Ben Chapman (1925 - 2008)

Born in Oakland, California, Ben Chapman spent much of his childhood in Tahiti and moved to San Francisco at age 12 or 13. A Marine Corps veteran of the Korean War, he was believed to have earned a Silver Star, a Bronze Star, and two Purple Hearts for battle injuries. However, after his death, the Marine […]

Ben E King (1938 - 2015)

Ben E King Ben E. King, the smooth, soulful baritone who led the Drifters on “There Goes My Baby,” “Save the Last Dance for Me” and other hits in the late 1950s and early 1960s, and as a solo artist recorded the classic singles “Spanish Harlem” and “Stand by Me,” died on Thursday in Hackensack, […]

Ben Frommer (1913 - 1992)

Actor. Appeared in the films “Plan 9 From Outer Space”, “Torn Curtain”, “The Love Bug”, “Car Wash”, “Rabbit Test”, “American Pop”, “Psycho II”, and “Scarface”. He had a recurring role on the TV series “F-Troop” as the Indian called Smokey Bear in some episodes and Papa Bear in others. He had several guest appearances on […]

Ben Gazzara (1930 - 2012)

Ben Gazzara Gazzara was born in New York City, the son of Italian immigrants Angelina (née Cusumano) and Antonio Gazzarra, a laborer and carpenter. Both Gazzara’s parents were of Sicilian origin, Angelina from Castrofilippo and Antonio from Canicattì, both in the province of Agrigento. Gazzara grew up in New York’s Kips Bay neighborhood; he lived […]

Ben Hecht (1894 - 1964)

Ben Hecht /ˈhɛkt/ (February 28, 1894 – April 18, 1964) was an American screenwriter, director, producer, playwright, journalist and novelist. A journalist in his youth, he went on to write thirty-five books and some of the most entertaining screenplays and plays in America. He received screen credits, alone or in collaboration, for the stories or […]

Ben Lessy (1902 - 1992)

Ben Lessy (April 29, 1902 – October 30, 1992) was an American nightclub comedian and television and film actor. He was born in New York City, New York. Lessy was known for a nightclub act done with Patti Moore, the long-time wife of his best friend and agent, Sammy Lewis. They were regulars at Los Angeles nightclubs […]

Ben Lyon (1901 - 1979)

Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Lyon entered films in 1918 after a successful appearance on Broadway opposite Jeanne Eagels. He attracted attention in the highly successful film Flaming Youth (1923), and steadily developed into a leading man. He was most successfully paired with some of the leading actresses of the silent era including Pola Negri, Gloria […]

Ben Powers (1950 - 2015)

Ben Powers Comedian, actor, composer and artist, Alton ‘Ben” Powers, best known for his role as Thelma Evans’ husband, and football player, Keith Anderson, in the 1970’s hit series “Good Times” has died. Ben, also played “Moochie” on the CBS-TV hit “Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer” starring with Stacey Keach. Ben made numerous TV guest appearances […]

Ben Reitman (1879 - 1942)

Ben Reitman was born in Saint Paul, Minnesota, to poor Russian Jewish immigrants in 1879, and grew up in Chicago. At the age of ten, he became a hobo, but returned to Chicago and worked in the Polyclinic Laboratory as a “laboratory boy”. In 1900, he entered the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Chicago, […]

Ben Webster (1909 - 1973)

Ben Webster learned to play piano and violin at an early age before taking up the saxophone, although he did return to the piano from time to time, even recording on the instrument occasionally. Once Budd Johnson showed him some basics on the saxophone, Webster began to play that instrument in the Young Family Band […]

Bénédict Morel (1809 - 1873)

Bénédict Morel was born in Vienna, Austria in 1809, of French parents. In the aftermath of the War of the Sixth Coalition Morel was abandoned by his parents, and left with the Luxembourgish Abbé Dupont and his servant Marianne, who raised him. Morel received his education in Paris, and while a student, supplemented his income by […]

Bengt Bedrup (1928 - 2005)

Sports Reporter. He was the first sports reporter for Swedish television, and became a “living legend” for more than 30 years. He commenced his career writing sporting news for local newspapers, and subsequently for Expressen, one of Sweden´s leading tabloids. He also made success with tv-specials like “Träna med TV” (work-out for common people) and […]

Beniamino Benevento Bufano (1890 - 1970)

Sculptor. Born in San Fele, Italy, he was a skilled artist known for his unique designs in sculpture. As a child, he moved with his family to New York City, was educated by private tutors and went on to study art at the New York Art Students League in 1913. He developed his craft on […]

Benjamin Alden Bidlack (1804 - 1849)

US Congressman. Elected to represent Pennsylvania in the United States House of Representatives, he served from 1841 to 1845. He also served as a Member of the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives in 1835, and as the United States Charge d’Affaires to New Grenada from 1845 until his death in 1849. This monument with the […]

Benjamin Baker (1840 - 1907)

He was born in Keyford, which is now part of Frome, Somerset in 1840, educated at Cheltenham Grammar School and, at the age of 16, became an apprentice at Messrs Price and Fox at the Neath Abbey Iron Works. After his apprenticeship he spent two years as an assistant to Mr. W.H. Wilson. Later, he […]

Benjamin Brewster (1816 - 1888)

