Famous Philanthropists

List of famous philanthropists with their biographies that include trivia, interesting facts, timeline and life history.

Philanthropists are the individuals who strive to contribute to the well-being of humankind through their efforts, time and money. They are actively involved in promoting human welfare, and usually strive to achieve this by making generous donation of money to worthy causes. Philanthropy is often associated with the wealthy as they have more resources to donate, but not everyone who is wealthy is engaged in philanthropy! One of the best known philanthropists of our time is Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates who along with his wife Melinda is a co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Equally well known for his philanthropy is American industrialist and investor Warren Buffet who has pledged to give away 99 percent of his fortune to philanthropic causes. Li Ka-shing and George Soros are also noted philanthropists. Several of the modern day philanthropists cite the Scottish-American industrialist Andrew Carnegie as their inspiration—Carnegie gave away almost 90 percent of his fortune to charities, foundations, and universities. He is also credited to have urged the other wealthy people to use their fortunes to help improve society. Read on to discover about the life and works of various famous philanthropists from all over the world.
Billy GrahamBilly Graham
(Evangelist)

07 November 1918

Charlotte, North Carolina

American

Scorpio

LeBron JamesLeBron James
(NBA Star)

30 December 1984

Akron, Ohio

American

Capricorn

Jeff Bezos Jeff Bezos
(Founder of Amazon.com)

12 January 1964

Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S

American

Capricorn

Bruno MarsBruno Mars
(Singer-songwriter)

08 October 1985

Honolulu

American

Libra

Demi LovatoDemi Lovato
(Film actress)

20 August 1992

Albuquerque

American

Leo

Marlon BrandoMarlon Brando
(Actor)

03 April 1924

01 July 2004

Omaha

American

Aries

Selena GomezSelena Gomez
(Actress)

22 July 1992

Grand Prairie

American

Cancer

Roger FedererRoger Federer
(Tennis Star)

08 August 1981

Basel, Switzerland

Swiss

Leo

The WeekndThe Weeknd
(Singer)

16 February 1990

Scarborough

Canadian

Aquarius

Priyanka ChopraPriyanka Chopra
(Film actress)

18 July 1982

Jamshedpur

Indian

Cancer

Dr. DreDr. Dre
(American rapper, record producer, and entrepreneur)

18 February 1965

Compton

American

Aquarius

Warren BuffettWarren Buffett
(Business Magnate, Investor, Philanthropist)

30 August 1930

Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.

American

Virgo

Nicolas CageNicolas Cage
(Actor, Producer)

07 January 1964

Long Beach

American

Capricorn

Mel GibsonMel Gibson
(Actor)

03 January 1956

Peekskill

American

Capricorn

Paul McCartneyPaul McCartney
(Singer-songwriter)

18 June 1942

Walton, Liverpool

British

Gemini

Harrison FordHarrison Ford
(American actor)

13 July 1942

Chicago, Illinois, U.S

American

Cancer

George SorosGeorge Soros

12 August 1930

Budapest, Hungary

Hungarian,American

Leo

ShakiraShakira
(Singer)

02 February 1977

Barranquilla

Colombian

Aquarius

Mariska HargitayMariska Hargitay
(Actress)

23 January 1964

Los Angeles

American

Aquarius

Anne HathawayAnne Hathaway
(Actress)

12 November 1982

Brooklyn

American

Scorpio

Quincy JonesQuincy Jones
(Musician, Conductor, Producer, Arranger, Composer, Film Composer)

14 March 1933

United States

American

Pisces

Stevie NicksStevie Nicks

26 May 1948

Phoenix

American

Gemini

Barbra StreisandBarbra Streisand
(American singer-songwriter)

24 April 1942

Brooklyn, New York, U.S.

American

Taurus

Magic JohnsonMagic Johnson
(Basketball player)

14 August 1959

Lansing

American

Leo

Steven SeagalSteven Seagal
(Actor & Martial Artist)

10 April 1952

Lansing, Michigan, U.S.

American

Aries

Richard GereRichard Gere
(Actor & Activist)

31 August 1949

Philadelphia

American

Virgo

Robert KraftRobert Kraft
(Business Tycoon)

05 June 1941

Brookline

American

Gemini

Kevin CostnerKevin Costner
(Actor)

18 January 1955

Lynwood

American

Capricorn

Colin FarrellColin Farrell
(Actor)

31 May 1976

Castleknock

Irish

Gemini

James CordenJames Corden
(Actor)

22 August 1978

London Borough of Hillingdon, United Kingdom

British

Leo

Cindy CrawfordCindy Crawford

20 February 1966

DeKalb

American

Pisces

Enrique IglesiasEnrique Iglesias
(Singer)

08 May 1975

Madrid

Spanish

Taurus

George PeabodyGeorge Peabody
(Entrepreneur & Philanthropist)

18 February 1795

04 November 1869

Danvers

American

Aquarius

Tina FeyTina Fey
(American actress)

18 May 1970

Upper Darby Township, Pennsylvania, U.S.

American

Taurus

Ashley JuddAshley Judd
(Actress and Activist)

19 April 1968

Granada Hills, California

American

Aries

George LucasGeorge Lucas
(Film Director)

14 May 1944

Modesto

American

Taurus

Sophia BushSophia Bush
(Actress)

08 July 1982

Pasadena, California, United States

American

Cancer

Robert DuvallRobert Duvall
(Actor, Director)

05 January 1931

San Diego, California, U.S

American

Capricorn

Jon Bon JoviJon Bon Jovi

02 March 1962

Sayreville, New Jersey, U.S.

