WRITER
Studs Terkel
1912 - 2008

Studs Terkel
Louis "Studs" Terkel (May 16, 1912 – October 31, 2008) was an American writer, historian, actor, and broadcaster. He received the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction in 1985 for The Good War and is best remembered for his oral histories of common Americans, and for hosting a long-running radio show in Chicago. Read more on Wikipedia
His biography is available in 27 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 23 in 2024). Studs Terkel is the 6,549th most popular writer (down from 6,256th in 2024), the 12,812th most popular biography from United States (down from 11,012th in 2019) and the 914th most popular American Writer.
Memorability Metrics
Page views of Studs Terkel by language
Among WRITERS
Among writers, Studs Terkel ranks 6,549 out of 7,302. Before him are Maylis de Kerangal, Paweł Huelle, Somaly Mam, Edward St Aubyn, Joe Paterno, and Henry Green. After him are Éric Vuillard, Muhsin al-Ramli, Gertrude Atherton, Jodi Picoult, John P. Marquand, and Ravindra Kelekar.
Most Popular Writers in Wikipedia
Go to all RankingsMaylis de Kerangal
1967 - Present
HPI: 49.65
Rank: 6,543
Paweł Huelle
1957 - 2023
HPI: 49.65
Rank: 6,544
Somaly Mam
1970 - Present
HPI: 49.65
Rank: 6,545
Edward St Aubyn
1960 - Present
HPI: 49.63
Rank: 6,546
Joe Paterno
1926 - 2012
HPI: 49.63
Rank: 6,547
Henry Green
1905 - 1973
HPI: 49.63
Rank: 6,548
Studs Terkel
1912 - 2008
HPI: 49.62
Rank: 6,549
Éric Vuillard
1968 - Present
HPI: 49.61
Rank: 6,550
Muhsin al-Ramli
1967 - Present
HPI: 49.61
Rank: 6,551
Gertrude Atherton
1857 - 1948
HPI: 49.60
Rank: 6,552
Jodi Picoult
1966 - Present
HPI: 49.60
Rank: 6,553
John P. Marquand
1893 - 1960
HPI: 49.60
Rank: 6,554
Ravindra Kelekar
1925 - 2010
HPI: 49.60
Rank: 6,555
Contemporaries
Among people born in 1912, Studs Terkel ranks 410. Before him are Kamil Tolon, Harry Hay, Roger Verey, Les Brown, Kathleen Ollerenshaw, and Erland Herkenrath. After him are Gerald Emmett Carter, Byron Nelson, Danny Thomas, Dale Evans, Frances Drake, and June Havoc. Among people deceased in 2008, Studs Terkel ranks 373. Before him are Ruslana Korshunova, Chicão, Nirmala Deshpande, George MacDonald Fraser, Vlado Taneski, and Choi Yo-sam. After him are Alexander Courage, Mahendra Kapoor, Harkishan Singh Surjeet, John S. Bull, Phyllis A. Whitney, and Joseph Pevney.
Others Born in 1912
Go to all RankingsKamil Tolon
INVENTOR
1912 - 1978
HPI: 50.26
Rank: 404
Harry Hay
SOCIAL ACTIVIST
1912 - 2002
HPI: 50.20
Rank: 405
Roger Verey
ATHLETE
1912 - 2000
HPI: 50.08
Rank: 406
Les Brown
MUSICIAN
1912 - 2001
HPI: 49.90
Rank: 407
Kathleen Ollerenshaw
MATHEMATICIAN
1912 - 2014
HPI: 49.83
Rank: 408
Erland Herkenrath
ATHLETE
1912 - 2003
HPI: 49.69
Rank: 409
Studs Terkel
WRITER
1912 - 2008
HPI: 49.62
Rank: 410
Gerald Emmett Carter
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
1912 - 2003
HPI: 49.60
Rank: 411
Byron Nelson
GOLFER
1912 - 2006
HPI: 49.44
Rank: 412
Danny Thomas
ACTOR
1912 - 1991
HPI: 49.07
Rank: 413
Dale Evans
ACTOR
1912 - 2001
HPI: 48.75
Rank: 414
Frances Drake
ACTOR
1912 - 2000
HPI: 48.63
Rank: 415
June Havoc
ACTOR
1912 - 2010
HPI: 48.23
Rank: 416
