Biographies: Selected Biographies A to Z: B

Selected Biographies A to Z

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B

• Charles Babbage, mathematician, inventor
• Roger Babson, statistician, business forecaster, writer
• Judy Baca, artist
• Lauren Bacall, actor
• Catherine Bach, actor
• Pamela Bach, actor
• Burt Bacharach, composer, songwriter
• Michele Bachmann, politician, congresswoman
• Kevin Bacon, actor
• Erykah Badu, musician
• Karl Baedeker, publisher
• Joan Baez, singer
• Bilbo Baggins, fictional character
• Frodo Baggins, fictional character
• Angelo Bagnasco, religious figure
• Baha'u'llah, religious figure
• Maria Bailey, entrepreneur, writer, radio host
• Beryl Bainbridge, writer
• Scott Baio, actor
• Ella Baker, civil rights activist
• Chet Baker, singer, jazz trumpeter
• Joe Don Baker, actor
• Josephine Baker, singer, dancer
• Kathy Baker, actress
• Kenny Baker, actor
• LaVern Baker, singer
• Russell Baker, writer
• Bonny Lee Bakley, murder victim
• Scott Bakula, actor, TV producer
• George Balanchine, choreographer, dancer
• Alec Baldwin, actor
• James Baldwin, writer
• Tammy Baldwin, U.S. Senator, politician
• William Baldwin, actor
• Christian Bale, actor
• Lucille Ball, actor, comedian
• J.G. Ballard, writer
• Martin Balsam, actor
• Balthus, artist
• Jamie Bamber, actor
• Eric Bana, actor
• Anne Bancroft, actor
• Edward Bancroft, scientist, spy
• Antonio Banderas, actor
• Tallulah Bankhead, actress
• Dennis Banks, Anishinabe (Ojibwa) activist
• Russell Banks, writer
• Tyra Banks, model
• Banksy, artist
• Benjamin Banneker, mathematician
• Ian Bannen, actor
• John Banner, actor
• Sir Roger Bannister, runner, physician
• Steve Bannon, businessman, political figure
• Frederick Banting, physician
• Ban Zhao, writer, educator,
• John Banville, writer
• Theda Bara, actress
• Paul Baran, inventor
• Christine Baranski, actress
• Ehud Barak, soldier, political figure
• Amiri Baraka, playwright, poet, activist
• Adrienne Barbeau, actor
• Joseph Barbera, animator, producer,
• Barbie, doll
• Hannibal Barca, military Leader
• Javier Bardem, actor
• Brigitte Bardot, actor
• Julian Barnes, author
• Barenaked Ladies, Canadian folk-rock group
• Bob Barker, game show host
• Clive Barker, writer, director,
• Ellen Barkin, actress
• Alben W. Barkley, former U.S. vice president, politician
• Charles Barkley, basketball player
• David Barkley, Soldier
• Christiaan Barnard, pioneering heart surgeon
• Julius Barnathan, television executive
• Barney, TV dinosaur
• Ben Barnes, actor
• Julian Barnes, writer
• P.T. Barnum, showman, entrepreneur
• Pamela Des Barres, groupie
• Rona Barrett, gossip columnist, entrepreneur
• Fantasia Barrino, singer, talent show contestant
• Chuck Barris, game show host
• Robert Joseph Barro, economist
• Ana Beatriz Barros, model
• Clyde Barrow, outlaw
• Dave Barry, columnist, author
• Drew Barrymore, actor
• Ethel Barrymore, actress
• John Barrymore, actor
• Lionel Barrymore, actor
• Maurice Barrymore , actor
• Richmond Barthé, American sculptor
• Clara Barton, Founder of the American Red Cross
• Billy Barty, actor
• Mikhail Baryshnikov, dancer, choreographer,
• Count Basie, pianist, bandleader, jazz musician
• Kim Basinger, actor
• Angela Bassett, actress
• Tomas Bata, industrialist
• Jason Bateman, actor
• Kathy Bates, actress
• Erzsebet Bathory, murderer
• Fulgencio Batista, President of Cuba
• Batman, fictional superhero
