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Marquis Who's Who Names Top 10 Most Influential Americans of the Century

New Providence, N.J. - Oct. 12, 1999 - Marquis Who's Who®, the company that for 100 years has chronicled leaders and innovators in its annual Who's Who in America® biographical directory, has named its Top 10 Most Influential Americans of the Century. According to the results of a survey conducted among the Marquis Who's Who editorial staff and board of advisors, the top 10 individuals are (in alphabetical order):

Walt Disney Thomas Edison Henry Ford Bill Gates Steve Jobs Martin Luther King, Jr. Jackie Robinson Franklin D. Roosevelt James Watson (partnered with British Francis Crick on discovery of importance of DNA) Wright Brothers

"With the millennium fast approaching, and Marquis Who's Who in America celebrating its 100th anniversary, we thought it would be intriguing to conduct our own survey to determine the most influential Americans of the 20th century," said Randy Mysel, vice president and publisher of Marquis Who's Who. "Obviously, selecting the top 10 most influential people of our time is difficult and subjective because there are so many men and women who have greatly influenced our lives over the past 100 years. However, since the Marquis Who's Who editorial staff and board of advisors deal with the challenge of selecting outstanding individuals every year for inclusion in Who's Who in America, we thought we could produce an interesting and provocative list," said Mysel. Mysel explained that the Marquis Who's Who list of the top 10 most influential Americans of the century was determined by polling the 20 members of the Marquis Who's Who board of advisors and 25 members of the company's editorial department. The original and leading American biographical directory, Who's Who in America has profiled highly accomplished people from all walks of life - including politics, business, medicine, law, academia and entertainment. Journalists, researchers, librarians, business executives and others who need to access vital information on notable Americans use the publication.

"From its beginning in 1899, Who's Who in America has profiled people who have made names for themselves, instead of being known because of wealth or family lineage. In essence, Who's Who in America embodies the American spirit of independence and ideals of hard work," said Mysel. Published every two years until 1993 when it became an annual edition, Marquis Who's Who in America provides a fascinating overview of our American history through the people who helped shape it. Available in November 1999, the Who's Who in America Millennium Edition (54th edition) profiles more than 115,000 men and women of distinction in business and finance, government, education, science and technology, the arts and other significant fields of endeavor. Marquis also publishes many other Who's Who titles, including Who's Who in the World®, Who Was Who in America®, Who's Who in Finance and Industry®, Who's Who in American Law®, Who's Who in Medicine and Healthcare®, Who's Who in Science and Engineering®, and Who's Who of American Women®.

