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Lists of famous members of historical clubs and secret societies in the US and around the world.

Secret Societies

From the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/what-is-the-illuminati/mike-rothschild" target="_blank">Illuminati</a> to the Freemasons, and the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/knights-templar-theories/morgan-deane&nbsp;" target="_blank">Knights Templar</a> to the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/facts-about-the-knights-of-malta/jacob-shelton&nbsp;" target="_blank">Knights of Malta</a>, historical secret societies have long been the stuff of&nbsp;world-domination rumors. But what are the best secret societies to join? That really depends&nbsp;on what you're looking for from your clandestine organization.&nbsp;As for how to join a secret society and make money, you'll have to figure that one out for yourself.Did the Knights Templar really join an occult society? Were the Sons of Liberty actually behind the Boston Tea Party? And what about how to become Illuminati? These secret societies from history have been alleged to pull the world's strings from behind the scenes, from the mysterious Flat Hat Club to the violent Molly Maguires.&nbsp;

Politics

List of Famous Bilderberg Members ranked by fame and popularity. The Bilderberg Group is an annual conference comprised of prominent members of politics and society from North America and Europe. The mission of the Bilderberg group is to encourage dialogue about current trends and world issues. Enjoy this list of famous Bilderberg members.Who are the most famous Bilderberg Members? Bill Clinton and Bill Gates top our list. Clinton attended the conference when he was Governor of Arkansas in 1991 and Gates attended in 2010. Bilderberg meetings are actually rather casually run. They do not have an agenda and they encourage informal discussions about major issues that face the world. No votes or resolutions are made and members are encouraged to listen and gather insights.Other members of the Bilderberg group include Prince Charles, who attended in 1986 and his father Prince Philip who attended in 1965 and 1967. The original Bilderberg conference was held in Oosterbeek, Netherlands in 1954 and Royalty from the Netherlands, Belgium and Norway regularly attend the event. The 2013 conference was held in the United Kingdom.What do you think of the Bilderberg Group's casual approach to international discussions? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

List of Famous Elks Members ranked by fame and popularity. The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, better known as the Elks, is one of the largest fraternal orders in the United States. Founded in 1868, the Elks require members to have a belief in God, good moral character, American citizenship and be over 21 in age. Through the years, the Elks have had quite a few famous members including actors, athletes and politicians. Enjoy this list of famous elks members.Who are some of the most famous Elks members? President John F. Kennedy is at the top of our list. Other presidential Elks members include Franklin D. Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhower and Harry Truman. Some <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/most-influential-athletes-of-all-time/ranker-sports?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">famous sports figures</a> also made our list. Popular Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi, golf legend Bobby Jones and MLB Hall-of-Famer Mickey Mantle are all members of the fraternal order of Elks.A couple of Oscar-winners also rank high on our list of famous Elks members. Actor/Director Ben Affleck and Actor/<a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/movies-and-films-directed-by-clint-eastwood/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">Director Clint Eastwood</a> both are current members of the Elks. Funny man Jack Benny and Western actor Will Rogers are also card carrying members.What do you think of all these famous Elks members? Check out the list and let us know who you think is the most famous Elks member in the comments section.

Clubs

List of Famous Fraternal Order of Eagles Members ranked by fame and popularity. The Fraternal Order of Eagles is an international organization that was founded in 1898 in Seattle. Their membership originally comprised primarily of individuals involved in the performing arts, but politicians have been quite active in recent years. The Fraternal Order of Eagles claim responsibility for creating the Mother's Day holiday in the United States.Who is the most famous Fraternal Order of Eagles Member? Former two term President Ronald Reagan tops our list. Other notable politicians who were also members include John F. Kennedy, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Jimmy Carter, Warren G. Harding and more. The Fraternal Order of Eagles were big supporters of the Social Security Act becoming enacted in 1935.Country music superstar Billy Ray Cyrus is an active member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles. Back in 2008, Cyrus presented a $60,000 donation to Vanderbilt Eskind Diabetes Clinic on behalf of the Order. Cyrus went out of his way to visit the Children's Hospital and even brought his daughter Miley along to cheer up the children.What do you think of organizations like the Fraternal Order of Eagles? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

List of Famous Freemasons ranked by fame and popularity. The Freemasons is a fraternal organization that has lodges all over the world. The Freemasons use rituals and symbols to emphasize moral and ethical lessons. To become a member, individuals must petition a lodge, allow an investigation of their character and then be voted in by a secret ballot election. Check out this list to find out some of the most famous celebrity Freemasons throughout history and today.

Who is the most famous Freemason? Comedian Richard Pryor tops our list. Pryor joined the Freemasons in 1981 by joining the Henry Brown Lodge No. 22 in Peoria, Illinois. Other notable Freemasons include funny man Don Rickles and actors like John Wayne, who are also members of this illustrious group.

Several U.S. Presidents are also members of the Freemasons. George Washington went as far as reaching the impressive title of master Mason. Founding father Benjamin Franklin was a grand master and edited and published the first American Mason book back in 1734. Benedict Arnold was also a prominent member of the Freemasons until his membership was revoked due to his treason in the American Revolutionary War.

What do you think of this list of famous Freemasons?

Spellbook

List of Famous Golden Dawn Members ranked by fame and popularity. The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn was a magical order that studied and practiced the occult. Wicca and Thelma are both influenced by the beliefs of the Golden Dawn. The organization is open to women and men, but holds similar initiations to that of Masonic Lodges. Here is a list of famous Golden Dawn members.Who is the most famous Golden Dawn Member? Thelma founder Aleister Crowley tops our list. Crowley, who later became famous for his involvement with the Ordo Templis Orientis, was close friends with Golden Dawn co-founder Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers. The Irish poet and Nobel Prize winner William Butler Yeats was very involved in the early days of the Golden Dawn, but he resigned after conflict infiltrated the group.Author Bram Stoker was believed to be a member of the Golden Dawn due to his interest in the supernatural, as well as his friendship with many Golden Dawn members. Irish actress Florence Farr was very involved in the group and even became Chief Adept after co-founder William Wynn Westcott left the organization.What do you think about the Golden Dawn's interest in the occult? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

This is a list of all famous Illuminati members, past and present. . . allegedly. Everyone mentioned on this list is rumored to have talked about the Illuminati, used their symbology or practiced Illuminati rituals in some way&ndash; whether privately or in the public eye. These possible famous Illuminati members range from world leaders to pop culture celebrities.

The Illuminati was founded in 1776 in Bavaria by Adam Weishaupt. It was initially created to house the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/greatest-minds-of-all-time/walter-graves?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword" target="_blank">great thinkers</a> of the area and was modeled after another secret society, the Freemasons. A few years later the government outlawed all secret societies so the Illuminati was thought to be disbanded, though they have been the focus of numerous <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/the-most-widely-believed-conspiracy-theories-in-us-history/ariel-kana?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword" target="_blank">conspiracy theories</a> throughout the years. Some theories are that the Illuminati members run the world behind the scenes&nbsp;as a New World Order, some say that the Illuminati is run by shape-shifting lizard/human hybrids. In any case the debate of who is a member of the Illuminati has captured our fascination for years.

Who are famous Illuminati members? This list is a culmination of names of suspected celebrity Illuminati members from various internet sources and should not be considered definitive.