• Kathleen Battle, operatic soprano
• Gary Bauer, political figure
• Anne Baxter, actress
• Michael Bay, filmmaker
• Evan Bayh, U.S. Senator
• Adam Beach , actor
• Sylvia Beach, publisher, bookstore owner
• John Beal, actor
• The Beatles, rock band
• Queen Beatrix, royalty
• Ned Beatty, actor
• Warren Beatty, actor, filmmaker
• Simon Beaufoy, screenwriter
• Simone de Beauvoir, writer, feminist
• Alison Bechdel, illustrator, writer, cartoonist
• Glenn Beck, TV & radio personality
• Beck, rock musician
• David Beckham, soccer player
• Victoria Beckham, singer, actor
• Kate Beckinsale, actor
• Irene Bedard, actor, singer
• Roy Bedichek, writer, teacher, naturalist
• Catherine Beecher , Writer and educator
• James Van Der Beek, actor
• Geoffrey Beene, fashion designer
• Charlotte Beers, advertising executive
• Noah Beery, actor
• Noah Beery, Jr., actor
• Nicole Beharie, actor
• Aphra Behn, writer
• Jean-Jacques Beineix, director, producer, screenwriter
• Bérénice Béjo, actor
• Harry Belafonte, singer, actor, TV producer
• Shari Belafonte-Harper , model, actress ,
• Barbara Bel Geddes, actress
• Art Bell, radio personality
• Kristen Bell, actor
• Lake Bell, actor, filmmaker
• Marion Bell, singer, actress,
• Theresa Hayward Bell, American Indian activist
• Ralph Bellamy, actor
• Bellerophon, mythical figure
• Saul Bellow, novelist
• Monica Bellucci, actor, model
• James Belushi, actor
• John Belushi, actor, comedian
• Ben Folds Five, alternative rock group
• Stephen Vincent Benét, writer
• Peter Benchley, novelist
• Robert Benchley, writer, actor, critic
• Roberto Benigni, actor, filmmaker,
• Annette Bening, actor
• Elsa Benitez, model
• Haley Bennett, actor
• Tony Bennett, jazz singer
• Jack Benny, comedian
• Robert Benton, director, screenwriter,
• Lloyd Bentsen, former U.S. Senator, political figure
• Beowulf, mythical figure
• Tom Berenger, actor
• Senda Berenson , athlete
• Bruce Beresford, director, screenwriter, producer
• Peter Berg, actor, filmmaker
• Bowe Bergdahl, soldier
• Candice Bergen, actress
• Edgar Bergen, ventriloquist, comedian,
• Ingmar Bergman, filmmaker
• Ingrid Bergman, actor
• Nate Berkus, interior decorator
• Milton Berle, comedian
• Irving Berlin, composer
• Charles Frambach Berlitz, educator, publisher,
• Ben Bernanke, economist, government official
• Tim Berners-Lee, computer scientist
• Sandra Bernhard, actress comedian
• Sarah Bernhardt, actor
• Leonard Bernstein, composer, conductor
• Yogi Berra, baseball player
• Daniel Berrigan, clergyman, activist
• Philip Berrigan, activist, clergyman
• Albert Berry, soldier, parachutist,
• Chuck Berry, rock musician
• Halle Berry, actor
• Sunni Ali Ber, Songhai emperor
• Bernardo Bertolucci, director, screenwriter
• Ahmed Best, actor, dancer
• Pete Best, rock musician
• Ana Betancourt, political figure, revolutionary
• Mary McLeod Bethune, educator, activist
• Jeff Bezos, business personality
• Benazir Bhutto, Prime Minister of Pakistan
• Jello Biafra, rock musician, activist
• Frank P. Bibas, radio, television, and film producer
• Demián Bichir, actor
• Jill Biden, political relative
• Joseph Biden, former U.S. Senator, current Vice President
• Justin Bieber, singer, Internet personality
• Michael Biehn, actor
• Jessica Biel, actor
• Ambrose Bierce, writer, missing person
• Big Brown, racehorse
• Kathryn Bigelow, film director
• Bigfoot, mysterious creature
