20 Horrible Things Done By Influential People

20 Horrible Things Done By Influential People

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’ll be discussing individuals noted for their contributions to history, who also either espoused horrible beliefs or committed horrible actions.

Child Abandonment

Steve Jobs

There’s no denying the impact Steve Jobs has had upon the technological industry. His personal life, however, was an entirely different matter. Jobs engaged in an on-again/off-again relationship with a woman named Chrisann Brennan. This romance eventually led to a contentious pregnancy and paternity battle, one that Jobs fought for years against this former lover. Jobs maligned the personal integrity of Brennan with regard to the fatherhood of the child and refused to financially support the pair, even when it was revealed that Brennan was on welfare. The Apple co-founder did eventually offer financial assistance to his daughter, Lisa, but she didn’t see a significant amount until after a 1982 Time Magazine interview with Brennan that revealed the details of their affair.

Abuse Allegations

Alfred Hitchcock

It was often a dream of old-school Hollywood actors to work under Alfred Hitchcock. This was despite the director’s very specific ideas about what he wanted on screen, and how far he would go to achieve these goals. Tippi Hedren was just one of the prototypically icy and distant “Hitchcock Blondes” that was seen frequently as a trademark of the director’s films. Yet, Hedren also claimed that Hitchcock deliberately sabotaged her career, after she refused his sexual advances. Hedren also claimed that Hitchcock utilized real birds during an attack sequence in 1963’s “The Birds,” instead of fake mechanical substitutes. This was despite the director knowing full well about Hedren’s real-life fear of the creatures.

Adultery & Mistreatment

Martin Luther King Jr.

The civil rights work of Martin Luther King Jr. is rightfully lauded today for its utopian ideals concerning racial coexistence. That said, King’s failures as a husband were brought to light via covert government surveillance efforts from both the FBI and CIA. Federal wiretaps revealed that King engaged in several extramarital affairs during his marriage to Coretta Scott King. This was despite the leader’s own expectations within their marriage for his wife, namely that step down from her activism, in order to focus on motherhood. Further allegations assert that King allegedly bore witness to a sexual assault by an acquaintance, Pastor Logan Kearse, and, rather than stepping in to stop it, “looked on, laughed and offered advice.”

Spying & Sex Trafficking

Chuck Berry

The history books will always credit Chuck Berry as one of the fathers of rock ‘n roll music. Berry was convicted in 1962 for violating the Mann Act, a federal law whose design is to prosecute those who transport persons across state lines with intent for sex or prostitution. The guitarist was also arrested for assaulting a woman in 1987 while staying at New York’s Gramercy Park Hotel. Additionally, hidden cameras were found in the women's restroom of a restaurant owned by Berry, a case that Berry settled out of court.

Anti-Japanese Sentiment

Theodor Seuss Geisel, a.k.a. Dr. Seuss

Warfare can be fought on many fronts, with one particularly important weapon being propaganda. Theodor Seuss Geisel, otherwise known as children’s author Dr. Seuss, served in the United States Army’s Animation Department in 1943. He wrote propaganda and training films for the army during this time, while continuing to draw political cartoons and posters. Much of Seuss’ animation during this time was critical of the Japanese and often disparagingly depicted the people. The otherwise-beloved author was just one of many Americans who were swept away in a wave of anti-Japanese sentiment during the second World War. It doesn’t excuse Seuss’ actions, or the content of his early books, but it also speaks to a larger cultural sentiment of the era.

Abuse & Abandonment

John Lennon

Music is a very powerful thing, and we as fans often tend to martyr our favorite artists. Yet, perhaps we shouldn’t, because behind every musician is a human being with failures and faults. John Lennon, by all accounts, failed as a father and husband, at least when it comes to his first wife Cynthia Powell, and their son, Julian. Lennon’s contradictory life included physical violence against Powell, during a time when much of the Beatles’ music espoused “peace and love.” The songwriter’s split from Powell was acrimonious, as well, with the pair engaging in lawsuits over his infidelity with Yoko Ono, as well as Lennon’s emotional abandonment of their son.

Advocating Euthanasia & Eugenics

Helen Keller

The deafblind activist Helen Keller wasn’t the only politically-minded individual of her time to advocate for euthanasia and eugenics. It just surprised many that a person who overcame so many physical challenges in her own life would espouse the destruction of another, without giving it a similar fighting chance. Keller’s opinions specifically reflected a 1915 case when a baby’s life was allowed to expire after a doctor refused to operate. Keller charged those who advocated for the baby’s life as containing “cowardly sentimentalism,” and she actively distanced herself from the disabled community throughout her adult life.