Alleged Illuminati celebs include singers, rappers, and high profile Hollywood actors. Even powerful businessmen and women are alleged to have Illuminati ties along with other world leaders, and business people in leadership positions (even entire companies are alleged to have Illuminati ties). Angelina Jolie and Jay Z are just a few examples of alleged Illuminati members.&nbsp; Rihanna is another of the rumored prominent members of Illuminati.&nbsp;

Read on for more information about stars who are rumored to be a part of the Illuminati.&nbsp;

<a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/famous-people-who-have-been-knighted/celebrity-lists?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">List of Famous Knights</a> of Columbus Members ranked by fame and popularity. The Knights of Columbus are a fraternal, Catholic service organization that was founded in 1882. They follow the principles of Charity, Unity, Fraternity and Patriotism. The Knights of Columbus gave over $158 million in charitable donations in 2011 alone and they offer their members the benefit of a professional life insurance policy.Who is the most famous Knights of Columbus member? Former President John F. Kennedy tops our list. Kennedy joined the Knights of Columbus in 1946, the same year that he was elected to Congress. The Knights of Columbus offer a scholarship to Catholic students in his honor. Other notable politicians that are also members of the Knights of Columbus include Ted Kennedy, John Boehner and Jeb Bush.Many famous individuals from the world of sports are also Knights of Columbus members. Former <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-chicago-bears-coaches-of-all-time/ranker-nfl?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">Chicago Bears coach</a> Mike Ditka, boxer Floyd Patterson and baseball legend Babe Ruth are all members. Of course, many prominent figures from the Catholic church are also members of the Knights of Columbus including William Cardinal Levada, Donald Wuerl and Fulton J. Sheen.What do you think of charitable organizations like the Knights of Columbus? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

<a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/famous-people-who-have-been-knighted/celebrity-lists?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">List of Famous Knights</a> of Pythias Members ranked by fame and popularity. The Knights of Pythias is a secret society, fraternal organization that was founded in 1864. Membership is primarily white men in good health who believe in a Supreme Being. Through the years, the Knights of Pythias have had many famous and influential members.Who is the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/famous-knights-of-columbus-members/user-x?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">most famous Knights</a> of Pythias Member? Former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt tops our list. Roosevelt was a valued member of the Knights of Pythias and they have named their Brooklyn Lodge in his honor. Other notable politicians that are members of the Knights of Pythias include William McKinley, Warren G. Harding and the infamous “sexter” Anthony Weiner.The Knights of Pythias contribute a great deal to charity. They take care of members in distress and give aid to victims of disasters. They also sponsor scholarship funds, blood drives and highway safety programs. The group's auxiliary organizations include the Pythian Sisters, the Pythian Sunshine Girls and the Junior Order of Princes of Syracuse. The Knights of Pythias also have a social club within their organization called the Dramatic Order of the Knights of Khorassan.What do you think of organizations like the Knights of Pythias? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

List of Famous Knights Templar Members ranked by fame and popularity. The Knights Templar was a powerful organization comprised of a wealthy Christian membership. They rose to power during the Crusades and quickly dwindled after the Holy Land was captured by Saladin's armies. The motto of the Knights Templar was “Not to us Lord, not to us, but to Your Name give the glory.” Here is a list of some of the most famous members of the Knights Templar.Who is the most famous Knights Templar member? Afonso I of Portugal, also known as Afonso Henriques, tops our list. Henriques went on to become the first king of Portugal and spent most of his life at war with the Moors. Geoffroi de Charney dedicated his life to the Order of Knights Templar. He was arrested by King <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/tour-de-nesle-affair-when-king-philip-iv-castrated-knights/lisa-a-flowers?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">Philip IV of France</a>, tortured until he admitted to the crimes against him and he was eventually burned at the stake.Hugue de Payens was a co-founder of the Knights Templar and became the groups first Grand Master. Hugue de Payens led the organization for almost twenty years. Robert de Craon succeeded Payens as Grand Master and was known to be a great legislator and organizer, though his military skills were lacking.What do you think of the Knights Templar and their involvement with the Crusades. Share your thoughts in the comments section.

List of Famous Loyal Order of Moose Members ranked by fame and popularity. The Loyal Order of Moose is a fraternal organization that was founded in 1888 as a social club. In 1912, the Moose opened the Mooseheart school that offered orphans of LOOM members a place to live and learn. The group incorporates rituals into their initiation process and daily activities. Throughout the years many famous men have been members of the Loyal Order of Moose.Who is the most famous Loyal Order of Moose member? Former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt tops our list. Roosevelt was chairman of the Moose's War Relief Commission in 1918. Other notable politicians who were also members of the Loyal Order of Moose include Theodore Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman and Warren G. Harding.Stars of the stage and screen can also be counted as Loyal Order of the Moose members. “It's a Wonderful Life” star James Stewart was a member of Pennsylvania Lodge 174. Actor, director, writer Charlie Chaplin was a member of the Los Angeles chapter. Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, and Erik Estrada are also members of the Loyal Order of Moose.What do you think of the Loyal Order of Moose's impressive membership? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

List of Famous National Grange Members ranked by fame and popularity. The National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry is an organization that encourages communities to work together to promote the success of the community and agriculture. The Grange was founded in 1867 at the request of Andrew Johnson who wanted to improve agriculture conditions. Over the years the National Grange have had famous members, some of whom may surprise you.Who is the most famous member of the National Grange? Former President Franklin D. Roosevelt tops our list. Roosevelt became a member of the Grange in 1914. He described his membership stating, “For many years I have been a member of the Grange. I have felt at home in it because it embodies the fine flavor of rural living which I myself have known and loved.”It may be surprising to some that Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic is an active member of the National Grange. Novoselic is the Worthy Master of the Grays River Grange. Novoselic spoke about his feelings toward the Grange with Seattle Weekly saying, “I enjoy participation in this organization because it keeps me connected in my community. If you have the time, imagination and most importantly, energy, there are many possibilities.”What do you think of the National Grange's sense of community? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

List of Famous New York Friars Club Members ranked by fame and popularity. The Friars Club is a private club in New York City whose members include popular comedians, actors and <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/famous-female-socialites/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">New York socialites</a>. Candidates for membership must be sponsored by two current members. Who are the New York Friars Club's most famous members? Check out this list and find out who lands in the top spot.The New York Friars Club consists of some of the world's funniest comedians. Jerry Seinfeld, Robin Williams, Whoopi Goldberg, and Billy Crystal are all members of this elite organization, as well as the club's first official female member, Liza Minnelli. Jerry Lewis is the current Abbot of the Friars Club and he was the subject of the group's infamous Roast back in 1986. Johnny Carson served as Roastmaster for the event.<a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/famous-people-from-new-york-city/reference?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">Famous New Yorkers</a> Donald Trump, Barbara Walters and Matt Lauer are also Friars Club members. While being inspired by the Friars Club Roasts, the <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/celebrities-who-should-be-on-a-roast/loganrapp?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">Comedy Central Roasts</a> are no longer associated with the group. The Friars Club still holds annual roasts, and funnyman Jack Black took the hot seat in 2013.What do you think of our list of famous New York Friars Club Members? Let us know who you think is the most interesting affiliate in the comments section.

List of Famous Order of the Buffaloes Members ranked by fame and popularity. The Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes is amongst the largest fraternal organizations in the United Kingdom. Although the organization was founded in 1822, the Order of the Buffaloes credit many famous individuals who predate the origin as members. The Order of the Buffaloes started as a drinking club, but quickly took influence from the Freemasons and became more of a secret society.Who is the most famous Order of the Buffaloes member. Playwright William Shakespeare tops our list. Early Buffalo literature names Shakespeare as a member along with Noah, Solomon, King Richard I and many others. The Order of the Buffaloes even named one of their lodges after the “Romeo and Juliet” scribe.&nbsp;The only woman to be credited as a Buffaloess was Elizabeth I of England. <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/royal-family-marriage-tree/setareh-janda?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">Queen Elizabeth</a> was very popular during her reign as Queen and she adapted the nicknamed “Good Queen Bess.” She was the daughter of King Henry VIII and his second wife Anne Boleyn. Queen Elizabeth was the last monarch of the Tudor Dynasty.What do you think of secret societies like the Order of the Buffaloes? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

List of Famous Order of the Turtle Members ranked by fame and popularity. The Ancient and Honorable Order of Turtles is a drinking club for World War II pilots, who were looking for a way to relax between missions. The Turtles follow the creed “Turtles are bright eyed, bushy tailed, fearless and unafraid folk with a fighter pilot attitude. They think clean, have fun a lot, and recognize the fact that you never get any place in life worthwhile unless you stick your neck out.”Who is the most famous member of the Order of the Turtle? President John F. Kennedy confirmed his membership to the world when a reporter asked him, “Are you a turtle?” Kennedy replied with the revealing response, “I'll buy you your drink later.” The proper answer to the question, “Are you a turtle?” is actually, “You bet your sweet ass I am.”Astronauts Wally Schirra and Deke Slayton famously traded the question over worldwide broadcasts. Schirra turned off the open line radio to deliver the proper response and responded with “roger” on the main line. Slayton was a bit more bold with his answer as he openly gave the proper response on board the USS Kearsarge. Slayton's response was recalled in Tom Wolfe's famous book “The Right Stuff.”Do you think it would be fun to be in the Order of the Turtle? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

List of Famous Ordo Templis Orientis Members ranked by fame and popularity. Ordo Templis Orientis otherwise known as OTO is an international religious organization. Occultist and religious leader Aleister Crowley was initiated into the group in 1910 and he quickly integrated Thelma pantheons into the OTO encouraging members to &ldquo;do what thou wilt.&rdquo; Here is a list of famous Ordo Templis Orientis members.

