His Roles in 'Mork & Mindy ', 'Popeye' and 'Good Will Hunting')
Robin Williams
157
Birthdate: July 21, 1951
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Died: August 11, 2014
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
 15 
Bill Gates
(Co-Founder of Microssoft)
Bill Gates
200
Listed In: Business People
Birthdate: October 28, 1955
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Seattle, Washington, United States
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 16 
Marilyn Monroe
(American Actress Who Became One of the Most Popular Sex Symbols of the 1950s and Early 1960s)
Marilyn Monroe
146
Birthdate: June 1, 1926
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States
Died: August 4, 1962
 17 
Martin Luther King Jr.
(African-American Civil Rights Movement Leader Who Used Civil Disobedience to Combat Racism)
Martin Luther King Jr.
99
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: January 15, 1929
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Died: April 4, 1968
 18 
Steve Jobs
(Co-Founder, Former Chairman and CEO of 'Apple')
Steve Jobs
153
Listed In: Business People
Birthdate: February 24, 1955
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: San Francisco, California, United States
Died: October 5, 2011
 19 
Bruce Lee
(The Most Influential Martial Artist of All Time)
Bruce Lee
98
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: November 27, 1940
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: San Francisco, California, United States
Died: July 20, 1973
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
 20 
Tom Cruise
(One of the Highest-Grossing Box Office Stars of All Time)
Tom Cruise
203
Birthdate: July 3, 1962
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Syracuse, New York, United States
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
 21 
Stan Lee
(Primary Creative Leader of Marvel Comics and Characters such as 'Spider-Man', 'X-Men' and 'Iron Man')
Stan Lee
79
Birthdate: December 28, 1922
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Manhattan, New York, United States
Died: November 12, 2018
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
 22 
John F. Kennedy
(35th President of the United States (1961 - 1963))
John F. Kennedy
151
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: May 29, 1917
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Brookline, Massachusetts, United States
Died: November 22, 1963
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 23 
Adolf Hitler
(Nazi Dictator and Chancellor of Germany (1933-1945))
Adolf Hitler
1149
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: April 20, 1889
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Braunau am Inn, Austria
Died: April 30, 1945
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
 24 
Prince
(Singer-songwriter & Multi-instrumentalist)
Prince
124
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: June 7, 1958
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
Died: April 21, 2016
 25 
Betty White
(Referred the 'First Lady of Television', She Holds the Record for the ‘Longest TV Career by a Female’)
Betty White
116
Birthdate: January 17, 1922
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Oak Park, Illinois, United States
Died: December 31, 2021
Height: 5'4" (163 cm)
 26 
Nikola Tesla
(Inventor, Engineer & Futurist, Who Obtained Over 300 Patents)
Nikola Tesla
86
Birthdate: July 10, 1856
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Smiljan, Croatia
Died: January 7, 1943
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 27 
Rowan Atkinson
(Actor & Comedian Best Known for His Role in the Sitcom 'Mr Bean')
Rowan Atkinson
87
Birthdate: January 6, 1955
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: County Durham, England, United Kingdom
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
 28 
Selena
(American Singer Popularly Known as the 'Queen of Tejano Music')
Selena
133
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: April 16, 1971
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Lake Jackson, Texas, United States
Died: March 31, 1995
 29 
Nelson Mandela
( Anti-Apartheid Activist Who Served as the First President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999)
Nelson Mandela
74
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: July 18, 1918
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Mvezo, South Africa
Died: December 5, 2013
 30 
Dolly Parton
(Singer-Songwriter and Actress, Primarily Known for Her Work in Country Music)
Dolly Parton
110
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: January 19, 1946
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Sevier County, Tennessee, United States
Height: 5'0" (152 cm)
 31 
Bob Ross
(Painter, Art Instructor and Television Host)
Bob Ross
56
Birthdate: October 29, 1942
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Daytona Beach, Florida, United States
Died: July 4, 1995
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 32 
Walt Disney
