# People Who Should've Been More Famous Than They Were **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 13, 2009, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-shouldve-been-more-famous-than-they-were/481150 "2009-01-13T21:26:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![NicePete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ee7513/32.png) [@NicePete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NicePete)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2009, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-shouldve-been-more-famous-than-they-were/481150/21 "2009-01-14T14:39:04Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > Angela Lansbury, deserves to be remembered for more than Murder She Wrote I’ll always remember Angela Lansbury for giving one of the most chilling performances ever in the original _Manchurian Candidate_. Wow was she scarily evil in that movie! ---
**Author:** ![Jettboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/85e7bf/32.png) [@Jettboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jettboy)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2009, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-shouldve-been-more-famous-than-they-were/481150/22 "2009-01-14T14:53:36Z")
Thomas Hart Benton was, at least in my opinion, the finest American artist who ever lived. Sadly, he’s best remembered as being Jackson Pollack’s teacher/mentor. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2009, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-shouldve-been-more-famous-than-they-were/481150/23 "2009-01-14T15:05:52Z")
> [@](#): > > I know I’ve heard this sentiment before, but I can’t recall what the specific charge is. Could you fill me in? Some people argue that Earth was already over-populated and was on the verge of a social collapse. They felt we should be seeking ways to reduce our population to avoid this. Their position is that Borlaug’s agricultural developments are not sustainable. They just create a temporary increase in food production, which leads to increased population. So when the agriculture collapses, the population will be even higher than it was before and the resulting collapse will be more severe. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2009, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-shouldve-been-more-famous-than-they-were/481150/24 "2009-01-14T15:27:36Z")
Rachel Ward, who got her early big start with _Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid_ and _The Thornbirds_. She’s done some other things, but I don’t see her name appearing as much as I expected. Such a phenomenal actress, gorgeous, and no shrill, whiny voice. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2009, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-shouldve-been-more-famous-than-they-were/481150/25 "2009-01-14T16:10:40Z")
Maureen Howard, a novelist who has sort of done for Bridgeport what Philip Roth did for Newark, but has the misfortune of not being male, Jewish, or from New Jersey. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2009, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-shouldve-been-more-famous-than-they-were/481150/26 "2009-01-14T16:15:24Z")
> [@Gukumatz](#): > > While he is, indeed, famous, Stephen Fry doesn’t get a tenth of the recognition he has deserved. I’ve always wondered why he isn’t famous in the USA. I’m a total anglophile so I know you can’t go a day without seeing Fry on British TV, but when I try to explain who he is to my American friends the best I can come up with is “uh, the narrator in the _Hitchhiker’s Guide_… movie?” Perhaps he is just _too_ British for America. ---
**Author:** ![Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellis_Aponte_Jr)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2009, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-shouldve-been-more-famous-than-they-were/481150/27 "2009-01-14T16:50:14Z")
> [@NDP](#): > > As for others who qualify under this thread topic, as a female singer-songwriter, Laura Nyro hit the scene about two years too soon. As a result, she missed out on the success that Carole King, Joni Mitchell, and Carly Simon had as performers. Another vote for Laura Nyro, but remember, she stopped recording & withdrew from the music business for about five years just when her name was most recognized among music afficionados. Everyone’s life has to take its own course, but the timing of that was unfortunate. I also agree with NDP about Sandy Dennis: she became too known for her tics and mannerisms - and let’s face it, she had an odd look which movie critics seized upon if they didn’t particularly care for her. ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2009, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-shouldve-been-more-famous-than-they-were/481150/28 "2009-01-14T17:29:12Z")