Ordo Templis Orientis membership is private, but many followers openly speak of their beliefs. In 2013, Peaches Geldof took to twitter to declare her allegiance to the OTO and rapper Jay-Z uses OTO symbols in his Rocawear clothing line. Hova himself has even been spotted wearing a hoody with the OTO adage &ldquo;do what thou wilt&rdquo; written on it. Guitarist Jimmy Page incorporated OTO symbolism into Led Zeppelin&rsquo;s music and even purchased Aleister Crowley&#39;s house.

Many artists, film makers and musicians have taken inspiration from the Ordo Templis Orientis. Director Stanley Kubrick incorporated visuals that allude to the OTO in his final film &ldquo;Eyes Wide Shut.&rdquo; The Beatles featured an image of Aleister Crowley himself on the cover of their Sgt. Peppers album. Thelmic references can also be found throughout George Lucas&#39; &ldquo;Star Wars Trilogy.&rdquo;

What do you think makes the Ordo Templis Orientis so fascinating to so many people? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

Conspiracies

List of Famous Priory of Sion Members ranked by fame and popularity. The Priory of Sion is an organization that is the topic of many conspiracy theorists. There has been a resurgence of interest in the Priory of Sion thanks to its depiction in the Dan Brown bestseller “The Da Vinci Code.” Many famous and influential individuals are rumored to have been members of the Priory of Sion.Who is the most famous member of the Priory of Sion? You guessed it. Leonardo Da Vinci tops our list. Sir Isaac Newton, Victor Hugo and Claude Debussy are also allegedly members of the secret society. Hugo was thought to be the Sion's Grand Master from 1844 through 1885.The history of the Priory of Sion varies amongst different writers, some of whom do not believe in its existence. The general consensus is that the Sion believed that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene and he wanted her to run the church after his death. They believe that Magdalene, along with her child whom Christ fathered, went to France after Jesus' crucifixion. What do you think of the beliefs of the Priory of Sion? Do you think the organization even exists? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

List of Famous Rosicrucians ranked by fame and popularity. Rosicrucians are a secret society based on ancient documents that were first published in Germany. Rosicrucianism has influenced several Freemason rites including the Rectified Scottish Rite and the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite. Over time, several prominent politicians and influential members of society have been associates of the Rosicrucians.Who are some of the most famous and influential Rosicrucians? George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and Benjamin Franklin were all members of the secret society. The prolific writer Victor Hugo was also rumored to be a Rosicrucian. Hugo wrote brilliant novels such as “Les Miserables” and “The Hunchback of Notre-Dame.” He was a man of great principles and he decided to live in exile after Louis Napoleon established an anti-parliamentary constitution in France.Writer, activist and revolutionary Thomas Paine was also a Rosicrucian. Paine famously encouraged the patriots to declare independence from England at the start of the American Revolutionary War. The Italian philosopher Giordano Bruno also followed the teachings of Rosicrucianism.What do you think of secret societies like the Rosicrucians? Check out this list of famous Rosicrucians and let us know what you think about secret societies in the comments section.

List of Famous Scroll and Key Members ranked by fame and popularity. Yale is home to several secret societies and the Scroll and Key society has had its fair share of famous and influential members. In their junior year, members are selected based on their achievements in any field whether academic or personal. Who is the most famous Scroll and Key member? Check out this list to find out the ranking of famous Scroll and Key members.Yale's Scroll and Key society was founded in 1842. Since then many notable figures have claimed membership. The composer Cole Porter attended Yale in 1909 and quickly became a Scroll and Key member. Porter wrote over 300 songs while attending the university. NBC anchor and former host of Dateline Stone Phillips is also a member of the secret society.The Scroll and Key society have many traditions that are past down year after year. At the close of their sessions, members have been known to sing on the front steps of their hall. Members also sign their letters “yours in truth” and they hold annual events called “Z.S.”What do you think of Yale's Scroll and Key society? Check out this list of members and share your thoughts in the comments section.

List of Famous Secret Societies ranked by fame and notoriety. A secret society is an exclusive group or club that keeps many of its rituals, activities and membership secret from the general public. Secret societies are regularly based upon the membership's shared beliefs in politics, religion and society. Universities are home to some of the most famous confidential clubs.Which is the most famous secret society? Yale University's undergraduate club Skull and Bones tops our list. <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/skull-and-bones-secret-society-facts/jacob-shelton?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">Skull and Bones members</a> have been known to steal keepsakes from other Yale societies and they are believed to be in possession of the skulls of Martin Van Buren, Geronimo and Pancho Villa. The Skull and Bones club are the topic of many conspiracy theories that associate them with the Illuminati and the C.I.A.The Illuminati are also one of the best known secret societies. Though their existence and membership is top secret, the Illuminati are credited with masterminding world events and planting members in powerful positions to create the New World Order. George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush and Jay-Z are all suspected members of the Illuminati.What do you think about secret societies? Are they secretly controlling world events? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

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Famous Elks Members

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Xavier Freeman

John F. Kennedy

John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by initials JFK and Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from January 1961 until his assassination in November 1963. Kennedy served at the height of the Cold War, and the majority of his work as president dealt with managing relations with the Soviet Union and Cuba. A Democrat, Kennedy represented Massachusetts in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate prior to becoming president.
Kennedy was born in Brookline, Massachusetts, and graduated from Harvard University in 1940, before joining the U.S. Naval Reserve the following year. During World War II, he commanded a series of PT boats in the Pacific theater and earned the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for his service. After the war, Kennedy represented the 11th congressional district of Massachusetts in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1947 to 1953. He was subsequently elected to the U.S. Senate and served as the junior Senator from Massachusetts from 1953 to 1960. While in the Senate, Kennedy published his book Profiles in Courage, which won a Pulitzer Prize for Biography. In the 1960 presidential election, he narrowly defeated Republican opponent Richard Nixon, who was the incumbent vice president.
Kennedy's administration included high tensions with communist states in the Cold War. He increased the number of American military advisers in South Vietnam. In April 1961, he authorized a vain attempt to overthrow the Cuban government of Fidel Castro in the Bay of Pigs Invasion. Kennedy authorized the Cuban Project in November 1961. He rejected Operation Northwoods (plans for false flag attacks to gain approval for a war against Cuba) in March 1962, however his administration continued to plan for an invasion of Cuba in the summer of 1962. In October 1962, U.S. spy planes discovered Soviet missile bases had been deployed in Cuba; the resulting period of tensions, termed the Cuban Missile Crisis, nearly resulted in the breakout of a global thermonuclear conflict. Domestically, Kennedy presided over the establishment of the Peace Corps and the continuation of the Apollo space program, and supported the Civil Rights Movement, but was only somewhat successful in passing his New Frontier domestic policies.
On November 22, 1963, he was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson assumed the presidency upon Kennedy's death. Marxist Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested for the state crime, but he was shot to death by Jack Ruby two days later. The FBI and the Warren Commission both concluded Oswald had acted alone in the assassination, but various groups contested the Warren Report and believed that Kennedy was the victim of a conspiracy. After Kennedy's death, Congress enacted many of his proposals, including the Civil Rights Act and the Revenue Act of 1964. Kennedy ranks highly in polls of U.S. presidents with historians and the general public. His personal life has also been the focus of considerable interest, following revelations of his chronic health ailments and extramarital affairs.

