We look up to our idols for an array of reasons: They star in massive films and on hit television shows; they land on the top of the music charts; they lead social movements; and they may even break world records with their athletic prowess. Throughout the years, the world’s biggest male icons have ranged from singers and A-list actors to presidents and civil rights leaders. Curious who the most prominent male icon was the year you were born? From Humphrey Bogart and Cary Grant to Michael Jordan and John F. Kennedy, we’ve rounded up the most famous men in pop culture history—one for every year since 1940—to create one seriously iconic list.
A 1940 Time cover story on vaudevillian Mikey Rooney deemed him “Hollywood’s No. 1 box office bait … not Clark Gable, Errol Flynn or Tyrone Power, but a rope-haired, kazoo-voiced kid with a comic-strip face.” Yes, in 1939, 1940, and 1941, Rooney was the biggest box office star in the world; in fact, per the Time story, in 1939 alone the actor brought in some $30 million (more than $549 million in today’s terms).
In 1941, baseball player Joe DiMaggio accomplished one of the greatest sports feats of all time: a 56-game hitting streak. The New York Yankee was later inducted into the Hall of Fame, with the first line of his Cooperstown plaque paying homage to his iconic streak, which is still a record to this day.
In 1942, Bing Crosby crooned the ever-popular holiday song “White Christmas” in his movie Holiday Inn and it quickly rose to No. 1 on the Billboard charts. Since then, the record has sold more than 50 million copies globally, making it one of the best-selling singles of all time.
James Cagney’s ability to embrace both comedic and dramatic roles made him one of Hollywood’s top stars. In 1943, he took home the Oscar for Best Actor for his performance in Yankee Doodle Dandy—and in that same year, he also starred in Johnny Come Lately.
Humphrey Bogart was one of the biggest male icons of the ’40s. Following his appearance in 1942’s Casablanca, Hollywood finally saw that Bogart could play something other than a hardcore gangster, leading to him being cast in the 1944 film To Have and Have Not. It was during the filming of this flick that he met Lauren Bacall, who he fell in love with and married.
1945: Dana Andrews
Dana Andrews
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Dana Andrews was a leading actor throughout the decade. But 1945’s massive hit State Fair showed that the typically dramatic actor had some musical chops too.
1946: James Stewart
Jimmy Stewart
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Following his notable performances in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and The Philadelphia Story, James Stewart truly solidified his place as a leading actor in Hollywood when he starred in 1946’s It’s a Wonderful Life. That film is still one of the most beloved Christmas movies of all time.
1947: Jackie Robinson
Jackie Robinson
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In 1947, Jackie Robinson played his first game with the Brooklyn Dodgers. But that first game—and Robinson’s subsequent career in professional baseball—was about so much more than athletics. He broke down barriers for all Black players.
1948: Ed Sullivan
Ed Sullivan on “The Ed Sullivan Show”
CBS
The Ed Sullivan Show first aired on national television in 1948. Hosted by reporter and TV personality Ed Sullivan, the show brought live music to American homes every Sunday night. The show—and its host—continued to be household staples for 23 years.
1949: Laurence Olivier
Laurence Olivier in “Hamlet”
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English actor Laurence Olivier was a well-known presence on the British stage throughout the ’30s and ’40s. And in 1949, he officially infiltrated Hollywood when he won an Oscar for his performance in the film version of Hamlet.
1950: Kirk Douglas
Kirk Douglas in 1950
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Following his first Best Actor nomination for Champion at the 1950 Oscars, Kirk Douglas’ career took off. All throughout the 1950s, Douglas was dominating the big screen in flicks like Ace in the Hole, Detective Story, and Lonely Are the Brave, as a self-assertive and daring bad boy. But it was the start of the decade that really set the tone.
1951: Tony Bennett
Tony Bennett “The Singles Collection” album cover
Acrobat
In 1951, newcomer Tony Bennett released “Because of You,” a pop ballad that topped the charts for weeks after it was released. In that same year, he also had hits with his covers of Hank Williams’ “Cold, Cold Heart” and Bernie Wayne’s “Blue Velvet.”