American

Pisces

Jet LiJet Li
(Actor, Martial Artist)

26 April 1963

Beijing, China

Singaporean

Taurus

Hugh HefnerHugh Hefner
(Founder of Playboy Magazine)

09 April 1926

27 September 2017

Chicago

American

Aries

Roger MooreRoger Moore
(Actor)

14 October 1927

23 May 2017

Stockwell, London, England

British

Libra

Pope John Paul IIPope John Paul II
(The 264th Pope (Bishop of Rome))

18 May 1920

02 April 2005

Wadowice

Polish

Taurus

Kimbal MuskKimbal Musk
(Venture Capitalist, Restaurateurs)

20 September 1972

Pretoria, South Africa

American,South African

Virgo

Laura BushLaura Bush
(Former First Lady)

04 November 1946

Midland, Texas

American

Scorpio

Gregory PeckGregory Peck

05 April 1916

12 June 2003

La Jolla

American

Aries

Jaggi VasudevJaggi Vasudev
(Yoga Guru)

03 September 1957

Mysore

Indian

Virgo

Jimmy PageJimmy Page
(Musician)

09 January 1944

Heston

British

Capricorn

Rajon RondoRajon Rondo
(Basketball player)

22 February 1986

Louisville, Kentucky, United States

American

Pisces

Andrew CarnegieAndrew Carnegie
(Industrialist, Businessman, Entrepreneur and a major Philanthropist.)

25 November 1835

11 August 1919

Dunfermline

American,Scottish

Sagittarius

Ruth GrahamRuth Graham
(Philanthropist, Poet, Author)

10 June 1920

14 June 2007

Qingjiang, Kiangsu, China

Chinese,American

Gemini

Cat StevensCat Stevens
(Singer-songwriter)

21 July 1948

Marylebone

British

Cancer

Chris GardnerChris Gardner
(Entrepreneur)

09 February 1954

Milwaukee

American

Aquarius

Joel OsteenJoel Osteen
(American Preacher & Televangelist)

05 March 1963

Houston

American

Pisces

Jane SeymourJane Seymour

15 February 1951

Hayes, Middlesex, England, UK

British

Aquarius

Richard AttenboroughRichard Attenborough
(Actor, Director, Producer)

29 August 1923

24 August 2014

Cambridge, England

British

Virgo

Joan CollinsJoan Collins
(Actress & Author)

23 May 1933

Paddington

British

Gemini

Nita AmbaniNita Ambani
(Chairperson of Reliance Foundation)

01 November 1963

Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Indian

Scorpio

Camilla Parker BowlesCamilla Parker Bowles
(British duchess)

17 July 1947

London, England

British

Cancer

Larry EllisonLarry Ellison
(Founder of Oracle)

17 August 1944

Manhattan, New York

American

Leo

Carlos SlimCarlos Slim
(Entrepreneur)

28 January 1940

Mexico City

Mexican

Aquarius

Michael BloombergMichael Bloomberg
(Mayor of New York City)

14 February 1942

St. Elizabeth's Medical Center

American

Aquarius

Jerry LewisJerry Lewis
(Comedian, Actor, Singer, Film Director)

16 March 1926

20 August 2017

Newark

American

Pisces

George StraitGeorge Strait
(American singer)

18 May 1952

Poteet, Texas

American

Taurus

Steve WynnSteve Wynn
(Casino Resort Developer)

27 January 1942

New Haven

American

Aquarius

Julian LennonJulian Lennon

08 April 1963

Liverpool, United Kingdom

British

Aries

Rose KennedyRose Kennedy
(American philanthropist)

22 July 1890

22 January 1995

Cleveland,New York, U.S.

American

Cancer

AnnaSophia RobbAnnaSophia Robb
(Actress)

08 December 1993

Denver, Colorado, United States

American

Sagittarius

Ralph LaurenRalph Lauren
(Fashion Designer)

14 October 1939

The Bronx

American

Libra

Annie LennoxAnnie Lennox
(Singer-songwriter)

25 December 1954

Scottish

Capricorn

Carlos SantanaCarlos Santana

20 July 1947

Autlán de Navarro, Jalisco, México

American

Cancer

Patti SmithPatti Smith
(Singer)

30 December 1946

Chicago, Illinois, USA

American

Capricorn

Joan RiversJoan Rivers
(Actress)

08 June 1933

04 September 2014

Brooklyn

American

Gemini

Amy LeeAmy Lee
(American singer-songwriter)

13 December 1981

Riverside, California, U.S.

American

Sagittarius

Bernard ArnaultBernard Arnault
(Chairman & CEO of LMVH)

05 March 1949

Roubaix

French

Pisces

Mo FarahMo Farah
(Athlete)

23 March 1983

Mogadishu

British

Aries

Aga Khan IVAga Khan IV
(Imam of Nizari Ismailism)

13 December 1936

Geneva

British

Sagittarius

Lady Bird JohnsonLady Bird Johnson
(First Lady of the United States)

22 December 1912

11 July 2007

Karnack, Texas, U.S.

American

Sagittarius

Kate MossKate Moss
(Supermodel)

16 January 1974

Croydon

British

Capricorn

Phil KnightPhil Knight
(Co-founder of Nike, Inc.)

24 February 1938

Portland

American

Pisces

Edmund HillaryEdmund Hillary
(First person to climb Mt. Everest)

20 July 1919

11 January 2008

Auckland

New Zealander

Cancer

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