I nominate [Emitt Rhodes](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emitt_Rhodes). He made a couple of great records, had a wonderful voice and could play a bunch of instruments, and he wrote good pop songs. ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2009, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-shouldve-been-more-famous-than-they-were/481150/29 "2009-01-14T19:52:15Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Rachel Ward, who got her early big start with _Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid_ and _The Thornbirds_. She’s done some other things, but I don’t see her name appearing as much as I expected. Such a phenomenal actress, gorgeous, and no shrill, whiny voice. Wasn’t she in “Against All Odds,” too? I agree though. I thought she was gorgeous and could act well. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2009, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-shouldve-been-more-famous-than-they-were/481150/30 "2009-01-14T21:32:47Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > Angela Lansbury, deserves to be remembered for more than Murder She Wrote While I agree with you on this, I think Lansbury has an appropriate level of fame, even if most of it is directed toward a work which wasn’t her best. This is not to say she was bad at it, she did fine in that show, but she has a lot more talent, than that show allowed her to display. A similar actress would be Shirley Booth, known today for Hazel. All one has to do is watch _Come Back Little Sheba_ or _Hotspell_ to see just how much talent Miss Booth had. Most people today fail to realize just what a highly respected actress Booth was at the time. It would kind of like Meryl Streep taking the part of Hazel today. But I think Booth was famous enough, even though again, like Lansbury, her fame is not directed at her best work ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2009, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-shouldve-been-more-famous-than-they-were/481150/31 "2009-01-14T21:58:07Z")
Fritz Haber and Carl Bosch (although I suppose they’d be criticized for the same reason as Berlaug). > **[Haber process](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haber_process)** > > The Haber process, also called the Haber–Bosch process, is the main industrial procedure for the production of ammonia. It converts atmospheric nitrogen (N2) to ammonia (NH3) by a reaction with hydrogen (H2) using finely divided iron metal as a catalyst: > > > > > > > N > > 2 > > > > > > + > 3 > > > H > > 2 > ... > [@](#): > > this method was developed to harness the atmospheric abundance of nitrogen to create ammonia, which can then be oxidized to make the nitrates and nitrites essential for the production of nitrate fertilizer and munitions. [QUOTE=Markxxx] Jay Mohr (though he’s still around with his new TV show Gary Unmarried so he might become more famous [/QUOTE] Really? I never saw anything special about him. I’m surprised he’s still around. ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2009, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-shouldve-been-more-famous-than-they-were/481150/32 "2009-01-14T22:16:37Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > I’ve always wondered why he isn’t famous in the USA. > > I’m a total anglophile so I know you can’t go a day without seeing Fry on British TV, but when I try to explain who he is to my American friends the best I can come up with is “uh, the narrator in the _Hitchhiker’s Guide_… movie?” > > Perhaps he is just _too_ British for America. I think he’s quite well known in America, considering he’s never worked here as an actor or on a series like his pal Hugh Laurie. I mean, you don’t get a lot of recognition when you say his name, but when you describe him… he was in Blackadder… Jeeves and Wooster… did comedy with the guy in House… _Peter’s Friends… Wilde…_ the artsy folks I know know exactly who he is. My nomination is the band Level 42. They had a hit in America with “Something About You” in 1985, which everyone knows. All of the band were amazing musicians, including Mark King, who many rated the best bassist in pop music, and with the hit song, gigs supporting Madonna, albums produced by Verdine White of Earth, Wind, and Fire, they were teetering on the brink of mass popularity. But they never quite got in, at least in America. They were kind of the white man’s Earth Wind and Fire with a poppier, rockier feel, which I thought was a market their company should have pursued. Unfortunately, the founding guitarist and drummer left at a critical time, and while the replacements (Alan Murphy and Gary Husband) were brilliant, they brought a different sound that left them outside of any easily defined box. ---
**Author:** ![mr.jp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/48db29/32.png) [@mr.jp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr.jp)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2009, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-shouldve-been-more-famous-than-they-were/481150/33 "2009-01-14T23:02:25Z")
That girl with the boobs from Liar Liar. ---
