TIMELINER

History's most surprising connections

Who Was Alive in 1958

119 of 328 historical figures were alive in 1958

Winston Churchill
Winston ChurchillAge 84
1874–1965 · Politics & Leadership
British PM who led WWII effort
Carl Jung
Carl JungAge 83
1875–1961 · Philosophy & Thought
Analytical psychology, archetypes
Lise Meitner
Lise MeitnerAge 80
1878–1968 · Science & Invention
Discovered nuclear fission, overlooked for Nobel
Pablo Picasso
Pablo PicassoAge 77
1881–1973 · Art
Cubism, Guernica, most prolific artist
Igor Stravinsky
Igor StravinskyAge 76
1882–1971 · Music
The Rite of Spring, modern classical
Coco Chanel
Coco ChanelAge 75
1883–1971 · Business & Industry
Fashion icon, Chanel No. 5
Niels Bohr
Niels BohrAge 73
1885–1962 · Science & Invention
Atomic model, quantum mechanics pioneer
Erwin Schrödinger
Erwin SchrödingerAge 71
1887–1961 · Science & Invention
Schrödinger's cat, wave equation
Georgia O'Keeffe
Georgia O'KeeffeAge 71
1887–1986 · Art
Mother of American modernism
Charlie Chaplin
Charlie ChaplinAge 69
1889–1977 · Film & Entertainment
The Tramp, silent film legend
Ho Chi Minh
Ho Chi MinhAge 68
1890–1969 · Politics & Leadership
Revolutionary leader of Vietnam
Agatha Christie
Agatha ChristieAge 68
1890–1976 · Literature
Best-selling mystery novelist ever
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. EisenhowerAge 68
1890–1969 · Politics & Leadership
WWII Supreme Commander, 34th US President
Charles de Gaulle
Charles de GaulleAge 68
1890–1970 · Politics & Leadership
Leader of Free France, French President
Haile Selassie
Haile SelassieAge 66
1892–1975 · Politics & Leadership
Emperor of Ethiopia, Rastafari symbol
J.R.R. Tolkien
J.R.R. TolkienAge 66
1892–1973 · Literature
The Lord of the Rings, Middle-earth
Mao Zedong
Mao ZedongAge 65
1893–1976 · Politics & Leadership
Founder of the People's Republic of China
Buster Keaton
Buster KeatonAge 63
1895–1966 · Film & Entertainment
Silent film comedian, The General
Golda Meir
Golda MeirAge 60
1898–1978 · Politics & Leadership
Fourth Prime Minister of Israel
Duke Ellington
Duke EllingtonAge 59
1899–1974 · Music
Jazz legend, big band pioneer
Ernest Hemingway
Ernest HemingwayAge 59
1899–1961 · Literature
The Old Man and the Sea, Nobel laureate
Jorge Luis Borges
Jorge Luis BorgesAge 59
1899–1986 · Literature
Labyrinths, master of magical realism
Alfred Hitchcock
Alfred HitchcockAge 59
1899–1980 · Film & Entertainment
Master of Suspense — Psycho, Vertigo
Werner Heisenberg
Werner HeisenbergAge 57
1901–1976 · Science & Invention
Uncertainty principle, quantum mechanics pioneer
Louis Armstrong
Louis ArmstrongAge 57
1901–1971 · Music
What a Wonderful World, jazz trumpet
Walt Disney
Walt DisneyAge 57
1901–1966 · Film & Entertainment
Created Mickey Mouse, Disney empire
Hirohito
HirohitoAge 57
1901–1989 · Politics & Leadership
Emperor of Japan during WWII
Bob Hope
Bob HopeAge 55
1903–2003 · Film & Entertainment
Comedian, entertainer for 80+ years
Robert Oppenheimer
Robert OppenheimerAge 54
1904–1967 · Science & Invention
Father of the atomic bomb
Salvador Dalí
Salvador DalíAge 54
1904–1989 · Art
The Persistence of Memory, surrealist
Jean-Paul Sartre
Jean-Paul SartreAge 53
1905–1980 · Philosophy & Thought
Existentialism, declined the Nobel Prize
Hannah Arendt
Hannah ArendtAge 52
1906–1975 · Philosophy & Thought
The Banality of Evil, political theorist
Rachel Carson
Rachel CarsonAge 51
1907–1964 · Activism & Social Change
Silent Spring, environmental movement
Simone de Beauvoir
Simone de BeauvoirAge 50
1908–1986 · Philosophy & Thought
The Second Sex, feminist existentialist
Kwame Nkrumah
Kwame NkrumahAge 49
1909–1972 · Politics & Leadership
First President of Ghana
Dorothy Hodgkin