Biographies

Disney, Walter E., producer animated sound cartoons; b. Chicago, IL, Dec. 5, 1901; s. Elias and Flora (Call) D.; ed. Benton Sch., Kansas City, 1910-17; McKinley High Sch., Chicago, 1917-18; hon. M.S., U. of Southern California, 1938; hon. M.A., Yale University, 1938, Harvard U., 1938; A.F.D. (hon.), U. California at Los Angeles, 1963: m. Lillian Marie Bounds, July 13, 1925; children - Diane (Mrs. Ron Miller), Sharon (Mrs. Robert Brown). Commercial artist, 1919; cartoonist Kansas City film Ad, 1920-22; prod. Alice Comedies, a combination of a live girl and animated cartoons, for M. J. Winkler, New York, 1923-26; prod. Oswald, The Rabbit, for Universal, 1926-28; mem. Board directors, executive producer in charge all production Walt Disney Prodns., producers Mickey Mouse, Silly Symphony Cartoons since 1928; Three Little Pigs, 1933 (certificate from Acad. Motion Picture Arts); also Snow White and Seven Dwarfs (Acad. Motion Picture Arts and Sciences award), 1938; Ferdinand the Bull, 1939, Fantasia (awarded plaque Dowling Foundation of Plymouth, Mich.; scroll New York Critics, N.Y. City; medal N.Y. Schs. Music), also Pinocchio, 1940; The Reluctant Dragon, also Dumbo, 1941; Bambi, 1942; Saludos Amigos, 1942; Victory Through Air Power, 1943; The Three Caballeros, 1944; Make Mine Music, also Song of the South, 1946; Fun and Fancy Free, 1947; Melody Time, 1948; So Dear to My Heart, 1949; Ichabod and Mr. Toad, 1949; Cinderella, also Treasure Island, 1950; Alice in Wonderland, 1951; The Story of Robin Hood, 1952; Peter Pan, 1953; Sword and Rose, 1953; Rob Roy, 1954; 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, 1954; Siam, 1954; Lady and the Tramp, 1955. Producer True Life Adventure Nature films. Elaborated true-life adventures to full features with The Living Desert, 1953, The Vanishing Prairie, 1954, The African Lion, 1955, Secrets of Life, 1956. Producer Live action features, Littlest Outlaw, 1955; Johnny Tremain, Old Yeller, Westward Ho, The Wagons, 1957; Lapland, Blue Men of Morocco, of the People and Places series, released to 1957. Founder of Disneyland as base of television productions, 1954. Producer Disneyland TV and Mickey Mouse Club TV programs over ABC-TV, 1954 - TV show, Zorro, 1957, Walt Disney Presents, 1958-61, Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color, NBC-TV, 1961 -- ; Sleeping Beauty (lst cartoon feature Technirama-70); pictures - The Shaggy Dog; Darby O'Gill and the Little People; Third Man on the Mountain, 1959; Toby Tyler, Kidnapped; The Sign of Zorro; Pollyanna; Jungle Cat; Ten Who Dared; Swiss Family Robinson, 1960; One Hundred and One Dalmations; The Absent Minded Professor; Nikki, Wild Dog of the North; Greyfriars Bobby, 1961; The Parent Trap, Babes in Toyland, 1961; Moon Pilot; Bon Voyage; Big Red; Almost Angels; The Legend of Lobo; In Search of the Castaways, 1962; Son of Flubber, Miracle of the White Stallions, Savage, Sam, Summer Magic, The Incredible Journey, The Sword in the Stone, 1963; The Misadventures of Merlin Jones, A Tiger Walks, The Three Lives of Thomasina, The Moon-Spinners, Mary Poppins, Emil and the Detectives, 1964. Recipient 39 awards Acad. Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; 4 Emmy awards Academy Television Arts and Scis., and more than 800 awards and decorations for work. Served as R.C. ambulance driver, AEF, France, 1918-19. Mem. Order De Molay, Am. Soc. French Legion of Honor, Art Workers' Guild of London (hon.). Home: Los Angeles. Office: 500 S. Buena Vista St., Burbank, CA. Died Dec. 15, 1966.

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Edison, Thomas A(lva), inventor; b. Milan, OH, Feb. 11, 1847; s. Samuel and Nancy E.; received some instruction from his mother; (hon. Ph.D., Union coll. 1878; D. Sc., Princeton U., 1915; LL.D., Univ. of the State of New York, 1916); m. Mary G. Stillwell, 1873; children - Marion Estelle, Thomas A., William L; m. 2d, Mina Miller, 1886; children - Madeleine, Charles Theodore. At 12 years of age became newsboy on the Grand Trunk Ry.; later learned telegraphy; worked as operator at various places in U.S. and Canada; invented many telegraphic appliances, including automatic repeater, quadruplex telegraph, printing telegraph, etc. Established workshop at Newark, NJ, removing to Menlo Park, NJ, 1876, and later (1887) to West Orange, NJ. Invented machines for quadruplex and sextuplex telegraphic transmission; the electric pen and mimeograph; the carbon telephone transmitter; the microphone; the microtasimeter for detection of small changes in temperature; the megaphone; the phonograph; the incandescent lamp and light system; the electric valve, (at first called the "Edison effect"), now fundamentally essential in wireless telegraphy; a system of wireless telegraphy to and from moving railway trains; motion pictures; the telescribe; alkaline storage battery; since commencement of European War, 1914, designed, built and operated successfully several benzol plants; also 2 carbolic acid plants; also other chemical plants for making myrbane aniline oil, aniline salt, and paraphenylenediamine; has received patents for more than 1,000 inventions. Was made Chevalier, Officer, and afterwards Comdr. Legion of Honor, by French Govt.; apptd. 1903, hon. Chief consulting engr., St. Louis Expn, 1904. Awarded John Firtz medal, 1908; Rathenau medal (German), Am. Mus. of Safety, 1914; congressional gold medal, 1928, "for development and application of inventions that have revolutionized civilization in the last century". Pres. Naval Consulting Bd., July 1915 --. Made many war inventions for U.S. Govt. Home: West Orange, NJ. Died Oct. 18, 1931.