Overseeing COINTELPRO

J. Edgar Hoover

The figure of former FBI director J. Edgar Hoover is one that looms large over the agency’s power and influence. One aspect of Hoover’s controversial legacy includes operations that were conducted under the umbrella of COINTELPRO. These weren’t just mere smear campaigns, but instead coordinated unrelenting attacks upon groups that the FBI considered “undesirable.” The activities and lives of the Black Panthers, anti-Vietnam activists, and even movie stars like Jean Seberg were monitored by FBI agents. Phones were tapped, conversations were recorded, and assassinations were approved under COINTELPRO, as the FBI manipulated the media and committed psychological warfare against United States citizens.

Accusations of Anti-Semitism

Roald Dahl

It often comes down to the consumer to decide whether or not we’re able to separate the art from the artist. Roald Dahl is responsible for a writing score of certified children’s classics, including “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and “Matilda.” However, this English veteran of World War II has also been accused of harboring sentiments that could be perceived as anti-semitic. Dahl, in his defense, was quoted as saying, “I am not anti-Semitic. I am anti-Israel.” The author’s friends often labeled him as a provocateur, and subject to saying things on a whim. Yet, this does nothing to hide the fact that some of Dahl’s early work, such as “Sometime Never” and “Madame Rosette,” contains defamatory language concerning Jewish people.

Assault

Roman Polanski

Some turn away at the accusations leveled against filmmaker Roman Polanski, due primarily to his genre-defining work with “Rosemary’s Baby” and “Chinatown.” The writer and director even received the Academy Award for Best Director for 2002’s “The Pianist,” which was released decades after Polanski’s infamous run-ins with the law. The history of Polanski’s alleged sexual crimes dates back to 1977 when he was arrested for drugging and assaulting a teenager in his native France. Polanski would, inconceivably, be arrested for this crime again that same year, this time with an underage model named Samantha Gailey. Serious jail time loomed for the director, who was informed of this incoming justice, and Polanski decided to escape from the U.S., prior to his sentencing.

Advocating Colonialism

Rudyard Kipling

It doesn’t seem unfair to say that many viewers of a certain age were first exposed to the work of English author Rudyard Kipling’s literary work via the animated Disney adaptation of “The Jungle Book.” Kipling was born in British India, and it was living under these circumstances that provided a huge influence on his art, including his “Jungle Book” duology, as well as a poem titled “The White Man’s Burden.” This poem’s narrative offers a cautious yet encouraging advocacy of American colonialist efforts in the Philippine Islands, while “The Jungle Book” (yes, even the Disney version) presents imagery that mirrors Britain’s own colonialist approach to Indian rule.

Forced Conversions & Misappropriation of Funds

Mother Teresa

The career and life of Mary Teresa Bojaxhiu, a.k.a. Mother Teresa, did contribute to providing health care to the poor, needy, and sick, people who had nowhere else to turn. However, it’s also been alleged that the quality of this care varied, and often came under the proviso of a forced conversion to Catholicism. These could be in the form of baptisms of children against the parents’ wishes, or deathbed conversions. Mother Teresa also contributed to hiding the actions of priests that were accused of behaving inappropriately with children, and also came under fire for misappropriating funds for her own medical care, against those designated for her mission.

Marrying Minors

Charlie Chaplin

The world of Old Hollywood is full of dark shadows that contrast the bright lights and dazzling stars. Charlie Chaplin’s work during the silent film era was massive, influencing countless artists. Yet, the man’s personal life was tumultuous, from his left-leaning political sympathies to alleged sexual relationships with minors. It should be said that legal ages of consent have historically differed from both state-to-state and year-to-year, but Chaplin’s first two wives were under the age of 18. His second spouse, Lita Grey, was alleged to have been a teenager at the time of their affair, during which she became pregnant. Grey would also allege that Chaplin pressured her for an abortion, in order to circumvent the scandal of their secret marriage in Sonora, Mexico.

Animal Abuse Allegations

P.T. Barnum

The modern-day sideshows, carnivals, and circus attractions all owe a debt of gratitude to the showmanship of P.T. Barnum. However, the man’s style of operation within the circus business has come under large scrutiny over the years, particularly in the wake of 2017’s “The Greatest Showman.” Specifically, Barnum often exploited real-life physical conditions for those appearing in his various sideshows, while other exhibits leaned heavily into racist and culturally insensitive stereotypes. The animals under Barnum’s watch fared little better, with many of the tools used to get them to perform their shows also doubling as instruments of pain.