1952: Gene Kelly
Gene Kelly in “Singin’ in the Rain”
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In 1951, actor Gene Kelly made waves with his performance in An American in Paris, but the following year is when he got his even bigger break, starring in the classic film Singin’ in the Rain. In his review, Roger Ebert called the film “a transcendent experience” and noted that “Kelly and [Donald] O’Connor were established as stars when the film was made in 1952.”
1953: Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra “Young-at-Heart” album cover
Capitol Records
There are so many years one could say belonged to crooning sensation Frank Sinatra, but we’re giving him the 1953 spot to acknowledge the year that his career was revitalized following a bit of a slump. In addition to starring in the movie From Here to Eternity in ’53, Sinatra also released hit singles like “I’m Walking Behind You” and “I’ve Got the World on a String.”
1954: William Holden
William Holden and Donna Reed with their Oscars
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In 1954, William Holden won the Oscar for Best Actor for his performance in the film Stalag 17. At the time, The New York Times noted that Holden’s character, J.J. Sefton had “nerve, ingenuity, and a certain valor. Mr. Holden plays him exceedingly well.” Also in 1954, Holden starred in the notable films Executive Suite and Sabrina.
1955: Bill Haley
Bill Haley “Rock Around the Clock” album cover
Decca
In 1955, Bill Haley & His Comets saw their song “Rock Around the Clock” top the charts, thanks to its inclusion in the film Blackboard Jungle. According to Rolling Stone, the song was essentially the “first No. One of the rock & roll era.” Before another man took over the title, Haley was briefly king.
1956: Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley recording in 1956
Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Elvis Presley dominated the music world for years, but 1956 is when he first crossed over into the mainstream. It was during this year that he released “Don’t Be Cruel” and “Hound Dog” and made his first hip-shaking appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. As Rolling Stone put it, “1956 became the summer of Elvis… and the rest is history.”
1957: Mickey Mantle
Mickey Mantle
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In 1957, six years after his first game with the Yankees, baseball legend Mickey Mantle won his second consecutive MVP award. A Sports Illustrated cover story in ’57 described the player as “every boy’s dream miraculously come to life.”
1958: Ricky Nelson
Ricky Nelson
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In 1958, teen heartthrob Ricky Nelson released his self-titled album; it includes the song “Poor Little Fool,” which became the very first song to ever top the Billboard Hot 100 chart. At the same time, Nelson was also a regular on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet and the following year, his success as a recording artist led to his starring role in Rio Bravo alongside John Wayne and Dean Martin. Not too shabby for an 18-year-old kid!
1959: Johnny Horton
Johnny Horton
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The year 1959 was a good one for honky tonk singer Johnny Horton. It was when he released such hits as “When It’s Springtime in Alaska (It’s Forty Below)” and “The Battle of New Orleans,” the latter of which turned him into an international sensation. Though he went on to win a Grammy for “The Battle of New Orleans” in 1959, the following year, his life was cut short by a car crash. Horton died at just 35 years old.
1960: Ray Charles
Ray Charles “Georgia on My Mind” single cover
ABC-Paramount
In the ’50s, Ray Charles solidified himself as one of the founding fathers of the soul music genre. In 1960, though, he truly entered the mainstream with his successful crossover album, The Genius Hits the Road—and specifically the single “Georgia on My Mind.” In 1960, the song earned him two of his four Grammys that year.
1961: John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy on a boat
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Though he was only president for a few years, John F. Kennedy made a lasting impact during his short time in the White House. When Time made him “Person of the Year” in 1961, they wrote that he “showed qualities that have made him a promising leader … Those same qualities, if developed further, may make him a great president.”
Indeed, Kennedy was a progressive president who fought against segregation, started the Peace Corps, and put the moon mission into action before his assassination in 1963.