Clint Eastwood

Clinton Eastwood Jr. (born May 31, 1930) is an American actor, filmmaker, musician, and politician. After achieving success in the Western TV series Rawhide, he rose to international fame with his role as the Man with No Name in Italian filmmaker Sergio Leone's Dollars Trilogy of spaghetti Westerns during the 1960s and as antihero cop Harry Callahan in the five Dirty Harry films throughout the 1970s and 1980s. These roles, among others, have made Eastwood an enduring cultural icon of masculinity.For his work in the Western film Unforgiven (1992) and the sports drama Million Dollar Baby (2004), Eastwood won Academy Awards for Best Director and Best Picture, as well as receiving nominations for Best Actor. Eastwood's greatest commercial successes have been the adventure comedy Every Which Way But Loose (1978) and its sequel, the action comedy Any Which Way You Can (1980), after adjustment for inflation. Other popular films include the Western Hang 'Em High (1968), the psychological thriller Play Misty for Me (1971), the crime film Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974), the Western The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976), the prison film Escape from Alcatraz (1979), the action film Firefox (1982), the suspense thriller Tightrope (1984), the Western Pale Rider (1985), the war films Where Eagles Dare (1968), Kelly's Heroes (1970), and Heartbreak Ridge (1986), the action thriller In the Line of Fire (1993), the romantic drama The Bridges of Madison County (1995), and the drama Gran Torino (2008).
In addition to directing many of his own star vehicles, Eastwood has also directed films in which he did not appear, such as the mystery drama Mystic River (2003) and the war film Letters from Iwo Jima (2006), for which he received Academy Award nominations, the drama Changeling (2008), and the South African biographical political sports drama Invictus (2009). The war drama biopic American Sniper (2014) set box-office records for the largest January release ever and was also the largest opening ever for an Eastwood film.
Eastwood received considerable critical praise in France for several films, including some that were not well received in the United States. Eastwood has been awarded two of France's highest honors: in 1994, he became a recipient of the Commander of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, and in 2007, he was awarded the Legion of Honour medal. In 2000, Eastwood was awarded the Italian Venice Film Festival Golden Lion for lifetime achievement. Since 1967, Eastwood's Malpaso Productions has produced all but four of his American films. Elected in 1986, Eastwood served for two years as mayor of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, a non-partisan office.

Ben Affleck

Benjamin Géza Affleck-Boldt (born August 15, 1972) is an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter. His accolades include two Academy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, two BAFTA Awards, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. He began his career as a child and starred in the PBS educational series The Voyage of the Mimi (1984,1988). He later appeared in the independent coming-of-age comedy Dazed and Confused (1993) and various Kevin Smith films, including Mallrats (1995) Chasing Amy (1997) and Dogma (1999). Affleck gained wider recognition when he and childhood friend Matt Damon won the Golden Globe and Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for writing Good Will Hunting (1997), which they also starred in. He then established himself as a leading man in studio films, including the drama Armageddon (1998), the romantic comedy Forces of Nature (1999), the war drama Pearl Harbor (2001), and the spy thriller The Sum of All Fears (2002).
After a career downturn, during which he appeared in Daredevil and Gigli (both 2003), Affleck received a Golden Globe nomination for his performance in the noir biopic Hollywoodland (2006). His directorial debut, Gone Baby Gone (2007), which he also co-wrote, was well received. He then directed, co-wrote, and starred in the crime drama The Town (2010). For the political thriller Argo (2012), which he directed, co-produced, and starred in, Affleck won the Golden Globe and BAFTA Award for Best Director, and the Golden Globe, BAFTA, and Academy Award for Best Picture. He starred in the psychological thriller Gone Girl in 2014 and played the superhero Batman in both Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) and Justice League (2017). In 2016, he starred in the action thriller The Accountant, and directed, wrote, and acted in the gangster drama Live by Night. In 2019, he appeared in the action thriller Triple Frontier.
Affleck is the co-founder of the Eastern Congo Initiative, a grantmaking and advocacy-based nonprofit organization. He is also a stalwart member of the Democratic Party. Affleck and Damon are co-owners of the production company Pearl Street Films.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Franklin Delano Roosevelt (, ; January 30, 1882 – April 12, 1945), often referred to by initials FDR, was an American statesman and political leader who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. A member of the Democratic Party, he won a record four presidential elections and became a central figure in world events during the first half of the 20th century. Roosevelt directed the federal government during most of the Great Depression, implementing his New Deal domestic agenda in response to the worst economic crisis in U.S. history. As a dominant leader of his party, he built the New Deal Coalition, which realigned American politics into the Fifth Party System and defined American liberalism throughout the middle third of the 20th century. His third and fourth terms were dominated by World War II, which ended shortly after he died in office. He is rated by scholars as one of the three greatest U.S. presidents, along with George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, but has also been subject to substantial criticism.
Roosevelt was born in Hyde Park, New York to a Dutch American family made well known by the reputation of Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th president of the United States, and William Henry Aspinwall. FDR attended Groton School, Harvard College, and Columbia Law School, and went on to practice law in New York City. In 1905, he married his fifth cousin once removed, Eleanor Roosevelt. They had six children, of whom five survived into adulthood. He won election to the New York State Senate in 1910, and then served as Assistant Secretary of the Navy under President Woodrow Wilson during World War I. Roosevelt was James M. Cox's running mate on the Democratic Party's 1920 national ticket, but Cox was defeated by Republican Warren G. Harding. In 1921, Roosevelt contracted a paralytic illness, believed at the time to be polio, and his legs became permanently paralyzed. While attempting to recover from his condition, Roosevelt founded the treatment center in Warm Springs, Georgia, for people with poliomyelitis. In spite of being unable to walk unaided, Roosevelt returned to public office by winning election as Governor of New York in 1928. He was in office from 1929 to 1933 and served as a reform Governor, promoting programs to combat the economic crisis besetting the United States at the time.
In the 1932 presidential election, Roosevelt defeated Republican President Herbert Hoover in a landslide. Roosevelt took office in the midst of the Great Depression, the worst economic crisis in United States History. During the first 100 days of the 73rd United States Congress, Roosevelt spearheaded unprecedented federal legislation and issued a profusion of executive orders that instituted the New Deal—a variety of programs designed to produce relief, recovery, and reform. He created numerous programs to provide relief to the unemployed and farmers while seeking economic recovery with the National Recovery Administration and other programs. He also instituted major regulatory reforms related to finance, communications, and labor, and presided over the end of Prohibition. He harnessed radio to speak directly to the American people, giving 30 "fireside chat" radio addresses during his presidency and becoming the first American president to be televised. The economy having improved rapidly from 1933 to 1936, Roosevelt won a landslide reelection in 1936. However, the economy then relapsed into a deep recession in 1937 and 1938. After the 1936 election, Roosevelt sought passage of the Judiciary Reorganization Bill of 1937 (the "court packing plan"), which would have expanded the size of the Supreme Court of the United States. The bipartisan Conservative Coalition that formed in 1937 prevented passage of the bill and blocked the implementation of further New Deal programs and reforms. Major surviving programs and legislation implemented under Roosevelt include the Securities and Exchange Commission, the National Labor Relations Act, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Social Security, and the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, which, among other things, prohibited child labor and created the right to a minimum wage.
The United States reelected FDR in 1940 for his third term, making him the only U.S. President to serve for more than two terms. With World War II looming after 1938, Roosevelt gave strong diplomatic and financial support to China, the United Kingdom and eventually the Soviet Union while the U.S. remained officially neutral. Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, an event he famously called "a date which will live in infamy", Roosevelt obtained a congressional declaration of war on Japan, and, a few days later, on Germany and Italy. Assisted by his top aide Harry Hopkins and with very strong national support, he worked closely with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, Soviet leader Joseph Stalin and Chinese Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek in leading the Allied Powers against the Axis Powers. Roosevelt supervised the mobilization of the U.S. economy to support the war effort, and implemented a Europe first strategy, making the defeat of Germany a priority over that of Japan. He also initiated the development of the world's first atomic bomb, and worked with the other Allied leaders to lay the groundwork for the United Nations and other post-war institutions. Roosevelt won reelection in 1944, but with his physical health declining during the war years, he died in April 1945, just 11 weeks into his fourth term. The Axis Powers surrendered to the Allies in the months following Roosevelt's death, during the presidency of his successor, Harry S. Truman.

