American Famous Names Starting with Letter W

Born December 25, 1956 in Gary, Indiana), was a second baseman for the Montreal Expos and a Chicago

Born December 25, 1956 in Gary, Indiana), was a second baseman for the Montreal Expos and a Chicago White Sox third base coach.

Was a Canadian figure skater.Diestelmeyer was born in Kitchener, Ontario and died in Oakville, Ontar

Was a Canadian figure skater.Diestelmeyer was born in Kitchener, Ontario and died in Oakville, Ontario. He competed in pair skating with Suzanne Morrow.

Was an American historian, novelist, short story writer, and environmentalist, often called "The Dea

Was an American historian, novelist, short story writer, and environmentalist, often called "The Dean of Western Writers."

Is a retired American NBA basketball player. A 6' 10" forward/center from tiny Aurora College, he wa

Is a retired American NBA basketball player. A 6' 10" forward/center from tiny Aurora College, he was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in the fourth round of the 1974 NBA Draft. The Blazers immediately traded Johnson to the Chicago Bulls, with whom he averaged just 3.8 points per game as a rookie. Johnson quickly improved, however, and he moved into the Bulls' starting lineup during the middle of his second season. A versatile scorer and aggressive rebounder, he averaged 17.3 points and 10.2 rebounds in 1976-77; the following season, he averaged 18.3 points and 9.1 rebounds. In 1979, he signed as a free agent with the Indiana Pacers, averaging a career-high 19.1 points during his first and only season with that club. He also played for the Milwaukee Bucks, New Jersey Nets, and Golden State Warriors during his career, and he retired in 1986 with 12,748 career points and 6,465 career rebounds.

Was a Republican Senator representing the U.S. state of Utah (1951–1974). Bennett lived to see his

Was a Republican Senator representing the U.S. state of Utah (1951–1974). Bennett lived to see his son Bob elected to his former Senate seat when Garn retired in 1992. Bennett died on December 19, 1993 in Salt Lake City.

Was instrumental in establishing drag racing as a legitimate amateur and professional motorsport. He

Was instrumental in establishing drag racing as a legitimate amateur and professional motorsport. He was the Founder, President, and the Chairman of the Board of the National Hot Rod Association, or better known by the acronym NHRA. Parks was also an accomplished automobile writer and hobbyist, and co-founder and first editor of the magazine Hot Rod in the late 1940s. He was also instrumental in the founding of Motor Trend magazine in 1948. As editor of Hot Rod, he began to promote safety in the organization of drag racing, both in the magazine and by organizing "safety safaris," which taught drag racing organization and safety at several tracks around the country. This was the first concerted effort in getting racers off the streets and into controlled race tracks.

Is a former American football defensive tackle for the Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the

Is a former American football defensive tackle for the Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 1970s. He was selected with the eighth overall pick by the Bears in the 1973 NFL Draft out of Eastern Kentucky University, and played previous to that for Mount Clemens High School, where he graduated in 1969.

Was an American novelist during the Harlem Renaissance. He is best known for his novel The Blacker t

Was an American novelist during the Harlem Renaissance. He is best known for his novel The Blacker the Berry: A Novel of Negro Life, which describes discrimination based on skin color among black people.

Was an American chemist, inventor and the leader of organic chemistry at DuPont, credited with the i

Was an American chemist, inventor and the leader of organic chemistry at DuPont, credited with the invention of Nylon.[1]Carothers was a group leader in DuPont’s Experimental Station laboratory, near Wilmington, Delaware, where most polymer research was done.[2] Carothers was a brilliant organic chemist who, in addition to first developing nylon, also helped lay the groundwork for Neoprene. After receiving his Ph.D, he taught at several universities before he was hired by the DuPont Company to work on fundamental research.He married the former Helen Sweetman on February 21, 1936. Wallace Carothers had been troubled by periods of mental depression since his youth

Was a prominent American politician and Republican leader in United States Congress from 1916 until

Was a prominent American politician and Republican leader in United States Congress from 1916 until 1949. White was from the U.S. state of Maine and served in the U.S. House of Representatives before being elected to the U.S. Senate, where he was Senate M

(born November 19, 1942 in Charlottesville, Virginia) is a former backup catcher in Major League Bas

(born November 19, 1942 in Charlottesville, Virginia) is a former backup catcher in Major League Baseball who played from 1966 to 1978 for the Baltimore Orioles, Seattle Pilots, Oakland Athletics, St. Louis Cardinals, and Milwaukee Brewers. He later served as bullpen coach with the Brewers. His son Chris Haney pitched in the majors, primarily for the Kansas City Royals.

Was an American comic novelist best known for his first novel, To An Early Grave (1964), about four

Was an American comic novelist best known for his first novel, To An Early Grave (1964), about four men who spend the day driving across Brooklyn to their friend's funeral. He is also known for Teitlebaum's Window (1970), a comic novel about a Jewish boy growing up in Brooklyn in the 1930s and 1940s. Markfield was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1965 after the publication of To an Early Grave.

