Harald Bergstedt (1877 - 1965)

Poet, novelist, playwright. After working as a teacher at private and public schools he travelled round Denmark as a reciter, temperance agitator and lecturer. In 1913 he published his first collection of poems, and his first novel was published in 1918. Whereas his novels and plays are now mostly forgotten, his works of poetry are […]

Henri Louis Bergson (1859 - 1941)

Philosopher. Nobel prize in Literature, 1927.

Laura Bergquist (1970 - 1970)

American reporter and editor. The wife of writer Fletcher Knebel, Bergquist worked for Look Magazine from 1954 until it ceased publishing in 1971. She won four Overseas Press Club awards for her coverage of Latin America. She was a close friend of the Kennedy family and in 1965 wrote a book called “A Very Special […]

John Raymond “Ray” Bergman (1891 - 1967)

In the 1930’s, 40’s and 50’s, his name was synonymous with ‘wet flies’ of flyfishing. He is the author of many books and articles on the subject including “Forgotten Flies.”  Family links:  Parents:  Benjamin J. Bergman (1865 – 1959)  Sibling:  John Raymond Bergman (1891 – 1967)  Janet Claire Bergman Christian (1898 – 1967)* *Calculated relationship

Hjalmar Bergman (1883 - 1931)

Acclaimed Swedish Novelist, Poet, Dramatist and Screenwriter. Concidered one of the most important figures in the twentieth-century Swedish literature. He wrote novels as well as plays, and several of his works have become modern-day classics. His works have been translated to many languages, and are subject to research, in Sweden and abroad. Noted novels are […]

Bo Bergman (1869 - 1967)

Acclaimed Poet, Lyricist and Author. Concidered one of Sweden´s leading poets. He has been referred to as ”the critical observer of life”, and this epithet coloured much of his writing. He made his debut 1903 with the collection of poems ”Marionetterna” (The Marionets). His last collection, ”Äventyret” (The Adventure), was released posthumously in 1969. He […]

Thomas Berger (1924 - 2014)

Author. He will be best remembered for his penning of the novel “Little Big Man” (1964). The work was made into a 1970 motion picture adaptation which starred Dustin Hoffman. Born Thomas Charles Berger, his father worked for a Cincinnati-area school district. Both of Thomas’ parents were avid readers and encouraged their son to take […]

Stuart M. Berger (1970 - 1994)

Medical Pioneer, Author. After received a medical degree from Tufts University and graduating from Harvard University’s School of Public Health, he became a health book writer and columnist who emphasized healing and dieting aimed at improving the immune system. “Dr. Berger’s Immune Power Diet”(1985), a #1 best seller, described how the 6’7” Berger reduced his […]

Philip Berger (1942 - 2001)

Author, Journalist. He was a sports writer, screenwriter and author who specialized in boxing. He wrote more than a dozen books on sports and entertainment, including collaborations with Joe Frazier and Larry Holmes on their autobiographies. His other books include “Forever Showtime – The Checkered Life of Pistol Pete Maravich” and “Miracle on 33rd Street,” […]

Meyer “Mike” Berger (1898 - 1959)

Journalist. Berger won the 1950 Pulitzer Prize for Journalism, for a 4,000 word story regarding the shooting of 13 people by an insane war veteran in Camden, NJ.

José Bergamín (1895 - 1983)

Author.  Born in Madrid, Spain. He was a controversial member of the “Generation of 1927” creative movement. In his works he showed an eclectic mixture of the communism and the Catholicism. He summed up this attitude with the quote: “With the Communists until the death, but not a step further”.  During the Spanish Civil War, […]

Dave Berg (1920 - 2002)

Cartoonist. Working for “Mad Magazine” for forty years, he originated and illustrated “The Lighter side of….”. His illustrations were featured in several other publications, and he fashioned his monthly sitiations from his own life and experiences and his characters from family and friends. The cause of death was cancer.  Family links:  Spouse:  Vivian L Berg […]

Constance Beresford-Howe (1922 - 2016)

Author. Known for her penning of the classic novel “The Book of Eve” (1973). The story depicted a woman prepared for retirement who spontaneously leaves her boring husband to begin a new life. Raised in Montreal, her interest in reading was sparked during her youth and while attending school, her teacher encouraged her to pursue […]

Elisabeth Beresford (1926 - 2010)

Author. She was best known as the creator of the “Wombles” children’s series. The daughter of novelist J.D. Beresford, she was privileged to be raised in the company of such literary giants as H.G. Wells, George Bernard Shaw and D.H. Lawrence, who were friends of the family. After service with the Wren (Women’s Royal Naval […]

Stan Berenstain (1923 - 2005)

Author. Born in Philadelphia  he trained in the fine arts at the city’s Museum School of Industrial Art, now the University of the Arts. He met Janice Grant in 1941 on the first day of drawing class. Stan became a cartoonist during World War II, when he spent more than three years in the US […]