• John Biggers, artist
• Simone Biles, gymnast
• Billy the Kid, outlaw
• Maeve Binchy, writer, journalist,
• Ah Bing, horticulturist, namesake of the Bing cherry
• Sir Rudolf Bing, opera impresario
• Hildegard von Bingen, catholic nun, composer, religious figure
• Juliette Binoche, actor
• John Birch, missionary, spy
• Thora Birch, actress
• Isabella Bird, writer, explorer
• Larry Bird, basketball player
• King Birendra, King of Nepal
• Elizabeth Bishop, poet
• Joey Bishop, comedian, actor
• Walter Bishop, Jr., musician
• Emily Bissell, Christmas Seal designer
• Jacqueline Bisset, actress
• Bill Bixby, actor, TV director
• Björk, singer, songwriter
• Cathleen Black, publisher
• Charles Black, Jr.,
• Clint Black, singer, songwriter,
• Conrad Moffat Black, financier
• Jack Black, actor, rock musician
• Karen Black, actor
• Rebecca Black, singer, internet personality
• Shirley Temple Black, actress
• Sir Basil Blackwell, publisher, bookseller
• Emily Blackwell, physician
• Ruben Blades, actor, musician, composer
• Rod Blagojevich, state governor
• David Blaine, magician
• John Blair, framer of the Constitution, justice
• Linda Blair, actor
• Tony Blair, political Leader
• Robert Blake, actor, murder suspect
• Art Blakey, drummer, bandleader, jazz musician
• Jolene Blalock, actor
• Cate Blanchett, actor
• Mel Blanc, actor, voice specialist
• Bill Blass, fashion designer
• Yasmine Bleeth, actor
• Mary J. Blige, singer, songwriter
• Herblock, editorial cartoonist
• Ernst Stavro Blofeld, fictional villain
• Claire Bloom, actress
• Leopold Bloom, fictional character
• Orlando Bloom, actor
• Michael Bloomberg, political figure, business personality
• Deep Blue, chess computer
• Blues Traveler, blues/rock band
• Judy Blume, writer
• Emily Blunt, actor
• Nellie Bly, journalist
• Robert Bly, poet, writer
• Enid Blyton, writer
• Steven Bochco, television producer, writer
• John Boehner, U.S. Representative
• William Edward Boeing, aircraft manufacturer
• Budd Boetticher, film director
• Dirk Bogarde, actor, director
• Humphrey Bogart, actor
• Peter Bogdanovich, filmmaker, actor, writer
• Grace Lee Boggs, activist
• Eric Bogosian, actor, playwright, monologuist
• Brigitte Boisselier, chemist
• Sissela Bok, writer, philosopher, educator
• Eavan Boland, poet
• Ray Bolger, dancer, actor,
• Usain Bolt, runner
• John Bolton, political figure
• Michael Bolton, singer, songwriter
• Erma Bombeck, writer, humorist
• Danny Bonaduce, actor, radio personality
• James Bond, fictional superspy
• Barry Bonds, baseball player
• John Bonham, drummer
• Dietrich Bonhoeffer, theologian, clergyman
• Jon Bon Jovi, musician, songwriter
• Bono, rock musician, Humanitarian
• Chaz Bono, celebrity relative, activist
• Sonny Bono, singer, actor, political figure
• Cory Booker, U.S. Senator
• George Boole, mathematician
• D. Boon, rock musician, guitarist
• Daniel Boone, explorer
• Pat Boone, singer, actor,
• Betty Boop, animated character
• Lizzie Borden, murder suspect
• Robert H. Bork, lawyer, jurist
• Calvin Borel, jockey
• Victor Borge, pianist, comedian
• Ernest Borgnine, actor
• Hieronymus Bosch, painter
• Amar Bose, physicist
• Chadwick Boseman, actor
• Tom Bosley, actor
• Carol Botwin, writer, social critic
• Vicky Botwright, squash player
• Edward Alexander Bouchet, physicist, chemist
• Pierre Boulez, avant-garde conductor, composer
• Anthony Bourdain, chef, TV personality
