Acquired/Traumatic Brain Injury

Jan Berry (1940-2004) Musician in Jan and Dean duo of the 60s. Suffered a head injury in an auto accident. Post-therapy, music producer.

Gary Busey (1944-) American actor. Suffered a traumatic brain injury due to a motorcycle accident. Also, substance abuse.

Patricia Neal (1926-) American actress. Academy Award for best actress in Hud, 1963. In 1966, at the age of 39, she had a series of strokes while filming Seven Women. Her struggle in rehab, recovering from the stroke, was made into a film, The Patricia Neal Story, featuring Glenda Jackson. She received the Women's International Center Living Legacy Award in 1986. After her recovery she became an advocate for rehabilitation at Fort Sanders Regional medicine Center in Knoxville, Tennessee. In 1978 it was dedicated as the Patricia Neal rehabilitation Center.

Hearing

Ludwig von Beethoven (1770-1827) German composer. Deaf. Also Psychologically Disabled.

Ruth Fulton Benedict. (1887-1948) American Anthropologist. Progressive loss of hearing from early childhood. Student of Franz Boas, completed her PhD in 1923. Studied American Indian tribes, Zuni, Serrano, Cochiti, Pueblos in California and Arizona from 1922-1926. She trained student anthropologists while studying the Mescalero Apaches and the Blackfoot in Montana. During this time she collected folklore of north American Indians and published many works. Benedict taught at Bernard College and mentored Margaret Mead, a student. They became lifelong friends and coworkers. Mead wrote in her biography of Benedict that her hearing loss made fieldwork difficult but it led to her interest in the more visual products of culture, poetry, architecture, painting, and literature. Benedict published Patterns of Culture in 1934, a classic anthropology text. In World War II a government agency requested her to write about Asian and European cultures for the Office of War Information. In 1946 she published "The Chrysanthemum" and "Sword: Patterns of Japanese Culture". Source: Deaf Persons in the Arts and Sciences: A Biographical Dictionary.

Thomas Alva Edison (1847-1931) American inventor popularly call the Father of Electricity. Deafness and learning disability, and possibly ADHD (as discerned from reading his description of his early education).

Lou Ferrigno (1952-) American film and television actor, professional bodybuilder. Won titles of Teenage Mr. America in 1970, Mr. Universe in 1973, Mr. America in 1973, and Mr. Universe in 1974. Acted in the original Incredible Hulk tv series; "King of Queens" on CBS. Deaf. (Original Contributors: Christa Bolen, M'Liss Garza)

Francisco Goya (1746-1828) Spanish painter and printmaker. Deaf.

Howard Hughes ( - ) Hard of hearing due to Otosclerosis, and he had Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

Helen Keller (1880-1968) American author and lecturer. Deafness and blindness.

Marlee Matlin (1965-) American actress. Academy Award for best actress in 1986. Deaf.

Carolyn Wells. (1869-1942) American children’s and mystery writer. Scarlet fever destroyed her hearing at the age of six. Remembered as the creator of master detective Fleming Stone and for writing the first how-to about detective stories. Deaf. Source: Deaf Persons in the Arts and Sciences: A Biographical Dictionary.

Heather Whitestone. (1973- ) Miss America 1995. Deaf. Sources: Parade Magazine 10 September 1995: 12; People 3 October 1994: 48. (Original Contributors: Christa Bolen, M'Liss Garza)

Learning Disability

Hans Christian Anderson (1805-1875) Danish writer of fairy tales. Learning disability.

Agatha Christie (1890-1976) British mystery author and playwright. Christie was one of the most popular mystery writers of all time. Learning disability.

Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965) British statesman, soldier and author. Prime Minister of Great Britain duringWWII. Rec'd. Nobel Prize for literature in 1953. Learning disability and bipolar disorder.

Tom Cruise (1962-) American actor. Dyslexia.

Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519). Italian painter, sculptor, writer, scientist, engineer, musician and architect. Renaissance genius. Strephosymbolis (unable to process symbols accurately).

Albert Einstein (1879-1955) German-American theoretical physicist. Learning disability.

