Did you know that many successful and famous people grew up with learning disabilities (LD) and attention problems? Whoopi Goldberg, Charles Schwab, and Greg Louganis, to name a few, are all inspirations. They show us how people with learning difficulties can use their strengths to become highly successful in their field.

You may want to use this information for a special research project or report your child is doing for school. Go through the names, pick a few who share your child’s interests and talents, and learn about them together.
Talk to your child about these successful people to help him understand that he’s not alone with his struggles. Knowing that LD doesn’t prevent people from achieving their goals in life will foster hope for the future.
We hope that by learning more about these people, you and your child will realize that he, too, can succeed in learning and life and even become a role model for others.

Below is a list of famous people with LD and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD). You may notice that we at SchwabLearning.org haven’t included some of the people mentioned on other lists of people suspected of having LD and AD/HD. While they may have struggled with certain aspects of school, SchwabLearning.org can’t confirm that they had a specific disability because they lived before these diagnostic categories came into use.

Artists

Chuck Close is one of the most celebrated contemporary artists whose work is exhibited at museums of modern art around the country.

Robert K. “Bob” Fowler, is a Texas sculptor and jewelry maker whose work is on display across the United States and abroad.

Robert Rauschenberg is a multi-media artist who has had significant influence in the world of modern art and has even been called the "Picasso of the 21st Century."

Acclaimed artist Robert Toth has his paintings, scupltures and bronzes on display in museums throughout the world, including the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C.

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Billy Blanks, world class martial artist and television and movie actor, has created a foundation to promote self-sufficiency among high-risk women and children.

Terry Bradshaw, former NFL quarterback, now host of Fox’s NFL pre-game show, recently wrote a book in which he reveals that he has AD/HD.

Rulon Gardner won a gold medal in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Greco-Roman wrestling. He says of his struggle with LD, “When people told me I couldn’t be successful, I looked at that as a challenge.”

Adam Heidt, competing in the luge event, finished fourth on the 1998 World Cup circuit. This winner also has dyslexia and had to attend special schools as a child.

Bruce Jenner, 1976 gold medalist in the Olympic decathalon, is described as the "World’s Greatest Athlete."

Earvin “Magic” Johnson is a legendary NBA basketball player who advocates for youth in the areas of education, health, and social issues.

Greg Louganis received an Olympic gold medal in diving in the 1984 and 1988 games and advocates for AIDS awareness.

Jim Shea, Jr. earned a gold medal competing in the skeleton event at the 2002 Winter Olympics, making him the first third-generation Winter Olympian in U.S. history. Jim says having a learning disability made him feel alienated during his elementary school years, but he gained confidence by playing sports.

Neil Smith, NFL professional football player, is defensive end for the San Diego Chargers.

Jackie Stewart is a race car driving champion who has been inducted into the Grand Prix Hall of Fame.

Stan Wattles is an up-and-coming race car driver in the Indy Racing League.

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Richard Branson is an enormously successful entrepreneur and founder of 150 enterprises that carry the Virgin name, such as Virgin Airlines.

John T. Chambers, CEO of multi-billion dollar Internet management company, Cisco Systems, has revolutionized the technology industry and is recognized as one of the most fascinating business leaders of our times.

Barbara Corcoran founder of one of New York City’s largest residential real estate agencies, recently authored Use What You’ve Got & Other Business Lessons I Learned from my Mom.

Engineer and inventor William “Bill” Hewlett (1913-2001) co-founded with David Packard the Hewlett-Packard Company in 1939, which became the second-largest computer company in the world.

Tommy Hilfiger, is an internationally-known fashion designer.

Paul Orfalea is the founder and chairperson of Kinko’s, an international, billion-dollar copy service company.

Charles Schwab is the founder, chairperson, and CEO of the Charles Schwab Corporation, the largest brokerage firm in the U.S. In 1987, he and his wife, Helen O’Neill Schwab, established Schwab Learning, a foundation dedicated to increasing awareness about learning disabilities. He continues to be an active voice in the world of LD.

Diane Swonk is Chief Economist and a Senior Vice-President at Chicago-based Bank One Corporation, one of the nation’s largest banks. She appears frequently on television news programs and is often quoted on the financial pages of the Wall Street Journal and other publications.

