Portal:Pittsburgh/Selected biography
Jump to the nominations
Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Box-header/colours' not found.
Portal:Pittsburgh/Selected biography/1
Hugh Henry Brackenridge (1748 – June 25, 1816) was an American writer, lawyer, judge, and justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
A frontier citizen in Pittsburgh, he was elected in 1786 to the Pennsylvania state assembly, where he fought for the adoption of the federal Constitution, and obtained state endowments in 1787 for the establishment of the Pittsburgh Academy (University of Pittsburgh). He also played a role in the little known Westsylvania dispute, siding with Pennsylvania that the western lands should not become a 14th state. He lost a bid for re-election because he opposed popular sentiment in supporting federal controls, and he also nearly lost his life when he attempted to mediate the Whiskey Rebellion. He was largely responsible for the formation of Allegheny County and was appointed him a justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in 1799. As an author, he collaborated on what may be the first work of prose fiction written in America, Father Bombo's Pilgrimage to Mecca, and wrote several other titles including Modern Chivalry.
Portal:Pittsburgh/Selected biography/2
Andrew Carnegie (properly pronounced /kɑrˈneɪɡi/ (kar-NAY-gee), but commonly, /ˈkɑrnɨɡi/ or /kɑrˈnɛɡi/) (25 November 1835 – 11 August 1919) was a Scottish-American industrialist, businessman, entrepreneur and a major philanthropist. He was one of the most famous leaders of industry of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
He earned most of his fortune in the steel industry. In the 1870s, he founded the Pittsburgh's Carnegie Steel Company, a step which cemented his name as one of the "Captains of Industry". By the 1890s, the company was the largest and most profitable industrial enterprise in the world. Carnegie sold it to J.P. Morgan in 1901, who created U.S. Steel. Carnegie devoted the remainder of his life to large-scale philanthropy, with special emphasis on local libraries, world peace, education and scientific research. He founded, among other institutions, the Carnegie Corporation of New York, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Carnegie Mellon University and the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh.
Portal:Pittsburgh/Selected biography/3
Eugene Curran "Gene" Kelly (August 23, 1912 – February 2, 1996) was an American dancer, actor, singer, film director and producer, and choreographer from Pittsburgh. A major exponent of 20th century filmed dance, Kelly was known for his energetic and athletic dancing style, his good looks and the likeable characters that he played on screen. Although he is known today for his performance in Singin' in the Rain, he was a dominant force in Hollywood musical films from the mid 1940s until this art form fell out of fashion in the late 1950s. His many innovations transformed the Hollywood musical film, and he is credited with almost single-handedly making the ballet form commercially acceptable to film audiences. Kelly, and alumnus of the University of Pittsburgh, was the recipient of an Academy Honorary Award in 1952 for his career achievements. He later received lifetime achievement awards in the Kennedy Center Honors, and from the Screen Actors Guild and American Film Institute; in 1999, the American Film Institute also numbered him 15th in their Greatest Male Stars of All Time list.
Portal:Pittsburgh/Selected biography/4
Fred McFeely Rogers (March 20, 1928 – February 27, 2003), born in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, was an American educator, Presbyterian minister, songwriter and television host. Rogers was the host of the television show Mister Rogers' Neighborhood which was in production at Pittsburgh's WQED airing 895 episodes. The well-known children's show was syndicated nationally on PBS from 1968 to 2001. Mister Rogers' Neighborhood won four Emmy awards, and Rogers received one for lifetime achievement.
Portal:Pittsburgh/Selected biography/5
Floyd "Chip" Ganassi, Jr (born May 24, 1958, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) is a former American racecar driver and current racecar owner.
He is currently the owner and president of Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates which operates teams on both the IndyCar, NASCAR and Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series circuit. His NASCAR operation is under the banner Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, after a merger with Dale Earnhardt, Inc.
His Indy team has won multiple Indianapolis 500 races and the CART championship.
On February 14, 2010, Jamie McMurray won the Daytona 500 in a Ganassi-owned car, and on May 30, 2010, Dario Franchitti won the Indianapolis 500 in one of Ganassi's cars, making him the first owner to win both races in the same year and joining Penske Racing as the only owners to win both races all time. On July 25, 2010, Jamie McMurray won the Brickyard 400, making Chip Ganassi the first team owner to win the "Triple Crown" of American auto racing.
Portal:Pittsburgh/Selected biography/6
Andrew Warhola (August 6, 1928 – February 22, 1987), known as Andy Warhol, was an painter, printmaker, and filmmaker originally from Pittsburgh who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art. After a successful career as a commercial illustrator, Warhol became famous worldwide for his work as a painter, avant-garde filmmaker, record producer, author, and public figure known for his membership in wildly diverse social circles that included bohemian street people, distinguished intellectuals, Hollywood celebrities and wealthy patrons.