Whoopi Goldberg (1949-) African-American comic and actress. Best supporting actress Oscar in 1990. Learning disability.

Greg Louganis (1960-) American Olympic gold medal diver. Has dyslexia, stuttered and had asthma as a child. Was in special classes for speech and reading. Also contracted HIV.

Bruce Jenner (1949-) American. Olympic decathlon gold medalist. Learning disability.

George Smith Patton, Jr. (1885-1945) American general and tank commander in WWII. Subject of film, "Patton". Learning disabled.

Auguste Rodin (1840-1917) French sculptor. Learning disability.

Charles Schwab (1938-) American creator of multi-million dollar brokerage firm. Earned Business MBA from Stanford despite severe dyslexia. Founded PERC, Parents' Educational Resource Center in San Mateo, Ca., which provides counseling, a lending library and referrals to families dealing with learning disabilities.

Diane Swonk (1963 -) Chief Economist and a Senior Vice-President at Bank One Corporation. Author of The Passionate Economist: Finding the Power and Humanity Behind the Numbers (2003). Past President of the National Association for Business Economics, she is on several advisory committees to the Federal Reserve Board, its regional banks, and the Council of Economic Advisors for the White House. She credits her learning disability, "her uniquely wired brain", for her deep interest in economics.

Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924) Twenty-eighth president of the U.S., 1913-1921. Learning disability.

Mobility

Jim Abbott (1967-) American. NY Yankee pitcher born with only one hand. Pitched a no-hitter on September 4, 1993.

Lucille Ball (1911-1989) American film and telvision actor. Had rheumatoid arthritis as a young woman. Was unable to walk for two years.

Rachel Barton (1975-) American violinist. Disabled in a commuter train accident, January 16, 1995; lost her left foot and part of her right foot. Made her return to performing on Sunday, July 16, 1995 from a wheelchair.

John Belluso. (1968 - 2006) American Playwright. Belluso had a rare bone disorder, Engleman-Camurdrie syndrome, which often caused him pain. He grew up in Warwick, R.I. he had difficulty with movement all his life, using a wheelchair at 13. He told stories written with an insider’s knowledge of what it means to be disabled. For six years he co-directed the Mark Taper Forum’s Other Voices Project. He wrote “Gretty Good Time,” “The Poor Itch” “Pyretown”, “The Body of Bourne”and “Henry Flamethrowa”. His plays were performed at many major regional theaters although he also wrote scripts for television including “Deadwood” and the “Ghost Whisperer.”
Sources:
Boehm, Mike. “John Belluso, 36; Playwright Told Tough Tales Offering a Deeper Look at the Problems the Disabled Face.” Los Angeles Times 14 February 2006: pg B.17.
McKinley, Jesse. “John Belluso, 36; Wrote Plays About Disability.” New York Times 15 February 2006: pg B.8.

Sarah Bernhardt (1844-1923) French actress. Severe knee injury leading to loss of leg.

Christy Brown (1932-1981) Irish novelist and poet. Almost completely paralyzed by cerebral palsy. Wrote autobiography which was made into a film, "My Left Foot".

Randolph Bourne (1886-1918) American radical essayist during social revolution in America in 20s & 30s. Disfigured at birth by physician's forceps. Stunted and hunchbacked by spinal tuberculosis at age four.

Claudius I (10 b.c.-54 a.d.) Roman Emperor. Physical disabilities included partial paralysis, stammering, and limping. Wrote histories. Was subject of book and television series, "I, Claudius".

Chuck Close (1940-) American painter. Paints large photrealistic canvases. Uses a wheelchair.

Bob Dole (1923-) Republican senator form Kansas. One arm disabled by WWII injury.

