Famous People

Mahatma Mohandas Gandhi

1869-1948

Indian Politician. Gandhi was born in the small state of Ponbardar in India. He was educated as a lawyer at the Inns Court in London. He practiced law in South Africa and in England. He returned to India in 1914 and from 1919 he became the leader of Nationalism. He used passive resistance and non-violent methods to oppose the might of the British Raj. As a leader of the Congress Party he led India to Independence in 1947. A few months later a fanatical Hindu extremist assassinated him.

Elvis Presley

1935-1977

American Pop singer and film actor. Presley was the first real teen idol of the 1950's. This wild boy of Memphis swept America away with songs ranging from rock, to pop to ballads. His outrageous clothes and hairstyles sparked a new trend in fashion. Through the 1950s both his music and movies were huge hits, but they began to wilt in the 1960s with the introduction of other new bands like The Beatles, and The Rolling Stones. He died in his Memphis mansion of an apparent drug-overdose.

Neil Armstrong

1933-

American Astronaut. As the commander of the Apollo II, Armstrong became the first man to walk on the moon. Along with his colleagues Edwin Aldrin and Michael Collins, he blasted off from Cape Canaveral on July 16 1969 in the rocket Saturn V. They landed on the moons Sea of Tranquility on July 20. The whole world looked on as Armstrong stepped out of the lunar module Apollo II uttering his famous words, "That's one small step for man; one giant leap for mankind."

John Fitzgerald Kennedy

1917-1963

American politician and President. Kennedy became the youngest man to be elected President of the USA. He was inaugurated on January 20 1961. He produced a vision of social justice and freedom, He was a supporter of the federal policy and the desegregation of schools and universities. He was assassinated on November 22 1963 in Dallas, Texas whilst driving through the city.

Yuri Gagarin

1934-1968

Soviet cosmonaut. Gagarin was the first man in space. He rocketed into orbit on April 12 1961 aboard the Vostok I spacecraft. He orbited the Earth once for 108 minutes at a maximum speed of 28090 kph, then parachuted safely down to earth landing in the little village Smelovaka. This was his only flight.

Nelson Mandela

1918-

South African political leader and President. Since his youth Mandela has worked to end the Apartheid laws of South Africa. He has been committed to converting South Africa into a multi-racial nation, which it now is. He was charged with treason for organizing protests and the use of violence in the 1950s He was tried in 1964 and sentenced to life in prison. He served 27 years and was released in 1990. He was elected President in 1994 and served 5 years after handing over the reigns to Thabo Mbeki.

Martin Luther King

1929-1968

American Civil Rights Activist. King is remembered for his leadership of civil rights protests on behalf of the American Blacks in the late 1950s and early 1960s. He organized many protests against segregation. This led to widespread desegregation in the South. He believed in non-violent protest. Important changes in the US laws concerning civil rights were made. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. He was assassinated in1968 in Memphis, Tennessee. In August 1963, 200 000 people supported King's campaigns in a march in Washington. At the end of this he made his famous "I have a dream . . ." speech.

The Beatles

John Lennon 1940-1980

Paul McCartney 1942-

George Harrison 1943-

Ringo Starr 1940-

British pop group. The Beatles were the biggest influence on sixties rock and pop. Some of their #1 hits include "Love Me Do" and "Please Please Me" in early 1963. This began worldwide "Beatlemania". They introduced the world to British music, as music previously was predominantly American. They also worked on films like "Help!" and "Yellow Submarine". Playing a major role in "Flower Power" and psychedelia, the Beatles pioneered the use of a modern recording studio. They separated in 1970 after financial disputes.

Muhammad Ali (Cassius Clay)

1942-

American boxer. Ali was an enigmatic, masterful boxer. He captured the attention of millions of people worldwide with his amazing boxing tactics and quick moves. He won a gold medal in the 1960 Olympic Games in the light weight division. He then moved onto winning the World Heavyweight Championships many times, but the most memorable occasions were from 1964, in which he beat Sonny Liston in a magnificent upset victory, to 1967 and from 1974 to 1978. He retired in 1978 after losing to Leon Spinks

Marilyn Monroe

1926-1962

American actress. Monroe was the world's favorite screen goddess. She was both talented and sexy. This enchanting, alluring actress captivated her audiences with many big hit movies including "The Asphalt Jungle", "All about Eve", "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes", "Bus Stop", "Some Like it Hot". In her latter years she became neurotic and very frustrated, She became a victim of the Hollywood that created her. She died of an overdose of barbiturates.

Sir Alfred Hitchcock

1899-1980

British film director. Hitchcock is one of the world's most famous directors. He was a master entertainer and an amazing artist. He began directing in the 1920's with his first major film being "Blackmail" in 1929. His first Hollywood success was "Rebecca" in 1940 after many exciting thrillers such as "The Thirty Nine Steps" and "The Lady Vanishes". One of his best movies was the suspense-thriller "Psycho" which enthralled audiences worldwide. His film career spanned four decades in which he innovated new lighting and sound techniques.

