André the Giant was one of the most popular French wrestlers ever to appear in WWF. He stood over seven feet tall due to a condition aptly called gigantism, but used his condition to gain popularity. Also an actor, André the Giant continues to be one of the most recognizable faces in the world, several years after his death.
Cloris Leachman is an actress and comedian. One of the most decorated American actresses of all time, Cloris Leachman has won several prestigious awards in an illustrious career spanning more than seven decades; she is the most awarded actress in the history of Emmy Awards, along with Julia Louis-Dreyfus. She has also received an Oscar and a Golden Globe Award.
Nellie Bly was an American industrialist, journalist, inventor, and charity worker. She is remembered for her circumnavigation of the world in 72 days. She is also known for pioneering a new kind of investigative journalism as she worked undercover from within a mental institution to report on the institution. Nellie Bly’s life and work have inspired several works of art.
Gus Grissom was the second U.S. astronaut to fly into space. The Distinguished Flying Cross-winner had fought in World War II and the Korean War before being part of Mercury-Redstone 4 and Project Gemini. He died during a pre-launch test of the Apollo 1 mission, along with two colleagues.
Marcheline Bertrand was an American actress. The former wife of Jon Voight and the mother of Angelina Jolie, Marcheline Bertrand had a brief acting career. She had a greater impact as a humanitarian as she co-founded an organization called All Tribes Foundation in an attempt to provide economic and cultural benefits to Native Americans.
Legendary Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi is best remembered for his masterpieces such as Requiem, Rigoletto, Falstaff, and Otello. He was also briefly associated with the Risorgimento movement meant to unify Italy and thus composed many choruses reflecting the spirit. He was inspired by composers such as Bellini and Donizetti.
Mahalia Jackson was an American singer. During her career, which spanned four decades, Jackson played a major role in popularizing gospel blues in black churches across the United States. Regarded as one of the 20th century's most influential vocalists, Mahalia Jackson is credited with inspiring rock and roll, rhythm and blues, and soul singing styles.
Pete Seeger was an American social activist and folk singer. Seeger believed that the power of music could bring about a social change, an ideology that reflected on his works. Through his music, Seeger expressed his support towards counterculture, civil rights, environmental rights, international disarmament, and workers rights.
Nerva was the Roman emperor from 96 to 98. He was aged 66 when he ascended the throne, after serving other emperors for several decades. Even though he ruled for just 15 months, historians consider him a wise and moderate emperor. He selected Trajan as his heir, thus ensuring a peaceful transition of power after his death.
Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim was a Finnish statesman and military leader who served as the leader of the White Guard during the Finnish Civil War of 1918. He also played a key role during World War II where he served as the Chief of Defense of Finland's defense forces. Thanks to his achievements, Mannerheim is regarded as Finland's greatest statesman.
American artist and ornithologist John James Audubon is remembered mostly for his illustrations of North American birds. Born as an illegitimate child in France, he later moved to the US and then to Canada, for business, but ended up documenting birds. His best-known work is the pioneering ornithological work The Birds of America.
Humayun was the second emperor of the Mughal Empire, which ruled over South Asia for nearly two centuries. At the time of his demise, the empire spanned nearly one million square kilometers. The expansion of the empire under Humayun’s reign helped his son Akbar establish a substantial legacy of his own.
Roger B. Chaffee was an American aviator, naval officer, NASA astronaut, and aeronautical engineer. In 1963, Chaffee was chosen by NASA to be part of Astronaut Group 3, a group of 14 astronauts selected for the Apollo and Gemini program. In 1983, Roger B. Chaffee was made an inductee of the International Space Hall of Fame.
Born into a Jewish working-class, immigrant family in Brooklyn, Howard Zinn was initially dragged into communism. He was part of the U.S. Army during World War II and later established himself as a historian. Of his many books, the most popular has been A People's History of the United States.
Emmanuelle Riva was a French actress best remembered for her portrayal of Anne Laurent in the 2012 romantic drama film Amour for which she won the prestigious César Award as well as a BAFTA Award. Riva achieved national recognition when she played the lead role in the 1959 film Hiroshima mon amour for which she earned a BAFTA Award nomination.
The 8th vice-president of the Philippines, Salvador Laurel had also served as the country’s 5th prime minister. Initially part of the New Society Movement, he later joined the multi-party UNIDO alliance. A Yale alumnus, he also had a successful career as a lawyer, before he stepped into politics.
Russian author Isaac Babel was a reporter before plunging into full-time writing. He is remembered for his short story collections Red Cavalry and Odessa Stories. One of his most popular stories was The Story of My Dovecote. He was part of the Soviet 1st Cavalry Army as Kiril Lyutov and documented the Polish-Soviet War.
Johannes Rau was a German politician (SPD) who served as the president of Germany from 1999 until 2004. Previously, he had been the minister-president of North Rhine-Westphalia from 1978 to 1998. He identified himself as a patriot, and his maxim was "to reconcile, not divide". He was awarded the Leo Baeck Medal for his humanitarian work in 2001.
One of the many Austrian actors who escaped to the US to flee the Nazi regime, Oskar Homolka mostly played villains, many of them being spies, military officers, and scientists. His portrayal of Uncle Chris in the American drama film I Remember Mama earned him an Academy Award nomination.
Endre Ady was a Hungarian poet and journalist. Widely regarded as the 20th century's greatest Hungarian poet, Ady is credited with introducing a new, modern style of poetry, breaking away from the folksy style of Sándor Petőfi, which was widely followed by Hungarian poets at that time. In 1947, a postage stamp featuring Ady's likeness was issued by Hungary.
Rudolf Christoph Freiherr von Gersdorff was an officer in the German Army who participated in a failed assassination plot against Hitler. He was one of the few German military anti-Hitler plotters who were able to escape alive. After the war, he worked in the US Army Historical Division and dedicated his later life to charity.
Ramaswamy Venkataraman was an Indian independence activist, lawyer, and politician. He served as the eighth president of the country from 1987 to 1992. His five-year term as the president witnessed the emergence of coalition politics in India. Prior to becoming the President, he also served as the Union Finance Minister and Defence Minister.
Austrian conductor Erich Kleiber rose to prominence conducting several 20th-century works, particularly compositions made by Mozart, Richard Wagner, Beethoven, and Richard Strauss. Reputed for his interpretations of the classics, Kleiber held important positions in Germany, including as musical director of Berlin State Opera before leaving the country protesting against oppressive policies of the Nazi Party, and settling in Buenos Aires.
Religious leader Gordon B. Hinckley was the oldest President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). He built countless temples and also reconstructed the Nauvoo Illinois Temple. The Presidential Medal of Freedom winner was the son of LDS leader and religious speaker Bryant S. Hinckley.
Ashikaga Yoshimasa, a significant figure of the Ashikaga shogunate, ushered in a cultural renaissance in Japan. While he later wished to pass on his authority to his younger brother, his wife demanded their son be made the successor, and the succession dispute eventually led to the Ōnin War.