# Who's the most famous person whose face is unknown? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 26, 2002, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-most-famous-person-whose-face-is-unknown/125688 "2002-08-26T21:32:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2002, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-most-famous-person-whose-face-is-unknown/125688/21 "2002-08-27T00:45:24Z")
OK, OK, let’s make it **US only**. I really want to come up with a real person here, not “Jesus”. Someone that could be in my foursome and I wouldn’t know it. “Next up: Dooku twosome joined by Greenspan single and His Holiness single…” ---
**Author:** ![Genseric](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Genseric](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Genseric)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2002, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-most-famous-person-whose-face-is-unknown/125688/22 "2002-08-27T01:00:48Z")
US only, huh? I’m going to second Paul Harvey, I don’t know if it’s as high as 95%, but I’ll a hell of a lot of people in the US would know who he is, but not recognize him. Would most people recognize Marilyn Manson in a supermarket, with no contacts, and no makeup, in normal street clothes and a pony-tail? I think he’s been in the news enough to have his name be recognizeable to a majority of Americans, but maybe not 95%. On the other hand for only 95% of Americans to recognize a person, there would have to be more than 12,000,000 people who didn’t recognize him or her. ---
**Author:** ![DAVEW0071](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e19b73/32.png) [@DAVEW0071](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DAVEW0071)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2002, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-most-famous-person-whose-face-is-unknown/125688/23 "2002-08-27T01:19:23Z")
There does not exist a portrait of Jane Austen. She is extremely famous, but no one today knows what she looked like. The same could be said of Abraham, Moses, and other such figures, but given the time period in which they lived, such a lack of accurate portraiture isn’t surprising. Portraits were common in Austen’s day, though, so not having any reproduction of her seems odd. ---
**Author:** ![Mephisto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/48db29/32.png) [@Mephisto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mephisto)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2002, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-most-famous-person-whose-face-is-unknown/125688/24 "2002-08-27T01:27:59Z")
I was gonna say the Dalai Lama (who hasn’t heard of him? but would many people recognize him?), but since it’s in the US . . . I guess Paul Harvey sounds about right. BTW, on a sort of related note, I understand that there is no “real” portrait of George Washington out there and that the faces on the dollar bill and in the halls at school and stuff are just guesswork. True? ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2002, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-most-famous-person-whose-face-is-unknown/125688/25 "2002-08-27T01:29:32Z")
Alan Greenspan. ---
**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:** [August 27, 2002, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-most-famous-person-whose-face-is-unknown/125688/26 "2002-08-27T01:59:36Z")
> [@](#): > > BTW, on a sort of related note, I understand that there is no “real” portrait of George Washington out there and that the faces on the dollar bill and in the halls at school and stuff are just guesswork. True? False, I’ve heard of at least portrait for which Washington posed. It’s famous because the artist refused to complete the painting. But Columbus was a famous person of whom there is no authentic potrait painted in his lifetime. ---
**Author:** ![Opus1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/858c86/32.png) [@Opus1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Opus1)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2002, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-most-famous-person-whose-face-is-unknown/125688/27 "2002-08-27T02:25:21Z")
Lizard–I remember seeing a poll showing that a full 7% of Britons did not know who Jesus was. This isn’t GD, so I’m not going to waste an hour looking for a cite, but it’s somewhere on [www.religioustolerance.org](http://www.religioustolerance.org). ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2002, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-most-famous-person-whose-face-is-unknown/125688/28 "2002-08-27T02:36:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Raygun99 \* > \*\*I have no idea what Paul Harvey looks like. \*\* [The rest of the story.](http://www.paulharvey.com/graphics/splash/nav2_r01_c1.gif) The guy who played Wilson on _Home Improvement_ is Earl Hindman. Alas, he doesn’t have a photo on [IMDB.com](http://IMDB.com), nor does he have his own website. I suggest renting _Silverado,_ a mediocre western from the mid '80’s. He’s in it, clean-shaven and everything. ---
**Author:** ![Dijon\_Warlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9a28c/32.png) [@Dijon\_Warlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dijon_Warlock)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2002, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-most-famous-person-whose-face-is-unknown/125688/29 "2002-08-27T04:38:10Z")
The AOL “You’ve Got Mail!” guy. ---
**Author:** ![syncrolecyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f08c70/32.png) [@syncrolecyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/syncrolecyne)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2002, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-most-famous-person-whose-face-is-unknown/125688/30 "2002-08-27T04:41:30Z")
Muhammad? ---
