# What "famous people" are you surprised other people haven't heard of? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 26, 2024, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817 "2024-07-26T14:54:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2024, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/221 "2024-08-03T16:04:42Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Speaking of which, I have heard of O’ but I wouldn’t recognize him if I saw him, and can’t name any of his songs. The one song of his which seems to have had any lasting impact, at least here in the U.S., is “Alone Again (Naturally).” ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2024, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/222 "2024-08-03T17:43:07Z")
It would not surprise me people wouldn’t know who Gilbert and Sullivan were. There was a brief blip in the early 80s when Kevin Kline did the _Pirates of Penzance_ movie but that was 40 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2024, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/223 "2024-08-03T17:47:51Z")
I can tell you for sure that 16 out of 17 of my coworkers did not know what The Mikado was. The conversation got a bit muddied from there but none of them were familiar with the term “Savoy Operas”, not even the 40-somethings and 50-something. And some of these people were in dance and theatre programs in high school. ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2024, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/224 "2024-08-03T17:52:13Z")
Gilbert and Sullivan? Most of people I know wouldn’t even know who Rodgers and Hammerstein were and their work is much more recent. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2024, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/225 "2024-08-03T17:52:49Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > It would not surprise me people wouldn’t know who Gilbert and Sullivan were. So they’ve never been a captive of Sideshow Bob? [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/wKXtv2_IaCY/hqdefault.jpg "Sideshow Bob-The H.M.S Pinafore") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKXtv2_IaCY) ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2024, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/226 "2024-08-03T17:56:34Z")
There must be millions of people who know every song from _Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory_ (and the _Goldfinger_ theme) by heart, but have never heard the names Newley and Bricusse. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2024, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/227 "2024-08-03T18:04:41Z")
Exactly. People may still recognize older songs, but many likely have no idea who originally performed a song (or had a big hit with it), much less who wrote it. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2024, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/228 "2024-08-03T18:21:24Z")
For example, some of the folks in my work gathering said that they had heard “I am the very model of the modern major general” but no one knew where it was from. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2024, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/229 "2024-08-03T19:08:43Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > > [@Loach](#): > > > > It would not surprise me people wouldn’t know who Gilbert and Sullivan were. > > So they’ve never been a captive of Sideshow Bob? > [https://youtu.be/wKXtv2\_IaCY](https://youtu.be/wKXtv2_IaCY) 31 years ago. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2024, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/230 "2024-08-03T23:11:44Z")
> [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](#): > > There must be millions of people who know every song from _Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory_ (and the _Goldfinger_ theme) by heart, but have never heard the names Newley and Bricusse. Raises hand. I can probably sing a couple of the songs from Doctor Dolittle as well. Though if you heard me sing, you’d wish you hadn’t. ---
**Author:** ![iamatractorboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iamatractorboy/32/21261_2.png) [@iamatractorboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamatractorboy)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2024, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/231 "2024-08-04T05:02:01Z")
A few years back, I went to a concert celebrating the work of John Williams. My boss at the time, in her 40s and a bright person who certainly enjoys films and popular culture, had no idea who he was. I listed off some of his classic scores and themes… she knew the tunes of course but had no idea who had composed them and that they were all by the same guy. That blew my mind. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2024, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/232 "2024-08-04T12:24:20Z")
> [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](#): > > There must be millions of people who know every song from _Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory_ (and the _Goldfinger_ theme) by heart, but have never heard the names Newley and Bricusse. As a kid I knew Anthony Newley because he was the guy that sang weird on talk shows. ---
**Author:** ![sciurophobic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@sciurophobic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciurophobic)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2024, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/233 "2024-08-05T14:23:11Z")
> [@Mighty\_Mouse](#): > > I can tell you for sure that 16 out of 17 of my coworkers did not know what The Mikado was. Those people should be on a list. Maybe a little one. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2024, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/234 "2024-08-05T15:14:56Z")