Richard Nixon

1913-

American politician and President. President Eisenhower appointed Nixon Vice-President in 1956, but John F Kennedy defeated him in his Presidential bid in 1960. But he revived his political career in 1968 by winning the elections. His domestic and economic policies boosted the US trade. He was re-elected President in 1972, but this was short-lived as he was implicated in the "Watergate Scandal". He was linked to seven men who broke into the headquarters of the Democratic Party. We was impeached and resigned in 1974.

Bob Dylan

1941-

American songwriter and singer. Bob Dylan was a big influence in the development of rock music. His music ranged from moving love songs to songs with deeper meanings and morals. At first he sang folk music, but he established a new music genre on his album "The Freewheeling' Bob Dylan". Some of his hits include "Blowing' in the wind", "Don't think twice, it's all right" and "A hard rain's a-gonna fall". Dylan made a comeback in 1974 with the album "Blood on the Tracks", which is thought to be his best album although "Desire" (1975) is his bestseller.

Andy Warhol

1930-1987

American painter and film maker. Warhol was the most internationally known Pop artist of the sixties. His famous images of dollar bills, Campbell's soup cans, Coca-Cola bottles and Marilyn Monroe dazzled his consumer-mad audience.

He was obsessed with the idea of mass-production and called his studio The Factory. His paintings neither promoted nor demanded emotion. Paintings such as the "Electric Chair" (1965) emphasized the emotional void, which existed in the society in which he lived.

The Beach Boys

Brian Wilson 1942-

Carl Wilson 1946-

Dennis Wilson 1944-1983

Alan Jardine 1941-

Mike Love 1941-

David Marks 1948-

Bruce Johnston 1942-

American Pop group. Another influential band in the sixties was the Beach Boys. Their album "Surfin' USA" (1963) shot them to immediate success. The themes of their albums ranged from surfing to cars and hot rods. They, along with The Beatles, became teen idols. Brain Wilson producer and writer of most of their songs retired from touring after a nervous breakdown. He returned in 1966 with hits like "Barbara Ann" and "Good Vibrations". Their popularity rapidly decreased after The Beatles took over the music scene.

The Rolling Stones

Mick Jagger 1943-

Keith Richards 1943-

Brian Jones 1942-1969

Bill Wyman 1936-

Charlie Watts 1941-

Mick Taylor 1948-

Ron Wood 1947-

British rock group. The Rolling Stones were the real bad-boys of rock in the sixties. Their first single was "Satisfaction" in 1965. This embodied the mood of rebellion which existed in Britain, though their success was marred by occasional drug busts and conflicts with authority, but their album "Let it Bleed" in 1969 let them to the top of the charts. They again fumbled a bit with the sacking and subsequent death of Brian Jones. In 1979 they came out with another best selling album "Some Girls" and Ron Wood joined them. They are still an enormously popular band and have one of the best live acts around.

Sean Connery

1930-

British actor. In the early sixties Connery was a relatively unknown actor, but he shot to fame with the role of Ian Fleming's secret agent James Bond in Dr No. (1962). Connery became an international phenomenon. In 1971 be gave up this role to focus on other movies such as "The Man who would be King" and "Outland". He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as a tough Chicago cop in "The Untouchables" (1987). He still continues to make movies and satisfy his worldwide fan club.

Jawaharlal Nehru

1889-1964

Indian Statesman. Nehru was Mahatma Gandhi's second in command. He took a major role in the talks with the British on independence. He was imprisoned from 1942 to 1945 for political agitation. He began the President of the Indian National Congress and supervised the handing over of power to the Indians. He became vice-president and on independence, India\rquote s first Prime Minister. His daughter Indira Gandhi succeeded him after his death in 1964.

Mao Tse-Tung (Mao Zedong)

1893-1976

Chinese statesman. Mao Tse-Tung founded the People's Republic of China in 1949. He had also been one of the founders of the Chinese Communist Party in 1921, and he is regarded, along with Karl Marx and V. I. Lenin, as one of the three great theorists of Marxian Communism. In 1966 Mao tried to revive the Cultural Revolution, but failed. Mao's greatest achievements were the unification of China through the destruction of Nationalist power, the creation of a unified People's Republic, and the leadership of the greatest social revolution in human history. China still suffers from the effects of his cult personality.

Jimi Hendrix

1942-1970

American rock guitarist. Hendrix is thought to be one of the world's best guitarists. He worked in American with Jackie Wilson and the Isley Brothers and Little Richard, but then moved over to England in 1966. He became an instant guitar hero after hits such as "Hey Joe" and "Purple Rain". After the immensely successful album "Electric Ladyland", he abruptly quit his band the Jimi Hendrix Experience. He died in 1970 after an overdose on barbiturates.