Others Deceased in 2008
Go to all RankingsRuslana Korshunova
MODEL
1987 - 2008
HPI: 50.80
Rank: 367
Chicão
SOCCER PLAYER
1949 - 2008
HPI: 50.38
Rank: 368
Nirmala Deshpande
SOCIAL ACTIVIST
1929 - 2008
HPI: 50.16
Rank: 369
George MacDonald Fraser
WRITER
1925 - 2008
HPI: 50.09
Rank: 370
Vlado Taneski
EXTREMIST
1952 - 2008
HPI: 50.06
Rank: 371
Choi Yo-sam
POLITICIAN
1973 - 2008
HPI: 49.97
Rank: 372
Studs Terkel
WRITER
1912 - 2008
HPI: 49.62
Rank: 373
Alexander Courage
MUSICIAN
1919 - 2008
HPI: 49.35
Rank: 374
Mahendra Kapoor
SINGER
1934 - 2008
HPI: 49.19
Rank: 375
Harkishan Singh Surjeet
POLITICIAN
1916 - 2008
HPI: 49.05
Rank: 376
John S. Bull
MILITARY PERSONNEL
1934 - 2008
HPI: 49.05
Rank: 377
Phyllis A. Whitney
WRITER
1903 - 2008
HPI: 48.92
Rank: 378
Joseph Pevney
FILM DIRECTOR
1911 - 2008
HPI: 48.84
Rank: 379
In United States
Among people born in United States, Studs Terkel ranks 12,816 out of 20,380. Before him are James H. Billington (1929), Malcolm-Jamal Warner (1970), Jimmy Webb (1946), Steven López (1978), Leo Goodwin (1883), and Natalie Zea (1975). After him are Edwin Lord Weeks (1849), Lisa Zane (1961), Stacey Kent (1965), Dave Filoni (1974), Colin Jost (1982), and Charles Farrell (1900).
Others born in United States
Go to all RankingsJames H. Billington
HISTORIAN
1929 - 2018
HPI: 49.62
Rank: 12,810
Malcolm-Jamal Warner
ACTOR
1970 - 2025
HPI: 49.62
Rank: 12,811
Jimmy Webb
MUSICIAN
1946 - Present
HPI: 49.62
Rank: 12,812
Steven López
ATHLETE
1978 - Present
HPI: 49.62
Rank: 12,813
Leo Goodwin
SWIMMER
1883 - 1957
HPI: 49.62
Rank: 12,814
Natalie Zea
ACTOR
1975 - Present
HPI: 49.62
Rank: 12,815
Studs Terkel
WRITER
1912 - 2008
HPI: 49.62
Rank: 12,816
Edwin Lord Weeks
PAINTER
1849 - 1903
HPI: 49.62
Rank: 12,817
Lisa Zane
ACTOR
1961 - Present
HPI: 49.62
Rank: 12,818
Stacey Kent
SINGER
1965 - Present
HPI: 49.62
Rank: 12,819
Dave Filoni
FILM DIRECTOR
1974 - Present
HPI: 49.62
Rank: 12,820
Colin Jost
ACTOR
1982 - Present
HPI: 49.62
Rank: 12,821
Charles Farrell
ACTOR
1900 - 1990
HPI: 49.62
Rank: 12,822
Among WRITERS In United States
Among writers born in United States, Studs Terkel ranks 914. Before him are Anna Todd (1989), Emanuel Pastreich (1964), Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872), Amy Sherman-Palladino (1966), Zona Gale (1874), and Joe Paterno (1926). After him are Gertrude Atherton (1857), Jodi Picoult (1966), John P. Marquand (1893), Norman Podhoretz (1930), William Kennedy (1928), and Annie Dillard (1945).
Anna Todd
1989 - Present
HPI: 49.73
Rank: 908
Emanuel Pastreich
1964 - Present
HPI: 49.73
Rank: 909
Paul Laurence Dunbar
1872 - 1906
HPI: 49.73
Rank: 910
Amy Sherman-Palladino
1966 - Present
HPI: 49.72
Rank: 911
Zona Gale
1874 - 1938
HPI: 49.65
Rank: 912
Joe Paterno
1926 - 2012
HPI: 49.63
Rank: 913
Studs Terkel
1912 - 2008
HPI: 49.62
Rank: 914
Gertrude Atherton
1857 - 1948
HPI: 49.60
Rank: 915
Jodi Picoult
1966 - Present
HPI: 49.60
Rank: 916
John P. Marquand
1893 - 1960
HPI: 49.60
Rank: 917
Norman Podhoretz
1930 - Present
HPI: 49.59
Rank: 918
William Kennedy
1928 - Present
HPI: 49.57
Rank: 919
Annie Dillard
1945 - Present
HPI: 49.55
Rank: 920
























































