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Debbie Reynolds. By RR Auction

20 Famous People from the 50s

When I let go of who I am, I become who I could be. This is a common phrase used by people who did not look back but instead focused on their goals. The world did not grow in the 1950s, and if it did, only a few states can be mentioned. There were people who rose to prominence as a result of their contributions during that time period. Some excelled in professional fields such as medicine and science, while others were involved in charity work, dancing, singing, authors, missionaries, and anything else you can think of. This article will take a close look at some of the famous people from the 1950s who are still remembered today.

1. Ella Fitzgerald

Picture By William P. Gottlieb

Ella Fitzgerald, full name Ella Jane Fitzgerald, was an American jazz singer known for her wide range and rare sweetness of voice. She was born on April 25, 1917, in Newport News, Virginia, and died on June 15, 1996, in Beverly Hills, California.

During her six-decade career, she became an international legend. Throughout her early career, she was known for singing and recording novelty songs.

When jazz impresario Norman Granz became her manager in the 1950s, her star rose dramatically. From 1956 to 1964, she released a 19-volume “songbook” series in which she interpreted nearly 250 great songs.

read Greatest Black Singers of All Times

2. Chuck Cooper

The Boston Celtics select Chuck Cooper, an All-American forward from Duquesne University, as the first African American in the NBA draft on April 25, 1950. Cooper breaks the NBA’s color barrier and changes the league for the better with his selection as the first pick in the second round.

Some in the NBA, including some of the Celtics’ owners, were skeptical of the pick. Cooper’s selection opened the door for other African-American players to join the league.

Earl Lloyd was selected later in the same draft as Cooper and became the first African American to play in an NBA game with the Washington Capitols.

3. Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley. By Rossano aka Bud Care

Elvis Presley, full name Elvis Aaron Presley, also known as Elvis Aron Presley, was an American popular singer widely known as the “King of Rock and Roll” and one of rock music’s dominant performers from the mid-1950s until his death on August 16, 1977, in Memphis, Tennessee.

From 1956 to 1958, he completely dominated the best-seller charts, ushering in the era of rock and roll and paving the way for both white and black rock artists.

His television appearances, particularly those on Ed Sullivan’s Sunday night variety show, broke attendance records.

Even his films, a few minor vehicles, were commercial successes. Elvis has left the building, but those who remain have decided to continue regardless.

4. Debbie Reynolds

Debbie Reynolds was born Mary Frances Reynolds in El Paso, Texas, to Maxine N. (Harmon) and Raymond Francis Reynolds, a Southern Pacific Railroad carpenter.

Her film career began at MGM after she won a beauty pageant impersonating Betty Hutton at the age of 16. Reynolds had never danced before being chosen to be Gene Kelly’s partner in Singin’ in the Rain (1952).

She was a quick study, despite being only twenty years old. She seemed to have been around for a long time, even after twelve years. The majority of her early film work was as perky, wholesome young women in MGM musicals.

She continued to use her dancing abilities on stage. Almost all of her earnings go toward her goal of establishing a Hollywood museum. Her collection includes over 3000 costumes and 46,000 square feet of props and equipment.

5. Kwame Nkrumah

Picture By The National Archives

Kwame Nkrumah (born September 1909 in Nkroful, Gold Coast [now Ghana]—died April 27, 1972, in Bucharest, Romania), a Ghanaian nationalist leader who led the Gold Coast’s drive for independence from Britain and presided over the country’s emergence as Ghana.

He led the country from its independence in 1957 until he was deposed in a coup in 1966. In January 1950, Nkrumah launched a campaign of “positive action,” which included nonviolent protests, strikes, and refusal to cooperate with British colonial authorities.

Ghana became a republic in 1960, and Nkrumah was elected president with broad legislative and executive powers under a new constitution. Nkrumah then focused his efforts on campaigning for Black African political unity, and he began to lose touch with realities in Ghana.

6. Alfredo di Stefano

Alfredo di Stefano is the greatest footballer of the 1950s, and one of the greatest to have ever laced up their boots in the history of the game. Giving Di Stefano a position is a near-impossible task because he is the most complete player in the game’s history.

He has the goal-scoring record of a world-class goalkeeper, but his starting position was frequently in his own half. He was the driving force, the beating heart, and the primary creator of that legendary Real Madrid team that won five consecutive European Cups.

