Biographies

Birgitta Ulfsson: Finnish-Swedish actress and theatre director Birgitta Ulfsson Biography of Birgitta Ulfsson (1928–2017), a prominent Finnish actress and theatre director active in Swedish-language theatre, television narrator roles, and postwar Scandinavian…

Birgitta Valberg Swedish stage and screen actress (1916–2014) celebrated for a long career at the Royal Dramatic Theatre, wide-ranging stage roles, and work in film and television.

Birinus — 7th-century missionary and first Bishop of Dorchester Birinus Birinus (d. c.650) was an early medieval missionary to the West Saxons and the first recorded Bishop of Dorchester; celebrated as a saint with a feast day on December 3.

Birkir Bjarnason — Icelandic professional footballer Birkir Bjarnason Icelandic central midfielder Birkir Bjarnason (born 27 May 1988) has played across Scandinavia, Belgium, Italy and Switzerland and scored Iceland’s first goal at a major tournament…

Birkir Már Sævarsson Icelandic professional footballer, versatile defender primarily known as a right fullback; played for Valur and Hammarby and was a member of Iceland's UEFA Euro 2016 squad.

Birth name The family or personal name given at birth or in early childhood; covers legal, cultural and social uses, distinctions such as maiden name, married name, né/née, and reasons for la…

Birthplace of Ronald Reagan (Graham Building), Tampico, Illinois Birthplace of Ronald Reagan Second-floor apartment where Ronald Reagan was born in 1911. The Graham Building is a late-19th-century brick commercial block in Tampico, Illinois, included in a registered histor…

Bisexuality: definition, variations, history, and social context Bisexuality An overview of bisexuality: meanings, variations and distinctions from related identities, historical notes, social issues and the biological use of 'bisexual'—with common misconce…

Bishop Bullwinkle (Bernard Thomas) — American singer and viral comedian Bishop Bullwinkle Stage name of Bernard Thomas (1948–2019), an American singer-comedian who combined sermon-style delivery, music and satire; best known for the viral video "Hell 2 Da Naw Naw" and a…

Bismarck: name, notable bearers, and cultural uses Bismarck Bismarck is a German family name (properly spelled Bismarck) associated with a Prussian noble house, the statesman Otto von Bismarck, place names, a WWII battleship, and culinary a…

Bismarck Barreto Faria Bismarck Barreto Faria (born 17 September 1969) is a Brazilian former attacking midfielder noted for technical skill, a club career in Brazil and Japan, and appearances for the Bra…

Bitsie Tulloch (Elizabeth Tulloch) — American film and television actress Bitsie Tulloch Elizabeth "Bitsie" Tulloch is an American actress known for roles in film and television, including Caroline and Jackie, Lakeview Terrace, and the NBC series Grimm.

Biwer: Commune and Town in Eastern Luxembourg Biwer Biwer is a commune and small town in eastern Luxembourg's canton of Grevenmacher, comprising several villages and local services including a school, cultural centre, pool and sport…

Bix Beiderbecke: American Jazz Cornetist and Pianist Bix Beiderbecke Bix Beiderbecke (1903–1931) was an influential American jazz cornetist, pianist and composer whose lyrical tone and innovative harmonies shaped 1920s jazz and anticipated later sty…

Bixente Lizarazu — French international and left-back Bixente Lizarazu Profile of Bixente Lizarazu, the French left-back from Saint-Jean-de-Luz: career overview, playing style, major honours (1998 World Cup, Euro 2000, 2001 Champions League) and post-…

Biz Markie: Life, music, and legacy of the ‘Clown Prince of Hip Hop’ Biz Markie Profile of Marcel 'Biz Markie' Hall: rapper, beatboxer and producer best known for 'Just a Friend', his albums, legal impact on sampling, cultural influence, and personal backgroun…

Biz Stone — American entrepreneur, co‑founder and creative technologist Biz Stone Biz Stone is an American software developer, entrepreneur and author best known as a co‑founder and creative leader of Twitter; he has launched startups, written on creativity, and…

Bjarne Stroustrup — Creator of C++ and Influential Computer Scientist Bjarne Stroustrup Danish-born computer scientist best known for designing C++, authoring its primary texts, and shaping modern systems and application programming approaches.

Bjorg Lambrecht — Belgian professional cyclist (1997–2019) Bjorg Lambrecht Belgian professional road cyclist for Lotto–Soudal, regarded as a promising young climber and stage racer; died after a crash during the 2019 Tour de Pologne at age 22.

Björk — Icelandic singer, composer and multimedia artist Björk Icelandic artist Björk (b. 1965) is a singer-songwriter, composer and multimedia innovator noted for experimental pop, distinctive voice, film work and striking visual and performa…

Björn Borg Swedish former world-class tennis player, five-time Wimbledon and six-time French Open champion; known for baseline play, fitness, and the rivalry with John McEnroe. Later became a…

Björn Engholm German Social Democratic politician born in Lübeck in 1939; served as Minister-President of Schleswig-Holstein (1988–1993) and as federal SPD leader (1991–1993).

