Stan Laurel, Comic Actor, Writer and Director

Known for his antics alongside fellow funnyman Oliver Hardy, comedian Stan Laurel had a unique identity and story all his own. Stan Laurel’s Early Days Stan...

Candice Bergen, Film and Television Star

Candice Bergen came from a show business family and starred in numerous films in the 1960s and 1970s. But it wasn’t until her 10-year...

Peter the Great, Czar of Russia

Peter the Great became czar of Russia when he was only 10 years old. As a young man, he showed little interest in politics...

Roger Bannister, First Runner to Break the Four-Minute Mile

In 1954, British medical student Roger Bannister became the first man to break the four-minute mile barrier, earning him international admiration and to receive...

Doris Lessing, Social Commentator and Nobel Prize Winner in Literature

A powerful, politically minded and acerbic Nobel Laureate, Britain's Doris Lessing was a treasured social commentator and novelist who continued her prolific and award-winning...

Cole Porter, Broadway Lyricist and Composer

A talented writer and musician, Porter took Broadway by storm with his piercing wit. “Anything Goes” and “Kiss Me, Kate” are considered classics and...

Eliot Ness, Leader of the Prohibition-Era “Untouchables”

Eliot Ness had a distinguished career in law enforcement. He and his team of “Untouchables” fought against Al Capone and illegal bootlegging in Chicago...

Melvin Van Peebles, Writer, Director and Actor

Melvin Van Peebles has been called a renaissance man, displaying his multi-genre talents writing screenplays, novels, plays and music, in addition to acting in...

Johnny Cash, Country, Folk and Rockabilly Musician

Johnny Cash—the “Man in Black”—is an American legend. His music epitomizes the life and landscape of the American South, and has influenced generations of...

Wynton Marsalis, Award Winning Trumpeter and Jazz and Classical Composer

Equally accomplished at jazz and classical music, bandleader and trumpeter Wynton Marsalis was the first jazz musician to win the Pulitzer Prize. Wynton Marsalis' Early...