Janice “Jan” Grant Berenstain (1923 - 2012)

Author, Illustrator. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, she demonstrated a true talent for drawing in high school, where she was co-art editor of the senior yearbook. These skills soon led to a scholarship to the Philadelphia Museum School of Industrial Art, where she enrolled in the fall of 1941. It was there, on the first day […]

Jeremy Bentham (1748 - 1832)

Philosopher. He was one of the originators of Utilitarianism. He Wrote “Fragment On Government” in 1776. He willed his body to be preserved and displayed. It was dissected in a medical amphitheater at the Web Street School of anatomy in London, 3 days after his death, which was illegal at the time. Only executed murderers […]

Edward Frederic “E.F.” Benson (1867 - 1940)

Author and Biographer. Son of Archbishop Benson, the Archbishop of Canterbury. He was the most prolific of the three Benson brothers who wrote and were published; his works include a number of ghost stories, the social comedies “Mapp & Lucia” and a range of biographies and autobiographies. He was thrice Mayor of Rye, in East […]

Arthur Christopher Benson (1862 - 1925)

Educator, Author. Master of Magdalene College Cambridge and writer (including the words ‘Land of Hope and Glory’ to Elgar’s first ‘Pomp and Circumstance’ march). (bio by: David Conway)  Family links:  Parents:  Edward White Benson (1829 – 1896)  Mary Sidgwick Benson (1841 – 1918)  Siblings:  Martin White Benson (1860 – 1878)*  Arthur Christopher Benson (1862 – […]

Jay Bennett (1912 - 2009)

Author. A mystery writer, he was a two-time recipient of The Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Juvenile Fiction with his novels “The Long Black Coat” (1974) and “The Dangling Witness” (1975). Born in New York City, he began his career as a scriptwriter in radio gradually moving to television, where he contributed to the […]

James Gordon Bennett, Sr (1795 - 1872)

Journalist. He founded the “New York Herald” newspaper in 1835.  Family links:  Children:  James Gordon Bennett (1841 – 1918)*  Jeanette Gordon Bennett Bell (1855 – 1936)* *Calculated relationship

Henry Holcomb Bennett (1863 - 1924)

Author, Journalist, Poet. Author of the patriotic poem, “Hats Off– The Flag Goes By.”  Family links:  Parents:  John Briscoe Henry Bennett (1821 – 1903)  Eliza Jane McClintick Bennett (1829 – 1913)

Dr Gottfried Benn (1886 - 1956)

Poet and Physician. German military surgeon on duty at the execution of Edith Cavell in World War I.  Family links:  Spouse:  Ilse Kaul Benn (1913 – 1995)* *Calculated relationship

Ernest Benn (1875 - 1954)

Author.  He served as a civil servant in the Ministry of Munitions and Reconstruction during World War I when he became convinced of the benefits of state intervention in economics. His views altered in the 1920s when he became a follower of classical liberalism. He was the author of more than twenty books and many […]

Adolph Zukor (1873 - 1976)

Film producer and executive. His Famous Players merged with a company owned by Jesse Lasky, eventually becoming Paramount. Became board chairman in 1935.  Family links:  Spouse:  Lottie Kaufman Zukor (1875 – 1956)* *Calculated relationship

Harold Zinkin, Sr (1922 - 2004)

He was a fitness pioneer with the invention of the Universal Gym Machine where you can do several exercises on one piece of equipment. He was crowned the first Mr. California in the state bodybuilding contest. He was a regular member of the Muscle Beach which inspired the fitness movement in this country. He moved […]

Walter Philip Zeller (1890 - 1957)

Businessman. A native of Waterloo County, near the city of Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, he was the founder of the Zellers chain of thrift stores. Founded in 1931 as a ‘thrift store’, it was originally called Zeller’s and then renamed Zellers to make it more bilingually appropriate. The company was concentrated in the area of Southern […]

Carl Zeiss (1816 - 1888)

German industrialist. Raised in Weimar, Germany, he gained worldwide attention as a notable lens maker and manufacturer of fine optical instruments. His lenses were high-quality and had a very large opening that allowed for very bright images. In 1846, Zeiss opened a workshop in Jena that at first only made lenses for microscopes, but later […]

Ron Zappe (1943 - 2010)

Entrepreneur. A native of Texas, he was running an oilfield service company when he went bankrupt in the oil bust of the early 1980s. In 1985, he decided to start a new venture as founder and president of Zapp’s Gourmet Potato Chip Company in Gramercy, Louisiana. His product line,  which included “Zapp’s Tiger Tators”, “Natural […]

Morris Bernard Zale (1901 - 1995)

Businessman. He co-founded the “Zale’s Jewelers” jewelry chain with his uncle, Samuel Kruger.  Family links:  Spouse:  Edna Lipshy Zale (1907 – 1996)*  Children:  Herschel Zale (1927 – 1930)* *Calculated relationship