Donald Winkler, CEO of Ford Motor Credit, has inspired businesses to overcome obstacles to success. He actively supports individuals with LD.

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Erin Brockovich, inspiration for the movie of the same name, now serves as Director of Environmental Research at the law offices of Masry & Vititoe.

Dexter Scott King, son of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is President and CEO of The King Center in Atlanta, GA. His memoir, Growing Up King, was published in 2003.

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Cher, an Academy Award-winning actress, is also well-known for her pop music and 1970s hit TV variety show.

Danny Glover, acclaimed actor of theatre and film, has used his celebrity status to advance many community programs and worthy causes, such as AIDS awareness in South Africa and the advancement of minority youth. Glover has stated, "Perhaps had I not been dyslexic, I might have chosen a different profession. Acting gave me a way of expressing some of the inner life that was raging inside of me as a result of my dyslexia." (Source: On a Roll — Talk Radio about Life and Disability, October 29, 1999)

" Perhaps had I not been dyslexic, I might have chosen a different profession. Acting gave me a way of expressing some of the inner life that was raging inside of me as a result of my dyslexia."
— Danny Glover, Actor

Whoopi Goldberg, born Caryn Johnson, is an actress and comedian who has used her stardom to raise money to eliminate homelessness.

Brian Grazer, successful producer of movies such as “A Beautiful Mind” and “Apollo 13” recalls his personal struggle with dyslexia. Schools back then had fewer resources to deal with his problem, and the other children were merciless, he says, but goes on to say “I have a son with learning disabilities….Now, there’s much more understanding.” (Source: Christian Science Monitor, January 4, 2002.)

Actor Woody Harrelson rose to fame as Woody on TV’s hit series, "Cheers." His movie career includes many starring roles and an Academy Award nomination.

Jay Leno is a popular comedian and late-night talk show host.

Jamie Oliver, Britain’s “Naked Chef,” whose program appears on the Food Network, is known for his lively personality and easy-to-prepare recipes.

Edward James Olmos is a celebrated actor, entrepreneur, and activist who supports and advocates for Latino culture in the U.S.

Lindsay Wagner, most famous for her role as the Bionic Woman in the hit 1970s TV series, has dedicated much of her time to raising awareness about learning difficulties.

Henry Winkler, also known as "The Fonz" from the hit TV series Happy Days, is a producer, Yale graduate, and children’s advocate.

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Ann Bancroft, an honoree in the National Women’s Hall of Fame, was the first woman to travel to the North Pole and lead an all-woman dog-sled team to the South Pole. She started her own nonprofit foundation that supports girls and women as leaders.

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Harry Belafonte is a famous African American singer, actor, entertainer and political activist who, even into his 70’s, uses his position as a celebrity to promote human rights worldwide.

Jon Finn is active in the music business as a musician, songwriter, and engineer/producer. Since 1988 he has been the most in-demand rock guitar teacher at Berklee College of Music in Boston.

Jewel is a young pop-music sensation who recently wrote an autobiography of her life growing up in Alaska.

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Nelson Rockefeller served as governor of New York for 12 years and as Vice President of the United States under Gerald Ford.

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Dr. John (Jack) Horner is a famous paleontologist, or dinosaur expert, who advised Steven Spielberg on films such as "Jurassic Park" and "The Lost World."

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Stephen J. Cannell is a successful novelist and an Emmy Award-winning TV writer and producer who has created or co-created over 40 different shows.

Fannie Flagg is a writer and actor who is most famous for her novel "Fried Green Tomatoes" which was later produced as a movie.

Richard Ford is an author who won both the Pulitzer Prize and the PEN/Faulkner Award for his novel, “Independence Day” in 1996 – a first in the literary world. (Source: Newsday, March 20, 2002)

John Irving is a novelist and screenplay writer of "World According to Garp," "Hotel New Hampshire," and "Cider House Rules," a movie that recently won acclaim and award nominations.

Victor Villasenor is a Mexican-American author who has written 9 novels, 65 short stories, and a critically-acclaimed screenplay.

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