Jack Benny

Jack Benny (born Benjamin Kubelsky, February 14, 1894 – December 26, 1974) (often called "Jackson" on his own show), was an American comedian, vaudevillian, radio, television and film actor, and violinist. Recognized as a leading 20th-century American entertainer, Benny often portrayed his character as a miser, who obliviously played his violin badly, and ridiculously claimed to be 39 years of age, regardless of his actual age.
Benny was known for his comic timing and the ability to cause laughter with a pregnant pause or a single expression, such as his signature exasperated "Well!" His radio and television programs, popular from 1932 until his death in 1974, were a major influence on the sitcom genre.

Dwight D. Eisenhower

Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower ( EYE-zən-how-ər; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was an American army general and statesman who served as the 34th president of the United States from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, he was a five-star general in the Army and served as Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force in Europe. He was responsible for planning and supervising the invasion of North Africa in Operation Torch in 1942–43 and the successful Invasion of Normandy in 1944–45 from the Western Front.
Eisenhower was born David Dwight Eisenhower in Denison, Texas, and he was raised in Kansas in a large family of mostly Pennsylvania Dutch ancestry. His family had a strong religious background. His mother was a Lutheran, married as a River Brethren, and later became a Jehovah's Witness. Eisenhower, however, did not belong to any organized church until 1952. He cited constant relocation during his military career as one reason. He graduated from West Point in 1915 and later married Mamie Doud, with whom he had two sons. During World War I, he was denied a request to serve in Europe and instead commanded a unit that trained tank crews. Following the war, he served under various generals and was promoted to the rank of brigadier general in 1941. After the United States entered World War II, Eisenhower oversaw the invasions of North Africa and Sicily before supervising the invasions of France and Germany. After the war, he served as Army Chief of Staff (1945–1948) and then took on the role as president of Columbia University (1948–1953). In 1951–52, he served as the first Supreme Commander of NATO.
In 1952, Eisenhower entered the presidential race as a Republican to block the isolationist foreign policies of Senator Robert A. Taft, who opposed NATO and wanted no foreign entanglements. He won that election and the 1956 election in landslides, both times defeating Adlai Stevenson II. He became the first Republican to win since Herbert Hoover in 1928. Eisenhower's main goals in office were to contain the spread of communism and reduce federal deficits. In 1953, he threatened to use nuclear weapons until China agreed to peace terms in the Korean War. China did agree and an armistice resulted which remains in effect. His New Look policy of nuclear deterrence prioritized inexpensive nuclear weapons while reducing funding for expensive Army divisions. He continued Harry S. Truman's policy of recognizing the Republic of China as the legitimate government of China, and he won congressional approval of the Formosa Resolution. His administration provided major aid to help the French fight off Vietnamese Communists in the First Indochina War. After the French left, he gave strong financial support to the new state of South Vietnam. He supported military coups in Iran and Guatemala. During the Suez Crisis of 1956, he condemned the Israeli, British, and French invasion of Egypt, and he forced them to withdraw. He also condemned the Soviet invasion during the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 but took no action. During the Syrian Crisis of 1957 he approved a CIA-MI6 plan to stage fake border incidents as an excuse for an invasion by Syria's pro-Western neighbors. After the Soviet Union launched Sputnik in 1957, Eisenhower authorized the establishment of NASA, which led to the Space Race. He deployed 15,000 soldiers during the 1958 Lebanon crisis. Near the end of his term, he failed to set up a summit meeting with the Soviets when a U.S. spy plane was shot down over the Soviet Union. He approved the Bay of Pigs invasion, which was left to John F. Kennedy to carry out.On the domestic front, Eisenhower was a moderate conservative who continued New Deal agencies and expanded Social Security. He covertly opposed Joseph McCarthy and contributed to the end of McCarthyism by openly invoking executive privilege. He signed the Civil Rights Act of 1957 and sent Army troops to enforce federal court orders which integrated schools in Little Rock, Arkansas. His largest program was the Interstate Highway System. He promoted the establishment of strong science education via the National Defense Education Act. His two terms saw widespread economic prosperity except for a minor recession in 1958. In his farewell address to the nation, he expressed his concerns about the dangers of massive military spending, particularly deficit spending and government contracts to private military manufacturers. Historical evaluations of his presidency place him among the upper tier of American presidents.

Harry S. Truman

Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884 – December 26, 1972) was the 33rd president of the United States from 1945 to 1953, succeeding upon the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt after serving as vice president. He implemented the Marshall Plan to rebuild the economy of Western Europe, and established the Truman Doctrine and NATO.
Truman was elected to the United States Senate in 1934 and gained national prominence as chairman of the Truman Committee aimed at reducing waste and inefficiency in wartime contracts. Soon after succeeding to the presidency he authorized the first and only use of nuclear weapons in war. Truman's administration engaged in an internationalist foreign policy and renounced isolationism. He rallied his New Deal coalition during the 1948 presidential election and won a surprise victory that secured his own presidential term.
Truman oversaw the Berlin Airlift of 1948.  When North Korea invaded South Korea in 1950, he gained United Nations approval for the very large policy action known as the Korean War. It saved South Korea but the Chinese intervened, driving back the UN/US forces and preventing a rollback of communism in North Korea. On domestic issues, bills endorsed by Truman faced opposition from a conservative Congress, but his administration successfully guided the U.S. economy through the post-war economic challenges. In 1948 he submitted the first comprehensive civil rights legislation and issued Executive Orders to start racial integration in the military and federal agencies.
Corruption in the Truman administration became a central campaign issue in the 1952 presidential election. After Republican Dwight D. Eisenhower's electoral victory against Democrat Adlai Stevenson II, Truman went into a financially-difficult retirement, marked by the founding of his presidential library and the publication of his memoirs. When he left office, Truman's presidency was criticized, but scholars rehabilitated his image in the 1960s and he is highly-ranked by scholars.

Gene Autry

Orvon Grover "Gene" Autry (September 29, 1907 – October 2, 1998), nicknamed The Singing Cowboy, was an American singer, songwriter, actor, musician and rodeo performer who gained fame largely by singing in a crooning style on radio, in films, and on television for more than three decades beginning in the early 1930s. Autry was the owner of a television station, several radio stations in Southern California, and the Los Angeles/California/Anaheim Angels Major League Baseball team from 1961 to 1997.
From 1934 to 1953, Autry appeared in 93 films, and between 1950 and 1956 hosted The Gene Autry Show television series. During the 1930s and 1940s, he personified the straight-shooting hero—honest, brave, and true—and profoundly touched the lives of millions of Americans. Autry was also one of the most important pioneering figures in the history of country music, considered the second major influential artist of the genre's development after Jimmie Rodgers. His singing cowboy films were the first vehicle to carry country music to a national audience. In addition to his signature song, "Back in the Saddle Again", and his hit "At Mail Call Today", Autry is still remembered for his Christmas holiday songs, most especially his biggest hit "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" as well as "Frosty the Snowman", "Here Comes Santa Claus", and "Up on the House Top".
Autry is a member of both the Country Music Hall of Fame and Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, and is the only person to be awarded stars in all five categories on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, for film, television, music, radio, and live performance. The town of Gene Autry, Oklahoma was named in his honor, as was the Gene Autry precinct in Mesa, Arizona.

