Famous People Facts

Picasso could draw before he could walk and his first word was the Spanish word for pencil.

John Harvey Kellogg, doctor: The man who started Kellogg's brand cereal � and all their eventual offshoot products � was a doctor before he became an entrepreneur. Inspired by his commitment to health and nutrition, Kellogg was the chief physician at the Western Health Reform Institute of Battle Creek, which promoted healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle. He had nontraditional health beliefs, though: he was convinced most illnesses were caused by bowel irregularity and/or stomach disorders, or by sex (he often claimed that he and his wife of 40 years had never consummated their marriage). A health book author and lecturer, Kellogg and his brother started the Kellogg cereal company and invented wheat and corn flakes, virtually on accident, due to budget constraints and a batch of overcooked dough.

Harry Truman, haberdasher:
The president who dropped the A-bomb had much more humble beginnings. He was a bank clerk and bookkeeper, served in the National Guard and in WWI, and after the war, opened his own men's haberdashery store in Kansas City, MO, with a friend.

Graham Chapman, doctor:
Before Monty Python success, Chapman wrote for the BBC and worked on radio and TV series, with John Cleese and other future collaborators. But even before the entertainment business, the British actor and writer studied at the Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry. He met Cleese at this time, and together, the two wrote sketches together. While some sources say that Chapman did not practice medicine professionally, others say that he was a doctor for a few years before turning to show business full time.

Grover Cleveland, sheriff and executioner:
Twenty-second President of the United States Grover Cleveland was the first Democrat elected after the Civil War, but his early days in politics were less demonstrative. After losing the race for New York's Erie County DA, he was elected sheriff for the area, and even carried out hangings personally, to save himself the $10 executioner fee.

Ronald Reagan, movie star:
Considered one of the most influential and widely revered presidents in U.S. history, Ronald Reagan won over the American public long before he got into politics. First working as a radio sports announcer after college, Reagan joined the movie business in the late 30s after appearing as an announcer in a film. In all, he acted in over 50 films, the last of which was released in 1964.

Elisabeth Hasselback, shoe designer:
Talk show host Elisabeth Hasselback has just been announced as a new Good Morning America contributor, but before her TV career, she worked as a shoe designer for Puma. Hasselback � then Elisabeth Filarski � graduated with an MFA from Boston College in 1999 and also appeared on Survivor: The Australian Outback during a break from Puma.

Ken Jeong, doctor:
Actor and comedian Ken Jeong quickly became one of the most in-demand supporting actors after cameos and memorable roles in the TV show Community and of course, The Hangover, but Jeong wasn't a struggling actor before landing some of the biggest comedies in recent years. Knocked Up was actually Jeong's first film, and before getting into the movie business, Jeong was an internal medicine doctor. He graduated from University of North Carolina Chapel Hill's medical school, completed his residency in New Orleans, but then won a stand-up comedy competition and moved to LA, where he began appearing in top shows like Curb Your Enthusiasm and The Office.