Leon Fleisher: (1928- ). American concert pianist, conductor, professor. Began piano lessons at four years of age. First public performance at six years. At the age of ten began studies with Artur Schnabel. Made his Carnegie Hall debut at age sixteen. Major accomplishments include Queen Elisabeth of Belguim International Music Competition 1st place award, recordings with George Szell and Celeveland Orchestra, teaching career at Peabody Conservatory of Music, and conducting The Chamber Players of the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., guest conductor with many noted orchestras. Numerous awards include: honorary doctorates from San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Cleveland Institute of Music, and Towson State University; named Instrumentalist of the Year in 1994 by Musical Americ;, John Hopkins University’s President’s Medal and induction into the Classical Music Hall of Fame. From mid-1960’s right hand disabled by focal hand dystonia, caused partial paralysis; ailment limited his ability to perform although he developed piano repertoire for the left hand and concentrated on teaching and conducting. Sources: Baker’s Biographical Dictionary of Music. Los Angeles Times 27 June 2006: E-3. Musician Biographies: Leon Fleisher, pianist: Great Conversations in Music, < http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cocoon/ihas/html/great conversations/great-bios-fleisher.html>

Annette Funicello. (1942-) American actress. Multiple sclerosis. One of the members of the original Mickey Mouse Club.

Lou Gehrig (1903-1941) American baseball player. New York Yankee first baseman. Rare disease: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Reinhard Goebel: (1952- ). German violinist and founder in 1973 of Antiqua Musica Koln group. Studied with Franzjosef Maier followed by studies with Saschko Gawriloff, and with Marie Leonhardt. His immense knowledge of Baroque music was acquired during his studies at Cologne University. Numerous recordings and performances with Antiqua Musica Koln for 33 years until a neurological disorder affecting his right hand forced him into retirement at end of 2006. In 1990 diagnosed with a form of focal dystonia, causing partial paralysis of his left hand. Goebel plans to focus on conducting in the future. Sources: Baker’s Biographical Dictionary of Musicians, Los Angeles Times 27 June 2006: E-3.

Nathaniel Greene: (1742-1786) American Revolutionary War, youngest general serving in the Continental Army. He led successful campaigns against the British in North and South Carolina. He is often ranked by historians as second to G. Washington as a military leader. Born a Quaker in Rhode Island but expelled for his interest in military affairs. He served as a member of the Rhode Island legislature from 1770-1772 and in 1774. In 1776, serving as a brigadier general, he commanded the army of occupation in Boston, Massachusetts. Greene commanded one of two columns in an attack on Trenton in 1776. In 1777 he was sent to stop the British at Brandywine. He was with Washington at Valley Forge. In 1780 appointed quarter-master general; his efforts ensured that American troops would not suffer another Valley Forge. Washington appointed him to command American operations in the south succeeding H. Gates. Greene was successful in pushing the British back into Charleston and Savannah in 1781. The British, under Cornwallis, suffered heavy losses in fighting against Greene. A childhood accident left Greene with a stiff right leg and limp. He also suffered from asthma. Sources: 1776 by David McCullough, John Mack Faragher, ed. Encyclopedia of Colonial and Revolutionary America. 1996.

Stephen Hawking (1942-) British theoretical physicist and author. Wrote A Brief History of Time. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Julio Iglesias (1943-) Spanish singer. Disabled in an auto accident which ended his soccer career; he regained the use of his legs. He took up music during his long convalescence.

Dan Inouye (1924-) Democratic senator form Hawaii. Lost an arm in WWII.

Frida Kahlo (1907-1954) Mexican painter. Severely injured in bus accident requiring numerous operations and hospitalization throughout her life.

John F. Kennedy (1917-1963) Thirty-fifth president of U.S., 1961-1963. Severe back disabilities due to war injury.

Dorothea Lange (1895-1965) American photojournalist. Had polio as a young child. Noted for her photgraphs documenting poverty in depression America.

Jim Langevin. (1964-) American Congressman paralyzed in a gun accident at the age of 16. In 1994 he was elected Rhode Island’s Secretary of State. In 2000, he successfully ran for the U. S. House of Representatives from Rhode Island becoming the first quadriplegic elected to the House. With two special assistants to aid him at work and home, Langevin uses a wheelchair to move around the Capitol, with an aid clearing the way, so he can make the House floor within the fifteen minute time limit to cast his vote. Source: Parade Magazine 8 July 2001:10.