• Randolph Bourne, writer
• Caprice Bourret, model, actor
• Jim Bouton, baseball player, writer
• Clara Bow, actress
• Edward Bowes, entrepreneur, radio impresario
• David Bowie, rock musician, actor
• Billy Bowlegs , Seminole leader
• Camilla Parker Bowles , The Duchess of Cornwall; wife of Britain's Prince Charles
• Erskine Bowles, U.S. public official
• Paul Bowles, writer, composer
• Barbara Boxer, senator from California
• Bat Boy, fictional character
• Peck's Bad Boy, fictional character
• The Fox Chase Boy, murder victim
• John Boyega, actor
• Charles Boyer, actor
• Gregory 'Pappy' Boyington, aviator, world war II figure
• Danny Boyle, filmmaker
• Lara Flynn Boyle, actor
• Peter Boyle, actor
• Susan Boyle, singer, internet celebrity
• Beastie Boys, rappers
• The Backstreet Boys, singers
• Beach Boys, surfer sound rock group
• Boyz II Men, R&B/hip-hop group
• Ray Bradbury, writer
• Ben Bradlee, editor
• Benjamin Bradley, inventor
• Bill Bradley, political figure, basketball player
• Bob Bradley, soccer coach
• David Bradley, actor
• Omar Bradley, military Leader, world war II figure
• Owen Bradley, record producer
• Anne Bradstreet, poet
• Tom Brady, football player
• Eric Braeden, actor
• Zach Braff, actor, filmmaker
• Billy Bragg, singer, songwriter,
• Tycho Brahe, astronomer
• Johannes Brahms, composer, pianist
• Kenneth Branagh, actor, filmmaker
• Russell Brand, actor, comedian
• Klaus Maria Brandauer, actor, director,
• Louis Brandeis, U.S. Supreme Court Justice, lawyer
• Marlon Brando, actor
• Brandy, actress, singer,
• Robbie Tilley Branscum, writer
• Herman Russell Branson, physicist
• Richard Branson, business personality
• Benjamin Bratt, actor
• André Braugher, actor
• Eva Braun, political relative, World War II figure
• Richard Brautigan, writer, poet
• Toni Braxton, R&B singer
• David Brearley, framer of the Constitution, justice
• Andrew Breitbart, publisher, activist
• Anders Breivik, murder suspect
• Arthur Bremer, attempted assassin
• Paul Bremer, political figure, diplomat
• John O. Brennan, political figure, CIA Director
• Walter Brennan, actor
• Jeremy Brett, actor
• Stephen Breyer, United States Supreme Court Associate Justice
• Beau Bridges, actor
• Jeff Bridges, actor
• Lloyd Bridges, actor
• Wilford Brimley, actor
• Sergey Brin, computer scientist, business personality
• Christie Brinkley, model
• Vera Brittain, novelist, poet
• Jim Broadbent, actor
• Paula Broadwell, scandal figure, writer
• Matthew Broderick, actor
• Jascha Brodsky, violinist, teacher
• Adrien Brody, actor
• Tom Brokaw, TV journalist
• Josh Brolin, actor
• Emanuel Bronner, soapmaker, nusiness personality
• Charles Bronson, actor
• Kelly Brook, model, actor
• Robert Somers Brookings, business executive, philanthropist
• Albert Brooks, actor, director, screenwriter
• Avery Brooks, actor
• Garth Brooks, country musician, country singer
• James L. Brooks, director, producer, writer
• Mel Brooks, comedian, filmmaker
• Jacob Broom, framer of the Constitution, politician
• Pierce Brosnan, actor
• Dr. Joyce Brothers, psychologist, television personality
• Marx Brothers, comedians
• Armin Brott, writer, columnist
• Charlie Brown, comic strip character
• Bryan Brown, actor
• Dan Brown, writer
• Foxy Brown, rapper
• Gordon Brown, political leader
• Helen Gurley Brown, magazine editor, writer
• James Brown, singer, songwriter
• Jerry Brown, political figure, lawyer