Warhol has been the subject of numerous retrospective exhibitions, books, and feature and documentary films. He coined the widely used expression "15 minutes of fame". In his hometown of Pittsburgh, The Andy Warhol Museum exists in memory of his life and artwork and is the largest museum in the United States dedicated to a single artist.
The highest price ever paid for a Warhol painting is $100 million for a 1963 canvas titled Eight Elvises. The private transaction was reported in a 2009 article in The Economist, which described Warhol as the "bellwether of the art market." $100 million is a benchmark price that only Jackson Pollock, Pablo Picasso, Gustav Klimt and Willem de Kooning have achieved.
Portal:Pittsburgh/Selected biography/7
Michael Keller Ditka, Jr. (born October 18, 1939 in Carnegie, Pennsylvania), also known as "Iron Mike", is a former American football NFL player and coach, he is currently a television commentator and personality. Ditka was an All-American for the University of Pittsburgh's football team, and had a Hall of Fame professional career playing at tight end. He coached the Chicago Bears for 11 years and New Orleans Saints for 3 years. Ditka and Tom Flores are the only two people to win Super Bowls as a player, an assistant coach and a head coach. Ditka was the only individual to participate in the last two Chicago Bears' championships, as a player in 1963 and as head coach in 1985. Ditka has also done guest spots and cameos on shows from L.A. Law to Saturday Night Live, and 3rd Rock from the Sun. In 2005, Mike Ditka portrayed himself in the comedy Kicking & Screaming.
Portal:Pittsburgh/Selected biography/8
Michael John Douglas (born September 5, 1951), better known as Michael Keaton, is an American actor, well known for his early comedic roles in films such as Night Shift, Mr. Mom, Johnny Dangerously, Beetlejuice, and for his dramatic portrayal of Batman in Tim Burton's Batman and Batman Returns, as well as lead roles in other films including The Paper, Jackie Brown, Jack Frost, and White Noise. His most recent film role was as the voice of Ken in Toy Story 3. From the Pittsburgh suburb of Coraopolis, Pennsylvania, Keaton first started in film on local station WQED in 1975 as one of the "Flying Zucchini Brothers" on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.
Keaton returned home to the city twice to film major motion pictures on location with 1986's Gung Ho and 1998's Desperate Measures.
Portal:Pittsburgh/Selected biography/9
Jeffrey Lynn "Jeff" Goldblum (born October 22, 1952) is an actor originally from the Pittsburgh suburb of West Homestead. Goldblum began his career in the mid-1970s and since then he has appeared in major box-office successes including Jurassic Park (two films), Independence Day and The Fly. From 2009 onwards he has starred as Detective Zach Nichols on the USA Network's crime drama series Law & Order: Criminal Intent.
In 2006, Goldblum returned home to film Pittsburgh on location around the city, including a command performance at Heinz Hall.
Portal:Pittsburgh/Selected biography/10
Christina María Aguilera (born December 18, 1980) is an American pop singer and songwriter who was raised and got her start in singing locally in Pittsburgh. Aguilera first appeared on national television in 1990 as a contestant on the Star Search program, and went on to star in Disney Channel's television series The Mickey Mouse Club from 1993–1994.
In 1999, Aguilera came to prominence following her debut album Christina Aguilera, which was a commercial success spawning three number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100: "Genie in a Bottle", "What a Girl Wants", and "Come On Over Baby (All I Want Is You)". Other albums include the Latin pop album, Mi Reflejo (2001), Stripped (2002) featuring the single "Beautiful", Back to Basics (2006), and Bionic (2010).
Aguilera's work has earned her numerous awards, including four Grammy Awards and a Latin Grammy Award, amongst fifteen and three nominations respectively. Rolling Stone ranked her number fifty-three on their list of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time, ranking as the youngest and only artist on the list under the age of thirty. She has become one of the most successful recording artists of the decade, selling more than 42 million albums worldwide.
Portal:Pittsburgh/Selected biography/11
Mark Cuban (born July 31, 1958) is an American entrepreneur. He is the owner of the Dallas Mavericks, an NBA basketball team, owner of Landmark Theatres, and Chairman of HDNet, an HDTV cable network. Mark Cuban was born in Pittsburgh and grew up in the Pittsburgh suburb of Mt. Lebanon. Cuban enrolled as a full time student at the University of Pittsburgh, where after one year he transferred to Indiana University. After earning billions in the Dot-com boom, in 2000 he purchased a majority stake in the NBA Dallas Mavericks basketball team. Cuban's ownership has been the source of extensive media attention and controversy involving league policies and fines. He has also appeared in several television shows and films, sometimes as himself, including an appearance on The Simpsons and Dancing with the Stars.