Richard Leakey (1944-) Kenyan paleoanthropologist, politician and conservationist. Survived a kidney transplant and the loss of both legs below the knee after an airplane crash in 1993. Secretary general of Kenyan opposition political party.

Daryl Mitchell. (1969-) American actor paralyzed in a motorcycle accident. Most recent acting job was as manager of the local bowling alley on the NBC show Ed. Before the crash he was on the John Larroquette Show and Veronica’s Closet. Source: Parade Magazine 5 October 2003:22.

Teddy Pendergrass. American singer paralyzed in a 1982 car accident when the brakes failed on his Rolls-Royce and his car hit a tree. Paralyzed from the chest down with a spinal cord injury, he spent six months in rehabilitation. He continued to record but quit making concert appearances until a few years ago. Source: Los Angeles Times 23 July 2001: F10.

Itzak Perlman (1945-) Israeli violinist. Uses leg braces because of poliomyelitis at age four.

Bill Porter (1932-) American salesman. Cerebral palsy. Porter has been the subject of numerous articles and a movie. A remarkable individual, he has received numerous awards and honors including: America’s Award, 1997; Special Chairman’s Award 1997 as Top Salesman for Watkins Inc.; 1979 Trophy for Highest Personal Sales in the leadership division of retail sales, Watkins Int’l Business Conference. In the past he made numerous motivational speeches with his friend, Shelly Brady. He no longer travels but maintains a webpage. Source: USA Weekend 12-14 July 2002: 8.

John Wesley Powell (1834-1902) American geologist and ethnologist. Discovered and explored the Grand Canyon by boat. He lost one arm in a military skirmish.

Richard Pryor (1940-) African-American actor, director, and screenwriter. Multiple sclerosis.

Christopher Reeve. (1952-2004) American actor best known for his role in Superman. Paralyzed in a horse riding accident. Went on to direct and act from his wheelchair. Become an activist for research into curing spinal cord injuries.

Auguste Renoir (1841-1919) French Impressionist painter and sculptor. Disabled by rheumatoid arthritis, his paint brushes had to be tied to his hands. Eventually became paralyzed in both legs. Turned to sculpture when he was unable to continue painting.

Madlyn Rhue (1935-2004) American television character actress for more than three decades. Appeared regularly on television shows in the late 1950’s. Her last appearance was on Murder She Wrote in a recurring character of a librarian. Diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1977. Source: Los Angeles Times 18 December 2003: B15.

Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945) Thirty-second president of U.S., 1933-1945. Contracted polio in 1921. As a result he used a wheelchair and wore leg braces.

Wilma Rudolph (1940-1995) African-American track and field sprinter. First American woman to win three gold medals in one Olympic game. At age four stricken with scarlet fever, double pneumonia and polio. Partial paralysis.

Rosalind Russell (1907-1976) American actress. Cancer complicated by arthritis.

Charles Proteus Steinmetz (1865-1923) German-American electrical engineer famous for his work in electricity. Back disability (kyphosis).

Joni Eareckson Tate American. Commercial artist, author, speaker. Founder and leader of 'ministry to those who suffer'. Christian ministry to people with disabilities. Her autobiography was made into a film. Paralyzed from the neck down. Injured in a 1967 accident while diving into "Chesapeake Bay".

Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (1864-1901) French painter and lithographer. Growth stunted by childhood accident; his legs didn't develop although his torso was not affected.

Henry Viscardi Jr. (1912-2004) American. Advisor to Presidents on Disability issues. Viscardi was an advocate for the disabled who, with the encouragement of Eleanor Roosevelt, created Abilities Inc., organization that helped the disabled find jobs. Viscardi, who was born with stumps for legs, established other groups for the disabled. Source: Los Angeles Times 16 April 2004: B13.

George Wallace (1919-1998) Four-term governor of Alabama. Partially paralyzed in assassination attempt. Used a wheelchair.

Other Health

Grover Cleveland Alexander (1887-1950) American baseball player, pitcher. Member of Baseball's Hall of Fame. Epilepsy.

