# 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:** 6
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2024, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/101 "2024-07-27T18:09:29Z")
Other than Edgar Allen Poe I find it surprising that you guys would be surprised. “He was an anthropologist…” Isn’t usually the start of a description of a famous person. ---
**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:** [July 27, 2024, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/102 "2024-07-27T18:17:26Z")
“Dr. Jones, pick up the white Courtesy Phone.” ---
**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:** [July 27, 2024, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/103 "2024-07-27T18:49:12Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > Here’s one I thought of last night. Can I assume all of you know who John Williams is? The [guitarist](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Williams_(guitarist))? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![eburacum45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eburacum45/32/8690_2.png) [@eburacum45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eburacum45)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2024, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/104 "2024-07-27T22:18:22Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > I had heard of John Prine before his death. Living in the UK, I was not familiar with the name. But ‘Sam Stone’ was quite a big hit over here in 1971/72, so it turns out I have heard his music, after all. ---
**Author:** ![XOldiesJock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ec9cab/32.png) [@XOldiesJock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XOldiesJock)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2024, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/105 "2024-07-27T22:34:54Z")
Have you ever heard of Kurt Vonnegut, “Slaughterhouse Five,” and the novel’s protagonist, Billy Pilgrim? None of my co-workers had, and these were intelligent, creative people in their 40s and 50s. The name Billy Pilgrim came up at a meeting. This was the real name of a person working at one of our company’s affiliates. I commented “His parents must have been Kurt Vonnegut fans to give him that name.” Total blanks. I said, “Billy Pilgrim, hero of “Slaughterhouse Five,” Kurt Vonnegut’s best-selling novel and later a movie?” No recognition at all. And one of the guys is a filmmaker. I couldn’t believe they had never heard of Kurt Vonnegut, even if they had never read the book or seen the movie. I thought everybody had heard of Kurt Vonnegut. Silly literate me. ---
**Author:** ![eburacum45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eburacum45/32/8690_2.png) [@eburacum45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eburacum45)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2024, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/106 "2024-07-27T22:44:36Z")
So it goes… ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2024, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/107 "2024-07-27T22:46:36Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I was always surprised that few people had heard of Arthur Brown, especially those who were around in the late 60s and early 70s. Granted, he didn’t exactly overwhelm the charts, but he had at least one sold hit with “Fire”, and he was a total wild man at concerts. Arthur Brown is kind of an oddity. I think “Fire” is a pretty influential song as far as metal is concerned, but it’s not a song I can recall ever hearing on the any of the oldies stations when I was growing up. I can’t say for certain I never heard it of course, but it wasn’t in regular rotation on 98.7 KLUV in Dallas. My suspicion is that it wasn’t played very often because a lot of stations didn’t quite know how to classify the song. ---
**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:** [July 27, 2024, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/108 "2024-07-27T22:50:44Z")
> [@XOldiesJock](#): > > I thought everybody had heard of Kurt Vonnegut. Heard of him, know what he is famous and have indeed heard of Slaughterhouse Five. But I’ve never read it or even a single one of Vonnegut’s books, so ‘Billy Pilgrim’ would have gotten the same initial blank look from me. But I would have gotten it after you explained 🙂. I’ve also never read any John Updike, Isabel Allende, Jack Kerouac, Joseph Heller, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Salman Rushdie or any number of other famous authors. But at least I do know who they are. ---
**Author:** ![XOldiesJock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ec9cab/32.png) [@XOldiesJock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XOldiesJock)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2024, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/109 "2024-07-27T22:58:48Z")
> [@Odesio](#): > > _I can’t say for certain I never heard it of course, but it wasn’t in regular rotation on 98.7 KLUV in Dallas. My suspicion is that it wasn’t played very often because a lot of stations didn’t quite know how to classify the song._ That’s the kind of song that people would call in for during the “All Request Drive at 5” or whatever. That and “The Battle of New Orleans” by Johnny Horton for some reason. I worked for three Oldies stations. Not a one of them had “Fire” in regular rotation, but it did get played occasionally, by request. Somewhere along the line I picked up Arthur Brown’s album in the cutout section at a record store. I still have it but I don’t think I’ve ever played it. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2024, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/110 "2024-07-27T23:02:24Z")
> [@XOldiesJock](#): > > Have you ever heard of Kurt Vonnegut, “Slaughterhouse Five,” and the novel’s protagonist, Billy Pilgrim? None of my co-workers had, and these were intelligent, creative people in their 40s and 50s. I’ve both heard of him and read Slaughter-House Five, but the character name would not hit me right away At least being vaguely aware of Kurt Vonegut seems like something most educated people would know. I don’t even mean “what he wrote”, just the fact that Vonegut is an author. I mean, his name is pretty unique. Then again, some people just have gaps in general knowledge. I am 45 and didn’t read a single one of his books until about two years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2024, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/111 "2024-07-27T23:21:03Z")
> [@Tamerlane](#): > > I’ve also never read any John Updike, Isabel Allende, Jack Kerouac, Joseph Heller, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Salman Rushdie or any number of other famous authors. But at least I do know who they are. Same with me. ---