Di Stefano wasn’t big or strong, but he was a genius on the ball and a clinical finisher in front of the goal. He began his career in the 1950s with Millonarios in Colombia before spending 11 years at Real Madrid from 1953 to 1964. He won the Ballon d’Or twice and should have had a few more.

7. Laszlo Kubala

Laszlo Kubala was widely regarded as FC Barcelona’s greatest-ever player until Lionel Messi arrived and began rewriting what was and wasn’t possible in the game of football.

Kubala was a fantastic all-rounder who mostly played as a second striker. He had fantastic ball control, a fantastic shot from both close and long range, and he was a threat in the air.

Despite being born in Budapest, Kubala only won three caps for his native country before switching to Spain after moving to Barcelona. The Catalan giants allegedly decided to build the massive Camp Nou stadium because its predecessor couldn’t accommodate the crowds eager to see Kubala in action. He had 131 goals in 186 league games for Barca between 1951 and 1961.

8. Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa. By Kingkongphoto

Mother Teresa (1910–1997) was a Roman Catholic nun who spent her life serving the poor and destitute all over the world. She lived in Calcutta, India, for many years, where she founded the Missionaries of Charity, a religious congregation dedicated to assisting those in need. Mother Teresa received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 and became a symbol of charitable, selfless work. Mother Teresa was canonized as Saint Teresa by the Roman Catholic Church in 2016.

read Facts about Mother Teresa

9. Bill Willson

Bill W. is a co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, an international organization with over two million members dedicated to assisting people in recovering from alcoholism.

He was an alcoholic who was able to quit drinking after having a profound spiritual experience that gave him a new perspective on life. Bill spent the rest of his life working with other recovering alcoholics to help him stay sober.

He insisted that the group focus solely on member welfare and avoid any political issue or political comment, even on issues such as alcohol reform. He emphasized the significance of anonymity.

10. Verne Gagne

By Domain.

Gagne, a former Olympic wrestler and professional football player, entered the industry he would help revolutionize in 1949, working for the NWA. As the owner of the American Wrestling Association, Gagne had a significant financial stake in the promotion’s success.

Even more significant than his achievements in the ring was his success as a trainer. He was one of the greatest and most influential wrestlers in history, preparing the likes of Ric Flair, Ricky Steamboat, and the Iron Sheik for the mat wars.

His training camps were notorious for their difficulty, but also for the caliber of talent they produced.

Gagne worked as a worker, promoter, and trainer with some of the biggest stars the industry has ever seen—and will ever see—making him an important part of professional wrestling history.

11. Dean Martin

Dean Martin, also known as the King of Cool, began his career as a nightclub singer at a young age, incorporating a crooning singing style in his performances and drawing inspiration from Bing Crosby and Harry Mills.

Throughout his career, Martin appeared in several films, collaborating with comedian Jerry Lewis from the late 1940s to the late 1950s and befriending Frank Sinatra.

He released over 30 albums and over 100 songs during his career, including “You Belong To Me,” “That’s Amore,” and “Powder Your Face with Sunshine.”

Even decades after his death, his songs can be found in countless films and television shows.

12. Ruth Brown

Ruth Brown. By Kingkongphoto.

Ruth Brown, a glamorous R&B singer, was born in 1928 in Portsmouth, Virginia. She ran away from home in 1945 to pursue a career as a nightclub performer with trumpeter Jimmy Brown, whom she later married.

Brown signed with Atlantic Records after a nine-month hiatus due to a car accident injury. Her 1950 hit, “Teardrops From My Eyes,” remained at the top of Billboard’s R&B chart for 11 weeks, earning her the titles Miss Rhythm and Queen of R&B.

From 1949 to 1955, her songs topped the R&B charts for 149 weeks. In 1987, she also fought for musicians’ rights and royalties.

read Best Female Singers of All Times

13. James Watson

James Watson was an American molecular biologist who was a pioneer in one of the world’s greatest discoveries. He collaborated with Francis Crick and Maurice Wilkins to discover the molecular structure of nucleic acids and their significance for information transfer in living matter.

The team received the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine in 1962 for their discoveries about the structure of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), the molecule that contains cells’ genetic information.