1962: Sam Cooke
Sam Cooke
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Sam Cooke, an icon in the world of soul music, was everywhere in the ’60s prior to his untimely death in ’64. In 1962 specifically, he released the popular songs “Bring It on Home to Me” and “Twistin’ the Night Away,” all while working with the artists signed to his record label, SAR Records.
1963: Cary Grant
Cary Grant
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Though Cary Grant was known throughout the ’40s and ’50s for working with suspense master Alfred Hitchcock, the actor changed things up in the ’60s when he decided to take on more romantic leading roles. In ’63 specifically, Grant starred alongside Audrey Hepburn in Charade, earning a Golden Globe nomination for his performance.
1964: Sidney Poitier
Sidney Poitier
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In 1964, Sidney Poitier won an Oscar for Lilies of the Sun, becoming the first Black man to win the Academy Award for Best Actor.
1965: Rex Harrison
Rex Harrison
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In 1965, actor Rex Harrison took home the Academy Award for Best Actor, thanks to his lead role in My Fair Lady. He’d previously starred in the stage version of the show, which, for some time, held the record for longest-running Broadway show.
1966: Andy Griffith
Andy Griffith in “The Andy Griffith Show”
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Andy Griffith brought the warmth of a small town to TV screens across America, playing an upstanding sheriff on The Andy Griffith Show from 1960 to 1968. In 1966, the show finally aired in color, presenting us with a whole new look at Griffith’s world.
1967: Paul Newman
Paul Newman
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In 1967, iconic actor Paul Newman starred as a rebellious prisoner in the drama Cool Hand Luke. “Could another actor other than Paul Newman have played the role and gotten away with it?” critic Ebert wrote. “I would not be able to supply one.”
RELATED: How Old 100 Iconic Stars Would Be If They Were Alive Today.
1968: Martin Luther King,Jr.
Martin Luther King Jr.
Dick DeMarsico/Library of Congress
In 1968, civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. was gathering support for the “Poor People’s Campaign,” which ultimately aimed to march on Washington and fight for an economic bill of rights.
Of course, plans changed when on Apr. 4, 1968, King Jr. was shot and killed in Memphis, Tennessee. However, this isn’t to say that his assassination halted the progress of the civil rights movement; on the contrary, it prompted riots all across the United States and further solidified King’s place in history.
1969: Robert Redford
Robert Redford in “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”
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It wasn’t until 1969 that Robert Redford truly made it big. That year, the actor starred in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid alongside Newman. It earned more than $100 million at the box office, proved Redford was leading man material, and took home four Oscars the following year.
1970: Jon Voight
Jon Voight in “Midnight Cowboy”
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In 1970, Jon Voight was the name on every Hollywood casting director’s lips. That year, he starred in The Revolutionary and in Mike Nichols’ Catch-22, all thanks to Midnight Cowboy, a film that catapulted Voight’s career in 1969.
According the actor himself, he accepted the role for almost nothing, knowing that the script was just too good to pass up. “It was going to give me a career, and I was right,” he told the Associated Press.
1971: Jack Klugman
Tony Randall and Jack Klugman in “The Odd Couple”
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In 1971, funnyman Jack Klugman (right) won an Emmy for his performance as Oscar on The Odd Couple. At the time of the show’s premiere in 1970, The Hollywood Reporter TV critic wrote, “It made for a debut that was more fun to watch than anything this reviewer has seen introduced on television this season.”
1972: Carroll O’Connor
Carroll O’Connor
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Carroll O’Connor, star of the Emmy-winning series All in the Family, won the Emmy for Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Comedy Series in 1972. Thanks to his success on the show, O’Connor’s character eventually got his own spinoff titled Archie Bunker’s Place in 1979.
1973: Elton John
Elton John performing
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In 1973, Elton John released his seventh studio album, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. “This was the peak,” Rolling Stone wrote of the album, which sold more than 30 million copies and stayed at the top of the charts for eight weeks.