Dorothy HodgkinAge 48
1910–1994 · Science & Invention
Nobel Prize for X-ray crystallography of biochemical substances
Mother Teresa
Mother TeresaAge 48
1910–1997 · Activism & Social Change
Missionary of Charity in Calcutta
Akira Kurosawa
Akira KurosawaAge 48
1910–1998 · Film & Entertainment
Seven Samurai, master filmmaker
Jacques Cousteau
Jacques CousteauAge 48
1910–1997 · Exploration
Ocean explorer, pioneered scuba diving
Rosa Parks
Rosa ParksAge 45
1913–2005 · Activism & Social Change
Mother of the civil rights movement
Jesse Owens
Jesse OwensAge 45
1913–1980 · Sports
4 gold medals at 1936 Berlin Olympics
Hedy Lamarr
Hedy LamarrAge 44
1914–2000 · Science & Invention
Hollywood star who co-invented frequency hopping
Orson Welles
Orson WellesAge 43
1915–1985 · Film & Entertainment
Citizen Kane, War of the Worlds broadcast
Frank Sinatra
Frank SinatraAge 43
1915–1998 · Music
My Way, Ol' Blue Eyes
Billie Holiday
Billie HolidayAge 43
1915–1959 · Music
Strange Fruit, jazz vocal legend
Roald Dahl
Roald DahlAge 42
1916–1990 · Literature
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
John F. Kennedy
John F. KennedyAge 41
1917–1963 · Politics & Leadership
35th US President, Space Race
Ella Fitzgerald
Ella FitzgeraldAge 41
1917–1996 · Music
First Lady of Song, jazz icon
Indira Gandhi
Indira GandhiAge 41
1917–1984 · Politics & Leadership
First female Prime Minister of India
Ingmar Bergman
Ingmar BergmanAge 40
1918–2007 · Film & Entertainment
The Seventh Seal, master of art cinema
Nelson Mandela
Nelson MandelaAge 40
1918–2013 · Politics & Leadership
Anti-apartheid hero, South African President
Richard Feynman
Richard FeynmanAge 40
1918–1988 · Science & Invention
Quantum electrodynamics, bongo-playing physicist
Edmund Hillary
Edmund HillaryAge 39
1919–2008 · Exploration
First to summit Mount Everest
Jackie Robinson
Jackie RobinsonAge 39
1919–1972 · Sports
Broke baseball's color barrier
Rosalind Franklin
Rosalind FranklinAge 38
1920–1958 · Science & Invention
Key to discovering DNA's structure
Stan Lee
Stan LeeAge 36
1922–2018 · Film & Entertainment
Co-created Spider-Man, X-Men, Marvel
Marlon Brando
Marlon BrandoAge 34
1924–2004 · Film & Entertainment
The Godfather, method acting pioneer
James Baldwin
James BaldwinAge 34
1924–1987 · Literature
Go Tell It on the Mountain, civil rights essayist
Patrice Lumumba
Patrice LumumbaAge 33
1925–1961 · Politics & Leadership
First Prime Minister of independent Congo
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret ThatcherAge 33
1925–2013 · Politics & Leadership
The Iron Lady, British Prime Minister
B.B. King
B.B. KingAge 33
1925–2015 · Music
King of the Blues
Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn MonroeAge 32
1926–1962 · Film & Entertainment
Hollywood icon, cultural legend
Fidel Castro
Fidel CastroAge 32
1926–2016 · Politics & Leadership
Cuban revolutionary leader
Gabriel García Márquez
Gabriel García MárquezAge 31
1927–2014 · Literature
One Hundred Years of Solitude
James Watson
James WatsonAge 30
1928–present · Science & Invention
Co-discovered the structure of DNA
Andy Warhol
Andy WarholAge 30
1928–1987 · Art
Pop art icon, Campbell's Soup Cans
Stanley Kubrick
Stanley KubrickAge 30
1928–1999 · Film & Entertainment
2001: A Space Odyssey, perfectionist auteur
Maya Angelou
Maya AngelouAge 30
1928–2014 · Literature
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Che Guevara
Che GuevaraAge 30
1928–1967 · Politics & Leadership
Argentine revolutionary icon
Vera Rubin
Vera RubinAge 30
1928–2016 · Science & Invention
Discovered evidence for dark matter
Noam Chomsky
Noam ChomskyAge 30
1928–present · Philosophy & Thought
Father of modern linguistics, political activist
Martin Luther King Jr.