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Ford, Henry, automobile manufacturer; b. Dearborn Township, Wayne County, MI, July 30, 1863; s. William and Mary (Litogot) F; ed. in dist. sch., Dearborn, MI, D. Eng., U. of MI., 1926; LL.D., Colgate U., 1935; m. Clara J. Bryant, Apr. 11, 1888; 1 son, Edsel Bryant. Learned machinist's trade; in Detroit since 1887; was chief engr. Edison Illuminating Co.; organizer, 1903, pres. many yrs. Ford Motor Co. (largest mgr. of automobiles in the world, employing over 100,000 persons). Announced, 1914, plan of profit- sharing involving distribution of ten to thirty millions of dollars annually to employees. Mem. Soc. Automotive Engrs., Detroit Board of Commerce. Clubs: Detroit, Detroit Athletic Country, Detroit Boat, Automobile of America. Chartered ship, and at own expense conducted party to Europe, leaving New York, Dec. 4, 1915, with object of organizing a conf. of peace advocates to influence belligerent govts. to end the war; returned home after reaching Christiania, Norway, but members of the party preceeded to Stockholm, Sweden, and Copenhagen, Denmark, and through Germany to The Hague. Built Henry Ford Hosp. at cost of $7,500,000. Apptd. by Pres. Wilson mem. Wage Umpire Bd., July 13, 1918; Dem. Candidate for U.S. Senate against Truman H. Newberry, 1918. Author: My Life and Work, 1925; Today and Tomorrow, 1926; Moving Forward, 1931. Home: Dearborn, MI. Died Apr. 7, 1947.

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Gates, William Henry III, software company executive; b. Seattle, Wash, Oct. 28, 1955; s. William H. and Mary M. (Maxwell) G.; m. Melinda French, January 1, 1994. Grad. high sch., Seattle, 1973; student, Harvard U., 1975. With MITS, from 1975; founder, chmn. bd. Microsoft Corp., Redmond, Wash., 1976-, now also chief exec. officer. Author: The Future, 1994, The Road Ahead, 1996.Recipient Howard Vollum award, Reed Coll., Portland, Oreg., 1984, Nat. medal Tech. U.S. Dept. Commerce Tech. Adminstrn.,1992; named CEO of Yr., Chief Executive mag., 1994.Office: Microsoft Corp 1 Microsoft Way Redmond WA 98052-8300.

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Jobs, Steven Paul, computer corporation executive; b. 1955; adopted s. Paul J. and Clara J. (Jobs); m. Laurene Powell, Mar. 18, 1991. Student, Reed Coll. With Hewlett-Packard, Palo Alto, Calif.; designer video games Atari Inc., 1974; co-founder Apple Computer Inc., Cupertino, Calif., chmn. bd., 1975-85, former dir.; pres. NeXT, Inc., Redwood City, Calif., 1985-; chief exec. officer NeXT, Inc., Redwood City; interim CEO Apple Computer, Cupertino, Calif., 1997-; chmn., chief exec. officer Pixar Animation Studios.Co-designer: (with Stephan Wozniak) Apple I Computer, 1976. Recipient Nat. Medal Tech. presented by Pres. Ronald Reagan, Entrepreneur of the Decade award, Inc. Mag., Jefferson award for Pub. Svc. Office: Pixar Animation Studios 1001 W Cutting Blvd Ste 200 Richmond CA 94804-2028