Was an American comedian and actor, particularly associated with the early years of television in th

Was an American comedian and actor, particularly associated with the early years of television in the United States.In 1949, Cox appeared on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts, but lost to The Chordettes. He appeared in Broadway musical reviews, night clubs, and early TV comedy-variety programs between 1949 and 1951, creating a huge impact with a starring role as a well-meaning but ineffective policeman on Philco Television Playhouse in 1951. Producer Fred Coe approached Cox about a starring role in a proposed live TV sitcom, Mr. Peepers, which he accepted. The show ran on NBC for three years.

Was an American comedian and actor, particularly associated with the early years of television in th

Was an American comedian and actor, particularly associated with the early years of television in the United States.In 1949, Cox appeared on Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts, but lost to The Chordettes. He appeared in Broadway musical reviews, night clubs,

(October 8, 1910 - October 10, 1990) was a right fielder in Major League Baseball. From 1935 through

(October 8, 1910 - October 10, 1990) was a right fielder in Major League Baseball. From 1935 through 1951, he played for the Philadelphia Athletics (1935-1941, 1949-1951),

Is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He played all or part of four seasons in the majors, betw

Is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He played all or part of four seasons in the majors, between 1987 and 1992, for the Philadelphia Phillies. He pitched in a total of 147 major league games, all in relief.

Sometimes credited as Wally Shawn, is an American actor and playwright. Regularly seen on film and t

Sometimes credited as Wally Shawn, is an American actor and playwright. Regularly seen on film and television, where he is usually cast as a comic character actor, he has pursued a parallel career as a playwright whose work is often dark, politically charged and controversial.

Is an American professional wrestler, trained by Ric Flair, who started wrestling in 1974 in Champio

Is an American professional wrestler, trained by Ric Flair, who started wrestling in 1974 in Championship Wrestling from Florida. For a brief time in Florida, he was nicknamed Nature Boy. He is best known as one half of The Fabulous Ones, the Midnight Exp

Was a American Modernist poet. He was born in Reading, Pennsylvania, and spent most of his life work

Was a American Modernist poet. He was born in Reading, Pennsylvania, and spent most of his life working for an insurance company in Connecticut. His best-known poems include "Anecdote of the Jar," "The Emperor of Ice Cream," "The Idea of Order at Key West

(born April 3, 1930, in the small town of Bay in Craighead County, Arkansas) is a former Major Leagu

(born April 3, 1930, in the small town of Bay in Craighead County, Arkansas) is a former Major League Baseball outfielder

Was a Congressman serving the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War.In Februar

Was a Congressman serving the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War.In February, 1870, he was elected to the Supreme Court of Appeals but, in 1882, the Readjuster Party controlled the state and none of the judges on the Court of Appe

Was the American wife of Prince Edward, Duke of Windsor. During her second marriage, she allegedly b

Was the American wife of Prince Edward, Duke of Windsor. During her second marriage, she allegedly became the mistress of Edward, Prince of Wales in 1934. Two years later, after Edward's accession as King, he proposed marriage.

Was a seminal American artist in the 1950s California counterculture,[2] gallerist, and educator who

Was a seminal American artist in the 1950s California counterculture,[2] gallerist, and educator who came to prominence in the early 1960s. Hedrick’s contributions to art include pioneering artworks in psychedelic light art, mechanical kinetic sculpture, junk/assemblage sculpture, Pop Art, and (California) Funk Art. Later in his life, he was a recognized forerunner in Happenings, Conceptual Art, Bad Painting, Neo-Expressionism, and image appropriation. Hedrick was also a key figure in the first important public manifestation of the Beat Generation when he helped to organize the Six Gallery Reading, and created the first artistic denunciation of American foreign policy in Vietnam. Wally Hedrick was known as an “idea artist” long before the label “conceptual art” entered the art world, and experimented with innovative use of language in art, at times resorting to puns.[2]

Was an actor, comedian, and long-time partner of Alan Carney.Wally was born in Malden, Massachusetts

Was an actor, comedian, and long-time partner of Alan Carney.Wally was born in Malden, Massachusetts and served as a vaudevillian. In 1942, he wanted to start business in Hollywood at RKO Radio Pictures with the film Petticoat Larceny. When RKO decided to emulate with Abbott and Costello, he met Alan Carney, which they became "Brown & Carney" and settled down on the film Adventures of a Rookie later with its sequel Rookies in Burma. Their best film was Zombies on Broadway. Their contracts were terminated in 1946 and reunited in 1961 in The Absent-Minded Professor. His last years were promptly as guest appearances, typically his last one on My Three Sons. Along with Alan Carney, he was going to be picked for It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, but he couldn't play any parts because of his death two years before

Was an American journalist and television host.He covered Congress and the Lyndon Johnson administra

Was an American journalist and television host.He covered Congress and the Lyndon Johnson administration for ABC News in the 1960s. He was the first host of the 1968-1975 syndicated version of What's My Line? and went on to host the syndicated home repair show Wally's Workshop.