1974: Henry Winkler
Henry Winkler in “Happy Days”
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In 1974, Happy Days premiered, and it was a hit right out of the gate. The series lasted 11 years, and a big part of what made the show so successful was Henry Winkler’s character Arthur Fonzarelli, a.k.a. The Fonz. His signature line “Aaayyy!” was the closest thing the ’70s had to a viral meme.
1975: Al Pacino
Al Pacino in “The Godfather”
Paramount Pictures
Al Pacino was easily one of the most recognizable faces in Hollywood in 1975. That year, he was up for an Oscar for his role as Michael Corleone in The Godfather: Part II. Though he didn’t win, the buzz surrounding his talent was high, particularly thanks to his starring turn in 1975’s Dog Day Afternoon, which would eventually earn him another Oscar nod.
1976: Sylvester Stallone
Sylvester Stallone in “Rocky”
Chartoff-Winkler Productions
Sylvester Stallone took on the role of Rocky Balboa for the first time in 1976. Upon the film’s release, The Hollywood Reporter called Stallone “the hottest new star of 1976.” The boxer ended up being a part he’d keep coming back to for decades, including recently in the Creed movies, starring Michael B. Jordan.
1977: Harrison Ford
Harrison Ford in “Star Wars”
Walt Disney Motion Pictures
Harrison Ford starred as Han Solo in the very first Star Wars movie in 1977, one that would go on to inspire a franchise and international fandom. Though he saw some success in the early ’70s with films like American Graffiti, it was ultimately George Lucas’ sci-fi flick that made Ford a global sensation.
1978: Billy Joel
Billy Joel “52nd Street” album cover
A&R Recording, Inc.
At the Grammy Awards for the 1978 season, Billy Joel won both Record of the Year and Song of the Year for “Just the Way You Are.” It was also during this year that he released 52nd Street, which was the first of his albums to land in the top spot on the Billboard charts.
1979: Dustin Hoffman
Dustin Hoffman
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In 1979, Dustin Hoffman starred in the major hits Agatha and Kramer vs. Kramer, the latter of which showcased an emotional depth that earned Hoffman his very first Academy Award the following year.
1980: Freddie Mercury
Freddie Mercury performing at Live Aid
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Freddie Mercury and his band Queen released “Another One Bites the Dust” in 1980. The song became their bestselling single and solidified Mercury’s place in rock and roll history.
1981: Robert De Niro
Robert De Niro
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Robert De Niro won an Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role in 1981 for his work in Raging Bull, another collaboration with Martin Scorsese, whom he’d worked with on The Godfather: Part II in 1974.
1982: Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye “Midnight Love” album cover
Columbia Records
Legendary singer Marvin Gaye released what would become his last studio album, Midnight Love, in 1982. The album featured one of Gaye’s most popular tracks, “Sexual Healing,” which won two Grammys at the 25th annual ceremony, a little over a year before his untimely death.
1983: David Bowie
David Bowie performing in 1983
Ke.Mazur/WireImage
David Bowie’s Let’s Dance was easily one of the most popular albums of 1983. In a cover story for Time during that year, Bowie was referred to as “music’s most exquisite artifact.”
1984: Greg Louganis
Greg Louganis
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In 1984, Olympic diver Greg Louganis made a big splash at the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. He won the springboard event “by the biggest ever margin” and “became the first diver since 1928 to win double gold,” according to the Olympics website.
1985: Chevy Chase
Chevy Chase in “Fletch”
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Throughout the ’80s, Chevy Chase starred in many memorable movies, showcasing his comedy skills and winning over audiences. In 1985 specifically, he had fans rolling in the aisles with Fletch and National Lampoon’s European Vacation.
1986: Tom Cruise
Tom Cruise
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Three years after sliding across the floor in nothing but a shirt and some socks in Risky Business, Tom Cruise’s career soared even higher when he starred in the 1986 classic Top Gun. And, though it came out more than 30 years ago, it’s still just as beloved today; in fact, a sequel to the film, titled Top Gun: Maverick, is slated for release in 2021.