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King, Martin Luther, JR., clergyman, civil rights leader; b. Atlanta, Jan. 15, 1929; s. Martin Luther and Alberta (Williams) K.; A.B. Morehouse Coll, 1948, L.H.D., 1957; B.D., Crozer Theol. Sem., 1951; Ph.D. (J. Louis Crozer fellow), Boston U., 1955, D.D., 1959; D.D., Chgo, Theol. Sem., 1957; LL.D., Howard U., 1957, Morgan State College, 1958; L.H.D., Central State College, 1958; special student University of Pennsylvania, dept. philosophy Harvard; m. Coretta Scott, June 17, 1953; children - Yolanda Denise, Dexter Scott, Bernise Albertina, Martin Luther III. Pastor Dexter Ave. Bapt. Ch., Montgomery, AL; pres. So. Christian Leadership Conf.; v.p. Nat. Sunday Sch. and Bapt. Tng. Union Congress of Nat. Baptist Convention, Incorporated. Pres. Montgomery Improvement Assn. Recipient Pearl Plafkner award for scholarship Crozer Theol. Sem., Chester, PA, 1951; selected one of 10 outstanding personalities of 1956, Time mag., 1957; recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, 1964; also numerous awards for leadership Montgomery Movement. Mem. N.A.A.C.P., Alpha Phi Alpha, Sigma Pi Phi, Elk. Author: Stride Toward Freedom, 1958. Contributor articles popular and religious periodicals. Crusader for civil rights, peace, and non-violence. Assassinated Memphis, TN Apr. 4, 1968; a martyr. Interment Atlanta, GA.

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Robinson, Jack Roosevelt, athlete, business exec; B. Cairo, GA Jan. 31, 1919; s. Jerry and Mallie (McGriff) R.; student U. California at Los Angeles, 1939-41; LL.D., Berthune Cookman Coll., Daytona Beach, FL, 1951, Howard U., 1957; m. Rachel A. Isum, Feb. 10, 1946; children - Jack Roosevelt (dec.), Sharon A., David R. First Negro to enter profl. baseball, 1946; played with Bklyn. Dodgers. 1946-56; retired, 1956; former v.p. Chock Full O'Nuts Co., New York City, Chmn. N.A.A.C.P. Fight for Freedom Fund, 1957. Mem. Bd. Parole Conn. State Prison; board of directors, aldo cons. A.T.I.; dir. YMCA Greater New York City, board mgrs. Harlem br. Served as 2d lt., cav., AUS, 1941-44. Recipient Spingarn medal, 1956. Mem. N.A.A.C.P., Nat. Conf. Christians and Jews. Home: Stamford CT. Died October 24, 1972.

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Roosevelt, Franklin D(elano), thirty-first President of the United States; b. Hyde Park, NY, Jan. 30, 1882; s. James and Sara (Delano) R.; A.B. Harvard, 1904; Columbia U. Law Sch., 1904-07; LL.D., Rutgers, 1933, Washington Coll., 1933, Yale, 1934, William and Mary Coll., 1934, U. of Notre Dame, 1935; Litt.D., Rollins Coll., 1936; Dr. Civil Law, Oxford U., Eng., 1941; M. Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, Mar. 17, 1905; children - Anna Eleanor (Mrs. John Boettiger), James, Elliott, Franklin D., John A. Admitted to New York bar, 1907; practiced with Carter, Ledyard & Milburn, New York, 1907-10; mem. firm of Roosevelt & O'Connor, 1924-33. Mem. NY Senate, 1910-Mar. 17, 1913 (resigned); asst. sec. of the Navy, 1913-20; elected gov. of New York for 2 terms, 1929-33; Dem. nominee for vice-pres. of U.S., 1920. Dem. nominee for President of U.S. 1932, elected for term, 1933-37; Dem. nominee for second term, 1936, re-elected for term 1937-41; Dem. nominee for third term, 1940, re-elected for term 1941-45. Dem. nominee for fourth term, 1944; re-elected for term, 1945-49. Mem. Hudson-Fulton Celebration Commn., 1909, Plattsburgh Centennial, 1913; member National Commission Panama P.I. Expedition, 1915, overseer Harvard U., 1918-24. Pres. American National Red Cross, Georgia Warm Spring Foundation. In charge of inspection United States Navel forces in European waters, July-Sept, 1918 and of demobilization in Europe, Jan.-Feb. 1919. Mem. Naval History Soc., NY Hist. Soc., Holland Soc., Alpha Delta Phi, Phi Beta Kappa, Mason, Episcopalian; sr. warden St. James Ch., Hyde Park. Author: Whither Bound, 1926; The Happy Warrior - Alfred E. Smith, 1928; Government - Not Politics, 1932; Looking Forward, 1933; On Our Way, 1934. Home: Hyde Park, Dutchess County, NY. Address: The White House, Washington, DC. Died April 12, 1945; interned at Hyde Park, NY.

