Can you name these ‘60s stars before they became famous?
Can you name these ‘60s stars before they became famous?
Tara SharilTue, July 21, 2026 at 1:57 PM UTC
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r/BlackHistoryPhotos / Reddit
Can you name these ‘60s stars before they became famous?
Long before their faces were plastered on billboards and posters across the country, these entertainment icons were just regular people figuring life out like everyone else. See if you can guess the ‘60s star before they became famous.
r/beatles / ReddiThis celebrity taught himself how to play different instruments like the piano and guitar
Growing up in Liverpool, England, this celebrity fell hard for artists like Buddy Holly and Little Richard, teaching himself piano and guitar along the way. He was just 21 when the band he was part of exploded into global superstardom in 1964.
By Raph_PH / WikipediaPaul McCartney
When John Lennon first put together The Quarrymen in 1957, he asked then 15-year-old Paul McCartney to join the band as a guitarist. The Quarrymen then evolved into The Beatles, one of the most influential musical groups of all time, winning seven GRAMMY awards and selling over 600 million albums worldwide. To this day, The Beatles are the best-selling artists of all time.
r/BlackHistoryPhotos / RedditThis celebrity started her career by covering a well-known Otis Redding song, which has since been immortalized as one of the greatest covers of all time
The daughter of a prominent Baptist minister, this celebrity is known for her impressive vocal range. She first started her career in 1960 but didn’t hit her fame until 1967, when she covered a song from Otis Redding. That cover launched her into stardom. She became known as the Queen of Soul and was the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Deposit PhotosAretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin’s enduring vocals in “Respect” transformed her career, taking the Otis Redding original song into a cultural anthem. Throughout her discography, Franklin released 38 albums, where each album cultivated gospel and soul sounds. Franklin has won 18 GRAMMY Awards and received a Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005. At the 2015 Kennedy Center Honors for Carole King, Franklin performed her rendition of “Natural Woman,” which became viral as President Barack Obama was reduced to tears from the performance.
r/OldSchoolCool / RedditBefore she was famous, this celebrity was known for her vocal range, where she started off her career on Broadway before going to Hollywood
Born in 1935 in Walton-on-Thames, England, this celebrity has been in the spotlight ever since she was a child. Her impressive vocal range saw her performing on vaudeville with her mother and stepfather during the mid-1940s, where she later made her Broadway debut in 1954. In 1964, she made her Hollywood debut in a Disney classic, where she won an Academy Award for her performance.
Deposit PhotosJulie Andrews
Today, Julie Andrews has become a world-renowned cultural icon following her roles in “Mary Poppins” and “The Sound of Music.” Her Hollywood debut was in “Mary Poppins,” where she won an Oscar. However, after suffering a botched throat surgery, Andrews lost her ability to sing like she once did. Despite this, Andrews was still able to capitalize on her success following her roles in “The Princess Diaries” and her role as Queen Lillian in “Shrek.”
By U.S. Navy photographer / WikipediaBefore becoming one of the defining actors of the ‘60s, this actor was nearly kicked out of college for a beer-keg party gone wrong
After leaving the military in 1946, this celebrity attended Kenyon College and was on an athletic scholarship to play football. However, after a beer-keg party that went south, this celebrity was nearly expelled from school. Fortunately for him, this celebrity managed to stay in school (but not on the football team), where he kicked off his acting career by trying out for a school play.
By Studio – eBay, Public Domain / WikipediaPaul Newman
Known for starring in movies like “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” and “Cool Hand Luke,” Paul Newman was known for his modest and kind personality, and he often donated profits from his food philanthropy business, Newman’s Own, to charities. Newman was nominated ten times for the Oscars before finally winning one for his role in “The Color of Money.” Aside from acting, Newman was an amateur race car driver, where he once competed in the challenging 24 Hours of Le Mans race.
r/HistoricalCapsule / RedditThis celebrity’s local music scene took him to one of the biggest rock careers of all time
Originally born in Mississippi, this celebrity moved to Memphis, Tennessee at the age of 13. In Memphis, this celebrity was enamored with the music that surrounded him — blues and gospel were constantly around him. His 1954 single, “That’s All Right,” kicked off his stardom as this singer is credited with being one of the founders of the rock genre.
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By Uncredited – https://archive.org/stream/radiotvmirro00mac#page/n247/mode/2up, Public Domain / WikipediaElvis Presley
Famously known for his “scandalous” hips, Elvis Presley was one of the pioneers of rock and roll. Influenced by different African American musicians like B.B. King and Little Richard, Presley went on to become a global sensation for his deep and mystifying voice and alluring personality. Though Presley was also active in the Hollywood acting scene, it was his music career that made him a legend. In particular, his residency at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino cemented him as a Las Vegas legend.
By Unknown U.S. Army personnel / WikipediaThis celebrity was a backing guitarist for stars like Little Richard and The Isley Brothers before starting his own band
Born in Seattle, Washington, this celebrity struggled with poverty and an unstable childhood. During his teenage years, this celebrity taught himself to play the guitar before becoming one of the biggest electric guitarists of all time. Though his career was short-lived, this celebrity became a cornerstone of rock and roll.
By Original photographer unknown – e24.se, attributed to Scanpixtrelleborgsallehanda.se, Public Domain / WikipediaJimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix was first spotted by Chas Chandler of The Animals in Greenwich Village, New York City, where Chandler convinced Hendrix to form the band, The Jimi Hendrix Experience. Hendrix moved to London, where he formed the band with Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell. The band became an instant success, helping shape the rock genre forever. In 1969, Hendrix performed an electric guitar rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner” at Woodstock, becoming one of the most iconic performances in rock history.
By Studio publicity stillUploaded by Wikiwatcher1 at en.wikipedia – Dr. Macro, Public Domain / WikipediaThis celebrity was a child star before becoming one of the highest-paid actresses at the time
At the age of 12, this celebrity cemented her acting prowess for her leading role in “National Velvet.” She continued her acting career into her adult life with roles like “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” and “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” Throughout her career, this actress has accumulated two Academy Awards and five nominations.
By SMU Central University Libraries – Flickr: [Elizabeth Taylor at Neiman Marcus store, Dallas] / WikipediaElizabeth Taylor
Elizabeth Taylor’s filmography is one to remember. Known for starring in dramatic, volatile movies, Taylor never shied away from playing complex characters, like her leading role in “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” Taylor is also known for starring in “Cleopatra,” where she was the movie’s leading character. At the time, Taylor became the highest-paid actress for her role, earning $1 million. Outside of acting, Taylor was one of the first celebrities to advocate for HIV/AIDS research following the death of her close friend Rock Hudson.
Deposit PhotosWrap Up
Before Jimi Hendrix electrified the world with his talents and Paul Newman became one of Hollywood’s leading men, they lived everyday lives. It may be hard to believe, but these celebrities were once unknown before their careers took off.
Related:
10 ways office life was different in the 1960s
Things we all did in the ’60s that would get Gen Z canceled
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