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

Famous Philanthropists

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.
Jeff BezosJeff Bezos
(Founder of Amazon.com)

12 January 1964

American

Priyanka ChopraPriyanka Chopra
(Actress)

18 July 1982

Indian

Robert KraftRobert Kraft
(Business Tycoon)

05 June 1941

American

LeBron JamesLeBron James
(NBA Star)

30 December 1984

American

Roger FedererRoger Federer
(Tennis Star)

08 August 1981

Swiss

Selena GomezSelena Gomez
(Actress)

22 July 1992

American

Nicolas CageNicolas Cage
(Actor, Producer)

07 January 1964

American

Anne HathawayAnne Hathaway
(Actress)

12 November 1982

American

Warren BuffettWarren Buffett
(Business Magnate, Investor, Philanthropist)

30 August 1930

American

Paul McCartneyPaul McCartney
(Singer-songwriter)

18 June 1942

British

Harrison FordHarrison Ford
(American actor)

13 July 1942

American

Marlon BrandoMarlon Brando
(Actor)

03 April 1924

American

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Barbra StreisandBarbra Streisand
(American singer-songwriter)

24 April 1942

American

Bruno MarsBruno Mars
(Singer-songwriter)

08 October 1985

American

Magic JohnsonMagic Johnson
(Basketball player)

14 August 1959

American

Mel GibsonMel Gibson
(Actor)

03 January 1956

American

Demi LovatoDemi Lovato
(Singer, Songwriter, Actress)

20 August 1992

American

Richard GereRichard Gere
(Actor & Activist)

31 August 1949

American

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

18 February 1965

American

Kevin CostnerKevin Costner
(Actor)

18 January 1955

American

Stevie NicksStevie Nicks

26 May 1948

American

ShakiraShakira
(Singer)

02 February 1977

Colombian

Mariska HargitayMariska Hargitay
(Actress)

23 January 1964

American

Colin FarrellColin Farrell
(Actor)

31 May 1976

Irish

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

14 March 1933

American

The WeekndThe Weeknd
(Singer)

16 February 1990

Canadian

Joe NamathJoe Namath
(American Football Quarterback)

31 May 1943

American

James CordenJames Corden
(Actor)

22 August 1978

British

Jaggi VasudevJaggi Vasudev
(Yoga Guru)

03 September 1957

Indian

George SorosGeorge Soros

12 August 1930

Hungarian,American

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Steven SeagalSteven Seagal
(Actor & Martial Artist)

10 April 1952

American

Sophia BushSophia Bush
(Actress)

08 July 1982

American

Enrique IglesiasEnrique Iglesias
(Singer)

08 May 1975

Spanish

Michael BloombergMichael Bloomberg
(Mayor of New York City)

14 February 1942

American

Ashley JuddAshley Judd
(Actress and Activist)

19 April 1968

American

Joan CollinsJoan Collins
(Actress & Author)

23 May 1933

British

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Robert DuvallRobert Duvall
(Actor, Director)

05 January 1931

American

Jimmy PageJimmy Page
(Musician)

09 January 1944

British

George StraitGeorge Strait
(American singer)

18 May 1952

American

Tina FeyTina Fey
(American actress)

18 May 1970

American

Jet LiJet Li
(Actor, Martial Artist)

26 April 1963

Singaporean

Richard AttenboroughRichard Attenborough
(Actor, Director, Producer)

29 August 1923

British

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Gregory PeckGregory Peck

05 April 1916

American

Jane SeymourJane Seymour

15 February 1951

British

Roger MooreRoger Moore
(Actor)

14 October 1927

British

Cat StevensCat Stevens
(Singer-songwriter)

21 July 1948

British

Cindy CrawfordCindy Crawford

20 February 1966

American

Hugh HefnerHugh Hefner
(Founder of Playboy Magazine)

09 April 1926

American

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Carlos SlimCarlos Slim
(Entrepreneur)

28 January 1940

Mexican

AnnaSophia RobbAnnaSophia Robb
(Actress)

08 December 1993

American

George LucasGeorge Lucas
(Film Director)

14 May 1944

American

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

25 November 1835

American,Scottish

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

18 May 1920

Polish

Nita AmbaniNita Ambani
(Chairperson of Reliance Foundation)

01 November 1963

Indian

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Jon Bon JoviJon Bon Jovi

02 March 1962

American

Larry EllisonLarry Ellison
(Founder of Oracle)

17 August 1944

American

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

16 March 1926

American

Rajon RondoRajon Rondo
(Basketball player)

22 February 1986

American

Joan RiversJoan Rivers
(Actress)

08 June 1933

American

Billy GrahamBilly Graham
(Evangelist)

07 November 1918

American

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Azim PremjiAzim Premji
(Business Tycoon)

24 July 1945

Indian

Bernard ArnaultBernard Arnault
(Chairman & CEO of LMVH)

05 March 1949

French

Julian LennonJulian Lennon

08 April 1963

British

Patti SmithPatti Smith
(Singer)

30 December 1946

American

Carlos SantanaCarlos Santana

20 July 1947

American

Annie LennoxAnnie Lennox
(Singer-songwriter)

25 December 1954

Scottish

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Kate MossKate Moss
(Supermodel)

16 January 1974

British

Ralph LaurenRalph Lauren
(Fashion Designer)

14 October 1939

American

Joel OsteenJoel Osteen
(American Preacher & Televangelist)

05 March 1963

American

Chris GardnerChris Gardner
(Entrepreneur)

09 February 1954

American

Steve BallmerSteve Ballmer
(Former CEO of Microsoft)

24 March 1956

American

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

24 February 1938

American

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Amy LeeAmy Lee
(American singer-songwriter)

13 December 1981

American

Laurene Powell JobsLaurene Powell Jobs
(Businesswoman, Widow of Steve Jobs)

06 November 1963

American

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

20 July 1919

New Zealander

Cornelius VanderbiltCornelius Vanderbilt
(Business Tycoon & Philanthropist)

27 May 1794

American

Reed HastingsReed Hastings
(Co-Founder of Net Flix)

08 October 1960

American

Jeff GordonJeff Gordon

04 August 1971

American

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James BluntJames Blunt

22 February 1974

British

Ibn SaudIbn Saud
(Monarch)

15 January 1876

Saudi Arabian

Serj TankianSerj Tankian
(Singer-songwriter)

21 August 1967

Lebanese,American

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