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Watson, James Dewey, molecular biologist, educator; b. Chgo., Apr. 6, 1928; s. James Dewey and Jean (Mitchell) W.; m. Elizabeth Lewis, 1968; children: Rufus Robert, Duncan James. BS, U. Chgo., 1947, DSc (hon.), 1961; PhD in Zoology, Ind. U., 1950, DSc (hon.),1963; LLD (hon.), U. Notre Dame, 1965; DSc (hon.), L.I. U., 1970, Adelphi U., 1972, Brandeis U., 1973, Albert Einstein Coll. Medicine, 1974, Hofstra U., 1976, Harvard U., 1978, Rockefeller U., 1980, Clarkson Coll., 1981, SUNY, 1983; MD (hon.), U. Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1986; DSc (hon.), Rutgers U., 1988, Bard Coll.,1991, U. Cambridge, 1993, Fairfield U., 1993, U. Stellenbosch, 1993, U. Oxford; MD, Charles Univ., Prague, 1998.Rsch. fellow NRC, U. Copenhagen, 1950-51; Nat. Found. Infantile Paralysis fellow Cavendish Lab., Cambridge U., 1951-52, 55-56;sr. rsch. fellow biology Calif. Inst. Tech., 1953-55; asst. prof. biology Harvard U., 1955-58, assoc. prof., 1958-61, prof., 1961-76; dir. Cold Spring Harbor Lab., N.Y., 1968-93, pres., 1994-; assoc. dir. Nat. Ctr. for Human Genome Rsch.,NIH, 1988-89, dir. Nat. Ctr. for Human Genome Rsch.,, 1989-92; Newton-Abraham vis. prof. Oxford U., 1994.Author: Molceular Biology of the Gene, 1965, 4th edit., 1986, The Double Helix, 1968, (with John Tooze) The DNA Story, 1981, (with others) The Molecular Biology of the Cell, 1983, 2d edit., 1989, 3d edit. 1994, (with John Tooze and David Kurtz) Recombinant DNA, A Short Course, 1983, 2d edit.,1992. Named Hopn. fellow Clare Coll., Cambridge U.; recipient (with F.H.C. Crick) John Collins Warren prize Mass. Gen. Hosp., 1959, Eli Lilly award in biochemistry Am. Chem. Soc., 1959, Albert Lasker prize Am. Pub. Health Assn., 1960, (with F.H.C. Crick) Rsch. Corp. prize, 1962, (with F.H.C. Crick and M.H.F. Wilkins) Nobel prize in medicine, 1962, Presdl. Medal of Freedom, 1977, Kaul Found. award for excellence, 1993, Nat. Biotech. Venture award, 1993, Copley Medal, 1993, Charles A. Dana award, 1994, Lomonosov medal Russian Acad. Sci., 1995, Nat. medal of Sci., 1997.Mem. NAS (Carty medal 1971), Am. Philos. Soc., Am. Assn. CancerRsch., Am. Acad. Arts and Scis., Am. Soc. Biol. Chemistry, Royal Soc. (London),Acad. Scis. Russia, Danish Acad. Arts and Scis; Mendel Medal, Brno, 1998.Achievements include co-discovery of Double-Helix DNA. Home: Bungtown Rd Cold Spring Harbor NY 11724 Office: Cold Spring Harbor Lab PO Box 100 Cold Spring Harbor NY 11724-0100