(Pioneer of the American Animation Industry)
Walt Disney
92
Birthdate: December 5, 1901
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Died: December 15, 1966
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 33 
Neil Armstrong
(The First Person to Walk on the Moon)
Neil Armstrong
100
Listed In: Engineers
Birthdate: August 5, 1930
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Wapakoneta, Ohio, United States
Died: August 25, 2012
 34 
John Lennon
(The Founder, Co-Songwriter, Co-Lead Vocalist & Rhythm Guitarist of 'The Beatles')
John Lennon
151
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: October 9, 1940
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Liverpool, England, United Kingdom
Died: December 8, 1980
 35 
Jackie Chan
(One of the Most Popular Action Film Stars of All Time Known for His 'Slapstick Acrobatic' Fighting Style)
Jackie Chan
82
Birthdate: April 7, 1954
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Victoria Peak, Hong Kong
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
 36 
Kurt Cobain
(Guitarist, Lead Vocalist and Primary Songwriter of the Rock Band 'Nirvana')
Kurt Cobain
125
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: February 20, 1967
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Aberdeen, Washington, United States
Died: April 5, 1994
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
 37 
Mike Tyson
(One of the Greatest Heavyweight Boxers of All Time and First to Simultaneously Hold WBA, WBC & IBF Titles)
Mike Tyson
94
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: June 30, 1966
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Fort Greene, New York, United States
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 38 
Whitney Houston
(Best-Selling Female R&B Artist of the 20th Century)
Whitney Houston
76
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: August 9, 1963
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Newark, New Jersey, United States
Died: February 11, 2012
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
 39 
Johnny Cash
(One of the Best-Selling Music Artists of All Time)
Johnny Cash
88
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: February 26, 1932
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Kingsland, Arkansas, United States
Died: September 12, 2003
 40 
Arnold Schwarzenegger
(Actor & Former Mr. Universe)
Arnold Schwarzenegger
83
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: July 30, 1947
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Thal, Austria
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 41 
Mia Khalifa
(Media Personality, Former Pornographic Actress & Webcam Model)
Mia Khalifa
244
Birthdate: February 10, 1993
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Beirut, Lebanon
Height: 5'2" (157 cm)
 42 
Tom Hanks
(One of the Most Popular Film Stars Worldwide, Known for Both His Comedic and Dramatic Roles)
Tom Hanks
100
Birthdate: July 9, 1956
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Concord, California, United States
 43 
Bob Marley
(Jamaican Singer, Musician and Songwriter Who is Considered One of the Pioneers of Reggae)
Bob Marley
98
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: February 6, 1945
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Nine Mile, Jamaica
Died: April 11, 1981
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
 44 
Harrison Ford
(One of The Highest-Grossing Actors in North America)
Harrison Ford
97
Birthdate: July 13, 1942
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
 45 
Eddie Murphy
(Actor, )
Eddie Murphy
60
Birthdate: April 3, 1961
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, United States
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
 46 
Aaliyah
(Best Known as 'Princess of R&B' & 'Queen of Urban Pop')
Aaliyah
131
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: January 16, 1979
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, United States
Died: August 25, 2001
 47 
Anne Frank
(Diarist)
Anne Frank
84
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: June 12, 1929
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Frankfurt, Germany
Died: March 12, 1945
 48 
David Bowie
(Regarded as One of the Most Influential Musicians of the 20th Century)
David Bowie
134
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: January 8, 1947
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: London, England, United Kingdom
Died: January 10, 2016
 49 
Sylvester Stallone
(Best Known for Playing Boxer Rocky Balboa in the 'Rocky' Film Series)
Sylvester Stallone
48
Birthdate: July 6, 1946
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Hell's Kitchen, New York, United States
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 50 
Theodore Roosevelt
(26th President of the United States (1901-1909))
Theodore Roosevelt
73
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: October 27, 1858
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: New York, United States
Died: January 6, 1919