Biographies of notable people — their path, achievements and key facts.
James Baldwin
Born: August 2, 1924 New York, New York Died: November 30, 1987 Saint-Paul-de-Vance, France African American author and playwright ...
Christian Bale
January 30, 1974 • Pembrokeshire, Wales Actor Christian Bale has performed a feat that is astonishing for most Hollywood actors. Although he became a professional perfo...
Michael Ball
Fashion designer Born c. 1964; son of a musician. Education: Attended the University of California—Los Angeles. Addresses: H...
Alan Ball
Screenwriter, producer, and director Born in Georgia, 1957, son of an aircraft inspector and a homemaker. Education: Florida State University, bachelor's d...
Lucille Ball
Born: August 6, 1911 Jamestown, New York Died: April 26, 1989 Los Angeles, California American actress and comedienne ...
David Baltimore
Born: March 7, 1938 New York, New York American virologist The American virologist David Baltimore was only thirty-seven years old when he receiv...
HonorÉ de Balzac
Born: May 20, 1799 Tours, France Died: August 19, 1850 Paris, France French novelist The French novelist Honoré de Ba...
Anne Bancroft
Born Anna Maria Louise Italiano, September 17, 1931, in New York, NY; died of uterine cancer, June 6, 2005, in New York, NY. Actress. Award-winning star of stage and screen Anne Bancroft w...
Mary Bancroft
Author and intelligence analyst Mary Bancroft (1903–1997) had a colorful career as a journalist and spy for the United States in Switzerland during World War II. Bancroft was best ...
Banksy
Artist Born Robert Banks, c. 1975, in Bristol, England. Addresses: Agent —c/o Lazarides Gallery, 8 Greek St., London W1D 4DG, United Ki...
Benjamin Banneker
Born: November 9, 1731 Baltimore County, Maryland Died: October 9, 1806 Baltimore County, Maryland African American scientist and in...
Frederick Banting
Born: November 14, 1891 Alliston, Ontario, Canada Died: February 21, 1941 Newfoundland, Canada Canadian medical researcher and scien...
Agatha Barbara
Politician Agatha Barbara (1923–2002) achieved several significant firsts for women in her native Malta. During her long career devoted to social and economic reform, Barbara was ...
Mrs. Barbauld
British author Anna Laetitia Barbauld (1743–1825) was one of just a handful of women writers of her era. Referred to as Mrs. Barbauld in the literature of the time, the largely hom...
Tiki Barber
Professional football player Born Atiim Kiambu Barber, April 7, 1975, in Roanoke, VA; son of James (J.B.) and Geraldine Barber; married Ginny Cha (a fashion publicist), c. 1...
Klaus Barbie
Born: October 25, 1913 Bad Godesberg, Germany Died: September 25, 1991 Lyon, France German military leader Klaus Barb...
Christiaan Barnard
Born: November 8, 1922 Beaufort West, South Africa Died: September 2, 2001 Paphos, Cyprus South African surgeon The S...
Brenda C. Barnes
Chief Executive Officer of Sara Lee Born c. 1955; married Randall Barnes (a business executive); children: Jeff, Erin, Brian. Education: Augustana Co...
Syd Barrett
Born Roger Keith Barrett, January 6, 1946, in Cambridge, England; died of complications from diabetes, July 7, 2006, in Cambridge, England. Musician. Syd Barrett was one of rock mus...
James Barry
British physician James Barry (c. 1795–1865) was a distinguished army surgeon, but achieved that professional rank by disguising herself as a man. She maintained the ruse from 1809...