**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:** [July 27, 2024, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/112 "2024-07-27T23:27:55Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > At one time back in the 70s I owned albums by both John Prine and Ry Cooder. So I’m always a bit surprised when people of my generation haven’t heard of one or both of them. > > I couldn’t tell you any names of the band members, but a rock group that a lot of folks haven’t heard of is Roxy Music. I love the movie _Crossroads_ and had the soundtrack album. No not the Britney Spears movie. I know Ry Cooder pretty well. > [@XOldiesJock](#): > > Have you ever heard of Kurt Vonnegut, “Slaughterhouse Five,” and the novel’s protagonist, Billy Pilgrim? None of my co-workers had, and these were intelligent, creative people in their 40s and 50s. > > The name Billy Pilgrim came up at a meeting. This was the real name of a person working at one of our company’s affiliates. I commented “His parents must have been Kurt Vonnegut fans to give him that name.” > > Total blanks. > > I said, “Billy Pilgrim, hero of “Slaughterhouse Five,” Kurt Vonnegut’s best-selling novel and later a movie?” No recognition at all. And one of the guys is a filmmaker. I couldn’t believe they had never heard of Kurt Vonnegut, even if they had never read the book or seen the movie. I thought everybody had heard of Kurt Vonnegut. Silly literate me. I have certainly heard of Kurt Vonnegut who co-starred with Rodney Dangerfield in _Back to School._ I never would have come up with Billy Pilgrim on my own. > [@Odesio](#): > > > [@Chefguy](#): > > > > I was always surprised that few people had heard of Arthur Brown, especially those who were around in the late 60s and early 70s. Granted, he didn’t exactly overwhelm the charts, but he had at least one sold hit with “Fire”, and he was a total wild man at concerts. > > Arthur Brown is kind of an oddity. I think “Fire” is a pretty influential song as far as metal is concerned, but it’s not a song I can recall ever hearing on the any of the oldies stations when I was growing up. I can’t say for certain I never heard it of course, but it wasn’t in regular rotation on 98.7 KLUV in Dallas. My suspicion is that it wasn’t played very often because a lot of stations didn’t quite know how to classify the song. It was definitely played on the rock/AOR stations I listened to growing up. When those stationed transitioned into Classic Rock format that song didn’t come with the new format. ---
**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:** [July 28, 2024, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/113 "2024-07-28T00:17:50Z")
> [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](#): > > > [@Dinsdale](#): > > > > Here’s one I thought of last night. Can I assume all of you know who John Williams is? > > The [guitarist](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Williams_(guitarist))? 😉 Or the movie actor of **Dial M For Murder** who was known for hawking those classical music albums in the ‘70s (Polovetsian Dance #3 by Borodin)? I never got mine and the check was never cashed. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2024, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/114 "2024-07-28T00:22:56Z")
I’m surprised people haven’t heard of **The Residents**. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2024, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/115 "2024-07-28T00:28:26Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > At one time back in the 70s I owned albums by both John Prine and Ry Cooder. I never heard of Ry Cooder until I bought his collaboration album with Ali Farka Toure – a Malian guitar player/singer-- called Talking Timbuktu. It won a Grammy in 1994 for best Best World Music Album and is still one of my favorites. Bonus: I got to see the man in concert in Bamako, Mali. > [@Loach](#): > > It was definitely played on the rock/AOR stations I listened to growing up. When those stationed transitioned into Classic Rock format that song didn’t come with the new format. I used to blast it in my hooch in Vietnam. Drove everybody crazy. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2024, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/116 "2024-07-28T00:49:50Z")
I just want to shake my finger at all of us who assume everyone will know or be interested in what we are. “I’m surprised people haven’t heard of _The Residents_”, indeed. To be surprised that ‘people’ don’t know your favorite band is… what? Short-sighted? Self-centered? But, hey, how about that Jeb Loy? Oh, come on, you _must_ know him… Maybe I’m just bitter because no one else is interested in comic book inkers of the '60s, or secrets of my slot car career, or Pantone 325, or the sidekicks of classic radio detectives, or the ineffable Citröen Deux-Chevaux, or Jeb Loy’s band Fellow Travellers. [Notice, I didn’t include a link, because… be honest, you don’t really care. And that should be okay with me.] ---
**Author:** ![XOldiesJock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ec9cab/32.png) [@XOldiesJock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XOldiesJock)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2024, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/117 "2024-07-28T01:03:22Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > _Or the movie actor of **Dial M For Murder** who was known for hawking those classical music albums in the ‘70s (Polovetsian Dance #3 by Borodin)?_ John Williams! He was quite a prolific actor in his day who always added style to whatever role he was asked to play. I worked for a TV station in the 1980s that ran those commercials, and they were old even then. I think our Program Director took the order just for the laughs we all got out of seeing them. Those were called “PI” or “Per Inquiry” spots. The station would get a small cut of whatever orders were sent in, but mostly they were used to fill unsold time. We had a lot of that. We could all practically quote them, verbatim. (“Yes, many of today’s popular melodies were actually written by the great mahsters…”) At the end he would look directly into the camera and say, in his verrrrrry cultured voice…“Here’s how to order yoooors.” I’d be surprised if those spots aren’t floating around on YouTube somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2024, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/118 "2024-07-28T01:15:55Z")
> [@Tamerlane](#): > > John Updike, Isabel Allende, Jack Kerouac, Joseph Heller, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Salman Rushdie “Who are six (three) people who have never been in my kitchen?” Identify the famous person who said that without googling! ---
**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:** [July 28, 2024, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/119 "2024-07-28T01:24:52Z")
> [@XOldiesJock](#): > > I said, “Billy Pilgrim, hero of “Slaughterhouse Five,” Kurt Vonnegut’s best-selling novel and later a movie?” No recognition at all. And one of the guys is a filmmaker. I couldn’t believe they had never heard of Kurt Vonnegut, even if they had never read the book or seen the movie. “Come on, people, Michael Sacks. You must know him.” ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2024, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817/120 "2024-07-28T01:28:50Z")
> [@smithsb](#): > > “Who are six (three) people who have never been in my kitchen?” Cliff Clavin [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-people-are-you-surprised-other-people-havent-heard-of/1004817.md?page=7)