The Kennedy Lobotomy

Joe Kennedy, Sr.

Individuals historically turned to a lot of different places when it came to seeking out answers for mental illness. The surgical procedure known as a lobotomy was one of these places, and it wasn’t only the poor that turned in this direction. The Kennedy Family patriarch, Joe Kennedy, Sr. subjected his daughter Rosemary to a lobotomy during her early twenties. This was after complications during her delivery and birth resulted in Rosemary developing some sort of learning/intellectual disability. The public perception of Joe and the Kennedy Family’s feelings toward Rosemary range from ignorance to shame. It’s also largely believed that the lobotomy was performed to both neutralize the Kennedy daughter’s mood swings and ensure the political paths for Joe’s sons were made more clear.

The Bengal Famine

Winston Churchill

The legacy of former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Winston Churchill was still being forged when this humanitarian disaster struck India back in 1943. World War II raged across the globe, yet this was also still the time of British Colonialism in India. The war (specifically Japan’s occupation of Burma) was devastating for India’s economy during this time, with foodstuffs being diverted preferentially and strategically to military personnel, rather than Indian natives. Churchill’s level of blame for the Bengal Famine fluctuates depending on who you ask, with some quoting the Prime Minister’s disparaging remarks towards India’s people, while others claim Churchill’s hands were tied, and that he effectively “did his best” once alerted of the crisis.

Nazi Sympathy

Coco Chanel

The name “Coco Chanel” is synonymous with the fashion industry, yet the real-life historical figure behind this brand possessed a complicated history. We’re speaking of Chanel’s involvement with Nazi officials during their occupation of France during World War II. Chanel had an endgame in mind with regard to her SS collaborations, specifically freeing her nephew, who was being held as a POW. Chanel’s romantic affair with Nazi officer Hans Günther von Dincklage succeeded in this aim, yet she continued contact with Nazi brass after the release of her nephew. One of Chanel’s political allies was the aforementioned Winston Churchill, and it was via this influence that the fashion icon was able to avoid charges of collaboration after the war.

Promoting Segregation

Woodrow Wilson

Armchair historians might like to point out how former U.S. President Woodrow Wilson probably would’ve wanted his Fourteen Points or the League of Nations to be part of his lasting legacy. Instead, a recent light has since been shined upon just how reticent Wilson's presidency was to listening to voices of change, and their increasing clamor for equality. The former President supported segregation at every turn, including enforcing it within the branches of the federal government. Wilson worked to remove African-American politicians from their posts, and he actively opposed the women’s suffrage movement. Post-Civil War Reconstruction in America was NOT easy, but the 20th-century presidency of Woodrow Wilson did a lot to help undermine a lot of that era’s success.

The Siege of Drogheda

Oliver Cromwell

The mere mention of the name “Oliver Cromwell” is enough to elicit many passionate opinions. The legacy of this former Lord Protector is nothing if not complicated, with some sides of history praising Cromwell’s military might, and others condemning him for the same reasons. The Siege of Drogheda was a military conflict often used to underline Cromwell’s brutality, while also criticizing the man’s campaign in Ireland. Sir Arthur Aston, who was in charge of defending the garrison, refused a chance to surrender to Cromwell’s invading forces. As a result, nearly all of Aston’s men were killed, along with an unnamed number of civilians. It’s this latter fact that speaks to just how often Cromwell’s opposition was slaughtered, seemingly without regard to mercy or decency.

The Indian Removal Act

Andrew Jackson

His visage remains on the twenty-dollar U.S. note, but perhaps reckoning will eventually come for former American president, Andrew Jackson. The man’s problematic legacy has grown exponentially in recent years, thanks primarily to his enforcement of the Indian Removal Act in 1830. The bill was signed into law by Jackson, and its enforcement was continued by the president’s successor, Martin Van Buren. Under this act, over sixty thousand Native Americans were forced to uproot and move west, a journey that became known as the Trail of Tears. The Act is seen today largely as a strategic land-grab movement by the United States, with Jackson’s personal feelings asserting an idea that Native self-rule should only take place upon Federal land, west of the Mississippi River.

Did any of these revelations surprise you? Let us know in the comments!