Arthur Ashe (1943-1993) World class tennis player. AIDS.

Jim Eisenreich (1959-) All star baseball player with Dodgers. Tourette's syndrome.( Contributors: Tom Knisely, M'Liss Garza)

Ervin "Magic" Johnson (1959-) American pro-basketball player with the Los Angeles Lakers. Entrepreneur. Contracted the HIV virus.

Mary Tyler Moore (1937-) American actress. Diabetes.

Ronald Reagan (1911-2004) Former governor of California. Fortieth president of the U.S., 1980-1988. Alzheimer's disease.

Psychological Disability/Substance Abuse

Lionel Aldridge

Bennett Cerf. (1898-1971) American publisher. Depression.

Winston Churchill

Rodney Dangerfield. (1921-2004) American comic and actor. Famous for the line “I don’t get no respect.” Suffered from fits of depression, requiring him to see psychiatrists throughout his life.

Charles Dickens

Gaetano Donizetti

Patty Duke (1946-) Award winning American television and film actress. Suffers from bipolar disorder, chronicled in her autobiography, A Brilliant Madness: Living with manic-depressive iIlness.

King George III (1738-1820) British monarch. Believed to have suffered a metabolic disorder, porphyria, which caused his erratic behavior. Subject of play and film, "Madness of King George".

Ernest Hemingway

Kay Redfield Jamison, Clinical Psychologist; American professor at Johns Hopkins University School. Author of Touched with Fire: Manic depressive illness and the artistic temperament (1993) and An Unquiet Mind: A memoir of moods and madness (1995, Knopf). Manic depressive.

John Keats

Vivian Leigh

Abraham Lincoln

Joshua Logan (1908-1988) American movie director, writer, producer and actor. (South Pacific). Bipolar disorder.

Kristy MacNichol (1962-) American film and television actor. Bipolar disorder.

Vaslov Nijinsky

Emperor Norton

Eugene O'Neill

Jimmy Piersall

Sylvia Plath

Theodore Roethke. (1908-1963) American Poet won the Pulitzer Prize for his Collected Poems (1954). Depression.

Robert Schumann

Rod Steiger. (1925-2002) American actor who won the Academy Award for best actor in The Heat of the Night in 1967. Depression.

Harriet Tubman (c. 1820-1913) African-American abolitionist and feminist. Escaped slavery in 1849. Leader in the underground railroad. Narcolepsy.

Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890) Dutch post impressionist painter. Bipolar disorder.

Mike Wallace. (1918-) American Broadcast Journalist. Coeditor and interviewer on Sixty Minutes,CBS award winning news magazine. Depression. Source: Santa Barbara News Press 6 October 1998: A9.

Robin Williams

Tennessee Williams

Brian Wilson (1942-) One of the original Beach Boys. American composer, singer and record producer. Almost completely deaf in his right ear. Suffers from bipolar disorder.

Virginia Woolf

Speech/Language

James Earl Jones(1931-) American actor. Overcame a bad stutter in college; now famous for his voice, e.g., Darth Vader.

Mel Tillis (1932-) Country and western singer. Life-long stutter.

Vision

Ray Charles (1930-2004) American singer, pianist, arranger and songwriter. Contracted glaucoma at an early age and was blind within a year.

Dale Chihuly 1942-) American glass maker. In 1976 he lost an eye in an auto accident. Although he can't blow glass any longer, he directs others in making his designs. Founder of Pilchuk Glass School.

Sammy Davis, Jr. (1923-1990) African-American actor, singer and dancer. Lost his left eye in an auto accident in 1954.

Sandy Duncan. Actress. One eye disabled following removal of brain tumor.

Peter Falk (1927-) American actor. Lost his right eye at age three as a result of a tumor.

Jose Feliciano (1945-) Singer. Blind.