Portal:Pittsburgh/Selected biography/12
Andrew William Mellon (March 24, 1855 – August 26, 1937) was an banker, industrialist, philanthropist, art collector and Secretary of the Treasury from March 4, 1921 until February 12, 1932. Born in Pittsburgh, he was educated at the Western University of Pennsylvania. Mellon joined his father's banking firm, T. Mellon & Sons, two years later and had ownership of the bank transferred to him in 1882. He also helped organize the Union Trust Company and Union Savings Bank of Pittsburgh and branched into industrial activities including oil, steel, shipbuilding, and construction. His backing helped found several companies and entire industries. Mellon eventually became one of the wealthiest people in the United States. In the mid 1920s, he was the third highest income tax payer in the U.S. behind only John D. Rockefeller and Henry Ford. Mellon was appointed Secretary of the Treasury by new President Warren G. Harding in 1921. He served for ten years and eleven months; the third-longest tenure of a Secretary of the Treasury. His service continued through the Coolidge administration and most of the Hoover administration. During his retirement years, as he had done in earlier years, Mellon was an active philanthropist, and gave generously of his private fortune to support art and research causes which included establishing the Mellon Institute for Industrial Research and becoming a major benefactor of his alma mater, by then renamed to the University of Pittsburgh. In 1937, he donated his substantial art collection, plus $10 million for construction, to establish the National Gallery of Art on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The Gallery was authorized in 1937 by Congress.
Portal:Pittsburgh/Selected biography/13
David Gaub McCullough (mə·kŭl′·ə) (born July 7, 1933) is an American author, narrator, and lecturer. He is a two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award, and a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the United States' highest civilian award.
Born and raised in Pittsburgh, McCullough attended Yale University, earning a degree in English literature. His first book, The Johnstown Flood, was published in 1968; he has since written seven more on topics such as Harry S. Truman, John Adams, and the Brooklyn Bridge. McCullough has also narrated multiple documentaries, as well as the 2003 film Seabiscuit; he also hosted American Experience for twelve years. Two of McCullough's books, Truman and John Adams, have been adapted into a TV film and mini-series, respectively, by HBO. McCullough's next work, about Americans in Paris between the 1830s to the 1930s, is due out in 2010.
Portal:Pittsburgh/Selected biography/14
Rachel Louise Carson (May 27, 1907 – April 14, 1964) from Springdale near Pittsburgh was an American marine biologist and nature writer whose writings are credited with advancing the global environmental movement.
Carson started her career as a biologist in the U.S. Bureau of Fisheries, and became a full-time nature writer in the 1950s. Her widely praised 1951 bestseller The Sea Around Us won her financial security and recognition as a gifted writer. Her next book, The Edge of the Sea, and the republished version of her first book, Under the Sea Wind, were also bestsellers. Together, her sea trilogy explores the whole of ocean life, from the shores to the surface to the deep sea.
In the late 1950s, Carson turned her attention to conservation and the environmental problems caused by synthetic pesticides. The result was Silent Spring (1962), which brought environmental concerns to an unprecedented portion of the American public. Silent Spring spurred a reversal in national pesticide policy—leading to a nationwide ban on DDT and other pesticides—and the grassroots environmental movement the book inspired led to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency. Carson was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Jimmy Carter. Her childhood home is preserved and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Also near Pittsburgh, a 35.7 miles (57 km) hiking trail was dedicated to Carson and one of the city's Three Sisters bridges was renamed in her honor.
Portal:Pittsburgh/Selected biography/15
Roberto Clemente Walker (August 18, 1934 – December 31, 1972) was a Puerto Rican professional baseball player and a Major League Baseball right fielder. Clemente was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the and played eighteen seasons, from 1955 through 1972, all in Pittsburgh. He was awarded the National League's Most Valuable Player Award in 1966. During the course of his career, Clemente was selected to participate in the league's All Star Game on twelve occasions. He won twelve Gold Glove Awards and led the league in batting average in four different seasons. He was involved in charity work in Puerto Rico and other Latin American countries, often delivering baseball equipment and food to them. He died in an aviation accident on December 31, 1972, while en route to deliver aid to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. His body was never recovered. He was elected to the Hall of Fame posthumously in 1973, thus becoming the first Latin American to be selected and the only current Hall of Famer for whom the mandatory five year waiting period has been waived since the wait was instituted in 1954. Clemente is also the first Hispanic player to win a World Series as a starter (1960), win a league MVP award (1966) and win a World Series MVP award (1971). In 1973, Clemente was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal and the first Presidential Citizens Medal. In 2002, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Several honors have been dedicated to Clemente in Pittsburgh, including a statue outside PNC Park, designing the park's right field wall to be 21 feet in honor of his number, and the renaming of one of the Three Sisters bridges in to the Roberto Clemente Bridge.