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Wright, Orville, Inventor; b. Dayton, OH, Aug. 19, 1871; s. Milton and Susan Catharine (Koerner) W.; ed. pub. and high schs. to 1890; hon. B.S., Earlham Coll., IN, 1909, LL..D., 1931; Dr. Tech. Sci., Royal Tech. Coll., Munich, 1900; LL.D., Oberlin, 1910, Harvard Univ., 1930, Huntington (Ind.) Coll., 1935; Sc.D., Trinity, 1915. Cincinnati, 1917, Ohio State U., 1930; M.A., Yale, 1919; Dr. Engring., Univ. of Michigan, 1924; D.Sc., Otterbein Coll., Westville, Ohio, 1947; Doct of Engineering, University of Dayton, 1943; unmarried. With his late brother, Wilbur, was the first to fly with a heavier-than-air machine, Dec. 17, 1903, and with him the inventor of the system on control used in flying machines of today; dir. Wright Aeronautical Laboratory, Dayton OH. Awarded the Collier trophy, 1913, for development of the automatic stabilizer; gold medals: Aero Club of France, 1908; Aero Club of United Kingdom, 1908; Acad. of Sports of France, 1908; Aeronautical Soc. Gt. Britain, 1908; Congress of U.S., 1909; State of Ohio, 1909; City of Dayton, 1909; Aero Club America, 1909; French Acad. Sciences, 1909; Cross of Chevalier of Legion of Honor, French, 1909; Cross of Officer of Legion of Honor, French, 1909; Cross of Officer of Legion of Honor, 1924; Langley medal, Smithsonian Inst., 1910; Elliott Cresson medal, Franklin Inst., 1914; Albert medal. Royal Soc. Arts, 1917; The John Fritz medal, 1920; bronze medal, International Peace Society; The John Scott medal, 1925; Washington award, 1927; Distinguished Flying Cross awarded, Feb., 1929; Daniel Guggenheim medal, 1930; Franklin medal, 1933; Medal for Merit, 1947; hon. mem. Aero Club of Sarthe, France, Aeronautical Society, Great Britain, Aero Club of United Kingdom, Osterreichischen Flugtechnischen Vereines, Vienna, Verein Deutsher Flugtechniker, Berlin, American Society Mech. Engrs., Aeronautical Soc. America, Nat. Aeronautic Assn. (gov. at large, 1929-39), Nat. Exchange Club, Ohio Society of New York, Inst. Of Aeronautical Science, 1932, Franklin Inst., Nat. Fedn. Post Office Clerks, Inst. Of Mech. Engrs., London, Air Line Pilots Assn., Inc.; hon. fellow Royal Aeronautical Soc.; mem. Nat. Inventors Council, Nat. Acad. Sciences, Nat. Museum Engring. and Industry (v.p., 1924), Nat. Adv. Com. For Aeronatuics, A.A.A.S., Franklin Inst., S.A.E., Engineers' Club of Dayton (hon. Life); hon. scout Boy Scouts America. Mem. Daniel Guggenheim Fund for Promotion of Aeronautics; chmn. Advisory com., Daniel Guggenheim Sch. Of Aeronautics, New York Univ.; hon. Aircraft Pilot Certificate No. 1, issued by Civil Aeronautics Authority, 1940. Home: Park and Harmon Avs. Office: 15 N. Broadway, Dayton, OH. Died Jan. 30, 1948; buried Woodlawn Cemetery, Dayton.

Wright, Wilbur, aeronaut; b. nr. Millville, IN, Apr. 16, 1867; s. Milton and Susan Catharine (Koerner) W.; brother of Orville W.; ed. high schs., 4 yrs., Richmond, Ind., and Dayton, OH; (hon. B.S. Earlham College, IN, 1909; LL.D., Oberlin College, OH, 1910); unmarried. From 1903, with his brother, Orville, devoted time to heavier-than-air flying machine, patented by Wright Bros. in leading countries of world. Has made numerous flights in U.S. and abroad; sold a machine to U.S. Govt for $30,000. Awarded gold medal by French Academy Sciences, 1909; also many others. Mem. Aero Club of America. Home: Dayton, OH. Died May 30, 1912.

Contact: Michael Noerr Marquis Who's Who 1-800-473-7020 (ext. 1044)
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