Martin Luther King Jr.Age 29
1929–1968 · Activism & Social Change
"I Have a Dream," civil rights leader
Audrey Hepburn
Audrey HepburnAge 29
1929–1993 · Film & Entertainment
Breakfast at Tiffany's, humanitarian
Grace Kelly
Grace KellyAge 29
1929–1982 · Film & Entertainment
Hollywood star turned Princess of Monaco
Chinua Achebe
Chinua AchebeAge 28
1930–2013 · Literature
Things Fall Apart, father of modern African literature
Neil Armstrong
Neil ArmstrongAge 28
1930–2012 · Exploration
First human to walk on the Moon
Ray Charles
Ray CharlesAge 28
1930–2004 · Music
The Genius of Soul, Georgia On My Mind
Tu Youyou
Tu YouyouAge 28
1930–present · Science & Invention
Discovered artemisinin, Nobel Prize in Medicine
Desmond Tutu
Desmond TutuAge 27
1931–2021 · Activism & Social Change
Anti-apartheid cleric, Nobel Peace Prize
Toni Morrison
Toni MorrisonAge 27
1931–2019 · Literature
Beloved, Nobel Prize in Literature
Johnny Cash
Johnny CashAge 26
1932–2003 · Music
The Man in Black, country music legend
Elizabeth Taylor
Elizabeth TaylorAge 26
1932–2011 · Film & Entertainment
Cleopatra, golden age Hollywood star
Sylvia Plath
Sylvia PlathAge 26
1932–1963 · Literature
The Bell Jar, confessional poetry
Yoko Ono
Yoko OnoAge 25
1933–present · Art
Avant-garde artist, peace activist
Wole Soyinka
Wole SoyinkaAge 24
1934–present · Literature
First African Nobel laureate in Literature
Yuri Gagarin
Yuri GagarinAge 24
1934–1968 · Exploration
First human in space
Carl Sagan
Carl SaganAge 24
1934–1996 · Science & Invention
Cosmos, pale blue dot, science communicator
Jane Goodall
Jane GoodallAge 24
1934–present · Science & Invention
World's foremost expert on chimpanzees
Dalai Lama
Dalai LamaAge 23
1935–present · Philosophy & Thought
Tibetan spiritual leader, Nobel Peace Prize
Elvis Presley
Elvis PresleyAge 23
1935–1977 · Music
The King of Rock and Roll
Woody Allen
Woody AllenAge 23
1935–present · Film & Entertainment
Annie Hall, prolific filmmaker
Pope Francis
Pope FrancisAge 22
1936–2025 · Philosophy & Thought
First pope from the Americas
Francis Ford Coppola
Francis Ford CoppolaAge 19
1939–present · Film & Entertainment
The Godfather trilogy, Apocalypse Now
Pelé
PeléAge 18
1940–2022 · Sports
The King of Football, 3 World Cups
Bruce Lee
Bruce LeeAge 18
1940–1973 · Film & Entertainment
Martial arts legend, Enter the Dragon
John Lennon
John LennonAge 18
1940–1980 · Music
The Beatles, Imagine
Wangari Maathai
Wangari MaathaiAge 18
1940–2011 · Activism & Social Change
Kenyan environmentalist, first African woman Nobel laureate
Bob Dylan
Bob DylanAge 17
1941–present · Music
Blowin' in the Wind, Nobel Prize in Literature
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad AliAge 16
1942–2016 · Sports
The Greatest, heavyweight boxing champion
Aretha Franklin
Aretha FranklinAge 16
1942–2018 · Music
Queen of Soul, Respect
Jimi Hendrix
Jimi HendrixAge 16
1942–1970 · Music
Greatest electric guitarist of all time
Stephen Hawking
Stephen HawkingAge 16
1942–2018 · Science & Invention
Black holes, A Brief History of Time
Billie Jean King
Billie Jean KingAge 15
1943–present · Sports
Tennis champion, gender equality advocate
George Harrison
George HarrisonAge 15
1943–2001 · Music
The Beatles, My Sweet Lord
Janis Joplin
Janis JoplinAge 15
1943–1970 · Music
Piece of My Heart, rock and blues
Jim Morrison
Jim MorrisonAge 15
1943–1971 · Music
The Doors, Light My Fire
Aung San Suu Kyi
Aung San Suu KyiAge 13
1945–present · Activism & Social Change
Myanmar democracy leader, Nobel laureate
Bob Marley
Bob MarleyAge 13
1945–1981 · Music
Reggae icon, One Love
Freddie Mercury
Freddie MercuryAge 12
1946–1991 · Music
Queen, Bohemian Rhapsody
Steven Spielberg
Steven SpielbergAge 12
1946–present · Film & Entertainment
Jaws, Schindler's List, greatest blockbuster director
David Bowie
David BowieAge 11
1947–2016 · Music
Ziggy Stardust, musical chameleon
Haruki Murakami
Haruki MurakamiAge 9
1949–present · Literature
Norwegian Wood, surreal modern fiction
Robin Williams
Robin WilliamsAge 7
1951–2014 · Film & Entertainment
Good Will Hunting, comedy genius
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah WinfreyAge 4
1954–present · Film & Entertainment
Media mogul, cultural icon
Steve Jobs
Steve JobsAge 3
1955–2011 · Business & Industry
Co-founded Apple, changed technology
Ai Weiwei
Ai WeiweiAge 1
1957–present · Art
Chinese dissident artist, Sunflower Seeds
Michael Jackson
Michael JacksonAge 0
1958–2009 · Music
King of Pop, Thriller
Prince
PrinceAge 0
1958–2016 · Music
Purple Rain, multi-instrumentalist genius
Keith Haring
Keith HaringAge 0
1958–1990 · Art
Pop art and graffiti-inspired works
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