Björn Granath (1946–2017): Swedish stage and screen actor Björn Granath Swedish actor Björn Granath had a long career on stage, film and television from the 1960s to 2017, appearing in more than fifty films and remaining a familiar presence in Swedish…

Björn Skifs: Swedish singer, songwriter, actor and screenwriter Björn Skifs Björn Skifs (born 1947) is a Swedish vocalist and entertainer known for leading Blue Swede, an international hit with "Hooked on a Feeling," work in film and theatre, and a long ca…

Björn Waldegård: Swedish World Rally Champion Björn Waldegård Björn Waldegård (1943–2014) was a Swedish rally driver who won the first World Rally Championship for drivers in 1979 and became one of Scandinavia's most respected competitors.

Bjørn Skaare: Norway’s first National Hockey League player Bjørn Skaare Bjørn Skaare (1958–1989) was a Norwegian ice hockey player who became the first from his country to appear in an NHL game. He debuted as a teenager and remains a notable figure in…

Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson: Norwegian novelist, playwright and Nobel laureate Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson Overview of Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson (1832–1910), his life, major works, political engagement, family ties, and legacy as a central figure in modern Norwegian literature.

Black (Colin Vearncombe) — English singer-songwriter Black (singer) Colin Vearncombe (1962–2016), known as Black, was an English singer-songwriter who moved from the punk scene to melancholic pop and achieved international success with the 1987 sin…

Black Beauty (novel) Black Beauty An 1877 novel by Anna Sewell told from a horse's viewpoint; influential in animal-welfare thought and widely adapted across stage, film, and television.

Black Lives Matter A decentralized international activist movement opposing systemic racism and police violence affecting Black people, known for the #BlackLivesMatter slogan and large-scale protests…

Blackjack Mulligan (Robert Jack Windham) — American professional wrestler Blackjack Mulligan Robert Jack Windham (1942–2016), known as Blackjack Mulligan, was an American professional wrestler and former football player, best known for his work in the territory era and as…

Blagovest Sendov — Bulgarian Mathematician, Politician and Diplomat Blagovest Sendov Overview of Blagovest Sendov (1932–2020): Bulgarian mathematician known for the Sendov conjecture, academic leader and public figure who served in the National Assembly and as amba…

Blaine Gabbert Blaine Gabbert is an American football quarterback who played college football at Missouri and has been both a starter and long-time NFL backup, including stints with the Jacksonvi…

Blaine Higgs — Premier of New Brunswick Blaine Higgs Blaine Higgs (born 1954) is a Canadian politician, leader of the New Brunswick Progressive Conservatives since 2016 and premier of New Brunswick since 2018, known for his engineeri…

Blaine Lindgren — American 110 m hurdler Blaine Lindgren Blaine Lindgren (1939–2019) was an American 110 m hurdler who won gold at the 1963 Pan American Games and a silver medal at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.

Blair Blair is a Scottish toponymic name used as both a surname and a unisex given name. It also denotes places, institutions, and cultural references, and is associated with several wel…

Blair Atcheynum Canadian retired professional ice hockey right winger of Cree First Nation descent who played 196 NHL regular-season games with Ottawa, Nashville, St. Louis and Chicago.

Blaise Compaoré — President of Burkina Faso (1987–2014) Blaise Compaoré Blaise Compaoré was president of Burkina Faso from 1987 to 2014. His rule began after a 1987 coup that killed Thomas Sankara and ended amid a popular uprising over a bid to extend…

Blaise Matuidi French professional footballer Blaise Matuidi (born 1987), a hard-working central midfielder, known for club spells at Saint-Étienne, PSG, Juventus and Inter Miami and as a 2018 Wo…

Blaise Pascal (1623–1662) Blaise Pascal French mathematician, physicist, inventor and writer whose contributions include probability theory, Pascal's triangle, experiments on pressure and the mechanical calculator, and i…

Blake Clark (actor and comedian) Blake Clark American stand-up comedian and character actor known for a raspy voice, longtime film supporting roles—especially with Adam Sandler—and for voicing Slinky Dog in Toy Story 3.

Blake Edwards Blake Edwards (1922–2010) was an American film director, screenwriter and producer celebrated for comic craftsmanship, the Pink Panther films, Breakfast at Tiffany's and collaborat…

Blake Griffin American professional basketball power forward known for athletic dunks, playmaking and a standout college career at the University of Oklahoma; long-time NBA contributor and multi…

Blake Heron (1982–2017) Blake Heron American actor best known for the role of Marty Preston in Shiloh (1996); child actor who appeared in film and television and whose death in 2017 followed struggles with addiction.

Blake Lively Blake Lively (born 1987) is an American actress and model best known for Gossip Girl and films such as The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, The Town, Green Lantern and The Age of…

Blake Shelton American country singer and television personality, known for hit singles and a long-running role as a coach on The Voice. Signed to Warner Nashville and noted for a blend of tradi…

Blake Wheeler: American NHL right winger and longtime Winnipeg Jets captain Blake Wheeler Profile of Blake Wheeler, American NHL right winger known for size, playmaking and leadership; longtime Winnipeg Jets captain who starred with the Thrashers/Jets, later joined Bost…

Blanca Fernández Ochoa — Spanish alpine skier and Olympic medalist Blanca Fernández Ochoa Spanish alpine ski racer Blanca Fernández Ochoa (1963–2019) won an Olympic bronze in 1992, competed in four Winter Games, and belonged to a prominent Spanish skiing family.