Gerald Ford

Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr. (born Leslie Lynch King Jr.; July 14, 1913 – December 26, 2006) was an American politician who served as the 38th president of the United States from August 1974 to January 1977. Before his accession to the presidency, Ford served as the 40th vice president of the United States from December 1973 to August 1974. Ford is the only person to have served as both vice president and president without being elected to either office by the Electoral College.
Born in Omaha, Nebraska, and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Ford attended the University of Michigan and Yale Law School. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, he enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve, serving from 1942 to 1946; he left as a lieutenant commander. Ford began his political career in 1949 as the U.S. representative from Michigan's 5th congressional district. He served in this capacity for 25 years, the final nine of them as the House Minority Leader. In December 1973, two months after the resignation of Spiro Agnew, Ford became the first person appointed to the vice presidency under the terms of the 25th Amendment by President Richard Nixon. After the subsequent resignation of President Nixon in August 1974, Ford immediately assumed the presidency. His 895 day-long presidency is the shortest in U.S. history for any president who did not die in office.
As president, Ford signed the Helsinki Accords, which marked a move toward détente in the Cold War. With the collapse of South Vietnam nine months into his presidency, U.S. involvement in Vietnam essentially ended. Domestically, Ford presided over the worst economy in the four decades since the Great Depression, with growing inflation and a recession during his tenure. In one of his most controversial acts, he granted a presidential pardon to President Richard Nixon for his role in the Watergate scandal. During Ford's presidency, foreign policy was characterized in procedural terms by the increased role Congress began to play, and by the corresponding curb on the powers of the President. In the Republican presidential primary campaign of 1976, Ford defeated former California Governor Ronald Reagan for the Republican nomination. He narrowly lost the presidential election to the Democratic challenger, former Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter.
Following his years as president, Ford remained active in the Republican Party. His moderate views on various social issues increasingly put him at odds with conservative members of the party in the 1990s and early 2000s. After experiencing a series of health problems, he died at home on December 26, 2006.

Will Rogers

William Penn Adair Rogers (November 4, 1879 – August 15, 1935) was an American stage and motion picture actor, vaudeville performer, cowboy, humorist, newspaper columnist, and social commentator from Oklahoma. He was a Cherokee citizen born in the Cherokee Nation, Indian Territory.
Known as "Oklahoma's Favorite Son", Rogers was born to a Cherokee family in Indian Territory (now part of Oklahoma). As an entertainer and humorist, he traveled around the world three times, made 71 films (50 silent films and 21 "talkies"), and wrote more than 4,000 nationally syndicated newspaper columns.By the mid-1930s Rogers was hugely popular in the United States, its leading political wit and the highest paid of Hollywood film stars. He died in 1935 with aviator Wiley Post when their small airplane crashed in northern Alaska.Rogers's vaudeville rope act led to success in the Ziegfeld Follies, which in turn led to the first of his many movie contracts. His 1920s syndicated newspaper column and his radio appearances increased his visibility and popularity. Rogers crusaded for aviation expansion and provided Americans with first-hand accounts of his world travels. His earthy anecdotes and folksy style allowed him to poke fun at gangsters, prohibition, politicians, government programs, and a host of other controversial topics in a way that was appreciated by a national audience, with no one offended. His aphorisms, couched in humorous terms, were widely quoted: "I am not a member of an organized political party. I am a Democrat."
Rogers even provided an epigram on his most famous epigram:

When I die, my epitaph, or whatever you call those signs on gravestones, is going to read: "I joked about every prominent man of my time, but I never met a man I dident [sic]  like." I am so proud of that, I can hardly wait to die so it can be carved.

Warren G. Harding

Warren Gamaliel Harding (November 2, 1865 – August 2, 1923) was the 29th president of the United States from 1921 until his death in 1923. A member of the Republican Party, he was one of the most popular U.S. presidents to that point.  After his death a number of scandals, such as Teapot Dome, came to light, as did his extramarital affair with Nan Britton; each eroded his popular regard. He is often rated as one of the worst presidents in historical rankings.
Harding lived in rural Ohio all his life, except when political service took him elsewhere. As a young man, he bought The Marion Star and built it into a successful newspaper. In 1899, he was elected to the Ohio State Senate; he spent four years there, then was elected lieutenant governor. He was defeated for governor in 1910, but was elected to the United States Senate in 1914. He ran for the Republican nomination for president in 1920, and he was considered a long shot until after the convention began. The leading candidates could not gain the needed majority, and the convention deadlocked. Harding's support gradually grew until he was nominated on the tenth ballot. He conducted a front porch campaign, remaining for the most part in Marion and allowing the people to come to him, and running on a theme of a return to normalcy of the pre-World War I period. He won in a landslide over Democrat James M. Cox and the then imprisoned Socialist Party candidate Eugene Debs and became the first sitting senator to be elected president.
Harding appointed a number of well-regarded figures to his cabinet, including Andrew Mellon at Treasury, Herbert Hoover at the Department of Commerce, and Charles Evans Hughes at the State Department. A major foreign policy achievement came with the Washington Naval Conference of 1921–1922, in which the world's major naval powers agreed on a naval limitations program that lasted a decade. Harding released political prisoners that had been arrested for their opposition to World War I.  His cabinet members Albert B. Fall (Interior Secretary) and Harry Daugherty (Attorney General) were each later tried for corruption in office; these and other scandals greatly damaged Harding's posthumous reputation. Harding died of a heart attack in San Francisco while on a western tour, succeeded by Vice President Calvin Coolidge.

George S. Patton

George Smith Patton Jr. (November 11, 1885 – December 21, 1945) was a General of the United States Army who commanded the U.S. Seventh Army in the Mediterranean theater of World War II, and the U.S. Third Army in France and Germany following D-Day: the Allied invasion of Normandy in June 1944.
Born in 1885 to a family with an extensive military background that spanned both the United States and Confederate States armies, Patton attended the Virginia Military Institute and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He studied fencing and designed the M1913 Cavalry Saber, more commonly known as the "Patton Saber", and was sufficiently skilled in the sport of modern pentathlon to compete in the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm, Sweden.
Patton first saw combat during the Pancho Villa Expedition in 1916, taking part in America's first military action using motor vehicles. As part of the newly formed United States Tank Corps of the American Expeditionary Forces he saw action in World War I, commanding the U.S. tank school in France before being wounded while leading tanks into combat near the end of the war. In the interwar period, Patton remained a central figure in the development of the Army's armored warfare doctrine, serving in numerous staff positions throughout the country. Rising through the ranks, he commanded the 2nd Armored Division at the time of the American entry into World War II.
Patton led U.S. troops into the Mediterranean theater with an invasion of Casablanca during Operation Torch in 1942, and soon established himself as an effective commander through his rapid rehabilitation of the demoralized U.S. II Corps. He commanded the U.S. Seventh Army during the Allied invasion of Sicily, where he was the first Allied commander to reach Messina. There he was embroiled in controversy after he slapped two shell-shocked soldiers under his command, and was temporarily removed from battlefield command.  He then was assigned a key role in Operation Fortitude, the Allies' disinformation campaign for Operation Overlord. Following the invasion of Normandy in June 1944, Patton was given command of the Third Army, which conducted a highly successful rapid armored drive across France. Under his decisive leadership the Third Army took the lead in relieving beleaguered American troops at Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge, after which his forces drove deep into Nazi Germany by the end of the war.
During the Allied occupation of Germany Patton was named military governor of Bavaria, but was relieved over his aggressive statements towards the Soviet Union and trivializing denazification. He commanded the United States Fifteenth Army for slightly more than two months. Severely injured in an auto accident, he died in Germany twelve days later, on December 21, 1945.
Patton's colorful image, hard-driving personality and success as a commander were at times overshadowed by his controversial public statements. His philosophy of leading from the front and ability to inspire troops with attention-getting, vulgarity-ridden speeches, such as a famous address to the Third Army, met with mixed receptions, favorably with his troops but much less so among a sharply divided Allied high command. His strong emphasis on rapid and aggressive offensive action proved effective, and he was regarded highly by his opponents in the German High Command. An award-winning biographical film released in 1970, Patton, helped solidify his image as an American folk hero.

