Happy Birthday

Through his ingenious comedy sketches, Flip Wilson and his eponymous variety show connected a racially divided world with laughter. On his birthday, we remember the life and laughs inspired by the comedian who declared, “Funny is an attitude.”

The founder of modern linguistics and one of the most esteemed (and controversial) political theorists and activists of our age, Noam Chomsky has inspired, aggravated and astounded many. The first to devise a theory about the biological innateness of language and a vocal critic of American foreign policy and media, he continues to be a source of unparalleled insight and inflammatory remarks.

One of America’s most revered and respected jazz and classical pianists and composers, Dave Brubeck has remained prolific throughout his six decades of performing on stages across the world.

Although Walt Disney’s first illustration company went broke, the ambitious animator took his sketchbook to Hollywood where he made it big with a mouse named Mickey. Disney pioneered the field of animation, creating the first sound-synchronized cartoon, the first cartoon in color, the first full-length feature cartoon and, of course, the first cartoon theme park.

Rainer Maria Rilke spent his life traveling the globe. Despite a variety of lovers and locales—Prague, Munich, Rome, Paris and Switzerland—Rilke remained alone, seeking a level of self-knowledge that only solitude and introspection could offer him. Although he wrote several volumes of poetry, he is best known for a series of letters written in his later years and published as “Letters to a Young Poet.”

Tirelessly devoted to both her renowned father and his revolutionary but controversial psychoanalytic theory, Anna Freud was Sigmund Freud’s youngest daughter, and sole heir to his clinical tradition. She was an innovator in her own right, largely credited with developing theories regarding the emotional lives of  children, as well as a committed teacher and advocate.

Although his artistic career lasted only a decade, Georges Seurat’s influence has stood the test of time. Popularized with his famous work “Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte,” his method of painting with precisely placed small dots is a famous and often imitated technique, blending science and beauty on a single canvas.

After showing early artistic skill, Marie Tussaud apprenticed under one of the greatest wax modelers of her time. She made it—just barely—through the French Revolution and coupled her craft with keen financial acumen to create a business that still thrives today.

It’s findingDulcinea’s first birthday. In celebration, we look back at the company’s first year and discuss our plans for the future.

Writer Truman Capote emerged from the small town of Monroeville, Alabama to become one of the most visible writers of the 1950s and ’60s. His book “In Cold Blood” inspired a new form of reporting that came to be called New Journalism, while his short stories and novels, like “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” often reflected the cultural landscape of New York City society.

The nuclear age couldn’t have come about without physicist Enrico Fermi, a Nobel-winning pioneer in the field of nuclear fission. His discoveries led to the atomic bomb that ended World War II.

Michelangelo Merisi, popularly known as Caravaggio, spearheaded the Baroque movement, and his paintings are still acclaimed for their realism and their depiction of the violent, darker side of humanity. The 16th-century painter once said, “All works, no matter what or by whom painted, are nothing but bagatelles and childish trifles ... unless they are made and painted from life.”

Rebel, patriot and politician Samuel Adams helped organize protests against the Stamp Act of 1765 and the Tea Act of 1773 and developed a base of resistance that would eventually lead to the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

As a philosopher, theologian, poet, playwright and essayist working in the early 20th century, T.S. Eliot saw and described the American and European landscape of both World War I and World War II. The writer of such unforgettable poems as “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,” “The Waste Land,” and “The Four Quartets,” Eliot was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1948.

Barbara Walters, the first woman news anchor on television, quashed the lie that women had no place in the news industry. Through “Barbara Walters Specials” she has reached out to politicians, media darlings, rock stars and murderers, asking tough questions in sensitive ways and bringing unique insights to the character of the world’s most loved and most hated personalities.

F. Scott Fitzgerald was one of 20th century America’s greatest authors. His short stories and novels explored the wealth, hopes and moral indifference of the new-rich men and women of the 1920s, a time he dubbed the “Jazz Age.” His novel, “The Great Gatsby,” is an American masterpiece.

Nicknamed “The Genius” for his ability to weave musical genres together and excel in all areas of performance, Ray Charles was a distinctly American legend. Although he grappled with blindness, drug addiction and physical ailments, Charles never lost his desire to perform and innovate, which won him a devoted fan base and critical acclaim throughout his career.

An idyllic farm surrounded by vineyards and olive groves in the Tuscan countryside was the setting for Andrea Bocelli’s childhood. But this soft-spoken singer, beloved by fans of both opera and pop music, has also faced challenges, tackling critics of his career moves, skeptics of his talent and his blindness with gusto.

Sultan Abdulhamid II, who ruled the Ottoman Empire for more than 30 years, earned a reputation both as an oppressive leader and a champion of Turkish industry, education and culture.

Best known for exposing horrific practices in the meatpacking industry with his novel, “The Jungle,” Upton Sinclair was more than just a muckraker. From organizing a utopian commune to running for office, the sworn socialist was relentless in his quest for reform.

By age 16, Twiggy was an international sensation, appearing on catwalks and magazine covers worldwide. She redefined the fashion world with her stick-thin body, popularizing the waif look over the more voluptuous pinups. When she retired from modeling at 20, Twiggy pursued a career in film and theater. She has recently been seen as the face of Marks & Spencer and plans to write a fashion book for women over 40.

Celebrated writer William Carlos Williams is noted for his influence on the development of the short story form in 20th century American literature. His distinctive literary prose is marked by an exploration of human nature deepened by his lifelong commitment to his “day job” as a physician.

Lauren Bacall got her start at age 19 as a sultry screen siren alongside future husband Humphrey Bogart, 25 years her senior. She went on to win Tony, Golden Globe and Lifetime Achievement Awards for her work in theater and film, as well as the National Book Award for one of her autobiographies.

Lauded after his death as the greatest of all movie directors, Jean Renoir’s work as a filmmaker earned comparatively few words of praise while he was living. From a childhood in Montmartre sitting as a model for his famous Impressionist-painter father to a Best Director Oscar nomination, Renoir’s legacy of creativity carried him through a colorful life.

After seeing what she felt were too many women dying a result of unintended pregnancy, Margaret Sanger decided it was time for a revolution. She brought birth control—and controversy—to the masses, operating under the belief that every child should be a wanted child. In the 1920s, she sparked a heated national conversation about reproductive choice that continues to this day.

Best known for his bestselling children’s novels, author Roald Dahl’s life was nearly as dark and twisted as that of a character in one of his books. An intensely unhappy childhood, his adventures as a flying ace and intelligence agent in World War II and a life marked by tragedy all provided rich fodder for a lifetime of stories.

H.L. Mencken was an outspoken journalist, inspiring anger and devotion among readers. But to those who knew him best, he was a generous and loyal friend whose controversial critiques could not overshadow his contribution to American culture and knowledge of the English language.

At the end of his life, D.H. Lawrence wrote, “For man, as for flower and beast and bird, the supreme triumph is to be most vividly, most perfectly alive.” His work always strove to reconcile the needs of the body with an intellectual existence; however, in his life, his sickly body often held back the progress of his gifted mind.

Renowned for both his revolutionary contributions to evolutionary biology and his ability to make science accessible to the public, Stephen Jay Gould drew upon science, sports, pop culture and art to craft a remarkable career.

Leo Tolstoy proclaimed, “The sole meaning of life is to serve humanity.” His rebellion toward society, and his philosophical and idealistic outlook fashioned his paradoxical and inquisitive nature. His romantic prose, attitude for nonviolence, and dedication to ideals influenced many political and spiritual leaders. As professor Andy Kaufman points out, “he was more than a great writer, he was a phenomenon.”