Don’t miss anyone. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2024, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/236 "2024-08-07T20:08:30Z")
First, welcome to the SDMB! I live in suburban Chicago; there are a number of Wright homes near me, and my office, for four years, was in an office suite in downtown Chicago which had, at one point, been Wright’s architectural office. One of our conference rooms was, in fact, Wright’s own office at one point, and we still had his blueprint safes (long since emptied) in the wall. > [@Arkytheark](#): > > OTOH, I am guilty of having no idea what the Shoals sound studio is. They probably thought my expression of confusion on the topic funny. It is somewhat famous and probably a bigger tourist spot. But I’m not into music at that level. In the spirit of knowledge: the Muscle Shoals studio is well-known, in rock and R&B music, for being where many famous songs and albums from the '60s and early '70s were recorded, as well as being home to a prominent group of session musicians from that period. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2024, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/237 "2024-08-07T20:11:34Z")
> [@Arkytheark](#): > > OTOH, I am guilty of having no idea what the Shoals sound studio is. They probably thought my expression of confusion on the topic funny. It is somewhat famous and probably a bigger tourist spot. But I’m not into music at that level. You mean Muscle Shoals? Yes it’s pretty famous for the two music studios there and the music that was produced there. The Muscle Shoals Sound Studio had a group of musicians called The Swampers who played on many famous records. It’s the reason for this lyric in _Sweet Home Alabama._ “Now Muscle Shoals has got the Swampers And they’ve been known to pick a song or two (yes, they do) Lord, they get me off so much They pick me up when I’m feelin’ blue, now how 'bout you?” ---
**Author:** ![MortSahlFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@MortSahlFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MortSahlFan)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2024, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/238 "2024-12-20T14:57:15Z")
Mort Sahl - has an autobiography, biography, documentary, started the entire stand-up thing in 1950 with no precedent but most importantly was still the best. I could listen to his interviews, radio show (only found one)… Lived until his 90s. Joe Rogan and some other comedian said he lived too long, which is why he didn’t get his shine… Chicago (Terry Kath years)… Also a documentary on him (and the band on YouTube). Even those who say they are fans don’t seem to know 90% of their songs from the songs. Just the hits, but their non-hits are better. Professor Irwin Corey – if you can find any of his 70s stuff, it’s great. Jimmy Hoffa - yeah, they’ve heard of him but don’t know him outside of some horrible, lame jokes about death. Read his autobiography. It’s free on the archives. Directors like Vittorio De Sica, Luchino Visconti ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2024, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/239 "2024-12-20T15:43:19Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > I kind of wonder when a young person has never heard of an actor or actress from just a generation ago-- like when someone 25 has never heard of Brooke Shields. > > I guess vintage film viewing isn’t a thing anymore, because you stream everything, and stick with the familiar. > > When I was in my teens, I watched any movie that was on from the 1930s or 40s (except westerns). If it said suspense, mystery, thriller or horror, I got up at 2am to watch it. But even the ones with other labels-- romance, biography, family, whatever-- I watched in the afternoon. > > So I knew who Ingrid Bergman, Cary Grant, Irene Dunne, Charles Boyer, Olivia de Havilland, James Stewart, et al. were. And so did my friends. We watched these films together sometimes, and if we had a chance to see something in a theater!–OMG! we once crammed 9 people into my dad’s Chevelle and drove about 20 miles to see _The Wizard of Oz_ on screen, even though we’d all seen it before. > > I’m not surprised if my 25-year-old doesn’t know who Mary Pickford is, but cripes, Winona Ryder? Hah! We get this from our 26 year old daughter all the time – it happened several times last night while we were watching the Mr. Magoo Christmas Carol and talking about actors from the past. And they didn’t have to be that far in the past to be obscure. Of course, because she’s got movie-loving parents, she knows who Humphrey Bogart and Cary Grant are. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2024, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/240 "2024-12-20T17:06:30Z")
Does she know Jack Cassidy, who was in that Mr. Magoo Xmas show? ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2024, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/241 "2024-12-20T17:32:35Z")
> [@MortSahlFan](#): > > Mort Sahl Never heard of him until I googled your username. > [@MortSahlFan](#): > > Directors like Vittorio De Sica, Luchino Visconti blank stare. But to be honest, I don’t know any directors unless they have the exposure of someone like Ron Howard and Steven Spielberg. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817.md?page=11) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817.md?page=13)