Edward Smith Hamilton: (1917?-2006) American war hero and undercover CIA operative. Hamilton graduated from West Point in 1939. At the Normandy invasion he was commander of an American Infantry battalion and in the march through France. He received the Silver Star and Distinguished Service Cross for his service in France. Shortly afterwards he was wounded in battle and lost his left eye. Hamilton subsequently received the Bronze Star and three awards of Purple Heart. He began a career as a CIA agent in 1950 in Taiwan and China. Nicknamed the “One-Eyed Dragon,” his exploits in China are detailed in the book Raiders of the China Coast. Made several visits to France where he was hailed as a war hero fro his part in freeing France from the Nazis; received Legion of Honor from French government. Suffered vision loss. Source: Los Angeles Times 8 July 2006: B-11.

George Frideric Handel (1685-1759) English composer of German birth. Acknowledged as one of the greatest composers of his time, especially known for his Messiah, he composed in every musical genre current in his time. Lost total eyesight in 1753. Blindness and Depression. Source: Santa Barbara News Press 6 October 1998: A9

Jeff Healy Canadian guitarist; Jeff Healy Band. Blind.

Lafcadio Hearn. (1850-1904) Writer and translator. Named after the Greek island on which he was born of Greek-Irish parents. Raised in Ireland, England and France. Moved to USA in 1869. In 1890 he went to Japan for New Monthly Magazine. Stayed in Japan for the rest of his life, becoming a teacher, marrying a Japanese woman, Koizumi Setsuko. He became a citizen as Koizumo Yakumo. Published a series of books that gave the West its first sympathetic view of Japanese culture. Lost an eye in an accident at the age of 16. Sources: http://www.biography.com; Beauchamp, Edward R. “Hearn, Lafcadio.” Encyclopedia of Japan. Vol 3. P: 120-121.

Homer Late 8th century B.C. Greek epic poet. Author of the Iliad and the Odyssey. Blind.

John Milton (1608-1674) English poet. Blind.

Georgia O'Keefe (1887-1986) American painter. Turned to sculpture when her eyesight failed.

Robert Schumann. (1810-1856) Noted German Composer and music critic. In 1833 he fell into a deep depression, the first of worsening episodes which greatly complicated his life. Depression. Source: Santa Barbara News Press 6 October 1998: A9.

Quintus Sertorius. (d. 72 B.C.) Quintus Sertorius was a one-eyed Roman general noted for his strict and severe discipline among his soldiers. Admired and respected, he built up a powerful, well armed Roman army and navy. Much admired for his bravery in battle, he lost an eye in combat. He continued his military career becoming noted for his many victories. A member of the Marius party, he ran for political office, but was defeated by his political enemies, followers of Sulla. Disappointed he returned to the army.
- He was appointed governor of Farther Spain in 82 B. C. but fled to Africa to avoid reprisals from Sulla. Summoned back by the rebelling Lusitani in 80 B.C he successfully defeated the armies sent from Rome, armies led by noted general Pompey and Metellus Pious. Sertorius gained favor and popularity with the inhabitants of Hispania by fair treatment in contrast to typical Roman behavior and remitting their taxes. He set up a Senate modeled after Rome’s and a school for the children of the senators. Sertorius was given a white hart by his local followers, the hart becoming his constant companion. He claimed the goddess Diana spoke to him through the hart giving him advice thus greatly increasing his popularity. Sertorius ruled Hispania for six years before his assignation by Marcus Perpena Vento at a banquet.
- Plutarch said of him: “gentle in peaceful business, and formidable to his enemies by great preparations for war.”
Sources: Plutarch: the Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans. The Dryden translation; edited and revised by Arthur Hough Clough. NY: Modern Library, 1992.Tom Sullivan American actor. Blind.

James Thurber (1894-1961) American humorist and cartoonist. Lost one eye in childhood accident. Older brother shot him with an arrow. Gradually lost the sight in the other eye due to complications from the accident and cataracts.

Stevie Wonder (1950-) African-American singer and songwriter. Blind.

Links to other pages with similar content:

Dyslexia Awareness Resource Center, Santa Barbara, CA

Famous People with Disabilities, Paul Canaday, Disability Grapevine Online Newspaper

Please send your additions, suggestions, or changes to this list to Gerry Lewin.

Last updated: Jan. 5, 2007

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