Douglas MacArthur

General of the Army Douglas MacArthur (January 26, 1880 – April 5, 1964) was an American five-star general and Field Marshal of the Philippine Army. He was Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the Philippines Campaign, which made him and his father Arthur MacArthur Jr. the first father and son to be awarded the medal. He was one of only five to rise to the rank of General of the Army in the US Army, and the only one conferred the rank of field marshal in the Philippine Army.
Raised in a military family in the American Old West, MacArthur was valedictorian at the West Texas Military Academy, and First Captain at the United States Military Academy at West Point, where he graduated top of the class of 1903. During the 1914 United States occupation of Veracruz, he conducted a reconnaissance mission, for which he was nominated for the Medal of Honor. In 1917, he was promoted from major to colonel and became chief of staff of the 42nd (Rainbow) Division. In the fighting on the Western Front during World War I, he rose to the rank of brigadier general, was again nominated for a Medal of Honor, and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross twice and the Silver Star seven times.
From 1919 to 1922, MacArthur served as Superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, where he attempted a series of reforms. His next assignment was in the Philippines, where in 1924 he was instrumental in quelling the Philippine Scout Mutiny. In 1925, he became the Army's youngest major general. He served on the court-martial of Brigadier General Billy Mitchell and was president of the American Olympic Committee during the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam. In 1930, he became Chief of Staff of the United States Army. As such, he was involved in the expulsion of the Bonus Army protesters from Washington, D.C. in 1932, and the establishment and organization of the Civilian Conservation Corps. He retired from the US Army in 1937 to become Military Advisor to the Commonwealth Government of the Philippines.
MacArthur was recalled to active duty in 1941 as commander of United States Army Forces in the Far East. A series of disasters followed, starting with the destruction of his air forces on 8 December 1941 and the Japanese invasion of the Philippines. MacArthur's forces were soon compelled to withdraw to Bataan, where they held out until May 1942. In March 1942, MacArthur, his family and his staff left nearby Corregidor Island in PT boats and escaped to Australia, where MacArthur became Supreme Commander, Southwest Pacific Area. Upon his arrival, MacArthur gave a speech in which he famously promised "I shall return" to the Philippines.  After more than two years of fighting in the Pacific, he fulfilled that promise. For his defense of the Philippines, MacArthur was awarded the Medal of Honor. He officially accepted the Surrender of Japan on 2 September 1945 aboard the USS Missouri, which was anchored in Tokyo Bay, and he oversaw the occupation of Japan from 1945 to 1951. As the effective ruler of Japan, he oversaw sweeping economic, political and social changes. He led the United Nations Command in the Korean War with initial success; however, the controversial invasion of North Korea provoked Chinese intervention. Following a series of major defeats, he was removed from command by President Harry S. Truman on 11 April 1951. He later became chairman of the board of Remington Rand.

Lawrence Welk

Lawrence Welk (March 11, 1903 – May 17, 1992) was an American musician, accordionist, bandleader, and television impresario, who hosted the television program The Lawrence Welk Show from 1951 to 1982. His style came to be known to his large audience of radio, television, and live-performance fans (and critics) as "champagne music".

Tip O'Neill

Thomas Phillip "Tip" O'Neill Jr. (December 9, 1912  – January 5, 1994) was an American politician who served as the 47th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1977 to 1987, representing northern Boston, Massachusetts, as a Democrat from 1953 to 1987. The only Speaker to serve for five complete consecutive Congresses, he is the third longest-serving Speaker in American history after Sam Rayburn and Henry Clay in terms of total tenure, and longest-serving in terms of continuous tenure (Rayburn and Clay having served multiple terms in the Speakership).
Born in North Cambridge, Massachusetts, O'Neill began campaigning at a young age, volunteering for Al Smith's campaign in the 1928 presidential election. After graduating from Boston College, O'Neill won election to the Massachusetts House of Representatives, where he became a strong advocate of Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal policies. He became Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives in 1949 and won election to the United States House of Representatives in 1952 to the seat vacated by John F. Kennedy.
In the House, O'Neill became a protege of fellow Massachusetts Representative John William McCormack. O'Neill broke with President Lyndon B. Johnson on the Vietnam War in 1967, and called for Richard Nixon's resignation in light of the Watergate scandal. He quickly moved up the leadership ranks in the 1970s, becoming House Majority Whip in 1971, House Majority Leader in 1973, and Speaker of the House in 1977. With the election of President Jimmy Carter, O'Neill hoped to establish a universal health care system and a guaranteed jobs program. However, relations between Carter and Congress collapsed and Democrats lost control of the presidency in the 1980 presidential election. O'Neill became a leading opponent of Republican President Ronald Reagan's conservative domestic policies. O'Neill and Reagan found more common ground in foreign policy, fostering the Anglo-Irish Agreement and implementing the Reagan Doctrine in the Soviet–Afghan War.
O'Neill retired from Congress in 1987, but remained active in public life. He published a best-selling autobiography and appeared in several commercials and other media. He died of cardiac arrest in 1994.

Vince Lombardi

Vincent Thomas Lombardi (June 11, 1913 – September 3, 1970) was an American football player, coach, and executive in the National Football League (NFL). He is best known as the head coach of the Green Bay Packers during the 1960s, where he led the team to three straight and five total NFL Championships in seven years, in addition to winning the first two Super Bowls at the conclusion of the 1966 and 1967 NFL seasons.  
Lombardi began his coaching career as an assistant and later as a head coach at St. Cecilia High School in Englewood, New Jersey. He was an assistant coach at Fordham, at the United States Military Academy, and with the New York Giants before becoming a head coach for the Green Bay Packers from 1959 to 1967 and the Washington Redskins in 1969.
He never had a losing season as a head coach in the NFL, compiling a regular season winning percentage of 72.8% (96–34–6), and 90% (9–1) in the postseason for an overall record of 105 wins, 35 losses, and 6 ties in the NFL.Although Lombardi was noted for his gruff demeanor and "iron discipline", he was far ahead of his time in creating a supportive environment for gay players, and he emphatically challenged existing Jim Crow Laws, and provided leadership to break the color barrier in football. He once said that he "... viewed his players as neither black nor white, but Packer green". Lombardi is considered by many to be the greatest coach in football history, and he is recognized as one of the greatest coaches and leaders in the history of all American sports. 
The year after his sudden death from cancer in 1970, he was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and the NFL Super Bowl trophy was named in his honor.

Bobby Jones

Robert Tyre Jones Jr. (March 17, 1902 – December 18, 1971) was an American amateur golfer who was one of the most influential figures in the history of the sport; he was also a lawyer by profession. Jones founded and helped design the Augusta National Golf Club, and co-founded the Masters Tournament. The innovations that he introduced at the Masters have been copied by virtually every professional golf tournament in the world.
Jones was the most successful amateur golfer ever to compete at a national and international level. During his peak from 1923 to 1930, he dominated top-level amateur competition, and competed very successfully against the world's best professional golfers. Jones often beat stars such as Walter Hagen and Gene Sarazen, the era's top pros. Jones earned his living mainly as a lawyer, and competed in golf only as an amateur, primarily on a part-time basis, and chose to retire from competition at age 28, though he earned significant money from golf after that, as an instructor and equipment designer.
Explaining his decision to retire, Jones said, "It [championship golf] is something like a cage. First you are expected to get into it and then you are expected to stay there. But of course, nobody can stay there." Jones is most famous for his unique "Grand Slam," consisting of his victory in all four major golf tournaments of his era (the open and amateur championships in both the U.S. & the U.K.) in a single calendar year (1930). In all Jones played in 31 majors, winning 13 and placing among the top ten finishers 27 times.
After retiring from competitive golf in 1930, Jones founded and helped design the Augusta National Golf Club soon afterwards in 1933. He also co-founded the Masters Tournament, which has been annually staged by the club since 1934 (except for 1943–45, when it was canceled due to World War II). The Masters evolved into one of golf's four major championships. Jones came out of retirement in 1934 to play in the Masters on an exhibition basis through 1948. Jones played his last round of golf at East Lake Golf Club, his home course in Atlanta, on August 18, 1948. A picture commemorating the event now sits in the clubhouse at East Lake. Citing health reasons, he quit golf permanently thereafter.
Bobby Jones was often confused with the prolific golf course designer, Robert Trent Jones, with whom he worked from time to time. "People always used to get them confused, so when they met, they decided each be called something different," Robert Trent Jones Jr. said. To help avoid confusion, the golfer was called "Bobby," and the golf course designer was called "Trent."