In 1857, Benjamin Brewster married as his first wife, Elizabeth von Myerbach de Reinfeldts, the widow of Dr. Shulte of Paris, France. Elizabeth died in 1868; however, Benjamin continued to spend many vacations with his wife’s parents in Germany near Cologne. He was remarried on July 12, 1870. His second wife, Mary Walker, was born in […]

Benjamin Bristow (1832 - 1896)

Benjamin Helm Bristow (June 20, 1832 – June 22, 1896) was the 30th U.S. Treasury Secretary, the first Solicitor General, an American lawyer, a Union military officer, Republican Party politician, reformer, and civil rights advocate. Benjamin Bristow, during his tenure as Secretary of Treasury, is primarily known for breaking up and prosecuting the Whiskey Ring, […]

Benjamin Butler (1795 - 1858)

Benjamin  was the son of Medad Butler and Hannah Butler (née Tylee), of Kinderhook Landing, in Columbia County, New York. He studied at Hudson Academy in Hudson, New York, and read law with Martin Van Buren, whose son John Van Buren later read law with Butler. Butler was admitted to the bar in 1817, and became […]

Benjamin Constant (1767 - 1830)

Political philosopher, now mainly remembered for his semi-autobiographical, and rather scandalous, novella , ‘Adolphe’. “Whenever there is no absolute necessity, whenever legislation may fail to intervene without society being overthrown, whenever, finally it is a question merely of some hypothetical improvement, the law must abstain, leave things alone, and keep quiet.” (bio by: David Conway)

Benjamin F. Lee, Sr (1970 - 1970)

Professor and President (1876-1884) of Wilberforce University. His son, B.F. Lee, also became a professor at Wilberforce University and, later, a physician who served the Wilberforce and Xenia, Ohio, communities. The B.F. Lee Health Center in Wilberforce honors this family.

Benjamin Fletcher Wright (1900 - 1976)

Educator, authority on constitutional law. He was the fifth president of Smith College (1949-1959), faculty member of University of Texas (1922-1926, 1960-1975) and Harvard University (1928-1949). He was chairman of Harvard government department (1942-1946) and committee on general education (1946-1949)He was a member of Harvard committee that prepared report “General Education In A Free Society” […]

Benjamin Franklin Bache (1769 - 1798)

Journalist. The grandson of statesman Benjamin Franklin, he was known as “Benny” to his grandfather, who doted on his namesake. He and cousin William Temple, joined their grandfather to France, receiving an education in there and in Switzerland. When Franklin died in 1790, Benjamin Bache at his bedside. With the inheritance Franklin left him, Bache […]

Benjamin Guggenheim (1865 - 1970)

American businessman. A native of Philadelphia and son of mining industrialist Meyer Guggenheim. First class passenger who perished at sea in the sinking of the RMS Titanic. Faced with impending death Mr. Guggenheim and his valet surrendered their lifebelts to a ship’s steward and returned to their cabin suites to change into formal evening attire. […]

Benjamin Henry Latrobe (1764 - 1820)

America’s first professional architect and engineer – he immigrated to America in 1795.  After designing Philadelphia’s first water system, Latrobe went on to design or consult on more than 60 private homes in America, as well as dozens of public buildings.  Only three Latrobe designed, preserved,  residential homes remain in the entire country.    He […]

Benjamin Hooks (1925 - 2010)

Benjamin Hooks was born in Memphis, Tennessee. Growing up on South Lauderdale and Vance, he was the fifth of seven children born to Robert B. and Bessie White Hooks. His father was a photographer and owned a photography studio with his brother Henry, known at the time as Hooks Brothers, and the family was fairly […]

Benjamin Keough (1992 - 2020)

Benjamin Keough Grandson of Elvis Presley, Benjamin Keough grew up in wealth and luxury. He shared his iconic grandfather’s rock star good looks and seemed destined for fame. Unfortunately, he also felt increasing pressure to match his grandfather’s meteoric success. Eventually, this contributed to a deep depression that would ultimately lead to Benjamin Keough’s death […]

Benjamin Leroy Holt (1849 - 1920)

Inventor. By the 1890s, with his partner Daniel Best as the Holt Manufacturing Company, he was making steam-driven wheeled tractors and harvesters to replace horse-drawn harvesting machines on large farms. In 1906, he built, patented and manufactured the first practical crawler-type tread tractor. With the success of his tractor, he founded Holt’s Caterpillar Tractors Company […]

Benjamin Nathan Cardozo (1870 - 1938)

Cardozo was born in New York City, the son of Rebecca Washington (née Nathan) and Albert Jacob Cardozo. Both Cardozo’s maternal grandparents, Sara Seixas and Isaac Mendes Seixas Nathan, and his paternal grandparents, Ellen Hart and Michael H. Cardozo, were Sephardi Jews of the Portuguese Jewish community, affiliated with Manhattan’s Congregation Shearith Israel; their families […]

Benjamin Robbins Curtis (1809 - 1874)

Benjamin Curtis was born November 4, 1809 in Watertown, Massachusetts, the son of Lois Ribbins and Benjamin Curtis, the captain of a merchant vessel. Young Curtis attended common school in Newton and beginning in 1825 Harvard College, where he won an essay writing contest in his junior year. He graduated in 1829, a member of […]

Benjamin Rose (1828 - 1908)

Industrialist and philantropist. He formed the Cleveland Provision Company, Cleveland’s largest meat packer. He pioneered meat shipping using refrigerated cars.