Biographies of notable people — their path, achievements and key facts.
Kiley Rilo
Rock band The Los Angeles-based alternative-rock band Rilo Kiley cemented their reputation as a favorite among rock critics with the release of their 2004 album ...
Dennis Ritchie
Dennis MacAlistair Ritchie (born 1941) is best known for his work on computer languages and operating systems ALTRAN, B, BCPL, C, Multics, and especially Unix. For a man who did no...
Diego Rivera
Born: December 8, 1886 Guanajuato, Mexico Died: November 25, 1957 Mexico City, Mexico Mexican painter Diego Rivera wa...
Joan Rivers
Comedian, writer, actress, and television show host Born Joan Alexandra Molinsky, June 8, 1933, in Brooklyn, NY; daughter of Meyer C. (a physician) and Beatrice Molinsky; married ...
Paola Rizzoli
Scientist Born Paola Malanotte Rizzoli, c. 1943, in Lonigo, Vicenza, Italy. Education: University of Padua, Ph.D. (theoretical physics), 1968; University o...
Paul Robeson
Born: April 9, 1898 Princeton, New Jersey Died: January 23, 1976 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania African American singer, actor, and poli...
Maximilien de Robespierre
Born: May 6, 1758 Arras, France Died: July 28, 1794 Paris, France French political leader and lawyer Maximilien de Ro...
V. Gene Robinson
Episcopal bishop Born May 29, 1947, in Lexington, KY; son of Charles (a sharecropper) and Imogene (a sharecropper); married Isabella "Boo" Martin, 1972 (divorced, 1987); chi...
Peter Robinson
Author Born March 17, 1950, in Castleford, Yorkshire, England; son of Clifford Robinson (a photographer) and Miriam Jarvis (a homemaker); married Sheila Halladay (an attorne...
Smokey Robinson
Born: February 19, 1940 Detroit, Michigan African American singer, songwriter, and producer Hailed by some as the greatest living American songwriter, ...
John D. Rockefeller
Born: July 8, 1839 Richford, New York Died: May 23, 1937 Ormond, Florida American industrialist and philanthropist Jo...
Norman Rockwell
Born: February 3, 1894 New York, New York Died: November 8, 1978 Stockbridge, Massachusetts American illustrator Norm...
Andy Roddick
August 30, 1982 • Omaha, Nebraska Tennis player Tennis player Andy Roddick had just turned twenty-one when he won the men's U.S. Open t...
Andy Roddick
Professional tennis player Born Andrew Stephen Roddick, August 30, 1982, in Omaha, NB; son of Jerry (a franchise owner) and Blanche (a teacher) Roddick. Addresses: ...
Richard Rodgers
Born: June 28, 1902 Long Island, New York Died: December 30, 1979 New York, New York American composer Richard Rodger...
Auguste Rodin
Born: November 12, 1840 Paris, France Died: November 17, 1917 Meudon, France French sculptor The French sculptor Augu...
Narciso Rodriguez
Fashion designer Born January of 1961, in New Jersey; son of Narciso, Sr. (a longshoreman) and Rawedia Maria (a homemaker) Rodriguez. Education: Pars...
Robert Rodriguez
Filmmaker Born Robert Anthony Rodriguez, June 20, 1968, in San Antonio, TX; son of Cecilio (a cookware sales manager) and Rebecca (a nurse) Rodriguez; married Elizabeth Avel...
Alex Rodríguez
July 27, 1975 • New York, New York Baseball player Baseball fans say that Alex Rodríguez may just break a number of career records in t...
Will Rogers
Born: September 5, 1879 Oologah, Oklahoma Died: August 15, 1935 Point Barrow, Alaska American journalist, humorist, and performing a...