1987: Prince
Prince performing in 1987
Rob Verhorst/Redferns
In 1987, legendary performer Prince released his album Sign ‘o’ The Times. In a review of the album, Spin’s Bart Bull wrote that it “sound[ed] so strong, rock[ed] so hard, [swung] so free.” It’s still regarded as one of the best albums ever made.
1988: Bruce Willis
Bruce Willis in “Die Hard”
20th Century Fox
Bruce Willis became one of Hollywood’s biggest stars when he first portrayed John McClane in the 1988 film Die Hard. He even did most of his own stunts! But he was more than an action star in the late 1980s: Willis also starred as the romantic lead on the hit ABC series Moonlighting, opposite Cybill Shepherd.
1989: Morgan Freeman
Morgan Freeman in “Driving Miss Daisy”
Allied Filmmakers
Morgan Freeman’s 1989 film Driving Miss Daisy is the one that really put the now-iconic actor on the map. Reviewing Freeman’s performance back when the film was released, The New York Times said it was “the work of an actor who has gone through all of the possibilities, stripped away all of the extraneous details and arrived at an essence.”
1990: Patrick Swayze
Lisa Niemi and Patrick Swayze
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Patrick Swayze was having the time of his life in 1990. Following the smashing success of Dirty Dancing in 1987, the actor became a mainstay on the big screen, starring in the 1990 romantic thriller Ghost, which eventually became the second highest-grossing film of that year.
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1991: Michael Bolton
Michael Bolton
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Singer Michael Bolton won Best Pop Vocal Performance at the 1992 Grammys for his rendition of “When a Man Loves a Woman.” The song came from his 1991 album Time, Love & Tenderness, which also produced the Top 40 singles “Love Is a Wonderful Thing” and “Missing You Now.”
1992: Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan playing with the Chicago Bulls
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You can’t think of iconic basketball stars—or iconic athletes period—without thinking of Michael Jordan. And in 1992, the basketball star was at his peak: Not only was he in the middle of his legendary “three-peat” (he won back-to-back-to-back championships in 1991, 1992, and 1993), but he was also a member of the U.S. Olympics “Dream Team” in the 1992 Barcelona Games.
1993: Matthew McConaughey
Matthew McConaughey in “A Time to Kill”
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The year 1993 was when Matthew McConaughey played David Wooderson in the hit film Dazed and Confused, a role that introduced him to the world. The coming-of-age comedy paved the way for the actor, who went on to star in the ’90s hits A Time to Kill, Contact, and Amistad.
1994: Tom Hanks
Rita Wilson and Tom Hanks
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In 1994, Tom Hanks took home the Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his work in the heartbreaking AIDS drama Philadelphia. That same year, as the titular character in Forrest Gump, he famously taught us all that life is like a box of chocolates. The actor’s portrayal earned him an Oscar repeat in 1995.
1995: Brad Pitt
Brad Pitt
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In 1995, Brad Pitt starred in the films Seven and 12 Monkeys, both of which proved the actor was more than just the pretty face folks knew from 1991’s Thelma & Louise. 12 Monkeys even earned Pitt his first Oscar nomination (though he wouldn’t take home a statue until 2014 for producing 12 Years a Slave).
1996: Will Smith
Will Smith
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In the ’90s, most people knew Will Smith thanks to his starring role on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and his rap music. But that was just the beginning. When the show ended in 1996, Smith continued to stay in the spotlight with massive films like Independence Day and Men in Black hitting theaters the following year.
1997: Leonardo DiCaprio
Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet
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Leonardo DiCaprio became a Hollywood heartthrob in 1997, thanks to his role as Jack Dawson in the James Cameron game-changing blockbuster Titanic. The film was so successful that it not only brought in more than $1.8 billion at the box office, it also spurred a DiCaprio obsession that was dubbed “Leo-mania” by the media.
1998: Jim Carrey
Jim Carrey and Brooke Shields
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Comedian Jim Carrey proved that he could take on serious roles too when he starred in 1998’s The Truman Show. The performance won Carrey a Golden Globe—he even beat out the likes of Hanks and Ian McKellen for the honor