Portal:Pittsburgh/Selected biography/16
Dennis Miller (November 3, 1953), is an American stand-up comedian, political commentator, actor, sports commentator, and television and radio personality. He is known for his critical assessments laced with pop culture references. He rose to fame as a cast member of Saturday Night Live in 1985, and subsequently hosted a string of his own talk shows on HBO, CNBC and in syndication. He currently hosts a daily, three-hour, self-titled talk radio program, nationally syndicated by Westwood One. Miller was born in Pittsburgh, and grew up in the suburb of Castle Shannon and is a graduate of Point Park University.
In recent years, Miller has become known for his conservative political opinions. He is a regular political commentator on Fox News Channel's The O'Reilly Factor in a segment called "Miller Time," and previously appeared on the network's Hannity & Colmes in a segment called "Real Free Speech."
Portal:Pittsburgh/Selected biography/17
George Benson (born March 22, 1943), born and raised in the Hill District in Pittsburgh, is a multi Grammy Award winning American musician, whose recording career began at the age of twenty-one as a jazz guitarist. He is also known as a pop, R&B, and scat singer. This one-time child prodigy topped the Billboard 200 in 1976 with the triple-platinum album, Breezin', the first jazz release to go Platinum. "This Masquerade" won a Grammy Award for Record of the Year and the live take of "On Broadway", recorded two years later from the 1978 release Weekend in L.A., also won a Grammy. He was also a major live attraction in the UK during the 1980s. Benson uses a rest-stroke picking technique similar to that of gypsy jazz players such as Django Reinhardt.
Portal:Pittsburgh/Selected biography/18
Stephen Collins Foster (July 4, 1826 – January 13, 1864), known as the "father of American music", was the pre-eminent songwriter in the United States of the 19th century. His songs – such as "Oh! Susanna", "Camptown Races", "Old Folks at Home" ("Swanee River"), "Hard Times Come Again No More", "My Old Kentucky Home", "Old Black Joe", and "Beautiful Dreamer" – remain popular over 150 years after their composition. Born in Lawrenceville, now part of the city of Pittsburgh, Foster has been acknowledged as "father of American music" and is honored by multiple memorials and statues throughout the United States. Buried in the Allegheny Cemetery in Pittsburgh, the University of Pittsburgh's Stephen Foster Memorial houses a significant collection of Foster memorabilia and artifacts.
Portal:Pittsburgh/Selected biography/19
Randolph Frederick "Randy" Pausch (October 23, 1960 – July 25, 2008) was an alumnus and professor of computer science and human-computer interaction and design at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. Pausch learned that he had pancreatic cancer in September 2006, and in August 2007 he was given a terminal diagnosis: "3 to 6 months of good health left". He gave an upbeat lecture entitled "The Last Lecture: Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams" on September 18, 2007 at Carnegie Mellon, which became a popular YouTube video and led to other media appearances. He then co-authored a book called The Last Lecture on the same theme, which became a New York Times best-seller. He was featured on several TV shows, including The Oprah Winfrey Show, and was the subject of two prime time hour-long Diane Sawyer features that aired on ABC. Pausch died of complications from pancreatic cancer on July 25, 2008.
Portal:Pittsburgh/Selected biography/20
Thomas E. Starzl (born March 11, 1926) is an American physician, researcher, and is an expert on organ transplants. He performed the first human liver transplants, and has often been referred to as "the father of modern transplantation." Starzl was awarded the National Medal of Science and was named one of the most important people of the Millennium, ranking No. 213, according to the authors of 1,000 Years, 1,000 People: Ranking the Men and Women Who Shaped the Millennium and has been identified as the most cited scientist in the field of clinical medicine. His autobiographical memoir, The Puzzle People, was named by The Wall Street Journal as the third best book on doctors' lives. At the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine since 1981, Starzl has been retired from clinical and surgical service since 1991, but continues to devotes his time to research endeavors and remains active as professor of surgery at the and has been honored as the namesake of the transplantation Institute, a bioscience research facility, as well as a street.
