Joseph

Actor, filmmaker, hitRECord founder, versatile performer in 'Inception,' '500 Days of Summer,' 'Looper'

An acclaimed American actor and filmmaker, Joseph Gordon-Levitt is known for diverse roles in films like '500 Days of Summer,' 'Inception,' and 'Looper,' as well as his work as a director and producer with his production company hitRECord.

1981 – present

Surgeon, first kidney transplant, Nobel Prize winner, organ transplantation pioneer

An American surgeon and immunologist, Joseph Murray won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his pioneering work in organ transplantation, particularly performing the first successful human kidney transplant.

1919 – 2012

Snowmobile inventor, Bombardier Inc. founder, transportation and aerospace manufacturing

A Canadian inventor and entrepreneur, Joseph-Armand Bombardier created the snowmobile and founded Bombardier Inc., which became a major international manufacturer of transportation equipment and aerospace components.

1907 – 1964

Mythologist, 'The Hero with a Thousand Faces,' hero's journey concept, comparative mythology

An influential American mythologist and writer, Joseph Campbell revolutionized the study of comparative mythology and the hero's journey, profoundly influencing literature, film, and popular culture through works like 'The Hero with a Thousand Faces.'

1904 – 1987

Soviet dictator, totalitarian regime, World War II leadership, millions of deaths

The authoritarian leader of the Soviet Union from the mid-1920s until his death in 1953, Joseph Stalin transformed the USSR into a major industrial and military power while overseeing a totalitarian regime responsible for millions of deaths through purges, forced collectivization, and the Great Purge.

1878 – 1953

Newspaper publisher, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, New York World, Pulitzer Prize founder

A Hungarian-American newspaper publisher and journalist, Joseph Pulitzer transformed American journalism through his innovative and sensationalist approach to reporting, founded the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and New York World, and established the Pulitzer Prize.

1847 – 1911

LDS Church founder, Book of Mormon, American religious leader

An American religious leader and founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), Joseph Smith claimed to receive divine revelations and the Book of Mormon, establishing one of the largest American-born religions with millions of followers worldwide.

1805 – 1844

Chemist, oxygen discoverer, theologian, political philosopher, Enlightenment thinker

An English scientist, theologian, and philosopher, Joseph Priestley made significant contributions to chemistry, including the discovery of oxygen, and was also a prominent religious and political thinker who advocated for rational religion and democratic principles.

1733 – 1804

Composer, Father of the Symphony, Father of the String Quartet, 100+ symphonies

An Austrian composer of the Classical period, Joseph Haydn was a prolific and innovative musician who composed over 100 symphonies and numerous other works, profoundly influencing the development of the symphony and string quartet.

1732 – 1809