• John Brown, antislavery activist
• Melanie Brown, singer
• Mordecai "Three Finger" Brown, baseball player
• Rita Mae Brown, author, social activist
• Scott Brown, politician
• Tina Brown, magazine publisher
• Willie Brown, mayor of San Francisco
• Sylvia Browne, psychic
• John Moses Browning, gunsmith, inventor
• Blanche Bruce, political figure
• Dave Brubeck, jazz musician, pianist
• Lenny Bruce, comedian
• Jerry Bruckheimer, producer, filmmaker
• Carla Bruni, model
• Charles Francis Brush, engineer, inventor,
• Robert Brustein, director, drama critic, playwright
• John Henry Bryan, Jr., business executive
• Mark Bryan, guitarist
• Anita Bryant, entertainer
• Kobe Bryant, basketball player
• Yul Brynner, actor
• David Bryson, guitar player
• John Bryson, business personality, political figure
• Bucephalus, horse
• Edna Buchanan, crime reporter, mystery writer
• Pat Buchanan, political figure, TV personality
• Pearl S. Buck, writer, activist
• Jeff Buckley, singer, songwriter,
• Jimmy Buffett, singer, songwriter
• Genevieve Bujold, actress
• Fernando Bujones, ballet dancer
• James "Whitey" Bulger, gangster, fugitive
• Sitting Bull, native american Leader
• Eugene Jacques Bullard, aviator
• Edward Bullins, playwright
• Sandra Bullock, actor
• Carlos Bulosan, writer
• Ralph Bunche, political figure, activist
• Gisele Bundchen, model
• Chang and Eng Bunker, medical curiosity, twins
• Bugs Bunny, animated character
• The Easter Bunny, holiday figure
• Robert Bunsen, inventor, chemist
• Emma Bunton, singer
• Guy Burgess, spy
• Gary Burghoff, actor
• Bille Burke, actress
• Billy Burke, actor
• Brooke Burke, model, TV personality
• Carol Burnett, comedian
• Mark Burnett, TV producer
• Murray Burnett, writer, high school teacher
• T Bone Burnett, music producer, songwriter
• Arthur F. Burns, economist
• Brooke Burns, actor
• Edward Burns, writer, director, actor
• George Burns, actor, comedian,
• Ken Burns, filmmaker
• Steve Burns, actor, musician
• Anne Burras, early colonist
• Sir William Burrell, ship-owner, art collector
• William S. Burroughs, writer
• Raymond Burr, actor
• Roland W. Burris, U.S. Senator, lawyer
• Ellen Burstyn, actress
• Amanda Burton, actor
• LeVar Burton, actor
• Richard Burton, actor
• Tim Burton, filmmaker
• Ian Buruma, journalist, novelist
• Steve Buscemi, actor
• Gussie Busch, brewer
• Brook Busey, writer
• Gary Busey, actor
• Bush, rock band
• Barbara Bush, U.S. first Daughter
• Barbara Bush, U.S. first Lady
• George Prescott Bush, political relative
• Jeb Bush, state governor
• Jeb Bush, Jr., political relative
• Jenna Bush, political relative
• Jenna and Barbara Bush, political relatives, twins
• Laura Bush, U.S. first Lady
• Lauren Bush, political relative, model
• Neil Mallon Bush, political relative
• Noelle Bush, political relative
• Prescott Bush, U.S. senator
• Reggie Bush, football player
• Jeanie Buss, sports management executive
• Brett Butler , actor, comedian
• Gerard Butler, actor
• Octavia Butler, writer
• Billy Butlin, holiday camp promoter
• Ebenezer Butterick, inventor, fashion business executive
• Beavis & Butthead, cartoon characters
• Red Buttons, actor, comedian
• Samuel Byck, attempted assasin
• Amanda Bynes, actor
• Rose Byrne, actor
• David Byrne, musician, singer
• Rhonda Byrne, movie producer, self-help specialist
• Robert C. Byrd, U.S. senator

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