Watson was also instrumental in the formation of the Human Genome Project, an international scientific collaboration that discovered the human genome’s complete genetic blueprint in 2003.

14. Dwight D. Eisenhower

Dwight D. Eisenhower By White House

Dwight D. Eisenhower, born in Texas and raised in Kansas, was the 34th President of the United States and one of America’s greatest military commanders. Inspired by a friend’s trip to the United States. Eisenhower was appointed to the United States. West Point Military Academy. Despite his mother’s religious convictions, which led her to be a pacifist, she did not try to prevent Eisenhower from becoming a military officer.

15. Philip James Elliot

Philip James Elliot was an American Christian missionary who was killed as part of Operation Auca, an attempt to evangelize Ecuador’s Huaorani people.

On February 21, 1952, Elliot and Fleming arrived in Ecuador with the intention of evangelizing Ecuador’s Quechua Indians. They first stayed in Quito before heading to the jungle.

Later approached once by a small group of Huaorani and even gave one curious Huaorani named “George” an airplane ride (his real name was Naenkiwi).

They began making plans to visit the Huaorani after being encouraged by these friendly encounters. Their plans were thwarted when a larger group of about ten Huaorani warriors arrived and killed Elliot and his companions.

16. J.D. Salinger

Courtesy of Lotte Jacobi.

Jerome David Salinger, best known for his 1951 novel The Catcher in the Rye, was an American author. Before serving in World War II, Salinger began his career by publishing several short stories in Story magazine in 1940.

His critically acclaimed story “A Perfect Day for Bananafish” was published in The New Yorker in 1948, as was much of his later work.

Salinger’s depiction of adolescent alienation and loss of innocence was influential, particularly among adolescent readers, in The Catcher in the Rye (1951). The novel was widely read and controversial, and its popularity drew public attention and scrutiny.

17. Marlon Brando

Marlon Brando is best known for his visually arresting and broody performances in The Men (1950), before showcasing his method of acting in 1951’s A Streetcar Named Desire.

He received his first Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for his performance as Stanley Kowalski. He also played the leader of a motorcycle gang in The Wild One, a 1953 hit.

His legendary performance as Don Corleone in The Godfather resurrected his career after a brief hiatus (1972). With over sixty years of acting experience, his screen presence continues to awe and surprise audiences to this day.

18. Elizabeth Taylor

Elizabeth Taylor began her career as a child star in 1944’s National Velvet. But her role as Angela Vickers in A Place In The Sun (1951) established her as one of Hollywood’s rising stars.

In the 1950s, she was known for her arresting violet eyes and appeared in Giant and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. These two films demonstrated her depth and range on screen, not to mention her undeniable sex appeal!

She continued to act well throughout the 1960s and 1970s, but it was during this decade that she established herself as one of Hollywood’s most beautiful and talented actresses. She retired from acting in 2007, but her previous performances are legendary.

19. Richard Nixon

By the Department of Defense.

Richard Nixon (1913-1994) was a Republican congressman from California who served as Eisenhower’s running mate in 1952.

Nixon had earned a reputation as a fervent anticommunist, and with the McCarthy era in full swing, Eisenhower’s choice of Nixon shielded him from accusations of being soft on communism.

Nixon did little as vice president. Because Eisenhower preferred to stay out of politics, he frequently delegated unpleasant political tasks to Nixon, such as attacking Democratic candidate Adlai Stevenson during both presidential elections.

In 1969, Eisenhower’s grandson David married Nixon’s daughter Julie, the same year Nixon achieved his goal of becoming president.

read Facts about Richard Nixon

20. Nikita Khrushchev

Nikita Khrushchev (1894-1971) began his political career as a devout supporter of the murderous Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin. Khrushchev took over as Communist Party Chairman after Stalin’s death in 1953, gradually consolidating his power by pushing aside other Kremlin leaders.

He denounced Stalin in 1956, condemning Stalin’s atrocities and crimes against his people.

Khrushchev brought some moderation to the Soviet system and attempted to reduce hostility between his country and the US. He was intelligent, if uneducated, and was known for his outlandish behavior. Nikita famously removed his shoe and banged it on the table during a United Nations session and boasted to the West, “We will bury you.” He was deposed in 1964 as a result of his perceived defeat in the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.