**Author:** ![twit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twit)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-shouldve-been-more-famous-than-they-were/481150/34 "2009-01-15T00:58:43Z")
> [@FriarTed](#): > > Klaus Nomi- New Wave musician, died of AIDS > > James BeauSeigneur- author of the best Rapture novels ever- THE CHRIST CLONE Trilogy. Upstaged by LaHaye & Jenkins’ LEFT BEHIND series. You’re sure right about The Christ Clone Trilogy. The second book around chapter five (I think) with all of the carnage the meteor does. The way that guy writes and how much vivid description he uses is amazing. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-shouldve-been-more-famous-than-they-were/481150/35 "2009-01-15T01:20:08Z")
From music, [Janis Ian](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janis_Ian). She’s experienced a pleasant revival thanks to the rebroadcast of the first SNL, where she sang “At Seventeen”. Still, she’s no Janis or even Baez, and she should be. Go see her, she’s even still alive and touring! Outside of entertainment, I’d nominate [Lev Vygotsky](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lev_Vygotsky), who I learned about in college only because I had a “weird” psych teacher. While the other classes were memorizing Piaget’s stages, I was learning about this fascinating theory about the development of language, thought and “inner speech”, and how they related to the “zone of proximal development” and the astounding theory that true creativity comes as an adult, and that children aren’t creative at all - they’re _re_-creative! Blew my little 18 year old mind, let me tell you! ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-shouldve-been-more-famous-than-they-were/481150/36 "2009-01-15T01:28:57Z")
I just read Darlene Love’s autobiography–at one point she was called the most overqualified back up singer of all time. She’s a great singer, and it sucks that she’s not more well known. I guess part of it is that two of her best known songs (He’s a Rebel and He’s Sure the Boy I Love) were released as songs by the Crystals. Along those lines, it’s too bad Ronnie Spector never really reached the same level of fame as during her Ronette days. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-shouldve-been-more-famous-than-they-were/481150/37 "2009-01-15T01:30:45Z")
I would nominate Nikola Tesla: the man invented AC electricty-the generation, transmission, and appication of AC to motors. He also invented remote control (in 1898!), and also the speedometer, the Tesla Coil, and tons of other stuff. Unfortunately, Edison is remembered, and Tesla forgotten. Raold Amundsen : Discoverer of the South Pole and the Northwest Passage-why to people remember that fool (Robert F. Scott?) Edward W. Teller: nuclear physicist and father of the H-Bomb. We probably owe our freedom to him ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-shouldve-been-more-famous-than-they-were/481150/38 "2009-01-15T04:22:38Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > Unfortunately, Edison is remembered, and Tesla forgotten. But who ever heard of [Edison Girls](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVzEfR6wL70)? ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-shouldve-been-more-famous-than-they-were/481150/39 "2009-01-15T06:41:26Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Some people argue that Earth was already over-populated and was on the verge of a social collapse. They felt we should be seeking ways to reduce our population to avoid this. Their position is that Borlaug’s agricultural developments are not sustainable. They just create a temporary increase in food production, which leads to increased population. So when the agriculture collapses, the population will be even higher than it was before and the resulting collapse will be more severe. Basically this, with the added point that the so-called “Green Revolution” methodology is heavily dependent on both fossil fuels and proprietary seedstock. So, great for Exxon and Monsanto, not so great for the world in general. ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2009, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-shouldve-been-more-famous-than-they-were/481150/40 "2009-01-15T07:19:59Z")
Harold Arlen, though my understanding he is better known today than he was a few decades ago. Everyone at least knows the names George Gershwin, Irving Berlin, and Cole Porter, but few people can name the guy who wrote “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” “Paper Moon,” “Stormy Weather,” and a couple dozen other classics. Frankly, songwriters in _general_ should be more famous than they are. Good singers are a dime a dozen compared to really good songwriters, but the singers get ten times the fame and money. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-shouldve-been-more-famous-than-they-were/481150.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-shouldve-been-more-famous-than-they-were/481150.md?page=3)