Posted on 10/14/2005 5:38:44 PM PDT by Pharmboy
The Beatles were singled out on Friday as the most influential entertainers of the past 100 years, beating out the likes of Elvis Presley, Charlie Chaplin and Mickey Mouse, according to a survey conducted by show business newspaper Variety.
Behind the Fab Four's first-place finish, were in alphabetical order: jazz pioneer Louis Armstrong, television comedienne Lucille Ball, movie legends Humphrey Bogart, Marlon Brando, Charlie Chaplin, James Dean and Marilyn Monroe, cartoon hero Mickey Mouse and singers Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra.
Variety said the Beatles were named "Icons of the Century" because they were the entertainment personalities who made the biggest impact on the industry and the world in the past 100 years.
The newspaper published a list of 100 entertainers from all branches of show business, including actors, directors, screenwriters, musicians, television presenters, animals, comedians and cartoon characters. Among other names on the list were Johnny Carson, Johnny Cash and Lassie.
The winners were chosen by Variety editors based on polling of entertainment industry professionals and Variety staff and by online voting by the public on variety.com.
Among the criteria for selection were a performer's commercial, creative, political and social impact and even whether their image was presented -- like James Dean's -- on a t-shirt.
The list was to be published in Variety's Sunday issue to celebrate the paper's 100th anniversary. "It seemed only natural to celebrate 100 of the people who gave us something to talk about," said Steven Gaydos, the paper's executive editor.
I can't disagree.
Ok with that
reasonable but too nice.
I'd take El or The Duke.
If you lived through it, you know it's true......nothing ever hit like they did, and the PR machine never stopped because we WANTED IT....
At least it was not some Johnny-Come-Lately who has been famous for 6 months or so, like, say, Kanye West.
Beatles ushered in the death of that Old Time Rock and Roll
I renmember back in 64 with all the Ballyhoo about the Beatles I couldn't wait to hear one of their records
THEN a station finally , after all the anticipation , played "I Wanna Hold Your Hand"
I was stunned
A big NOTHING
Baby Boomers stuck on stupid.
What? No Desi Arnaz?
Elvis Presley.
Beatles were a group.
The others are individuals.
A good list...except for Dean.
And for youngsters here who might question the inclusion of Louis Armsrong -- known nowadays mostly for a tame rendition of a bad song (Hello Dolly), from the mid-1920s to the 30s he was a trailblazer of modern music. He was hot! From the 40s on, he was a unique entertainer whose charm, good nature and musical talent earned him the love and respect of America and the rest of the world. He was a breakthrough black artist at a time when breaking through for any black man was a risk. He's well worth checking out on Amazon.
Here ya go,
Yep....I think Elvis sort of pushed open mass appeal blues-gospel-country-appalachin-rockbilly-minstrel that all together became Rock and Roll.
Can't find the list...
Where exactly did Bob Hope place?
Seems a bit unfair to lump them all into one category.
How can you leave off people like Walt Disney or Cecil B. De Mille. These lists are usually slanted very much to modern times and ignores the tremendous impact that their predecessors made.
Amen. Never in the course of human history has so much money been made with so little talent. Anyone who thinks any of those guys could sing is deaf or crazy.
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