Barry Goldwater

Barry Morris Goldwater (January 2, 1909 – May 29, 1998) was an American politician, businessman, and author who was a five-term Senator from Arizona (1953–1965, 1969–1987) and the Republican Party nominee for president of the United States in 1964. Despite his loss of the 1964 presidential election in a landslide, Goldwater is the politician most often credited with having sparked the resurgence of the American conservative political movement in the 1960s. He also had a substantial impact on the libertarian movement.Goldwater rejected the legacy of the New Deal and fought with the conservative coalition against the New Deal coalition. Although he had supported earlier civil rights legislation, he notably opposed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as he believed it to be an overreach by the federal government. In 1964, Goldwater mobilized a large conservative constituency to win the hard-fought Republican presidential primaries. Although raised as an Episcopalian, Goldwater was the first candidate of ethnically Jewish heritage to be nominated for President by a major American party (his father was Jewish). Goldwater's platform ultimately failed to gain the support of the electorate and he lost the 1964 presidential election to incumbent Democrat Lyndon B. Johnson.  Goldwater returned to the Senate in 1969 and specialized in defense and foreign policy. As an elder statesman of the party, Goldwater successfully urged President Richard Nixon to resign in 1974 when evidence of a cover-up in the Watergate scandal became overwhelming and impeachment was imminent.
Goldwater's views grew more libertarian as he reached the end of his career; he retired from the Senate in 1987. A significant accomplishment of his career was the passage of the Goldwater–Nichols Act of 1986. He was succeeded by John McCain, who praised his predecessor as the man who "transformed the Republican Party from an Eastern elitist organization to the breeding ground for the election of Ronald Reagan." Goldwater strongly supported the 1980 presidential campaign of Reagan, who had become the standard-bearer of the conservative movement after his "A Time for Choosing" speech. Reagan reflected many of the principles of Goldwater's earlier run in his campaign. The Washington Post columnist George Will took note of this, writing: "We [...] who voted for him in 1964 believe he won, it just took 16 years to count the votes."
After leaving the Senate, Goldwater's views cemented as libertarian. He criticized the "moneymaking ventures by fellows like Pat Robertson and others [in the Republican Party] who are trying to...make a religious organization out of it." He lobbied for homosexuals to be able to serve openly in the military, opposed the Clinton administration's plan for health care reform, and supported abortion rights and the legalization of medicinal marijuana. In 1997, Goldwater was revealed to be in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease. He died one year later at the age of 89.

Tom Foley

Thomas Stephen Foley (March 6, 1929 – October 18, 2013) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 49th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1989 to 1995. A member of the Democratic Party, Foley represented Washington's fifth district for thirty years (1965–1995). He was the first Speaker of the House since 1862 to be defeated in a re-election campaign.
Born in Spokane, Washington, Foley attended Gonzaga University and pursued a legal career after graduating from the University of Washington School of Law in Seattle. He joined the staff of Senator Henry M. Jackson after working as a prosecutor and an assistant attorney general. With Jackson's support, Foley won election to the House of Representatives, defeating incumbent Republican Congressman Walt Horan. He served as Majority Whip from 1981 to 1987 and as Majority Leader from 1987 to 1989. After the resignation of Jim Wright, Foley became Speaker of the House.
Foley's district had become increasingly conservative during his tenure, but he won re-election throughout the 1980s and early 1990s. In the 1994 election, Foley faced attorney George Nethercutt. Nethercutt mobilized popular anger over Foley's opposition to term limits to defeat the incumbent Speaker. After leaving the House, Foley served as the United States Ambassador to Japan from 1997 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton.

Donald O'Connor

Donald David Dixon Ronald O'Connor (August 28, 1925 – September 27, 2003) was an American actor, dancer, and singer. He came to fame in a series of films in which he co-starred alternately with Gloria Jean, Peggy Ryan, and Francis the Talking Mule. 
His best-known works came in the film Singin' in the Rain (1952), for which O'Connor was awarded a Golden Globe. He also won a Primetime Emmy Award from four nominations and received two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame throughout his career.

Mickey Mantle

Mickey Charles Mantle (October 20, 1931 – August 13, 1995), nicknamed The Commerce Comet and The Mick, was an American professional baseball player. Mantle played his entire Major League Baseball (MLB) career (1951-1968) with the New York Yankees as a center fielder and first baseman. Mantle was one of the best players and sluggers and is regarded by many as the greatest switch hitter in baseball history. Mantle was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974 and was elected to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team in 1999.
Mantle was one of the greatest offensive threats of any center fielder in baseball history. He has the highest career OPS+ of any center fielder, and he had the highest stolen base percentage in history at the time of his retirement. In addition, compared to the other four center fielders on the All-Century team, he had the lowest career rate of grounding into double plays, and he had the highest World Series on-base percentage and World Series slugging percentage. He also had an excellent 0.984 fielding percentage when playing center field. Mantle was noted for his ability to hit for both average and power, especially tape measure home runs. He hit 536 MLB career home runs, batted .300 or more ten times, and is the career leader (tied with Jim Thome) in walk-off home runs, with a combined thirteen—twelve in the regular season and one in the postseason.
Mantle won the Triple Crown in 1956, when he led the Major Leagues in batting average (.353), home runs (52), and runs batted in (RBI) (130). He later wrote a  book (My Favorite Summer 1956) about his best year in baseball. He was an All-Star for 16 seasons, playing in 16 of the 20 All-Star Games that were played. He was an American League (AL) Most Valuable Player (MVP) three times and a Gold Glove winner once. Mantle appeared in 12 World Series including seven championships, and he holds World Series records for the most home runs (18), RBIs (40), extra-base hits (26), runs (42), walks (43), and total bases (123).

Billy Barty

Billy Barty (born William John Bertanzetti, October 25, 1924 – December 23, 2000) was an American actor and activist. In adult life, he stood three feet, nine inches (114 cm), due to cartilage–hair hypoplasia dwarfism, and because of his short stature, he was often cast in movies opposite taller performers for comic effect. He specialized in outspoken or wisecracking characters. During the 1950s, he became a television star, appearing regularly in the Spike Jones ensemble.

Whitey Ford

Edward Charles "Whitey" Ford (October 21, 1928 - October 8, 2020), nicknamed "The Chairman of the Board", was an American former professional baseball pitcher who played his entire 16-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the New York Yankees. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.
Ford was a ten-time MLB All-Star and six-time World Series champion. In 1961 Ford won both the Cy Young Award and World Series Most Valuable Player Award. He led the American League in wins three times and in earned run average twice. The Yankees retired Ford's uniform number 16 in his honor. In the wake of Yogi Berra's death in 2015, George Vecsey, writing in the New York Times, suggested that Ford was then "The Greatest Living Yankee." Ford himself passed away 5 years later.

Buster Keaton

Joseph Frank Keaton (October 4, 1895 – February 1, 1966), known professionally as Buster Keaton, was an American actor, comedian, film director, producer, screenwriter, and stunt performer. He is best known for his silent films, in which his trademark was physical comedy with a consistently stoic, deadpan expression that earned him the nickname "The Great Stone Face". Critic Roger Ebert wrote of Keaton's "extraordinary period from 1920 to 1929" when he "worked without interruption" on a series of films that make him "the greatest actor-director in the history of the movies". His career declined afterward with a loss of artistic independence when he signed with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, his wife divorced him, and he descended into alcoholism. He recovered in the 1940s, remarried, and revived his career as an honored comic performer for the rest of his life, earning an Honorary Academy Award in 1959.
Many of Keaton's films from the 1920s remain highly regarded, such as Sherlock Jr. (1924), The General (1926), and The Cameraman (1928), with The General widely viewed as his masterpiece. Among its strongest admirers was Orson Welles, who stated that The General was cinema's highest achievement in comedy, and perhaps the greatest film ever made. Keaton in 1996 was recognized as the seventh-greatest film director by Entertainment Weekly, and the American Film Institute ranked him in 1999 as the 21st greatest male star of classic Hollywood cinema.

Edward Arnold

Edward Arnold (born Gunther Edward Arnold Schneider, February 18, 1890 – April 26, 1956) was an American actor.

List of Famous Elks Members ranked by fame and popularity. The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, better known as the Elks, is one of the largest ...