**Author:** ![Horseflesh](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horseflesh/32/7502_2.png) [@Horseflesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horseflesh)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2002, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-most-famous-person-whose-face-is-unknown/125688/31 "2002-08-27T05:22:15Z")
Awww, **Dijon** stole (one of my) answers. But he/she is on the right track. Can you put a face to these phrases? “You’ve Got Mail!” “At the tone, the time will be…” “Coming soon to a theater near you.” “D’oh!” “Don’t have a cow, man!” “They’re Grrrreat!” I assume from your examples that you are looking for nominees that are currently alive. Otherwise I’d say Jesus Christ, Mohammed, Buddha, etc. I’ll bet 95% of the US population know who George Lucas and Steven Spielberg are, but couldn’t pick them out of a lineup of similar looking thugs. How about (in)famous hackers like Kevin Mitnick or Robert Morris? I’ll bet even I can’t pick out the Supreme Court Justices from a Top Ten Mosted Wanted list. You’ve got an age/generational problem with your OP as well. How many 5-year-olds can name the same famous face that a 35-year-old can? ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2002, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-most-famous-person-whose-face-is-unknown/125688/32 "2002-08-27T05:37:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by rastahomie \* > \*\* > > [The rest of the story.](http://www.paulharvey.com/graphics/splash/nav2_r01_c1.gif) > > \*\* Now I wish I didn’t know what Paul Harvey looked like. ---
**Author:** ![riserius1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7ab992/32.png) [@riserius1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/riserius1)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2002, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-most-famous-person-whose-face-is-unknown/125688/33 "2002-08-27T06:24:28Z")
The Residents have sold millions of records, have a huge fanbase, yet have never been seen. Chris W ---
**Author:** ![Deadly\_Nightlight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Deadly\_Nightlight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deadly_Nightlight)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2002, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-most-famous-person-whose-face-is-unknown/125688/34 "2002-08-27T07:12:04Z")
I would recognize Stephen king! When I lived in Maine we saw him all the time- just a regular joe in his red sports car LOL ---
**Author:** ![woolly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ebca7d/32.png) [@woolly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woolly)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2002, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-most-famous-person-whose-face-is-unknown/125688/35 "2002-08-27T07:43:48Z")
Henri Paul ---
**Author:** ![Aro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b3f665/32.png) [@Aro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aro)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2002, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-most-famous-person-whose-face-is-unknown/125688/36 "2002-08-27T08:18:46Z")
I can’t speak for Americans, but the most famous name (still living) that I would fail to recognise in the street is **Neil Armstrong.** I have no clue what he looks like, but his name is one that will be long remembered. ---
**Author:** ![Sparrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Sparrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparrow)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2002, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-most-famous-person-whose-face-is-unknown/125688/37 "2002-08-27T09:28:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by DAVEW0071 \* > \*\*There does not exist a portrait of Jane Austen. She is extremely famous, but no one today knows what she looked like. > \*\* Yes, there is. I’m re-reading “Emma” at the moment and my Penguin paperback edition has a reproduction of a sketch done by, I think, her sister. I’ll check out the details when I get home tonight. ---
**Author:** ![Sparrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Sparrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparrow)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2002, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-most-famous-person-whose-face-is-unknown/125688/38 "2002-08-27T09:33:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sparrow \* > \*\* > > Yes, there is. I’m re-reading “Emma” at the moment and my Penguin paperback edition has a reproduction of a sketch done by, I think, her sister. I’ll check out the details when I get home tonight. \*\* And here it is, on the biggest and best Jane Austen fan site: [![](https://pemberley.com/janeinfo/janepict.jpg) ](https://pemberley.com/janeinfo/janepict.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2002, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-most-famous-person-whose-face-is-unknown/125688/39 "2002-08-27T12:37:23Z")
What a lovely thread when I get to say “Andrew Lloyd Webber.” Threatre composers have name recognition, but most people have no idea what they look like. Even in Footlight Records, which specializes in show music, famous threatre people often aren’t recognized till they hand over their credit cards. Earl Hindman played Bob Reid on the soap “Ryan’s Hope” for years. I 'd know him anywhere. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2002, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-the-most-famous-person-whose-face-is-unknown/125688/40 "2002-08-27T12:39:03Z")
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